THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
The Nigerian
PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 38 NO. 328 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013 . N100.00 NATURAL MEDICINE Page 19
Women, age and fertility
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Page 23
A glimpse at US foreign policies
Jega promises best polls in 2015
ABUJA - Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission conducted polls in the (INEC), has promised country. He gave the promise that the 2015 elections yesterday in Abuja at the would be the best ever opening of a two-day
political foundation. Jega said the commission had taken delivery of the latest technology that would be used to eliminate multiple
regional conference on “Ethics and Election Challenges,” organised by the Fredrich-EbertStiftung, a German
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President Goodluck Jonathan and charged with the responsibility of bringing lasting peace to the north. He stressed that the committee was
identifying and engaging key members of the sect in talks. He, however, said the committee had been having some challenges in the course of carrying
FG meets with key Boko Haram members ABUJA - The Minister of Special Duties and InterGovernmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, has said that dialogue was going on with key members of the Boko Haram sect to end the insurgency in parts of the north. which he is Chairman, Turaki said this in Abuja was constituted by yesterday when he spoke to newsmen after briefing members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ministry’s activities. The minister said that the situation was being handled by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflict in Northern Nigeria. The committee, of
out its assignment. Such challenges, he said, included the showing up of fake persons claiming to be members of the sect. He said such people
often showed up with a view to collecting money.
“We have seen some people who are fake members of the
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Commission wants states to enact fiscal responsibility laws CALABAR - The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has advised state governments to establish their respective fiscal responsibility commissions and enact laws that would foster financial discipline. The FRC Commissioner for Policy and Standards, Dr. Sylvanus Mordi, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Calabar. Mordi was in Calabar to represent the FRC Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Yelwa, in a two-day retreat on “Awareness on the Provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007.” He said Nigeria had recorded achievements in macroeconomic stability after the inauguration of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007. He cautioned against “co-operative federalism”
where states behave as if there was no need for fiscal responsibility. The commissioner said that the centre and subnational governments were partners in development. He added that the operating surplus from corporations into the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund rose from zero level in 2008 to N86.77 billion in 2012 after prompting from the FRC. “After four and a half years of enforcement and monitoring of the FRA 2007 at the Federal Government level, there
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DECORATION: IGP Mohammed Abubakar (right), decorating Mr. Bala Nasarawa with his new rank of AIG, during decoration of newly promoted AIGs and CPS in Abuja yesterday. With him is DIG ‘F’ Department, Mr. Atiku Kafur.
Oshiomhole urges attention on child, maternal health care By QUEENNETH A. OROBEDO
BENIN CITY- Edo State Governor, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole has advocated the need for government at all levels to give deliberate
attention to issues of child and maternal Health Care. Governor Oshiomhole stated this yesterday in
No going back on strike
ABUJA - The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) yesterday said it would continue its indefinite strike until the Federal
- Resident doctors
Government met its demands. The President of the Association, Dr. Jibril
Abdullahi, said this in Abuja when he briefed newsmen on the
outcome of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Monday. Reports state that the
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Government House when he played host to a delegation of Forum for Local Government Nurses and Midwives, under the auspicies of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Mid-wives who are in the state for its 2013 Delegates’ Conference and Workshop. He was represented by Secretary to the State
Government (SSG), Professor Julius Ihonvbere. The governor decried the lipservice most relevant authorities give to issues of child and maternal health as evidenced in the number of women who die during child birth and children of less than six years. He said relevant policies
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THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
News
Commission wants states to enact fiscal responsibility Continued from page 1 FRC urged the corporations to liabilities are contingent and laws have been reasonable increase their contributions from how to tackle them. achievements in macroeconomic stability of the national economy, prudent management of the nation’s resources, fiscal discipline and transparency. “Before the Fiscal Responsibility Commission came into being, the corporations were not obliged to pay operating surplus into the Federal Government consolidated revenue fund. “From inception to 2012, the
nothing in 2008 to N17.09 billion in 2009 and progressively thereafter to N86.77 billion in 2012,” he said. Mordi said the budget process had been substantially formalised and legalised after the establishment of the FRC. He said that the Calabar retreat discussed the FRA 2007, and possible amendments to the act, as well as the medium term expenditure framework to improve the national budget.
“We discussed two aspects. The first one was an overview of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007, a law enacted on fiscal responsibility in Nigeria. “The second topic on the agenda is the medium term expenditure framework, which is a study carried out before you make a budget for the nation. “It is also a feasibility to see what kind of budget size, what revenue is coming in, what expenditure is coming in; what
provision is necessary to address the anomaly. According to him, recognition of the place of health to societal development, “the present administration has focused attention on issues of primary health care, family planning and other critical areas in the health sector”. Government has to have the courage to fix our health care system,” he said, adding that the requests made by the association would be looked into. National Chairman, Forum for Local Government Nurses and Mid-wives, Evangelist
Peter Oyebamiji said they were in the state for their 5th National Delegates and 29th Annual Scientific Conference to brain-storm on issues affecting their association and Primary Health Care delivery in Nigeria.
Level 8. In another session with the Edo North Law Students of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, The SSG stressed the relevance of mentoring and the need for people to understand that the circumstances of their birth should not truncate their vision in life. Leader of the delegation, Mr. Sunday Iyemeake appealed for support to enable them proceed to the Nigerian Law School so as to give the best to the society in future. He commended the state government for making governance open to everyone.
management. The doctors went on strike over the non-payment of arrears of salaries of some doctors for over four months by the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). They are also demanding the training and retraining of resident doctors. Abdullahi said the NEC also gave the Federal Government a four-week ultimatum to investigate alleged victimisation of its members at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. He said the NEC also demanded the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital.
“We also have to look at past performances so that when we make the budget, it will be realistic and we will be able to achieve at least 90 per cent of it.” Mordi said deliberations at the retreat also centred on the amendment of existing fiscal responsibility Act. “The law provides for offences, but does not provide matching punishments. “It empowers the Fiscal Responsibility Commission to detect contraventions, investigate it and forward its report to the Attorney-General of the Federation for possible prosecution. “The FRC feels that this aspect of the law is not strong enough, as punishment for offences must be defined. He said the Nigerian constitution says nobody should be punished for any offence or given any punishment that is not written or defined. “So, we are saying it should be amended and the FRC be given the powers to go to courts and enforce the law. Emphasising that there was no legislation in Nigeria that compelled states to embrace fiscal responsibility, he said “the states that have not adopted fiscal responsibility should do so in the interest of the economy. “We cannot say punish the states for not embracing fiscal responsibility because the constitution allows them to carry out proper economic management of their states. “This is also because the Nigerian economy is both fiscal federalism and political federalism. “Fiscal federalism has to do with financial arrangements whereby the central government collects about 80 per cent of the money and the money is shared between the states and the Federal Government. “The states and local governments take 48 per cent of the money and then Federal Government takes about 52 per cent of the money.” “And if you say that only the federal government should be applying fiscal responsibility, you are wrong because Federal Government controls only 50 per cent of the resources and the states share the rest.”
people that are key as far as peaceful resolution of this matter is concerned,” the minister added. On the implementation of constituency projects by the National Assembly, the minister said that the ministry was doing everything possible to ensure the full implementation of all such projects. He said 2,399 ongoing constituency projects for 2013 across the country
were being implemented by 114 agencies. The minister said that N100billion was budgeted annually for constituency projects and assigned to the National Assembly. According to him, the National Assembly comes up with sharing formula amongst its members without involving the executive. He said that each member of the National Assembly
was given envelop which contains projects to be executed. Earlier, PDP National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, tasked the minister to ensure the implementation of the party’s manifestoes in the ministry for the benefit of all. He thanked the minister for his efforts at ensuring lasting peace in the northern part of the country and assured him of the support of the party’s leadership.
Continued from page 1 voting a nd registration of voters, adding that INEC would use the new technology to issue chip-based, permanent cards to eligible voters. Jega expressed optimism that the new technology would prevent multiple voting and election fraud as well as strengthening its efforts to clean up the nation’s electoral
process. The INEC Chairman said the commission would ensure adequate sensitisation and enlightenment of the general public, adding that it had commenced the reform of the electoral system to respond to emerging challenges. In her speech, Seija Struries, the Country Resident Representative, FredrichEbert-Stiftung, called on
Oshiomhole urges attention on child, Continued from page 1 maternal healthcare and adequate budgetary
He commended the governor for the unprecedented infrastructural revival across the state, while drawing government attention to some challenges which include: inadequate nurses and midwives in government health facilities, especially in rural areas. She appealed to the state government to upgrade qualified nurses to salary Grade
No going back on strike
Continued from page 1 meeting reviewed the ongoing n ationwide strike by the
association, which commenced on October 1. Abdullahi said that NEC, at the end of the meeting, demanded the immediate payment of outstanding salaries and allowances of its members. He said NEC also demanded the release and implementation of the immediate payment of outstanding salaries and allowances of its members. He added that NEC also demanded the release and implementation of the stakeholders’ agreement on residency training programme. “We are not unmindful of the financial doldrums the country is facing. If you bring forth the
document, we will sit down and look at the financial implication and will discuss. “On the average, we spend N120billion annually on medical tourism. This is a colossal drain on the economy and you cannot reduce this until you strategise and develop the health care system. “You can do that when you train the doctors and other health workers very well,” he said. He said that the blueprint for residency training would help to avoid misunderstanding at different levels of implementation. According to him, it will also help in minimising acrimony and industrial disharmony between resident doctors and hospitals
FG meets with key Boko Haram members
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insurgency who had come for the purpose of getting money. “But we have always used the instrumentality of the security agencies and information on their data bank to verify their authenticity and membership of this organization,” the minister said. The minister hinted that the report of the committee was almost completed, adding that it would be submitted to the president soon. “About 99 percent of the assignment has been concluded and in the next few days, probably before the end of this week, we will finish the remaining one per cent. “We will then inform the president to give us date and time to present the report. “I would want to assure that we have been talking with genuine members of this organisation and these are
Jega promises best polls in 2015
African countries to find lasting solution to electoral manipulations in the continent. According to her, time has come for the stakeholders in election issues to look into the role and importance of ethics in finding solution to election challenges. Participants who attended the two-day conference were drawn from Nigeria, Mali, Ghana, Togo, Guinea and Sierra-Leone for.
Edo Fadama Office trains 26,000 farmers, disburses N113million BENIN - The Fadama Office in Edo says it has facilitated the training of no fewer than 26, 000 farmers on crop production and farming techniques across the three senatorial districts of the state. Ms. Judith Momodu, the state Coordinator of the World Bankassisted programme, told newsmen in Benin that the training was conducted by accredited service providers and agricultural consultants. Momodu said the training was designed to improve agricultural activities to guarantee bumper harvest. She said the training was aimed at building the capacity of farmers to improve and broaden their scope of farming. “The farmers are trained on
livestock production, tree and crop production, fertiliser application, land preparation and disease and pest control.” The state coordinator also said that a total of N113 million had been disbursed to 29 Fadama community associations in the state. In a separate interview, Mr. Osas Benson, the Chairman of ‘Imade Farm’ told newsmen that farmers in his farm benefited from the training. “The training we received has been very helpful; they have taught us how to plant our crops very well. “Before, I taught I knew how to plant yam, but when they taught us their own style and we experimented it, we discovered that it was the best,’’ he said.
St Francis Catholic Church celebrates anniversary feast By ROLAND OSAKUE/ INNOCENT OMOAKA
to demonstrate a high sense of humility, love and faith toward their neighbours BENIN CITY – The saying it was the symbol of the parishioners of St. Francis Saint after whose name the Catholic Church, Benin City parish was named. Sunday celebrated the In a homily, the Priestanniversary feast of its founding Residence of the Church, Rev. saint, “St Francis of Assisi” who Fr. Primus Umoh enjoined the exudes faith and selflessness parishioners to be patient and towards the growth of the place their faith in God like the Catholic faith. mustered seed in which God The annual feast celebrated demonstrated his strength. every October 4 by catholic Rev. Fr. Umoh, who faithful across the globe ended chronicled the life and with a social gathering where religious time of the patron parishioners and guests saint however called on the celebrated the anniversary. religious faithful to Prof. S. E. Orobator, who demonstrate the love of God chaired the occasion, urged the through selfless service to one people to emulate the qualities another. of St. Francis Assisi, which The parish Priest, Very Rev. personified the love of God Fr. Benedict Etafo and his towards man. assistant, Rev. Fr. Job Ekabo, The Laity Council of the and other dignitaries, church, Mr. Rowland Noskhare including seminarians graced Osunde, urged the parishioners the occasion.
Mrs Odubu charges nurses on professional ethics By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR
BENIN CITY - Wife of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Deaconess Endurance Odubu has appealed to members of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to uphold the tenets of their profession. She made the appeal at the opening ceremony of West African College of Nursing (WACN) Nigeria, Edo/Delta Annual Scientific Conference, which took place in Benin City, yesterday. Deaconess Odubu called for appropriate Sanctions against violators “considering the occurrence of inhuman treatment of patients by some health practitioners in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across Edo and other parts of Nigeria”. She noted that entrants into the profession should be advised on the need for confidentiality and client advocacy conduct, in addition to the need to work in harmony with other health workers. The wife of the deputy governor commended the West African College of Nursing, Nigeria, Edo/Delta branch, for its complementary efforts aimed at updating nurses and midwives as government cannot do it alone. She stressed the need for health regulators, tutors and institutions to regularly review performance indicators and
update practitioners knowledge. The Special Guest of Honour and member of the State House of Assembly, representing Uhunmwode Constituency, Hon. Elizabeth Ativie, stated that sharing best practices enhances service delivery. She noted that nurses and midwives are doing enormous job for humanity, stressing that training and retraining them is essential for quality service delivery. Hon. Ativie however challenged nurses and midwives to go into politics as they have what it takes to do well in the political terrain. National Chairperson of WACN, Mrs. Mojisola Okelola, stated that nurses and midwives constitute the target part of the health care industry, hence, it is important for them to acquire new skills to enable them keep pace with change. Chairperson of WACN, Edo /Delta branch, Mrs. Stella Ochei, stressed the need to ensure that knowledge is applied by care providers for better results. She however noted that in the process of doing so, care providers should not be stagnated or deprived of their right to knowledge acquisition for better performance. The theme of the conference is, “Educating the Nursing and Midwifery workforce for Better Health”.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
News Court Orders Ex-Union Chairman ABUJA The To Refund N.8m National Industrial Court, Abuja has ordered Mrs. Beloved Adegori, a former chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), to refund N827,267 to the union. Adegori was the chairman of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) chapter of the union. The union had dragged the SGF and the former chairman to the court in 2011, praying it to compel the defendants to refund its check-off dues between January and March 2008. Delivering judgment on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice Oluseun Shogbola, held that the second
defendant being an agent of the claimant could not exercise authority over the union’s funds. Shogbola also held that the argument of the second defendant that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit could not be sustained. She ordered the second defendant to pay the unremitted dues to the union within two weeks and also ordered the SGF to ensure that the court’s order was complied with. “It is the order of the court that the sum of N827,267 being checkoff dues collected by the second claimant between January and March 2008 be remitted to the claimant within two weeks of this judgment. ‘It is also the duty of the first defendant to ensure that the second defendant
complies with the order,” she ruled. During the hearing, Adegori’s counsel, Mr. Babatunde Adewusi, had urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction. Adewusi contended that the claimant did not comply with its constitution in filing the suit since it did not explore internal mechanism to resolve the matter. The claimant’s counsel, Mr. Daniel Onuh, told the court that all efforts by the union to explore internal mechanism in settling the dispute proved abortive. Onuh urged the court to discountenance the second defendant’s counter claim and grant the reliefs sought by the claimant.
First Aid simulation by members of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Anambra, during the 2013 world first Aid Day celebration in Awka on Monday.
L-R: First Executive Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Edo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion and Prince Joe Okojie during the APC campaign rally in Delta State recently. Photo: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE.
INEC To Relocate Polling ABUJA - Prof. Attahiru as amended, empowers Jega, the Chairman, Booths INEC to carry out regular Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said that the commission would relocate polling booths located around shrines in some parts of the country. The chairman said this at a one-day conference on Knowledge and Experience Sharing on Voters’ Register with State Independent Electoral Commissions in Abuja. Jega said polling units were not supposed to be located in shrines, adding that the commission has had cause to relocate some polling booths in Anambra earlier due to the same reason. He urged members of the public to avail the Commission with information on such
polling units for prompt action. “No polling unit is to exist in shrine, forest or isolated areas. We have done it before; we relocated one in Anambra and we got all sorts of petitions. “They said it was a farm settlement but investigation proved them wrong. We have investigated it, they are just there to help other people to rig elections.” He said the continued voters’ registration and delimitation would take care of persons displaced due to natural disasters or civil strife. Jega said the Commission would invest “significant time, energy and resources” in compiling a new voters’ register in preparation of the general elections. “The electoral Act, 2010,
NAHCON To Conclude Transportation Of Pilgrims Today
HAJJ:
IBADAN - The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said on Monday it had transported 65,151 out of 66,000 Nigerian prospective pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj ahead of the October 14 Arafat day. Alhaji Abdullah Muhktar, National Commissioner in charge of Operations, announced this in a telephone interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
He said that the commission transported the pilgrims in 134 flights, assuring that the remaining pilgrims would be conveyed in two more flights. The commission, which had its inaugural flight from Maiduguri on September. 14, would conclude the operation on Wednesday. Muhktar said the deadline for transportation of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia was October. 9, ahead of the Arafat. He assured Nigerians and the
remaining prospective pilgrims that they would be transported to Saudi Arabia before the close of Saudi’s airspace. The commissioner said this year’s Hajj was so good “ that everything went on smoothly beyond our imagination’’. The spokesperson for the Commission, Alhaji Uba Mana, said that the balance of 849 pilgrims would be transported before the close of Saudi airspace on Wednesday.
He said that the private operators were to transport the balance of 10,000 pilgrims to the holy land. Nigeria’s allocation for 2013 Hajj is 76,000 including 10,000 hajj slots for the private operators. “Everybody, including the airlines, the pilgrims, the state welfare boards as well as other Hajj operators, cooperated with the commission for the success so far recorded,’’ Mana said.
Due to the early transportation of the pilgrims, 50 per cent of them were taken directly to Medina, as against Jeddah in the past, to ease their difficulties. Before now, pilgrims from Nigeria had to travel by road from Jeddah to Medina, a distance of over 600 kilometres. Nigeria’s allocation and other countries were slashed by 20 per cent due to the ongoing expansion of Ka’abah in Makkah.
update of register of voters through the continued voters’ registration.” He said the Commission had conducted a review of voter’s register in Kogi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Sokoto and Cross Rivers ahead of the 2011 elections. Jega said the exercise was, however, suspended in Edo and Ondo owing to “mistrust and biter contention among politicians”. He said the commission had conducted similar exercise in Anambra in readiness for the Nov.16 election. He said INEC would conduct the exercise nationwide before the end of the year to give eligible voters the opportunity to register and participate in future elections. In his speech, a Director at the UN Development Programme, Dr Mourtada Deme, said the 2011 elections marked a turning point for INEC’s effort towards conducting a hitch-free elections. Deme said the commission had done a lot in its effort to review the electoral act as well as the review of voter’s register, amongst others. The conference brought together election managers and partner agencies in the country to share knowledge and experience on election matters.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
News Mischief
Emir Wants Close Monitoring Of Immunisation Programme HADEJIA (Jigawa) - The Emir of Hadejia in Jigawa, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar, has directed members of the
Forum Plans To Boost Community Devt By VICTOR OMOALU ABUDU- The Agbonmoba (Eheze) Elites Forum has pretuned strategies to boost infrastructural development in Agbonmoba Community in Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State. Indications to this emerged when members of the forum visited the chairman, Orhionmwon Local Government Council, Chief Roland Ibierutomwen in Abudu, the headquarters of the council. Addressing the council boss, chairman of the forum, Engineer Sam Ukor lamented what he referred to as total neglect of the community in term of provision of social amenities. He said the forum was set up specifically to compliment the efforts and programmes of other bodies towards uplifting the living standard of the people and to bridge the gap between decision making/ implementation at the community’s level. Engr. Ukor noted that a number of public facilities in the community, which he ranked amongst the first largest ten communities in the local government, were executed and sustained on the basis of community effort. He appealed to the council chairman to make government. While appealing for the reconstruction of Agbonmoba Primary School, expansion of the community market, provision of electricity and functional source of water supply, grading of streets/roads linking Agbonmoba to nearby communities, Engr. Ukor, pledged the forum’s unalloyed support for the present administration in the state. Responding, Chief Ibierutomwen reassured the forum of his administration’s commitment to addressing the problems militating against the well being of Agbonmoba people. The council boss stated that the policy thrust of his administration to include formulate policies that would impact positively on the lives of the people. He assured that despite financial challenge, his government would strive torwards delivering his electioneering promises to the people.
emirate council to ensure close monitoring of the ongoing measles integrated immunisation. Adamu gave the directive while reviewing progress report of the council on the conduct of the exercise in Hadejia. Reports say that the state Ministry of Health, in collaboration with National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), on October. 5, embarked on massive immunisation. The exercise is against measles, cerebral spinal meningitis (CSM), polio and other killer diseases. Adamu said that the monitoring was imperative to ensure participation and facilitate successful conduct of the exercise. “Community leaders are closer to the people; we should ensure monitoring in order to eradicate child killer diseases in the state,” he said. The emir also called on religious leaders to be more committed in creating awareness on the exercise. Earlier, Alhaji Abdulkadir Maje, a council member, said that a team of members from the council had inspected the exercise in Auyo, KafinHausa and Kaugama local government areas. Maje expressed satisfaction with the level of participation of the communities so far visited in the exercise. Reports also say that an estimated 1.5 million children are targeted for immunisation in the 27 local government areas of the state.
Police Arraign 4 Men
Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Deaconness Endurance Odubu (left) and Mrs. Mojisola Okelola, Chairman West African College of Nursing (WACN), Nigeria chapter during the Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the College in Benin City yesterday.
L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan discussing with Secretary, Preisdential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue; Dr. Akilu Indabawa and the Chairman, Sen. Femi Okuroumu after their inauguration in Abuja recently.
Farmer Tasks FG On Rice Processing ASABA A former Commissioner for Lands and Survey in Delta, Mr Raymos Guanah, has called on the Federal Government to establish rice mills in the rice-producing states in the country. Guanah, who is Chairman, Ramous Guanah Farms, told newsmen in Asaba that this would help reduce the farmers’ burden of looking for where to process their products. He said that establishment of rice mills in all the affected states would make farmers add values to their products. He also called on government to establish post-harvest storage facilities across the federation to enable farmers preserve their products. The former commissioner said that he supported the call for the ban on importation of rice because it would boost rice farming.
He stressed that apart from subsidy on fertilisers, government should also subsidise agro-chemicals and farm implements to aide small scale farmers. Guanah noted that the greatest challenge faced by small scale farmers in the country was lack
of government’s assistance. He also said that the country was blessed with arable land and could not afford not to be selfsufficient in food supply, advising against politicising agriculture. Government, he said, should think of ways of engaging
members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in farming. He said that deployment of NYSC members to mechanised farms would be more beneficial to the country than allowing them to cluster in government offices doing nothing.
