The Nigerian
PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 39 • NO.019 TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2 0 14 • N100.00 BOTTOMLINE Page 15
The Emirs and inter-religious relations
Edo Compol wants improved police community relations By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR
BENIN CITY - Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo has stressed the need for more police community Relations
Committees (PCRC) in the state to foster a better relationship between the police and the public. He made the remark during a chat with newsmen at the Award/ fund raising ceremony of
police community Relations Committee, New Benin Division, which took place in Benin City, last weekend. The commissioner who was represented at the ceremony by ACP, Rabiu
Dayi, appreciated the reception being accorded PCRC by the people. He esepressed the hope that the formation of more PCRC in the state will further enhance the Continues on page 2
Edo Assembly Crisis
Lawmakers exchange blows By KEN ABU
INTERNATIONAL FEATURES Page 24
Egypt sentences 4 Al-Jazeera reporters
BENIN CITY – The crisis in Edo State House of Assembly yesterday took a new turn as the lawmakers openly exchanged blows to prove their points even as they locked themselves out of the assembly complex. lawmakers engaged The assembly has each other in a free-forbeen in crisis since June all in the early hours of 9, 2014 following the suspension of their legislators, including the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Festus Ebea. The suspended legislators and their supporters had blocked the main entrance to the complex thereby preventing staff of the Assembly from entering the complex. The Police, however, managed to bring the situation under control when some of the
... reconvenes today
the day. Meanwhile, Hon. Uyi Igbe the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly said that the House could not hold its plenary session with the
suspended lawmakers who were visibly present at the state assembly complex. The Speaker further said that the House adjourn plenary session
to today, saying that they (lawmakers) were law abiding citizens who expected the suspended lawmakers to obey the court injunction barring them from entering the
No sacrifice too much for Chibok girls IIORIN - A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Kawu Baraje, said no sacrifice would be too much to secure the release of the abducted Chibok girls. Speaking with newsmen at the graduation ceremony of Baraje Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, llorin, the chieftain said the country should consider the swap option being canvassed by the insurgents. “If the United States of
- Baraje
America swapped five prisoners to secure the life of an America soldier, it will not be too much for the Federal Government to negotiate and meet the sect’s condition for the release of the abducted girls. “Whatever kind of appeasement that will appease the people that are holding these girls should be done, whether negotiation, whether transition, we saw Continues on page 2
TIT BIT “Decide on where to concentrate your efforts; how we died can never be as important as how we lived.” - Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama
EDHA CRISIS: APC Legislators sitting in a Police van from right: Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, Hon. Johnson Oghuma and others following the inability of the warring factions to agree on those to attend yesterday’s sitting. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
complex. He further said the suspended lawmakers, following their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hurriedly sought a court injunction restraining the House from declaring their seats vacant, an order the Speaker averred that the parliament complied with. The Speaker said it was difficult for him to fathom why a group who first secured a court order could not obey another court order. The lawmakers, including the suspended four lawmakers following the intervention of the Commissioner of Police, however, agreed to leave the premises of the State Assembly Complex when they were assured that only policemen should be seen around the complex till 8 a.m. today when both parties reconvene at the main entrance of the assembly complex to determine the next line of action. Meanwhile, the Continues on page 2
Another blast kills 8, injure 12 in Kano
KANO - The Police in Kano State said in Kano yesterday that eight persons died following a bomb blast at the Kano State School of Hygiene located on BUK Road. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Aderenle Shinaba, announced this when he briefed newsmen shortly after visiting the scene. He added that 12 persons were injured in the explosion which occurred at about 2.05 p.m.
