Nigerian observer 19 06 2013 by Nigerian Observer

The Nigerian

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

• Vol. 37 NO.257 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013 . N100.00

Govt set to clear lunatics from streets

By FUNMI BABATOPE

BENIN CITY- The ugly sight of lunatics and destitute have caugut Edo state government attention with plans now underway to remove

them from the streets. The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Society Development, Mrs. Blessing Maigida made the disclosure yesterday during her meeting with the 14

government approved lunatic healers association, led by the state Chairman, HRH, Chief, Prof. T. O. Omon

Oleabhiele JP. Addressing the traditional lunatic healers, Hon. Maigida stated that government is already aware of the enormity of their services

Continues on page 2

FormerPoliceInspector . Suspects nabbed buriedalive By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON

BENIN CITY – A retired Police Inspector who was abducted, has been discovered to have been buried alive in an evil forest near Ewudu village in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. policeman and the The victim, Elder village head (Odionwere) Samuel Ekhoruyimwen of Oghobaghase village Ajayi, 82, a retired near Ewudu Community

was invited to preside over the settlement of a dispute in his domain when he was allegedly waylaid and captured by some youths of Ewudu Village. It was gathered that his

sudden disappearance on Friday, May 10, 2013 prompted his children in Benin City to inform the police who declared him missing after 24 hours of futile efforts to ascertain his whereabouts. Commenting on the dastardly act, the

Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police, AIG, zone ‘5’ Benin City, Mr. Hashimu Argugun stated that following intelligent reports, undercover agents led by one sergeant Isaiah Osivwemu arrested Osamudiamen Uwaila

of Ewudu community. AIG Argugunu who spoke through a Deputy Commissioner of police (DC) Administration, zone ‘5’, Mr. Dave Akinremi revealed that the confessional statements of the prime suspect had

Continues on page 2

Iyayi wants death penalty for corruption ABUJA - Prof. Festus Iyayi, a lecturer in Business Administration, University of Benin, has called for amendment of

STOP OIL BUNKERING ·

· ·

People of Edo State, Government has discovered that inspite of measures taken by security agents in the State to stop illegal oil bunkering, perpetrators of this shady business have continued unabated. The State Government is warning all those still involved in oil bunkering in the State to, in their own interest, stop this shady and dubious business forthwith as stiffer penalties await them. Any person or group of persons caught in the illegal business will be dealt with according to the law. All vehicles and equipment used will be burnt. Be patriotic, report any person suspected to be in the business of oil bunkering to the authorities concerned. Join Government to rid the State of enemies of progress. Edo State must continue to move forward. This message is from the Edo State Ministry of Information and Orientation

existing anti-corruption laws to provide death penalty for corrupt public officials. He made the call in Abuja on Tuesday in a paper entitled: Reversing Youth Unemployment in Nigeria: Strategies for Real Win, at an International Conference on Emerging Democracies in Africa. Iyayi said the measure would go a long way to discourage officials from looting public funds. “Amendment of the laws should provide for stiffer penalties, including the death penalty in proven cases of corruption for top public office holders.’’

Continues on page 2

LETTER OF CREDENCE: President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving Letter of Credence from the New Ambassador of Senegal to Nigeria, Mr. Amadou Ndiaya, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday. With them is the Minister of Foreign Affairs I, Prof. Viola Onwuliri.

Albert Legogie dies at 65

By ADAMS OYIBOKE BENIN CITY - former Senate Deputy President in the Third Republic, Albert Legogie is dead. Senator Legogie, according to the family

. Ekweremadu, Ihedioha, others He said: “He had light father died in a private bout of malaria and was hospital after a brief mourn Victor said his father did taken to the hospital and illness.

died on Monday at about 4pm at a private hospital in the state capital at the age of 65. Eldest son of the late senator, Victor, said his

Speaking with The Nigerian Observer at the family residence in Benin,

not have any serious health challenges before his demise.

he recovered and he was

FG not interested in surveillance of interested in spying on - NCC her citizens but internet users not considering carrying government is

ABA – Dr. Sylvanus Ehikioya, Director, New Media and Information Security with Nigerian Communications Commission, said the Federal Government is not interested in the surveillance of citizens

on the Internet. Ehikioya made the statement in an interview with newsmen in Aba, Abia, yesterday. “Nigeria is not a police state and government is

out surveillance on its interested in doing citizens. The freedom of what is right to ensure expression of its citizens that citizens are free to as guaranteed by the use the Internet and is constitution is sacrosanct. safe in doing so,” he “Government is not Continues on page 2

Late Albert Legogie

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

News

Govt set to clear lunatics from streets

Continued from page 1

to humanity which they voluntarily embarked upon. She told the association that since they were chosen by government and given approval of recognition and monthly subvention without fail, they were expected to perform their duties effectively and efficiently because to whom much is given much is expected.

The commissioner in concert with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Barr. Augustine Akuamhekhun (Esq) and the Director, Rehabilitation Services, Mr. Charles Amadasun, noted that the present administration in the state under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had spent a lot to beautify the state, saying it was therefore disheartening to find roaming

lunatics defacing the city centre. Hon. Maigida reiterated that on no account should lunatics be seen on the streets and directed that documentary album of all inmates on ground and those to be raided should be compiled and assured them of government support in the treatment and

cure of roaming lunatics in the state. Responding on behalf of the association, the state Chairman, HRH, Chief, Prof. T. O. Omon Oleabhiele JP thanked the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the Hon. commissioner for giving them the opportunity to express the challenges facing them in the task of curing lunatics.

Former Police Inspector buried alive

Continued from page 1 to the arrest of seven others including the chief Priest of Ovia Deity in Ewudu community, Pa Stephen Oviawe, 78. He disclosed further that two village heads and six youths have also been arrested in connection with the murder. AIG Argugun disclosed that efforts to recover the body of the retired Police Inspector have been intensified as other suspects at large went and removed the corpse from the grave before policemen were led there by one of the

suspects. Speaking to journalists at the zone ‘5’ police headquarters, Adesuwa, Benin City, yesterday, the prime suspect Osamudiamen Uwaila, 28 admitted that he, in connivance with others now on the run captured Elder Samuel Ajayi on the road to his village and took him to an already dug grave in the evil forest of Ewudu community. Osamudiamen, however, denied knowledge of what transpired thereafter as he left the scene immediately. He also stated that one of his partners in crime now at

large informed him that their victim’s corpse was later relocated to shield their deeds. He said they plotted to kill Mr. Samuel Ajayi because of his role in a land dispute between Ewudu and Orogun communities some years ago. The Chief Priest, Pa Stephen Oviawe who led investigators and a team of police pathologists to the evil forest last Wednesday, June 12, 2013 on a fruitless search for the grave where they reburied the remains stated that apart from leading some

Iyayi wants death penalty for corruption

elders and youths of Ewudu to perform spiritual cleansing of the land shortly after the murder, he also accompanied the group that went and transferred the body to another grave in the forest at night. AIG Argugun said that the suspects would soon appear in court.

Continued from page 1 According to him, the antigraft agencies should be strengthened to enable them

to obtain more convictions of corrupt high profile individuals. Iyayi also called for a legislation to allow the anticorruption agencies to be funded from the proceeds recovered from officials found guilty of corruption. He said part of loots recovered from corrupt officials should be allocated to the anticorruption agencies for effective prosecution of corruption cases. “I propose that 50 per cent of all such funds should be dedicated to funding these

bodies and this should be incorporated in the legislation. The don urged government to reject economic solutions by western dominated financial organisations which tended to impose strange programmes on the country. He said the government should emulate emerging economies in Latin America that had been able to fashion out alternatives for building their economies. “The real solutions can only come from a repudiation of the neo-liberal framework in favour of an alternative model of development that addresses needs rather than those global

capitalist organisations. “We must also look for solutions in those countries that are making progress after having rejected neo-liberalism. “Some of these countries are to be found not in North America or Europe but elsewhere especially in Latin America and Asia,’’ he stressed. Iyayi urged government to sustain ongoing reforms of the budgetary and public procurement processes, adding that the measures would go a long way to reducing corruption in the public sector. The two-day conference was organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies.

Albert Legogie dies at 66 Continued from page 1 political icon.

fine. He came home to recuperate, but suddenly, the malaria came again and he had to be rushed back, but unfortmately, he passed on from there. He died within a week of the illness”. When The Nigerian Observer reporter asked about burial plans, Victor said the family will consult before making an announcement. “You know he was a man of many parts, so in making a burial arrangement, we have to consult with a lot of people. We have to talk with the National Assembly and know what role they might want to play, we have to also talk to the state government and see what role they will also want to play, when the family now comes together and make a final decision and put programme together”, he said. The news of the late politician’s death led to shutdown of economic activities in Etsako Central Local Government Area, where he hailed from, even as the council Chairman, Emmanuel Momoh announced shut down of activities within the council area in honour of the late

Condoling with the family, Momoh said the shutdown was in honour of the late senator, saying “the council will ensure that his legacy and ideals are sustained”. A member of the State House of Assembly representing Etsako Central, Johnson Oghuma, however, expressed shock at the death of the former Deputy Senate President, describing him as a gentleman. He said Legogie’s contribution to national development would remain indelible. He said, “He will be remembered for making political sacrifice for Nigeria even when he had opportunity to aspire higher. He is a community leader that will be missed by all”. Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has described the death of Albert Legogie, third Republic Senate Deputy President, as painful and shocking. In a statement signed by Uche Anickukwu, his Special Adviser on Media, in Abuja yesterday, Ekweremadu said Legogie was a great leader who made his mark “quietly and effectively’’. Ekweremadu added that the deceased was an elder statesman who distinguished

himself in leadership and selfless service to the nation. He said, “his death is a loss to the Senate and the entire nation. “He was a repository of parliamentary knowledge and one of the surviving oracles of the upper legislative chamber,’’ he said. He commiserated with the late former senator’s family, the government and people of Edo and the nation over the loss and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of Legogie. Also, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, described the late third Republic Senate deputy president, as a patriot. This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Oke Epia, his Chief Press Secretary, in Abuja yesterday. Ihedioha said the deceased was committed to the growth, development and progress of the country. He said the death of Legogie was a personal loss to him, having worked with him as aide. “I have lost a father-figure, boss and friend whose mentorship and sense of direction can hardly be surpassed,” Ihedioha said.

Late Elder Samuel Ekhoruyimwen Ajayi

FG not interested in surveillance of internet users

Continued from page 1

said. Ehikioya said although the monitoring of citizens in some countries was a means for checking Internet crime, “such option is not being considered by the Nigerian Government.’’ He said that the effort to check Internet fraud was an ongoing effort which would involve the use of the Cyber Security law, which could not be perfected without the passage of the bill into law. Ehikioya said that Nigeria would rather collaborate with other countries to check internet crime than to monitor the citizens. He said that since cyber crime cuts across boundaries, which meant that there were different governments with jurisdiction in cyber governance, thus requiring collaboration to check the problem. The director said that countries must make provisions in their laws to collaborate with other countries to check cyber crimes. Ehikioya said that measures were being taken to create appropriate frameworks and guidelines in Nigeria to facilitate collaboration with other countries against cyber crime. He, however, said that for a country, such as Nigeria, to collaborate with other countries, the appropriate framework, such as the Cyber Security Bill pending at the National Assembly must be passed into law.

Ovia S’West tasked on cocked oil wells By THOMPSON EROMOSELE IGUOBAZUWA - Edo State Commissioner for Special Duties, Oil and Gas, Ambassador Orobosa OmoOjo has directed the Ovia South West Local Government to furnish the Ministry with detailed information on the cocked oil well heads in the locality, including their numbers and locations. He also told the leadership and people of the local government to ensure that there is peace through the length and breath of the area by preventing all manner of restiveness. The commissioner gave the mandate when he paid a courtesy visit to the leadership of Ovia South West Local Government Area at Iguobazuwa, the administrative headquarters of the council yesterday. Ambassador Omo-Ojo who met with members of both the executive and legislative arms as well as management and staff in the legislative chambers of the council, said his visit was in dual capacity as the governor ’s representative and as the commissioner. He explained the scope of duties of the ministry in the oil and gas sector as well as the solid mineral industry which include, collection of levies, haulage fees and road tax, but with a reminder that issues of solid minerals are exclusively that of the federal government. Besides giving assurance

that the ministry would synergies with the Local Government, including creating a platform for the youths in the area to be empowered socioeconomically, he enjoined the youths to acquire skills in addition to their academic qualification in order to make them employable in the oil and gas sector. On the abandoned mega petrol station at the riverine suburb of Ofunama Community in the area, the commissioner urged members of the community to write a petition on the issue to his office which would serve as a spring-board for him to commence action on the project. Welcoming the Commissioner earlier, the Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Area, Hon. Morris Ogunrobo disclosed that the visit of the commissioner would create an apple opportunity for the leadership and youths of the area to collaborate to improve the people. He emphasized that the area was endowed with young and dynamic human resource and confirmed that there were cocked down oil well heads in the locality which, when activated, would boost socio-economic activities in the area. The commissioner also had an interactive session with the leadership and management of the council.

Nigerian Navy begins enlistment exercise BENIN CITY-The 2013 Nigerian Navy Direct short service commission 22 Enlistment Exercise has commenced nationwide and will end on the 20th July, 2013. A release issued by the Directorate of Cabinet, Political and Special services, office of the Secretary to the State G o v e r n m e n t , Governor’s office, called on interested candidates of Edo state origin to register online, in the

Nigerian Navy website (www. Joinnigeriannavy. com). The release further says aptitude test for the exercise is scheduled for Saturday 20th July, 2013 at selected military establishments across the country. All interested candidates of Edo state origin are advised to register within designated period and ensure strict compliance with instruction contained in the website.

Believe in yourselves, SSG urges Edo children By QUEENNETH AIKHONBARE-OROBOEDO

BENIN CITY-Children in Edo state have been enjoined to stay focused, believe in themselves and study hard in order to achieve their dream in the future. Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere gave this advice yesterday in Government House, while playing host to the children of Mount Carmel School, Ekpoma, who came on a study visit. Educating the children on the functions of government, he encouraged them to

eschew bad habits, stay disciplined and work hard, adding that education is the bedrock for any aspiration in life. The SSG told them that, as leaders of tomorrow, there was need for them to be well behaved, selfconfident, work hard and respect their parents and constituted authorities. The children were given opportunities to ask questions, to which they equally received answers. Also present at the session were Commissioners for Information and Orientation, Art and Culture as well as Youths and Sports.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Across The Nation UN Calls For Global Action On Drought

The representative of Edo State Governor, Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo inspecting a Guard of Honour during the passing -out ceremony of the newly recruited members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria. PHOTO: SOLOMON ENAIGBE

MTEL Sacked Worker For Forgery

ABUJA - A witness, Mr. Jonathan James, on Monday in Abuja told the National Industrial Court (NIC) of how the Nigeria Mobile Telecommunications Ltd. (MTEL) sacked one of its former employees for forgery. The witness, who is the company’s Head of Salary, said the former employee, Mr. Danjuma Oyibo, was sacked for forging the signature of MTEL workers union chairman. James, who was led in evidence by the defence counsel, Mr. Daniel Kefas, also told the court the claimant was not disengaged in December 2010 as he claimed. “His appointment was actually terminated in March 2008. I called him to bring the original

copy of the said letter of disengagement to me, which he did. “But I cannot lay my hands on it now because of movement from one place to the other,” he said. James told the court that the company was not indebted to the claimant as his entitlement was processed and forwarded to the office of the AccountantGeneral for payment. When the witness was asked under cross-examination by the claimant’s counsel, Mr. Benedict Omale, if he knew whether the claimant was paid, he answered in the affirmative. “I know that the claimant was paid his final entitlement in full by the office of the AccountantGeneral,” the witness said.

Commission’s Funds OWERRI -Dr Henry Okafor, Intact - MD the Managing Director of Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC), has said that the commission’s funds are intact. Okafor made the clarification in Owerri amidst speculations that Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration had tampered with the funds. According to him, the immediate past administration of ISOPADEC left N19 million in its bank account and many unsettled contract bills running into millions of naira. The managing director said, however, that the present management had paid some contractors who were being owed for projects executed in the past. He added that the N4 million scholarship and bursary allowances owed students from the oil producing areas had been cleared by the present

management, adding that no such student was being owed at present. “The only problem the present management of the commission is having with the governor is that he never allows us freehand to spend ISOPADEC’s funds the way we should. “Rather, the government insists on execution of projects that will add value to the oil producing communities. “The governor has no interest in the commission’s fund except his insistence that the era of intangible projects such as holding of seminars that gulp millions of naira is gone,” he said. The managing director vowed that he would abide by the financial regulations of the commission and the vision of the present administration to make the oil producing communities feel the impact of ISOPADEC.

However, when he was asked by Omale to show to the court where it was stated in the said letter of termination that the claimant was sacked for forgery he said it was not stated. The witness also told the court that the proceedings of the meetings of the disciplinary committee which found the claimant guilty were not communicated to him (claimant). It will be recalled that Oyibo had dragged the company and the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) before the court in 2012 demanding his terminal benefits. Oyibo, who was employed in October 2003, told the court that he was disengaged by the First Defendant (MTEL) on December 31, 2010 when the organisation was privatised. He said during crossexamination that the letter of termination of his employment, dated March 12, 2008, was nullified by the strength of another letter of disengagement. The claimant is praying the court to declare that by virtue of the first defendant’s letter dated Dec. 6, 2010, his exit date from the employment of the first defendant was December 31, 2010. “It cannot be March 12, 2008. It is December 31, 2010, as contained in the letter dated December 6, 2010,’’ he argued. Oyibo is also asking the court to order the defendants to compute and pay his remaining entitlements, including other benefits, based on the exit date of December 31, 2010. The claimant is also praying the court to award N10 million

- Witness

against the defendants as general damages and N1.5 million as cost of the suit. The judge, Justice Oluseun Shogbola, adjourned the case to July 16 for further hearing.

ABUJA -UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for a collective global response to drought through a shift from crisis management to drought preparedness and resilience. Ban Ki-moon made the call in his address to commemorate the World Day to Combat Desertification. In a press statement made available to newsmen, he said the price for preparedness for drought was minimal compared to the cost of disaster relief. Ban’s call was also echoed by Luc Gnacadja, the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation. “Becoming a drought-resilient global society is not only possible and affordable, it must be our only option,’’ Gnacadja said. “For over three decades, the international community has grappled with drought impacts and their mitigation; to date, only one country in the world has a comprehensive national drought policy. “Investing in our resilience today cost a fraction of the relief price we will pay tomorrow, and its benefits are far more.’’ He made reference to the achievements of the village of Batodi in Niger, where five million hectares of land were

restored through agro forestry. As a result of that effort, the water table in the area rose by 14 metres. Gnacadja said that the most affected communities were not standing by, but were leading the way to drought resilience and water security. As part of the global celebrations, Gnacadja, announced the three winners of 2013 Land for Life Award, a global initiative with a price fund of 100,000 dollars. The award was established in 2012 to recognise innovative and replicable community initiatives, which strengthen the resilience of vulnerable and affected populations. “The winners exemplify the type of leadership that makes the difference at the grass-roots level; much of what they offer is simple, but transformational,” he said. He also said that Eritrea, Hungary, Kenya, Portugal and Thailand had announced that they would designate their first ever dry land champions as part of the day’s celebrations. Celebrations were also planned in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Georgia, Ghana, Iran, Mexico, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Timor Leste, and Turkey.

PPMC Repairs Vandalised Pipeline stakeholders to save the ABUJA -The Pipelines and In Ibadan situation. Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of NNPC, in Abuja has said that it had repaired and re-streamed the vandalised pipeline at the Alapata Area of Ibadan. Recalls say that the pipeline located in the Alapata community, was ruptured by vandals leading to a fire outbreak. Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, PPMC’s Manager, Public Affairs and External Relations, told newsmen that the pipeline had been fixed following the intervention of officials from PPMC and other agencies. He said there was no explosion at the site of the incident, which was on Apete-Akufo Road in the Ido Local Government Area of

Oyo State. “There is only a minor fire outbreak as a result of the nefarious activity of the vandals. “I can assure you that the fire has been put out and the vandalised pipeline has been repaired and re-streamed by our engineers. “Let me, however, clarify that there was no explosion at the site of the incident as reported by a section of the media. It was just a fire outbreak,’’ the PPMC official said. He urged members of the public in the area to avoid hoarding fuel and panic-buying as the PPMC was working with the NNPC and relevant

“This is to ensure an unhindered supply of petroleum products on the Ibadan axis and the nation as a whole,’’ Imodagbe said. Also, General Manager, Media Relations of NNPC, Dr Omar Ibrahim, told newsmen that the situation had been brought under control. Ibrahim, however, decried the activities of vandals and oil thieves, saying it was hindering NNPC’s operations and affecting the nation’s economy. It will be recalled that a similar incident had occurred about two weeks ago when a pipeline was also vandalised in Elebu in the Oluyole Area of Ibadan metropolis.

Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo, Edo State Commissioner (Oil and Gas) representing Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole displaying the plaque in honour of the state governor during the passing-out ceremony of newly recruited members of Peace Corps Association of Nigeria. Left is Patriot Habib Mutahiru Odion, Commander of the Corps. PHOTO: SOLOMON ENAIGBE.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Extortion:

Traders Protest

OWERRI - Traders in Ekeonuwa Market in Owerri on Monday marched round major streets of the state capital, protesting against continuous extortion by some unidentified government officials. The leader of the traders, Chief Augustine Nzeribe, told newsmen during the protest that traders in the market could no longer trade with ease following intimidation from some group who claimed to be from a government task force. He said the traders had carried such extortion protest to the ministry of commerce and industry last year where they were informed that such group never existed on the government

list. Nzeribe said since then, the group had not seized coming to extort money from them on a daily bases. He said some of the traders who refused to pay the money were assaulted while some were banned from trading in the market. Nzeribe said the traders had formed strong alliance to battle with the fake task force, adding that the protest was the first step which they decided to take before further actions. He said if the government did not react fast in stopping the group from impersonating its name, they would fight back to protect their rights.

