Nigerian observer 22 10 2014 by Nigerian Observer

THE NIGERIAN

The Nigerian

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 39 NO.104 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 . N100.00

SEEFOR employs 240 people

OPINION Page 13

2015 Nigerian Youths and Imperative of Affirmative Action

By FRIDAY OBANOR

BENIN CITY - In a bid to reduce rising rate of unemployment, the World Bank assisted project known as State Employment and

Expenditure For Results (SEEFOR) has hired over 240 Edo State Indigenes for its public works programme. The workers who are made up of 40 graduates and 200 non graduates

now bring to 1,500 the number of unemployed youth so far engaged by the body since February this year. Addressing the newly hired at a brief ceremony, the state co-ordinator of

the programme, Comrade Taiwo Akerele commended the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for meeting up with the state counterpart funding of the Continues on page 2

Constitution Amendment

Immunity clause remains, By JOSES SEDE

ABUJA - Another round of Constitutional amendment got underway yesterday with contentious Immunity clause that protects the President of the Federal Republic and State Governors as well as, their respective deputies from litigations, remaining unaltered. This was contained in political parties and the Report of Conference independent candidates; Committee on the deletion of State Review of the 1999 Independent Electoral Nigerian Constitution, Commission (SEIC); that was approved by the making Local Senate of the Federal Government a full third Republic. tier government with Highlights of the four-year term for Reports included: Council Chairman, movement of Wages abolition of State from Exclusive to Government/LG Joint Concurrent Legislative Account, creation of List; provision for Auditor-General of LG, independent candidacy and State Local in election; Government Service empowerment of Commission. National Assembly to The proposed make laws for amendment also makes procedures, guidelines it mandatory for the and qualifications for President of the Federal access to the ballot by Republic to attend a joint

SPIRITUAL PLATFORM

Page 25

Dealing with strange and evil attacks

ADP gets 22 motorcycles

By DOROTHY EGBOBAMWONYI

BENIN CITY - No fewer than 22 motorcycles were released to Edo A g r i c u l t u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t Programme (ADP) extension workers across the three senatorial Districts for

maximum efficiency and effectiveness in their statutory duties in the nooks and carmines of the state in other to ensure food security. Shortly before cutting the tape which signifies the flag-off of the epoch event, the Commissioner for Agriculture and

TIT BIT “It is easier to find a needle in a haystack than for one woman to learn from her mate; how to make her husband love her more.” - Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama

Natural Resources, Hon. Abdul Oroh who was Continues on page 2

SIEC, joint LG/SG accounts removed

meeting of the National Assembly once a year to deliver State of the Nation Address; and extended the time for conducting presidential or

governorship re-run election to 21 days instead of the current seven days in the Constitution. It has also strengthen

legislature’s authority and enable timely passage of laws by providing the legislators with overriding powers on the President’s or

Governor ’s refusal to signify his assent or withholds such assents to Bills. By the new amendment Continues on page 2

NILS: Senate President, Senator David Mark and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha at National Institute for Legislative Studies and University of Benin Postgraduate commencement ceremony held at National Assembly yesterday. Photo: OMOYE AMINU.

INEC to distribute permanent voters card in Edo BENIN CITY -The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will commence the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card in 13 states, including Edo State on Friday November 7, 2014 and will end on Sunday November 9, 2014. In a release signed by the Head of Department (HOD) voter Education and publicity, Mr. Francis Ikefua for the Resident Electoral Commissioner also stated that the

continuous voter Registration exercise will hold from Thursday November 13, Monday to November 17, 2014 in the 13 states. The release listed the 13 states as Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Imo, Kaduna,

Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Plateau and Rivers. According to the release, only those with Permanent Voters Card

will be allowed to vote during the 2015 general elections. The release further requests voters to cross-check their names in the displayed Voters

Register in their various polling unit where they registered in 2011. Only those who registered before, but did not see their names in the displayed register are expected to register Continues on page 2

BENIN CITY- Few days after about 250 members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) joined the All Progressives Congress

(APC) at Igbanke West, another 600 members of the opposition party here shifted their allegiance to the APC in Urhonigbe South Ward in

Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State. The state deputy governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwan Odubu

was at Urhonigbe to welcome the defectors into the APC. He told the defectors Continues on page 2

APC receives PDP deserters

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

News

SEEFOR employs 240 people

Continued from page 1 organisation. Comrade Akerele used the occasion to ask contractors to ensure proper enumeration of faciliti es within the zone to

facilitate bill preparation, adding that subletting of job by any category of worker will earn dismissal. According to him, “All Waste Trucks must be properly covered while on transit in line with the Edo State Sanitation and Pollution Management Law

(Law No 5). He said that it is compulsory for all category of workers to be on approved uniforms and use personal protective equipment (PPE) while on duty, stressing that if need arises for staff to be absent from work, early notice should be given except on cases of emergency. He pointed out that only government approved dump sites should be used while all visitors to the site must

conduct themselves civilly and orderly to forestall indiscriminate dumping, urging waste managers to ensure that all staff, supervisors, drivers and evacuators use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) while on duty. Areas where the organisation is currently working are Idai Street along Textile Mill on Uselu-Lagos Road. Others are Uwasota

Junction to Adolor College Road on Ugbowo-Lagos Road through Adolor College Road to Uwelu Secondary School, Omore Junction to Adolor College Road on Ugbowo-Lagos Road through Adolor College Road to Uwelu Secondary School. The present job description according to the Co-ordinator Covers the whole of Ugbowo axis of the Benin metropolis, starting from Uselu-Lagos Road and its environs.

APC receives PDP deserters

Continued from page 1

that the APC treats all members equally, irrespective of when they become members of the party. He assured the people of Urhonigbe South ward that the Idumwenhen-New road axis of their road would be

2015:

completed by the state government as soon as the rains subside, pointing out that the present administration does not embark on abandoned project. Dr. Odubu said the best bet was for Urhonigbe people

voting massively for the APC in forthcoming elections. The party’s chairman in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Chief Matthew Ehigie thanked the former members of PDP for the decision to disown those who sold the mandate given

so I am ready to deliver at any time,”. He therefore urged the people to remain focused and not to be deceived by any sugar-coated tongue of frivolous politicians. The legislator lauded the efforts of the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for being able to bring the party together despite all distraction from the opposition party in the state. He said he will remain

focused and dedicated to the party and well-being of the people of his constituency if they nominate him as the flagbearer. In their speeches, the former chairman, Etsako Central Local Government Area Hon. Sulieman Bagudu, the former Vice Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Area, Hon. Edward Amaibe, Mr. Vincent Onimhawo from Etsako West and a woman leader from Etsako West, Mrs. Paulina

to them by the people. The member representing Orhionmwon /Uhunnmwode federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Samson Osagie said the defectors would be happy they dumped the opposition for the ruling APC.

Oghuma picks Nomination Form

By LAMAI CASSIUS/ GRACE OSAGIE BENIN CITY: the member representing Etsako Central Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Johnson Oghuma has picked his nomination form to contest for the Etsako Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in the 2015 general elections. Hon Oghuma of the All progressive Congress (APC) who picked his form yesterday at the party Secretariat in Benin city vowed to continually bring the dividends of democracy to his people, as he pointed out that he remains the best candidate to be defeated. The House of Assembly member who was accompanied by top party leaders and supporters from the constituency stated that his legislative assignment remains undaunted in bringing government presence to his people through meaningful developments which directly affect the lives of his people. He chronicled some of his initiated people oriented projects which cuts across his constituency to include, the provisions of water borehole projects, transformer to boost electricity in the area, construction of classroom blocks, financial empowerment for women and widows among others. According to him, “I grew up with my people, I am a villager and I do not believe in failure. I know what my people want,

INEC to distribute permanent voters card

Continued from page 1 during the continuous voters Registration exercise, according to the release.

Olele described Hon. Oghuma as a man of the people who has touched the lives of the common man at the grassroots. They said Hon Oghuma has been tested and trusted to go for the House of Representatives as he has demonstrated his loyalty, commitment to the party and for the leaders and of good character, adding that his constituency has never produced any candidate for the House of Representatives since 1999.

Constitution Amendment

Continued from page 1

proposals the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered to conduct elections into all offices of the three tiers of government; deletion of Political Parties for nonfulfillment of certain conditions such as breach of registration requirements and failure to secure/win a P r e s i d e n t i a l , Governorship, LG Chairmanship, or a seat in the NASS or State Assembly. Also, Conference C o m m i t t e e r e c o m m e n d e d establishment of the Office of the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and State respectively as distinct from Minister of Justice and Commissioner for Justice. The Report further grants financial independence to the Legislative Assemblies; National Security Agencies, The Nigerian Police, The Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission and Offices of the Attorney-General, and Auditor-General from the Consolidated Revenue Funds of their respective tiers of government. It confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Federal

High Court for trial of election offences; provides that a court or tribunal shall not stay any proceedings on account of any interlocutors appeal; and that where a “force majeure occurs, the period shall not be counted in the computation of the 180 days for the purpose of determining election petitions. The approved NASS Conference Committee report is to be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for adoption and returned the NASS for further necessary legislative action. Earlier, an attempt by Sen. Ita Enang (AkwaIbom N.E.) to cause further

debate on the Conference report on the premise that not all issues contained therein were earlier considered and voted on by the Senate, was overruled by presiding Senate President David Mark. Sen. Enang had observed that eight amendments were decided and transmitted to the Joint Conference Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives for harmonization but that 63 clauses were returned for approval. He therefore warned of grave legal consequences for approving the clauses into which, the senators did not make inputs, stressing there could be litigations from aggrieved persons.

Press Week: BNCL assures By IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE J/ OMORODION LAWRENCE/ OWOBU JENNIFER/ GLORIA ONI/ PATIENCE UBA/ OMEIZA ROBINSON

BENIN CITY - Members of the Planning Committee for 2014 NUJ have been assured of full support by the Bendel Newspaper Company Limited (BNCL) publishers of the OBSERVER Titles. The Assurance was made yesterday by the General Manager, Rev. Monday Aigbe when the committee members led by its chairman, Comrade Joe Apili paid a courtesy visit to the administrative headquarters of the company to intimate him of the activities of the coming NUJ press week. In an address, The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Comrade Joe Apili said the week Long Programme beginning from

NUJ of support December 2 nd through December 7th would afford all Journalists working in the state the opportunity to come together as one family. Speaking further, he said the week would also give room for Journalists to thank God for the success of the working year. The Chairman said that this year’s theme titled: “ Credible Elections, Insurgency and The Nigerian Media; the way forward” will feature two Lectures with the topic, “The Role of the media in the face of Insurgency and the media and Credible Elections in 2015 to be delivered by Prince Amen Oyakhire and Barr. Uzamere respectively. Also, the week will also feature Health Lecture, sensitization and screening for Journalists, visit to Orphanages, fund raising/ award day, and will climax with thanksgivings by all journalists.

Donkey meat: Environmental Committee boss warns sellers BENIN CITY- The Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Mr. Mukhtar Yusuf Osagie, has warned market women and other meat sellers to desist from selling meat such as donkey meat which has long been prescribed by law as being poisonous. The chairman, who gave the warning while addressing women in Oka Market after a teenage girl was caught with a wheelbarrow load of donkey meat, declared that anyone caught in such unwholesome act would be arrested by the police and be

charged to mobile court. Responding on behalf of the market women, the leader of the Oka market women, madam Rose Uwoghiren thanked the chairman and his team for their good job in the market and promised to adhere strictly to the chairman’s warning. Earlier, the Health Officer and Director of Operations Prince Uwagbale, who identified the meat as poisonous after interrogating the teenage girl, stormed the slaughter house where more meat already slaughtered were discovered and seized as exhibit

Funeral for Mrs Oviawe begins Oct 24 BENIN CITY- The remains of Late Mrs. Orhue Aigbedion Oviawe (Nee Ogiefa) (aka Iye Blacky) will be intered on Friday October 24, 2014 in Benin City. A statement by Daniel Erhunwuse indicated that at 10 am prior to the interment, the remains will be taken from Suyi Hospital, Murtala Muhammed Way to her residence, No 26 Ekhagguere Street, Off Lucky Way, Iwogban, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City while social wake and family rites will follow at 9 pm. Saturday October 25, 2014 at noon, there will be social outing /entertainment of guests at Western Boys High School Ikpoba Hill, Benin City while the burial ceremony will climax on Sunday October 26,

2014 with a thanksgiving service at Jesus Redemption Ministry, No11 NIPOST Federal Housing Estate junction, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City.

Late Mrs. Orhue Aigbedion Oviawe

ADP gets 22 motorcycles

Continued from page 1

represented by Director Veterinary Services, Dr. Aibaogun re-affirmed government’s commitment to taking agriculture to greater height which he emphasized is evidenced in the numerous programmes it has keyed into as well as creating an enabling environment for investors to thrive. Responding to the request made by the Edo programme manager concerning the absorption of casual staff and the heavy reduction of extension agents from 144 to 50 which he said were too few for the task on ground, the Commissioner gave the

assurance that the message will be taken to the appropriate quarters for consideration. He however commended Comrade Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole’s government and linged the Edo ADP’s foremost in terms of agricultural drive in the country on the immense support of the state government but quickly admonished the beneficiaries of the motorbikes to ensure that they were used for the purpose they were meant for by complementing the effort of the state government in ensuring there is food security in the state. Also presenting a key to one of the beneficiaries, a female, the Commissioner harped on the gender sensitiveness of Comrade

Governor Aliyu Oshiomhole who believes in the inclusion of women in everything as the development of the state requires the efforts of all. Earlier, the Edo Programme Manager Mr. Oziengbe Asikhia, disclosed that the motorbikes were released to the extension agents across the state to enhance their productivity and effectiveness but decried the low number which was reduced from 144 to 50, saying it was far cry from the number needed for the work. Mr. Asikhia appealed to the state government through the Commissioner to consider the casual workers in the extension

office for absorption as well as increase the number of extension workers by 74 to be also meet up with what is expected of them and hoped that when it is done it would mark a turn around in the agricultural sector of the state. In their various remarks, the extension workers who were unanimous in their response, thanked the state government for giving them the motor bikes to enhance their movements in the interiors as they go about their statutory duties. Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of keys to the beneficiaries by the representative of the Hon. Commissioner.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

News NAMB To Boost Operators’ Capacity LAGOS - The National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), Lagos State Chapter, said it would embark on intensive training for its members to improve their skills. The Chairman of the association, Mrs. Clara Oloniniyi, told newsmen in Lagos that the training would enable practitioners to provide better services to Nigerians. Oloniniyi said that the concept of microfinance banking was not for merchants but for the poor. “Professor Mohammad Yunus, the founder of the first microfinance bank known as Grameen Bank, made it obvious during his visit to the country’s microfinance conference in 2011. “At the conference organised by the First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc., Yunus revealed that what was being practiced then and still in practice is not microfinance banking but micro commercial bank,” she said. Oloniniyi said that capacity building would motivate

operators to the poor and not suppliers and importers. “I am not saying that banking cannot be done for the rich but there is banking for the rich and restricted to the rich. “So, this capacity building is aimed at making the operators to embrace the main objective of the sub-sector which reaching out to the poor,” she said. Oloniniyi said through the training, operators would be allowed freedom to share challenges they were facing in ordinary course of business for brainstorming. “When they are together, we are able to share ideas, address challenges and speak with one mind,” she said. She commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) for making efforts on capacity building for operators.

Oloniniyi added that operators would not be diverted totally from profitability as strategies for profitable microfinance banking would be part of the training. “Operators must know the strategies for profitability as they are pursuing the social aspects, the profitability aspect must not be ignored. “We are also going to discuss how to attract more investors to the sub-sector and prepare operators on how to access funds from them,” she said. Report says online shopping in Nigeria still infant FCT resident that the training scheduled for the Lagos Airport Hotel on November 6 has theme “Managing for Suitability”.

Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Deaconess Endurance Odubu flanked by a member of Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Elizabeth Ativie (left) and the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Blessing Maigida at a sensitization workshop on 35 percent affirmative action held in Benin City. Photo: MOSES OBOH.

Expert Urges Govt To Promote Family Farming

ABUJA – Dr. Tunde Arosanyin, National Technical Adviser, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has urged the three tiers of government to promote family farming. Arosanyin told newsmen in Abuja that the Federal, state and local governments should continuously show support for farming activities. He said it was not just enough

NRC Appoints New Railway DM ZARIA (Kaduna) - The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has appointed Mr. Akinwale Babatope-Akintola as the new Railway District Manager (RDM) for Northern District with headquarters in Zaria, Kaduna State. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the district’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Grace Adegbite, and made available to newsmen in Zaria. According to the statement, Babatope-Akintola, until his appointment, was the Assistant Director (Operations) at the NRC headquarters. It added that he had earlier served the corporation as Chief Traffic Officer (Movement, Logistics and Administration) and District Superintendent, North-Eastern. A master’s degree holder in transport, the new RMD is also a fellow of Chartered Institute of Logistic and Transport. Babatope-Akintola replaces Mr Adekunle Ayeni who was promoted and transferred to the railway headquarters.

to commemorate the year as an ‘International Year of Family Farming’ as declared by the UN, but to also promote the agriculture sector. He called on stakeholders at all levels to engage in productive activities that would move agriculture forward. It would be recalled that the UN declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) to recognize the importance of family farming in reducing poverty and improving global food security. “We want to encourage everybody to contribute something into the economy by getting involved in the sector. “But I want to implore other states to key into the Federal Government’s programmes in order to achieve food security,” he said. He stressed the need for the local governments to be proactive at the grassroots where most farming activities take place. “Local governments are failing in terms of performing their responsibility of creating an enabling environment for the people to engage in productive activities. “They need to step up on their own programmes and activities in line with what the government is doing at the federal and state levels, so that together we can move the sector forward,” he said. Arosanyin said that families should endeavour to engage in other forms of agriculture as fishery, snail rearing, bee keeping, and not just tilling the ground. He said that every family should also involve in vegetable production— starting from their backyards— to raise income for the family.

Chairman of All Progressives Congress, (APC), Edo State, Barrister Anslem Ojezua (right) receiving a document from the Chairman, Izon-Ibe Global Policy Congress, Mr. Ayubalayfa Olu Dennis when he led members on a courtesy visit to the APC Chairman in Benin City yesterday. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE.

Online Shopping In Nigeria Still Infant - FCT Residents

ABUJA - Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has lauded the introduction of online trading in Nigeria, but said that the system was still at its infancy. The residents told newsmen in Abuja in separate interviews that the system had draw backs. However, they agreed that this mode of trading would boost the economic development of the country. A customer at Amingo Supermarket, Mr. Ibrahim Abduljabar, told newsmen that he shopped online frequently as it was more convenient and saved time. Abduljabar urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of shopping online, adding that online shopping would strengthen Nigeria’s cashless policy. “I shop online very well, in fact, I just ordered for some stuff yesterday, but I must confess, online shopping in Nigeria is still in its infancy. “This is because you will have to wait for about four days or even more to get what you have

ordered for,” he said. Another customer, Mr. Patrick Sunday, said that adverts on television about online shopping was attractive, adding that however he could not take advantage of it because he did not live in the city centre. “Where I live, there are no street names and there are no street numbers provided by government, so how do the shops deliver to my door? “Government should try and develop the slums where we live, so that we can have proper residential addresses,” Sunday said. On his part, Mr. Peter Owoicho said that online shopping offered a new experience in shopping anytime and anywhere. Owoicho said: “However, I still prefer the conventional shopping method of physically visiting stores, touching and sampling products to weigh its quality before paying.” A shopper at one of the Abuja

shopping malls, Mrs. Zainab Usman, said that online shopping could be a disappointing experience for the individual that was not Information Technology (IT) savvy. “I shopped online just once and I wasn’t impressed because my money was tampered with. The transaction I made and the money deducted were two different things, so it made me angry,” Usman said. A customer at Park & Shop Stores, Mr. Friday Akouma, said: “Online shopping in my view is just for urban women and girls. You don’t expect me to go online because I want to buy just one piece of trousers, do you”? A fashion designer in Wuse II, Abuja, Mr. Daniel Lambayat, said that he was not computer literate, adding that this posed a major handicap for him if he wanted to try out online shopping. Lambayat said that all the processes in shopping online

required a sound knowledge of modern technology and that ecommerce was mainly for those familiar with the use of computers. “I have just a little or no knowledge about shopping online, I have never tried it before but I know one day I will, with the way things are going,” he said. The owner of a boutique around Banex Plaza, Abuja, Mrs. Loreta Felix, said that her own understanding of online shopping was different. Felix said that it involved taking her goods and Point of Sale (POS) Machine to her customer’s house whenever she had new stock for them to buy. A University of Abuja student, Mr. Evans Duguba, said that he foresaw a Nigeria where many would embrace the cashless policy. He, however, said: “As for me, I would still rather go to the shop, pay and pick all I want, rather than shop online.”

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

News Lagos Empowers 3,149 Farmers By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS - No fewer than 3149 farmers have so far been empowered by the Lagos State Government in the Agric value chain of the state. The empowerment scheme entailed the provision of items that would improve agric activities, thus positioning the state for self sufficiency in food production. Presenting the empowerment items at a programme organised by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives at the Johnson Agiri Agricultural Complex, Agege, to mark year 2014 World Food Day, the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, called for restructuring of education to create wealth through empowerment, while also advocating education that will connect children with businesses. The Governor expressed happiness that Secondary School pupils have been integrated into farming, noting that the development portends a brighter future for the food production in the country, as such youths would be reunited with the land for farming to save the future of the food system. He challenged farmers on the need to take land titles on their

lands as this would serve as collaterals to aid securing working capital for business development, describing the empowerment programme, which is one of the series embarked upon by the government, as a journey towards ending poverty in the state. The Governor expressed happiness that 3,149 citizens of the state would wake up tomorrow to say they are going to work rather than sleeping, describing it as practical oriented as it is an entrepreneurial scheme that directly benefit the target audience. Fashola who reiterated the commitment of his government to people’s empowerment said, the real measurement of the economy is when ordinary people are empowered to produce for others and become self reliant. The Governor stated that there is market for farm produce, adding that linkages have been created to aid marketing of farm produce in the state. During the disbursement of items, 73 egg producers got one battery cage each, 120 point of lay birds, 20 bags of growers mash, 28 bags of layers mash and five sachet of vitamins and antibiotics.

ABUJA - The outgoing Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has suggested that in every major project of government, one per cent of the contract sum be dedicated to

Archdiocese of Lagos, noted that the late Oyo had lived a purposeful life. He added that the reality of the legacy she left behind should be concentrated on and would speak for her. “The world should emulate her life of humility, charity and professionalism in her cause of duty which everyone had been saying since after her death.’’ Also speaking, a member of the Papal Knights, Sir Roland Samugana said late Dame Oyo lived a simple life; the church will miss her life of service. “This woman gave to the church silently without trying to

identify herself, she worked in her private capacity without noise, I really benefited from her benevolence,’’ he said. According to her only daughter, who broke down in tears, Mrs. Okiemuote Abudiore, the demise of her late mother “is yet to be comprehended by her’’. “I am yet to get words to describe the death of my mum, it sounds like a dream,’’ she told newsmen. The reports state that representatives from newsmen, Saints Joachim and Anne Catholic Church, Ijegun, neighbours and friends were at the wake.