“There was an explosion in the school this afternoon and it happened right inside the school premises; that is why we had to move in. “I want to confirm to you
LAGOS - The British High Commission on Monday urged Nigerians to take note of the changes it had made in its visa application centres in
that 20 people were moved to the hospital, but eight were confirmed
dead and 12 others injured’’, he said. He also said one suspect had been arrested and was undergoing interrogation at the police
headquarters. The commissioner said the vehicle used by the suspect had also been towed to the police headquarters. Continues on page 2
Lagos. The commission announced this in Lagos in a statement signed by
its Head of Press and Public Affairs, Mr Robert Fitzpatrick. It said that
Teleperformance Ltd would as from July 1, 2014 take over the Continues on page 2
UK makes changes in Visa Application cases
News
Edo Compol wants improved police community relations
Continued from page 1
relationship between the police and the public in view of its acceptability in Edo state. The police boss commended the PCRC, New Benin Division for its contribution towards the New Benin police station, especially in the area of infrastructure . State Chairman of PCRC, Rev. Martins Evbuomwan said the collabaoration between the police and the public through PCRC has helped to reduce crime rate in the state. The chairperson, Benin Area Command, PCRC, Evang. Helen Atekba-Odemwingie (JP), thanked members of the body for their contribution towards a better security system, especially as it affects the police. Earlier in his address, the chairman PCRC, New Benin Division, Deacon Jim Oseghale said the Award/fund
raising ceremony was awed at building a Hall and Recreational centre for police officers, especially for New transferee to stay before
getting accommodation. He listed the items needed for the project to include: 100 bags of cement, 35 trips of sharp sand, about 3, 500
Lawmakers exchange blows Continued from page 1
chairman, Edo State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto has described as blatant falsehood, the claim of Hon. Patrick Iluobe, alleging he (Hon. Kabiru Adjoto) wants him dead. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto refuted the allegations at the main entrance into the assembly complex following the inability of the lawmakers to hold plenary session yesterday as result of the main entrance being under lock and key as a way to prevent the four suspended lawmakers from holding plenary sessions with the other lawmakers. Adjoto said it was ridiculous that Hon. Patrick Iluobe could be alleging threat to his life when
he (Patrick Iluobe) was directly involved in the meeting with top PDP members where the plot to assassinate four lawmakers, including himself had been hatched, This he said had been brought to notice of the House and the general public. He challenged Hon. Patrick Iluobe to come up with any evidence to corroborate his claims, adding that the suspended lawmaker had brought up an allegation that could not be substantiated. Hon. Adjoto further said that he intends to seek a redress in a court of competent jurisdiction by challenging the suspended lawmaker. Similarly Adjoto said that he
UK makes changes in Visa Application cases Continued from page 1
running of its visa application centre in Lekki, Lagos. The statement said that the new office is located on Churchgate Tower 2, Plot PC31, Churchgate, Lekki. “In July 1, 2014, our new commercial partner for UK visa services, Teleperformance Ltd, will take over the running of our Visa Application Centres in Lekki, Lagos. “Visa Application centres in
Another blast kills 8, injures 12 in Kano
Continued from page 1 “The suspect is in our custody and we will get to know the motive behind the attack and who sent him on this deadly errand’’, he said. Newsmen who visited the scene of the incident observed that screens of several vehicles were also shattered by the blast. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around the area.
No sacrifice too much for Chibok girls
Continued from page 1
America do it. Just for one person America released five insurgents,’’ he said. Baraje observed that Nigeria was in a trying period by the security challenge. He said that until the girls were released, nobody would believe the efforts made by the Federal Government to secure their release. Baraje said that efforts were in top gear to affiliate the Islamiya school with Al-Ansur University in Saudi Arabia to further provide opportunities for higher education.
blocks, 5 trips of granite, 25 trips of filling sand, among others, and called for support to ensure that the project sees the light of day.
Abuja and Ikeja, Lagos, will continue to be operated by VFS Global Services. “We are making no changes to our customer service standards, as a result of this process. “We will work closely with our commercial partner to ensure continuity of service during the transition period,’’ it said. The statement said that applicants would continue to complete their visa application and payment online, before selecting appointment at their nearest application centre. According to it, all UK visa applications would continue to be decided by UK Visas & Immigration staff. “The UK remains open for business and these new arrangements will allow us to maintain a world class, competitive visa system to support Britain in the global race.
“We are listening to the needs of our customers and these changes will improve our service by increasing the number of visa application centres globally,’’ the statement added.