Across The Nation Court Dismisses Suit Against Company

ABUJA- The National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja, has dismissed a suit filed against Salini Nigeria Ltd. by one of its former employees over the claimant’s failure to file within stipulated time. Justice Maureen Esowe dismissed the suit on Monday in Abuja while ruling on the preliminary objection filed by the company’s counsel, Mr. Patrick Ediale, challenging the competency of the suit. Esowe held that the action fell short of the provisions of Section 8 (2) of the Limitation Act Cap 522, Laws of the Federation 2004. She also held that the

claimant, Mr Paulinus Chukwu, failed to file his action within three years from 2004 when the injury took place. The judge said the suit should have been filed in 2005 when Chukwu entered into an agreement with the defendant. “The case is hereby dismissed for the failure of the claimant to file the suit within three years when the cause of action arose,” Esowe ruled. It would be recalled that Ediale had at the last adjourned date urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the action was

“statute barred’’. He told the court that the claimant was settled by the company via a settlement agreement in 2005 when it was discovered that he was incapacitated. While reacting to the argument, the claimant’s counsel, Mr Maxwell Opara, told the court that his client was not mentally stable to think of legal action at the time. Opara prayed the court to dismiss the application, arguing that the claimant, who is totally incapacitated for life, was only

bodily able to commence a suit for redress in 2012. The claimant, who was an employee of the company, had listed one Mr Kan as second defendant in the suit before the NIC. Chukwu, who filed the suit in 2012, had told the court that he was injured on Jan. 2, 2004 when he was knocked down by the car driven by Kan. He also told the court that he was dismissed by the defendant and paid off vide a settlement agreement dated Aug. 8, 2005. The claimant had then prayed the court to declare that the settlement agreement was null and void and be set aside.

Food Supplements

Expert Advise Public

LAGOS - Two health experts

have urged the public to take

food supplements to boost the nutritional content of their daily diets. They made the plea in separate interviews with newsmen at the EDMARK Nigeria’s 3rd International Convention in Lagos. Mr. Sam Low, the Chairman, EDMARK Group of Companies, urged people to take food supplements as part of their feeding routine. “It is essential to take food supplements to support the body as we may not get all the nutrients that the body needs from the foods we eat. “There are different supplements. We have calcium, iron, and vitamins supplements. “There are also supplements for detoxification, fibres, and a whole lot of others. People should take nutritional supplements because they are not drugs. “These will boost the overall health and energy. “They provide immune system support, reduce the risks of illness, improve physical and mental performances and as well aid healing processes,” he said. Low noted that unhealthy feeding and eating habits posed great challenge in the country’s environment. According to him, unhealthy eating habits lead to unnecessary accumulation of

fat and cholesterol. “One of the greatest problems that we find with lots of people here is that we eat a lot of unhealthy foods, especially when we are busy. “When we are in a rush, we tend to eat things that are not just healthy. “When you eat things like fries (chips), fried yam, meat pie, that is carbohydrate and oil. “It is a manifestation of an unhealthy lifestyle characterised by a high cholesterol diet and a sedentary lifestyle. “So, what is going to happen is that a lot of these chemicals will get stuck in the intestines. “This will make one to get unnecessarily fat, and as well create other health issues,’’ he said. Low said that unhealthy food and feeding habit could cause constipation. “ Our physical appearance is a reflection of our state of health. “Being overweight is an indication of a highly toxic body due to poor digestion and blood circulation and an inefficient defecation cycle. “After eating unwholesome foods, these chemicals get stuck in our intestines, and one of the biggest problems will be constipation. “Because, whatever you eat needs to come out and when it doesn’t come out, you become constipated,’’ he explained.

Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo, representative of the Edo State Governor (standing) before the national an them during the passing out parade of the newly recruited members of the peace corps of Nigeria. Left is patriot, Mutairu Habi Odion. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE

Marketing Institute To Sanction Unregistered Practitioners

ABA (ABIA)-Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye, the Acting National President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has said that from 2015, unregistered practitioners would be sanctioned by the institute. Koledoye announced the measure in an interview with

newsmen in Aba after the inauguration of the Aba chapter of the institute. He said that Nigerians or foreigners who did not comply with the NIMN law would be handed over to the law enforcement agents for punishment. “The issue is that the law which sets up the institute of

L-R: Chairman, South East Forum, Rev. Austin Nnorom, former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Guest Lecturer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze at a symposium in honour of former Governor of Old Imo State, late Chief Sam Mbakwe in Lagos recently.

marketing stated clearly that no one may practice as a lecturer or as an industry person without being a member of the institute,’’ he said. Koledoye praised the efforts of the Ben Ejiogu-led inaugural executives of the Aba chapter for their determination to develop the chapter and bring it to a recognised status. He urged the Abia government to ensure that it improved on education and infrastructure, adding that by so doing, people’s lives would be improved. Speaking on “Marketing Aba for Global Competitiveness’’ at the inauguration, an associate professor of marketing at the Imo State University, Prof. John Inyanga, said that marketing Aba had a price attached to it. Inyanga said that although Aba had great potential, being a commercial city, if it must be globally acceptable as a product and brand, unethical practices in the city

must be jettisoned. “The only way out is that they have to look inward and look at those unethical marketing practices and change them so that they will be accepted in the global market. “Thank God that the government is taking care of political inadequacies like kidnapping and terrorism and all those things. “Aba can only be fixed if actually we first of all build ourselves internally and make sure that whatever we produce has quality,’’ he said. Ejiogu said he was happy with the efforts of the executive in raising the status of the chapter to be recognised by the national body. He said the major challenge was to enlighten and inform professional marketers in the area of the existence of the chapter and to be attending meetings. He, however, said that with the inauguration, the chapter had overcome its major challenge and was looking forward to better days ahead.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Across The Nation Wife Seeks Divorce, Accuses Husband Of whenever she complained, a Sodomy situation which made her to

Community Threatens To Punish Tax Evaders ONITSHA (ANAMBRA) -Residents of Ozalla Community, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra, said they would punish any resident of the community who refused to pay tax to the state government. Chief Cyprian Nwokike, President of Ozalla L a n d l o r d s / Te n a n t s Association has announced the decision in Ozalla community, near Onitsha, that the people took the stand in order to attract more democratic dividends to the community. It could be recalled that the state government recently built three roads leading to the community - Ezeiweka Road, Ezenwa Road and Oraifite Road. Nwokike said it was only when the people paid their taxes that “the state government would be able to provide potable water as it had promised to the community’’. “We commend Governor Obi and Chief Ralph Nnabuife, Chairman of Idemili North Local Government for coming to our rescue. “Since the creation of the state, no government has been able to do anything in this community except now that Governor Obi has come to our rescue. “The council provided 10 refuse evacuating trucks and the state government has properly channelled flood water in the community,’’ he said. Nwokike also appealed to the residents to reciprocate the government’s gesture by maintaining a clean environment. “Our people should pay their sanitation levy at the designated bank to help the government put more infrastructure in place,’’ he said.

L-R: Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida; Portugal, Amb. Ijeoma Bristol; Ukraine, Amb. Frank Isoh and G-8, Amb. Ibukun Olatidoye, at the seminar for Nigerian Heads of Mission in Europe on Monday in Berlin.

vacate her matrimonial home six weeks ago. Usman, 30, who resides at Hayin Rigasa area of the city, denied the allegation. He said the marriage was contracted only six months ago and was yet to understand why the wife was accusing him of sodomy. He told the court that he would accede to the wife’s request if she would pay back the dowry paid on her. The presiding officer, Khadi Usman Abubakar, summoned the parents of the couple to appear before the court on June 24, for continuation of hearing.

Obi Releases N2.5bn To Public Schools

L-R: Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany; Amb. Abdu Abubakar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Greece, Amb. Ayodele Ayodeji, at the seminar for Nigerian Heads of Mission in Europe on Monday in Berlin.

AWKA -The Anambra Government has donated N2.5 billion to all publicowned secondary schools in the state. Governor Peter Obi, who announced the donation in Awka, said each of the 253 public secondary schools would receive N10 million each. Obi said the donation was in line with his administration’s resolve to ensure that the education sector was taken to greater heights.

Grassroots: Gov Decries Low Level Of LAFIA - Governor Umaru Al-makura of Nasarawa State has decried the low level of development at the grass roots, attributing it to lack of funds. The governor stated this at the swearing in of 12 newly appointed special advisers on Monday at Government House, Lafia. He said local government areas were left with meagre amounts after paying staff salaries and other

Development

emoluments. Al-makura said the state was supporting the councils in road construction, adding that the gesture would be extended to other sectors like health, water and electricity to boost economic activities. The governor gave the assurance that the government was looking into the issue of staff members that were screened out during the recent

local government staff audit. He blamed past administrations for illegal staff employment without recourse to the economic strength of the councils. Al-makura warned them against truancy, noting that indolence retards developments hence the need to take their work seriously to justify their pay. The governor debunked

Ramadan Feeding: Sokoto Earmarks SOKOTO -Alhaji Aliyu Attahiru, Chairman, Sokoto State Ramadan Feeding Programme Committee, has said that the state government has earmarked N163 million for the programme in 2013. He told newsmen in Sokoto that, “the programme would be run in over 150 feeding centres in Sokoto town and its environs during the forthcoming Ramadan. “The programme is aimed at

KADUNA - A 20-year-old house wife, Aisha Sani, of Nasarawa Kakuri in Kaduna has dragged her husband to the Magajin Gari Sharia Court, accusing him of sodomy and battery. She told the court that her husband, Abubakar Usman, was allegedly sodomising her after enchanting her with charms. According to her, the husband uses charms which makes her unconscious whenever he wants to make love to her through the anus. Aisha also contended that Usman used to beat her

providing free Ramadan breakfast during the entire 29 or 30 days of fasting to the less-privileged with a view to further alleviating their sufferings,” Attahiru said. The chairman also disclosed that the state government had spent N775 million between 2007 and 2012 on the religious exercise. Also speaking to newsmen on the programme, the

N163m

Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Prof. Musa Maitafsir, appealed to all the stakeholders to uphold the confidence reposed in them by the state government. “This is to ensure the sustenance of the successes so far recorded with a view to achieving the objectives of the programme,” he said. In his contribution, Alhaji

Lawal Maidoki, Chairman, State Zakat and Endowment Committee, said the state government’s gesture every year provided opportunity for many less-privileged people to break their Ramadan fast with ease. “The programme is a good omen to all the stakeholders and the beneficiaries, and as such, all of us should work and cooperate to ensure its continuous success,” he said.

allegations that most projects, especially road construction in the state capital and local government headquarters, are funded by MDGs. He explained that for every project em barked upon by any donor organisation, the state must contribute 50 per cent counterpart funding. On the fate of the laid off staff members of Nasarawa Transport Service and Nasarawa Publishing Company, the governor said his administration was looking into the matter. He said that a committee would be established to look into the two cases with a view to reviewing the decision. Al-makura urged the advisers to come up with useful advice that would shape the developmental policies and programmes of the state government. Reports says that the swearing in of the 12 new advisers brought to 14, the total number of advisers so far appointed by the governor.

He said the fund was meant for the construction, equipping libraries and upgrading the physical and laboratory infrastructures of the schools. Obi said that the Microsoft Academy Initiative (MAI) would soon be introduced in all the public Secondary Schools in the state. Reports say that the cheques were handed over to the principals of the schools. The Commissioner for Education, Dr Uju Okeke, said the donation was to disabuse the minds of some people that the education policy of the state was in favour of mission schools. Okeke said the ministry would monitor the application of the funds and that a sevenman committee had been constituted to ensure effective use of the funds. “People have been insinuating that public schools are neglected, but they have forgotten that the governor is not for mission schools alone. “They are not part of the government, but instead of them to ask questions, they will be spreading rumours, we have a programme. “The public schools are beneficiaries today; it will spread across the three senatorial zones of the state, they should be patient with us. “A committee has been set up to administer the funds and we are hoping that our schools will be better for it,” she said. Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Sabinus Okoro, Principal of Anam High School, Anambra West Local Government area, thanked the government for the gesture. He promised on behalf of the 253 public schools that the funds would be used judiciously.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Lagos Court Remands Suspected LAGOS- An Ebute Meta Chief Cultists Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, has remanded four suspected cult Murder:

members at Ikoyi Prisons, over the alleged murder of two men. The accused are Usman Alabi, 27; Saheed Lasisi, 26; Oyekunle Tijanin, 28 and Rahman Isa, 24. The men, who are of no fixed addresses, are standing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful killing and belonging to an unlawful society. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Olatunbosun Abolarinwa, ordered that the accused be remanded, pending legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions.

Reports say that the pleas of the accused were not taken by the court. The prosecutor, Insp George Nwosu, said that the crime was committed on May 16 at Oluwakemi St., Mushin, Lagos. He said that the accused belong to an unlawful society known as” Eiye Fraternity”. The prosecutor said that the accused and members of the group, now at large, were engaged in a fight with a rival group. Nwosu said that the accused

IKEJA-The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused a couple, Kayode and Bose Philips of a N292.7 million theft. The commission made the allegation through one of its investigative officers, Mr. Joseph Okezie, at the resumption of the couple’s trial before Justice Olabisi Akinlade of an Ikeja High Court. Kayode, 47 and Bose, 43, were charged to court for allegedly stealing the money belonging to Tower Universal Ltd., a subsidiary of NAL Bank Plc. Reports say that they are being prosecuted alongside their firms— Leap of Faith Agency and Gas Oil Nigeria Ltd. Okezie, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mrs. Olubunmi Bosede, said he was a part of the team which investigated a petition written against the couple. He said the petition was written by Tower Universal Ltd. sometime in 2005. The witness said the first accused (Bose) was a staff of the company which produced bulk recharge cards and distributed to its clients. Okezie alleged that she had conspired with her husband (second accused) to defraud her

employers of N292.7 million by diverting the recharge cards to her own firms. He said the fraud was carried out between May and November 2004, in Lagos. “In the course of our investigation, we discovered the purchase of bulk recharge cards for which no monies were credited into her employers’ account. “In her statement, she even told us that her husband took some of

shot dead Adeolu Odukunle and Hassan Ibrahim, who allegedly belong to another group known as P-Square. He said that the offences committed contravened Sections 42, 221, 231 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 221 provides that subject to the provisions of any other law, a person who commits the offence of murder shall be sentenced to death. The court adjourned the case to July 7 for mention.

Couple Docked Over N292.7m Theft

Traders at oshodi market waiting outside to re-open their shops in honour of late Iya Oloja, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, in Lagos State on Monday.

Some of the cars recovered by Police from armed robbers in Ibadan on Monday.

N35.3m Fraud: 2 Brothers In

LAGOS- Two brothers and their accomplice, accused of allegedly obtaining 278,000 litres of diesel from seven dealers under false pretences, were before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court. The accused: Clement Enenche, 33; Michael Enenche, 31 and Lawrence Oduh, 32, are each facing an 18-count charge of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences. The prosecutor, Felix Ifijen, a Superintendent of Police (ASP), told the court that the accused, between October 2010 and April 2013, obtained a total of 278,000 litres of Diesel from seven different dealers. They told the dealers that they had orders to supply a construction company in Ajah, and promised to remit payment within seven days. He said the defendants, who live together at House 8 ‘F’ close, 4th Avenue, Festac town, and claimed to be petroleum product dealers, also with intent to defraud, gave out cheques that where dishonoured. “The trio, in October 2010 obtained 20,000 litres of diesel from Mr. Samuel Adegbola. They also in July, August and September 2012 obtained 33,000 litres from one Mr. Gbenga Famuyibo; 33,000 litres from Mrs. Adenike Ogundare; 55,500 litres from Mrs. Abiodun Ogini;

33,000 litres from Mr. Emmanuel Ogunleye and 18,200 litres from Mr. Peter Ezigbo, all valued at N35,335,000. The prosecutor also told the court that the accused gave a sterling bank cheque in favour of King Simon Global Resource for N10, 190,000; an Access Bank cheque in favour of Mr. felix Obafungo for N4, 620,000; a First bank cheque in favour of

Profound Energy for N10,200,000 and a Zenith bank cheque in favour of Mr. Dimeji Jimoh for N1.7 million— which were dishonoured for lack of funds. “ He said the offences committed contravened Sections 285, 312 and 319 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State. The accused pleaded not guilty.

Court

The offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. The magistrate Mr Philip Ojo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum each. He also adjourned the case to July 16.

Airport Contract: Court Awards N5bn Damages LAGOS- A Federal High Court, Lagos, has awarded N5 billion as damages in favour of Maevis Nigeria Ltd., in a suit against Societe International Telecommunication Aeronautiques (SITA). Justice Ibrahim Buba awarded the amount and also granted all other relief sought by the plaintiff. Reports say that Maevis had filed the suit against SITA for willfully inducing the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to breach a subsisting agreement it had with it. The plaintiff averred in their statement of claim that it entered into a concessionary agreement with FAAN on October 31, 2007. “The contract was for the supply of Airport Operations Management System (AOMS), to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA),

ASUU Urges Varsities To Set-Up Budget LAGOS- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Monitoring Committee has said it had signed an agreement with the Federal Government on the establishment of budget monitoring committees by universities across the country. The President of the union, Dr Isa Fagge, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, said that the committee would comprise key stakeholders in the system. Fagge was speaking against the backdrop of a comment by the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquayatu Rufai, that improper utilisation of funds, rather than under funding, was the bane of development of the education sector in the country. According to the ASUU President, the introduction of the budget monitoring committee would reduce the issue of fund mismanagement across all the levels of education in the country.

He said that the union, however, believed that the sector was still underfunded as its budget allocation was mainly going into servicing recurrent expenditure. Fagge noted that some people believed the quantum of the 2013 budget allocation to the sector was huge, but due comparison and analysis showed that it was nothing significant. The unionist said that it was important to understand that a greater percentage of funds allocated to the sector in recent years had always gone into servicing recurrent expenditure. According to him, less than 10 per cent of the total amount went into capital expenditure, which clearly indicated that there was not much capital development in

universities in particular. It is, therefore, not surprising that the NEEDS Assessment Report unearthed a high level of rot and decay in the universities in particular. “So, if we are saying that there is adequate funding, perhaps we may need to compare Nigeria with other countries, particularly in the Africa, that the country is competing with in education. “Such countries as Ghana and even South Africa have been expending more than 30 per cent of their annual budget on education, while in the last 10 to 15 years, Nigeria had been able to expend about 10 per cent.’’ Fagge said he believed the problem bedevilling the system also had to do with the appointment into the various

the money to acquire a company known as Gas Oil Nigeria Ltd.,” Okezie said. According to him, the anti-graft agency further wrote to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which confirmed that the companies were owned by the couple. Reports say that the couple was on an existing bail, and that the matter was adjourned till October 29 for continuation of trial.

governing councils of universities. “ASUU has been complaining about the calibre of people appointed by government into these respective governing councils of our universities, and something must be done urgently about it.” He said that in most cases, government appointed persons who were not conversant with the system to either head or serve as members of the councils. According to him, issues such as expenditure in universities are usually approved by the councils. He noted that this explained why the union was also urging the government to abide by the provisions of the University Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act, of 2003, in appointing members of council.

Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport (NAIA), Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, and the Port Harcourt Airport. “It was agreed that the contract would last for 10 years and renewable every five years subject to satisfactory performance,’’ the plaintiff averred. The plaintiff averred that it supplied and installed the equipment at the MMIA and NAIA, while facilities were deployed to the Kano and PortHarcourt Airports for installation. According to the plaintiff, five years into the agreement and after it had committed over N5 billion into the project, FAAN terminated the agreement on February 24, 2011, claiming it had lost N17 billion due to the incompetence of the plaintiff. “FAAN then employed the services of the defendants, SITA, who had intentionally negotiated for patronage,’’ the plaintiff. It said that the defendant hijacked and converted all the equipment supplied by Maevis for their operations. “FAAN forcefully chased us out from its premises to pave the way for SITA’s take-over and enable it use the equipment provided by Maevis,’’ the plaintiff also said. For this reason, SITA was dragged to court by Maevis. The plaintiff therefore sought an injunction, restraining the defendant from executing any of the agreement with FAAN, as well as N5 billion as general damages for conversion of equipment. Justice Buba granted all reliefs sought by plaintiff, and ordered it to pay N5 billion to Maevis as general damages.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Across The Nation Non-Performance: Ebonyi Closes 700 Adult Education Centres

Charge D’Affairs, US Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. James McAnulty, with students and teachers at the unveiling of American corner in Abuja on Monday

L-R: Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mohammed Pate; Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh; Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado Mohammed and Bauchi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Malami, inaugurating North-East Zonal office and strategic cold store of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in Bauchi State on Monday.

