THE NIGERIAN
The Nigerian
1
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 39 NO.126 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 • N100.00
War on terror: US restates support for Nigeria
INSIGHT Pages 16 - 17
LAGOS - The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, yesterday said that the U.S. government would continue to support Nigeria in its efforts to win the war against terrorism. Entwistle said this in
Challenges Facing Nigeria’s Economic Development
Lagos at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria Annual lecture held at the Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs (NIIA). The envoy spoke through his representative, Ms Maria
Brewer, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US. Embassy. He said that the U.S. government had provided equipment, training as well as shared her lessons on how Continues on page 2
Oshiomhole To Fayose
Don’t join me in your gangsterism
BENIN CITY- Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has told his Ekiti state counterpart, Mr Ayodele Fayose, to buckle up and face the task of governance rather than drag his (Oshiomhole’s) name into the political gangsterism that has become peculiar with the Ekiti State Governor.
TRIBUTE Page 20 Princess Oronsaye
Mother of the less privileged
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, Oshiomhole said “we find it utterly laughable and as the height of political childishness for the Ekiti State Governor to hide behind his media aides and seek to drag the name of the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, into his crude gangster tactics which he has reintroduced into Ekiti politics less than two months after assuming office. “If the Ekiti Governor is too lazy to read and too
politically illiterate to know what is happening in Edo State House of Assembly, we expected his psychedelic media aides to simply shut their loud mouths rather than behave like capering neophytes. “For the purpose of education, the Ekiti Governor and his media aides should be informed that there is no crisis in Edo State House of Assembly. Fifteen members of the 24member Assembly are members of the All Progressives Congress,
Tambuwal who arrived in company of APC caucus leaders, including Suleiman Kawu, Deputy Minority Leader, Solomon Adeola, Mohammed Zakari, Samuel Adejare, Biodun Akinlade, among others was whisked into the complex through main gate of the National Assembly at about 10:56am by Zakari Mohammed and two other lawmakers. However, other lawmakers who accompanied the Speaker were locked out and this resulted in their climbing the gate amidst applauds from the National
Assembly workers and heavily armed policemen who mounted barricades at the gate. Senate President, David Mark and hundreds of Senators were also prevented from gaining entrance into the complex. All the gates leading to the National Assembly were shut to prevent the Continues on page 2
while nine are members of the opposition PDP. Of the nine PDP members, three are
on suspension while the seat of one member has been declared vacant. So, effectively, the PDP has five members in the
Edo State House of Assembly. “Even a kindergarten knows that 15 is greater than 5. So if five PDP members
decide to sit with three suspended members and another whose seat was declared vacant in a chamber which is undergoing renovation, then we can at best regard that as the height of crass legislative irresponsibility. “It is ridiculous to even Continues on page 2
Commotion, as Lawmakers move Tambuwal into N’Assembly By EDITH IMOISILI
ABUJA - There was serious commotion in the National Assembly in the early hours of yesterday, as heavily armed joint security operatives were deployed to the National Assembly in a bid to prevent the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal from entering into the National Assembly premises. The security operatives, according to one of the ASP, was deployed on the order of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
TIT BIT “ The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself. - Bill Gates
EMERGENCY PLENARY: Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (middle) having a handshake with one of the House members during an Emergency Plenary in Abuja yesterday.
BNCL Board seeks govt support
BENIN CITY – The Board of Directors of Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), publishers of The OBSERVER titles, yesterday visited Edo
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Louis Odion to ask for g o v e r n m e n t s intervention in resuscitating the 46
years old company. In a swift reaction, the commissioner promised to take the message to the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The Board Chairman, Mr.
Dan. Owegie in his address read by the Acting General Manager of the company, Rev. Monday Aigbe acknowledged the
By ROLAND OSAKUE/ MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Ogbeide has remanded five accused persons who allegedly attacked three policewomen at the Ikpoba-Hill axis of the state capital.
The accused persons who are now facing an attempted murder charge included Izinabor Julius, Agela Ovabor, Promise Ovabor, Dele Joy and Happy Charles who were
said to have committed the offence on 17th November, 2014 at No. 8 Obaseki lane, opposite Western Boys High Continues on page 2
Attack on policewomen: Court remands 5 persons
BENIN CITY - A Benin Magistrate Court presided over by magistrate Jonathan
deteriorating condition of the company’s printing machines and general poor working environment of the company. According to the Board Chairman, after an assessment of the general state of the company, it was observed that unless something urgent is done the company may be grinded to a halt. Continues on page 2
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
News
War on terror: US restates support for Nigeria Continued from page 1
to combat terrorism with Nigeria as part of its support to the Nigerian government. Entwistle reiterated his home government’s continued support to the Nigerian government and security agencies in fighting insurgency in the North East. “The United States wants
Nigeria to win its war on terrorism, and we fully support the Nigerian people in their struggles. “Over the last decade, the United States has learned that defeating terrorism requires more than just military power. “Fighting terrorism requires civilians and military leaders to work together and defeat the
enemy on the battlefield,’’ he said. The envoy urged the country to regard the challenges it was currently facing as catalysts for its growth, development and success. “The challenges faced by
Don’t join me in your gangsterism shenanigans which have
Continued from page 1
contemplate that the Ekiti Governor and his media aides do not know that 15 is greater than five! For sure, they seem engrossed with their stomach infrastructure mantra, such a dubious contraption which can only be contrived by an ideologically clueless and gluttonous administration. “But for the kind of democracy we practice in Nigeria, where the PDP promotes and condones all manners of illegalities, inanities and
Nigerians are significant, but so are the opportunities for growth, development and success. “Indeed, I stand before you as an Afro-optimist, albeit one with a clear-eyed sense of realism about challenges that must be met on the path toward that bright future. “These challenges are global in nature and affect many nations, including the United States and Nigeria. “It is only natural for our countries to work together to meet these challenges,’’ he said. Entwistle said that 120 Nigerians were among the 5,000 fellows from 56 countries that had so far benefited from the Humphrey Fellowship programme. Chief Olabintan Famutimi, president of the alumni association of Nigeria said that insecurity in the country was already negatively affecting the country’s image abroad.
become the second nature of that party, Ayodele Fayose would have been cooling off his heels in gaol rather than brandishing the appellation of being a Governor. “We are thoroughly ashamed that Ekiti, hitherto known as the fountain of knowledge, is being reduced to a mindless bubble by a man running her affairs without a discernible direction like a drowning man clutching desperately at flotsam. “We advise Fayose to restrict his gung-ho area boy tactics to
Ekiti state and stop dropping the name of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to shore up his jaded image. Governance comes with decorum, respect and responsibility. If Ekiti people with all their avowed sophistication and intellectuality have elected to present a political rascal as their number one citizen, so be it; but they must understand that there is a huge difference between character and infamy.”
Government in the three most affected areas of the North East region of the country. In a close session, the Lawmakers resolved that the House of Representatives was under siege and as such could not be allowed to do their legislative duties effectively well. Hon. Mohammed further stress that the decision to adjourn sitting to December 24,2014 was to douse tension
among the Lawmakers following the heavy presence of security personnel and the treatment meted on them at the gate. Asked if the adjournment would not affect the Emergency rule, Hon. Zakari Mohammed said that Mr. President has the Constitutional powers to deploy the army to the troubled areas without recourse to the National Assembly.
representing Chibok, Damboa and Gwaza, Borno State, Hon. Peter Biye Gumtha said he was not satisfied with the way some Lawmakers were acting about the extension of the Emergency rule. Hon. Gumtha said he was directly affected by the insurgency and would always support the extension of the Emergency rule in his state.
political education of the electorate. He told the commissioner that the situation of the company became so bad that at a time when the
newspaper printing machine broke down, management resorted to printing the newspapers in private commercial printing press at huge cost.
Commotion, as Lawmakers move Tambuwal into Reacting to the decision of the House to adjourn, a N’Assembly member of the House
Continued from page 1 lawmakers from sitting. Over 100 newly deployed security operatives from the Department of Security Service (DSS) and Nigeria Police took over the security checks at the National Assembly. The situation led to heavy traffic as the security operatives conduct thorough checks on incoming vehicles at different locations. One of the ASP who led the security team at the Secretariat junction, told a Supreme Court Judge who was trapped in the long queue, that the “NSA is aware of why we are here”, as he (Judge) furiously challenged the ASP, “Why are you disturbing me, I’m going to the Court?” After gaining entrance into the complex, another team of police disposed tear-gas at the entrance leading into the House of Representatives chamber. Briefing the National Assembly Correspondents on the latest development, the Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed said that the House of Representatives had suspended deliberations on the extention of Emergency rule sought by the Federal
BNCL Board seeks govt support
Continued from page 1
This, he said is particularly so, especially during the present electioneering period when the newspaper is expected to contribute its quota to the
Retiring UNIBEN VC gives account of stewardship By ERANGA ISAAC
BENIN CITY- With 10 days left to complete his five year tenure, Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Professor Osayuki Godwin Oshodin said his administration employed over 4,000 academic and nonacademic staff. During the period, beside staff promotion exercise which cuts
Court remands 5 persons
Continued from page 1
School, Ikpoba-Hill, Benin City. The accused persons arraigned in charge No. MOGB/ 158c/2014 before Magistrate Ogbeide on four and seven-count charge were said to have conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit attempted murder an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code. The five accused persons who pleaded not guilty to any of the count charge were also alleged to have fiercely attacked the police officers, Sgt. Evbakoe Idemudia, Sgt. Edith Mokobia and Cpl. Ihensekhien Cordilia attached to Ikpoba Hill Police Station in Benin City, with bottles and planks thereby committed an offence punishable under Section
320 (1) of the Criminal Code. In count four, the accused persons were said to have committed an assault occasioning harm against the three police officers after resisting arrest having showed them police identity cards, an offence contrary to Section 356 (1) of the Criminal Code. They were also alleged to have beaten the officers all over their back as well as conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by behaving in disorderly manner before stripping themselves naked in a public place, an offence punishable under Section 355, 249 (a)(d) of the Criminal Code. When the matter came up Magistrate Ogbeide remanded the accused persons accordingly.
across different cadre, the university produced 173 professors and 214 Associate professors. Professor Oshodin who gave account of his stewardship at the combined 39 th and 40 th Convocation /44th Founders Day ceremonies of the institution yesterday also disclosed that the administration successfully executed 424 projects out of which 302 were executed with internally generated revenue, while over 100 others have been awarded, with work already commence in some. He expressed satisfaction that the administration never requested for extrabudgeting allocation to finance the staff recruitment exercise. The convocation recorded 118 first class honours degree out of the 16,458 graduands admitted into undergraduate Diplomas and Degrees. Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing
Council of the University, Senate Effiong Dickson Bob said the University has made tremendous progress under the present management. He said the outgoing Vice Chancellor made the work of the Governing Council easier by simplifying processes in an innovative manner. Senate Effiong Bob said following Oshodin, the council conducted a successful screening exercise for the appointment of new qualified candidates applied for the job. On his part, the chancellor of the University-Alhaji Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu, Musdafa, Lamido Adamowa said the combined convocation was as a result of the six months strike by the Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which lasted from June to December, 2013. The chancellor said Professor Oshodin’s scorecard when viewed, covers staff welfare, massive infrastructural development, academic breakthrough, staff discipline as well as peace and tranquility in the University during the past five years.
PDP thug vandalize Hospital
By ROLAND OSAKUE/ JENNIFER OWOBU/ GLORIA ONI BENIN CITY - Medical facilities and office equipment worth thousand of Naira were allegedly destroyed in the early hours of yesterday by a patient said to be a PDP thug at the Time Medical Hospital, off Ekenwan Road in Benin City, Edo State. The incident which occurred at about 1: 00 am however set residents of Agbonma/ Ekenwan area where the hospital is located awake as patients in the hospital wards cried and scampered for safety as the incident raged. The patient, Ikonwonsa Omorogbe was said to have been brought to the hospital by the police after sustaining several injuries from a gun shot at the delegates congress of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held in Egor Local Government Area of the state barely three weeks ago. The medical director of the Hospital, Doctor Tawio Ibukun Amusan said the patient destroyed medical items and office equipment worth thousands of Naira, as well as broke into his office and Carted away the sum of N350,000 after upturning his drawers and his medical emergency cupboard. Doctor Amusan, who was visibly pensive while conducting journalists round the hospital to ascertain the extent of damages, explained that he was called from home by the nurses on duty that the said Ikponwonsa Omorogbe had gone out the previous evening to get himself drunk and sneaked into the hospital a carton of beer before committing the atrocities.
According to the Chief Medical Director, “As I arrived the hospital, the patient had already broken into my office as he held a bar of iron waiting for any of his unsuspecting victim to wreak havoc”. He stated that it took the combined efforts of men of vigilante and other residents of the area to overpower him before calling the police. Amusa further explained that the said Ikponmonsa Omorogbe who was brought in with a bullet wound on his leg with the incident that led to his plight televised in the local electronic media shouting on top of his voice disclosed that he is a killer employed by a top politician of PDP who is presently under the custody of security personnel to scuttle the delegates congress when he met his waterloo to the scene, The NIGERIAN OBSERVER observed shattered television sets, stethoscope, broken bottles as well as the show glasses, for storing medical facilities littered the floor. Currency notes of various denominations belonging to the medical director allegedly stolen by Ikoponwonsa Omorogbe littered the ground while thick blood stains were visible on the chairs and the floor of the hospital. The police spokesman in Edo State, DSP Uwoh Noble said the command was already aware of the incident and that the patient has been arrested by men of the Evbuotubu police station.
Voter Education Edo govt, Reclaim Naija hold Public Forum BENIN CITY- A Non Partisan Organization, Reclaim Naija, in collaboration with Community Life Project and Ministry of Information and Orientation has organized a one day Civic and Voter Education Forum at the Centre for Community and Development Education in Benin City. Declaring the Forum open, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Olorunfemi Isaac Okuo in his address commended the Reclaim Naija and Community Life Project for the Forum which is meant to sensitize the public on the need to enhance popular participation in mandate protection and electoral transparency in the 20l5 National Elections in Nigeria. Mr. Odion, enjoined participants to be involved in any action that affect their lives especially giving their votes to credible candidates and support Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) for credible election. Speaking earlier, the Chairman of occasion, Mr. Isidahome Solomon said the Reclaim Naija is out to prepare people for the forth coming election on the need for the citizen to vote wisely. The Director of Community Development, Rev. Abebe Albert advised Community Development Associations present at the forum to be non – partisan, while contributing generally to the development of their different communities, adding that the CDAs are not set up to sell lands. Rev. Abebe, a resource persons who spoke on, Women and Politics” emphasized on the need for women to be involved in politics because women are very considerate and good negotiators. Another resource person, Mr. Wilson Akihomi spoke on, “How to vote and the functions of INEC in the forth coming 2015 National Election”.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Inside Edo Voters Registration
Ex-LG Boss Applauds Turnout BENIN CITY- A former Vice Chairman Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo state, Hon Jeffry Osamede Edorodion has described as impressive, the turn out of voters for the recently concluded voters
registration exercise embarked upon by INEC in Edo state. In a chat with The Nigerian OBSERVER, he noted that the large turn out shows the preparedness of the electorates to exercise their franchise, especially in
Oba Erediauwa Suspends Community Head
BENIN CITY- The Palace of the Oba of Benin His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwn has suspended the Odionwere of Iguogie Community in Ovia North East Local Government council Area, Edo state Pa. Akpata Omorodion due to his inability to manage the traditional affairs of Iguogie in addition to hobnobbing with the suspended Enogie of Iguogie. A statement signed by the Secretary to the Oba of Benin, O. Oronsaye Guobadia, indicated that a Panel of Chiefs headed by Chief Isaac Oghafua
Ogiemwense the Oyeoba of Benin kingdom in its investigation told the Palace that Pa. Omorodion’s actions created room for discord, thuggery, threats and other criminal activities in the community. The palace therefore asked the Second-in Command of the Community, Pa. John Osagiede, the Oka –Eghele, Ifueko Uhunwangho and other elders in the community to take charge and ensure peaceful co-existence among the people of Iguogie Community, pending the resolution of the Enogieship tussle in the community.
Youths Vandalise BEDC Office Over Tariff By MORRISON HAYBLE JATTU (UZAIRUE) Mayhem was unleashed Monday morning as a large number of angry youths protesting what they called arbitrary increase in electricity bill invaded and vandalized the office of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC located at Jattu, Etsako West Local Government area, Edo State. The youths, said to be from Iyamho community in the local government area who were said to have carried out the attack arrived with sticks and cudgels and smashed everything that came their way, destroying property worth millions of naira. It was gathered that the violent protest was sparked by alleged increase in the joint electricity bill of the community from #400,000(four hundred thousand) to #900,000(nine hundred thousand). An eye witness told newsmen that initial attempt to stop the ravaging youths was repelled as they over ran the security operatives, the Civil Defence and the police officers, beating and maiming some in the process. It was also reliably gathered that a police man and a civil defence officer clubed down in the crisis are in critical condition in an undisclosed private hospital.
As at the time of this report, it could not be ascertained whether any arrest was made concerning the incident as the police in the area simply reffered newsmen to Benin for comments. However when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Edo state command told our Correspondent on telephone that he had not been briefed and it was also not possible to get comments from the PRO, BEDC as he was said to be out of town for official duty.
the 2015 general elections. Hon. Edorodion however faulted the arrangement of INEC, especially in the area of data capturing machines deployed to the field for their exercise. He observed that the number of data capturing machines at many registration centres were relatively few when compared with the number of persons wanting to register. According to him the few number of machines in many centres made the registration difficult for those who made themselves available for registration. He however commended INEC for extending the registration exercise for two days stressing that the commission should pay due attention to voters registration by making it a continuous exercise as people attain the age of exercising their franchise every day. Speaking on the proposed local government autonomy, the former vice chairman noted that autonomy would accelerate the pace of development at the local government level, adding that it would empower local government to employ and carry out major development projects without unnecessary restrictions. Hon. Edorodion however noted that local government autonomy may not necessarily translate into the much desired development at the grassroots as those who do not mean well for the people may see it as avenue to enrich themselves to the detriment of those at the grassroots.
L-R: Chairman National Convention Committee and former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi in a hand shake with APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, while Deputy Chairman, representing north, Senator Shuaib Lawan looks on, after the inauguration of the Committee at the Party’s National Headquarters in Abuja. Photo: OMOYE AMINU.
Preparations For 2014 Ugie Carnival Gear Up
BENIN CITY-Preparations for the 2014 edition of the annual Ugie festival has reached advanced stage. The festival is part of the celebration (Ugie), including Igue celebrated every December by the people of Benin Kingdom to mark the end of the year. It celebrates the mark the end of the year. It celebrates the creative agility of the Benin people, the creative outputs of their endevour, wealth of the Benin Landmark and uniqueness of its arts, music, folklore and the magnificence of the monarch and the Benin kingdom. The event is pioneered by HEXAGON Network, a conglomerate of prince Omeregbe Erediauwa, a scion of the Benin monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Erdiauwu. According to him, events that would feature in this year’s edition includes Arts Exhibition, Stage Drama, Diaspora celebration, street canival, Traditional wrestling, Beauty pageant and Jazz concert. Omoregbe disclosed that
the introduction of jazz concert to this year’s edition is part of a process of fine tuning the celebration to meet modern trend. Meanwhile, PAGES
Aspirant Debunks Insinuation Of Non Performance By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR BENIN CITY- The people of Edo Central Senatorial District have been advised to disregard the insinuation in some quarters that the Oshiomhole-led administration has failed to carry the senatorial district along, especially in the area of infrastructural development. The remark was made by an aspirant, Theophilus Okoh, during a chat with newsmen in Benin City Mr. Okoh who is aspiring to represent Edo Central Senatorial District at the senate, described the insinuation as a mere propaganda, and that compared to when Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) was on board in the state, the Oshiomhole-led administration has done creditably well in the area of infrastructural development in Edo Central Senatorial District. On his ambition, Mr. Okoh noted that he believes the people need good representation at the senate which has been lacking. He therefore urged all APC faithful and electorate in Edo Central Senatorial District to “shine their eyes”, and take credibility into consideration when taking decision on who represents them in the next dispensation at the senate, adding that he has all it takes to champion their cause of the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Odionwere Appreciates Benin Monarch By VICTOR IMADE/ IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL
L-R: Chairman Organising Committee, Senator Izunaso, Chairman National Convention Committee and former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun going through the list of names of committee members during their inauguration at the Party’s National Headquarters in Abuja. Photo: OMOYE AMINU.
Boutique, organizer of the pageant has begun the process of selecting models for the Beauty pageant with a call for application from intending model.