N47.1bn theft
Court grants Akingbola stay of proceedings IKEJA - A former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, on Monday asked an Ikeja High Court to stay proceedings in his N47.1 billion theft trial. His co-defendant, Bayo Dada, General Manager of Tropics Securities Ltd, also filed a similar application before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo. The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). During Monday’s
Owan West APC leaders pass confidence vote on Oshiomhole
SABONGIDDA ORA – Leaders and the newly elected local government executives of the All Progressive Congress APC, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State have passed unanimous vote of confidence on the governor of the state, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and the chairman of the council, Hon. Barr. Godwill Aigbodion. They made their position known during a stakeholder’s meeting and the inauguration of the newly elected ward chairmen by the APC local government chairman, Hon. Tunde Omoruan at the party secretariat Sabongidda Ora. Addressing the people at the meeting, the chairman Hon. Tunde Omoruan informed the members of their inauguration by the state chairman of APC, Mr. Anselm Ojezua and subsequently urged them to go back to their respective local governments, to ensure that APC remains the party to beat. He further said that the people can see what the
was totally unaware of the assassination attempts on the lives of three of the suspended lawmakers on their way from Ebelle in Igueben Local Government Area to Benin City, saying he just heard it first hand from journalists. Earlier yesterday, Hon. Emma Okoduwa said that the car conveying Hon. Festus Ebea, Hon. Patrick Iluobe and himself from Ebelle to Benin City was attacked by assailants who reigned bullets on the car in which they were traveling weekend. Hon. Okoduwa, while calling on the Commissioner of Police to provide them with adequate security operatives for the protection of their lives said the ugly incidence was however strange to them, saying the bullets-ridden car had been taken to Abudu Police division while investigation is ongoing. Also, speaking Hon. Patrick Iluobe allegedly claimed that Hon. Ajoto wants him dead in retaliation, saying that, he has never in his three years stay in parliament being threatened.
governor is doing across the state, which the local government chairman, Hon. Aigbodion is replicating in the local government area after just one year in office, saying he has performed tremendously in the area of education, health, water and renovation of the council secretariat. Hon. Omoruan then called on the members to put their house in order and come together as one for them to be able to fight the battle ahead and also join hands with the chairman to move the local government forward for the benefit of all. Also speaking, the immediate past chairman of ACN now APC in the area, Hon. Sir Peter Eguaboi advised the members and executive of the party to be dedicated to the party and to make discipline their watch word if they must move the party to greater height. He further advised that the party must come first in all their dealings and go all out to mobilize members of the party across all the wards without waiting to be told to do so.
proceedings, Akingbola’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) informed the court that the defence had filed an application asking the court to stay further hearing in the trial. Olanipekun said the application was premised on Akingbola’s appeal against Lawal Akapo’s ruling on May 2, where the court assumed jurisdiction on the matter. He said that the Notice of Appeal was already before the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, and that the record of proceedings had already been transferred to the appellate court. According to him, the Court of Appeal has already fixed July 3 for hearing and it will be in the interest of justice for the lower court to wait for the outcome of the proceedings. Olanipekun said that the application for stay of proceedings had been served on the prosecution and the defence was waiting to file its reply on points of law. He, therefore, asked the court for an adjournment and also to vacate the July 24 and 25 trial dates fixed for the matter. On his part, Dada’s counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), aligned himself with Olanipekun’s submission. Osipitan urged the court to adjourn proceedings pending the hearing and determination of Akingbola’s appeal. Responding, the EFCC counsel, Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), said he was only served the application on Monday and that he was ready to give an oral argument to accelerate proceedings. Obla argued that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State 2011 prohibited the court from entertaining such applications.