Acting General Manager, Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Rev. Monday Aigbe; Editor, WEEKEND OBSERVER, Osazua Ivbaze (2nd left), News Editor of the NIGERIAN OBSERVER, Andy Egbon (left); Chairman, 2014 Press Week Organising Committee of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, Joseph Apili (2nd right) and Joshua Igberaese, member of the committee when they visited BNCL yesterday. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE.

Maku Wants Part Of Contract Sum Dedicated To Publicity

Remi Oyo Was A Symbol Of Humility - Papal Knights IJEGUN (LAGOS STATE) Papal Knights has described late Dame Remi Oyo as a symbol of humility and simplicity toward people around her. Speaking during the Christian wake organised by the Papal Knights in her residence in Ijegun, Ikotun, Lagos, Sir Stanislaus Umoren, said late Dame Oyo touched several lives. “Dame Oyo touched several lives in her life time, she cared for the poor, an achiever, a role model in both the media and the church where she distinguished herself,’’ he said. Umoren, the representative of the Papal Knights of the

publicity. Maku gave the suggestion in Abuja at a send-off lunch held in his honour by the heads of departments, agencies and parastatals under the ministry of information. He said that the work of the media was very tedious and lack of fund had indeed been a major challenge to the industry. Maku therefore suggested the setting aside of a part of government contract as an alternative to sustained funding for the media. “The issue of funding will be addressed, but the only way we

can get out of it is that in every major contract, one per cent must be set aside for publicity. “That fund will now be set aside to fund NAN, NTA, VON and FRCN to move out and report, we need this as quickly as possible. ‘I hope the next person who will succeed me will have the opportunity to get it through so that we can have the resources to back up our energy to get the job done with ease,” he said. Maku expressed gratitude to the media for their support to him and to the government. He urged the media to be fair,

objective and positive in the report of government activities. The minister said that the image of the nation had been dragged in the mud because of negative reports in the media which painted the government in bad light. “Stories on Boko Haram, oil theft, kidnapping and others continually dent our image to the extent that the good things happening in the country are buried under the headlines of the bad ones. “We have to go out to physically tell people what the government is doing,” he said.

ABUJA -Outgoing Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for successfully coming to a

ceasefire agreement with the Boko Haram insurgents. He made the commendation in Abuja during the inspection of quarter guard in his honour to mark his exit as minister of defence. Obanikoro expressed optimism that the ceasefire agreement would lay to rest the challenge of insecurity in the country. “I am excited, I am happy and do not forget that things like this do not come easy. A lot of sleepless nights have gone into it, so we must salute Mr President. “We must commend the President for the courage and the conviction that it is better to have peace than to have war. “We must also commend all the presidential lieutenants who have assisted in facilitating the process that we are about to get,’’ he said. Obanikoro thanked the president for the opportunity given to him to serve the nation, adding that he was proud to be a member of the cabinet. “I pray to God to continue to grant Mr. President favour and give him the wherewithal to lead this country beyond 2019,’’ he

the 2015 governorship race in Lagos. He said that he was contesting the governorship office to “liberate the state and rescue it from bondage’’. “Lagos is under bondage, I am a Lagosian and I am committed to the liberation of Lagos. Commercialisation of governance is something we must put an end to,’’ he said. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Aliyu Sumaila said that Obanikoro’s exit would create a vacuum that would be difficult to fill. “As staff we see him as somebody who is resultoriented, one who at any given time wants to add value to whatever he is doing, he is committed to his job. “He is a patriotic Nigerian, somebody who believes in the leadership of this country, this ministry and the staff. He has provided us with a path and we are following,’’ he said. The reports state that Obanikoro along with six other ministers have resigned their positions to enable them pursue their political ambitions in their respective states.

Boko Haram: Obanikoro Commends said. Obanikoro said that he was Ceasefire Agreement resigning his position to run for

Members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) 2014 Press Week planning committee in a group photograph with the Acting General Manager, Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Reverend Monday Aigbe. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

South-West Governorship Race

Group Backs Ambode IKEJA- A political group known as ‘Lagos Deserves More’ has said that it was rallying support for a former accountant-general of the state to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola. In a statement in Lagos, the group said that it believed that the former AccountantGeneral, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, would be able to consolidate the achievements of Fashola. The statement was signed by the group’s Secretary-

General, Mr Olabanji Abuloye. It claimed that Ambode had an impressive record of performance, helped to increase the state‘s internally generated revenue, effectively managed the state‘s debt profile and reengineered the state’s financial system. Reports state that Ambode voluntarily retired from the state’s civil service on Dec. 2, 2012.

Breach Of Peace

3 Men Charged SANGO-OTA (OGUN)- Three men — Opeyemi Sodiq, Lukman Irinade, and Opeyemi Ayemowa — have appeared before an Ota Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ogun for allegedly damaging a plasma television set valued at N250,000. The accused — Sodiq, 26; Irinade, 22; and Ayemowa, 25 — whose addresses are unknown, are facing a three-count charge of malicious damage, breach of peace and conspiracy. The prosecutor, Cpl. Olumide Awoleke, told the court that the accused with others still at large committed the offences on Sept. 21 at about 9.30 a.m. at Receko Nigeria Ltd, Ajuwon in Ota. He said the accused caused violence at the premises of the company and destroyed a plasma TV valued at N250, 000. The offences contravened Sections 248 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Abimbola, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum. She said the sureties must be employees of reputable companies within the

court’s jurisdiction. In addition, Abimbola said the sureties must also show evidence of tax payment and submit their photographs as part of bail conditions. The case was adjourned to October 21 for further hearing.

Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko delivering a lecture titled “The Church as a Communion, Local and Universal” at the Bi-annual meeting of the Nigerian Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission in Benin City. Photo: OGUNGBE AYOBAMI.

Aspirant Lauds Ajimobi, Seeks Continuity

IBADANAll Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant in Oyo, Mr Gbolagade Rahman, has commended the efforts of the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, in transforming the state.

In an interview with newsmen in Ibadan, Rahman, who is aspiring to represent Ido/Ibarapa Federal Constituency, observed that Ajimobi had

contributed meaningfully to the development of the state through his urban re-newal projects. He said that the governor deserved a second chance to

Theft: Woman, 60, Remanded ILE-IFE (OSUN)- An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun has remanded a 60-year-old woman, Bolanle Olorunwole, in prison over alleged housebreaking and stealing. The Magistrate, Mrs Risikat Olayemi, gave the order after refusing to take the plea of the accused. She said the accused would be granted bail after the police had completed their investigations. “Granting her bail will jeopardise police investigations,’’ she said. The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a fourcount charge of conspiracy, housebreaking, intent to commit felony and stealing. Olorunwole, however, pleaded innocence of the offences. Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Supo Adeyemo, told the court that the accused with others still at large committed the offences on October 12 at 2.00 p.m. at Ikeji Quarters, Ile-Ife. Adeyemo said the accused conspired with others and broke into the house of the complainant, Mr Oluseyi Famuyiwa and stole some items. He listed the stolen items as three water closets, three

standing water basins, kitchen cabinet and 50 packs of tiles all valued at N132, 000. According to him, the offences contravened Sections 383, 390 (9), 411 and 412 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun.

The prosecutor told the court not to grant the accused bail on the grounds that she had similar cases in other courts. Adeyemo said police investigations would be jeopardised if the accused was

granted bail. He also said some of the stolen items had been recovered from the accused. The magistrate adjourned further hearing to October 27.

continue the good work he had started in the state. He admonished the people of the state, not to sell their conscience, but should instead, vote for the right candidate. “I implore the people of Oyo State to vote for continuity and progress. I also urge members of my constituency, to support me in my bid to represent them at the National Assembly. “I promise to deliver unequalled dividends of democracy to the constituency if elected,’’ he pledged.

A cross section of participants at the Bi-annual meeting of the Nigerian Anglican/Roman Catholic commission in Benin City. Photo: OGUNGBE AYOBAMI.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Crime Businessman Remanded Over Rape, Robbery

Court Remands Housekeeper For Stabbing Employer LAGOS - A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court has remanded an 18-year-old housekeeper, Rebecca Sossou, in prison custody, over alleged vicious attack on her employer. The accused, who resides with her employer at No. 19, Olanrewaju St., Akoka is facing a charge of aggravated assault. The Magistrate, Mrs. Yewande Aje-Afunwa, ordered that the housekeeper should be remanded in prison custody after she pleaded guilty to the charge. Earlier, the Prosecutor, ASP Godwin Ayanwu told the court that Sossou committed the offence on October 8 at their residence in Akoka, Yaba. He said the accused, at 12.30a.m., on the said date, armed with a sharp stainless steel knife, stabbed her employer, one Alhaja Bola Owolewa several times on her side, shoulder and back. Anyanwu explained that Sossou attacked Owolewa following a misunderstanding that had previously ensued between them. “Sossou stabbed her several times on her side, shoulder and back and her employer is still in hospital receiving treatment and could not be present at today’s proceeding,” he said. The prosecutor said that the accused was apprehended after an alarm was raised by other residents in the house.

L-R: Former Minister of Youths Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Governor Aliyu Wamakko at the APC Stakeholders meeting in Sokoto on Monday.

Borno Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zannah Mustapha (left), receiving a donation of Relief Materials for victims of Insurgency from APC National Welfare Officer, Alhaji Dikko Umaru, in Maiduguri recently.

LAGOS - An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has remanded a businessman, Kayode Olaniyi, 30, at the Ikoyi Prisons for allegedly raping and robbing a 20-year-old woman of valuables worth N28,500. The magistrate, Mr. K.O. Ogundare, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions. The plea of the accused was not taken by the court. Olaniyi, who resides at No.1, Eric Omobhude St., IfakoOworonshoki, Lagos, is facing a four-count charge of assault, malicious damage, unlawful sexual intercourse and armed robbery. The prosecutor, Sgt. Cousins Adams, told the court that the crime was committed on September 16 at about 8.00 p.m., at the residence of the accused. He said that the accused usually disturb the victim to have a relationship with him, but she had always refused. “The victim was going home on the fateful day when the accused approached her and forcefully dragged her into his apartment by beating her with belt and threatened her with a knife. “The accused stripped her naked and damaged her clothes and under-wears worth N8,500. “He also collected the victim’s handbag containing a female makeup kits, and a Nokia cell phone valued at N20,000. “The victim ran out of the accused apartment covering herself with a wrapper and reported the case at a nearby

$330,000 Fraud: EFCC Re-Arraigns Hotelier IKEJA - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) rearraigned a Lagos-based hotelier, Augunos Okoro, alleged to have defrauded a German businessman of $330,000 in 1992. Okoro was re-arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court. The defendant is facing a 38-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and uttering. Okoro, who is the proprietor of Lagos York Hotels, was previously arraigned on May 30, 2003 before Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case was re-assigned to Justice Joseph Oyewole sometime in 2004, following the elevation of the former judge to the Court of Appeal. Okoro was, consequently, re-arraigned before Oyewole and was granted bail before the trial was stalled as a result of his

alleged-ill health. However, following the elevation of Oyewole to the appeal court, the file was transferred to Ipaye which necessitated the defendant to be re-arraigned. On Monday, the EFCC Counsel, Miss Taiwo Ogunleye, asked the court to order Okoro, who was assisted into the dock, due to his alleged failing health, to re-take his plea. Ogunleye said that Okoro conspired with the duo of Morris Ibekwe (now deceased) and Chief E.A. Okoro (still at large), to commit the offences between October and November, 1992. She said the defendant obtained the money from the complainant, one Klaus Munch and his firm, System Organisation of Germany. The prosecutor said that Okoro claimed that the money was for sundry payments to various government officials to facilitate the award of a $30million contract to the company.

According to her, Okoro allegedly perpetrated the fraud by forging the seal, stamps and other documents of various Federal Government agencies. Ogunleye said that Okoro’s offences committed contravened Sections 419,

467 and 468 of the Criminal Code Act. The offence of obtaining by false pretence attracts a maximum of seven years imprisonment upon conviction. Okoro again pleaded not guilty to the charge when it

was read to him. Following the arraignment, Ipaye permitted the defendant to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him by the former trial judge and adjourned the matter till December 9 for trial.

LAGOS - A 23-year-old student, Micah William, has appeared before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for allegedly burgling the office of the provost of his school. William, a 200 Level student who resides at No.16 Karimu Kaka St., Egbeda, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of burglary and stealing. The prosecutor, ASP Godwin Anyanwu, told the court that the accused on October 4 at 2.00 a.m., burgled the office of the provost of the College of Health and Technology, at No.81, Harvey Road, Yaba. He said that the defendant broke into the provost’s office and stole projectors, laptops, phones and printers, valued at N381,000, property of the Lagos

State College of Health Technology. “The defendant and his accomplices, who are still at large, broke into the provost’s office, disconnected the equipment and carted them away. “The equipment stolen include four projectors, two HP laptops, one Compaq laptop, two HP printers and two Blackberry phones valued at N381,000. “He was arrested following a formal complaint at the police station,’’ Anyanwu said. The prosecutor said that some students who witnessed the break in identified William as one of the culprits. He also said that the print of the defendant’s pair of slippers was also discovered at the scene of the burglary.

The prosecutor said that when the student was interrogated on how the print of his slippers was at the scene of the crime, he could not give a satisfactory explanation. Anyanwu said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 305 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The News Agency of Nigeria report that Section 305 prescribes seven years imprisonment for anyone found liable of burglary. Michael, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The chief magistrate, Mrs. Yewande Aje-Afunwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case to November 21for mention.

Student Docked For Theft

police station when she was able to free herself. “The police officers arrested the accused and the victim went for medical checkup,” Adams said. He said that the offences contravened Sections171, 258, 295 and 348 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The magistrate adjourned the case to November 18 for mention.

Man Pleads Guilty To Burglary

LAGOS - A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has remanded a 20-year-old unemployed man in prison over alleged burglary and theft of property valued at N14 million. The accused, John Toyosi, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of burglary and stealing. The Magistrate, Mrs. A.O. Erinle, ordered that the accused should remain behind bars after he pleaded guilty to the charge. The prosecutor, Police Insp. Rita Momah, told the court that the offences were committed on September 29 at the residence of Mrs. Taiwo Otunbanjo, located at Plot 538, Aina Alanigala St., Omole Estate, Ikeja. “Toyosi jumped the fence into the compound at midnight on September 29 and forcefully gained entrance into the house by breaking the locks. “He ransacked the home of Otunbanjo and stole jewellery worth N12 million. “While holding her hostage, Toyosi also stole her Nigerian and British passports, an apple phone and two wristwatches valued at N2.2 million,” Momah said. According to him, when attempting to flee the scene of the crime, the accused was apprehended by vigilant neighbours, who later handed him over to the police. The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Reports say that Section 285 prescribes three years imprisonment for stealing. The magistrate has fixed November 26 for sentence.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

AcrossNorth The Nation

Borno To Re-Open Public Schools MAIDUGURI - Borno State Government, has said that public schools in the state would reopen in November. Dr. Mohammed Dongel, Chairman, Committee on the Resuscitation of Primary School Education, who stated this at a meeting, said that the schools would reopen in the first or the second week of the month. The reports state that public

schools were closed down on March 14, after deadly attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in schools in neighbouring Yobe. “We hope to reopen all public schools by the first or second week of November God willing. “By then we hope to have put in place all necessary infrastructure and instruction materials for conducive teaching

and learning,” he said. Dongel said that the committee would also introduce measures to enhance school enrollment in the state. “We plan to introduce various

measures to encourage parents to send their children and wards to school. “The measures will also help entice pupils who are enrolled in school to remain,” he said.

Dongel said that the committee would pay periodic visits to schools to ensure implementation of government plans on increased school enrollment. It will be recalled that

Governor Kashim Shettima had last week inaugurated a 19-Man Committee on the Resuscitation of Primary School Education in the state.

Association Commends Northern Govs For Promoting French Language SOKOTO - The International Northern French Conference (NORFCON), has commended the efforts of northern governors for encouraging the teaching of French language in their states. The commendation is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of NORFCON’s sixth conference in Sokoto, signed by Dr. Umar Dogon-Daji, the Head of the French Unit, Usmanu Danfodiyo University. The Conference particularly commended the Sokoto State Government, under the leadership of Gov. Aliyu Wamakko, for its commitment to revitalising French language and other disciplines by sponsoring the state’s indigenes to study within and outside Nigeria. It said participants at NORFCON acknowledged the 17 indigenes of the state being sponsored to study French at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. It listed some of the institutions where the indigenes were studying as Abdulmumini University, Niamey, Niger Republic and the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The communiqué urged other northern governors to emulate the Sokoto State Government in that direction. The participants, according to

the communiqué, had however, observed that, the teaching and learning of French in some parts of the north was not encouraging. It stated that “only a few people are studying the language, despite the enormous resources the various state governments spend to promote its teaching and learning. “There is the need for parents and the society to be sensitised and encouraged to send their wards for French courses as we are being surrounded by Frenchspeaking countries.’’ The communiqué also said that the participants had expressed dismay over the poor attendance of northern French teachers at local, national and international conferences. It advised vice chancellors to sponsor members of academic staff to the University French Teachers Association of Nigeria (UFTAN) 2014 conference, opening on November 9, in Lagos. The communiqué commended the management of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, for sponsoring the conference. It also commended the National Universities Commission for implementing minimum standard for general studies that included the teaching of French at the first level of university education.

NEMA Coordinator, North East Zone, Mr. Muhammed Kanar (left), presenting rice to Malam Bulama Yaga, an internally displaced person from Damboa during the second commencement of distribution of relief materials to Internal Displaced Persons in Chibok town in Borno recently.

FG Partners Kogi In Treatment Of Tropical Diseases

LOKOJA - The Federal Government is partnering the Kogi State Government on the treatment of some tropical diseases among school children in the state, an official has said. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Idris Omede, at a stakeholders meeting in Lokoja on Wednesday said that the partnership was targeted at the treatment of such neglected tropical diseases, as Schistosomiasis and soil transmitted Helminthes. Omede noted that the said diseases constituted hindrance to educational performance among the children. He said that the Federal

Ministry of Health and Sightsavers, in collaboration with the State Government in a recent survey revealed that some local government councils in the state were at risk of ravages of such diseases. According to him, Lokoja, Kogi, Bassa and Okehi local governments were identified in the survey as endemic areas that needed urgent attention. “Schistosomiasis or Bilharzia is a parasitic disease caused by trematode, flatworms, which when released by freshwater snails into pools penetrate the skin of people in the water. “In urinary schistosomiasis,

there is progressive damage to the bladder, ureter and kidney. “In intestinal schistosomiasis, there is progressive enlargement of the liver and spleen, intestinal damage and hypertension of the abdominal blood vessels,’’ he said. The control of the disease, he said, was drug treatment, snail control, improved sanitation and health education. Soil transmitted Helminths, according to him, were the most common mode of infection of tropical diseases worldwide and tended to affect the poorest and most deprived communities. “Species that infect school

children include the round worms, the whipworm and hookworms,’’ he said. Presenting a paper on the topic “The Role of Stakeholders in School Based Treatment of Schistosomiasis’’, Mr Christian Nwosu, a resource person, said Lokoja and Kogi Local governments were at moderate risk of Schistosomiasis up to 25 and 12 per cent, respectively. According to him, Bassa and Okehi local governments stood at 41 and 40 per cent risk of soil transmitted helminthes. He said that the high prevalence required urgent response, adding that the Federal Ministry of Health had given the required drugs.

FG, Boko Haram Ceasefire Agreement

Association Commends Jonathan

Traffic personnel battling to ease a jam on Abuja-Zuba expressway at Kagini Railway crossing in Abuja recently.

ABUJA - The Building and Construction Skilled Artisans Association of Nigeria (BACSAAN) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for negotiating a ceasefire agreement with the Boko Haram insurgents. A statement issued in Abuja by Adams Ankpa, the National Publicity Secretary of BACSAAN quoted Fasasi Mohammed-Jamiu, the association’s National President, as urging President Jonathan to negotiate a permanent settlement with the insurgents. The statement also quoted Mohammed-Jamiu as commending Jonathan on the

agreement, noting that Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges were inimical to national growth and development. It said that the announcement of the ceasefire which came from the Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff gave Nigerians the confidence that the agreement will succeed. “The news has brought a big relief to all peace and development loving Nigerians. “Please demonstrate a genuine

spirit of give and take to make the ceasefire successful and permanent. “Your name (Jonathan) shall be written in gold in the history of Nigeria for generations to appreciate your effort at ending this national calamity through negotiations,’’ MohammedJamiu said in the statement. It appealed to the President Jonathan to disregard those who might see the ceasefire negotiation as a sign of weakness, stating that the president’s action was a tactical approach. ‘

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Abuja Shekarau Inaugurates Education Website ABUJA - The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has inaugurated the Nigeria Education website: www. Nigeria-education.org designed in collaboration with the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Shekarau said that the website would make access to education information easy and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in Nigeria. Represented by Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, the minister said that the website was a timely tool in gathering and making information available to planners and researchers. “I anticipate that this valuable new resource will inform and contribute to the important work that we are all doing in securing improved access to quality education in Nigeria. “Our future success is not only based on the quality of our education system but also on the ability to generate information about it. “It is, therefore, noteworthy that the website covers information on diverse areas of education, including access, gender, governance, quality, and specifically, teachers.’’ He appealed to practitioners in the sector to make appropriate use of the facility to enrich their work. The minister also urged all government agencies to make appropriate use of the site to facilitate the achievement of their objectives. Earlier, Prof. Oladele Akogun, the Country Director, Education Data, Research and Evaluation in Nigeria (EDOREN), an initiative of DFID, said every data concerning education in Nigeria was on the website. Akogun said that EDOREN worked with the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics and other stakeholders in mobilising data. According to him, the website provides a literature review of basic education in Nigeria and sorts out information state by state for easy accessibility. “It is designed to generate new evidence and understanding of how best to support equitable access and improve learning outcomes for all Nigerian children through innovation and the sustainable development of basic education systems.” He also said the project was the first of its kind in Nigeria and addressed a real need for access to research on education in Nigeria.

Police Arraign ExOfficer For Impersonation

L-R: Outgoing Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; his Health counterpart, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan and World Health Organisation country represenative, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz, at a news conference where Nigeria was declared Ebola free in Abuja on Monday.

AGIS Allocates 3,000 Plots In 2014

ABUJA - The Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) says it has so far allocated more than 3,000 plots of land to applicants across the six area councils in 2014. Mr. Comas Uzodimma, Head, Information and Customer Service, AGIS, told the newsmen in Abuja that the allocations were made on “first-come, firstserved” basis. “Abuja is being developed in phases; districts are opened as fund is available. “This imposes limits on the number of allocations that can be made at every point in time. “As new districts emerge, allocations are made according to available applications on “firstcome, first-served” basis. “Earlier in the year, over 3,000 plots were allocated in the six area councils on this basis. “It must be acknowledged that demand for land far outstrips availability,” Uzodimma said. He said that payments made by applicants were non-refundable application fees and for the opening of new application files. According to him, N100, 000 is charged for land in the Federal Capital City and N50, 000 for land in the area councils.