ABAKALIKI -The Ebonyi government has announced the closure of 700 adult education centres, saying that ongoing reforms in the sector were yielding positive results. Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki, the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo, said the closure was part of efforts to reposition the adult mass literacy and non formal education enterprise for improved efficiency, productivity and more result. Chibueze-Agbo said that informal education was critical in the quest to eradicate illiteracy in the country by the year 2020 in line with ongoing reforms. The commissioner said the state government would do everything to actualise the aim. He said that 99 per cent of the approved private adult education centres only functioned in names, noting that owners of such schools did not posses basic facilities and qualified personnel to run them. “I make bold to tell you that 99 per cent of the approved private adult education centres are no longer functional. These schools now only exist on papers and this development is not helping the growth and development of the informal education enterprise. “Our commitment in reposition our various educational system is total, unwavering, irreversible and irrevocable,’’ Chibueze-Agbo said. He said the ministry had revoked the operational licenses of the schools, stressing that

Kwara Reaffirms Commitment To Teachers’ Welfare

ILORIN -The Kwara Head of Service (HOS), Alhaji Mohammed, Dabarako has reaffirmed government’s commitment to the welfare of teachers to enhance their productivity. Dabarako has said this at a symposium organised by Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Abuja, in collaboration with the state chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). He described the theme of the workshop, “Improvement workshop for Teachers of Mathematics and English Language in Nigerian Junior and Senior Secondary School’’, as timely. According to him, the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s administration places greater premium on the profession of teaching. Dabarako said the teaching profession was a noble one that deserved to be treated with respect in the society. The HOS advised the teachers not to take their profession with levity as they were among the best paid workers in the world. Mr. Michael Olukoyo, NUT

National President, said the theme of the workshop was timely in view of the poor performance of students in Mathematics and English Language.

He, therefore, called on teachers to tackle the challenges of mass failure in Mathematics and English Language in both WAEC and NECO examinations in recent

times. Represented by Dr Steve Nwokeocha, Director of Professional Operations, Olukoyo expressed the hope that at the end of the workshop teachers in those subjects would be adequately equipped.

In-Service-Training: Kaduna Sponsors KADUNA -A total of 951 civil servants have been sent on in-service training to various institutions of higher learning in the last one year by the Kaduna State Government, the Head of Service, Mr. Nathaniel Hayab, has said. Hayab disclosed at a lecture to mark the 2013 annual public service week. The lecture in Kaduna has at its theme, “Nigeria Public Service in the Age of Open Government: Giving Voice to the Citizens.” He said the training was in line with the reforms being implemented in the state civil service to improve the capacity of workers and

951 Civil Servants

promote service delivery. “ The reforms being implemented in the public service are vital to the entrenchment of and promotion of service delivery. “They are also aimed at capacity building to ensure that new skills for the improvement of the public service are impacted in civil servants,” he added. Hayab said the government had approved N81.3 million for the implementation of this year’s training roadmap for civil servants in the state. In a message to the event, Governor Mukhtar Yero said that the public service week would avail the government,

civil servants and other stakeholders the opportunity to share experiences. The governor added that the week would be used to focus on the civil service and its challenges in modern times. He stressed the need for public servants to encourage other stakeholders to participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and projects that would enhance the development of the state. Yero urged workers in the state to always be punctual and dedicated to their duties, and to assist the government achieve its transformation agenda.

fresh approval would be given to individuals or organisations with the basic facilities to run nonformal education centres. The commissioner said the government was ready to partner with private individuals, groups and organisation for the provision of functional and qualitative education. Chibueze-Agbo said the quality and standard of teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools in the state had

improved through effective and unscheduled school inspection and monitoring by the ministry. He enumerated other achievements of the ministry since 2011 to include annual payment of West African Examination Council and National Examination Council registration fees for inmates of Abakaliki Prisons and the annual N100,000 grants to physically challenged students of tertiary institution.

Hisbah Board Commences Evacuation Of Destitutes KANO -The Kano State Hisbah Board has said it had evacuated 114 destitute persons from the streets of Kano metropolis. The Director-General of the board, Alhaji Abba Sufi, told newsmen in Kano that the exercise has commenced. According to him, the exercise is part of the state government’s resolve to ban begging on the streets of the state capital. ‘’We have so far evacuated 114 destitute persons out of whom 85 are women and children while the remaining 29 are men. ‘’Out of the 29 men, 18 are nonindigenes and will soon be repatriated to their respective states of origin,’’ he said. According to him, all the

evacuees are temporarily being accommodated at the board pending completion of the rehabilitation work at the Mariri Rehabilitation Centre in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state. Sufi said officials of the board had also held a meeting with leaders of various associations of the destitute persons with a view to suggesting possible ways of rehabilitating their members. ‘’We held a meeting this morning with the leaders of the Association of the Blind and other similar associations to discuss how the state government can assist them,’’ he said. He called on the destitute persons to support government’s effort toward rehabilitating them.

Court Adjourns Pastor’s Case For Trial Within Trial ENUGU -The Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has adjourned a theft case involving one Anthony Ejikeme who claimed to be a man of God for trial within trial. Ejikeme was alleged to have been caught with a gun in his car at Mayor Market on Agbani Road, Enugu, on July 13, 2012. The counsel to the state, Mr. Redmond Mmadu said the accused had possession of one AK-47 gun, 20 new lap-tops and a bag of different types of phones at the time of the arrest. Mmadu alleged that when police stopped the accused, he tried to bribe them with N10,000, and said he was going to Agbani in Nkanu Local Government Area to preach the gospel of God. The counsel said the police insisted that the accused must open his booth for them to check its content. He said that when the police were trying to open his booth forcefully, the accused attempted to escape and one of the police men shot him on one of his legs. He later presented a gun and

bags of lap-tops and phones which he alleged were found inside the accused person’s car booth. The counsel to the accused, Mr. Ernest Chogbunle, said his client was a well known man of God who devoted his time to preach the gospel of God at Agbani. Chogbunle claimed that the police officers who stopped his client on his way to Agbani demanded for N20,000 rather than ask for his vehicle particulars. “The police told my client that if he did not give them the money, they would accuse him of taking part in a robbery at Agbani. “The police also told my client that inside their patrol vehicle, they had items including a gun that was recovered from robbers and that they would accuse him of being part of the robbery. “My client told them that they cannot try a thing like that and one of the police officers shot him on one of his legs,’’ the counsel alleged. Justice D.V. Agishi adjourned the case till September 20 for trial within trial.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Abuja

FCTA Deploys New Taxis To Boost Transportation

ABUJA - The FCT Administration has rolled out 160 new taxis to boost transportation in the FCT. Speaking at the inauguration of the taxis in Abuja, the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, said that the deployment of the taxis was in line with the transport policy of the FCTA. He said the administration was determined to implementing an efficient and regulated transportation system at the city centre. “The launching of the 160 taxis today was the first batch of the proposed 1,000 taxis and each costs N2.669 million, including painting. “The FCTA supported the scheme with five per cent

contribution, amounting to N120,000 on each taxi under the FCT SURE-P scheme. “The Abuja Investment Company Ltd will manage the vehicles, as the scheme is expected to provide FCT residents a modern, secures and reliable taxi service,” he stated. On the mode of repayment, the minister said the beneficiary would pay N63,000 monthly over three years. In a related development, the minister also inaugurated the Abuja Community Service Women and Youth Empowerment Programme through SURE-P. He said that the FCTA had

engaged 4,000 out of the proposed 10,000 youths and the scheme and that the women in the first batch of youths had been deployed to

their service areas. “We deployed 1,000 participants to AEPB and the

Landlord Loses N.7m

Tenancy:

ABUJA - An Abuja High Court on Monday dismissed the claims of a landlord, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibrin, against one Pastor Chijioke Maduka over tenancy claims amounting to over N700, 000. Reports say that Jibrin had sued Maduka, who is his tenant, for failing to pay his rent and refusing to quit the apartment after repeated demands. Jibrin had, therefore, requested for an order of the court to eject the defendant and enable him repossess from him the property, a twobedroom apartment at Lugbe Phase III in Abuja. Delivering judgment, Justice Angela Otaluka held that Maduka was a tenant who paid his rents every year and therefore deserved to be served with a six-month quit notice. “But he was not served such a notice by the plaintiff, who only served the defendant with a seven-day notice of owner’s intention to take possession of his property, which was a fundamental error,’’ she said. Otaluka said that the plaintiff ’s noncompliance with the provisions of the recovery of premises law robbed the court of jurisdiction and nullified

the proceedings entirely. “The court therefore holds that the plaintiff has failed to prove his case beyond the preponderance of evidence and his claim cannot succeed, and the case is hereby dismissed. “The non-service and non-compliance with the recovery of property law provisions by the plaintiff is a fundamental error which robs the court of jurisdiction and nullifies the proceedings. “The defendant is a tenant who is protected by the recovery of premises law, and deserves a sixmonth notice to quit. But he was only issued with a seven-day notice of owner ’s intention to deliver possession,’’ she said.

Mothers and children at the launch of June Polio Immunization Day in Bauchi recently.

L-R: Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yahya Miya; Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh and Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, presenting bags of seeds and fertilizers to Malama Asabe Bello during the official sale of fertilizer under Growth Enhancement Support in Ganjuwa LGA of Bauchi State.

remaining 3,000 were deployed to Park and Recreation, Development Control and the six Area Councils,” he said. Also speaking, the FCT Minister of State, Ms Olajumoke Akinjide, said that the scheme was part of the transformation agenda of the president. She thanked the National Assembly, Federal Executive Council, council chairmen, trade union leaders and other stakeholders for ensuring the success of the scheme. Akinjide told the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the taxis and to desist from engaging in criminal activities. The Secretary of the FCTA Transportation Secretariat, Mr Jonathan Ivoke, said that the transportation master plan of the FCT had provided for mass transit corridors. Ivoke said that one of the problems that should be addressed in the FCT was how to ensure usage of pedestrian walkways, crossing bridges, bus-tops and bus terminals. Also Speaking, the Chairman of Abuja Painted Taxi Operators, Mr Shehu Yar’dua, urged the FCTA to stop operators of unpainted taxis in the FCT, saying that the unpainted taxi operators were engaging in criminal activities. . Mr Okorie Victor, Managing Director of the Self-Employed Commercial Drivers Association commended the FCTA for implementing the new transport policy. “When the implementation of the policy started, we thought it will pull our members out of job, but our members have benefited from the palliative measures promised by the minister,’’ he said.

Mixed Reaction Trail Ban On Early Campaign

2015 Polls: ABUJA -The National Chairman, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said the ban placed on politicians to stop early campaign against 2015 general elections was uncalled for. Musa made this known in a telephone interview with newsmen in Abuja. According to Musa, the electoral act which says there should be no electioneering campaign until 90 days before an election “is

unconstitutional and undemocratic’’. He said that it was not practicable to comply with the law; therefore INEC should apply its power in a reasonable way. “The existence of law does not mean that INEC or any other public institution cannot exercise care and caution in the implementation of the law. “The INEC should be very careful and cautious in the implementation of the law which places a ban on electioneering campaign in

any case,” he said. According to Musa, the provision for the prohibition of campaign is superficial and irrelevant; it is misapplication of the constitutional provision and should be done away with. “INEC claims to have power under the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, but that law does not stop INEC from exercising care and caution in the application of that law. “Based on what INEC is saying that care and caution

is not feasible; INEC should therefore not act as a machinery,” he said. He said that if the National Assembly could not rule on the issue, INEC should exercise care and caution in applying that provision of the electoral act. In a related development, the FCT Labour Party Chairman, Mr Adejobi Peter, said the 90 days allocated for campaigns had been the norm in the electoral system in Nigeria.

“ For now, I don’t see anything bad with the ban on early campaigns, it is just a way of having decorum in the system and for things to be done in an orderly manner,” he said. According to Peter, the essence of the ban on early campaign is to know the appropriate time for a particular event in the electoral process. Recently, INEC warned politicians and political parties against early campaign toward the 2015 general elections.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Business + Economy NCC Puts Inactive Telecoms Lines At 44.6m LAGOS - The inactive telephone lines in telecommunications industry stood at 44,647,096 in the first quarter of the year. In the monthly Subscriber Data made available of NCC posted on its website, the connected lines as at March was 161,928,765, while the figure of the active numbers was 117,281,669. Reports say that the inactive

lines were 38,518,699 in the last quarter of 2012.. NCC said that additional 6,128,397 lines were dormant, thus jerking the number to 44.647,096 in March. The Subscriber Data showed that of the 44,647,096 telephone lines, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) network had a total of 31,061,267. Also, the mobile section of

the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) had a total of 11,544,933 inactive lines, while the Fixed Wired/Wireless network had 2,040,896 dormant lines. From the 117,281,669 active telephone lines on the operators’ networks in the first quarter, the GSM had a share of 114,172,440. The CDMA had 2,703,604 active lines, while the Fixed

Wired/Wireless network had 405,625 subscribers. The installed capacity in the industry increased by 25,589,978 from 211,808,092 in last quarter of 2012 to 237,397,890 in first quarter of 2013. Reports say that installed capacity refers to the total infrastructure that a network put in place to accommodate a certain number of telephone lines without having congestion or

Naira Remains Firm Against Dollar

LAGOS - The Naira on Monday remained firm against the Dollar at the Wholesales Dutch Auction System (WDAS) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Reports say that this was the outcome of the 44th session of the biweekly auction at the apex bank. The Naira was traded at N155.75 to the dollar, the same rate it traded on June 12 at the 43th session of WDAS. The CBN offered 300 million Dollars to 18 commercial banks that participated at the auction. Reports say that in spite of the high demand for forex at WDAS, the figure has remained the same for three consecutive auctions.

poor network quality. The GSM networks had an installed capacity of 182,065,415 in the last quarter of 2012, which increased to 207,653,213 in first quarter of 2013. The CDMA had an installed capacity of 18,400,000 in the first quarter of 2013, unchanged from the figure of last quarter of 2012, while the Fixed networks had 11,342,677 lines in last quarter of 2012. It, however, increased to 11,362,677 in first quarter of 2013. Teledensity of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry climbed to 83.77 per cent in first quarter of 2013, compared to 80.85 per cent in the last quarter of 2012. Teledensity measures the

Kaduna To Establish 4 Rice Processing Mills

L-R: Representative of Assemblies of God Church, Gariki, Enugu, Mrs. Emilia Mbamara; Enugu State Broadcasting Corporation Producer, Ms Chekwube Anidiobi, Royal mother of the day, Ugoeze Modesta Aniodo and UNICEF Desk Officer Media, Mrs. Ebere Chukwunnaji, during the commemoration of the day of African Child in Enugu recently.

KUBAU (KADUNA) Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State has said the government would establish four rice processing mills in parts of the state. The governor said this during the flag off of the 2013 fertilisers sales in Kubau, headquarters of Kubau Local Government area of the state. “The Federal Government has allocated four units of rice processing mills for the state, which will be cited in Kubau and Asso in Kubau and Jema’a local governments, respectively.

Children, at the commemoration of day of the African Child in Enugu recently.

Power Generation: PHCN Earmarks N167m

ZURU (KEBBI) - The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has earmarked N167 million for the upgrade of electricity supply to Zuru Emirate in Kebbi. Alhaji Mohammed Danjuma, the Senior Special Assistant on Power Sector Advocacy to the Minister of Power, made this known in an

percentage of a country’s population that has access to telecommunications services as determined by the subscriber base. Nigeria’s teledensity is currently calculated by NCC on a population of 140 million people. The data showed that although operators were working aggressively to increase subscriber base, some SIM card holders were not activating the SIM cards they bought. Reports also said that the increase in the GSM installed capacity showed that the operators’ were ready to accommodate more subscribers, even as the CDMA operators had decided to maintain their 18,400,000 capacity.

interview with newsmen in Zuru. Danjuma said the amount would be spent on the upgrading of electricity facilities in Zuru, Sakaba, Danko/Wasagu and Fakai local government areas of Kebbi. He said new transformers and electrical materials would be installed for improved

power supply to the areas, noting that the measure was due to irregular supply of electricity to the areas over a long period. According to him, power supply will improve nationwide by the first quarter of 2014 when the National Independent Power Projects (NIPP) are expected to be

completed. “Electricity supply will improve nationwide by the quarter of 2014 as generation will increase from 400 megawatts to 10,000 megawatts.’’ He said that the increase in megawatts, generation, transmission and distribution would eliminate irregular

electricity supply. He noted that other sources of power supply such as solar, hydro and coal would also be explored to end “load shedding.’’ Reports say that the collapse of Electricity Towers in Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi threw the state into darkness in the past three weeks.

“Others are Saminaka, Lere Local Government area and Kufana, Kajuru Local Government area.” He said the construction of the mills would begin this year. “Consultant will soon be coming to inspect the cites and all the affected local government areas are, therefore, urged to quickly select suitable cites for the projects.” Yero said the government had spent N2 billion to procure 30,000 metric tones of fertilisers, which would be sold to farmers at the subsidised rate of N2,500 for NPK and N2,000 for Urea brands per bag. To further assist the farmers, Yero said the state government would provide other inputs, such as improved seedlings, chemicals and tractors, which would also be sold to farmers at subsidised rate. In his speech, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Bashir Sakadadi, called on farmers to embrace commercial farming to improve their living standard. Earlier, the Chairman of Kubau Local Government, Alahji Khalid Yalwa, thanked the governor for selecting Kubau to commence the statewide fertilisers sales. Yalwa commended the governor for allowing council chairmen to select projects that have direct bearing to their people without hitches. The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, represented by the Sarkin Fulanin-Zazzau, Alhaji Barau Aliyu, appealed for the construction of Anchau-Dutsenwai-Maraban Anchau road and Maraban Jos-Jos road to ease difficulties faced by commutters.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

The Ban On Okada: Blessing In

The Ovonranwen Square Benin City without the Okada (motorcycle) riders on Mon June, 2013. PHOTO: IMUAGBONHEN JOHNSON

Outlook of the Sapele Road, Benin City after the ban on the use of motorcycle (Okada) on Monday 17th, June, 2013. PHOTO: IMUAGBONHEN JOHNSON

THE use of motor cycle popularly known as Okada came into being about twenty years ago. The name (Okada) was synonymous with the speed of the Okada Airlines, owned by

the Esama of Benin, Chief cabinet Igbinedion. Actually, it is equivalent with the speed of an aircraft as a faster means of transportation. The introduction of motor cycle as a

means of transport started in Cross River State, Lagos, Abuja, Rivers state and later spread across the nation. This is as a result of poor e c o n o m i c management of our revenue by all tiers of

Government. There is no civilized country in the world that parades Motor Bike as a means of public transport. Since the federal Government refused to address the problem of employment since 1999, esp ecially, the easy way out for youths and the old (even children) was to turn to the use of motor bike to meet their demands. The economic hardship in Nigeria is also compounded by lack of social amenities such as electricity, water, and insecurity which has prevented investors from coming to the state. The Army, police and other security agents should be advised not to flout the regulation, so as not to undermine the government position. The ban by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole could be described as a blessing in disguise. There have been a lot of resistance and

Disguise By IMUAGBONHEN JOHNSON

protests by the Okada riders, even the physically challenged, and the able citizens. However, I see the issue as a blessing as it will reduce the carnage on our roads and reduce environmental hazards. The use of motor bike as a means of transportation has rendered our youths lazy as it has become easy an way out and it is only a short term measure. As a result, youths are no longer interested in acquiring skills and training. Those who are supposed be Electricians, furniture makers, bricklayer, tailors, mechanics and others now take to commercial bike riding as a profession. Bike or Okada riding is not classified a profession under any serious economy. The Edo State

Government should also carry out all that it has promised to do to cushion the ban. The Local Government Council Chairmen should also help in the improvement of infrastructure such as access roads, markets, soft loans, among others. Local Government authorities should engage former Okada riders in farming. This singular action will increase food supply and reduce the prices of foodstuffs while Local Government revenue will also be enhanced. If the federal, State and Local Government functionaries have the interest of the masses at heart, Nigeria as a nation has all it takes to give employment to her youths and be able to produce food sufficiently for her citizen.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is no civilized country in the world that parades Motor Bike as a means of public transport. Since the federal Government refused to address the problem of employment since 1999, esp ecially, the easy way out for youths and the old (even children) turned to the use of motor bike to meet their demands.â&#x20AC;?