Ministry holds Valedictory Session for retiring Perm Sec BENIN CITY – Edo State Ministry of Transport has held a valedictory session in honour of the retiring Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mallam A. H. Ikhelowa as he retires from the State Civil Service having clocked 60 years last Friday. The session which also served as send-forth gathering was organised by the Commissioner for Transport, Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo in the premises of the Ministry in Benin City with the management staff in attendance. Describing Mallam
Ikhelowa as a gentleman and good manager of both men and materials, Hon. Omo-Ojo said Mallam Ikhelowa is God’s gift to the Transport Ministry whose tenure as the Permanent Secretary made his ongoing stay as the serving Commissioner worthwhile. Responding, Mallam Ikhelowa expressed pleasure at the cordial relationship existing between the commissioner and the staff of the Ministry and sued for its sustenance. He appealed to the commissioner to maintain his fatherly role in the ministry.
LAFIA - The Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Suleiman Dikko, yesterday, urged the police to work toward decongesting their cells in the state or face rejection of cases in court. Dikko made the call in reaction to an appeal by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Innocent Lagi, at the 2014 first Appeal Session in Lafia. He said, “from reports available to the judiciary, hundreds of accused persons are awaiting trial in police custody and not just in prisons across the state. “The police must be ready to prosecute all cases they are sending to court to ensure the speedy dispensation of justice.” Dikko decried the
attitude of some police prosecutors, who never appeared in court or came unprepared to come just to continue to keep the accused in cell. He said that if cells were decongested through the prosecution of cases, it would go a long way in ensuring speedy administration of justice. Dikko said speedy administration of justice in the state would only be possible if all stakeholders discharged their duties properly. He announced that six appeals panels had been constituted to review 147 cases. Earlier, Lagi said more than 500 persons were awaiting trial in police cells in various police stations in the state. He attributed the high rate of violence in the society to delay in justice delivery.
CJ urges police to decongest cells
Drug abuse: NDLEA arrest
11 children, Hotel Manager KADUNA - The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said it has arrested 11 children and the manager of a hotel in Kaduna over alleged drug abuse and trafficking . The Kaduna State Commander of the agency, Mohammed Jibrin, disclosed this in Kaduna while briefing newsmen on activities marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The theme for the celebration is, “A Message of Hope: Drug Use Disorders Are Preventable and Treatable’’. Jibrin said the children, seven girls and four boys, were arrested in a hotel room taking psychotropic substance. He said eight of the arrested children were still in junior classes, adding that their parents had been invited to the command for questioning and counselling. “Hard drug abuse is a universal phenomenon that cuts across all levels and strata of the society; It is no respecter of age, sex, religion, ethnicity or nationality. “However, a greater percentage of those that fall prey to this nefarious scourge is the youth.
“The fact that the youths represent the future workforce and leaders in any society makes it absolutely necessary to find lasting solution to the drug phenomenon,” he said. Jibrin disclosed that between January and May, the command arrested 210 drug suspects, including five female, with various illicit drugs weighing over 1074.02kg. He said that 80 of them had been convicted and were serving various prison term. Jibrin said that the command had also discovered and sealed an illegal laboratory in Zaria, manufacturing fake drugs. According to him, the laboratory produces drugs from ordinary powder, expired chemicals and substances that are detrimental to human health. Jibrin said the command was also involved in the rehabilitation of drug addicts. “The agency, offers counselling and rehabilitation services to those that have fallen victim to drugs and cannot seem to find a way out. “The Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the command has admitted 64 of such addicts since January 2014.
News Confab Best Solution To Nigeria’s Problems
ABUJA- The President, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr Nelson Uwaga, said that the Federal Government’s initiative in creating the ongoing National Conference was to provide the best platform to deliberate and
provide solutions to national issues. Uwaga, a conference delegate, said at newsmen Forum in Abuja that when the government declared its intention to set up the platform many Nigerians wrongly believed that it would breed
- NIM President “I think that it is one of the
chaos. He, however, said the reverse had been the case adding that the combination of different calibres of people had helped to make the conference a success this far.
