THE NIGERIAN
The Nigerian
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 38 NO.375• FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 20 13 • N 100.00 ART ALIVE Page 18 ‘Edo Indigenous Artistes are as good as any celebrity...’
cmyk
- Mighty ID
REFLECTION Page 23 St. John of the cross and the mystery of the cross
Jega tasks RECs on 2015 elections
ABUJA - Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has yesterday urged Resident Electoral
Commissioners (RECs) to strive towards a successful 2015 general elections.
He made the call at the quarterly meeting with the RECs in Abuja. He explained that the
RECs had recently participated in an election skill management seminar to prepare them for the Continues on page 2
The actions of the police, according to informed sources, followed the rift
between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Presidency and their loyalists over the
Pandemonium as police shoot lawmakers
PORT-HARCOURT - Crisis again broke out in the Rivers State House of Assembly in Port Harcourt yesterday, as the Police, on the orders from above, disrupted the sitting of the state legislature and shut the Assembly complex against the lawmakers who had attempted to resume their lawful duties. The 25 lawmakers, men of the Nigeria in the absence of the Police fired live bullets Speaker, then decided at the lawmakers, residents to sit with the deputy while Speaker presiding, but watched helplessly.
Headship of the House. As at the time of reporting, there was
chaos in the area while some people were reportedly injured by the police.
ASUU Strike
DELSU announces resumption
By BIJOR CELESTINA ABRAKA – Following the agreement signed by ASUU and Federal
Government to end the on-going ASUU strike, the Vice Chancellor, Continues on page 2
President by the CBN Governor on the state of the economy. “Therefore, members mandated the forum’s chairman to request for a meeting with Mr. President in order to deliberate on issues of critical national importance. “The meeting with the president has become necessary because the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting for November, planned for December 9 and 10, was shelved for undisclosed reasons,’’ it said. The forum also noted that the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, scheduled for
December 12, where such issues could have been discussed, was also postponed indefinitely. It noted that the NEC meeting had not been convened in the last four months. However, the forum condoled with the government and people
NGF to meet Jonathan on state of economy ABUJA - The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) faction, chaired by Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, wants to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan over allegations regarding the non-remittance of some funds by the NNPC. The forum underscored the need for such a meeting in a communiqué that was issued at the end of its meeting in Abuja, which ended in the early hours yesterday. It would be recalled that the CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had in a letter to Jonathan, alleged that the NNPC failed to remit 49.8 billion dollars to the Federation Account. Sanusi said in the letter that the sum represented the proceeds from crude oil sales between January 2012 and July 2013. “There is a weighty allegation contained in a recent letter to Mr.
LECTURE: Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (middle), Prof. Ernest Izevbigie, Vice Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University (left), Engr. G. O. Isibor, Pro-Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University (right) during the 9th Convocation Lecture of Benson Idahosa University, yesterday in Benin City. Photo: QUEENNETH A. OROBEDO.
Oshiomhole identifies challenges in Educ
Continues on page 2
By QUEENNETH A. OROBEDO BENIN CITY – Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has
reiterated that until leadership eschew arrogance of power,
accommodating corruption and finding
Under Dispensing: DPR threatens to shut LAGOS - The Koku also urged filling stations Department of members of the public to Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday threatened to shut filling stations which were underdispensing petroleum
products to unsuspecting customers in the country. Mr. Gbenga Koku, DPR Operations Controller, Lagos/Ogun Zonal Office, issued the
threat while speaking with newsmen in Lagos. He said that the agency had begun the surveillance of fuel stations in the two states.
provide the DPR with information on stations in their neighbourhoods, which were underdispensing petroleum Continues on page 2
excuses for failure to meet popular expectations, educational institutions in Nigeria would never meet world standards. He stated this yesterday in Benin City, at the 9th Convocation lecture of Benson Idahosa University (BIU) Delivering a lecture on Education and National Development, the Governor who was
represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said “an educational system that produce election riggers, intimidators, looters of the treasury, disregard for communal values, lazy public servants, kidnappers, inefficient and ineffective workers, political opportunities, Continues on page 2
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
News
Jega tasks RECs on 2015 elections
Continued from page 1
challenges ahead. “This is to enable them to identify risk factors that can serve as a challenge to the conduct of the election,’’ he said. Jega said that there should be an effective working relationship at all levels,
adding that the commission was saddled with two major assignments as the general election drew nearer. He said that the assignments were the continuous voter registration and the preparation of constituencies in readiness for the elections. He stressed that it was
essential that the RECs did their best to ensure that the tasks were accomplished. The chairman said that the lessons learnt from the Anambra elections would be factored into the conduct of subsequent elections. Jega also said that the commission would make the two governorship elections in
Ekiti State and Osun test cases in terms of preparation. He urged all stakeholders to work with the commission to ensure that the elections were successful. He also assured Nigerians that staff of the commission would continue to work harder to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
DELSU announces resumption
Continued from page 1 Delta State University, Prof.
Eric Arubayi has requested staff and students of the institution to resume academic activities, with
immediate effect. The directive is a fall out of a meeting of senate of the institution. A visit by our correspondent to the
campus of the institution revealed that students were already receiving lectures in various departments. However, in a chat with
of South Africa over the death of its former president, Dr. Nelson Mandela. It noted that Mandela left a legacy of quality and selfless leadership which was worthy of emulation. The forum also remembered the late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, who died a year ago. It said that it would identify with the Yakowa family during the memorial event which
would be organised by the family. Meanwhile, the NNPC has rejected the CBN governor’s allegation over the unremitted funds, saying that the allegation was borne out of his misunderstanding of the workings of the oil and gas industry. The NNPC said that the misunderstanding was further compounded by the modalities for remitting crude
It will be recalled reports that the NGF meeting was attended by the governors of Borno, Lagos, Ekiti, Kwara, Adamawa, Zamfara, River and Osun states. The deputy governors of Oyo and Jigawa states also attended the meeting. The forum, which became factionalised during its election in May, is an association of all the state governors in the country.
Continued from page 1 and bad politicians that visit pain on the people, contaminate and undermine institutions of society cannot be regarded as positive education”. He decried how the Nigerian state and its custodians have ran down major public institutions, like the railways, airways, steel factories, telecommunication
facilities and several others while no one is held responsible, adding that thousands of abandoned projects across the country and the unprecedented rate of unemployment are no surprises. “Clearly the education we have so far received has not moved Nigeria very far”, he said. Against this backdrop, the SSG submitted that to impact
(PENGASSAN) says the delay in the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Bill is crippling investments in the oil and gas sector. Mr Oluseyi Gambo, the National Public Relations Officer of PENGASSAN, made the observation in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Lagos. He said the inaction on the bill had limited foreign investment in the industry. Gambo said the association was optimistic that the bill would become a law to fast track development in the oil and gas sector.
direct foreign investments in the oil and gas sector. “The passage of the bill will certainly move Nigeria towards better direction and attract investors to our country,’’ he said. He also urged the Federal Government to embark on aggressive hydrocarbon oil reserves replacement policy. He said that contrary to other opinions, Nigeria’s estimated oil reserve of 36.2 billion barrels were being depleted at a faster rate. “Nigeria can hit 40 billion barrel oil reserves if adequate measures are put in place to check and address all
NGF to meet Jonathan on state of oil sales revenue into the Continued from page 1 economy Federation Account.
The Nigerian OBSERVER, Mr. Patrick Ijeh, one of the school lecturers in the Department of Mass Communication, Abraka, said “ASUU is still on strike, though the V.C. has asked students and staff to resume. Those who are members of ASUU will still observe the strike till the national crisis has been resolved.” Reacting to the announcement by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, members of the host community interviewed expressed delight and thanked the two parties to the over five month feud for striking a balance at last.
Oshiomhole identifies challenges national development in the future, educational institutions must set high standards for faculty and students, there must be a focus on leadership with a high capacity for visioning, become crucible for moulding
well-rounded Nigerians who are strong in capacity and capability, detribalised and free of bigotry, amongst other proffered solutions. There was a question and answer session there after based on the lecture.
PENGASSAN Seeks Urgent Enactment “This will give more LAGOS - The Petroleum “Government should also credibility on investments in and Natural Gas Senior Staff Of PIB begin to use this opportunity Nigeria and also encourage Association of Nigeria to create a solid platform for a
DPR threatens to shut filling stations
Continued from page 1 products. “We are going to shut down any filling stations found under-dispensing petroleum products in any locality. “We have sent our surveillance team out to monitor filling stations within the Lagos/Ogun axis and identify those that were under-dispensing products to unwary customers,” he said. The controller said that
those filling stations that were under-dispensing petroleum products to customers were committing a crime and flouting DPR regulations. Koku, who conceded that some challenges were facing the agency’s service delivery, however, solicited the cooperation of the public in efforts to check the illegal activities of some filling stations.
challenges,” he said. According to him, policies must be put in place for industry to gain time in contracting cycle by shortening and reducing the time for accessing rigs for exploration in Nigerian waters. “Nigeria should make reserves replacement a priority. “If we take a critical look at perspectives for growing reserves in the next decade, the answer is exploration, exploration and more explorations to run parallel to development projects,” Gambo said. He said that competition for capital and supply preferences would be the thrust of the new explorations. Gambo said that enabling environment would be required to stimulate renewed exploration activities in major hydrocarbon heartlands and frontiers basins. “This is why we commend the Federal Government’s initiatives in granting amnesty to youths of Niger Delta and we plead that government make it all encompassing.
sustainable development and education of the youths in Niger Delta region,’’ he added.
Commissioner charges oil coys, host community on peaceful BENIN CITY - Edo State relationship Commissioner For Special Duties, Oil and Gas, Barrister Isimeme Iriogbe has enjoined Oil Companies to work towards establishing peaceful working relationship with their host communities. He gave the advice at a meeting with the delegation of members of Urhonigbe Community in of Orhionwon Local Government Area, and members of Pan Ocean Oil Corporation in Benin City. Barrister Isimeme explained that Edo State was peaceful, devoid of youth restiveness compared to other states and therefore urged Pan Ocean not to take the youths of Urhonigbe Community for granted. The commissioner urged Pan Ocean to ensure it lives up to its Corporate Social Responsibility to its host communities. He reminded the oil company not to cede the oil well heads in Edo State to neighbouring states, while encouraging it to do the right thing for peace to reign in its communities of operation. Barrister Isimeme assured
of peaceful resolution of any contending between Urhonigbe and Pan Ocean. He advised Urhonigbe Community members to co-operate with the company in order to make the environment a conducive for both parties. The commissioner requested that copies of their memoranda of understanding (MOU) be made available to the ministry so as to enable the ministry vet and make necessary impact. Speaking on behalf of Urhonigbe community, Barrister Igbineweka expressed appreciation to the commissioner for inviting them to his office with a view to finding lasting solution to their differences. The production sharing contract co-ordinator of Pan Ocean, Mr. Felix Uwhe said the company has been receiving the cooperation of the host community, a development which culminated in the memorandum of understanding between the two parties. He said Pan Ocean has ensured that Urhonigbe community is not being cheated in any way.
BEDC moves to recover debts owed defunct PHCH in Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ekiti BENIN CITY – The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) yesterday said it would collect all debts owed the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in its operational areas. BEDC Head of Coporate Communications, Mr. Nwadei Curtis, disclosed this to newsmen in an interview in Benin. “It is not a situation of bad debts at all. We will collect every kobo from those who owed PHCN for service
rendered, but who are now our customers,” Curtis said. “I don’t know where customers got the idea from. Cancellation of customers debts is never part of the negotiation for the takeover. “It is not a bad debt as they are claiming in some quarters,” he said. According to him, BEDC will strive to improve on the power distribution in its areas of jurisdiction. He said that load shedding in the four states was a national phenomenon and not peculiar to the area.of bulk prepaid metres.
Lawmaker Spends N400m On Constituency Projects
AUCHI (EDO) Senator Domingo Obende (APC-Edo) said yesterday that N400 million had been spent on various projects in his constituency since 2011. Domingo announced this while addressing newsmen in Etsako West Local Council Area of Edo, after inspecting structures executed under his constituency projects fund. “What we have expended in the constituency project is almost N400 million so far. “But by the time we complete them, may be around February, it will be well over that amount,” he said. According to him, the
executed projects are 43 and are sighted in all the six local governments that make up the senatorial district in Edo North. The lawmaker said that 29 of the 43 projects had been completed, adding that the remaining projects would be completed in 2014. He said that the projects were executed in the area to improve the lives of the people. “By February 2014 all projects would be completed except those under the MDGs because of lack of funds. “With the new management on board; I think with adequate funding, we would be able
to carry Edo North to another level of development,” he said. Some of the projects inspected are three classroom blocks, office and furniture, three 500 KVA transformers, three bore hole projects, five hand pump bore holes and street lights. Others are five community halls, sports centres with facilities, primary and secondary schools. The projects cut across Etsako West, Etsako East, Etsako Central, Owan West, Owan East and Akoko Edo, which make up Edo North Constituency.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Inside Edo
Benin Electricity Commissions Power Station In AAU By OSE EHEBHA
BENIN CITY - The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has commissioned an electricity power station at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State. The company said the power station is to boost electricity supply to Iruekpen Community, AAU main campus and parts of Ekpoma town. It used the opportunity to dispel rumour suggesting that the company was contemplating tariff hike. Representative of BEDC, Engr. Sunday Oyewole remarked that the inauguration of the power station was part of the company’s efforts to boost power supply in the university and benefitting community. With the advent of the station, Engr. Oyewole said load shedding had been eliminated. While calling on electricity customers to pay their bills promptly, he siezed the opportunity to dispel rumour of imminent tariff increase, saying he is unaware of such plans. The District Manager, Uromi Business District, Engr. Francic Okhuoya assured customer of improved response to fault clearing, noting that “it would be no longer be business as usual. Things would be done promptly. The AAU acting ViceChancellor, Prof. Cordelia Agbebaku, represented by Dr. Folasade Enahoro expressed delight that the project which started eight year back was finally completed.
Dr. Pius Egbernamwen Odubu, Deputy Governor, Edo State (middle) flanked by Senator Domingo Obende, representing Edo North Senatorial District (right) and Hon. Victor Enobakhare, Chairman, Egor Local Government Council Press during the 2013 Press Week of Edo State Council of NUJ. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
AUCHI - A University Don has advocated increased use of renewable energy and halting of the rate of deforestation as measures for mitigating the effects of climate change in Nigeria. At the 21st convocation lecture of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, titled: “Climate Change and Biodiversity, Implications for National Development”, Prof. Medinat Kadiri of the University of Benin, Benin City who advocated the position also submitted that the most enduring recipe was to integrate climate change into national planning decision making and development processes. Prof. Kadiri explained that mainstreaming climate change into national policies, plans and development projects would largely contribute to reducing vulnerability to the impacts as well as increase the adaptive capacity of communities. The lack, she remarked made many towns and villages in parts
By LAMAI CASSIUS AUCHI - Staff and students of Auchi Polytechnic have been advised to join hands with the Rector, Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa O. Idogho to move the institution forward rather than picking holes in her administration. The advice was given by Pastor Okosun G. Okosun in Auchi while reacting to the recent appointment of the Rector as the zonal coordinator of the SouthSouth zone of the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of T e c h n o l o g i e s (COHEADS), in Nigeria. Pastor Okosun G. Okosun, a former Dean, Students Affairs and Dean, School of Evening Studies (SES) described the rector as epitome of knowledge and development whose
Edo ACNPN Holds Award Ceremony
BENIN CITY – All is now set for the Second Annual Award Ceremony of the Association of Community Newspaper Publisher of Nigeria (ACNPN), Edo State Chapter. This was disclosed in a press release, jointly signed by the ACNPN State Chairman, Deacon Ralph Okhiria and the Secretary, Award Committee, Comrade Ehichioya Steve Odion. The statement said the association will be honouring some
Don Calls For Increased Use Renewable Energy
By MORRISON HAYBLE
Former Dean Rallies Support For Auchi Poly Rector
of the country, including Edo State to suffer severe consequences of ravaging flooding in 2012. “This approach involves taking into account risks and opportunities and putting in place adaptation measures that are attuned to the long term vision of development” the professor of science suggested. Prof. Kadiri who observed that developing countries are most vulnerable to climate change impacts as they lack fewer adaptation resources. She called for public education, tax incentive for clean /green technologies, funding and insurance amongst others as way out of the crises. The University Don urged authorities in Nigeria to focus more on increasing their adaptive capacities to climate variability and climate change over a long term instead of the ad hoc responses. She adding that significant and deliberate national efforts be made to properly integrate climate change and biodiversity into the country’s Vision 20:2020 which currently constituted the blueprint for sustainable rapid social economic development and the Millennium Development Goals.
distinguished Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their contributions towards the growth and development of the society. The award ceremony which comes up December 13, 2013, with His Royal Highness, Princess Edu Akenzua, MFR, Enogie of Obazuwa as Chairman will hold at Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Airport Road, Benin City beginning at 11am. The event will attract dignitaries from all walks of life, including Dr. Iyobosa Edebiri MON. as Special Guests; Owere Dickson Imasogie as father of the day; Prince Tony Omoaghe as Guest of Honour while Hon. Omorede Osifo, Commissioner for Youth and
Sports will serve as mother of the day. Those to be honoured include, Prof. (Mrs.) C.A. Agbebaku, Vice-Chancellor, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Prof. (Mrs.) Philipa
Idogho, Rector, Covenant Gospel Church and the National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN); Senator Domingo Obende, and Hon. Abubabar Momoh.
Servant in Edo State has expressed the need for the various arms of government in the country to consider as a necessity, the revitalization of agriculture and all moribund industries as a means of ending the current unemployment crisis. Speaking with The Nigerian OBSERVER on
way forward for the nation, Mr. Aigbogie Aigbomobe described as unfortunate, the Federal Government recent ban on rice importation. He noted that such step could have been appropriate after measures had been put in place to boost rice production to the level of
ideas have turned Auchi Polytechnic into a world class institution that everyone is happy to identify with. Congratulating the rector for the position, he said that putting all the past rector’s achievements in the school in perspective, Dr. Mrs. Idogho’s achievements stand out especially in the area of human development and infrastructural development in the main campus. Pastor Okosun said that since she became the rector, the institution has recorded tremendous achievements and recognition both nationally and internationally where the school ranked best polytechnic in Nigeria, adding that with this feats, the school has moved to an enviable height. The former Dean however appealed to members of the public to shun the “pull him down” syndrome as she came to redeem and reposition the school. Pastor Okosun also congratulated the rector for her birthday and the successful hosting of the 21st graduation ceremony of the institution last weekend.
Stakeholder Faults FG’s Ban On By MORRISON HAYBLE Rice Importation AUCHI – A retired Civil
Edo State Commissioner of Police Foluso Adebayo receiving the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council award plaque from a former Secretary to the State Governor, Dr. Simeon Imuekemhe (middle) with them is the Chairman of the Union, Comrade Desmond Agbama. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
self sufficiency. While calling on government to demonstrate tangible example by genuinely encouraging farming, Mr. Aigbomobe observed that the setting up of farm settlements across the country by the colonial government which he lamented were later abandoned, saw the practicalization of farming and boosting of food production to a great extent. He noted that Nigeria has abundant arable land that remains largely unexploited, adding that agriculture could engage a large proportion of the unemployed if given desired attention. Government should encourage farming by setting example and not just the paper noise proclaiming agric revolution. “It should actually set the pace by encouraging real farmers and take steps to revive farm settlement as they were in the colonial days” Aigbomobe suggested.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
News Nigeria, Venezuela Begin Visa-free Travel Regime -Envoy
R-L: Mr. Foluoso Adebanjo Edo State Police Commissioner, Comrade U.S.A. Uzaka, VicePresident Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), zone F, and Prof Eddy Erhagbe, of the Department of History and International Studies, University of Benin during the 2013 press week of NUJ, Edo State Council PHOTO: LUCKY AGIE.
ABUJA - The Charge D’ Affairs of Venezuela Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Miguelangel Vecchia, said Nigeria and Venezuela have started implementing an agreement that allows visa-free travel for officials and diplomatic passport holders. Vecchia made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Abuja. He said the agreement was made official in the Venezuelan official Gazette number 40, 215 published on July 26, 2013. He recalled that the agreement was initially signed on November 24, 2012 by the
NSCDC Trains 320 Officers In Weapon Handling
JOS - The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Plateau Command, said it had trained 320 officers in extensive weapons handling between January and November. The Commandant, Mr Vincent Bature, told newsmen in Jos that the officers underwent extensive training in weapons handling, arms drills, combat craft, range classification and exercises. He said that out of the 320 officers, 20 were specially trained as Special Forces at the Nigeria Army Counter Terrorism Training School,
Kachia in Kaduna State and the School of Armour, Kontagora in Niger. He added that the training would lead to the formation of a formidable armed squad for the command. Bature said the armed squad, in unison with other security agencies in the state, would work to boost security surveillance and minimise crime in the state. He stressed that the officers were cautioned against unlawful use of arms, noting
NUC Pledges Effective Regulation
Varsities Crisis:
ABUJA - Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), says the commission will henceforth ensure effective regulation of universities, to forestall any breakdown of the system. Okojie made the pledge in Abuja at the opening of an exhibition as part of activities to mark the 50+1 anniversary celebrations of the NUC. “We keep talking about the university system’s failure. “It is a grand design to keep us low and down and NUC will not let that happen. “From now on it is going to be effective regulation,” he said. The Executive Secretary also noted that without the NUC, there would not be a proper university setting. He said NUC was doing fine in spite of the very difficult circumstances it was in, adding that the commission was more than determined now to surmount all challenges hampering the running of an effective system. According to Okojie, NUC at 51 is a success story and only those who cannot recognise milestones in their lives have problems.