He added that the fees were not payments for the purchase of land, adding that FCT land was not for sale. Uzodimma explained that after the allocation of the land, beneficiaries were usually required to pay relevant statutory fees, such as processing fees, annual premiums and ground rents as the years of possession begin to run. “These too are not payments for the purchase of land”. The official said that there was no time limit to process allocation of land in the FCT. “The process includes opening of new file, application, and availability of layouts, ministerial approval and then the final allocation. “The process could take one month or a couple of months as the case may be.” Uzodimma said that the FCT introduced the Land Swap Initiative in 2012 as a housing and infrastructure development policy. According to him, the policy is premised on the philosophy that FCT land must be seen as equity for infrastructure development. He added that the policy was

borne out of the necessity to fasttrack the provision of infrastructure and to stave-off pressure on public utilities and housing in the FCT. He said that this was due to rapid population growth in the territory. “It was necessitated by the inability of current funding to meet growing needs in other sectors such as education, health and security among others. “The administration has to devise innovative means of unlocking dormant resources, freeing up capital for use in other areas and improving the welfare of residents”. He said that measures put in

- Official

place to ease access to land in the FCT include reduction in the cost of application fee for area council lands from N100,000 to N50,000. “Others are introduction of mass housing scheme to ease access to housing by the ordinary people, through cooperative societies, workers unions or firms with experience in mass and social housing development. He said that the AGIS System had also been upgraded for improved land administration service delivery, enhanced data security as well as to curb sharp practices.”

ABUJA - The Police have arraigned an ex-police officer, Friday Ameh, at a Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja, for impersonation. Ameh, 32, a labourer, who resides at Mpape, Abuja, was charged for being in possession of Police officer identity card which he used to deceive the public. The prosecutor, Cpl Monday Akor, told the court that on October 11 and at about 5.30 pm one Cpl Nasiru Habibu reported the matter at Maitama Police Station. He said that Ameh was in possession of an identity card with which he used to deceive the public as a police officer. Akor informed the court that this contravened the provisions of section 132 of the Penal Code. Habibu pleaded not guilty to the charge, saying that he was a police officer before his appointment was terminated and that he was now working as a labourer. The prosecutor prayed the court to grant him a date to open his case against the accused. The Magistrate, Mr. Christopher Oba, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a surety in like sum. Oba ordered that the surety must have traceable address within Abuja Municipal Area Council area. He adjourned the matter to December 1 for hearing.

BBA TV Reality Show

Nigerian Rep Evicted ABUJA - The big TV reality show “Big Brother Africa (BBA)” has evicted one of the vibrant Nigerian contestants in the house from its ‘Hotshot’ show, “Season 9”. The eviction ceremony took

Outgoing Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (right), with representative of Ebola survivors, Chinyere Enemou at the news conference where Nigeria was declared Ebola free in Abuja on Monday.

place on Sunday night, making two contestants evicted from the completion, including the Nigerian and Ugandan representatives that were not spared. The Nigerian, Ms. Lilian Afegbai, and Ugandan Esther, who spent two weeks successfully, were however evicted. Their eviction notwithstanding, the contestants expressed their feelings and gratitude to the show. “I am happy for taking part in the Big Brother Africa show for 2014. It has been wonderful and I don’t pretend, I was actually myself throughout,” Afegbai said. On his part, Esther said: “I am happy for coming this far. Africans have decided and it was for a reason, I feel good.” It was revealed that nine contestants were nominated by their fellow housemates for eviction a week before then, while Africans decided on who would be saved or evicted. Among the other seven

nominated contestants for eviction but were saved are Sabina from Kenya; JJ Zimbabwe; Frankie – Rwanda, and Permithias - Namibia Others include Lavenda from Tanzania, who was titled ‘Sexiest’; Ella, the beauty queen from Uganda, and Tayo, the remaining Nigerian in the house to compete for 300,000 dollars (about N49.5 million). Adding glamour to the eviction ceremony, the BBA presenter, Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa, simply known as IK, called on a Kenyan group “Maladi” to come serenade the audience with their singing performance. As Samantha, head of her team was given an opportunity to nominate a person for eviction, she chose Ellah, stating that she seems to be the strongest person from the other team. It was also reported that the remaining 22 contestants, including the only remaining Nigerian, will be competing for the sum of 300,000 dollars (about N49.5 million) for the winner.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Business + Economy

Ofuani Donates Books To Poly By INNEH BARTH OGWASHI-UKU (Delta State) - A former Presidential Assistance and a governorship aspirant in Delta state, Chief Clement Ofuani has donated 100 copies of text books to Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-uku in line with his human capital development programme. Ofuani, who donated the books through his Campaign Organization, said the donation

was in partnership with the Benelux Institute of international Managers based in the Netherlands and with the support of the European Union. Ofuani, an economics, said that the books is a technical reader in accordance with the National Board for Technical Education

(NABTEB) approved syllabus to guide students in technical skills for operating industrial systems explaining that over 500 copies were donated to the campaign organization to distribute to educational institutions in Delta State, adding that the books were shared among five institutions at

100 copies each. He urged the heads of the institution to make the books available to the students free of charge while maintaining that similar donations will be done in Ozoro, Otefe-Oghara polytechnics. According to him, the books

Update Workers’ Salaries, Cleric Begs Suswam VANDEIKYA (BENUE) The Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Gboko, His Lordship Most Rev. Williams Avenya, has pleaded with Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue to update workers salaries in the state. Avenya said the governor should effect the update before the end of his tenure. Reports say that workers in the state are yet to be paid their August and September salaries. Avenya was speaking on Sunday at the thanksgiving ceremony organised by the Vandeikya Traditional Council in Tse Mker, Vandeikya Local Government Area of the state, in honour of Governor Gabriel Suswam. The bishop, who was represented by Rev. Fr. Stephen Iortyer, urged Suswam to do everything within his powers to update the outstanding workers’ salaries in the state.

L-R: Director, Consumer Protection Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Umma Dutse, Head, Consumer Education Division, CBN, Hajia Hadiza Kashim and Head, Market Conduct Division, Consumer Protection Department, CBN, Alhaji Muhammad Bima, addressing a News Conference on Consumer Sensitization and Awareness Campaign in Bauchi recently.

Association Urges CBN To Increase Forex Sales

LAGOS - The Association of Bureau De Change of Nigeria (ABCON) has appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for an increase in weekly sale of foreign exchange from $15,000 to $50,000. This is contained in statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Sunday. ABCON also urged the CBN to extend its occasional intervention in the foreign exchange market to reduce demand pressure at the retail end of the market. The association regretted that $15,000 (about N2.5 million) weekly sale to each Bureau De Change (BDC) by the CBN was

inadequate to cover operating costs. The CBN set $15,000 as deposit for weekly purchase of foreign exchange to BDCs, in June 2014. The BDCs were also compelled to deposit N35 million mandatory caution to CBN. More than 2,000 operators have already complied with it. The association said: “The difficulties that BDCs are currently facing are enormous due to the volume of the weekly sales granted to BDCs as against the associated costs in the business.

Anambra To Fence Dumpsite ONITSHA (ANAMBRA) The Anambra State Government has expressed readiness to fence its major dumpsite on the Onitsha-Owerri Road. The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Evarest Uba, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Onitsha. “The fencing will be done with appropriate gates immediately after the abatement of the rains this October. “With the fencing off, there will be no report of dumping refuse close to the road any longer, while the ugly site the dumpsite registers will cease to be,’’ he said. “The government, after reviewing all the happening within and around the dumpsite, decided to fence-off the dumpsite as the first of two solutions it has come up with to tackle issues concerning the dumpsite. “The Solution Two, which will come later, will be coming in of a Ukrainian firm to use the massive dumpsite to generate electricity after sorting out the non-bio-degradable materials. “We are already discussing

contained lesson on ethical behavior necessary in industry which is in line with his plan for Deltans. The governorship hopeful, who was represented by the DirectorGeneral, Clement Ofuani Campaign Organisation, Chief Henry Nzekwue pleaded with the students to put the books into good use while reminding them on their purpose of being in the school. He said their aim should be to acquire knowledge and skills that will make them more productive citizens and not the possession of certificates. On his part, the Rector, Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-uku, Dr. (Mrs) Edna Nneka Mogekwu thanked Chief Ofuani for his gesture, describing his effort as timely. “The books came at the time when the school is expecting NABTEB officials for the accreditation of some new courses in the institution, the institution is rated the number seven positions out of the 75 polytechnics in Nigeria. Our commitment is to maintain

with the firm; the discussion, God willing, will materialise after a period of time,’’ he said. The commissioner said that the solutions were part of the urban renewal strategy meant to reposition Onitsha as a mega-city and commercial hub in West Africa. Uba urged residents of Onitsha to maintain a clean and healthy

environment through proper waste disposal. “We are appealing to our people to join the government to arrest anybody or group dumping refuse indiscriminately or doing anything inimical to the environment,’’ he said. The dumpsite constitutes an eyesore to residents and users of Onitsha-Owerri Road.

“We are strongly suggesting that the CBN should consider increasing the weekly sales to BDCs from $15,000 to $50,000, “Given the increasing demand of dollars as against the rigidity of the weekly official sales to BDCs, we have noted that our members hardly meet up their demands from end-users.” It urged the Central Bank to consider a periodic sale intervention to BDCs as done to banks. According to the statement, this will help to achieve exchange rate stability in the event of increase in demand of dollar and static sale of $15, 000 to BDCs. It said that on September 24, the CBN sold a total of N350 million to banks through the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS). It also said that the CBN sold N500 million and N400 million worth of RDAS on September 29 and October 8, respectively to banks, making a total of $1.250 billion within a period of 13 days. The association also appealed

L-R: Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Bature Masari; Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Amb. Nuhu Bajoga and Chairman, Governing Board, SMEDAN, Retired Col. Shehu Muhammed, at the launch of General Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Kaduna recently.

to the apex bank to reduce the mandatory caution deposit by each BDC from N35 million to N15 million, to free up cash for BDCs to meet day-to-day operations. “After the deadline for the payment of the increased caution fee of N35 million, we noticed that some BDCs could not conveniently carry out their weekly trading due to lack of cash. “To avoid the possibility of such BDCs closing shop after their efforts to pay the caution fees, we are sincerely pleading to the CBN to review the caution fee. “This can be from N35 million to N15 million in order to financially empower BDCs to carry on with their weekly trading,” it said.

standards and my administration will keep hope of the nation in terms of human and moral upbringing not only in learning but in character and excellence.” She assured the organization that the books will enrich the school library and the lives of students who will use them and appealed to well meaning Deltans to support the school with sporting facilities.

FCT Creates New Dumpsite

ABUJA - Waste collection trucks dump 30 tonnes of waste daily at dumpsites in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, an official has said. Alhaji Babashehu Lawan, Acting Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), made this known on Sunday in an interview with newsmen. He said that additional two dumpsites were created in Bwari council area to be able to accommodate the volume of waste. The old dumpsite was located on Airport Road, Abuja. The director said that much pressure on the old dumpsite informed the creation of the Bwari dumpsites. He commended the Satellite Town Development Agency (STDA) for supporting the board in addressing inadequate dumpsites in the city. “My mandate is to keep the city clean, remove solid waste as well as rid the streets of hawkers,’’ he said. He said that no fewer than 70 trucks went round the city daily twice to collect waste. He noted that inadequate dumpsites had been hindering the services before the creation of the additional dumpsites.

Kano Empowers 6,620 Women KANO - No fewer than 6,620 women have benefitted from the Women Empowerment Programme of the Kano State government within 10 months of the commencement of the programme. The state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Binta Tijjani, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Kano. She said beneficiaries of the programme included less privileged women, those who tested positive to HIV, divorcees, widows, VVF patients, as well as those deserted by their husbands due to economic hardship. “The programme, among other things, provides for training, aimed at making the women to be self-reliant in the society. “They were trained on liquid soap making, shampoo, baking, spices making, and tie and dye,’’ Tijjani said.

The commissioner explained that after the training, they were given N10, 000 each to enable them start trades of their choice. She said another batch of the beneficiaries were indigent mothers, who were given N30.000 each. Tijjani disclosed further that another special programme captured 4, 400 women, mostly young girls and spinsters. “These groups were taught how to live with their husbands and cook different dishes of food. “At the end of the training programme, they were given wrappers, textbooks and money,” she said. The Commissioner further said the government had also trained 220 young girls in video recording and photography. She said the girls had already been assisted with cameras and printing materials, worth N64 million, as working tools.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (21/10/2014) Stocks

Open

Change

Deals

Units

Value

MOBIL

166.1

166

-0.1

54,983

9,145,182.59

7UP

162.86

38,926

6,967,491.07

MORISON

1.82

20,000

36,400.00

ABCTRANS

0.7

0.69

-0.01

162,522

111,263.18

MRS

1,324

70,436.80

ACADEMY

1.38

65,675

87,891.00

MULTIVERSE

0.5

20,000

10,000.00

ACCESS

9.1

8.65

-0.45

15,555,610

134,920,810.50

NAHCO

5.05

0.05

949,078

4,768,343.76

AFRIPRUD

3.1

3.19

0.09

2,700,952

8,555,522.45

NASCON

9.06

8.62

-0.44

408,847

3,580,935.45

AFROMEDIA

0.5

2,000

1,000.00

166.37

168

1.63

1,104,785

185,285,828.10

AGLEVENT

1.33

31,082

43,192.02

NCR

13.5

6,504

83,446.32

AIICO

0.8

3,844,121

3,083,745.92

NEIMETH

1.06

1.11

0.05

187,963

207,767.38

AIRSERVICE

1.91

68,500

136,800.00

NEM

0.7

0.73

0.03

909,584

653,905.55

ALUMACO

7.75

1,500

11,055.00

NESTLE

975

980.05

5.05

599,324

587,527,784.90

ASHAKACEM

229,842

7,249,097.42

NEWGOLD

1965

1980

235

464,175.00

AVONCROWN

1.59

8,155

12,555.60

NPFMCRFBK

0.98

1.02

0.04

918,000

936,360.00

BERGER

8.08

38,536

317,568.21

NSE30

1750.83

1756.5

5.67

156,309,279

2,708,433,440.00

1904.75

1910.43

5.68

300,903,856

3,136,120,620.00

BETAGLAS

51,500

1,030,000.00

NSE50

BOCGAS

5.48

1,000

5,210.00

NSEASEM

951.09

2,000

2,820.00

CADBURY

52.51

93,583

4,845,803.40

NSEASI

38662.65

38776.67

114.02

352,907,058

3,282,250,028.00

CAVERTON

4.03

4.05

0.02

682,937

2,783,979.57

NSEBNK

395.42

396.92

1.5

90,955,175

913,830,104.30

CCNN

14.45

14.06

-0.39

338,543

4,824,380.88

NSECNSMRGDS

958.6

961.3

2.7

7,020,457

945,593,368.60

CHAMS

0.5

1,000,000

500,000.00

NSEINDUSTR

2589.86

2599.01

9.15

1,564,407

106,325,813.60

CHELLARAM

3.95

1,000

3,900.00

NSEINS

145.93

146.62

0.69

121,429,860

313,616,326.60

CILEASING

0.5

229,120

114,560.00

NSELOTUSISLM

2542.48

2538.3

-4.18

3,568,422

743,087,418.60

CONOIL

49.23

333,434

16,060,867.22

NSEOILGAS

427.49

433.35

5.86

6,915,450

238,743,897.90

CONTINSURE

0.91

0.94

0.03

344,200

323,703.00

OANDO

24.25

23.7

-0.55

5,881,503

142,020,427.50

CORNERST

0.5

125,000

62,500.00

PHARMDEKO

2.49

245

580.65

COSTAIN

0.84

0.88

0.04

3,374,341

2,957,054.94

PORTPAINT

5.08

1,000

5,330.00

COURTVILLE

0.53

620

341

PREMBREW

3.98

56,600

214,514.00

CUSTODYINS

3.95

3.9

-0.05

754,688

2,996,908.60

PRESCO

35.5

71,852

2,342,919.12

CUTIX

1.68

90,949

159,830.24

PRESTIGE

0.5

62,333

31,166.50

29.19

27.74

-1.45

405,210

11,254,069.22

DAARCOMM

0.5

14,900

7,450.00

DANGFLOUR

6.55

84,500

526,435.00

REDSTAREX

4.15

0.15

5,241,835

21,737,161.35

DANGSUGAR

7.62

7.73

0.11

1,468,141

11,324,579.78

RTBRISCOE

0.89

0.86

-0.03

230,946

199,194.10

DIAMONDBNK

6.13

6.15

0.02

8,840,900

54,303,215.86

SEPLAT

574

48,848

27,915,880.94

DUNLOP

0.5

6,000

3,000.00

SKYEBANK

2.77

2.8

0.03

5,517,116

15,262,869.71

ETERNA

3.72

3.8

0.08

308,331

1,138,587.18

SOVRENINS

0.5

7,536,000

3,768,000.00

ETI

18.19

18.15

-0.04

2,617,169

47,500,502.13

STANBIC

31.25

-0.75

2,815,031

87,555,465.61

FBNH

12.8

12.68

-0.12

19,308,642

244,801,756.60

STERLNBANK

2.33

2.35

0.02

15,258,094

35,862,800.69

FCMB

4.19

4.07

-0.12

4,304,791

17,366,997.72

TRANSCORP

5.2

5.13

-0.07

47,020,242

244,156,282.50

FIDELITYBK

1.95

5,396,994

10,532,761.73

TRANSEXPR

1.29

2,500

3,075.00

FIDSON

3.29

3.35

0.06

1,086,077

3,635,732.41

UAC-PROP

13.82

0.18

592,716

8,257,660.64

FLOURMILL

61.4

234,334

13,682,261.82

UACN

53.79

216,160

11,510,682.04

213.99

214

0.01

325,757

68,554,874.94

UBA

6.05

5.9

-0.15

17,576,711

103,420,356.50

FTNCOCOA

0.5

12,250

6,125.00

UBCAP

2.01

2.11

0.1

5,146,375

10,855,211.19

GLAXOSMITH

48,985

2,712,070.48

UBN

9.03

194,640

1,761,554.50

0.5

7,000

3,500.00

GUARANTY

27.98

27.14

-0.84

12,824,685

351,009,244.30

UNIC

GUINNESS

180

178

-2

471,679

84,009,767.04

UNILEVER

44.5

42.28

-2.22

299,057

12,644,529.96

HONYFLOUR

3.87

777,999

3,025,268.72

UNITYBNK

0.5

9,001,945

4,500,972.50

IKEJAHOTEL

3.33

3.25

-0.08

12,241,630

40,877,228.20

VETGRIF30

17.51

17.56

0.05

56,739

996,843.57

INTBREW

31.5

0.5

589,885

18,811,414.88

VITAFOAM

4.29

416,987

1,740,058.33

INTENEGINS

0.53

0.51

-0.02

583,630

298,200.18

VONO

1.35

1,000

1,290.00

JAPAULOIL

0.5

273,198

136,599.00

WAPCO

122.38

118.22

-4.16

617,689

73,102,974.83

JBERGER

67.2

15,482

988,370.88

WAPIC

0.66

0.64

-0.02

8,072,499

5,289,576.31

JOHNHOLT

1.08

1,900

1,957.00

WEMABANK

0.95

2,705,797

2,559,225.59

JOSBREW

2.12

2,000

4,040.00

ZENITHBANK

22.02

22.2

0.18

7,173,256

159,255,988.40

LEARNAFRCA

1.26

1.32

0.06

120,309

158,807.88

LINKASSURE

0.5

2,000

1,000.00

LIVESTOCK

2.78

2.81

0.03

1,535,817

4,368,158.23

MANSARD

2.97

0.03

100,082,340

300,156,191.20

MAYBAKER

1.71

1.63

-0.08

907,935

1,482,457.06

MBENEFIT

0.54

516,116

278,704.64

MCNICHOLS

1.48

2,000

2,820.00

TOP 10 GAINERS Stock NSEASI 114.02 NEWGOLD NSEINDUSTR NSEOILGAS NSE50 NSE30 NESTLE NSECNSMRGDS NB NSEBNK

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain

Stock

Loss

2538.3

15 9.15 5.86 5.68 5.67 5.05 2.7 1.63 1.5

NSELOTUSISLM 4.18 WAPCO 4.16 UNILEVER 2.22 GUINNESS PZ 1.45 GUARANTY 0.84

118.22

42.28

178 27.74

-2 -

27.14

38776.67 1980 2599.01 433.35 1910.43 1756.5 980.05 961.3 168 396.92

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 ONE of the political realities of our contemporary global system is democracy, a political process which focuses on the necessity and imperative of governments to rule only by the Consent of the majority. The popular belief Is that properly understood and practised, democracy can remove the layers of national socio-economic and political darkness. Countries that have attained the Status of mature democracy Continue to insist that It will be absolutely difficult to get things done in pluralistic society with poor records of democratic values and practices. WITH the way things are going politically in contemporary Nigeria, it is very doubtful, whether Nigerians will ever realise the dreams of allowing democratic tenets to influence the Country’s political life. IN this connection, democratic reality implies that all Nigerians must be willing to take difficult democratic decisions, and must see the benefits in supporting their Country’s democratic Institutions. With the current state of democracy in the country, many Nigerians have openly wondered whether the struggle For political independence was a worthwhile exercise. Clearly, all is not well with democracy in Nigeria. Still, democracy remains the only viable and sustainable weapon for tackling national backwardness and for securing recognition and respect from the international community. No one will ever doubtthe political fact that a strong democratic foundation will provide Nigerians with the opportunity to. choose their own future. THERE is need for all Nigerians to work together democratically, and openly express, indeed, demonstrate their commitment to the development of democracy. One of the disturbing features of the Nigerian democracy is that the Nigerian elite have not demonstrated enough support for the country’s democratic process, especially in

THE NIGERIAN

Democratic Commitment times of increasing political uncertainties. The bulk of the Nigerian elite have virtually abandoned political involvement in government and governance. They have left the process of democratic development in the hands of the ‘politicians,” which may well explain the low level of adherence to democratic procedures and values in the country * ONE of the reasons why most of the highly development States are experiencing stable democracy is the undiluted commitments of their elite to ensuring right political governance. It must be repeatedly stressed that Nigeria will find it hard to rise to the much desired political status of becoming one of the wor stable and progressive democracy, if the Nigerian elite choose to remain on the political fence, Or exist as mere political spectators. Undoubtedly, the Nigeria elite can, just as their overseas counterparts have demonstrated, contribute to the growth Of the Nigerian democracy. Greater elite participation in the country’s democratic process must become the defining characteristics of Nigeria’s political System. Despite marking 10 years of democracy, the political attitude of the majority of the Nigerian elite has been predominantly negative. It thus appears that Nigeria’s efforts to advance democratically will require a new shift in favour of greater elite involvement in the nation’s politics. THERE is no doubt that the degree of support for democracy is largely influenced by

economic fortunes. This means that the 71 percent of Nigerians living below the poverty line, by international estimates or the 54 percent poor Nigerians, by a 2005 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report, are not economically motivated to demonstrate sufficient and effective support for Nigerias democracy. All the same, the less privileged classes In Nigeria can offer considerable support for achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria, if they can be overtly organized into pro-democratic groups. The current economic and political reform efforts may well push less economically empowered Nigerians from their economic adversities right up t the middle class bracket. Economically and socially disadvantaged Nigerians may well discover in the long-run how support for democracy can widen opportunities for political influence and business. SINCE independence in Nigeria in 1960, it is reasonable to infer that the country has failed to enthrone a durable and sustainable democracy. The Ekiti-rerun election and all other elections that have been flawed are pointers that transparency is seriously lacking in our democratic efforts in the last 10 years. By all standards, the path to democratic development in the country will require joint political efforts between the ruling party, political parties and most importantly, the Nigerian electorate. Clearly, in a pluralistic society like Nigeria, democratic enthronement is possible, only If there is organizational unity at all levels of governance. The Nigerian elite, the electronic and the Print Media, have significant roles in the race to reach democratic maturity, by helping the people to understand the democratic process, guide them to appreciate what Nigerians want from the country’s democratic as well as outline the structure of democratic opportunities the Nigerian political system can support.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Opinion

