Nigerian observer 17 09 2014

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • V ol . 39 N O . 079 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2 0 14 . N 100.00

Fuel Crisis Imminent ... As NUPENG suspends products loading

NATURAL MEDICINE Page 19

Smoking

LAGOS - Members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), on Tuesday suspended loading of petroleum

A gradual killer

products from NNPC depots nation-wide, following unresolved dispute over pension with the national oil and gas conglomerate.

Mr Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of an NUPENG, said in interview with newsmen in Lagos that the suspension commenced in the early

hours of September 16 and would continue until the problem was resolved.

It would be recalled that NUPENG, Petroleum

Continues on page 2

Mutiny Confab Report

12 soldiers sentenced to death, 5 freed

SPIRITUAL PLATFORM

By JOSES SEDE

Page 25

Dealing with evil altars

ABUJA - Twelve out of Eighten standing trial for mutiny and an attempt on the life of General Officer Commanding, 7 Brigade, Maiduguri, Borno State, Major General Ahmed Mohmammed, in May this year, have been sentenced to death.

Handing sown the discharged and acquitted sentence yesterday, of the charged offences President of the military while the remaining one the court martial, Major of the accused, Jeremiah General C. Okonkwo, Echocho, was given a 28 ruled that the12 soldiers days jail term plus hard were found guilty and labour.

The list of the convicted for three of the most serious charged sentenced soldiers by the martial included: offences.

Consequently, the officers Jasper Braidolor, soldiers were sentenced David Musa, Friday to death. However, five Onuh, Yusuf Shuaibu, accused soldiers were Igonmu Emmanuel,

Andrew Ugbede, Nurudeen Ahmed, Ifeanyi Alukagba, Alao Samuel, Amadi Chukwuma, Alan Linus, and Stephen Clement.

The military court also aquitted David Robert, Mohammed Sani, Iseh Ubong, Sebastine Gwaba and Naaman Samuel.

The 13 accused were

guilty of conspiracy – mutiny, an attempt to shoot their GOC vehicle and offences including insubordination to a specific order, insubordination as well as false accusation.

The convicts have a window of appeal against the ruling of the Court Marshal, which is the court of the first

instance.

Pleas and defence by counsels to the convicted on various weighty factors were declined especially on the fear of sheer abuse to rule of the law, hence the conviction and jail term announced by the martial.

Findings indicated that the criminal actions by the Continues on page 2

Declare war on Boko Haram, Senate urges Jonathan

By JOSES SEDE

ABUJA - Senate of the Federal Republic yesterday, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a total War on rampaging Boko Haram where ever they may be in the country, by deploying all resources and efforts to stamp it out.

They also mandated leadership of the Senate, chairmen of relevant committees of the Senate and senators

representing the affected states in the Senate, to meet President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of security agencies on steps taken thus far and further steps to address the situation and report back to the Senate.

This is even as presiding Senate President David Mark declared in his opening remark that with this

TIT BIT

“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” . Socretes

scale of warfare, “we must first demonstrate our strength, confront and defeat these terrorists and insurgents before we resort to dialogue “In my candid opinion”, he continued, “the Boko Haram sect has in no unmistakable terms Continues on page 2

STAKEHOLDERS FORUM: Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke (left) and the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, at a Stakeholders Forum on Environmental Restoration of Ogoniland in Abuja yesterday.

NUT rejects September 22 resumption date

By JOSES SEDE

ABUJA - Nigeria Union of Teachers yesterday, directed its members nationwide not to resume on Monday, September 22, 2014 as directed by the Federal government.

This is in contrast to resolution of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) that its members resume work

but directed that all necessary health measures must be available in all schools, before the Monday resumption.

The NUT National President, Michael Olukoya insisted that the

government should provide all necessary facilities and make them available in all schools until all cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) were treated and the

outbreak was totally eradicated, as a condition for resuming.

Also, the ANCOPSS’ requests and standard Continues on page 2

2,461 people, half of the 4,985 infected by the virus, and the toll has

doubled in August, World Health Organisation Assistant Director General, Bruce Aylward said.

Continues on page 2

Ebola requires $1 billion dollars response - WHO

GENEVA The unprecedented Ebola outbreak in West Africa requires a one billion dollars response to keep its spread within the tens

of thousands of cases, UN officials said on Tuesday.

The virus has killed

News

... As NUPENG suspend products loading

Continued from page 1 and and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and NNPC management had on Sept. 15 failed to reach a compromise on pension issues.

Leaders of both unions were said to have ordered staff of NNPC out of their offices at the corporation’s’ headquarters in Abuja and threatened to shut the premises.

Korodo said that the

suspension was only from NNPC depots, adding that loading of petroleum products would still continue in private depots.

“No tankers will go and load petroleum products at any of their depots from today.

“We are still testing the ground now, if the situation remains the same, it will be a total suspension,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Management of NNPC has

Nigeria and Nigerians”, adding, “their ideology is alien to our culture; we must as a people and nation handle this situation with all the seriousness it deserves”.

“Except to pretend and say otherwise, Nigerians are frustrated and presently appear helpless over the unfolding events. They watch in total disbelief and shock at the activities of the Boko Haram. But we must reassure them that they are not alone in this.

As a responsible government, we will not

reassured members of the public that they have taken steps to avert a looming industrial action by the NUPENG and PENGASSAN. The corporation in an earlier statement on September15 and signed by Mr Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Public Affairs, said they it was

working with PENCOM to resolve the issues.

It appealed to the leadership of the industrial unions to exercise restraint while discussions continue with PENCOM. NNPC Management also urged members of the public not to engage in panic buying, assuring that further steps were being taken to address the situation.

tolerate this subversion of our sovereignty.

It is reprehensible and totally unacceptable. The life of every Nigerian is very important to us and must be held sacrosanct. Total security is sine qua non to our existence.

This war has certainly come to our door-steps. As Senators of the Federal Republic, destiny has entrusted us to be at the helm of affairs today. We must all rise to the current challenge.

The government must be supported fully by this Senate to confront the challenge

head-long.

Therefore, we must devise a better strategy to win this war at the earliest possible time. We must come out with clear, concise and unequivocal mission statement on how to win this war.

As I have repeatedly said, we must as a matter of urgency, fish out the financiers of these terrorists and all collaborators wherever they are, and bring them to book.

On National Conference, Senate President Mark noted:

conference, the Senate gave its support to the idea.

The President accordingly convoked the conference to discuss and suggest ways of resolving the perceived structural defects in the polity.

Whilst we are not directly involved at this stage, we await the subsequent action of Mr. President”, The motion “Threat To National Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Nigeria by Insurgents” jointly sponsored by 108 senators was presented by Senate Leader Victor NdomaEgba.

of Reps Committee on Education and the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau in Abuja.

The association’s National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, stated NMA new position was arrived at, after reviewing the efforts of the Federal, Lagos, Rivers and Enugu state governments to contain the “recent importation” of Ebola from Liberia. He stated there was no need keeping pupils at home beyond September 22.

He however called for vigilance among stakeholders, saying there was no need relying on, or hinging their “position on rumours, lies and ignorance”.

Dr. Obembe urged the international and port health services to be on the highest level of vigilance and preparedness to screen all entrants into the country for fever.

Similarly, Obembe called for establishment of the infectious disease hospitals in

all the 36 states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja so as to be able take care of any “viral haemorrhagic fever and other medical infectious disease emergencies.”

NMA also tasked all the local government areas across the country to provide health services with a medical officer and other necessary staff for “level of epidemiological intelligence and surveillance for the prevention” or re-entry of the disease into the country.

Continued from page 1 “Quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, this health crisis we are facing is unparalleled in modern times.

“We do not know where the numbers are going on this,’’ Aylward told a news conference in Geneva.

He said that the WHO’s previous forecast that the number of cases could reach 20,000 no longer seemed a

lot, but the number could be kept within the tens of thousands with “a much faster response’’.

The senior UN coordinator for Ebola, Dr David Nabarro, said UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon would launch a global response coalition in New York on Thursday.

“The amount for which we requested was about 100 million dollars a month ago and now it is one billion

dollars, so our ask has gone up 10 times in a month.

“Because of the way the outbreak is advancing, the level of surge we need to do is unprecedented, it is massive, ’’ Nabarro told reporters.

However, U.S. has announced that it will send 3,000 troops to help tackle the Ebola outbreak as part of a ramped-up response including a major deployment in Liberia.

Declare war on Boko Haram, Senate “You will also recall that this time Continued from page 1 urges Jonathan last year, in response to the clarion calls for a national declared a total war on

NUT rejects September 22 resumption date

Continued from page 1 included improving the sanitary conditions of the schools, provision of water and soap for regular handwashing by pupils, ensuring general cleanliness and engaging expertes on EVD control.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) representatives did not attend the meeting. Its National Chairman, Michael Olukoya who last week opposed September 22 resumption date said the union declined the inviation as it upheld its last week position.

Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, had promised intervening in the matter by collating reactions from Nigerians and tabling same before the entire House for necessary legislative action.

Also, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has changed its earlier stance of warning against the resumption of the country’s public and private schools on Monday September 22, 2014 as it has called on the school owners to make available all necessary measures to prevent further spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Diseases (EVD), ahead of next week.

NMA rescission came after their meeting with the House

12 soldiers sentenced to death Continued from page 1 soldiers were informed by communication gap between them and the GOC, lack of trust and loyalty.

Another factor was complaint by the officers over inadequate allowances, food supply, arms and ammunition to fight the insurgents.

The 7 Division of Nigerian Army, has its headquarters at Maimalari Cantonment, in Borno state.

Ebola requires $1 billion dollars response

APC Chieftain calls for election of credible candidates

By LUCKY EFESE BENIN CITY- The Commissioner representing Orhionmwon on the board of Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Commission Area Development Commission and a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Hon. Fidelis Okunzuwa, has charged the leadership of APC across the state to elect credible candidates that would build on existing legacies of the party in the state thereby claming the 2015 and 2016 general elections.

Hon. Okunzuwa made this assertion in Benin City, while hosting the people of Ugu Ward, who had come to pay a thank you visit to him for the exemplary leadership that culminated in the rapid development of their area.

He noted that governance is a collective responsibility of the people as the successes recorded could not have been achieved but for the tireless support from the people.

He thanked the people for the visit and assured them of his desire to continually pursue the course of good governance if elected into higher position.

As a Commissioner in EDSOPADEC, Okunzuwa said his power was limited to influencing viable projects in the area and opined that if given another opportunity, he would surpass his previous achievements.

He however solicited further support to ensure that APC remains in power for another four years to effectively transform legal ward in particular and Orhiomwon Local Government Area at large.

Hon. Okunzuwa described the visit as one of his happiest moments in the history of his political inclination and charged them to remain focused and steadfast in protecting the integrity of APC, at the grassroot level.

On the issues of his political career, Hon. Okunzuwa, posited that he had never anticipated or decided to contest for any position, saying they are too deaden for him because, politics is a game of followers and numbers.

According to him, at the appropriates time, he would let his people know about his ambition.

In his remark, the leader of the delegates and the current chairman of APC in Ugu Ward, Mr. Godwin Igbinigie, thanked him for the reception accorded them.

He disclosed that they were in his house to appreciate his good will to the people of Ugu ward and also to reassure him of their readiness to work in tandem with him to transform Ugu ward to a greater height.

He charged the APC leader hot to relent in his efforts of pursuing the set goals for his people.

Mr. Igbinigie, also, thanked the leadership of the party in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, especially the state deputy governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwan Odubu, for his exemplary leadership in the locality.

Coy ownership: Assembly directs govt on round-table talks

By KEN ABU BENIN CITY- Edo State House of Assembly has adopted a resolution urging the State government to invite a former Governor of the State, Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion and others to a round-table talk over the true ownership of AVA Cement Company Limited.

The others to be invited to the round-table talk are, a former Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral who is presently the Chairman of AVA Cement Company Limited, Hon. Fashenu Udofie; Aidotor – General of the state in 2016;

the present Commissioner for Commerce and Industry; the Auditor-General of the state and the Chairman House Standing Committee on Commerce and Industry.

The adoption of the resolution was sequel yesterday consideration of the report of the House Standing Committee on Commerce and Industry / Finance and Economic Development on investigation of AVA Cement Company Limited at the Committee of the Whole.

According to the five points findings of the Committee’s report, Edo State Government in 2006 invested the sum of 30 million dollars, equivalent to the sum of N4.9 billion naira in the company with a 15 percent share.

Rainstorm Disaster: Edo Assembly wants victims

By KEN ABU

BENIN CITY - Edo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on relevant Federal and State government agencies as well as the Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Council to provide relief materials for victims of the August 7, 2014 rainstorm disaster in Kekere, Gbaramatu and Siluko Communities in Ovia South-West local government area.

The House through the resolution also urged the Ovia South-West local government council to

reconstruct the only primary school in Gbaramatu which was destroyed by the rainstorm, while calling on relevant authorities, such as NEMA,SEMA and Ovia South-West Council to within two weeks, as a matter of urgency provide succour to affected persons in the communities with a view to alleviating their plight.

The resolution was sequel to the consideration of motion under Matters of urgent importance presented yesterday by the member representing Ovia South-West Constituency,

assisted

Hon. Sunday Aghedo on the rainstorm disaster that affected several constituency.

According to Hon. Aghedo, the rainstorm on August 7, 2014 has left adverse affect on some communities which led to the over-flow of a river in the locality while some communities are presently submerged by water.

The lawmaker revealed that he visited the affected communities in company of the Ovia South- West local government council boss who promised to provide relief

material to the affected persons within a week, noting that till date, the affected persons are yet to get any relief material from the local government or from the federal or state government agencies.

He noted that fish farming which is the major source of livelihood of the people has greatly been affected and therefore prayed the House to prevail on the relevant authorities including kind-hearted individuals to provide aid to the rainstorm victims.

Other lawmakers who spoke on the motion

expressed displeasure over the action of the local government boss for failing in his responsibility to provide succour to the affected persons.

They called on the Federal and State agencies to be alive to their responsibilities in ensuring that succour is provided to the affected persons.

In his submission, Hon. Uyi Igbe the Speaker of State House of Assembly appealed to kind-hearted Nigerians to assist the government agencies to alleviate the plight of the affected communities.

News Nutritionist Urges FG to train more doctors in nutritional medicine He explained that

ABUJA A Nutritionist, Mr Philip Amiengheme, has in Abuja urged the Federal Government to train more medical doctors on nutritional medicine to enable them provide dietary advice to the public.

Amiengheme, who is the President of Advocacy for the Prevention of NonCommunicable Diseases Initiative (APNDI), a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), made the call in an interview with newsmen.

He said that most doctors only had training in pharmaceutical medicine which enabled

them to treat symptoms of ailments.

“Nutritional medicine practitioner views food, diet and nutritional supplements from the perspective of their therapeutic potential, providing dietary advice to clients and prescribing nutritional supplements on a broad range of health conditions,” he said.

Amiengheme said that average life span in the country was about 46 years and attributed it to the consumption of processed foods.

He said life span in some countries, including Japan and China, was longer “because they eat more nutritionally balanced food.”

He therefore advised Nigerians to avoid junk food to prevent diseases, adding that fast food lacked nutrients.

research had shown that what people ate or failed to eat could lead to sickness.

“For instance, vitamin C, which is found in plants, fruits and vegetable, is vital for the prevention of scurvy while iodine is for prevention of goiter and iron is vital for prevention of anemia.

“But when people go for processed food they miss out all these nutrients which make them to fall sick,” he said.

The nutritionist pointed out that parents had formed the habit of feeding their children with processed food and warned that such practice was a “time bomb.”

“Parents should feed their children with natural foods to prevent illness,” he added.

Church Sets Up Centre To Engage Rhapsody of Reality Study

BY BETTY IDIALU Youths Bibles would be distributed to

WARRI-Towards checking youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region and as part of her social responsibility, the Warri Zone of the Christ Embassy Church said it has set up a Youth Resource Centre to enable youths engage their minds in meaningful ventures.

Pastor Siji Dara, the Zonal Pastor, represented by the Group Pastor, Yomi Morakinyo said the church embarked on the projects to train youths on various vocation.

This, he said would have a multiplier effect of

fostering peace and unity in the larger society. ‘’Our youths need to learn trade and be self-reliant because, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

“The project would help to bring youths together and harness their potentials for the good of the society, as the 2015 general election are approaching, a youth who has his mind on something meaningful will not be involved in elections thuggery,” he said.

Speaking on the 2014 Annual Reach Out Nigeria (RON) programme of the church,Pastor Dara said it would enhance unity and promote peace in the country adding that about 160 million copies of Rhapsody of Realities (Messenger Angel) as well as

the people. ‘’RON is a programme designed to reach-out to people and promote peace and unity. Our targets are everyone we get in contact with”.

According to Pastor Dara, part of the mandate given to them by the President of the Christ Embassy Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilomen is to provide portable water for those who cannot afford it especially those in the rural areas,they have also embarked on water project.

A public lecture with resource persons speaking on topical national issues is also expected to hold.

Chairman, Her for Coalition group, Edo State, Dr. U. I. Omoike right explaining a point to Mr. James Uwoifoh, Chairman, Herforn Edo State during a two-day step down training workshop on Advocacy for PHC reform held yesterday in Benin City at the Hospital Management Board. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

Herfon Commends Edo Govt over free health care

By FRIDAY OBANOR

BENIN CITY- A Coalition of Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), has commended Edo State government for its free maternal new born and Child Health Service in the state.

The coalition group after a 2-day step down training Workshop on advocacy for primary Health Care (PHC) reform for Coalition Group and HERFON members in the state also called for adequate legislation to back the laudable policy.

Lamenting the slow progress in the passage of the state, PHC Bill into law, the Coalition urged the state government to send the Bill to the State House of Assembly by the Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Secretary, Committee for Peace and Justice, Mr. Ezekiel, Tsokwa (right), briefing newsmen in Abuja recently over Governor Danfulani Suntai’s ill-health and political crisis in Taraba. With him is Assistant Secretary, Nwaru Oluchi.

The group in a communiqué signed by HERFON State Coalition Chairman, Dr. I.U Omoike and HERFON State Chapter Chairman, Mr. James Uwaifoh resolved to work with civil society groups and other concerned institutions and Health Agencies to ensure that the Bill is forwarded to the Edo State House of Assembly for accelerated hearing.

Noting the urgent importance of having a state PHC Agency Board now that the National Health Bill is awaiting the assent of president Goodluck Jonathan the coalition however noted the damaging effect the non passage of the Bill would have

on PHC services as Edo State will not be able to access national fund as provided for by the Natonal Health Bill.

The Coalition commended the National Headquarters of HERFON for providing resources to implement the advocacy Programme for PHC reforms in Edo State.

It also lauded the efforts of the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the commissioner for Health for working assiduously to improve Health Care delivery in the state.

The Training goal of the 2day step-down workshop was to strengthen the Advocacy capacity of the HERFON Coalition group in order to aid its advocacy for health reform.

By PIUS ABAH

rejection, which is becoming more preponderant.

In response to this, the scheme made system charges to the portal, allowing firms and interns more choice in accepting to work with each other, he said.

According to him, “The graduate internship opportunities fair is probably the first to hold in Nigeria, providing a platform for the reduction of vulnerability among unemployed graduates.

“Internship from our experience provides soft landing for many graduates in finding direction for their lives, either through jobs or entrepreneurship.

“It is our hope that this practice will be sustained as a veritable unemployment reduction tool,” he added.

Speaking with the Nigeria OBSERVER, a legal Officer in the Legal Aid Council, Miss Osarumwense Egheomwanre Amenaghawon stressed that the initiative of the graduate Internship Scheme GIS has so much helped the various organizations that are registered with GOS. She said, “Through this initiative, the interims will have the opportunities of being trained on how to be discipline, honest and trust worthy in their future profession”.

Project Director Urges Graduates To Utilize GIS

BENIN CITY-The project Director, Graduate Internship Scheme, Mr. Peter Papka has urged young graduates from the various institutions to take full advantage of the internship scheme which is aimed at addressing the problem of graduate and youth unemployment in Nigeria.

The charge was given at a one-day Graduate Internship Opportunities fair organized by the Graduates Internship Scheme of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Mr. Papka who was represented by the Head of Services, Graduates Internship Scheme, SURE-P, Anthony Kalu stressed that among the objectives of the scheme is to enhance the employability of at least 50,000 unemployed graduates in the 36 states of the Federation and FCT by improving their skills through work placement.

In addition, kalu emphasized that one of the pertinent issues raised by firms during interactions is the need to allow the firm some level of interaction with the intern before posting in order to avoid high rate of

News Missing Air Force Fighter Jet 5

Amosu Rules Out Sabotage

ABUJA -The Nigeria Air Force has ruled out sabotage in the case of the missing fighter jet in Adamawa, saying it was in full control of the Nigerian airspace.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had, declared missing an Alfa Jet, which was on a routine mission in the campaign to flush out terrorists in the North-East, after radio contact with the crew members was lost.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu, said this while answering questions from State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Abuja.

“One of our Alpha Jets went on routine operation in the North East; on their return, they lost contact with the control towers and that made us to immediately initiate a search.

“Sabotage! No, because it is a distance of just from Maiduguri to Yola. We are in full control of the air space.