“We started with only six departments, now we have 11, this is a reflection of the needs of the moment,” he said. The planned celebration of NUC at 50 in 2012 was put on hold because of the death of five management staff of the commission in the ill-fated Dana plane crash in June.
that ‘anyone involved in the case of ‘accidental discharge’ will be severely dealt with.’’ The commandant urged the
media and the public to always assist the command by providing useful information that would enable it to perform its duties proactively.
then Nigeria’s Minister of State 1, Prof. Viola Onwuliri and Venezuelan Deputy Minister for Africa, Mr Reinaldo Bolivar. The envoy said the agreement would deepen the diplomatic and bilateral relations between the two oil producing and exporting countries. The Charge D’ Affairs said the embassy in Abuja had simplified visa application requirements for ordinary passport holders. However, he added, the requirements for students and business visa were simple “but it is not free.’’ Vecchia said the Venezuelan government had signed 33 multilateral agreements with Nigeria since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two in 1965. He commended the commitment and foresight of former President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela for prioritising economic ties with Africa. He said “Chavez cared
deeply for Africans, before Chavez, Africa was nothing to the Venezuelans in the external policy of our country; Africa was like an unknown territory. “Before Chavez, there was only about eight diplomatic missions in Africa, now we have 18 embassies and they oversee 37 countries.’’ According to the envoy, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, had continued with the legacies and visions of Chavez to Africa. “With Maduro, Chavez’s vision is present in our lives and memories,’’ he said. On November 5, the Venezuelan embassy in Abuja marked a day of loyalty and love in honour of Chavez, who died on March 5, 2013. Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Hugo Milanes, who attended the event, paid tribute to Chavez “for rescuing Cuba.’’ He said “Chavez gave power to the people of Cuba and made great contributions to Caribbean and Latin American countries.’’
FG Awards Contract For 18 New Emergency ABUJA - The Federal Ambulance Points’ On Highways Government has awarded contract for the construction of 18 “Emergency Ambulance Points’’ at some major highways across the country, the Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, has said. Onolememen disclosed this in Abuja while handing over 25 patrol vehicles, including 21 pick-up vans and four tow trucks to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). Represented by Dr Abubakar Mohammed, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Onolememen said the ambulance would assist in treating accident victims as government was determined to make the roads safe for the
citizenry. “Our determination in this regard cannot and will not in the least be compromised,’’ he said adding that the lives of the people using the roads were vital to the country’s development. The 25 vehicles are to be deployed at select “Safe Road Corridors’’ as part of government efforts to improve safety level on the roads and reduce traffic accident fatalities. The corridors included the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Mokwa-Bida-Suleja, EnuguAbakaliki, Ifon-Owo-Ilesa, Benin toll gate and JosBauchi-Gombe roads.
The minister said that the vehicles were provided through collaboration between the Federal Government and World Bank at the ratio of 9 to 1. Onolememen said that they were equipped with operational and communication gadgets to improve rescue operations and road traffic rules enforcement strategies. “In particularly, it will considerably reduce accident fatalities by at least 50 per cent along the select “Safe Corridors’’, he said. He announced that very soon, other equipment,
The Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Uyi Igbe (left) receiving a protest letter from the President, forum of Nigeria women in politics, Deconess Florence Igbinigie the Executive Director, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Revd David Ugolor right PHOTO: LUCKY AGIE.
including patrol motorcycles, three tow trucks and 11 ambulances would be delivered to the FRSC to enhance its operations. The minister charged the “Road Sector Development Team (RSDT), the unit which oversee Federal Road Development Project of World Bank to ensure that the vehicles were deployed to the selected highways. Onolememen thanked the World Bank for its intervention in the country’s road safety corridor concept, and urged it to continue to assist in the development objectives of government in the road sector. Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, announced that the commission would set up Unit Commands on highways that had been upgraded by the ministry. “We will be following the Federal Ministry of Works step by step; as they are completing new roads, will be setting up new Unit Commands. “I want to place on record that the Federal Ministry of Works has done a great job by upgrading and improving roads across the country,’’ he said. Chidoka, however, lamented that as the roads got better, motorists cultivated the habit of excessive speeding, adding that it was resulting in accidents and deaths.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
News Staff Model College, Agbor Wins Seplat Pearls Quiz SAPELE – Staff Model College, Agbor, Delta State has emerged winner of the Seplat Pears Quiz 2013, an education enhancing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme organised annually by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited in joint venture with Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). At the finals held in Sapele, Delta State, Staff Model College scored 58 points against the 44 points scored by Demonstration Secondary School, Warri to emerge winner. The school went home with the star prize of a brand new Toyota Hummer Hiace Bus, scholarship grants for each of the three students that represented the college, plaques and school bags for each of them.
Bay flower international school and Ufua Memorial School both from Edo State emerged the second and hard runners up respectively. Similarly, based on their respective runner-up positions different categories of scholarship grants were given to each of the three contestants that represented the three schools, in addition to their plaques and school bags that they received.
President Goodluck Jonathan (right), congratulating President Uhuru Kenyantta of Kenya at the 50th Independent Anniversary of Kenya in Nairobi yesterday.
Expert Advocates Collaboration In Healthcare Delivery By ERANGA ISAAC
BENIN CITY – The Principal of Delta State School of Nursing, Eku – Mr. Oloriegbe Charles Afolabi has expressed the need for professional groups in the health care sector to collaborate and work as a team for effective health care delivery. He said this while delivery a paper on, “professional inter dependence in an
interdependence in the health care system situate the client at the centre stage, while the health care providers (professionals) are co-jam in their interactions for effective and efficient service delivery. Mr. Olariegbe who was
the key speaker at the event said though members of the health care team have individual roles based on their training there are areas of overlap responsibilities through collaboration and team work, saying that the mutual goal is to restore a
lectures on managing Hypertension beyond blood pressure control and Hospital Administration and Management. He called on all health workers from both public and private health facilities to endeavour to attend the even which will has the state commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs. Aihanuwa Eregie as chair.
President Goodluck Jonathan receiving a bouquet of flowers from Miss Beth Wanjiku on arrival at the Nairobi International Airport for the 50th Independent anniversary recently.
BENIN CITY – The Edo State Essential Drugs Programme (EDP), Ministry of Health, Benin City in collaboration with Novartis Pharma Services will organise a one day seminar for Health Care Providers on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, venue is Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Airport Road, Benin City at 9:30am. A statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Ugbodaga said the programme would feature
through the provision of infrastructure and other basic amenities that would positively impact on the wellbeing of the people. He also appealed to them to work in unity in order to achieve their aged-long goal of
Speaking at the occasion, the Patron of the association, Chief Ralph Okwuokenyen said the party is organized annually to showcase the spirit of peaceful co-existence and love for one anther by the people.
Holistic Health Care Delivery in Nigeria” during the Annual General Meeting/3rd Annual Scientific Conference of the Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPNP) held in Benin City. According to him, p r o f e s s i o n a l
Edo EDP To Organise Seminar For health Care Providers Dec 18
Arokho Community Yearns For Amenities By JOEL CHUKWUAGHONIM
AGBOR – The Obi of Ejeme Aniogor Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Highness, Obi Anthony Onwelikwu has appealed to well meaning indigenes to assist the community
developing the community. Speaking with newsmen at the end of year party held in the community, the Obi noted that with unity of purpose, the community stands to attain greater heights.
client’s health and promote wellness. National President of AGPNP, Rev. (Dr.) J.T. Olawale in his remarks said the division of labour among Medical, Nursing, Pharmacy and other allied health practitioners means there is no single professional that can deliver a complete episode of health care. “Team work is a requirement for high quality safe patient care and patients are more satisfied with their care when health care professionals collaborate”, he said. Chairman of Edo State Chapter of AGPNP, Mr. Abraham Osabuohien said the annual event was in line with the educational programs of AGPNP that is geared towards empowerment and sensitization of general private nursing practitioners in Nigeria.
Trad Medicine: Delta
Govt Gets Kudos
By JOEL CHUKWUAGHONIM
AGBOR – A traditional medicine practitioner in Agbor, Delta State, Dr. Gentle Ikeke has commended the state government support to traditional medicine practitioners in the locality. Dr. Ikeke made the commendation in a chat with The NIGERIAN
OBSERVER in Agbor. Notwithstanding Dr. Ikeke said a lot still needs to be done in giving the traditional medicine practitioners greater sense of belonging. According to him, because of the increasing cost of carrying for inmates of psychiatric homes, subvention from government would go a long way in cushioning the cost of running the homes.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
News Man, 59, In Court Over Malicious Damage
L-R: Vice President, Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN), Malam Murtala Aliyu, President, Malam Hussaini and Supervising Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Musa Sada at the induction ceremony for newly registered Quantity Surveyors and Practicing Firms in Abuja yesterday.
SANGO-OTA (OGUN) the police in Ogun has arraigned a 59-year-old man, ajani Akinola, on a threecount charge of malicious damage, threatening violence and unlawful entry. The Prosecutor, Insp Peter Molokwu, told the Ota Magistrate’s Court in Ogun that the accused, committed the offences on September 6, 2009 at Ijoko Village in Ota. The prosecutor said the accused and others now at large unlawfully destroyed a boy’s quarter building and about five coaches of a fence
Kwara Assembly Passes Chidhood Sight Protection Bill
IIORIN - The Kwara House of Assembly has passed the state Childhood Sight Protection Bill into law. The bill provides for compulsory free eye screening for children between one and five years. The bill, which was sent to the house by Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed in September, was passed after the house adopted the report of its Committee on Health and Environment. The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Suleiman Sunaboro, while presenting the report, said the all stakeholders invited for public hearing on the bill called for its passage. He said its passage became imperative to provide free eye screening for children, for early detection and referral of sight impairment among the children. The bill also provides that
no child should be admitted into public and private preprimary or primary schools without certificate of eye screening. It adds that any person or group of persons who discourages children from undergoing the free eye screening will be liable to one month imprisonment or fine not exceeding N25,000. The bill also provides for the establishment of at least two screening centres in each of the 16 local government areas of the state. It suggests the inauguration of a committee to be chaired by an Ophthalmologist for a fouryear tenure, to ensure full implementation of the provisions of the bill. The Clerk of the house, Mr.
Bathsheba Halid, whose property was demolished by the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), has gone to court challenging the existence of the agency under the law. In a statement of claim filed at the state High Court II, Kaduna, by her counsel, Mr. Bamite Achimugu, the plaintiff is seeking a declaration by the court that KASUPDA was not established by law and therefore its operations and actions were illegal. “A declaration that KASUPDA is not established
by any of the Laws of Kaduna State and therefore has no statutory existence or powers for the control of the use and development of land in Kaduna State or to demolish the plaintiff ’s property in the issue.” She is also seeking for a declaration that the demolition of her property, valued at N17.73 million is “wrongful and illegal”, and contrary to the Nigeria Urban and Regional Planning Act of 2004. It added that the demolition also violated the state Urban Planning and Environmental
Oyetunde Oyeniyi, later read the bill for the third time and the house consequently passed it into law. The Speaker, Mr. Rasaq Atunwa, directed the clerk to produce a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.
Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed has forwarded names of two nominees to the house for confirmation as commissioners. The speaker, who announced this while reading the governor ’s message,
named the nominees as Mr. Ademola Banu from Irepodun Local Government Area and Alhaji Kamaldeen Ajibade, IIorin West Local Government Area. The governor said that his request for the confirmation of the nominees was in line with provisions of the constitution.
IKEJA - A former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, have asked an Ikeja High Court to dismiss the N4.2 billion theft charge preferred against him. Reports say that Atuche made the request in an application to quash charges filed before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo. Atuche is standing trial alongside Funmi Ademosun, a former director of the bank, for allegedly stealing N4.2 billion belonging to Caverton Helicopters Ltd., in September
2007. They are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Reports also say that Atuche’s application was premised on a judgment delivered by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, on November 21. The appellate court had in the judgment, struck out a theft charge preferred against a former Managing Director of Finbank Plc, Mr. Okey Nwosu, and some others.
The Court of Appeal held in Nwosu’s case that the Lagos High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the charge because it emanated from capital market transactions. Also, the court held that a case associated with the capital market should be handled by the Federal High Court. Atuche’s Counsel, Mr. Abubakar Shamsudeen, argued in the application dated December 6, that Atuche’s case was similar to Nwosu’s. He said the charge before the
valued at N1.5 million, belonging to one Mr. Adeyi Olawale. Molokwu said the offences contravene Sections 81, 82, 86, 390,419, 576 of the Criminal Code Law of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The Magistrate, Mrs. Titi Bello, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum. Bello said one of the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to the Ogun government, as part of the bail conditions. The other surety, according to the Magistrate, should be a landed property owner. Both sureties, Bello added, should reside within the jurisdiction of the court and their addresses must be verified by the police. The case was adjourned till January 20, 2014, for mention.
Theft: Atuche Seeks Dismissal Of Charge court was based on an alleged unauthorised sale of shares belonging to Caverton Helicopters by the accused persons. According to him, the decision of the appellate court clearly shows that the state high court does not have jurisdiction to entertain such matters. However, the EFCC Counsel, Mr. Kayode Otufale, in a preliminary objection, argued that the application should be struck out for being an abuse of court process.
Illegal Demolition: Woman Sues Agency Edict No. 14 Kaduna Govt Protection of 1991. KADUNA - A woman, Mrs. The statement seeks for “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants, appointees or agents or whosoever otherwise, from further interfering with the plaintiff ’s possession and development of her plot at Angwan Ma’aji Danhono 1, in Chikun Local Government of Kaduna State.” Joined as defendants in the Suit No. KDH/KAD/922/2013 were Saratu Haruna, the General Manager of KASUPDA, the state Governor and the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice.
People running for cover following a teagas explosion from security department intended to disperse the public on Moscow road in Port Harcourt yesterday.
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Lagos Court Remands 2 For Alleged Rape, Armed mobile phones valued at Robbery N100,000 and a wedding ring
Nigerian Musicians To Honour Mandela Dec 18 LAGOS - Some of the biggest contemporary Nigerian musicians and comedians will perform on December 18 in honour of the late former South African President, Nelson Mandela. The event entitled: “The Legacy Lives… A Tribute Concert”, will showcase lead Nigerian artistes such as Dbanj, 2Face, Darey, Burna Boy, Ikechukwu, Eldee the Don and Zaina. Others are Mo Easy, Engager, Chioma, DJ Babus, Timi Dakolo, Waje, Julius Agwu, Mike Aremu, J. Martins, Niyola, Omawunmi, Tiwa Savage and Rocksteady. The commemorative event which will hold at the Oceanview Restaurant, Victoria Island, is being organised by Mo’ Abudu, Chief Executive Officer of a private entertainment television station, EbonyLife. In a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, Abudu said that she was proud to be initiating the event. “It is one of the least things we can do as Nigerians, Africans and global black citizens of the world to honour a unique, caring and very humble global character. “Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela lives on as a beacon of hope, a true icon of inspiration and a man of extraordinary vision. “Mandela left a great legacy of humanity that Africans and the rest of the world must strive to aspire to. “We are indeed very proud to put this together. It is a free concert for the expensive price of liberty paid for by the selfless Madiba,” Abudu said.
Grid lock on Okesa-FAjuyi Road during the routine check of motorists by officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ado Ekiti yesterday.
Employees of Sheraton Hotels and Towers putting up Christmas decorations at the Hotel in Abuja yesterday.
2 Physically Challenged Get Traffic Controllers Job LAGOS Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos has employed two persons living with disabilities and one other as traffic controllers in the state. Fashola, who announced this at the graduation of 3,311 traffic and law enforcement officers in
Lagos, said he was moved by the “tenacity and selfless services of the beneficiaries”. The beneficiaries, Salisu Audu, Salisu Adamu, physically challenged persons and
“We want to assure you that the house will support you which is a major reason for your visit. “Since I have my deputy and other colleagues here at this event, I can confidently tell you that the issue is being looked into right now. “I will also ensure that the house reaches out to other arms of government in the state to look in the direction of your organisation,” the speaker said. Earlier, Mr Olusola Olawale,
appealed to the speaker to draw a legal framework that would enable the group perform its role of crime prevention. “In Lagos State, we have been trying to curb crimes, but there is no enabling law to support our operations. “We urgently need the support of the house in terms of law to guide our operations,” he said. He appealed to the speaker to assist the group in crime prevention.
LHA Promises To Facilitate Vigilante Groups the Commander of group,
LAGOS - The Lagos State House of Assembly said it would initiate a bill to provide legal framework to enhance the operations of vigilance groups in the state. The Speaker of the house, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforuji, said this while receiving members of the Vigilance Group of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, who paid him a visit. Ikuforuji said: “Be rest assured that the house will support you. Please continue to render your services without fear or favour.
IKEJAAn Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has remanded two security guards at the Kirikiri Prisons, Apapa, charged with armed robbery and rape. The Magistrate, Miss A.O. Akinde, ordered that the accused be remanded, pending legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The accused, Samson Obroh 55, and Joshua Iyeye, 20, were resident at No 4A, Atanda Akinremi St., Orile-Agege, Lagos and No 16, Puposhola St., Ishaga, Lagos, respectively. The accused are facing a sixcount charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, stealing and rape. The Prosecutor, Insp Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that the accused committed the offences on November 19, at No. 13, Ben Olakunle St., Fagba, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos. He said that Iyeye and Akinremi, while armed with a pistol and other dangerous weapons, raped and robbed two of their victims. Uwadione said that the accused robbed one of the victims of her property worth N58,200. “On November 24, at 3:00 a.m. at No 2, Adebuji Onikoyi Savage St., Iju Ishaga, Lagos, the accused also robbed a victim of 400 pounds, two television sets valued at N100,000 and a laptop worth N80,000. “Other items included two
Anthony Edewor, had been directing traffic in some parts of Lagos. Audu controls traffic at Stadium Bus-Stop, Surulere, while Adamu and Edewor , direct vehicular movements around Marina Area. According to reports that men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), who had undergone two years training, graduated at the ceremony. Fashola said he got to know about Edewor, when his selfless service was reported on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), adding that Edewor’s story was so encouraging that he had to look for him. “They have been directing traffic in Lagos without reward for years, but their stories will
change from today. “As we focus on the story of Anthony Edewor, it showed that many of us see things that needed urgent attention, but we didn’t respond. “And someone said that it is not only Anthony that directs traffic in Marina, there is also Salisu Adamu, who also directs traffic on that axis. Also someone remembered that there was another person, Salisu Audu, who also directs traffic at the National Stadium Junction, Surulere. “Today, we are engaging them with rewards. We will keep them at the post where they have served faithfully. “And, they will continue to do what they have done for years. We believe that they have done all these because of the passion they have for the job,” he said. Fashola urged residents to take a cue from the trio, urging them to do whatever they could to move the state forward.
worth N800,000;’’ he said. The prosecutor also said that the accused unlawfully had sexual intercourse with the two victims, without their consent. He explained that the offences contravene Sections 1 (2), (a), (b) and 5, of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. 398, Vol. XXii, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, as amended. The offences are also punishable under Sections 258 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. However, the pleas of the accused were not taken. The magistrate adjourned the case till January 23, 2014, for mention.
Explore Long-Term Devt Plans, Expert Urges FG
LAGOS - The Federal Government has been advised to sustain the current economic growth rate by implementing the long-term economic development framework. Mr Chris Nemedia, a former Director of Research at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), made the suggestion in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Nemedia said that the limited economic growth in the past had made it imperative for the nation to tailor its development plans into seven-year budgetary cycle. “The long-term budgetary cycle will allow for continuity of government policies and total completion of its programmes. “This is the usual practice in countries that have gotten their economies right and on the path sustainable growth,” he said. He also urged government to collaborate with the banks to finance agriculture, manufacturing and other development programmes. According to him, such collaboration will enable government to provide incentives that will reduce cost of production. “The government will give the banks some incentives that will enhance their operations and lower the cost of doing business. “While banks can reduce their lending rates to single digit for domestic business, more companies will grow and employ more people,” he said.
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Across The Nation NasarawaTo Revamp Education Sector -Commissioner LAFIA - Mr Sani Yakubu, Nasarawa State’s Commissioner of Education, said that the state government has put in place some measures to revamp the education sector in the state. He said this while speaking with newsmen in Lafia.