ABUJA - The police has arraigned four men in an Abuja Magistrates’ Court for alleged joint act, mischief and causing hurt. Those arraigned are Mohammed Abubakar, 18; Yusuf Tanko, 25; Ya’u Abdulkarim, 21, and Mamman Sani, all of Utako Village, Abuja. The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Buba Irimiya, told the court that one Jamiu Musa, of the same address lodged the matter at the Utako Police Station on October. 2. Irimya said that the accused persons stormed into the complainant’s mechanic workshop with dangerous weapons and destroyed cars belonging to his customers. He said the accused persons destroyed windows and wind screens of some vehicles, belonging to customers. Irimya who alleged that the accused persons caused damages, estimated at N450,000 and also inflicted serious injuries on some of the complainant’s workers. He said the offence contravened the provisions of section 79, 327 and was punishable under section 247 of the Penal Code. If convicted, the four are liable to seven years in prison or with fine or with both. The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Iyana, admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N100,000 each and a surety each in like sum. Iyana ordered that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and must present recent utility bills of their residences to the court. He ordered that the sureties must also show an evidence of good means of livelihood and adjourned the matter to October. 24 for hearing.
SURE-P Beneficiaries Commend FG UMUAHIA - Beneficiaries of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) in Abia, have commended the Federal Government for initiating it. The beneficiaries, who were trained in different skills under the programme, told newsmen in Umuahia that SURE-P had given them hope for survival. One of them, Mrs Rhema Uche, said the skill acquisition programme organised by SUREP in conjunction with the Abia
Government would address youth unemployment in the country. “This programme has really helped me to find my bearing in life,’’ she said, adding that life was becoming meaningless to her four years after obtaining a National Diploma without a job. Another beneficiary, John Chiemelam, who was trained in soap and pomade making and other chemical and allied applications, said that the
programme would help the youth to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development. Chiemelam expressed optimism that he would establish a business in his area of training to transform his life. Mrs Bridget Emenike, trained in sewing and fashion design, said that she was initially skeptical about the programme, but added that she realised later that if she participated, it would change her life for the better.
“I want to thank the Federal and State Governments for this gesture. They have shown that they care for the masses. “If government was performing like this in the past, many Nigerians will not have been so impoverished,’’ she said. Reports say that the 400 people trained in various skills for sixmonth, had earlier received equipment and N30,000 grant each, to enable them to start their businesses.
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News
NDE Distributes N1.5m Loans To Trainees YOLA- The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has disbursed N1.5 million soft loans to three beneficiaries of its Advance Entrepreneurship Development Programme
(EDP) in Adamawa State. Mallam Aliyu Abubakar, the Adamawa State Coordinator of NDE, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Yola. Abubakar said the three
beneficiaries got N500, 000 each under the Enterprise Creation Loan Scheme. “Plan has been concluded to disburse such loans to another set of four young men and women”, he said.
Abubakar also said that 50 people would be trained on modern agriculture under the directorate’s Rural Agricultural Training Scheme (RADTS). He said the directorate
recently engaged 450 unemployed youths to acquire skills in 10 different trades at the NDE Skills Acquisition Centres located in the three senatorial zones in the state. “Just last week, we celebrated 10 trainees who graduated from the Environment Beautification Scheme (EBTS) and 15 who graduated from the Solar Energy Training Scheme. “These trained persons were given tools that would launch them into self-employment. “To underscore the importance of women engagement in economic
activities, the women employment branch of the directorate is at the last state of disbursing micro-enterprise loans to some women in the state” Abubakar said. He lauded the commitment and support of Adamawa government and NGOs in setting up empowerment programmes to complement NDE efforts in the state. Abubakar advised unemployed youths in the state to avail themselves of the various empowerment opportunities being provided to combat poverty.
Murder
Court Sentences Man, 37, To Death
The Zonal Pastor, Christ Embassy Benin, Pastor Mary Owase Delivering her opening remark at the musical concert of Reach Out Nigeria Campaign held at the Ogbe Stadium last Friday night.
Police Arraign 5 Persons For Murder MAKURDI- The Police on Monday arraigned five men at a Makurdi Upper Area Court, charged with culpable homicide ,conspiracy and belonging to an unlawful society. The accused persons are Enoch Amusa (25) of College of Education Katsina-Ala ; Joseph Ugafor (29) and Jacob Mandaki (23) , a student of the Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture, Yandev-Gboko. The others are Mtomga Tuta (27) Fidel Polytechnic, Gboko and Alueigba Aondohumba (31), also of the College of Education, Katsina-Ala. The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Collins Terfa, told the court that the case was transferred from the Katsina-Ala Divisional Police Station to the State CID on September18. Terfa recalled that the Provost of the College of Education, Katsina-Ala, Dr Hans Senwua, to the Divisional Police Station in November, 2012 that cultists had attacked and killed two students of the institution.
“The provost earlier in November, 2012 reported to the Katsina-Ala Police Station that cultists attacked and killed two students of the institution, one Shecdrach Vershima and Moses Ayatse. “On September 16 2013, the provost again reported that the same group of cultists had returned to the school premises and were sighted mobilising students for initiation into their cult group. “The Nigeria Police Force sent a team of detectives undercover in the school and was able to arrest the five accused persons.” The prosecution said that the offence contravened Sections 97, 99 and 222 of the Penal Code. During interrogation, the accused persons confessed committing the alleged crimes. When the case came up for mention, no plea was taken for want of jurisdiction. The Magistrate, Mrs. Felicia Ikyegh, remanded the accused persons at the Federal Prisons, Makurdi, and adjourned the case to October 10, for further mention.
TALATA MAFARA (ZAMFARA)-A Talata Mafara High Court in Zamfara sentenced one Abdullahi Abubakar,37, to death by hanging for the murder of his step-daughter. The convict, of Tungar-miya village in the Talata Mafara Local Government Area was arraigned in August, 2008 for
A cross section of spectators at the stadium.
putting a poisonous substance, suspected to be ‘Germaline’ in his step-daughter’s food, which led to her death. Justice Bello Gummi while delivering judgment, said that the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence as confessed by him in a statement. Gummi said the convict intentionally and with the knowledge that death or grievous bodily injury would be the probable consequence of his action, poisoned his stepdaughter, whose name was given as Suwaiba. “The court, therefore, finds and holds that the prosecution has established the guilt of the accused person as charged. “I accordingly sentence you to death and you will be hung by the neck until you die. This judgment is subject to confirmation by the State Governor,” he said. Speaking to newsmen after the judgment, Counsel to the convict, Mr. Benn Ezza, said that the judgment came to them as a surprise. “We will study the judgment and establish the next line of action.”
Katsina Speaker Assures Of Allowances For the legislators to prevail Veterinary Students wanted on the State Government to give
KATSINA- The Speaker of Katsina House of Assembly, Alhaji Ya’u Gwajo-gwajo, has said that the legislature would enact a law to provide for the payment of allowances to the State’s veterinary medicine students. Gwajo-gwajo, who made the promise when executives of the state Veterinary Students Association called on him. He said Katsina students in all universities would benefit from it. He said when enacted, the law would encourage the State
Government to employ more veterinarians in its workforce. Gwajo-gwajo noted that with the current adoption of tenure system in the state and the subsequent retirement of directors, the state Civil Service Commission would embark on recruitment soon. The speaker, who extolled the virtues of veterinary doctors in health delivery, advised them to engage in private practice. “Over 80 per cent of diseases
affecting human beings are food and meat-related, hence the role of veterinarians is very vital in ensuring healthy food”, Gwajogwajo said. He told the students that the House was ready to assist them whenever they needed such assistance and support. Mr. Shafi’u Salisu, Chairman of the students association, said they were at the assembly to seek the support of the lawmakers. Salisu said they specifically
automatic employment to veterinarians and allowances to the veterinary students. Reports say that, Governor Ibrahim Shema opened the 2013 Professional Continuing Education Seminar of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria in Katsina in September. “As far as the state is concerned, a lot is being done in the improvement of livestock production and in imparting knowledge to the veterinarians’’, Shema had said.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Across The Nation Election Violence
Adamawa Begins Distribution Of Funds YOLA - The Adamawa Government on Monday in Yola began the distribution of cheques for various amounts to victims of 2011 post-election violence in the state. Reports say that the funds were provided by the Federal Government. Speaking at the ceremony, the acting Chairman of the PostElection Violence Committee, Alhaji Mohammed Hajuji, urged the victims to appreciate what they got from government as the gesture was to assist them but not as compensation. Hajuji said the state
L-R: Chief of Army Staff, LT-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; IGP Muhammed Abubakar and Chief of Defence Staff, ADM. Ola Ibrahim, at the inauguration lecturer of National Defence College Course 22 in Abuja on Monday.
government received N420 million from the Federal Government for the victims. Hajuji, who did not give the number of victims to benefit from the exercise, said it would be done on local government basis beginning with Yola North, with 52 victims. Some of the victims expressed gratitude to the government for the support. Malam Tijjani Aliyu and Mr Emeka Agbor, who spoke to newsmen after collecting their cheques, urged Nigerians to shun politics of violence.
House Keeper Face N1.8m Theft Charge LAGOS - A housekeeper, Joy Bulus, who allegedly stole cash and jewellery valued at N1.8 million, was on Monday in Lagos charged before a Somolu Magistrates’ Court. The 20-year-old, who lived with her employer at No. 5b, Ebinpejo St., Obanikoro on Ikorodu Expressway, is facing charges of conspiracy and stealing. Bulus, however, denied the charges. But the prosecutor, ASP Akinlabi Adegoke, told the court that the accused with another woman still at large stole the jewellery and N300, 000 cash belonging to her employer, Alhaja Aleshinloye Williams. “ Bulus, who was employed in August, had on Sept. 29 conspired with another woman to steal her employer’s property and money while she was at a Jumat service. “They used a spare key to break into the complainant’s room and stole N300,000 and jewellery, all valued at N1.5 million,’’ he said. The offences contravened Sections 278 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011. In her ruling, the Magistrate, Bola Osunsanmi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum. Reports say that the accused, if found guilty, may be sentenced to three years imprisonment. The case was adjourned to October 30 for further hearing. Meanwhile, a businessman, Cletus Nworie, who allegedly defrauded his partner of N1.2 million, was on Monday charged before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. Nworie, 30, who resides at No. 43, Hawley St., Lagos Island, is being tried for fraud and stealing. The prosecution said the accused collected N1.2 million from a business partner, Mrs Regina Ekanem, on the pretext of purchasing some motor spare parts for her. Insp. George Nwosu told the court that the accused committed the offences on Dec. 2, 2012 at 12.30 p.m. at No.75, Abeokuta St., Ebute Meta. “After selling the parts, the accused disappeared with the proceeds. He also converted the proceeds to personal use.’’ Nwosu noted that the offences contravened Section 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 312 prescribes 15 years
imprisonment for felons. The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences. Counsel to the accused, Mr Fidelis Osordi, urged the court to grant him bail on the liberal terms. In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Olatunbosun Abolarinwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 in addition to two sureties in like sum. He said the sureties must show evidence of three years tax payment as part of the bail conditions. Further hearing has been fixed for November 6. Also, a 43-year-old businessman, Hycent Nwobodo, on Monday appeared before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, charged with assaulting a commercial sex worker. Nwobodo, who resides at Nama quarters, Cappa , Oshodi Lagos, is facing two-count charge of breach of the peace and assault. The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Sept. 31, at Maysun hotel, Oshodi, Lagos. He said that accused conducted himself in manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by unlawfully assaulting one Miss Brady Ezie by “giving her several blows on her mouth and eyes, which caused her bodily harm”. “The accused beat the complainant mercilessly and injured her in the eye and mouth,” he said. Olatunde alleged that the accused, who was the complainant’s client, also accommodated him in her hotel room, when he had accommodation problems. “The accused lived with the complainant for over a year, when he claimed he had an accommodation problem. “After some time, the complainant asked him to pack out of her room and put an end to the relationship,” he said. According to the prosecutor, when the accused refused to vacate, the complainant left the room for him and relocated to another hotel, but the accused traced her to her new hotel and beat her up. “He traced the complainant to her new base and descended on her for abandoning him in her former room and for quitting the relationship,” he said.
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (M); Supervising Minister of Defence, Mr Labaran Maku (5th-l); Service Chiefs, other dignitaries and participants of course 22 of National Defence College, at the inaugural lecture in Abuja on Monday
Police Rescues Businessman From Kidnappers ABA (Abia) - The Police Area Commander in Aba, Abia, ACP Rabiu Dayi, has said that the police rescued a kidnapped business man in the town. Dayi told newsmen in Aba that the police smashed had a gang of kidnappers terrorising Aba. “We called you up this morning to show you another achievement we have recorded in crime fighting in Aba. “Two kidnappers were gunned down by my men last week. “Yesterday (Sunday) at about 10.a.m, a young businessman, whose name I will not mention for security reasons, went to No. 36 Omenazu Street, off Faulks Road, Aba to cut his hair. “Four armed young men in a white-coloured Toyota Hilux van followed him into the salon and kidnapped him on gun point. “When I got the information around 1.00 p.m., we started searching for information. “We were reliably informed that the man was taken to Nwakanma’s compound at Amavo, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway,” Dayi said.
The commander said that the police trailed the kidnappers to the compound which was alleged to be used by kidnappers as hideout. According to him, in an early morning gun battle between the police and the gang, one person was killed while some others escaped with bullet wounds. Dayi said that the victim was rescued unhurt while the police recovered two AK 47 riffles with 49 rounds of ammunitions and two motorcycles from the hideout.
The commander called on residents of Abia and neighbouring states to be watchful and to report any body with bullet wounds to the nearest police station for further action. The commander urged people to be careful and to inform the police if they found any vehicle trailing them. He said that members of the gang that robbed people at gunpoint at Iheorji in Aba South Local Government Area had been caught and would be charged to court.
Dayi, however, said that many cases were being stalled in courts in Aba because people were afraid of testifying against criminals, adding that such stance made things hard to try criminals in the area. Dayi said people who testified in courts and volunteered information that would help to get judgments against criminals threatening the peace of the society, would get “full protection”.
Anglican Church Collates Three New Canons By OSE EHEBHA EKPOMA (Edo) -The Diocese of Esan, Ecclesiastical Province of Bendel, Anglican Communion has collated three of its priests as Canons. The new canons which include Simon A. Anih, John E. O. Oghogho and Gabriel Oseikhuemen Elabor, were collated at the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew’s, Eguare-Ekpoma, Edo State. The Bishop of the Diocese and
Archbishop of Bendel Province, Most Rev’d Friday Imaekhai said the collated Canons were found worthy of their promotion, due to their industry, transparency, accountability and commitment to the faith. He advised them to remain obedient to the call of the gospel, and be ready to carry out their assignment whether convenient or under persecution. Delivering the collation sermon, Ven. David Igbenusi emphasized the need for pastors to remain steadfast,
no matter the condition, and emulate Apostle Paul who wrote most of the epistles from prison. He prayed God to grant the new Canons the strength to minister grace and promote the work of faith. Highpoint of the collation ceremony was the administration of oath, performed by the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev’d Imaekhai.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Lagos
Power Sector
Police Nab Cultists, Fake Policeman
LCCI Expresses Concern Over Labour Issues LAGOS - The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed concern over the protracted labour issues in the privatisation of the power sector. The chamber also expressed its concern in a communiqué made available to newsmen in Lagos after a meeting of its council. The chamber urged the Federal Government to expedite action in resolving all the labour issues in the power sector. LCCI appealed to the PHCN authorities to improve its management and communication process with the staff in order to avert any strike. “The recurrent strike actions in Nigeria have very negative implications on the development of human capital which will invariably take its toll on the Nigerian economy. “Stakeholders should embrace the spirit of dialogue and compromise in the interest of the citizens and the Nigerian economy,’’ the communique said. The Chamber, however, commended the progress made so far on the hand-over of the power distribution and generating companies to private investors.
By RAHEEM IBRAHIM
Sign of the time. Photo: LUCKY AGIE
Woman, 58, Remanded
Threat To Life: By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS - A 58 year-old woman, Risikat Hassan is presently being incarcerated at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos for the alleged assault and threat to life of one Wasiu Akapo whom she had dispute over landed property. In a case file charge no: F/ 75/13, the old woman and one other at large were on
September 20th, 2013, at 12 Idunshagbe lane, Lagos Island allegedly, with a knife threatened to bring out Wasiu Akapo intestine and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 56 (b) of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2011. When the woman appeared before Magistrate A.O Awogboro
of court 6, magistrate court, Tinubu for three count charge last week Wednesday, she pleaded not guilty and was given bail with two sureties, but efforts to seek her release was proved abortive as the two sureties provided were rejected on the ground of not been her blood relations. The case was adjourned till 21st
Giving a helping hand. Photo: LUCKY AGIE
National Disasters Attributed To Bad Governance
LAGOS - The incessant tragedy being experience in the country has been attributed to the insincerity and bad governance by Nigerian leaders and politicians who allegedly failed to deliver dividend of democracy to the electorate that voted them into power. Except the leaders and politicians change from their bad acts and turn new leaves, before God will show mercy on the country. The Chief Missioner of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Western Zone, Alhaji Nosirudeen Ajara asserted this in a sermon delivered at the Union Zonal general meeting and
election held at Agege area of Lagos State recently. According to him, “If Nigeria leaders and politicians desist from their unfaithfulness and embark on godly policies that will better the lives of Nigerians, surely all the tragedy we are experiencing will stop”. “Our roads are bad, Sea and air are no more safe. We should know that something is wrong and our rulers need to be
sincere and godly in directing the affairs of the country so as to get the mercy of almighty Allah, because many affected Nigerians who does not know that they possessed spiritual power on their mouth continue to cause the leaders and country in general”, he stressed. He remarked, “Uncountable numbers of poor Nigerians have met their untimely death on road accidents as a result of worst highways in the country and the
air that most of the leaders believed in, is no more safe. Except they look inwards and take care of we poor Nigerians by providing us with better amenities, God may not answer our prayers in time”. “It is disheartened to always open our newspapers or listen to radio on daily basis and hear building collapsed killing many innocent souls, fatal motor accidents, flood everywhere and now plane crashes. May almighty Allah forgive us, amen”, he added.
October, 2013 for hearing, while the old woman is expected to attend the same court for an earlier case with the same man over similar matter today, 9th of October, 2013. In a swift reaction to the continuous incarceration of his mother, Ganiu Sadiq who has been visiting the court since the beginning of the case alleged in a letter written to Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Ministry of Justice, Lagos that a brother to Wasiu Akapo, Justice Lateef Akapo is the one influencing the victimisation of her mother over dispute on a portion a landed property situated at 14 Idunshagbe lane, Isale-Eko area of Lagos Island. In an Appeal for Legal Assistance dated 2nd October, 2013 and made available to our correspondent, Ganiu sought for the OPD’s legal assistance in respect of his mother Mrs. Risikat Hassan of 14 Idunshagbe lane, Lagos Island for her release from her present predicament. “She was detained in Kirikiri Prison on 25th of September, 2013 for a petition of assault and threat to life of one Mr. Wasiu Akapo of 3 Idunshagbe lane, Lagos Island, which we all know that it was not the bone of contention. The main bone of contention is a portion of a property situated at 14 Idunshagbe lane, Isale-Eko area of Lagos Island and all our efforts to bail her was proved abortive, just because of their brother Justice Lateef Akapo have common interest on the issue”, he wrote. Also speaking with our correspondent, he said, “I am very sad over this matter because the Police and court which an ordinary person like us belief to be our last hope is now been used to punish us for the offence my mother knew nothing about”. “My mother has dispute with Wasiu Akapo over a landed property situated at 14 Idunshagbe lane, Isale-Eko area of Lagos Island and since then, we have been terrorised with Police and lately court”, he alleged.
LAGOS - Three alleged cult members from Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) and a fake mobile policeman who chew up his forged identity card and swallow it have been arrested by the Police in Lagos. One of the suspected cult members identified as Olusote Olawale aged 20 years claimed to be student of LASPOTECH and belong to ‘Eye’ group that have been terrorising Epe town and other areas in Lagos state for sometimes. A student of Business Administration at tertiary institution, Olusote claimed they are fighting their rival group over the support of some traditional rulers’ supremacy in the area. Contrarily, the two other suspects identified as Idowu Borokini, a Jazz plying musician and Adewunmi Seyi, a bricklayer, living at 3 and 6 Ajagananambe street, Epe town claimed to be trying to defend their people from the cult members who always used their clash to cause mayhem in their area. The two suspects claimed that they were arrested at gun point by the Police along with some cult members during the mayhem and efforts by their relatives and vigilante group in the area to bail them proved abortive as police insisted that they were looking for scapegoats. “We were surprised to see ourselves here at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad section of the Police State command for defending our people against the aggression of the cult members from LASPOTECH”, they remarked. Meanwhile the fake mobile policeman identified as Ben Okon and hails from Uyo, AkwaIbom State was learnt to be arrested by police while he was trying to extort money from some people at Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos state. In his confessional statement, Ben Okon revealed that he saw a small shoulder bag on the ground sometime along Iyana-Ipaja area and picked it up with the aim of seeing money from it, but later discovered when he got home that it was NPF badge, Police Uniform and ranks. “Since I am jobless and have had little experience from Man O’ War training before, I sewed more police uniform and MOPOL cap to get little money to eat and take care of my family”, he said. The deputy Police Public Relations officer (DPPRO), Lagos command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ozoanu Chukwuma who confirmed the arrest of the suspects said that investigation is still on and the suspects will soon be taken to court for prosecution.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Across The Nation Self-Employment
Man With Hole In Heart Cries Out
30 Women Get Equipment PORT HARCOURTThirty women trained in fashion design/tailoring, hair dressing and catering, have received electric ovens, hair dryers and sewing machines from the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) in Port Harcourt. President of NAOWA, 82 Division Chapter, Mrs Alirat Olaniyi, who presented the items with certificates, said the programme was designed to boost the socio-economic wellbeing of women. “So, we are presenting beneficiaries with electric ovens, hair dryers and sewing
LG To Train 800 Teachers BIRNIN KEBBI- The Arewa Local Government Council in Kebbi, has said it would retrain 800 primary and junior secondary school teachers to get the minimum teaching requirement. The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Ahmed Tanko, said this in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi. The chairman said the council was set to upgrade the level of education in the area, stressing that 800 of the 2,700 teachers in the area were identified for the training. He said the council had secured admission for the teachers in various institutions of higher learning in the country for National Certificate of Education (NCE) and degree programmes. He said N2 million had been earmarked for the payment of allowances and other training benefits to the affected teachers. Tanko said N600,000 had been released to 60 undergraduates in the area for the settlement of their project allowances, adding that each student would receive N20,000. He said the council had also set aside N6 million for the promotion of girl-child education. “We would provide free text books, mattresses and other materials to encourage female students who secured admission into junior secondary and senior secondary schools. He also said that students’ enrolment into primary and junior secondary schools had increased by 91 per cent. The chairman said 50 additional classrooms had been provided in primary and junior secondary schools as part of efforts to decongest classrooms.
machines to aid them in their businesses. “In addition to the knowledge acquired by the 30 beneficiaries during the training, we are also providing them with equipment that will enable them start up their own businesses. “It is our belief that trainees will use their entrepreneurial skills to improve the economic wellbeing of their families and also become employers of labour”, Olaniyi said. One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Christiana Garuba, said the programme had equipped them with skills that would aid them in their businesses. She said they would no longer depend solely on their husbands to fend for their families. Reports say that the beneficiaries included wives of soldiers, widows and the public. NAOWA also inaugurated three blocks of 18 classrooms it rehabilitated for its nursery and primary school as part of efforts to boost education in the army barrack in Port Harcourt. The Coordinator of NAOWA, 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt chapter, Mrs Adesuwa Uzamere, said the classrooms were equipped with modern facilities to guarantee environment conducive for learning. According to reports, the school now has Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre, library, air conditioners and recreational facilities.