BENIN CITY- The Odionwere of Evbuowe Community, pa Solomon Ugiagbe has appreciated the Oba of Benin for finding him worthy to be the rightful Odionwere of the community after proper investigation by the palace. He expressed his gratitude to the Benin Monarch yesterday, in an inauguration ceremony to formally inaugurate the executive of the Community Development Association (CDA), and the youth Association of the community. While inaugurating the Leaders of the various development association, who will work with him, the Odionwere thanked the entire people of the community for electing people of goodwill to join him develop the community and ensure peace, law and order urging the newly elected executives of the two
Associations to be of good conduct and abide by the constitution meant to guide their activities. In a remark by the newly inaugurated CDA Chairman, Mr. Samson Osemwingie, he promised to ensure that sales of Land will be done openly and with the consent of the Odionwere and elders of the community without any form of secrecy which may lead to the damage of the community’s reputation while urging all Land owners to provide evidence of ownership for their Land in order to prevent double sales of land. In a related development, the newly inaugurated youth chairman Mr. Wellington Osemwingie appreciated the youths of the community for electing him to represent them urging them to always trust in him while he take directives from the Odionwere and elders of the community to attract development projects and youth empowerment to the community.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
News
Abduction Of Journalists: Lawyer Bemoans Arms Proliferation By BETTY IDIALU
WARRI (Delta) - Last Sunday’s abduction of over a dozen journalists by Ijaw militants allegedly on the orders of ex militant, Government Ekpemukpolo alias Tompolo has continued to elicit public outrage. Development Expert and Peace Building Consultant, Mr Robinson Ariyo, bemoaned the proliferation of dangerous arms allegedly in possession of Ijaw youths in Delta State. Speaking to journalists in Warri, the lawyer said the recent threat by the Ijaw people of Gbaramatu to President Goodluck Jonathan, to stay away from the inauguration of the $16bn Export Processing Zone portends a grave danger to the security of the Itsekiri people, who are neighbours to the Ijaw. Ariyo who expressed outrage over the incident called for the immediate mopup of sophisticated weapons still in possession of the youths. “The events of the last three days had shown that Nigeria was gradually become a lawless society where strength is might, in which a group of persons could hold journalists on their legitimate duty hostage in a democracy” ’ The pillar of any society is the rule of law. We live in a society where everybody
should ordinarily be equal before the law. Journalists were seized , their equipment were taken from them and they were detained for 16 hours,” He chided the reaction of the State Government who merely described the incident as unfortunate, saying it was poor and not enough while calling for those responsible for the act to be brought to book. ‘’ The President and the governor swore to an oath to protect and secure the people. There is freedom of the press, yet the government has reacted poorly to this event. Even the
journalists identified those who kidnapped them, yet nothing has been done’’, Ariyo fumed. Ariyo urged the government to desist from rewarding bad behaviour by awarding contracts to the armed gangs, as according to him, it allows them make more money to purchase more arms urging them to clamp down on those who wield sophisticated arms to intimidate their neighbours. ‘’ These youths have weapons the least of which is the AK47, as attested to by the journalists that were
kidnapped. We are asking the government and the security agencies what these arms are doing in the hands of private people? He queried. ‘’ The penalty for abduction in Delta state is the death penalty. We urge an independent investigation into this abduction incident because the action of these youths is a threat to the security of the Niger Delta’’, Ariyo added.
The rights activist demanded the disarming of the armed Ijaw youths, describing their alleged continuous protection by the Nigerian state as a ‘disgrace’, saying the more we do not have equal treatment ,the less we can say that we have a democratic society. Ariyo said, if this situation is not investigated and nipped in the bud, it will happen again, adding that people are being held in prison for same
Delta Ethnic Groups Broker Truce By BETTY IDIALU
WARRI (Delta) - Towards ending the age- long ethnic acrimony among the various ethnic nationalities in Delta Central and South Senatorial Districts, leaders of thought from the ethnic groups have resolved to put aside ethnic differences and work together in harmony. This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting which held at the residence of Itsekiri leader, Pa J .O ,S Ayomike. The communiqué signed by E.Ekpoko Esq, Chairman ,Ijaw ,Isoko , Itsekiri Leaders
Forum and Chief Joe Omene , President General Urhobo Progress Union, said that to ensure the actualization of the above objective, a Mediation Committee on Inter ethnic Conflicts/ Crisis among the Ethnic Nationalities in Delta Central and South Senatorial District is to be set up. The meeting according to the statement, was a continuation of the one earlier held between the Urhobo Progress Union UPU and the Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri Leaders Forum of Delta Central, and South Senatorial District respectively.
President Goodluck Jonathan receiving a birthday card from Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa who led the delegation of Bayelsa Traditional Rulers and elders to the Presidential Villa to wish President Jonathan a happy birthday in Abuja yesterday.
Atiku Seeks Support In Delta
ASABA - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presidential aspirant on the platform of APC, has
President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) cutting his 57th birthday cake in Abuja yesterday.
solicited the support of party members in Delta State to enable him to emerge the flag bearer. Atiku made call while addressing the members in Asaba on Wednesday. He said he was the right candidate that should get the party’s ticket. He added that he was also the only presidential aspirant of the party who had come to the state to ask for their support. “Among the four of us contesting the position, I am the only one that has deemed it fit to come to Delta. I, therefore, want you to give me a chance to rule again’’, Atiku said. Atiku promised that he
Don’t Disrupt Govt Activities, IGP Urges Politicians
ABUJA - The InspectorGeneral (I-G) of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, has advised politicians to take their campaigns to the electorate rather than engage in disruption of government activities. This is contained in a
offence and called on the President to stop tolerating his kinsmen . The lawyer quoting Saint Augustine said, “the death of my neighbour reminds me of mine” as it is against the Itsekiris today, tomorrow it may be against another tribe. He expressed skepticism about the end to the crisis with the quantity of arms in possession of the Ijaws.
statement issued by police spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu in Abuja. The statement advised politicians not to engage in activities that would make it difficult for Nigerians to pursue their lawful daily businesses.
Abba said that the advice became necessary following an “ugly event’’ on Wednesday when some politicians barricaded the entrance to the
Nigeria Police Headquarters in Abuja. “The incident, though provocative, ended without any confrontation as the police
exhibited maximum restraint.’’ The statement advised the political class and their followers, who had grievances, to seek redress in the courts.
would not take Delta for granted if elected the president of Nigeria in 2015 general elections. “I believe in democracy and that is why I am fighting for democracy in Nigeria. “Everyone that enjoys democracy now should know that some people sacrificed their time for us to enjoy. “If I had supported the third term bid during our administration, we would have still been in power today. “So, it is high time we stopped electing those who do not desire to rule.’’ He also said that with the way things were, the country would soon become a two party system. The State Chairman of APC, Mr Jone Erue, said the state was glad to receive Atiku. He pledged the support of the members to Atiku to enable him to bring about the needed change in the country. Atiku had on arrival, donated an 18-seater Toyota bus to the party. Abduction of Journalists: Lawyer bemoans arms proliferation
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Photospeak The Chairman and some members of the Board of Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL) yesterday paid a visit to the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Louis Odion in his office in Benin City. Photo: ANDY EGBON
L-R: Rev. Monday Aigbe, Acting General Manager, BNCL; Hon. A.E. Asemota (Board member); Hon. Abiodun Ehiozee (board member) and Mr. Dan Owegie (JP). Hon. Louis Odion (right standing), and the Board Chairman, Mr. Dan Owegie JP (left).
L-R: Ambassador Femi Okuo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Orientation; Mr. Chris Abode; Director of Administration, Rev. A. Abebe, Director, Community Development and Mr. Peter Aibueku, Director of Information.
Mr. Lucky Wasa, Director of Publication and Documentation and representative of the Ministry on the BNCL Board (left) and other Board members.
Members of the Board.
Hon. Louis Odion (right), exchanging pleasantries with the Board Chairman, Mr. Dan Owegie and Hon. Ehiozee.
Rev. Aigbe (left), introducing members of the Board.
The Commissioner, Board members and Management of the Ministry.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Across The Nation Jonathan Sends Revised 2015 - 2017 MTEF To NASS By JOSES SEDE
ABUJA - President Goodluck Jonathan has forwarded to the Senate of the Federal Republic, a revised Medium Term
Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for the period 2015, to 2017 heralding the presentation of the 2015 budget proposal. In the letter conveying the fiscal instrument meant to serve
as guide for 2015 Appropriation Bill, which was read to the senators by Presiding Senate President David Mark, the president stated that “recent
National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) officials demonstrate safe use of pesticides for farmers and pesticides sellers in Funtua, Katsina State on Wednesday.
Ekiti Market Women Intervene In Legislature, Executive Face-Off ADO-EKITI - Market women from the 16 local government areas of Ekiti has met with members of Ekiti State House of Assembly to broker peace between them and the executive. The market women were led by their leaders (Iyalojas and Iyalajes) from the 16 councils. Mrs. Eunice Okunlale, the President of Ekiti Market Women, who also doubles as the Iyaloja of Ise-Ekiti, led the women from the various council groups to the meeting. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members received the women, while All Progressives Congress (APC) members were absent at the meeting also attended by the clerk of the House, Mr. Tola Esan. Okunlale. The leader of the PDP caucus in the House, Mr Dele Olugbemi (PDP, Ikole II), received the market women on behalf of other members of the house. He assured them of the resolve of the House to continue making laws that would bring about development in the state. The lawmaker urged the women to pray for the success of Governor Ayo Fayose’s administration. Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Okunlale said, the women were in the House to sue for peace between the legislators and the
executive arms of government. The women leader, who said they were disturbed by the development in the state, in the last one week, expressed the need for unity between the two arms of government. She appealed for cooperation between the two arms to enable the new governor to succeed in his transformation bid. Okunlale appealed to the APC members in the house to join hands with their PDP counterparts in their resolve to move the state forward. It will be recalled that the PDP faction of the House had approved the dissolution and reconstitution of Caretaker Committees for the 16 local government areas of the state.
Olugbemi presided over the sitting as the speaker extempore.
developments in the international oil market have necessitated that the MTEF be revised”. The MTEF projects N4,661.33 trillion to be spent in 2015 fiscal year which is N63.36 billion less than the approved total budget for 2014, while N4,733.21 trillion and N4,930.20 trillion have been projected for 2016 and 2017 respectively. Anticipated oil production volume has also been reduced from 2.3883 million barrels per day (mbpd) projection for 2014 to 2.2782mbpd with increased progression of 2.3271mbpd and 2.4067mbpd for 2016 and 2017 fiscal years respectively. Also, averaged budget price per barrel has been reduced from initial proposed US$78 to US$73 as against US$77.50 approved in the 2014. Moreso, the MTEF has proposed N162 average exchange rate per the US$ for the 2015, as against the 2014 approved N160, while N163.50 and N163 is proposed for 2016 and 2017 respectively. The Fiscal Responsibility Act makes it mandatory for the Federal Government to prepare a Medium Term Expenditure Framework every year. It is an integrated economic and
fiscal strategy plan that sets out the macro-economic framework and its projections and underlining assumptions for the next three financial years and an evaluation and analysis of the projections for the preceding three financial years. It contains the fiscal strategy paper, a revenue and expenditure framework, a consolidated debt statement and a statement describing the nature and fiscal significance of contingent liabilities and quasi fiscal activities of government. The MTEF 2015-2017 is stated to be anchored on the need to strengthen macro-economic
fundamentals, structural reforms, good governance and institutions as well as investing in priority sectors. The idea is to diversify and strengthen linkages in the economy, improve revenue generation, prudently manage revenues, create jobs, sustain inclusive growth and build infrastructure. With moderate projections for economic growth in both developing and developed countries and increased production of shale oil by the United States, the demand of crude oil has not been as high as in previous years.
FRSC Arraign 265 Motorists
KADUNA - The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kaduna has said that 265 motorists were arraigned before the mobile court various for traffic offences. The Sector Commander, Mr. Francis Udoma, told newsmen that the arraignments were conducted in August, September and October. Udoma said that the motorists were arrested at
Security personel screening pupils at the entrance of a Primary School in Maiduguri on Wednesday, following the re-opening of public schools.
Birnin Gwari, Zaria, Saminaka, Tafa and kafanchan. He said that out of the offenders, 212 were convicted while 44 were discharged. The sector commander said that two motorists were arraigned for possession of fake driver’s licence and number plate, while four others for possession of drugs. Udoma said that the command was particularly checking reckless driving, wrong overtaking, speeding and overloading. “We are bothered about reckless driving, especially when they are drunk or under the influence of drugs. “We are partnering with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to check these excesses on the highway,’’ he said. He therefore, urged motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations so as to avoid traffic offences, which the FRSC would not condone.
Board Partners States To Set Up Technology Incubation Centres
ABUJA - The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) said that the Federal Government would collaborate with state governments to establish incubation centres in the states. Its Director-General, Dr. Mohammed Jibrin, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja. Newsmen reports that technology incubation is an integrated support programme with the intention of creating and nurturing of
budding value-added and technology-based enterprises. Jibrin said the organisation thrived on technology-based and knowledge-driven programmes that in fulfillment of its mandate to pursue the commercialisation of research and development of the outcomes. “It is the aim of the Federal Government in collaboration with the states to that, each of the states of the federation is blessed with a technology incubation centre.
“We have been having very good success stories. “For example, we have Spectra Industries, a graduate of the programme of the technology incubation centre, Lagos, which has been invited for listing by the Nigerian stock exchange. “It is into thermocool production, coolers, warmers, and undulated thermo-equipment using local raw materials. “We have a graduate from
the technology incubation center, Benin, Austin Laz Nigeria Ltd, which is already in the Nigeria Stock Exchange. The company is into food products manufacturing using localy available materials. “We have others who have excelled. Sarah Specials has won an award for coming second in a recent entrepreneurs competition. “We have El-Bari Ventures, another entrepreneur that has
been able to win an award for being the first in the West African sub-region.“ According to him, this has formed the basis for the success, the board has recorded in graduating entrepreneurs, who are making their marks in the business and technology world. Newsmen reports that 800 research and development results have been incubated by 27 centres, adding that 500 of them have been researched on so far.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Lagos 500 Young Nigerians Study In Germany -Envoy LAGOS - The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zenner, has said that annually about 500 Nigerian youths were given opportunity to study in German universities by his country’s government. Zenner told newsmen in Lagos that the beneficiaries were offered admissions to study in the different universities on scholarships and through selfsponsorship. “Under the Germany Educational Exchange Services, 500 young Nigerians study every year in our different universities. “These Nigerians go to Germany partly on scholarships or through self-sponsorship. “And from experience so far, I am impressed with the number of Nigerians who did their research work in German educational institutions,’’ he said. The envoy said that his
government also gave such Nigerians the option of whether to come back after their studies or work in Germany. Zenner said that for any Nigerian to benefit from the exchange programme, he or she should first learn to read in and speak German language. The ambassador disclosed that the German government’s plan was to create the right learning environment for Nigerians in its institutions. Zenner also said that plans were underway by the government to partner some Nigerian universities in the learning of German language. “Nigeria really matters to the German government and we want more Nigerians to come and study in Germany. “I therefore, think that it is important for us to foster the integration of the study of German language here in Nigeria,’’ he said.
L-R: Executive Director, Marketing, News Agency of Nigeria, Otunba Jide Adebayo (left), discussing with the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderante, who paid a courtesy visit to the agency in Lagos on Wednesday.
12 Ships Laden With Petrol Arrive Lagos Ports LAGOS - Twelve ships laden with petroleum products consisting of petrol, diesel, kerosene and base oil have arrived Lagos ports, waiting to berth. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said this in its daily “Shipping Position’’ made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos. It said that six other ships containing food items had arrived at the ports, also
Fashola Approves Appointment Of 4 Judges LAGOS - Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has approved the appointment of four high court judges for the state. This is contained in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Judiciary, Mrs Grace Alo. According to the statement, the newly appointed judges are Mrs. Iyabo Akinkugbe, Mrs. Serifat Sonaike, Mr Abdulfattah Lawal and Mr. Abisoye Bashua. The statement said that the approval followed the recommendation of the National Judicial Council headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar. It said that the judges would be sworn-in today November.21. The appointment brings to 54, the number of judges in the state judiciary.
waiting to berth with bulk wheat and bulk rice. According to the document, 60 ships are expected at the ports from November 19 to December 5. The contents of the expected ships are bulk fertiliser, containers, steel products, bulk malt, crude palm oil, used vehicles and general cargo. The document also stated that 20 ships were discharging bulk rice, bulk gypsium, general cargo, fertiliser, bulk sugar and petroleum products at the ports.
L-R: National President, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ibinabo Fiberesima, National Secretary, Mr. Abubakar Yakubu and immediate past President, Mr. Segun Arinze, during their visit to Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Gombe recently.
YABATECH Warns Students Against Cultism
LAGOS - Authorities of the Yaba College of T e c h n o l o g y (YABATECH) in Lagos has warned students against participating in cultism, gangsterism and other vices that could endanger their careers on campus. The Director of the Public Relations Unite of the college, Mr. Charles Oni, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Oni said the college would no longer tolerate acts of indiscipline from students on campus. He advised students to focus their attention on their studies, which he said was the primary reason for their stay in the college. “We have zero tolerance for cultism and gangsterism and other negative conducts on our campus; everybody is now
being closely watched. “Our certificate is issue based on intellectualism; we want the college to continue to produce graduates who will make the college proud.’’ The director attributed students joining bad companies to a lack of parental control, monitoring and love. “Most parents have abandoned the training of their children to schools, churches and mosques. “Many students have gone astray because their parents and guardians have failed in their role.” Oni said that lecturers in the college had been saddled with the responsibilities of educating and mentoring students on morals.
“The lecturers have now imbibed the role of being parents to their students rather than just being teachers. “And with their role as both
lecturers and parents, they will be able to transform their students to better persons,’’ he said. Oni said that the college authorities were also doing everything possible to beef-
up security on the campus. “We have patrol vehicles going round the campus 24 hours everyday to ensure safety on the campus.” Oni recalled that some students of the college were rusticated last August for indulging in cult activities after they were found culpable. He said that following the incident, the authorities had
organised various orientation courses for both fresh and returning students to forestall a re-occurrence. “Now, once any student is caught or suspected, such student will first be withdrawn from the hostel,” he stated. Oni urged parents and guardians not to neglect or abandon their children in tertiary institutions under the assumption that they were matured enough to take care of themselves.
58 Ships Expected At Lagos Ports LAGOS - Fifty-Eight ships laden with various commodities would berth at the seaports in Lagos between Tuesday and December 5, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said. In its daily “Shipping Position’’ made available to newsmen in Lagos, NPA said that 21 of the ships were
laden with containers and would be received at the APM Terminals. According to it, 13 other ships will come in with food items while 12 ships will convey general cargo into the ports. It stated that two of the vessels had used vehicles as consignments while10 ships would bring in petroleum
products “like petrol, kerosene, aviation fuel, diesel, bulk gas, and bulk coal”. It added that 11 ships with kerosene, diesel, petrol and base oil as consignments had earlier berthed at the ports. Six other vessels, it added, had also arrived at the ports with rice, wheat and containers.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Rape
News
Wife Seeks Divorce
LAGOS - A trader, Folake Adewale, has pleaded with an Alakuko Customary Court to dissolve her seven-year-old marriage for alleged frequent beating and rape. Folake, 42, who lives at 26, Ogundipe Street, Alakuko, a suburb of Lagos, told the court that her husband rape. “I don’t think my husband is normal because after beating me he comes back to his senses and will tell me that he did not know he beat me. “Also many times, he forcefully makes love to me. “There was a time that he went to his village and on his return, he told me that he must make love to me that night, l rejected him. “Because of that, I did not sleep for three days so that he won’t have his way and because he is fetish and dangerous, I don’t trust him,’’ she said. She told the court that her husband burgled her wardrobe and stole all the money she kept there, noting that her husband stole her
money at will. She also said that she pays for the house rent and buys her child’s food. “My husband has threatened me times without number that he will kill me, so l want the court to dissolve the union so that l can have peace,” she said. The respondent, Kehinde Adewale, 45, a butcher, admitted that he use to forcefully make love to his wife because she use to deny him his right. “My wife use to starve me with sex for a month and since l don’t have any girlfriend, l force her when l am at the peak. “I pay for the rent and provide for the upkeep of the family, l have not stolen her money before and l don’t beat her,” Adewale said. Adewale said that in spite his wife false claim against him, “I still love her. The court president, Chief Awos Awosola, adjourned the case till November. 25, for further hearing.
Surgical patient at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, stranded on his sick bed as Joint Health Sector Workers strike continues yesterday.
FG Urged To Make Indigenous Languages Compulsory In Schools LAGOS - The Managing Director of Goge Africa Ltd., Mrs. Nneka Moses, has urged the Federal Government to make indigenous languages compulsory in secondary
2015: Lawyer Challenges Politicians susceptible to take bribe To Eliminate Corruption more or bend the rules than one who LAGOS - Mr. Bayo Akinlade, a former Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu, has said eliminating corruption in Nigeria should be of utmost concern in political circles ahead of the 2015 general elections. In an interview with newsmen in Ikorodu, Akinlade said that corruption was a major factor retarding the country’s progress. “The corruption rate in the private and public space is still alarming. “Nigerians should vote people that have plans and strategies to tackle corruption and eradicate it from our social lives beyond 2015,” he said. The former NBA secretary said that before the 2015 elections, political aspirants must let the electorate know how they intend to eliminate corruption. According to him, corruption is still pervasive in Nigeria and the nation’s poverty level is tied to her corruption rate. Akinlade said that the underdevelopment of key sectors of Nigeria’s economy was because of corruption. The former scribe said that priority should also be given
to agriculture to ensure food security. ‘’An hungry man will be
is sure of the next meal without over-labouring first,’’ he said.
Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over an alleged N853,300 internet fraud. Udom, who resides at No.1,Ekpenyong Bassey Lane, Atimbo, Calabar, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining under false pretences. The Prosecutor, Insp. Gabriel Ekundayo, told the court that the crime was committed between November.7 and November.11, 2013 in Lagos. Ekundayo said that the accused told the complainants, Hakeem Alaran and Odunsi Folorunso, that he was a resident in the U.S. “The accused advertised on an e-commerce website called `Nairaland’ that he can purchase and deliver items from e-bay and Amazons to prospective buyers. “The complainants told him to supply them laptops, computers, electric screw driver, 10 units of I-phones and computer accessories, all valued at N853, 300.
“The complainants paid the money to the account of the accused, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc account No. 0043200491. “However, the accused diverted the money into other uses without supplying the goods to the complainants,” Ekundayo said. The offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 285 prescribes three-year imprisonment for stealing, while Section 312(3) says that any person who obtains money under false pretence is liable to15 years’ imprisonment. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Olajuwon, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. She ordered that the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the
schools. Moses, who made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, said the policy would foster development. She said the policy would save indigenous languages from going into extinction. Goge Africa is an outfit that promotes African arts and culture. Moses said that indigenous languages were noticeably going into extinction, due to the
Man Arraigned Over N853,000 LAGOS - A suspected Lagos State Government. fraudster, Aniekan Udom,26, Olajuwon also ordered that Fraud has appeared before a Surulere the sureties must be residing in Lagos and show genuine means of livelihood. She adjourned the case till December.15 for mention.
indifference of people in communicating in such languages. She urged parents to speak their local languages regularly so that their children could learn from them. “The country would achieve a greater level of development using the mother tongue,’’ Moses said. She expressed regrets that ‘westernisation’ had eroded indigenous culture, adding that everybody wanted to behave like a foreigner, “leaving his cultural heritage behind. “The youth prefer to speak foreign languages and dress like foreigners. This is not good for our culture. “Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora should be proud of their culture,’’ Moses said. She urged educational institutions and tourism training
centres to inculcate in their curriculum courses that would promote indigenous culture. Moses said that some of the languages to be thought in schools should include: Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and other major ethnic languages. She said that culture could also help to preserve the nation’s unity. Moses said her company had taken different measures to preserve Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage locally and overseas through several awareness campaigns. She urged parents to play major roles in ensuring that their children were abreast of indigenous culture. “Culture goes along with language because language plays a vital role in the promotion, preservation and propagation of culture, “ Moses said.
Empty beds at the Surgical Operation Department (SOPD) at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi as Joint Health Sector Workers Union strike continues yesterday.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Abuja Motorcyclists Constitute Security Risk
FG To Reward 100 Companies
- FCT Minister ABUJA - The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Muhammed, has raised alarm over the increasing illegal activities of commercial motorcyclists in the FCT. Muhammed, who was fielding questions from State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, said that the motorcyclists were constituting a security risk. The minister alleged that some of the okada riders violating the ban on motorcycles in the FCT were security agents. “Okada ban - this is the area that I’m thoroughly frustrated. But, you will discover that most of the people that are violating the ban are security agents. “You see the police, the military were using their own officers, not even the young people that are coming for greener pasture and so they encourage them. “Not only around Nyanya, even at the vicinity of this Villa. Sometimes, as a minister, I go round to see. If you go to Area 1, you see the okada riders driving with absolute impunity and arrogance. “You drive them away, they come back because you discover that some of the policemen are using it to go to work; now motorcycles are being used. “I’m discussing with the new Commissioner of Police, you will see some changes because he has given me his own plan to make sure that no sacred cow is kept. “Unless we do that, there is no how we will enforce the ban on Okada.“ According to him, the comprehensive ban on the activities of the motorcyclists will cover the 8,000 kilometers of the FCT. On the misuse of public facilities, including the pedestrian bridges in the FCT, the minister stated that the administration would embark on public enlightenment to educate residents on the need to ensure proper use of the facilities. Muhammed said the administration was planning to employ some volunteers to enforce the law guiding the use of the pedestrian bridges in the FCT. The minister frowned at the activities of some traders who, he said, had turned the bridges to market places. He said the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency would continue to arrest those violating the law.
Members of APC at their salvation rally in Abuja on Wednesday.
FG Adopts New Strategy
Infant Mortality:
ABUJA - The Federal Government says it has put in place an integrated Management of Childhood Illness as the main thrust of its child survival strategy to reduce under-five mortality rate in Nigeria. The Supervising Minister of Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, said this in Abuja at a news conference to mark the 2014 World Pneumonia and Prematurity Days. According to him, Nigeria’s intervention programmes will be scaled up by the new strategy given the improvements made in reducing underfive mortality rate between 2010 and 2013. “The National Demographic and Health Survey 2013 have shown some improvement in total under-five mortality rates from 157/1000 live births in 2008 to 128/1000 live births in 2013. “Similarly, the WHO (World Health Organisation) 2014 report also showed some marginal improvement in pneumonia
causes of under-five deaths from 17 percent in 2010 to 16 per cent in 2012. “A lot stills need to be done to further reduce these rather high rates of deaths due to pneumonia. “Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Health has adopted the integrated Management of Childhood Illness as the main thrust of its child survival strategy.’’ The minister said the new strategy was on a pilot scheme in selected states before it would be launched in other parts of the country. He said that Government was mindful of the dangers posed by deaths caused by pneumonia and related diseases in under-five children by resolving to adopt the new strategy. Alhassan said the new strategy would be implemented alongside other measures already being implemented to help prevent other causes of deaths among children under five years of age.
“The guidelines on this have been printed and disseminated; training manuals developed and capacity of community resource persons are being built to deliver this initiative in some states (two pilot states of Abia and Niger within the WHO RACE project and two states of Kebbi and Adamawa with support from UNICEF). “I will like to reaffirm that the Federal Ministry of Health remains committed to scaling up high impact interventions that address all
issues of maternal, newborn and child health including strengthening of human resource.’’ The minister thanked all government’s development partners for being steadfast as Nigeria works towards achieving the health-related goals of the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) by 2015. November 12 and 17 have been set aside by the WHO as World Pneumonia and World Prematurity Days respectively. It would be recalled that pneumonia is rated second to malaria as the cause of underfive deaths in Nigeria.
ABUJA - The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, has said that the Federal Government had identified 100 companies to be rewarded for contributing to the nation’s economic growth. Aganga told newsmen in Abuja that the private sector was behind the country’s ranking as number one economy in Africa and one of the top 10 economies in the world. According to him, over the last three years Nigeria has attracted more foreign direct investments and more local investments than any other economy in Africa. ”Earlier this year, the prestigious Wall Street Journal Frontier Market Settlement index which surveyed blue chip companies in developed economies ranked Nigeria number one country of global interest to investors. “We are proud of these achievements because it is investors that create jobs for our people, wealth, facilitate economic growth and generate income for the government. “Behind Nigeria’s success are real companies which do business every day. These companies create jobs, employ our people and they keep the economy growing,” he said. The minister said that the government was aware that private investors were driving the economy, adding that “that is why we are organising the top 100 companies’ event for the first time. “These companies have built considerable scale in Nigeria and continue to show strong commitment to invest more,” Aganga said. He said the event had been deliberately planned to coincide with the country’s centenary celebration.
CMD Boss Bags Board Membership Of ABUJA - Dr. Kabir Usman, African Business School the Director-General of the Centre for Management Development (CMD), has been appointed as a member of the Governing Board and Pro Chancellor of African Business School (ABS). A statement by Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim, Media
L-R: APC Chieftain, Nasiru El-Rufai; APC Publicity Secretary, Chief Lai Mohammed; APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun and APC Presidential aspirant General Muhammadu Buhari, at the APC Salvation rally in Abuja on Wednesday.
Consultant to the directorgeneral, in Abuja, said Usman had been formally installed at the 15th anniversary of the school. The occasion was a combined Convocation, Matriculation and Investiture of new Fellows and Call to Hall of Fame celebrations of the school in Abuja. He succeeded the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, while Dr. David Graves replaced the current Chairman of National Universities Commission (NUC) and one-time Federal Commissioner of Education, retired Col. Ahmadu Ali, whose tenures ended. The school is one of the fully accredited independent business institutions in Africa that offers quality professional education in administration, accounting, information technology and marketing. Usman said at a Dinner in honour of the new fellows that education, leadership, management and
administration were keys to transformation. He urged the graduates and the fellows to use the knowledge and skills they acquired to join in the task of transforming the society. Usman said there were a lot of business and employment opportunities that could be harnessed to solve some of the social and economic problems of the country, especially with the investments in the telecommunications sector. The statement quoted the Minister for Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, as saying that the educational policy of President Goodluck Jonatahan’s administration focused more on vocational and professional education for Nigerian youths. He implored the graduates to be good ambassadors of the school and urged them to fulfil the obligations expected of them by contributing positively to the progress and development of the society.
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Business & Economy FG, States, LGs Share N593.33bn Gov Isa Yuguda (left) of Bauchi State, presenting a souvenir to Czech Ambassador, Amb Pavel Mikes, during his courtesy visit in Bauchi recently.
ABUJA - The Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Bashir Yuguda, has announced that federal, states and local governments had shared N593.33 billion revenue that accrued to the nation in October. Yuguda made this known in Abuja when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting. He said that the shared amount comprised statutory revenue of N484.32 billion, N35.55 billion Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds and N6.33 billion refunded by the
Great Green Wall Programme To Discourage Migration Of Herdsmen
ABUJA -The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam has said that the Federal Government’s Great Green Wall programme would discourage migration of cattle breeders in search of grazing lands. Mallam said this at a pre-event briefing on the presidential launch of the programme in Abuja. “The creation of grazing areas will in turn reduce the annual migration of cattle breeders as there will be no need to migrate. “The reduction of migration of
CSO Calls For Sensitisation Of Public On Procurement Law ABUJA - A Civil Society Organisation, Centre for Social Justice, has called for extensive sensitization of the public across the country on the Public Procurement Law. The Lead Director of the organization, Mr Eze Onyekpere, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja. Onyekpere said that sensitizing the public on the law was imperative to enable people to be acquainted with the law “and also keep public officers on their toes”. According to him, the more people know their rights the more they will stand up to resist those that will want to interfere in the procurement process. He identified political interference as a factor militating against effective application of the law and urged politicians to stay away from procurement process and allow transparency to prevail. “If procurement bureax at federal and state levels are allowed to carry out their functions without undue interference, the transformation programme will succeed. “The more people are sensitised on the procurement laws the more the system will be allowed to work in this country,” he said.
cattle breeders will consequently reduce the socio- economic friction between cattle breeders and other farmers usually affected by the movement. “The wall is also expected to act as a wind breaker to reduce the negative effect of heavy breeze that sometimes brings down houses. “Let the people know that whatever is planted on their land belongs to them; they should care for and maintain it.
“ Let the people know that government is not going to acquire their lands and that they will not lose any part of soil as a result of the great green wall. “Government is simply adding value to their natural inheritance; they are the owners of the programme and they should key into it by planting trees. “Avoid cutting down trees, and make use of alternative sources of energy such as the green cooking stove among
others.” The President is to launch the programme on November 25, in Kebbi State. Mallam said that the funds had been put in place to run the programme for the next three years. “N16 billion has been put in the 2015 budget for this; I can assure you that everything is on course for the success of the programme,” She said. NAN reports that the great
green wall is a desert impact mitigation programme designed for desertificated areas of the Sahel region in Africa. Mallam said that the programme would be of immense benefit to the people in the affected communities aside bringing an end to some climatic challenges. NAN further reports that the programme is to be implemented in 11 states of the federation namely; Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe , Katsina and Adamawa.
L-R: Country representative, International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC), Mr Henry Ekpiken; representative of the Director, planning, policy and coordination, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Dipo Oteniya and Assistant representative, FAO, Dr Rabe Mani, at the FAO countrystat National user’s and sensitisation seminar in Abuja recently.
Expert Seeks Restructuring Of Shipping Industry
LAGOS - A Marine Engineer, Mr. Olu Akinsoji, has urged the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, to restructure the shipping industry. Akinsoji told newsmen in Lagos the exercise would enhance the director-general‘s performance and achievements. “He is taking some very huge steps that you didn’t find before; he is less diplomatic and more
active. “He should strengthen himself so that his direction can be better defined. “ If we are doing shipping development let’s face shipping development properly and if we are doing maritime safety and regulation concerning shipping, let us face that squarely so that we don’t get these two things mixed up.
“Developing shipping must be seen as social economic growth and in the safety and aspect of dignity of ships. ‘Integrity of ships should be seen as a check-point for too much flexibility in shipping development. “Flexibility that is going to rub on the security and safety of ships and the integrity of the flag. “When you have an accident
and you are investigating it, you will investigate it in a manner that you will not put politics into it, you will investigate in on technical basis.“ He advised Akpobolokemi to devise a systematic plan that would enable Nigerians to man ships. Akinsoji stressed the need to dwell on issues that would ensure sustainable growth in the maritime industry.
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Other component of the money, according to him, is Value Added Tax (VAT) amounting to N67.14 billion. Giving the breakdown of the distribution of the revenue among the three tiers of government, Yuguda said the Federal Government received N224.26 billion representing 52.68 per cent, and states, N113.75 billion, representing 26.72 per cent. The local governments, he said, received N87.69 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent of the distributed revenue. He also disclosed that N47.12 billion, representing 13 per cent derivation revenue was shared among the oil producing states. On VAT, he said that the gross revenue collected for the month increased by N2.03 billion to N67.13 billion as against N65.1 billion recorded in the preceding month. The minister said that the n ation generated N420.03 billion as mineral revenue during the period as against N374.74 billion generated in September, adding that the performance indicated a “marked increase” of N45.29 billion between the two months. “The non-mineral revenue for the month of September is N116.66 billion, which when compared to the N127.36 billion generated in August shows a decrease of N10.7 billion. “FIRS received N2.47 billion, the Nigerian Customs got N3.83 billion and DPR received N5.17 billion as their cost of revenue collection for the month of September ,’’ he said. In his comment, the Chairman, Finance Commissioners Forum, Timothy Odah, said that the states were asking for two billion dollars from the Excess Crude Account to enable them complete ongoing projects. Odah lamented that the states and the local governments were suffering from dearth of fund to carry out meaningful projects at the local levels, adding that there was need for them to create jobs for the people. He also said that state governments were still clamouring for total removal of fuel subsidy, according to him, is not necessary considering the fact that there is “no enough money”. “There is no reason giving out what you do not have,” he said. On the declining global oil price, Odah said the state governments were aware and stressed that diversification of the economy was necessary to cushion the effect of the development “in the long run”.