“But don’t forget that when you lose radio signal, it becomes very challenging.

There are so many possibilities but we are working on it.“ Amosu expressed the hope that the jet and crew would soon be found, saying that the air force had already deployed

its surveillance technology in the area inspite the harsh weather there.

He praised the inhabitants of the affected area for providing the air force with useful information on the missing jet.

“The weather has not been helpful as we have deployed all our surveillance capability; the citizens have been very helpful and we have got good information from them.

“But you know, in the aviation sector, we have some specific information that we ought to have to make the search easy.

“But the information we are getting from the citizens is good but not enough for us to define the area of search. ‘’We have an idea of where the aircraft could be. Do not forget that it is the open Sahel.

Some people may think it is easy but in the open Sahel; sometimes it is very challenging,“ he said.

Amosu also expressed the hope that the missing pilots would be found alive, saying that they must have contemplated ejection in spite of whatever problem they may have encountered.

He said, “I am hopeful that before the end of the day or week we should be able to provide credible information as to the location of the aircraft and then the pilots.”

R - L: Senate President David Mark with visiting Indian Instructors that taught him at NDA course 3 in the 60s, Major-General Surinder Jain and Lt. General Kumar Gaur during their visit in Abuja over the weekend.

Synagogue Tragedy

Doctors Can’t Locate Minor’s Parents LAGOS - Parents of a minor victim of the Synagogue Church collapsed building on admission at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, could not be located.

Dr Ibrahim Mustapha, a Consultant and Head, Surgical Emergency Department, LASUTH, told newsmen in Lagos that the minor was fit to be discharged.

“One of the victims, a child, is due to be discharged today, but we cannot find her parents.

“We intend to take her photograph to make the announcement and hopefully, she will be found by her parents,’’ Mustapha said.

He said that the other victim, a male, who sustained some bruises on the head and arm, was also fit to be discharged soon.

“The two victims of the collapsed building are responding well to treatment and will be discharged soon.

“Both sustained minor injuries including bruises, but we have been able to treat and

dress their wounds,” he said.

When contacted, the middle-aged man, who refused to disclose his identity, told newsmen that he was grateful for surviving the collapsed building.

He said: “I was in the building when it suddenly collapsed.

“I am responding fine to treatment and I hope to be discharged soon.’’

Reports state that a sixstorey building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Ikotun, Lagos, had on September 12, collapsed with no fewer than 50 persons feared dead.

The building, under construction, was initially a two-storey building before the addition of four new floors.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the South-West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had on Sept.14 put the death toll at the collapsed building at 40.

No fewer than 124 people were rescued alive from rubbles of the collapsed building believed to be a guest house for foreign worshippers at the church.

R - L: Chairman, Panel of Inquiry on burnt BRT Buses, Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, member Mr. Jude Igbanoi and General Manager, Lagos Bus (LAGBUS), Mr. Babatunde Disu at the inaugural sitting of the Panel on Monday.

Fraud: Police Arraign Car

ABUJA - The police have arraigned a car dealer, Rotimi Oriade, in Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja for allegedly misappropriating N1.65 million given to him to purchase a car.

Police prosecutor DSP Auta Yusuf, told the court that one Oluwafemi Ajayi reported the matter to the

Dealer

police on May 13.

Yusuf said that the accused received the money from the complainant for the purchase of Honda Accord saloon, 2007 model.

According to him, the accused failed to deliver the

car to the complainant, but instead misappropriated the money and equally threatened him.

The prosecutor said that the offences of criminal breach of trust, intimidation and cheating contravened provisions of Sections 312,

322 and 397 of Penal Code.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate, Mr Aminu Eri, granted him bail in sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Eri said that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the case to Oct. 23, for further hearing.

News Minister Adesina Advocates Increased Funding For Agriculture ABUJA -The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has urged the Federal Government to meet the 2013 Maputo declaration to sustain developments in agricultural sector.

Adesina made the call in Abuja at the inauguration of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) Policy Working Group at Transcorp Hilton.

The ‘Maputo Declaration’ states that African nations should commit at least 10 per cent of national budgetary resources to agriculture and rural development policy implementation within five years.

The declaration came after the Second Ordinary Assembly of the African Union in July 2003 in Maputo.

The minister said: “While much has been achieved, several challenges still face the agriculture sector.

“The level of funding for the agriculture sector is still very low compared to the recommended 10 per cent of national budgetary

allocation under the Maputo declaration.

“There is an urgent need to increase the budget to agriculture to 10 per cent of the national budget, to meet the growing needs of the sector and sustain the gains that have been achieved.

“While much progress has been made in expanding access to finance for agricultural input traders, seed and fertiliser companies, farmers’ access to finance is still very low.

“There is an urgent need to revamp the Bank of Agriculture, provide access to affordable finance for farmers and agribusinesses at single digit interest rates, while expanding the capacity of rural finance institutions,’’ he urged.

Adesina said trade and investment policies should be in line with ATA to protect the achievement made in the sector, saying that Nigeria should not be a dumping ground.

He also charged the policy working group to come up with ways of sustaining and further developing the achievement of the ATA. Responding on behalf of the

group, the Chairman of the ATA Policy Working Group, Prof.

Olu Ajakaiye, appreciated the minister for the opportunity to serve.

He acknowledged that agriculture had made giant strides under the President Goodluck Jonatha- led administration.

“We have accepted your kind invitation to serve the Agricultural Transformation Agenda and we pledged to support the government and development partners,’’ he said.

Members of the group included Prof. Paul Amaza, Vice Chairman, Prof. Justice Onu, Prof.

Adebayo Aromolaran, Prof. Titus Awokuse, Prof. Yakubu Fabiyi and Prof. Eric Eboh.

Others are Prof. Ebele Amali, Prof. Michael Kwanashie, Prof. Aderibigbe Olomola, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, Prof.

Benjamin Ahmed, Prof.

Gabriel Ayoola and Dr John Egbuta.

Senate Leader Spends N73m Annually On Scholarship Scheme

CALABAR - The Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, says he spends N73 million annually on payment of scholarship for students in his constituency in various tertiary institutions in the country.

Ndoma-Egba (PDP-Cross River) said this in Calabar during the presentation of scholarship awards for 2014/2015 academic session to 30 undergraduates and 12 post graduates students.

“I spend N73 million for this scheme annually. Aside those in schools, we have others in the military, seminaries and other specialised institutions, ‘’ he said.

He said that over 9,500 youths across the country had benefited from his free computer training programme.

According to him, the programme was designed to assist brilliant but financially incapacitated youths of the zone.

“It is not politically motivated at all; infact, it actually started in 1980 but it was formalised in 2003.

“It is a human capital development programme. I believe that the real resource of any nation is youthful, educated and skillful population.

“I believe that in Nigeria, our focus must be on youths, irrespective of our challenges as a nation, ‘’ he said.

He warned the beneficiaries to desist from joining secret cults, adding that doing so would ruin their ambition.

“Avoid cultism; its takes you nowhere. It leads you to selfdestruction, ‘’ the senate leader said.

He also encouraged them to always maintain high standard in their academics, saying that only those with cumulative pass grade average of 2.5 and above were qualified for the scholarship.

“Many students who have benefited from this scheme are doing very well in their different

fields; so I am urging you to make good use of this scholarship in order to develop yourself, ” he said.

Ndoma-Egba said that plans were under way to collate the pool of graduates of the scheme to ensure that they secured meaningful employment.

The Chairman of Board of Trustees of the scheme, Dr Margaret Ndoma-Egba, said that under the scheme, each undergraduate got

N70,000 while the post graduate students got N100,000 each.

One of the beneficiaries, Miss Stella Okpa, expressed gratitude to the senator for the gesture.

She assured him that the beneficiaries would take advantage of the opportunity given to them.

Minister Appoints Acting Director For AEPB

ABUJA - Alhaji Bala Mohammed, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has appointed Mr Baba Lawan as the new acting Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

A statement signed by Mr Mohammad Sule, the Chief Press Secretary to the minister, said the minister made the announcement at the bi-weekly FCT Operational Briefing Session (OBS) in Abuja.

According to the statement, before his appointment, he was the Deputy Director, Parks and Tree Maintenance in the Department of Parks and Recreation of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC).

“The FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed approved the reorganisation of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and appointed Mr Baba Lawan, as the new acting director.

“The re-organisation also has affected other three deputy directors and one assistant director who were redeployed out of the board,’’ it said.

The statement said that the minister directed the new management team of the board to immediately organise a town hall meeting with the stakeholders to address all the grey areas.

It quoted the minister as saying that plans were underway to urgently source for three plastic environmental waste bins to enhance solid waste management in the FCT.

“On waste collection in estates around FCT, the minister instructed the new management to liaise with the estates managers and residents to find ways of collaborating with such estates to collect wastes.

“This will take off such burden from the shoulders of the Abuja Environmental Board.

“The FCT Administration has kick started implementation of policy of self-service of Housing Estates by Owners and Residents Association with a successful stakeholders meeting,’’ the minister said.

He said that the establishment of additional dumpsites at Dutse Makaranta and Bwari would ease pressure on the existing dumpsites.

He said that the dump sites would reduce the turnaround time of waste collection vehicles.

“We have taken effective possession of the Gudu Waste Transfer Station site and the site has since been handed over to the contractors.

“The administration has commenced night operation by the City Cleaning Contractors to improve solid waste collection in the city and has significantly enhanced city sanitation,’’ the minister said.

South South Lawmaker Advises People On Good Personal Hygiene LAGOS - Mr Bisi Yusuf, a member, Lagos State House of Assembly, has advised members of the public to maintain good personal hygiene against the spread of Ebola Virus Disease.

Yusuf (APC-Alimosho I) gave the advice at a symposium he organised to educate people on the need to maintain good hygiene as precautionary measure against contracting the disease.

The lawmaker, who is also the chairman, House Committee on Transportation, Commerce and Industry, appealed to parents to take proper care of their wards to prevent the spread of the virus.

Yusuf urged teachers and school owners to adhere to the medical doctors’ guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease among the students when they resume.

The lawmaker said that the proprietors should not consider their gains and incomes as more important than the health and safety of their students.

Also speaking, Dr Yewande Adeshina, the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Public Health, advised residents of the state to report any suspected case of ebola to the state government.

Adeshina, who was represented by Dr Demilade Longe, the state Director of Disease Control, appealed to the people to abstain from eating bush meat and fruit bats.

100 Officers And Men Of NSCD Trained By Nigerian Army

Youth internally displaced from Madagali, Michika and Mubi Local Government Areas struggling for food at Bajabure camp in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa.

NSCDC Lagos state command who was represented by Mr Olatunji Gbadegesin, Assistant commandant in charge of training.

In his remark at the occasion, Ikemefuna said the training on arms bearing was in line with responsibility bestowed on the corps by the NSCDC ACT of 2007.

“There has been series of training programmes and this is just one of such training being administered by the Nigerian Army at NSCDC training ground in Badagry,” he said,’’ he said.

He expressed delight at the willingness and readiness of the Nigerian Army to assist the NSCDC in the training of its personnel.

Ikemefuna called for synergy among the nation’s security agencies to combat insurgency in the North-East.

Trader Docked Over Alleged Theft

Some internally displaced childing from Madagali, Michika and Mubi local Government Area queuing for food at the Bajabure internally displaced persons camp in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa.

Embrace dialogue HOS Advises Union Leaders

ABEOKUTA - The Ogun Head of Service, Mrs Modupe Adekunle, has stressed the importance of dialogue and negotiation in the resolution of industrial conflict.

Adekunle said this while declaring open a 3-day workshop organised for administrative and executive

council members of the Ogun chapter of the Nigeria Civil Service Union.

Adekunle said the era of table-banging and provocative language in

unionism was over, adding, “Negotiation should be considered as a veritable tool in ensuring welfare of the employees.’’

She advised the leaders and members to always keep the

Osun Invites Indigenous Contactors To of counterpart funds OSOGBO - Mr Adekunle Bid For Projects payment in respect of projects that had Ige, the Special Adviser to the Osun Governor on Water Resources, has said qualified indigenous contractors would be given the opportunity to execute borehole projects to be co-funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Ige, who disclosed this at the board meeting of the Office of Water Resources, Rural Development and Community Affairs, said such contractors must be ready to meet the

LAGOS - Another batch of 100 officers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, has been trained by the Nigerian Army at the NSCDC training ground in Badagry.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Mefor Chibuzor, the spokesperson of the command and made available to the newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

The statement stated that the officers were trained on the rudiments of arms bearing, stripping and assembling of riffles, physical drilling and mental alertness.

It said the training was declared open by Mr Donatus Ikemefuna, the commandant,

specifications of the AfDB. He said indigenous contractors interested in such projects should not hesitate to submit their bids which would open on October 13. “ As much as the government believes in the patronage of indigenous contractors, quality would not be compromised. “ I am confident that we have contractors and professional drillers in the

state who can perform to expectations. “ This is why we are calling on them not to sit back.

“It is the desire of Osun government to continue in its efforts at opening up rural communities through the provision of amenities that will make living meaningful for dwellers,’’ Ige said.

Ige also said government had been up to date in the

to do with international organisations.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Adelere Oriolowo, who spoke on behalf of the board, said government was committed to the provision of water in rural areas.

Oriolowo pledged the readiness of the ministry to implementing policies and projects with commitment and renewed dedication.

rules and regulations of the civil service in mind while engaging in union activities.

Adekunle appealed to the union leaders to uphold the virtues of transparency and accountability.

“Please ensure that the dues of members are judiciously managed as the main purpose for unionism is members’ welfare,’’ she said.

Earlier, Chairman, Ogun council of the union, Comrade Fasiu Salau, said the seminar was organised to evaluate and proffer solutions to the challenges of trade unionism in the civil service.

Salau described the civil service as the engine room of government service delivery in any state.

He therefore stressed the need for the civil service to be strengthened in the areas of capacity building and provision of conducive working environment to boost productivity.

LAGOS - A 21-year-old trader, Emmanuel Dominic, who allegedly obtained wears worth N240,000 under false pretences, has appeared before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused, who resides in Apapa, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining under false pretences.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. Ajaga Agboko, told the court that the accused defrauded Mr Stanley Okoro on February 13, at No.13/15, Wharf Road, Apapa.

Agboko said that the accused fraudulently obtained 200 pieces of men’s wears from Okoro under the pretext that he would sell them and remit the money to him. ‘’Instead of giving the money to the complainant, the accused converted it to his own personal use,” Agboko said.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Section 312 prescribes 15-year jail term for obtaining under false pretences while Section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Martins Owumi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N70,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Owumi adjourned the case till October 2 for mention.

Lagos Landlord Arraigned Over Fraud LAGOS - A landlord, Olayemi Bashorun, who allegedly obtained N360,000 from an accommodation seeker under false pretences, has appeared before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a two-count charge.

Fourty-three-year-old Bashorun, who resides at Ijora Badia area of Lagos defrauded Mrs Bridget Idirime on August 13, according to the Prosecutor, Cpl. Michael Unah.

Unah told the court that Bashorun obtained the sum on the pretext of renting a selfcontained apartment to Idirime.

The prosecutor submitted that the accused neither rented the apartment out to Idirime nor refunded her money.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of

60 Ships To Berth In Lagos Ports LAGOS - The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has said about 60 ships laden with petroleum products and other commodities are expected to berth at the Lagos ports between September 15 and October 6, 2014.

The ships’ profiles are contained in the NPA daily publication “Shipping Position,” released in Lagos.

It said four of the expected vessels would arrive at the ports with petroleum products, while 28 ships would bring in other goods.

A further breakdown of the ships showed that one of the ships will sail in with secondhand vehicles, while 28 ships are carrying general cargo, bulk wheat, bulk sugar, steel product, fresh fish, crude palm oil, bulk gypsum and bulk rice.

It also said that five ships carrying petroleum products and another four ships laden with base oil, crude palm oil and bulk wheat were waiting to discharge at the various Lagos ports.

Meanwhile, 23 ships are discharging containers laden with general cargo, bulk wheat, bulk sugar, crude palm oil, bulk malt, fresh fish and petroleum products at the ports.

Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Section 312 prescribes 15-year jail term for obtaining under false pretences while Section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing.

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Adegite, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till October 9 for mention.

External students of Lagos State University, Agege Annex, in a peaceful protest over non issuance of admission letters among other issues in Lagos recently.

Tribunal Begins Inquiry Into Vandalism Of BRT Buses LAGOS - The tribunal of inquiry into the road traffic accident, arson and vandalism of some Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles has began sitting in Lagos.

The incident occurred on July 4, following an allegation that a BRT bus had hit and killed a soldier at the Palmgrove axis of Ikorodu Road.

The incident led to a breakdown of law and order, and subsequent destruction of some BRT vehicles as well as looting and harassment of innocent

citizens.

Consequently, Gov. Babatunde Fashola on July 21, inaugurated a three-man tribunal of inquiry to look into the cause of the incident in order to avoid future recurrence.

Present at the inaugural sitting were representatives of LAGBUS, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, National Union of Road Transport Workers and community leaders.

The Chairman of the Tribunal,

retired Justice Ebenezer Adebajo, said its mandate was to determine the facts surrounding the incident.

According to him, the tribunal is also to make recommendations to prevent future occurrence of incidents of such nature.

Adebajo maintained that the tribunal would not entertain any form of bias in its proceedings, adding that it was only interested in unravelling the truth.

“On behalf of the tribunal, I give further assurance of our fairness to each and every person or group of persons with special interest in the work of the tribunal.

“This tribunal has not been constituted to witch hunt or to arrive at a predetermined conclusion.

“We implore the general public to have confidence in the work of the tribunal and we appeal to those persons who witnessed the happenings on that day to come forward.

“If anyone harbours any fear of reprisal, again, we give assurance of confidentiality where it is requested,” he added.

Adebajo further noted that all the parties of interest, including the military, had indicated willingness to participate in the public hearing, which would

likely be concluded on September 30.

Also speaking, the Attorney General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, said that the essence of the tribunal was to determine the cause of the mayhem as a way of forestalling future recurrence.

Represented by the spokesperson of the ministry, Mrs Bola Akingbade, the commissioner urged members of the public who witnessed the incident to come out and give their evidence before the tribunal.

On his part, a representative of the Civil Society Organisations, Mr Richard Akinola, observed that the Nigerian Army had no representation at the proceedings.

Akinola noted that their attendance was critical to the inquiry as it could lead to identifying those who were responsible for the incident from both sides.

Rape: Student Arrainged

Work in progress at the Iganmu light Rail station in Lagos.

LAGOS - A student, Ibrahim Fashanu, who allegedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of a 21-year-old lady, was brought before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused, 26, who lives at No. 89, Okesuna St. on Lagos Island, is facing a charge of rape.

The Prosecutor, Cpl.

Expert Seeks Effective Documentation For Air Travellers

LAGOS - An aviation insurance expert has urged travellers to ensure they boarded planes with their names on the tickets and manifests.

Mr Sunny Adeda, a former President of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

According to him, effective documentation of their names in the aircraft manifests and tickets provides them proof for insurance cover and claims in the event of any mishap while on board.

“People travel with tickets issued in the names of other persons.

“People buy tickets from touts at the airports and the tickets

given to them are in the names of the touts.

“People also travel as guest of the pilots and other crew members in which case they are not listed in the manifest.

“The danger of travelling like these is that in the event of any air mishap nobody can plead insurance compensation on their behalf,” he said.

Adeda said that air travellers should also ensure that their luggages were tagged.

He said that since precious items were excluded from normal aviation insurance, the passengers should ensure also that they disclosed the items to

the airline.

He also said that precious items like cameras, laptops, jewellery and other valuables could be insured separately for them to attract insurance compensations.

“I am placing emphasis on this because it is where the public is in acrimony with the insurance companies in any air disaster,” he said.

Adeda said that passengers should also read the terms and conditions at the back of their air tickets as there were limits to insurance claims a passenger aboard a plane was entitled to.

He said that people did not

bother to read these terms and conditions just as they did not bother to read insurance contract papers.

Adeda said that air travellers should avoid cutting corners like buying cheap tickets at the airport or smuggling their luggage’s without properly checking them in.

He said that smuggled luggages were being transported at the owners risk when it is lost on transit.

The insurance expert also said that airlines and insurance companies did not accept responsibilities for any transactions that was not documented while a passenger was on board an aircraft.

Francesca Okere, told the court that the accused committed the offence on September 12 at the above-mentioned address.

She said that the accused lured the complainant into his room under the pretext of helping her to charge her phone’s battery.

“The complainant was stranded and needed to charge her phone; so, she approached Fashanu to help her to charge it.

“Fashanu later beckoned to the complainant from where she was standing to enter into his apartment,’’ she said.

The prosecutor said that when the lady entered the apartment, the accused forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

He said that the offence contravened Section 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mr M.L. Owolabi, granted him N300,000 bail with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till September 24 for mention.

Across The Nation Be Fair To All Churches, Bishop Tells Gov

President Goodluck Jonathan (6th right), with some Ministers and members of a Delegation from the Society for Protection of Women Against Abuse (SOPWA), after a meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja recently.