best things that have happened to us in recent times and it is fairly different from the other conferences of its nature that took place in 2005, 1995 and so on and so forth. “The difference this time around is that the Government did not gather ethnic nationalities only; but they (officials) were wise to bring on board professionals, like us, then the civil societies and women. “And you know that wherever women are, they are there under the label of council of women societies and market women. “And they may just be 91 amongst us but they have made sure, just like they do in their homes, that everything is going
on well. So they have managed to keep us on track,’’ he said. Uwaga recalled that initially, there were a lot of scepticism towards the success of the conference but that based on the level of the intelligent conversations going on Nigerians would achieve enormous results. “We are moving to the position of give and take going by our thoughts that presently the 1999 Constitution, as amended, has no position for plebiscite unless there is an amendment before we finish this. “So we are looking at the position of redoing the constitution, based on what we are doing, and then ask the president to send an executive bill to the National Assembly. “And the government might as well listen because the civil
societies are there and they are in a battle mood. “And the battle is to make Nigeria a better place. And I believe it will help very much in improving governance in Nigeria after this time,’’ he said. The NIM president said that the institute was committed to ensuring that competent and reliable managers were produced in future to stop the current waste of the nation’s resources. “It may be a gradual process but we believe that with time, NIM will help build good leaders that will bring positive change to the society. “So we are optimistic that after going through the trauma we are going through in this country we will come up with a society where people are decent and appreciate the right things,’’ he said.
SURE-P To Pay 6 Months Stipends ABUJA- The Subsidy however, did not disclose the Arrears Reinvestment and specific amount to be paid to
The Most Rev’d Friday John Imaekhai, The Archbishop of Bendel Province and the Diocesan Bishop of Esan (right) congratulating Chief Tony Anenih, the Iyasele of Esan shortly after presenting him with an award during the Fourth S-ynod of the Diocese which took place at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Ebelle last Sunday. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) says it will begin the payment of six months stipends’ arrears owed 2,000 youths employed by the programme from next week. Its Chairman, Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai (rtd), who announced this at the newsmen Forum in Abuja,
State Pardon Encourages Corruption - El-Rufai
LAGOS- A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed his concern over the act of granting state pardon to convicted political officeholders. El-Rufai, while delivering a lecture on the topic “Corruption, and the Challenge of Good Governance’’ at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), said such act of pardon would encourage corruption. The lecture was organised by “The Companion’’, an association of Muslim men in business. El-Rufai said giving state pardon to convicted political office-holders would encourage many corrupt Nigerians. He said it would also particularly give the youths the impression that corruption was something good and which people should get involved in. “Pardoning convicted corrupt persons in Nigeria is sending a wrong message to the young ones,’’ the former FCT Minister said. El-Rufai said the nation was undergoing an interesting time, particularly with the insecurity situation in the northern part of the country. He however said every concerned citizen should push for a society that is good for all. The former Minister pointed out that the insecurity situation in Nigeria was as a result of the
failure of intelligence agencies which were also affected by corruption. El-Rufai said corruption would always affect good governance when it was not checked, saying it had already affected basic societal necessities, such as electricity, infrastructure, water and security, among others. He said the root of corruption should be tackled, by improving the welfare package for members of the police force, a good wage for public servants, and punishment for corrupt persons. “We should make it difficult for corruption to be consummated by reducing cash going round. We should remove what can push a honest person to corruption,’’ the former FCT Minister said. The President of “The Companion’’, Mr Misbaodeen Oyefesor, said the lecture’s theme was due to the association members’ concern regarding the increasing rate of corruption in Nigeria. “There is the need to check the spread,’’ he said. Oyefesor said in spite of efforts of governments at all levels, it seems nothing was happening to check the trend.
On the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, he condemned the sect’s activities and described them as a barbaric group, saying his association has no relationship with them. Oyefesor called on the political class to avoid violence during elections, while he commended INEC for a free and fair election in Ekiti. “I want to urge INEC to do the same for the 2015 general
elections,’’ he said. The association president called on Nigerians to support the government to fight insurgency in the country. The Chairman of the occasion, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, advised that studies in how to avoid and stem corruption should be introduced in schools. “This will help to check the trend from the grass roots,’’ he said.
them. He said that the SURE-P was introduced by the Federal Government to reduce youth unemployment and to curb the rural/urban drift by engaging youths in community services. The chairman said that the initial plan by the government was to engage 5,000 youths but ended up engaging 2,000 because of the challenge encountered in the 2013 budget. Agwai said the arrears got accumulated not because of misappropriation but because of challenges emanating from appropriation of budget by the National Assembly. “There was a misunderstanding of prioritising issue at the National Assembly because the money voted to take care of this category was not approved.