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

ON, Monday, February 18, 2013, a strategic meeting of stakeholders who believe in the importance of water and its significance to human life was convened at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja to brainstorm on the funding and other related issues of this natural endowment. DURING the summit tagged â&#x20AC;&#x153;Presidential Summit on Waterâ&#x20AC;?, several stakeholders including guests within and outside the country participated. INDEED, we agree that the time for this Summit is long overdue, even as some speakers like former President Obasanjo noted at the Summit STAKEHOLDERS at the water summit appreciated the importance of water and came to the unanimous conclusion that water is an inalienable ingredient that sustains human life as ordained by God. Nothing can be truer than that. IT was also a general consensus that there is the need for government at all levels to promote investment in water as an essential need not only for man but for other aspects of human life. Again, no one can controvert this. IT is however important to note that for water to be made available to the people, first it must be accessible to the people both in the urban and rural areas. That is why government must be alive to its responsibility by providing potable water for the people and ensure that it gets to

After The Presidential Summit On Water, What Next?

both the rich and the poor without any form of segregation. UNDERSTANDABLY, water helps considerably in whatever circumstances in reviving the life of man. Little wonder then that a greater part of the earth is covered by water. FOR instance, the agricultural sector, to a very large extent needs water because no farmer can boast of bumper harvest if water is not available and that is why water is important and should be protected by all. THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER therefore calls on government at all levels to invest seriously in water projects with a view to boosting sensitive areas of the economy including the agricultural sector and the general wellbeing of the people. ALSO, we believe that much as water remains an ingredient of paramount interest to human life, there is the need for preservation so as to prevent it from negatively affecting the health of the people. The NIGERIAN OBSERVER

commends the courage of government and other stakeholders in holding the presidential summit on water. WE also note that whereas it is not in contention that water is strategic to human existence, because it occupies about 70 percent of human body, what matters most to us in the present circumstance is the political will of governments to fund the process of water availability and preservation. The Summit must be taken beyond rhetorics. THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER opines that the views canvassed by a section of the Summit yesterday that part of the Sovereign Wealth Fund be deployed to make water accessible, affordable and available to the people of Nigeria must be given serious consideration. THE Water Summit must not end up like other Summits before it, which were never translated into action. The only way for the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to demonstrate to the generality of Nigerians that it means well for them, is to conscientiously mobilise resources, will power and political apparatus to make water available, affordable and accessible to the people without further delay. THE reason for the above position is that over the years, the issue of water and sanitation had become over politicised. The time to remove water from the realm of politics is now. This therefore, is the crux of the matter.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Issues

Celebrating International Men’s Week And World Blood Donor Day FRIDAY June 14, 2013 was the international men’s week and world blood donor day. The day was set aside to celebrate the men in their contribution to the family. The Director and members of staff Institute of Child Health (ICH), University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City were not left out in the celebration of the day. To make the day important and relevant, ICH in contributing their quota to the development of the society, state and nation at large organized a day programme to give face and meaning in the life of those present especially the men being celebrated worldwide. Participants’ who gathered at Child Welfare Clinic and Seminar Room, ICH, Oba Akenzua Complex, University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City venue for the one day event which started at about 11am prompt came from all walks of life. Professionals were picked to deliver lectures on various issues and topic relating to the celebration. The guest speakers include a consultant and surgeon from the Department of Surgery College of Medical Sciences of the University of Benin Dr. E. O Obarisiagbon who was chosen to speak on the topic “The prostrate and its problems”. Dr. E. Enabudoso spoke on “The role of men in birth preparedness” Dr. (Mrs.) C. Ofovwe delivered her lectured titled “The role of men in child care” The last speker for the event was Mrs. Bamidele C. Ogboghodo who spoke on “Blood donation and its benefit” The chairman of the occasion Prof. Nosa Ehafona while delivering his welcoming address thanked all that were present despite their busy schedule to make it a day to celebrate with the men. He said he was not in a familiar terrain as such he was there to learn from various speakers who have come to impact knowledge on the participants and expressed optimism to leave with a fresh knowledge that he will gain during the programme. Dr. Obarisiagbon who was the first speaker of the day spoke extensively on the prostrate, it’s diseases, problem facing it, the risk involved, who is at risk of contacting prostrate diseases, the risk factors and a whole lot of information that you need as a man to know about the prostrate which is not the main reproductive part of the male organ but plays a very vital and significant role in the reproductive nature of a man. Delivering his lecture Dr. Obarisiagbon said, cancer can affect almost all part of the body and the prostrate is not left out.

Cancer that affects the prostrate is called prostate cancer. “The prostate cancer is the third most common cancer which affects men around the globe. Men who are 50 years and above are at risk of being affected by prostate cancer, but the risk of dying from the disease is as low as three percent (3%).” Obarisiagbon said, this cancer is diagnose in men who are above fifty years (50) of age and the most common cancer in men but medically the cause is yet to be discovered. “The cause is yet unknown but some risk factors have been identified to include; age, family history, African descent, dietary fat, cigarette smoking etc. He said as the disease progresses, it can lead to waste pain, back pain, urinary retention, anaemia etc. “The prostate is an accessory organ of reproduction but not the main organ of reproduction. It can be found in men weighting about 20 to 30 g. It contains both smooth muscles and glands” Dr. E. Enabudoso was the second speaker to deliver his lecture on the male role in birth preparedness. He x-rayed the important role played by men in the family in raising up a child. “the role in birth preparedness is one important issue that the men must not toil with. Birth preparedness means preparing for the birth of a child”. “Man is the only animal that God has given 9 months to prepare before giving birth to a child. Despite this long duration of almost a year, people still come to give birth ill prepared. They come to the hospital when they fall into labour without buying all the needed baby items claiming that they don’t know that the baby will come so soon. Preparing for the coming of your child, you must prepare financially, medically, transport wise and also you prepare for miscellaneous expenses”. “Transportation is one important issue to be taken very seriously when preparing for the birth of a child. This is important because you can’t tell when labour will come calling. As experts, we advise that you make preparation for a vehicle to transport your wife when the time for labour comes knocking. If you don’t have a car, make arrangement with a cab or your neighbour who has a car “ he said. In the area of finance, Dr. Enabudoso said as a man whose wife is pregnant for nine months such a man should start saving for the delivery of that child after nine months.” The man has no reason to complain of money when his wife gives

By RICHARD OKORO EWEKA

birth, he suppose to have plan while waiting for the arrival of the child. You must have financial cash at home to prepare you for the coming of your child.” Medical preparation is another aspect of preparation for the coming of baby. “You should

said men are the dominant decision makers and must participate actively in the upbringing of a child.”Men’s involvement in childcare can be measured by construct of engagement, accessibility and responsibility. The relationship

and neglect their children or else their children is likely to have problems in school performance; low scores, grade on achieving test. “Men’s involvement in child care holds the key to sustainable development”. The last speaker to speak on the occasion of the celebration of international men’s

know that your wife will take drugs, eat good food which must be balance. The man should know that when the woman eats she eat for two, the man should know that that the eating habit of the woman must change and increase to double if not triple”. Dr. Mrs. Caro Fovwe whose lecture was on the role of men in child care called on all men to be actively involved in the upbringing of their children as it plays a very vital role in the overall performance of that child academically, socially, developmentally and otherwise. Speaking further, she

should be sensitive, warm, close, friendly, supportive, intimate, nurturing, affectionate, encouraging etc. According to Dr. Mrs. Fovwe, numerious research findings have shown that children of highly involved fathers are more cognitively competent compared to children of uninvolved father. Fathers involvement project children from engaging in delinquent behaviour and associate with less substance abuse among adolescent. She caution fathers not to be too consumed with work

week and world blood donor day 2013 was Mrs. Bamidele Ogboghodo whose paper centered on blood donation and its benefit. She started her lecture by intimating the participants and letting them know that there are eight (8) types of blood group which she listed to include A+; A-; B+; B-; O+; O-; AB+ and AB-. She said blood is a living tissue and it is necessary for every human being to donate blood every three to four months to save a life. She said donating blood is not a risky business but rather it makes you healthy.”

There is no substitute for blood donation and giving blood regularly saves lives. If you donate blood you can help in saving lives of many patients. Donate every three to four months but you must be sure you are fit to donate. Eat well before every donation” she advised. “Blood donation is not hazardous and it proofs to be a healthy habit that helps blood renewal. The volume of blood donation is 370:400ml, almost 7:5% of the adult blood volume. It is compensated in a short period of time. Blood donation

benefits not only the person giving it but also the person receiving the blood. Blood donations reduce the risk of cancer”. Conclusively, Mrs. Ogboghodo assured whoever wants to donate blood to come forward to donate blood to save lives as they get a lot of health benefits like knowing their health status. “For those that are diagnose of one illness or the other will not be able to donate but whatever is diagnosed by doctors remain a secret between the patient and the doctors, that is the way it remains.

“Conclusively, Mrs. Ogboghodo assured whoever wants to donate blood to come forward to donate blood to save lives as they get a lot of health benefits like knowing their health status. “For those that are diagnose of one illness or the other will not be able to donate but whatever is diagnosed by doctors remain a secret between the patient and the doctors, that is the way it remains.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Agriculture

Developing Cassava As Alternative For Bread Baking And Export Commodity

CASSAVA plant is a tropical crop and Edo State is the heart of “cassava belt” in Africa. Cassava is not a Seasonal crop like maize, yams, e.t.c. So the crops thrive in all seasons in Benin kingdom. In the Holy Bible, it is written in “The Lord’s prayer”, Give us these days our daily bread. So, bread had been existing as first meal for human being for more than two thousand years ago. Bread, a product of gains called wheat is a tropical grain. The early farmers in South Africa, Benin City and Asian countries developed the product in commercial quantity in order to feed the population migrating from rural to the city centres. In Benin metropolis, mud were even invented for baking bread. So, in Benin kingdom, and other cities across the country, there is usually no break fast without bread. Generally, in all the developed country of the world, it is believed that no break fast table exist without bread. Other Local food derivable from cassava are “Garri ”, “Santana”, “Usi” Starch, e.t.c. Even the fresh leaves are very rich vegetables. Researchers, under Prof. Emovon as Minister of Science and Technology discovered that cassava flour can be used for producing bread and this is bound to reduce our foreign exchange used for the importation of wheat flour. Regrettably, every successive government whether military or civilian

administration had paid lip service to this cassava revolution initiative capable of turning around the focus on crude. Oil. So, they prefer to import with the country foreign exchange where they can make huge commission for themselves at the detriment of the Nigerian people. During the past administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, cassava was referred to as a golden crop which could create employment for our teeming unemployed restive youths. But Obasanjo is a man of inconsistences and insincerity of purpose. So, the implementation could not see the light of the day. According to foreign journal, there was a major shift in the structure of international trade occured in 2000 which made cassava products imported by the developing countries surpased these by the developed countries for the first time. Indeed, in 2002, developing countries in the East were the major destination for global trade index in cassava products, investing about 5,40 million in aggregate tonnage. The bulk of the contraction in world cassava trade was focus in the E.U. for years as primary destination of cassava export which is principally imported from Thailand who is currently the world leading exporter in the specification of pallets for animals feed. under a minima tariff rate preferential quota. In the year 2005 however, the E.U. imports declined

By EKAIWE IGINUA OSEMWKHA

sharply by 6.3 percent to 2.5 million tones, reflecting the loss of competitiveness of cassava feed products vis-avis domestically produced grains. It was said that international quotation for cassava products were on average higher in 2006 than in the past years.

District is in the heart of the cassava bolt”. The input production is currently targeted at about 35 million tonnes. Bread comes in different varieties such as white bread, brown bread, whole seal bread., e.t.c. Unfortunately, the health hazards of consuming

A restriction of exportable supplies in Thailand and steady fast demand in the far East, particularly China were by and largest, behind the strengthening. Though Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world as I said earlier, the Edo South Senatorial

bromate bread made by substandard bakeries is detrimental to human health than the benefits. More so, many illiterates human beings do not know the right bread that is daily required to give energy to their flesh. Bromate, a raising agent

“Bread comes in different varieties such as white bread, brown bread, whole seal bread., e.t.c. Unfortunately, the health hazards of consuming bromate bread made by substandard bakeries is detrimental to human health than the benefits. More so, many illiterates human beings do not know the right bread that is daily required to give energy to their flesh”.

is being employed by some quack bakeries to make the bread look attractive and mouth watering. This bromate is highly consumed in Nigeria due to its delicious taste on bread. It makes bread taste, good and, the consumers are tempted to eat more of it. All bread products such as Hamburgers, Hot dogs, bread Salad, cakes, chinchin

Adeyemi said “I used to eat a lot of small, small bread in the local bakery in our neighborhood every morning, very often with a bottle of cocoa cola or with chocolate and milk. I discovered that I had indigestion most of the time and stomach noise symptoms. So I resorted to purchasing drugs from the

are all vulnerable to bromate applications by quacks who pretend to be bakers. Bromate may add flovour to your bread but consuming too much of it can reduce years from your life span. Medical studies have linked stomach cancers to increased consumption of bromate bread. Before the advent the white man, the Benin people consume more natural food for breakfast. For example, bread was flavored with natural salt, cooked plantain with palm oil or fried yams with stew is devoid of additives and preservatives contain in modern breakfast these days. A respondent, Miss

local chemist. As long as I continued to consume the local bread, the problem persisted. However, hel.p eventually came my way when my sister who is a nurse took me to a qualified medical doctor. Consequently, I was advised to desist from constant consumption of the local bread and, coca-cola. Some bakeries are not certified fit by NAFDAC and other relevant agencies before commencements of business. Consequently, such bakeries do not meet with good sanitary conditions and correct baking recipies. In the light of the above, NAFDAC must insist on correct recipe for baking bread.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

The Osazua

Ivbaze Column

08188922449

“The emergence of APC is a great event but the prospects of becoming a formidable counter-poise to PDP may be darkened if its leaders allow ethnosectional baiting conspire with selfish interests to derail its ideological essence.” SINCE independence in 1960, attempts by opposition parties or combination of opposition parties to unseat ruling parties or wrest power from ruling parties at the Federal level have never been successful. If Zik’s NCNC and Awo’s AG had teamed up in the first republic, it would have been difficult for the NPC to have easy ride to the nation’s centre power house. Both great men preferred to work separately and at the end their ambition to be the country’s chief executives crashed. If the military intervention of 1966 had not taken place, the NPC would have continued to dominate the political space of Nigeria. With Awo then the most formidable and credible opposition leader in political jail, the nation was actually drifting to a one party state. Further disgusting scenario was to play out itself in the 1983 general elections. The NPN was in charge and the party looked determined to overrun the country in a manner that would almost blot out opposition parties. Again, history looked up to Awo and Zik to do something. Nigerians were actually scared at the spectacle of NPN turning the country into a one party state. Before now, UPN, NPP and GNPP governors created a platform for meeting regularly to articulate issues of common interests. Progressivelyminded Nigerians had hoped that the governors would be able to transform that platform into an opposition party strong and formidable enough to confront the NPN in 1983

elections. As the smoke of 1983 election thickened, Awo wrote a private letter to Zik on the need for both of them to come together and forge a common front. In the letter, which was treacherously leaked to the press, Awo pleaded with Zik to be the philosopher king while he (Awo) be the chief servant of state. At the end what started as attempts at merger talks between Awo’s UPN and Zik’s NPP flaundered at the behest of self-interest. The collapse of the more talks served to gladden the hearts of NPN gladiators even as it saddened progressive Nigerians. Now, although 2015 is still about 2 years away, moves by opposition parties to work together have been gathering momentum. The object of the move is to offer a credible alternative to PDP and send Jonathan packing in 2015. Thus, ACPN, CPC and ANPP have merged into APC with defined ideological outlook as distinct from PDP’s marketdriven economic blueprint. Of a truth, the emergence of APC from ACPN, CPC and ANPP is the greatest political event of the moment. Even the ruling party recognizes this fact. It might be pretending not to be worried but Jonathan’s handlers know there is real war ahead if leaders of the merging parties are prepared not to throw personal selfish interests aside and work for a common good. If PDP is not worried why is the presidency acting in a manner that suggests that it is jittery over APC’s unveiled economic blueprint for Nigeia. It will be recalled that barely 72 hours after one of

Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), APC leader

Sen. Bola Tinubu, APC leader

2015 & The Stirrings Of Opposition APC’s leaders, Bola Tinubu chastised Jonathan’s leadership the presidency fired back describing his economic blueprint for Nigeria as obsolete and incapable of salvaging any economy. Tinubu had on Monday last week addressed House of commons in London during which he highlighted major political and economic challenges facing the country in a lecture he called “Leadership, National Development and the People.” In that lecture Tinubu had averred that Nigeria under Jonathan’s leadership is a dysfunctional democracy. The presidency reacted swiftly describing APC’s third path blueprint as nothing but hollow

ideological concept and accused Tinubu of playing to the gallery for cheap political gains without adding value to the people. There is no doubt that in APC are some if progressively-minded politicians who are genuinely motivated by patriotic desire to ensure the best for Nigerians. But can the party make it. Can it unseat PDP at Abuja and throw Jonathan out of Aso Rock. It is a big task. There are hurdles and hippies on the highway which need to be overcome by the leaders of APC. The first is in the area of choice of a presidential candidate. There may emerge a battalion of candidates who may not be willing to concede ambition

to anybody. For example, is it possible for Buhari to still work for the party if he does not pick the presidential ticket? Another hurdle may be found in the area of geopolitical baiting wherein there might be insistence that the presidential candidate must come from a particular ethnic bloc. If this happens, it would definitely spark off the song, “to your tenth oh Israel.” “The emergence of APC is a great event but the prospects of becoming a formidable counter-poise to PDP may be darkened if its leaders allow ethnosectional baiting conspire with selfish interests to derail its ideological essence.”

If APC’s leaders can throw personal ambitions aside, they might be able to make huge political capital out of the internal crisis currently rocking the PDP. Governor Jang of Plateau State and factional chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum recently accused the opposition parties of instigating the internal crisis in PDP. This has gone to show that despite open pretensions to the contrary the party’s bigwigs are actually disturbed at the state of affairs in the party. Events are still unfolding and one thing is certain though – 2015 promises to be an interesting year and it is still early to be exact in our prognosis. For now, everything is just conjectural.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

IT is not uncommon to hear Nigerians asking this question “do we still have men of integrity in this country?” and several questions in that line. But it is pertinent to observe that INTERGRITY is a flavour that will make any soup sweet and produce an aroma that will invite the great and mighty. “Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, p r i n c i p l e s , expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness of accuracy of one’s actions (Wikipedia Online Encyclopaedia)”. The word “integrity” stems from the Latin adjective integer (Whole, complete). In this context, integrity is the inner sense of “wholeness” deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. The concept is also defined as a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: INCORRUPTIBILITY (Merriam Webster Dictionary). So many complaints have been made about and very evident is the fact that corruption has been the problem of this great country. I will like to assert that integrity is the light fading away for the darkness of corruption that is

setting in; hence it is because of the fading flavour of integrity that sweetness of this country is becoming sour. Also, at every point I have been in a place where the question was asked maybe “people of integrity still exist in Nigeria?” I have always answered that I am still around and alive. Probably after reading the previous sentence, thoughts would be running through the minds of my readers... but with deepest of sincerity that is my stand point and will forever be. Integrity is a fading reality in this country; people cannot give to the poor or beggars without being scared of their funds being used for diabolical means, business cannot be done with a clear heart because you are expecting to be cheated, people are given contracts and they do not do it properly. It is a thing of who is the smartest when you go to the market because differentiating between the original and the fake is difficult, even the market woman that is selling Garri punctures the rubber so that she can make dubious gains. It is important to know that the flavour that is missing or gradually fading away and should be brought back to the minds of

Nigerians is “INTEGRITY”. Let us begin to do things the way it should be done. One of the definitions that were listed above made reference to the fact this flavour is INCORRUPTIBILITY. The problem is that many people still think that it is impossible for corruption to be wiped out of this nation or at least reduced to the barest minimum. But there is a strong belief within me that I wish to share is that we can have citizens that are not corrupt and responsible enough to represent this country (they exist already oh, but when we have a majority it will be more evident). In addition, this is a time when the atmosphere is filled with the sweetness that has arrived from the lessons learnt and the immortality of the great literary icon, Professor Albert Chinua Achebe. An example of a man with integrity, he rejected awards from two different governments (The regime of Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan) just because the situation in his fatherland was not as excellent as he envisaged it to be. This is an award that people struggle for and some even cut corners to achieve it, but he rejected this award based on his integrity and sincerity of heart. This is a man that

Integrity:

A Fadin

By OLUGBEMIRO O. MICHAEL

sought to show the way forward and paint a picture of the ideal society through his works, he main the beauty of knowledge he sought to instil in the minds of his readers easy and sweet to understand with the use of parables. He stood for good leadership and equality (little wonder he took sides with the biafrans when they were s u p p o s e d l y marginalised). Integrity is standing for the truth and right convictions even in the face of persecutions and criticisms. Achebe exemplified with his life, what integrity meant and painted a picture that encompassed how a life that is filled with it, will be in living and even after death( presidents of two countries( Ghana and Nigeria) were present in his burial and so many important dignitaries). Irrespective of where you are, people appreciate people of unquestionable character, though they may not say it out... when the time comes they will run to you for pieces of advice. Integrity is the fading flavour that Nigeria needs. People should be able to trust you when it is time for

“It is important to know that the flavour that is missing or gradually fading away and should be brought back to the minds of Nigerians is “INTEGRITY”. Let us begin to do things the way it should be done.”

business and your name should not be mentioned when dubious people are listed. Most times we complain that the government is corrupt, the leaders are thieves! (I am not denying it), but is it the government

village and converts it to personal use. If people begin to exemplify this flavour as a lifestyle even the little efforts of the government will be felt and to an extent our fight against corruption will be more justifiable. Nothing

are sic wi pe by im on ce th en for

Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC Chairman

that is the contractor that refuses to do the road with quality materials when he has been fully paid, is it the governor that buys a lower quality of pumping machine for the town water – borehole, is it the government that is the chief in the village that hoards the money for the development of the

gives you the moral right to say the government is corrupt, when you are a business man expecting a container load of fake drugs to hit the ports of Nigeria and you have bribed the ports officials to make sure it is cleared without hitches; because both of you are the same thin. Lives will be lost when those drugs

be oth to on ab is co of fal an ex ma it. do

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

ng Flavour?

e sold, some will fall ck and some others ill have their systems ermanently damaged y the products you mported. Harper Lee nce said “ They’ re ertainly entitled to ink that and they are ntitled to full respect r their opinions...but

efore I can live with her folks, I have got live with myself. The ne thing that doesn’t bide by Majority rule a person’s onscience”, majority f the times when we ll prey of insincerity nd corruption, the xcuse is always that any people are doing That everybody are oing a thing does not

make it right, it is most times good to stand your ground when you are convinced that your actions are right and it is for the greater good. Many people blame Dele Giwa today that he was foolish to have stood for the right thing (the guy for just accept the thing and live now?). He lives on today in the minds of people because of his decision to stand for Integrity, who knows what would have happened, if he had allowed his life to be controlled by brown envelope. This is something I think journalists should imbibe because some of the problems encountered by this nation today originate from the brown envelops that some of them have received. One of the major cases that negate Integrity, and forms a major root of some of the biggest problems is LYING. Albert Eistein once said “whoever is careless with the truth in small things cannot be trusted with important matters” and I concur with him. Telecommunication has transformed every areas of our life as Nigerians, so also has it transformed and amplified our lying culture. With Technology lying has become easier and this is one of the tiny bits of sincerity to be displayed, if you cannot be sincere in telling the truth; then there is a fundamental problem somewhere. Dishonesty is most times the father of the bigger sins and all efforts should be put in place, consciously or

unconsciously to change the prevailing situation. There is a popular joke of when a driver was driving a bus to Lagos, his passengers begin to receive calls and most of them called different places ranging from Kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, etc and the driver got confused: “haba! Wetin dey happen sef! Where we dey go?” that is how majority of the times, we get even people that want to help us confused when we paint the picture of our lives with lies of different kinds. So small but with a devastating effect; irrespective of how long LIE continues to run, it only takes a second for the TRUTH to catch up with it, why put yourself through such stress. I tell you, your classmates may hail you for your prowess in turning an obvious black into white, for constructively piecing words together to defend in times where the truth would have been better...but be sure to always know that, little by little trust for you continues to die. It takes few moments for you not to be trusted on anything you say again. Yes we can! We can change this notion that Nigerians cannot be trusted with what they

“We get even people that want to help us confused when we paint the picture of our lives with lies of different kinds. So small but with a devastating effect; irrespective of how long LIE continues to run, it only takes a second for the TRUTH to catch up with it, why put yourself through such stress.” say. Let your YE be YE and let your NAY be NAY. Though this might come with momentarily pain or hurt, in the long run, it is always better if you have chosen the path of truth. And sometimes instead of lying, momentarily silence that will help you in presenting the truth better will go a long way in making things better. Contentment is one of the major ingredients of the flavour called integrity. It is a virtue that can transform the whole of this nation if properly applied. Politicians will not embezzle funds if they are contented with what they have, Teachers will not collect bribes or blocking from students if they are satisfied with their salaries and allowances, Journalists will not collect brown Envelopes, Business men will not use low quality materials for contracts that they have been well paid for.