2015:

Nigerian Youths And Imperative Of Affirmative Action

Young men are fitter to event than to judge; Fitter for execution than for counsel; And fitter for new projects than for settled business. Francis Bacon (15611626) Of Youth and Age

THE fundamental fulcrum on which political propaganda maintains it’s pendulous oscillatory swing is the systematic indoctrination of the people through and via the “Authority” controlled media, political parties, youth movements, rented crowd, paid hacks, journalistic hirelings, local and international image launderers etc. Propaganda has been and still remains a veritable and formidable weapon of diplomatic warfare, even in our present political dispensation. In “MEIN KAMPF” ADOLF HITLER said “By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell and hell heaven……… The greater the lie the more readily people will believe them”. This is corroborated by CHAIRMAN MAO TSE TUNG of china. He said “the greatest catalyst to mass mobilization is brainwashing the people through disinformation and misinformation hype”. The youths of any country constitute the pivotal cornerstone, foundational equipoise and the organic fiber with, and on which the socio-economic, educational, political and cultural underpinning of that collectivity is built. The youths are the continuity index and the glorious inheritors of the supposed “banner without stain.” They are the “Locus Classicus”in the pages of any Nations generic developmental strides. And as salvation armies they exemplify the “PANACHE” of any Nation’s psyche. In the days of yore when Nigeria was fighting to shake –off the manacles and gyves of Colonialism the youths were a beauty to behold, as they fought side by side with the Nationalists. But just after

independence the politicians and their military cohorts drove the youths away feeding them on the shaft, whilst they ripped the wheat. As if this was not enough Student’s Unionism was nipped in the bud. This ultimately gave rise to guerilla-like student unionism and it found expression in secret cults and other wanton associations. Today, the youthshave no medium of expressing themselves.They have been killed, brutalized, maimed and oppressed by various governments at the slightest move to express themselves, through peaceful demonstrations. The youths in this country are virtually a horse-decombat because of calculated attempts by successive governments to sound their death –knell and this has almost become a fait accompli. The economic strangulation the youths are passing through is aggressiously horrendous, as joblessness and unemployment has become the tradition of the youths. They are victims’ of anything and everything bad in this country. The Bifran Civil War consumed the finest of our youths, the June 12 th political farrago decimated them too. They are hewers of wood and fetchers of water in their fatherland. We woke up one morning to see that the political fowl has grown teeth-an unholy alliance and call on the youths to march a macabre march of 2 million youths with the Abacha Junta and their surrogates. Is it possible for the agama lizard to march with crocodiles? Is it possible for the calabash to sink, even on tempestuous waves and is it possible for the Boar to regurgitate what it has swallowed? Again, in 2014 preparatory to the 2015 elections, the corrupt politicians in their ambrosial stride and corybantic quest for power, the drowning men are trying to hold on to the straw. Will

By BOBSON GBINIJE

the youths allow themselves to be helplessly trapped between the Scylla of materialism and Charybdis of unconciencism and will they discountenance the principles of noblisse oblige? Whichever way they opt to follow the verdict of history awaits them. We call for “Youths Eager for Affirmative Action” (YEAA), an Affirmative Action that will recognize and incorporate their future and welfare into the

with our deceitful political leaders will belatedly remember that “tradesmen use false light to sell bad wares off, and that a fool burns his head in a fire with a view to warning them”. The die is cast, wither goeth Nigeria? Are we returning back to square-one? Is there any hope for the Nation and the Nigerian Youth? In this whole political “self succession” histrionics, Boko

constitution of Nigeria. An affirmative action that will give them economic, social, political, educational and life security. Not the youths earnestly ask for Annihilation (YEAA). In the Matrix of our quest and strides to genuine Nationhood the youths of this country have played an enviable role which they cannot now sacrifice on the Altar of Naivete, opportunism and chicanery. The galaxy of opportunistic youths who are uncompromisingly prepared and pathologically committed to marching into thralldom

Haramism, psychotic corruption, Ebola fever, assassinations, extra judicial killings, Chibok School Girls, No light, No roads, No hospitals, No houses, No food and No water etc. Where lies our integrity? The whole situation typifice the forest of a thousand demons – a state of ‘Babel Complex’ in its monostrosity. But Martin Luther king (JNR) admonishes that “There comes a time when the level cup of endurance runs over and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an

“The youths of this country remain the inconsequential tennis-ball which political stars strike and play which way they like. They mean nothing to all of them.”

abyss of injustice when they experience the bleakness of corroding despair”. The youths of this country remain the inconsequential tennis-ball which political stars strike and play which way they like. They mean nothing to all of them. On second thought they now want to make them kings at daytime and slaves at night. Are our real youths, not syndicated, bribed and indoctrinated ones, now hobnobbing and junketing with the corrupt

PDP and APC leadership going to succumb to their Machiavellian antics? “We are told that the primary role of history has always been to pass on the younger generations, the accumulated experience, achievements and heritage of their forebears which would help instill in them, a sense of National pride and belonging and to find their roots in the past”. In the light of what the youths have gone through as the “EXCLUDED MIDDLE” this observation, it seems no longer holds. The millions of Nigerian youths (hired crowd) thronging in drivels to Abuja to join and declare support for these monstrous leaders and their political parties etc. for pecuniary benefits is a propaganda dressed rehearsal of their projected triumphant re-entry into the seat of power-

imaginatively scripted, clinically directed and tragiccomically nuanced- under the expressionistic manipulation of media moguls, literary hacks and conscience hypothecating youths. These youths will meet their waterloo in the hands of posterity. I take solace in the words of John Webster in his book, the “Duchess of Malfi” that “In all our quest for greatness like Wanton boys whose pastime is their care, we follow after bubbles blown in the air”. Be wise O’YOUTHS. Finally, as we approach the 2015 elections our youths

must shun corrupt politicians and their nepotistic proclivities and refuse to be used as instrument of destruction, election rigging, assassinations, thuggery, ballot box snatching and kidnappings. It is now the time and era of Affirmative Action for Nigerian Youth’s ascendancy to pinnacle of power. NO MORE NO LESS COME 2015. The poet Alexander Pope observed in his Essay on Criticism that “We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow; Our wiser sons, no doubt, will think us so” BE WISE O NIGERIAN YOUTHS COME 2015. BOBSON GBINIJE MANDATE AGAINST POVERTY WARRI 08023250378

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Issues Electoral Reporting

Achieving Balance, Being Fair EVEN when journalists are not being intimidated or obstructed, achieving balance during an election campaign can be problematic. This can be due to a number of factors. First, there is the reporters own personal political bias. Journalists are, or should be, interested in the world around them. Hence, most of them have their own political views. It is important that a journalist

of the April elections that year, newly registered political parties protested in Abuja claiming that there was an alleged blackout of their activities by the Federal Government controlled radio and television stations. They also complained of exorbitant fees charged by the FRCN and NTA to cover their conventions. However, this lack of balance was not peculiar to the media controlled by the Government or the PDP-

recognises what these are, and even discusses them openly with colleagues. By doing this he or she can then see, and check, that their reporting is not being influenced by their own views. Another cause of lack of balance comes about because some politicians and parties are better at communicating with the media than others. Hence, they can get more coverage. Thus it is important that journalists try and make contact with all politicians and parties especially those that are mediashy. Finally, there is the difficult question of balancing coverage between those candidates and parties that have a serious chance of gaining power and those who are running without any real hope of winning. These are difficult decisions that need to be discussed with colleagues and editors, and are frequently subject to rules about how the media should cover elections. Complaints of lack of balanced coverage by the media, particularly publicly owned media, were rife in the general elections of 2003 and 2007. In fact, on January28, 2003, ahead

controlled governments alone, but was also evident in virtually all the states notwithstanding which party was in control. As a rule, opposition candidates found it very difficult to gain coverage on any state media, whilst at the same time those same media virtually continuously sang the praises of the incumbent governors around the clock. A public media monitoring exercise conducted by Media Rights Agenda in 2007 in the nine weeks running up to May 31, 2007, showed that out of the 50 registered political parties, only 22 were reported at all during the entire period on Radio Nigeria, monitored in Lagos. Of the 22, 13 of the parties were reported just once each during the entire period. A majority of the political parties (28 parties or 56 per cent of all the registered political parties) were not mentioned at all. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was reported a total of 66 times, while its closest rival, the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) was reported 20 times. The PDP alone accounted for 44 per cent of the total reports on Nigeria’s 50 political parties. During the same period, the

Nigerian Television Authority (NTA 2 Channel 5), monitored in Lagos, reported the activities of 24 political parties (48 per cent of all registered political parties) while 26 other parties (52 per cent) were never mentioned at all in any of the stations news or feature programmes. Of the 24 parties that were reported, 12 were reported only once throughout the period covered by the monitoring exercise. Again, the disparity in the coverage of

a situation is encountered, the reporting will be fairer. Costs and logistics Covering elections can be time-consuming and expensive. Distances can be great, travel costs high and overnight stays expensive. All these factors make on-the-spot reporting problematic. This situation can lead to journalists accepting offers of transport, or money to cover transport. This creates three

In seeking to provide fair coverage, enlist the audience – coverage that is lively but balanced is likely to attract a bigger audience (and hence more advertising revenue) than coverage that is slanted and, as a result, dull. Other reporters are competitors but they are also your colleagues. Journalists can help each other in election campaigns. At an event, see if you can agree that you will all report a balanced story rather than a one-sided version. In that way, you can try to persuade your news editor that running a slanted story will make the media outlet appear of poorer quality than its competitors. Bullies hate the light. If you are being threatened, then try and expose who is doing it, either through your own media outlet or by getting colleagues to report on the bullying. But to reiterate, personal safety is paramount. Journalists are poorly paid. Many political parties, government bodies, NGOs and businesses take advantage of this. It is important to recognize that they are trying to “buy” favourable coverage,. Don’t Let this happen. Always seek to maintain the highest personal and professional ethics and standards. John Lawrence, training editor of ‘The Nation’ in Kenya has come up with these ten useful tips for reporting elections: 1. Report events exactly as they happen - and not as you would Like them to happen. 2. Give equal

9. Do no use extravagant language in describing crowd scenes. 10. Exercise fair play. If a candidate makes an accusation against his opponent, ask that opponent for a comment. DETECTING ELECTION IRREGULARITIES The International Federation of Journalists identifies the degree of fairness and transparency as one of the major issues in any election. Even when the poll is being monitored by representatives of political parties, local NGOs or international observation teams, journalists should attempt to determine for themselves the degree to which any polling problems are affecting the quality of the electoral process. The guidelines produced for election workers and monitors by the American National Democratic Institute (ND are a useful monitoring tool for journalists. NW advises its teams to try to observe, research and record the severity, frequency and pattern of any of the following issues with an assessment of the number of voters influenced. • “Unfair attempts to influence voters or election officials through bribes, employment promises, threats, intimidation, systematic disruption of the election process, unbalanced media access; • “Disenfranchisement of voters through: unreasonably restricting the registration process, unreasonably restricting candidate eligibility, failing to properly list registered voters, failing to distribute voter identification cards, requiring unreasonable supplemental voter identification, systematic

“Bullies hate the light. If you are being threatened, then try and expose who is doing it, either through your own media outlet or by getting colleagues to report on the bullying.” the political parties was heavily weighted in favour of the PDP, which was reported 43 times during the period. Ultimately, election coverage, like all other reporting, is about fairness. Its a difficult concept to define but it is a more useful criterion for journalistic excellence than objectivity, neutrality or lack of bias. This is because these tatter three all contain the implication that they exist in some attainable form. Unfortunately they don’t - they are as subjective as the notion of fairness. But the term “fairness” is one that requires the journalist to ask of him or herself: “Have I been as fair as I possibly can to all sides?” Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we know we have not. This happens to all reporters. Good journalists use this predicament to improve their reporting and to maximise the possibility that he next time such

problems: first, an expectation on the part of the politicians that this payment will result in favourable coverage; second, it puts pressure on the reporter to report the politician sympathetically; and third, it can create problems if members of the public see their reporter arriving in a particular candidate’s transport. Personal safety and ethical conduct The general issue of personal safety whilst covering elections in potentially hostile environments, can be summarised by three key rules • No story is worth the risk of injury or worse. • Take local advice -stay close to local reporters. • Always let your office know your timetable and movements. (and make sure that your mobile phone has credit and a charged battery).

prominence to all the major candidates. This means attending an equal number of candidate’s meetings. 3. Be careful not to colour your reports with inflammatory Language. 4. Report what candidates say and not what interested parties say candidates said. 5. Be careful not to be seen to be taking sides in political arguments. 6. Do not (in any circumstances whatsoever) accept any inducement from a candidate or his/her supporters. Do not even take a ride in a politicians car. 7. Do not promise any politician (or anyone else for that matter) that a report or story will appear in the paper. 8. Report what you see without exaggeration.

complication of the election process, incomplete distribution of election materials; • “Fraud, such as stealing ballots, stuffing ballots, destroying ballots, misreading, miscounting, and providing misleading reports to the media, voting twice, trying to remove indelible ink; • “Logistical problems, including insufficient number of ballots, ballots missing for certain parties, insufficient number of envelopes, ink that washes off, inadequate secrecy of the vote, missing officials, missing voter registry, no artificial lights; and • Civic education: voters do not seem to have a reasonable understanding of their right to freely choose a candidate or how to express their choice, and administrators do not have a reasonable understanding of their duties and how to execute them,” Courtesy: IPC

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Issues Education

Education For What? A Case For Critical, Creative Thinking Relevance of the Question: IN asking. the question “Education for what?” one at first instance would seem to be inquiring into the obvious. It is the obvious because everyone knows that every level of education in Nigeria, at least as of now, has as its primary purpose the preparation of students for the next higher class. Thus nursery or kindergarten education is for preparing the child for entry into the primary school. The primary school in its turn aims mainly at preparing students for the next higher cadre, the high school or secondary school. The latter directs its energies to getting students ready for the tertiary institutions. That is what the new Nigerian educational “animal”— the 6-3-3-4 system — is all about. The question, “Education for what?” becomes most relevant when a student has graduated from this last rung of the academic ladder, or even at any other earlier point possible to him or her. At that point it becomes necessary to ask what the student has been educated for. Put differently, the question which every formal educational institution should have asked itself or should be asking itself always comes into the lime-light. Purpose of the Study: It is the purpose of this paper to establish that the giant and eternal aim of education should be education for critical and creative thinking. The question is of utmost importance today when people are asking whether indeed there is need for formal education since people are idle at the end of it all. Many institutions in this State have changed from “Boys’ High School” to “Community Secondary School” so as to

being forced on us as we watch the scientific and technological race going on now in our contemporary world. The question is, can there be any over-riding aim that cuts or should cut across these various aims? What is the “heart of the matter’ in the educative enterprise? Historical Overview of Educational Aims A review of the history of formal education in Nigeria will remind us that it was the missionaries who brought formal education first. They were interested in it because it favoured their evangelical motives. To quote Fafunwa: The primary objective of the early Christian Missionary was to convert the ‘heathen’ or the benighted African to Christianity vis education, Knowledge of the Bible, the ability to sing hymns and recite catechisms, as well as the ability to communicate both orally and in writing were considered essential for a good Christian. The early missionaries realised the importance of training-preferably through the media of English and the local language -the local clergy, catechists, lay readers and pious or godly teachers who would minister to the needs of their own people. The aim of formal education at this critical stage was therefore functional. It was geared towards making Christian converts and enabling them read and write so as to carry out their evangelical mission. The second stage, like the first, was functional. Business firms and government bureaucratic process needed clerk, interpreters and office

By SIMON OKAFOR emancipation”, education for democracy”, and of course borrowing from Nyerere’s Arusha Declaration, .Ujamaa, we began hearing of “education for self-reliance” 3 Finally,’ came the articulation of the Nigerian aims of education ushered in by the significant 1969 National Curriculum Conference which gave rise to the Federal Government New Policy on Education published l971 revised 1981 and now undergoing another revision, It is at this point that impelled by the present

“New Policy on Education”, “New Maths”, new anything, we find that •our educative enterprise continues to be “as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.” Now my proposal in this paper is that until we emphasize the development of critical and creative thinking in our educational theory and practice, we shall continue to be irrelevant in our educational products. Selfreliance as an educational aim will continue to elude us. The current staggering mass

“Throughout all these stages of educational aims, it must be asserted that Nigeria never emphasised what we consider as “the heart Of the matter”, the centre of educative process, namely the development of critical thinking and creativity in the students. That is why most of our education had been a matter of rotelearning, an imitation of the white man and slavery to text books.” accommodate boys and girls and finally ended up as “Girls’ High School” since there are no more boys to be found in the institutions. Where have the boys gone to? Disillusioned by what formal education can give them in terms of employment and economic well-being, they decide in time to take money making from an earlier stage of their lives. The question then is whether formal education is still important and germane even for boys. And if it is, what should be its principal aim? The Issue of Aims in Nigerian Education In the past, education has had various aims. Some of them were indigenous to the conditions that obtained in Nigeria. Others were simply borrowed from the western world value-system and solgan-peddling. Others are

workers. That determined their interest in education. And people so educated found ready jobs on graduation. Later, in imitation of the western world, emphasis was placed for a while on liberal education. The cultivation of the well-rounded individual who could master Shakespeare and the classics, quote in Latin and speak Queen’s English but hardly knowledgeable about the Nigeria situation. The fourth stage of our educational process in Nigeria had to do with borrowing and developing Euro- American ideas and slogans, preparing Nigerian citizens for self-governance and so on. At this point we begin nearing of Value-laden slogans like “education for economic growth , education for national unity”, “education for political

world’s race for scientific and technological supremacy, Nigeria puts so much emphasis on the study of science and economic subjects. Scholarships and bursaries—titled very much in favour of students of such subjects as science and Business Administration to the detriment of those of Humanities and the Social Sciences. The Missing Link. Throughout all these stages of educational aims, it must be asserted that Nigeria never emphasised what we consider as “the heart Of the matter”, the centre of educative process, namely the development of critical thinking and creativity in the students. That is why most of our education had been a matter of rote-learning, an imitation of the white man and slavery to text books. That is why when we say

unemployment of the country challenges us with a new direction in our educational purpose. Ours must be education for critical awareness and creative ability. Without these, even our technological education will not yield the expected results. We shall ever remain technicians never technologists, mechanics never engineers, consumers never producers, imitators never initiators. God forbid! Understanding the Concepts But to be able to develop critical thinking and creativity, we need to be clear of what they are. First let us examine critical thinking. CRITICAL THINKING: Critical thinking is a mental process by which a person tries to see all the parts of a problem. He is able to sift, assess, evaluate,

criticize his or other people’s view or any matter presented before him. He is able to see other sides of the coin. He sees other possibilities to a situation or event. Critical thinking is the opposite of being gullible or merely receiving a body of information handed down to one as “inert ideas”. The enemy of critical thinking is an unquestioning disposition that sees a one way Italic view of life and situations. This enemy of critical thinking is what we in our philosophy class have baptized as “Akwukwo bialu mentality”. Literally it means “a - letter -

came mentality”. To fully appreciate the philosophical import of that phrase, it is necessary to hear the story of its ongoing. It was in 1969 during the Nigerian Civil War when I visited a church outstation in company of a newly appointed parish priest who was making his familiarization tour. The Parish Priest asked the Vice-Chairman of the Local Church Council (a prominent opulent - looking gentleman who, like many such “returnees” from the cities had assumed leadership role in his home community): “Have you a feeding Center here?” He replied, “Yes we used to have one jointly organised by Caritas, W.C.C. and Red Cross. But later a letter came asking us to stop Then asked the Parish priest, “From where did the letter come?. The Vice-chairman replied, “I don’t know I only know that akwukwa bialu (a letter came) asking us to stop and we stopped”. This reply is a sample of an unphilosophical mind, a mind that does not ask questions about the status quo. A more philosophically minded leader should have asked from where the letter came, the authority behind it, the reason for

its being written and not just automatically stopping because akwukwo bialu. Critic thinking in education suggests therefore that it is not a matter of accumulating large bodies of knowledge. Rather what is most important. is reflection, deep awareness, insight, deep understanding of the issues involved; a readiness to adjust to new possibilities. It is only when we begin to train our students from the very beginning to be that critical that they stand a chance of throwing their knowledge into new combination order to be productive. This leads us to the next concept — creativity. Creative Thinking: Creativity is the disposition of a person to experiment and invent. From its Latin origin (creo”, “creare”), to create means to make out of nothing. Much as man may not play the role of the Almighty Creator, and literally make out of nothing, he can be original in combining what may have been there already. What is important is individual application that enables new discoveries. R S. Peters upholds individual inventiveness and creativity as a desireable aspect of education that must be put into perspective If people are really creative, it will: enable them to turn the bookish knowledge they received in the school into tools for finding solutions to the problems of unemployment and everyday life. Without sounding reductionism or pretending to provide a panacea, it is my contention in this paper that the solution to our problem of unutilized knowledge got from formal education, and indirectly the solution of our unemployment problem is a steady development of critical and creative thinking from the earliest school age. Conclusion: I cannot do better than end this paper with total agreement with Professor C. C. Ifemesia, Provost of Anambra State College of Education, Akwa, in his May 2, 1987 convocation address when he related the problem of Unemployment to the development of a critical mind. Addressing the graduands threatened by the problem of unemployment he said: One pre-eminent advantage. of tertiary education is the training it gives the student in using his/her mind. This is the tune to apply your mind insistently on your problem of unemployment. Look around yourself, talk to people, ask questions.; and see whether there are any avenue you can pursue. Learning to use your mind also implies keeping your mind supple and shock-proof: quick to respond to new ideas, not upset by unexpected’ developments. In this way, you will be receptive enough to recognize and follow the leads that may come your way; you will be prepared to relearn and retrain. For even at the very best of times, it is not always that people continue with their first or early interests. Professor Ifemesia, was only paraphrasing the necessity of critical’ and creative thinking to solve the economic problem of Nigeria. The same can be said of our scientific, industrial and technological advancement. We can not make progress until we make the development of critical and creative thinking in our students the chief aim of our educational enterprise.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Midweek Magazine WITH all the present administration’s effort to make kerosene available to Nigerians, the product seems to be beyond the ordinary people. For over a decade now, Nigerians have been grappling with the problems of shortage of kerosene (also known as Dual Purpose Kerosene-DPK), and the high cost of the product when available. The same experience is on ground presently. Kerosene happens to be the major cooking fuel in millions of Nigerian families. Many also use it to light up their homes. Though the official price of kerosene, according to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) officials, is N50 per litre, it has never sold for less than N120 per litre, both in and out of season. Indeed, sometimes it costs between N150 and N250 per litre. Most saddening, perhaps, is the official claim that the Federal Government is subsidizing kerosene importation. This ever-present nightmare of Kerosene scarcity is being observed in the oil city of Warri, Delta State. It was on September 18, 2014, when a newly constructed NNPC Mega-filling Station along Airport Express Road (opposite Water Board), was besieged by a bee-hive of people seeking to buy Kerosene that obviously was never enough. The pictures attached to this write-up clearly show the levels of suffering majority of Nigerians are made to pass through just to get Kerosene that is never there. We can imagine the frustration of people, who having stood under the scorching sun almost throughout the day, are made to go home with their empty jerrycans due to unavailability of the petroleum product. Let us also bear in mind that the attached picture is just one, out of the many filling stations across Delta State and different parts of the country where Kerosene scarcity has become a ‘normal’ thing for the average Nigerian masses. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has declared that there is supposed to be enough

Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) in circulation. In many filling stations across Nigeria, where this product is dispensed however, there exists, long queues of kegs. The daily demand of Dual Purpose Kerosene is estimated to be between eight and ten million litres. What is currently obtainable is put at less than five million litres. This is, however, elusive because of the low output of the nation’s refineries forcing Nigeria to import the product in order to supplement consumption. But while the price of kerosene escalates, the major players in the industry, including the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Depots/ Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, have continued to trade blame over the everpresent crisis. It was alleged in some reports that the PPMC is not adhering to the 60:40 distribution ratio between IPMAN members and depot owners, but the PPMC had denied this, a source said. The hiccups in the fuel markets lingered because it has not been fully deregulated and government’s stronghold on the supply base only makes matters worse. A subsidy regime that predicates local pump price on prevailing global oil price is prone to abuse and graft. Why is it difficult for the Federal Government to ensure local production of the product?” The source retorted. At the root of the kerosene scarcity is the domineering role of government, which discourages private sector investments and initiative. Currently, NNPC is the sole importer of the product, while refineries that refine kerosene have either shut down or are operating below capacity. This further underlines the need for private sector participation in petroleum refining business. It makes no economic sense to continue to import kerosene and other petroleum products when we are a major oil producer.” It is untenable that low

Persistant Kerosene Scarcity: income earners already buffeted by high cost of living are being forced to spend more on kerosene or resort to fire wood with all its implication for the environment,” he disclosed. Part of the fallout of the scarcity is the rampant felling of trees to make charcoal and firewood. Most homes across the country, including urban cities, have taken to using charcoal as alternative cooking fuel, putting a question mark on the viability of the Federal Government’s ‘Plant-a-Tree’ campaign aimed at protecting the environment. The smoke emanating from burning charcoal and firewood is known to be injurious to health. There are also reports of adulteration of kerosene, a dangerous and sometimes explosive mix that has already claimed lives in some states. Kerosene scarcity should be an embarrassment in Nigeria, the world’s sixth largest exporter of crude oil. Let us imagine this; Nigeria holds a hundred and eighty seven trillion cubic feet (187tcf) beneath its 960,000sq km of landmass. This volume is more than a third of the continents 494tcf and the 7th largest reserves on the planet that is huge! Yet, our women, especially those in the rural areas, daily have their eyes smoked as a result of using firewood to cook; Nigerians have not been able to experience steady power supply and the Nigerian economy is still driven by generators; and so on. Still on the use of firewood to cook, there is also the issue of deforestation that is caused by the use of trees for domestic cooking. Not to mention the use of kerosene that has led to the untimely deaths of many due to adulterated products of kerosene. So many issues suggest that Nigeria, rather than use the abundant natural gas reserves it is blessed with to make life more easier and livable for its citizenry, is still struggling to attain relevance in global index of developing nations.

It was only last August that the NNPC had reassured Nigerians that it was doing everything it could to make sure there was no scarcity of kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas. Acting Group General Manager (Public Affairs Division) of the corporation, Tumini Green, was quoted as saying that the NNPC, through the PPMC, supplied between 10 to 11 million litres of kerosene daily; which were distributed

Wha

By ZIK GBEMRE failing to fix the price of kerosene and enforcing compliance in line with government approved prices. The corporation equally claimed that it had been sanctioning oil marketers and vessel owners suspected of involvement in sharp and corrupt practices. But the foregoing is viewed as mere buck-passing, as the rot continues unabated. At a recent forum of stakeholders

likewise suggested at th forum that the Finan Minister and Coordinati Minister for the Economy, D Ngozi-Okonjo- Iweala, h not paid subsidy on kerose to the NNPC for about thr years, an indication th Nigerians are probably n being told the whole tru about the real cause kerosene scarcity and t consistently high cost of t product.

Deizani Alison Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources through licensed marketers as against the 8 million litres said to be the national daily consumption level. But notwithstanding the huge supplies, however, the NNPC claimed it was surprised that only its retail and a few other outlets sold kerosene at the government approved price of N50 per litre. It accused other marketers who were supplied the product from PPMC at government regulated price of N40.90k of selling above the recommended price; and indicted oil sector regulatory agencies for purportedly

“Let us imagine this; Nigeria holds a hundred and eighty seven trillion cubic feet (187tcf) beneath its 960,000sq km of landmass. This volume is more than a third of the continents 494tcf and the 7th largest reserves on the planet that is huge! Yet, our women, especially those in the rural areas, daily have their eyes smoked as a result of using firewood to cook.

in the country’s downstream oil industry in Lagos, it was pointed out that kerosene meant for the Nigerian public was being diverted to the pharmaceutical, aviation, road construction and manufacturing industries. The monitoring of the distribution chain of the product was also faulted, as well as the socalled subsidy on kerosene, which benefits only the rich as against the average Nigerian. The stakeholders revealed that since the era of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, when they said confusion set in as to who should pay subsidy, the NNPC had been bearing the burden of solely sustaining kerosene supply to the Nigerian market because marketers refused to bring in the product due to subsidy payment uncertainty. It was

It is for these reasons a more that kerosene scarc and its exorbitant price in t country are viewed as ma made. It has become obvio that the NNPC and subsidiary, the PPMC, cann guarantee regular kerose supply and at the offic price. It is not just about t PPMC. It is a corpora failure. Indeed, as has be alleged in some quarters, i not unlikely that fraudule allocation of kerosene incompetent and fictitio marketers, with NNPC a PPMC officials accomplices, is part of t problem. That is why t National Assembly shou wade into this endless deba and unravel what is tru happening, in the interest Nigerians. Besides, t NNPC’s strangle hold kerosene importation shou be liberalised to make roo

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Midweek Magazine

at Hope For The Masses

hat nce ing Dr. had ene ree hat not uth of the the

and city the anous its not ene cial the ate een t is ent to ous and as the the uld acle uly t of the on uld om

for other importers and marketers to come in. Since the nation’s refineries are comatose, there is no guarantee that NNPC’s role as the sole importer of kerosene has not been compromised. Nigerians are passing through harrowing experiences daily as a result of the scarcity and high cost of kerosene. Many have reverted to the primitive era of using fire wood, charcoal and saw dust as cooking fuels. The situation is not just embarrassing; it is

also address all the ‘headaches’ created by ‘subsidy’ on petroleum products and will also make Nigeria less dependent on imported petroleum products. But to actualize this, it is imperative for the NNPC to realize that maintaining the four refineries in the country will not be enough to guarantee that Nigerians enjoy steady supply of petroleum products. In fact, even with the four refineries working in full capacities (which are most unlikely), satisfying domestic demands will still be a struggle, not to mention having petroleum products for exports. On several occasions, we have witnessed the NNPC and its GMD coming forth to reassure Nigerians that it is making plans to revive the

nation’s ailing refineries to improve availability of petroleum products. One time, a former NNPC GMD, Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo, expressed his regret to the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (downstream) during his tenure, that the nation’s refineries were still not optimally utilized in spite of the huge sum of money sunk into them through Turn Around Maintenance (TAM). The then GMD also said he was concerned over the high cost associated with importation of Petroleum Products. With the world’s current overcapacity for refining petroleum, which includes Kerosene, local refineries face strong competition in an increasingly open market. A

private sector run refinery can operate uninhibited by the lethargic and inefficient nature of public sector institutions both in cost, efficiency and transparency. The facts are that transparent and robust privatisation of these refineries will raise government revenue, conserve foreign exchange, decrease vulnerability to imported petroleum products, reduce Kerosene and fuel cost, increase employment and reduce corruption in the petroleum sector. There are overwhelming evidence which indicates that the private sector has served the Nigerian public and stakeholders better than government-owned and operated facilities and parastatals. To this end, we urge the

Federal Government and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to intensify current efforts in making the existing refineries to function to their optimum built-in capacity by involving the organized private sector, and encourage the building of more refineries in the country. This arrangement should be a Public-Private Sector Partnership arrangement that is transparently carried out, to serve as a permanent solution. Like we have always reiterated before now, in the same line, the Federal Government should, more importantly, compel the existing (exploration and production) IOCs, as well as indigenous oil and gas companies in the industry to refine at least, half of whatever crude oil or natural gas they produce. These IOCs and indigenous oil and gas companies should have refineries (plants) beside their

production facilities, to refine natural gas and crude oil, which will bring about Kerosene availability for domestic use in the country and for export purposes. Besides, they will also benefit immensely from the huge profit that will be abound. The bottom line is that the government is not doing enough despite its claim of availability of the product in stock. Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which is supposed to make the required little effort by the government to be felt, is inactive in its duty to bring marketers who allegedly hoard the product to book. Marketers, in the same vein, should denounce being put under the cover of anonymity to name who they think is culpable for the persistence scarcity of kerosene.

Promoting Compulsory Teaching Of Indigenous Language In Osun Schools

patently retrogressive for a country that prides itself as the 6th largest producer of crude oil, globally. We consider it as an abnormality that Nigeria, with a population of over 160 million, and is blessed with abundant oil and gas resources, is still facing the woes of “refined petroleum product availability.” Reasons for this have been traced mainly by stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to the continued comatose nature of the nation’s four refineries. Let us reiterate here that the importance of doing everything possible in ensuring that Nigeria is able to refine all of its crude oil and natural gas produce to satisfy both domestic demand and for exports, cannot be overemphasized. Aside the fact this will earn more revenue for Nigeria, it will

RENOWNED African author, Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o, recently urged African countries to promote their indigenous languages for meaningful social and economic development. He spoke in Lagos at the second edition of the “Read Africa’’ initiative of the United Bank for Africa Foundation to promote reading culture among pupils. The Kenyan writer and author of “Weep Not Child’’, expressed concern about the rate at which African nations abandoned their languages for foreign languages. According to him, people are enslaved if they are proficient in other languages but are not interested in understanding their indigenous languages very well. “I stopped writing in English language 10 years ago because Africa is our base and we must not lose our base and our indigenous languages. “Since then, I have been writing in Nkiyu language and I later do translation myself or I look for somebody to do it for me,’’ he said. Wa Thiong’o, nonetheless, argued that people who acquired other languages had additional advantages, insisting that such people would be able to appreciate the values of their indigenous languages better. Observers, therefore note that such advocacy from a reputable African author, perhaps, inspires most societies to protect and give priority to the teaching of their indigenous languages in schools. They cite the development in Osun, where the state House of Assembly passed a bill to an act to enforce compulsory teaching

of Yoruba language as a subject in public and private schools in the state. The house, having examined the importance of the bill entitled: “Osun State Education Amendment bill 2014’’, passed the bill to an act on September 15. Mr Afolabi Atolagbe, the Deputy Leader of the House, representing Ifedayo Constituency, moved a motion for its passage while a member of the house, Mr Abiodun Awolola, representing Egbedore Constituency, seconded it. Highlighting the importance of compulsory teaching of Yoruba language as a subject in schools, Atolagbe said the law would prevent the language from extinction and preserve the cultural values and tradition of the Yoruba. Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of the House, said the house would also set aside a day in a week to conduct its proceedings in Yoruba Language. Salaam said a section of the act stated that: “Any person, being the proprietor of a public or private school, who contravenes any provision of the bill, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of not less than N10,000,

By VICTOR ADEOTI if convicted.’’ Irrespective of the provisions of the act, residents of the state have commended the lawmakers in the state for their courage to pass the bill. In his view, Mr Femi Adegboye, a civil servant in the state, commended the lawmakers, urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that schools enforce the provisions of the act. According to him, authorities should make pragmatic efforts at ensuring the teaching of Yoruba language as a subject in schools to prevent it from extinction. “Policy makers in education should take urgent steps to revive and improve the language by teaching it among the schools across the states, especially where it is spoken’’ he said. Sharing similar sentiments, Mr Oluwasegun Ayanda, a historian, said the compulsory teaching of the language would go a long way in enriching the vocabulary of the language. He decried the rate at which Nigerians switched from their indigenous languages to other languages, especially English language, warning that such practice would alienate them from their immediate

environment. Ayanda commended the lawmakers for passing the bill, noting that such step would stimulate pupils and students to use the language in public activities. He recalled that the People’s Republic of China was able to achieve the present level of development because the people used their mother tongue for education and other transactions. He, therefore, urged the state government to ensure that all schools in the state teach Yoruba language as a subject. “Those who have the mastery of other people’s languages at the expense of their own indigenous languages have subjected themselves to second slavery. “We should promote our languages and we should encourage our children to speak our own language,’’ Ayanda said. Commending the state assembly members, Mr Oluwaseun Adeniran, a secondary school teacher in the state, said the law would correct the impression that English language was superior to Yoruba language. He observed that some school authorities had relegated Yoruba language to

the background, observing that with the passage of the bill, the situation would change. Observers, nonetheless, urge the relevant stakeholders to ensure that necessary mechanism is put in place to enforce the provision of the law. Mr Ibidapo Ojekunle, an educationist, observed that some members of the society had considered their languages as inferior to English language and preferred to use the latter in most interactions even with their family members. He commended the state lawmakers for the passage of the bill, noting that it would change the views of the young about the language and expose them to its vocabulary. Skeptics, nonetheless, express concern that although the courage of the lawmakers in passing the bill is laudable, the law may not be effective as most observers hope. They insist that except the state government and stakeholders in education take appropriate steps to enforce the law, it may not be different from previous ineffective laws. According to them, the state government must convince the public that it has plans to ensure that the schools in the state adhere to the provisions of the act. (NAN).

“Those who have the mastery of other people’s languages at the expense of their own indigenous languages have subjected themselves to second slavery.”

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Health “Sharing similar sentiments, Dr Prosper Igboeli, a gynaecologist, said that women of reproductive age should take 400mg of folic acid twice a day to prevent any congenital abnormality during pregnancy.”

Preventing Congenital Disorders

MEDICAL experts say that while the actual causes of most of the congenital defects in newborns are unknown, the predisposing factors to some of the disorders are known. They, however, stress that congenital disorders — deformities at birth, those before birth or those that develop during the first month of life – have been a source of concern to parents and health authorities. For instance, a mother, who prefers to be known as Mrs Godwin, recently gave birth to a baby boy without eyes in a hospital in Abuja. Expectedly, the woman and her husband viewed the malformation with concern because the baby was their first child after several years of their marriage. In another case, a child, commonly called Ibrahim

By JACINTA NWACHUKWU

in Gwagwalada, Abuja, was born without the anus, meaning that he could not excrete feaces. Although the hapless boy had contacted some infections due to the poor management of his condition by his parents, an artificial anus was later created for him. Experts insist that while the causes of such cases are unknown, other congenital disorders such as cleft lips (deformity of the lips), hypospadias — birth defect of the urethra in the male child and cleft palate — can be prevented via medical intervention. Dr Samson Olori, a paediatric surgeon with the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital,

Gwagwalada, said that some of the deformities could be prevented via the intake of balanced diets during pregnancy. He also said that the consumption of balanced diets could prevent other health problems afflicting babies, advising expectant mothers to take folic acid, according to doctor’s prescription, three months before and after conception. Olori, however, said that in some complicated cases, the appearance of the genitalia is not very definite in some newborns, resulting in the error of identification of the babies’ sex. Explaining some causes of congenital disorders, the surgeon said that people who worked in radiology

environment stood a higher risk of having babies with defects. “Radiation can actually affect the very tender cells, the ovary or the sperm and it can cause some alteration in the original design of the gene, resulting in the birth of abnormal babies,’’ he said. Besides, Olori said that careless handling of leadacid batteries by expectant mothers or prospective fathers could be a predisposing factor to a particular congenital disorder. “Caution should be taken while handling some of the wastes because the little radiation these wastes release can cause a lot of havoc to the unborn child,’’ he said. Corroborating Olori’s views, Dr Joseph Obande, a neurosurgeon with the

“The neurosurgeon explained that the causes of tube defects included an inter-play of environmental factors, insisting that the major cause of most disorders in babies was folic acid deficiency.”

University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, G w a g w a l a d a , underscored the need for a public health policy on adequate intake of folic acid by women to reduce congenital disorders. According to him, folic acid is the commonest preventative measure that has led to the reduction of neural tube defects worldwide by at least 50 per cent. “The neural tube defects are abnormalities that result in hydrocephalous — abnormal enlargement of the head. “It occurs due to failure of the neural tube during the first 30 days of foetal development,’’ he said. Obande insisted that the developed world had a public health policy aimed at reducing the occurrence of such cases by fortifying the food ingredients of the citizens with folic acid. “If all women of child bearing age have adequate level of folic acid before conception and we are able to formulate a policy in Nigeria to back it up; then, it’s going to help,’’ he said. The neurosurgeon explained that the causes of tube defects included an inter-play of environmental factors, insisting that the major cause of most disorders in babies was folic acid deficiency. According to him, folic vitamin is vital to the development of the central nervous system which occurs within three weeks of pregnancy. “If the mother does not

have adequate store of folic

acid for the use of this development, neural tube defect may occur. “So, if one is having adequate store of folic acid before conception, it will prevent congenital abnormality among babies,’’ Obande said. Sharing similar sentiments, Dr Prosper Igboeli, a gynaecologist, said that women of reproductive age should take 400mg of folic acid twice a day to prevent any congenital abnormality during pregnancy. Igboeli, the managing director of an Abuja-based fertility centre, observed that in the past, many women gave birth to babies with neural tube defect because they did not take enough folic acid. Nevertheless, paediatric surgeons believe that children with congenital problems have 80 per cent survival chances if they are taken to the hospital early enough. They, therefore, advise parents to always present their babies who have disorders such as imperforated anus and cleft lips, among others, for urgent medical attention. They insist that with proper diagnosis, appropriate medical attention and parents’ support, babies with congenital disorders can live normal lives. All in all, the experts warn that prevention is better than cure, advising women of child bearing age to ingest adequate folic acid, so as to rid the society of children with congenital disorders. (NAN)

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Natural Medicine

Coffee Drinkers

COFFEE drinkers experience two phases in their lives. In the first one, they usually feel a sense of being unwell without really being able to place a finger on what is responsible for their health conditions. So, let’s put it in this way they have general malaise. Also, they feel some anxiety restlessness and a sense of expectations after drinking coffee. Later, however, these feelings disappear. You begin to discover that coffee drinking raises your level of mental activity, lifts your energy, keeps you awake, improves your memory, elevate your mood and enhance your sociability. In some cases, coffee banishes your pain and eliminate your depression. In other words, coffee has several social, psychological mental and emotional health benefits for the drinker. Nevertheless, watch it. Too much of everything is bad. Drinking coffee excessively reverses all, if not most, of its health benefits. For instance, an average cup of coffee contains 140mg of caffeine. The body can tolerate 3 cups of coffee and 420mg of caffeine each day spread out – not just in one dose. Therefore, never go on taking more and more cups of coffee or add more teaspoons of it into your cup to make it blacker. If you do this, you will end up with caffeine poisoning of your system.

You will discover coffee is no longer giving you the right feeling. Furthermore it is ever destroying your system. At this stage, don’t assume more coffee is what you need to get your old coffee effect. What you ought to do at this stage is to cut off coffee use. Therefore decaffeinate your body with herbal cleansers. Then revitaminise and mineralize your body for a while. Having done this, you will notice that you can even live well without coffee. But if you choose to restort coffee use, do so with strict adherence to the normal “dose”. Here is what Dr. Stuart Berger says in his book. How to be your own nutritionist. Do you drink more than three cups of coffee a day? If your answer is yes, your body is absorbing dangerous levels of caffeine. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have found out that large amounts of caffeine increase your heart attack risk almost three times over that of non-coffee drinkers. Coffee has also being linked to birth defects, as well as bladder, cancer and heart diseases. In passing, let me say here that you should never give your children coffee. Only adults may drink coffee if they feel like doing so. Note, however that when we talk of coffee, the main active principle we are now discussing is caffeine. It is not only in coffee you find this compound. Cola,

pepsi and soda drinks as well as chocolate contain caffeine. Therefore, monitor their use by your children. If you notice that your children are always demanding for these soft drinks/food from you, suspect they enjoy being high on caffeine stimulation from them on the sugar in them.

drink which contains 72 milligrams of caffeine in eigh ounces of the drink. Unlike most mothers in Nigeria, she listened to me. Her son’s sudden burst of energy rowdy playfulness and over activeness stopped. The new drink she later chose for him had no single caffeine in it. Unknown to coffee

The other day, I saw a boy – child go hay I wire minutes after drinking from a bottle of soft, caffeinated drink. His over activeness to everyone in her mother’s computer cenre was awesome. No one knew what was amiss. But I did. So I called the mother aside. I advised her to wean him off that particular brand of soft

drinkers, the caffeine in it inhibits the absorption of minerals like iron and calcium in the stomach. Hence, it is not advisable to drink coffee with food. If you do so you need a routine supplementation of calcium and iron. Otherwise you will always suffer from their deficiencies. Also, coffee acts as a

“Do you drink more than three cups of coffee a day? If your answer is yes, your body is absorbing dangerous levels of caffeine. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have found out that large amounts of caffeine increase your heart attack risk almost three times over that of non-coffee drinkers.”