WORKSHOP: R-L: Comrades Tunde Eigbiremolen, Chairman, Edo NUJ training committee and leader of Edo delegates; Kehinde Osagiede, Observer NUJ Chapel Chairman and Ijeoma Umeh, Secretary, Edo NUJ training committee at the just concluded workshop on Conflicts and crises reporting organised by the Nigerian Press Council at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
WORKSHOP: Edo delegates to the just concluded workshop on Conflicts and Crises Reporting organised by the Nigerian Press Council at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from October 3-4, 2013 for Journalists in the six South-South States of Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers.
ILORIN- A 35-year-old artisan with a hole in the heart, Murtala Saheed, has appealed to government at all levels as well as public spirited individuals to assist him tackle the ailment. Saheed made the appeal in a Save our Soul (SOS) letter made available to newsmen in Ilorin. He said he was diagnosed of the condition at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH). A letter from UITH signed by Dr Philips Kolo, a Consultant Cardiologist, said Saheed complained of recurrent fainting attacks, dizziness and body weakness. “Clinical examination revealed that he has a congenital heart disease (a hole in the heart) which has been confirmed by echocardiography to be Tetralogy of Fallout,” he said. Kolo said the patient would need open heart surgery as definitive treatment of his condition in India. Saheed, a bachelor from Ilorin East Local Government, said he would need N5 million for the operation in India. This amount, he said, would cover his medical bills, flight tickets, accommodation, drugs as well as other miscellaneous costs. Saheed, who said he had spent over N800, 000 on the ailment, called on Nigerians to save his life.
APGA Factional Gubernatorial Candidate Insists On Mandate
AWKADr Chike Obidigbo, gubernatorial candidate of APGA under the faction led by Chief Maxi Okwu, has vowed to run for the November 16 election in Anambra State in spite of not being listed by INEC. He told newsmen in Awka that INEC showed partiality by listing Chief Willie Obiano who belonged to the faction led by Chief Victor Umeh as its recongised candidate for the election. Obidigbo however vowed to pursue his pending court cases on the issue to the logical conclusion. It was reports that INEC had listed Obiano as the recognised candidate of the APGA for the Anambra governorship election. Obidigbo said that Obiano’s listing by INEC was not in conformity with the order of the Federal High Court Awka which had asked that the two contending parties be given equal opportunities until the matter before the court was resolved. He said that the court had in its ruling ordered that the two candidates from the party be
accepted by INEC until the substantive issues surrounding the party’s primaries were resolved. Obidigbo said that since the decision of INEC to distance him from his mandate, “my teeming supporters and patriotic citizens of Anambra have been inundating me with calls and enquiries about the way forward.’’ He denied going into alliance with candidates of other political parties for the November 16 gubernatorial election. “I wish to restate that my choice of APGA platform for political expression and contest of the Anambra governorship seat is irrevocable. “I wish also to state unequivocally that our case in the court is still on course. We shall not because some individuals decided to use the APGA ticket as their Automatic Teller Machine, leave the party. “It is because we insist on the survival and success of APGA that we are in court to seek
redress. We believe that unless the rule of law operates in every political transaction, Nigeria’s democracy would end in chaos. “We shall no longer leave the political space to mercantile opportunists and nitwits. I call on Anambra citizens not to despair and urge my supporters to keep hope alive. “Since the general consensus of opinion of civilized citizens is that the judiciary remains the hope of the common man, we shall insist on obtaining justice from the court. Our legal matters must be pursued
diligently to logical conclusion. “We shall not run away, we shall not hide or shy away from this patriotic responsibility. Anambra must be freed from the narrowminded leadership that has held it hostage in recent times. “The people’s right to elect their representatives should not be abridged or corralled by any individual or group. We are all free citizens of one geographical entity called Anambra,’’ he said. He said that he supported the zoning of the position to the
Anambra North. “Being a pre-election matter, our decision to challenge the composition of the screening panel in view of the explicit provisions of the APGA constitution is to ensure that no one man holds others to ransom,’’ he said. He said that the legal issue to be determined was who should constitute the appeal panel between the National Chairman of the party and the National Executive Committee. “These are some of the questions we want the court to answer. We shall abide by whatever answers the court gives to our matter,’’ he said.
AIB Investigates Kabo Air’s Tyre charged with the IKEJA- The Accident Burst responsibility to investigate Investigations Bureau said it Arabia bound pilgrims was had begun investigation into the incident involving a Kabo Air B747, which occurred in Sokoto on Friday. This is contained in a statement by the spokesman of the Bureau, Mr Tunji Oketunbi in Lagos. The spokesman said that the aircraft carrying Saudi
believed to have burst tyres on landing. “AIB investigators have been dispatched to conduct investigation into the circumstance surrounding the incident with a view to determining the probable cause,” the statement said. Oketunbi said that AIB was
aircraft accidents and serious incidents within the country and where Nigeria interest was represented. “AIB’s investigation is not to apportion blame or liability but to prevent future recurrence and improve air safety through safety recommendations,’’ he said.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Abuja
National Dialogue: Cleric ABUJA- A cleric, Mr Jedidiah Enyieokpon, has advised political leaders in the country to exercise caution in the handling of the proposed national dialogue. Enyieokpon was speaking with newsmen at the end of a three-day revival programme organised by the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN), for peace and unity in Nigeria. The cleric, who is the Area Superintendent of
the Apostolic Church said that the situation in the country required extra caution in the handling of the delicate matters that affect all Nigerians. He urged leaders to seek God’s assistance always for the success of their programmes. He stressed the need for the display of honesty and transparency in the handling of the exercise and the outcome. The cleric however called on Christians to pray for the success of the
proposed dialogue, provided it was in the interest of national development and unity. “My advice to leaders across board is to allow God to dictate the affairs
Urges Caution
of this nation, whether dialogue or whatever. “From the president to the least official, they must apply caution because it is a delicate matter,’’ he said.
He said that the threeday programme was organised to create awareness among Christians about the second coming of Christ and the need for genuine
L-R: Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson; Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Eugene Juwah; Director, I n t e r n a t i o n a l Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Union, Mr Malcolm Johnson and programme Manager, Google, Mr Chukwuemeka Afigbo, at the Google exhibition stand during 53rd council meeting of the Commonwealth Telecommunications organisation in Abuja on Monday
NGO Wants Support For National Dialogue
ABUJAA NonGovernmental Organisation, VISTA International, has urged Nigerians to support the national dialogue being proposed by the Presidency. The Vice President of the ogranisation, Mr Eugene Modebe, who made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Abuja. Modebe said that the dialogue might provide solutions to the challenges facing the nation. He said that through the dialogue, a constitution could be fashioned out to suit the aspirations of people of the country, adding that the conference was key to national survival. He also cautioned those politicians, he described as “opportunistic’’ to stop politicising the current
security challenges in the country through their unguarded and inflammatory statements. According to him, such politicians do not only fan the embers of war through unguarded utterances but are fond of using derogatory words against the leadership of the country. “Nigerians need to come to a roundtable and discuss and decide how they want to be governed and how to make progress. “We support it totally because it is another way of coming together to discuss how we are going to move forward. “We denounce politicising of the very serious problem of Nigeria’s national security by opportunistic politicians,’’ he said.
Christian fellowship. “Christians at this moment are to focus on the things to come and the hope of good things that will come with Christ,’’ he said.
Broadband Connectivity Needs Partnership - CTO
ABUJA- Prof. Tim Unwin, the Secretary-General, C o m m o n w e a l t h Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Organisation (CTO), said that broadband service required partnership to ensure effective connectivity in the country. Unwin said this at a news conference organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with CTO in Abuja. Unwin said that the threeday forthcoming 53rd council meeting and the 11th annual CTO forum has the theme: “Innovation through broadband’’. “A country can innovate through broadband and to achieve this there is need to
provide affordable broadband for the people. An affordable broadband across the member countries has long been a challenge,’’ he said. Unwin said that some of its member countries had one and half per cent internet connectivity, adding “there is an urgent need for broadband service.’’ “How can innovation through broadband take place in those countries? He said that broadband would provide economic opportunities in education, skill acquisition, entrepreneurship and mobile broadband access. ‘The country has developed
Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson (L), with Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Eugene Juwah, at the 53rd council meeting of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation in Abuja on Monday
an innovative and exciting national broadband plan but broadband connectivity cannot be done by government, regulator or private sector alone. ‘CTO’s felt there is so much talking and no enough action. We have to get real and do things practically. “CTO is collaborating with I n t e r n a t i o n a l Telecommunications Union and Commonwealth secretariat in ensuring that all member countries have effective national broadband strategy, plan, policies and framework in place.’’ He said that Nigeria had made huge progress in achieving broadband connectivity, adding that more impact would be made with the implementation of broadband. “I hope that Nigeria is one of the leading countries in Africa in term of economic growth and population; your broadband plan will be a model for other countries to follow.’’
The Executive Vice Chairman NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, said that Nigeria has a broadband plan that would address issues of capacities, timeline and strategy. Juwah said that this broadband plan would help to extent huge capacities that were on the surge into the hinterlands and rural areas. He said that one of the modem that succeeded in many countries were the open access modem, adding that a modem that would be adopted in Nigeria was currently being developed. Juwah said that in early 2014 the bidding for the territories for the fixed broadband service would be put in place. He said that urban areas still lacked broadband services but the commission had a plan in place through universal services to extend broadband to “unserved’’ and underserved areas in the country “Our plan is to cover all areas across the country. We need to get adequate broadband service to the business community to create jobs and wealth,’’ he said.
CNPP Decries High Cost Of Governance ABUJA-The Conference of
Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has identified the National Assembly as the institution well placed to take the necessary measures to reduce cost of governance. This is contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Osita Okechukwu, in Abuja. The statement said that Nigeria’s democracy was increasingly too expensive for the nation’s economy to cope with. It called on the National Assembly to initiate laws that
would reduce the costs of governance at all levels in order to make resources available for the basic needs of ordinary Nigerians. The CNPP expressed fears that the proposed national dialogue might end up being an exercise in futility as ethnic jingoists could predominate at the conference. It said that the 13-member Committee headed by Dr Femi Ikurounmu should not see its assignment as a mere jamboree like that of its predecessors.
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Business + Economy High Production Cost
ALSCON Loses $1.6m Monthly
IKOT ABASI, (Akwa Ibom) - The Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom says it is
losing 6.1 million dollars monthly due to high cost of production. Mrs Tatyana Smirnova, its Director of Public/Government
Relation, disclosed this to newsmen in Ikot Abasi. “Each tonne of aluminium produced at ALSCON results in a loss of 886 dollars which leads
to monthly loss of 1.6 million dollars by the plant,’’ “At present, aluminium industry globally is going through one of the toughest periods in its history, she said. The spokesperson said that price of aluminium had continued to decline globally, noting that currently the price of aluminum stood at slightly over 1,700 dollars per tonne. “At the current price of below 1,800 dollars, around 40 per cent of aluminium production is unprofitable,’’ she said. Smirnova said that aluminium production was going down globally, adding that more than three million tonnes of
aluminium production would be closed by the end of 2013. According to her, the major problem is the huge amount of stock available in the market since the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. “The official London Metals Exchange (LME) has stocks exceeding five million tonnes, while the global stock is significantly higher,’’ she said. She said that it will take the global aluminium market up to three years for supply and demand to balance and improve the current situation. Smirnova attributed the suspension of production at ALSCON in March to high cost
of aluminium. She also said that the company had a gas fired power plant of its own with capacity of 540 megawatts. Smirnova said that the power plant could satisfy the electricity needs of the smelter and also supplied excess production to the national grid. She said that the power plant was capable of supplying 360 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. She said that there was no likelihood that ALSCON would resume aluminium production until the power supply issue was resolved.
Culture, Veritable Tool For National ABUJA - Mr. Ndubuisi Abuja. Dev -Expert The Director said that the Ahanonu, Executive Director,
Customers that invested in cashflow Abi Network Investment Limited which closed in 2012, waiting for payment verification in Jos on Monday.
International Institute for Creative Development says culture is a crucial tool toward sustainable national development given its variety and vibrancy. Ahanonu made this known in an interview with newsmen in
Ram market at Madala in Niger, as Eid-El Kabir Celebration draws near on Monday.
country’s cultural potential should be harnessed properly to ensure the sector fully contributed to the development of other sectors of the economy through youth employment and the growth of the Gross Domestic Product. He noted that the country with a population of about 170 million people would generate wealth for the country if priority attention was given to the culture and tourism industry. “ The Tourism sector can be used to generate wealth, skills and job experiences for future development. “ Nigeria is endowed with rich and diverse culture that if tapped into will go a long way in developing all aspect of the economy.’’ Ahanonu stressed the need to check the trend of globalisation on the country’s culture so as not to erode the dynamic way of life of the people. He, however, called on relevant stakeholders in the sector to join hands to promote the country’s culture. He further called on the federal government to look into the reviewed 2005 national policy on arts and culture to address the
Nigeria’s Tourism Sector Globally Competitive, Says Swiss Coy
PORT HARCOURT - Swiss International, a-Switzerlandbased global brand in hotel and resort management, said Nigeria was among the fastest growing tourist and business destinations in the world. The General Manager of Swiss International Mabisel-Port Harcourt, Mr Martin De Boer, said this at the “soft opening” of a 117-room five-star hotel in the town. De Boer said that the nation’s tourism sector was globally competitive due to its hospitality, cultural diversity, large population and historic sites like
slave routes. He said that Nigeria had the best tourist attraction and hospitality destination in the West African sub-region. “The soft opening of Swiss international mabisel-Port Harcourt is a pivotal moment in the tremendous growth and development of Nigeria, which is a vital business hub of the West African economy. “Swiss International, in partnership with Mabisel, a local company, has invested over N2 billion and a further N110 million on roads to bring the Swiss values and luxury to Nigerians.
“Nigeria is a focus country for our business development and so we are focussed on creating a hotel of the highest standard that is needed, profitable and creates employment for Nigerians. “Investing in Nigeria makes sense in every way; the country is the most populous in Africa and its economy is about to overtake that of South Africa as the continent’s biggest. “The economic growth forecast is extremely optimistic and it has immense resources that the rest of the world wants. “That means the world travels to Nigeria, thereby making it the
in Nigeria and particularly in the Niger Delta”. De Boer gave the assurance that the company would provide fastest growing tourist and community services as part of its business destination in the world. corporate social responsibility. “The reality is that Nigeria has The Swiss International a taste of what it means to flourish representative to Nigeria, Mrs economically and so, Swiss Oluwatosin David-Akintunde, International Mabisel-Port said the hotel would meet and Harcourt as an investor, has exceed expectations of both local and international travellers. invested wisely,” he said. She said that the hotel would De Boer said that the hospitality industry provided thousands of offer tourists a unique experience skilled and unskilled jobs for and the Nigerian hospitality. “Tourism is a phenomenal Nigerians which, he said, were FOREX that contributes to particularly critical to the national development and country’s economy. prosperity, and so we will be He said it had employed over 90 providing Nigerians and people and would soon recruit foreigners the best luxury in a more staff to enable it to “set a world class environment,” she new benchmark for five-star hotel said.
existing challenges confronting the sector. According to him, given Nigeria’s potential, it should stand out from the rest of the world, in view of its cultural potentialities. “These potentialities can and should be used positively in driving development in the country.”
Eid-el Kabir
Ram Sellers Decry Low Patronage DUTSE - Ram sellers in Dutse, Jigawa, have decried low patronage as Eid-el Kabir celebration draws nearer. Some of the ram sellers, who spoke to newsmen in Dutse, described the situation as disturbing. Malam Haruna Ibrahim, a ram seller, said that customers only asked for the prices of the animals without buying them. Another seller, Alhaji Ishaqu Adamu, expressed the fear that he would incur loss if the situation did not change. Some window shoppers attributed the situation to lack of money. Malam Sani Shehu, a civil servant, said he had sampled the prices of the animals but had no cash to buy any for the sacrifice. Shehu said he was waiting for October salary before he could buy. Abdulmumuni Nda, another shopper, appealed to the government to pay salaries to enable Muslims to buy the sacrificial rams. Reports say that a big size ram goes for N100,000, average size, N60,000 and a small ram N35,000. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Tuesday, October 15, as El-el-Kabir day.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
SCIENCE
Antarctic Ice Thickening RECENT trends show Antarctica’s Southern Ocean is warming. “Why would sea ice be increasing?” Jinlun Zhang, an oceanographer at the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory, in Seattle, asked in a statement. “Although the rate of increase is small, it is a puzzle to scientists.” Zhang and colleagues created a model that suggests strong winds swirling around the South Pole are responsible for the icy expansion. The winds make the sea ice move faster, causing it to deform into thick ridges that are harder to melt, Zhang told LiveScience. The bunching of the ice creates regions of thinner ice and open water. In winter, these areas lose heat from the water more easily, so more ice forms. In summer, the sun warms the water, but there is very little ice to melt. Scientists don’t know what could be causing these powerful winds. Some have suggested the ozone hole over the Southern Hemisphere could be changing wind patterns in the jet stream over Antarctica, pushing clouds toward the South Pole. Most climate models say the Antarctic sea ice should be decreasing, but a slight increase is within the realm of natural variability, said climate scientist Julienne Stroeve of the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC). “Antarctica is quite cold, and even 5 degrees Celsius [9 degrees Fahrenheit] of warming is not going to make much of a difference,” Stroeve told LiveScience. That same amount of warming would affect the Arctic dramatically. Massive Arcticmelts As the Arctic sea ice undergoes massive summer melts, the ocean absorbs more of the sun’s energy, causing the ocean water to further heat up. The Arctic is becoming more like the Antarctic, in that the sea ice cover is seasonal, Stroeve said.
In August 2012, a giant summer cyclone churned up the Arctic sea ice, breaking it into pieces that melted more easily. Other storms have had the opposite effect, injecting snow and cool air above the shrinking North Pole. But as global warming increases the number of severe storms, scientists fear more record melts may be ahead. And that melt has consequences. The shrinking ice is affecting not just the polar bears that have received so much attention, but the entire ecosystem, Stroeve said. Less ice means more sunlight and warmer waters in summer, but less insulation and cooler waters in winter. The changes will affect the plankton at the base of the food chain, their predators, and so on up to the top of the chain, affecting polar bears and humans. What’s less clear is when the Arctic ice might disappear completely. Most studies measure the extent of sea ice, because that can be seen from satellites. But a better metric would be sea ice thickness, Stroeve said. Given the extensive Arctic ice melt, many climate scientists are turning their attention to the impacts on climate and weather patterns. The growth in Antarctic sea ice does not contradict global warming trends seen in the Arctic. “There’s still a lot of natural climate variability,” and sometimes, natural trends and climate change are out of phase with each other, Stroeve said.
RECONCILIATION OF NAME
I, Amos Akhabue Godspower wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am t he same person as Godspower Amos Odiagbe. It should be known therefore that I am properly known and addressed as Amos Akhabue Godspower. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and First Bank Plc should please take note.
CHANGE OF NAME
ESEZOBOR – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Esezobor Mercy now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mercy Damian Ogbebor. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note. RECONCILIATION OF NAME
I, Raji Iyiola wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Lamidi Waheed. It should be known therefore that I am properly known and addressed as Raji Iyiola. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and First Bank Plc should please take note.
AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY P.M.B. 14, EKPOMA, EDO STATE, NIGERIA
2013/2014 ACADEMIC SESSION SCHOOL FEES SCHEDULE All regular students (both old and fresh) are to please note that they are to pay their fees for the 2013/2014 academic session at the designated banks as stated below: FACULTY
BANK
a.
Arts
First Bank of Nigeria Plc
b.
Education and Agriculture
Fidelity Bank Plc
c.
Natural Sciences
Zenith Bank Plc
d.
Law
First City Monument Bank
e.
Engineering & Technology
Plc
f.
College of Medicine & Management
Eco Bank Plc
Sciences
Access Bank Plc
g.
Social Sciences
h.
Environmental studies
UBA Plc For the avoidance of doubt and proper guidance, the 2013/2014 academic session approved school fees are as follows: S/N
PUBLIC NOTICE PRAYERS WITHOUT CEASING INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY
PROGRAMMES
1.
Arts, Social Sciences and Environmental Studies (Fine and Applied Arts)
2.
Economics, Accounting, Public Administration, Business Administration and Banking and Finance
CHANGE OF NAME
ENAHORO - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Enahoro Theresa Ofure now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Otokiti Theresa Ofure. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the general public should please take note.
Union Bank Plc
SCHOOL FEES N34,500.00
N40,000.00
N41,000.00 3.
Natural Sciences, Agriculture and Education
4.
Engineering, Natural Sciences (Microbiology and Computer Science), Architecture and Building
5.
Medicine, Physiology, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing and Law
N45,000.00
N47,000.00
N40,000.00 6.
Institute of Education.
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.
In addition to the above, all regular students are to pay the sum of N1,000.00 (one thousand Naira) only as Students’ Union dues.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1.Pastor Austine Ochie Osifo 2. Pastor (Mrs.) Florence Ochie Osifo 3. Mr. Olawole Olatunde Emigbua
All regular students (both old and fresh), their parents/guardians and the general public are to note the above for further necessary action.
AIMS& OBJECTIVES 1. To preach the Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ to all the nations of the world.
Thank you.
Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar- General, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED: TRUSTEES
Signed: Mr. Folaremi Ade OJO-Maliki. MANUPA Acting Registrar
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
EXPERTS in the aviation industry have pontificated that unless the Federal Government moves fast, Nigeria may find itself in serious shortage of indigenous pilots and aircraft engineers as expatriates are fast dominating the aviation industry. LIKE every other well meaning Nigerian, we are worried about the turn of events. Already, there are, reportedly, about 170 registered unemployed pilots in the country. The Niger Delta has trained another 30, who are about to graduate from schools in South Africa, just as Kano State is also said to have trained another 100 pilots in Jordan. WE are more disturbed by the fact that foreign pilots have been found to be more equipped with the rights skills needed in the industry, compared to our local pilots. Undoubtedly, this is a product of collapsing state of affairs in the various institutions charged with training of our local pilots as they appear to be suffering paralyses of some sorts. President of Aviation Round Table (ART), Captain Dele Ore, in lending credence to the issue opined recently that “ there is need to provide more aviation training facilities such as flying schools and Aviation Training Organisations (ATO) to tackle ageing manpower and dwindling technical skills. ACCORDING to him, the foremost aviation training school in Nigeria, the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, should be upgraded in every possible way to enable it regain its pride of place as Africa’s number one training centre and we are in agreement with him. This has given vent to the domination of the aviation sector by foreign pilots who now call the shots at the expense of our local pilots in the industry and we find this deplorable. THE implication of the current situation is that in the next few months, Nigeria will have over 300 unemployed pilots, who have been trained at a great expense but may not be employed. Recent media reports revealed that
THE NIGERIAN
Influx Of Foreign Pilots there are about 200 foreign registered aircraft with Nigerian interest operating in and out of the country, and at least 75 of them are almost permanently based in Nigeria. We are deeply concerned about the overarching implications of the new twist of events in the aviation industry with regards to domination of the sector by foreign pilots. Experts say there is a potential to employ about 225 at the least and about 800 pilots at the maximum for general aviation. This translates to keeping at least $96,000,000 within the country’s economy every year in pilots’ salaries. Unfortunately, however, rather than employ Nigerian pilots, airlines hire from Eastern Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, the reason many of the aircraft cockpits are dominated by foreign nationals. IT is, therefore, not surprising that the influx of expatriate pilots and engineers has become so worrisome that expatriate quota has become a big issue in the aviation industry and Its effect in airline economics can better be imagined. In our opinion, apart from the huge cost to our airlines, it inevitably leads to capital flight because of the dearth of Nigerian professionals. It is disappointing that in the face of all these obvious issues, people who ought to know better and act are not doing enough to reverse the trend, instead attention is being focussed more on renovation of airports where mouth-watering contracts are being awarded to the benefit of those in power. LESSONS from the oil and Gas sector shows that the major problem that kept the industry
down for a long time, is the lack of local content in the sector. Prior to the enactment of the Local Content law, even the least technicians in the oil and gas sector were foreigners. This led to a situation where crude oil remained the dominant export from the sector instead of refined products that would have earned the country more foreign exchange while boosting local market and generating more employment to our teeming unemployed graduates. WE even dare ask what is the place of the new aviation policy in all of these debates? We strongly believe that if the new policy which takes into cognisance local content issues is implemented to the letter, it would go a long way in reducing professional wastage in employment matters. IT is against this backdrop that we call on the Federal Government to take steps to enhance local content in the aviation sector with emphasis on the hiring of local pilots in preference to foreign pilots. Nigerians know too well that aside Bristow Helicopters and a few other airlines, most Nigerian carriers frequently poach personnel to boost their operations with less regard for training of pilots to take over from the ageing ones. This situation undoubtedly has negative effect on a sector that is safety-driven. HINDSIGHT knowledge also show that since the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, many of the trained and experienced workers have either died or retired, leaving a few that are now being threatened out of existence by the influx of their foreign counterparts. The Minister of Aviation and, indeed the National Assembly must rise to the occasion to reverse this trend. THE role of unions cannot be overemphasised in matters such as this. We urge the pilots union to accept that it woke up too late to realise the deep rot in the private jet lease and charter operations, and they have no option at the moment order than to brace up to this problem with the equanimity that it deserves.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
View Point
Encouraging Religious Tolerance
ACCORDING to the Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, religion is the belief and worship of God or gods, or any such system of belief and worship; an activity which someone is extremely enthusiastic about and does regularly. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary also defines religion as a belief on the existence of God or gods, especially the belief on the one that created the Universe and gave human beings a spiritual nature which continues to exist after the death of the body; a particular system of faith and worship based on religious belief. Human beings want to know where they emanated from, thus resulting into religion. Nigerians can be said to be religious. The average Nigerian carries the notion “godswill” in their every day activity. Every step they take and everything they do as humans are based on the will of God. Religion is said to be the “OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE”. They are majorly three religions in Nigeria; the Christians, Muslims and traditional religion. The Northern part of the country is dominated by the Muslims while the Christians dominate the South. Muslims also hold ground in the West but are largely scarce in the East, which is dominated by the Christians. Nigeria has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the 2001 Report of the World Fact
By OGBOLU O. GEORGE
Book by CIA, Muslims dominate 50 percent of Nigeria population, 40 percent are Christians and just 10 percent practice local religion. But in some recent reports, Christianity has slightly dominated the statistic. A December 2012 report on religion and public life by the Pew Research Centre, stated that in 2010, 49.3 percent of Nigerian population were Christians, 48.8 percent Muslims while 1.9 percent were followers of indigenous and other religions. In 2011, Pew Research Centre revealed that the Christian population in Nigeria increased to 50.8 percent and Muslim population 48.8 percent. Among Christians, 24.8 percent are Catholic, 74.1 percent are Protestant, 0.9 percent belongs to other Christian denomination and few of them are Orthodox Christians. In terms of Nigeria’s major ethnic group religious affiliations, the Hausa ethnic group in the North is 95 percent Muslims and 5 percent Christians, the West which is the Yoruba tribe is 35 percent Christian and 55 percent Muslim with 10 percent going to adherents of other African religions, while Igbos in the East and the Ijaws in the South are 98 percent Christians (Catholics) and 2 percent practice traditional religion. What is mostly common with all these religions is
that they recognize and serve God. They mostly preach unity and peace. Muslims and Christians have their various Holy books which guide their day-to-day living. Islam and Christianity which are the major
religion, preach peace and unity. The Muslim Quran has clearly stated its stand on peace. According to the Christian Bible in Psalm 29:11; “the Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you; because he trusts in You.” Matthew 5:9: “blessed are the peacemakers for they shall
be called children of God.” Even the Quran preaches peace in all its ramification. But we ask ourselves: are people keeping or abiding to what is being taught in various
themselves? Do we still have people that can sacrifice their last meal for a total stranger just like the woman in the Bible did for Elijah the great prophet? The Quran advocated
without giving such an individual the chance to prove his innocence in a law court. This extrajudicial killings are also seen in jungle justice. It is also against human
mosques and churches? Taking what our various religions teach us and reading our own meaning to it could have its own adverse effects. Some Christians only take from the Bible, portions that are favourable to their lifestyle. The Bible preaches love and tolerance but do Christians follow this truth to the letter? Do Christians truly and wholeheartedly love their neighbour as
peace among Muslims but we can see that various extremist groups are springing from every corner and twisting the Quran to favour their dastardly acts. They use this as a means to brainwash members. There are so many reasons why Nigerians and people of the world over should tolerate themselves religiously. First and foremost, none of these religions preach extrajudicial killing. There is no portion of the books (Bible and Quran) where such killing is justified. People should not hide under the guise of religion to commit murder. There is no justification for killing a fellow human being
nature to kill a fellow human being. We wonder sometimes if these individuals are humans with blood flowing their veins. Are their conscience working? Do they have emotional feelings? To what extent have they been brainwashed? Even animals in some parts of the world are not killed anyhow. There are laid down procedures before an animal could be killed. Animals are even protected so they should not go into extinction. As Nigeria battles this long time enemy, it is hoped that all Nigerians will have the mindset that religion is not a camouflage to kill innocent people.
“There are so many reasons why Nigerians and people of the world over should tolerate themselves religiously. First and foremost, none of these religions preach extra-judicial killing. There is no portion of the books (Bible and Quran) where such killing is justified.”
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Media MEDIA practitioners in Nigeria have been charged to imbibe the practice that promotes peace and unity of the country in the discharge of their duty. They were also urged to shun sensationalism, personal interest and reports that are capable of causing conflict or escalate it. Speakers, which include the State of Osun Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Owah, Representative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Mathew Alao, Vice President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Zone G, Mr. Bamidele Atunbi and the Zonal Director SouthWest, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Ojone Ofonoku gave the charge at a workshop/capacity building on Conflict Sensitive Reporting and Good Governance in Nigeria. At the workshop held at Royal Park International Hotel, Iloko- Ijesha, Osun State, organised by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution in collaboration with the United Nation Development Programme, the speakers asserted that there is the need for journalists to be mindful of the interest of the country and be conflict sensitive in their reportage. Noting that this is the only way by which peace and unity can be promoted in the country, they unanimously tasked the media practitioners to engage in reports that can promote peace and shun that which is capable of promoting conflict and
Conflict Resolution And Media Participation discord. The speakers who further spoke on good governance, tasked Nigerian journalists to do more of good governance advocacy in their reportage, stressing that this will assist in sensitizing government at all level to be alive to their
in the interest of the nation and not that of a particular person or region, also tasked them not to assist the prophets of doom in the accomplishment of their predictions, saying such will not do the nation any good. His words, “The media
Owah in his opening address noted that the media in Nigeria has the capacity to create and resolve conflict, adding that it seems it has created more conflict than resolving it. Stating that this informed the resolve of both UNDP and IPCR to organise the capacity building workshop, the UNDP boss said this will ensure a change in the way the
responsibilities. The State of Osun commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Akere who declared the workshop open, charged journalists to always promote issues that will unite the country and not that which will divide it and that they should be mindful of languages as what they write will make or mar the country. Akere, who further charged that media practitioners should work
should look at things that unite the country and not that which divides it, we should sing the song of peace and not crisis. We should mind our language about what we write as this may make or mar our corporate existence. Please work in the interest of the nation and not that of a particular person, do not assist prophet of doom to make their prediction come to pass”. The IPCR boss, Dr.
media in the country works and promote conflict sensitive reporting. “It is important as media practitioners to understanding between publicity and cheap popularity, most times you have not border to look for the fact of a story, therefore you create more damage than resolving it”, Dr. Owah remarked. In his own contribution, the UNDP representative, Mr. Alao emphasised that journalists are likely to
By RAHEEM IBRAHIM
promote conflict itself rather than minimizing it if they are not conflict sensitive in their reportage, adding that it forms the reason UNDP is committed to the training of journalists on how to do their work in order to promote peace in the country. Alao disclosed that the UNDP will soon organised a peace summit where stakeholders will brainstorm on how to
ensure that conflict is minimized in the country, adding that the agency is doing everything possible to ensure all stakeholders join in the peace process. The NUJ Vice President Zone G, Mr. Atunbi remarked that conflict occurred on daily basis either domestically or nationally, but noted that its management has always been the major challenge. He stated that the position of the NUJ on conflict resolution has always been
fairness on the part of all and sundry, while asking if government at all level have been fair to the led. Talking about good governance, he said, “we must talk about development, we must take a critical look at how the wealth and resources of the country are being distributed and its fairness to the people”. As a media practitioner, the NUJ chieftain maintained that journalists must be objective in their reportage, saying the absence of this will create conflict. According to him, media practitioners have the social responsibility to protect the interest of the nation and must de-emphasise that which will divide the country in their reportage. The firebrand unionist and activist who was critical about the country’s 1999 constitution, called for the abrogation of section 22, saying it hinders the workability of chapter 2, noting that it prevents media practitioners to sue their employers while occupying public positions. Speaking in the same vein, the NBC South-West Zonal Director Mrs. Ofonoku noted that conflict is being magnified through the manner in which headlines are cast, stressing that this further escalate rather than minimize the situation. While describing the workshop as timely, she applauded the organisers for their efforts at ensuring the promotion and advocacy of good governance in Nigeria and conflict sensitive reporting, saying they all catalyze to peace and better society.
“The State of Osun commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Akere who declared the workshop open, charged journalists to always promote issues that will unite the country and not that which will divide it and that they should be mindful of languages as what they write will make or mar the country.”
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
International Features
Vietnam Lets Churches Thrive But Keep Control
KRET KROT, Vietnam A year ago in this poor hilltribe village, police rounded up members of a small Catholic sect who were accused of trying to create an independent state. The leaders are in jail, followers who escaped have fled into the jungle and officers patrolling the muddy streets warn people to shun that offshoot of the faith. But the crackdown didn’t affect activities at the village’s church — actually an old lady’s house with a white cross fixed to a corrugated iron wall — or a larger church a short hike away, where priests teach young boys math and Vietnamese language in neat classrooms. A rare unescorted trip to villages in Vietnam’s tightly controlled Central Highlands revealed the Communist government’s twin approaches to religion: It allows state-sanctioned faiths to grow and even thrive, but continues to keep a close watch on all religious institutions. All perceived challenges to its rule, religiously inspired or not, are harshly repressed. The country’s record on religious freedom is closely tracked by Washington. The U.S. seeks closer ties with Vietnam, a former enemy turned important counterbalance to China in Asia, but it also wants Hanoi to show greater respect for human rights. Concerns by Congress over human rights could torpedo a free-trade deal Washington is negotiating with Vietnam and other Asia-Pacific nations, U.S. officials say. Religious tension runs particularly deep in the Central Highlands, home to most of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, who are known collectively as Montagnard. Many have embraced Christianity, in part to distinguish themselves from Vietnam’s majority Kinh population, which is largely Buddhist. The Kinh have migrated to the highlands in large numbers since the Vietnam War, igniting tensions over land and fears among minority groups that their culture and language are being diluted. Human rights groups are not allowed in the Central Highlands’ Gia Lai province, and trips by journalists and diplomats are normally strictly controlled, making independent information difficult to come by. In 2011, before the Kret Krot arrests,
Human Rights Watch reported that 250 Montagnards were imprisoned on national security charges. State media accounts of arrests, public trials and “renunciations” of faith are also common. An Associated Press reporting team met pastors, priests and ordinary
many of those as a cover for an independence movement with links to supporters in the U.S, but Montagnard overseas and human rights groups say the government is repressing religious beliefs in the name
services, according to Pham Van Dung, an official at a large church near the village. One villager said he was unaware any link between those arrested and illegal activities.
“undermining the policy of national unity.” It’s unclear how the other 54 arrests were resolved. The sect members were accused of trying to get villagers to come to Ha Mon prayers so they could recruit them to the cause of independence with help from FULRO, the French acronym
A worshipper prays in a church ahead of an afternoon mass in the Vietnamese central highland town of Pleiku. Communist Vietnam allows state-sanctioned faiths to grow, but continues to keep a close watch on all religious institutions. worshippers in the area late last month, both independently and as part of a government-arranged tour for a group of visiting American Christians. Those people presented by the government had a uniformly positive view of religious freedom in the highlands. Officials took a note of everything that was said in the meetings. While the delegation was being bused around the town of Pleiku, police were effectively holding the wife of a jailed Baptist preacher under house arrest nearby. Tran Thi Hong needed to buy medicine for a feverish child, but police wrapped wire around her front gate to keep her from leaving. It was unclear whether the action was related to the delegation’s trip or to the presence of a foreign journalist; police declined to comment. The government tour focused on state-sanctioned churches, not the fastgrowing, unlicensed Protestant churches scattered across the highlands. Vietnamese authorities regard
of fighting separatism. Most of the several hundred people reported arrested in recent years have been Protestants, but followers of the little-known Catholic “Ha Mon” sect have also been targeted over the last three years. Across Vietnam, it is not just Christians who are targeted: The patriarch of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam was under house arrest for 20 years before his death in 2008. In Kret Krot, a peppergrowing village home to the Bahnar ethnic group, police rounded up 62 Ha Mon adherents last year. The sect worships the Virgin Mary, and its members do not attend regular church
“Maybe mistakes were made,” said the 17-year-old, who gave a single name, Thuyen. “They were good people.” Regardless, four police officers who live nearby and patrol daily discourage people from joining the sect, he said. “The police come and ask villagers not to follow the Ha Mon religion. They don’t allow people to pray with the Ha Mon’s Bible,” Thuyen said. Dung said that since the raid, many Ha Mon followers have fled to the jungle, where they spend much of their time in prayer. In May, state media reported that eight of the 62 arrested were sentenced to between three and 11 years in jail for
for the hill-tribe army that fought alongside U.S. Special Forces during the war. “We are not arresting Protestant followers, but the followers of a church not recognized by the government,” said Nguyen Thanh Cam, director of the government’s Committee for Religious Affairs in Gia Lai. “These people are abusing religion to violate the law.” Many Montagnards fought with FULRO, a history that even now generates suspicion among many Vietnamese and support in the U.S. At least 12,000 Montagnards have received asylum in the United States, and some of them still call for an independent homeland for their kin. Rong Ray, a former FULRO
deputy commander who fought in the jungles of Vietnam for 12 years but now lives in the United States, said the Vietnamese state repeatedly brought up the name of his now-defunct group to imply there was a threat of violence to “discredit the Montagnard movement.” “The Vietnamese hate us because we fought and died alongside the Americans and because we are Christians,” he said by telephone from North Carolina, home to the United States’ largest Montagnard community. On the government tour, authorities took the American delegation to a large new church that its pastor, Huynh Duy Linh, said had been funded in part with money from overseas Vietnamese Christians. Linh said there were seven other churches under construction, and he recounted a story about two Communist Party officials who had become Christians. “It’s only by the grace of God that we can do that,” said Linh. “The need here is very big, and we can’t meet the demands of our followers.” Chris Seiple, the head of the visiting Christian delegation, said Vietnam has made progress over the last 10 years, though work still needs to be done. “In Vietnam, we have moved from persecution to isolated cases of harassment. I think Vietnam has made a choice it wants to get better at freedom of religion,” said Seiple, president of the Institute for Global Engagement, a Washingtonbased group that promotes religious freedom. “There will be situations that will be bad sometimes, but in general we are moving forward.” But arrests continue, and so do cases of police harassment like the Hong’s brief and informal house arrest. Her husband was sentenced to 11 years in jail last year for peacefully preaching against the state. “This is not the only time and will not be the last time,” Hong said. “They always try to find some way to create difficulties for our family.”
“While the delegation was being bused around the town of Pleiku, police were effectively holding the wife of a jailed Baptist preacher under house arrest nearby. Tran Thi Hong needed to buy medicine for a feverish child, but police wrapped wire around her front gate to keep her from leaving. It was unclear whether the action was related to the delegation’s trip or to the presence of a foreign journalist; police declined to comment.”
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Midweek Magazine Introduction IT is very well recognised that developing countries have problems with managing their healthcare delivery systems to the benefit of the majority of citizens. When resources are scarce, without careful management of available funds, the healthcare system falls into even more dislocation and decay. What is more, the situation could be complicated by the lack of facilities, adequate information, political instability, corruption and institutional inefficiency. In other instances, a nation may have comparatively adequate resources and yet, have its health system in a state that makes it very difficult to deliver effective healthcare services to the people. In addition to the factors and forces above, the situation could be complicated by the existence of apolitical elite that has carved out an alternative “state” to cater for its needs. In this situation, the elite, rather than develop the public sphere in terms of facilities, institutions, and services, concentrates on the construction of private alternatives and heavy reliance on foreign alternatives. So, while the public sphere decays, the private sphere expands and gets all the benefits. Scarce resources are deployed to foreign trips for either medical tourism or to take advantage of better services. It is not unusual to hear of political elites that fly abroad for ailments like toothache and have their spouses go abroad for childbirth. When the custodians of state power and the elite lose confidence in existing healthcare and other institutions, it usually culminates in deeper disregard for issues that affect the populace, policy dislocation, and institutional crises. In developing societies like Nigeria, while is it important to promote the growth of private sector initiatives, the state owes the poor majority a responsibility to invest in, and maintain public services and facilities. Clearly therefore, the political and policy environment can have a direct impact on maternal, newborn and child mortality (MNCM) with farreaching implications for other sectors of society. While it is true that societies and regimes are never stagnant, and at times, even dictatorial regimes are compelled by internal and external factors and forces to adopt a few pro-people policies and programmes especially in the area of MNCM, such gains are often episodic and ephemeral. They fade away as such ineffective, repressive, and corrupt regimes return to their original political and ideological positions. It has been contended that there is often a direct relationship between the character of regimes and leaders and the state of MNCM. In Africa in particular, countries with non-
democratic forms of governance have often done very badly with MNCM. It is therefore not an accident that some change she came noticeable with the socalled “third wave” of political liberalisation, multiparty elections, and steady democrataisation of society. In large measure, this has been the experience of Nigeria. Nigeria: a Brief Background Life expectancy in Nigeria is currently established at 53 years according to the 1991 national census in Nigeria; specifically 52.6 for males and 53.8 for females. The crude birth rate declined from 27 to 14 per 1000 in the same period. These statistics have not impressed the WHO that ranked Nigeria 163rd of 191 countries in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Expectancy (DALE) with a value of only 38.3 years. While the DALE ranked Nigeria higher than countries just recovering from civil war like Liberia and Sierra Leone, it was however far behind a neighbouring country like Ghana. The reason for this low ranking was due to the rather high maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality rates in the country. The Situation of Maternal Mortality in Nigeria Nigeria, in spite of abundant resources and opportunities, and in spite of the numerous, though insufficient, healthcare institutions, continues to rank very low in world statistics on maternal and infant mortality. Even within Africa, on a comparative basis, Nigeria’s record is rather poor. The reasons are due mainly to bad politics, bad policy and bad leadership. It is estimated that over 500,000 women die each year globally from complications with pregnancy and childbirth. In Nigeria alone the figure of deaths from these complications is about 55,000. While the country constitutes about 2% of global population, it, however, accounts for 10% of maternal deaths at child birth, this puts it next to India. Of this 55,000 deaths, well over 70% is in the rural areas, and northwest and northeast of the country accounts for about 65% of the mortality ratios. It is also estimated that while the risk of death from complications at childbirth for women in developing nations is 1 in 61, and 1 in 29 for Sweden, it is 1 in 18 for Nigeria. Debilitating and long-lasting health problems associated with birth maternal health complications is rampant and affects 30 women for every one that dies at childbirth. About 40% of women, about 800,000, that suffer from vesico-vaginal fistula globally are in Nigeria. Haemorrhage is responsible for 23% of deaths among women that suffer maternal mortality while others are killed by narrow pelvis (11%), eclampsia (11%), abortion (11%), anaemia (11%), infection (17%) and malaria (11%). It is estimated that about 600,000 women die of clandestine or illegal abortions in
Political C Maternal Newborn And Ch The Politics Of Change:
Nigeria every year and about 20,000 die from complications arising from abortion. A range of social, economic, health, and other family pressures and complications are responsible for these abortions. But most women, especially in the penurban areas resort to abortions under the “supervision” of unqualified or quack persons posing as medical personnel and the laws are rather weak to punish such criminal activities. Of course, those that survive such abortions, end up with severe problems of infertility and ectopic pregnancy with the accompanying pressures on the family and individuals. Due to very poor medical facilities at the disposal of the majority of the people, Nigeria records 71 per 1000 infant mortality rate, 140 per 1000 live births of under-five mortality rate, 51 per 1000 live births of prenatal mortality rate. Based on these figure, it is obvious that Nigeria’s record is very poor. Nigeria’s record is below countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Liberia. Under the WHO indicator of Equality of Child Survival (ECS) that measures the extent to which under-five mortality reflects pure chance of death (equal to all children) rather than variations in underlying factors.” With the highest value at 1 to represent “complete equality of child survival, unaffected by underlying factors” Nigeria scored 0.336 and 4th lowest of 191 ranked nations embarrassingly slightly ahead of countries such as Liberia, Mozambique and Central African Republic and worse than Sierra Leone and Angola. Why is Maternal Mortality High in Nigeria? It is true that successive governments in Nigeria have paid attention, to varying degrees, to improvements in the area of maternal and infant mortality. It is also true that over time significant successes have been achieved especially when national campaigns have been organised as in the cases of polio and malaria. Yet, all indicators in this critical area, on a comparative global basis remain very low. In fact, in the context of what is actually achievable in the country, the results have been very disappointing. Some of the reasons can be found at the level of policy and leadership and others at the level of societal contradictions. The literature and Government statements have identified the factors responsible for high rates of maternal mortality as including: lack of maternal care, very poor medical facilities, inadequate skilled birth attendants, unorthodox traditional
By PROF. JULIUS IHONVBERE
practices, superstition, delays in attending to complications of pregnancy and delivery, high cost of treatment and drugs, poverty and thus poor diet. Also, the very large proportion of women that deliver their babies at home with very little or no access to skilled or professional care, low or poor use of antenatal and postnatal care, unsupervised use of contraceptives and fertility drugs, and poor sex education leading to unwanted pregnancies especially by adolescents. It is not unusual therefore that dirty feeding bottles and utensils, serious respiratory infections, measles, and low maternal education contribute to morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.There are also institutional and policy factors. The inconsistency in government policy especially in the area of primary health care delivery, insufficient staffing of health facilities, lack of the necessary infrastructure resulting in avoidable delayslack of beds, water, drugs, doctors, electricity, and other equipment to aid child birth, high cost of well-equipped private hospitals, poor salary to hospital staff leading to a rather lukewarm or lackadaisical attitude of staff, and poor hospital or healthcare administration. It is not unusual for monies budgeted for healthcare projects to be diverted to other purposes in the national or personal interests of the official in charge or for approved funds to be poorly utilised due to poor supervision and monitoring. There are instances where substandard, fake and dangerous drugs and equipment have been imported at the expense of mothers and infants. Also, the reliance on nonprofessionals to provide leadership in the health sector is equally a problem. By the time the appointee, Minister or Director-General begins to understand the Department or Ministry so much damage has been done at the expense of health care delivery. Professor Friday Okonofua, has argued that delays in treatment of pregnancy complications constitute about9O% of mortality in Nigeria. He breaks these delays into three: Type I -“when a pregnant woman with complication fails to get to a hospital in time; Type II—”when the delay is due to difficulty with transportation” and Type II — “when there is delay in treatment after the patient has reached the hospital.” According to Okonofua, Type I delay is responsible for 30% of deaths, Type II is responsible for 20% of deaths while Type III accounts for 40’3 of death& This is very frightening statistics.