THE NIGERIAN
11
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (20/011/14) Stocks
Open
Close
Change
Deals
Units
Value
NAHCO
4.7
4.47
-0.23
0
1,143,728
5,161,588.43
7UP
149
149
0
0
46,383
6,770,674.90
NASCON
7.57
7.2
-0.37
0
801,732
5,806,760.10
ABCTRANS
0.6
0.6
0
0
2,344,546
1,406,637.60
NB
162.2
157.15
-5.05
0
1,844,022
292,396,865.90
0.92
0.92
0
0
77,311
68,855.01
0.66
0.64
-0.02
0
1,274,576
819,862.34
ACADEMY
1.05
1
-0.05
0
50,000
50,000.00
NEIMETH
ACCESS
7.25
7.46
0.21
0
2,304,630
16,946,995.73
NEM
AFRIPRUD
3.09
3
-0.09
0
2,490,954
7,474,043.45
NESTLE
855.21
855
-0.21
0
729,127
611,420,290.60
AFROMEDIA
0.5
0.5
0
0
632,500
316,250.00
NEWGOLD
2014
2017
3
0
11
22,187.00
AGLEVENT
1.3
1.3
0
0
48,083
60,103.75
NIG-GERMAN
7
7
0
0
20
133
0.5
0.5
0
0
20,000
10,000.00
AIICO
0.82
0.81
-0.01
0
7,140,411
5,726,444.54
NIGERINS
AIRSERVICE
1.66
1.66
0
0
1,500
2,390.00
NNFM
19
19
0
0
10,146
183,201.00
ALEX
10.43
10.43
0
0
1,583
15,687.53
NPFMCRFBK
0.89
0.86
-0.03
0
255,000
227,700.00
ANINO
0.24
0.25
0.01
0
50,000
12,500.00
NSE30
1542.61
1510.32
-32.29
0
179,701,216
3,873,587,009.00
ASHAKACEM
23
21.85
-1.15
0
1,127,841
24,647,838.45
NSE50
1681.23
1647.23
-34
0
264,774,396
4,051,195,261.00
1014.86
1014.9
0.04
0
67,600
34,950.00
33428.76
-717.03
0
312,383,948
4,120,427,143.00
AVONCROWN
1.59
1.59
0
0
111,243
177,506.37
NSEASEM
BERGER
8.7
8.7
0
0
101,574
871,869.34
NSEASI
34145.79
BETAGLAS
22.05
22.05
0
0
1,325
30,673.75
NSEBNK
353.26
351.64
-1.62
0
106,955,504
1,089,670,715.00
CADBURY
46.63
44.3
-2.33
0
194,240
8,604,832.00
NSECNSMRGDS
878.03
850.77
-27.26
0
10,822,980
1,105,065,613.00
CAP
36.6
36
-0.6
0
194,400
6,999,692.50
NSEINDUSTR
2035.09
1988.45
-46.64
0
8,487,614
816,400,520.20
144.11
143.72
-0.39
0
70,219,652
53,042,196.95
2167.81
2093.17
-74.64
0
13,279,211
1,564,824,762.00
CAPOIL
0.5
0.5
0
0
2,600
1,300.00
NSEINS
CAVERTON
3.6
3.44
-0.16
0
332,000
1,143,098.00
NSELOTUSISLM
CCNN
10.9
10.9
0
0
18,934
209,128.00
NSEOILGAS
409.67
391.36
-18.31
0
5,201,076
146,192,665.40
CHAMPION
9.71
9.85
0.14
0
218,434
2,182,732.46
OANDO
20.91
19.87
-1.04
0
4,545,373
90,539,623.12
CHAMS
0.5
0.5
0
0
1,000,000
500,000.00
OKOMUOIL
25.7
25.7
0
0
67,353
1,693,065.82
0.5
0.5
0
0
200
100
CONOIL
49.23
49.23
0
0
3,158
147,699.66
OMATEK
CONTINSURE
0.91
0.89
-0.02
0
35,699,001
31,785,605.91
PREMBREW
3.98
3.98
0
0
2,700
10,233.00
COSTAIN
0.89
0.89
0
0
17,521
14,892.85
PRESCO
27.5
26.13
-1.37
0
233,785
6,132,616.56
COURTVILLE
0.5
0.5
0
0
138,000
69,000.00
PZ
21.9
22
0.1
0
1,053,861
22,943,373.25
CUSTODYINS
3.85
3.83
-0.02
0
96,668
371,191.84
REDSTAREX
4.2
4.2
0
0
26,000
104,240.00
0.5
0.5
0
0
691,726
346,843.00
0.89
0.85
-0.04
0
445,021
380,356.81
CUTIX
1.54
1.54
0
0
372,604
573,510.16
ROYALEX
DAARCOMM
0.5
0.5
0
0
24,000
12,000.00
RTBRISCOE
DANGCEM
175.98
180
4.02
0
2,714,420
474,529,955.10
SCOA
4.67
4.67
0
0
500
2,220.00
DANGFLOUR
6.55
6.55
0
0
2,900
18,067.00
SEPLAT
442
442
0
0
31,613
13,485,010.02
DANGSUGAR
5.95
6.11
0.16
0
2,891,600
17,618,512.01
SKYEBANK
2.59
2.47
-0.12
0
9,390,397
23,273,185.19
27.5
28.2
0.7
0
4,821,674
135,046,226.60 17,000.00
DIAMONDBNK
5.84
5.57
-0.27
0
9,666,021
53,834,813.59
STANBIC
DNMEYER
0.87
0.87
0
0
31,441
26,624.85
STDINSURE
0.5
0.5
0
0
34,000
DUNLOP
0.5
0.5
0
0
43,400
21,700.00
STERLNBANK
2.31
2.33
0.02
0
31,402,724
72,929,412.68
ENAMELWA
32.27
32.27
0
0
2,240
68,678.40
THOMASWY
0.79
0.79
0
0
4,702
3,573.52
ETERNA
3.3
3.14
-0.16
0
324,434
1,020,024.57
TOTAL
154.85
147.4
-7.45
0
128,125
18,970,646.06
3.51
3.51
0
0
50
167
ETI
17.2
17
-0.2
0
1,036,194
17,469,672.44
TOURIST
EVANSMED
2.2
2.2
0
0
13,200
27,588.00
TRANSCORP
3.99
3.8
-0.19
0
13,134,588
50,045,051.41
FBNH
9.18
9.1
-0.08
0
63,457,071
579,900,757.90
TRANSEXPR
1.29
1.29
0
0
2,593
3,189.39
FCMB
3.29
3.13
-0.16
0
9,072,709
29,737,948.36
UAC-PROP
11.03
11.03
0
0
133,334
1,422,407.35
FIDELITYBK
1.7
1.62
-0.08
0
4,291,940
7,107,582.70
UACN
44.7
43
-1.7
0
560,756
24,154,697.93
4.38
4.3
-0.08
0
10,003,338
44,087,599.56
1.71
1.63
-0.08
0
1,494,784
2,444,037.12
FIDSON
3.4
3.4
0
0
78,800
270,170.70
UBA
FLOURMILL
46.22
45.98
-0.24
0
1,205,763
53,479,878.42
UBCAP
FTNCOCOA
0.5
0.5
0
0
1,051,000
525,500.00
UBN
8.05
8.12
0.07
0
1,343,254
10,865,657.39
GLAXOSMITH
52
52
0
0
14,514
743,075.22
UNILEVER
34.3
33
-1.3
0
1,073,874
35,457,732.51
GOLDBREW
0.92
0.92
0
0
1,800
1,728.00
UNITYBNK
0.5
0.5
0
0
266,850
133,425.00
10
10
0
0
32,220
322,200.00
0.5
0.5
0
0
120,000
60,000.00
GUARANTY
23.08
23.12
0.04
0
25,733,951
596,190,641.70
UPDCREIT
GUINNESS
160.25
160
-0.25
0
278,498
44,576,523.24
UTC
HONYFLOUR
3.28
3.28
0
0
132,861
426,526.26
VETGRIF30
15.43
14.98
-0.45
0
20
299.2
IKEJAHOTEL
3.5
3.6
0.1
0
2,034,049
7,237,984.15
VITAFOAM
3.7
3.7
0
0
263,368
983,042.60
INTBREW
29
29
0
0
86,317
2,379,802.20
VONO
1
1
0
0
54,903
57,298.15
78
77
-1
0
3,956,516
308,537,852.80
0.03
0
5,022,714
3,409,038.16
JAPAULOIL
0.5
0.5
0
0
234,600
117,300.00
WAPCO
JBERGER
63.84
60.66
-3.18
0
537,858
32,943,851.20
WAPIC
0.65
0.68
LEARNAFRCA
1.43
1.43
0
0
9,050
13,113.54
WEMABANK
0.99
0.95
-0.04
0
1,152,136
1,095,094.24
LIVESTOCK
2.03
2.1
0.07
0
1,971,699
4,092,679.19
ZENITHBANK
21.07
21
-0.07
0
11,783,055
246,965,154.40
MANSARD
2.88
2.86
-0.02
0
317,950
913,546.00
MAYBAKER
1.5
1.5
0
0
91,000
130,200.00
MBENEFIT
0.51
0.5
-0.01
0
20,711,000
10,360,700.00
MCNICHOLS
1.48
1.48
0
0
15,000
21,150.00
MOBIL
165
156.75
-8.25
0
89,700
14,060,475.00
MRS
56
56
0
0
200
10,640.00
MTI
0.5
0.5
0
0
200
100
MULTIVERSE
0.5
0.5
0
0
200
100
TOP 10 GAINERS Stock DANGCEM NEWGOLD STANBIC ACCESS DANGSUGAR CHAMPION PZ IKEJAHOTEL LIVESTOCK UBN
Close 180 2017 28.2 7.46 6.11 9.85 22 3.6 2.1 8.12
TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain
Stock
4.02 3 0.7 0.21 0.16 0.14 0.1 0.1 0.07 0.07
NSEASI NSELOTUSISLM NSEINDUSTR NSE50 NSE30 NSECNSMRGDS NSEOILGAS MOBIL TOTAL NB
Close 33428.76 2093.17 1988.45 1647.23 1510.32 850.77 391.36 156.75 147.4 157.15
Loss -717.03 -74.64 -46.64 -34 -32.29 -27.26 -18.31 -8.25 -7.45 -5.05
THE NIGERIAN
12
LAST WEEK, the Minister of Finance and coordinating Minister of the Economy (CME), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announced plans by the Federal Government to introduce austerity measure to firm up the country’s economy. NO DOUBT, NIGERIA is blessed with abundant human and natural resources which nature has endowed her with. The country’s climatic conditions favour wide variety of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of wheat. Additionally Nigeria is the most populous country in the Continent of Africa, with abundant economic resources, which, when properly harnessed, could enable the country to achieve the status of a rich and developed nation. ALTHOUGH its industrial sector is underdeveloped due, in part, to inadequate capital for investment and lack of technological know-how, yet the country has prominent industrial concerns such as giant oil industry, iron and steel complexes, steel rolling mills, pharmaceutical companies, food processing Industries, car assembly plants and so on. Although most of these Industrial concerns are not functioning optimally and many of them depend on imported inputs, they can serve as a basis for industrial take-off, if we put our acts together. HOWEVER, despite Nigeria’s extensive landmass, growing population, agricultural and industrial potentials, the country remains economically backward, indeed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had at a time classified Nigeria as a heavily indebted country with difficulties in meeting debts servicing obligations: Certainly, these attributes are a minus in our national drive towards socioeconomic and political development. THERE are divergent opinions on the relationship between effective leadership and the economic organization of Nigeria, and how to expand the productive base of the country. Literally, economics is the distribution of scarce resources for optimum development of a society. Thus, successive governments had pursued vigorously, policies that will strengthen economic growth and development in Nigeria. But despite the economic efforts of past and present governments, Nigeria is yet to achieve basic economic aspirations.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
THE NIGERIAN
Need To Diversify Nigerian Economy LITERATURES on the Nigerian economy have cited leadership problems as a major cause of the country’s inability to effectively mobilize her resources. Critics have shown quite clearly that ineffective leadership is a great obstacle to development in Nigeria. Leadership problem has hampered the country’s progress in the political, economic, military and socio-cultural sectors. Poor leadership lies at the root t of our continuing social, moral, economic and political crises. Practically, all our misfortunes in Nigeria have been due to poor leadership. It seems, therefore, that the Nigerian leadership structure is determined to place the blame for the unstable situation is the frustration and difficulties confronting them as leaders. THUS, in contemporary Nigeria, we have observed and rightly too, that there is a great yearning for the total transformation of the process of producing appropriate leadership. This yearning, which grows more urgent by the day, is both legitimate and understandable. After decades of hopes raised and hopes dashed, it should not be surprising that Nigerians are wary and weary. HAVING gone through decades in which their faith in their national leadership have been abused and affronted, Nigerians impatience with their leaders and almost total distrust of government functionaries can no longer, be-dismissed as mere cynicism. AT independence, expectations throughout Nigeria were high and the possibilities for greatness were almost limitless. Considering her vast resources, the country appeared set for good attainments, and fulfills what the international community saw as her destiny to lead the black race into the main stream human and technological civilisation. REGRETABLY, the Nigerian economy has hit an all time low. There is massive under utilization of resources. What is more painful is that our
industrial sub-sector is not producing at full capacity. Despite being blessed materially and humanly, our cost of production remains high with growing unemployment. Also only crude oil is being seriously tapped, and production was negatively affected by the Niger-Delta crisis, thanks to the amnesty programme which has largely restored the oil sector. Our concern here is that outside oil, resource mobilization efforts are rather disappointing. In our estimation, if the attention given to crude oil had been extended to other minerals and the agricultural sector, definitely Nigeria would have attained desirable and sustainable development. THERE is no doubt that Nigeria is richly endowed. The country has all It takes to become a super power. Howbeit, our major problem is the leadership question, which has inevitably impaired our ability to mobilise our resources. However, THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER believe that our system of government has contributed to this poor leadership problem. Our political structure especially the adoption of a warped federalism has combined effectively to deprive Nigeria of a sound process of getting the right leadership. Even democracy which is expected to produce effective leaders is now a major political problem in Nigeria. WE believe that problems such as corruption, and inter-ethnic wars and suspicion, which have contributed a lot to the failure of leadership, can he adequately tackled, particularly as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has braced up to the problem in recent times. THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER recalls that at independence in 1960, the international community, amazed at the economic potentials of Nigeria, was quite certain that if our resources were appropriately managed, Nigeria would one day become the giant of Africa. Unfortunately, due to the failure of our leadership to strategically mobillise our resources for political, socio-economic and cultural advancement of our nation and people, Nigeria is yet to make appreciable gains in development, worsened by a very poor infrastructure base.
THE NIGERIAN
13
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Voice Of
Islam
Every Friday With Mallam Abdulfattah Enabulele Chief Imam of Benin THE Rich are the trustees and depositaries of the Almighty Lord and their assets are His trusts and deposits. Just as the Almighty Creator has been kind to the rich and has given them distinction among His Creatures in the shape of wealth, He has also subjected them to certain responsibilities and asked them to perform some duties. In the society wealth is like blood in the body of man. Just as blood must circulate in the entire body and should flow in all the veins and blood-vessels so that each limb, part and cell of the body should utilize it according to its need, wealth should also circulate in all the strata of the society so that all the individuals may utilize it and their lives may be secured. From the economic point of view the most prosperous society is that which is ruled by economic equilibrium and all the individuals enjoy the benefits of the wealth of the country according to their respective shares. The rich is one of pillar of the palace of the prosperity of the society provided they do not neglect to carry out the responsibilities which the Almighty Allah has prescribed for them and do not suffer from the ailments of greed and stinginess. Almighty Allah has made obligatory and specified the sustenance of the poor in the wealth of the rich and whenever a poor man is hungry it is due to the fact that a rich man has not paid him his due. However, Allah will call the rich to account in this behalf. Therefore, in every rich man’s wealth the poor has a share. The rich should always promote the welfare of the weak classes with their financial resources in a correct and calculated manner and should take basic steps to meet their needs and to solve the problems of their life. Almighty Allah favours some of His slaves with the blessing of wealth so that others may benefit from them. However, he places this wealth at their disposal till the time they spend it for the welfare of the people. In case, therefore, a time comes when they fail to perform their duties Allah takes away the wealth from them and places it at the disposal of others. If the rich desire that their wealth and blessings may last and Allah may not turn away His favour and kindness from them they should spend in His path and make the routine to help the needy ones. Performing good deeds and giving charity protects a man from becoming poverty-stricken, his life is prolonged and he remains protected from tragic death. Display of lavishness, prodigalities and extravagances by the rich kindles the fire of enmity and grudge in the hearts of the needy and poor. Obey the orders of Allah in the matter of your wealth. Do not refrain from spending and utilizing it in a proper manner, because if you do so you will be faced with regret and Divine punishment. In the Glorious Qur’an, Almighty Allah stated clearly that: ‘Those who do not utilize properly the wealth which Allah has bestowed upon them should not think that it is better for them. No, It is the source of their adversity and a collar of torture which they will have round their necks on the Day of Judgment. To Allah belong the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is aware of all w do. (3:180) In an Hadith: Whoever Allah makes wealthy and he does not pay the Zakah due on his wealth, then (on the Day of Resurrection) his wealthy will be made in the likeness of a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite his checks and proclaim, lam your wealth, lam your treasure’. The Glorious Qur’ an relates the story of Qaarun chapter 28, as an example for the rich and warns them against the fate similar to Qaarun was a fabulously rich man. He stood high in the favour of Pharaoh the King of Egypt and was very likely his treasurer. He was the officer in charge of the gold mines belonging to Pharaoh and was a specialist in the art of digging out gold from the mines. In the beginning he was a pious man and was Prophet Moses uncle who was called ‘Munawwar’, the enlightened one,
The Implication of Stinginess: Using Qaarun As An Example because he read the Torah with a beautiful voice. But he later departed Moses because of his arrogance of his wealth having been blessed abundantly by Allah with wealth and treasures of gold, Qaarun became rebellious and proud leading him to the precipice of adversity. He looked at the believers with disdain and considered himself to be superior to them on account of his wealth.
• Mallam Abdulfattah Enabulele, Chief Imam of Benin Almighty Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an the abundance of his treasures, that even the keys of those treasures needed to be carried by a group of heavy-built men on sixty mules. Exegetes says that Qaarun came out in a big procession, displaying all the glitter and splendours of his wealth. When the short sighted person saw how luxurious a life Qaarun was leading they envied him and said to themselves: ‘0 that we too had wealth and facilities like Qaarun, for he is enjoying his life fully. They wise men of the tribe said to them “Woe betide you! Do not envy Qaarun for his outwardly attractive life. No doubt the Divine reward is much greater and more valuable than this. When some enlightened persons of Bani Isra’il saw the extravagances of Qaarun they admonished him and said to bin” 0 Qaarun! Do not be happy on account of these yellow and red things of the world, because Allah does not like such persons. With the enormous wealth and the uncountable blessings which Allah has granted you, you should make provision for the Hereafter and be kind to the slaves of Allah in the same manner in which He (Allah) has been kind to you. Do not tread the path of evil and do not make mischief because Allah does not like the mischievous. Qaarun replied them: ‘All that I have is due to the knowledge that I possess.” I do not need your lecture, and I do not need your admonition. What I have in my due because of my knowledge that I have over you, and my being worthy to it. Had my action not been dearer to Allah, He would not have granted me this bulk of wealth at all. So Allah rejected his argument, saying “Did he did not know that Allah had destroyed many nations on account of their sins, who were mightier and stronger and greater in wealth than him and it is also something every easy for the Lord to destroy him.
Arrogance and Pride destroyed Qaarun It is narrated that to disgrace Prophet Moses, Qaarun gave some money to a prostitute woman, and asked her to say to Moses in front of people: “You have done with me such and such.” So the woman proclaimed it in front of the people. Moses was shaken upon hearing it and prayed two Rak’at and then came to her, and asked her to swear upon her claim, and asked her what had prompted her to do so. She told Moses that it was Qaarun who forced her to do so, then she sought Allah’s forgiveness and repented from her sin. Moses then fell in prostration and invoked Allah’s curse upon Qaarun. As if that was not enough, when Qaarun came out in his glitter and pride, he passed by a gathering in which Moses was admonishing his people. When people saw him, they turned towards Qaarun looking at his glory. Moses asked Qaarun what had prompted him to do so. He said: “0 Moses! If you have been favoured over me with Prophethood, I have been favoured over you with wealth. And if you like we could go to a particular place and then you could invoke the Divine curse against me, and I could do the same against you. So Moses and Qaarun went with their people, and Moses said to him: “Would you invoke first or shall I do so before you?” Qaarun said: “I will invoke first.” And when he had invoked the Divine curse, it was not accepted against Moses. Then Moses said to him: “Shall I invoke now?” Qaarun said: “Yes.” Moses said: “0 Allah! Command the earth so that it could obey me today.” Allah revealed to him that He has done so. Moses said: “0 earth! Get them,” and so the earth sank them up to their feet. Then he said: “Take them,” and the earth sank them up to their knees, then up to their shoulders. Then Moses said: “0 earth! Bring their wealth and treasures,” and so the earth brought them. Then Moses said gesturing with his hand: “Swallow these levites in,” and so they were sunk into it. When this horrific scene was watched by those who had desired for such wealth and position, they said: “And if Allah had not been Gracious to us, He would surely have caused us to be swallowed up also. Indeed, the ungrateful never prosper. They offered their gratitude for not being in the place of Qaarun, and so they were saved from a painful chastisement. As a result of the disobedience and rebellion of Qaarun, he and all his treasures were buried in earth as commanded by Allah. Aims and objectives of Charity I-It makes the rich reconcile (unite) with the poor. 2- It creates love between the rich and the poo 3- It bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. 4- it reduces the hatred that exists between the haves and the haven not. 5- It creates security, peace and harmony in the land. 6- It is to ameliorates the condition of the poor in the society. 7-It can lead to the eradication of poverty. 8-It fulfills the poor people’s needs and alleviates some of their suffering. 9-It protects the needy from going astray in terms of criminal behaviour and activities such as:- Robbery, violating other people’s property and even committing suicide. 10-It helps to purifies the soul and wealth of the wealthy ones I1- It also purifies the needy that receive it. 12-The whole society in which the wealthy look after the needy by giving them the dues of their money brings peace 13-It makes the money increase both in purity and blessing 14-It purifies the wealthy and those who give their dues to the needy from stringiness. 15-It further prevents them the rich) from worshipping their money which is a form of shirk. 16- It also purifies the soul of the needy from Envy, Hatred and Animosity. 17-It purifies the whole society.
“In the society wealth is like blood in the body of man. Just as blood must circulate in the entire body and should flow in all the veins and blood-vessels so that each limb, part and cell of the body should utilize it according to its need, wealth should also circulate in all the strata of the society so that all the individuals may utilize it and their lives may be secured”
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Insight
RECENT developments in Nigeria have made a review of the health of the nation’s economy rather compelling. The political leaders have always raised the people’s hope by painting glowing picture of their development plans and how to take the nation to the promised land’ of true democracy and economic prosperity. They swore that citizens empowerment would become their top priority yet they refuse to fix the infrastructures and institutions that would propel the economy and create employment for the millions of graduates churn out by the educational institutions yearly. Like the leaders before him, Jonathan promised a bunch and years after, the people are left with promises. It is unarguably a Herculean task to govern a society, and it becomes much more daunting in a society such as Nigeria with an uncertain sociopolitical and economic environment. The state of the society is, therefore, defined by the ineffectiveness of the political leaders and poor social institutions that have crippled the economy and pauperized the people. The myriad problems in the society are exerting untold pressures on the people who have utilized every opportunity to pour out their anger and frustration before any person who is willing to listen. It appears, however, that there is public optimism that the Jonathan would usher in a new era of politics and
integrity in governance. But if the past is prologue it is doubtful that he could deliver on his promises of resolving the nation’s socioeconomic and political problems, in other words, it is doubtful that Jonathan is the answer to the challenges facing the Nigerian economy. Challenges facing the Nigerian Economy: Human Development Challenges: Human resources play an immerse role in the success or failure of any organization or nation in terms of capability and strength of character. In Nigeria, most of the problems facing the economy are a reflection of the poor quality of human development and management because education, which plays a critical role in human development and the economic health of the nation, has been neglected for decades (Krueger and Lindhal, 2001, Dike, January-March, 2002). One has to understand the problems facing the educational institutions to really appreciate the magnitude of problems facing the Nigerian economy. Good quality education or value education that involves ‘educating for character’, good ‘moral values’ and civic responsibility shape the character of nations. As Lickona (October 1992) has noted ‘respect and responsibility are the two foundational moral values’ that a society should teach its citizens. Others include honesty, fairness, tolerance, prudence, self –discipline, helpfulness, compassion,
Challenges Facing Nigeria’s By LAWRENCE OMORODION/MARY OKPABE
cooperation, courage (the virtues of Aristotle) among other democratic values. And taking responsibility for the things we do wrong as well as the things we do right is important for national development. Part of the problems facing Nigeria is that its educational institutions are not designed for the modern economy. They lack the tools to produce good quality graduates to manage the affairs of the nation. Majority of them (the graduates workers) lack the skills that drive human productivity. Increase in productivity would enlarge the nation’s economic pie and reduce poverty and crime. The environment in which business or nations operate determines the outcome of their activities. No nation would make any meaningful socioeconomic and political stride without viable educational institution. In its 2010 reports on “Doing Business in Nigeria 2010 through Difficult Times,” the World Bank ranked Nigeria 125 out of 182 economies surveyed in the Global Doing Business Report. The report also noted that about 90percent of Nigerian businesses that operate in the informal sector lack access to create. And in its 2008 Review of World Development, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranked Nigeria 157 out of
177 in Human Development Index, it was also among the “Least Livable nations. The leaders appear oblivious of the magnitude of the problems facing the
cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them’ (cited in Dike, February 1, 2000). For the economy to grow, and for businesses to thrive, the institutions responsible for human capital development should be
is a responsibility. Leadership, among other definitions, is a process of getting things done through people,” it means responsibilityhaving ‘passion for the purpose and the mission of the organization’ or society one leads
lea Nig rest and
cha lea gov am a
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister economy . Although some of the problems facing Nigeria today require common sense solutions, other would involve sophisticated framework of ideas (debate, discussion and decision making) and application of modern technologies. As Albert Einstein has noted, the specific problems we face today
“The environment in which business or nations operate determines the outcome of their activities. No nation would make any meaningful socioeconomic and political stride without viable educational institution.”