With Dr Mao 08030717341

diuretic. This means it stimulates the kidneys to be active. Invariably, therefore, the body loses a lot of water and also essential water-soluble micronutrients like the B vitamins and vitamin C. From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that if you drink coffee you need an accompaniment of micronutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin B complex and vitamin C. for better effect, add zinc and magnesium. This is

well as anti oxidants calcium and magnesium there is no way your central nervous system can be re-invigorated. Its neurons will continue the suffer of attribution instead of getting rehabilitated. Coffee drinkers often suffer from insomnia. Why? The caffeine in coffee stays in the body for about 15 hours before its stimulant effect wears off. This implies that if you have a coffee drink by mid-day in

because calcium and magnesium are twin minerals. They go together in metabolism. Moreover, you need zinc because it is a mineral critical for the growing and strengthening of your weak immunity as a coffee drinker. Don’t trivialise the use of B-complex vitamins. This is due to the fact that the caffeine in coffee directly stimulates the central nervous system. Hence, it predisposes a coffee drinker to insomnia weak immune system, taut nerves and diminishing concentration with the passage of time. Without the B-complex vitamins as

your office, the caffeine in the drink remains in your blood until 3am the next day. To worsen matters, the diuretic property of coffee will make you urinate copiously throughout the night further disturbing your sleep. It is wrong to assume that coffee only has caffeine. Other constituents include tannins, Cafestol, Palmittate theobromine and theophylline. Each one of them has its own effect on the health of coffee drinkers. However, the focus of this article is on the impact of caffeine on coffee users only.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

New Horizon

Teachings Of The Holy Quran (4)

OR do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden of (Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: When (will come) the help of Allah? Ah I verily, the help of Allah is (always) near. They ask thee what they should spend (in charity). Say whatever wealth ye spend that is good, is for parents and kindred and orphans and those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever ye do that is good. Allah knoweth it well. Fighting is prescribed upon you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not. They ask thee concerning lighting in the Prohibited Month. Say, Fighting therein is a grave (offence), but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the part of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the sacred Mosque, and drive out its members. “Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease lighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter. They will be companions of the fire and will abide therein. Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled) in the path of Allah,- they have the hope of the mercy of Allah, and Allah is all-forgiving, Most Merciful. They ask thee concerning wine and

gambling, Say, in them is great sin, and some profit, for men, but the sin is greater than the profit. They ask thee how much they are to spend, say, what is beyond your needs. Thus doth Allah make clear to you. This signs in order that ye may consider— (Their bearing) on this life and the Hereafter. They ask thee concerning orphans. Say, The best thing to do is what is for their good, if ye mix their affairs with yours, they are your brethren, but Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who means good. And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties. He is indeed exalted in Power, Wise. Do not marry unbelieving woman until they believe, a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allure you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of Bliss) and forgiveness. And makes His Signs clear to mankind, that they may receive admonition. They ask thee concerning women’s causes, say they are a hurt and pollution, so keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them as ordained for you by Allah for Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. Your wives are as filth unto you, so approach your filth when or

how ye will, but do some good act for your souls beforehand, and fear Allah, and know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter) and give (these) good tidings to those who believe, And make not Allah’ (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons, for Allah is one who heareth and

three monthly periods. And it is not lawful for them to hide what Allah hath created in their wombs, if they have faith in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have the better right lo take them back in that period, if they wish for reconciliation. And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable, but men have a degree over them and Allah is exalted in Power, Wise.

knoweth all things. Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts, and He is oftforgiving, Most Forbearing. For those who take an oath for abstention from their wives, a waiting for four months is ordained if then they return, Allah is oftforgiving, Most Merciful. But if their intention is firm for divorce, Allah heareth and knoweth all things. Divorced women shall wait concerning themselves for

A divorce is only permissible twice, after that, the parties should either hold together on equitable terms, or separate with kindness. It is not lawful for you, (men), to take back any of your gifts (from your wives), except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah if ye (judges) do indeed fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah, there is no blame on either of them if she give something for her freedom,

“Do not marry unbelieving woman until they believe, a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allure you.”

With VICTOR ANIUKWU

these are the limits ordained by Allah, so do not transgress them if any do transgress the limits ordained by Allah, such persons wrong (themselves as well as others). So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably), he cannot, after that re-marry her until after she has married another husband and he has divorced her. In that case there is no blame in either of them, if they re-unite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah, which He makes plain to those who know.

terms. This instruction is for all amongst you, who believe in Allah and the last Day. That is (the course making for) most virtue and purity amongst you. And Allah knows, and ye know not the mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, for him who desires to complete the term. But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms, No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear. No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child. Nor father on

When ye divorce women, and they (are about to) fulfill the term of their (iddat), either take them back on equitable terms or set them free on equitable terms: but do not take them back, to injure them, or) to take undue advantage, if anyone does that, he wrongs his own soul. Do not treat Allah’s signs as jest, but solemnly rehearse Allah’s favour on you and the fact that He sent down to you the Book and Wisdom, for your instruction. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is well acquainted with all things. When ye divorce women, and they fulfill the term of their (iddat), do not prevent them from marrying their (former) husbands, if they mutually agree on equitable

account of his child, an heir shall be chargeable in the same way. If they both decide on weaning by mutual consent, and after due consultation there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster mother for your offspring there is no blame on you, provided ye pay (the foster mother) what ye offered on equitable terms. But fear Allah and know that Allah sees well what ye do. If any of you die and leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days when they have fulfilled their term, it is no blame on you if they dispose of themselves in a just and reasonable manner. Continues on page 24

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Place Of Prayer

The Tragedy Of A Liar THE mystery of life after death and the certainty of recompense for life lived here on earth cuts across most religions of the world. There may be disagreements in some aspects of beliefs, but there is an agreement in most religions that there is life after death, and that the outcome of a person’s life in the hereafter life is determined by the way the person lives his/her life here on earth. Indeed, there is a place of bliss and a place of torment. For Christians, we know that after death, what follows is judgment. Every human will either spend eternity with the Father in heaven or with the devil in hell fire. Jesus came to describe that the only way to escape torment and go to the place of bliss is holiness. That is why He said in Hebrews 12:14: Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. You must choose this day who you want to see. Do you want to see God or do you prefer to see the devil? Christ’s admonition reveals that all those that do not live in peace with their fellows or live in holiness will not see the Father. There is no need for grudge or bitterness against anyone; forgive and make reconciliation with all those that have offended you. Leave judgment and recompense to God. He is the righteous judge and will reward every man according to his works. In Mark 9: 43, Jesus taught on a serious note that if your hand offend thee, cut it off it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands logo into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. The seriousness of working towards eternity in heaven made Him declare in Mark 8:36: “What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?’ Please take heaven seriously. Anything your mind tells you that you need to stop, please do not hesitate; stop it immediately. Do not wait for your Pastor to preach about it before you stop it. What if the rapture takes place or you die before your pastor preaches about it? Death is not a function of age. You have the Holy Spirit inside you. Ask Him to tell you those things you must stop and ask Him for strength to overcome. May hell not be your destination in Jesus name, amen. One issue that can rob you of eternal bliss is lying. In this article, we will take a look at the tragic end of all liars.

In Literature, drama has two common classifications: comedy or tragedy. A comedy is a drama that has a happy ending. A tragedy on the other hand is a drama that ends on a sad note. All those that are habitual liars will end up badly. I pray for you that after reading through this article, you will receive grace to make amendments in your life so that your life will not end in tragedy. From the beginning, God has never loved a lying tongue. See Proverbs 6:16-19These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies and he that soweth discord among brethren. Is your tongue a lying tongue? Are you a perpetual liar? Why do you enjoy telling lies? Must you continue in something the Lord hates? If you continually do those things that God hates you are headed for tragedy. The Lord wants you to end well that is why this message is coming to you this day. Do not be deceived; no liar will end well. It does not matter if your reason for lying was to escape from earthly punishment. Would you rather escape earthly punishment and then accept eternal punishment? It is better to suffer on earth for telling the truth than to tell a lie to escape human punishment but then fall into the hand of the Lord. Beloved, it is a terrible thing to fall into the hand of the Lord. No liar will make heaven: all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire. See Revelation 21:7-8- He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderer and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Why are you in Church if heaven is not your destination? Any miracle you seek from the Lord can be found also outside the Church. The only difference between believers and unbelievers is the hope of glory. Therefore, Church is

not all about signs, wonders and miracles; it is a place where the children of God are prepared for eternity in heaven. If you are a liar, you are not a child of God, but a child of the devil. See John 8:44- Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he Speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. The bible tells us in Titus

1:2- in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie promised before the world began. Hebrews 6:18 tells us that it is impossible for God to lie. If God is your Father, then His credential must be reflected in your life, if God that cannot lie is your Father, then lie must also not be found in your tongue. You must operate in truth to such a dimension that those around you will be able to testify that you cannot lie. If truly you are a child of God and have put away the old (2Corinthians5:17),then you must not be a liar. In Colossians 3:9-10, Apostle Paul admonished thus:- Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Only the truth sets free. A

lie will put you in bondage. One lie will lead to more lies until you are caught up in a thick web of lies created by you. Anytime you lie, it is an indication that the devil has filled your heart: for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What you say is a reflection of what is in your heart. However, you must not forget that every idle word that is spoken will be accounted for. See Matthew 12:34b -37- For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good

things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Lie is not easy for a child of truth; unless you allow Satan to fill your heart. In Acts 5:3Apostle Peter said to Ananias “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? The reason Ananias and his his wife Sapphira lied to the Church was because they allowed the devil to fill their hearts. The consequence of the lie they told was death. Just like this couple, many people make vows in the house of God, but default in redeeming their vows. That is a lying spirit and

With Pastor Samuel O. Osaghae SMS Only 08030809339

will lead to tragedy. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life”. If Jesus is in your heart, then only truth must proceed out of your mouth. A lying tongue is an indication of the presence of the devil in your heart. If you are not able to control your mouth (tongue), then there is no hope that you can control the rest of your life. One indication that there is

lake of fire, Do you want to end up in hell or in heaven. One way to guarantee your eternity in heaven is to turn your lips from lies today and begin to speak the truth at all time no matter who gets hurt as a result of your truthfulness. Let me conclude with these words of Jesus spoken to Apostle John in Revelation 22:11-16He that is unjust, let him be

hope for decency of your character is when you begin to tell the truth. James 3:2- For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Once you can speak the truth always, God sees you as a perfect man. This is because if He can control your tongue, then He can control the rest of your body. That is why rope is put in the mouth of a horse and as powerful as the horse is, the whole body of the horse is controlled by that rope. When you lie every day, God cannot control other aspects of your life. If He can control Your tongue, then there is hope that He can change the rest of you. There are no exceptions; all liars shall have their part in the

unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still. and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy let him be holy still. And, behold, l come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his Work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

International

Murder Case: Pistorius Jailed For 5 Years

PRETORIA- Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison yesterday for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, ending a trial that has gripped South Africa and the world. As judge Thokozile Masipa read out her decision on Pistorius’ September 12 culpable homicide conviction, the 27-year-old, whose downfall has been likened to that of American football star O.J. Simpson, stood resolutely in the dock. His only reaction was to wipe his eyes before two police officers led him down to the holding cells beneath the High Court in the heart of the South African capital. An

armoured police vehicle took him from the court building. Masipa — only the second black woman to rise to the bench — stressed the difficulty of arriving at a decision that was “fair and just to society and to the accused”. The 67-year-old also rebuffed suggestions that Pistorius — a wealthy and influential white man — might be able to secure preferential justice despite the “equality before law” guarantee enshrined in South Africa’s post-apartheid constitution. South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius is seen in a police van after his sent …

“It would be a sad day for this country if an impression were created that there is one law for the poor and disadvantaged, and one law for the rich and famous,” she said. Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduate and model, died almost instantly on Valentine’s Day last year when Pistorius shot her three times through a locked toilet door at his luxury Pretoria home. The athlete maintained that he fired in the mistaken belief an intruder was hiding behind the door, a defence that struck a chord in a country with one of the world’s highest rates of violent crime. The ruling African National

Congress’ Women’s League, which is at the forefront of political efforts to tackle violence against South African women, immediately called for an appeal by the state against the culpable

homicide conviction. However, Steenkamp’s family said it was satisfied. South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius attends his

sentencing at the North. “Justice was served,” family lawyer Dup De Bruyn told reporters outside the court. The judge had given “the right sentence”, he said.

Ebola Disease: British Official, Troops

LONDON - International Development Secretary Justine Greening joined around 100 soldiers on a flight to Sierra Leone early yesterday as part of Britain’s response to the deadly Ebola virus. The Cabinet minister flew out from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire with troops from the Royal Army Medical Corps. Britain is taking part in an international effort to combat the worst ever outbreak of the disease, and has pledged a £125 million aid package including support for 700 treatment beds in the West African. According to the last toll given by the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak of the haemorrhagic fever has left 4,555 dead out of 9,216 cases registered. The medics deploying to the country are from Catterick-based 35 Squadron, 5 Armoured Medical Regiment and Royal Army Medical Corps, the Department for International Development said in a statement. They will staff an Ebola Training Academy alongside around 90 personnel from 22 Field Hospital who left for Sierra Leone last week. Greening will visit the academy, as well as the site of a 92-bed treatment facility in Kerry Town which is in the final stages of being constructed. “Halting the disease in West Africa is the most effective way of preventing Ebola infecting people here in the UK,” Greening said. “That is why we are providing 700 treatment beds in Sierra Leone, sending vital supplies such as chlorine and protective clothing, and training hundreds of health

Fly To Sierra Leone

workers. “I look forward to seeing for myself how British Army medics and engineers, as well as our humanitarian and health workers, are spearheading the UK’s efforts to contain and ultimately defeat Ebola.” Altogether the UK is deploying 750 military personnel, including the Royal Navy medical ship RFA Argus carrying three Merlin helicopters which departed for Sierra Leone last Friday.

The troop deployment comes as Britain began screening passengers from West Africa at Gatwick Airport yesterday a week after similar measures were rolled out at Heathrow.

Oscar Pistorius

Kerry Urges Stepped-Up Asian Effort Against IS

JAKARTA - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged AsiaPacific leaders on Monday to do more to stem the flow of foreign fighters to Islamic State in the Middle East and choke off

finance to the militants. In Jakarta for the inauguration of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Kerry also met the prime ministers of Malaysia and

Singapore, the Sultan of Brunei, Australia’s prime minister and the foreign minister of the Philippines. Meeting Malaysian leader Najib Razak, Kerry praised his largely Muslim state’s strong condemnation of Islamic State, but also said the international community should do more to crack down on foreign fighters, a U.S. State Department official said. With his counterpart from the Philippines, Albert del Rosario, Kerry discussed such efforts under way there. The Islamic State issue was not raised with Widodo on his

inauguration day as leader of the world’s most populous Muslim state, the new president told reporters - in spite of U.S. concerns about flows of militants from Indonesia. Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, right, meets U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the presidenti … En route to Jakarta, senior U.S. officials said Kerry’s discussions would cover ways to stop Islamic State’s recruitment, prevent the return of hardened fighters to the region, and block militant financing. One senior U.S. official said the United States would like to see Indonesia do more to freeze militants’ assets in line with U.N. Financial Action Task Force requirements.

Ebola Vaccine Trials For GENEVA — A top World January

Indonesia’s newly inaugurated President Joko Widodo, right, welcomes US Secretary of State John Kerry to the Presidential Palace, in Jakarta.

Health Organization official says the hunt for an Ebola vaccine will produce data about whether they are safe by December — and they could be in experimental field use by January.

Egypt: Roadside Bomb Kills 6 Soldiers CAIRO - Six Egyptian soldiers were killed by a remotely-detonated roadside bomb in the Sinai Peninsula on Sunday, the army said in a statement. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded five soldiers. The bomb exploded as a patrol responsible for protecting a natural gas

pipeline passed by, security sources said. The blast occurred southwest of provincial capital Al-Arish, where two policemen were killed when their patrol car was struck by a rocketpropelled grenade three days ago. Security forces face a jihadist insurgency that has killed hundreds of soldiers

and policemen since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood last year after mass protests against his rule. Most attacks have been in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Israel and the Gaza Strip. Security officials say Sinai-based militants are

inspired by Islamic State, the al Qaeda offshoot that controls parts of Iraq and Syria and wants to redraw the map of the Middle East. A senior commander from Ansar Bayt alMaqdis, Egypt’s deadliest jihadist group, has told reporters that Islamic State has advised it on how to operate more effectively.

Dr Marie Paule Kieny, an assistant director general for WHO, says clinical trials planned or underway in Europe, Africa and the U.S. are being accompanied by a push among governments for immediate “real-world use” of an approved Ebola vaccine. She told reporters yesterday in Geneva that, if the vaccines are deemed safe, tens of thousands of doses would be used in a West African trial in January. WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib also promises a thorough public audit of the agency’s early missteps in responding to the Ebola outbreak that has already killed over 4,500 people.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

International

Total CEO Killed In Plane Crash

MOSCOW - The CEO of French oil giant Total, Christophe de Margerie, died in a plane crash at a Moscow airport late on Monday when the private jet he was using struck a snowplough on takeoff. Russian investigators said yesterday the driver of the snow-clearing machine was drunk and that his actions, along with “an error by air traffic controllers”, appeared to be to blame for the crash. Total, Europe’s third largest oil company, confirmed the death of its 63-year-old boss and said its board would call an emergency meeting.

“Total confirms with deep regret and great sadness that chairman and CEO Christophe de Margerie died just after 10 pm (Paris time) (2000 GMT) on October 20 in a private plane crash at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, following a collision with a snow removal machine,” the company said in a statement. “Four people were found dead at the scene of the accident, including three crew members and Christophe de Margerie.”

French President Francois Hollande issued a statement saying he learned of De Margerie’s death with “shock and sadness”. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said France had lost “a great captain of industry and a patriot”. He called de Margerie “a friend” and expressed “deep sadness” at his death. Just hours before the crash, De Margerie had met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at his country residence outside Moscow to discuss foreign

Ashton. Still, EU ministers rejected the idea of scrapping flights from West Africa to keep the virus out of Europe. “Instead of going to Brussels or to France, (West African) passengers would go to Dubai or elsewhere and come in from there,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said. “We would no longer be able to check anything.” In Spain, officials said nursing assistant Teresa Romero appears to have beaten Ebola but won’t be

is tested again yesterday. She was among those treating a Spanish missionary who died of Ebola on September 25. Officials also said 15 others linked to Romero had no Ebola symptoms. A Norwegian doctor, infected with the Ebola virus while working in Sierra Leone, has also been cured, according to Oslo University Hospital. Silje Lehne Michalsen, 30, was evacuated from Sierra Leone to Norway on October 7, two days after it was confirmed she carried the virus.

LONDON - Britain said yesterday it was authorizing spy planes and armed drones to fly surveillance missions over Syria “very shortly” in order to gather intelligence on Islamic State (IS) militants. Britain announced the deployment after Turkey said on Monday it would allow Iraqi Kurdish fighters to reinforce fellow Kurds in the Syrian town of Kobani on Turkey’s border. Michael Fallon, Britain’s defense minister, said both Reaper drones and Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft would fly over Syria as part of “efforts to protect our national security from the terrorist threat emanating from there.” But in a written statement to

parliament he stressed that Reapers would not be allowed to use their weapons in Syria, something he said would require “further permission”, meaning a vote in parliament. Fallon announced last week that Britain was deploying armed Reaper drones to the Middle East to conduct air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq. So far, the Royal Air Force has conducted around 38 combat missions against IS in Iraq. Parliament voted to approve air strikes against IS in Iraq last month, after a request from the Iraqi government. But Britain isn’t conducting air strikes in Syria. It has previously said such strikes would require fresh parliamentary approval.

EU Seeks $1.27 Billion In Ebola Aid For W/Africa policy chief Catherine considered virus-free until she

LUXEMBOURG— The European Union committed itself on Monday to step up efforts toward getting 1 billion euros ($1.27 billion) in aid to fight Ebola in West Africa and rejected the idea of halting direct flights coming from the region. The EU foreign ministers set off a week of continentwide action with a pledge “to play an active role in enhancing the international response” to Ebola, which so far has been late and insufficient to contain the deadly virus that has claimed at least 4,500 lives. British Prime Minister David Cameron wants a two-day summit of the 28 EU leaders ending Friday to reach the $1.27 billion aid threshold, agreeing on a variety of topics from more financial aid to common repatriation procedures, more Ebola treatment facilities and better training for health care workers. “It’s time to act now ... if we want to limit the amount of cases to an amount that is controllable,” said Robero Bertollini, the World Health Organization’s representative to the EU. So far, the overall anti-Ebola total for the EU, including EU national contributions, stands at 500 million euros ($640 million), with Britain contributing 160 million euros ($204 million). The Netherlands also promised to send a frigate to West Africa to help, matching a similar contribution from Britain. “Money is very important, equipment is very important, staff is very important,” said EU foreign

Britain To Fly Surveillance Missions Over Syria

British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond, right, speaks with Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini during a round table meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg.

investment in Russia, the Vedomosti business daily reported. Total CEO Christophe De Margerie (R), seen with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev near Moscow … The Vnukovo airport said in a statement that the Falcon Dassault business aviation jet crashed as it prepared to take off for Paris with one passenger and three crew on board. “During run-up at 11:57 pm (1957 GMT), there was a collision with the airport’s snowplough. As a result of the crash, the passenger and all the crew members died,” the airport’s statement said. The airport said visibility was 350 metres (yards) at the time of the accident. Moscow saw its first snowfall of the winter on Monday. The airport said its rescue

services were sent to the scene and “immediately started extinguishing a fire that had broken out”. Reporters confirmed the death of De Margerie and three French crew members. A spokeswoman for transport investigators, Tatyana Morozova, told Interfax that three men and a 39-year-old woman died. The crash is being investigated by the Interstate Aviation Committee, which probes all Russian air accidents, and experts from Russia’s federal aviation agency. The investigating committee said in a statement that “it has been established that the driver of the snowplough was in a drunken state”. It added that a preliminary theory was that “an error by air

traffic controllers and the actions of the snowplough driver” were to blame. The possible role of “bad weather and errors by pilots will also be checked,” it said. The plane’s black boxes have been recovered, airport spokeswoman Yelena Krylova told journalists. Moscow transport investigators said in a statement they had opened a criminal probe into breaches of aviation safety rules causing multiple deaths through negligence, which carries a maximum jail term of seven years. French experts were to take part in the investigation, Interfax reported, citing a source in the rescue operation.

RECONCILIATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Lawmaker Tells Cameron

I, Mr. Felix .A. Igbinigie Omoregie wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Mr. Felix .A. Omoregie as appeared in my various documents. Henceforth, I am now properly known and addressed as Mr. Felix .A. Igbinigie Omoregie. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities, NSITF Trustfund and the general public should please take note.

Ignore Daft Anti-Europeans,

LONDON - A senior Conservative lawmaker yesterday said Prime Minister David Cameron should ignore those “daft” enough to propose anti-immigration proposals that could hurt the British economy and pave the way for an exit from the European Union. Ken Clarke, one of Britain’s most influential Europhiles, said Cameron’s Conservatives should refrain from competing with “bigotry” to counter the threat from the anti-EU United Kingdom Independence Party. “Ignore the daft ambitions of people whose main interest is just getting out of Europe - let’s look after Britain in the modern world,” Clarke told BBC radio. “We have to demonstrate that we’re a strong sensible party that does sensible things on immigration because there isn’t a politician who isn’t in favor of controlling immigration.” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday he risked upsetting allies and losing international clout if he pursued an anti-immigration agenda designed to placate domestic voters. In response, Cameron said that British voters were concerned about immigration and that British voters were his boss. He has pledged to hold a referendum in 2017 on Britain’s European Union membership if the Conservative party wins an election next year, as he takes an increasingly hawkish view on curbing migration within the EU and reviewing its freedom of movement principle. “What we mustn’t do is start competing with ignorance and bigotry and what we mustn’t do is start doing damage to our economy by imposing restrictions on people we need to come here,” Clarke said. Earlier this month, UKIP - which wants Britain to withdraw from the EU and strict curbs on immigration - won its first elected seat in parliament after a lawmaker defected to the party from Cameron’s ruling Conservatives.