Yakubu said that some of the measures included the payment of NECO registration fees for students in public schools and the feeding of students in boarding schools. He said that government would also renovate and build new
structures in primary and secondary schools across the state; while increasing the supervision, training and retraining of teachers. The commissioner also said that the government, in its efforts to encourage students to study
science subjects, had concluded plans to build and equip science laboratories in public schools across the state. “Government has also concluded plans to convert three science schools to comprehensive science schools in order to encourage students to study the sciences. “Government will also build one special school in each of the
three senatorial zones of the state,” he said. Yakubu urged parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to develop interest in science subjects, saying that nation could develop meaningfully without a focus on the sciences. He stressed that the government was making no
NSUKKA (ENUGU STATE) -The Nsukka local government council in Enugu State has donated a 500 KVA electricity transformer to Umabor community in Eha-Alumona to boost electricity supply in the area. The Chairman of the local government, Mr Tony Ugwu, in a message at the handing over of the transformer, urged the community to ensure they safeguarded it from being vandalised. The chairman, represented by the Vice Chairman, Mr Comas Ugwueze, said: “The council will be happy if the community keeps this. “The Nsukka council will continue to ensure that residents
enjoy the dividends of democracy,” he said. Ugwu said the way the community safeguarded the transformer would determine whether the council could donate more transformers to other parts of Eha-Alumona. “How you protect this one given to you will encourage the council to do more for you in future. “We urge you to put this equipment to good use so that the government’s objectives will be achieved,‘’ the chairman said. Responding on behalf of the community, Chief Basil Oriyi, a traditional title holder, thanked the chairman for the transformer.
concerted efforts to develop the state-owned institutions such as Nasarawa State University, college of education, school of nursing, polytechnic, school of health and college of agriculture. He appealed to stakeholders to cooperate with the government in its efforts to reposition and restructure the education sector for improved efficiency.
Nsukka LG Donates 500 KVA Transformer To Community
The Vice Cchairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Edo State Comrade Bashir Kadiri (left) delivering his address during the 12th Annual National Pensioners Day which took place in Benin City recently with him azre the state chairman Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Edo State, Mr IJ Omoragbon J.J. Asowata, Vice Chazirman (NUP) and V.O. Aigbodion Public Relations Officer PHOTO: by OSADESAMWEN SUNDAY
A cross section of Pensioners in Edo State during the celebration of the 12th Annual National Pensioners Day in Benin City recently PHOTO: Osadebamwen Sunday.
Out-of-School Children Drop By 20% In 2013 -Gov Chime
ENUGU - Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State said the number of out of school children in the state has dropped by 20 per cent between January and December this year. Speaking on his 2013 achievements at the state’s House of Assembly in Enugu the governor attributed the drop to the free basic education policy instituted for children in primary and junior secondary schools. He said that available statistics showed that in 2013,
the rate of school enrolment rose from 65 per cent to 85 per cent. Chime said that more than 2,000 orphaned and vulnerable children in the state received educational empowerment from the state government in collaboration with some nongovernmental organisations. “According to the statistics that we have, school enrolment in preprimary and primary schools rose from 65 to 85 per cent in the outgoing year, thereby reducing drastically the number of out of school children.
“The evidence of the reforms in the education sector manifested in the results of the 2013 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations where 50.10 per cent of the candidates from Enugu State passed with a minimum of five credits including English and Mathematics,’’ he said. The governor said the state had acquired an emergency call centre with short code 117 through the assistance of the Nigeria Communications
Commission (NCC). He said the number would serve the dual purpose of an emergency call centre which citizens could contact for swift responses during emergencies and aid interactions between citizens and the state government. Chime said that 100 security vehicles donated to the Nigerian Police Force and ambulances to the Enugu State Medical Emergency Response Team had been tracked and connected to the call centre.
He said the community had been experiencing low voltage because the transformer supplying electricity to the area was overloaded. “With this new transformer, the era of low voltage in our community is gone. “We can now enjoy good voltage that can comfortably carry our electrical appliances. “The community will forever remain grateful to Nsukka council for this kind gesture,’’ he said. The transformer was officially handed over to the Supervisor for Works in the council, Mr Kingsley Ugwuoke.
Imo Assembly To Condole With S/African Parliament OWERRI - The Imo State House of Assembly has resolved to send a condolence message to the South African parliament over the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela. The House made the resolution, following a motion moved by Assembly man Simeon Iwunze (PDP-Isiala Mbano). In the motion, Iwunze called on members to observe a minute silence in honour of the late leader and send a condolence letter to the South African parliament. He said that in view of the cordial relations existing between the state Assembly and the South African parliament, there was need for the House to identify with the parliament in its time of loss.
Iwunze commended the late Mandela for his untiring efforts to destroy the obnoxious apartheid system in South Africa and establish democracy in the country. He called on the citizens of Imo to strive to live together harmoniously, while emulating the virtues of Mandela. After a unanimous vote in favour of the motion, the Speaker, Mr Benjamin Uwajumogu, directed that a condolence letter should be sent to the South African Parliament. He also ruled that a minute silence should be observed by the lawmakers in honour of the late South African leader. Uwajumogu urged Nigerians to emulate Mandela and prayed that the country would one day have a leader like him.
FRSC Cautions Road Users Against Reckless Driving KUJE (FCT) - The Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kuje (FCT), has warned motorists to avoid reckless driving and observe traffic rules to reduce accidents during the Christmas period. The Unit Commander, Mr Samuel Egwuatu, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Kuje, Abuja. “Christmas is around the corner and the roads will be busy with motorists travelling to various places in the country. “I urge all drivers to respect and abide by the traffic rules
and regulations to prevent accidents during this period. “Some accidents don’t just happen; they are caused by carelessness and reckless driving and I also call on the drivers to respect other road users so that we can have an accident-free period,” he said. Egwatu advised the general public to call FRSC call centre on 122 in case of emergency. He said the agency was embarking on enlightenment campaign to sensitise the public to road traffic rules and regulations.
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News Pensioners To Get Benefits Immediately After Retirement -PTAD DG
ABUJAMrs Nellie Mayshak, the Director-General of Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD), has assured pensioners of prompt payment of their pension benefits after retirement. Mayshak gave the assurance in Abuja when Mr Obunike
Ohaegbu, the Commissioner of FCT Public Complaints Commission (PCC) paid her a courtesy call. She said that the PTAD would partner with anti-corruption agencies like PCC, ICPC, EFCC, and workers’ unions to ensure that pensioners got what
is due to them on retirement. “We promise to promptly look into pensioners complaints.’’ She said that with the current benefits of technology such as the Integrated Personnel and
Payroll Information System, delay in the payment of pension benefits would no longer be acceptable. “We are going to monitor the banks for quick payment of pensioners’ benefits; we will
Medical Schools To Begin Learning Through Simulation, 2015 - Don
PRESCO Marks End Of Year
BENIN CITY - PRESCO PLC has said that the company looks forward with brighter prospects into 2014 to ensure better growth than previous years. The Company has in the past recorded impressive turn in the Oil palm industry in the country. According to its Managing Director, Mr. Uday Pilany at a grand event to close the year to say “well done ‘’to outstanding staff of the company and for long service, he called on staff to always put in their best to lift the company higher through hard work and dedication. He said that this is imperative for growth and expansion, stressing:“ so long as we do everything the right way, the company will continue to prosper. He commended the staff for working hard in 2012 which he said was a Special year and 2013 which was equally great, and however enjoined them to pull up efforts to achieve the company’s projections, noting that the success of the company is dependent on them in their combined efforts to execute the company’s operations. On the award to some staff of the company, he explained that the basis was to recognize those who have excelled and executed visible changes in their various departments, saying that the emphasis was also to encourage them to do better and asserted that their competences were assets as employees of the company. Highlights of the event were a funfest by staff and management and presentations. Ten workers got awards this year including Plasma television sets to smile home with. Among them are Mr.Stephen Pepra who received the Chairman’s Special Award and N50,000 cash, Lucky Iroghama, Daniel Abuyu, Kenneth Osuji, Emmanuel Uhunmwunagho, Samuel Akpan, among others who got N25,000.00 cash award. The best harvesters category went to Chijoke Sunday, ( Obaretin Estate), Eno Pius,(Cowan) and Ogar Anthony of Ologbo Estate who received N15, 000 respectively
suggest to people who are not satisfied with certain bank services to seek better services from other banks,’’ she said. She said PTAD planned to set up a Website to intimate pensioners about their entitlements and how to
calculate their pensions. Mayshak decried past years’ turmoil in the pension sector, and promised to adopt “complaint resolution mechanism’’. Ohaegbu said the best way to fight corruption in the public service was to put the pension system right.
L-R: Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan and First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan at the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Abuja recently.
ABUJA - Medical schools in Nigeria will begin the teaching and learning of medical sciences through simulation by 2015, Eugene Okpere, a visiting Professor at the National Universities Commission (NUC), has said. Okpere disclosed this in Abuja at a stakeholders meeting to discuss the enhancement of medical education through the utilisation of new technologies. The don, who said the simulation centres would be sited in some selected schools across the country, explained
The Managing Director, PRESCO Plc, Mr. Uday Pilani (right), putting heads together with the Relations Manager, Mr. Tony Uwajeh during the Company’s end of year party at Obaretin Estate.
Human Rights Day: ABUJA The UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navi Pillay has called on global players to implement laws and standards to make human rights a reality. Pillay made the call in a speech read by Mr Daouda Toure, UN Resident Coordinator and on behalf of the commissioner at an event to mark Human Rights Day in Abuja. She said that the fundamentals were in place for the protection and promotion of human rights but added that the political will, human and financial resources were lacking. She emphasised the need for the Vienna Declaration to be
that the meeting was to sensitise stakeholders and to seek their opinion on the adoption of the new technology to medical education. He said that the NUC would need to liaise with the provosts of medical schools, vice chancellors, chief medical directors and other stakeholders to get their opinion on the new technology. “The NUC has recognised that it is time that all stakeholders, provosts of medical schools and vice chancellors are carried along on the new technology as well as their opinions on how it can be adopted.’’ Okpere explained that the use of simulation in teaching medical education is the safest way to train medical students competently. He said that the use of electronic human body would enable students to identify forms of disease components or clinical signs. According to him, students who go through thorough training in simulation technology will have 35 per cent competency before their physical contact with live patients. “More importantly, patients are now getting very smart and wise. They know their rights and not many patients will be happy to be used as materials for experiments.
UN Calls For Implementation Of Rights Law
viewed as a blueprint to support human rights laws. The Vienna Declaration is a document which was adopted in Vienna 20 years ago which developed the principle that human rights are universal and committed to the promotion and protection of all human rights for all people regardless of their political, economic and social systems. The commissioner also said that there was a need for continued vigilance “to ensure new technologies advance rather than destroy human rights’’. “Their likely future deployment poses deeply troubling ethical and legal
questions.’’ She called on states to ensure that existing international human rights law and international humanitarian law governing the conduct of armed conflict remained applicable. “At the international level, a huge amount of work remains to be done to transform human rights from abstract promises to genuine improvement in the daily lives of all people, especially those who are currently marginalised or excluded.’’ Pillay gave assurance of the UN’s determination to work
with all its partners to prevent human rights breaches from occurring. “The vision and goals formulated 20 years ago in Vienna are still valid; they are still worth fighting for now, over the next 20 years and beyond,’’ she said. The event was organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in partnership with the embassies of France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and the Netherlands to mark the 2013 Human Rights Day. In his keynote address tagged
“Advancing Peace and Security through Human Rights, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice called on states to “engage in greater collaboration at all levels’’. “This is in order to deal with the common threats to their security and wellbeing, especially terrorism, which threatens human rights and dignity across the world,’’ he said. Adoke expressed gratitude to the international community for their efforts to contain the security challenges in some states in the North-eastern parts of the country.
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Business + Economy Substandard Products: Minister decries Lack Of Treatment Facilities
ABUJA - Mr Darius Ishaku, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs and Supervising Minister of Environment, has decried the lack of treatment facilities for resource recovery in substandard products. Ishaku said this in Abuja at the 7th Annual National Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). He noted that the volumes of
substandard and second hand products imported into the country had no formal treatment facilities for resource recovery and this situation posed serious health and environmental challenges. He called on the citizens and consumers to report fake, substandard products and services to the appropriate
NSE Calls For Policies To Protect Indigenous Industries
ABUJA - President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) to raise world class engineers that would chart the country’s development. Jonathan made the call at the 2013 Annual General Meeting of the society in Abuja. Represented by Prof. Chinedu Nebo, the Minister of Power, the president called on the NSE to enhance its capacity building programmes to be able to achieve the objective. He described the theme: “Strategies for Transforming Agriculture and Water Resources Sectors of the Nigerian Economy’’, as apt and timely, adding that government would continue to support the NSE. In his welcome address, the NSE President, Mr Mustafa Shehu, urged the Federal Government to initiate policies to protect and promote indigenous manufacturers to expand the country’s industrialisation process. Shehu said he had visited a number of manufacturing outfits
in the country as the NSE president and the revelation was not too encouraging. According to him, most of the industries are winding up due to lack of appropriate policies to protect manufacturers in the country. He said the revival of the manufacturing sector was critical to the actualisation of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.
ABAKALIKI - The Ebonyi government has disbursed N200 million as grant to six rural hospitals in the state. Gov. Martin Elechi made the announcement in Abakaliki during the disbursement of the grant. He said that the grant was aimed at promoting maternal and child healthcare, increase immunisation coverage and provide free maternal healthcare. He said that it would also enable the benefiting hospitals recruit skilled manpower. He said that in its efforts to boost its rural healthcare programme, the government provided N600 million in the 2013 budget.
Elechi listed the six rural hospitals that would benefit from the grant to include Mater Misericorde Hospital, Afikpo (N36 million), Presbyterian Joint Hospital, Uburu (N27.8 million) and Rural Improvement Mission Hospital, Ikwo (N36.2 million).
authorities. ‘’As citizens and consumers, we also have a key role to play as we are required to report fake, substandard products and services to the appropriate authorities. ‘’We should insist on products that have minimum deleterious effects on our environment and health. ‘’We should all act as watchdogs to assist NESREA and other appropriate agencies of the government to effectively implement their relevant mandates in relation to sustainable consumption and production.’’ The minister also attributed emerging environmental problems to the production and consumption pattern of the people. According to him, the flagrant over-use and abuse of natural resources has a negative impact on human health. ‘’Many of our emerging environmental problems are as a result of unsustainable
consumption and production patterns at national, regional and global levels. ‘’There is a growing concern about the flagrant over-use and abuse of natural and finite resources, and the consequences of these actions on human health and the environment are glaringly evident.’’
He, however, said that the only solution to the emerging situation was to adopt a sustainable production and consumption strategies. ‘’Sustainable consumption and production is a key instrument for the achievement of sustainable development.
‘’It is one of the three overarching objectives and essential requirements for sustainable development, together with poverty eradication and the protection and management of the natural resources base.’’ Ishaku also noted that the air was becoming increasingly polluted as water and land were also increasingly polluted and degraded by human activities.
NUPENG and PENGASAN members protesting over proposed privatisation of Nigerian Refineries in Abuja yesterday.
Empower Women With ICT Training, NGO Advises Govts, Corporate Bodies
ABUJA - The High-Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths has urged government at all levels and corporate bodies to equip women with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills. President of the centre, Dr Omowumi Hassan, told newsmen in Abuja that such skills would bridge the digital divide among the female gender. Hassan said it was the desire
of many women to acquire relevant skills in information technology but that the lack of
finance was a challenge. “Training is very key. The truth of the matter is that most
women shy away from attending because they don’t have financial resources to
Ebonyi Disburses N200m As Grant To Six Rural Hospitals
Members of Rivers House of Assembly, holding their meeting on Moscow Road as Security Operatives allegedly stopped them from gaining entrance into the Assembly Complex in Port Harcourt yesterday.
attend training. “So from government perspective, if they really need women to come to the forefront of issues, they must provide funds for them to be trained. “For instance, if I need to train a woman to use ICT very well, I must use a facility that has internet access, at least for a woman to sit down to explore whatever she wants to take but the facilities around are so expensive because they are business. It is not free. “Government should support and fund training initiatives for them, that will make them to learn and be able to achieve something.“ She also urged corporate bodies to educate women and to encourage them to be innovative toward the nation’s development. “We have had enough of the private sector sponsoring our youths, women to dance, to be naked, to participate in beauty pageants; we need knowledge.
Cooperatives Record N34.9bn Turnover In 22Yrs - Commissioner
ASABA - Registered cooperative societies in Delta have recorded a turnover of N34.9 billion from 1991 till date, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Kingsley Emu, has said. Emu said this at a news briefing in Asaba. He said the number of registered
cooperatives, unions and apexes within the state stood at 29,878 since the creation of the state in August, 1991. He said that the cooperative societies in the state had membership strength of 804,464, adding that 475,226 were males, while 329,198 were females. The commissioner said that
his ministry had in the last 12 years involved its staff in routine inspection of their books and records. He said the measure was to ensure that their records were properly kept and in accordance with standard accounting
principles. “My ministry has also carried out audit duties to detect and correct errors, thereby reducing incidents of fraud and ensuring that books and records were properly kept,’’ he said. Emu said that apart from
ensuring that records of the cooperatives were properly kept, ‘’my ministry also in 2013 successfully organised in-house cooperative seminars and workshops for members of the various cooperative societies in the state’’.
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View Point
Armoured Cars Are Inevitable By JENNIFER EIGBOJIE
IT must be a case of dulled senses when the first online story alleging that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) bought two armoured BMW cars worth N255 million for the use of controversial Aviation Minister Mrs. Stella Oduah, it could be highly doubted. By the time the reactions of various officials of the Aviation Ministry and its agencies started to surface, it soon became clear that we have fallen far behind the times on what goes on in the Nigeria public service these days. Maybe this is because about three and a half decades ago, this country’s rules institute what they called “low profile campaign”. The Head of State and all the governors rode in locally assembled Peugeot 504. When General Obasanjo went to the parade ground in Lagos to handover power on October 1979 he arrived in a Peugeot 504 surrounded by soldiers on horse back. After President Shehu Shagari took his oath of office, he left the Tafawa Balewa Square in the same 504 which he rode for another year. Exactly a year later, Shagari arrived at the same venue for the 1980 independence anniversary in a shiny black Mercedes and what followed was a screaming newspaper headline the next day that said, “Mercedes Obokun ends low profile campaign”, one newspaper had a cartoon of Obasanjo smoking his lips and telling Shagari, “what was good for us
Khaki boys no fit you agbada people”. Soon that Mercedes was called shagarinka in Hausa land. You begin to smell a rat when different officials begin to offer different explanations over the same matter. NCAA’s general manager, public affairs, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke said he was not aware that such vehicles were bought for the minister. But Minister Oduah’s special assistant on media Mr. Joe Obi said the vehicles were bought because when Mrs. Oduah took over the Aviation Ministry “she undertook reforms which included reversing some concessions and agreements that were not in the interest of the people and government of Nigeria”. He said “the minister began to receive services of threats to her life, but because of the general lack of security in the land, she did not want to raise an alarm. So those vehicles were purchased in response to the general state of security in the land and the personal threats to her life because of the giant steps she has taken to reposition the sector”. Now, there are 42 ministers in the federal cabinet when the presidents restores it to full size, some of them are in charge of portfolios that are more sensitive than Oduah’s aviation in terms of security concerns revenue volume or plum patronage opportunities. Each of these ministers could also claim that he received death threats and proceed to buy armoured cars from the state treasury, monetisation of
benefits not with standing. By the time they all buy armoured cars, they will be more armour here than there is in pentagon stores. Another puzzling aspect of this explanation was Mrs. Oduah concluding that the death threat she received was evidence that she is doing good things with aviation sector reforms. This is true only in the minority of death threat cases. The Sicilian mafia could kill a good cop or a good judge simply because he refused to collaborate in a criminal deed. However, most criminals don’t go that far. If a man knows he is doing something illegal and a good officer stops him from doing that, he will usually grumble and walk away, aggression to the point of sending death threats is often caused by a feeling of betrayal. If for example a man gives a kickback up front in anticipation of a contract and he doesn’t get it, that’s when he feels doubly cheated and could issue such threats. It is not necessarily what Mrs. Oduah did but what usually attracts such threats. An explanation even more interesting than obi was provided by NCAA’s Director General Dr Fola Akinkuotu addressing a press conference in Abuja, Akinkuotu said, “the cars are operational vehicles used in the various operations of the NCAA for transporting the minister and aviation related foreign dignitaries. He added, “Aviation is a global industry. NCAA often plays host to international aviation bodies and it is internationally customary to convey our minister and
“The minister began to receive services of threats to her life, but because of the general lack of security in the land, she did not want to raise an alarm. So those vehicles were purchased in response to the general state of security in the land and the personal threats to her life because of the giant steps she has taken to reposition the sector”.
these foreign dignitaries in a security vehicle whenever they are in Nigeria. During such visitation, the security of the members of the delegation is the sole responsibility of the host country. The vehicles are
said, “NCAA remains focused on enforcing standards and promoting safety in line with ICAO and Nigeria Civil Aviation regulations (NCARS) and continues to perform its critical functions and the appropriate resources required for discharging
freedom of information act or they believe not in its spirit. There are a few other truths about this Ife that we aught Minister Stella Oduah ought to be reminded of you see, even if you sit in an armoured car, that is not the only
these functions exist within and under the control of NCAA”. The question for oga Akinkuotu is this. Is it your duty to promote safety on people on the ground or in the air? Ensuring the safety of people on the ground; is that the work of NCAA or the police? The one that you are supposed to do, ensuring the safety of people who are air-borne, have you done it? Instead of concentrating on this primary work, the director general went off on another wild goose chase trying to fish out the person who leaked the car purchase papers. He said, “the Civil Aviation Act made specific provisions with respect to our obligations for our confidentiality and restricted access to certain information…. I am not saying this particular information cannot be put in public premises, but how it is obtained. So, we are trying to find the sour a of this leak.” It looks like NCAA and the Aviation Ministry have either never heard of the
place where you can be available for assassination so you must arrange to work in an armoured office as well because some people across the world have been assassinated in their offices. You must arrange to sleep in an armoured bedroom because that is another assassin’s soft target. And then any time you travel, you need an armoured plane lest somebody does to you a juvenal Habyarimana, the Rwandan President whose plane was shot up as it landed at Kigali airport in 1994. Earlier this month, when the Association Airlines’ plane crashed in Lagos and Mrs. Oduah was quoted as having said that “accidents are inevitable”, she could be defended on the grounds of stress and problematic command of the English Language. It now looks like she meant what she said. Not only accidents; purchasing armoured cars is also inevitable when you are paranoid.