properly funded, equipped and managed to enable them produce advanced skilled manpower to manage the affairs of the nation. Leadership challenges: The leadership problem that has confronted Nigeria since independence appears to be worsening because the state of the polity is rapidly deteriorating. As noted earlier, very few of the leaders, if any, work for, “common good’. Over the years a wave reform programmes have been undertaken but the society lacks committed political leadership to implement them to address the problems facing the economy. Thus leadership
(Northouse, 20007). But the leaders of Nigeria appear good at prescribing solutions to economic problems without providing the institutional framework necessary for it to work. And more often than not, their policies are hastily put together and poorly executed. The political landscape is littered with wreckage of unreasoned policies and those involved in such activities appears to enjoy the nation’s underdeveloped status ( Dike, July 2006). The activities of the leaders shape the reality contradiction in their words and their deeds. They fall to understand that performance is the only standard by which
pol by ma soc thr wit soc Th com me pro gro inte and diff the diff the obl inst tha inc org Go the
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Insight
Economic Development
aders are judged. geria’s development ts with good leadership d governance. Governance allenges: Related to dership problem is bad vernance. Governance mong others is defined as system of values,
licies, and institutions which a society anages its economic, cial, and political affairs rough interactions thin the state, civil ciety and private sector. us governance mprises the echanisms and ocesses for citizens and oups to articulate their erests, to work together d mediate their ferences, and exercise eir legal rights and ferences, and exercise eir legal rights and ligations with rules, titutions, and practices at set limits and provide entives for individuals, ganizations and firms. od governance refers to e question of how a
society can organize itself to ensure equality of opportunity and equity (social and economic justice) for all citizens. It also promotes people – centered development. Bad governance (political, economic and social governance ) the three dimensions of governance is among the major causes of the problems facing the nation as it is threatening to undermine the nation’s democratization process. The people are not allowed equal economic opportunity and freedom to participate in the political process. But as Sen (1999) has noted, ‘unfreedoms’ leave the people with little choice to exercise their reasoned agency. He posits that ‘Freedoms are not only the primary ends of development, they are also among its primary means. Therefore, development (social, political and economic) “requires the removal of major sources of unfreedoms’. The problem with Nigeria is that the system lacks checks and balances (or mechanisms) to control the autocratic tendencies in government and to hold political actors accountable for their actions. Also, the politicians do not practice ethical politic and their actions do not add values to the system. Lack of ethical politics and values and politics of hate and destruction contribute to the economic and political hiccups in the society. However, the people should not just sit there and hope for the best, they should be politically active to get the government and the politicians to listen and act right. Political pressure from the people could determine the type of policy the government would choose for execution. Corruption is,
however, a greater part of the problems facing Nigeria as it leads to poor governance, which hampers sociopolitical and economic development. Corruption Challenges: Although corruption is a global scourge, Nigeria appears to suffer the most from it because the leaders are pathologically corrupt. Everyone appears to believe that the nation has a “ culture of corruption”. Over the years, Nigeria has earned huge sum of money from crude oil, which has gone down the sinkhole created by corruption. In an article, ‘oil giant that runs on grease of politics’, Nigeria was described as a rich nation floating on oil wealth ‘but almost none of it flows to the people’ (San Francisco Chronicle, March11, 2007). Top public servants are very rich because they harbour the mentality that public money belongs to no one. National dailies are awash with news of how public officials are acquiring million dollar homes (within and outside Nigeria) and stock piling stolen public money in financial institutions abroad. Infrastructural and Institutional challenges: Any person familiar with Nigeria would agree that one of the main challenges facing the economy are poor social infrastructure and institutions; bad roads, erratic power supply, limited access to potable water and basic healthcare, ineffective regulatory agencies, and much more. And the
plethora of policies in the society is ineffective due to broken institutions and dilapidated infrastructure (Hoff, 2003). Building a vibrant economy or restoring growth to a sluggish economy takes resources, to ensure long-term growth and prosperity. Nigerian must use it rescores wisely, invest in advanced technology and rebuild the institutions and infrastructures without which the economy will not gain from the power of productivity: A nation enjoys higher standards of living if the workers can produce large quantity of goods and services for local consumption and extra for export. The deficiencies in the economy lead to low productivity, poor quality products and competition in the global market place. And without sustainable growth and create employment the people would lose interest in the society. The federal and states’ budget appropriations and statutory allocation recently reported that by December, 31, 2010 the three tires of government (federal, state and local) would have spent N40 trillion or more, since January 2006. But there is nothing on ground to show for spending such a huge sum of money. In a country where electricity is said to be about 40 percent cost of production (Daily sun, June 7, 2010) reasoned macroeconomic policy and investment in electricity would lure lucrative industries into
the society and wake up the sluggish economy. Macroeconomic challenges: Policy inconsistency and greed are among the causes of the hemorrhage, in the economy (Eichengreen, 2004). Every administration that comes on board takes on a new policy initiative instead of building on the previous ones. As a result, Nigeria has toyed with a series of ineffective and poorly implemented policies. For instance, as chief economic adviser to Obasanjo, Charles Soludo instituted the National Economic Empowerment and Development strategy (NEEDS), which was supposed to focus on creating wealth and employment, reducing poverty and guide values re-orientation, but the NEEDS failed to achieve its objectives because of the reasons already elaborated in the preceding sections. The late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration (inherited by Jonathan) dumped the NEEDS and adopted the vision 2010 is the unrealistic aspiration of the administration to transform Nigeria into one of the first 20 largest global economies by the year 2020. These programme that now appear dead gulped huge sum of money, which could have been used to resolve some of the social, economic and political challenges facing the nation. Market challenges: lack of genuine competition in the system is among the challenges facing the economy. Real capitalistic economies are
controlled by market forces or what Adam Smith brands the ‘invisible hand’ of the market. The selfregulating nature of the market determines where one lives and works, how much one earns, and what one can buy. Although every economy (developed, developing or underdeveloped) needs some form of government intervention, Nigeria’s leaders are yet to heed the advice of Adam Smith in 1776 that the state should not unnecessarily interfere in the economy. In Nigeria, the federal government has virtual monopoly of setting the prices of petroleum products and other goods and services. Recently, the federal government arbitrarily raised the price of gas by 400 percent without considering the distributive negative consequences on the economy. Given the poor state of the economy, the debate or conversation in Nigeria today should focus on how the government would provide the enabling environment for a healthy economic competition, and allow the law of demand and supply (not personal idiosyncrasies) to regulate prices for the well-being of the society. Market forces (and competition”) would drive ineffective organizations out of business and open up more market to wellmanaged corporations. Therefore, for the Nigerian economy to change along with the changing new global economy, the economy managers and political Continues on pg 21
“Although every economy (developed, developing or underdeveloped) needs some form of government intervention, Nigeria’s leaders are yet to heed the advice of Adam Smith in 1776 that the state should not unnecessarily interfere in the economy.”
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Art Alive CAIB2014: AFRICAN leaders and policy makers must hear these! African strategic thinkers, friends of the African peoples and seriousminded global development workers and culture promoters must see these startling revelations for themselves: Africa MUST move forward. As the 2 nd edition of CARTOON AFRICA I N T E R N AT I O N A L BIENNIAL (CAIB) festival hosted by Nigeria, the world’s most populous black nation, opens on November 27, 2014, in Benin City, Edo State, over 132 artists and visual journalists from over 20 countries are meeting via cartoons, comics, cartoon animated short videos, photography, paintings, illustrations, etc, to lend their voices together on some urgent and crucial issues and concerns not given the attention they deserved, and to proffer artistic and media solutions on the way forward, in favour of Africa’s sustainable development and productivity. The theme of the 2nd CAIB festival is “AFRICA OF THE FUTURE” and within the thematic framework were sub-topics for public education, ranging from children/ youth issues, environment, water, hygiene and public health challenges, gender violence, extreme poverty, population concerns, political violence and terrorism, democracy and governance, human rights abuses, racism, cultural diversity and tourism issues, issues on faith, trade, etc. In graphic details and witty visual metaphors, many of the artworks contributed by the participating artists and humour mongers were profound, revealing and
With Francis U. Odupute
“Humour Mongers” On Rampage For Africa
polemic. Despite mounting funding challenges threatening the novel public education, youth engagement and cultural exchange/education project, the CAIB festival organizers are undaunted, resilient and audacious to realize what some audience and visitors to the pilot edition of the project in November, 2012, at the WHITESPACE in Ikoyi, Lagos State, have said “must outlive its initiators” because of the relevance, value and socio-economic possibilities the CAIB collaborative platform could catalyze in favour of Africa’s development and global progress. On just how the project would really deliver despite all the funding challenges, the initiator and curator of the CAIB festival, Francis Umendu Odupute, said: “We are still in need of continuous sponsorships, partnerships and investments for this novel and bankable pan-African
project to succeed in a sustainable and mutually benefitting manner. It’s a collaborative agenda; Cartoon Africa International Biennial (CAIB) is a collaborative, multi-purpose and all-inclusive platform for public education, youth engagement, social development and cross cultural exchange promotion… “ We are deploying cartoons and comedic Art, to collaboratively push for sustainable development in Africa in a global context, by promoting Cartooning as a great art form, and celebrating and rewarding excellence in the use of cartoons and comics to address issues of public interest, raise awareness on many critical issues and concerns that are not given the level of attention they rightly deserve; to engage African youths in addressing these concerns via creative education and capacity building in multi-disciplinary communication skills needed
for securing Africa’s future ; and to shape opinions of the general public, deepen democracy and catalyze godliness and moral capital development revolution in a global context, within the prism of humour, edutainment and crosscultural education/ exchanges,” the CAIB curator said. Mr. Odupute, an international award-winning artist and journalist, emphasized that CARTOON AFRICA INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL (CAIB) festival seeks to explore how Art, in synergy with allied fields/ professions, can provide ANSWER to a wide variety of issues and concerns in favour of Africa’s sustainable development and productivity while professionally researching, showcasing, promoting, rewarding excellence in the use of cartoons and graphic humour to address issues of public interest, in the context of public education. Every other year, since 2012, visual journalists , artists of talent, development workers and info - graphic and culture practitioners across Africa and other parts of the world meet in Nigeria through their comedic Art, to draw attention to, and spread awareness on, some vital
social, political, economic, cultural issues and concerns in favour of Africa’s development, global peace and progress. “By the deadline of each edition of the cartoon biennial, winners are announced after a jury selection, and awarded varying certificates, prizes, art gifts, cartoon/media art commissions and contracts, etc, and new networks are built. Colourful catalogues and coffee table books, editorial cartoons, development/advocacy comic books, web cartoons, short animated cartoon videos, etc, are collaboratively developed, produced and distributed /disseminated through the social media, print and broadcast media, to the general public and to relevant stakeholders worldwide, as valuable IEC materials, by the CAIB organizers and some key partners/sponsors of the event under mutually benefiting terms. “Supporting events are held before, during and after the biennial to add verve to the CAIB festivals, to broaden public awareness and to raise funds/recruit more sponsors for future biennials. These include one year of youth engagement /capacity building art training workshops in selected schools, youth groups, etc across Africa; art and book fairs, merchandise sales, travelling art exhibitions, etc; “Most of the selected
artworks, cartoon animated videos, etc, gleaned from each edition of the CAIB festival are preserved by the organizers in the newly established “CAIB Cartoon Museum and Training Center” presently domiciled in Benin City, for the purpose of education, research, creative dialogue and crosscultural exchanges in a global context”, Odupute explained. The CAIB2014 jury exercise will hold today Friday, November 21, 2014 at the National Museum, Benin City, after which the winners will be made public and all selected cartoons will form part of the main festival exhibition which opens on Thursday, November 27, 2014, at the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre, Airport Road, Benin City. The second CAIB festival exhibition last for a week and is expected to be followed by youth engagement capacity building workshops, awareness/fund raising travelling exhibitions in selected African towns and cites, and overseas until November, 2015. The CAIB festival is organized biennially by the BEAUTIFUL FEET I N T E R N AT I O N A L KREATIVE BRAINZ KLUB (BFIKBK), in synergy with two sister organizations: African Press Cartoon Services (APCS) and FIC Development Advocacy Through Art (FICDATA)Details on their official website; www.cartoonafricabi ennial. org
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Art And Culture
Benin Dance Culture BENIN dance culture came with the creation of the world but some evolved with creative styles and have reflected the social and traditional culture of the people to suit their purpose. Dances are usually engaged during celebrations and festivals. The most popular are Ugho, Esakpaide, Izagbede, Ekokoma, Alubogie and kareta. There are also dances of physicians, priests and deities. Benin dance culture provides entertainments and enjoyments, particularly for i m a g i n a r y communication among the people and the spirits that attracts visitors seen and unseen. An early account of Benin dance culture was given by an envoy, who visited Benin at the beginning of the nineteenth century. According to him “There are in Benin, a number of itinerant dancing.” “ Women who were sent to amuse visitors and whose performance before the house constantly attracted crowd of people of both sexes, males and females, conducted themselves with great decorum”. “The ladies danced in Fandango style, perhaps not quite so modestly as fashionable belles,
although more in character, by holding in their hands excellent substitutes for castanets, with which they kept time admirably.” “These consisted of small hollow gourds, over which are spread nets having small pease strung on the meshes. Hole at the top received the finger of the right hand with which the gourds were shaken and occasionally struck against the palms of their left hands; beating responses to the tunes sung by the dancers”. Ugho is danced in elegance style. It is the dance that most typifies the temperament and the elegance of Benin women they demonstrate their elegance and artistry. In the dance, the hands and feet are moved in gland style, in cadence with the rhythm of the music. Arms and legs contribute to the gesture. Ugho is mostly danced by the women while the men play the drums. The audience would be moved by the songs at its pitch temple. The male soloist raised the song while other members of the troupe and of the audience join in the refrain, as the women play the maracasUkoise, to support the drums. Ugho dance is said to have been invented in the fifteenth century.
Decent men and women know how to dance it. The ensemble instruments consist of two braced, single membrane cylindrical drums known as Ema ugho, gourd rattles (Ukoise) and clapperless bells (egogo). It is said that the number of dances was put at two hundred and one which has two
characteristics. The wood was chosen for its sonority and durability. Drum wood is believed to be lamenting the loss of her lover still standing in the forest, with the beautiful clear tones of the instruments of the rites to enlist the cooperation of the sound of wood in the music and the spirit world.
hundred and one steps. There is the adage that none can imitate my steps at dance except the ones that had no ugho style. (Omwan i gue owe mwe ya ze vbe iku, sokpan iku mwe nel mwe ugho). Benin dance culture has certain
Drums, play at moonlight or at past midnight are sacred to the echoes of the night and are taken to be the voices of the monsters of the woods. Some societies feel that there is mystic connection between the wood and the music,
“ Women who were sent to amuse visitors and whose performance before the house constantly attracted crowd of people of both sexes, males and females, conducted themselves with great decorum”.
With AMBROSE EKHOSUEHI
hence ceremonial drums undergo certain rites and are sprinkled at initial ceremony. Elsewhere, the gourd rattles has potent power in ceremonies and in festivals. The xylophones, orchestra and dance band are faint echoes of remote past, when the sonorities of music stirred human beings into awe. Benin traditional music is more integrated
Generally Benin dance culture expresses confidence and pay homage in songs, dances, styles and gestures. Dance culture forms basic stylistic competitive analysis which gives awareness to language information of the cultural heritage, peregal in similarity and differences in musical styles and dances of other cultures.
in culture than the instrumental art musicians. This can be explained by the fact that traditional music serves particular purpose than providing pure entertainment or dances for enjoyment. Music performs in connection with various deities provide particular rhythms for communication between the people and the spirit world. Drums as function of communication are used to sending of messages and render magical welfare and understanding.
Benin dances are numerous but few are common while some are diminishing though much of adapted foreign contact. Eguonuri dance of Benin culture compete favourably with modern ensemble. It is danced by young unmarried damsels, girls or boys who vigorously shake their waists and move several steps elegantly. Men who watched the dance were sometimes charmed to choose wife from among the dancers. Indeed, the most professional groups specializ in one or two of the numerous Benin dance culture.
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Tribute
Mother Of The Less Privileged
Princess Oronsaye: SINCE the rumour of the demise of Lady Oronsaye and ambassador of mercy and the less privileged came to the fore, many beneficiaries of her milk of kindness have been trooping to the orphanage to verify the authenticity of this claim. The verification report reveals that lady Oronsaye had gone to meet God for her reward for the sacrifice she had made for humanity. As at present, the numerical strength of the orphanage can be conservately put at about two hundred immates. Some of them are so young that they are oblivious of the challenges ahead. But some of them above 15 years are becoming curious about their future. If you have ever been tempted to think that you are not cut out for sancity consider the case of Lady Princess Dr. Mrs. Katherin Aiyevbekpen Oronsaye DSK MFR JP who just mark her 91 birthday a couple of months back who happens to be my aunty. Here was a living saint and patrons of orphanage, health care workers and the sick. Her burning love for God affected a wide spread of human endeavours and unreserved devotion to humanity. “I will never forget the sight, said Princess Osayike Eweka who saw her sister in action in the early sixties”. When she was attending to sick children who were not her biological offsprings she was like a hen with her chicks or like a mother would do for her real children. The lady who would
By IGINUA OSEMWEKHA/IDEHEN EGHOSA
become such a gripping image of God’s mercy started out a Benin Royal Princess, born into the royal family in 1923 and was endowed with human as well as material resources at her disposal. Yet, with due sense of humility and modesty, Mrs. Oronsaye was an Icon and a living legend who spent all her life in the service of humanity. Oronsaye orphanage which emerged the first in this part of the world is one of the avenue through which she had rendered unblemished life long service. This privately owned maternity and orphanage was established in Benin province which later become Midwest Region and today known as Edo and Delta State respectively. A trained midwife, and a Local Government Councellor, she served the state government in several capacities. She also served as a member of a number of secondary school boards. Before going into private practices she undertook the pioneering task of opening several maternity homes for the Catholic Mission and Benin Native Authority. The orphanage has become a “Mecca” of sort for government. Students of sociology of the University of Benin consult the orphanage as part of their course work. The numerous children who passed through this institutions have become a source of pride to the people in the neighbourhood, Edo State, Delta State and Nigeria at
large. However, the proliferation of unregistered orphanages is assuming a bizarre dimension in the East and Western parts of Nigeria these days leading to
Eastern part of the country and were consequently shut down. It was also reported that some orphanages in the West have witnessed sexual molestation of the girl child by the proprietors of the fake orphanages. But to
orphanages. SOME SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LADY PRINCESS (DR) KATE ORONSAYE. As an accomplished philanthropist, she became a nursing mother to over 300 abandoned and motherless children that were housed and groomed in her orphanage/maternity where over 40 thousand babies have been delivered. Her over six decades of pioneering
Late Princess Kate Oronsaye
unkept and filty environment money spinning agencies that sell children to some wealthy people who have no biological children of their own. According to NTA Television footage about a couple of months back, the population of orphans in Nigeria can be conservatorily put at 3.5 million and with about 141 thousand orphanages. The report stated that some baby factories have metamorphosed from these institutions in the
the glory of God, none the these evil deeds was ever recorded at Oronsaye orphanage for the past sixty years of it’s existence. In the light of the above, the state, local governments and N.G.O’s should put all hands on deck to ensure that this legacy is sustained for the future generations yet unborn. Government should come out with stiff legislation aimed at sactioning erring proprietors of the illegal
“Princess Oronsaye told her colleagues that an operation could be done to save the unborn baby. In the midst of discouraging voices, she took the bull by the horn as a midwife and the baby was delivered alive by caesarean session.”
philanthropy is heroic in a world where life expectancy falls below sixty years. As one of the first generation of educated professionals, she was not tempted to take up plump jobs in public bureaucracy. Rather, she converted her home to take care of the weak in the society. One of the female orphans who is now married insisted that her children be groomed in the orphanage due to the peculiar care available in the home. At old age, some traits of senility in physical movement were observable but her zeal, care and love for orphans remained undiminished and inspiring. In her life time she aroused the consciousness that what the missionaries did could be replicated by indigenous people in their
society. Societal affections for her pioneering role informed her investiture as the LIFE PRESIDENT of Orphanage Home Proprietors Association Edo State from 2006 till her demise and the establishment of Technical Skill Acquisition Centre among others. SOME ASTONISHING EVENTS TO REMEMBER. In 1951, at Igbanke, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, a mother of triplets wanted to abandon her newly born babies, the District Administrator (D.O) called Princess Oronsaye to help them. She took the children and catered for them at her personal expense. In 1990, a little girl was abandoned in heavy rain at Holy Cross Catholic Church at Mission Road, Benin City. Series of announcement were made and unheeded, but Princess Oronsaye picked up the baby form the rain, groomed her and today she is a graduate of one of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. As a midwife, she was faced with a compelling obstacle in 1942. A pregnant woman entered into forced labour as a result of an accident and the doctors could not be reached. At the end of the day she died while on bed and there was evidence that the unborn baby was still alive. Princess Oronsaye told her colleagues that an operation could be done to save the unborn baby. In the midst of discouraging voices, she took the bull by the horn as a midwife and the baby was delivered alive by caesarean session. Princess Oronsaye accepted to raise the baby when the relation of the deceased woman abandoned the baby due to the circumstance surrounding the baby’s birth. It took them time to accept the baby after about 2 months. This phenomenon actually inspired Princess Oronsaye to venture into orphanage management may. Her gentle soul rest in peace. Amen!.