Venerable A. E. Ohilebo, of Ebelle Archeaconry (left) with Chief Tony Anenih, during the Fourth Synod of the Diocese of Esan Anglican Communion which took place at St. Matthew’s Church, Ebelle last Sunday. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
“Instead of a budget of over N20 billion, we ended up with a budget merging with FERMA public works policy that works with Federal Government zero pothole policy. “In doing that, the National Assembly merged the two appropriations and gave them only N9 billion and because of that, even the N9 billion could not pay the 2,000 that were already employed. “Government then felt that instead of progressing to 5,000 intended, it decided to stop and manage the 2,000 until the situation is resolved. “I want to make it clear to every Nigerian that these young people have not been paid for onward five to six months because of lack of fund. “I want to state it to everybody that nobody has tampered with anybody’s money; the only challenge was the appropriation act.” According to him, there is no way we could vire money because you could asked me why did you returned the N88 billion, when you could not paid this. He said efforts were made but because of the magnitude of the problem, they were not able to vire the money up till the end of the budget year. Agwai said he had approved the payment of the arrears from the new budget, which would commence by next week. “As I was leaving the office coming here, one of the things I have done was to approve their arrears of five months that is January to June this year.
News
Fish Oil Prevents Heart Diseases, Other Ailments - Nutritionist
ABUJA - A Nutritionist, Hajiya Jummai Hassan, says that fish oil is of immense benefit to the body because it prevents heart diseases and other ailments. Hassan, who works with the Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, made this known in an interview with newsmen yesterday. She said an individual could get fish oil which was in the tissue of oily fish by taking fish oil supplements or by eating oily fish. Hassan said fish oil was high in Omega 3 fatty acids, also known as the “good fats’’ and was low in “bad fats’’ commonly found in red meat called Omega 6 fatty acids.
“Studies have shown that consuming fish oil lowers blood pressure and also reduces the risk of heart diseases,’’ she said. She said that fish oil also helped to build the immune system, thereby guarding the body against various diseases and infections. The nutritionist said that fish had been considered by many people to be a “brain food’’. “This explains why fish has also been incorporated into the diet of people in the treatment for depression, anxiety, psychosis, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder, alzheimer’s disease, and other brain disorders. “Fish oil is also used in the treatment of diabetics, asthma, kidney diseases and osteoporosis,’’ Hassan explained. She said fish oil was highly recommended in pregnancy, adding that it helped to increase fertility. “Studies have also shown that women sometimes use fish oil to prevent complications associated with pregnancy such as miscarriage, high blood pressure, late in pregnancy and early delivery.’’
Hassan said fish oil had always been given to babies, adding that traditional medicine recognised its benefits. She urged people to also take
caution while preparing fish in order not to destroy its nutritional value or to negate its benefits. Hassan said that steaming was probably the best method of
cooking fish because it preserved a lot of its property. The nutritionist listed some of the fishes that were high in the Omega 3 fatty acid to include, mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, mullet, herring and anchovy.
Land Degradation: Don Recommends
Soil Fertility Managment
ABUJA - Prof. Maruf Adeboye, Head, Soil Science Department, Federal University of Technology, Minna, has recommended fertility management to control land degradation in the country. Speaking with the newsmen in Abuja yesterday Adeboye described land degradation as the temporary or permanent lowering of the productive capacity of lands either through human activities or natural disasters He listed factors that lead to land degradation as including erosion, loss of soil fertility, tree felling and climate change. Adeboye identified loss of soil fertility and soil erosion as the main issues in land degradation in the country. According to him, addressing land degradation issue is not just by pumping organic or inorganic fertiliser but also through soil fertility management. “It would not only supply and replenish the nutrients but would also improve other aspects of the soil and eventually, the carbon sequestration that would help mitigate the issues of climate
change.’’ Adeboye noted that crop and land rotation which farmers previous used to manage land degradation in order to maintain yields was no longer being practised due to the lack of access to arable land and the high cost of land clearing. He stressed the need to increase the yield per unit area by increasing nutrient content
supply replenishment, to prevent farmers from clearing more land. He urged farmers to cultivate the habit of leaving horns of legumes to enrich the soil, rather than to use it as animal. According to him, stocks of sorghum and maize are more useful in replenishing soil fertility on the farm than for mending thatched roofs at home.