INEC Warns Politicians Against Violating Campaign Guidelines UYO - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom has warned politicians against breaking the commission’s rules and guidelines on elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Dr Gabriel Adah, gave the warning at an interactive session with newsmen in Uyo. Adah said that the commission had observed the flurry of billboards and posters of politicians in Uyo and other places in the state.

He said that messages and body languages suggesting political campaigns were in default of the INEC-approved time-table for such exercises.

The INEC commissioner said that the ban on campaigns had not been lifted.

“It is important to remind ourselves and our political parties to let their supporters understand that the commission has not yet lifted ban on political campaigns for 2015 elections,’’ he said.

He said that there was no need pasting posters and billboards on public buildings and other places.

The commissioner also said that the commission would soon commence the reconfiguration and allocation of new polling units in some parts of the state.

Adah assured the people that the commission would ensure that polling units would no longer be stationed at private residences, abandoned buildings and places of worship.

“Polling units would now be at public buildings such as primary and secondary schools and must be in open spaces,’’ he said.

ONITSHA (Anambra) Reverend Owen Nwokolo, Anglican Bishop of Diocese on the Niger, has advised Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state to be fair to all Christian denominations in ensuring peace and religious tolerance.

The bishop made this known to newsmen at a news conference in Onitsha .

According to him, the governor as a high profile public officer should be fair to all manner of Christian denominations in the state.

Nwokolo was reacting to the demolition of the Ebenezer Anglican Church, Oyolu-Oze, Nkwelle Ezunaka by some unidentified persons.

He urged the government and the security agencies in the state to fish out those behind the demolition of the place of worship.

According to him, the perpetrators will not have come from nowhere to demolish the church.

He said the Anglican Church in the state would not abide by any report by the panel set up by the governor to investigate the matter.

“We do not have confidence in the members of the tribunal made up of the functionaries of the state government,’’ he said.

He said that such body without an independent members could be prone to manipulations by the powers that be as none of the members could resist being teleguided.

Consequently, the bishop said that the Diocese on the Niger had already gone to court over the matter to enforce their fundamental rights to freedom of worship.

The Archbishop of Province on the Niger, Rt. Reverend Christian Efobi, who led the Anglican Bishops in the state to inspect the demolished church on September 12 made it clear that they would not relocate from the place.

Efobi said that the governor had made overtures to them to relocate the church to another place, where they would be allocated land and Certificate of Occupancy.

However, Obiano decried the demolished place of worship during a visit, and set up a panel headed by his Deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, to look into the matter.

FG To Introduce Pneumococcal Vaccine

Youths lifting the canoe donated to Dutsen Lawal Community in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State by Chairperson of the Local Government Area, Mrs. Hassana Arkila in Bauchi recently.

KANO - The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), has, said the Federal Government would introduce Pneumococcal vaccine in October for children against pneumonia Dr Abdullahi Bulama, the North-West Zonal Coordinator of the Agency, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Kano.

ABUJA - The Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, has urged Nigerians to support the armed forces to boost their morale in keeping the nation safe.

He said this in Abuja at the launch of the Support Our Troops Foundation, an initiative designed to give support to all servicemen and women and their families.

According to him, no measure of honour and support can be enough to show appreciation to them considering how hard they labour to keep others safe.

He also said that though the citizen’s support for them might not restore whatever they had lost, it would go a long way to brighten their spirits.

“Our words of appreciation may not restore broken limbs, rekindle shattered dreams or bring back the lives that we have lost to the service of our country.

“But we will not waste the opportunity and responsibility of saying a kind word.

recovery, provision for loved ones of fallen troops.

The others were to provide resources for transition from service for retired troops and benefit all servicemen and women in various capacities.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the foundation, Mr Olatunde Ayeni, said the only way to say thank you to them was to provide the confidence they needed to serve better.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that we give confidence to the young ones who want to enlist that if the unfortunate happens they will be catered for.

“We know the hardship they are going through, we know what terrorism has done to this country and we cannot allow the situation of Nigeria to deteriorate.

“We must support them and let them know we are with them, even though, we are not in the line of battle,’’ Ayeni said.

Obanikoro Advises Nigerians To Support Armed Forces “And making a noble gesture and an expression of faith and hope in the great service that these men and women have rendered,’’ he said.

Obanikoro said that the war against terrorism or the support for the armed forces couldn’t be shouldered by the government alone.

“You can say a word of prayer for them, help with information. Your expression of faith in their ability to defeat our common enemy is a morale booster that only you can provide.’’

He also urged those active in the social media to desist from talking them down or ridiculing them as this could demoralise them.

The foundation, a brain child of the minister, hopes to stimulate support through cash donations, volunteer services, scholarships and media partnerships.

Founder and Executive

Director of the initiative, Mrs Funmi Ogbue, said the servicemen and women were not just soldiers but husbands, wives, so ns, daughters, fathers and mothers and should be seen as such.

Ogbue urged all Nigerians not to let their service go to waste but to rather help save their legacies.

The vision, she said, is to “create a national culture of pride, patriotism and belief in the brave people who make our armed forces.

“We stand to add value, lend a hand of support, a shoulder to cry on and to say thank you when it matters most.’’

Designed to complement the activities of the government, the foundation’s activities are focused in five areas.

They are: boosting morale for deployed troops, supporting wounded troops to

Pneumococcal vaccine will protect against severe infection of a bacteria called pneumonia when given to children.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia says “pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli “It is usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria and less commonly other microorganisms, certain drugs and other conditions such as autoimmune diseases.

“Typical symptoms include cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty in breathing.”

Bulama said that the new vaccine was extremely effective, though expensive.

The coordinator said that the Agency would support the states in the provision of cold chain and other storage facilities to store the vaccine.

According to him, the Agency aims at providing solar refrigerators in every ward in the country.

“So far, we have started with 1,165 and more will soon be made available.

The zonal coordinator commended the Federal Government for the commitment in effective healthcare delivery for Nigerians, saying that healthcare was a priority in the transformation agenda of the present administration.

Bulama said that the government had purchased effective vaccines in the past which made diseases like meningitis and measles to become history in the country.

He urged corporate organisations and individuals to support the various activities of the Agency.

News Forum Tasks Traditional Rulers On Security ABUJA- Chief Sani Ejima, the National Chairman of All Igala Forum in Nigeria, has advised traditional rulers to intensify efforts in tackling insecurity in Nigeria to ensure the success of 2015 elections.

Ejima made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He urged traditional rulers to take advantage of their closeness to the people to assist the Federal Government in bringing an end to insecurity in the country.

The chairman said efforts in restoring peace ahead of 2015 general elections would go a long way to ensure that all registered voters came out to vote for candidates of their choice.

Ejima, who commended the Federal Government for

tackling security challenges in the country, called on other major stakeholders to contribute their quota in restoring peace.

“In view of the present security challenges in the country, traditional rulers ought to intensify efforts in restoring peace, particularly ahead of the 2015 general elections.

“If district heads, ward heads and village heads are alive to their responsibilities, they will be able to ensure discipline in their various communities and curtail any lawless act,” he said.

He further enjoined Nigerians to be law abiding and desist from any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Igala Kingdom.

ABUJA - Outgoing Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Mr Joseph Mbu, has urged the incoming successor, Mr. Wilson Inalegu, to be firm and sustain the current low crime rate in the territory.

Mbu, who gave the advice when he handed over to the new commissioner, described himself as a Lion who tamed every Leopard that had cross his way.

“It is only lion that can tame leopard. Each time the leopard remembers my face, it makes noise, but if it knows I am around, it cannot make noise.

A lion is a lion,’’ he said.

Mbu, who is now the AIG Zone 7, further advised the incoming commissioner to act like father to the officers and men of the FCT command but should not exhibit sentiments.

“You are the father of the command. Do not apply sentiments when doing police work because when you do that, you will fail,’’ he said.

According to him, what the force need is a strong leader who leads by example.

He said that discipline among the personnel should be taken seriously.

Responding, Inalegu pledged to sustain the standard set by Mbu, but stressed that the command would be civil in dealing with the public.

Inalegu said that it was necessary to keep to best practices as the FCT was the convergence centre for Nigerians and foreigners alike.

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia - Prime Minister Najib Razak, has said that Nigeria and four African countries would receive 20 million pairs of medical gloves to fight Ebola.

The other benefiting countries are Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said in Kuala Lumpur that the donation was in response to the complaints by the medical experts, that the shortage of medical rubber gloves was a key problem in

combating the outbreak.

Razak said Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea would each receive three containers of gloves, while Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo would each receive one container.

“Malaysia can make a unique and vital contribution to the fight against Ebola because we are one of the biggest manufacturers of rubber gloves,” he said.

“We hope this contribution will prevent the spread of Ebola and save lives,’’ he added.

FRSC Head of section, Manpower Development, Assistant Corps Marshal, John Meuz, Deputy Corps Marshal Yemi Omidiji and Corps Commander Bisi Kazeem at the Re-Training of FRSC Motorcycle riders in Abuja recently.

Be Firm, Outgoing Police Commissioner Urges Successor

FRSC Motorcycle riders at a Re-training workshop in Abuja recently.

Projects: FG To Set Up Monitoring ABUJA- The Federal Government said it would soon set up a Project Performance and Monitoring Task Force to monitor and evaluate performance of projects in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Mr Danladi Kifasi, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), said this in Abuja,at an interactive meeting with Permanent

Malaysia To Send Nigeria, 4 Others Gloves

Secretaries and Directorate officers in the civil service.

“The task force will monitor and evaluate performance of projects in various MDAs and report directly to me.

“Serious sanctions will be taken, where necessary, against any staff found wanting by the committee.”

Kifasi said that the biggest challenge most disturbing to the government on the national development effort was the abandonment of projects.

“We cannot place the entire blame on the civil service, but some part falls within our purview and we must take all measures to bring this trend to a stop.

“For example, some directorate level staff have been directly linked with poor projects planning, poor project design and poor project supervision, thereby leading to delay, project failure and abandonment.”

Kifasi said that the most important areas of his stewardship would be in the areas of refocusing and the regime of rewards and sanctions in the entire service, particularly the directorate

Taskforce

level.

He said that officers who work hard would be identified and specially rewarded and remunerated.

He identified some of the proposed areas of reward to include the restoration of accelerated promotion, conferment of National Honours, training in leading management institutions abroad and cash reward, among others.

He also said that poor performing officers would be isolated and would be made to answer for their unsatisfactory conduct.

He said that there would be no “sacred cows” as appropriate disciplinary actions would be taken against such personnel.

The HOS said that to build a world class service, there must be appropriate knowledge base continuously refocused on current realities, adding that such knowledge base must also be versatile.

“The service must provide a reservoir of knowledge and

skills which at all times are in line with the medium and long-term reform agenda of the government.”

He said that some top leadership of the civil service would be exposed to periods of internship and attachment with other sectors of the national life.

“This process is also expected to be mutually retooling and reinforcing for both the civil service and the institutions where such officers will be sent to.

“This will aid better policy formulation environment in the country.”

On the issue of welfare, Kifasi said that work was in progress to ensure a better welfare as efforts were ongoing to ensure that retiring civil servants were able to own their personal houses head after service.

Kifasi said that as the policy implementing organ, the government and the citizens looked up to the civil service to show the way by rendering services in a most professional, effective and

efficient way. “it is our collective responsibility as civil servants to redeem our image, restore public confidence and trust in the service otherwise, we will be left out in the scheme of things.

“We are expected to provide quality service in a timely, professional and cost effective manner.

“I am determined to build on the existing reforms and reposition the Federal Civil Service to a merit-based institution, with skilled, competent and disciplined public servants, trusted by all.”

Kifasi said that it would be a total aberration to tolerate unwholesome attitudes such as habitual late coming, truancy, delay in carrying out assignments and shoddy attitudes to duties.

“For example, it is totally inexplicable for directorate level officers to keep files on their tables for unnecessarily long periods.

“Henceforth, all officers are directed to ensure that no file stays on their tables for more than 72 hours without the permission of their superiors.”

Business + Economy Queues Resurface At Filling Stations In Abuja ABUJA - Queues of motorists jostling to buy petrol resurfaced at most filling stations in Abuja following an unconfirmed report that oil workers have embarked on a nationwide strike.

The queues were noticed in the afternoon around the city centre shortly after the workers were said to have announced the commencement of the strike.

It was gathered that the workers were called out on the strike after ongoing discussion between their leaders and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

management over unresolved pension issues was deadlocked.

It was learnt that the workers’ unions Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural

Gas Workers (NUPENG) – declared the strike at about 1p.m.immediately after the negotiation failed.

Leaders of both unions were said to have ordered out all staff of NNPC out of their offices at the corporation’s headquarters in Abuja and threatened to shut the premises.

It was gathered that the situation was, however, checked by security personnel hurriedly drafted to the NNPC Towers.

The news of the development made motorists to jostle for petrol, obviously to stem the hardship that might result if they strike really commenced.

At about 2 p.m. many filling stations in Wuse, Utako and Central Business areas had already recorded long queues of vehicles.

Efforts to reach officials of the two unions proved abortive as the security operatives at the entrance to NNPC barred

Bureau Organises Public Service Reforms Seminar

ABUJA - The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) has started lunch time seminar as part of the capacity building efforts to educate the directorate cadre on reforms in the public service.

The Director-General of the bureau, Mr Joe Abah said this during the Launch Time Reform Seminar Series organised for Permanent Secretaries and Directors in Abuja.

He said that the seminar was part of the BPSR border function of conducting research on reform implementation efforts and presenting best practice model.

Abah said that the seminar would provide a forum for active exchange of innovative ideas, knowledge and practice in the public service.

He said that other issues such as agriculture would be discussed subsequently, adding that it was the only part-time job that civil servants were allowed to embark on.

“We will deal with other issues such as agriculture because it is the only part-time job you are allowed to have as a civil servant.

“We want to bring somebody from the ministry of agriculture to come and educate public servants on how they can make additional income through agriculture in order to prepare for their retirement.

“The series will address specific reform issues and share experience with the view to impacting knowledge and broaden the knowledge of participants on key reform areas.”

He said that lesson learnt from the seminar would help to enrich the debate about the future of Nigeria public service and its role in the delivery of the transformation agenda of the present administration.

The Acting Director-General, National Pension Commission, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu said those who lost their jobs and could not secure employment within four months could access up to 25 per cent of retirement saving account.

newsmen from entering the premises.

They could also not be reached on telephone, especially President of NUPENG, Mr Igwe Achese, whose telephone appeared to have been switched off.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department of NNPC, Mr Ohi Alegbe, told newsmen on telephone that he was in a meeting over the matter and that a statement would be issued at the end of the meeting.

It was gathered that negotiation between the workers’ leaders and NNPC management resumed at about 3.30 p.m. after the initial face-off.

LAUTECH Wins Google Marketing Contest

Intending Muslims Women Pilgrims undergoing their last screening for 2014 Hajj Operation in Bauchi recently.

Pension Scheme: NNPC To

Avert Workers Strike

ABUJA - The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) say it has taken necessary measures to avert the proposed strike by the oil workers from the unresolved pension issues.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Manager, Mr Ohi Alegbe, in Abuja.

The Corporation’s arm of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff

Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had threatened to go on strike.

It stated that the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) had given a 12month window for the corporation to comply with the Pension Reform Act 2014 as amended.

It explained that PENCOM had earlier directed the corporation to “immediately take all necessary steps to transit to the Contributory Pension Scheme under the PRA”.

It also stated that PENCOM in a fresh directive dated

September 15 granted the NNPC a transition period of 12 months within which to ensure full compliance with the provisions of the PRA 2014.

It, therefore, appealed to the leadership of the industrial unions to exercise restraint while it embarks on extensive engagement with PENCOM to resolve the issues.

It also stated that since the commencement of the scheme in 2006, the management and its staff had made a lot of sacrifice to maintain the existing scheme.

It also stated that any premature cancellation of the scheme might

L-R: Deputy Director, Ribadu Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, presenting relief materials donated by Malam Nuhu Ribadu to Executive Secretary, Adamawa Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Haruna Hamman-Furo, for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) at Bajabure IDPS Camp in Girei LGA of the State recently.

lead to avoidable labour disaffection across board.

The statement acknowledged the existence of some funding gaps in the scheme.

It informed stakeholders that measures had since been put in place to steadily bridge the funding deficit which stood at N298 billion in 2010 and had now been provisionally reduced to N85 billion as at June, 2014.

According to the statement, NNPC is in the process of transferring additional real estate property valued at several billions of naira to the scheme which is currently before the NNPC board for approval.

“NNPC Pension Fund Limited has complied with the provisions of the PRA 2014 by transferring assets in equities, bonds, Certificates of Deposits and other marketable securities to the custody of Pension Funds Administrators for management as directed by PENCOM since 2006.

“The NNPC Pension Fund has demonstrated its capacity to manage the scheme successfully by managing pension assets of over N250 billion for over eight years.”

It stated that it had also maintained an excellent record of administering and paying over 9000 retirees as and when due.

The management called on members of the public not to engage in panic buying, assuring further that plans were on top gear to address the situation.

OGBOMOSO (Oyo State) Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, the Vice-Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has commended the institution’s team which won the 2014 Google Online Marketing Challenge for Middle East and Africa.

He made the commendation in Ogbomoso when he received the team of LAUTECH undergraduates, and also commended the founding fathers of the institution for laying a good foundation and worthy legacy.

He said that the curriculum which made it mandatory for all intakes to register and offer same courses at the 100 level had continued to put the university ahead of its peers.

An online statement dated September 4, said that the university’s representatives won the contest.

Gbadegesin said some other students whose course of study was not related to ICT had also won other ICT related awards.

He urged students of the institution to remain good ambassadors of the university.

He said the team would soon leave the country for Dublin, Ireland, to visit Google office for workshop.

Some members of the team are: Adedoyin Jelili, Olayanju Abiodun and Adeosun Oluwole of Mechanical Engineering Department.

Others are Adesina Jamiu and Akadiri Olawole, both of the Urban and Regional Planning Department, while Salami Ismaila is of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

ONE of the political realities of our contemporary global system is democracy, a political process which focuses on the necessity and imperative of governments to rule only by the Consent of the majority. The popular belief Is that properly understood and practised, democracy can remove the layers of national socio-economic and political darkness. Countries that have attained the Status of mature democracy Continue to insist that It will be absolutely difficult to get things done in pluralistic society with poor records of democratic values and practices.

WITH the way things are going politically in contemporary Nigeria, it is very doubtful, whether Nigerians will ever realise the dreams of allowing democratic tenets to influence the Country’s political life.

IN this connection, democratic reality implies that all Nigerians must be willing to take difficult democratic decisions, and must see the benefits in supporting their Country’s democratic Institutions. With the current state of democracy in the country, many Nigerians have openly wondered whether the struggle For political independence was a worthwhile exercise. Clearly, all is not well with democracy in Nigeria. Still, democracy remains the only viable and sustainable weapon for tackling national backwardness and for securing recognition and respect from the international community. No one will ever doubtthe political fact that a strong democratic foundation will provide Nigerians with the opportunity to. choose their own future.

THERE is need for all Nigerians to work together democratically, and openly express, indeed, demonstrate their commitment to the development of democracy. One of the disturbing features of the Nigerian democracy is that the Nigerian elite have not demonstrated enough support for the country’s democratic process, especially in

THE NIGERIAN

Deepening Democratic Commitment

times of increasing political uncertainties. The bulk of the Nigerian elite have virtually abandoned political involvement in government and governance. They have left the process of democratic development in the hands of the ‘politicians,” which may well explain the low level of adherence to democratic procedures and values in the country * ONE of the reasons why most of the highly development States are experiencing stable democracy is the undiluted commitments of their elite to ensuring right political governance.

It must be repeatedly stressed that Nigeria will find it hard to rise to the much desired political status of becoming one of the wor stable and progressive democracy, if the Nigerian elite choose to remain on the political fence, Or exist as mere political spectators. Undoubtedly, the Nigeria elite can, just as their overseas counterparts have demonstrated, contribute to the growth Of the Nigerian democracy. Greater elite participation in the country’s democratic process must become the defining characteristics of Nigeria’s political System.

Despite marking 10 years of democracy, the political attitude of the majority of the Nigerian elite has been predominantly negative. It thus appears that Nigeria’s efforts to advance democratically will require a new shift in favour of greater elite involvement in the nation’s politics.

THERE is no doubt that the degree of support

for democracy is largely influenced by economic fortunes. This means that the 71 percent of Nigerians living below the poverty line, by international estimates or the 54 percent poor Nigerians, by a 2005 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report, are not economically motivated to demonstrate sufficient and effective support for Nigerias democracy. All the same, the less privileged classes In Nigeria can offer considerable support for achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria, if they can be overtly organized into pro-democratic groups. The current economic and political reform efforts may well push less economically empowered Nigerians from their economic adversities right up t the middle class bracket. Economically and socially disadvantaged Nigerians may well discover in the long-run how support for democracy can widen opportunities for political influence and business.

SINCE independence in Nigeria in 1960, it is reasonable to infer that the country has failed to enthrone a durable and sustainable democracy. The Ekiti-rerun election and all other elections that have been flawed are pointers that transparency is seriously lacking in our democratic efforts in the last 10 years.