Stella Oduah therefore in the pool of the NCAA for these special assignments”. The number of international aviation agencies that send their officials to Nigeria as reeled out by Akinkuotu is impressive. This is however a small fraction of the number of international agencies, not to mention foreign governments, that send their officials on visits to Nigeria. They are hosted by various ministries and agencies. Some of these visitors are military, security or diplomatic officials as well as leading politicians. If all of these hosting agencies now ask to beg armoured cars as N125 million each for visitors’ protection, the federal government may not be able to pay salaries for the next 6 months. Let’s forget for now the discrepancy between what Obi said and what Akinkuotu said, while Mrs. Oduah’s aide was clear that the cars are for her use, the DG said they are for transporting visitors. That should be sorted out. Akinuotu also
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THE world has for too long watched the mindless killings, barbarism and crude display of man’s inhumanity to man in Syria. The news reports and footages as well as statistics since the civil war broke out over two years ago remain frightening. Millions of hapless children have reportedly turned refugees outside Syria. WE are grieved that the world waited for a long time before ‘friends of Syria’ was established to provide technical support to opposition forces. Such support notwithstanding, the world literarily stood aloof while the cruelty continued in the more than two years upheaval in the middle East country with its President, Bashar al-Assad playing god. IT is quite heart rending that at the last count by the United Nations, over 100,000 persons have been killed, 1.9 million Syrians are refugees, three quarter of this number are women and children. UNICEF puts the figure of children at over 1 million. Over 4.25million citizens have been internally displaced leaving the worst ever human catastrophe to bear on hapless Syrians just because one man wants to remain their president. The way the war is progressing, we fear that Assad may wake up one morning to discover that he is the only Syrian left alive. WE condemn the use of chemical weapons last Wednesday and we call on President al- Assad to tell his horendous stories to the marines. He should stop trading blames on the use of chemical substances with the opposition forces because, Syria remains the fourth nation
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Endless Blood Letting In Syria in the world that have stockpiled chemical weapons under his regime. What with the delays in allowing the UN team access into the areas where chemicals were used to kill over 1,500 defenceless civilians, most of whom were women and children, including pregnant women? Why were the UN officials who remained in Damascus for almost a week denied access to the site only for them to be fired with snipers when the exercise eventually commenced? WHILE we salute all world leaders who have expressed disgust at what is happening in Syria and are pushing for more actions and sanctions, we wish to remind them that they have a duty to stop the blood- letting of millions of citizens of that war- ravaged country. We strongly believe that today, not tomorrow is time to act decisively to bring the war to an end. WE therefore condemn Russia and China for arming the Syrian dictator against his people, and for withholding their support for a United Nations common action against al-Assad. It is a shame that in the face of the condemnable holocaust, Damascus had taken delivery of advanced S-300 sir defence systems from Russia
that could vastly improve its defence capabilities and strengthen the dictatorship. Russia and China must stop profiting from the blood of innocent Syrians. WE applaud the UK and the US’ threat of a “serious response” if it emerges from the UN investigations that Syria used chemical weapons last week. We urge Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama to take the lead for a universal action against the Assad regime. In the same vein, we applaud \o “More from guardian.co.uk on Turkey”Turkey which says it would join any international coalition against Syria even if a wider consensus on action could not be reached at the UN security council. We are equally glad to note that 36 to 37 countries are discussing various alternatives to end the crisis. We encourage the coalescing countries to act fast to stop the pogrom. INSTEAD of embarking on wishful boasts a la Hitler, Muamar Ghadafi, Sadam Husein and others, we call on President Assad to step down and allow the war torn country breath a fresh breath because we believe that there is no sacrifice too big for any Syrian to halt the mindless killings going on in that country. WE therefore call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to join forces with the planned coalition of progressive nations to intervene militarily in the Syrian crisis since political options appears to have failed as Assad remains defiant.
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Health
I came to know about prostate cancer in 2007, when my dad was diagnosed with the disease. I saw how he struggled with the pains and the side effects of the surgery. Trust me, it is a disease every man should strive not to have Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men in the world today, after lung cancer. One man in six is liable to have prostate cancer during his life time. This cancer develops as men get older. More than 80 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over age 65. “Prostate cancer is a disease of old men,” says Dr. William Foo, a consultant in clinical oncology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong-Kong. Also, Dr. Sikora, Chief of the World Health Organization (W.H.O) program on cancer control explain that “The majority of prostate cancers occur in men older than 70; therefore as more people live longer, they are more likely to get the disease.” Prostate cancer is a disease that pose a significant threat to health and life. This disease affects the prostate glands at male sex gland located at the base of the urinary bladder directly in front of the lower rectum. “Prostate cancer is an uncontrolled growth of the cells of the prostate,” says Anthony Abner, M.D. Radiation Oncologist at Mount Auburn Hospital. The primary purpose of the prostate gland is to produce the white fluid called semen which is mixed with sperm from the
testicles. The prostate gland also help to control the rate and flow of urination. This deadly disease is relatively slow-growing, which means that it typically takes a number of years to become large to be detectable. A small percentage of men experience more rapidly growing, aggressive forms. As Shawn Stevenson, the Resident Nutritionist from BeWellBuzz.com noted, “Prostate Cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it as it is very slow growing.” Some men may live symptoms free for a life time, despite having this disease because most prostate cancer do not leave any symptoms. But when it has grown, it may cause pain in the pelvic region, difficulty urinating, difficulty having an erection, and bone pain if the cancer has spread to the bone. Researchers clearly stated that men with BRCA2 gene prostate cancer should be treated early and aggressively before the tumors spreads. Professor Ros Eeles and his colleagues, at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and the Royal Marsden HNS Foundation Trust, found that prostate cancer spreads more quickly and were more often fatal in men who had inherited a faulty BRCA2 gene than in men without the faulty gene. As of the early 2000s, prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed disease among adult males in Western Countries. More than 2 million American men are currently living
The Deadly Touch O with prostate cancer, according to estimates. About 213,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and about 27,000 of them die from it. Prostate cancer accounts for about 37,000 new cases in the UK each year and more than 10,000 men die from it annually. In the latest study, experts at Kings College London examined records for 50,066 men with prostate cancer between 1997 and 2007. Just under half of this group (20, 181 men) die during the 10 – year period. A more alarming statistic shows that African – Americans are two and a half times more likely to get the disease than any other race or ethnic group in the world. Research shows that African – Americans develop the disease earlier than their white counterparts. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported in November 1996, that compared to a prostate cancer incidence rate of 186.8 cases per 100,000 white males, African – American men face an incidence of more than 305.4 cases annually per 100,000 population. CAUSES “The causes of prostate cancer are still unclear,” says Dr. Jason Letran. Although the causes may be unclear, there are several risk factors that can increase a man’s chances of having prostate cancer.
These risk factors include: AGE: According to the American Cancer Society, age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. Dr. Abner, the M.D. Radiation Oncologist at Mount Auburn Hospital
stated that, “The incidence of Prostate Cancer increases with age,” He added that, “it’s very rare in men under age 50 and
“As of the early 2000s, prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed disease among adult males in Western Countries. More than 2 million American men are currently living with prostate cancer, according to estimates.”
By UTI ANIEK
very common in men over age 80.” RACE – Statistics shows that African – American men are more likely to have prostate cancer. “It was once thought that there was a higher incidence in African –
with prostate cancer are more likely to develop it themselves,” Dr. Jason Letran pointed out. Dr. Abner advised that, “if patients have a close relative who had or has
fat fish pro hist in r intr diet
Americans because of an increase testosterone level. However, recent studies shows that there is not a correlation between hormones levels and prostate cancer,” says Dr. Abner. “We still don’t know what the biological reasons is for the increased incidence in African – American,” he added. FAMILY HISTORY – A person is likely to have prostate cancer if the father, brother, or relative has or had the disease. “Patients with first degree relatives
prostate cancer, they should start their screening earlier.” A study done at the John Hopkins University in the United States showed that if a father or brother has prostate cancer, the risk of developing the disease is two times greater than the average person. DIET – Prostate Cancer has been correlated to men who eat a lot of red meat and high-fat diet and less fruits and vegetables. In countries like Japan and China where they eat low-
incid has b Dr. Japa Pros that, more the dise canc canc A fact scie deter exer radi sexu
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Health
Of Prostate Cancer
KAN UDOH
diets of vegetables and h, the incidence of ostate cancer has torically been low. But recent years due to the roduction of high – fat ts and junk foods, the
dence of prostate cancer become rampant. Even Keizo Shida, of the anese Foundation for state Research admitted , “Japanese are eating e meat these days. So cases of fat related ease such as breast cer, colon and prostate cer have increased. Apart from this risk ors, there were entific studies to rmine whether lack of rcise, smoking, iation exposure, or ually transmitted virus
might increase the risk of prostate cancer. There have also been a mounting evidence suggesting that prostate cancer is an infectious disease caused by a recently identified virus. Researchers at Columbia
University and the University of Utah found the virus in more than a quarter of some 3000 prostate cancer tissue sample, especially in malignant cells. Dr. Ila singh from the University of Utah pointed out that, “We have no idea if this virus (XMRV) is such a marker, but it clearly needs to be investigated further.” DIAGNOSIS – Prostate Cancer is curable when diagnosed early. Approximately, 90% of
all prostate cancers are detected in the local and regional stages, so the cure rate is very high. Nearly 100% of men diagnosed and treated at this stage will be disease free after five years. Diagnosis of prostate
cancer can be made using some or all of the following tests; DIGITAL RECTAL EXAMINATION (DRE) – During this test, the
doctor puts a gloved lubricated finger into the rectum which lies behind the prostate gland to feel for any lumps in the prostate. If the doctor detect an abnormality, the doctor may order more tests in order to confirm these findings. BLOOD TESTS – Blood tests are used to measure the amount of certain protein markers, such as prostate – Specific Antigen (PSA) found circulating in the blood. Prostate Cancer produces a lot of this protein, significantly raising the circulating levels. A finding for PSA level higher than normal for the patient’s age group suggests that cancer is present. T R A N S R E C TA L ULTRASOUND – A small probe is placed in the rectum and sound waves released from the probe. The sound waves bounce off the prostate tissue and an image is created. This test is an efficient and accurate way to detect rumors. PROSTATE BIOSPY – In this test, the doctor removes a small piece of prostate tissue with a hollow needle and the sample is checked under a microscope for the presence of cancerous cells. This is the most definitive diagnostic tool for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can also be diagnosed based on the examination of the tissue removed during a Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP). This procedure is
performed to help alleviate the symptoms of BPH, a benign enlargement of the prostate. X-RAYS AND I M A G I N G TECHNIQUES – This is done to determine whether the cancer has spread to the lungs. In imaging technique, a computer is used to generate a detailed picture of the prostate and areas nearby to get a clearer view of the internal organs. A bone scan may also be done to check if the cancer has spread to the bone. TREATMENT Prostate cancer can be treated with the following: A C T I V E S U RV E I L L A N C E (Some times called watchful waiting) – The patient is monitored for symptoms or growth of the tumor, but no treatment is given until clear evidence of danger arises. SURGERY – Prostate removal or radical prostatectomy, is a major surgery. The downside of the surgery is urinary incontinence or leakage and impotency. R A D I A T I O N THERAPY – This treatment requires the use of x-ray beam which is focused on the cancer. The x-rays change the DNA of the cancer causing the cell to die; electrons in the DNA atoms of the cancer are changed with the beam treatment. All cancer must die for a successful treatment. H O R M O N E THERAPY – These are chemicals (medicine)
used to control testosterone and other products of glands serving the prostate. Using hormones will cause some shrinkage in the prostate. Hormones shut down various glands to lower their input in making testosterone, giving some control over this type of cancer. CROABLATION – This treatment is the freezing of the prostate gland by liquid nitrogen causing cancer cells to rupture and die as they thaw. CHEMOTHERAPY – Drugs that kills the cancer. Furthermore, some scientist think that vitamins D may help protect against prostate cancer. Their studies suggests that higher intakes of vitamins D could protect men from prostate cancer. But when researchers looked for a relationship between serum 25 – hydroxyvitamin D and the risk of prostate cancer, the result was uncertain. Also, there have been several recent discoveries which have been shown to treat prostate cancer through natural treatment methods. Ron Bazar, the author of a natural prostate remedy program, “Healthy Prostate: The Extensive Guide to Prevent and Head Prostate Problems,” in his podcast, provided real – world examples and expertise to what causes prostate problems, what men should and should not do with enlarged prostate issues, and how diet and exercise can significantly reduce the onset of BPH (Benign Prostate Hyperplasia). Being diagnosed with prostate cancer can be a life – altering experience. And until there is a cure for prostate cancer, the best weapons against this deadly disease are early detection and enlightenment campaigns.
“During this test, the doctor puts a gloved lubricated finger into the rectum which lies behind the prostate gland to feel for any lumps in the prostate. If the doctor detect an abnormality, the doctor may order more tests in order to confirm these findings.”
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Art Alive
With FRANCIS ODUPUTE
“Edo Indigenous Artistes Are As Good As Any Celebrity...” -Mighty ID
Idahosa Jame Bazuaye is his name. Simply known as “Mighty ID,” this famous indigenous musician and music producer is about to surprise the world with what he knows best to do. He spoke with our Arts Editor, FRANCIS ODUPUTE, recently: May we meet you, Sir? My name is Idahosa James Bazuaye. People call me “Mighty ID”. I’m an artiste, I do music and I do movies. For how long have you been into this movie business? Well, we registered the company in Los Angeles, Califonia, in 1998, as “Deswab Records Incorporated. But then we started in Nigeria in 2006 and we registered in Nigeria in 2007. Since then what has the experience been like? Well, we work with a lot of Nigerian Artistes, most of them upcoming artistes, and the experience, musically, has been very nice because the talent is there. A lot of Nigerians are very talented and there are a wide variety of genres. However, the business aspect has not been as good because there is not enough support to get your work out there and a lot of piracy is going on, so the artistes don’t really get their rewards that will encourage them do more. But we, as a company have been able to come together with a group of people that have been together for like seven years. So we can lean on each other in lean times and we have been able to hang in there, determined to see it through. I call that synergy – creative synergy, and I want to believe that so far you’re getting good results for that. Would I be right to say so? Yes… good results, in terms of some of our guys having made it to a higher level. One of the examples is somebody like Pikolo who is now an assistant to the Governor. He’s been with us for that same seven years. In fact we lived together here at JBS Estate; we work together, and one by one, people are making progress to the national scene. What has been the challenges so far? The challenges is that a lot of corporate support has been missing. They want you to use your own money to publicize yourself, then when you’re
famous enough they will now come and help you sell your music – after your have promoted yourself to the level whereby you’re well-known; and basically if you spend a few millions to put yourself in that situation, when they do come to pay you they will be paying you about the same amount you have spent to publicize yourself. So, you just had to work with them in a way that in time you will
are self-employed, basically, to stay into the game without giving up. A stakeholders’ meeting was recently held in Benin City, by your friend here, Pikolo who is now the SSA to the Governor on Arts, Culture and Tourism, about finding a legal framework to protect the interests of
time, the Government needs to encourage us by letting the multi-national companies know that if you’re coming to sell your products to Edo citizens, they should spread some of the money to Edo citizens that are artistes, that do the same thing that the artistes you might bring from other states do. So, even
Idahosa James Bazuaye of DESWAB Records.