Business men will not sell fake properties and things, husbands will not cheat their wives (vice versa), arm robbers will not take to the streets and kidnappers will not deal in mesmerizing lives. The beauty that arises from contentment cannot be fully imagined but can be better appreciated when experienced. So the citizens of this country should give us the opportunity to live in a heaven saturated with integrity and contentment called NIGERIA. “When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you” –Lao Tzu, this is a true fact and a word of wisdom that if understood by all Nigerians, will take this country to greater heights. Nigeria needs men of integrity, Nigeria needs you...Yes you. I echo the words of Oprah Winfrey “Real

Integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody is going to know whether you did it or not”. Be yourself and do not pretend. I conclude with this Decastich( 10line poem) of mine: A house built with the stones of integrity survives the storms A soup with the flavour of contentment feeds the man and not the worms I am so sweet, sometimes thought to be bitter At the present might not be friendly, but I bring Excellence at the latter I bring you diamonds on an unquestionable platter Adorning your cap with feathers that will remain on the sands of time Please do not lose me! I beg you in your favour For without me a city loses his savour I am an important success flavour My name is Integrity

“Contentment is one of the major ingredients of the flavour called integrity. It is a virtue that can transform the whole of this nation if properly applied. Politicians will not embezzle funds if they are contented with what they have, Teachers will not collect bribes or blocking from students if they are satisfied with their salaries and allowances, Journalists will not collect brown Envelopes, Business men will not use low quality materials for contracts that they have been well paid for.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Viewpoint CREATIVITY is the bedrock of every civilization. No nation can make progress in development without creativity. Creativity drives the growth of any country and cannot be ignored by any “development-yearning” people. Recently, Operatives of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), confiscated N1 million worth of broadcast contrivances deployed in the authorized retransmission or piracy of copyright protected broadcast signals of multichoice (DSTV) at an area behind sawmill, Felele New Layout, Lokoja, Kogi State. According to a statement on the NCC website, the contrivances used in perpetrating the broadcast piracy were confiscated and the suspected pirate arrested during the antipiracy operation executed by copyright inspectors backed by a contingent of armed policemen. Copyright infringement has become a recurrent thing in Nigeria. Intellectual works have become threatened by the high level of copyright piracy. This infringement has caused various degrees of harm to the “brainsbehind” these works of art. According to the Copyright Act, chapter 68, works under copyright include literary works, musical works, artistic works, cinematograph works, sound recording and broadcast. The law stated that a literary work shall not be eligible for copyright unless: (a) The work has been

fixed in any definite medium of expression (b) Sufficient effort has been expended on the work to give it original character. Copyright infringement and piracy come in different forms. Dubbing of CD’S, reprinting of printed materials without the permission of the author/owner, mass reproduction and photocopying of books or other written materials. The NCC in 2007 in a statement said that the film industry loses an estimated N4,200,000,000 annually to illegal digital duplication, online piracy and unauthorized rental of video works. Apart from this, the Harvard Business School in 2008 put the loss in the entertainment industry due to piracy at 85 percent. In that same 2008, the Director of Filmmakers Association of Nigeria, (FAN), Mrs. Okolo, revealed that the country’s loss to International piracy of Nigerian in America, Canada and Europe is about N4 million. Also, a report by the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), in August, 2008, estimated the total annual loss of the content industries (Music, Software and video) within the nation to be well over N100,000,000. At various fora, artistes and intellectual work owners decried the effect of piracy and copyright offences on them. In 2009, some producers and artists rallied at Lagos due to what they called “hunger strike”.

Curbing Piracy In Nigeria By EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU Since intellectual property ownership puts money into the society, these artists are denied the funds that suppose to come their way. The economy is also affected as the creative industries supports the Nigerian economy. Again, every individual is entitled to the fruits of his

high rate of copyright infringement and piracy in Nigeria. According to Professor Uche Eweluka Ofodile of the University of Arkansas School of Law, United States, corruption and weak custom enforcement, are problems halting the tackling of piracy and intellectual

been poor record of interdiction by the bodies responsible for these imports and exports. Similarly, Professor Ofodile stated that lack of ignorance on the part of a larger chunk of the Nigerian populace, is a major setback to the fight against intellectual property theft. In Nigeria, there is still that feeling of

albums and movies because immediately it is done, the next thing is seeing millions of copies in the markets, streets and highways. For pirates, it does not take them a wink of the eye before intellectual works are produced via duping machines. In some cases, these intellectual thieves have a sophisticated

intellectual property protection as a western philosophy. People do not know what and what constitute intellectual theft. Also, there are cases where those that even knows what makes up piracy do not know how to go about addressing the problem. Technology, has definitely imparted on every sphere of life. From eating to sleeping, technology is involved. A setback to the war against stealing of artistic and intellectual products, is the high-level technology network adopted by pirates. Artists are now afraid to release their

network across international borders. They can take a copy of any artistic work, take it abroad and mass-produce it at the cheapest rate. Before the law enforcement personnel come their way, they must have done the damage. The management of a good copyright system is the catalyst for economic reforms (Sunday Osanyituyi, 2009). Therefore, to curtail intellectural robbery, there is need to address these impending challenges. Afterall, every man is worthy of the fruits of his labour!

Afam Ezekude, DG NCC labour. It is morally wrong for an individual’s efforts/ harvests to be reaped by another. Experts in the entertainment and intellectual sector, have identified the lack of strict adherence to the existing copyright laws as one of the factors propelling the

theft. She said there is little or no accountability on the part of the agencies charged with the enforcement of the country’s property law. Nigerian ports are the main channels via which pirated imports and exports come in and goes out respectively. There has

“According to a statement on the NCC website, the contrivances used in perpetrating the broadcast piracy were confiscated and the suspected pirate arrested during the anti-piracy operation executed by copyright inspectors backed by a contingent of armed policemen.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Natural Medicine SINCE September 2012, I have been inundated with phone calls requesting for information on Matol KM food supplement widely circulating in Nigeria. I haven’t deliberately delayed these demands because I realize the importance of interface with readers in media practice. The reader is sovereign, afterall. I haven’t written on the subject because I was still researching on it. Thank you for all the patience, so far. Currently, my research work is over. What you are about to read now is the result of my research on MATOL KM. Happy reading. Origin Matol KM is a Canadian food supplement in liquid form initially developed in 1924 by an Austrian agrobiologist and scientist called Karl Jurak for his personal use as a mountain hiker. Historically, therefore, the food supplement is about 89 years in the pharmacoporea of natural medicine although the Canadian Franchise for its commercial production was obtained 26 years ago in 1987. A detoxifier or poisons set into our body through Each day, toxins the air we breath, the water we drink, the food we eat, the drugs we take and the skin contacts we make with other persons. One of such toxins, for instance, is the deadly dioxin, which unknown to us, enters our bodies through the polythene material we use for wrapping our cooked rice, amala, eba, agidi and moimoi. Also, toxins are produced within our bodies as a result of normal metabolism invariably, none of us can run away from toxins. They are always with us. Furthermore, studies have

shown that 30 toxins are known to kill the human sperm causing male infertility. This fact was affirmed by the reproductive health consultant, Prof Oladapo Ashiru in Sunday Vanguard of 27 th January, 2013 Although a little quantity of these toxins is lethal, we still allow them to accumulate in our bodies. Such a buildup of toxins gives rise to symptoms like shortness of breath, lethargy, mental confusion and body swelling while ultimately the medical condition can lead to failure of the 25 organs of our body, including vital ones like the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver. A way out of this scary bombardment of toxins is Matol KM. It is a detoxifier which cleans out all the toxins /poisons in our body. Thus, MATOL KM gives our body known as VIS MEDICATRIX NATURAE and enables us to age gracefully. A perfect cell food MATOL KM contains amino acids, vitamins, mineral salts and several other micronutrients that all our over 60 trillion cells need to function optimally. MATOL KM is rich in these substances because it is made from the extracts of 13 organically-grown botanical plants blended in a nonmedicinal base. The plants include: Alfalfa, anelica root, celery seed, chamomile, passion flower dandelion, thyme, gentian, horehound rot, sarsaparilla, saw palmetto and senega root. In otherwords, MATOL KM is not only a biofriendly and nutritional supplement, it is a perfect cell food. Additionally, MATOL KM contains potassium and sodium in the required biochemical ratio of 4:1. given this fact, Matol KM helps to power our body’s

With

Dr. MAO

08030717341

Natural Food Supplement

osmotic sodium battery. Because of this battery, our human cells are optimally fed with the needed water, nutrients and oxygen while also the metabolic wastes of these cells are easily evacuated. Impliedly, cellular food starvation and the auto-intoxication of our

Given the foregoing, Matol KM food supplement comes handy. It helps to de-acidify our body and normalise it at a PH level of 7.32 at which our body becomes slightly alkaline, well oxygenated and optimally healthy. Also at this PH level, our body is

Paul Amen Ordia (rtd), my friend and one of the best infantry officer ever produced in Nigeria has been a 24/7 user of Matol KM since 1993. hence, although he is an elder citizen chronologically-speaking, he passes for nubile adult of 40. very, very young. He is

organs from toxins are prevented. Senility, disease, malaise and premature death are kept away from us. Alkalinizing the body Matol KM also helps to alkalinize our body. In modern times, our food habits contributes to our high, unhealthy body acidity since most of us over eat cooked and/or synthetic, dead foods. Hardly do we uphold the nutritional best practice of ensuring that 80% of our food intake is made up of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

able to properly carry out all the 5000 physiological activities that makes it a stable, on-going healthy organism. In contradiction, when our body is acidic because of our modern food habits, it is deprived of oxygen. In addition, our body becomes an abode of viruses, bacteria, fungi, other microorganisms, cancer and similar degenerative diseases that lead to irreversible, untimely death – in a matter of time. Aware of these facts, Major

always bubbling with abundant stamina, energy and biological rhythm of life. In a chat with him, he observes: “Wealth is great but it is wooden when health is missing from a wealthy person’s life. This philosophy spurs me to daily go for Matol KM. because I have scientifically discovered it rewinds the clock of my life backwards each day. That is why I look younger than my age. Since 1993 I have been taking Matol KM, I have never fallen ill. My friends have equally benefited from the food supplements. And since it is unGodly to hide a good thing, that is why I am personally recommending it to everyone. With Matol KM, your risk of ill-heath is minimised. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Vitality/Stamina Furthermore, Matol KM provides the body with nonstop natural vitality, joint

“Matol KM also helps to alkalinize our body. In modern times, our food habits contributes to our high, unhealthy body acidity since most of us over eat cooked and/or synthetic, dead foods. Hardly do we uphold the nutritional best practice of ensuring that 80% of our food intake is made up of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.”

flexibility, youthfulness, energy, stamina and physical fitness needed for our daily work without side effects. The food supplement gives these benefits because it detoxifies our body, oxygenates it, supplies each cell with perfect food, normalises our PH level to the optimal 7.32,promotes sleep and enhances our hormone health. An immune booster Additionally, Matol KM is an immune booster. Therefore, it is a prophylactic for opportunistic illnesses which attack our body when our immune system becomes weak. In other words, when you are suffering from persistent infectious diseases including chronic malaria, Matol KM is what you need as a combination therapy along with your main treatment regime. Dr. Lawrence Olagunju a Canada-based medical consultant-researcher affirms in The Nation newspaper of July 12, 2012 reveals that immune therapy can shrink an enlarged prostate gland. Given that Matol KM is an immune booster, it is of benefit in preventing and managing an enlarged prostate gland because it contains saw palmetto as well as other bioactive phytoceutical healing principles. Other Uses Matol KM used regularly helps to: tone the arteries; prevent blood clot and stroke; eliminate human allergies; enhance the efficiency of digestion, absorption and metabolism; promotes convalescence after a debilitating illness; combat kwashiorkor caused by poor food intake or malabsorption; regulates menstruation and boost fertility men/women. Final Word All said, Matol KM is not a substitute for good food or living well. It is only a nutritional supplement par excellence. When using it, you need to drink a lot of water for best results. Lest I forget Matol KM, as a food supplement is used worldwide, not only in Nigeria.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

New Horizon

With VICTOR ANIUKWU

Servant-Leadership And Beyond (3) IN the Srimad Bagavatam, we find that God has six opulences — renunciation, wealth, beauty, fame, strength and knowledge and all of these provides Him with alternative ways to express His power. People search for power both individually and collectively, and it is this search that creates societies. Actually, a king is not controlled by destiny but rather controls destiny. Similarly, the king is not controlled by the particular age in which he appears. Rather, he sets the tone for the age by his standards of consciousness and rule. How the leader uses power determines how the people under his charge evolve. Conversely, the state of evolution in a society determines the type of power the individuals in that society will be inclined to access. Darwin was not far off when he said that life is about the struggle for power, or survival of the fittest. In the primitive societies, physical power rule. This is also true about animals. The leader is the one with the most physical strength and a willingness to use it in a particular way. Sometimes bulls go grazing and sometimes fight one another. Interestingly their senseless battling comes to a halt when they realize that one is stronger than the other. The winning bull then claims the female cows as his prize for the fight, while the defeated bull wander off. The next time the defeated bull comes near the winner bull, it does not fight again but continues to recognize the winners superior strength. In more developed societies, social power has more effect than physical strength. Social power is resource power, relationship power, and institutional power. It is based on who one knows. Most of today’s societies are based on social power. With whom one is connected determines how well one is able to function. For example, proximity to the President determines how much power one can wield. Another type of power is emotional power. This also influences many people. Various entertainers wield emotional power. People worship actors, singers, athletes, etc. These entertainers are able to manipulate an audience’s

feelings. In return, they achieve new heights of fame and wealth. They are respected, sought after and emulated. Then there is mental power, which wields most of its effectiveness through the academic world. Academia is a culture of its own, but still makes tremendous impact on the way we think and what kinds of things we think about. What modern day professors represent as knowledge and truth, we come to believe as actually being so. As society continues to evolve, mental power becomes more important and scholarship more respected. The fact that this is no longer true in this country is a sign of our social degradation. Many of the scholars, scientists and priests are frustrated. They have no way to share their knowledge. Many of our best scientists are working on classified projects, and are forced to either lie about what they are doing or are not able to reveal their work. This mental power has also been used to exploit people, as we have seen in the development of nuclear and biological weapons and other destructive technologies. At the same time, it has been used to benefit others — to discover cures for diseases, to create vaccinations for epidemics and for other such purposes. Thus mental and intellectual power is a distinct category. There is also intuitive power. Often artists or others in touch with creative energy and those involved in paranormal, possess this kind of power. People working with intuitive powers are important in more evolved societies, where they serve as seers or workers with the subtle arts. All of those forms of power are subservient to sacred power, which when properly accessed, can incorporate all of the prior forms for a hectic visionary sustainable and servant oriented leadership. Furthermore, let us dwell more into these ten points food for thought by J. Bradley keens that indicates the demise of a culture or civilization. I would like to state that by looking closely at these ten points, we can see signs so indicating the demise of our dear culture. 1. A society which no longer worships or acknowledge God. As we see in all grades

of life including strong positions of atheism and materialism. 2. Define of Family: Divorce Is at all time high, no fault divorce laws are being enacted everywhere, mothers

Cannot mange a balanced budget in trust. 8. A Government that Lives off of a Society’s Moral Decay: Agencies that foster society’s decline, that is lottery, beauty pageants, and

10. Failure of people to see what is happening, even though it is obvious: Even though all the other nine categories are present in society, the majority of people cannot understand the

working and fathers not at. home. 3. Low View of Life: abortion as a right, partial — birth abortions, assisted suicide, euthanasia and genetic engineering. 4. Prevalence of Base and Immoral Entertainment: like Rome with its gladiators. TV and cinema treat perversion as normals, rap music and hard rock. 5. Increase of violent crime among young people change, violent sports (i.e., one newspaper article called the fighting that goes during soccer matches “War like”), and cities are becoming like battle zones. The hospital emergency rooms are overrun with trauma cases daily. 6. Declining Middle Class: Middle class is becoming more defined as the working poor class. 7. Insolvent Governments:

some might even question the FBI and CIA. Perhaps those agencies are headed for this category. 8. The Ruling Class Loses it’s Will: Such as those we just discussed. Previous presidents and others who say one thing and act differently, and who look fidelity, morality, proper ethics, and who look fidelity, morality, proper ethics, and who assault the minds of pious people.

implications or the dangers. The dangers looms from above and below, but the people are lost in trying to catch a few drops of honey. In a serious note, J. Bradley Keens observes that these ten categories are becoming so dear that our culture is in a serious state of deterioration. Therefore, we ask you, our leaders and readers to look closer, to look for animated servant — leaders who have the passion to help others:

leaders who are deep lovers. Who know how to use money and power to empower others, who help people feel happy and secure, and who create lasting value. Servant — leaders are philosophical because they are always seeking truth. They lead from the inside out, with the clarity that character is power. They are principle — centred, because they rely on universal principles and laws rather than relativisms. They are powerful visionaries because they are concerned with a culture of excellence that continues to provide for those they love. They keep people engaged according to their propensities, realizing that this is the best way to honour their existence. They are expert at delegation and empowerment because they seek themselves as stewards rather than autocrats. Most important, their life is a message to others, and they have a culture of enduring excellence behind them. To properly honour such leaders, we must understand the importance of all of these qualities. Moreso, blind leadership some how goes with blind fellowship and people are generally made to understand the intricacies that goes with blind fellowship with the following analogy. There is a story from the Vedic tradition that reveals the danger of blind following and of not doing the right thing with knowledge, in the right way, at the right time. The story centres on a rather simple poor man — a washer man, who had a donkey to help him carry heavy leads. A dhobi as an Indian washerman is called, would pick up people’s laundry, wash and dry it, and then return it back to them. This man’s donkey was dear to him, because it was such a help to him in his laundry business. One day, the donkey died. The man was so distraught that he decided to observe the same right one would observe if a family member had died. To be contd

“The leader is the one with the most physical strength and a willingness to use it in a particular way. Sometimes bulls go grazing and sometimes fight one another. Interestingly their senseless battling comes to a halt when they realize that one is stronger than the other.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Place Of Prayer

How Intimate Are You With God?

AND Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, ‘surely the LORD is in this place; and! knew it not’ And he was afraid, and said, ‘how dreadful is this place! This is none of her but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven’. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. (Genesis 28:16-19) And God said unto Jacob. Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. (Genesis 35:1-5) Bethel was an encounter between divinity and Jacob. Before this encounter, the place was called Luz. The encounter between divinity and Jacob at Luz transformed his life so much and brought him to the knowledge that God had always been with him although he was ignorant of it. The significance of Bethel is not the location, but the message it sends forth. Bethel means the house of God. Bethel is, thus, a message from God to humanity to operate in the constant consciousness of His ever abiding presence and His ability to make good His promises in their lives. God has the same assurance for all those He wants to use, He says to them, “Fear not, I am with you”. He said this to Moses (Exodus 3:11-12), to

Joshua (Joshua 1:5-7) and to Gideon (Judges 6:16). God is always with His children, speaking to them and giving direction to their lives. But a lot of times, Christians do not experience His power because they are not conscious of His presence. Many Christians are too busy with their minds to hear God. Most times, Christians, just like Jacob, come to experience Bethel when something puts them under pressure and there is desperacy in their heart to escape from an evil. Elijah ran from Jezebel and then had an encounter (1 Kings 19:15,9). No man can answer your questions, only God has the answer. Create time to meet with God. He wants you to come unto Him for intimacy and He will give you rest (Matt. 11:28-30). He says ‘Take my yoke upon you”. To be yoked with someone means to be tied to the person. When two animals are yoked together, they move together. You cannot have real rest until you are yoked with God. Being yoked with God is only made possible by dwelling constantly in the consciousness that He is right beside you, observing all that you are doing. God wants you to always remember that He is with you. You must know that the Omnipresent God is always present. He said, “Lo l am with you always”. The distinguishing factor between you and unbelievers is the presence of God. Therefore, when you lose consciousness of His presence, you lose your sonship identity. Forgetting that God is with you automatically throws you into darkness. When you take your mind from the reality of His presence, you enter disgrace. A man that does not operate in the consciousness of God’s presence cannot really claim to be sent by God. If you do not practice consciousness of God’s presence, the devil will use you. Activating the reality of His presence takes care of all contradictions; it cages the activities of the enemy.