When further analysed, OkonOfua points out that the causes of Type III delays include: the high cost of antenatal, delivery and postnatal services; frequent union organised industrial action in the health sector; delays occasioned by patients not being able to see a nurse or attendant within the hospital; poor supplies and consumables; delay in referral of patients; absence on basic but very much needed obstetrics care; refusal by health care professionals to work and for live in the rural areas where most Nigerian live; poor transportation including lack of ambulances; fuel shortages or the lack of funds to fuel ambulances; and the massive brain drain of doctors, nurses and other technicians to Europe, North America, the Middle East and South Africa with direct impact on the quality of available health care delivery. The problems in Nigeria’s health system are legion and it is difficult to excuse any regime or administration since political independence in 1960. Overall, it would appear as if leaders at all levels- Federal, State and Local- have taken the people for granted and relied more on rhetoric, palliatives, halfmeasures and opportunistic interventions. They wait for a disaster to occur then rush to do a few visible things that often become moribund within a few months. It is not amazing therefore that on a comparative study of 191 nations of the world, Nigeria ranked very poorly on all factors that were considered: Responsiveness — 149; Fairness in financial contributions — 180; overall goal attainment — 184; health expenditure per capita — 176; impact on level of health — 175; and overall health system performance —187. - These data speak for themselves and for an oil-rich nation like Nigeria, much more needs to be done to consolidate current or recent achievements, introduce new intervention schemes and improve overall performance. In Nigeria’s health sector, the policy environment is wrong, the institutional reforms initiated in 1999 have stagnated, and the operational mechanisms have become corrupted. Without doubt the health sector requires a very radical or far-reaching restructuring, more resources, prioritisation, and better and more productive partnerships. Recent Policy Intervention and Achievements It is generally agreed that by May 1999, Nigeria had no healthcare system to write home about, This is because the health sector had decayed to unprecedented levels. Laudable
public health policies had been abandoned, institutions had decayed and staff demoralisation was very high. Routine immunization was at an all time low, primary and secondary health care facilities were totally dislocated or nonfunctional; equipment were either outdated or broken down all over the country, emergency services were non-functional, many hospitals had no ambulances, and referral systems between various health facilities were simply ineffective. Public expenditure on health was not
as a “ (along agricu secur follow 1. I Alloca Beg budge (exclu water 8% of was to ‘viabl that c goodservic 2. P The
Prof Julius Ihonvbere
even a quarter of the internationally recommended minimum. All the rather poor data presented earlier had their roots in the mis- governance, corruption, carelessness, insensitivity and poor planning of previous, especially military governments. It was the return to democratic rule in May 1999 that set the foundation for a gradual regeneration and reform of the health care sector and commitment to addressing the issues of maternal and infant mortality. The system was so bad that at the beginning of 2000, Nigeria was ranked 187th among 191 member countries of the World Health Organisation. But the problems were so many, the decay so intense and the contradictions so deep that the government could not but try to address all sectors and problems at the same time. This in itself stretched resources and made fundamental impact very difficult. The Reform Agenda of Olusegun Obasanjo Administration identified the health sector for special treatment
and are citi we suc HIV hea app the Pro Mi des res the imp len Pro Na the 3 edu T inv pro hea pre kno hea com of Sch tran con
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Midweek Magazine
Constraints To Reducing hild Mortality In Nigeria
“PRIORITY SECTOR” g with education, works, ulture, power, water and ity) and initiated the wing programmes/policies: Increased budgetary ation ginning with the 2004 et, the health sector alone uding related ministries like and agriculture) received allocation. The main focus o design and implement a e national health system could deliver effective, -quality and affordable es to all Nigerians.” olicy Reform objective was to reform
healthcare delivery and safer services. 4. Local manufacturing of essential drugs The Government took seriously, the manufacturing of essential drugs and reagents including anti-retroviral drugs for the management of FII V/ AIDS related illnesses and also designed programmes to ensure strong antenatal postnatal and family planning services to reduce maternal and infant mortality especially in the inner cities and rural areas. 5. Private sector involvement A special aspect of the reform was to encourage the private
d prioritise attention to those eas that affected the ordinary izen. In doing this, policies ere designed to target diseases ch as malaria, tuberculoses, V/AIDS, and reproductive alth-related illnesses. The new proach was encapsulated in e Health Sector Reform ogram. (HSRP) of the Federal inistry of Health that was signed to “guide the orderly toration and improvement of e national health system to prove the quality of lives and ngthen life expectance.“ This ogram was endorsed by the ational Council on Health and e Federal Executive Council. 3. Increasing public ucation/awarenes The Nigerian government vested in health education to omote general awareness on alth rights, promote disease evention and improve public owledge on obligations on alth services. This was mplemented with the creation a National Health Insurance heme as well as a blood nsfusion service designed to ncretize accessibility to
sector, including foreign investors to invest heavily in all aspects of health care delivery including the construction and operation of private hospitals and clinics, HV/AIDS awareness at the workplace, improved maternity and paternity leave for workers, and other related services including counselling. 6. Supervision and monitoring Government emphasised supervision, coordination, and monitoring of healthcare delivery by agencies and institutions to ensure effective and efficient deployment of resources, implementation and deliverables especially safety, high quality standards and security for all Nigerians. The establishment of NAFDAC was to achieve part of these objectives. 7. Institutional collaboration The reform agenda sought to identify, encourage and facilitate cooperation and collaboration between different healthcare delivery units and
related agencies as well as actors while building mutually rewarding partnerships within and beyond Nigeria. The Government accorded more recognition for Traditional Medicine especially in the areas of “research and development, policy and legal development and regulation.” The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development was encouraged to collaborate and coordinate issues of intellectual property rights of traditional medicine practitioners, appropriate guidelines and standards for safety. With the assistance of the Africa Regional Office of the WHO, draft Bills on Traditional Medicine Policy, and Establishment of the Traditional Medicine Practitioner’s Council of Nigeria were being prepared. At the moment, a lot of work is being done under the strict guidelines and monitoring of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency. Institutional rehabilitation The Administration sought to improve technology, equipment and general infrastructure in healthcare delivery institutions to improve efficiency, accountability and access to contemporary data and practices; rehabilitate and refurbish all teaching hospitals through the implementation of the VAMED Engineering project to standardize equipment. Under the scheme all Teaching Hospitals were targeted. Construction of primary healthcare centres Government constructed 200 Primary Health Care (PHC) centers of which 154 were fully stocked with medicines and handed over to communities to co-administer by health workers, local and state governments. There were plans to construct 250 additional primary healthcare centers across the country to make access to services available to the poor. Introduction of the Ward Health System As a strategy of taking healthcare delivery to the remotest parts of the country, the Federal Ministry of Health introduced the Ward Health System to give added support to the Primary Health Care system. Return of Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora Through the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) and other avenues Government tried to encourage the training of nurses and doctors to service all national institutions; facilitate the return, where necessary, of medical and healthcare delivery professionals that had left the country for greener pastures; and improve the conditions of service to encourage creativity, innovation, commitment, service delivery and staff
retention. Inauguration of a National Health Insurance Scheme The National Health Insurance Scheme, was launched beginning with civil servants with plans to make it truly national. Local Production of Vaccines The National Institute for Production of Vaccines and Biologicals was well-funded with the goal of producing at least 70 per cent of essential drugs in Nigeria. 8. National campaigns The campaign against HIV/ AIDS pandemic which is the most holistic and ambitious in Africa covering awareness, treatment and rehabilitation was intensified through the work of NACA and the Ministry of Health in collaboration with NGOs. NACA was established in the Office of the President to show how seriously the government viewed the campaign. The Oral Polio Vaccine campaign was reinvigorated. The campaign for the total elimination of tuberculosis with the support of the Sasagawa Foundation, as well as campaigns against malaria and Guinea worm continued. 9. Enhanced water projects Investment in the provision of potable water through the “Water for All Water for Life” Presidential Initiative was pursued with great success by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the work of Chinese experts across the country. 10. War against fake and sub-standard drugs/food products The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is on record as having waged an effective war against fake drugs and increasing public awareness on the needs for vigilance against adulterated products. Its numerous activities have been acknowledged around the world and by ordinary Nigerians. Nigeria and the MDGs Goal 4 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) requires the Nigerian government to reduce mortality rate among children under 5 by two-thirds by the year 2015. Goal 5 requires the state to reduce by two-thirds the maternal mortality rate by the same period. Based on the discussions above, there is no way that Nigeria can be expected to meet either of these goals. The country’s political economy remains disarticulated and in deep crisis. The contradictions are deep and complex and policies remain disjointed and incapable to meeting the needs of Nigerians. Managing the Politics of
Change It is well known that politics is critical to policy. Purposeful, progressive and democratic politics will precipitate and reproduce people-focused, people-sensitive and progressive policies. The leadership of the political system is equally critical to the nature, depth, dimension, consistency and focus of public policies. In Nigeria, as in most of Africa, leadership has been very bad and this has negatively affected public policies. The pathological fixation on the use of politics to grab raw power and promote primitive accumulation has destabilised political systems, undermined policies, and rapidly eroded public programmes. In fact, In Nigeria, this has become an endemic challenge. The change that was evident in Nigeria between 1999 and 2007 under the Obasanjo regime was largely due to the push from the pains of the pre-1999 era, the general feeling of failure at all levels of the government, and the personal drive of the President. As well, there was a team of technocrats around the president that ensured that alternative policies and perspectives were initiated and considered especially between 2003 and 2007. The initiatives outlined above were brought on stream in that period and the state ensured that the funding and close supervision were provided by the presidency. However, the question remains: why did the policies fail to substantially or significantly improve the data? Why was it impossible for maternal and child mortality to improve? In some cases, why did Nigeria experience a downward slide by 2007? We advance the following reasons: 1. Adequate attention was not paid to the extent of systemic decay, institutional paralyses, and levels of efficiency and motivation of staff in existing healthcare delivery institutions; 2, Bad advice by technocrats and civil servants and some development partners to the EXECUTIVE president resulting in waste, complications and policy failure; 3. Poor management of partner support and programmes leading to avoidable competition, duplication and waste; 4. Complex and conflicting bureaucratic structures especially between over 30 priority programmes, numerous agencies and institutions within the Ministry of Health with no streamlined responsibilities and accountability lines; 5. The lack of effective coordination between the three tiers of governance and communities in the location, operation, management and sustenance of healthcare delivery institutions and agencies; 6. Poor leadership at all levels, especially political leadership that failed to emphasise priorities, accountability transparency and service delivery; Changing the Context of Politics for Better Delivers’ To alter the existing constraining conditions that militate against effective healthcare deliverables especially in the area of maternal and child mortality, it is critical that five issues be addressed. First is the political context. There is a need to continuing pressure on the politicians and policymakers to do the right thing. They need education, information, training and empowerment to ensure effectiveness. Second, is the technological innovation needed to ensure capacity and capability. This is important to address the issue of delays, training, ability to utilise available equipment and respond to new policy environment. Third is the need for civil society to connect, develop effective joint programmes, engage the power brokers and policy makers and engage in massive public education and mobilisation. A fourth option is to either work on political office holders or make direct entry into the political process to increase the number of committed and credible actors and workers that understand healthcare delivery issues. Fifth, is for international partners to support and empower civil society organisations, healthcare agencies with the required restructuring and repositioning to understand contemporary discourses, policies and approaches to reforming the sector. Conclusions and Prescriptions (1) All budgeted federal projects must be fully implemented, monitored and evaluated. Follow-up policies and projects must be designed and considered before the expiration or conclusion of ongoing projects; (2) There should be at least one water borehole per ward in the country and this is easily realizable. In the alternative a good water system to effectively serve a cluster of villages would serve the same purpose; (3) The goal of a Primary Healthcare Centre per ward in the federation is still feasible and must be pursued to take healthcare delivery, to the people. These should be fully managed by the local government and community; (4) Local and State governments must step up sanitation and environmental campaigns. The era of Sanitary Inspectors should be reintroduced to ensure full compliance with sanitary and health regulations; (5) Special attention must be paid to the health needs of women, children and the aged who are often the most vulnerable and neglected segments in the country; and (6) Access to basic health facilities should be liberalized and democratized. Fees must not be charged to see physicians and for emergencies and for the low income, access to health care should be free. Above all, the constitutional provision on the right to life must be broadened and given meaning to serve as weapons for a popular campaign that will include adequate attention and investment in maternal, newborn and infant mortality levels. Communities and constituencies must be encouraged, mobilised and empower to demand the right to survival and the right to life as democratic rights.
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Issues
Coping With Emotional Pains IN life, there are times when things does not go well. There are often times when all seems to be coming to an abrupt and disgraceful end. Dealing with emotional pains have become a thing of concern to most people globally. Many committ suicide just to let the seemingly intractable problem of emotional pains go but that has not in anyway helped situations. According to psychology experts, emotional pains, sometimes called psychology a is any mental, or mind or non physical suffering. It can also be seen as an unpleasant feeling (a suffering) of a psychological, non physical, orgin, A pioneer in the field of suicidology, Edwin shneidman, described it as “how much you are hurt as a human being. It is mental suffering; mental torment. Every hurt has its own story and so does every healing. You can heal yourself when you have filled the hole left behind by being betrayal and you can heal the other person when you sincerely drop the need for revenge. Remember, the only betrayals that inflicts damages are the ones where an intimate bond has been torn. Love makes you merge with another person, able to feel their emotions as keenly as you feel your own. If you have experienced such bonding, you would know that when ripped apart, it is as if you have lost half of yourself. Some of these strategies can help you get out of the torment and find yourself again.
By IGBINOSUN A. EVELYN
MAKE A PLAN FOR E M O N T I O N A L RECOVERY- look at where you feel hurt, wounded or see yourself as victimized, then set out to heal these area. Do not rely simply on letting time do it for you. DO NOT PRETEND YOU DO NOT FEEL IT- The pain is real. you have to address it, or you will never get beyond it. PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIESEven if you do not feel like it do “normal” things with other people, things that have nothing to do with the traumatic experience if you have retreated from relationships that were once important to you make the effort to reconnect. DO NOT LET YOUR PAIN DEFINE YOURemember you are greater than this hard time, you have a past and a future. You have awareness and creativity. This is a single episode which will soon pass away. JOIN A SUPPORT GROUP FOR TRAUMA SURVIVORS- Being with others who are facing the same problem can help reduce your sense of isolation and hearing how others cope can inspire you. IDENTIFY ALL OF YOUR FEELINGS- Are you just heart broken or are you angry too? Maybe just smallest bit relived. Which is also making you feel guilty? Do you feel betrayed, insecured, afraid? Giving some thoughts to how you are feeling can be very helpful in processing all of your emotions in the wake
of a traumatic or life changing event. STAY AWAY FROM STATEMENTS THAT BLAME YOU OR OTHERSTake responsibility for your
still need to live. Distract yourself by just forgetting it for a little while. If you are grieving a death, or heartbroken over a breakup, especially giving yourself a little time to just be you to heal and move past it. That is not to say
actions, and your part of whatever went wrong. But do not indulge in blaming. GET YOUR MIND OFF YOURSELF AND HOW BAD YOU FEEL- You have the right to feel sorry for yourself for 10 minutes. Then move on. No exceptional. Go out with friends. Tell yourself that you will not talk about your pain for more than a few minutes. You will not bring down the activity by wallowing in it. Do not let your friends walk on egg shell around you just because you have been traumatized. You
that you just forget about it and move on. No it is only to say that even grief needs to take a breath. Give your weary heart a little respite, and let it mend with the love and lightness of heart that comes from being with friends. Or doing something that brings you pleasure. There will be time to cry again, but not just now. ENDURE IT- Things that can not be cured must be endured. It sounds obvious but sometimes, thinking of emotional pain
“Remember, the only betrayals that inflicts damages are the ones where an intimate bond has been torn. Love makes you merge with another person, able to feel their emotions as keenly as you feel your own. If you have experienced such bonding, you would know that when ripped apart, it is as if you have lost half of yourself.”
as if it were physical pain, can be very helpful. Think of your broken heart just as if it were your arm that is broken instead. A broken arm take time to heal, and it hurts like crazy just after it’s broken, and even after its been set and casted. A few days later, it does not hurt so much but weeks or even months later, if you bump on it, that pain can come roaring back to life with a vengeance. Take care not to aggravate it, and eventually, it’s stronger where it was broken than it was before.
is normal to feel hurt or angry for a short time. If a loved one dies, only a very cold person would be unaffected by it. If you love someone and that person dumps, it is natural to feel hurt. Trying to cure what is normal is pointless. Expect to feel pain for a while. TALK TO SOMEONEthere are times when it seems that the hurt you feel inside is just too deep to talk about. You feel like no one could understand or maybe you worry because your loved ones did not share
You can not cut off the arm. That will not make it hurt any less. You just have to endure it while it heals. GAIN SOME DETACHMENT- Stand back and view yourself as if you were the helper and not the victim. SEEK A CONFIDANTSeek a confidant from one who has survived the same betrayal and has come out on the other side. Work towards a tomorrow that will be better than yesterday, Do not fixate on the past or what might have been. DO NOT TRY TO CURE WHAT IS NORMAL –Temporary, emotional pain is caused by a number of events: death of a loved one, a breakup, thoughtlessness or cruelty on the part of others. When you are hurt because of any of the above, accept that it
your feelings. It is that hurting you. Maybe they did not care for your boyfriend whom you just broke up with, or they did not know your friend who passed away. You may be right. They may not totally understand. But right now, it is not being understood that you need. It is compassion your family and friends love you. They see you hurting and want to help. Sometimes, if you will just try to tlk out your feelings, say something about what hurts, it can help start your healing. Letting someone put his or her arms around you hearing them say “it is going to be okay” may not seem that helpful, but it really is, because it helps you feel you are not totally alone, realizing that some one wants to be there for you will help.
THE NIGERIAN
19
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Natural Medicine
Women, Age And Fertility ONE –FEATURE of the modern woman is that she marries late. Because of this development, she encounters infertility problems in her marriage. Unknown to her, age is not on her side. This factor then becomes her albatross. Although there are several other factors which affect fertility, age is what concerns this column, today. To start with, women often have three ages. Namely, she is as old as the age she declares. Infact, women only celebrate their birthdays, not their age which to them is a closely –guarded secret. Then, of course, you have their chronological and biological ages. Three ages in all. All said, two variants of her age are what concerns me in this article. I am talking about her chronological and biological ages. A woman’s chronological age is her true physical age whether declared or not. For instance, if she was born in 1990, her true age today is 23 years. On the other hand, her biological age is a term for describing the age of her organs; If due to lifestyle physical, biochemical hormonal and inherited genetic wears as well as tears she looks 40 year old, that is her biological age. Invariably, the terms chronological age and biological age enables a scientist to distinguish between a woman’s true, hidden age and her visible expressive age. From my simple clarification, you can now see that some women are older than their real ages while others look younger than them. When a woman is aging very fast and her organs are older than her true age, she would certainly have fertility problems if she doesn’t marry early. Youth is green, old age is gray. Indeed younger girls are more pre-
disposed to conceive faster then older ones. Obesity and overweight are associated with the aging process. As you grow old, you are bound to put on weight except you have a regimented programme of exercises, dieting and lifestyle modification built into your daily life. Well, studies have shown that being overweight or obese affects fertility at different levels. This is partly because fat cells secret estrogen. Such an act often result in elevated estrogen in the blood and a disturbance of the estrogen/ progesterone balance which hinder fertility in women. Therefore, get a scale for measuring your weight so that it is within acceptable normal limit. In addition, the size, structure and tone of the womb or uterus suffers a deficit as a woman ages. Everything afterall in nature depreciates with time. This explains why the ability and capacity of a womb to grow a baby to full term of nine months is sometimes compromised in older women. The result? After implantation of the fertilized egg in the womb, miscarriage occurs. There are two types of miscarriage aging can cause. You have the one which occurs after 21 weeks of conception. Certainly, a woman is aware of this clinical miscarriage. But, technically there is the other “miscarriage” which occurs barely a few days or so after conception. A women may not be aware of this experience because it is not as dramatic as the conventional, clinical miscarriage. Given this situation, a woman with infertility should endeavour to undergo tests and pelvic examinations to determine
whether her problem is that of egg fertilization, implantation of the fertilized egg in the womb or the inability of the womb to grow the foetus to full term. Another effect of older age is that it contributes to a woman’s sex hormone production dropping in terms of quality and quantity in accordance with the chronological law of
support for foetal growth in the womb. Women of different ages have various percentage chances of conception. On the statistical average when a woman is 25, she has 25% chance of pregnancy. Between 32 and 34, the chance dips. At 40 years of age her conception percentage worsens. It is now between 5%-10% each time she menstruates
diminishing retuns in nature. That is life. As a result of this occurrence, a woman experiences in sequence poor menstruation; low hormone stimulation of the ovary for egg development, growth as well as release; and insufficient hormone
regularly. If her menstruation is irregular or stops for no obvious reasons, then her conception chances drops further. All these statistics reveal early marriage and conception are more preferable than late ones. Don’t forget, too, that
“It may interest you to know also that about 50% of women who are 35 and above have conception problems caused by fibroid whether the symptoms are there or not. Unfortunately, the age factor is not restrictive to older women. Young girls of 20 or so now have fibroid, a “gift” of modern life.”
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although no definitive cause of fibroid is yet known, the disorder is associated with a vacant womb. The theory is that nature does not allow vacuum. Given this, the womb simulates pregnancy by growing fibroid in it. Of course, marrying late or delaying conception has the time factor of aging accompanying it. Yes, age is not static. It keeps ticking away for everybody, including a woman who postpones child birth for good and bad reasons. Age
adopt the natural medicine option for ensuring that you have atleast 90% assurance that fibroids are kept off the womb. Still another modem scourge is the setting in of early menopause in a woman’s life. On its own, this factor can cause conception problem for her. However, when again age is not on her side, double jeopardy steps into her life, she is now fighting on two fronts to get pregnant. Finally, let’s not forget that
is not a moralist or rocket scientist. And, so, it is not a friend to any one. It may interest you to know also that about 50% of women who are 35 and above have conception problems caused by fibroid whether the symptoms are there or not. Unfortunately, the age factor is not restrictive to older women. Young girls of 20 or so now have fibroid, a “gift” of modern life. The sad aspect of the whole scenario is that removing fibroid by surgery is no sufficient guarantee that new ones don’t grow. Sometimes, they regrow. Hence, the need to
as a woman gets older medical conditions which include endometriosis make her predisposed to scarring and blockages in her reproductive organs. Also, her eggs gets older and less potent. Their outer shells harden making penetration by sperm difficult. Furthermore, it could be that she has no viable eggs left in her ovary or very few ones. Sofar, so good. It is true you cannot stop the biological clock of life from ticking. But you can slow it down as well as age gracefully. To do so, go back to nature. The answer lies there.