finally make profit. Any other record label like yours in Edo State? Well, we’ve heard of some but most of them have not really stayed strong enough. Like Hexagon, they’re still on but the original artistes are no more with them. They all went independent because a lot of these artistes don’t give the record labels enough time to really help them. They get impatient, especially once you sign them, it is now your job to get them money, and if you don’t get them money within a year they want to leave you. But luckily in Deswab we work as partners. So, we’re all struggling together and it’s a 50-50 partnership with most of our artistes. Most of them are producers, they make home beats, so they’re trying to promote themselves. We’re just there as an umbrella to help these local artistes who
indigenous entertainers and artistes in Edo State. Were you aware of it? Yes, we were aware of it and we encouraged Pikolo to come up with things like that. Thank God he has the ear of the Government now, and he’s part of the Government. So he understands the artistes, because he’s an artiste himself, infact he has been a comedian before we even met him, and through us he put out his first musical album, and he has the skill as a comedian and as a musician. And now he’s working in Government. He knows how we’ve prayed and wished to get to the situation we are now. So, he’s a leader in that department, to start listening to us. And these laws they will, hopefully, enact are part of things we dreamt of, whereby we in Edo State need to encourage each other. But at the same
though they might be nationally known, the artistes in Edo State are as good, if not even better than most… and then all around the entertainment game, nationally, quite a few people are from Edo State and Delta. So the old Bendel frame – work is still what we work with. Now with the E n t e r t a i n m e n t stakeholders meeting having come and gone, a number of issues arose… one is that there is a seeming rift among entertainers in Edo State, and this lack of cooperation, lack of unity among the indigenous artistes and entertainers themselves account for their not getting the kind of results they ought to get. Secondly there is also the issue of poor quality of products-as in when you
say somebody is looking for a job now and they ask you “Are you employable? And now somebody is looking for an opportunity like you’re saying and they are asking you “Is your music sellable?”… talking about the quality and content of your products. What is your take on these issues? Well, the quality and the content is as good as the national average and like I said, some are even better than the national average. For example I can tell about the artistes we have here. One of them is Melvin T, and he has a production team called “M.T. Beat.” He has done beats for those selling Lagos artistes and he has been able to even feature on their products, so that they coming to learn from him as a producer and as a leader, and then they go to Lagos, they’re well-known. And usually you don’t know who is behind the artiste unless you buy the product and see the name there. So, we’ve been able to work with Lagos artistes on that same standard. The quality of Edo State artistes is good, the content is good. But sometimes, when you want to produce the products, the album cover mighty not look as good because now the money is not there to get a better album cover. And then, when you’re printing your CDs, if you work with bigger companies your products will be definitely better. But then they’ve been working with these little guys printing five thousand CDs or whatever, which makes it a bit difficult for the artistes. Talking about disunity among Edo artistes, what do you have to say to that? Well, we have something to learn from Delta State. Because when the multinationals come there, they do give the indigenes jobs on stage, behind the scenes and otherwise. And in Delta State, their unity came into being through some older problems they had politically – the Itsekiris, the Urhobos, the Ijaws and all that; as they were resolving their differences, and they saw strength in unity, it transferred into their artistes whereby they would lobby and protest and make sure that they’re getting a piece of
the pie when things happen in Delta State. So, I think, since Delta used to be like the other half of Bendel State, we have no choice but to learn from them, and we’re mostly Edospeaking people, so we’re even related with each other here. It should make things easier for us to come together. But I think it has to do with the leadership. So what Oshiomhole has done so far now by bringing young entertainers into his cabinet or inner circle is to let the young people know that since the Governor is paying attention to you guys – entertainers – it’s time to put your acts together. It doesn’t matter who’s leading the organization, if it’s Maleke or PMAN or whatever. PMAN, concerned Artistes and the likes should all come together, under which ever umbrella or leadership and work as a unit to make sure that there’s one voice in speaking to the multinational companies – because they are the ones with the money. So, what Pikolo has started now is starting to lead people towards that area; now if you want to encourage us to do better, then listen to Pikolo, listen to Maleke, listen to Melvin T., listen to PMAN, listen to the other guy; and it doesn’t matter who is older or who is newer, whoever is going to get the job done – who has the ear of the Governor – should be those I think they should gravitate towards. Now, let’s talk about what you do here. We hear that something is in the offing very soon, by December, from your record label. May you disclose that to us? Yes, December, 28, 2013, will be the day we’re launching a hundred-track album. This is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. At first we did a fifty track album, and when we were about to launch that we found out that somebody has done that somewhere in the world
THE NIGERIAN
19
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Ecowoes
Survival-Here Nor There
A survivor is one who survives a circumstance in which others may die Sometimes one can survive by chance or luck If you are in an airliner when it crashes, as seen in recent months in the country and most parts of the globe, there is not much you can do to make sure you are alive after it hits the ground. or get burnt in airborne nor crash-land into a desert nor into the wide Ocean. All these situations had come to pass, time without number. Escaping in this catastrophe becomes very rear except perchance. But when it comes for one to live after surviving such a situation or crash, perhaps in the desert or 8 jungle, then one would need more than luck. it is you against nature and you will need skills, practice and determination to win the struggle. Think back to the gentlemen, Robinson Crusoe during the shipwreck and how he marooned on a desert Island He did not just give up to the situation but believed he can survive and he did. He sat down lonely, had a think and worked out what he would have to do to build himself a safe home and provide himself food. It is unlikely you are ever going to be the sole survivor after an air crash in the African jungle, is unlikely you are ever going to be shipwrecked and washed up on a desert Island; it is unlikely you are going to be kidnapped and abandoned on a bleak moorland miles from home. Really unlikely - but still possible to anyone, any day. It is more possible that you will one day get lost in the woods near your home. And it is even more possible that you will wonder to yourself: If I did get shipwrecked… If I did survive and an crash If I did get kidnapped... If I did get lost… would I survive? The answer to those questions could be decided by how well you learn and practice - how to turn the plants, flowers, trees and animals you can see around you into the survival aids you need - such as rope, water, food, plants, shelter, fire, fishing lines, stones, palm trees, palm fronts, beds etc. A wise man is man who knows a little about everything. He can survive tough situations because he is a man who understands how to live with nature. There is always a chance that a rescue party could come your way. But what if they do no... Being a true survivor means learning to live all over again, just like turning the clock back thousands of years back to the time when man had none of the sophisticated equipment that he has now. No nylon ropes, no concentrated foods, no high calorie chocolate, no first aid kits, etc. All man had was what he could see around him - and his own bright ideas of putting them to his own use. Early men survived. And if he did it then, you can do it now. This presentation tries to open your eyes to what is around you in the woods and county side and show you how these things can be put to uses which you never suspected especially ‘in times of difficult situations that many countries in the global world are passing through. Infact everything you need to survive is somewhere around you,
By VICTOR ANIUKWU
hiding. This write up will strip away the disguise in which the twentieth century has clothed the world around us. And when you have penetrated that disguise, you will be well on the way to. becoming a true survivor anytime, anywhere any day. Don’t shy away. Situation expectations include, wet, cold, wind, hunger, thirst, loneliness, fear, etc. The dangers you lace from each one of them is much greater than any danger you may imagine you face from wild animals, poisonous snakes or any leftover prehistoric monsters. COLD: May not mean zero temperature. Just try sitting outside on a spring evening without a pullover. The temperature may tell you it is well above freezing. The weatherman on the TV may be chattering on about warm fronts and mild for the time of the day or year, but it will only be a few minutes before you begin feeling cold and wishing you were back inside in front of a fire. Infact cold at home or in the ,jungle is no one companion. WET: Naturally this does not have to be a downpour. Try walking around for a few minutes with damp socks and you will quickly find how unpleasant ii can be. Wet feet send a chili through your whole body. Try lying down for a few moments on dewy grass. There seems to be little moisture there. But your opinion will soon change when the dew soaks into your cloths. Now try drying them without a fire and without a warm sun. When one is not shaded from a dampy weather nor from rainfall, one could be wet and catch cold equally. WIND: You don’t need to be a howling gale either. Try standing in damp clothes in a gentle breeze. It takes only few minutes before the wind seems to turn icy cold and blow right though your body let alone your clothed. In times of survival, what you have on you and what nature provides around you becomes your yardstick to make end meet. It requires your determination ad not lamentation. One does not expose himself to cold nor wet wind, be it in the jungle nor at home. HUNGER: Food provides the energy you need to keep the cold at bay. Lack of food will only make on to be tired. And when you are tired, you do not feel strong enough to take care of yourself. Of course nature had provide all kinds of food stuffs in its originality and they are abundant both at home nor in the jungle. There is more advantage in taking from nature in the jungle than in the city where there is open greed and cheating amongst men in trying to distribute natures gifts. WATER: Water is life, in any situation, and at any point in time, water comes first after life In the jungle or anywhere you can find the source of water by tracing towards the direction where the cold breeze is blowing from - water is a must for survival always Factually, lack of water can drive you to be desperate and foolhardy. Don’t shy away because of the
situation in the jungle or wherever. PANIC: In any turbulent situation, panic comes first. it is the maniac flush of fear - it makes you rush around in one moment and then sit down and cry the next. Just try to remember your hidden skills and start work straightaway. You are a winner starting a new thing or life anytime anywhere. FEAR: When afraid, one is scared and when you are scared, you tend to huddle up things both physically and mentally. Infact
you freeze. You even forget your skills and survival routines. Everyone is afraid sometimes, but you must never let your fear grip you like a Freezing terror, or you may really freeze as you forget your survival tasks, like shelter, fire, water, etc. In any situation stay clear of fear, for fear goes with cowardice and coward die many times before their death1 only the valiant taste death but once... LONELINIESS: Being on your own in such situation at any point is not always fun. Everyone likes somebody to talk to after a while. Edie once spent three months in the jungle on his own and thinks that is long enough He says that without good survival training and skills, many people who may find themselves in such ugly situation just sit down and cry all daylong with loneliness. Nothing seems to matter where there is no one around you to share the joy of the moment with you. Such survival situation requires boldness and proactive action and self determination or else one will die impromptly. Grit action and self determination or else one will die impromptly. Grit your teeth, keep to your survival plans, for one day someone may turn up like man Friday did for Brother Robinson Crusoe. LACK OF CONFIDENCE: Unless you put your skills and toughness to the test, you will never find out if you can be a survivor whenever the situation arises. Such situation cannot occur to me, people say. In recent time we have had capside, of boats and hundreds die, many get lost unseen, may be carried away to other Islands or strange land. Everything I mentioned so far is
constantly happening to people who never taught the same way, I and you thought. Is that the end of such calamity - then who next? Not I, Not you but someone else - may be the devil. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. One young soldier was on a training exercise on a freezing night in the North of Scotland. He built himself an igloo out of packed snow and did not believe that he could be warmer in the snow - hole than outside. So he wrapped himself in his sleeping bag and lay down next to his snow- hole. Half way through the bitter cold night, his companions were awakened up
have one useful weapon to stand the test of survival anytime - that is this Body. This body is the most efficient machine made by Cod and not invented by someone or some group of ideologists. Whenever and wherever - the jungle, the home, the city, the village - always do some keep fit practice. This body is you first weapon for survival as far as you try to keep it fit. When this body! is always in fitness, IL can quickly respond to survival and emergency situations as the case may be. Remember that Man. is the most cunning and 4ever of all animals. He learns faster,
by the noise of this soldier stamping his feet and shouting out just to keep himself warm over the night. His mates were surprised how he forgot his skills and slept outside the snow hole which would be warmer for the cold night. Note that if you have done your home work and listen to experts before - hand, you are just tougher and better equipped than you think. Waste no time in putting your skills to test. In real life survival, you never get a second chance. A typical example is the Nigeria – Biafra Civil War (1967 - 1970). People had various test of time. I was a trained scout master and was on the Eastern axis of the war. It was a hard struggle. But I toll you, all through I never took chances over my scouting skills Cooking, climbing, observing, signalling, signs, sounds, crafts, hunting, fishing, building improvised structures, first Aaid, farming, end tiring, courage, living in the open, communication, etc. 1 finally joined tile force in late 1967 ad scaled through the jungles and forest and various vegetations and axis till early 1970 when it all ended. At school age, I did not all for it nor did I ask for it but situation put me into such acid test that many could not survive. Take advantage of skills and opportunity that comes your way, for now and then, here and here-after Only God knows the next moment of our having and adequate survival. Always concentrate on whatever you are doing all the time because one mistake could be your last. BODY FITNESS: All of us
remembers faster and adapts quicker. This is why he could survive so far arid you can too. So stay alert because the will to survive in all situations of survival is the potent force for life, Without it one will die. It means gritting your teeth and fighting on. Always resist the temptation to give up. That thought Will give you strength and all you have to do is to be determined. Finally about life is just o survive She man on the street, the beggar, the market woman, the civil servant, the - contractor, the minister, the Governor, Head pf Sate or states, the man in the jungle, the man on an Island, a soldier, a musician, the Armed robber, a 419, etc. All of the above are but carrying various survival kits ad making use of them as the situation arises. Survival is a compound word that cut across nations and boundaries. No one can shy alway from it, and even if one tries to escape, he meets with death. Death is the end result of all struggle for survival. In the ugly face to survive, people tend to forget death until the last snatching point, and then see death as cruel, or friend of noone. Man is meant to prepare for death but people see death as an irony that should not be pronounced, other see the word death as an abomination Spiritual life under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master, not a quack nor a pseudo, teaches one to be ever prepared for death as declared by Master Jesus “man know thyself.” People in most cases don’t know whom they are and what
tomes next - Either to die and come back to perfect your life, nor prepare to die and go back to the kingdom! of God only if and when you are pure in Heart. To be pure in Heart takes you through the modes of ignorance, modes of passion, the modes of goodness and the modes of pure goodness before attaining purity of Heart which leads one to the transcendental plane of eternity. Infact it is a lifelong school of thought. As many are called and refused to follow the righteous part, so many are called and very few are chosen at the end of it all. No United Nations is required, No high personality profile is required, No African Union is required, No high personality profile is required to guarantee anyone. On that last
day, of the last hour, the last hour of the last minutes, the last minutes of the last minute, the last minute of the last second, of the last blinking of your eyes and the last blinking of your last breath which goes upwards and never comes down. That tells the end of a life journey. Remember, you will be alone on that day and will be alone to carry your cross. No one will do it for you. Now sin no more will you? And how much are you prepared to be Pure in Heart? Everyone will say yes I am ready. That decision will be your according to your thoughts, words and actions on earth before death and not your decision because you don’t stand any chance to judge yourself nor anyone anymore. Everyone is saying Lord, Lord but saying Lord Lord is not the criteria to ascertain your purity of Heart. Remember the man who told Jesus, “1 want to live eternal life” and Jesus answered, “Go and follow the ten commandments first.” And he said to Jesus; that had been my practice for long And Jesus said, “Go now and sell all your belongings, give the proceeds to the poor and come bath to me.” This man did not come back to Jesus because he is a liar and also attached to material things of life and not eternal life a claimed earlier. We are all like that. Our thought words and actions will be our redeemer on that day watch out. Human beings are full of false prestige, false claims and false pretense which leads to cheating, stealing and sinful actions all and around man and his environment. “Man know thyself.”
THE NIGERIAN
20
When A Wife Earns More
MARRIAGE is a union of two people from different backgrounds. When a man and a woman come together in matrimony, they have to come to terms with the fact that both of them need to learn to cope with each other’s behaviour, both the good and bad ones. The couple has to learn to cope with certain issues, situations and other matters that may arise from time to time in their union. One major cause of rifts in the home, is a situation where the wife earns more than the husband. For some men however it does not really matter as they believe that such issues cannot create problems between them and their spouse, but for other men, this type of situation can create not just problems but serious ones where by the man sees the wife as a threat to his position in the home. After all, he is the head of the home, isn’t it? Some women could really behave so irrational and this can cause them to become puffy and now assume the position of the bread-winner at the same time as the head of such home, which is not supposed to be the case. There are men who do not take kindly to such seemingly unnatural domestic issues as this pose a threat to their dignity and pride. Even cultures and tradition expect that a man should earn higher than his wife, since the man’s duty is to head the home, provide for the home and protect every one in the family including the wife. He should as a matter of fact earn more than his wife in order to live above expectations. In few cases, however, reverse is the case nowadays. It is a common
more or not, as long as the money is used to take care of their needs and other obligation to their families, such men are ever ready to be subservient to their wives.
boss. He is expected to be catering for every member of his family in every aspect of life. So therefore, in a situation in which a wife has a higher economic power, the husband ego is consequently threatened.
Some men whose wives earn more than them, have many good and beautiful stories to tell about their wives while some other ones who are not that lucky have a tale of woes to tell. Many women have allowed their high pay to get into their heads and as a result, no longer respect their husbands a bit. Research has shown that among human beings even animal species, the male is often the head, the dominant self and the
Due to the issue of pride, some men find it difficult to seek help or assistance from their wives in the discharge of domestic and financial responsibilities. Some women however in an attempt to help, often result in argument and disagreement especially over things that are less important. Some times this disagreement or misunderstanding lead to several marital stress and consequently separation and divorce. But there are some couples who have been
By ESTHER JOSEPH
practice to find women who earn higher than their spouses, thus becoming the bread-winner in their homes. The question now is “why” should a wife earn more than her husband? Many factors are responsible for this, for instance when a woman who posses higher educational qualification, find a better place of work, hence, could earn more income far higher than her husband. There are also those who may not necessarily be more educated than their spouses, but for the simple reason that they work in more lucrative and highly paid sector, can earn more than their husbands. There are yet these who earn more by virtue of the fact that they change jobs or gain promotion more rapidly than their spouse, more so, it has been discovered that business women earn more than their husband, due to luck, social and family connections. In most cases it puts some women at a more advantage position to earn more. Some people are of the view that some women easily manage such privileges and opportunities while others are not able. This basically has to do with the background of the woman involves, social exposure, level of understanding and psychological make up. But the fact remains that men generally are not disposed to such opportunities, when some men because of pride, ego and shame, deeply resent it, while others would not mind such opportunities, because for them they are okay. They would not careless if the wife earns
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
FEMINIQUE With IJEOMA UMEH email: ladywithegoldenpen@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 08182382839 able to accommodate and satisfactorily handle such seemingly unnatural situations. There are women who feel very uncomfortable or guilty for earning more than their husbands while some others have the attitude that says: “I am the main bread winner, why must I do any other thing
in the house?” There are instances where some husbands no longer eat at home simply because their wives insult them every time they give them food. There are instances where husbands go to people to borrow money because they dare not ask their wives for loans or grants. A man in such situation would go out to borrow to avoid insults from the wife who sees her money as solely belonging to her. A wife who has more
money should support her husband and family. Why? because marriage is a union of two people, you are married to him, to provide that part of him that may not be there at present, and also know that no condition is permanent as position could be reversed as God wishes. You married him as the solution to that observed gap of loneliness which could be financial, physical or emotional. You should be friends and friends support each other. Don’t let money destroy your marriage rather utilize money and other resources to save your marriage. Don’t be like such women who after refer to their personal belongings as “my money, my house, my car, my this, my that”, forgetten that all what she has were given to her by God and if all that you have were given to you by God, why should you boast as though you are the almighty? Any wife who earns more than her husband should consider such as a privilege. Who knows maybe God put you in such position for this reason, to complement the effort of her husband in her God given role as a help mate. Money should not be an issue, let it make no difference to your marriage. A wife who is in better financial position should watch her attitude and manners because it is possible to begin to react negatively and hence seemingly proud each time her husband or her family makes demands on her. She should not think that her husband is trying to take advantage of her instead she should see what she can do better to empower her husband. As a wife try to keep things balanced in your home or family.
THE NIGERIAN
21
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Issues
A Widow And The Point We Miss By BLESSING YAKUBU
THOSE who accuse Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of dehumanising or traumatising the now famed Benin widow are strident in their view that the widow did not deserve to be so upbraided as the governor did even as a law breaker. They point to the fact of the widow’s profuse supplications as enough atonement serious enough to have melted the Comrade’s heart even if it is made of iron and steel. Some have also expressed indignation for the Comrade in words that clearly suggest they would give vent to their anger by throwing pebbles at the governor were they to come in physical contact. There is a point in all of this as Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a human being, infallible as we all are, admitted he failed to reign in his anger (by what he said as opposed to what he did) at a law-breaker caught in the act in public. But what would his accusers have wished he did? Is it that he failed to observe the injunction of Jesus Christ who told the woman accused of adultery in the bible ‘’Go and sin no more’’? It is heart-warming that the Comrade Governor has since taken steps to remedy the damage his upbraid of the widow, Mrs. Joy Ifije, may have caused, not only to the widow but also the slur on his image as a humane, caring governor presiding over the lives and livelihood of all of us, including widows and widowers. Profuse apologies have been offered and gladly and
genuinely accepted in a manner that should humble Comrade Oshiomhole’s critics, including those who have attempted to gain
not only keep those in power reminded that we are the masters but also point out to them the way we would like to be governed. The case of the widow is a good example of
obey these traffic lights erected to make for order on our roads? It is only in Benin City that taxis and buses stop to pick or drop passengers right on the road and every other motorists must stop and
part of the ordinary citizens to make laws work. In Edo state, it would appear that we make deliberate effort to circumvent traffic and environmental laws particularly. It was this
move at the pleasure of the commercial drivers. Street lights and other beautification projects provided for our comfort and wellbeing have been destroyed or vandalised. Pedestrian walk ways on Mission Road, Oba Market Road and New Benin have become market stalls while pedestrians have been pushed to the roads to compete with vehicles. Monthly environmental sanitation exercises declared for the last Saturdays of every month are rarely observed as we think that three hours of the exercise is too much time to waste on keeping our h0omes and surroundings clean and healthy. But when some of our people travel to other state capitals they come back with tales of how clean that city is, how orderly traffic flows in that other city. It takes human efforts on the
knowledge of our being adverse to change that brought Comrade Oshiomhole to the streets when he had an encounter with the Benin widow. Have we asked ourselves why our governor has to personally monitor the streets to ensure we comply with rules and regulations? This is the point we miss. Two critical agencies, Taskforce on War Against Indiscipline (WAI) and Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) created by this
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.
political mileage from a mere human foible. Suddenly, C o m r a d e Oshiomhole has thrown up the issue of widows and widowhood, awakening some political hawks from a slumber they and their torn-umbrella platform may not recover from easily. The controversy the incident involving the widow has generated also clearly shows that we, the people, are beginning to imbibe C o m r a d e Oshiomhole’s often restated idea that as masters of the servants we elected into public office, we owe it a duty to ourselves to interrogate those in power. He had said several times in the past that we must speak to power in a manner that would
how we the people live particularly in Edo state. We are unarguably very lawless people who like to be handled with iron fists. Those who reside in Benin City know that it can take only a tough, no non-sense governor to change our city as well as our attitude towards orderliness and cleanliness for the better. We require an unrelenting, hard and uncompromising implementation of laws, rules and regulations. All genuine efforts by the present administration to make our state better will come to nought if we the citizens do not contribute our quota to the sustenance of such government efforts. Examples will suffice here. Traffic lights have been erected at major intersections/ junctions on major streets in Benin City. How many drivers, especially commercial drivers,
administration must be alive to their responsibilities not just in the enforcement of relevant laws but also in public education and enlightenment. Their staff should be trained properly as many of them, most unfortunately, do not even know the laws or rules and regulations they are on the field to enforce. The state governor does not have to be on the streets by himself to monitor compliance with laws and regulations. Relevant ministerial, departmental or agency heads have a responsibility to ensure that government policies, regulations and laws relevant to their ministries, departments and agencies are implemented to the letter. The case of the Benin widow, rather than dampen the enthusiasm of the Comrade Governor and his team to do what is right without fear or favour should spur them to intensify efforts at cleaning up our state capital especially now that Mrs. Joy Ifije’s case has served as enough enlightenment and education to the people. It should be a case of no retreat, no surrender. B L E S S I N G YAKUBU, a Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
“Those who reside in Benin City know that it can take only a tough, no non-sense governor to change our city as well as our attitude towards orderliness and cleanliness for the better. We require an unrelenting, hard and uncompromising implementation of laws, rules and regulations.”
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Beauty Guide
Best Beauty Secrets: All Natural THERE are several do’s and don’ts regarding beauty, but here are ten special beauty tips that anyone, no matter their sex or gender, would find valuable. Coconut oil conditioning treatment for your hair: Section hair and saturate from root to tip with extral virgin coconut oil. Let sit for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight if you wish) to rebuild and strengthen hair for a day in the sun, protect and treat tresses by combing a small amount of oil through hair, the heat of the sun activate the oil for a deep conditioning and you’ll get some nice waves. Satin pillow cases control frizz: If you suffer from a frizzy unmanageable hair switen, your pillow case to satin, the fabric helps lock in moisture. Cotton causes hair to dry out, so the friction of tossing and turning during the night creates tangle, split-ends and breakage. Yikes!