ADUN – I, formerly called Miss Adun Flora Oghogho is now known and called Mrs. Flora Oghogho Ehigie. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

RECONCILIATION/ CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

MOKOBIA – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ruth Nedu Mokobia is the same person as Miss Ruth Chinedu Mokobia and Miss Ruth Chiedu Mokobia. Henceforth, I now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ruth Chinedu Odo. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

EICHIE – I, formerly known and addressed as Eichie Ota Edith now wish to be known and addressed as Eichie Princess. All former documents remain valid. Italian Embassy, Nigerian Embassy in Italy and general public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

OWAN YOUTH ASSOCIATION Owan Youth Association is a non-governmental, political, violent organization or a cult group. It’s an organization that is geared towards promoting love, unity, tranquility, oneness and protect the general interest of all Owan Youth and her people. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1 To promote love among all Owan youth and watch out for the interest of one another. 2 To stand for all Owan citizens and promote equality amongst us as one people. 3 To promote peace, amongst all Owan people and fight for the right of Owan people. 4 To promote efficiency and effectiveness of all Owan youth in every areas of life. 5 To support each other in Good and bad times. TRUSTEE: Mr Ayeni Monday - Chairman Mr lrekhe Benjamin - Vice Chairman Mr Imoobe Glen - Secretary Mr Imona Joseph - Member Com Eboreimen Tunde – Member

EXECUTIVES: Com Kenedy Onarimi - President Mr Agbonluai Stephen - Vice President Mr Egeruan John - Secretary General Hon. Oherein Sunday - Publicity Secretary Com Ohilebo Moses - Chief Whip Com lriaye Joseph - Treasurer

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED SECRETARY GENERAL

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

New Horizon Continued from Pg 20

And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do. There is no blame on you if ye make an indirect offer of betrothal or hold it in your hearts, Allah knows that ye cherish them in your hearts: but do not make a secret contract with them except that you speak to them in terms honourable, nor resolve on the tie of marriage till the term prescribed is fulfilled. And know that Allah knoweth what is in your hearts and take heed -of Him, and know that Allah is oftForgiving, Most Forgiving, Most Forbearing. There is no blame on you if ye divorce women before consummation or the fixation of their dower: but bestow on them (a suitable gift), the wealthy according to his means, the poor according to his means: - a gift of a reasonable amount is due from those who wish to do the right thing. And after ye divorce them before consummation, but after the fixation of a dower for them, then the half of the dower (is due to them), unless they remit it or (the man’s half) is remitted by him in whose hands is the marriage tie, and the remission (of the man’s half) if the nearest to righteousness. And do not forget liberality between yourselves. For Allah sees well all that ye do. Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers. Especially the middle prayers, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind). If ye fear (an enemy), pray on foot or riding (as maybe most convenient), but when ye are in security, celebrate Allah’s praises in the manner He has taught you, which ye knew not (before). Those of you who die and leave widows should bequeath for their widows a year’s maintenance without expulsion, but if they leave (the residence), there is no blame on you for what they

With VICTOR ANIUKWU

... Of The Holy Quran (4)

do with themselves, provided it is reasonable. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. For divorce women is a suitable gilt. This is a duty on the righteous. Thus doth Allah make clear His signs to you in order that ye may understand. Didst thou not turn thy vision to those who abandoned their homes, though they were thousands (in number), for fear of death? Allah said to them:

them: “Appoint for us a king, that we may fight in the cause of Allah”. He said, is it not possible, if ye were commanded to fight, that ye will not fight? They said, “How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, seeing that we were turned out of our homes and our families? But when they were commanded to fight,

authority to whom he pleaseth. Allah is All — Embracing, and He knoweth all things. And (further) their prophet said to them; “A sign of his authority is that there shall come to you the Ark of the covenant, with (an assurance) therein of security from your Lord, and the relics left by the

meet Goliath and his forces, they prayed: “Our Lord, pour out constantly on us and make our steps firm: help us against those that reject faith.” By Allah’s will they routed them, and David slew Goliath: and Allah gave him power and wisdom and taught him whatever (else) he willed.

“Die” then he restored them to life. For Allah is full of bounty to mankind but most of them are ungrateful. Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah heareth and knoweth all things. Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan, which Allah will double into his credit and multiply many times? it is At Allah that giveth (you) Want or plenty. And to Him shall be your return. Has thou not turned thy vision to the Chiefs of the Children of Israel after the time of) Moses? They said to a Prophet (that was) among

they turned back, except a small band among them. But Allah has full knowledge of those who do wrong. Their Prophet said to them: “Allah hath appointed Talut as King over you”. They said: ‘How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority, and he is not even gifted, with wealth in abundance?” He said, Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath gifted him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess. Allah granteth His

family of Moses and the family of Aaron, carried by angels. In this is a Symbol for you if ye indeed have faith.” When Talut set forth with the armies, he said, Allah will test you at the stream, if any drinks of its water, he goes not with my army: only those who taste not of it go with me: a mere sip out of the hand is excused”. But they drank of it, except a few. When they crossed the river — he and the faithful ones with him, they said: “This day we cannot cope with Goliath and his forces.” But those who were convince that they must meet Allah, said, “How oft, by Allah’s will, hath a small force Vanquished a big one? Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere.” When they advanced to

And did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief: but Allah is full of bounty to all the worlds are the Signs of Allah we rehearse them to thee in truth; verily thou art one of the Messengers. Those Messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: to some of them Allah spoke, others He raised to degrees (of honour), to Jesus The Son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (signs) had come to them, they (choose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah

“And do not forget liberality between yourselves. For Allah sees well all that ye do. Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers.”

had so willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what he wills. O ye who believe! Spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you, before the Day comes when no bargaining (will avail), nor friendship nor intercession. Those who reject faith — they are the wrong doers. Allah, there is no god but He — the living, the self— subsisting, supporter of all, no slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is thee can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them: for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from errow: whoever rejects Tagut and believes in Allah had grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He leads them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Tagut from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (for ever). Hast thou not turned thy thought to one who disputed with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah has granted him power? Abraham said: My Lord is He who giveth life and death. “He said I give life and death. Saith Abraham:” But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the East: do thou then cause it to rise from the West.” Thus was he confounded who (in arrogance) rejected Faith, Nor Doth Allah give guidance to a people unjust. To be continued.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Spiritual Platform

Dealing With Strange And Evil Attacks

With Rt Rev (Dr.) C. I. Umane

Continued from last week

“IN the month of July of the year 1986, about 30,000,000 spirits in the water occult realms were sent to the earth as pretty girls, and they began operations as prostitutes in different nations of the world. These girls, who are demons in disguise, were sent to reinforce those that were before them, and their operations will last on earth till the first week of July of the year 1997. It is then that they would be replaced by others. However there are three main categories of prostitutes presently on earth. The first category are the demons going around as pretty girls. Such girls have no earthly parents, for they are directly from the occult realms of the water”. Testimony 4: There was a report many years ago when a man was about to have sexual intercourse outside marriage- a married man and an unmarried girl. As the act was on, the girl begged the man to allow her collect his sperm in a small container so that she could use it to treat her pimples! the man’s manhood froze and he ran for his life. Evil consequences of attack on sperm can come in several forms including the following:attacks by spirit husband and wife. low sperm count no sperm hatred by the opposite sex financial collapse being stuck with a demonic partner promise of prosperity to a person if only he does not see or use water. This is an impossible condition since water is needed for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, etc besides the fact, rivers are everywhere. The world is 70% water and cannot be avoided. regular sex dreams ceaseless menstruation intense sexual thoughts So many men are suffering today because of indiscretion. solution is crying to God and engaging in warfare prayers. Demonic Breeze. Breeze is a mild form of wind which normally should cool the body. Very often this breeze is a harbinger of evil arrows and mali-violent demons. Often you do hear that people fall ill when sudden burst of cool breeze has fallen upon them. This evil breeze can come through windows, doors, outside the house and when this happens poison is injected into the body of the victim. The breeze can also carry incantation targeted at people. The consequences are many but include paralysis (sudden) sickness/disease changed pregnancy constant dreams of death, difficulty in retaining jobs blindness deafness apostasy On apostasy, we need to know this. There is a spirit, called Nonimu, courtesy lyke Uzorma, Occult Grand Master now in Christ, whose business is to cause apostasy in Benin area. This spirit is said to reside in one of the forests in Benin, causes the resident to fall away from faith on inhaling a demonic breeze which it blows into the air at 12 midnight. The Christians should not take this lightly since from empirical evidence, Christianity is yet to make impact where it will influence people in Benin. We must learn how to pray and arrest this breeze and cause it to change direction and return to sender. The Christians must violently do this. At the end of this chapter we shall pray against demonic breeze. Our problem is ignorance of the devices of the enemy. Many of us are not careful enough to discern spiritual attacks from the enemy. The scriptures use the word ‘devices’ which is very appropriate. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices”. See also Ephesians 6:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 12:9 and Revelation 20:7. Demonic or Strange Touch. Finally, we end this chapter by looking at another common but unnoticed phenomenon of demonic attacks against people, that is demonic touch. Evil People put something in the palm of their hands for use as weapon against unsuspecting people. The poison can be administered through. handshake cleaning a person’s face with a demonic handkerchief. This is very common at wedding ceremonies. Often we warn bridegrooms and brides to be aware of this danger during their wedding ceremony. There are reports of couple going blind! backslapping a person embracing a person wearing a mask and touching a person slapping a person- serious. Testimony 4. In a compound, two women quarreled over sweeping. One of the women slapped the other on the chest and said 1 go show you say woman pass woman, From that day, the woman that was slapped started to bedwet. She was advised to go for deliverance after

which the embarrassment stopped. You must have read in newspapers where people slap other people with terrible consequences. In addiction to what have been mentioned above, some of the consequences include the following:injection of poison facial/skin rashes internal heat or current passing through the body blindness deafness barrenness late marriage scattering of marriage hatred imposition transference of spirits Apart from marriage scenes where people are so attacked, watch your step at obituaries, social and political gatherings, parties, family gatherings (especially where disputes are being settled). Avoid

indiscriminate handshaking. Evil spirits (ancestral or familiar spirits) have been transferred during the process of a non- Christian family head putting hands on the heads of people e.g. during traditional wedding. We need to be careful and watchful. How do you deal with these strange phenomena? (i) Ask for forgiveness for any carelessness displaced by you in life. (ii) You must pray aggressively against evil altars raised against you. (iii) Know that there are different types of prayers. Effective prayers against these strange attacks are warfare prayers. Make no mistakes about this. (iv) Warfare Prayers. End each in the name of Jesus Christ. (a) For Women 1. Any power using my menstrual pad to attack me-die by fire 2. Any power monitoring my menstrual dates -die by fire 3. Embargo on my womb -break by fire 4. My blood or urine on any altar -I withdraw you by fire 5. Any blood bank holding my blood -be destroyed 6. Every evil hand that has touched my womb, breast, head -be washed away by the blood of Jesus 7. You evil hands laid on my - (select)womb, fallopianitubes, ovaries - be roasted by fire womb fallopian tubes ovaries 8. All parasites in my body — come out and die 9. Any lion killing the seed of my womb — die 10. Altars of barrenness in my life — catch fire 11. Every scorpion and serpent of barrenness in my life—die 12. Every evil power blocking my menstrual cycle — die 13. My spirit husband, what are you waiting for?—die (b) For Men 14. My sperm stored in satanic banks — I retrieve you by fire 15. Every power of darkness sucking my sperm—die 16. My spirit wife, what are you waiting for? — die 17. All evil parasites inside my (select) — jump out and die sperm penies sperm duct

GSM: 0803579951 blood testis P.C muscles liver intestine 18 Every evil hand pointing at me –dry up by fire 19. I withdraw my blood and urine from satanic altars 20. Every evil parasite in my sperm — jump out and die 21. Every spirit of death working inside my sperm-come out 22. Power from the-(select)-release my sperm North South East West Rivers Rocks

Forests Heavenlies 23. Low sperm count — I reject and denounce you, I soak my sperm in the blood of Jesus 24. List all women you have slept with in your life and pray as follows: I break every covenant between you -(name) and me 25. Fragmented sperm — I collect you back 26. My sperm — receive the strength of God 27. Holy Ghost fire — cook my sperm 28. I withdraw my sperm from the warehouse of Marine queen of the coast queen of Sheba queen of India Pharaoh (C) All 29. Every demonic breeze sent after my life —return to sender 30. Judgement of barrenness uttered against my marriage -be rendered null and void 31. Covenant of barrenness in my life — break by fire 32. Arrow of barrenness fired into my life –go back to your sender 33. Blood of abortion crying against me — be silenced by the blood of Jesus 34. I cancel every evil effect of - (select) upon my life herbalist juju worry anger unforgiving spirit idol of father’s house idol of my mother’s house fake prophets disobedience stealing fake religion fornication sacrifice abortion homosexuality masturbation family taboo.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

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THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 15, 2014 WATSON WEST 1.2.X FORECAST

By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091

Your Star

EDITOR’S NAP

RICHWELL NAP

NAP 41 XX 41 XX 41 NAP 6 XX 6 XX 6 PAIR 22 Vs 24 PAIR 31 OR 36 GOODLUCK LET IT BE

PAIR 6 OR 15 WATCH OUT

NAP 18 XX 18 XX 18 PAIR 11 OR 17 EXECUTIVE

PARKER NAP

J. B. NAP

SUNNY NAP NAP 1 XX 1 XX1

MURPHY NAP

NAP 2 XX 2 XX 2 PAIR: 31 or 35 BE A WINNER

NAP 4 XX 4 XX 4 PAIR 5 OR 6 FOR SURE

OKUNS NAP

ODION NAP

PAUL NAP NAP

NAP 8 XX 8 XX 8

NAP 16 XX 16 XX 16 PAIR 22 0R 18 DRAW IS DRAW

NAP 29 XX 29 XX 29 PAIR 8 OR 3 BE MY GUEST

PAIR 4 OR 49 THERE IS HOPE

GUESSING GAMES

6 49

SMOKING GUN BEWARE

3 7 13 21 23 25

26 30 32 33 37 43 For three Draws?

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Oscar Happy With Chelsea Form

Taarabt Blasts Redknapp REDKNAPP launched an attack on the Morocco international after QPR’s 3-2 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, claiming Taarabt was “not fit to play football”, adding, “I can’t keep protecting people who don’t want to run about and train, who are about three stone overweight”. But Taarabt has deepened the rift with his manager by claiming that Redknapp does not even regularly take training sessions, and then posing shirtless in a photoshoot in order to deny the suggestion he is out of shape. “I am a professional - this is not about retaliation, this is about protecting my reputation,” Taarabt said in the Daily Mail. “I played in that reserve game for 90 minutes and if he didn’t think I was running he could have taken me off. Maybe I didn’t perform like I could because it was a reserve team game and I was protecting myself... “My job is to create, bring goals to the team. Maybe he expects me to make more tackles. I am not this type of player. I can only get fitness playing Premier League. You can train six or seven hours, but you won’t be fit.” Taarabt has made three appearances for the club this season after finishing the last campaign on loan at AC Milan, and has no qualms about criticising the way in which the under-pressure Redknapp is managing the team. “The training sessions aren’t the same standard as Milan, or what I would expect under another manager,” he said. “They are not as intense, the players aren’t as motivated. It is the same as we used to do at Tottenham years ago. When we played West Ham he told the players ‘you’re not fit, you’re not this, you’re not that”’ “I said ‘but the problem is we don’t have any plan in the game, we don’t know how to press as a team. It’s not about just running around, you need to play with your brain’... “After West Ham he said all of the team is not fit. After Liverpool, because the performance was so good, he said everything was perfect - what, in one week, he changed the fitness? Impossible.”

BRAZILIAN Oscar’s matchwinning performance in Chelsea’s 2-1 away victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday included a superb free kick and the final pass for Cesc Fabregas’s decisive goal. Unbeaten Premier League leaders Chelsea settled the match with goals in the sixth minute of each half at Selhurst Park in south London. Damien Delaney gave away an early free kick close to the Palace box that Oscar took right-footed and curled over the wall and inside the top far corner out of reach of the diving Julian Speroni. “We practise (free kicks) every day and Fabregas, Willian or I always take them and when the time comes we decide on the spot, one, two, three and today I asked to take it,” midfielder Oscar said. He told Reuters there were two reasons behind who took the kick. “It depends on the position (of the ball) and who’s feeling most

Oscar in action for Chelsea

We Can Catch Chelsea

DALEY Blind scored an 87th minute equaliser after Saido Berahino’s sixth league goal of the season almost wrapped up victory for Albion. Marouane Fellaini scored his first United goal to make it 1-1 but the draw left United 10 points behind Chelsea yet Van Gaal believes they can catch them. He said: “That’s possible but difficult to say because then I am arrogant. But I have done it a lot of times. “It is two points lost. I think we were the better team and I am very disappointed by the result. We were two times behind but I don’t think West Bromwich Albion created too many chances. “We gave the two goals away and we created four chances in the first half and seven in the second. We dominated the game. “That’s what I want as a coach and as a manager but the manager doesn’t want a result like 2-2. “I have said to my players I cannot be happy. I am happy about our play style but not the result.” Fellaini could have left Albion

red faced after a tweet from their official Twitter account which appeared to take a dig at the Belgium international. “Fellaini has now taken his tracksuit off, fortunately he has a Man Utd strip on underneath,” they tweeted as he prepared to come on as a half-time substitute. Albion insist it was taken out of context as it was meant to show relief he was not naked but it was still retweeted 16,000 times. The Baggies were good value for the point though and had taken the lead through Stephane Sessegnon’s fine eighth-minute effort. The result lifted them to 14th in the table but head coach Alan Irvine revealed his frustration. “We’re all bitterly disappointed. We were so close to getting a great result against a top team and for us not to get three points feels really tough in this moment,” he said. “The players were terrific all the way through, they worked really hard when we didn’t

Suarez Exit Derailed US

LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted his side have stalled this season in the absence of last season’s Premier League Player of the Year Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan scored 31 goals as Liverpool came within three points of winning their first league title in 14 years before joining Barcelona in July for a reported £75 million ($125 million, 95 million euros) in July. “I signed a three-year contract with the objective of fighting for the league and we almost won it in our second year,” Rodgers said in an interview with Madrid sports daily AS on Monday ahead

- Rodgers

of his side’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid on Wednesday. “But the team’s natural progression has stalled this summer with the departure of Luis Suarez and the arrival of new players.” Liverpool have only won four of their opening eight Premier League games and were desperately lucky to emerge victorious against bottom club Queens Park Rangers on Sunday as the Londoners scored two own goals in a 3-2 defeat.

Rodgers remains bullish that he can restore the club to its former glories, but also hinted that he too could be lured to La Liga in the future. “Hopefully I can work one day in Spain. I speak and I have studied Spanish, but I need to improve. I speak it with my Spanish players. “I am just 41 and there are many things I want to achieve at Liverpool, where I want to be for another 20 years or more. But one day I would like to experience Spain, it’s a marvellous culture and magnificent clubs.”

have the ball and passed the ball really well. We got two great goals and we’ve led twice and I felt quite comfortable on both occasions we had the lead.” Berahino impressed again and Irvine believes he added weight to calls for senior international selection. “He is in great form. He deserves

-Van Gaal

what he is getting, his application as been really top class. He’s behaving like a top professional day after day,” he said. “If he scores goals every week then he has a great chance (of a senior call) but Roy will decide when is the right time for him.”

confident, he’s the one that will go and take it,” Oscar said. “First I look to see where the goalkeeper is standing and decide in that moment. “He was standing in the middle and I went for the top corner.” Chelsea scored again in the 51st minute when both teams were down to 10 men after their left back Cesar Azpilicueta and Delaney had been sent off within three minutes at the end of the first half. An attack on the centre of the Palace defence started by Fabregas set up Eden Hazard to pass to Oscar who neatly laid the ball off for the Spaniard to shoot between Speroni and his near post. “I’m very happy (with my form). I’ve been playing very well for several matches and I hope to continue helping our team in that way,” Oscar said. He said that playing well for Brazil in their Asian tour friendly wins over Argentina and Japan and good performances for Chelsea were part of the same vein of form. “I know very well how to separate the two and with Brazil that’s now over after two important games and now I’m back giving my best again for Chelsea,” the 23-year-old said. “I think we played well, Crystal Palace stood back a lot and we had a lot of the ball.” Chelsea, who have dropped only two points in eight league games, were without injured top scorer Diego Costa and fielded a five-man midfield with Loic Remy up front.

Louis Van Gaal, manager of Manchester United and assistant Ryan Giggs look on from the bench during the 2-2 draw at West Brom.

Brilliant Aguero Is Useless In Training -Hart

MANCHESTER City goalkeeper Joe Hart has hailed the brilliance of Sergio Aguero although he claims he is “useless” in training. City’s star striker Aguero underlined his return to form this season with a superb four-goal demolition of Tottenham on Saturday. Aguero scored all the goals as the champions won 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League, taking his overall tally for the campaign to 10. It also made the Argentinian

City’s record goalscorer in the Premier League with 61 and took him to 85 goals in 132 appearances for the club overall. It was a emphatic reminder of the 26-year-old’s talents now that the muscle injuries which hampered him during the latter half of last season and the World Cup appear behind him. Hart said: “He is one of those players - and I don’t think he will be unhappy with me saying it -

that some days you look at him in training and he is useless! “That is just down to him, and you know that when it comes to games he is going to score, because he is that talented, that good a player. “He is a big-match player and deserves to be at a big club like this, scoring goals for these fans, and I can’t be positive enough about him. He deserves all the plaudits he gets.

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

I’m Showing Brazil Form With Barca, Says Neymar NEYMAR had a difficult first 2013-14 season in Spain with injuries and turmoil over his transfer fee, which was initially said to be worth 57.1 million euros ($72.92 million) by the club but later turned out to be closer to 100 million. All the major trophies escaped Barcelona but under new coach Luis Enrique they are top of La Liga after eight games and are yet to concede a goal. However, defeat in their last Champions League outing against Paris St Germain has given Tuesday’s clash with Ajax Amsterdam added importance. Barca (three) are one point behind Group F leaders PSG while Ajax are on two and APOEL Nicosia have one. “I don’t know if this is a new version but I feel more at home, relaxed, and you notice this on the pitch,” Neymar told a news conference. “Everything is playing its

role in my level improving. The trainer, the players, all this when you put them together gives you the results.” At 22 he is already the fifth highest scorer for Brazil with 40 goals and this season he has been on target eight times in La Liga having managed nine in the whole of the previous campaign. Attention in Spain is on El Clasico this weekend between Barca and Real but Neymar said the players were fully focused on Ajax. “We always go out to win but this is a match where we are up against a strong side who are good defensively and in attack so we will have to play well,” he added. Luis Enrique does not believe his players will have Real on their minds. “I have no doubts about my team. I am fully confident about them against Ajax and also against Real at the Bernabeu,” he said.

Ajax beat Barca in Amsterdam last season during the group stages and Luis Enrique is not underestimating them. “They move the ball around well, they know how to pressure and don’t take risks at the back,” he said. “They are also strong on the counter-attack. They are a complete side which unites the qualities of Dutch football and the Ajax school. “We have a good feeling and the team are winning most of our games. We lost against Paris St Germain for reasons that we know as we made errors but I think we are in an excellent position going into the matches ahead,” said Luis Enrique.