By all standards, the path to democratic development in the country will require joint political efforts between the ruling party, political parties and most importantly, the Nigerian electorate. Clearly, in a pluralistic society like Nigeria, democratic enthronement is possible, only If there is organizational unity at all levels of governance. The Nigerian elite, the electronic and the Print Media, have significant roles in the race to reach democratic maturity, by helping the people to understand the democratic process, guide them to appreciate what Nigerians want from the country’s democratic as well as outline the structure of democratic opportunities the Nigerian political system can support.

Issues Opinion “The ‘Y’ generation should however, imbibe and retain the elements that their great grand fathers exhibited along the line of staying in a harmonized marriage, with mutual understanding, tolerance and the establishment of tranquility through compromise.”

By

Important Elements In Marriage

MARRIAGE is an institution that was initiated by the Almighty God in the realm of mortal men from the days of old, basically for the purpose of companionship and procreation, and the position is still water tight till this contemporary dispensation.

However, it should be noteworthy that the most important element in any union between a man and a woman as husband and wife, is staying harmonised with tranquility in such a conjugal bliss. This important element has however been confronted with many challenges as it relates to the union of either corresponding temperaments or antagonizing temperaments.

On the very day of any marriage ceremony, the venue would have been decorated with beautiful and uncommon flowers. The use and combination of colours to bring about a great sense of beauty that people will appreciate and commend, with the use of various materials such as ballons and ribbons among others, will also be tactfully constructed by those in the decorating unit.

In a bid to make the day memorable, people will appear gorgeously dressed in very good attire in such that it will be so simple to spot and differentiate the ‘who is who’ in the marriage arena. Gifts would be exchanged and people who had long missed contacts, may regain such contacts again and establish a fresh relationship.

By OMEIZA ROBINSON

Friends and enemies would be created as a result of the unfolding of events, Musicians would sing and play, and the atmosphere would be charged with the consciousness of excitement and celebration. All these forms of reality and fantasy, no matter the duration, will surely become stale at the pronunciation of the benediction for the long planned and awaited event.

The wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Land Diana Spencer, was not devoid of all the good qualities and glamour that one could have imagined.

The wedding took place on Wednesday, 29 July 1981 at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, United Kingdom. Their marriage was widely billed as a “fairytale wedding” and the “wedding of the century”.

It was watched by an estimated global TV audience of 750 million. The United Kingdom had a national holiday on that day to mark the wedding. There were 3, 500 people in the congregation at St Paul’s Cathedral. It was held at St Paul’s rather than Westminster Abbey because St Paul’s offered more seating and permits a longer procession through the streets of London.

The service was a traditional church of England wedding service, presided over by the

most Revernd Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the very.

Aeverend Alan Webster, the Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

About 750 million people were said to have watched the ceremony worldwide, and this figure allegedly rose to a billion when the radio audience is added in bases on related and collated facts, on grounds of speculation. Two million spectators lined the route of Diana’s procession from Clarence House, with 4,000 police and 2, 201 military officers to manage the crowds.

Lady Diana arrived at the cathedral in the Glass coach with her father, John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, escorted by six mounted metropolitan police officers.

The carriage was too small to comfortably hold the two of them in her dress and train. She made the three-and –a-half minute walk up the red-carpeted aisle with the sumptuous 25ft (8m) train of gown behind her.

During the vows, Diana accidentally changed the order of Charles names, saying “Philip Authur George”. Charles also made an error. He said he would offer her “thy goods” instead of “my worldly goods”. She did not promise to ”obey him”. That traditional vow was left out at

the couple’s request, which caused a sensation at the time.

The music and songs used during the wedding included the “Prince of Denmark’s March”, “I vow to Tee, my country” and the British National Anthem.

Diana’s wedding dress was valued at $30,099( Thirty thousand ninety nine pound).

The dress was made of silk taffeta, decorated with lace, hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls.

It was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel and had a 25-foot train of ivory taffeta and antique lace. Charles wore his full dress naval commander uniform.

Diana was reported to have spilled perfume all over her wedding dress. The official parfumer of the royal wedding was the House of HOUBIGANT, the oldest French fragrance House.

After the ceremony, the couple went to Buckingham palace for a dinner of 120. Appearing on a balcony, Diana and Charles kissed for the crowd below. The couple had 27 wedding cakes with the official wedding cake being supplied by the Naval Armed Forces. David Avery, the head baker at the Royal Naval cooking school, in Chatham Kent, made the cake, which took 14 weeks (almost four months).

They made two identical cake in case one was damaged. The couple’s other wedding cake was created by Belgian pastry Chief S.G Sender, who was known the “cakemaker to the kings”.

The couple left from Waterloo

station in the British. Royal Train plus 975025 Caroline traveling to Broad lands, where Prince Charles’ parents had spent their wedding night. They stayed there for three days as part of their honeymoon. They then flew to Gibraltar, where they boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia for an 11 day cruise of the Mediterranean, visiting Tunisia, Sardinia, Greece and Egypt.

They then flew to Scotland, where the rest of the royal family had gathered at Balmoral Castle, and spent time in a hunting lodge on the estate, during which time the press were given an arranged opportunity to take pictures.

Within five years, the couple’s incompatibility and age difference (almost 13 years) , as well as Diana’s concern about Charles’s previous lover, Camilla Parker Bowles, became visible and damaging to their marriage. Their evident discomfort in each other ’s company led to them being dubbed “The Glums” in the press. Diana exposed Charles’s affair with Camilla in a book by Andrew Morton, Diana, Her True story. Tapes of her own extramarital flirtations also surfaced.

In December 1992, the British Prime Minister, John major, announced their formal separation in Parliament. That same year, the British press published bugged recordings of a passionate private 1989 telephone conversation between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Charles and Diana divorced on 28 August 1996.

When Diana died in a car crash in paris on 31 August 1997, Charles flew there, with Diana’s sisters, to accompany her body back to Britain.

Under this arrangements, it should be noted that it is not the exciting moments of the wedding day that really counts; it is therefore what happens after the marriage that truly matters.

Most marriage today have also “hit the rock” as result of certain issues that may have subsisted before the marriage, but the couples would consciously ‘turn a blind eye’ and suffer the monumental detriments that is embedded in what they chose to ignore while the knots were yet to be tied.

In Nigeria today, most people who go into marriages of any kind, still seek to create similar

atmosphere in such that they run into debt and they inevitably are confronted in a rush, with situations that will suggest that the marriage be dissolved without indepth consideration.

It is not a wrong idea to spend as much as you can afford to, in order to give your wedding a colourful appearance, However, it should also become a matter of considerable position to the effect that the affiliation between couples as “ man and wife,” should be properly serutinized before the final decision is reached.

There are thousands of similar cases like that of Charles and Diana in this 21st century. Some are even worse to the point that they make the whole event very colourful and expensive, and then they get divorced few minutes after the wedding. That experience is very common among so called celebrities today. If that is the position, then of what essence is the whole troubles?

The ‘Y’ generation should however, imbibe and retain the elements that their great grand fathers exhibited along the line of staying in a harmonized marriage, with mutual understanding, tolerance and the establishment of tranquility through compromise.

When people get married, and are able to sustain their marriage, it helps the children to maintain a balance psychologically and other wise.

The most important element in marriage among the already mention ones which are also indispensable, is the ability to first understand your temperament, and then figuring-out how it would perfectly blend with the temperament of the person you intend to get married to.

For those who are married already and are faced with negative challenges, they could also find books on temperaments, read them, and endeavour to create a possible blend with their spouse so that they can remain married with joy. A good blend of the four basic temperaments like the melancholy, phleymatic, choleric and sanguine in a manner that may affect you as an individual, in relation to your spouse would obviously do the magic of helping you stay married.

Political Platform

The Quality Of A Good Politician

MY little Oxford dictionary defines politician as “person engaged or interested in politics” and politics as “science and art of government; political affairs or life or principles etc.” Politics consists of “social relations involving authority and power”. A politician is defined as one who is actively involved in politics or one who holds or seeks a political office. A politician is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making in government. Politicians play a central role in our lives. They are the concentrated voices of the people that make all efforts to improve their constituencies and peoples’ welfare. Good and dependable

By ADEWALE T. AKANDE politicians are delight to serve the people and consider themselves as servants and people their paymasters.

They represent the hopes, aspirations and the interests of every citizen in the state. The government instituted among men is the elected representatives who are also known as the politicians.

These politicians are required to implement social reforms and policy measures that contribute to the general welfare of the populace.

A politician’s qualities are his characters that are natural, while some of the qualities are as a result of external influences.

Promising politicians qualities are often backed

by skills, experiences, intelligence, integrity, with instincts -all combined together to achieve their goals. First and foremost, the best quality of a politician is honesty, God fearing and loving. A faithful and effective politician is trustworthy and reliable.

He must capture the essence of truth, display sincerity, candour and practices what he preaches. He makes decisions and accepts responsibility for his actions and his words. The same is true in his dealing with his people. He makes promises and keeps those promises. Somebody that people may be relied upon. Loving people with all his heart, might, mind,

soul and striving to help them as a true mark of responsible politician.

Moreover, a fake politician, will after taking the oath of office with the Holy book and lousy thanksgiving services, use their power as an end in itself, rather than for public good, making them indifferent to the progress of their citizens. A good politician becomes the image of his creator. A good and responsible politician will give high regard for morality, law abiding with no tendencies to corrupt even a single cent or kobo. The greatest strength of good politicians is deriving joy in serving people and not to steal tax payers money.

They know that a fulfilling and meaningful life is created through service to others. To be an

effective politician, your followers must have trust in you. And the very best way for a politician to build trust is to display good sense of characters and qualities composed of values, beliefs, traits and skills.

Another important quality of a good politician is integrity and technical skills to handle those challenging assignments, fiscal matters, policies, plans, projects, ideas and initiative solutions to problems. Integrity is consistency of actions, methods, measures, values, principles, expectations and outcomes. It is doing what is right, both legally and morally at all time even when no one is looking.

Since politicians play very significant roles in the

administrative processes, especially having hands in thousands of important laws and policies to their communities and country, they should be welleducated, modest, with experience in social welfare, volunteering or should have done some good work for the society.

A politician should have a thorough knowledge and up-to-date information about the constituency where he is going to contest an election.

Sir Winston Churchill, a famous British politician who served as Prime Minister twice (1940-45) and (1951-55) once said that “ a politician must have “the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t Continues on pg. 18

“The greatest strength of good politicians is deriving joy in serving people and not to steal tax payers money. They know that a fulfilling and meaningful life is created through service to others.”

Opinion “It is sometimes said that society carries the individual as a river carries a boat. An individual does not float with the river he is the turbulently flowing river itself.”

Man And Society

THE problem of man cannot be solved scientifically without a clear understanding of the relationship between man and society, as seen in the primary collectivity –the family, the play or instruction group, the production team and other types of formal or informal collectivity.

In the family, the individual abandons some of his specific features to become a member of the whole. The life of the family is related to the division of labour according to sex and age, the carrying on of husbandry, mutual assistance in everyday life, the intimate life of man and wife, the perpetuation of the race, the upbringing of the children and also various moral, legal and

By OMORODION LAWRENCE/ IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE

p s y c h o l o g i c a l relationships.

The family is a crucial instrument for the development of personality. It is here that the child first becomes involved in social life, absorbs its values and standards of behaviour, its ways of thought, language and certain value orientations. It is this primary group that bears the major responsibility to society.

Its first duty is to the social group, to society and humanity. Through the group the child, as he grows older, enters society.

Hence the decisive role of the group.

The influence of one person on another is as a rule extremely limited, the

collectivity as a whole is the main educational fore.

Here the psychological factors are very important.

It is essential that a person should feel himself part of a group at his own wish, and that the group should voluntarily accept him, take in his personality and behaviour.

Everybody performs certain functions in a group. Take, for example, the production team.

Here people are joined together by other interests as well as those of production; they exchange certain political, moral, aesthetic, scientific and other values.

A group generates public opinion, it sharpens and polishes the mind and shapes the character and

will. Through the group a person rise to the level of a personality, a conscious subject shaper of the personality, and the group itself is shaped by society.

The unity of man and society –A person’s whole intellectual make-up bears the clear imprint of the life of society as a whole. All his practical activities are individual expressions of the historically formed social practice of humanity. The implements that he uses have in their form a function evolved by a society which predetermines the ways of using them. When tackling any job, we all have to take into account what has already been achieved before us.

The wealth and complexity of the individual social content

are conditioned by the diversity of his links with the various spheres of the life of society have been assimilated and refracted in his consciousness and activity. This is why the level of individual. development is an indicator of the level of development of society, and vice versa. But the individual does not dissolve into society. He retains his unique and independent individuality and makes his contribution to his social whole just as society itself shapes human beings, so human beings shape society.

The individual is a link in the chain of the generations. His affairs are regulated not only by Himself, but also by the social standards, by the collective reason or mind.

The true token of individuality is the degree to which a certain individual in certain specific historical conditions has absorbed the essence of the society in which he lives.

Consider, for instance, the following historical fact. Who or what would Napoleon Bonaparte have been if there had been no French Revolution? It is difficult or perhaps even impossible to reply to this question. But one thing is quite clear-he would never have become a great general and certainly not an emperor. He himself

was well aware of his debt and in his declining years said, “My son cannot replace me. I could not replace myself. I am the creature of circumstances”.

It is sometimes said that society carries the individual as a river carries a boat. An individual does not float with the river he is the turbulently flowing river itself.

The events of social life do not come about by themselves; they are made.

The key to the mysteries of human nature is to be found in society. Society is the human being in his social relations, and every human being is an individual embodiment of social relations, a product not only of the existing social system but of all world history. He absorbs what has been accumulated by the centuries and passed on through traditions. Modern carries within himself all the ages of history and all his own individual ages as well. His personality is a concentration of various level of culture. He is influenced not only by modern mass media, but also by the writings of all times and every nation. He is the living memory of history, the focus of all the wealth of knowledge, abilities, skills and wisdom that have been amassed through the ages.

“The family is a crucial instrument for the development of personality. It is here that the child first becomes involved in social life, absorbs its values and standards of behaviour, its ways of thought, language and certain value orientations. It is this primary group that bears the major responsibility to society.”

Midweek Magazine “The inference now becomes irresistible that as long as greed Or naked self-interest remains the prime and main motivation Of any social system, that system must always of a necessity Generate countervailing greed and naked self-interest in everyone Whom its operations affect, and in the process of time it will degenerate and perish” CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO (VOICE OF COURAGE) LEADERSHIP is an esteemed position of service, demanding high standards of discipline and integrity.

Leadership demands selfdenial, self sacrifice. It requires a vision and a mission in service. It must be able to combine administrative astuteness, political shrewdness with moral uprightness.

In Richard Nixon’s Profile and reminiscences of men who have shaped the modern world, he said “Great leadership is a form of art, requiring both force and vision to an extraordinary degree, the leader necessarily deals to a large extent in symbols, in images and sort of galvanizing idea that both persuade and move them. The manager thinks of today and tomorrow, but the leader thinks of the day after tomorrow. The leader represents a direction of history.”

A military constituency that is bedraggled and drenched by corruption cannot rise up to the challenges of good leadership, if it decides to politically hoodwink the people by gilding and superimposing its acrimonious dictatorial self into the saccharine of democracy. Like chameleonic faeces, its redolent odour must ooze out. The so-called military democratic experiment, where a military incumbent claims he has resigned and then comes to contest for the presidency is the greatest and most laughable political theatrics of the century. How can a military institution approbate and reprobate at one fell swoop? It is tantamount to unmitigated militocracy.

Abacha tried it but failed.

A military institution that luxuriates in tribalism, nepotism, Islamic fundamentalism and systematic annihilation of its people is not fit to make even a chimerical and phantasmagoric aspiration to the loftily laudable citadel of “Democracy.” Many eagleeyed men may mistake a lizard for the alligator or iguana for the crocodile, but a closer view reveals that they are mutually exclusive – a distinct entity with a unique identity as militarism is to democracy. To the halls of democracy many are called but few chosen. The military institution cannot rise up to the challenges of democracy.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2011 (As Amended) states in Section 217 subsections 2(a) to (d) the functions and roles of the Military Institution as follows; “defending Nigeria from external aggression, maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air, suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President, but subject to such conditions as maybe prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly, and performing such other function as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly”. But the Military Institution in the past and present went beyond its mandate.

What are the strategies to be mapped out by the military institution as a basal format for meeting it constitutional roles in the evolutionary process of democracy, society and professionalism in the years ahead?

The first step is to depoliticise the military institution. The total depoliticization of the army will immediately rekindle trust in the system. Soldiers will become more patriotic and do their duties more assiduously and with real military dispatch. They will begin to see the institution as a serious one, which entrenches meritocracy, and not mediocrity, where soldiers are promoted on the grounds of performance and merit not on

Democracy:

grounds of religion, tribe, the highest bidder and dubious political arrangements. The ranks of General, Lieutenant General, Major General, and Brigadier General have been bastardized. It should be made more honourable.

Secondly, the military institution must be reprofessionalised. All political power seekers who want to use the military constituency as a plinth and short cut to get to power should be weeded out.

Adequate expansion of syllabus and course content aimed at making the commissioned and noncommissioned officer a truly well informed soldier should be enhanced through seminars, colloquium, debates and lectures on multi – dimensional subjects. The military will be extending the horizon and tentacles of knowledgeability, which will ultimately make the institution a better one. Every military man should learn a trade so that on retirement he can be useful to himself. This will alleviate the nefarious vices of retired military men.

In a recent paper entitled “SUSTAINMENT OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN A COMPETITIVE ECONOMY” presented by Maj Gen Abdullahi Iyanda Muraina, he said “the place of military operations in the political, socio-cultural and economic life of any nation is of paramount importance. In most of the developed world like the United Kingdom and United State of America, a greater part of their resources are marked out for procurement, research and development of military hardware in order to sustain military operations and strengthen their defence capacity. The reason is that in any organized society, security and stability of the polity are considered to be major contributions to a healthy economy………”

Thirdly, the Military’s salary structure of Nigeria and living conditions of the totality of military men including the police must be reviewed upwards. Go to a military barracks in Asia or Africa you

Strategies Ag

By BOBSON GBINIJE

will be shocked. The highest paid recruit or corporal earns a little above N20,000.00 which is grossly inadequate for a man with four children.

The conditions in the barracks are unspeakably appalling.

Government must do something “Urgent”. As at today the military institution, especially for the junior officers, the economic crunch on them is horrendously dehumanizing. Apart from a handful of dictatorial accomplices, who made money through past military leaders, the vast majority of honest soldiers are living in penury.

Fourthly, as psychological therapy towards quelling aggression and the gluttonous appetite for coups, soldiers should be allowed to leave the barracks on “Exact” from time to time to enable them socialize with civilians. This will greatly lessen areas of conflict in the military/civilian relationship. The idea of some soldiers taking the laws into their hands to manhandle innocent civilians with horsewhip and demonstrational interrogation (frog jumping) should be stopped. The military institution must begin to evolve in the light of the global political leaning towards the pantheon of democracy.

Fifthly, in Asia, especially in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, they have been making great armamental strides and military build-up.

Their arsenal is already wellfurnished with nuclear weapons and missiles. But in Africa we still cherish our antiquated armoury. Africa, especially Nigeria should go into the Nuclear Age proper.

Our military institution must be well equipped with up to date military appurtenances to enable it meet the challenges of the new millennium.

Sixthly, Paul Vangoder in his treatise on “Growth and Expansion” gave the anecdote thus: “It is said that one day Michelangelo, the arts wizard, entered his studio to examine the work of his students. As he

“LEADERSHIP is an esteemed position of service, demanding high standards of discipline and integrity. Leadership demands self-denial, self sacrifice. It requires a vision and a mission in service. It must be able to combine administrative astuteness, political shrewdness with moral uprightness.”

came to the painting of one of his favourite pupils, he stood and looked at it for a long time.

Then, to the utter surprise of the class, he suddenly took a brush and wrote one word across the canvas. That one word he splashed on the picture was “Ampliu” meaning “larger”.

Michelangelo was not rejecting the work, for it exhibited great skill and was good as far as it went. But the small size of the canvas has made the design appear cramped. It needed to be expanded. So also we have to expand the size of the Army not in numerical strength this time,

but in discipline. Without discipline the whole edifice will zero on to nothingness.

Discipline, entails readiness, alertness, sobriety, unruffled equanimity, respect for superior officers, obeying and carrying out orders and instructions without unnecessary complaints and maintaining soldierly brevity and secrecy in matters relating to military confidentialities.

Seventhly, the military institution must undergo complete catharsis, surgery, purgation and democratization. The nascent democracy that is currently

evo enc inst met The exo and pro mon its han inst dip ima poli of o cou war with

Midweek Magazine

ainst Military Coups

olving in Nigeria must be couraged by the military titution to gestationally tamorphose into adulthood. e military institution must orcise itself of all “bad eggs” d let its growth and ofessionalization be the nomaniacal obsession of all patriotic and committed nds. Let our military titution begin to lomatically launder its age through deliberate icies based on exportation our military men to other untries, not necessarily for r, but to teach and be taught, h a view to enhancing their

military in Asia and Africa emulate the gestures of the military in Ecuador, Latin America in their recent political imbroglio. The coup in Mali and Guinea are uncalled for.