L-R: His Royal Highness Zaiki Anthony Ehizogie Abumere II, the Onojie of Ekpoma, His Royal Highness Zaiki Anslem Eidenojie I, the Onojie of Uromi, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin and His Royal Highness Zaiki Rasaq Ojefo, the Esesele II, the Onojie of Ewu, during the Fourth Synod of Diocese of Esan Anglican Communion which took place at St. Matthew’s Church, Ebelle last Sunday. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
NAWOJ, FIDA To Mount Aggressive Campaign Against Rape girls. KADUNA - The National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), yesterday said it would partner with the
L-R: Chief Peter Ojemen, Chairman, DONPIL Communications, Rev. Matthew Okpebholo, CEO, Ray Royal Construction Company and Elder Tes Sorae, Managing Director, Tomline Contruction Company Limited at the Fourth Synod of the Diocese of Esan which took place at St. Matthew’s Church, Ebelle last Sunday. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to mount aggressive campaign against rape in Nigeria. Vice-President of NAWOJ, Zone A, Hajiya Zainab Rabo said during a familiarisation meeting with officials of Kaduna State chapter of the association. Rabo said that NAWOJ would continue to fight all forms of violence against women and children in the country, adding that the partnership was to ensure that rapists were duly prosecuted. “We should all rise against the menace and apply all means to stop the attitude of perpetrators. “This issue of rape is alarming and I want people in government to put themselves in the shoes of the parents and affected
Immunisation Test: Organisation Introduces vaccines evaluation ABUJA - Innovative Modern Laboratory obtainable in IVL Vaccines Limited (IVL) increasing decline in says has introduced modern laboratory for pre and post immunisation test to address issues posing challenges to public health. This is contained in a statement issued by Mr. Tanimu Adabson, the Director, Corporate Services, IVL yesterday in Abuja. The statement said the
immune response diseases, which result in greater susceptibility to infection and severity of diseases, was becoming a major public health concern. “In fact, co-morbidities and other under-lying medical conditions, such as alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, rheumatic and auto immune diseases,
chemotherapy, radiotherapy, nutritional factors, compromised vaccine efficacy against diseases, pose challenge to public health. “Innovative Vaccines Limited (IVL) has in response to this health issues introduced a modern laboratory that carries out pre and post immunisation test. “This is aimed at
ascertaining individual natural defence against diseases,’’ the statement said. It also profiles individual immunogenic status and gives an informed and verifiable record on the potency and efficacy of vaccines against such preventable diseases. It said that the profile of
laboratory included Salmonella typhi vi IgG, Human Anti-HBsAg IgG, Anti mycobacterium tuberculosis IgG, Human Anti-HPV IgG and Antipolio virus. It listed others as AntiDiphtheria Toxoid IgG, AntiBordetalla pertusssis IgG, Tetanus Toxoid IgG, Rubella virus IGG and Mesealse IgG.
“Let us all appeal to them to, for the sake of the parents and the children, formulate and implement stiffer penalties for perpetrators. “For us in NAWOJ, we are going to partner with FIDA to see what we can do in order to collectively fight this cause, which we believe is just, “she said. The NAWOJ zonal officer also said awareness on girlchild education in the north was low in spite of sound policies, including free education. “The problem we have in Northern Nigeria is that of girl-child education. Each part of the country has its own share of challenges when it comes to education. “Most of the northern governors have made education free, but the problem we are facing is that of implementation. “NAWOJ is, therefore, calling on concerned governors to implement the policy on free girl-child education. “On our part, we want to embark on an aggressive campaign to let them know that education is not a privilege, but a right.” She said that NAWOJ would sensitise parents on the importance of girl-child education. “We also discovered that because they don’t know why education is important, parents prefer to allow their daughters to hawk goods on the street or be used as domestic servant.”