THE NIGERIAN
20
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
New Horizon
Teachings Of The Holy Quran (4)
OR do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden of (Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: When (will come) the help of Allah? Ah I verily, the help of Allah is (always) near. They ask thee what they should spend (in charity). Say whatever wealth ye spend that is good, is for parents and kindred and orphans and those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever ye do that is good. Allah knoweth it well. Fighting is prescribed upon you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not. They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say, Fighting therein is a grave (offence), but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the part of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the sacred Mosque, and drive out its members.” Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you hack from your faith if they can. And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will hear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter. They will be companions of the fire and will abide therein. Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled) in the path of Allah,- they have the hope of the mercy of Allah, and Allah is oftforgiving, Most Merciful. They ask thee concerning wine and gambling, Say, In them is great sin, and some profit, for men, but the sin is greater. than the profit. They ask thee how
much they are to spend, say, What is beyond your needs. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His signs. In order that ye may consider— (Their bearing) on this life and the Hereafter. They ask thee concerning orphans. Say, The best thing to do is what is for their good, if ye mix their affairs with yours, they are your brethren, but Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who means good. And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties. He is indeed exhorted in Power, Wise. Do not marry unbelieving woman until they believe, a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allure you. Unbelievers do (but) back on you to the fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of Bliss) and forgiveness. And makes His Signs clear to mankind, that they may receive admonition. They ask thee concerning women’s causes, say they are a hurt and pollution, so keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them as ordained for you by Allah for Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. Your wives are as filth unto you, so approach your filth when or how ye will, hut do some good act for your souls beforehand, and fear Allah, and know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter) and give (these) good tidings to
those who believe, And make not Allah’s (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons, for Allah is one who heareth and knoweth all things. Allah will not call
you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts, and He is oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing. For those who take an oath for abstention from their wives, a waiting for four months is ordained if then they return, Allah is oftforgiving, Most Merciful. But if their intention is firm for divorce, Allah heareth and knoweth all things. Divorced women shall wait concerning themselves for three monthly periods. And it is not lawful for them to hide what Allah hath created in their wombs, if they have faith in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have the better right to take them back in that period, if they wish for
reconciliation. And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable, but men have a degree over them and Allah is Exhalted in Power, Wise. A divorce is only permissible twice, after that, the parties should either hold together on equitable
terms, or separate with kindness. It is not lawful for you, (men), to take back any of your gifts (from your wives), except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah if ye (judges) do indeed fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah, there is no blame on either of them if she give something for her freedom, these are the limits ordained by Allah, so do not transgress them if any do transgress the limits ordained by Allah, such persons wrong (themselves as well as others). So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably), he cannot, after that re-marry her
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until after she has married another husband and he has divorced her. In that case there is no blame in either of them, if they re— unite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah, which He makes plain to those who know. When ye divorce women, and they (are about to) fulfill the term of their (iddat), either take them hack on equitable terms or set
for) most virtue and purity amongst you. And Allah knows, and ye know not. The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, for him who desires to complete the term. But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms, No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear. No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her
them free on equitable terms: but do not take them back, to injure them, (or) to take undue advantage, if anyone does that, he wrongs his own soul Do not treat Allah’s signs as jest, but solemnly rehearse Allah’s favour on you, and the fact that He sent down to you the Book and Wisdom, for your instruction. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is well acquainted with all things. When ye divorce women, and they fulfill the term of their (former), do not prevent them from marrying their (former) husbands, if they mutually agree Oft equitable terms. This instruction is for all amongst you, who believe in Allah and the last Day. That is (the course making
child. Nor father on account of his child, an heir shall he chargeable in the same way. If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster mother for your offspring there is no blame on you, provided ye pay (the foster mother) what ye offered on equitable terms. But fear Allah and know that Allah sees well what ye do. If any of you die and leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days when they have fulfilled their term, there is no blame on you if they dispose of themselves in Continues on page 24
THE NIGERIAN
21
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Place Of Prayer
The Ingredients Of Intimacy (3)
LAST week, we discussed the first two ingredients of intimacy which are Solitude and Consciousness of God’s Presence. We continue this week with a detailed discussion of the third ingredient of intimacy which is WORSHIP. Consciousness of God’s presence is what leads us to the next very important ingredient of intimacy which is Worship. In Psalm 65:1, David writes, “Praise waiteth for thee, o God, in Zion”. The amplified version of the Bible renders it this way, ‘to you belongeth silence, the submissive wonder of reverence”. In this scripture, we notice that before David began to praise God, he first pondered on the personality of God, His glory, power and might, and he came to the conclusion that God deserves his worship. It is only in silence that your heart can search out God’s personality and His mighty deeds. Worship is a very important ingredient of intimacy. Intimate worship includes: thanksgiving, praises, adoration and confession of sins. We thank God for His goodness. We praise Him for His power. We adore Him for who He is. In Mark 7:6 — 7, we see that all those who jump into worship without first dwelling on the personality of God are only rendering lip service because real worship must come from deep within the heart. When you do not develop the consciousness of God in your heart, which is the propelling force for quality worship, then you are doing lip service worship. God only accepts a worship that rises from a heart that has meditatively dwelt on His awesome glory and power. Your heart must be able to attract God and bring Him close to where you are. Worship can only be done if the consciousness of God’s presence is maintained in your heart; this consciousness is an instrument that activates worship. Major worship in the bible was provoked by a consciousness of God’s presence. God deliberately
created His consciousness to provoke the people to worship Him. Below are three instances in which God deliberately created His consciousness in the heart of His people to activate worship: Exodus 34:5 - 8 -God revealed His power and might to Moses and this made him to bow his head to the ground and worship God 1 Kings 18:36 -39 - when the people saw a physical manifestation of God’s power, they fell on their knees and worshipped God 2Chronicles 7:1 - 4 - after Solomon’s prayer, there was such a strong manifestation of God’s glory that the people were provoked to worship From these examples we discover that the people could only render quality worship after the consciousness of God had been instilled in their hearts. In the Old Testament, they sensed physical realities, in the New Testament, we sense spiritual realities. Just like Hebrews 12:18-22 put it, we have not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest; but we are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God. We have come to God’s presence that cannot be explained with a physical mindset, but is experienced from an orientation that is created by the power of your mind. You don’t need physical things anymore to motivate your worship; it must now be motivated from a consciousness of God in your inner man. The time has come when the true worshippers will worship God in spirit and in truth. Worship is a very important ingredient of intimacy and must be sustained from the beginning to the end of intimacy because God inhabits the praise of His people. Only worship will keep Him in the place of intimacy, it is the sustaining power of God’s presence. We must learn to dwell so much in the presence
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of God that people are able to, through us, experience the God that we had fellowship with. People cannot see God; they can however experience Him through us because we are the witnesses of God and reveal His invisible presence. When you begin to worship God, the ability and personality of God is reflected on your body system. 2Samuel 6:12 - 15 reveals to
that can move Him to act on your behalf. All through scriptures, we see a lot of instances where worship moved God to come to the aid and defense of His people. The benefits of worship are innumerable; however, for the purpose of this study, we will point out 15 benefits that can be derived from spending quality time worshipping God. The first three benefits of
excellent majesty was added unto me” 3. It establishes you — and/ was established in my kingdom In 2Chronicles 20:22—3D, we see some more benefits of worship: 4. The lord begins to fight against your enemies. As the people of Judah began to praise and worship God in the battle front, the Lord set ambushment
lasted, worship will make God remember you. 10. Worship provokes heaven to pull you out of captivity. Acts 16:25 —31; Jonah 2:1, 910. From Jonah’s story, we read that God spoke to the fish to release Jonah. Paul and Silas also were set free from chains as they began to worship God. When you worship God, He will pull you out of captivity. 11. You become productive.
us that worship is the sustaining strength of Cod’s presence for intimacy. While moving the ark of God, David and the people did not just praise God once and stop. As they moved, the worship continued at regular intervals. We are the New Testament ark of God and as Arks of God we carry the presence of God wherever we go. We must therefore always have this consciousness everywhere we go, we must not spend hours without saying a word of worship to the father. Worship must become a lifestyle to us; from time to time we must burst out in worship and praise of the name of God. His awesome works exist all around us and therefore there is always something around us that we can praise Him for. Worship from a sincere heart is the best offering we can give to God; it is the only sacrifice
worship can be seen in Daniel 4:34-36. In that scripture, we are told that after seven years of living as an animal, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, lifted his eyes unto heaven, and his understanding returned unto him and he began to worship God. Take note that he first became conscious of Heaven before worship was activated in his lips. Heaven is a spiritual concept that reveals and describes divinity and the supernaturalism of God. As he continued in worship, he enjoyed the following three benefits: 1. Worship brings about Restoration — “at the same time, my reason returned unto me, and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me, and my counselors and my lords sought unto me”. 2. It increases you — “and
against their enemies. 5. It brings prosperity that you did not labour for. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and precious jewels which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 6. You will always end with joy. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for the lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 7. Your enemies will be scared of you. And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the lord fought against the enemies of Israel 8. You will have rest. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest round about. Other benefits of worship from other scriptures are: 9. Worship provokes your remembrance. 1Samuel 1:19. Even though Hannah had a problem, she worshipped God, and God remembered her. No matter what you are going through and how long it has
Psalm 67:5-6. Productivity is a product of worship As you begin to worship God, the earth shall yield her increase unto you and God will bless you. 12. You cannot be cursed. Matthew 8:1-3,5-8. Curses are broken when you worship God. Also, diseases, pain and infirmities are lifted from you as you spend time worshipping God, 13. God’s willingness to help you is activated. Matthew 8:13. You cannot increase or activate God’s power, it is always constant. What you can do however is to provoke His willingness to help you. As you worship God, His willingness to help you is activated. 14. Worship strengthens you. Psalm 8:2; Matthew 21:16. As you begin to offer God praise that comes from the depths of your heart, you receive strength to still the enemy and the avenger. 15. Worship provokes instant response to your cry for help. Matthew 14:30-31. As soon as Peter began to sink in the sea, he cried saying, Lord, save me. That word Lord is worship unto God. As peter worshipped God, by calling Him Lord, Jesus responded immediately and rescued him.
“Worship is a very important ingredient of intimacy and must be sustained from the beginning to the end of intimacy because God inhabits the praise of His people. Only worship will keep Him in the place of intimacy, it is the sustaining power of God’s presence.”
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
International
Compiled By ISAH STELLA .O.
Iraq: 38 Die From Bomb BAGHDAD - Bombs Attacks exploded across the Iraqi capital on Monday, killing at least 38 people, police said, as suspected Sunni Islamist militants pursued a campaign to provoke intercommunal conflict. Eight of the 10 blasts in Baghdad were in mainly Shi’ite districts, but there was also an explosion in a mixed area and another in the predominantly Sunni Muslim neighborhood of Doura. In the deadliest attack, a parked car blew up in a commercial street in Husseiniya, killing five people. Separately, four members of a government-backed Sunni militia were killed in a roadside bombing in northern Baghdad earlier on Monday, and six people including a police officer died in fighting between
Prime Minister David Cameron
Cameron Reshuffles Cabinet
LONDON - Britain’s minister for Scotland is among the casualties of Prime Minister David Cameron’s government reshuffle, with less than a year to go before Scotland’s independence referendum. Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, a Liberal Democrat minister in the coalition government, will be replaced by Alistair Carmichael, another member of the centrist party. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, said the government needed to “draw on different experience in the final year running up to the referendum.” The government is pushing for a “no” vote in Scotland’s referendum on whether to split from the rest of the United Kingdom, which will be held on September 18 next year. Carmichael is widely seen as more combative than Moore and his appointment was welcomed
Typhoon Leaves 4 Dead
SHANGHAI, China - Four people were killed and hundreds of thousands evacuated after Typhoon Fitow hit eastern China, destroying houses and farmlands and closing ports and airports. Packing winds up to 151 kms (94 miles) per hour, Fitow hit Fuding city in Fujian province early on Monday before weakening into a tropical storm later in the day, the official Xinhua news agency reported. At least four people have been killed and four others were still missing, Xinhua said on Tuesday. Flight and train services in Zhejiang province, south of Shanghai, were suspended on Monday. In Wenzhou city in Zhejiang province, the storm destroyed over 1,700 houses and 46,800 hectares of crop land, the report said. It was the 23rd typhoon to hit China this year.
by the “no” camp. Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, the Scottish National Party leader, is heading up the “yes” campaign. Around a third of voters in Scotland are currently in favour of breaking away, according to opinion polls. Moore is the only member of the cabinet — comprising Cameron and his 21 most senior ministers — to be affected by the Conservative premier’s second reshuffle since he came to power in May 2010, but the shake-up has led to widespread changes at the lower levels of government. Cameron told ITV’s The Agenda programme that the reshuffle was “an opportunity to bring forward some fresh talent.” “The main thing is are they qualified to do the job and I think they will prove that,” he added. The most surprising move was that of Liberal Democrat Norman Baker from the Department for Transport to the Home Office. Baker once claimed that David Kelly, the government scientist who questioned the
Myanmar Frees 56 Political Detainees
evidence used to justify the Iraq War, was murdered and that the security services staged a coverup. The reshuffle began on Friday with the resignation of junior transport minister Simon Burns, followed by two other resignations by members of the government on Sunday. It continued Monday as Cameron named the first new ministers filling vacated jobs. Both Cameron and Clegg are seeking to freshen up their top teams ahead of a general election in May 2015.
YANGON - Myanmar on Tuesday began freeing dozens of its remaining detained activists, officials said, after the country vowed to release all prisoners of conscience by the end of the year. “Our government will release 56 political prisoners,” presidential adviser Hla Maung Shwe told AFP, in comments confirmed by correctional department officials. Hundreds of political detainees have been freed since President Thein Sein took power in March 2011, as part of sweeping reforms that have marked the former pariah’s emergence from decades
of junta rule. But activists say authorities are continuing to prosecute dissidents and scores remain behind bars. They accuse the government of using the headline-grabbing releases for political gain and leverage with the international community. Thein Sein, who travelled on Tuesday to a meeting of regional powers in Brunei, announced there would be “no prisoners of conscience in Myanmar” by the end of the year during his first visit to London in July.
BEIJING— A U.S.-backed broadcaster is reporting that Chinese security forces fired into a crowd of Tibetan residents who were demanding the release of a fellow villager detained for protesting orders to display the national flag. Chinese police also fired tear gas at those protesting Sunday in Biru county in the Tibet Autonomous Region and dozens were injured, Radio Free Asia said in its report Tuesday. The report, which cited unnamed local and exiled Tibetan sources, could not be independently confirmed. Local
Communist Party and government officials either could not be reached by phone or hung up shortly after answering. The International Campaign for Tibet earlier reported that authorities had intensified the security presence in Biru county and nearby areas after residents refused orders to display Chinese flags to commemorate National Day on Oct. 1. The ICT, a Tibetan rights group, said government work teams had been sent to Biru, known as Driru in Tibetan, ahead of the national holiday to compel local Tibetan residents to fly the flag as part of
an intensified effort to enforce loyalty to the Communist Party. In Sunday’s unrest, protesters were calling for the release of a local resident, Dorje Draktsel, who was detained last week after participating in demonstrations against the flag order, the Radio Free Asia report said. The self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile based in India said it has received reports of the firing in Driru but had few details to provide. Spokesman Tashi Phuntsok said by phone that the exiled Tibetans had heard that some protesters were injured but did not know how
China: Police
An Iraqi soldier stand at the scene of one of the Bomb Attacks
militants and special forces in Hilla, 100 km (60 miles) south of the capital. A surge of violence has killed more than 6,000 people across Iraq this year, reversing a decline in sectarian bloodshed that reached a climax in 2006-07. At that time, Sunni tribesmen banded together and found common cause with U.S. troops to rout al Qaeda, forcing it underground. But al Qaeda has reemerged this year to join forces with fellow militants in neighboring Syria. The civil war in Syria has put acute pressure on Iraq’s delicate sectarian balance, which was already under strain from power struggle between Sunnis, Shi’ites and ethnic Kurds, who run their own affairs in the north. The al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility on Sunday for a rare bomb attack in the usually peaceful Kurdistan region last month. At least six people were killed when militants tried to storm the headquarters of the security services in the Kurdish capital Arbil on September 29, the first big attack there since 2007. In a statement posted online, the group said the attack was in response to Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani’s pledge to defend fellow Kurds in Syria. In recent months, a Kurdish militia has been fighting mainly Arab rebels and Islamists in northern Syria, opening an ethnic front in a civil war that has increasingly been fought along sectarian lines.
Fire At Protesters
many. China has claimed Tibet as part of its territory for centuries while Tibetans say they were largely independent prior to the occupation by communist troops in 1950. Many Tibetans say Beijing’s economic policies in the Himalayan region have largely benefited only Chinese migrants and that they resent strict limits on Buddhism and Tibetan culture that the government imposes. China says it has made vast investments to boost the region’s economy and improve the quality of life for Tibetans. Meanwhile, in the northwestern Muslim region of Xinjiang, an official Chinese newspaper said authorities have detained more than 100 people from late June to the end of August for the spread of “religious extremism.” The detentions, reported by the Xinjiang Daily, are the latest in an official campaign in Xinjiang to police the spread of ideas critical of Chinese government rule in addition to pouring troops into the restive region. Germany-based Uighur activist Dilshat Rexit said Chinese authorities were using such charges as an excuse to crack down on Uighurs who go on the Internet to express their unhappiness about government repression. Xinjiang sees periodic outbreaks of anti-government and anti-Chinese violence, some of it inspired by resentment over economic marginalization by ethnic Han migrants who have flooded into the region in recent decades, along with restrictions on Uighur social and cultural life.
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
International Features AN unmistakable sense of unease is growing in global capitals as the U.S. government from afar looks increasingly befuddled. America is shirking from a military confrontation in Syria, stymied at home by a gridlocked Congress and in danger of defaulting on sovereign debt, which could plunge the world’s financial system into chaos. While each may be unrelated to the direct exercise of U.S. foreign policy, taken together they give some allies the sense that Washington is not as firm as it used to be in its resolve and its financial capacity, providing an opening for China or Russia to fill the void, an Asian foreign minister told a group of journalists in New York this past week. Concerns will only deepen now that President Barack Obama canceled travel this weekend to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Bali and the East Asia Summit in Brunei. He decided to stay home to deal with the government shutdown and looming fears that Congress will block an increase in U.S. borrowing power, a move that could lead to a U.S. default. The U.S. is still a pillar of defense for places in Asia such as Taiwan and South Korea, providing a vital security umbrella against China. It has strong allies in the Middle East, including Israel and the Gulf Arab states arrayed against alQaida and Iran. But faith that the U.S. will always be there is fraying more than a little, according to interviews with academics, government leaders and diplomats. “The paralysis of the American government, where a rump in Congress is holding the whole place to ransom, doesn’t really jibe with the notion of the United States as a global leader,” said Michael McKinley, an expert on global relations at the Australian National University. The political turbulence in Washington and potential economic bombshells yet to come from the U.S. government shutdown and a possible debt default this month have sent shivers through Europe. The head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, worried about the continent’s rebound from the 2008 economic downturn.
“We view this recovery as weak, as fragile, as uneven,” Draghi said at a news conference. Germany’s influential newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung bemoaned the U.S. political chaos. “At the moment, Washington is fighting over the budget and nobody knows if the country will still be solvent in three weeks. What is clear, though, is that America is already politically bankrupt,” it said. Secretary of State John Kerry has tried to make the case that the partial government shutdown would do nothing to reduce America’s global economic, military or
President Barack Obama of US
A Glimpse At US Foreign Policies diplomatic strength. “To all of our friends and foes around the world: Do not mistake this momentary episode in American politics for anything less than a moment of politics or anything more than a moment of politics,” Kerry told reporters Saturday on the sidelines of the APEC meeting. “When we get this moment of political silliness behind us, we will get back on a track the world will respect and want to be part of,” he said. Obama finds himself at the nexus of a government in chaos at home and a wave of foreign policy challenges. He has been battered by the upheaval in the Middle East from the Arab Spring revolts after managing to extricate the U.S. from its long and largely failed attempt to establish democracy in Iraq. He is drawing down U.S. forces from a more than decade-long war in Afghanistan with no real victory in sight. He leads a country whose people have no interest in taking any more military action abroad. As Europe frets about economics, Asian allies
watch in some confusion about what the U.S. is up to with its promise to rebalance military forces and diplomacy in the face of an increasingly robust China. Global concerns about U.S. policy came to a head with Obama’s handling of the civil war in Syria and the alleged use of chemical weapons by President Bashar Assad’s government. But the worries go far deeper. “I think there are a lot of broader concerns about the United States. They aren’t triggered simply by Syria. The reaction the United States had from the start to events in Egypt created a great deal of concern among the Gulf and the Arab states,” said Anthony Cordesman, a military affairs specialist at the Center for International Studies. Kings and princes throughout the Persian Gulf were deeply unsettled when Washington turned its back on Egypt’s dictator and U.S. ally Hosni Mubarak during the 2011 uprising in the largest Arab country. Now, Arab allies in the Gulf voice dismay over the rapid policy redirection from Obama over Syria, where rebel factions have critical money and weapons channels from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states. It has stirred a rare public
dispute with Washington, whose differences with Gulf allies are often worked out behind closed doors. Last month, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal warned that the renewed emphasis on diplomacy with Assad would allow the Syrian president to “impose more killing.” The U.S. had said Assad must be removed from power and then threatened military strikes over his government’s alleged chemical weapons attack. Now, the U.S. is working with Russia and the U.N. to collect and destroy Damascus’ chemical weapons stockpile. That assures Assad will remain in power for now and perhaps the long term. Danny Yatom, a former director of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, said the U.S. handling of the Syrian crisis and its decision not to attack after declaring “red lines” on chemical weapons has hurt Washington’s credibility. “I think in the eyes of the Syrians and the Iranians, and the rivals of the United States, it was a signal of weakness, and credibility was deteriorated,” he said. The Syrian rebels, who were promised U.S. arms, say they feel deserted by the Americans, adding that they have lost faith and respect for Obama.
“Running against the tide of concern, leaders in the Philippines are banking on its most important ally to protect it from China’s assertive claims in the South China Sea. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Manila still views the U.S. as a dependable ally despite the many challenges it is facing.”
The White House contends that its threat of a military strike against Assad was what caused him to change course and agree to plan reached by Moscow and Washington to hand its chemical weapons over to international inspectors for destruction. That’s a far better outcome than resorting to military action, Obama administration officials insist. Gulf rulers also have grown suddenly uneasy over the U.S. outreach to their regional rival Iran. Bahrain Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said Gulf states “must be in the picture” on any attempts by the U.S. and Iran to open sustained dialogue or reach settlement over Tehran’s nuclear program. He was quoted Tuesday by the London-based Al Hayat newspaper as saying Kerry has promised to consult with his Gulf “friends” on any significant policy shifts over Iran. This message suggested Gulf states are worried about being left on the sidelines in potentially history-shaping developments in their region. In response to the new U.S. opening to Iran to deal with its suspected nuclear weapons program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.N. General Assembly that his country remained ready to act alone to prevent Tehran from building a bomb. He indicated a willingness to allow some time for further diplomacy but not much. He also excoriated new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Kerry defended the engagement effort, saying the
U.S. would not be played for “suckers” by Iran. Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful energy production, while the U.S. and other countries suspect it is aimed at achieving atomic weapons capability. McKinley, the Australian expert, said Syria and the U.S. budget crisis have shaken Australians’ faith in their alliance with Washington. “It means that those who rely on the alliance as the cornerstone of all Australian foreign policy and particularly security policy are less certain — it’s created an element of uncertainty in their calculations,” he said. Running against the tide of concern, leaders in the Philippines are banking on its most important ally to protect it from China’s assertive claims in the South China Sea. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Manila still views the U.S. as a dependable ally despite the many challenges it is facing. “We should understand that all nations face some kind of problems, but in terms of our relationship with the United States, she continues to be there when we need her,” Gazmin said. But as Cordesman said, “The rhetoric of diplomacy is just wonderful but it almost never describes the reality.” That reality worldwide, he said, “is a real concern about where is the U.S. going. There is a question of trust. And I think there is an increasing feeling that the United States is pulling back, and its internal politics are more isolationist so that they can’t necessarily trust what U.S. officials say, even if the officials mean it.”