With Pastor Samuel O. Osaghae

Knowing that God owns you and is always by your side will banish fear from your heart forever. Some goats are dangerous not because of their size or colour, but by virtue of their owner. If you kill it you will repay with seven. This is because the goat is owned by the King or

be as real to us as our hand or leg is to us. Just as you cannot go anywhere without your hands and your legs going with you, so also must you see God as part of you. If He said in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave you nor forsake you then He means every word of it. The responsibility of sensing His presence and giving Him full attention then falls in your court. He is always around you, the

frustrates curses. Balaam could not curse the children of Israel because God was in their midst (Numbers 23:10). 5. God will change your status and your identity 6. You will be fruitful.

departs from God’s consciousness are cursed (Jer. 17:56). 2. Anyone who does not remember the presence of God will lose anointing and ability (Job 8:11-13).

by a powerful native doctor. You must know who owns you if not people will mess you up. You are too royal to be loyal to the devil. How can you belong to the Most High God and yet operate low? God told Jacob to go back to Bethel and dwell there, This tells us that we are not just to pay periodic visits to Bethel, but are to take abode there. We are to live with the consciousness that the Father is always with us. We must always see Him with our mind’s eye and lend an ear to His voice. His presence must

question is: Are you conscious of His presence? Benefits of dwelling in the consciousness of God’s presence as revealed in Genesis 35:1, 5, 9-12: 1. Terror of you and your God will overwhelm the hearts of your enemies. 2. The enemy will not be able to pursue you 3. You will enjoy divine embrace and encounter 4. You will be blessed. To be blessed means to be empowered to succeed. Every challenge will move you forward. The presence of God

There will be no barrenness in your life. Anything you do will produce beautiful results. 7. You will have international relevance and popularity. Your value will be seen by all. 8. Kings will come out of your loins. Your seed will be great. 9. Your success will be by inheritance, not by labour Below are some consequences of not dwelling in the consciousness of God’s presence: 1. Those whose heart

3. If you do not practice the reality of God’s presence, you will get things through hard labour (Gen. 35:16). 4. Anyone that moves away from God will die. If you move from Bethel, you die. (Gen. 35:18-1 9). 5. When you depart from the consciousness of God’s presence, iniquity is committed. Would you not rather live in God’s consciousness have a wonderful stress free life than live without His consciousness and struggle blindly all the days of your life?

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“The distinguishing factor between you and unbelievers is the presence of God. Therefore, when you lose consciousness of His presence, you lose your sonship identity. Forgetting that God is with you automatically throws you into darkness. When you take your mind from the reality of His presence, you enter disgrace.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

International

Compliled By

ISAH STELLA

Thousands Of Protesters Flood Brazilian enforcement official. SAO PAULO, Brazil Streets Local news media reported Some of the biggest demonstrations since the end of Brazil’s 1964-85 dictatorship have broken out across this continent-sized country, uniting tens of thousands frustrated by poor transportation, health services, education and security despite a heavy tax burden. More than 100,000 people were in the streets Monday for largely peaceful protests in at least eight big cities. However, demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte were marred by vandalism and violent clashes with police. About two dozen people were reported injured. The wave of protests, which began over a hike in bus prices, was also in large part motivated by widespread images of Sao Paulo police last week beating demonstrators and firing rubber bullets during a march that drew 5,000. In Rio, the violent police crackdown on a small and peaceful crowd Sunday near the Maracana stadium incited many to come out for what local news media described as the city’s largest protest in a generation. Tuesday’s newspapers and morning news shows were filled with images of clashes between demonstrators and police in Rio, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte. The vast majority of Rio’s protesters were peaceful, but a small group of demonstrators attacked the state legislature building, setting a nearby car and other objects ablaze. The newspaper O Globo cited Rio state security officials as saying at least 20 officers and 10 protesters were injured there. Monday’s protests came during soccer’s Confederations Cup and just one month before a papal visit, a year before the World Cup and three years ahead of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The unrest is raising security concerns and renewed questions over Brazil’s readiness to host the megaevents. A cyber-attack knocked the government’s official World Cup site offline, and the Twitter feed for Brazil’s Anonymous group posted links to a host of other government websites whose content had been replaced by a screen calling on citizens to come out to the streets. In a brief statement late Monday, President Dilma Rousseff acknowledged the demonstrations, saying: “Peaceful demonstrations are legitimate and part of democracy. It is natural for young people to demonstrate.” Rousseff recently saw her popularity rating recently dip for the first time in her presidency, largely over sluggish growth, increasing inflation and security worries. Rousseff faces reelection next year. Brazilians have long tolerated pervasive corruption, but in about 40 million Brazilians have moved out of poverty and into the middle class over the past decade and they have begun to demand more from government. Many are angry that billions of dollars in public funds are being spent to host the World Cup and Olympics while few improvements are made elsewhere. In Rio, the confrontation between police and a small group of protesters dragged on

late into the night despite sporadic rain. As the group moved on the state legislature building, footage broadcast by the Globo television network showed police firing into the air. At least one demonstrator in Rio was injured after being hit in the leg with a live round allegedly fired by a law

that a high school student in Maceio was shot in the face after a motorist forced his way through the demonstrators’ barricade. Protesters were raining fists down on the car when a shot was fired. The extent of the 16-year-old’s injuries were not immediately known.

US Military To Put Women In Combat Jobs WASHINGTON - Military leaders are ready to begin tearing down the remaining walls that have prevented women from holding thousands of combat and special operations jobs near the front lines. Under details of the plans obtained by The Associated Press, women could start training as Army Rangers by mid-2015 and as Navy SEALs a year later. The military services have mapped out a schedule that also will include reviewing and possibly changing the physical and mental standards that men and women will have to meet in order to quality for certain infantry, armor, commando and other frontline positions across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Under the plans to be introduced yesterday, there would be one common standard for men and women for each job. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reviewed the plans and has ordered the services to move ahead. The move follows revelations of a startling number of sexual assaults in the armed forces. Earlier this year, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said the sexual assaults might be linked to the longstanding ban on women serving in combat because the disparity between the roles of men and women creates separate

CHANGE OF NAME

OKOSUN – I, formerly Miss Josephine Okosun now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Josephine Oghogho. All former documents remain valid. Trust Fund Micro Finance Bank and the general public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

NWAOKORO – I, formerly Miss Nwaokoro Anumiten Success, now Mrs. Imasuen Anumiten Success. All former documents remain valid. General public and all concerned authorities should please take note.

classes of personnel — male “warriors” versus the rest of the force. While the sexual assault problem is more complicated than that, he said, the disparity has created a psychology that lends itself to disrespect for women. Under the schedules military leaders delivered to Hagel, the Army will develop standards by July 2015 to allow women to train and potentially serve as Rangers, and qualified women could begin training as Navy SEALs by March 2016 if senior leaders agree. Military leaders have suggested bringing senior women from the officer and enlisted ranks into special forces units first to ensure that younger, lower-ranking women have a support system to help them get through the transition. The Navy intends to open up its Riverine force and begin training women next month, with the goal of assigning women to the units by October. While not part of the special operations forces, the coastal Riverine squadrons do close combat and security operations in small boats. The Navy plans to have studies finished by July 2014 on allowing women to serve as SEALs, and has set October 2015 as the date when women could begin Navy boot camp with the expressed intention of becoming SEALs eventually. U.S. Special Operations Command is coordinating the matter of what commando jobs could be opened to women, what exceptions might be requested and when the transition would take place. The proposals leave the door open for continued exclusion of women from some jobs if research and testing find that women could not be successful in sufficient numbers. But the services would have to defend such decisions to top Pentagon leaders.

CHANGE OF NAME I, Miss Omozusi Uwarobosa Betty wish to bring for the information of the general public that former Favour Chioma Ojimba is my biological daughter and that she is henceforth known and called Favour Osarumen Ojimba. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT INVITATION FOR MEMORANDA This is to inform the General Public that the Edo State Government has constituted a Commission of Inquiry to look into the causes of the recent fire outbreak that gutted some buildings of the Ministry of Education, Iyaro, Benin City on Wednesday, 12th June, 2013. Memoranda are therefore invited from members of the Public to assist the Commission to unravel the circumstances that led to the fire incident. The Terms of Reference of the inquiry are:1 to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the fire, 2 to determine items destroyed by the fire, 3 to establish the level of negligence amongst relevant officials, if any, 4 to Identify remedies to guide against future occurrences, and 5. to make recommendations for appropriate sanction against institutions and individuals found culpable. The memoranda which should be in triplicate and typewritten should be forwarded to the Secretary to the Commission, (Mrs) P. E. Aziegbemhin, Department of Citizens Right, Ministry of Justice, Ezoti Street, Benin City from 9am to 3pm daily from Tuesday 18th day of June to Friday 28th day of June, 2013. The Commission will commence its public sitting on Monday the 1st day of July to Wednesday the 24th day of July, 2013 at the Ministry of Justice Conference Room, Ezoti Street, Benin City, at 10am from Monday to Saturday. SIGNED: MRS. PRISCILLIA AZIEGBEMHIN Secretary to the Commission

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

International

Compiled By ISAH STELLA .O.

Twin Suicide Bombs Kill 29 In are also resurgent, BAGHDAD Two Baghdad groups including the Naqshbandi army, coordinated suicide bombings at

Erdem Gunduz, centre, stands silently on Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey

New Form Of Protest In Turkey: ISTANBUL — After weeks of sometimes violent confrontation with police, Turkish protesters have found a new form of resistance: standing still and silent. The first such protest was carried out late Monday by performance artist Erdem Gunduz, who stood for hours at Istanbul’s central Taksim Square,

Silently in passive defiance of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The square has been sealed off from mass protests since police cleared it over the weekend, but have not stopped pedestrians from entering.

Standing

Others copied him in Istanbul and other cities, and the act provoked widespread comment on social media. Gunduz’s vigil was broken up by police early Tuesday after others joined him. A police crackdown that began May 31 against environmentalists and other activists in Taksim Square set off protests nationwide.

Seeking A Syria Consensus Despite ENNISKILLEN, Northern US-Russia Divide Ireland — Hunting for a glimmer of common ground, the leaders of major economic powers are declaring themselves dedicated to a political solution to Syria’s bloody civil war, even as President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin stake out diametrically opposite stands on which side deserves military support. Ahead of a Group of Eight joint statement on Syria to be issued Tuesday, the U.S. remained committed to Obama’s recent decision to arm the rebels and Russia did not budge from its weapons sales to President Bashar Assad’s regime. Yet even as Obama found common ground among European allies against Putin at a G-8 summit in Northern Ireland, the U.S. president also struggled to convince some of those same allies to join him in sending armaments to the Syrian opposition. Syria, where at least 93,000 people have been killed in the conflict, has emerged as one of the intractable issues at the G-8 in Northern Ireland, where leaders of eight of the wealthiest economies gathered at a gleaming lakeside golf resort to hash over trade, tax and foreign policy challenges. “Of course, our opinions do not coincide, but all of us have the intention to stop the violence in Syria, to stop the growth of victims, and to solve the situation peacefully,” Putin said after meeting for two hours with Obama. “We agreed to push the

parties to the negotiations table.” “We do have differing perspectives on the problem,” Obama concurred. “But we share an interest in reducing the violence; securing chemical weapons and ensuring that they’re neither used nor are they subject to proliferation; and that we want to try to resolve the issue through political means, if possible.” In an interview on PBS that was taped Sunday and aired late Monday, Obama was much blunter, and pessimistic. “What’s been clear is that Assad, at this point — in part, because of his support from Iran and from Russia — believes that he does not have to engage in a political transition, believes that he can continue to simply violently suppress over half of the population,” Obama told interviewer Charlie Rose. “And as long as he’s got that mindset, it’s going to be very difficult to resolve the situation there.” Even so, Obama in the interview portrayed himself as a reluctant participant in the civil war. “We know what it’s like to rush into a war in the Middle East without having thought it through,” he said in obvious reference to the war in Iraq. British officials said Prime Minister David Cameron was looking for consensus among the G-8 members on five areas of potential agreement that could win Russian support,

including a declaration to not tolerate the use of chemical weapons, pursuing extremists and creating an executive authority for Syria after it undergoes a political transition. Discussions on the exact language were still underway Tuesday after the leaders conferred about Syria at dinner late Monday. “Our objective absolutely remains to progress towards a political solution which results in a transitional government and we don’t believe Assad will have a role to play in a transitional government,” said Cameron spokesman Jean-Christophe Gray. But despite their shared belief that Assad must leave power, the U.S., Britain and France were also showing cracks in their unity. Britain and France appear unwilling — at least for now — to join President Barack Obama in arming the Syrian rebels, a step the U.S. president reluctantly finalized last week. Ben Rhodes, Obama’s deputy national security adviser, downplayed those differences, saying the Syrian opposition could be strengthened either politically, through humanitarian aid or as a military force. “Different nations are going to feed into that process in different ways,” he said. The G-8 leaders were all smiles Tuesday morning as they walked in unison under cloud-covered skies at the lodge, where they posed for a “family photo” in front of a lake before Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper set off for a walk.

a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Baghdad killed at least 29 worshippers at noon prayers on Tuesday, medics said. The first bomber detonated his charge at a checkpoint about 100 meters (yards) away from the mosque in al-Qahira district of northern Baghdad. He was followed minutes later by a second who blew himself up inside the building. “The (second) suicide bomber detonated himself among the worshippers, who were gathering after the call to prayer,” said policeman Furat Faleh, who was near the site of the blast. More than 1,000 people were killed in militant attacks in Iraq in May, according to the United Nations, making it the deadliest month since the sectarian war of 2006-2007. Ten years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled former president Saddam Hussein in 2003, a stable power-sharing compromise between Iraq’s Sunni, Shi’ite and ethnic Kurdish factions remains elusive. Sectarian relations in Iraq have come under strain from the conflict in neighboring Syria, where mainly Sunni rebels are fighting to overthrow a leader backed by Shi’ite Iran. Iraqi Sunnis and Shi’ites have crossed into Syria to fight on opposing sides, heightening concerns they are bringing the conflict back home, where both sects have been targeted by violence since the beginning of the year. The wave of attacks has coincided with protests by Iraq’s Sunnis, who accuse the Shi’iteled government of marginalizing their minority sect and being a stooge of Iran. Sunni Islamist insurgent groups appear to be feeding on Sunni discontent and gaining recruits. It is not clear who exactly is behind the attacks but a number of Sunni Islamist insurgent groups operate in Iraq, including an affiliate of al-Qaeda.

Al Qaeda’s local wing, Islamic State of Iraq, may spearhead the violence, but other Sunni armed

an expanding network of Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Baath party members and ex-army officers.

Afghan Troops Take Lead To Secure Country KABUL, Afghanistan— Afghan forces have taken over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition for security nationwide, President Hamid Karzai announced Tuesday in a significant milestone in the 12year war. The announcement came amid a grim reminder of Afghanistan’s daily violence. A few miles from where Karzai was speaking a bomb targeted a prominent lawmaker, missed him but killed three civilians. In another key announcement, Karzai said he will soon send representatives to the Gulf state of Qatar to discuss peace with the Taliban. The talks in Doha would follow the planned opening of a Taliban political office in the Arab country. The handover of responsibility marks a turning point for American and NATO military forces, which will now move entirely into a supporting role. It also opens the way for their full withdrawal in 18 months. “This is a historic moment for our country and from tomorrow all of the security operations will be in the hands of the Afghan security forces,” Karzai said at the ceremony, held at the new National Defense University built to train Afghanistan’s future military officers. On the ground, this means U.S. and other foreign combat troops will not be directly carrying the fight to the insurgency, but will advise and back up as needed with air support and medical evacuations. The transition also comes at a time when violence is at levels matching the worst in 12 years, fueling some Afghans’ concerns that their forces aren’t ready. Karzai said that in the coming

months, coalition forces will gradually withdraw from Afghanistan’s provinces as the country’s security forces replace them. In announcing the fifth and final phase of a process that began at a November 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal, Karzai said “transition will be completed and Afghan security forces will lead and conduct all operations.” He also said he would send representatives of his High Peace Council to Doha for meetings with Taliban representatives once their office is open. “We are hopeful that if the opening of the office is today or if tomorrow the negotiation for peace starts sooner between the High Peace Council and the Taliban,” Karzai told reporters after the ceremony. Karzai visited Qatar last week and discussed his country’s stalled peace process and the possible opening of the Taliban office. Both Afghanistan and the United States support the opening as part of an effort to rekindle talks with the insurgent group. But first, Kabul and Washington say, the Taliban must renounce all ties to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups and accept Afghanistan’s constitution. “We are hopeful that after starting negotiations in Qatar, immediately the negotiations and all peace process should move into Afghanistan. Afghanistan shouldn’t be center of the discussions outside of the country,” Karzai said. The Taliban have for years refused to speak to the government or the Peace Council, set up by Karzai three years ago, because they considered them to be American “puppets.” Taliban

G8 leaders from left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama attend a working session during the G-8 summit at the Lough Erne golf resort in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland\

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Religion

The Fourteen Radiant Oil Lights

THE fourteenth radiant oil lights represent the 14 th reincarnations man is expected to experience during his life span on earth. Each of the lights brings forth astral knowledge of the human body. But today, the burning radiant oil lights are now represented with candles favoured by both day and night elders or spirits. With these candles; the night elders or spirits can see immediately the sun sets at the end of the day and night falls. The radiant oil lights undergo transient increase or decrease of brightness at certain given time and space. With these lights, a man’s progress in life can be determined, either for good or bad. When the light decreases in a man’s path, he observes some form of problems or set back in his life. If its brightness increase, he experience progress in his journey of life. Anything he does will come out very successfully. Sometimes, when this situation occurs in one’s life a man is lost in the confusion of Wonderland. Then he may start to blame God, Olokun and his ancestors for allowing him to experience such a situation. Traditional African medicine men know a lot about these fourteen radiant oil lights and how to use them to appear so the elders of the night. For instance to do so, the medicine men gets a broken pot. They drop a little quantity of oil in it before lighting it for the

By EKAIWE OMO OMOREGIE

night elders and offering prayers to them. Through such prayers to the night elders, they loosen the power of evil men and women over a patients life or a person’s progress in life. Hence, eventually, such people experience a peaceful morning sun throughout their lives. As the African medicine man uses the radiant oil/ candle lights to illuminate the paths of the night elders, so do the night elders bring illumination and hope to the life of the person being assisted by the African medicine men or traditional doctors. Don’t forget, too that the radiant oil/candle lights can also facilitate the process of healing when it is accompanied with certain rituals and some people encounter the radiant lights oil/ candles at night. For instance, a young lady once came to me to report that when some of her friends and herself were returning home one night, she saw some lights ahead of them. She called the attention of others to the lights but she was ignored and told to keep quiet. However, as they moved closer and closer to the lights, the began to disappear. When they got to where the lights were, her body grew heavy and she felt as if she was about to die. She informed me that, despite these feelings, she managed to cross the area. After wards, about fifty feet

away from the spot, she felt lighter. Looking at me, she asked what the lights she saw on the fateful night were. I explained that what she saw were the radiant lights of the

lights without any mishap. Otherwise. They would have hurt her. Okunison, as an African religion, enriches many people with the knowledge of the radiant oil/candle lights to enable Olokun worshipers free themselves

night elders holding a night meeting at their coven. Each time, they are holding their meeting, they always put on their radiant oil/candle lights. Having said this, I told her that she was lucky that the night elders had a liking for her that was why she and her colleagues crossed the area of the radiant oil/candle

from the crises of life. Also through such knowledge, these worshippers can assist true seekers of solutions to their problems or free people from the grips of evil people. It is for this reason, Okunists strictly adher to their religion, because faith in it enables Olokun, acting on behalf of God to shower

“Finally, if at the end of your fourteen reincarnations allowed you on this earth, you are able to achieve perfection spiritually you will be qualified to live eternally with Olokun and God. That is what Okunsim teaches as an African traditional religion.”

his blessings, care and knowledge to his adherents each morning when sharing his bounteous gifts to mankind. And, so, whatever your plans are in life you succeeds. However, to benefit from such gifts, you must be righteous. You must not be a person who tells lies or defrauds your neighbours. Also, the rule is that whenever you receives God’s inspiration, through Olokun, don’t change it to suit your personal purpose. At this juncture, let me say

that when a person is afflicted with sickness by the night elders and have their radiant oil/candle lights focused on him, there is nothing he can hide from these night elders. Anything he is doing or about to do is known to them. Therefore, his life is in jeopardy. It only takes a wellexperienced African traditional doctor to resolve such a problem caused by the night elders. He knows how to appease them with the necessary rituals and sacrifices that set the afflicted person free from their st ranglehold. Of course, part of the freedom procedure is to use the radiant oil/candle

lights to illuminate the night elders path. Light always wins over darkness and brings useful thoughts of joy to everyone. Spiritually, the fourteen radiant lights represent the fourteen reincarnations of human life on earth. Each lifespan contains one hundred and sixty eight years. In all, therefore, we spend two thousand three hundred and fifty-two years on earth in a full human lifespan. During each of man’s life span, the radiant light of his life increases or decreases in brightness for good or bad as the case may be. Nevertheless, once you discover your true spiritual self at any given time of your life span, things move on smoothly for you. But, note, you can never get on with life spiritually without living a righteous life and being at peace with your neihbours. Finally, if at the end of your fourteen reincarnations allowed you on this earth, you are able to achieve perfection spiritually you will be qualified to live eternally with Olokun and God. That is what Okunsim teaches as an African traditional religion. As l have said man is expected to live for 168 years in a single life span. But a man does not live up to this number of years on earth because of his materialism and lack of love for his neighbours. In the past, when man didn’t worship materialism, people sometimes live up to 200 or 500 year. Such people didn’t think of how to kill his friend, child wife or mother for material gains. These people worried less about money. It is people like these who dug the moats in Benin City. They were strong peoples then. Also, these people of old believed in and had great respect for the radiant oil/ candle lights. Hence, they knew what to do when their lives were faced with mysterious crises. Today things are different. Man is ignorant of the radiant oil lights.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Opinion