Wash make up brushes/ puff weekly: Use baby shampoo or create a cleaner with a cup of hot water and a tablespoon of white vinegar. Let brushes soak for 20 minutes cold rinse and pat dry this disinfects and disolves make-up and grease. Repeat weekly to prevent transmitting germs and bacteria between applications. Potatoes reduce eye puff and dark circles: Refrigerate and potato and thinly slice. Apply slices to
By ELOHOR JENNIFER OFOLUWO
eyes for 5 minutes, the natural astringent properties reduce water retention, eliminating puffiness. Bonus: the liquid starch in the potato also lightens skin, remove dark circles!. Bleach teeth with baking soda: No need for fancy kits or in- office treatment. Wet your toothbrush, then add a little baking soda to it brush for 2 minutes and rinse. Only do this once per week as too much of any
bleaching method weakens enamel skin. Bathe in green tea for sunburn relief: Draw a lukewarm bath and add a few green tea bags. Soak for 20-30 minutes the tannic acid in the tea sooth and help beal skin reducing redness, pain, itching and inflammation. Fade freckles with yogurt: They’re so super cute, but if you would rather do away with the sun kisses,
apply a thin layer of yogurt to affected skin area and allow to fully dry wipe away and follow-up with moisturizer repeat daily until freckles are faded. Lemons swipe self tan streaks away: Say bye to a bad tan with a quick swipe of lemon juice to the skin. Use a cotton pad soaked in the liquid or an actual wedge of the citres fruit. Simply rub the streaky area to lift the ‘tan’ and ta da!. Shave: wait 3 minutes to share: Once you have
stepped into the shower, wait a good 3 minute before swiping a razor. The warm water will soften the stuble, giving you a close share and reducing likeliness of nicks/ cuts. Extend razor life with olive oil: Obviously storing razors dry and away from the showers will prevent rust from forming but go one step further by placing the sharp blade in a cup of olive oil. The oil will give you a nice smooth touchable shave.
“No need for fancy kits or in- office treatment. Wet your toothbrush, then add a little baking soda to it brush for 2 minutes and rinse. Only do this once per week as too much of any bleaching method weakens enamel skin.”
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Reflection
With Rev. Fr. Damian Adizie 08076635886
St John Of The Cross And Mystery Of The Cross
WHAT is the essence of the cross? Why must we recommend the cross in a world were people are fed up with suffering; a world where suffering is seen as a curse that must be averted at all cost? How can we reflect on the cross in a world where most preachers are preaching prosperity and breakthrough? You may even ask, ‘why must we talk about the cross when Christ has died on the cross on our behalf?’ These are some of the issues we shall address as the Catholics all over the world celebrate the feast of St. John of the cross. The Cross is the emblem of suffering and pain. It is the symbol of man’s evil and God’s redemption. The Cross reminds us of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians concerning the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross: “he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross…” (Philip 2:6-8). Our Lord Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. Before the death of Christ on the cross, the cross was seen as a symbol of shame and terror. The Roman Empire used the cross as a means of public execution. For the Jews anyone that is hanged on the tree is accursed: “If a man has committed a crime punishable by death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree… a hanged man is accursed by God” (Deuteronomy 21:2223). Christ, however, redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Christ was accursed for our sake. The cross is essentially the symbol of being a follower of Christ. The Cross is not just an empty symbol it is also a necessary requirement for becoming a Christian. Jesus told his followers, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life would lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it” (Luke 9:23). The cross is the way and the ladder. It is the ladder to climb up to God. Where there is no cross there is no crown. Salvation came through the Cross. We are celebrating the feast of a man who took the cross as the essence of his Christian life, a man whose life is characterized by suffering, pain and rejection. Who is this St. John of the cross? What is the relationship between St. John of the Cross and the mystery of the cross? John was born in Fontiveros, near Ávila in Spain. His father, Gonzalo, was an accountant to richer relatives who were silk merchants. In 1529 he married John’s mother, Catalina, who was an orphan of a lower class, he was rejected by his family and forced to work with his wife as a weaver. John’s father died in 1545, while John was seven years old. Two years later, John’s older brother Luis died as a result of insufficient nourishment caused by the destitution to which John’s family had been reduced. After this, John’s mother Catalina took John and his surviving brother Francisco and moved to Medina del Campo, where she was able to find a weaving work. John entered the Carmelite Order in 1564 where he professed his religious vows. He traveled to Salamanca, where he studied theology and philosophy and was ordained priest in 1567. After his ordination he wanted to join the strict Carthusian Order because of its deeper solitary and contemplative life. He traveled from Salamanca to Medina del Campo in search of a new vocation; it was there he met a charismatic Carmelite nun, Teresa of Jesus. She was in
Medina to establish her second convents for women. When John expressed his intention of leaving the Carmelite Order, Teresa immediately talked to him about her reformation projects for the Order: she was
population around the monastery. They were to observe total abstinence from meat and lengthy fasting from the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross until Easter. There were to be long periods of silence, especially between
December 2, 1577, a group of Carmelites who were opposed to the reform broke into John’s dwelling in Ávila and got him arrested. John was taken from Ávila to the Carmelite monastery in Toledo. He was brought before
• Rev. Fr. John Damian Adizie, OCD
seeking to restore the purity of the Carmelite Order by restarting the observance of its “Primitive Rule” of 1209, which had been relaxed. In October 1568 John left Valladolid to found a new monastery for friars. He was given a dilapidated house at Duruelo, which had been donated to Teresa. On 28 November 1568, the monastery was officially established, and it was on that same day John took the title John of the Cross. In this new foundation, most of the day and night was to be spent in the recitation of the offices, study and devotional reading, the celebration of Mass. For the friars, time was to be spent evangelizing the
Compline and Prime. Simple habits were to be worn. They were to follow the injunction against the wearing of shoes. This gave them the “Discalced Carmelites”, i.e., barefoot, differentiating themselves from the non-reformed Carmelites. When John started the reformation, he was vigorously opposed and he suffered many trials and setbacks. He received an order from some of his superiors ordering him to leave Ávila and return to his original house, but John had refused on the basis that his reform work had been approved by the Spanish nuncio, a higher authority than these superiors. The Carmelites therefore took John captive. On the night of
“When John started the reformation, he was vigorously opposed and he suffered many trials and setbacks. He received an order from some of his superiors ordering him to leave Ávila and return to his original house, but John had refused on the basis that his reform work had been approved by the Spanish nuncio, a higher authority than these superiors. The Carmelites therefore took John captive. On the night of December 2, 1577, a group of Carmelites who were opposed to the reform broke into John’s dwelling in Ávila and got him arrested.”
a court of friars, accused of disobeying the ordinances of Superior. He received a punishment of imprisonment. He was jailed in the monastery, where he was kept under a brutal schedule that included public lashing before the community at least weekly and severe isolation in a tiny stifling cell measuring ten feet by six feet, barely large enough for his body. He had to stand on a bench to read his breviary by the light through the hole into the adjoining room. He had no change of clothing and was feeding on a penitential diet of water, bread and scraps of salt fish. He managed to escape nine months later, on 15 August 1578, through a small window in a room adjoining his cell. After escaping from the prison with the help of the nun’s John continued with his reformation. In October 1578, as a result of the opposition faced from other Carmelites they decided to demand from the Pope their formal separation from the rest of the Carmelite Order. On June 22, 1580 Pope Gregory XIII signed a decree, titled Pia Consideratione, which authorised a separation between the Calced and Discalced Carmelites. The Dominican friar Juan
Velázquez de las Cuevas was appointed to carry out the decisions. At the first General Chapter of the Discalced Carmelites, in Alcalá de Henares on 3 March 1581, John of the Cross was elected one of the “Definitors” of the community, and he wrote a set of constitutions for them. By the time of the Provincial Chapter at Alcalá in 1581, there were 22 houses, some 300 friars and 200 nuns in the Discalced Carmelites. In June 1588, he was elected third Councillor to the Vicar General for the Discalced Carmelites, Father Nicolas Doria. After disagreeing with some of Doria’s remodeling of the leadership of the Discalced Carmelite Order John was removed from his post in Segovia, and sent by Doria in June 1591 to an isolated monastery in Andalusia called La Peñuela. There he fell ill and he traveled to the monastery at Úbeda for treatment. His condition worsened and he died there on 14 December 1591. After his graduation in the school of suffering, St. John of the cross taught his followers that the world is not a bed of roses. Even our spiritual journey is characterized by what he describes as “Dark night”. In his famous book, Dark Night of the soul St. John of the Cross narrates the journey of the soul from her bodily home to her union with God. It happens during the night, which represents the hardships and difficulties she meets in detachment from the world and reaching the light of the union with the Creator. There are several steps in this night. The main idea of the poem can be seen as the painful experience that people endure as they seek to grow in spiritual maturity and union with God. December 14th is not just the death anniversary of St. John of the Cross it is also his feast day as a Saint and as a Doctor of the Church. After his suffering and persecutions today he has be canonized as a saint. Jesus assured his followers, “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” (Matthew 5:11). Child of God, no matter what you are passing through in the hands of your persecutors one day God must surely reward you. So long as you are persecuted for Christ sake, you have nothing to regret. It shall be well with you in Jesus name – Amen!
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
International Failed Grenade Attack On British Tourists
NAIROBI - Attackers hurled a grenade yesterday at British tourists in Kenya but it failed to explode, police said, a rare attack specifically targeting the foreign visitors who are key to the economy. “The grenade has been detonated safely by experts,” said Robert Kitur, police chief
Putin Announces Crackdown On Offshore Companies MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday announced a set of initiatives to crack down on Russian companies who register and pay taxes in foreign offshore jurisdictions. Cyprus, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have for years been destinations of choice for thousands of Russian companies, from small ones to industry giants, that seek to avoid Moscow’s heavy-handed regulation and unpredictable legal and tax practices. Putin said in a state of the nation address on Thursday that foreign-registered companies that operate in Russia and have Russian citizens as beneficiaries should now be obliged to pay taxes in Russia. “You want to have offshores? Fine. But get the money here,” he said. Russian companies registered in offshore jurisdictions will not be allowed to bid at state tenders, Putin said. State tenders have been a major source of income for many Russian businesses. Putin also threatened to stop propping up Russian companies with foreign registration. The Kremlin spent billions out of its rainy-day fund in 2008 to bail out industry giants including Rusal, the aluminum producer that is registered in Cyprus. Leading businessmen have said they would be willing to drop foreign registration only after Russia launches tangible reforms of the court system and law e
for the port city of Mombasa, where the attack took place. “We are investigating the incident and looking for the man who threw the grenade at the tourists and fled.” The tourists, who in a vehicle in the Likoni district of Mombasa, were attacked while travelling from the popular Indian Ocean coastal resort of Diani on the way to a wildlife safari at Kenya’s world famous Maasai Mara national park. Tourism is key multi-million earner of foreign currency for
into restaurants in Mombasa and crowded areas in the capital Nairobi, as well as a string of attacks in the remote northeast region bordering Somalia. The Shebab also claimed the brutal September assault on Nairobi’s upmarket Westgate mall in which at least 67 people died in a four-day seige, a centre popular with foreigners. However, such grenades attacks have in the past rarely targeted tourists. In September 2011 gunmen killed a British man David
Pope Francis
Tebbutt and kidnapped his wife Judith - who was held for six months before being released — who were on holiday at a Kenyan coastal resort close to the Somali border. Three weeks later, disabled Frenchwoman Marie Dedieu was kidnapped from her home on Kenya’s Manda island and later died in captivity in Somalia. Police said they had beefed up
security. “We are appealing to everybody to exercise caution, especially over this festive season, and to share information with security agencies to win the war on terror,” said Kitur. “We have intensified security at tourist hotels and other vital installations to avert terrorism attacks.”
ZINTAN, Libya - The son of late dictator Moammar Gadhafi briefly appeared before a militia-backed court in a western Libyan town yesterday only to see the proceedings against him adjourned until the end of February. Since the end of Libya’s 2011 civil war, Seif al-Islam Gadhafi has been held by a militia in Zintan, which has refused to hand him over for a separate trial in the capital, Tripoli — a sign of the central government’s weakness. In Tripoli, he is being tried in absentia along with 39 other Gadhafi regime figures, including notorious spymaster Abdullah al-
Senoussi, for alleged crimes during Libya’s conflict. Seif al-Islam is also wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity. The only Gadhfai son in custody, Seif al-Islam looked healthy during his brief appearance Thursday in the Zintan court. Wearing a blue prison uniform, he replied with a “no” when the judge asked him whether he had any requests. The hearings were then adjourned until Feb. 27 because the judge demanded that “other suspects” be brought in. In the Zintan trial, Seif alIslam faces charges of attempting to escape prison and insulting Libya’s new flag. These charges are linked to a meeting he had in June 2012 with an ICC delegation that was accused of smuggling documents and a camera to him in his cell. The four-member team from The Hague was detained by Zintan rebels but released after the international tribunal apologized and pledged to investigate the incident. The Zintan charges are separate from both those by the ICC, which indicted Seif al-Islam for the murder and persecution of protesters in the uprising that ultimately toppled his father’s regime, and those by the Tripoli court. Thursday’s hearing was held amid tight security measures, with several masked policemen guarding Seif al-Islam inside the courtroom. The Zintan proceedings and the refusal of its militia to hand over Seif al-Islam underscore some of the many troubles plaguing Libya. Since Gadhafi’s fall, the country has fallen hostage to heavily armed militias — which were once the backbone of the uprising — that continue to challenge the central government and threaten its transition to democratic rule. With frequent attacks on public figures and security officials, much of the lawlessness is blamed on the groups. But the government also relies on many of them to provide security in the absence of a functioning police force.
Gadhafi’s Son Briefly Appears In Libyan Court
Bangladesh Clears Execution Of northeastern city of Sylhet. In DHAKA - Bangladesh’s northern Rajshahi, Jamaat Opposition Leader Supreme Court yesterday activists clashed with police. cleared the way for the execution of an Islamist opposition leader, sparking violent protests by his supporters less than a month before elections are due to be held. Abdul Quader Mollah, found guilty of war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, was set to be hanged at Dhaka Central Jail on Wednesday, but his lawyers earned a last-minute reprieve. yesterday, a panel of five judges, led by Chief Justice
Pope Attacks Mega-Salaries, Big Bonuses In Peace VATICAN CITY - Pope Message Francis attacked mega-salaries and big bonuses yesterday, saying in the first peace message of his pontificate that they are symptoms of an economy based on greed and inequality. In his message for the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace, marked by the Church around the world on January 1, he also called for more sharing of wealth among people and nations to narrow the gap between the rich and poor. “The grave financial and economic crises of the present time ... have pushed man to seek satisfaction, happiness and security in consumption and earnings out of all proportion to the principles of a sound economy,” he said. “The succession of economic crises should lead to a timely rethinking of our models of economic development and to a change in lifestyles,” he said. Francis, who was named Time
Kenya. The British High Commission in Kenya said they had “heard the reports and are investigating”, but gave no further details. The attack comes as Kenya celebrates its 50 years of independence from former colonial rulers Britain. Since Kenya invaded southern Somalia in October 2011 to help oust Al-Qaedalinked Shebab insurgents, it has seen a wave of grenade attacks. Grenades have been hurled
magazine’s Person of the Year on Wednesday, has urged his own Church to be more fair, frugal and less pompous and to be closer to the poor and suffering. His message will be sent to national leaders, international organizations such as the United Nations, and NGO’s. Titled “Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace”, the message also attacked injustice, human trafficking, organized crime and the weapons trade as obstacles to peace. The new pope’s style is characterized by frugality. He shunned the spacious papal apartment in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace to live in a small suite in a Vatican guest house, and he prefers a Ford Focus to the traditional pope’s Mercedes.
Mohammad Mojammel Hossain, rejected a petition that could have led to a review of the death penalty. “There is now no legal bar to hang Mollah. All confusion is over,” said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam. Mollah is assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, which is barred from contesting elections but plays a key role in the opposition movement led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He is one of five Islamist leaders condemned to death by
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), set up in 2010 to investigate atrocities perpetrated during the 1971 conflict, in which three million people died. Mollah would become the first person to be hanged for war crimes, but he cannot be hanged until the defense receives a copy of the order, his lawyer, Abdur Razzak, said. Reacting to the news, Jamaat activists torched and vandalised vehicles and set off crude bombs in the port city of Chittagong and the
At least seven people have been killed in sporadic violence since late on Tuesday, when Mollah’s execution was first announced. But, in the capital, Dhaka, hundreds of people broke into cheers after the appeal was dismissed. “Justice has been served, though we had to wait for 42 years,” said university student Afzal Hossain. Critics of the tribunal say it has been used as a political tool by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is locked in a long and
Ukrainian riot policemen pull a Pro-European Union activist out form a tent camps on the Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013. Security forces clashed with protesters as they began tearing down opposition barricades and tents set up in the center of the Ukrainian capital .
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
International
Ukrainian Riot Police Withdraw After Overnight Move On Demonstrators
KIEV - Ukrainian protesters stood their ground on Wednesday after an overnight sweep by riot police and their leaders dismissed an offer of talks from a president they say must quit for favoring ties with Russia over the European Union. Pressed by Europe and the United States, which condemned the destruction of a protest camp in central Kiev, President Viktor Yanukovich offered to meet opposition leaders to find a way out of a crisis that blew up last month when he yielded to pressure from Moscow and spurned a free trade deal with the EU. But his opponents, whose supporters continued to occupy the capital’s City Hall, rejected his invitation and stuck to demands that the president and his government resign. The authorities had made their most forceful attempt so far to reclaim the streets, sending in battalions of riot police with bulldozers to clear Independence Square. There were scuffles and arrests but police did not enter the nearby City Hall and by morning they withdrew from the streets. Within hours, after meetings with U.S. and European Union officials who had urged him to compromise, Yanukovich asked his opponents to meet him to negotiate a way out of the impasse: “I invite representatives of all political parties, priests, representatives of civil society to national talks,” he said in a statement that also called on the opposition not to “go down the road of confrontation and ultimatums”. One protest leader, Oleh Tyahnibok, dismissed the move as “a farce and a comedy”, while Arseny Yatsenyuk, a leader of a major opposition party, said there should only be talks once their demands had been met. These include the resignation of the president and government and a release of prisoners. In some of the strongest comments from Washington so far, the White House spokesman urged Yanukovich to listen to the people and resume Ukraine’s integration with Europe: “Violence of this sort that we have seen on the
Ukrainian opposition leader Arsenily Yatsenyuk (left) and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton
streets of Kiev is impermissible in a democratic state,” he added. At stake is the future of a country of 46 million people, torn between popular hope of joining the European mainstream and the demands of former Soviet master Russia, which controls the flow of cheap natural gas needed to stave off bankruptcy. At the main protest camp on Independence Square, pop stars, politicians and priests had pleaded with police not to shed blood. The interior minister called for calm and promised that the square would not be stormed. But even after the police left the streets, Vitaly Klitschko, a world boxing champion who has emerged as one of the main figures of the opposition, said the overnight action had “closed off the path to compromise”. “We understand that Yanukovich has not wish to talk to the people and only understands physical force,” he said. Police had been bussed in to the city centre under darkness as protesters shouted “Get out, criminal!” - a reference to Yanukovich. Riot police packed roads to Independence Square, where thousands of people have maintained a vigil in bitter
winter cold. Helmeted officers moved slowly into the camp, bulldozing tents and barricades with tractors mounted with shovels. Dozens of demonstrators and police were hurt in scuffles but several officers said they had orders not to use force. The action stalled after day broke, with temperatures in the snowbound capital stuck well below freezing. Some riot police left to cheers from lines of protesters holding them back. At City Hall, demonstrators had sprayed police with water from a hose and had lobbed a Molotov cocktail from a window into a police truck before the officers finally withdrew. On the square, protesters, many wearing hardhats in orange, the color that symbolized a successful popular revolt against a fraudulent election in 2004, said they had feared they would be stormed. Priests intoned prayers from a stage on the square and urged police not to use violence. Ruslana, a Ukrainian pop star, called from a loud hailer: “Do not hurt us!” Some protesters held mobile phones in the air like candles and sang the national anthem, while church bells rang out from a
cathedral 2 km (a mile) away, as in times of danger centuries ago. “He is spitting in the faces of the United States, 28 countries of Europe, 46 million Ukrainians,” opposition leader Yatsenyuk said of Yanukovich during the night. “We will not forgive him this.” The eventual police withdrawal was greeted with euphoria. “We are seeing that truth does exist, that it is worth fighting for. It is a small victory, but these small victories will lead to big victories,” said protester Serhiy Chorny. The crisis has added to the financial hardship of a country on the brink of bankruptcy. The cost of insuring Ukraine’s debt against default initially rose 30 basis points, before falling back after the police withdrew from the streets. It now costs more than $1 million a year for five years to insure $10 million in Ukrainian debt over that term, showing investors think it is more likely than not Ukraine will default. European leaders say the trade pact with Ukraine would have brought investment. But the country’s Soviet-era industry relies on Russian
natural gas, giving Moscow enormous leverage. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Wednesday he had told European leaders they would need to provide Kiev with 20 billion euros in aid for Ukraine to sign the stalled pact with Brussels. He promised that a meeting with Russian officials set for December 17 would not include talks on joining a Moscow-dominated customs union, a major worry for the opposition. European Union officials are discussing with the IMF, World Bank and other financial institutions how to help Ukraine if it decides after all to sign an EU deal. Western countries spoke out strongly against use of force. “The United States expresses its disgust with the decision of Ukrainian authorities to meet the peaceful protest in Kiev’s Maidan Square with riot police, bulldozers and batons, rather than with respect for democratic rights and human dignity,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement. “This response is neither acceptable nor does it befit a democracy.” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State
Victoria Nuland were both in Kiev, as part of an active diplomatic campaign to lure Ukraine back westwards. Nuland visited protesters before meeting Yanukovich on Wednesday. After two hours of talks with the president, she said she had complained to him about behavior that was “absolutely impermissible ... in a democratic state”. “But we also made clear that we believe there is a way out for Ukraine, that it is still possible to save Ukraine’s European future and that is what we want to see the president lead,” she said. This would require reopening talks with Europe and with the International Monetary Fund, which has offered Ukraine loans on conditions which Yanukovich has rejected. After meeting Yanukovich, Ashton, too, condemned the use of force against demonstrators as “totally unacceptable”. She said those arrested must be released and all-party talks begun. There were signs that the authorities were reluctant to order bloodshed on the square. Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko issued a statement calling for restraint. The police action reenergized a protest movement that activists had feared could lose momentum in the bitter cold. Thousands of people streamed to the square in the dead of night, woken by telephone calls and social media messages from those standing their ground. After the police left, volunteers rebuilt barricades and poured water on the cobblestones to turn them into ice sheets in anticipation of another assault. They packed ice-hard snow over metal scraps, logs and benches while a priest on stage called out: “They broke down our barricades, but they can’t break our hearts!” “This will freeze and be strong,” said Mykhaylo Yichka, 24, a choir director, who planned to volunteer at the camp until evening before going home to catch up on sleep. “I want a normal life, but this government cannot give it to me and only makes laws to serve itself. So I am here.”