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Insight
Continued from pg 17
leaders must discard their anti-people and antidevelopment mentality and adopt policies that would enable the economy to flourish. Political parties without ideology: the multitude of political parties devoid of discernible modern political ideologies is a part of the problems facing Nigeria today. As a result, the politicians thrive on ignorance. In advanced economies and true democracies there are inherent ideological ‘wars among political parties that drive democracy and economic development. In such nations people of similar ideology congregate under a party, push their agenda and build a strong democratic government. And in the process of selling their ideologies (vision, values and beliefs) to the public political parties help to shape the political culture of nations and promote development. In Nigeria, however, the politicians shuttle from one party to another to achieve their selfish purpose, and many of them would disappear into the thin air after collecting their share of government grants. The politicians are thus obstacle to political and economic development as their activities have negative impacts on the polity. Nigeria’s politics and democracy suffer because the politicians are not directed by either personal or party philosophy. A few of the ‘lawmakers and lawbreakers’ If any, is willing to make the sacrifices necessary for Nigeria’s development. The politicians are becoming a public nuisance: They resist change and publicly fight over bills that do not favor them; they are not accountable to the people. The problem of entitlement has assumed a disturbing dimension. For
instance, some of them allegedly take home a salary of N2.48 million a month (outside their allowances). The “ fat salary” takes place in a society with a high unemployment rate and when about 70 percent of the population lives on less than $ 1a day. In addition, each member is said to receive about 200 percent of the basic salary as housing allowance, 75 percent as allowance for vehicle maintenance, 30 percent as allowance for entertainment and another 30 percent as allowance for utility, 25 percent for wardrobe and personal assistance allowances each. And for domestic staff allowance for each senator gets 75 percent of basic salary, 10 percent as recess allowance, while 15 percent of the basic salary is for the purchase of newspapers every month (Anaro, June 21, 2010). Such a waste can only happen in Nigeria. This greed, ignorance, unethical practices and lack of democratic principles in political discourse are serious problems in the society. what is ethical and moral is often reduced to what the politicians say publicly to make a good impression, and not what they do. The plethora of political parties (56 political parties and growing) lacking basic democratic philosophy does not in any way represent political development. According to This Day of May 21, 2010, the political leaders in the House of Representatives who have been sounding the trumpet of ‘political reforms’ could not trim down the number of political parties to ‘two’ as suggested by some progressives. The reality however, is that Nigeria does not need more than three political parties grounded in modern democratic ideologies. To trim down the number of political parties, the government
... Nigeria’s Economic Development
should discontinue the mouth watering grants the INEC gives to political parties, and with that, those political parties that are there just to collect the grant would die away. Lack of true federalism is among the challenges facing Nigeria. The federal government has enormous power, it gives out monthly allocation to states and local governments and controls the mineral resources in their domain. Any nation toying with the federal system is expected to conform to its basic tenet
of Law: Disrespect for the rule of law was rampant during the O b a s a n j o administration. It was an era of selective justice, with a set of laws for the rich and well- connected and another for the poor. Although disrespect for the rule of law has lessenened, it has not stopped completely. There are still some unresolved electoral cases from the 2007
and not Joy Emodi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who won the April 28, 2007 election for the Anambra North Senatorial District. David Mark would have refused to swear in Igbeke as directed by the court without the intervention of the Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke. Joy Emodi, in collusion with the senate leadership, attempted to take the case to the Supreme Court after
Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor
without which, it would not be regarded as such. The Nigerian economy may not grow and the society may not change positively until the political parties and politicians learn to play by the rule. Disrespect for the Rule
elections . For instance, after protracted court cases, the Appeal court in Enugu ruled on March 25, 2010 that it was Alphonsus Igbeke of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP),
the INEC had issued Igbeke a certificate of return. The ‘lawbreakers’ failed to understand that the Appeal court is the final court to deal with matters of elections disputes. Corruption in
Nigerian politics has rendered the laws of the land impotent. It is against the principles of democracy and fair play to swear into office an individual who was not duly elected while the actual winner is held hostage in the court. Jonathan has, however, promised to set up special courts for Electoral offences. But many people fear that the electoral offences court could be hampered by the same forces that have rendered it impotent. The Election Petition Tribunals EFCC and ICPC. What are the consequences for the judges who fail to expedite actions on electoral cases? Related to this problem is the ‘zoning’ of the presidency by some political parties without considering that the constitution has no provision for zoning. Good governance, not zoning will move Nigeria forward. Handing out public offices based on ‘zoning’ or federal character’ would discourage hard work, competition and hamper productivity. In addition, it prevents the society from electing the best possible candidates to manage the affairs of the nation. To sustain the nation’s democratic experiment and improve the culture of political competition, tame corruption, conduct free and fair elections, and make good laws.
“Lack of true federalism is among the challenges facing Nigeria. The federal government has enormous power, it gives out monthly allocation to states and local governments and controls the mineral resources in their domain.”
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Religion IN continuation of our earlier publication on God’s code of dressing for mankind, unfortunately, the wearing of trousers, that pertaineth unto men, has become the code of dressing for women, nowadays; and so, one cannot really now differentiate between a man and a woman in this present promiscuous world. The greater damnation will be to those women who profess to be born again and Spirit-filled; some of them even profess to be ordained Deaconesses and Pastors in the church and yet violate this important general code of dressing, given by God. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, in 1Corinthians 6:9, it is written that the EFFEMINATE cannot inherit the kingdom of God. This refers to the Christian men who violate this God’s own code of dressing, by putting on things that pertain unto women, that is, men exhibiting woman-like traits. In the same vein, THE MASCULINATE, that is, Christian women
who put on things that pertain unto men, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Holy women of God, are warned by the Spirit of Truth to adorn themselves in modest apparel with
2:16. The pride of life exhibited in Christian dressing, incurs the terrible anger and judgment of God as can be seen written in Isaiah 3:16 and I quote “Moreover, the
and instead of beauty, God says He would give them burning as written in verse 24. What the so-called “born-again” Christians fail to understand is that they
With
OLU GEORGE, Servant of the Most High God Christians, in flagrant violation of this word of God, keep their heads uncovered, thereby dishonoring Christ and God.
uncovered?” In 1Corinthians 11:14, the Holy Spirit also puts across another question to all Christians: “Does not
God’s Code Of Dressing For Mankind (Part 2)
SHAMEFACEDNESS AND SOBRIETY, NOT WITH BROIDED HAIRSTYLE NOR WITH GOLD OR PEARLS OR COSTLY ARRAY as written in 1 Timothy 2:9. But where is the shamefacedness of our holy women today? It has been sacrificed at the altar of worldly life style and fashion of the world that will pass away, as written in 1 Corinthians 7:31 and I quote “And they that use this world as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away” The unholy, seductive and promiscuous dressings of most Christians today, are abominable and offensive to God and make others to stumble. It is all pride of life which is not of God but of the world as written in 1 John
even nature itself teach you that if a man have
Lord saith, because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their feet.” In Verse 17 the beginning of the judgment of God upon them is as I quoted, “Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts.” In verses 1823, God said He would strip them naked of all the seductive, worldly dressings that made them exhibit pride of life. God said He would even make them stink, instead of having their sweet smell. And instead of their well- decorated hair-do, He (God) will give them baldness;
no longer own their bodies because their bodies have been bought with a price, as written in 1 Corinthians 6:20 and I quote “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” And so, in their dressing, they must be sober, and glorify God in their body by having a sense of shame. Dressing is meant to cover man’s nakedness and not to expose the body. God is also concerned about what we do to our heads, while praying or prophesying. It is clearly written in the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit that holy women of God must keep the ordinance of God that says, they should keep their heads covered while praying or prophesying, but harlot
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” And so, in their dressing, they must be sober, and glorify God in their body by having a sense of shame.” Women who disobey this word of God are as if they were shaven. The Bible says, if the woman is not covered, let her therefore, also be shorn (shaven). But if it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, then she must be covered. In 1 Corinthians 11:13 the Holy Spirit puts this question to all born-again Christian women: “Judge in yourselves: Is it comely that a woman pray unto God
“It has been sacrificed at the altar of worldly life style and fashion of the world that will pass away, as written in 1 Corinthians 7:31 and I quote “And they that use this world as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”
long hair, it is a shame unto him?” Therefore, nature should teach that if a woman is shorn or shaven, it is a shame unto her. In the same vein, “does not even nature teach us that if a man wears skirt and blouse, or gown, or wrapper and buba, it is a shame unto him?” So also, nature should equally teach us that if a woman wears trousers, it is a shame unto her. Not only a shame, but more importantly, a transgression of the commandment of God. CONCLUDED COURTESY: REV. OLU GEORGE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL CHURCH (The Truth Centre)
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Reflection
With REV. FR. JOHN DAMIAN ADIZIE PHONE: 08076635886
The Way Of Perfection Is The Only Way Out CHRISTIANITY is a radical way that demands a radical response. It is the way that leads to heaven. All the necessary values and virtues that can easily lead someone to divine union are all deposited in Christianity. Christians are therefore the most privileged people in the world. They know what others do not know and they possess what others do not possess. At least, they know Jesus Christ in a more intimate way and they possess the Holy Spirit in a very unique way. To whom much is given much is expected. With what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for Christians and with what he has deposited in them, he expects nothing less from them. Jesus told his disciples, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). He went as far as telling his followers, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Perfection is a divine identity and it is the surest way that leads to heaven. GOD’S PERFECTION: Our God is a perfect Being. He is pure and spotless. God introduced Himself as a Holy God: “Say to the congregation of the people of Israel, you shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). The second book of Samuel describes the way of God as perfect: “As for God – his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him” (2 Samuel 22:31). As a perfect being, God is faithful in all his dealings. He does not fail and He cannot disappoint. He is a covenant keeping God. The works of God expresses his perfection. God is “The Rock, His work is perfect; for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). God’s perfection is expressed in the work of His hands. The Psalmist proclaims God’s perfection through His works, “When I look at thy heavens, the work of Thy hands, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is man that thou art mindful of him…” (Psalm 8:3). Our God is not just a perfect being; everything around Him and about Him is perfect. Even the heavens proclaim the glory of God. H U M A N
IMPERFECTION: Unlike God, human beings are the most imperfect beings. St. James wrote concerning, human beings, “For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also” (James 3:2). Mistakes are one of the signs of imperfection. Human beings are imperfect because no one is above mistake. To be a perfect therefore one
must avoid mistakes. Sin is another form of imperfection. A sinner is an imperfect being. Unfortunately, as St. Paul observed, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The glory of God is the perfection of God. The perfection of God is made manifest in a life of righteousness. Sin is one of the viruses that destroy God’s glory in the life of human beings. Since all have sinned, as St. Paul observed, God’s glory in man has been distorted and as long as human beings are short of God’s glory; human beings are therefore imperfect. Who is perfect among men? Where can we find a perfect man? The author of the book of Ecclesiastes provides an
answer to these questions: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). St. Paul tried to live a perfect life but at the end he acknowledged, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12). THE CALL TO PERFECTION: That most human beings are imperfect
Christians are called to follow the way of perfection. The Way of perfection is the surest way that leads to heaven. What is this way of perfection all about? THE WAY OF PERFECTION: One of the famous works of St. Teresa of Avila is “The Way of Perfection.” St. Teresa started this book by highlighting some of the imperfections, injustices and heresies that were common in her society. She was not as indifference
is not a license for us to live an imperfect lives. Human imperfection should not discourage us to strive for perfection. We are called to a life of perfection. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). God is perfect. Children of God must equally be perfect. St. James instructs us to live a perfect life: “Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4). A perfect life is a complete life; a complete life is a life that lacks nothing. A life that lacks nothing is a life that is inspired by Christ Jesus. The life in Christ Jesus is the life that leads to perfection.
as most Religious leaders of our time. She was determined to do something, no matter how small, to remedy the situation. According to her, “The news distressed me greatly, and, as though I could do something; I cried to the Lord and begged Him that I might remedy so much evil.” St. Teresa wanted to do something at all cost to remedy the imperfections of her society. I wonder how many Christians; especially religious leaders, of our time have this kind of passion for change. This is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ wants from us. We, Christians are the light of the world. As light, we are the ones that must destroy the darkness of our society. Our light must shine
to the glory of God. We must shine wherever we find ourselves. That is the only way we can bring glory to God. St. Teresa was a shining star. She was a woman with a difference. She was a visionary, a motivator, and a courageous reformer. She knew her strength and her weakness. She was not discouraged by her weaknesses, as a woman. She wrote, in her Way of
Perfection, “I realized I was a woman and wretched and incapable of doing any of the useful things I desired to do in the service of the Lord. All my longing was and still is that since He has so many enemies and so few friends that these few friends be good ones.” Do you even know that Jesus has few friends in the world today? Not all that glitters is gold. The number of Churches you find in most streets does not in any way determine the number of friends Jesus has in the world. Most church goers are not true Christians. To be a true Christian one must live a perfect life. How did Teresa overcome her own imperfection and what was her own
contribution to her society? St. Teresa felt that the best way to start the transformation our society is by transforming ourselves and those around us. For her, charity begins at home. She wrote in her Way of Perfection, “As a result I resolve to do the little that was in my power; that is, to follow the evangelical counsels as perfectly as I could and strive that these few persons who live here do the same. I did this trusting in the great goodness of God, who never fails to help anyone who is determined to give up everything for Him” (St. Teresa, The Way of Perfection, no 2, page 41). This was the vision that led to the reformation of the Carmelite Order. It was also the vision that gave rise to the Discalced Carmelite Order. This Order, according to St. Teresa, was meant to live the life of perfection in an imperfect world. Our society is facing all kinds of imperfections, injustices, and immoralities. Christians and even Church leaders are no longer striving after perfection. Most people are only interested in power, pleasure, and money. Nigeria, I was told, is the giant of Africa and the number fastest growing economy in Africa. But in terms of spirituality, only God knows who are living the life of perfection. Nigeria does not even have a single canonized saint. Most priests in Nigeria want to become either Bishops or Superiors. Others want an indigenous bishop while others want all the bishops in Nigeria to come from their tribes. Political leaders are ready to kill because of power. In fact, Boko Harram remains a political war. So many people have lost their lives because of power. Religion has become a platform for political rallies. The only way out is the Way of Perfection. If all the Christians in Nigeria start living a perfect life, like St. Teresa, our society will be a wonderful place.
“Sin is another form of imperfection. A sinner is an imperfect being. Unfortunately, as St. Paul observed, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The glory of God is the perfection of God. The perfection of God is made manifest in a life of righteousness. Sin is one of the viruses that destroy God’s glory in the life of human beings. Since all have sinned, as St. Paul observed, God’s glory in man has been distorted and as long as human beings are short of God’s glory; human beings are therefore imperfect.”
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Celebration
International
Russia Warns Of Military Assault On The East
MOSCOW — Russia’s foreign policy chief on Wednesday claimed that Ukraine’s decision to freeze budget payments to the eastern rebel-held territories could be a precursor to a military onslaught. Ukrainian officials announced earlier this month that they will freeze the $2.6 billion in state support to the areas now in rebel hands, which could further worsen the deplorable economic situation there. In an address to the parliament, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced his suspicions that by doing so, Kiev is “preparing the ground for another invasion in order to solve the issue by force.” Dozens of armored trucks, artillery and other heavy weaponry were seen moving around rebel-held areas in the past weeks, fueling fears of the resumption of the hostilities there. Despite the cease-fire, civilians and combatants still are dying in daily shelling. Fearing an imminent escalation in hostilities, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko earlier this month announced a deployment of additional troops to the east to defend cities still under government control. Heavy artillery earlier this
week damaged a water filter station that supplies most of Donetsk, the largest city under separatist control. The Donetsk mayor’s office said in a
statement on Wednesday that a majority of neighborhoods have no running water while the remaining capacities are used for central heating.
BEIJING - Eleven kindergarten children were killed when their packed bus crashed into a truck in eastern China, state media reported on Tuesday, in the latest of a series of accidents that have sparked anger over unsafe school transport. The collision took place around 8 a.m. when the truck collided with the minibus carrying 14 children in the eastern province of Shandong, the official Xinhua news agency said. The bus driver was also killed. Local police said the bus was overloaded at the time, Xinhua reported. It was meant to carry eight passengers. A spate of school bus
accidents, often in underdeveloped areas, have sparked public anger over unsafe transport for children, particularly in a country where many couples are allowed to have only one child. In July, 11 passengers, including kindergarten children and teachers, were killed when their bus tumbled into a reservoir in southern China. Eight children died in a bus crash on the island province of Hainan in April. In 2011, a nationwide outcry erupted over the deaths of 18 nursery school children after a coal truck slammed into their overcrowded school van in northwestern China, prompting then-premier Wen Jiabao to promise more government funds for schoolbus services.
11 Kindergarten Children Killed In China Bus Crash
Relations With US Must Be Based On Respect - Putin
MOSCOW - Russia is ready for cooperation with the United States, provided it is based on respect for each others’ interests and non-interference in domestic affairs, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. “We are ready for practical cooperation with our American partners in different fields, based
on the principles of respect for each others’ interests, equal rights and non-interference in internal matters,” Putin told a Kremlin ceremony at which he received the credentials of the new U.S. ambassador, John Tefft. Ties with the United States are strained, particularly by differences over the crisis in Ukraine.
FELICIA Weds DANIEL The solemnization of marriage between former Miss Evbagharu Ekogiawe Felicia (A Business woman) and Mr. Osimen Ehigie Daniel (A Businessman) took place on Thursday 20th November 2014 at the Oredo Local Government Council Marriage Registry in Benin City. Amongst those present were Mr. Osimen Ehimare Anthony, Mr. Evbagharu Julius, Mrs. Evbagharu Victoria, Mrs. Justina Osimen, family members, relations, friends and well wishers. Picture shows the couple at the Registry. Congratulations. Photo Sonnie. E.
Celebrating One Year Of Edo Open Data Initiative SINCE its inception in
2009, the Information Communication Technology Agency of Edo State has attained outstanding achievements and recorded lots of firsts as a state owned technology agency among its peers in Nigeria. Being headed by the Managing Director, Mrs. Olayemi Keri, the Edo State ICTA in October 2013, during its annual Edo Technology Day, launched the Open Data portal (www.data.edostate.gov.ng) as a way to promote the Open Government initiative of the State. The portal functions as a repository of government data for all MDAs. By this, it became the first subnational government to implement the Open Data initiative in Africa. Open Data is a current trend worldwide which is aimed at promoting egovernance and transparency. It is data that is freely available to everyone to use and republish as they wish, without restrictions from \o “Copyright”copyright, \o “Patent”patents or other mechanisms of control. It is geared towards improving transparency, catalyzing innovations, enabling social and economic development and creating a solid assurance in the accountability of government. This therefore makes government responsible and accountable to the people. It in addition provides a platform for citizen engagement and participation in governance. With a vision to make Edo State the most open government and economy in Nigeria and a mission to promote a transparent and accountable government, through the availability of government data, the Edo State Open Data Unit which is championing the Open Data initiative has recorded some noteworthy
accomplishments in the space of one year. It has sufficiently been able to instill the Open Data initiative in the DNA of every MDA. This has fostered the inter MDA data-driven development; an act which creates value added applications and analysis of data-sets to help the MDAs in their planning process. In a bid to foster inter MDA collaboration in data sharing, we appointed focal persons in various MDAs, trained them on required BASIC COMPUTER SOFT SKILLS and the result has been noticed in the tremendous data influx. Currently on its portal, the unit has successfully uploaded over 160 datasets obtained from the different MDAs of the state. These data-sets reflect the activities of the respective MDAs with respect to all government developmental activities. As a way of promoting citizen participation in governance, members of the public are permitted to have access to the datasets in the portal to use and reuse. This has been instrumental to enabling citizen participation, information sharing, appraisal of government activities, and the emergence of entrepreneurs. Also within a year of its operation, the unit has developed a number of applications from its resourced data which has greatly contributed to making informed decisions being reached by the state government, upon the analyses of the uploaded data-set. Among these are the Edu App for monitoring of schoolteacher ratio, school infrastructure level, student population capacity per school and per local government, student pass rate, education budget and
expenditure; others are Edo Malaria Density App, Resource Allocation Map (RAMAP), Visualized CSDP projects, Edo State Crop Cultivation App and Agric Visualization. We are proud to say that being the first sub-national government in Africa to implement the initiative, our activities on the Open Data portal has attracted international recognition as there has been assistance from the World Bank to train MDA focal representatives, developers and the OD staff for a proper implementation of the OD initiative. The OD unit has promoted open innovations and employed data-driven growth strategies for socioeconomic development. We have also guaranteed that Open data agendas catalyze innovations within the government through informed decision making. We at Open Data Edo have also advocated open data publishing. We have firm affirmation that open data publishing not only makes research and innovations more effective, but it aligns with the public cry for accountability, informed decision making mechanisms, citizen collaboration with government and the creation a platform for harnessing entrepreneurial prowess via the use of available data. It is hoped that our success at out time of beginning will propel us into attaining greater things with respect to open data. We trust to see Open Data usher in greater innovations, more collaborative form of governance, better decisions reached and an ever increasing economic development. We are delighted to see data made available for public use and we look forward to what more years of the open government initiative will bring!
THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
International
UN Sanctions Libya’s Ansar al-Sharia UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions on Tuesday on the Libyan Islamist militant group Ansar al-Sharia, which took part in the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, for its ties to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. The council committee monitoring sanctions against alQaida added its two Libyan branches — Ansar Al-Sharia in Benghazi and Ansar Al-Sharia in Derna — to the sanctions blacklist and ordered all countries to freeze their assets,
and impose travel bans and an arms embargo. France, Britain and the United States sought the sanctions and council members had until 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) on Wednesday to object. There were no objections so the committee listed the two branches, saying both are associated with Al-
Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and other groups. The United States has already imposed sanctions on Ansar AlSharia for its role in the Benghazi consulate attack that led to the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond welcomed the council’s action saying both groups “are responsible for acts of terror in Libya, including bomb attacks, kidnappings, and murder.” “The decision sends a clear message that the international community will take action
23 Cadets Killed By Myanmar Army Shell YANGON - Twenty three cadets of the ethnic insurgent group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) were killed when they were hit by a single shell fired by Myanmar’s army on Wednesday, the KIA said in a statement yesterday. The KIA is the last ethnic insurgent group still fighting Myanmar’s government after a 17-year ceasefire broke down in 2011 and a peace process to end conflict with ethnic minorities in Myanmar has stalled. U.S. President Barack Obama called on Myanmar’s leaders to push forward with the peace process on a visit to the country last week. The number of dead in the shelling was the largest made public in the conflict between the KIA and army for many months. In April, General Gun Maw, deputy commander in chief of the KIA and a member of the insurgents’ main political committee, said that the KIA had suffered over 1,000 casualties since hostilities resumed, including 280 killed. The KIA took up arms in 1961 and is the second largest among the 20 ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon speaks at a press conference in Brisbane.
against extremist groups in Libya who pose a threat to peace and security,” Hammond said in a statement. “It is incumbent on all Libyans to reject these groups and all they stand for.” He urged all parties in Libya to stop fighting immediately and support mediation by U.N. envoy Bernardino Leon, an appeal echoed by France’s U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre. “This is an important decision because it draws a clear line between, on the one hand, jihadists with whom there can be no dialogue, and on the other, those Libyan groups — Islamist and others — that must take part in talks launched by special envoy Bernardino Leon,” Delattre said. Libya is currently mired in the worst fighting since dictator Moammar Gadhafi was overthrown and killed in a 2011 uprising against his four-decade rule. Islamist-allied militias, who have been battling forces loyal to the internationally-recognized government, now hold the capital Tripoli and the country’s
second-largest city Benghazi, where the warring parties agreed to a 12-hour humanitarian truce on Wednesday. The militia fighting has killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands. In their Nov. 4 proposal seeking sanctions, France, Britain and the U.S. said both branches of Ansar Al-Sharia participated in the Benghazi consulate attack and conducted many terrorist attacks and assassinations against local security forces between 2011 and 2014. It said the attacks caused “hundreds of victims,” though neither branch has ever claimed responsibility. The three countries said the Benghazi branch may also have participated in the first suicide bombings targeting Libyan forces at the end of 2013 — and the Derna branch is suspected of cooperating in preparations for the attack. It said the Benghazi branch may also have participated in a double suicide attack against Libyan forces on July 22.
BEIJING - A man with a history of mental illness stabbed and killed seven people, six of them nurses, at a sanatorium dormitory in northern China yesterday in the latest of a string of attacks on medical workers, state media reported. An administrator was among those killed and another nurse was seriously injured in the attack in the early hours of the morning, reporter said. A spate of attacks on doctors and nurses in the past two years has prompted the health ministry to provide better security at hospitals. The sanatorium is in Beidaihe, a seaside resort close to Beijing favored by senior members of the ruling Communist Party.
Beidaihe has many such institutions, which are normally used as cheap hotels or spas. Reporter said of the former hospital was under the administration of the Beijing military region, meaning it is likely a military-run facility. A suspect, who also worked at the sanatorium, has been detained, the Xinhua report said. The Beijing News identified the suspect as Li Xiaolong, 27, saying he had confessed to having a history of mental illness and had received treatment in Beijing and the nearby city of Tangshan in 2006. “It is initially understood that the suspect did not have any obvious problems with the deceased,” the newspaper said on its website. While the Chinese government has ramped up health spending, hospitals are frequently overwhelmed with patients. Doctors are also badly paid, leading to corruption and a suspicion that staff are more interested in making money by prescribing unnecessary drugs and treatment than tending the sick. Many other Chinese are unable to afford health care despite government efforts to provide a basic safety net, which has also prompted attacks in the past. Ministry data shows that violent attacks directed at doctors and other health care workers in the form of beatings, threats, kidnappings, verbal abuse and murder reached 17,243 cases in 2010, the latest year for which such figures are available.
6 Nurses Killed In Latest Attack On Medical Workers
Japan’s Prime-Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a news conference at his official residence in Tokyo.
N/Korea Threatens To Beef Up Military Capability PYONGYANG — North Korea threatened yesterday to bolster its war capability and conduct a fourth nuclear test to cope with what it calls U.S. hostility that led to the approval of a landmark U.N. resolution on its human rights violations. A U.N. committee on Tuesday adopted the resolution urging the Security Council to refer the North’s rights situation to the International Criminal Court. It’s the first time a U.N. resolution included the idea that the North’s absolute leader Kim Jong Un could be targeted by prosecutors. Before the U.N. vote, a North Korean envoy threatened a nuclear test. Yesterday, Pyongyang’s
Foreign Ministry called the resolution’s approval a “grave political provocation,” saying it was orchestrated by the U.S. though it was drafted by the European Union and Japan. An unidentified ministry spokesman told state media that the North’s war deterrence will be strengthened in an “unlimited manner” to cope with U.S. hostility, which is “compelling us not to refrain from conducting a new nuclear test any longer.” His comments on the nuclear test were near identical to what Choe Myong Nam, a foreign ministry adviser for U.N. and human rights issues, said at the U.N. The North has used similar rhetoric previously when there
has been increased tension with other countries. Analysts say it’s unlikely the North will follow through on its threats to conduct a nuclear test because that would invite further international condemnation and derail efforts to attract foreign investment and aid to revive its moribund economy. China and Russia, which hold veto power on the Security Council, will not let the council refer the North’s rights situation to the criminal court, but North Korea also knows the two countries do not want another nuclear test by Pyongyang, said Lim Eul Chul, a North Korea expert at South Korea’s Kyungnam University. China
and Russia voted against the non-binding resolution, which goes to the General Assembly for a vote in the coming weeks. North Korea, however, often confounds outside analysts’ predictions and doesn’t always act according to a set pattern. Two deadly attacks blamed on Pyongyang that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010 were a surprise because they came amid relatively easing tensions with the U.S. and South Korea. The U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies said Wednesday the North may be restarting a plant that can reprocess nuclear fuel into
weapons-grade plutonium for the first time in six years. The finding is based on analysis of recent commercial satellite imagery at the North’s main nuclear facility. North Korea conducted an atomic bomb test in 2006, 2009 and 2013, each time inviting international sanctions. A fourth test would mark another defiant response to U.S.-led international pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, because that could put the country a step closer to the goal of producing warheads small enough to mount on a missile capable of reaching the U.S.
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International
Ferry Operator Chief Sentenced To SEOUL - A South Korean 15 Years court yesterday sentenced the
Gaza Militants Test Rockets Israel
JERUSALEM — Israel’s military says that militants in the Gaza Strip have test-fired rockets into the Mediterranean Sea. The military said yesterday that four rockets had been fired over a 24hour period, suggesting Gaza militants are “experimenting.” Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers fought a 50-day war over the summer that claimed more than 2,100 Palestinian and 70 Israeli lives. It broke out after Hamas fired dozens of rockets at Israel following an Israeli roundup of Hamas activists in the West Bank, which was in response to the killing of three Israeli teens there. Rocket fire continued throughout the war, but was largely neutralized by Israel’s “Iron Dome” aerial defense system. Rockets from Gaza now have the ability to reach Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other Israeli cities.
Kerry To Continue Iran Nuclear Meetings PARIS — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has landed in Paris for talks with the French and Saudi foreign ministers as part of a lastminute push to secure a nuclear deal with Iran. Kerry arrived in the French capital yesterday from London, where he had two days of Iran-related meetings with his counterparts from Britain and Oman. Meanwhile, high-level negotiations with the Iranians are continuing in Vienna, with diplomats racing to beat a Monday deadline to seal a deal. At some point, Kerry plans to join the talks in Vienna, but it was not clear if he would do so later yesterday or today.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives for his meeting with Oman Foreign Minister Yusuf Bin Alawi bin Abdullah at the official residence of the US ambassador to Britain, Winfield House, in London.
head of the company that operated a ferry which capsized in April to 10 years in jail over his role in the country’s worst maritime disaster in decades. Kim Han-sik, the chief executive of Chonghaejin Marine, was found guilty of negligence causing death and embezzlement. His sentence was the toughest penalty handed down to anyone other than the ferry’s crew over the deaths of 304 passengers, most of them teenage children. Only
Mohan Samaranayake says the president signed a proclamation yesterday declaring “his intention to be elected for another term.” The proclamation was sent to the Election Commission, which is to decide on a date. Rajapaksa had earlier
another six-year term in 2010, riding on his popularity for defeating Tamil Tiger rebels in a civil war that ended in 2009. He used his party’s parliamentary victory in 2010 to scrap a two-term limit in office.
Sri Lanka Calls Early Presidential Polls
COLOMBO— Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has called early elections, seeking a third term in office two years before his current term expires. Presidential spokesman
promised to abolish the presidency amid widespread criticism that the office has too much power and lacks accountability. He was first elected in 2005 and overwhelmingly won
Turkey Strained By Syrian Refugees any more Syrian refugees Ankara — With Turkey’s Istanbul, the Turkish Report except in special cases. government-run refugee commercial capital. camps operating at full capacity, more than 1 million Syrian refugees who have flocked to Turkey to escape fighting at home are struggling to survive on their own, according to an Amnesty International report released yesterday. Turkey, which hosts half of the 3.2 million refugees who have fled Syria, is shouldering the heaviest burden of what the report calls the world’s worst refugee crisis in a generation. “In three days in September 2014, Turkey received some 130,000 refugees from Syria — more than the entire European Union had in the past three years,” the report said. It also detailed cases where Turkish border guards have abused — even killed — refugees trying to enter the country. An estimated 1.6 million Syrian refugees have entered Turkey since the Syrian war began in March 2011. About 220,000 are living in 22 government-run camps that offer food and essential services, the report said. The remaining 1.38 million — more than 85 percent — are living outside the camps, mostly in communities along the Turkey-Syrian border. An estimated 330,000 live in
So far, Turkey has spent about $4 billion on Syrian refugees and granted free health care to all Syrian refugees in the country. The report said while Turkey has an open-border policy for Syrian refugees, there are just two fully open crossings along its 900-kilometer (560-mile) border. Even at those crossings, the report said, people without passports are being denied entrance unless they have urgent needs. Other refugees trek into Turkey through often dangerous crossing points. According to Amnesty, at least 17 people were shot and killed by border guards at unofficial crossing points between December 2013 and August. The report cited 10 other incidents in which 31 people were allegedly beaten by Turkish border guards. The organization has shared the information with Turkish authorities. “Turkey is clearly struggling to meet even the most basic needs of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. The result is that many of those who have made it across the border have been abandoned to a life of destitution,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s researcher on Turkey.
The report urged Turkey to “radically revise its border practices, ending the necessity for refugees to use dangerous irregular crossings.” Jordan is hosting 619,000 Syrian refugees and as of October 14, Lebanon had registered 1.13 million, although the number in the country is believed to be far higher. Last month, Lebanon announced that it won’t accept
Refugees already make up nearly a quarter of Lebanon’s population of 5 million, stretching the tiny Mediterranean nation’s already fragile infrastructure. Of the United Nation’s funding appeal for $3.74 billion to aid Syrians, only 51 percent has been received, the report said.
172 of the ferry’s 476 passengers and crew were rescued. Kim apologized to the families of the victims but said last month that he was simply a paid employee of the company and the decisions that led to the disaster were made by the firm’s de-facto owner, Yoo Byung-un, media reports said. Yoo, who was the head of the family that owned a holding company at the center of a network of business interests that included the ferry operator, was found dead in June. The overloaded Sewol capsized while making a turn on a routine voyage to the holiday island of Jeju. The vessel was later found to be defective, with additions made to increase passenger capacity making it top-heavy and unstable. The court found other executives of the firm to three to six years in prison for negligence and embezzlement. The officials were guilty of knowingly operating the ferry that was dangerous, and there was “considerable causal relationship” between their jobs and the disaster, the court said. The 15 surviving crew members including the captain were convicted last week on negligence charges and sentenced to between five and 36 years in jail.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, (right), is greeted by New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key after arriving at Auckland International Airport in Auckland, New Zealand.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
EVERY FRIDAY WEEK 19, 2014 LAST SEASON RESULT Anderson Richwell 1.2. X. Forecast
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THE NIGERIAN
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Injury-Plagued United Face Tough Trip To Arsenal
MANCHESTER United manager Louis van Gaal will delve into the depths of his squad for the visit to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, as an injury crisis engulfs Old Trafford. So often it has been Arsene Wenger cursing his luck after key players have been crocked ahead of big matches but this time it is United who could be missing up to 12 squad players, including goalkeeper David De Gea, at the Emirates Stadium. United are exposed at the back, and with four first-team defenders possibly missing, Dutchman Van Gaal might have to call up teenagers Patrick McNair and Tyler Blackett to keep former teammate Danny Welbeck at bay. England striker Welbeck has been in fine form since his 16 million pounds ($25.06 million) move to Arsenal in September, scoring 10 goals for club and country. Arsenal suffered two disappointing results before the international break, letting leads slip to draw 3-3 at home to Anderlecht in the Champions League and going
down 2-1 at Swansea City in the league. “We have two games against Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund at home and if we get the crowd with us from the start, and get the results, then it will be a very different story again,” Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta said. Arsenal are currently sixth in the table with 17 points; United a place behind with one point fewer. Leaders Chelsea host West Bromwich Albion earlier on Saturday looking to extend their four-point lead on second-placed Southampton, who visit Aston Villa on Monday. Beleaguered Liverpool, in 11th after taking a paltry 14 points from their opening 11 games, visit struggling Crystal Palace on Sunday. Brendan Rodgers’ team will have painful memories of relinquishing a three-goal lead
Pellegrini Not Giving Up LAST term’s champions On Title are already eight points behind league leaders Chelsea after 11 games, leaving them playing catchup in the chase for the league crown. But Pellegrini said there was still a long way to go, maintaining hope his team can still reel in Jose Mourinho’s men. “Now is not the moment to analyse what has happened in the season,” the Chilean told Sky Sports News on Wednesday. “There are a lot of games to play in the Premier League and Champions League. “We have 27 more games to play and there are a lot of points [to be contested] so we
will see at the end who will be the best team this year.” Pellegrini was inducted into the League Managers Association’s Hall of Fame having guided City to the title in his first season in charge. The 61-year-old, whose side return to action by hosting Swansea City on Saturday, said it was an honour. “It’s a very important honour, the Hall of Fame, for managers who have made an important achievement in English football,” Pellegrini said. “So it is an honour to be with them.”
to draw 3-3 at Selhurst Park last season as the title slipped away from them. That draw proved costly for
the evenutual runners-up, but a win at the same ground this season would provide a timely boost.
Fifth-placed Swansea City visit stuttering champions Manchester City on Saturday, while fourth-placed West Ham United face a difficult trip to Everton.
• Ryan Giggs and Louis Van Gaal
Daniel Sturridge Could Be Out Until New Year LIVERPOOL have confirmed that Daniel Sturridge has picked up a new thigh inury, with reports claiming he will be out until the New Year. The 25-year-old limped out of training with a thigh problem, and was quickly sent for a scan. The results were announced by Liverpool, who did not specify how long he would be out for: “Scans have revealed Daniel Sturridge has sustained a new thigh injury,” the club said on their website. “The player will remain unavailable for selection but will be monitored and assessed during his recovery.” The Press Association reported that Sturridge would be out for 4-6 weeks, meaning he is unlikely to return before
January 2015. Sturridge has not played for his club since August 31st, after which he injured his thigh on England duty. England manager Roy Hodgson gave his reaction to Sturridge’s fresh blow. “It’s really bad news. The only positive with that is we don’t play again until March,” he said. “It’s a big blow for Liverpool. Hopefully by March he will be okay.” The striker ’s His first comeback was scuppered by a calf problem as he attempted to rejoin full training in October. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers had earmarked Sunday’s game against Crystal
Palace for a potential return but may now be forced to reschedule again. With the Reds struggling in front of goal, fans quickly turned to social media to share their fears and ideas, with many suggesting that on-loan Belgian teenager Divock Origi should be recalled from Lille.
Bony Signs Contract SWANSEA City’s Ivory Extension Coast international Wilfried
• Manuel Pellegrini
Bony has signed a one-year contract extension, the Premier League club said on Wednesday. The deal, which will keep the 25-year-old striker at the Liberty Stadium until 2018, is likely to ward off potential suitors ahead of the January transfer window. Bony was the subject of speculation in the close season, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur reported to be interested in signing the him. “These types of players are
ones that we do our best to keep at the club for a long time. But it’s also important that we see commitment from that player towards the club, his teammates and the fans,” Swansea manager Garry Monk said on the club website (www.swanseacity.net). Bony, who spearheaded the Ivory Coast attack at the World Cup in June, scored 25 goals in his debut campaign for Swansea and has netted four in 11 league games this season.
• Bernahino
Van Gaal Keen On West Brom’s Berahino LOUIS van Gaal has instructed his Manchester United scouts to keep a close eye on Saido Berahino, Goal understands. The striker was on target for West Brom in the 2-2 draw with United on October 20 and has caught Van Gaal’s eye with seven Premier League goals from 11 appearances this season. The Dutchman has been impressed by the Burundi-born 21-year-old and wants his scouting team to monitor the striker in the coming weeks. Old Trafford executive vice chairman Ed Woodward indicated on Tuesday that there was a “low probability” that United would do any business in January, though it was initially Van Gaal’s intention to bring in defensive cover this winter. Goal understands Van Gaal and his backroom staff have already drawn up a primary and secondary list of transfer targets for the summer, and United would be unlikely to make a move for Berahino until the end of the season. Berahino earned his first call-up to the senior England squad for games against Slovenia and Scotland but was an unused substitute in both matches. And the striker has suggested he may have to leave West Brom in the future to reach the top of his game. “If [leaving] is what it comes to, yeah, it will have to be that,” he told reporters.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Messi The Best Ever
IVAN Rakitic believes Lionel Messi is the best player ever and has urged the Argentina star to stay at Barcelona. Messi admitted earlier this week that he is no longer sure his future lies at Camp Nou and he could be tempted to move on in the near future if a good offer comes in. Nevertheless, Rakitic is hopeful that the prolific attacker will remain with the Catalan side and has vowed to do whatever it takes to convince his teammate to stay put. “Messi is the best player ever. He’s unique and we will never see anyone like him,” Rakitic told Mundo Deportivo. “It’s up to him to decide his future, but as his teammate all I can say is that I want him to stay and want to keep playing together with him. Even if I was playing at the moon, I wish he’d join me there. “I know that he still has an ongoing contract with Barcelona and I hope that
- Rakitic
he will fulfil his contract and stay here for a long time. “And I’m not saying that just for me, but for everybody at Camp Nou and for those who are no longer at Barca but still care about the club. “The only thing we can do is keep fighting and make sure we want to win as badly as him. We all want the same and want to win many titles. And we want to win them together.”
- Ronaldo
• Messi and Rakitic
‘Hazard Will Lead Belgium To Euro 2016 Semis’
CHELSEA playmaker Hazard has gone nine international appearances without scoring, spanning last summer’s World Cup finals and the ongoing Euro qualifying campaign. Belgium’s latest struggles — country. a 0-0 draw at home to Wales on “Disappointment is too Sunday — led coach Marc strong,” Gerets told Reuters in Wilmots to criticise Hazard for Abu Dhabi, where he coaches showboating, according to the city’s Al Jazira FC. media reports. “Even Messi needed a lot of But Gerets, who captained time before he was the saviour Belgium at the 1982 and 1990 of the national team. It didn’t World Cups and was a member happen for several years. You of the team that finished fourth have to give Hazard more time. in 1986, pleaded for more It will come. He has too much patience when asked if Hazard talent.” had disappointed for his Hazard, 23, has scored 35
£200m Messi Race For Premier League Clubs
PREMIER League clubs have been told to make offers for Lionel Messi; Chelsea have agreed to sell Petr Cech to Arsenal; the Gunners are stepping up their efforts to land a £40m Real Madrid ace; and new Wigan boss Malky Mackay is facing the sack already - the main stories making headlines in this morning’s newspapers. Come and get him, Messi’s agent says: Lionel Messi’s agent and father Jorge has told Premier League’s bigspenders to make a £200 million offer, according to The Sun. The Argentine superstar has a fixed buy-out of £200m and is believed to earn wages of £300,000-aweek - after tax. Speculation over the Barcelona forward’s future is rife after he hinted he may be forced out of the Nou Camp in the summer. Manchester City have “always made it clear they would join any race to sign him” the report claims. Paper Round’s view: There is something inevitable about this story, in the wake of
Mourinho Good For Oscar, Willian
Messi’s comments the other night. Of course if Messi’s future is up in the air, plenty (no, all) clubs would be interested, but given the astronomical figures being talked about, there is probably only one Premier League club who could afford to bring Messi to England. That is Manchester City, but even they may baulk at £200m and 300K-aweek for one player. Most if not all clubs around the world would never even consider those amounts, and it’s hard not to shake the feeling that Messi’s brilliance has priced him out of a move away from Barcelona - at least while he remains in his prime.