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
New Horizon
Continued from page 20
a just and reasonable manner. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do. There is no blame on you if ye make an indirect offer of betrothal or hold it in your hearts, Allah knows that ye cherish them in your hearts: hut do not make a secret contract with them except that you speak to them in terms honourable, nor resolve on the tie of marriage till the term prescribed is fulfilled. And know that Allah knoweth what is in your hearts and take heed of Him, and know that Allah is oft- Forgiving, Most Forbearing. There is no blame on you if ye divorce women before consummation or the fixation of their dower: but bestow on them (a suitable gift), the wealthy according to his means, the poor according to his means: - a gift of a reasonable amount is due from those who wish to do the right thing. And after ye divorce them before consummation, but after the fixation of a dower for them, then the half of the dower (is due to them), unless they remit it or (the man’s half) is remitted by him in whose hands is the marriage tie, and the remission (of the man’s half) if the nearest to righteousness. And do not forget liberality between yourselves. For Allah sees well all that ye do. Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers. Especially the middle prayers, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind). If ye fear (an enemy), pray on foot or riding (as maybe most convenient), but when ye are in security, celebrate Allah’s praises in the manner He has taught you, which ye knew not (before). Those of you who die and leave widows should bequeath for their widows a year’s maintenance without expulsion, but if they leave (the residence), there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves, provided it is reasonable. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.
For divorce women is a suitable gift. This is a duty on the righteous. Thus doth Allah make clear His signs to you in order that ye may understand. Didst thou not turn thy vision to those who abandoned their homes, though they were thousands (in number), for fear of death? Allah said to them: “Die” then he restored them to life. For Allah is full of bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful. Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah heareth and knoweth all things who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan, which Allah will double into his credit and multiply many times? it is Allah that giveth (you) Want or plenty. And to Him shall be your return. Has thou not turned thy vision to the Chiefs of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Moses? They said to a Prophet (that was) among them: “Appoint for us a king, that we may fight in the cause of Allah.” He said, is it not possible, if ye were commanded to fight, that ye will not fight? They said, “How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, seeing that we were turned out of our homes and our families? But when they were commanded to fight, they turned back, except a small band among them. But Allah has full knowledge of those who do wrong. Their Prophet said to them: “Allah hath appointed Talut as king over you.” They said: ‘How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority, and he is not even gifted, with wealth in abundance?” He said, Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath gifted him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess. Allah granteth His authority to whom he pleaseth. Allah is All — Embracing, and lie knoweth all things. And
... Of The Holy Quran (4) (further) their prophet said to them; “A sign of his authority is that there shall come to you the Ark of the covenant, with (an assurance) therein of security from your Lord1 and the relics left by the family of Moses and the family of Aaron, carried by angels. In this is a Symbol for you if ye indeed have faith.” When
prayed: “Our Lord, pour out constantly on us and make our steps firm: help us against those that reject faith.” By Allah’s will they routed them, and David slew Goliath: and Allah gave him power and wisdom and taught him whatever (else) he willed. And did not Allah check one set of people by means of
would not have fought each oilier, but Allah does what he wills. O ye who believe Spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you, before the Day comes when no bargaining (will avail), nor friendship nor intercession. Those who reject faith — they re the wrong doers. Allah, there is no god but He — the
trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. Allah is the Protector of those who have Faith: from the depths of darkness He leads them Forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Tagut From light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness.
Talut set forth with the armies, he said, Allah will test you at the stream, if any drinks of its water, he goes not with my army: only those who taste not of it go with me: a mere sip out of the hand is excused”. But they drank of it, except a few. When they crossed the river — he and the faithful ones with him, they said: “This day we cannot cope with Goliath and his forces.” But those who were convince that they must meet Allah, said, “How oft, by Allah’s will, hath a small force Vanquished a big one? Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere.” When they advanced to meet Goliath and his Forces, they
another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief: hut Allah is full of homily to all the worlds. These are the Signs of Allah: we rehearse them to thee in truth; verily thou art one of the Messengers. Those Messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: to some of them Allah spoke, others He raised to degrees (of honour), to Jesus the Son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. of Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (signs) had come to them, they (choose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah had so willed, they
living, the self -subsisting, supporter of all, no slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on ear±. Who is thee can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them: for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory). Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects Taught and believes in Allah had grasped the most
They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (for ever). Hast thou not turned thy thought to one who disputed with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah has granted him power? Abraham said: My Lord is He who giveth life and death. “He said I give life and death. Saith Abraham:” But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise From the East: do thou then cause it to rise from the West.” Thus was he confounded who (in arrogance) rejected Faith, Nor doth Allah give guidance to a people unjust.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Healthy Living
Parkinson’s Disease:
Right Diet ACCORDING to Medical News Today, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects how the person moves, including how they speak and write. People with Parkinson’s disease experience stiffness and find that they cannot carry out movements as rapidly as before. The muscles of a person with Parkinson’s become weaker and the individual may assume an unusual posture. Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorder. Movement disorders describe a variety of abnormal body movements that have a neurological basis, and include such conditions as cerebral palsy, ataxia, and Tourette Syndrome. About 10 million people around the world are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s disease. A male has a 50% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than a female. While there is no special diet for people with Parkinson’s disease, eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is extremely beneficial. With the proper diet, our bodies work more efficiently, we have more energy, and Parkinson’s disease medication will work properly. As a significant number of elderly patients with early Parkinson’s disease symptoms assume that their traits may form part of normal aging and do not seek medical help, obtaining accurate statistics is probably impossible. There are also several different conditions which sometimes have comparable signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s such as drug-induced Parkinsonnism, head trauma, encephalitis, stroke, levy body dementia, corticobasal degeneration, multiple system atrophy, and progressive supranuclear pasly. Parkinson’s affects sense of smell, despite being incurable, doctors today can influence the course of the disease if Parkinson’s is detected early enough; the destruction of brain cells can be slowed
down, this means a better quality of life for the patient for many years. Scientist have recently discovered that hyposmia, losing one’s sense of smell for no known cause, might be a marker for the nonmotor signs Parkinson’s disease. THE BASICS OF EATING WELL According to Web MD, Eat a variety of foods from each food category. Ask your doctor if you should take a daily vitamin supplement. Maintain your weight through a proper balance of exercise and food. Ask your doctor what your “goal” weight should be and how many calories you should consume per day. Include high-fiber foods such as vegetables, cooked dried peas and beans (legumes), whole-grain foods, brain, cereals, pasta, rice, and fresh fruit in your diet. Choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Try to limit sugars Moderate your use of salt. Drink eight 8 glass of water per day Ask your doctor about drinking alcoholic beverages (alcohol may interfere with some of your medications). CONTROLLING NAUSEA There are several ways to control or relieve nausea, including: Drink clear or ice-cold drinks. Drinks containing sugar may calm the stomach latter than other liquids Avoid orange and grape fruit juices because these are too acidic and may worsen nausea. Drink liquids between meals instead of during them. Eat light, bland foods (such as saltine crackers or plain
Need For
By ISEMHENBITA FAITH
bread). Avoid fried, greasy, or sweet foods. Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
DRY MOUTH Some Parkinson’s disease medications may make you thirsty. Here are some tips for relieving thirst and dry mouth.
Do not mix hot and cold foods Eat foods that are cold or at room temperature to avoid getting nauseated from the smell of hot or warm foods. Rest after eating, keeping your head elevated. Activity may worsen nausea and may lead to vomiting. Avoid brushing your teeth after eating. If you feel nauseated when you wake up in the morning, eat some crackers before getting out of bed or eat a high protein snack before going to bed (lean meat or cheese). RELIEVING THRIST/
Drink eight or more cups of liquid each day. But, some people with Parkinson’s disease who also have heart problems may need to limit their fluids, so be sure to follow your doctor’s guidelines. Limit caffeine (contained in coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate) as it may interfere with some of your medications and many actually make more dehydrated. Take a drink after each bite of food to moisten your mouth and to help you swallow. Add sauces to foods to make
them soft and moist. Try gravy, broth, sauce, or melted butter. Eat sour candy or fruit ice to help increase saliva and moisten your mouth.
HOW TO MAKE EATING MORE ENJOYABLE Make food preparation an easy task. Choose foods that are easy to prepare and eat. Make eating a pleasurable experience, not a chore. For example, liven up your meals by using colourful place settings and play background music during meals. Try not to eat alone. Invite a guest to share your meal or go out to dinner. Use colourful garnishes such as parsley and red or yellow peppers to make food look more appealing and appetizing.
MAINTAINING YOUR WEIGHT WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE Malnutrition and weight maintenance is often an issue for people with Parkinson’s disease. Here are some tips of help you maintain a healthy weight.
Weigh yourself once or twice a week, unless your doctor recommends weighing yourself more often. If you are taking diuretics or steroids, such as prednisone, you should weigh yourself daily. If you have an unexplained weight gain or loss, contact your doctor. He or she may want to modify your food a fluid intake to help manage your condition. Avoid low-fat or low-calorie products. (unless other dietary guidelines have been recommended). Use whole milk, whole milk cheese, and yogurt.
“Parkinson’s affects sense of smell, despite being incurable, doctors today can influence the course of the disease if Parkinson’s is detected early enough; the destruction of brain cells can be slowed down, this means a better quality of life for the patient for many years.”
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 13, 2013 LUCKY 1.2. X SELECTIONS 2 INTERNATIONAL NOS. HOT PAIRSS 5 10 9
26 39 42 44
BANKERS
6
9
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11 16 19 26 42 44
1. SHREWSBURY
11 XXB
2. LEYTON ORIENT
6
3. MANSFIED
19 2XB
4. MANSFIED
19 505
5. OXFORD UTD
20 USE
XXB
10
XOX
BURY
20
XOX
SHREWSBURY
11
CCB
ROCHDALE
21
CCB
6. COVENTRY
5
7. EAST FIFE
42
8. LINCOLN CITY
29 CBK
9. ROTHERHAM
10 CBK
NUNEATON
31
10. WYCOMBE
22 XXX
SALISBURY
32
11. DAGENHAM
16
12. STENHOUSEMUR
44 X1
X X0
13. QUEEN OF SOUTH 39 XXX
}
} } }
ROTHERHAM
TIP TIP
BIG BELLS
14. FOREST GREEN
26 TIP
15. ROCHDLE
21 NP
LEYTON ORIENT
6
ACB
16. WOKING
35 XO
PRESTON
9
XBK
17. ALLOA
36 XOX
MANSFIELD
19
CBK
18. DUMBARTON
37 XX
EAST FIFE
42
DEP
19. FLEETWOOD
18
NN
9
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STENHOUSEMUIR
44
EAT
20. PRESTON
By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091
SATURDAY RITUALS
5 9 11 16 19
GOSSIP NAP
5 11 19
}
NAP
19 OUTLOOK
N 5
6 18
PAIR
IF NOT NOW WHEN?
24
A 11 P 42
44
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 13 2013 WATSON WEST 1.2.X FORECAST
By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091
Your Star
EDITOR’S NAP NAP 5XX 5 XX 5 PAIR 10 OR 11 LET IT BE
RICHWELL NAP NAP 20 XX 20 XX 20 PAIR 11 Vs 12 GOODLUCK
J. B. NAP
SUNNY NAP NAP 17 XX 17 XX 17
PAIR 6 OR 18 WATCH OUT
NAP 16 XX 16 XX 16 PAIR 18 OR 19 BE A WINNER
PAIR 16 OR 17 THERE IS HOPE
NAP 9 XX 9 XX 9 PAIR 8 OR 18 EXECUTIVE
PAKER NAP NAP 6 XX 6XX 6 PAIR 5 OR 11 FOR SURE
ODION NAP
PAUL NAP
OKUNS NAP NAP 10 XX 10 XX 10
MURPHY NAP
NAP 13 XX 13 XX 13 NAP 19VXX 19 XX 19 PAIR 22 OR 32 PAIR 5 0R 6 BE MY GUEST DRAW IS DRAW
GUESSING GAMES
39
19
44 42
@
10
SMOKING GUN BEWARE
12 14* 15 25 30 35*
45 5 41 43* 47 48 49 FOR THREE DRAWS?
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Gus Poyet Is Sunderland Manager
SUNDERLAND have confirmed the appointment of Gus Poyet as their new manager on a two-year contract, two weeks after the sacking of Paolo Di Canio. Poyet, who had long been favourite for the vacant post, will take charge at the Stadium of Light along with his backroom staff, Mauricio Taricco and Charlie Oatway. The Uruguayan will fill the void left by Di Canio who, after being appointed to replace Martin O’Neill in March, was sacked five games into the new Premier League season. Former Sunderland defender Kevin Ball had been operating as caretaker manager while the club searched for a new boss, and had put himself forward as a candidate for the full-time position. But Sunderland have opted for Poyet, 45, as the man to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League table. Club owner Ellis Short told Sunderland’s official website: “We analysed a wide range of candidates and believe that Gus’s track record, experience,
Aaron Ramsey and Arsene Wenger
Wenger And Ramsey Claim Awards ARSENAL duo Arsene Wenger and Aaron Ramsey won the Premier League’s Player and Manager of the Month awards for September. However, the Frenchman is Wales midfielder Ramsey has been in sparkling form, scoring keen to play down expectations, four goals in September, while with his side ahead of Liverpool Wenger has defied his critics by on goal difference alone heading leading Arsenal to the top of the into the international break. “People ask if this team can be table as they won every game as good as my best Arsenal side, over the course of the month.
good player. “I want to score more goals than the strikers of Chelsea. “We will see at the end of the season who made the best choice.”
suffered serious injury in February 2010. “Aaron has matured and we are seeing the results of his obsession to always make himself better,” he said. “In the past, we always saw him getting into good positions in the box and not quite scoring, but he has moved his game on now. “He had a difficult period in the middle of last season when people became impatient with him and he lost confidence, but I never lost faith in him and we can see what he is producing now.” Arsenal celebrated their double award with a post on the club’s official Twitter account.
MICHAEL Carrick is wary of there being too much pressure put on his fellow Manchester United midfielder Adnan Januzaj, but is backing the
teenager to handle being in the spotlight. There has been much said about Januzaj’s potential for some time and the 18-year-old
but I had a group here a few years ago that went 49 games unbeaten in the Premier League,” Wenger said. “We have only played seven games of this season, so let’s not get carried away.” The Gunners boss was keen to give credit to Ramsey, who had for a long time struggled to produce his best form after he
Lukaku Keen To Prove Point To Jose ROMELU Lukaku aims to show Jose Mourinho his ability by scoring more goals than any of Chelsea’s strikers while on loan at Everton. Chelsea’s strikers are yet to score in the Barclays Premier League this term - Fernando Torres is the only one to find the net this season, notching twice, while Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba are still to find the target - as Lukaku has bagged four for the Toffees. Lukaku last week insisted in a British newspaper he approached Mourinho about leaving Stamford Bridge
temporarily, while the Portuguese said playing well for Everton and Chelsea was a different matter. Now Lukaku, who signed from Anderlecht in August 2011 and spent last term on loan at West Brom, has suggested Mourinho should have told him to stay at Chelsea. The 20-year-old told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: “The coach decides and as a player you have to respect that. “I chose to leave and it’s up to me to prove the coach wrong. “The only thing I can do is play well and score a lot. And then I think people will say that I’m a
Spurs from Ajax Amsterdam in the summer, explained that the Lilywhites aren’t going to get carried away. “We are not going to get carried away. First of all we want to try and qualify for the Champions League and then we can go from there,” said Eriksen. Spurs are sixth in the Premier League with four wins from their seven opening fixtures.
Gus Poyet
Rafael Denies Corinthians Move
DAVID Moyes will soon settle in at Manchester United despite the challenge of replacing Alex Ferguson, according to club right back Rafael da Silva. Manchester United defender Rafael has quashed rumours he is set to return to Brazil and join Corinthians. Recent reports have suggested the Brazilian club were preparing lure the 23-year-old back to his native homeland the end of the season. Just last month, Rafael’s agent,
Cassiano Pereira, denied he had been contacted by Corinthians and admitted any move would be ‘difficult’. However, the rumours have continued to persist and Rafael was forced to fend off the rising speculation. “I am not thinking about leaving Manchester United, especially since I did well last season,” Rafael told Lancenet. “There is no reason to leave now, I am playing here, I am a starter and I don’t intend to return to Brazil.”
Januzaj Will Stay Grounded - Carrick
Spurs Focus on Champions League Place TOTTENHAM Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen has admitted that Spurs aren’t thinking about winning the title this season. The 21-year-old instead insists that the North London club are just focussed on securing a Champions League place. Talking to the London Express, the Dane, who joined
commitment and passion make him the right man to take us forward. We welcome him to Sunderland.” Former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder Poyet began his coaching career working under ex-Blues teammate Dennis Wise
at Swindon Town and Leeds United before returning the White Hart Lane as first team coach under Juande Ramos. He took the manager’s job at Brighton and Hove Albion in 2009, steering the Seagulls from League One to last season’s Championship playoffs, where they lost to rivals Crystal Palace in the semifinals.
Adnan Januzaj
had a true breakthrough moment on Saturday, scoring twice - one of his goals a superb volley - in United’s 2-1 Barclays Premier League win at Sunderland, where he was making his first senior start. Since then, there has been considerable focus on the Belgium-born player’s future, both at club and international level. Discussions about a contract extension at United, where Januzaj’s current deal runs out at the end of this season, have been ongoing since April, although so far there has been no resolution and reports have suggested Barcelona are monitoring the situation. In terms of representing a national team, Januzaj’s complicated background means he is eligible for various countries aside from the one he was born
in - he would also be available for England once he has fulfilled FIFA’s eligibility requirements and it has emerged that he does not yet want to decide which to choose. Carrick has no doubt there is a lot swirling around Januzaj, but is confident conditions are right for him to cope. The 32-year-old England international told the Manchester Evening News: “It is a lot for a young lad to take to come in like that. The attention he is going to get now will be a lot. “He is young, he is going to learn along the way and learn fast. I am sure he will be fine. “Young lads can come in and change. Their life can change overnight and the expectations and pressures change. There are more responsibilities. “But he is at the right place and he has a good attitude. He is going to stay on the right lines.
THE NIGERIAN
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Valdano Hails ‘Professional’ Ronaldo
Messi, Ronaldo Clash Oct 26 BARCELONA’s first match of the current season against Real Madrid will kickoff on October 26. The duo will face off at 5pm UK time at the Camp Nou. Should Barca go into the game having defeated Osasuna on Week 9, then they will have the chance to beat Real Madrid’s own record from 1968-69 for the best start to a League season, if they defeat Los Blancos. Carlo Ancelotti’s side will have a day less of rest for the fixture, with La Blaugrana in Champions League action against Milan on the Tuesday evening and Madrid playing Juventus on the Wednesday before the weekend. Meanwhile, the Valencian derby between Villarreal and Valencia will take place on the Sunday early evening, whilst Atletico Madrid will host Real Betis later that same evening. Rayo Vallecano kick things off for the weekend by hosting Real Valladolid on the Friday night, whilst Monday will see Getafe close things out against Athletic Bilbao.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi
Messi Could Return For Osasuna Game
LIONEL Messi has a chance of returning from injury for Barcelona’s game at Osasuna after the international break, coach Gerardo Martino has said. Messi has been out of the positive message action with a thigh problem “Pasando revision/Doing since September 28, and has my treatments to be ready remained in Catalonia this soon workhard gettingfit.” Later that day, Martino week to continue his told a public meeting in recovery despite Argentina having World Cup qualifiers Barcelona there was a chance that Messi, along against Peru and Uruguay. On Monday, he posted an with teammates Jordi Alba Instagram photo of himself and Javier Mascherano, undergoing tests with Barca could return at Osasuna on doctor Ricard Pruna, with October 19, meaning all
Milan To Play Behind Closed Doors ITALY’s soccer authorities have ordered AC Milan to play its next game behind closed doors and fined the club 50,000 euros ($67,900) following abusive chants by supporters against southern club Napoli. During Sunday’s match against Juventus in Turin, hundreds of Milan supporters shouted “We are not Neapolitans”, a chant the Naples daily Il Mattino said reflected long-standing contempt for the south by northern clubs. In the fiercely territorial world of Italian soccer, abusive rivalry between supporters of clubs in the rich north and those in the poorer south is not uncommon and Milan officials reacted with shock to the verdict by Serie A sporting judges. “To say I’m furious would be putting it mildly,” Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told reporters. “I understand that racism is a big problem, a problem everywhere in the world but territorial discrimination is another thing entirely.” The sentence means that Milan, in 12th place in the Serie A standings after a 3-2
FORMER Real Madrid coach Jorge Valdano has praised Cristiano Ronaldo following his dramatic winner during Saturday’s 3-2 win over Levante. The Portuguese scored in injury time as the Whites came back from behind to secure maximum points away from home. Ronaldo has scored seven goals in eight La Liga matches since the start of the season and Valdano believes he is the future of the club.
loss to Juventus on Sunday, will play its next home game on Oct. 19 against Udinese behind closed doors. The Serie A sporting judges also banned Milan defender Philippe Mexes for four matches for violent conduct
after video evidence showed him punching Juventus player Giorgio Chiellini as Juventus was taking a corner. The punch was not seen by the referee but Mexes was sent off for a second yellow card.
telling them the reasons behind their decision to ban coach Jurgen Klopp for a second Champions League match. Earlier this month, European football’s governing body extended the ban from one game to two, Dortmund confirmed on their official website. Klopp had been banned for an initial game following his sending off during Dortmund’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Napoli, where he subjected the fourth official to a torrent of abuse after Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring for the Italian side. That meant he sat in the stands for the 3-0 win over Marseille, but the extension means he will also be off the touchline for the game at Arsenal on October 22, with
assistant Zeljko Buvac taking control from the sidelines again. Dortmund CEO Aki Watzke said the club were considering an appeal, but had yet to hear from UEFA. With the grounds for the judgment to extend the ban not having been delivered to the club, a frustrated Watzke told kicker on Monday: “It is striking that you don’t get the grounds for the judgment directly with the verdict.” He said German sports bodies handled things differently and it was “hard to understand” why the club had to write to UEFA to be given the reasons for a disciplinary judgment. The club’s sporting director, Michael Zorc, told Ruhr Nachrichten: “We can only wait and see.”
Dortmund Anger Over BORUSSIA Dortmund Klopp Ban have hit out at UEFA for not
three should be set for the following weekend’s clasico against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. “I do not know if he will be back for the game against Osasuna,” Martino said. “From there, we can see about the next ones. But Jordi Alba and Mascherano will be there [at Osasuna].” Meanwhile, Gerard Deulofeu, currently on a season long-loan to Everton from Barca, said the other blaugrana stars were stepping up well in their No. 10’s absence. “Each Barcelona player can play perfectly well
without Messi,” he explained. “You notice his presence because he is the best player in the world, but they are playing very well. They are at a great level, they have won all their games.” The Spain Under-21 winger said he was happy with how things were going at Everton, even though his chances to impress in the Premier League have so far been limited. “I miss Spain a bit but I am happy there, starting in bit by bit,” Deulofeu said. “Working day by day, everything comes along. There are differences with the Spanish league, of course, but that is football. I am very happy with the experience.”