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
International Features
Tech Firms Vie To Protect Personal Data, Profits
SAN FRANCISCO Even as Silicon Valley speaks out against the U.S. government’s surveillance methods, technology companies are turning a handsome profit by mining personal data and peering into people’s online habits. The industry’s profit machine has become tarnished by revelations that the National Security Agency trolls deep into the everyday lives of Web surfers. As a result, companies, including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are becoming more aggressive in their attempts to counter any perception that they voluntarily give the government access to users’ email and other sensitive information. Microsoft’s general counsel, Brad Smith, warned in a blog post last week that the U.S. government’s online surveillance efforts “threaten to seriously undermine confidence in the security and privacy of online communications.” “Indeed, government snooping potentially now constitutes an ‘advanced persistent threat,’ alongside sophisticated malware and cyber-attacks,” Smith wrote. The industry’s latest salvo came Monday with the release of an open letter to President Barack Obama and the introduction of a new website calling for more stringent controls on electronic espionage. The public relations maneuver escalates a battle that Silicon Valley has waged since early June, when media reports based on internal documents revealed the NSA had fashioned an elaborate system to vacuum up some of the user data that U.S. technology companies collect. “The entire tech industry has been implicated and is now facing a global backlash,” says Daniel Castro, a senior analyst for the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington D.C. think tank. As part of the tech industry’s crusade, companies are also going to court and to Congress in an effort to force the government to de-classify details of its online investigations. They believe
data will show that, in the past five years, information turned over to the government under court order has only affected a small fraction of the more than 1 billion people who use their products. At stake is the trust of massive online audiences that attract digital advertising. As
tied up in Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Yahoo alone, and the companies collectively employ more than 243,000 people while running services that create thousands of other jobs.
U.S. economy, could be significant,” said Richard Salgado, Google’s director of law enforcement and information security, during a Nov. 13 appearance before the Senate Judiciary
when the Europeans think that their data is not secure with you,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat who is a key standard bearer for Silicon Valley in Congress. The NSA says it only retrieves online data tied to people outside the U.S.,
The Chairman, Presco Plc, Mr. Pierre Vamdebeek, presenting an award to Mr. Stephen Pepna during 2013 Managgement Senior Staff end of the year party to which took place at Dura Cl.ub, Obaretin Estate recently. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.
companies collect personal data and learn more about each user’s interests and habits, advertising becomes easier to sell. The marketing campaigns are particularly important to Google, Yahoo and Facebook, all of which make most of their money from ads. And although Microsoft and Apple make billions from the sale of software and devices, the two companies are also hitching their fortunes to Internet services. “We are now entering a new phase of the Internet that I call ‘data wars,’” says Ethan Oberman, CEO of Internet privacy specialist SpiderOak. “It’s all about who can amass the most personal data because that data has become so valuable that whoever accumulates the most is going to win. If these companies are going to engage in these data wars, the security and privacy of this data becomes of critical significance.” The battle pits U.S. national security agencies against an industry that has been a bright spot in the country’s dreary economy. More than $1.3 trillion in shareholder wealth is
In a study for his think tank, Castro predicted that the U.S. government’s online surveillance will divert $21.5 billion to $35 billion in revenue from U.S. technology companies that host services over the Internet and sell remote data storage — a concept broadly known as “cloud computing.” The estimate, which covers the next three years, is based on the assumption that many companies outside the U.S. will buy services in other countries rather than risk copies of their data being turned over to the U.S. government. The prediction doesn’t include possible losses in online ad revenue. Without quantifying the company’s potential losses, a Google lawyer recently warned a Senate subcommittee that the government’s online espionage could have “severe unintended consequences,” including increased business costs, less data security and alienated Web surfers. “The impact on U.S. companies, and the broader
“Indeed, government snooping potentially now constitutes an ‘advanced persistent threat,’ alongside sophisticated malware and cyber-attacks,” Smith wrote. The industry’s latest salvo came Monday with the release of an open letter to President Barack Obama and the introduction of a new website calling for more stringent controls on electronic espionage.”
Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law. In a worst case scenario, Forrester ’s James Staten initially theorized that global cloud computing services could lose as much as $180 billion over the next three years if corporate customers become worried about their crucial data falling into the hands of any government. That dire figure has been widely circulated by media outlets, but Staten told The Associated Press he now believes chances are remote that losses will surpass $20 billion. That’s because he is convinced most companies around the world are already encrypting the vital information they store on the computers of outside vendors. “The reality is no enterprise is going to be naive,” Staten says. “They are going to take the security into their own hands because they realize we live in a regulated world where every government is watching.” Wary of the U.S. government’s electronic espionage, Brazil’s president ordered a series of measures aimed at greater online independence and security for a country that boasts Latin America’s largest economy. Other countries and international regulators are considering strict rules for data-handling by U.S. tech companies. If that were to happen, it could cripple the companies’ crucial drive to grow in overseas markets, and could fracture the Internet’s seamless inner-workings. “Try and compete in Europe
a limitation that is of little solace to companies such as Google and Facebook that generate most of their revenue overseas and see the ripest opportunities for
growth in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. “Wonderful. That’s really helpful to companies that are trying to serve people around the world and really inspire confidence in American Internet companies,” said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at a San Francisco technology conference in September. While Zuckerberg and other executives protest government’s intrusions on privacy, industry critics point out that technology companies continue to store and analyze troves of personal information in pursuit of more profit. That is raising questions about the motives of their crusade to curb the government’s Internet surveillance. Google and its rivals “just want to be the exclusive spying source for their customers’ data,” said American Civil Liberties Union senior analyst Christopher Soghoian in a tweet last week. Crisis communications expert Gene Grabowski believes the companies clearly regret their initial decision to cooperate with the government’s personal data demands, rather than picking a legal fight. “It appears to more than a few people that they betrayed their customers,” said Grabowski, an executive vice president for the public relations firm Levick.
Madam Adasode Osayande Passes On BENIN CITY -The death has occurred in Benin City, of Madam Adasode Osayande who hails from Igbekhue, Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State. The late Madam Adasode Osayande died on November 13, 2013 during a brief illness. She was aged 115. She is survived by two children and several grand-children amongst whom are Mr. Daniel Osayande CEO, Osayande Motors and
Mrs. Rose Ogieva. Her burial ceremony will be announced later by the family.
BENIN CITY – The 58th Annual Osun Festival by the Uwan branch of Osokpikan Society, Nigeria Incorporated begins tomorrow, December 14, 2013, with a wake keep. According to the programme of event signed by Dr, Uyiekpen Obasohan, Lugard Ekuase and Mr. Ewemade Iyangbe, the festival continues on December 15, 2013 with Irilo and will hold daily till December 20, 2013.
The ceremony will hold at No. 1 Obasohan Street, Uwan/Ugbogiobo.
Late Madam Adasode Osayande
58th Annual Osun Festival Holds Tomorrow
Dr. Uyiekpen Obasohan
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
EVERY FRIDAY WEEK 22, 2013 LAST SEASON RESULT Anderson Richwell 1.2. X. Forecast
WEEK 22, 2012 NO. OF DRAWS 14
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THE NIGERIAN
28
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Real Look To Turn Up The Pressure
Bayern To Scrutinise Ballon d’Or Vote
BAYERN Munich president Uli Hoeness has told tz he was “disturbed” by FIFA’s decision to extend the Ballon d’Or vote and plans to investigate due to concerns as to whether it was “democratic.” France international Ribery, who has already won the UEFA European Player of the Year prize, had been the favourite to claim the 2013 Ballon d’Or until FIFA extended the voting deadline from November 15 to November 29. The decision, which FIFA said had been motivated by the low number of votes received prior to the original closing date, appears to benefit Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored four goals for Portugal across the two-legged World Cup playoff victory over Sweden on November 15 and 19. Hoeness suggested Ribery — who played a starring role in Bayern’s success in the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal last season — may lose out as a result of the date change and said the club will conduct their own inquiry into the matter. “We will look at every single vote that came in prior to November 15 and at the votes that came in afterwards,” he told Munich-based newspaper tz. Hoeness said that, after examining the voting, Bayern may raise the question of “why the thing was extended,” and he added: “Then we might be able to say something about it. “It disturbed me severely that the voting period, which had an end date to it, was extended all of a sudden and still I don’t know why. Hopefully this is a democratic election, and there is nothing odd there.” Ribery, Ronaldo and Barcelona star Lionel Messi make up the three-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded at a ceremony in Munich on January 13.
Celtic’s Teemu Pukhi (left) fights for the ball with Barcelona’s Gerard Pique during theirk UEFA Champions League Group B match at the camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona December 11, 2013
REAL Madrid will look to put the pressure on the La Liga leaders with a win away to Osasuna on Saturday evening. Kick-off at the El Sadar Stadium is set for 17h00 CAT. Los Blancos come into the game in solid form after a 2-0 win at FC Copenhagen in midweek secured top spot in their Champions League group. And their last outing in the domestic league was a comfortable 4-0 home win over Real Valladolid, though in between they were surprising held to a goalless draw by Olimpic de Xativa in the Copa del Rey. Nonetheless, with just three points separating Real from first- and second-
Berlusconi Condemns Milan Violence
AC Milan general manager Barbara Berlusconi has condemned the violence that overshadowed the Serie A side’s qualification for the knockout rounds of the Champions League on Wednesday night. attacks are believed to be a Three Ajax fans needed response to an incident in the city hospital treatment for knife earlier on Wednesday, when wounds after clashes between Ajax fans reportedly left their rival sets of fans in the Lombardy capital following the 0-0 draw, coach to ambush a group of while two other Dutch visitors Italian workers on strike and then were injured but did not require re-boarded before travelling on. hospital treatment. A market The coach was later tradesman was also hurt in the recognised close to the San Siro clashes, with three visiting fans stadium and 10 passengers were arrested, accused of mugging identified. him. La Gazzetta dello Sport also “The satisfaction of reaching reported that Dutch fans threw the next round is overshadowed bottles and cans at passers-by in by these incidents,” Berlusconi, the city centre, with several the daughter of club president shops forced to pull down the Silvio, said. “They are serious shutters to prevent damage to and unacceptable acts.” their property. The Milan fans’ violent
“What has happened today in Milan is extremely serious,” Berlusconi added. “The people on both sides who have caused these incidents are not football fans but delinquents.” There was at least positive news on the pitch as Milan picked up the point they needed to reach the last 16 of the Champions League on a tense night inside the Stadio San Siro. After a red card for Riccardo Montolivo, Massimiliano
Allegri’s men were made to work hard to obtain the draw they needed to become the only Italian club to make it through the group stage of the competition. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said: “What a relief. Our first goal for the season has been reached. We were lucky, but luck is something that you go looking for, and we deserved it. We had to suffer and I’ve lost a few kilos in the process.”
Perez Pushing For Di Maria window. Exit - Agent transfer Di Maria had apparently settled down to work hard and fight for
ANGEL Di Maria’s agent has suggested that a “presidential issue” is behind his client’s proposed move from Real
Madrid to Monaco in the January
Bouyant Milan Host Gervinho’s Roma
A buoyant Milan will redirect their attention to domestic football when they host an undefeated and Gervinho inspired Roma side at the San Siro on Monday evening. Massimiliano Allegri’s men lived the charmed life on Wednesday evening when they qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League by holding Ajax Amsterdam to a 0-0 draw. All Milan needed was a point to progress into the following round, but their chances took a slight turn for the worse when Riccardo Montolivo was sent off for an ankle-breaking tackle on Christian Poulsen after just 22 minutes of play. As a result, Stephan El Shaarawy was sacrificed from the attacking line-up and Andrea Poli was brought on to help absorb the pressure by the Amsterdammers. It worked well as the Rossoneri uncharacteristically pulled off a remarkable
defensive display for 70 minutes in order to get the result they required to confirm second place in Group H. “It was a hard-fought draw but we qualified. We did not give much away when we went down to ten men. I have to congratulate [Christiab] Abbiati and [Mario] Balotelli who both played really well,” said Daniele Bonera. “Now we have two difficult matches against Roma and Inter. We did not go out there to draw but we were forced to after Montolivo was sent off which was a bit excessive but everyone knows how Poulsen behaves.” Their qualification will serve Milan well in the build-up to their next league encounter at home to Roma. Rudi Garcia’s gladiators are equally of high spirits when they ended their run of four consecutives draws last Sunday, edging out Fiorentina 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico. Ivory Coast winger Gervinho
was in emphatic form for the Lupi as he ran onto the byline and supplied two near-identical defence cutting assists for Douglas Maicon and Mattia Destro. The former Arsenal man’s presence in the squad has proved crucial to the Giallorossi’s league standings and as they sit in second-place dreaming of European football next season. “It was a victory which did us well mentally, against a side who will be fighting for the major honours until the end of the season,” said Miralem Pjanic about the Fiorentina win. “We will continue on our road to chase Juventus, a side who are having an incredible season. Our target is to return to the Champions League, then we’ll see what we can do and what the others, especially Juventus, are capable of. “However, I’m certain that we can finish the campaign in the top three.”
placed Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, they will be determined to take full advantage of what is their second-last league fixture of 2013. As ever, Cristiano Ronaldo has been at the heart of Real’s attack this season, though the Portuguese superstar, who scored a record nine goals in the Champions League group phase this season, took time out to praise teammate Gareth Bale. There has been no issue with Bale and Ronaldo fitting into the same side, and the Portuguese is delighted for the Welshman. “What he is doing is incredible,” he told beIN Sport. “He had a difficult start partly due to a small injury that he suffered. “Also, he had great pressure on him but now he is in great form and we are all helping him. “The fans love him now and he is a fantastic player who will help us to win trophies.” Osasuna come into the match placed 16th and just one point above the relegation zone. They have lost three of their last four league matches, the most recent of which was a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Valencia at the start of the month.
Antonio Conte, Juventus boss
his place — even after Gareth Bale’s summer arrival — but speculation emerged last weekend that he was now unhappy at the Bernabeu and wanted to join the big spending Ligue 1 side to ensure regular football ahead of next summer’s World Cup. The winger’s Argentine agent Eugenio Lopez [renowned superagent Jorge Mendes handles his European rights] suggested to Radio La Red in Argentina that Florentino Perez held the key to this apparent change of heart. “[Di Maria] has a contract which runs until 2018,” Lopez said. “Many clubs want him. There is a presidential issue there. But I do not want to talk about it.” Elsa/Getty ImagesAngel Di Maria is keen for first-team football in order to earn his place in Argentina’s World Cup squad. While Mendes’ connections would appear to put Monaco in pole position to sign the 25 year old, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been said to be interested.
THE NIGERIAN
29
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Chelsea Hope To Out Sparkle CHELSEA will hope to use teams. We can think in a their midweek win in the Palace different way.” UEFA Champions League as a boost to return to winning ways in the league when they host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge tomorrow. The Blues bounced back from their 3-2 defeat away to Stoke City when they edged out Steaua Bucharest 1-0 at the Bridge on Wednesday evening. Demba Ba scored the only goal of the game which saw Chelsea top Group E to progress to the final 16 of the tournament, but head coach Jose Mourinho is already shifting his focus back to the
Premier League. “We will wait for the result of the draw, forget about the Champions League until February, March, and work to improve the team,” the former Inter coach said after the game. “When we get results in the English competitions we are preparing ourselves for the next stage of the Champions League. “Let’s go for the last 16. If we win the last 16 and go to the quarter-final, in the quarter-final, only eight
ARSENAL manager
we were focused, but in the second half we dropped physically a lot after the game on Sunday [against Everton]. “When you win the group, you feel you have done very well the job. When you go through as second, you hope for a good draw. “If you look at the teams who are potentially there, at least we know we will have a difficult draw. On the other hand, we have now qualified for a 14th consecutive year for the last 16 and maybe number 14 will bring us a bit of luck. “We will see what comes out of the draw and will assess that in February because a lot can change on both sides, on us and the team we play against, so we need to put that to the back of our minds now and focus on the championship.” Wenger suggested his side were caught between cautious and ambition in Naples, on a night when they only needed a point to secure their place in the next phase of the competition. “The most difficult in football is when you are between two — do we attack, do we defend. We didn’t score a goal tonight and that gave them hope,” he reflected.
Wenger Hoping For A Good UCL Draw
Arsene Wenger admitted he is “hoping for a good draw” when his side enter the Champions League last-16 lottery among the clutch of teams who finished as runners-up in the group phase of the competition. The reality may be that Wednesday night’s 2-0 defeat against Napoli and Borussia Dortmund’s late winner in Marseille have a profound effect on the Gunners hopes of making progress in the Champions League, with possible ties against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich set to come their way when he line-up is decided on Monday. However, a calm Wenger seemed content with his side’s progress through a tough Group B, as he offered sympathy for Rafael Benitez’s Napoli after they went out of the competition despite collecting 12 points in a fiercely competitive opening pool. “We are happy to be through because this was a very difficult game,” Wenger told Sky Sports. “We took this game very seriously, prepared well,
Arsene Wenger
Mourinho’s charges are currently sitting third in the domestic table, five points short of leaders Arsenal, and they know that a win could move them two points short of the pinnacle point, with the Gunners having to take on Manchester City. It should be easy pickings for Chelsea on home soil as their next adversaries linger dangerously in the relegation zone. It is no hidden secret Tony Pulis’ side don’t possess the quality equal to that of Londoners, but they have in the past managed to surprise the big guns and they will be hoping for much the same.
ASHLEY Young says Manchester United’s players should take the blame for the club’s poor form this season. United beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to top their Champions League group but their last two Premier League games have ended in 10 home losses to Everton and Newcastle. They are without a league win since 10 November and manager David Moyes said on Monday that he took “complete responsibility” for the poor run. However, having made his first start since late-October against Shakhtar, Young said Moyes should not be held solely accountable. Asked on Wednesday if the players should take some of the responsibility for the defeats, he said: “Of course, we are the ones who go out on the pitch. “Everyone is in it together,
Blam The Players manager, staff and players. We win together, we lose together.” And Young thinks Tuesday’s victory, which came courtesy of a second-half Phil Jones goal, gives United momentum ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game at Young’s former club Aston Villa. “We really wanted to get back to winning ways and thankfully we managed to do that,” said Young. “We would have liked to have got a few goals more but it wasn’t to be. The main thing is we got the three points and topped the group. “When you’re winning you play with more confidence than when you are losing. “Everybody showed confidence out there. Everybody wanted to play and everybody
- Young
wanted the ball. “We want to get back to winning and there’s no better place to go than Villa Park on Sunday, and hopefully we can get another three points. “If we put on a display like we did against Shakhtar we should be able to do that.”
Spurs Welcome Suarez And Co
TOTTENHAM Hotspur will be eager to continue their steady climb up the Barclays Premier League table when they welcome Liverpool to White Hart Lane on Sunday. Andre Villas-Boas’s men second-placed Liverpool. registered two away wins on The Reds registered two the trot heading into the emphatic victories over fixture against the Reds, Norwich City and West Ham beating both Fulham and United respectively in their Sunderland 2-1 on the road. last two fixtures. The victories have come as Of the nine goals scored by a massive relieve to AVB, the Merseyside outfit in their who was tipped to be sacked last two outings, Luis Suarez following a dismal run of has bagged five, including results which included a 6-0 four against the Canaries. hammering at Manchester The Uruguayan is in some City. form, and after missing the Following two wins opening five games of the against two relegation- season after famously biting threatened teams, Spurs find Branislav Ivanovic, the themselves a mere two points former Ajax marksman has off the Champions League gone on to find the back of spots and three points behind the net on 14 occasions.