The psychotic corruption of our politicians should not propel or stimulate a coup. It should rather, magnetize the robust admonitory support of the military institution. The new system of succeeding themselves and perpetuating their stay in office as civilian

professional know-how. inexcusably guilty of Eighthly, let the military government must make the Milvasectomy - a psychotical institution be democratized. I barracks habitable, by the paranoia for the total of welfare repeat, let the military provision liquidation of the military amenities. institution be democratized to The military must institution. In a situation where give all Nigerians a sense of there is civil political belonging and security in our completely divulge and purge commotion the military could fatherland. A situation where itself of all political strings. It issue a call to order and declare the Nigerian Army is termed should study its role as clearly their neutrality by not taking and called the “Northern adumbrated in the constitution sides and not taking over the Army” is blatantly and comply totally. Any move reins of government. Let the unacceptable. The President on the contrary makes them Goodluck Ebele Jonathan democratic civilian government must begin to fine-tune logistics and strive to

By PIUS ABAH/OMORODION LAWRENCE/ perfect strategies aimed at the FOR so long I have been OMEIZA ROBINSON total democratization of our treading solitarily on the paths of military institution. The openness and sincerity, awaiting the golden opportunity to do the there comes in their lifetime a while people without purpose ‘’unique’’, the more I wait the special moment when they are for the state were seen in their tougher it becomes. The paths figuratively tapped on the insulating gloves controlling seem to be smooth and quiet. I shoulder and offered the the state vehicle.

The cushioned seat in the looked around to see if there is chance to do a very special anyone who could call on my unique thing unique to them, rear vehicle of democracy attention to defend the course of and fitted to their talents, what where the human right justice, to say what I have to say a tragedy if that moment finds activists used to sit was unprepared or changed for an iron one even if it doesn’t make sense; yet. them unqualified for that which coated with spikes. This I found none.

Intermittently, tears rolled down could have been their finest made the human right activists and advocates who my eyes like the early morning hour’’.

This same golden privileges wanted to see how the affair dew and subsequently drop to the silent paths. Again, I began to gaze and opportunity have been of the state goes alight from around to see if there could be a sacrificed severally on the the vehicle after getting sore light at the end of the tunnel; platform of corruption which back sides due to the sharp conversely, it became darker. as well has engulfed all objects. We challenged them From the melodious songs of the government sectors. Nepotism as to why a seat was coated birds and the united sounds from has become a consistent with sharp objects and the the trees I began to understand the manager of private enterprises. reply they gave was that the message of comfort and Bribery threads the streets determination of a good encouragement. A message such as majestically in classy attires on leader lies in the ability to ‘’ Cheer up! Cheer up! The tides a daily basis. Egocentrism endure hard times. In other of time and chance will fit into it became a consistent factor in words, telling us their inability to sit on spikes right place at the right time. Nature identifying a true Nigerian.

It is disheartening that means they are not meant to itself has a way of understanding the trend of things in the society; I Nigeria has become a be there. “workshop of democracy” The normal movement of wondered.

The questions that hangs on where the mechanics chose to the vehicle was substituted ‘’democracy’’ as it concerns change the destiny and outlook for a break-rib speed and the Nigeria today are inexhaustible. of the vehicle (democracy) to policies which are not yet ripe for execution were seen being Some of this questions could be suit their selfish purpose.

They took it to their enforced. The speed became seen as ‘’what message do I have for my country? To whom do I take workshop and called on the too much that the on-lookers my message? Why do I want to other self-acclaimed specialists at the road side scream in take it there? When do I want to and the task towards changing terror of a potential damage go with my message and how do I the destiny of democracy to the vehicle.

The tires of the real intend to pass my message across began. The democratic vehicle that it will be understood by all and which was spacious enough to democracy vehicle was sundry thereby producing the accommodate us and the changed for an unusual iron expected results? As a simple generations unborn was type. Sadly, the crawling definition, one of the stands for reduced to a smaller one in the babies among us (innocents) democracy is that one should have guise that it will move faster who might be crawling while the right to the freedom of and cover the distance of the mother is busy preparing expression especially when it has achievements needed as far as the meal became crushed by to do with ensuring peace and our country is concerned in a the vehicle and as such the future appears uncertain. equity in the society. The questions short time.

We become heart-broken They knew too well the above encapsulate the need for which someone should be listened upon realizing that the freedom destination they intended and to. In life, opportunities come so of expression has been made the vehicle without rare, therefore; whenever it comes sacrificed during the panel- brake; they easily turned to it should be handled like a precious beating process. The new the roads that suit them. democratic vehicle doesn’t Hence, when our few egg (properly utilized).

For this same reason, sir Winston occupy the practical freedom representatives who can still Leonard Spencer-Churchill, a of expression. The initial endure to stand in the vehicle British Politician who was the steering of the vehicle which call their attention to good Prime Minister of the United makes democracy the policies calling for a lift at the Kingdom from 1940s to 1945 and government of the people was road side in a bid to help again from 1951 to 1955 who was removed and substituted for an them, they claimed the widely regarded as one of the electric one. This makes people vehicle has got no brakes and greatest wartime leader of the 20th with visions for the nation flee as such those policies die at century, posited that ‘’To each in fear of getting electrocuted the road sides. The policies

presidents is already a worn out shibboleth and mutually anachronistic. A true and authentic military metamorphosis aimed at propelling the military as a viable respectable institution implies evolving amalgam of techniques and constitutional dynamics that will launch it into the glorious 21st century.

The world is changing and institutions are also changing.

The military institution cannot be left out.

Irony Of Democracy In Nigeria

they bring are nothing short of searching for an honest man with a stolen lantern and their motive for the people is only understood by their fellow looters with a predetermined and similar agenda.

Our parents stand at the road side with loads of responsibilities on their heads expecting the vehicle to return, but the hope of its return diminishes on a daily basis. The weak among us became helpless with the loads and died tragically.

They’re never happy when the night is over. They prefer driving at night in a bid to satisfy their selfish interests.

Our representatives demand that the head lamp be put on in a bid to see what lies ahead the dark destination, only to be told the lamp is in a bad shape and they threaten to throw out anyone who complains again and as such, the vehicle proceed on a dark and fruitless journey. They threw cash on occasional basis to the road side and buy our conscience and reasonability. Thus, the slightest murmur earns us a thorough beating by their roadside loyalists.

We seek refuge in protestbelieving we have the government which recognizes the rights and interest of the people, but lives were lost in a bid to express our grievances peacefully. We stick to the television and got married to our radios expecting to hear news of redemption, only to be told “the pain is temporal”.

The question is when did democracy become the government of temporal pain?

The destiny of democracy has been changed by the destiny mechanics. The colour it has now was given to it by the fate painters. The democracy we have in Nigeria is the shadow of democracy.

Why not let usas dearly beloved brothers and lovely sisters of the same country join hands together to reposition the destiny of our generation and the country at large? The questions is left in our hands to provide an answer.

Political Platform Continued from pg. 14

happen”. Hence, a political career is meant for the people of high integrity and additional skills to achieve results and finding better ways of making life better for the people they represent. Politics are not meant for dropped-outs, area fathers, thugs, assassins, criminals, illiterates’ god-fathers, inept, dubious and corrupt politicians. These person, apart from being greedy doesn’t know the importance of education and can never invest properly on it. Good g o v e r n a n c e , transparency and accountability will be eluding states and nations where these above mentioned set of people found themselves in the corridor of power.

An incompetent and irresponsible politician will make people to hang around his house like bees to honey to feed them with “amala”, “tuwo” or “eba” just for days. He prefers to give out expensive gifts, donations and bribes from tax-payers money to win elections. An achiever will not need to do such things to win elections or people to their side in all ramifications. That is why you will hear people saying “Politics is a bad game of deceit and hatred”, “Politics is a do or die affair”, “Politics is a dirty business”, “Politicians are very sick people” and so on. It is those politicians of limited merits and capabilities that are bad and not politics. They cannot do more than their moral and intellectual capacity.

A true democratic government

is the best concept for the growth of any nation. A good politician enriches lives and feeds souls of many people and not making them to become beggars, touts, kidnappers, armedrobbers and fraudsters.

A good politician should be of a well disciplined personality with selfless service to make live better for his people. This should be reflected in the community where he lives in all ramifications.

Discipline is necessary for an orderly society and political life, without it, the social life would become miserable. A selfless service is putting the welfare of the people you’re representing before your own.

Winston Churchill described it as “the first of all human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others”. A good politician firmly believes in taking care and maintaining the community of his people.

He believes that community service is about giving back.

According to Theodore Roosevelt, “the most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice”. A person or politician who is with criminal background, or any links with criminals or whose allegations on corruption have not been cleared by the law court should be disqualified to participate in elections.

Responsibility and party loyalty is another quality of responsible politician in a democratic state. A transparent politician is nearer to his people and meeting them to understand their

... A Good Politician

problems. Only fake politicians are seen by voters when an election is near or change parties as footballers change clubs. As every parent has its responsibility to teach their children the principles of moral, culture, truth, sincerity to be self- responsible, so politicians need to integrate its citizens with

importance of political responsibility and democratic values. A politician leads by example and knows his minimum responsibilities as an elected representative. A politician comes to politics to work for his constituents and not to work against them. He is the beck and call of the people and ready to listen to everybody. All these build a strong foundation for a dynamic society

which will create solutions for any challenges, and finally develop strategies and political systems that will help implement those solutions automatically.

He is quick to give hand to his fellow man. A reliable politician should be very loyal and committed to his party which shares his vision

among people. Power is only a product of collective action.

Finally, to become a great politician or statesman, you have to use your talents, skills, experiences, honesty, integrity, challenges and constraints with the positive effect that we can have in touching other human lives.

their ideas and solutions are bad. Good politicians show respect to the views and experience of others.

Nobody has a monopoly of wisdom. He who aspires to be a great politician should have the ability to find and analyse problems in their constituency and find the best solutions for all these problems. There is

and goals. The value of loyalty simply depends on trust. A citizen should belong to a party with most brilliant, skilful, patriotic and dynamic people with common goals and aspirations.

Team work best when they have common goals, mutual respect and understanding of each party member’s strength.

Politics is to unite and reach consensus and not to divide or create enmity

Politician must leave his constituency better than before elected. Greatness is within reach of a politician who consistently do things they out to be doing. He learns from mistakes and criticisms. It is a bad politician that will see that all the good is in his side and that all the bad lies with his opponent or just because someone does not agree with him, does not mean that all

no problem in this world without solutions. A good politician knows that simply giving consistent effort in the little task of services, social reforms, kindness or sacrifice in day-to-day life leads to true greatness of a nation.

If all politicians make it a point of responsibility to develop and make life better for people in their units, wards, constituencies, states and regions-we will definitely have a great country.

“Only fake politicians are seen by voters when an election is near or change parties as footballers change clubs.”

Natural Medicine

Smoking: EACH time, you inhale cigarette smoke you are removing a second from your life span. If you have therefore smoked 60 sticks, trust that you have cut a minute away from your life. Still, let’s assume you smoke six sticks of cigarette a day that means in a year, you would have smoked 2196 sticks. Certainly, you can see your life as a smoker is getting shorter each day because of cigarette consumption.

Well, this is not the end of the matter. Again, let assume you have been smoking for, say, 5 years.

This means that so far, you have smoked 10,980 sticks of cigarettes. Once more, such a large quantity of cigarette impairs your health. It cuts down your life span. This explains why the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that cigarette is a gradual killer. Infact, to be terminologically exact, each stick of cigarette is a suicide tablet. Hence, whenever you smoke you are on a

A Gradual Killer

self-suicide mission.

Why is smoking a dangerous pastime? It is because each cigarette smoke contains 7000 chemicals about 70 of which are toxic or poisonous. Invariably every time you inhale cigarette smoke, you are taking in 70 different poisons all of which collectively harm all the organs of your body.

At this juncture, I will only talk about two of these chemicals of substances in cigarette smoke – namely carbon monoxide and nicotine. To start with, carbon monoxide antagonises oxygen. Hence in the chemical race for haemoglobin in the blood, carbon monoxide outwits oxygen, displacing it.

Practically, what this implies is that whenever you smoke, oxygenation of your blood drops.

Oxygen levels become low while that of carbon monoxide rises significantly. Yet as we all know, carbon monoxide kills. It is that deadly gas emitted by the electricity

generator and the exhausts of automobiles which have killed people.

Here in lies the paradox of smoking. We have lots of people requiring oxygen in their bodies to live healthy life and recover from illnesses troubling them. Such people are taught deep breathing exercises which enable them to inhale adequate oxygen into their lungs to power their cellular metabolism required for optimum health. Infact, there is a branch of natural medicine known as oxygenation therapy popularised by a person like Madison Gabanaugh in the book one MINUTE CURE FOR ALL

DISEASES. This approach of medicine is based on research evidence that micro – organisms and cancer cells thrive in bodies with low blood/tissue level of oxygen. Consequently, improving its level in the body is critical to the management of diseases as well as preventing them.

Therefore, isn’t it paradoxical that while we need oxygen to stay alive, we have smokers shutting out this life elixir from their bodies? It is, indeed.

Secondly cigarette smoke contains nicotine, a stimulant, which also inhibits cellular metabolism and blood circulation. Additionally,

With

Dr Mao 08030717341

this substance in large quantities impairs a smoker’s mental dexterity in handling complex tasks. How can your brain and mind work optimally when your brain is not getting enough oxygen?

Beyond all these deleterious impact of cigarette smoking, the habit increases the smoker ’s exposure to several illness. For example, he suffers from chronic cough. To treat this cough, the first step he must take is to kill the smoking habit. If he refuses to do so, no medicine on earth can cure it. You can never fetch water with a basket.

When you have chronic cough from smoking, you may end up with persistent lower lumbar back pain. This is because frequent coughing often leads to nervous and muscular spasm as well as stress in the lower back.

Hence, the nagging pain experienced there which refuses to go. Applying medication and engaging in postural therapy are of no benefit. Unless, you kick the smoking habit that pain will remain. It may suddently disappear while smoking a cigarette but it never goes away permanently. So, don’t think that cigarette is the cure for it. Rather, smoking worsens the chronic condition of pain.

Also, smoking exposes a person to a high risk of cardio – vascular diseases that are usually accompanied by stroke.

Of course, I must not equally fail to say here that a smoker is predisposed to

sore threat and chest pains. A motley of cancers may more over traumatise a smoker. He is exposed to cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, bladder, kidney, throat and lung cancers.

Furthermore, smoking degrades a man’s fertility status because it inhibits his ability to produce healthy sperm cells. In the case of women, smoking increases her chances of delivering low – weight babies. Similarly, the habit raises her risk of breast cancer while her breasts sag faster.

Immunity, also is depleted by smoking it is no surprise smokers easily suffer from infections.

Another health hazard of smoking is that it hinders the healing process in a smoker. Researches reveal that the metabolism of fibrin in a smoker is faulty.

Fibrin is a substance formed at a wound site to facilitate its healing. In a healthy non-smoker fibrin is well dispersed and only the quantity required for the proper healing of the wound is deposited at the site. However in the case of smokers fibrin crowd around the site leading to scarring and adhesion at the location. This situation is responsible for poor healing of injured spinal nerves and discs as well as the “mysterious” pain often experienced by smokers in their lower spinal column.

Smoking can kill. In reality smoking kills. This has been known as a fact for decades yet millions still smoke. So be warned.

“Another health hazard of smoking is that it hinders the healing process in a smoker.

Researches reveal that the metabolism of fibrin in a smoker is faulty.”

New Horizon

Realization From The Teaching

ONE idea that I see clear as day light, is that misery is caused by ignorance and nothing else. Who will give the world light? Sacrifice in the past has been the law - it will be, alas, for ages to come. The earth’s bravest and best will have to sacrifice themselves for the good of many, for the welfare of all. Budd has by the hundred are necessary with eternal love and pity. Bold words and bolder deeds are what we want. Awake, awake great ones! The world is burning with misery. Can you sleep? Let us call and call till the sleeping gods awake, till the gods within answers to the call. What more is in life?

What greater works? The details come to me as I go on.

I never make plans. Plans grow and work themselves out. I have lost all wish for my salvation, I never wanted earthly enjoyments. 1 must see my machine in strong working order, and then knowing sure that I have-put in a lever for the good of humanity, in my country at least, which no one can stop, I will sleep without caring what will be next, and may 1 be born again and again, and suffer thousands of miseries so that may worship the only God, Jehova, Allah, Krisna that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum total of all souls and above all my God of the wicked, my God of the miserable, my God of the poor of all races, of all species, is the special object of my worship.

It is our privilege to be allowed to be charitable, for only so can we grow. The poor man suffers that we may be helped. Let the giver kneel down and give thanks, and let the receiver stand up and permit. Sec the back of every being and give him. Hold your money merely as custodian for what is God’s, (lave no attachment for it. Let name and fame and money go, they are a terrible bondage for man in the entire world. Feel the atmosphere of freedom. You are free and free. Oh blessed am I! Freedom am I! I am the existing spirit soul. And in my soul, I can find no beginning and no end. All is the self within. Never think you can make the world better and happier. The bullock in the oilmill never reaches the wisp of hay tied in front of him, he only grinds out the oil. So we chase the will-O-the-wisp of ’

happiness that always eludes us and we only grind nature’s will, then die merely to begin again.

If we could not get rid of evil, we should never catch a glimpse of anything higher, we would be satisfied and never struggle to get free. When man finds that search for happiness in matter is nonsense, then religion begins. All human knowledge is but a part of knowledge. Look upon every man, woman, and everyone as a spark of the supreme Lord.

You cannot help anyone but you can only serve the children of the Lord, serve the Lord himself if you love the privilege. If he grants that you can help any one of his children, blessed are you. Do not think too much of yourself.

Blessed you are that privilege was given to you when other had it not. Do it only as a worship and service. I should see God in the poor and it is for my salvation that I go and worship them.

The poor and the miserable are for our salvation, so that we may serve the Lord, coming in the shape of the lunatic, the beggers, the sinners etc.

Behold are these words, and let me repeat that it is the greatest privilege in our life that we are allowed to serve the Lord in all these shapes. Give up the idea that by ruling over others you can do any good to help them.

Of course all animals are temples of God, but man is the highest, the Taj Mahal of Temples. If one cannot worship in that temple, no other temple will be of any advantage. Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature externally and internally, by work, service, worship, psychic control or philosophy - by one or all these to be free.

But the highest is an unalloyed devotional service to the supreme Lord. All truth is eternal! Truth is nobody’s property. No race, no individual can lay any exclusive claim to it. Truth is the nature of all souls. Who can lay any special claim to it. But it has to be practical, to be made simple (for the highest truths are always simple), so that it may penetrate every core of human society, and become the highest intellects and of the commonest minds, of the same time. All these ratiocinations of logic, all these bundles of

metaphysics, these theologies and ceremonies may have been good in their own time, but let us try to make things simpler and bring about the golden days, when every man will be a worshipper, and the reality in every man will be the object of worship. He who loves all beings without distinction, He indeed is worshipping best his God. Let us perfect the means,

all its evil, is but a series of paintings and scenes on a canvas of which I am the witness. He who is alone is happy. Do good to all, like everyone, but do not love everyone. It is bondage, and bondage brings only misery.

Live alone in your mind that is happiness. To have nobody to care for and never minding

the end will take care of itself.

For the world can he good and pure, only if our lives are good and pure. Therefore, let us purify ourselves, let us make ourselves perfect for the pure in heart, shall see God. When we cease to see evil, the world must end for us since to rid us of what mistake, is its only object. To think there is any imperfection, creates it.

Thoughts of strength and perfection alone can cure it. Do what good you can, some evil can inhere in it, but do all without regard to personal result, give up all results to the Lord, then neither good nor evil will affect you. The less the thoughts of the body, the better. For it is the body that drags us down.

It is attachment, identification, which makes us miserable. That is the secret. To think that I am the spirit and not the body and that the whole of this universe with all its relations, with all its good and

who cares for one is the way to be free. Do not blame any supernatural being, neither be hopeless and despondent, nor think we are in a place from which we can never escape unless someone comes and lends us a helping hand. That cannot be, says the good hooks. We are like silk-worms.

We make the thread out of our own substance and spin the cocoon, and in course of time, are imprisoned inside. But this is not for ever. In that cocoon we shall develop spiritual realization, and like the butterfly come out free. Truth never comes where lust and fame and greed of gain reside.

No man who thinks of woman and his wife always will ever be perfect. Nor he who owns the least of things, nor he whom anger chains, can ever pass through Maya’s gales.

So give these up. The time was ripe for one to be born, who in one body would have the brilliant intellect and the

With VICTOR ANIUKWU wonderfully expansive, infinite heart of the lord, one who would see in every sect the same spirit working, the same God, one who will see God in every being, one whose heart would be for the poor, for the weak, for the outcast, for the down-trodden, for everyone in the world, and at the same time whose grand brilliant intellect would conceive of such noble thoughts as would harmonise all conflicting sects, within and the continent, to bring about a marvelous harmony. Through thousands of years of chiseling and modeling, the lives of great spiritual masters of Yore came down to us, and yet most of us don’t take adequate advantage.

follow the instructions of the masters by been intensely sincere, unselfish, and above all, trying to be perfectly pure.