Ministry Of Education Fire

An Unpardonable Evil By ISAAC IKHINAEDE

THE sad and heart touching news of the fire that engulfed the examination unif ministry of education lyaro, Benin City which occurred on 12th of this month of June 2013 was a colossal and in repairable loss entire people of old mid-western state. One cannot really imagine what must have prompted the burning down of the examination unit of this ministry of education. When I heard the news I have to go to see the scene of the ugly incident for myself. Surprisingly, I discovered that the fire only engulfed the upstairs of the building. This shows that the fire was not from behind the fence of the building, if it were the fire would have started from the down stairs of the building. This means that any insider within the examination unit must have done this great evil. No wonder, a local proverb says that “It is the rat in the house that tells other rats that there is food in the house”. One may also asked were there no security personnel on duty when this ugly incident occurred. The burning of this examination unit has led to

ACCORDING to World Health Organisation (WHO) Malaria is one of the most serious health problem facing the world to day. Who estimated that over 300 million cases of malaria arises every year with approximately two third of malaria endemic taking root in tropical African. It is also estimated 90 % of the total malaria incidence is particularly amongst pregnant women and children. Malaria is an infectious disease caused by protozoan. Malaria parasite is found in the red blood cell. It can also be transmitted, through blood transfusion, organ transplant or shared through the use of needle or syringes contaminated with blood, according to National Institute of Allergy and Infections Disease (NIAID). Malaria, according to WHO and Harvard Health policy. Is called by four different pretazoa which includes, plasmodium genus, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale and plasmodium falciporum.

loss of certificates and many other documents which has been on record since 1950 that is, sixty three years ago. The answer scripts of the primary school leaving certificate examination which was conducted on the first of this month of June were, allegedly also burnt. Who must have done this evil of setting ablaze this examination unit of ministry of education lyaro? What does this person want to gain from this great evil? It is wickedness of the highest order! No wonder, the Bible says in the book of Jeremiah chapter 17:9, that “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it”. Actually no mortal man knows the individual that burnt this examination unit of the ministry of education Iyaro. The book of proverb chapter 10:2 says; “Treasure of wickedness profits nothing; but righteousness delivereth from death”. At the period of creation; the bible tells us that in the book of Genesis chapter 6 verses 57. “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of

forgiven thee”. One may be very surprising, why I keep on quoting the Holy Bible. Yes, I kept quoting the Bible because it is the Book of all books. And of course, this incident is a very serious one and it is only God that can come to the rescue of the doer of this evil act. Most importantly, I see the burning of the examination unit of the ministry of education lyaro. as a calculated attempt by some enemies of progress to soar the high profile academic standard that Hon. Patrick Aguinede, the Basic Education Commissioner of Edo State has set in motion to bring to bear on the Basic ministry since on the 8th March, 2013 that he was sworn-in, in office. Well, there is a saying that a goat that is maliciously stoned walks away with the stone not sticking to its body. I am grateful that the Comrade Governor of Edo State “Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole has set up a committee to investigate the fire that engulfed that examination unit of the ministry of education lyaro came about. The committee should carry out a proper investigation and fish out the enemies of progress Hon. Patrick Aguinede, Edo State Commissioner for Basic Education (left) and his that must have committed the counterpart in Higher Education, Barr. Washington Osifo evil act and bring them to book.

his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth and it grieved Him at His heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man, and beast and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air, for it repented Me that

I have created them” The Bible also tells us in the book of Psalm 11:7 says that “God judgeth the righteous and God is angry with the wicked every day”. It is a great disastrous and calamitous situation for God to be angry with an individual every day” The only thing the individual

who must have committed this great havoc ought to do is to repent of this sin that he/she must have committed so that he/ she will not end up in hell fire. Hence the bible says in the book of Act. Chapter 8:22 “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be

Winning War Against Malaria By WINIFRED OSASOBO

In addition, malaria is a life threatening vector-borne disease transmitted to people exclusively through the bites of Anopheles mosquitoes, also called malaria vector. Malaria is called by the plasmodium parasite carried by the mosquitoes. Malaria is a disease of worm humid climate where pools of water constitute perfect breeding grenades for the Anopheles mosquito. With the bite of mosquito malaria parasite are transmitted from infected to healthy people once in the blood stream, the mature parasites goes to the liver where they multiply. The rapid multiplication of the parasite causes the destruction of red blood cells and the infection of new cell throughout the body. Depending on various factors such as the parasite, the vector, the human host and the environment. The infected person will become ill with malaria for about a

week,7 to 21 days and if not properly treated can last several months. Malaria is as a result of temperature rise above 60 degree Fahrenheit. This period is usually rainy season, where there are stagnant water, muddy roads and areas. Malaria is an acute febrile illness. In a non- immune individual, the symptoms appears seven days or more (usually 10-15 days) after the infective mosquito bite, the symptoms are fever, headache, chills and vomiting, which may be mild and difficult to recongnise. If not treated with in 24 hours, plasmodium falciparum malaria will progress to severe illness which may even lead to death. In addition, malaria appears as endemic in Nigeria, and the population at highest risks includes children, pregnant women and the non- immune. Aside, morbidity and mortabiity,

come other consequences which includes social and economic, as a result of the effect of malaria. Due to malaria, children spend days away from school and adult lose work days. In endemic areas the older population develop some collective immunity to malaria, so the severity of malaria attacks is less in children under five. Also, mother to child through breast feeding can also lead to the risk of death. The economy of a nation has a connection with the health of a country. This can be seen as about 6.04% of the annual budget is spent on the health sector. This allocation to health sector is poor and in turn leads to or low a gross national income and poor economic growth according to compass newspaper. Com/org. Getting malaria eradication according to WHO includes.

Insecticide- Treated mosquito Net (ITNs), sleeping under ITN is one of the best ways to prevent malaria. Studies have also show that regular use can reduce all cause of child mortality by around 20 percent in malaria endemic area. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) with WHO approved chemical (including DDT) is an effective malaria prevention method in setting where it is epidemiological and logistically appropriate. IRS involves applying a long-lasting insecticide inside the house and other structure to kill mosquitoes resting on interior wall. In most setting where IRS has been or is being deployed, ITNs or LLINs are already in use. Evident has show that the combination of IRS and LLINs is more effective then either intervention alone. Furthermore, United

Nation Children Fund formerly known as United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNIEF) said that intermittent preventive Treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) can also reduce malaria this involves providing pregnant women with at least two of an antimalaria drug, currently s u l p h a d o z i n e pyrimethamine (sp), at each scheduled ante-natal visit after the first trimester, whether they show symptom of treatment infection with malaria or not such preventive treatment according to UNICEF has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of amaemia in the mother and low birth weight in the newborn. Malaria is surely a barrier to the wheel of progress in any nation. Adequate measures as stated above, should be adopted and properly implemented if the scourge of malaria is to be eradiated from Nigeria.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Martinez Takes Over At Valladolid FORMER Levante boss Juan Ignacio Martinez has been named as the new boss of Spanish top flight side Valladolid, the club announced. A statement on the club’s website realvalladolid.es late on Monday said Martinez had signed a two-year contract. The 48-year-old will succeed Miroslav Djukic, who left to join Valencia earlier this month. Martinez enjoyed an extremely successful two-year spell with Levante, leading the club to their highest ever league finish of sixth in 2011/12. That also saw Levante qualify for European football for the first time. They had another reasonably successful campaign last season, reaching the last-16 of the Europa League and an 11th place finish in La Liga — 10 points clear of the relegation zone. But a poor run of just two league wins since January meant that Martinez’s contract was not renewed for next season by the

club from Valencia.

Newcastle Confirm Kinnear Appointment

NEWCASTLE United have confirmed the appointment of Joe Kinnear as their director of

football on a three-year-deal. The 66-year-old broke the news of his arrival on Sunday evening, amid a largely negative reaction from the club’s fans. Kinnear, who has been described as a “senior executive”, is to undertake a role which will see him oversee the work of manager Alan Pardew and chief scout Graham Carr. Managing director Derek Llambias said in a statement released on the club’s official website on Tuesday: “The board are pleased to welcome Joe back to the club. Joe has many years of experience working within the game, and this experience will be of great benefit to the club in achieving our objectives over the coming seasons.”

Luis Suarez

‘Suarez Must Ask To Leave’ LIVERPOOL have told Luis Suarez to submit a written transfer request if he wishes to force through his departure from Anfield, according to club sources. to leave Liverpool since the end The striker has made a number of May, making clear that he of public declarations of his desire wants to join Real Madrid.

West Brom Target Kone WEST Bromwich Albion have identified Wigan striker Arouna Kone as a potential replacement for Romelu Lukaku. Head coach Steve Clarke is waiting to see whether club owner Jeremy Peace will sanction a £6.5 million bid, with Lukaku’s return to his parent club, Chelsea, seemingly inevitable after his successful loan spell at The Hawthorns. Kone was identified as a target during a recent club meeting involving technical and sporting director Richard Garlick. He has a £6.5 million release clause in his contract with relegated Wigan, but any Albion bid appears to hinge on finding a buyer for Peter Odemwingie. Odemwingie has again indicated his intention to leave in the summer, and Albion are hoping to raise £3 million from his sale. He has been linked with Hull, Crystal Palace, QPR and Swansea and said: “It looks like I will leave the Hawthorns. We are talking now - but where I’ll end up, I don’t know. Clarke expects competition for Kone, with former Wigan manager Roberto Martinez interested in linking up with the striker again at Everton. Hull and Liverpool have also expressed an interest in the Ivory Coast international, who scored 13 goals in all competitions for the Latics

last season. Albion have also been monitoring PSV Eindhoven’s Ola Toivonen, but the Sweden

international could join Norwich City, who have agreed a £4.8 million fee with the Dutch club.

But Suarez, who is on duty with Uruguay at the Confederations Cup in Brazil, has yet to confirm officially to senior figures at Anfield that he wants to leave. Liverpool have maintained publicly that the 26-year-old, whose contract with the club runs until 2017, is not for sale. The club are aware that it will be difficult to retain a player who is absolutely determined to leave, though, and will consider offers in excess of £40 million. Anfield officials have become weary at Suarez’s attempts to force through a move to Madrid, who have still to make a bid for the player. And they believe that the time has come for him to submit a transfer request – or refrain from

speaking publicly about his desire to depart. The club do not want the issue of Suarez’s future to drag on towards the start of next season. And although the player ’s commitments at the Confederations Cup mean a resolution is unlikely in the next fortnight, Liverpool are keen to get the matter sorted out before they head to the Far East for a pre-season tour in July. Suarez, Liverpool’s 30-goal leading scorer last season, has served four games of a ten-match domestic suspension imposed by the Football Association after he bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a Premier League match at Anfield in April.

The move sees the former Wimbledon boss make a return to St James’ Park after he served as interim manager at the club during the 2008-09 season. Kinnear’s tenure saw him pick up just five wins from 26 games, while his spell in charge was also marred by a four-letter tirade against a group of local journalists, as well as his falling out with Charles N’Zogbia after mispronouncing his name in an interview. Those old failings returned to haunt him in what was a bizarre interview Kinnear gave to talkSPORT radio on Tuesday. In it he referred to Llambias as ‘Derek Lambazee’ and the club’s star midfielder Yohan Cabaye as Yohan ‘Kebab’, as well as ‘Hatem Ben Afra’ [Ben Arfa], and Shola and Sammy ‘Amemobi’ [Ameobi]. However, despite such difficulties, Kinnear claims that Pardew has hailed his appointment as “great news”, while Magpies defender Steven Taylor believes he is just what the club needs. “I am really happy to see Joe back at the club and I think his return can only be positive for everyone connected to the club,” Taylor told Sky Sports. “Joe was great for me when he was manager and I really enjoyed playing for him. “We were in a great position under Joe in the league until he got ill and it was after that that things went wrong. Joe wears his heart on his sleeve and he tells it as it is and I think he is someone that Newcastle exactly need. Joe has lots of experience and he is very knowledgeable and I for one am really excited to see him back at Newcastle.”

Carroll To Complete Hammers Move

LIVERPOOL striker Andy Carroll is set to complete a £15 million move to West Ham after undergoing a medical. Carroll, 24, has agreed to move to Upton Park almost a month after the two clubs

Arouna Kone

agreed a fee for him. He was scheduled to have a medical on Tuesday, having returned to England following a holiday, with the transfer due to

Torres Keen To Hold Mourinho Talks FERNANDO Torres says he is not worried by rumours about a summer move to Barcelona, and is looking forward to hearing how he fits into new Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho’s plans for next season. With Chelsea set to sign Andre Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen, and Mourinho talking positively about returning Belgian youngster Romelu Lukaku, it remains to be seen how Torres might fit in up front at Stamford Bridge next term, while the player himself said last week he was flattered by rumours of a £17 million Barca bid. Speaking from the Spain camp at the Confederations Cup, the Madrid-native told Onda Cero radio show Al Primer Toque that he did not know if Barca’s interest was real, but suggested his

primary objective now was to talk with Mourinho about his Chelsea future. “This is all normal, every summer is the time for rumours, new coaches and players,” Torres said. “Until the Confederations Cup is over the squads will not be closed, but my head is here with the national team. “Barcelona remain one of the best teams in the world, but sincerely, I do not know if there is real interest or not. I am just thinking about the Confederations Cup, immediately after that about Chelsea. I want to speak with Mourinho and then get ready for next season. I am looking forward to that conversation, to know what plans he has for me and to tell him my point of view.” The former Liverpool striker

said he was aiming to add the Premier League winners’ medal that his current impressive collection still lacks. “Chelsea is the club where I am and where I want to be, I want to keep winning big trophies here,” Torres said. “Mourinho is a very demanding coach, but who has always guaranteed success. I am confident that he will have something prepared for me. I have three more years on my contract, I expect and want to fulfil those. I want to win the Premier League, which is the only trophy I am missing.” The future of Torres’ club and international colleague Juan Mata also remains a subject of speculation, with Mundo Deportivo claiming Barcelona are ready to take advantage of reports in the UK that “although

it seems unbelievable” Mourinho wants to move on the club’s current player of the year. The Catalan paper repeats claims made on Spanish radio station Cadena SER that Mata’s father - who is also his agent - is unhappy that Chelsea are stalling on a bonus due for his son’s 19 goals and 35 assists during the 2012-13 club season. Should Barca sell Thiago Alcantara or Cristian Tello this summer, then an ideal spot for Mata would open up at the Camp Nou, the story suggests. Mundo Deportivo also reported on Tuesday morning that Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta had threatened to resign recently in a disagreement over the future of backroom and youth coaches at the club.

be completed this week. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has no place in his long-term plans for Carroll, who was signed from Newcastle for £35 million by previous Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish in January 2011. Rodgers is hoping to use the money from selling Carroll to help fund his summer transfer spending, with a £7.7 million deal for Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas about to be ratified. Moves are also in place for Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Sevilla forward Luis Alberto and Sporting Lisbon central defender Tiago Ilori. West Ham co-owner David Gold took to Twitter last week to declare that he was confident of signing Carroll, while Hammers manager Sam Allardyce was quoted over the weekend as saying that a deal was close. The England forward spent last season on loan at Upton Park, scoring seven goals.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Arnesen Hails Abramovich As A ‘Pioneer’

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has changed the face of elite football around the world, former Blues sporting director Frank Arnesen has told BBC Sport. Next month will mark ten years since Russian billionaire Abramovich bought the west London club for £140 million. Since then, the oligarch’s huge personal investment has delivered the Champions League, the Europa League, three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups to Stamford Bridge. His reinvigoration of the club brought the likes of manager Jose Mourinho and star players like Didier Drogba to the Premier League, and Chelsea continue to be among the most powerful players on the transfer market as Mourinho returns for his second spell in charge. Arnesen, who was poached from London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 2005 and spent five years at the club, believes Abramovich’s reign has become the model for all clubs wishing to become among the biggest in the game. “I think he has been a pioneer, not only for football in England, but worldwide,” Arnesen told BBC Sport. “He was the first from outside who came in, bought a club and invested money. “It had never happened anywhere in the world. Then you see Manchester City and many clubs with owners from outside, but he was the first who came in, was serious about it, made an impact and wants to do everything - not only for the first team but also the youth and the stadium.” Arnesen also spoke of how Abramovich takes a real interest in all aspects of the club, although he has to balance that with the commercial interests which allow him to bankroll Chelsea. “Sometimes I spoke with him two or three times a week, sometimes you didn’t speak with him for a month because he has a lot of other things - he has a big business to run - but when he was in London he’d just show up,” Arnesen said. “He’d call me and say ‘who are you playing?’ I’d say ‘the Under15s are playing Arsenal on Sunday at 3pm’. “He would come with some guys, watch the game and enjoy it. “He enjoys very much to go to the FA Youth Cup - he’d go the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the finals. He was always there and would always congratulate us and the staff. “He was very, very aware about those things and never forgot it. That is something people maybe don’t know, but for me that showed he has a big heart for the club.”

Hearts Fans Eye Takeover A fans’ group yesterday said it was looking for support for a possible takeover of financially troubled Scottish Premier League club Hearts, which has signalled its intention to go into administration. The Edinburgh club, whose entire squad is up for sale in a desperate bid to raise muchneeded cash, announced on Monday that it had served a court notice of its intention to appoint an administrator. Local lawmaker Ian Murray, who heads the Foundation of Hearts group, described the move as “the darkest day in the history of Heart of Midlothian Football Club” but vowed that they would survive.

Andre and Jordan Ayew

No Automatic Call-Ups for Returnees

Andre and Jordan Ayew cannot be guaranteed places in Black Stars Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah says there are no guaranteed places in his team for the three players who ended their selfimposed exiles last week. AC Milan ace Kevin-Prince It is expected that the trio will Boateng and the Ayew brothers rejoin their teammates for Andre and Jordan have September’s Group D decider confirmed their returns to the against Zambia at home but Black Stars. Appiah cannot assure any of Boateng, who quit the national them. in September 2011, announced “I always believe it is his availability for international important all Ghanaian players football before the end of the make themselves available for season. selection,” said coach Appiah He could have been named in “And is you the coach that will the squad for the just ended decide whether you need this double qualifiers this month but player at a particular time and it for a toe injury. depends on the game that you are Andre and his younger brother going to play and the tactics and were also talked out of if they can fit in you, bring them temporary retirement by Ghana in but as to they will by all means President John Mahama. be in does not come in.”

Bartra Looking To Impress Barca Barcelona defender Marc Bartra says he is hoping to convince the club that he is ready to start regularly in central defence. The Catalans are said to be looking for a centre-back to strengthen their defence with captain Carles Puyol now battling consistently with injuries. However, Bartra says he is hoping to use his spell with Spain’s Under-21 side at the European Championship to convince his club that he is ready to be a regular in the first team. “I am very happy because I did not know how I would manage in the European Championship; I think I am responding well,” Bartra told AS. “I had many opportunities at Barcelona, I played games and in addition, I have trained with the best every day and that lets you stay motivated. “With the confidence that the coach gives you, you respond. You realise that this is what you love, that our life is football. “My future? I’m just doing my thing. I want the club to see me play and to demonstrate that,

when I play, I can be at the club and maybe they do not need to sign another centre-back. “I know that to play at Barca there is greater competition, in the centre-back position, but these tournaments are for that, so you can show the level that you are at.” Bartra made 16 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona during the 2012/13 season.

- Ghana Coach

Ghana will need a draw at the Baba Yara Stadium to seal their place in the third qualifying round which will consist of all ten Group leaders.

They will be paired for five home-and-away ties with the winners qualifying to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

... Plots Zambia Ambush

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah has addressed the hardship facing the Black Stars when they host Zambia in September to advance in the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers. The Black Stars must avoid defeat at the Baba Yara Stadium in three months time to make it to the next stage. Ghana moved to the summit of Group D with a one point advantage after beating Lesotho 2-0 in Maseru and Zambia dropping points in a 1-1 with Sudan at home. “I personally take a game as it comes and now that we are done with Lesotho, my

concentration will be on our game against Zambia,” Appiah said after Sunday’s win at the Setsoto Stadium. “But looking at the way we played, I believe if we continue and patch up a few mistakes, we will go very far.” The third qualifying round of the eliminators will feature the top ten teams from the Groups and will be paired off. The winners of the five homeand-away ties to be played in October and November will qualify for the finals next year. Ghana have played in the last two World Cup finals in Germany and South Africa.

Kinnear Hits Out At ‘Unjustified’ Joe Kinnear has risked Premier League. Criticism English alienating Newcastle United Kinnear, who claimed that fans further following his surprise return to the club, amid disquiet about his reappointment and claims that it will make coach Alan Pardew’s position untenable. The 66-year-old said in a radio interview that the criticisms were unjustified and many of his detractors were “talking out of their backsides, a load of tosh”. “I’m not accepting it, as simple as that. I have certainly got more intelligence than them, that’s a fact,” he told

talkSPORT late Monday. Kinnear, whose time as Magpies boss was cut short in 2009 because of heart problems, was brought back as director of football at the weekend. The former Wimbledon and Nottingham Forest boss claimed his role would be to find new players to improve a side that made the Europa League quarter-finals last season but finished a disappointing 16th in the

Pardew was “delighted” at his appointment, claimed in the interview that he had an extensive list of contacts which would help his job. “I’ve spent my whole life talking to (former Manchester United manager) Alex Ferguson, week in, week out. What would you do?” he went on. “I can pick the phone up at any time of the day and speak to (Arsenal coach) Arsene Wenger, any manager in the league. In all the divisions.”