Milan’s Mexes Get Four-Match Ban AC Milan defender Philippe Mexes has been slapped with a four-match ban after video footage showed the Frenchman punching Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini. Chiellini had called for a “heavy sanction” for Mexes following the sides’ badtempered clash in Turin on Sunday, which Juve won 3-2. Serie A disciplinary officials used video footage to rule that Mexes had indeed punched Chiellini as the pair tussled prior to a corner being taken. The Juventus defender said after the match: “Some people just won’t learn. When you’re tough and determined, that’s fair enough because at the end of the day you get up from a hard tackle and shake hands. But that is just not football.” Mexes was handed a threematch suspension for the punch and another match for receiving
a red card. The 31-year-old former France international, who had previously been red carded seven times in Serie A during spells with Roma and Milan, will now miss games against Udinese, Parma, Lazio and Fiorentina. Injury-ravaged Milan sit in 12th place, 13 points adrift of leaders Roma. Milan’s woes deepened after league officials also ordered the club to play their next game, at home to Udinese, behind closed doors because of racist chanting from some sections of their visiting support on Sunday. League officials ruled the fans had been guilty of “insulting chants of territorial discrimination”, a violation which also copped the Serie A giants a 50,000 euros ($67,840) fine. Milan said they will appeal the sanction.
Ronaldo wins it late for Madrid. “Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest example in the world of professionalism, the sense of perfection and ambition,” Valdano told reporters. “He is better in each passing year because he aims to be better and works to be better. “Personally, I consider him to be an excellent person whose personal relationship has nothing to do with the image people have of him in public. He is an excellent person and an outstanding player. Ronaldo goal scoring earns record pay. “The best thing that Real Madrid have done in the past five years is to have renewed Ronaldo’s contract. Right now he is the direction for Real Madrid.”
Juve Angry At Pirlo’s Call-Up
JUVENTUS boss Antonio Conte is reportedly unhappy with Andrea Pirlo’s call-up to the latest Italian international squad. According to Tuttosport, the Bianconeri were expecting Cesare Prandelli to omit the 34-year-old for the games against Denmark and Armenia. Although Pirlo remains a key figure for the Azzurri, the Italians have already qualified for Brazil 2014 so the results of their final two World Cup qualifiers will be irrelevant. The playmaker has played in eight games for the Old Lady so far this term – six in Serie A and two in the Champions League. He also played in the Italian Super Cup Final. Juventus wanted him rested ahead of the Week 8 game at Fiorentina. Pirlo has been joined by teammates Gigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio at Coverciano. The Azzurri didn’t select Andrea Barzagli this time around as the stopper has struggled with a tendon problem since the start of the campaign.
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FIFA Keeps Heat On Brazil
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke kept the heat on Brazil on Monday, saying his visits to World Cup venues were a means of keeping up the “pressure” for the country to be ready for next June. Valcke has made numerous visits to Brazil to check on progress at the 12 venues — last year he caused consternation in the host nation by suggesting it needed a “kick up the backside” to ensure it was 100 percent ready. He also warned that there was “no plan B” and that venues which were not ready by December would be discarded. However, he was effusive in praise of the Beira Rio stadium in the southern city of Porto Alegre. ?There?s been a big change since we were here ast time. There are no worries or doubts at all about the Beira-Rio being ready in time,” Valcke said. ?It is great for all of us at FIFA to come here because Porto Alegre is a city that lives and breathes football. Everyone who visits the city next year will be able to see that for themselves.? But with the tournament looming ever closer, Valcke was keen to stress it was necessary to exert a “certain pressure” to show that FIFA was being proactive we are “not sat in (FIFA headquarters) in Zurich.” Brazil says all the venues will be ready but there have been several bumps in the road — not least last week, when a judge’s concerns over conditions for workers halted construction in the
Lions Gather In France CAMEROON have entered
camp outside Paris at Lisses ahead of their 2014 playoff clash against Tunisia next Sunday in Rades. The Indomitable Lions entered camp on Monday. Spain-based midfielders Stephane Mbia and Cedric Raoul Loe have been ruled out for injury. Also out is Bordeaux’s Landry Nguemo after a very light cardiac scare the Europa League against Maccabi Tel-Aviv that was thankfully not serious. Coach Volker Finke has already called in Barcelona B young defender Macky Franck Bagnack to fill the gap, while Kaiserslautern’s striker Mohamadou Idrissou who has scored seven goals in as many appearances this season in Bundesliga 2 has joined camp. Skipper Samuel Eto’o is reportedly in talks with the highest authorities of Cameroon regarding his comeback in the squad. Eto’o announced his international retirement to his team mates behind closed doors in the aftermath of their 1-0 victory over Libya in Yaoundé in the last round of the World Cup qualifiers. The team held its first training session on Monday afternoon with the players who are already in camp. Two more sessions are scheduled on Tuesday, two on Wednesday, one on Thursday and the final one on Friday morning at 10h00 before flying to Tunis.
southern city of Curitiba. “We have to look at all the details. This period cannot be used to rest but to finalise all the missing details to guarantee the event is a success,” Valcke told reporters. Visiting Porto Alegre with Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo and event ambassadors Ronaldo and Bebeto, he added “there are still things to do” but stressed FIFA was working closely with the Brazilian government. Even so, six stadiums are yet to be finished. Beira Rio will stage five matches and its refurbishment is 90 percent complete. Valcke was later due in the central western city of Cuiaba and Thursday is scheduled to meet with the Local Organising Committee in Rio.
David Beckham Boosted By SponsorDAVID Beckham made ship 16.5 million pound ($26.6
David Beckham
Ghana Want FIFA To Move Playoff From Cairo
THE Ghana Football Association (GFA) has asked FIFA to switch the venue for their World Cup playoff return-leg in Egypt to a safer neutral venue due to the current social and political unrest in the North African country. In a letter to the world the return match even though governing body, the GFA deadline for the submission of the expressed its worry over the venues for the ten playoff growing violence in Egypt as the matches for Africa has elapsed. capital Cairo has been penciled Violent clashes between as the venue for the return leg security forces and protesters of clash on 19 November. the Islamist group Muslim The GFA is concerned that Brotherhood has left more than FIFA has reportedly approved 60 people dead in the past 48 Cairo as the venue for the return hours which has sparked leg to be played in front of concerns among the Ghana spectators when the military has players and their officials. prevented fans from watching “The Ghana Football matches in their stadia over the Association (GFA) wishes to past two years because of the kindly request FIFA to move the turmoil and social unrest in the venue for the 2014 World Cup country. Qualifying second-leg, play-off The GFA revealed FIFA has between Egypt and Ghana on still not confirmed the venue for 19th November, 2013 from Egypt
to a safe and secure venue,” the GFA letter to FIFA read. “Our request is premised on the alarming and fast deteriorating security situation in Egypt. Since the date, kick-off and venue for the second-leg match were set, no official information has been received by the GFA from the Egypt Football Association of FIFA contrary to article 19 (2) of the Regulations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil. “Unfortunately, we have learnt about the date, kick-off and venue for the second leg match between Egypt and Ghana from the media. We are still waiting to receive the said information as per the relevant Regulations and the letter dated September 16, 2013 signed by Mr. Gordon Savic, Head of FIFA World Cup &
take charge of the team as a care taker against KCCA,” he added. Kyobe said an announcement will be made in due course regarding a permanent coach before the second round rolls on however Vipers Sports club would like to place on record
“Golola is not new to the team having guided us to the league championship in the 2009/10 season. But in our bid to get a permanent coach, we call upon all coaches who think they are qualified to apply,” said Kyobe.
Uganda’s Vipers Sack Nigerian its’ thanks to Chukuma and NIGERIAN coach Ambrose wishes him all the best for the Coach Duru has been sacked by future. Uganda Premier League side Vipers Sports Club. Club director Harunah Kyobe told MTNFootball.com they had parted ways with Chukuma, who has been with the club for two years. “Following a series of inconsistent performances by the team, a crisis executive committee meeting over the weekend resolved to relinquish Chukuma his duties as the club’s head coach,” said Kyobe. Duru was for several years skipper of Nigerian club Julius Berger. The former league champions, previously known as Bunnamwaya FC, are currently seventh on the table having won two of their six games. “The Vipers SC hereby confirms that it has parted company with Chukuma with effect from October 6, the assistant Edward Golola will
Coach Amtrase Duru
Olympic Qualifiers to the ten countries participating in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying Play-offs for Africa.” The GFA said countries with similar social unrest problems were asked to play their qualifying matches at safer venues insisting FIFA must not put the lives of players and officials at risk by playing in Cairo.
million) from personal sponsorship deals in his final year as a professional footballer. Beckham, 38, retired from playing in May after a spell at Paris Saint-Germain, where he made ten Ligue 1 appearances, having moved to the club after five years at Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham’s company, Footwork Productions, reported the latest accounts as seeing an increase in 2012’s turnover of 10 percent. The accounts show the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player received a salary of 14.1 million pounds ($22.7 million) from his company, but they do not include his $4 million salary from the Galaxy. Earlier in October it was reported by the Daily Mail that Beckham is moving closer to an agreement to take charge of a new Major League Soccer franchise in Miami.
FIFA Plans ‘Racism League Table’
FIFA has revealed plans to create a league table based on counties’ racial abuse and discrimination. Tokyo Sexwale, a member of FIFA’s Task Force against Racism and Discrimination, told a United Nations forum on racism and football on Monday that the governing body was “taking the bull by the horns beyond football”. He added: “The barometer is going to tell that society that the conduct of your sporting people is bringing your country down. I don’t think anybody here would like to be low on the barometer.” Further details are due to be released at the Doha Goals sports conference in Qatar in December, but Sexwale revealed FIFA would ask countries to “commit themselves to a set of principles” at a summit in 2014 and said: “Sport is more powerful than government in breaking down barriers.” The South African, who was a fierce opponent of apartheid in his homeland and was imprisoned on Robben Island along with Nelson Mandela, stressed that closer
monitoring of racist and discriminatory incidents was “very, very key”. Michel Platini, the UEFA president and FIFA vicepresident, told the U.N. forum that fighting racism “doesn’t always make us more popular in the football world”, adding: “We are doing it because it’s the right thing to do. “With extraordinary popularity comes responsibility. Football is honour-bound, by virtue of that very popularity, to promote values which are able to make society more tolerant of diversity. “Those who govern our game have a duty to protect players, who are in their workplace, against all forms of discrimination. Today’s football does not tolerate any discrimination, whether it be racial, cultural, religious, sexist or homophobic, and there’s no hierarchy of evil.” FIFA president Sepp Blatter has underlined his desire to introduce tougher sanctions for racism on numerous occasions in recent months and last month told insideworldfootball.com that he believes football is a “force that has written antidiscrimination on its banner under my presidency”.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013
Heartland Embark On Pay Strike
Brazil 2014 250-Man Delegation Set For Ethiopia/Nigeria Clash A 250-man Nigerian delegation is expected to arrive in Addis Ababa on Saturday, Oct. 12 ahead of the Ethiopia/ Nigeria match scheduled for Sunday, October 13. The reports say that the match is the first leg tie in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Africa Final Elimination Series. The match, which is between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes is scheduled for the 28,000-capacity Addis Ababa National Stadium, with 4 p.m. Ethiopian time as kick-off time. However, newsmen learnt on Monday in Addis Ababa that the Nigerian delegation for the match will involve 250 persons, belonging to various groups. This is contained in a letter, with reference number NFF/ GSO/Gen/Vol./003X and signed by Musa Amadu, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA). The letter was sent to the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia on October 2, and it said the delegation included 20 players, as well as a team of coaches and backroom staff. Others to be on the delegation included officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC), members of the National Assembly (NASS), and NFA board members and management staff. “There will also be Nigerian football stakeholders, NFA staff, journalists and members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club on the delegation,’’ Amadu said in the letter. The letter also said an advance team would arrive in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, October 8 to facilitate the
arrangement for accommodation and logistics ahead of the match on Sunday. It said the Nigerian delegation would depart Abuja in the early hours of Saturday, October 12 on a chartered flight and was expected to arrive in Addis Ababa a few hours later. However, it is not known who will lead the delegation as names of the dignitaries on the trip were not mentioned in the letter. Meanwhile, report has learnt that the 40-room accommodation earlier booked for the dignitaries at the Addis Ababa Intercontinental Hotel has been cancelled because it is the Ethiopian national team’s permanent camp. A manager at the hotel, who prefers not to be named, however said the booking was cancelled for a different reason. “It was because of the large number of guests expected to attend the AU Extraordinary Summit, scheduled for October 11 and October 12,’’ he said.
John Mikel Obi
President Jonathan To Reward Eagles For World Cup Ticket
NIGERIAN President Goodluck Jonathan will reward the Super Eagles when they qualify for next year’s World Cup in Brazil, officials said. on qualification. Nigeria will face Ethiopia in a first leg World Cup playoff on Sunday and officials said they are confident the African champions will prevail over the Walya Antelopes to reach Brazil 2014 and be received by Mr President. Director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Gbenga Elebeleye informed MTNFootball.com that “a Presidential package” has been planned for the Eagles
“We have a special package for the Eagles once they qualify for the World Cup. It’s a Presidential package. And we are already preparing for the package because we know the Eagles will qualify,” stated Gbenga Elegbeleye. President Jonathan has already approved 200 fans to cheer the team in Addis Ababa on Sunday. In February, the President
Ahmed Musa Says Eagles Will his team for Show Class prepare Sunday’s showdown in
CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa has said Nigeria will show their class in a 2014 World Cup playoff in Ethiopia on Sunday. Ethiopia welcome the African champions on Sunday in a final battle for a place at next year’s World Cup in Brazil. There has been a lot of talk leading up to this match, but Ahmed Musa has insisted the best effort should be reserved for match day and on the pitch. “I don’t wish to talk much about the match against Ethiopia. We all in the team know how important the game is to our World Cup ambitions. Our football will
speak for us because we are battle ready,” Musa told MTNFootball.com Meanwhile, coach Stephen Keshi has said he hopes that three full training sessions in Abuja will be enough to
Ahmed Musa
Addis Ababa. “We will begin training by 3:30pm on Tuesday and we would train once a day for the next three days,” he told MTNFootball.com “We will make do of what time that is available to us and see what we can achieve with what we have.” He also said he expects all 23 players to be at the first training. “No player has so far called in to request late arrival and thank God they all played over the weekend and good enough they are all in good health and I am just waiting to receive them,” he said.
rewarded the team with hefty cash gifts, plots of land and national honours after they won a third Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. In the meantime, Chelsea
midfielder Mikel Obi arrived the Eagles training camp in Abuja yesterday morning, while Ogenyi Onazi, Spainbased Nosa Igiebor and Efe Ambrose from Scottish club Celtic are expected shortly.
Kwara Utd FC Threatens To Pull Out Of Globacom Premier League THE Kwara United FC of Ilorin on Monday threatened to pull out of the Globacom Premier League should the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ban the team from playing at home. The Team Manager, Basambo Agboola, told newsmen in Ilorin that there were indications that the club would play its remaining home games in Abuja. According to Agboola, the club feels it is a rumour, but if it turns out to be true, the club will pull out of the league. It would be recalled that Kwara United FC was penalised in Week 29 of the Globacom Premier League while hosting Warri Wolves at home, after a match official was manhandled at half time. Warri Wolves refused to play the second half, citing security reasons, due to the attack on the official. The Appeals Committee of the NFF consequently
awarded 3 points and 3 goals to Warri Wolves for the misconduct of the Kwara FC fans. Agboola urged the NFF to have a rethink, if it was thinking in that direction. He added that such action would mean that some members of the NFF were working to kill the darling team of Kwarans. Agboola said the club accepted the NFF Appeals Committee verdict as a lawabiding club, because the management of the club does not want to bring the league to disrepute. He noted that despite its total belief in the Alhaji Aminu Maigari-led administration, it envisaged foul play in the judgment. Agboola alleged that a senior official of the Delta Sports Commission came in the same vehicle with the Appeals Committee chairman, to where the judgment was given.
HEARTLAND have embarked on a pay strike, saying they have lost confidence in the Imo State Government. The players have again threatened to boycott a Week 36 game after such was averted for Week 35 game against Sharks in Port Harcourt after Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha gave them audience. Heartland players are owed 90% of their signon fees for this season, 10% for last season and 10 match bonuses. Cross section of the players told MTNFootball.com the promises made by government of Imo State have not been met. Governor Rochas promises Heartland “I must tell you that our strike will stay until we are paid. We don’t have single trust in the Government again as they have always promised and failed. Since the season remains just three matches to go, we have to react now. They have been insensitive to our plight and we won’t take it easy. We commenced the s t r i k e yesterday(Monday),” a player told MTNFootball.com Another player said, “Government didn’t see it fit to pay us all this while and with three games to go, we are not going to take it lightly. We want our entitlements, we have endured enough.” Another player added that they don’t mind if the team are relegated. “At this point we don’t mind if the club are relegated. We have worked tirelessly but no reward. We are tired, the Governor promised his deputy will meet our general manager, but up till now nothing. We are ready for a showdown.”
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013 CMYK
Nigeria At 53: WIIFME DO you know what WIIFME is? Let me unveil its colours. Case in Point 1: A friend of mine, a senior official of an American university, obtained a considerable grant for education in Africa. Naturally keen to make an important contribution to the sector in Nigeria, he made preliminary contacts with the Federal Ministry of Education. Subsequently, he arrived in Nigeria for planning meetings with federal education officials. The first surprise was to find them dressed in an admixture of impatience and coldness, barely interested in the proposals he had discussed with them. Despite meetings having been scheduled, they were not ready when he arrived. They were dragging their feet, asking for postponements, and requesting to be briefed afresh. “They repeatedly made it clear they wanted their share of the money before they could show interest in the projects,” he told me. When he demonstrated his horror, they told him that his most realistic approach was to hand them the money, as they knew Nigeria’s education programmesand challenges better than he did. After a second fruitless trip to Nigeria, and with time ticking on the grant, my friend went to Plan B: Ghana. When he got in touch with the Ministry of Education, it was an entirely different world, he said. Officials of the ministry who welcomed him warmly, were deeply grateful that their country had been considered for the opportunity, and pledged every cooperationto ensure that Ghana education was enhanced by the effort. He went ahead. Case in Point II: An old school mate of mine, who was enjoying tremendous professional success abroad but whose
wife was unable to have a baby, decided to adopt a Nigerian child. It was a long, difficult process, during which he and his wife had to visit Nigeria repeatedly. Eventually, they were successful, and a judge granted their application.
“I was determined not to part with a penny,” my friend said. “I knew all the tricks. Now, if she had been nice, I would certainly have expressed my appreciation because I was so happy and relieved, but to embark on blackmail over her own
They showed tremendous interest in his work, but after the initial excitement, he was routinely asked to “come back tomorrow,” or “come back next week.” By the following year, I had begun to fear that his work was being taken from
order. My view is that it depends on whether you accept the WIIIFME concept or not. At independence, Nigerians sang lustily a National anthem in which they celebrated their brotherhood and their country. We sang: Our flag shall be a symbol That truth and justice reign, In peace or battle honour’d, And this we count as gain, To hand on to our children A banner without stain.
President Goodluck Jonathan
That was a particularly happy morning, and they were ready to go out and celebrate. There was only one problem: the judge’s order needed be typed out for him to sign. That meant they had to wait for the secretary to type out the official document. They sat down in the office to wait for her to type out the few lines of information. And waited…and waited…and waited. The lady looked at them, looked away, walked away, and walked back. She ate, she drank, and she chatted with colleagues. She clapped, she sang, she prayed. The one thing she did not do was lay a finger on that document, as she waited to be approached and “persuaded.”
responsibilities, she was not going to get a penny from me!” Hours later, when it was clear she was dealing with the wrong customers, she grudgingly beganto type. It was when she got to the bottom of the page that she began to wail. “What? You are an admissions officer in this American university? Why did you not tell me…I am very sorry…Oh God, my son is looking for admission there…?” Case In Point III: I was once approached by a brilliant teenager in Lagos who wanted to become an inventor. He had come up with a design for processing a local product, and I introduced him to the State government for support purposes.
“On the contrary, today, we are happy to oppress whoever we can. The hopes of that Nigeria are buried in the pestilence of the present where we trade in hypocrisy. We claim we want “To serve our fatherland, With love and strength and faith… heart and might…” but we invest in self. We do not say, “This is for Nigeria and that is the only justification,” we think, WIIIFME?”
him, so I had him slip them some information that the work had already been patented. They threw him out and warned him never toshow up again. Case in Point 1V: As I undertook departure formalities at Murtala Muhammad Airport during my last visit to Nigeria, I was accosted for money not once or twice, but nine times. It seemed to have become established that airport and security officials are free to separate travelers from their money. The airport barely functioned. The Customs area was a mess when I arrived; the luggage conveyor belts barely working. The place was full of touts. There was no airconditioning. “Oga, we never chop o!...Oga, you nor give me something? Oga, do you have anything left for us…” It is the concept of WIIIFME, that is, What-Is-InIt-For-Me? WIIIFMEdefines Nigerian public life and is responsible for our failure to rise. The country is an ephemeral concept, we think, which can wait. As Nigeria celebrated her 53 rd Independence anniversary last week, somebody asked me if I thought a celebration was in
That country does not exist anymore: truth and justice, like merit and honour,or character and integrity, are now laughable concepts. We asked of God: Help us to build a nation Where no man is oppressed, On the contrary, today, we are happy to oppress whoever we can. The hopes of that Nigeria are buried in the pestilence of the present where we trade in hypocrisy. We claim we want “To serve our fatherland, With love and strength and faith… heart and might…” but we invest in self. We do not say, “This is for Nigeria and that is the only justification,” we think, WIIIFME? When you think about it, airport officials as well as policemen on the highway who fleece travelers the whole year through ought to be rich, but they never are. They are like the politicians who lie and cheat and steal, but then flee into hiding behind armed guards and equally corrupt policemen, denied of peace. Watch “top” Nigerians at public events say with a straight face: “I pledge to Nigeria my c o u n t r y To be faithful, loyal and h o n e s t
To serve Nigeria with all my strength To defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory…” They lie. They know they lie. They know you know they lie, all the time thinking of their offices: WIIIFME? To be faithful, loyal and honest? Really? What about the Nigerians dying on our roads everyday while we fly? What about the Nigerians flooded out of their homes and villages last year whom we dumped in alien shanties and abandoned? What about the families and communities shot to pieces by Boko Haram or the students who spend more time at home than in school? What about Nigerians who cannot find jobs, or even decent hospitals? But it is not only about public officials. How about parents who try to smuggle their children into certain schools or age-group teams knowing they are unqualified? How about people who refuse to participate in determining those who would best serve the public interest, but who complain endlessly about how bad things are? What about Nigerians who neglect their own efforts, preferring to wait on handouts from relatives abroad? The truth is that while 1960 was a major landmark in our story, Nigeria will never make progress until Nigerians stop being hypocritical about the concept of public interest. Are you WIIIFME? · sonala.olumhense@gmail.com · T w i t t e r : @SonalaOlumhense
TOMORROW ON THIS PAGE
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Our eyes are gradullay opening up to the fact taht whoever sows violence will reap violence and anyone who thinks he can escape violence by merely wishing it away is wasting time. Violence will be waiting for him at the point of arrival. -Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan
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