In this life time, there is no time for the exchange of compliments. We can compare and compliment each other to our hearts content after the battle is finished.

Finally, compare and contrast these sayings of the ancient wisdom and see where you belong: “who knows that he knows not, and knows that be knows not and does not want to know, is a fool-avoid him.”

“He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, and want to know — is a child, teach him! AND

Spiritual masters are triumphant examples, a living example and realization of the complete conquest of lust and of desire for money. The spiritual master is beyond all ideas and such men are necessary for this century.

Their renunciation is necessary in these days when men have began to think that they cannot live a month without what they call their “NECESITIES,” and which they are increasing out of all proportion. It is necessary in a time like this that a man should rise to demonstrate to the skeptics of the world that there yet breathes a man who does not care a straw for all the gold or all the fame that is in the universe. It is the spiritual master who will lead the march of salvation of the world, it is the spiritual master who will sterm the tide of degeneration at the sacrifice of name, fame, wealth and enjoyment. The Lord is always with us as the super soul and if we try to

He who knows and knows that he knows and wants to know is a wise man -follow him.”

Please be wise enough to choose, don’t be shy and don’t pretend to be where you are supposed to be.

In spiritual practice, a good grade of sincerity, is required to sail through at all time.

When you have chosen, then see how you improve yourself and the chances that will come your way.

Today is best to choose and develop, tomorrow may be too late because death comes like a thief and developing constantly spiritually, is like preparing for once death and after. There is no loss nor diminution whatsoever. One who craves sincerely for eternity knows this and always sees himself like “A questful man on a life journey, who does not look back, even when the dogs are barking.” “He Continues on page 24

Place Of Prayer

200 Nuggets For Life A humble man humbles proud men by his humility.

A made up mind accepts no excuse.

A man is not assessed by his commencement, but by his completion.

A man that sincerely believes does not consider contradictions.

A man who has not found purpose has not found life.

A man who knows his vision is a man qualified for provision.

A man will only be celebrated in his correct geography of operation.

A man with a passion has urgency in his spirit.

A man without direction will never arrive.

Activity does not guarantee eternity.

Anger is the mother of murder.

Anointing does not take the place of your responsibility.

Anointing is not given to the hungry but to the thirsty.

Anyone that is tired of knowing God is tired of life.

Anyone who is afraid of shame will never have fame.

Anything done, not of meditation, does not produce result.

Anything you can’t remember, you can’t manifest.

Appreciation drives away depreciation.

As long as the source is still available, you don’t go sourcing.

Association affects acceleration.

Belief is not an idea that you possess; it is an idea that possesses you.

Challenges operate in seasons and seasons are not forever.

Children of God don’t breakthrough, they walk through, Consistency is the mother of manifestation.

Consistent sensitivity is the key to consistent hearing.

Continuity is a baby of documentation.

Desperacy without restriction will lead to insanity.

Don’t dance to the tune of people’s music; determine the music you dance to.

Don’t look at what you don’t have, appreciate what is left.

Don’t speak the situation, speak your expectation.

Don’t try to expand God; He is wider than your expansion.

Dreams are not realities; they are mere information seeking for your reaction.

Endowment with power is a product of submission.

Every blessing you have is an evangelistic tool.

Every choice has its consequence.

Every encounter with divinity enhances humanity.

Every manifestation is a product of meditation.

Every sin begins with a thought.

Faith is the action you take against contradiction.

Fear is the credential for defeat.

Find out what God calls you; advertise it and people will buy it.

For there to be a move, there must be movers.

God does not place a cloud of confusion around His

commission.

God does not work in an atmosphere of doubt.

God does not work with inconsistent men.

God is not available in ignorance, He dwells only in light.

God is not moved by your activity but by your life style.

God is too good to deny you goodness.

God speaks in the light but He tests your belief in the dark.

God works with you when you do His work.

God works with your faith, the devil works with your fear.

Gratitude is the key that unlocks the door to your next level.

Grudge is the imprisonment you put upon yourself because of the foolishness of another person.

He that is resident in God’s presence becomes President of all situations, He that shuts his mouth shuts his life He that spends time with God need not fight the devil.

If God’s agenda is your priority, then your destiny will become His priority.

If sin takes you away from grace, you will meet with disgrace.

If the gift takes away the given from the Giver, then the Giver will take away the gift from the given so that the given can return to the Giver.

If you believe the lie of the devil, you will lie down.

If you can picture it, God will feature it.

If you close your mouth you close your future.

If you do not live holy, you will not experience glory.

If you don’t believe it, you can’t become it.

If you don’t live right, you are not right.

If you eat the devil’s pleasure, you will miss eternal pleasure.

If you forget your identity, you lose your ability.

If you have no time with God, He will have no time for you.

If you keep your mind on the pain, you will not get the gain.

If you miss the pattern, you will not get the package.

If you refuse to pray in pleasure, you will pray under pressure.

If you think backward, you will go backward.

Ignorance is a cancer that eats up ability.

Ignorance is the vehicle that takes believers into captivity.

Ignorance of instruction is not an excuse from destruction.

Impartation is not by hand laying, but by service.

Impartation is not imitation.

Ingratitude frustrates your next opportunity. In disobeyed is destruction accepted. Intimacy is a journey not a destination. It is in your correct location that you have your allocation. It is not all movement that is progress.

It is not the size of the activity that counts; but the consistency of the activity.

It is only the anointing and grace you celebrate that responds to your needs.

It is your confession in your

With Pastor Samuel O. Osaghae SMS Only 08030809339

confusion that brings the conclusion to a particular issue in your life.

It takes intimacy to know your right geography.

It’s not being busy that counts, but being relevantly busy.

Jehovah cannot be kept in a leather box, He is everywhere.

Knowledge of your identity establishes your ability.

Living right is painful but gainful.

Love is an attitude, a commitment, a form of

Salvation is a translocation from humanity to divinity.

Say what the word says, not what your senses tell you.

Talent is the greatest enemy of spiritual performance.

Thanksgiving qualifies you for another receiving.

The”I’ that fills your mouth is the”I” that rules your life.

The ability of God is not disabled by your disability.

The ability of God is restricted to your knowledge of Him

The strength of love is defined when disqualification is present.

The trial shall become your triumph and the test will turn into your testimony.

The value you place on your product is the value people will

behaviour, passionately demonstrated for the benefit of another, without intentionally expecting a reward.

Maturity is tested in the season of change. Meditation begets understanding. Meditation compels manifestation.

Ministry is not done by imitation but by revelation.

No one keeps looking back and walks straight.

Only God can produce a material without raw material. Only revelation defeats deception.

Perfection is a product of consistency.

Performance is the baby of remembrance.

Power, without character, is like flying with one wing.

Prayer informs God, but praises invite Him. Pride is the beginning of iniquity, but humility is the end of it.

Problem is the laboratory where God’s power is shown.

Prophesies are not products of observation but babies of revelation.

Punctuality is not an accidental occurrence; it is a product of serious preparation.

Pursuit is only possible when the object of your pursuit is visible.

Remembering your identity puts a restriction on your abnormalities.

Responsibility is to claim acceptance; irresponsibility is to blame others for your failure.

Revelation brings elevation.

Righteousness does not guarantee prosperity; the key of financial blessing is giving.

Royalty is moved by relevance: when you satisfy royalty, get ready to be satisfied.

The best pain killer is hope.

The certainty of your future is guaranteed by the strength of your foundation.

The certainty of your glorious future is attached to the sustenance of your intimacy with God The darker the darkness, the more valuable your light The direction of your praise is the direction of God’s action in your life.

The effect of addition is not seen when the force of subtraction is strong.

The extent to which you can intercede is also the extent to which you can save.

The good thing, done at the expense of the right thing, becomes an obstacle to your miracle.

The level of your understanding determines your level of fruitfulness.

The mind has a magnetic field that captures what you are able to imagine.

The more men mock you for God’s sake, the more God makes you.

The New Testament believer is not a prayer warrior but a praise warrior.

The power of God is put under restriction where there is no utterance.

The secret of boldness is in the consciousness of God’s presence.

The secret of dominion is submission.

The secret of manifestation is meditation.

The secret of open reward is secret service.

The strength of deception is ignorance.

place on it. The word of God you speak creates your world.

There is danger in trying to meet the need at the expense of the pattern.

Those who focus on enemies are always defeated by enemies.

Those who refuse to learn by teaching will learn by experience.

To remove your mind from consciousness of God is to walk in darkness.

Trust the caller; He will prove the calling.

Unction is a product of passion, and passion is activated by observation.

Until love is the root of the seed you sow, you will not see the tree.

Until you appreciate God’s best (Jesus), you will not get the rest.

Until you are accredited secretly, you will not be celebrated openly.

Until you comprehend your supernaturality, you will be a victim of circumstances.

Until you see the picture from the scripture you cannot secure your future.

Until your mind agrees with your mouth your testimony will not be heard.

We don’t pray for victory, we pray from victory.

What you don’t appreciate will not be appreciated in your life.

What you don’t behave, you don’t become.

Whatever you are conscious of is attracted to you.

When a superior calls you, he calls you by the virtue of who you are; but when he sends you, he sends you by the virtue of who he is.

When God campaigns for you, even the devil will vote for you.

When God speaks your destination, do not consider the

restrictions.

When it is your turn and your time, the enemy is insignificant.

When life is tough, seed breaks the barrier.

When you are in touch with your source, your resource in life is guaranteed.

When you believe, you insist.

When you do not give the devil attention, he will pack and go.

When you dwell on the strength of the enemy, you will certainly lose the battle.

When you lose consciousness of your value, you downgrade your status.

When you spend time with God, He will make people spend their life a you.

When you think too much about your background, you will be relegated to the background.

When your motivation is wrong, your decisions will be wrong.

Where your mind goes is where your life goes.

Whosoever is afraid to fail will never celebrate success.

Without communion, there is no dominion.

Worship has value in the midst of contradiction.

You become valuable when you enter God’s vacancy.

You can’t be restricted when you are consistent.

You can’t come from the city of gold and be wearing brass.

You cannot associate with divinity and remain human.

You cannot be trusted until you are tested.

You create your world with your words.

You don’t need holiness to receive from God, but you need holiness to keep it.

You will become what you behold constantly.

Your allocation is found in your correct location.

Your attitude in the time of contradiction determines your arrival.

Your attitude is more important than your activity.

Your attitude reveals your class.

Your belief system controls your experience.

Your calling is your covering.

Your change is a factor of what you behold constantly.

Your dress is your first address.

Your escape from destruction is in your obedience to instruction.

Your future will feature the scripture you picture.

Your good offering can remove your suffering.

Your life attracts what your mind imagines.

Your mandate is your insurance.

Your meditation is a path finder for your destination.

Your relevance to God’s purpose keeps you alive.

Your speed in manifestation is a product of advertisement.

Your valuables do not determine your value before God. Your victory is determined by the size of your mind.

International Features JUST miles (kilometers) from where former Guantanamo Bay terror suspects have resettled, American warplanes take off from Qatar’s al-Udeid air base in the global war on extremism.

The contrast in images illustrates why tiny but rich Qatar is an intriguing player in what President Barack Obama says will be a long battle to stop and eventually destroy the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Qatar plays an outsize role as a U.S. military partner. It gained public praise from Obama for brokering the controversial deal that freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from Taliban captivity in May in exchange for the release of five senior Taliban officials who had been imprisoned for years at the U.S.-run Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. Qatar promised Obama it would keep the five under watch for one year, although they would then be free to leave. The Obama administration also praised Qatar for its role in securing the release of extremist hostage Peter Theo Curtis.

But Qatar also has a reputation as a supporter of Islamist groups in disfavor in Washington.

Some in Congress suspect Qatar of funneling money to

Islamic State militants, though the State Department says the U.S. has no evidence of it.

Qatari officials in Doha had no immediate comment for this story, but the government has unequivocally denied that it backs the Islamic State group. Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammed alAttiyah said last month that his country “does not support extremist groups, including ISIS, in any way.”

Western analysts say Qatar is attempting a sometimes awkward balancing act between its

organization considered by the U.S. to be a terrorist group. But Qatar also has maintained ties to Hamas’ enemy, Israel.

And to Islamist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood for which other Gulf states like Saudi Arabia have little tolerance.

People carry a remnant of a war plane that crashed on the outskirts of Raqqa in northeast Syria Sept …

“This is a small and wealthy country that is trying to maintain influence 360 degrees,” said Michele Flournoy, a former undersecretary of

US President, Barack Obama

Tiny Qatar Plays Outsize Role In US War Strategy

desire for good relations with the United States and its efforts to maintain influence closer to home.

“Qatar is always looking for the angle, and that’s really the best way to explain it,” said Daniel Benjamin, a former State D e p a r t m e n t counterterrorism coordinator who now directs Dartmouth’s Dickey Center for International Understanding. “By having connections that are so broad, so wide ranging, it can put itself at the center of just about every issue.”

Qatar gives a home to Khaled Mashaal, exiled leader of Hamas, a Palestinian militant

defense for policy and now chief executive officer of the Center for a New American Security.

“They are hedging their bets and trying to make sure they have influence no matter who comes out on top” in the multifaceted struggle for power in the Middle East, she added. Asked whether she believes Qatar has actually provided money to the Islamic State group, she said there is at least a widespread perception that it has.

On the other hand, Qatar was among 10 Arab nations that last

“Although it hosts U.S. military bases, it has pressured Washington not to publicly acknowledge that it flies combat missions from al-Udeid air base. Like other Persian Gulf allies, Qatar’s leaders don’t want the Pentagon to publicize that fact, because they are leery of being seen as too cozy with Washington.”

week publicly endorsed Obama’s commitment to diminish and eventually destroy the Islamic State group. The 10 promised to stop the flow of foreign fighters and funding for the militants, repudiate their extremist ideology and provide humanitarian aid. Some have offered to join in airstrikes.

Qatar is a thumb-like desert appendage jutting into the central Persian Gulf from the Arabian peninsula. It began developing closer military relations with the United States during the 1991 Gulf War. Just weeks after American forces toppled Baghdad in April 2003, U.S. Central Command moved its regional air operations center from Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia to al-Udeid, about 20 miles from Doha, the capital.

Qatar also is a major buyer of U.S. advanced weaponry. In July, for example, Qatar closed an $11 billion package deal for the purchase of U.S.made Apache attack

helicopters and Patriot and Javelin air-defense weapons. Although it hosts U.S. military bases, it has pressured Washington not to publicly acknowledge that it flies combat missions from al-Udeid air base. Like other Persian Gulf allies, Qatar ’s leaders don’t want the Pentagon to publicize that fact, because they are leery of being seen as too cozy with Washington. The U.S. has complied, declining to confirm publicly that B-1 bombers and other U.S. warplanes are operating from Qatar’s al-Udeid.

Nonetheless, it’s an open secret that U.S. planes there fly surveillance, refueling and other missions over Iraq.

The Air Force has publicly acknowledged that C-17 and C-130 cargo planes at al-Udeid dropped food and water to displaced Yazidis around Sinjar in northern Iraq in August as the centerpiece of a humanitarian mission.

Even so, Flournoy said

Qatar shouldn’t think the U.S. would tolerate any level of Qatari effort to support Islamic extremist groups.

“They shouldn’t overestimate their leverage (in terms of) hosting the U.S. military,” she said.

Referring to the air operations center at alUdeid, she said, “It is a very useful facility to have, but it is not the only place we can put it; it is not impossible to move.

So this is a good moment for Qatar to step back and review their strategy.”

A congressional aide said some lawmakers have begun to asking about the feasibility of moving the base. The aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue, said it’s not something that the administration is actively considering. But some members of Congress are questioning whether the U.S. should have the base there as well as a new arms deal with a country suspected of supporting Hamas and Islamic extremists.

Courtesy: AP

International Strong Quake Hits Japan BUILDINGS in Tokyo shook Tuesday as a strong quake hit Japan, AFP reporters in the city said, but there was no immediate risk of a tsunami and no damage was reported.

Seismologists said the epicentre was around 44 kilometres north-northeast of the Japanese capital and was located around 50 kilometres (30 miles) below the surface.

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 5.6.

Their Japanese counterparts said there was no danger of a tsunami from the tremor, the effects of which could be felt in buildings for more than a minute after the initial shaking began.

The operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was battered by a tsunami after a powerful undersea quake in 2011, said nothing unusual had been noted at the still-fragile site.

“There was no abnormality in our monitoring at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant following the earthquake. Also, we have not received any reports of damage from the latest quake,” spokesman Keisuke Murakami said.

The Japan Atomic Power Co. said the Tokai No.2 Power Station, which was nearest to the epicentre of the quake, showed no signs of any problems.

An official at the Ibaraki

prefectural government said checks were ongoing, but that so far there appeared to be nothing amiss in the wider area.

“We have not received any reports of damage, injuries or casualties following the earthquake. We are still checking if the quake could result in damage,” he said.

Japan is hit by around a fifth of the world’s powerful quakes every year and sits at the conjunction of several tectonic plates.

Building codes are rigorous and regular disaster drills are held, helping to ensure that despite their frequency and their violence, quakes usually pass without loss of life or significant damage to property in Japan.

Judge In Pistorius Trial Faces Criticism

Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock looking in court in Pretoria, South Africa.

India Promises To Defend Border With China

NEW DELHI - India said yesterday it would firmly defend its 3,500-km- (2,200-mile-) long border with China after domestic media reported a new face-off on the disputed frontier, just days ahead of a visit by President Xi Jinping.

More than 200 soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army crossed into what India considers

its territory in Ladakh in the western Himalayas last week, and used cranes, bulldozers and a Hummer vehicle to build a 2km (1.2-mile) road within it, the Hindustan Times said.

Indian soldiers challenged the Chinese troops and asked them

Rifle Used To Ambush Pennsylvania to bring you to justice. The THE gunman who ambushed Troopers clock act that you committed may have two Pennsylvania State Police troopers outside their barracks, killing one, used a rifle and might have had formal firearms training through the military or law enforcement, authorities said yesterday.

Releasing a profile of the killer, Lt. Col. George Bivens said investigators are focusing on the possibility that he had an “ongoing issue with law enforcement or the government” and was targeting the Blooming Grove barracks specifically.

Cpl. Bryon K. Dickson II, 38, was killed and another trooper was critically wounded in the Friday night ambush at the barracks in northeastern Pennsylvania. The attacker

slipped away. Authorities have been combing the dense forest surrounding the barracks and stopping motorists at checkpoints throughout the area to ask if they saw anything that could help lead to an arrest.

The gunman concealed himself effectively, and Dickson and critically wounded Trooper Alex T. Douglass had no chance to defend themselves, Bivens said.

Dickson was leaving the barracks and Douglass was heading inside when they were shot.

“You are a coward” who “did it from a place of hiding and ran,” Bivens said, as if addressing the killer. “I want you to know that troopers are working around the

Boeing’s High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator.

been meant as an act of intimidation. It has not intimidated us. The Pennsylvania State Police is committed to bringing you to justice. We will find you and we will seek justice when we do.”

Police continued to keep a tight lid on details about the ambush or the investigation, including the number of shots fired, where the shots originated and whether the troopers were able to return fire.

to withdraw, the newspaper said.

Then, on the night of September 10, soldiers demolished a temporary track built by Chinese forces.

There was no immediate comment by India’s defense ministry.

Both China and India are trying to put a positive spin on Xi’s first summit meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the Indian leader took office in May. He arrives on Wednesday after touring the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

The two countries are expected to ramp up commercial ties and open the way for Chinese investment in Indian infrastructure, including railways, but the contested border remains a stumbling block to better political ties.

Both lay claim to vast tracts of territory and after two decades of talks are no closer to a resolution

of a border dispute over which they went to war in 1962.

They have not even been able to agree on the Line of Actual Control where the two armies are deployed, leading to frequent reports of border violations.

“Let me assure you that our brave sentinels on the border will address any issue that happens on the border,” said foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.

“We are confident that our borders are in safe hands.”

Modi and Xi will discuss the border dispute this week, he added.

In Beijing, Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said the border issue had not affected the development of two-way ties.

“We hope that both sides can continue efforts to keep maintaining the peace and tranquillity of the border area and create a good atmosphere and good conditions for the development of relations,” he told a daily news briefing.

drones in the blink of an eye.

Boeing recently announced that its mobile laser weapon, dubbed the High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD), successfully shot down more than 150 drones, rockets and other mock enemy targets in a third round of tests. The trials prove that the laser weapon is reliable and capable of consistently “acquiring, tracking and engaging a variety of targets in different environments,” according to Boeing.

The most recent demonstration of the 10kilowatt, high-energy laser took place at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The laser was installed on a military vehicle, making it the first mobile, highenergy laser built and demonstrated by the U.S. Army, according to Boeing. [7 Technologies That Transformed Warfare] Directed-energy technologies like the HEL MD could soon be used by the military to augment

interceptors, that don’t contain explosives but destroy targets by colliding with them at extreme speeds.

Kinetic strike weapons are expensive, and the HEL MD could offer “a significant reduction in cost per engagement,” Dave DeYoung, Boeing’s directed-energy systems director, said in a statement.