• Ibrahimovic
goals in 128 appearances for Chelsea, plus 37 in 162 games for former club Lille, according to soccerbase.com. That equates to a goal every four games. But for Belgium, the playmaker has netted six times in 54 appearances and has gone nine games without scoring, a paltry return for a player tipped to rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale as the world’s most dangerous winger-cumforward. “The future will show if he’s able to get on the same level as they are,” said Gerets. “Even if he never makes it to the same level, just below them is still a world (class) player.” Belgium lie fourth in their Euro 2016 qualifying group with five points from three matches after trouncing Andorra 6-0 before the Wales
this moment,” said Gerets, declining to provide further details. “But then there are rumours Marc (Wilmots) will not finish his contract. You never know what happens in football. I’m satisfied with my life in Abu Dhabi, but in football things change so quickly so you can never say what will happen next week.”
draw and a 1-1 stalemate away to Bosnia. That leaves the ‘Red Devils’ four points adrift of group leaders Israel, yet Belgium remain heavy favourites to top their section and take part in the 24-team finals in France. “With the talent Belgium has at the moment it would be a disappointment if by the next European Championship or World Cup they don’t get to the semi-finals,” said Gerets. He said the squad, with top class talent such as Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Cortouis and Vincent Kompany, was better than his 1986 vintage, which lost in the World Cup semi-finals to Diego Maradona’s Argentina. “This is the best squad Belgium ever had,” he added. Since hanging up his boots in 1992 after a trophy-laden playing career, Gerets has enjoyed a nomadic coaching career, winning titles in Belgium, Holland, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar before moving to Abu Dhabi this summer. Yet he has never coached his national team. “It was two times an issue, but for personal reasons I couldn’t accept, otherwise I would be coach of Belgium at
• Eden Hazard
continue their fightback to regain top spot this week and could find themselves in first place by the time Marseille face Bordeaux at the Stade Velodrome. PSG and Metz have not met since January 2008 - a comfortable 3-0 win for the Parisians - though the Ligue 2 champions will take heart from an encouraging top-flight return which leaves them ninth thanks to five wins and three draws
from their opening 13 games. However, Blanc spoke in midweek of his frustration at the staggered return of his players from international duty, and the PSG boss has fitness fears over striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who aggravated a heel injury while in action for Sweden. “This is a particularly special week,” he told the club’s official website. “There is a match to prepare for, but [the squad] will not be
UNBEATEN in 11 Premier League games, Chelsea – with four Brazilians in their squad – are four points clear at the top. Asked about Oscar and Willian playing in the Premier League, Ronaldo said it was good for their development. “I think it’s definitely the right teams for them to be at because of the nature of the English football league, which has a lot of goals, a lot of attacking play,” Ronaldo said. “The players under Mourinho’s coaching, they have a lot of potential because of the nature of him as a coach. “So overall, it’s definitely a good decision for these young talents to be in the Premier League.” Ronaldo, a two-time World Cup winner who scored 62 international goals, is still hurting from his nation’s 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany at Brazil 2014. But the 28-year-old said he was happy with how the tournament was organised. “The semi-final was a weird match,” Ronaldo said. “It was painful, those five crazy minutes that broke the game and of course, it was quite sad.
PSG Look To Increase Pressure On Marseille PARIS Saint-Germain can pile the pressure on Ligue 1 leaders Olympique de Marseille when they return to action on Friday against Metz. PSG and Marseille went headto-head prior to the international break, with goals from Lucas Moura and Edinson Cavani striking a blow for the defending champions against Marcelo Bielsa’s pacesetting side. Laurent Blanc’s men can
complete until Thursday. This is not the best preparation, but we must make do. “We must therefore return competitively on Friday, knowing that we still have six games left before the winter break. “Our ambition is to take the most points possible.” Ibrahimovic’s absence would likely bolster Metz hopes ahead of their most high-profile game since returning to Ligue 1.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Ivory Coast Qualify With Cameroon Draw Cameroon had made the finals
AFCON 2015
Egypt Fails To Qualify A 2-1 defeat to Tunisia dashed the hopes of the tournament’s most successful side while Mali booked their place Previous champions Egypt failed to reach the Africa Cup of Nations as qualification drew to a close on Wednesday. Egypt’s chances of securing the qualifying spot for the best thirdplaced team were dashed when they surrendered a lead to lose 2-1 at Group G winners Tunisia. With Tunisia and Senegal having already qualified, Egypt - the most successful team in Afcon history needed to win by at least two clear goals to earn a reprieve but fell short. Senegal rounded off their campaign with a 3-0 win at home to Botswana. Egypt’s failure meant that Democratic Republic of Congo take the vacant spot for the best of the rest after they defeated Sierra Leone 3-1 in Group D. In Group B Mali’s 2-0 win over table-toppers Algeria saw them progress at the expense of Malawi who could only draw 0-0 with Ethiopia, while in Group C Gabon overtook Lesotho courtesy of a 4-2 win and Burkina Faso ended their successful campaign with a 1-1 draw against Angola, going through top. Elsewhere, Cape Verde lost 1-0 at Zambia but both teams had qualified from Group F. The pool’s other sides Niger and Mozambique drew 1-1.
IVORY Coast’s qualification for the African Nations Cup finals sparked crazy scenes in Abidjan, with former Arsenal star Gervinho having his shorts stolen. Ivory Coast qualified for the African Nations Cup finals with a tepid 0-0 draw against 10-man Cameroon, who had Stephane Mbia sent off just before the hour in Abidjan. But while the match was dull, the aftermath was anything but: a huge pitch invasion ensued, in which Gervinho had his shorts ripped off, and rampaging fans were beaten brutally by local police. One group of fans succeeded in pulling down a goal as they vented their frustration at the result.
Ephraim Mashaba, South Africa’s Coach
Ephraim Mashaba Target AFCON Final SOUTH Africa national team coach, Ephraim Mashaba says his boys are ready to challenge for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations title in Equatorial Guniea. Bafana Bafana denied Nigeria a chance to defend the trophy they won two year ago after holding Stephen Keshi’s men to a 2-2 draw at the Akwa Ibom Stadium.
According to the former South Africa U17 handler, his team have what it takes to reach the final of the tournament having passed tests from Nigeria, Congo and Sudan. “When we started the campaign of the qualifiers, we were only asked to help build the national team that is why you see majority of my side made up of young
players,” Mashaba told Goal after the game. “Now that we have qualified, we don’t want to make up the numbers because we heading there [Equatorial Guinea] to compete and we are looking forward to getting to the finals. “We played strong teams in this group, I mean Nigeria , Sudan and Congo. They are not pushovers and
having gone unbeaten, it shows my boys are ready for the Africa Cup of Nations,” he concluded. South Africa last reached the final of the competition in the 1998 edition staged in Burkina Faso where they crashed 2-0 to eventual champions, Egypt.
as Group D winners and showed little sense of adventure in a game that ended in farcical circumstances with the Ivorians passing the ball around in defence and the visitors showing no desire to win possession. Cameroon captain Mbia was sent off for fouling striker Gervinho when he was adjudged to have been the last defender, despite the immediate presence of team mate Henri Bedimo. Yaya Toure’s goal-bound effort from the free kick was headed off the line, which was the closest either side came to a goal. Cameroon have 14 points followed by Ivory Coast on 10 with DR Congo, who beat Sierra Leone 3-1, third on nine. The Congolese could still reach the finals as the best thirdplaced side in the pool stages but must wait for the rest of the qualifiers to be completed on Wednesday. Ivory Coast join Cameroon, Algeria, Cape Verde Islands, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Senegal and new hosts Equatorial Guinea in the Jan. 17-Feb. 8 tournament which will feature 16 teams.
We Can Perform Well In AFCON
GUINEA’S head coach Michel Dussuyer has praised his boys for the good performance which saw them beat Uganda and qualify for the 2015 Afcon. Speaking after the 2-0 win at the Complexe Muhammed V Stadium in Casablanca, Dussuyer said he is sure his team can perform well at the tournament in Equatorial Guinea. “The spirit that the boys
- Dussuyer have showed in the last two games to beat Togo 4-1 and Uganda 2-0 is a true spirit of a good team which can deliver at hard times. We have the material that can make the team very competitive at the Afcon event,” he added. Skipper and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Ibrahima Traore
together with Soumah Seydouba netted the goals that saw Guinea stop 10-man Uganda Cranes whose skipper Andrew Mwesigwa was sent off after 58 minutes. Uganda needed a draw to break their 37-year Afcon qualification jinx, but the Guinea team had other ideas. Despite not playing
their matches form home because of the deadly Ebola virus which has killed many people there, Guinea still managed to collect seven points and only drew with the Black Stars of Ghana. Dussuyer said his team showed good mentality collecting more points in an empty Stadium away from home. The Black Stars of Ghana who beat Togo in the last game qualified as Group E champions.
Gervinho
Bafana Face Tough AFCON Draw
Bafana Bafana team
SOUTH Africa have only been seeded in the third pot for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations draw early next month. Despite their impressive qualifying campaign in which Bafana Bafana topped Group A and went unbeaten through six matches, the fact that they have appeared in just one of the last three AFCON tournaments (2013, as hosts) means they have not earned a favourable seeding. Hosts Equatorial Guinea,
2013 runners-up Burkina Faso, 2012 champions Zambia and perennial contenders Ghana are the four top seeded teams making up Pot 1. Pot 2 is comprised of heavyweights Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Mali and Algeria, while South Africa are in Pot 3 alongside Cape Verde, Gabon and DR Congo. Pot 4 contains Senegal, Guinea, Congo and Cameroon. Each of the four groups at the 2015 finals will contain one team from each of the four pots, so South Africa
could conceivably end up in a ‘group of death’ alongside West African powerhouses Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. The draw for the finals takes place in Equatorial Guinea’s capital Malabo on December 3. Pot 1: Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Zambia, Burkina Faso Pot 2: Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Mali, Algeria Pot 3: Cape Verde, South Africa, Gabon, DR Congo Pot 4: Senegal, Guinea, Congo, Cameroon
THE NIGERIAN
31
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Keshi Shuns Media, South Africa’s Coach Hails Team Sh
SUPER Eagles’ Head Coach Stephen Keshi in Uyo shunned the mandatory postmatch briefing after his team drew 2-2 with visiting South Africa at the Ibom International Stadium. No reason was given for his attitude by Nigeria Football Association (NFA) officials, following the Final Qualifying Group A Matchday Six tie for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). However, his South African counterpart, Ephraim Mashaba, spoke to newsmen, saying his boys played very well. “We only lost the game in the last five minutes played. We would have scored a third goal, but we were disorganised by the red card. “We did well because we fielded young players five of who play in the Under-17 and Under-20 national teams,’’ he
said. The coach said his team would be hoping to go beyond the first round at the finals in Equatorial Guinea next January. “We hope to reach the finals in Equatorial
Guinea. After all, we have played with strong teams — Sudan, Congo and Nigeria — in the qualifiers,’’ he said.
Mashaba however refused to talk about the Eagles, saying “I do not want to talk about Nigeria.
NFF Accepts Full Responsibility
THE Nigeria Football Federation has claimed full responsibility for the failure of the Super Eagles to reach next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea. The African champions battled back to a 2-2 draw with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Uyo on Wednesday, when the narrowest margin of victory was needed, and left the country’s teeming football fans in sour mood. But NFF
President Amaju Pinnick stated that it was a time for sober reflection rather than trading of blames or looking for scapegoats. “The NFF takes full responsibility for what has happened. It is a tragedy for us to come so near and yet fail to reach the finals. We made so much effort and sacrifice in Congo to achieve the victory we needed there on Saturday and really had no business bungling
it here,” Pinnick said in a media release. “However, our commitment is to build a sustainable football culture in the country and nothing has changed. This is a disappointment but for us, we gave it our best shot and supported the team fully.” Pinnick said Wednesday’s failure could turn out to be blessing in disguise. “All things work together for good for those that love God,
Africa. Eagles ended their group A matches with eight points from six games, and placed third behind the qualifying teams— South Africa with 12 points, and Congo with 10 points. Adokie Amesimaka said that the team did not exhibit sufficient skills in the match and that the defence played as if they were playing with so much pressure hanging on their necks. ‘’They did not approach the game with flair, confidence and good football skills that
had been the hallmark of a Super Eagles team. ‘’We need to learn from this and resurrect our football through the youth ranks— where young players can be well managed and groomed to quality players,’’ Amesika said. Former captain of the Green Eagles, Henry Nwosu, said that the team had not played well enough to qualify. ‘’It is sad the way we ended the qualifying series after doing so well on Nov. 15 against Congo in their country. ‘’The team should be disappointed in
according to Romans 8:28. This has happened but we believe it will work together for us to toil hard and achieve a renaissance that will take Nigeria football to much higher heights than it has ever been. “I use this opportunity to thank the Akwa Ibom State Government for all the support they gave the team and the assistance they offered the NFF. This is a dark moment but we will emerge into sunshine shortly.”
Ex-Internationals Want New Structure To Develop Young Footballers SOME ex-internationals urged policy makers in sports to go back to the drawing board and develop a new structure that would train young football players at the grassroots. The ex-international were reacting to the Super Eagles inability to qualify for 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. While decrying the poor performance of the team, the ex-internationals said that the Eagles played below the expectation of Nigerians. The Eagles, who needed a victory to scale through to the continental showpiece, played a 2-2 draw with the Bafana Bafana of South
back to the drawing board. “I do not want to lay blames on anybody, but we should sit down and analyse what has gone wrong and what should be put right,’’ Amun said.
Eagles Must Pick Themselves Up
NIGERIA forward Sone Aluko has said he expects the team to pick themselves up after they failed to qualify for next year’s AFCON. The Super Eagles finished a disappointing third in Group A on eight points after they forced group winners South Africa to a 2-2 draw in the southern town of Uyo on Wednesday night. Nigeria also failed to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in almost similar circumstances. “I am disappointed, everybody is disappointed,” said Hull City forward Aluko, who came on as a late substitute to score Nigeria’s
Stephen Keshi
Their coach can do that’’. Also, Fanny Amun, a former national under-17 team coach, said that what happened called for a stakeholders meeting. He said the NFA should go
themselves for not getting the necessary result at home soil when it mattered most,’’ Nwosu said. Another exinternational, Edema Fuludu, said that the team had no business playing a draw and failing the nation. ‘’Eagles could not rise to the occasion; they played as if they could get an easy result, hence, they were shocked by a more determined South Africa team. ‘’The team lacked team work, they were not professional about their approach,’’ Fuludu said.
- Aluko
two goals on Wednesday. “We did not get the result we wanted, and we now have to pick ourselves up as a team.” Nigeria have won the Nations thrice. Their first triumph was in 1980 on home soil and then crashed out in the group stage of the subsequent edition in Libya in 1982. They again won the tournament in 1994, but a political row between Nigeria and South Africa caused the Eagles to pull out of the 1996 championship staged in South
Africa. Last year, they won their third AFCON in South Africa, but will now not be Equatorial Guinea next year to defend this crown.
Sone Aluko
Support For Female REMI Aboderin, Secretary, Boxers Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), on Wednesday said there was a need to encourage more female boxers in the country. Aboderin told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the numbers of female boxers in the country was declining because of lack of sponsorship. He said the presence of female boxers in any boxing championship added more glamour to the event. “ Female boxers in boxing events enliven bouts; it makes more people to want to watch the event. “If we are looking at how to draw crowds to events, we should be thinking of more female participation in our competitions,” he said Another boxing pundit, Isaac Ikhuoria, a coach, charged corporate bodies,
Edith Ugoke
especially those in the beverage sector to leverage on the public acceptance of the sport to reach out to the public. “There is this joy that accompanies watching female boxers on stage; it is that ambience that I want the firms to cash in on. He regretted that female boxers were not enlisted in the forthcoming GOTV 6 boxing competition coming up on Nov.23 in Lagos. “The more female boxers we have, the more the public gets interested in the rig sport,” he noted. The coach said that with the International Amateur Boxing Association’s new rules, lots of protective measures had been put in place to protect boxers from harm.
CMYK
THE NIGERIAN
32
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Towards Successful Conduct Of 2015 General Elections THE most important feature of democracy is election and as such the process leading to the conduct of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria has commenced in earnest. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been distributing the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in phases across the federation to replace the Temporary Voters Card (TVC), issued to electorates in the last exercise conducted in 2011. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja has approved the distribution of the permanent voters cards in thirteen states in the third phase of the exercise scheduled to start on Friday 7th November, and end on Sunday 9th November, 2014. The Continuous Voter Registration is expected to commence on Thursday 13th November, and end on Monday 17th November, 2014. The states involved in this third phase include, Edo, Adamawa, Borno, Lagos, Imo, Kaduna, Kano. Others are Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Plateau and Rivers States. Addressing journalists in Benin City, the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Baritol Kpagih said no one would be allowed to vote with the temporary voters card, and advised every eligible voter to endeavour to obtain his or her permanent voters card during the distribution exercise. Mr. Kpagih explained that those who are qualified to have the permanent voters card are those who have the temporary voters card, those whose
names are in INEC register, but have lost his or her temporary voter card. However, this category of voters would be made to fill the incidence form before they are finally issued the permanent voters card. The authority of INEC say there will be no issuance of permanent voter card by Proxy, and urged every registered voter to go physically to the ward or unit where they registered to collect their PVC. According to the Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner, the Continuous Voters Registration exercise is for those who did not register previously and for those who are now 18 years and above since the last exercise in 2011. The INEC authority warned against multiple registrations as it is an offence under the electoral act. Besides, anyone who registered more than once would have his or her name deleted from the INEC voter register, thereby disenfranchising him or herself. Registration of under aged persons is also an electoral offence, and anyone found liable would be prosecuted. The Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Baritol Kpagih said provision has been made for those who have relocated from one place to another, through INEC’s inter and intra state transfer of voter registration, However, such a person must apply to the REC in the state where he or she was originally registered to effect such a transfer, to enable him or her vote in his or her new place of domicile. When you are issued your permanent voter card, endeavour to verity its features to ensure it is bearing your actual name, the state and local
government where you registered, registration centre code and identification numbers. These are necessary features that a PVC must have to make it a genuine voter card. Every voter is expected to keep his or her card safely as no other document will be accepted for voting purposes except the
in the exercise. They also expressed reservation over INEC’s readiness to ensure that all voters in their register get their permanent voter cards. To this group of voters, INEC should increase the period for collection of the permanent voters cards. Others are worried
MATTERS IN FOCUS By DESMOND AGBAMA
At this point, it must be emphasized that democracy is the government of’ the people, by the people and for the people, and election is the only way of electing those who will
Prof. Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman
voter card. Be that as it may, many concerned electorates are worried because of the three days set aside by INEC for the collection of the permanent voters card which according to them would not be enough, considering the number of voters involved
about the continuous voter registration exercise, with particular reference to the previous exercise which was almost marred by lack of electricity and trained personnel to operate the capturing machines, especially in the rural communities.
represent the people in the various levels of government in a democratic system. That explains why the politicians, the political parties, civil society group, non governmental organization, electorates and other stakeholders must support the
democratic process. Meanwhile, the INEC has fixed February 14, 2015 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while February 28, 2015 has been fixed for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. Elections are used as a means by which representatives are decided. In other words, the choice between political parties and their candidates are made through elections, which explain why anyone should not denial him or her self of the right to vote in an election. It must be realized by all eligible voters that no right is more precious in a free country than that of having a choice in the election of those who make the laws under which as citizens, you must live. That of course underscores the importance of the scheduled distribution of the permanent voters card (PVC) and the continuous registration of voters CRV by the Independent National Commission, INEC. All eligible voters should participate in the exercise in order to be able to vote in future elections. • Comrade Desmond Agbama is Edo State NUJ Chairman
“When you are issued your permanent voter card, endeavour to verity its features to ensure it is bearing your actual name, the state and local government where you registered, registration centre code and identification numbers.”
Printed and published by Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, 24, Airport Road, P.M.B. 1334 Benin City. Telephone; Lagos: 01 4930929, Benin: 052 257492, 257531 Editor. BARR. SOLOMON IMOHIOSEN (KSJI) - (07030699646), Deputy General Manager (Marketing) (08023457566), Assistant General Manager(Advertisement) (08023808856) Lagos Office: 25 A Alli Street, Off Tinubu Square, Lagos Island, Lagos. Abuja Office: Floor 1, Edo House, 75 Ralph Shodeinde Street, Central Business District, Abuja. Tel/Fax: 09-5237631. All correspondence to: 24 Airport Road, Benin City. E-mail: nigerianobserver@yahoo.com (ISSN 0331-2674)