Neymar

UEFA Champions League

Troubled BVB Face Galatasaray Test

BORUSSIA Dortmund play Galatasaray away in today Champions League clash with their director of sport Michael Zorc admitting they are enduring the “toughest” of times after three straight Bundesliga defeats. Borussia are top of Group D with two wins in Europe after convincingly beating Arsenal 20 at home, then Anderlecht 3-0 away, but are 14th in the Bundesliga having taken just a single point from their last five German league matches. With eight matches played this season, Dortmund are already 13 points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich having finished as runners-up to the Bavarian giants for the last two seasons. “This is our most difficult situation for the last few years,” said Zorc. “Basically, things haven’t

Luis Suarez

improved in the last few weeks. “I have the feeling something is missing, there is a lack of consistency in attack and defence and we’re giving goals away again. “We are not determined enough going forward.” Borussia coach Jurgen Klopp was a dejected figure on the sidelines on Saturday as his side slumped to a 2-1 defeat in Cologne, their first loss in the city for more than a decade. Klopp welcomed back midfielders Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan, who had been out for more than a year with a back injury, but his side still faltered with the coach

I Thought My Career Was Over After Biting Ban - Suarez LUIS Suarez feared he had destroyed his career and that Barcelona would not want to sign him following his fourmonth ban for biting at the World Cup. The Uruguayan signed for Barca from Liverpool for +81 million euros (£64m) despite the ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini when playing against Italy in Brazil. He will be available to make

his much-awaited debut on Saturday in the broiling atmosphere of an El Clasico against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. “I thought that I had ruined my career. At the start I didn’t want to speak to anyone, I hid away behind my family although later I thought about it, I said sorry and I felt relief as a result,” Suarez told Spanish television.

“When the talks began with Barcelona and when (his agent) Pere Guardiola phoned me to say that it was all done I started to cry due to the situation that I was in and for the support that Barcelona were offering me. “I had been worried that Barca would decide against it due to all the repercussions from the situation.” Suarez is keeping his fingers

crossed that Barca coach Luis Enrique will play him against Real. “I don’t want to tempt fate by imagining myself playing,” he said. “It is not my style to tell the trainer to play me in the game. I wouldn’t dream of saying to Luis Enrique that I want to play in the Bernabeu. If I don’t play then I won’t be angry, I want to help my team mates and feel a footballer again.”

admitting they “had played football which makes no sense”. The only good news for Klopp is that Germany defender Erik Durm should be fit to play in Istanbul despite dropping out during the warm-up in Cologne with a thigh problem. Galatasaray lost 4-1 at Arsenal

three weeks ago and need a result at home to Dortmund to keep their knock-out stage hopes alive in the Champions League. Cesare Prandelli’s Galatasarary beat ten-man Fenerbahce 2-1 on Saturday in the Istanbul derby, with Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder striking twice late on.

Ronaldo Won’t Go To ANCELOTTI has been interviewed in the British Press Man United ahead of Los Blancos’ Champions League game against Liverpool and the subject of Ronaldo’s future was high on the agenda, Marca reports. Ronaldo has been linked with a return to Old Trafford but Ancelotti can see no reason whatsoever why the Portugal captain would want to leave Santiago Bernabeu. “Everyone can be changed and replaced but Ronaldo is the best player in the world. If he left Madrid it would be a huge loss,” the Italian said. “But that won’t happen because he will end his career in Madrid. “I am 100% sure Ronaldo won’t be at Manchester United next season. 100%. I can’t be wrong because he is happy in Madrid. Everyone wants to be here. “The club is delighted to have the best player in the world. At the moment the relationship between club and player is perfect.

“So I don’t think that is going to change. Ronaldo will end his career at Real Madrid.” Ancelotti argued, however, that despite Ronaldo’s excellent goal scoring form, a Ronaldo goal won’t guarantee victory at Anfield. “He could score but we might lose 2-1 or 3-2,” Ancelotti warned. “But the statistics say it all. The fact is he has scored around 280 goals in 250 games for Madrid. That’s why I say having him in your team is like having the advantage. “There is a big game to be faced with the whole team but clearly, having Ronaldo is a big plus. “It wasn’t easy to say who the best player I have coached is because I’ve been fortunate to work with the best, including defenders and goalkeepers. “I’ve worked with many great players but yes, Ronaldo still surprises me that he is capable of scoring in every game. Always.”

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Oscar Pistorius Jailed For Five Years For Killing Girl Friend THE Olympic and Paralympic runner was convicted of culpable homicide last month for shooting dead 29-yearold law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria. And Judge Thokozile Masipa ordered that he serve a maximum of five years for the crime, with the star keeping calm on hearing the news, but wiping tears away from his eyes. Pistorius was also sentenced to three years for unlawful discharge of a firearm in a restaurant, with that portion of the sentence suspended for five years. His family remained calm throughout the sentencing. After the proceedings, one of Pistorius’s legal team, Roxanne Adams, told Sky News that Pistorius will serve just a sixth of his sentence in prison - a mere 10 months - before serving the rest of his sentence under house arrest. “Justice was served,” said the Steenkamp family lawyer, Dup de Bruyn, adding that it was “the right sentence” - but the victim’s mother put things in a different light. “There is no closure without Reeva, unless you can magic her back,” said June Steenkanp. Immediately after the proceedings finished, Pistorius was led away to the holding cells from where he will be taken to jail. The judge spoke for an hour about the circumstances of the

crime, coming to the conclusion that “a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message”

in a nation where many believe that wealthy white citizens are able to buy their way to preferential treatment. She also spoke about the capability of the prison service to cater for Pistorius’s special needs, and of the athlete’s own personal resilience.

Judge Masipa had cleared Pistorius of the more serious charge of murder, saying prosecutors had failed to prove his intent to kill when he fired four 9mm rounds through the door of a toilet cubicle in what he said was the mistaken belief an intruder was lurking behind it. State prosecutor Gerrie Nel had said at the sentencing hearing last week that only 10 years imprisonment would satisfy the

South African public, who would “lose their faith in the justice system” if Pistorius avoided jail. Defence lawyer Barry Roux had argued, however, that the double-amputee sprinter should be given community service because his sorrow and regret at killing the woman he loved was the worst punishment of all. He also said Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated as a baby, would face particular difficulties in prison. Even the idea of Pistorius avoiding a custodial sentence inflamed public anger and fuelled a perception among black South Africans that, 20 years after the end of apartheid, wealthy whites can still secure preferential justice. Indicating the public mood, a cartoon by popular satirist Zapiro in the Sunday Times mocked a potential sentence of house arrest. It depicted Pistorius popping champagne with friends in a sports car, while an ankle tag bleeped on a pair of prosthetics

Murray Eyes London Berth After 30th Tom Title THE Scot recovered from a one-set deficit to beat Spaniard David Ferrer 5-7 6-2 7-5 and win the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, becoming just the fifth active player to have 30 trophies to his name. And now Murray aims to book his place at the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals for the seventh consecutive season. The victory over Ferrer ensured

Oscar Pistorius

Williams, Halep Enjoy Opening Wins At WTA Finals WILLIAMS, Halep enjoy opening wins at WTA Finals In the second match, Romania’s Simona Halep joined Williams at the top of the Red Group standings after the world number four brushed aside Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 6-2 6-3 on the purple hardcourt at Singapore’s Indoor Stadium. Illness and a knee problem

left inside his house. The six-month trial captivated South Africans and many people around the world who admired Pistorius as a symbol of triumph over physical adversity. With its glamorous victim, tears and tragedy, and Pistorius’ fall from grace, it has been endlessly discussed. It also highlighted the country’s endemic violence - in domestic situations in which women suffer abuse from their partners, and also in its high crime rate. The claim that Pistorius feared his home had been invaded struck a chord with some South Africans. Pistorius’ sister Aimee said on Monday the shooting and trial had been damaging for everyone. “The guilt and ridicule that surrounds it as well as the exposure...and just the heartache for both my brother, my family and of course the Steenkamp family,” she told South Africa’s ENCA television.

forced the American world number one to withdraw from her last two tournaments since winning a third straight U.S. Open title last month and Williams struggled early in an arena hosting the event for a first time. Pre-match pyrotechnics left the Indoor Stadium looking as hazy as the city-state’s streets on a

Serena Williams

polluted day but once the smoke had cleared, Williams was forced to dig deep in her first service game, staving off two break points before holding. Ivanovic, making her first appearance in the season-ending event since 2008 when it was held in Qatar, had no such problems on her own serve in the early skirmishes but once Williams found her range the American broke and held to love to move 4-1 ahead. The Serb overcame two double

faults in her next service game to hold and then started to mix up her strategy, refusing to go toeto-toe with her powerful opponent with her drop shots causing Williams all sorts of problems. A lucky net cord brought up three break points for Ivanovic in the seventh game and she only needed one of them as Williams double-faulted to hand back her early break. With the crowd cheering her on, Ivanovic suddenly had the momentum and she began to make Williams scurry all over the court and even had a break point to move 5-4 ahead before her opponent dug deep to stave off the scare. Williams saved the break point and welcomed a big forehand and a service winner with shouts of “come on!” to edge 5-4 ahead and put the pressure back on Ivanovic, who surrendered the set as her service fell apart under pressure. The pair traded breaks to open the second set and then raced through their service games until Williams made the vital breakthrough in the 10th game with a series of thunderous forehands before an Ivanovic error handed the contest to her opponent on her first match point. “I am really excited with how I played tonight. I have been working hard all my life for nights like this and I love it. So thank you for coming tonight,” Williams at a courtside. “I was fighting as hard as I could and I think I am losing my

voice from all of those ‘come ons’ I was shouting.” The victory was Williams’ 16th in a row at the tournament as the 33-year-old American remains on course for a hat-trick of titles as she attempts to retain a number one ranking under threat from Maria Sharapova this week. Two of the WTA’s mostimproved players of the last year faced off in the second match but an expected tight encounter failed to materialise as Halep blew away an erratic Bouchard to open her account in her first appearance at the event.

Andy Murray

Murray 250 ATP points, nudging him 110 points clear of ninthplaced Ferrer in the rankings. Only the world’s top eight players qualify for the tournament in London. “The next few weeks are extremely important,” said Murray. “Everyone is playing next week. I just need to win as many matches as possible to keep hold of the eighth spot [in the Emirates ATP Race To London] or go higher. “I am proud to win 30 tournaments and I will keep doing my best to win more.” “It was very tough, with lots of long rallies and long games. The third set was very back and forth, so mentally it was quite a tough match for both of us. I managed to be a bit more consistent and aggressive at the end. “It’s always tough to finish off tournaments. There is always pressure when you are serving for the match. David moves so well and gets so many balls back, that matches are always physical. It was quite tiring.”

THE NIGERIAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Rahman Yearns To Achieve More GERMANY-based “It is really great defender Baba Abdul With Ghana playing for your nation Rahman wants to maintain his good form in order to achieve higher heights with the Black Stars. The 20-year-old has been impressive since making his international debut with Ghana in last month’s 2015 AFCON qualifier against Togo. Rahman has provided two assists in three games

for the Black Stars and is fast becoming the long-overdue solution for Ghana’s problematic left-back position. The Augsburg full-back is eyeing an extended stay with the Black Stars and wants to improve his form even further to help him chalk more achievements with the national team.

and I am always happy whenever I am invited,” he told Radio Gold. “I hope I maintain my form so I can have more achievements with the team.” Rahman was part of Ghana’s U20 team that won bronze at the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup staged in Turkey.

EIGHT players invited by the Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) for the 2014 World Cadet Challenge had started close camping in Egypt. Adedotun Omoniyi, one of the coaches selected by ATTF to train the players ahead of the competition, disclosed to newsmen on Friday in a telephone interview from Cairo. Omoniyi said the players were in Cairo undergoing intensive training towards their participation in the championship. ‘’The camp opened on

Baba Rahman

2014 Federation Cup Final Holds On Nov 23

to register for the competition.’’ The assistant director said the competitions, designed for both men and women, had suffered a couple of postponements due to the crises that rocked the NFA. The competition will see defending champions Enyimba FC of Aba play Dolphins of Port Harcourt in the men’s final, while Rivers Angels and Sunshine Queens of Akure will slug it out in the women’s final. The grand finale, which will be played same day at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, is sponsored by the Lagos State Government.

Champions League Fixtures Bayer 04 Leverkusen Monaco Olympiakos RSC Anderlecht Atlético de Madrid Ludogorets Razgrad Galatasaray Liverpool

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8 Players In Close Camp Monday but training commenced on Tuesday at the Madi Training Centre, Cairo,’’ Omoniyi said. NAN recalled that a Nigerian female player, Tosin Oribamise along with Omoniyi departed for Egypt on Oct. 12. Omoniyi said that the team was made up of four male and four female players. ‘’The players are from Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and

Nigeria,’’ he said. Omoniyi said that the players have been responding well to training. ‘I see a good set of players who can dominate and would not be intimidated by any player. ‘’They are young players and exhibiting willingness to excel,’’ he said. The competition is slated to hold from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2 in Barbados.

when the cost of following a top-flight team has again been criticised and Mannone is keen to make up for a game that will be remembered for a long time, for all the wrong reasons, in the north-east. “I will personally talk to the team to see if it is possible to pay for their tickets and their trip,” he said. “I really mean that we should pay their tickets and travel. I will do everything possible. We should do it because we didn’t put a foot in, we didn’t work hard. We started the game well but after we conceded we threw in the towel and I include myself. “It is difficult for us but it’s very difficult for them as well. It is a difficult moment. We will go through it during the week. We will have time. The Premier League is really difficult. We have a tough game again at home, so there is no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We need to react. “As I said they are special fans. We are really lucky to be at this club and have these fans. If it was me, I would probably

not react in the same way.” Not only did two of the goals come courtesy of own goals from his team-mates but Mannone fumbled a shot from Jack Cork for the third Saints goal and gifted possession to the impressive Dusan Tadic to allow the Serbia winger to tuck away his maiden Barclays Premier League goal - the sixth he conceded on the day. Saints took the lead when Santiago Vergini volleyed past Mannone from the edge of the box with the aplomb of an accomplished striker for a memorable own goal, with inform Graziano Pelle and midfielder Cork putting the hosts in charge before half-time. Sunderland fell apart after the interval as Liam Bridcutt failed to clear after Mannone had saved well from Pelle, with the ball squirming over the line, Pelle then added a fifth before Tadic, Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane piled on the misery for the Black Cats. Mannone did suggest that shipping eight goals in a single game was less of a problem than a string of close defeats but insists things must get better when he welcomes his former club to the Stadium of Light on Saturday. “We play Arsenal next week so at the end of the day, we lost 8-0 but we didn’t lose eight games 1-0. Let’s take it on the chin and go again because we have another 30 games,” he added. “We have to remember how embarrassed we felt and feel embarrassed for ourselves and take some anger from this game into the next one and produce a performance. “It was a low point for anyone and possibly the biggest embarrassment for the team since I’ve been here. “It was a difficult afternoon but we need to react. We have to do it for ourselves, for the club and for our great fans as well that came all that way.

Sunderland Players Should Refund Supporters - Mannone

VITO Mannone believes he and his team-mates should reimburse all the Sunderland fans who witnessed the 8-0 hammering at Southampton. The Italian goalkeeper has Mary’s. The Sunderland supporters established himself as Gus Poyet’s first choice despite continued to cheer for their the arrival of former players until the final whistle Manchester City man Costel and former Arsenal man Pantilimon but endured an Mannone insisted he wants to afternoon to forget as the meet the costs of the 700-mile Black Cats suffered a away day for the 2,500 fans. The gesture comes at a time humiliating defeat at St

THE Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has approved Nov. 23, for the grand finale of 2014 Men and Women Federation Cup competitions, according to a statement. The statement, issued on Friday by Ademola Olajire, the Assistant Director, Nigeria Football Association (NFA), said the date was endorsed by the NFA Board at a meeting in Abuja. It quoted Olajire as saying “holding the final on this date will still leave enough time for Nigeria’s flag-bearers in the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup

Table Tennis Challenge

Zenit St Petersburg Benfica Juventus Arsenal Malmö FF FC Basel Borussia Dortmund Real Madrid

Vito Mannone

FCT Football League

Young Planners Beat Camp he said. TWO first half goals by United 2 - 0 matches,’’ The coach however said his Offoegbu Abuchi on Monday gave Young Planners Football Club of Abuja a 2-0 victory over city rivals Camp United in the 2014 FCT Football League. In the match played at the Area 3 Sports Complex in Abuja, Abuchi opened scores in the 13th minute. He later doubled his team’s advantage in the 24th minutes through a penalty kick. In another match played in the league competition, Diamond Football Academy beat Rock Football Club 10, with both teams giving a good account of themselves. Temitope Babalola scored

from a free kick in the 69th minute of the game to give his team victory. Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the match, Martin Owobi, the coach of Diamond Academy said he was happy his team won the game “It was a good match, even though I expected much from my players. But I am happy with what they gave me,’’ he said. Coach Olaniyi Orimoloye of Rock FC, on his part, said his team was unfortunate to lose the game. “We played below expectations, and we will make amends in our subsequent

team would do better in subsequent matches. “Now that we have qualified from this our last group match, the next stage is the knockout round, and I will prepare my players ahead of it,’’ he said. The first round matches in the FCT Football League had kicked off on Aug. 27, with the final series of matches on Oct. 20. Forty-eight clubs are participating in the league which holds annually. The winning club will go on to represent the FCT at the zonal play-offs for qualification into the Division Three of the Nigeria NationWide League (NNWL).

THE NIGERIAN

CMYK

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Help, Edo Is Sliding Into Anarchy

At their plenary on Monday, October, 12, 2014, members of the Edo State House of Assembly passed a resolutions, calling on the state government to strengthen the Neighbourhood Watch, a special security outfit put in place to complement efforts of the police in checking crimes and criminality in the state. This was against the background of mayhem unleashed on the official quarters of the legislators two days earlier. Armed thugs believed to be agents of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had on Saturday, October 10, 2014 stormed the legislative quarters, shooting indiscriminately at the residences of some members believed to have been marked for a t t a c k . E v e r y b o d y, including the security guards at the gate ran for dear lives. At the end of the madness, which lasted for about an hour, over 30 cars were vandalised, doors and window panes shattered and riddled with bullets. Lucky enough, no life was lost. All the lawmakers who spoke on the unwarranted dawn attack condemned the highly suspicious role played by the state police command headed by CP Folusho Adebanjo, warning that anarchy was looming in the state. The motion was moved by Hon. Folly Ogedegbe(Owan East) . In his contribution, Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Phillip Shaibu gave a vivid account of how the hoodlums stormed the quarters at about 7.15am led by two policemen who wore bullet proof vests on red T- shirts. He told his colleagues that the aim of the attackers was to bring down at least two lawmakers during the operation. He corroborated the earlier assertion by the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, alleging that security reports had revealed of

plans by armed thugs to attack the official quarters. Instead of beefing up security as part of its proactive measure, the police were alleged to have withdrawn the few men on ground, thereby exposing the legislators and their family members as easy prey to the armed invaders. It was on the strength of this perceived criminal negligence and apparent

have become a willing tool in the hands of these cabal. The Police in the state have criminally chosen to look the other way while the very people they are paid and maintained to protect are being haunded and mauled by political renegades. Two weeks after, the police is still looking for the mastermi ds of that atteck! The Comrade governor, is one man who believes the police deserve to be

Chief John Oyegun, National APC Chairman complicity on the part of the police,that the lawmakers said they have lost confidence in their ability and confidence to protect lives and property in Edo State. While responding to the contributions and on the motion, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbe directed that copies of the resolution be sent to the Acting Inspector General Of Police, Alhaji Suleiman Abba, the state Director of SSS, the state Commissioner of Police and the State Governor for necessary action. The above scenario clearly paints a sordid picture of a grand design by some enemies of the people of Edo State, nay democracy to plunge our dear state into anarchy and set the stage for emergency rule. Unfortunately, the police which is maintained by the toiling Nigerian tax payers

properly equipped and cattered for to enable them effectively carry out their constitutional mandate of protecting lives and property of the citizens. It is against this background that he has spent hundreds of million naira of the state’s scarce resources to buy brand new(not refurbished as others did) customised Hylux vans and crime fighting equipment for the police and other security agencies in the state. Yet, as a state governor, he is not under any obligation to do this, since security matters are under the exclusive legislative list. One would have expected the police, at least, the Edo State command, to behave responsibly devoid of partisanship so as to reciprocate the government’s gesture. Sadly, police as an institution has been turned into the armed wing of the

almighty PDP. This is why the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC has been spear heading the call for the establishment of state police. We cannot use force for force in a decent society like ours so as to avoid a slide into anarchy. I also believe that it was out of sheer frustration and disappointement with the open bias on the part of the

his Wednesday With

Ebomhiana Musa brutally terminated. The then ruling party, like the PDP of today was gloating over its occupation of power at the center and was arrogantly telling Nigerians at every opportunity that they were in power to rule for life, but when the bubble burst, the fat cows fled in different directions. Instead of

Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, National PDP Chairman police that triggered the Edo Assembly to demand the strengthening of the Neighbourhood Watch. I am neither an advocate of state police nor in support of arming the state’s Neighbourhood Watch. Reasons for this is topic for another day. Worried by the developments in the state, the highly revered traditional ruler of the Bini Kindome , His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Erediauwa has warned politicians to be mindful of their conducts and utterances so as to preserve our democracy, saying that it is only the living that plays politics. However, what is happening across the states today is a sad reminder of the ignoble era of the ruling National Party of Nigeria, NPN which got to its peak in the early 80s before the Republic was

leaning from this bitter experience, leaders of the rulling PDP are still behaving like the then NPN. Nigerians of good conscience and lovers of democracy must speak up now to save our democracy from another collapse. The ignoble roles of the police in Rivers, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Ekiti and recently, Kaduna in an open bias against the will of the people, is unbecoming and shameful to say the least. The open bias and partisan displayed by the police in Edo and

Ekiti states is paticularly pathetic and shameful. All the different court orders expected to have been enforced by the police in Edo State ended up in their trash cans, thereby making a mockery of the judiciary in the state. To a large extent, this refusal by the police to enforce valid court orders has aggravated the crisis which has been rocking the state house of assembly since June, 2014. Instead of enforcing orders properly issued by courts, the state police have chosen to provide protection to the c o n c e r n e d dishonourables and lawbreakers in open ridicule of the judiciary. Unless and until the police in the state behave responsibly and check the brazen display of impunity by some members of the state assembly, anarchy looms. The case of Ekiti is worse, the police has been used to put the court under lock and key so as to tacticaly delay justice and judgment. What manner of democracy are we practising in this clime? I must say here that the survival or otherwise of this Forth Republic depends largely on the police and the judiciary. These two vital insituations can decide to be professional, remain apolitical, strictly uphold the ethics of their callings and be guided by their conscience. They should be bold enough to say NO to filthy inducements and refused to be compromised by desperate politicians. Anything short of this will put our democracy in peril.

TOMORROW ON THIS PAGE “Scientists agree essentially that deadly diseases like Ebola and HIV/ AIDs are bio weapons that are being tested on Africans and also being used as a check on Africa’s population...” Josef Omorotionmwan

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