This push for laser weaponryis part of the U.S. military’s Ground-Based Air Defense Directed Energy Onthe-Move (GBAD) program.

The goal of the program is to provide what officials from the Office of Naval Research call an “affordable alternative to traditional firepower,” to guard against drones and other enemy threats.

The recent demonstration of Boeing’s mobile laser weapon is just a prelude of things to come. By 2016, the military plans to have a 30-kilowatt laser gun ready for testing, according to the Office of Naval Research.

US A Step Closer To Anti-Drones THE U.S. military is now what are known as kinetic strike one step closer to having a laser Laser Gun weapons, such as missile gun that can shoot down enemy

JOHANNESBURG Several legal groups in South Africa have expressed concern about threats and harsh criticism of the judge who found Oscar Pistorius guilty of culpable homicide, but not guilty of the more serious charge of murder.

Some South Africans said they were surprised and even shocked when Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled last week that the Paralympic champion was negligent but did not intend to kill when he fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a closed toilet door.

Pistorius said he thought a dangerous intruder was in his house; prosecutors alleged he intentionally killed Steenkamp after an argument.

Police protection for Masipa has been stepped up since the verdict Friday in the sensational case, South African media reported. The case will return to the global spotlight when Pistorius, who is free on bail, appears before the judge for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 13.

In a statement, three legal groups described a “wave of criticism” directed at Masipa that in some cases could border on hate speech, defamation and contempt of court. The comments include allegations that the judge is corrupt, as well as attacks on her race and gender.

“In judging, there’s a lot of analysis of the information before the court and applying the law to what is before you,” Thabang Pooe, a researcher at legal group SECTION27, said Tuesday. “Attacking the judge’s integrity and making insinuations of bribery or that she’s not fit because she’s a woman, or that she’s black, means that you’re breaking down the belief in the law.”

Masipa, 66, is a former social worker and journalist who became one of the first black female judges in South Africa, which shed white racist rule in 1994. Her supporters have described her as a symbol of accomplishment in a country where poverty and unemployment remain obstacles for many people.

The legal groups, including SECTION27, the Legal Resources Centre and the Centre for Child Law, said people are entitled to disagree with the verdict and that the prosecution can appeal. Prosecutors have said they will decide whether to appeal after sentencing.

The sentence for a culpable homicide conviction is at the judge’s discretion and can range from a suspended sentence and a fine to as much as 15 years in prison. Legal experts have cited five years as a guideline.

Meanwhile, South African sports officials have said Pistorius can compete for South Africa again, as long as his running doesn’t go against the ruling of the judge.

With VICTOR ANIUKWU

New Horizon Continued from Pg 20 whom these teachings elevate not, is not worthy to be human being.”

Factually, if you are a fool I may avoid you, if you are a child, I will try to teach you, and if you are a wise man, I will follow you. Of course the wisest man on earth today, IS A Genuine Spiritual Master.

Be wise to choose — Now. Can religion really accomplish anything? It can to an extent. It has helped man to be what he is in the past and in the present.

The ideal of all religion, all sects, is the same - the attaining of liberty, the cassation of misery. Not a drop will be in the ocean, not a twig in the deepest forest, not a crumb in the House of the god of wealth, if the Lord is not merciful.

Streams will be in the desert and the begger will have plenty if he wills it. He seeth the sparrow’s fall. Are these but words or literal, actual life?

These prophets were not unique; they were men as you are or I. They were great human beings. They had gained super-consciousness, and you and I can get the same.

The very fact that one man ever reached that state, proves that it is possible for everyman to do so. Not only is it possible, but every man must, eventually, get to that state, and that is religion. Religion of the world have become lifeless mockeries. What the world wants is CHARACTER. The world is in need for those whose life is one burning love, scllless. That love will make every word tell like thunderbolt. If there is ever to be a universal religion, it must be one which will have no location in place or time, which will be infinite like the God it will preach, and whose sun will shine upon the followers, saints and sinners alike, which will not be related to Buddism, Christianity nor Mohammedanism, but the sum total of all of all these, and will still have infinite space for development, which in its catholicity will embrace in its infinite arms, and find a place for, every human being, from the lowest groveling savage not far removed from the brute, to the highest man towering by the virtues of his head and heart almost above humanity, making society stand in awe of him and doubt his human nature.

It will be a religion which will have no place for prosecution or intolerance in its polity, which will recognize divinity in every man and woman, and whose whole scope, whose whole force, will he centered in aiding humanity to real, its own true, divine nature.

What I want to propagate is a religion that will be equally acceptable to all minds. It must be equally philosophic, equally emotional, equally mystic, and equally conducive to action.

And this combination will he the ideal of the nearest approach to a universal religion. Would to God that all men that all were constituted that in their minds all these elements of philosophy, mysticism, emotion, and of work were equally present in full. This is the ideal, my ideal of a perfect man.

Everyone who has only one or two of these elements of character, I consider “onesided” and this world is almost full of such “one-sided” men, with knowledge of that one road in which they move, and anything else is dangerous and horrible to them. To become harmoniously balanced in all these four directions is the ideal essence of religion.

Hindus accept every religion, praying in the mosque of the Mohammedans, worshipping before the fire of the Zoroastrians and kneeling before the cross of the Christians. knowing that all the religion, from the lowest fetishism to the highest absolutism, means so many attempts of the human soul to grasp and realize the infinite, each determined by the conditions of its birth and association, and each of them marking a stage of progress.

We gather all these flowers and hind them with the twine of Love, making a wonderful bouquet of worship. Religion is realization, not talk, not doctrine, nor theories, however, beautiful they may he. It is being and becoming, not hearing or acknowledging, it is the hole soul becoming changed into what it believes.

This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead that alive. Be you holy and, above all, sincere, and do not for a moment give up your trust in the lord and you will see the light. Whatever is truth will remain forever, whatever is not, none can preserve.

Whatever others think or do, lower not your standard of purity, morality and love of God. No one who loves God need fear any jugglery.

Holiness is the highest, and divinest power on earth and in heaven. Truth alone triumphs, not untruth. Through truth alone is opened the Way to God, do not care for a moment who joins hands with you or not, be shire that you touch the hand of the Lord. Let there he a dozen lion—soul in each country lions who have broken their own bonds, who have touched the infinite, whose whole soul is gone to realize

... From The Teachings

God, who care neither for wealth, nor power, nor lame, and these will be enough to shake the world. Those who give themselves up to the Lord do more for the world than all the so—called workers. If you seek your own salvation, you will go to hell. It is the salvation of others that you must seek and even if you have to go to hell in working for others, that is worth more than to gain heaven by seeking your own salvation. No one ever succeeded in keeping society’ in good humour and at the same time did great works, one

claimed has been his practice.

And Jesus Christ gave him another acid test to go sell all his properties, share the money realized to the poor and come back to him. This follower of Jesus went away lamenting why he had to come to Jesus and never did what Jesus ask him to do nor did he return back to Jesus as instructed. Let every one work out his own vision of this universe, according to his own ideas.

Injure none, deny the position of none, take man where he stands and if you can, end him a helping hand and put

looks on. More and more of the true greatness seems to me that of the worm doing its duty silently steadily, from moment to moment and hour to hour.

Even the greatest fool can accomplish a task if it be after his heart. But the intelligent man is he who can convert every work into one that suits his taste. No work is pettyEverything in this world is like a banyan—seed, which though appearing tins as a mustard— seed has yet the gigantic banyan tree latent within it. He indeed is Intelligent who notices this and succeeds in

To give up the world, is to forget the ego, to know it not at all living in the body, but not of it. This rascal ego must be obliterated. Bless men when they revile you. ‘Think how much good they are doing you for they can only hot themselves. Go where people hate you, and let them thrash the ego out of you, and you will get nearer to the Lord, learn to feel yourself in other bodies, to know that we are all one.

Throw all other nonsense to the winds. Spit out your actions, good or bad, and never think of them again. What is one is

must work as the dictate conies from within, and then if it is right and good, society is bound to veer round, perhaps centuries after one is dead and gone. We must plunge heart and soul and body’ into the work of the Lord and mankind.

And until we are ready to sacrifice everything else to one idea of the one absolute truth alone, we never, never will see the light as it is. Those that want to help mankind must take their own pleasure and pain, and fame and all sorts of’ interests, and make a bundle of them and throw them into the sea, and then come to the Lord.

This is what all the masters said and did. And a good example is in the case of Jesus Christ and one of his followers who was keen about external lift. Jesus Christ gave him an acid test of following the ten commandments which he

him on a higher platform, but don’t injure and do not destroy.

All will come to truth in the long run. When all the desires of the heart will be vanquished, then this very mortal will become immortal then the very man will see himself in union with God. The only true duty is to be unattached and to work as free beings, for all duties are his and for his service. The seeing of many people in the world as sinners is a great sin of the world See all as self and love all, let all ideas of separateness go. No work is secular, all work is adoration and worship. As I grow older, I find that I look more and more for greatness in little things. I want to know what a great man eats and wears, and how he speaks to his servants.

Anyone will be great in a great position. Even the coward will grow brave in the glare of the flood lights and the world

making all work truly great.

This world is in chains of superstition. I pity the oppressed, whether man or woman, and I pity more the oppressors. In this world always take the position of the river. Give everything and look for no return. Give love, give help, give service, give any little thing you can, but keep out of barter. Make no conditions and will he imposed. Let us give out of our own bounty, just as God gives to us. The Supreme Lord is the only giver, all the world are only shop keepers. Get his cheque and it must he honoured every where. Until we give up the world manufactured by the ego, never can we enter the kingdom of heaven nor the eternal kingdom of the Supreme lord. None ever did, and none will ever.

done. Throw off superstition.

Have no weakness even in the face of death. Don’t repent, do not brood over past deeds, and do not remember your good deeds, be azad (free). The weak, the fearful, the ignorant will never reach the essence of life. You cannot undo, the effects must come, face it, but be careful never to do the same thing again. Give up the burden of deeds to the Lord, give all both good and bad. Don’t keep the good and give only the bad.

As Heaven helps those who help themselves, so also does God help those who do not help themselves.

To him who have nothing in the universe the Lord comes.

And drinking the cup of desire, the world becomes mad. Day and night never come together, so desire and the Lord can never come together. “Let him who have ears, HEAR”.

Spiritual Platform

Dealing With Evil Altars I Samuel 7:7-11 “And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

And Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh., and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.”

Altars are platforms or places where gifts and sacrifices are made to God or a god. There are two types of altars: (i)An altar of the Almighty God is found in churches and is a table on which bread and wine and offerings are placed. In the Old Testament times, we see altars raised in several places and instances In the time of the Patriarchs we see altars built by Noah (Genesis 8:20), (Genesis 12:6- 8, 13:18, 22:9); Isaac (Genesis 26:25), Jacob Genesis 33:20, 35:1-7), Moses (Exodus 17:15). The altars were built to commemorate some events in which the principal had dealings with God. Exodus 20:24-26, God instructed Moses to tell the people to make an altar of earth or stone upon which to sacrifice their offerings to Him. There were so many instances of altars being built in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, there are several references to altars built in the olden times - Matthew 5:23-24, 23:18-20, 35; Luke 11:51, 1st Corinthians 9:13, 10:18; Hebrews 7:13, Revelation.11:1, thus authenticating altars as elements in worship. Altars of God are a reality till today.

God’s altars were made of earth or unhewn stones or natural stones. In some Christian churches, altars are made of wood or marble. (ii) Evil altars existed even in Old Testament times as well as now. These were unlawful altars, Amos 3:14, Hosea 8:11, I Kings 12:28-33. What are evil: or false altars today? These are places of satanic (demonic) altars for demonic sacrifice: · road junctions — 2, 3, 4, 5, or more of these; the four-road junction is most dangerous because it resemblies the cross of Jesus. Have you asked yourself why demonic sacrifices are placed by road junctions? · trees (iroko, pawpaw, baobab tree, anana) · photograph mounted on a mound, · images/statutes · rivers (waters) · forests · family shrine, etc.

Evil altars are many in our communities and are places · of slaughter for sacrifices; · of spiritual dining table (assorted concoction) are spirits; · of spiritual exchange of blood for something; · of contact with the spirit world for evil; · of demonic traffic; · of covenants with spirits for evil decisions.

Evil altars can be raised against individuals, a family, or even a church with the avowed aim of pulling down, frustrating or demoting people or thing, John 10:10 says “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy.”

The contrast between the altar of God and the altar of the devil is quite clear: whereas the altar of God is the place where the angels of God descend and ascend, an evil altar is the habitation of demons. You will recall that when Jacob built an

altar to God in Bethel, angels of God were going up and down the altar. An example of an evil altar is found in I Kings 13:2 which says: “And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high place that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall burnt Upon thee.” Anytime an evil is determined against a person, a satanic minister goes to an altar and offers sacrifice by shedding blood to make covenants with evil spirits to carry out an to evil operation against the person, often using any matter belonging to that person to represent him or her. They use can an effigy, a piece of cloth or hair. If nothing is done to counters this evil, the person will begin to experience terrible in explainable adversities. When you wake up and find an evil sacrifice near you doorstep or office or market stall, do not panic. Get anointing Oil, pray over the sacrifice, pour anointing oil on it and set it on fire.

How do you deal with evil altars? You need to examine your life and repent of all your sins. This is important because your sin makes an evil altar to prosper. · renounce the altar; · resist and destroy the altar by using the weapons of God; · kill the satanic priest ministering at the altar, · withdraw your name, your virtues, your blessing from the evil altars.

There are scriptural confessions which you should saturate your mind and your heart with before you go into prayer warfare: (i) Isaiah 8:9-10 “Associate yourselves, 0 ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word,and it shall not stand: for God is with us.” (ii) Amos 3:14 “That in the day that I shall visit the

Anytime an evil is determined against a person, a satanic minister goes to an altar and offers sacrifice by shedding blood to make covenants with evil spirits to carry out an to evil operation against the person, often using any matter belonging to that person to represent him or her. They use can an effigy, a piece of cloth or hair. If nothing is done to counters this evil, the person will begin to experience terrible in explainable adversities. When you wake up and find an evil sacrifice near you doorstep or office or market stall, do not panic.

Get anointing Oil, pray over the sacrifice, pour anointing oil on it and set it on fire.”

With Rt Rev (Dr.) C. I. Umane GSM: 0803579951 transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.”

Prayer Points — End each by saying “through Jesus Christ.”

1.

Bondage of evil altars — I release myself from you.

2.

Every satanic poison swallowed by me — I vomit.

3.

Aggressive altar against my life — I render you impotent.

4.

Every evil altar raised against me — be exposed and disgraced.

5.

Local evil altar raised against me — catch unquenchable fire.

6.

You evil altar against my virtues — I curse you to your face.

7.

Every standing evil altar against me — Hammer of God, break it to pieces.

8.

Every evil minister ministering at the evil altar against me — fall down and die.

9.

Every stubborn evil altar priest drink your own blood.

10.

I withdraw my ________________ from any evil altar · possession · name · blessings · breakthroughs · glory · prosperity · dead organ in my body · anything representing me 11.

Every demonic anointing over my life — be disgraced.

12.

Every local altar fashioned again me — I curse you.

13.

Every local power working against me — fall down and die.

14.

Every architect of evil against me — fall down and die.

15.

Every caged star in my family — be released by fire.

16.

Satanic consultation over my life — be nullified.

17.

Inherited evil (imitation in my family- be removed from my family.

18.

Organised conspiracy against my destiny — collapse by life 19.

Every altar speaking against my divine destiny- be dismantled.

20.

Every demonic sacrifice made against me -be rendered impotent.

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Viewpoint

MOST of the time, when enquiries are being made from a rape victim, one of the questions frequently asked is, “Did you shout or cry for help” in other words, did you raise your voice.

Some of us can be quiet to a fault.

Probably that was what happened to Sapphira! She knew her husband did not sell the land for the amount stipulated by him, but because she refused to raise her voice in the contrary, she lost her life too.

It is quite impossible for some people to raise their voices when evil is being perpetuated because they are sycophants themselves. There is a Yoruba proverb that says that, “it is a thief that knows the footpath of another thief. “If someone is a thief, he/she would not want to give his/ her friend up for any reason but it may backfire in the end.

One thing we use our voices for is to express an opinion or desire. It is however unfortunate that, some of us think or believe that we are voiceless, we believe we do not have the voice to express our opinion or desires. As a result,

we suffer in silence or better still, we graduate to the suffering and smiling high school.

Irrespective of our gender, academic qualification, financial status etc, we must learn to raise our voice when n e c e s s a r y .

Sometimes, an opinion may not be taken heed to at a point in time but because it has been stated, it is on record, and with time, it may be considered.

As citizens of our various nations or residents in a particular community, some of us always, “mind our business” by refusing to raise our voice when our leaders do what is wrong or even when we have a good idea that counts, we would rather keep quiet than offer a reasonable suggestion. Why? We often castigate ourselves before anyone does. Some of us have very low self esteem that, we not only look down on ourselves, we think down and talk down about our person before anyone does.

We must always remember that, we don’t have to be rude or saucy before we

Raise Your Voice!

By BUKOLA AKINWANDE

can raise our voice or make our opinion known One may be courteous and the fellow’s words will still count. The most important thing is to

about most activities in our immediate community or Nation at large. Some of us keep quiet physically and even go numb spiritually. What I

proffer a sensible solution to a problem or to let people know that we have a good intention which may help move our institution or community forward.

Most of the time, we seem unconcerned

often tell people is, even if you are not within the corridor of power, you can still raise your voice in the corner of your room and tell your Creator to bring about a change in what is happening around

“As citizens of our various nations or residents in a particular community, some of us always, “mind our business” by refusing to raise our voice when our leaders do what is wrong or even when we have a good idea that counts, we would rather keep quiet than offer a reasonable suggestion.”

“The most important thing is that you should never be quiet when there is no need for you to do so. Stand as an intercessor and learn to praise others and correct in love.”

you. Don’t sit on the fence always; let people know where you stand when it is needful for them to know.

Learn to cry out to God for help and if there is a need to say some important things, say it out and make sure you cry out, If you have someone you call a close pal, then raise your voice in praise if the fellow does what is right; at the same time, if the fellow is

walking in error, raise your voice in correction or better still raise it in prayers.

The most important thing is that you should never be quiet when there is no need for you to do so. Stand as an intercessor and learn to praise others and correct in love. Don’t just sit still till things get out of hand and then begin to clasp your hands in sobriety when you should have done the right thing. Raise your voice now. It goes a long way you know!

Issues Family THE Communication inventory attempted to explore this problem by having Participants respond to the following statement: “My partner listens attentively to what I have to say.” Forty-seven percent said their partner listened attentively “some of the time;” “rarely,” or “never.” Fifty-five percent admitted their partners accused them of not listening all, most, or some of the time.

Heart listening: A way to show you care.

Listening is the most neglected and least understood of the communication arts. Perceptive listening doesn’t require a degree, but it does require learning. “Listening Know-how is communicating Know-how”. When involved in a conversation, we have to bear in mind that the person we are talking to is much more interested in himself; his needs, and his problems, than in us and our own problems.

2. POOR LISTENING HABITS. Interruption: Interrupting is the most detested listening habit.

Interrupters spend their time not listening to what is being said but in forming a reply. Interested only in their own ideas, they pay little attention to the words of others.

• Lack of Eye Contact: Lack of eye contact came in second on the “most irritating” list. Listeners who fail to look at the person, speaking to them convey disinterest, distrust, and a lack of caring.

• Boredom: The bored listener has heard it all before.

• Selection: The selective listener picks out bits and piece of conversation that interest him and rejects the rest.

• Defensive: A defensive listener twists everything said into a personal attack on self.

• Insensitive: The insensitive is One who can-not catch the feeling or emotion behind the words.

The most important function of talking is not the giving of information but the establishing of a relationship. By opening up and sharing, you can turn a stranger into a friend.

1. MAINTAIN GOOD EYE CONTACT Focus your full attention on your partner.. Turn off the television and put down the newspaper: 2. SIT ATTENTIVELY For a few minutes, act as if nothing else in the world matters except hearing out your partner. Block all other distractions from your mind. Lean forward in your chair as if you are hanging on every word.

3. ACT INTERESTED Act interested in what you are about to hear.

Raise your eyebrows, nod your head in agreement, smile, or laugh when appropriate..

4. SPRINKLE APPROPRIATE PHRASES Sprinkle your attentive listening with appropriate phrases to show interest and understanding. “1 agree.” “Is that so?”

“Great!” “I hear where you are coming from!” Your partner wants to know you understand the ideas being presented.

5 ASK WELL-PHRASED QUESTIONS Give encouragement by asking questions that illustrate your interest.

6. NEVER INTERRUPT You must let the speaker express completely his or her though’ before conveying yours.

7. LISTEN A LITTLE LONGER Just when you think you are through listening, listen thirty seconds longer! The most important Function of talking is not the giving of information but the establishing of a relationship.

By opening up and haring, you can turn a stranger into a friend.

VOICE PITCH, VOLUME, TONE AND SPEED 1. TONE AND EMOTION A word may be a word, but how it is received depends on how it is said. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous

Listening:

A Problem In Marriage

By H. E. ATEKHA-ODEMWINGIE

words stir up anger...Pr. 15:1; 16:24; 25:15 2. SPEED Even the rate of speech can alter and affect meaning.