Liverpool head into the fixture five points behind leaders Arsenal, who face Manchester City on Saturday. Villas-Boas is expected to start with pretty much the same XI that beat Sunderland, Etienne Capoue is likely to remain at leftback, with Jan Vertonghen still out injured. Brendan Rodgers, on the other hand, will be without
Eriksen, Rose Back In TOTTENHAM Hotspur duo Contention
Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose could make their comeback from injury in Spurs’ Europa League game against Anzhi Makhachkala on Thursday evening. Midfielder Eriksen picked up run without a win at the ‘Theatre an ankle injury on international on Dreams’, is not getting carried duty for Denmark last month away as yet. while fullback Danny Rose has Newcastle finished fifth two been sidelined since late seasons back and although the September with a foot problem. Frenchman feels their form is “We will look to try and give strikingly similar to the 2011/ Danny Rosa a couple of minutes 2012 campaign, he has admitted this game and Christian Eriksen is also selected, so there is the that their true test is still to come. possibility that he could play “There are similarities to two some minutes as well,” Andre years ago, but it is too early to Villas-Boas is quoted as saying start getting carried away,” the ontottenhamhotspur.com 27-year-old told The Journal. Meanwhile, Vlad Chiriches “Five wins out of the last six could make a return to action matches is a very good record, against Liverpool on Sunday. and hopefully at the end, we will Jan Vertonghen, Harry Kane have the same finish as we did and Younes Kaboul remain out. two years ago. “We can’t afford to think about the future too much at this stage. “People might start talking about qualifying for the Europa league, or even the Champions League, but we can’t afford to think like that. The Christmas period is coming and that is always an important period.” A win over the Saints on Saturday could propel Alan Pardew’s side up to fifth position on the log. Christian Eriksen
‘Too Early For Top-Four Talk’ NEWCASTLE United midfielder Yohan Cabaye feels it is too early for his side to think about the possibility of finishing the season in the UEFA Champions League positions. The Magpies head into the weekend’s encounter against Southampton on the back of a
Yohan Cabaye
- Cabaye
historic win at Old Trafford. The victory over the Red Devils was the Tyneside club’s fifth win in their last six Premier League fixtures. Cabaye, who scored the goal that ended Newcastle’s 41-year
club captain Steven Gerrard, who is expected to be out for at least a month with a hamstring injury. Daniel Sturridge, who started the season in red hot form, is also still out injured. The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-1 win for the home side. Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale scored for the hosts while the Welsh Wizard also netted an own goal.
THE NIGERIAN
30
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Confident Scolari Says Brazil Must Aim High
BRAZIL coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said Wednesday his charges must aim high and target the title when they host next year’s World Cup.
• Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil Coach
“I took on the national side to be champion — do you think I am going to say anything else?” asked Scolari rhetorically in an address to the Footecon football trade fair in Rio. Having overseen the Selecao’s fifth World Cup success in Japan in 2002, Scolari
Eboue, Drogba ‘Hurt’ By Mandela EMMANUEL Eboue has panel. Row told RMC he cannot believe “Honestly, it really hurts. the Turkish FA might punish him and Galatasaray teammate Didier Drogba for paying tribute to Nelson Mandela. The pair both wore T-shirts under their club jerseys that bore messages for the late former South African president during last Friday’s
league win over Elazigspor. Drogba’s read, ‘Thank you Madiba’ while Eboue’s simply stated, ‘Rest in peace Nelson Mandela’, and the former Arsenal defender feels the Turkish FA are being heavy-handed in their decision to haul the duo in front of their disciplinary
HERVE Renard has tipped Nigeria and Ghana to do well at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Renard said he will be supporting all five African representatives in Brazil next June but warned against complacency. “The draw has been more lenient for Nigeria. Considering their great talent, their group seems easy,” Renard told RFI. The Super Eagles are in Group F together with Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina and nemesis Argentina. And Renard said Cote d’Ivoire must be wary of Group C despite containing lightweights Colombia, Greece and Japan. The Elephants are appearing in their third World Cup and are favourites to advance for the
first time after flopping in their last two attempts following tough preliminary round draws. “We must always be very careful about what we consider as an easy draw. Remember what happened to France in 2002? Renard said. “They were drawn with Denmark, Senegal and Uruguay and everyone sent them straight to the next round. It is often a big source of disappointment.” Renard added that Algeria will have their work cut out in Group H against Fabio Capello’s Russia and the rebounding dark horse Belgium including South Korea. However, Renard said Ghana could surprise despite being in the group of death in Group G composed of Portugal, USA and three-time champions Germany.
Renard Cautions Africa 2014 Teams
• Herve Renard
Nelson Mandela is someone who did a lot for Africa, but also Europe. He did a lot of good. Didier and I simply wanted to pay tribute to him, and also to his family and the South African people,” the Ivory Coast international said. “People have misinterpreted that, but I don’t think what we did was bad. Coming to the stadium today, I saw the supporters had put up a photo of ‘Madiba’. That pleases me, because I don’t understand how people can think what we did was bad. Why are the Turkish federation upset? We’re footballers, we don’t do politics. “I never would have thought they would call us to appear before them. If I had known that it might cost me dear, I perhaps wouldn’t have done it. But I’m proud to have done it.” On the Twitter account of his foundation, Drogba tweeted to his 155,000 followers:
took the reins once more a year ago and promptly secured a resounding Confederations Cup success over world champions Spain last June on home soil. That win has prompted domestic pundits to demand more of the same next June with Brazil desperate to win the tournament for the first time in front of their own fans — they were stunned in the 1950 final in Rio by little neighbours Uruguay. Scolari has said for weeks he knows in essence who he will select in his 23-man squad and revealed that striker Fred, who dovetailed well with Barcelona starlet Neymar last June, will be fit despite an injury-plagued season at Fluminense. “The cup is in June, so he will have time to recover,” said
Scolari, whose team will face Croatia in the opening World Cup match on June 12 in Sao Paulo. The Brazilians will then take on Mexico and Cameroon in their other pool matches. Players looking to earn places on the roster include Chelsea midfielder Willian and AC Milan’s Robinho, who is set to profit from Diego Costa’s recent decision to play for Spain. Scolari, who said in the runup to Friday’s World Cup draw at Costa do Sauipe in northeastern Brazil that the hosts had an “obligation” to take the crown, meanwhile said he hoped to arrange a June 4 friendly with Serbia in order to prepare to face Croatia. “We want a tough opponent — Serbia are technically very strong,” said Scolari, while adding that an alternative could be the Czech Republic. Brazilian assistant coach
Germany’s Historic Four’ Reach Last 16
GERMAN football history was made on Wednesday as all four Bundesliga teams in this season’s Champions League made it through to the knockout phase of the competition. Borussia Dortmund’s dramatic late win over Marseille and Schalke’s victory over Basel ensured they joined Bayer Leverkusen and defending champions Bayern Munich in Monday’s draw for the last 16. It was up to Dortmund-born Kevin Grosskreutz to complete the quartet, when his last-gasp strike secured a 2-1 win at the Stade Velodrome, and with it Dortmund’s place in the knockout stages as runners-up in Group D. Schalke,
meanwhile, beat Basel 2-0 to seal second spot in Group E. German football magazine kicker hailed “The Historic Four” on Thursday’s front page. With the German flag as the background, Pep Guardiola, Juergen Klopp, Sami Hyypia and Jens Keller all glance at the Champions League trophy. “Right now, I regard the Bundesliga as the strongest league in Europe,” former Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus commented in his kicker column. “That’s why I have indeed expected all four teams to reach the round of the last 16 in Champions League.” Since the introduction of the round of 16 in the 2003-04
Ghana Coach Happy With Brazil GHANA coach Kwesi from Brazil. Facilities Appiah has expressed “And then we took into I was concentrating on is satisfaction with facilities in Brazil for next year’s FIFA World Cup. Appiah was a member of Ghana’s 12-man delegation who inspected venues in the South American country after last Friday’s draw. Ghana are yet to name a team base camp for the finals which will see them play their first round matches in Natal, Fortaleza and Brasilia. Appiah says the weather conditions even favour his team to perform well at the tournament. “The most important thing
Carlos Alberto Parreira said at Footecon that another friendly was likely against a Central American opponent in order to prepare the World Cup tussle with Olympic conquerors Mexico. “But we don’t want to go up against anyone too physical,” said Parreira in allusion to last month’s date with Honduras. Brazil won 5-0 in the United States but complained at some rough challenges on their players and do not want to risk injury just days before the finals. After opening up against the Croatians the Brazilians meet Mexico in Fortaleza on June 17 and then tackle Cameroon in Brasilia six days later. Scolari is to unveil his squad on May 7. Prior to that the Samba stars are due to face South Africa in Johannesburg on March 5.
where we will be having our training sessions,” the exinternational told the media on the delegation’s arrival
• Kwesi Appiah
consideration the weather as well. “The first two games, the temperatures will be very high and we considered all those things. “At the moment we’ve not taken a decision as to where we will be going for our team base camp but I am so far satisfied with the [possible] team base camps we visited.” Ghana will commence camping for the tournament on 25 May ahead of playing USA, Germany and Portugal in Group G.
season, German clubs have made a total of 23 appearances in the knockout stages in Champions League, with Bayern Munich alone qualifying from their group 10 times. The Premier League has made 37, La Liga 34 and Seria A 29. However, in recent years Germany has closed the gap, and in 2011 leapfrogged Italy in UEFA’s coefficient, seeing the fourth spot in the competition taken from Serie A and given to the Bundesliga. Franck Ribery, a Champions League winner last season and nominee for the 2013 Ballon d’Or, believes the standard of German football has risen immensely since he joined Bayern in 2007. “The standard in the Bundesliga has developed enormously over the past few years,” Ribery told kicker. “It is among the best leagues in the world, if it’s not already the best league in the world,” he added, giving the example of Eintracht Frankfurt, who are struggling domestically but recently beat Bordeaux, currently sixth in France’s Ligue 1, in the Europa League. “It shows that the German teams are better by comparison,” Ribery said. “The Bundesliga currently dominates in Europe.” Arsenal’s German centre-back Per Mertesacker was left stunned when a Sky reporter told him that four German teams had made it to the knockout stages. “No — I think it’s three teams,” he said.
THE NIGERIAN
31
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Eguavoen Is New Bendel Insurance Handler By NICHOLAS EBOIGBE
RECENTLY, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole inaugurated a five-men management committee made of the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, coach Amodu Shuaibu, coach Austin Eguavoen, Charles Ihimekpen and Chief Abel Ehigie to oversee the affairs of Bendel Insurance with a view to returning it to the Premier League. The popular Benin-based Lady Omorede Osifo football club has remained in reduced the backlog of the lower cadre of the league salaries to three months for for more than five years now. now. Former Super Eagles The situation has put the coach, Austin Eguavoen has club in a predicament such been saddled with the that it lost its followship even responsibility of producing a as it has been in a financial formidable team for the mess as the players were Bendel Insurance football owed nine months before club as the new handler. now. Eguavoen who is currently The timely and good doing screening of players to intervention of the state get a crack team at the Government courtesy the training session at Emotan Commissioner of Sports, College sports field in Benin,
said he is prepared to offer his best contributions for the foremost Benin side to change its fortunes positively. Coach Eguavoen could not stick his neck out if he will
return the Benin Arsenal to the Premier League cadre but however promised to do his utmost best to revive the club. In a chat with OBSERVERsports, he
asked Edo indigenes who are sports philanthropists and football lovers to join hands with him to save the club. “You can see that some of the materials for training have been provided by me. I have contacted Osaze Odemwingie to assist the team too. I use this
Kano Pillars Place 12 Players On Transfer
Official Wants Nigeria’s Games Village Revitalised
MR Epkeme Ikwunze, the Special Adviser to the Abia Governor on Sports, on Wednesday called for the revitalisation of all the Games Villages across the country. Ikwunze made the plea in an interview with newsmen at the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) in Abuja. He said revitalising the games villages would make them available to camp the discovered and selected athletes in the various events at the maiden Games. “That is the way forward in ensuring that the National Youth Games is not a wasted effort,’’ the Abia government official said. He said the National Sports Commission (NSC) should, after revitalising the villages, camp the selected athletes at the various games villages in their region for proper monitoring. “This youth games is a good
innovation and should not be allowed to die because it is a very wonderful innovation. “Before now, the NSC used to have zonal programmes for under-18s which have transited into this. “We believe that those discovered here (at the NYG) will replace the ageing ones and I want to advise that athletes selected from this maiden event should be camped together. “So, this calls to mind the revitalisation of our games villages which have been abandoned. “The Mambilla and Afuze games villages and others should be used to camp these athletes based on their distance. “The issue we had in the past is that most of the athletes discovered from competitions like this were not allowed to graduate into the senior cadre. “They could not reach their peak. So, we have to avoid that,’’ Ikwunze said.
• Bolaji Abdullahi, Minister of Sports
opportunity to call on other Edo indigenes to offer their support to rejuvenate Bendel Insurance. Let us unite to achieve success for the team and forget the past”, Eguavoen remarked. He said only player that meets the requirements will be selected for the new look Bendel Insurance.
• Augustine Eguavoen
Team Nigeria Departs For Beach Volleyball Championship
TEAM Nigeria yesterday departed for Takoradi, Ghana ahead of the Beach Volleyball Open Championship organised for member countries in the West Africa sub-region. Musa Nimrod, the Chairman of the Beach Volleyball Commission of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), said the team was prepared for the five-day competition scheduled to hold between December 12 and December 16. He said Dec. 12 had been fixed as the arrival date for the competition. Nimrod also said that the federation was eager to give the country’s volleyball players adequate preparations ahead of international competitions lined up in 2014. “The National team is going to Takoradi, Ghana for an open championship even though the championship is not meant for ranking. “But it is preparation towards putting the players in their fitness bearing in mind that next year, the continental cup is going to commence. “The age-grade competitions are also going to take place so also the world championships.
“We are looking forward to starting our national tour next year for beach volleyball in the six geo-political zones. “Arrival is on the Dec. 12,’’ Nimrod said. The Beach Volleyball commission chairman gave the assurance that efforts were being made to regain the number one ranking in the senior cadre which South Africa presently occupies. He noted that South Africa topped the latest ranking due to their participation in the last Olympics, as Nigeria failed to pick the ticket at the playoff in Russia. “We want to participate because right now we are now back to number two. “The reason why we are number two is because South Africa represented Africa at the last Olympics; we couldn’t get the ticket in Russia. “So, we cannot just be sleeping and then think that Nigeria will continue to maintain its position. “But bear this in mind, today, in both male and female under21, we are currently number one in Africa; in under-19, we are number one in the female category and we are number two
in the male category. “So, we cannot lose that ranking; that is why we feel we should go to Ghana and participate to keep the fitness of our players,’’ he added. Nimrod also added that four players and two officials were expected to join their counterparts from countries in the West African region for the championship. “We have engaged our best hands for the championship and I am optimistic that we will do well,” he said.
KANO Pillars Football Club on Wednesday in Kano said it had placed 12 of its players on transfer while retaining 23 others, ahead of the 2013/2014 season. The club’s Media Officer, Rilwanu Malikawa, told newsmen that the club’s governing board gave approval for the transfers and retention. “The approval for the transfer of the players and the retention of other players was given during the board’s meeting held in Kano on Tuesday and presided over by the club chairman, Abba Yola,’’ he said. On the issue of a new technical adviser for the club, Malikawa said the board had received the report of a technical committee on the two coaches it interviewed recently. He however explained that the board had not taken any decision on who would be the next coach for the club. Two coaches, Kadiri Ikhana and Okey Emordi, attended the selection interview for the post, following the resignation of the former technical adviser, Baba Ganaru. The new season in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), a competition which Pillars won for a second consecutive time last season, is scheduled to begin next January.
Co-ordinator Appraises RIGAN 2013
EMMANUEL Ogundele, the Co-ordinator, Research Institutes Games Association of Nigeria (RIGAN), on Wednesday in Lagos said the association’s competition would continue to foster cohesion among research institutes. Ogundele told newsmen that 27 federal research institutes were competing in the 14th edition of the biennial event which began on Monday. “The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) in Lagos is happy to stage this year’s event. “We have worked tirelessly to ensure that we host the best
Games in the history of RIGAN. “The Director-General of FIIRO, Dr Gloria Elemo, has ensured that everything needed for the hosting is provided. “The essence of the Games is to foster understanding and good relationship among member-research institutes,” Ogundele said. In the football event on Wednesday, FIIRO defeated Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Ikoyi in Lagos 8-0 in a group match. Other games being featured in the competition are table tennis, scrabble, badminton, volleyball and tennis.
THE NIGERIAN
CMYK
32
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Trusting Jega’s INEC With 2015 Presidential Election
WHEN Professor Attahiru Jega was nominated on June 8, 2010 as boss of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Goodluck Jonathan, many applauded the action. A nomination especially coming on the heels of a predecessor who has been majorly adjudged as having under-performed; by making Nigerians to experience a most incredibly executed national assignment, and therefore a replacement of such a person attracted a more than usual national concern perceived as a welcome relief. Standing as a credit for his appointment was that Professor Attihiru Jega had the paraphernalia of somebody to be trusted. Somehow, his predecessor, Professor Maurice Iwu had drawn attention to the issue of personal character when with boldface he refused to admit his gross failure in the stewardship of an exercise which was marred by monumental irregularities, considered by a lot of persons as deliberately designed, but for moral reasons, ought to be avoided by any person with a modicum of proven moral quality. An election in which even the few morally upright victors felt ethically prohibited to openly accepting their victories because of the tainted or suspicious mandate which the electoral process offered. To this end, whether Professor Iwu was acting a written script or not, he obviously mismanaged the fortunes of those he was supposedly doing their bidding by leaving a gawking tarnishing trail on every of the electoral process even as the actions attempted to be done surreptitiously. Therefore, the search for a person Nigerians
would trust to do a honest job devoid of such moral overhang was critical. And when Professor Jega was announced as the preferred choice, even the most avowed natural cynics in the country had to be calmed for awhile. Apart from Professor Jega being a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) a union which leadership is expectedly
this unbroken thread of Professor Jega’s credibility far more than what can be described as total credibility from the various elections his has midwife so far. The obvious struggling intention of Prof. Jega to offer Nigerians credible elections is still very much the bait forbidding a general conclusion of his incapacity to offer the needed ideal electoral
various electoral bodies like INEC have performed poorly by presenting the grounds of irregular processes to aid the dissatisfied interests in their claims, and incorrigibly cast a hue of a process difficult to be generally accepted as well done. While controversies surrounding the elections so far conducted by Prof. Jega have only finally
FEED BACK By KINGSLEY OGBEIDE-IHAMA where elections have been conducted without instances of ballot box snatching, other manners of election rigging, molestations and intimidations of voters, these have only been manifest through the
• President Goodluck Jonathan
made up of persons with proven intellectual integrity, it is also expected that persons constituting this body have been morally grilled enough to be acknowledged rightly pivotal in fashioning the outlook of the country’s university educational objectives, as it possesses the mandate to positively influence the educational policies of government. Coming from this background, Professor Jega is widely regarded as an astute intellectual with a strong sense of ethics and morality. There is no doubt that Nigerians have been satisfied by holding more strongly to
process. Though acknowledging that Nigeria possesses some of the most nonsportsman-like persons in the political turf, with bad losers, who would never accept defeat despite an obvious lack of popularity in their environment of political contest, but the
been resolved through judicial processes, there is no doubt that the issues thrown up by the processes could have been resolved by INEC as an electoral body before the issues snowball to demanding resolutions through court processes. Even in such places
presence of heavily armed military personnel forestalling the occurrences. This demonstrates that electoral process that is supposed to be conducted in a civil manner is still far from being realised as such. Undoubtedly, apart from
the instances of multiple registrations by persons intending to compromise electoral processes, the absence of civil outlook of our electoral processes has greatly discouraged a lot of persons from participation. There have also been instances where such military personnel have been accused of being used to intimidate some intending voters. And as such, we often record wide gap between the number of registered voters and the actual number of voters. If the current INEC is well committed to its mission of deepening democracy, it should be seen more active in ensuring that the political parties conduct credible primaries, resulting in the most popular candidates emerging. This is one way of attempting to stem the rampant cases of imposition of candidates and electoral court cases after duly conducting the elections. But most importantly, if the recent Anambra State governorship election is anything to go by, it is very clear that the present INEC would require a miracle to deliver a hitch free presidential election by 2015. It is also noteworthy for us to be very conscious of what a less than desired electoral process could mean to the nation by 2015.
“Coming from this background, Professor Jega is widely regarded as an astute intellectual with a strong sense of ethics and morality. There is no doubt that Nigerians have been satisfied by holding more strongly to this unbroken thread of Professor Jega’s credibility far more than what can be described as total credibility from the various elections his has midwife so far.”
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