“A club with a history as rich and proud as any in the world, now only us, the supporters can ensure Hearts has a future, and not just a future, but a future we can be proud of,” Murray, who represents the Edinburgh South constituency said late Monday. “There has been speculation upon speculation as to potential bidders for the club but that is all that it has been. “The only real and credible buffers at this stage are the Foundation of Hearts and that is why we are asking every Hearts fan for their support.” Murray, from the centre-left opposition Labour party, said they had the support of every fan group, former players and business leaders. Hearts were last week served with a winding-up order over an unpaid £100,000 (118,000 euro, $157,000) tax bill, despite the majority of the sum being repaid and were hit with a transfer ban after failing to pay players’ salaries on time. The club is £25 million in debt to two Lithuanian companies once controlled by majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov which hold large stakes in the club but are now being declared insolvent. Should Hearts be in administration by the start of the 2013/14 season in August, they would be docked 15 points, according to Scottish Premier League rules.

Madrid To Keep Morata

Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata has reportedly been assured that he will not be loaned out or sold during the next transfer window. The 20-year-old Spaniard is currently the top scorer at the UEFA Under-21 Championship with four goals. Madrid are currently working on a deal to sign attacking midfielder Isco from Malaga and Morata was expected to be included as part of that deal. However, AS reports that this deal will not possible as the striker has been informed that he is going nowhere and is expected to be the club’s third striker next season following Gonzalo Higuain’s imminent departure. The Madrid-born player scored two goals in 12 appearances for the Whites last season.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Tahiti History-Maker Dream Big

Confederations Cup 2013

Today’s Matches Brazil Italy

– –

JONATHAN Tehau struggled to articulate his joy after becoming the first player to score for Tahiti at a high-profile international tournament in his side’s 6-1 loss to Nigeria at the Confederations Cup. Ranked 138th in the world, Tahiti are making their first appearance in a competition of this level and despite the margin of defeat in Monday’s game, they celebrated Tehau’s 54th-minute goal like a victory. With the score 3-0, Tehau converted a back post-header from a corner before leading his team-mates in an imitation of the kayak-paddling celebration performed by Marama Vahirua, their one professional player. The midfielder, who also works as a delivery driver and plays alongside his twin brothers Lorenzo and Alvin, as well as cousin Teaonui, said his mind had gone blank when the ball hit the net.

Mexico Japan

Tomorrow’s Fixtures Spain Nigeria

– –

Tahiti Uruguay

Saturday, 22 June Japan Italy

– –

Mexico Brazil

Sunday, 23 June Nigeria Uruguay

– –

Spain Tahiti

I’d Love To Continue As Coach GORDON Igesund’s position will be under scrutiny after failing to reach the mandates that were given to him by Safa, but the Bafana Bafana coach says that he would love to continue in his post. When he was appointed as Bafana Bafana coach last year Igesund was instructed to reach the semifinals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and then qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and neither goal has been reached. But Igesund wants to continue at the helm of one of the hottest seats in South African sport. “I would love to continue with the national team because we are making strides with what we have been doing since I took over last year,” Igesund said on MetroFM. “We need to have a project that is in place for years because short term things do not work. “We can’t look for overnight quick fix methods. “Safa needs to have somebody who will be the coach from now until [the World Cup in] 2018 if I am not the coach after this.” Igesund has taken some

positives from being eliminated from the World Cup qualifiers after rescuing a national team which had gone nine games without a win. “We started to play the sort of football that we had wanted to play all along,” added Igesund. “We have been chasing an identity in our national team and we have it right now at the moment.

Zambia FA Chief Refusing To Give Up On World Cup Segun Odegbami

Odegbami Commends Eagles’ Rebuilding Process

FORMER Green Eagles Captain Segun Odegbami yesterday acknowledged the bold strides being taken by the Super Eagles as the rebuilding process continues. Odegbami hailed the team at the Confederations Cup. for their composure against The ace winger, however, the backdrop of the match noted that the Tahitians did bonus furore in Windhoek, not put up the kind of Namibia. resistance usually expected in Odegbami told newsmen in a competition of the calibre of Lagos yesterday that the 6-1 the Confederations Cup. drubbing of the Tahitian team “The Tahitians didn’t put the will spur them to perform Eagles under any form of better in subsequent matches pressure, but am sure in their

next match against Uruguay the Eagles will face a stiffer test. “Winning their first match will boost their morale which is good for the players psychologically; they need to build their confidence. “Our qualifying matches have been quite impressive; the rebuilding process is getting better by the day.

“In spite of the crises in the team, they have grown with each match; I can only hope it gets better,’’ Odegbami said. The Super Eagles trounced their Tahitian opponents 6-1 in their opening match at the ongoing Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil. They will engage their Uruguayan foes on June 21 in another Group B encounter at the city of Fortaleza.

Keshi Relieved After Tahiti Thrashing NIGERIA’s coach Stephen Keshi said he was relieved his side had avoided any further injuries after they thrashed minnows Tahiti 6-1 in their opening game at the Confederations Cup in Belo Horizonte. Forwards Victor Moses, Kalu Uche and Emmanuel Emenike were all ruled out by injury before the tournament, while midfielder Ogenyi Onazi missed Monday’s game with a knee problem. Keshi hopes the Lazio player will be available for Thursday’s encounter with Uruguay, which is likely to play a significant role in determining whether or not

Nigeria progress from Group B. “There are no (new) injuries to the players,

Stephen Keshi

because I’ve already lost four players,” he said. “With all this journey we’ve been having, arriving

yesterday (Sunday) morning at four o’clock, I’m just happy there’s no major problems concerning injuries.” Nigeria’s preparations were disrupted by a dispute over bonus payments that meant the squad did not arrive until 36 hours before their first game. Speaking ahead of the game, captain Vincent Enyeama had revealed that the disagreement remained unresolved, but Keshi said that was not the case. “The issue of the bonuses has been settled. Nothing is holding us back anymore and all we need to do now is play football,” he said. Nnamdi Oduamadi, who

scored a hat-trick for the African champions at Estadio Mineirao, said the players had put the dispute behind them. “I’ll say it’s a big relief now, due to the stuff we had with the delay and missing the flights,” said the 22year-old forward, who spent the 2012-13 season on loan at Italian second-tier side Varese from AC Milan. “This victory will give us a big morale. We’ll talk in the group now, do everything the coach says, and we’ll see what happens in the second game.” Nigeria’s victory took them above Spain on goal difference at the top of Group B.

ZAMBIA Football Association president Kalusha Bwalya is confident the Chipolopolo will beat Ghana in their final World Cup qualifier to advance to the next stage. The 2012 African champions were toppled at the top of Group D after drawing 1-1 with Sudan at home last Saturday. Renard Herve and his side have no option but to record a win at the Baba Yara Stadium in September. The odds appear to be against the Chipolopolo but Bwalya is adamant they will prevail. “Yes, we still believe that we can finish at the top of our group. The final game in Ghana will be a different match from what we had today (against Sudan),” Bwalya told CAF’s official website.

Drogba ’ll Play For CIV Again IVORY Coast coach Sabri Lamouchi has told Didier Drogba he still has a future in the national team, saying he “would be mad” not to use the Galatasaray striker’s prodigious talents. Drogba, 35, has not played for his country since their surprise quarter-final exit at the African Nations Cup in February, missing out as the Elephants moved into a two-legged play-off - the last step en route to Brazil 2014 - with a win over Tanzania on Sunday. However, the former Marseille and Chelsea forward looks likely to be back for August’s friendly with Mexico after Lamouchi, 41, told RMC the two-time African Footballer of the Year merely “needed a holiday” and remains fundamental to his plans.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013

Zidane Not Ready For Madrid Pressure

FORMER Real Madrid manager Mariano Garcia Remon believes Zinedine Zidane is not ready to manage the club. The Whites are currently searching for a replacement for Jose Mourinho, who recently left to join Chelsea and Zidane is said to be keen to take over as the head coach or the assistant. However, Remon believes that the Frenchman, who is currently the club’s director of football role, lacks the experience that is needed to lead a club like Madrid. “To be the coach of Real Madrid requires a special responsibility,” the 62-yearold told Marca. “It’s very complicated, they expect results. It is premature to say that ‘Zizou’ will coach Real Madrid. “Everyone’s talking about Madrid, and under this pressure, the coach still has to make important decisions. All coaches will have added pressure at Madrid, more than at any other club. “Towards the end of long contracts, the results are evaluated. If the numbers are negative, then the deal gets terminated. We have seen an example recently with Mourinho, who had a contract (until 2016).” Zidane had a successful career with Madrid as a player, scoring 48 goals in 247 appearances and also won both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League with the side.

Pele Urges Neymar To Improve

Karim Benzema (left) and Frack Ribery

Sex Scandal

Benzema, Ribery Trial begins

THE trial of Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema on charges of having sex with an underage prostitute began in Paris on yesterday. relations with her when she was Ribery, 30, and 25-year-old under 18. Bayern Munich’s Ribery has Benzema are two of eight defendants. They could be admitted flying Defar to the sentenced to three years in prison Bavarian city and having sex and fines of +45,000 if found with her in April 2009, but maintains the +700 he paid guilty. The case was brought to the covered transport, hotel and attention of police by an food costs. Benzema is alleged to have anonymous tip-off in September taken Defar back to his hotel 2009. Ribery and Benzema allegedly and slept with her for +500 met Zahia Defar, then a prostitute, following the French Union of in a Champs-Elysees nightclub Professional Footballers’ before engaging in sexual (UNFP) awards dinner in Paris in May 2008. The Real Madrid striker will argue in court that he had been in a hotel talking to his agent on the night in question. the winner in the 83rd minute. “It’s a very simple case. Kennedy’s goal sent Stadium Daniel Vaconsin, Defar ’s Australia into raptures and after lawyer, told L’Equipe. “Were a tense injury-time period was either of Messrs Benzema and survived the celebrations began Ribery, at any time, able to realise that they were soliciting and thoughts turned to Brazil favours for money from a next year. young girl aged 16 or 17?” Australia join Japan at the Bayern Munich sporting World Cup from Group B. It director Matthias Sammer told means the final game in the the German media that Ribery group, between Jordan and could count on the club’s Oman, is now for a play-off backing. “Of course we are concerned place. Jordan must win to with it - we cannot pass on a overtake their visitors. topic like this,” he said. “We In Group A, South Korea are have a responsibility to our almost assured of qualification. player and will signal to him Uzbekistan must win at home to that we are on his side, and he’ll Qatar and hope Iran lose in get the best support from us.” Carlo Alberto Brusa, Ulsan. Uzbekistan must beat Qatar by Ribery’s lawyer, will reportedly four goals if Iran secure a point. demand that the case is heard behind closed doors in order to If Iran and Uzbekistan both protect the privacy of his client. win, South Korea would be The hearing will stretch over eliminated by a six-goal swing four days, ending next with the Uzbeks.

Australia Book World Cup Berth AUSTRALIA secured a place at the World Cup finals for the third successive occasion with a 1-0 win over Iraq on yesterday. Australia knew that anything other than victory in Sydney would open the door for Oman to overtake them in second place, and for long periods of the game the Socceroos looked toothless up front. After Australia wasted good opportunities in the first half, Iraq goalkeeper Noor Sabri had little to do after the break. Coach Holger Osieck decided to take off talismanic midfielder Tim Cahill with 13 minutes left on the clock, much to the amazement of the supporters and the player himself. But the gamble paid off as Josh Kennedy, who replaced Cahill, rose unmarked to head home

Wednesday. Defar, now 21, who came to France from her native Algeria at the age of ten, has “turned the page”, according to Vaconsin. She will not be present in court, but has

been called as a witness. The lawyer said his client wanted access to the case file and would not be claiming compensation from the defendants.

BRAZILIAN legend Pele believes Barcelona’s new recruit Neymar has to improve to succeed in Europe. The 21-year-old recently completed his anticipated move to the Camp Nou but Pele believes he has to develop in some areas to have a strong impact at his new club. “It’s clear that the marking in European football is different to Brazilian or South American clubs,” Pele told reporters. “They’re stronger, the marking is tighter and the referees are used to this type of play. I think that this will be Neymar ’s main difficulty. “He has some obstacles to get over: he needs to play in a World Cup, he needs to improve his heading. “By way of comparison, we had (Zinedine) Zidane a short time ago, one of the last great names in world football. He was an extremely complete player. Neymar still needs to get to that level.” Neymar is currently representing Brazil at the FIFA Confederations Cup where he has already made his mark by scoring his first goal during the 3-0 win over Japan, finishing with a sublime volley.

Jorge Backs AVB For PSG Job FORMER Portugal boss Artur Jorge believes Andre-Villas Boas has what it takes to succeed at Paris Saint-Germain if he should follow his compatriot into the Parc des Princes hot seat. Jorge, 67, coached PSG on two occasions, winning the Ligue 1 title at the end of his first stint in 1994, the club’s last championship win until this season’s triumph under Carlo Ancelotti. Villas-Boas, 35, has emerged as the favourite to succeed Ancelotti in the French capital with the Guardian reporting on Monday evening officials of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), which owns PSG, had held weekend-long talks with the Spurs’ boss’ agent. Currently on holiday in the Bahamas, Villas-Boas, whose contract in north London has two years to run, has given no indication as to his plans, but Jorge told Le Parisien he is confident his fellow countryman could make a successful short hop across the Channel. “Today, PSG has become a great team and Villas-Boas is capable of coaching a big team. When it comes down to it, it’s the players who do great things on the pitch, and VillasBoas will find them at PSG. He’s a very young coach, but I see a great future for him. He’s cut out for that.” Should Villas-Boas accept PSG’s

offer, which would likely be a single-year deal with a further year on option - the same contract offer Michael Laudrup reportedly turned down last week - he would have at his disposal a squad capable of making a big impact in the Champions League, a competition Spurs will miss out on again next season. He will also inherit a dressing room of household names, and last season’s leading scorer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 31, is barely younger than his would-be boss. Jorge, however, believes ability and not age should be the deciding factor for the PSG powers-that-be. He said: “You need to have a good relationship with the players regardless of your age. Before, you had to win something significant to find yourself in the dug-out. Now it’s different. “If he’s been given responsibility at clubs like Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham, it’s because he has the ability. Since he left Mourinho, he’s had a good career. If he finds the right words, the players will follow. VillasBoas is very good.” After Laudrup stated his determination to stay at Swansea and with another reported target, Guus Hiddink, having seemingly decided to honour his contract at Anzhi Makhachkala, Villas-Boas

has been eased into top spot on a ‘wanted’ list that has not featured a French name. Though the PSG board’s hope to make a short-term appointment is seen as them preparing the ground for Arsene Wenger to take over when his Arsenal deal runs out in a year’s time, legendary Auxerre coach Guy Roux told Le Parisien the Ligue 1 champions should have looked for a solution closer to home. “It’s a shame they haven’t thought about taking a French coach, apart from Wenger of course. I don’t know Villas-Boas very well, but is he really so much better than the French? “By always looking for a foreign coach, eventually we’re going to come across a guy who’s incapable of adapting to Ligue 1. There are at least ten French coaches who have the ability to coach PSG. “But certain people think that if a player costs tens of millions, he can only be coached by a foreigner who costs a lot of money. It’s no coincidence that the two big clubs who want a foreign coach, Monaco and PSG, have foreign presidents. That said, the French system for educating coaches is one of the best. I have a lot of respect for Ancelotti, but he didn’t do better than [Antoine] Kombouare in his first season.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013 CMYK The Boko Haram camp, about 60 km to Chad, was deserted when journalists in company of members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the Director of Defence Information, reached there. jihad’’. At the camp, relics of the insurgents’ property,

In July 2009, members of the sect bluntly refused to

apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons,’’ Jonathan said. Shortly after the p r e s i d e n t ’ s pronouncement, soldiers moved into the affected

ByOKHAREDIA CONSTANCE ATHEKAME By IHIMEKPEN

Winning The War Against Boko Haram Insurgents

including burnt cars, refrigerators, electric fans and gas cookers, littered everywhere. Theabandoned belongings of the fleeing insurgents include clothes, shoes, used and unused condoms, drugs and injection syringes, among others. The authorities said that the extremists had begun coating their vehicles with mud and hiding them under trees to avoid being spotted from the air. A t K i r e n o w a community, about 30 km from the camp, hundreds of people gathered to welcome the military convoy and journalists. Zarna Ashak Zarma, the head of Kirenowa community, told newsmen that the community was grateful to President Goodluck Jonathan for declaring a state of emergency in the area. Saying that the community could now sleep with their eyes closed, Zarma stressed: “We are grateful to the Federal Government. Those of us who fled have since returned home.’’ Boko Haram, an Islamic sect, has targeted the police, churches, mosques, politicians and public institutions in its violent campaign which began in 2009. Mohammad Yusuf, a radical Muslim cleric, created Boko Haram in 2002 in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of Borno. The group aims to establish a fully Islamic state in Nigeria, while setting up Sharia courts across the country. Boko Haram literally means “Western education is a sin’’ and the sect calls itself Jama’atul Alhul Sunnah Lidda’wati wal jihad or “people committed to the propagation of the prophet’s teachings and

obey a traffic regulation compelling motorcycle riders to wear crash helmets and the resistance snowballed into an armed uprising in Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, and Kano states. The uprising, which was quelled by the army, left hundreds of people dead. It also culminated in the killing of Yusuf, his father-in-law and other members of the sect members, which human rights advocates condemn as extra-judicial killings. The notoriety of Boko Haram grew by the day as the sect orchestrated a campaign of suicide bombings and assassinations in the northern part of the country. Boko Haram’s campaign assumed a more dangerous dimension, as the group is believed to have linkages with international terrorist groups. For instance, on Aug, 26, 2011, a suicide bomber attacked the UN building in Abuja, killing at least 21 persons and wounding 60 others. The Boko Haram group later claimed responsibility for the bombing. The group’s terrorist campaign continued unabated in some states with frightening consequences, compelling President Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states on May 14. Following the declaration, Jonathan directed the Chief of Defence Staff to immediately deploy more troops to these states for “more effective internal security operations’’. “The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists. “This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches and the

areas and took control of the three states. In an attempt to ensure media access to first-hand information about the

weapons and vehicles confiscated from the Boko Haram insurgents were stockpiled. Speaking, Lt.-Col Gabriel

the camps of militants. The journalists confirmed such accounts via their observation of the relics of the military offensive such as burnt vehicles and personal effects like shoes and clothes that were strewn across the sacked Hausari Camp on the

Boko haram insurgents operation of the JTF in Maiduguri, Borno State, the Defence Headquarters organised a two-day media tour of the area for local and foreign journalists. In Maiduguri, Maj.-Gen. John Ewanshia, Commander of the JTF in Borno, briefed the journalists on the achievements recorded by the JTF since its operations began on May 14. He said that the task force was working in line with President Jonathan’s directive regarding the restoration of law and order to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. “As we speak, the operations are ongoing and a lot of grounds have been covered; a lot of achievements have been recorded but I won’t go into details. “I will rather allow the gentlemen in the field to do the briefings,’’ Ewanshia said at the beginning of the tour. Prior to the commencement of the tour, the journalists were conducted round the JTF premises where the

Olurunyomi, Commander of Combat Team C of the JTF, told the journalists that the troops had begun a process of peace and confidence building. He said that after dislodging the Boko Haram insurgents, the JTF had been working with the police to restore law and order in the states. “Presently, we are working on peace and confidencebuilding for the people; that is why it is safe for you to be here now,” he said. The tour revealed some hard facts about the Boko Haram insurgents’ invasion of some farming and fishing communities and their secessionist moves which culminated in their establishment of an “Islamic state’’ with its distinctive red flags hoisted everywhere. From all indications, the insurgents appeared bent on achieving their goals but they apparently succumbed to the superior firepower of the JTF. Locals recalled that they witnessed, from a safe distance, how fighter jets and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) pummelled

outskirts of Kirenowa village. A member of the JTF, Lt.Col. Danladi Hassan, who is the Commander of Combat Team One, told the journalists that a lot of progress had been recorded in the JTF operation. He said that the insurgents fled their camp on May 16 after an encounter with the JTF, adding that the rebels had relocated to woody areas to evade being spotted. “This is to ensure that the rays of sunlight and surveillance from our aircraft do not expose them,’’ he added. He said that the deserted camp hitherto served as a

training ground for new recruits of the outlawed Boko Haram sect. Hassan, however, said that the insurgents destroyed their belongings when they discovered that the JTF troops were advancing towards them. The officer said when the troops moved into the camp, they also discovered some drugs which the terrorists used. In the meantime, socio-economic activities in the neighbourhood have picked up, as residents were seen going about their routine duties. At the Kirenowa community, the residents commended the Federal Government for declaring a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The locals, who spoke in Hausa and Kanuri, described the military operation as very successful, adding, however, that the visiting journalists could have seen “more action’’ if they had visited the area earlier. They recalled that there were serious battles between the insurgents and JTF troops at many locations. However, Zarma, the community’s head, commended the troops for the way they related with the members of the community, adding that the soldiers’ efforts to share information with the residents also aided the fulfillment of their assignment.(NAN)

TOMORROW ON THIS PAGE

“

Courage is all we need; courage to stop pretending to hate what you love; courage to know when to stop this patch-patch work and go for a total overhaul of the constitution; and courage to accept that, after all, the fault may not be in our constitution but in us.

”

-Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan

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