3. VOLUME Volume can be used either to soothe or irritate. A loud, angry voice is an effective weapon in most arguments. However, lowered, subdued tones can be used to gain attention.

John Powell, in his book Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am? Describes five levels on which we can communicate. An understanding of these levels is essential when conversing. High-level talks: .

Level 1: Deep Insight: The deepest and rarest level is deep insight where complete emotional and personal self-disclosure takes place. You feel secure enough: in the relationship to throw yourself open to view. It is risky because you become in danger or become very vulnerable.

Level 2: Feelings and Emotions: You now feel secure enough to share the feelings that lie underneath the ideas and opinions expressed at level 3. You describe what is going on inside

you—how you feel about your partner or a situation.

Level 3: Ideas and Opinions: Real conversation is approached here as you describe ideas and opinions. Because you feel free to express yourself and verbalize personal ideas, your partner has a better chance to know you.

Level 4: Factual Conversation: This reads like the evening news cast: Information is shared but no personal comments along with it.

You talk about the day’s events, but you don’t tell how you feel about them.

Level 5: Small Talk: At this level, shallow conversation takes lace: “are you?” “Watch been up to?” “How are things going?’’

A word may be a word, but how it is received depends on how it is said.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL CHANCES

“Listening is the most neglected and least understood of the communication arts. Perceptive listening doesn’t require a degree, but it does require learning.

“Listening Know-how is communicating Know-how”.

1. WORK AT TALKING Make time to talk and create things to talk about.

2. MAINTAIN A DAILY TALK TIME Set aside time each day to talk about non controversial marriage matters.

3. USE PILLOW TALK When your heads actually hit the pillow, instead recounting the horrors of the day talk about some pleasant memories.

4. TRY THE WALK TALK. 5. COMMUNICATE USING CAR TALK Another way to utilize time together is to use commuting time to full advantage even while driving.

6. PLAY TABLE GAMES TOGETHER Playing table games creates a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere in which a couple can banter without undue pressure to communicate seriously.

7. MAKE THE MOST OF MEALTIMES Table time can be one of the most pleasant or most hated times of day, depending on the atmosphere.

8. Deliver A VERBAL BOUQUET

A verbal bouquet is any affirmation which shows acceptance, appreciation, or respect for your partner. .

9. WHAT COUPLES ARGUE OVER: INFLUENCE OF ROLES Role conflicts-who do what, why, when, and where-are affecting an increasing number of couples where both partners enter the work force.

According to Robert O. Blood: Sociologists Robert O. Blood, Jr., and Donald M. Wolfe surveyed more than 700 couples and found that almost all of them fought about the same issues in the following order: 1. Money, 2. Children, 3. Recreation, 4. Personalities, 5. In-laws, 6. Roles, 7. Religion, 8. Politics, and 9. Sex Influence of the Time Being Married: According to studies, the frequency of conflict and the issues do not remain constant over the years.

According to Our Survey: The Communication Inventory turned up similar findings, with slight variations in perceived sources of potential stress.

ASIER Illarramendi appears to be the sole winner at the Santiago Bernabeu, following the heavy scrutiny surrounding the business Real Madrid conducted in the transfer window.

Financially, it was one of led to Los Blancos’ downfall, Madrid’s positive summers, Alonso and Di Maria’s were recording a measly seven missed. While it remains million euro loss, but the last difficult to replace the latter’s minute departures of Xabi dynamic direct runs that Alonso and Angel Di Maria - connect midfield and attack, two integral players to last Illarramendi has been waiting year’s European success - to succeed the former. was quite peculiar. Where Illarramendi was like the Madrid’s board classified Di new kid attending a Maria dispensable - they prestigious school that were equally reluctant to couldn’t wait to showcase his improve his wages - Alonso best qualities, subsequent to felt a new challenge would last summer’s 32 million benefit the latter stages of his pound move. For all the career. promise and potential the Carlo Ancelotti’s side took Spaniard possessed, two steps forward in Ancelotti inherited a squad acquiring World Cup stars with greater options. The Toni Kroos and James Spaniard’s move to the Rodriguez, but even a die- Santiago Bernabeu was hard Madrid fan would find premature, and with the club it difficult to boast about the determined to win La club’s business now.

Decima, opportunities to Illarramendi, 24, would beg impress came at premium. to differ though. 12 months Nonetheless, last year’s into his career at the experience was significant to Bernabeu, the Spaniard has Illarramendi’s growth. developed into an outcast; Training and competing reaching a point where a against Alonso motivated the projected loan move was 24-year-old midfielder, and deemed best for his career. although he didn’t take the At the Bernabeu you either Bernabeu by storm, succeed or fail, there’s no Illarramendi’s body language way around it. Ultimately, it’s highlighted that the Spaniard a long-term audition that can was eager to impress. instantly wilt with the arrival At times it appeared that the of a new signing. A loan Spaniard was trying to hard move may have solidified to fit in, thus leading to a few Illarramendi’s fate, yet substandard displays. coincidentally, his former However, there was a side has indirectly handed the misconception regarding Basque midfielder room for Illarramendi’s debut season optimism when they defeated at the Bernabeu. The pundits Madrid 4-2. hit Illarramendi hard when While the Spanish Super the Spaniard played as a Copa disappointment can be shuttler in Madrid’s midfield forgotten, the trio. Illarramendi never underwhelming loss at looked assured of his role Anoeta Stadium diminished when placed in these the buoyancy surrounding the positions, and there was a Spanish giants. sense of fear and indolence in Kroos and James both his play. Though the 24-yearstarted against Real old, at best, played a role off Sociedad, with the former the bench against the bigger and Luka Modric forced to sides, the Spaniard received cover too much space in heart-churning blow was midfield, while the latter was Ancelotti’s decision to ineffective.

Madrid’s summon Sami Khedira - a midfield was constantly player who recently returned overrun, as Modric and from a lengthy injury - in the Kroos were constantly caught Champions League final, out in advanced positions. despite publicly declaring Both players prefer to play in that the Spaniard would attacking roles, and the Kroos anchor the midfield in experiment has been Alonso’s absence. unsuccessful at the club and “Illarra is our first option international level. because he’s used to playing The striking reiteration of in that position and that’s balance was non-existent in what we signed him for, to Madrid’s midfield, and deputize for Xabi Alonso. He although defensive mistakes is used to playing there and

Why Real Madrid Need To Trust Illarramendi

has the talent to do so. I haven’t changed my mind in that respect,” Ancelotti stated ahead of last year’s European final “He’s skilled enough to play every game, the big ones

the 24-year-old. Likewise, despite the sales of Alonso and Di Maria, Illarramendi hasn’t played a minute for the reigning European champions this season.

frail youngster that was reluctant to receive passes, while often looking bewildered when he was on the ball. Equally, Illarramendi isn’t afraid to put a foot into

Often classified to be flirting around the lines of a legitimate flop, the Spaniard was positive when fielded in his natural position, serving as a reliable passer, capable of dictating the tempo of matches at a jogging pace.

Illarramendi splits the centrebacks and drops into pockets of space in deep areas to receive the ball and facilitate a combination of passes from flank to flank, long conservative diagonals, while offering penetration with his short ranged distribution.

When fielded as the deepest midfielder there’s a sense of comfort and confidence, opposed to the intimidated

a tackle or break up plays with timely interceptions.

The 24-year-old also offers more attacking impetus, as he pushes 10-yards higher than Alonso, and doesn’t fear slaloming forward when the opportunity is presented.

Pass, move, and search for space to receive another ball.

Theoretically, the transition into Alonso’s influential role should be forthright. Alonso was the nucleus in Madrid’s system; the 32-year-old’s proficient long-range passing linked midfield and attack, but he also provided adequate cover for his centrebacks, thus enabling the fullbacks and shuttlers to be

Carlo Ancelotti and the smaller ones. This is his first season at Real and it isn’t easy. He had problems to start with and didn’t play, but we’re pleased with his performances since then.

He’ll play better next year.

He has the ability to play in a final.”

Playing no part in last year’s triumph over Atletico served as a psychological blow to the Spaniard, and although Ancelotti expressed faith in Illarramendi’s potential, opting for experience with an atypical defensive midfielder returning from a long-term injury - in a European final signified the lack of trust in

adventurous.

“We have shown good balance and Xabi Alonso is the key to this. He is a very important player, he has impressive quality and experience,” Ancelotti stated following an impressive victory over La Real last season.

But with Alonso’s late decision to seek new pastures, Illarramendi receives the chance he’s been waiting for since his big money move to the Spanish capital. A chance to erase a catastrophic mistake against Borussia Dortmund - that sealed his permanent place on the bench for the remainder of the season - and cement his role in the Madrid midfield for the next decade.

Ancelotti doesn’t possess the options to ignore Illarramendi’s qualities, and his inclusion in the squad would decrease the defensive workload of Modric and Kroos, while allowing the duo to control matches in their preferred positions.

While Ancelotti was reluctant to hand the 24-yearold the responsibility to be the anchorman in big matches, now the Italian doesn’t have that luxury.

Khedira suffered a twomonth injury layoff, and Casemiro is enjoying a positive spell at Porto, further exemplifying Madrid’s shortage in midfield.

Balance remains a key aspect in Ancelotti’s formula for success, and if the Madrid manager persists on playing in a 4-3-3, the inclusion of the Spaniard would prove beneficial for club and country. The Madrid derby is swiftly approaching, and although Ancelotti may be reluctant to throw the Spaniard into a physical battle against the champions, the Italian can’t continue afford to overlook Alonso’s ideal successor.

Considering the club’s abject start to the season, Ancelotti handing Illarramendi a chance to anchor the Madrid midfield in his preferred position is a risk worth taking.

Illarramendi’s time is now.

Diego Costa:

By STANLEY UGAGBE/ EDET ELIJAH

SEVEN goals in four appearances represents an overwhelming start to Chelsea life for Diego Costa, whose destruction of Swansea on Saturday demonstrated why Monrinho labeled him, for different reasons “unstoppable”.

This season, one player that his debut for his adopted nation has arrested the attention of in March 2014 and was the entire football family is selected for that year’s World Costa. He has become the Cup. topic of so many football homes for his scoring prowess! He has been described by pundits as a player whose main attributes are his physicality, goal scoring and ability to keep possession.

Costa was born on Octrber 7, 1988 in Lagarto, Brazil. He began his career with Braga in Portugal and signed by Atletico Madrid in 2007, Costa was loaned back to Braga, and then to Celta and Albacete before being sold to Athletic the following season and went on to become a key part of their attack, scoring 27 goals as they won the league title in 2014, and then joined Chelsea for 32 million Euro.

Internationally, Costa played twice for Brazil in 2013 but later declared his desire to represent spain, having been granted Spanish citizenship Diego Costa in September 2013. He made

The New Goal King In Town

Ahead of his competitive debut for Chelsea in August 2014, BBC sport pundit Robbie savage described Costa as the “the missing piece in the jigsaw” for the “clear favourite” who could end up

winning the title by five or six points”. He explained that Chelsea’s defence was already the strongest in the league, but a poorer rate of shot-to-goal conversion had cost them the title. He praised Costa’s stature

and physical style of play which “suits the preorier league down to the ground” in the same role that Didier Drogba previously played at Chelsea an opinion also voiced by the leagues top scorer of all time, Alan Shearer.

Interestingly, Costa has been hugely impressive for Chelsea

La Liga: The Home Of Champions!

By STANLEY UGAGBE/EDET ELIJAH/KINGSLEY MBADUGHA/OMEIZA ROBINSON

OVER the years, La Liga has often been described by football lovers as a two clubs (Real Madrid and Barcelona) league; which has galvanized many Nigerians not to watch the league matches except when Real and Barca are in action’s. A fact which Athletic Madrid disputed last season when they emerged last season La Liga champions and UEFA Champions Lague runner-up.

Little did football lovers consider the fact that LaLiga is the league that houses world champions as compared to other leagues.

According to UEFA’s league coefficient, La liga is the strongest league in Europe over the past five years. The league has been the strongest and leading league in Eurpe for longer than any other European league (17 years in total).

Real Madrid and Barcelona top the table of clubs listed by numbers of times they were topranked in Europe over a 5 year period.

Real (15), Barca (8) followed

by Juventus of Italy (7). Laliga clubs have the highest total with 24 followed by Italy’s serie A with 9.

Laliga players have won the highest number of Ballon d’Or awards jointly with Italy’s serir A and the outright highest number of FIFA World player of the year awards. The league players also have the highest number of runners-up in both awards.

In 2010, 2011 and 2012, the league players were voted in as first, second and third best in the world each year and in 2009 for the Ballon d’Or. The same goes for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award in 2011 and 2012.

The league clubs have won the most UEFA Champions League tournaments and Real Madrid are

the most successful club, as a 10time champions.

Sevila are the joint successful club in the UEFA Europa league with 3 wins. Laliga is the first and only league to be represented by both finalists in a UEFA Champions League final on two occasions.

Despite the fame of the English Premier League with big clubs and big players Laliga players represent the highest all time number of the UFA Team Of The Year with 64 players ahead of Premier League with 33.

Research reveals that Laliga is the biggest exporter of players in Europe.

Simeone

Cristiano Ronaldo

The league is contested by 20 teams with the three lowest placed teams relegated to the Segunda Division and replaced by the top two teams in that division plus the winner of a play-off. A total of 60 teams have competed in La Liga, nine of which have been crowned champions. They are Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Atletico Bilao, Valencia, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, Deportivo de La Corusia and Sevila.

In the history of La Liga from inception till date, Real Madrid,

Barcelona and Atletico Bibao are the only clubs that have never been relegated.

Currently, the league houses the world best player of the year, the Portuguesse and Real Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. Lest I forget, the prince of football Lionel Messi and the likes of Gareth Bale, Neymar, Luis Suarez are all in Laliga.

Indeed, La Liga is the world of champions! Where is the famous Premier league when Laliga is incharge of tournaments awards?

La Liga rules the world of football!

since joning from Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Costa has scored in all his appearance for Chelsea in the English premier league, a record which has compelled many football loves to tag him as a “Goal scoring machine. Most notably Costa’s hat –trick against Swansea on Saturday was alluring in its simplicity and illustrated just what dose mourinho, his own admission, had been missing a fine unadulterated finisher.

The arrival of the Spanish talisman seems to be the saviour Chelsea has been waiting for since the departure of club’s legend Dider Drogba.

Costa is not only good in tipping the ball past goal keepers but also good in positioning himself at the right spots to receives passes.

He is the first Chelsea player to score in his first four games for the club since John Meredith in 1928. He has also beat Micky Quin and Sergio Aguero’s record of six goals in their first four premier league games.

For all the talk about his prowess in front of goal, there is a message Mourinho wants to get across. Chelsea have bought more than just a poacher capable of nudging home a Cesc Fabregas assist from six yards. With just four games, the Spanish talisman created records for himself.

His performance so far has compelled the football family to focus attention on him. In the premier league last season it was Luis Suarez all the way as the top scorer and Costa has shown interest in that award. He has all what it takes to do that and his teammates are ready to support his mastery.

Indeed, Magical Costa is unstoppable. We hope he gets to the level of the princes of football, Ronaldo and Messi.

Gross Misconduct, What Gross Misconduct?

FOR the second time in about two months, I have cause to comment on this highly neausating and ambiguise phraseology called gross misconduct.

This is a terminology that has been battered and abused repeatedly by the political class, especially by our elected representatives.

I believe the maker of the 1999 Constitution meant well when they made it to form part of section 188 of the grand norm. If I may speak their minds, the section was meant to check the excessive powers the document has given to the executive, that is, the President,, Governor and to some extent, the council chairman.

The legislatures have manipulated this section of the constitution to harass, blackmail and in some cases brutally cut short the tenure of some governors.

It is instructive to note here that some of the misguided steps taken by some state houses of assembly were upturned by court of law on appeal by the “victims” because the decisions were frivolous, manipulative and borne out of sheer legislative rascality. Some examples will surfice here.

In the Second Republic, Kaduna State Governor, Balarabe Musa, a member of the Peples Redemption Party , PRP, was impeached by an assebmly dominated by the National Party of Nigeria, NPN. By that action, Balarabe Musa opened the floodgate of impeachment, he was however never reinstated because he did not appeal the action of the lawmakers.

In this Republic, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State were sacked f 1 r o m o ffice by their respective houses of assembly but later given a clean bill of health by court on appeal. The court faulted the processes that led to their impeachment. It was on the bases of this Fayose was able to contest the recent gubernatorial election in his Ekuti State and reelected by his

people.Dariye is today in the senate based on that clearance by the court and Ladoja is warming up to unseat Ajimobi in Oyo State come 2015.

Their removal were solely due to the hadiwork of the then president Olusegun Obasanjo.

The lawmakers were largely believed to have been induced and influenced by Obasanjo to explore the loophole in that ambiguous section 188 of the constitution to do his bidding.

Obasanjo was one president who used that section as a tool to witch hunt state chief executives who fell out of favour with him.

Unfortunately, the same scenario seems to be playing out today across the states under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan. The first victim is the Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but later crossed over to the All Progressive Congress, APC. The highly induced members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly sacked him, relying on the obnoxious section 188 of the constitution. His offence?

“Gross misconduct”. But how gross is this misconduct?, one may want to ask.

Unfortunately, this can only be determined by the lawmakers themselves who hold the Yam and the knife.

Ever since then, the retired naval officer turned politician has remained in the cold.

However, accusing fingers are pointing at the Presidency as the unseen hand in the fate that befell Nyako. His “sins”? in a memo to his governor brothers, Nyako was said to have accused Mr President of being the brain behind insurgency in the north eastern flank of the country.

His other “sin” was his temerity to dump the PDP for an opposition party. These twin “offences” were believed to have constituted gross misconduct in the eyes of the almighty Adamawa Lawmakers. What an abuse of legislative powers!

Interestingly, the case of Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has become the proverbial piece of bone

in the throat of the state lawmakers and probably their sponsors. In my comments published in this column August 16, 2014, I described the foiled attempt to force the governor out of office as a failed coup because it was highly unpopular and smarks off malice on the part of the

here is the fact that the governor chose to belong to the APC and not the PDP. They decided to use the advantage of their number to terrorise and blackmail the governor and their four other colleagues who decided to stand by the thruth. In fact, one of the lawmakers is currently on suspension over some bogus allegations. But “stubborn” Al Makura remained with the party that

David Mark, Senate President.

T

his Wednesday With

Ebomhiana Musa gave him the platform on which he became governor.

This is a clear case of tyranny of the majority. Ever since that verdict was given, it has remained a ding dong affairs between both parties as the disappointed legislators continued to threaten hell on earth for the governor . Five months to the 2015 general election, we wait to see how it finally plays out.

The most heart rending of all the legislative rascality being perpetuated across the country is the one which the Enugu State House of Assembly meted out to the Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi last week, Thursday, August 28, 2014.

His own alleged gross misconduct was that he was operating a poultry farm in his official quarters. The other “sin” was that he failed to represent the governor, Sullivan Chime at a meeting of the South East Governors.

The panel and the house of assembly overlooked the strong defence put up by Onyebuchi and went ahead to impeach him. Yes, they had to shun the merit of his defence

“The most heart rending of all the legislative rascality being perpetuated across the country is the one which the Enugu State House of Assembly meted out to the Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi last week, Thursday, August 28, 2014.

His own alleged gross misconduct was that he was operating a poultry farm in his official quarters.”

PDP legislators. The masterminds of that “coup” and their Abuja collaborators would have been shocked to the marrow when the seven man panel headed by Yusuf Shehu Usman concluded its assignment on August 5, 2014 and gave the gavernor a clean bill of health. As usual, the lawmakers had accused the governor of “gross misconduct”.

What constituted gross misconduct in the eyes of the lawmakers

because it was the bidding of the master(governor) that must be done. They must justify their “pay”.

Disappointed by the action of the lawmakers, former national secretary of defunct All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP and now National Auditor of the APC, Chief George Moghalu described the impeachment of Onyebuchi as “an embarrassment to democracy, ridiculous and unheard of.”

He went further, saying: “the legislators should ask themselves questions whether they are doing this in the interest of democracy”.

Definitely it’s neither in the intrest of democracy nor in the interest of the people they are expected to serve . Rather, its purely in their own selfish interest and for the infrastructure of their stomach.

Unfortunately and sadly too, the law court that is expected to be the last hope of the commonman and the oppressed in the society seems to be turning a blind eye to all these legislative shenanigans. The usual refrain from them at the onset of the madness is that the courts have no powers to intervene in the affairs of the house. Even if the house is going gaga, putting our hard earned democracy at risk, the court stands aloof. This does not augur well for our democracy and I believe this is one area that deserves special attention as another attempt is being made to tinker with the 1999 Constitution.

TOMORROW ON THIS PAGE

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For one thing, it is bad politics to go into office and immediately begin to dismantle the policy thrusts of your predecessor. For another, it would be recalled that Sanusi did not just embark on that policy. Rather, it was foisted on him by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Banking and Currency. In the circumstance, it is doubtful if you can face an impending war against the entire people.

”

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