News
650,000 Persons Internally Displaced In North-East Nigeria
Representatives of the Enogie of Oheze, HRH James Ewaesiha, Commandant VGN Edo State, Adebusoye Olusegun and Orhionmwon Commandant, Nicholas Ewaesiha during the inauguration of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
LAGOS- Ms Angele Dikongue-Atangana, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Nigeria, has said that there were currently about 650,000 internally displaced persons in North-East Nigeria. Dikongue-Atangana told newsmen in Lagos that an intelligence assessment carried out in May had blamed their displacement on the recent crises in the NorthEast. “According to an intelligence assessment of North-Eastern Nigeria, at
Royal Father Stresses Importance Of Security By DANIEL EDOBOR
OHEZE (EDO) - The Enogie of Oheze Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, HRH James Ewaesiha has advised that security should not be mixed with politics stressing that without security it will be impossible to rule a nation. He gave this advice at Oheze during the inauguration of Orhionmwon chapter of Edo State Vigilante group of Nigeria (VGN). The royal father who was represented by the Ihama of Oheze, Chief Obasogie. noted that the people of
Orhionmwon appreciate security and would not disturb any person or group of people who are desirous to perform their legitimate business in the area and pledged his people’s total support for the vigilante group in the area. In his address, Edo State Commandant of vigilante group of Nigeria (VGN) commandant Adebusoye Olusegun said vigilante group of Nigeria (VGN) was Established in 1983 and registered by the Federal Government under the supervision of the
commandant General Alhaji Ali Sokoko in Kaduna as its headquarter and with offices in the 36 states of the federation including Abuja. He stressed that the aims and objectives of the vigilante group as contained in its constitution was to compliment the effort of the Nigeria police and other security agencies in curbing crime, protection of lives and properties and has also done a lot in the area of riots and traffic control and arrest of criminals. Commandant Adebusoye
Maltreatment: Court Dissolves
20-Yr-Old Marriage
ABEOKUTA- An Ake Customary Court in Abeokuta has dissolved the 20-year-old marriage between Bosede Tito and her husband, Segun over his maltreatment, lack of care, frequent beating and threat to life. In his judgment, the President of the court, Chief Olalekan Akande, who dissolved the marriage held that efforts to reconcile the couple failed. Akande held that the six children were grown up to determine whether to live with their mother or father. He ordered that the welfare, schooling, hospital bills and other matters of the children should be a joint responsibility of the parents. The president also warned that the respondent should refrain from going to the petitioner’s house or place of work to foment trouble. The children had told the court that they would prefer to live with their mother. Bosede, 47, who lives at Aro, Abeokuta, had urged the court to dissolve her marriage to Tito because of his maltreatment, lack of care, frequent beating and threat to life. She told the court that she could no longer move on with
the marriage which had produced six children, aged 18, 16, 14, 12, nine and six years. “I am fed up with the marriage; I have been patient enough praying that one day God would change him. “He is just too harsh, he maltreats me and my children a lot, several times that he fought me he injured me. “There was a time he fought me and one of my children just because she cautioned him from beating me; he broke my head and my daughter’s head with a stone. “This is not the first time he is harming us. “He does not act as a responsible man, he does not drop money for the upkeep of the family or think of our welfare, all he knows is to womanise. “I have been struggling for the family to make sure my children are well, and don’t go wayward like their father,’’ Bosede said. She urged the court to grant her the custody of her children, saying she was capable of taking care of them. Tito did deny the allegations but pleaded with the court to help him beg his wife, saying
that he was not ready to lose his wife and children. “I am imploring this court; I don’t want dissolution of the relationship but if she insists there is nothing I can do. “But I want the court to grant me the custody of my children because in my culture a woman does not have the right to take the children,’’ Tito said.
however implore his royal highness to use his good offices to establish a direct contact with his community in order to get expeditious response whenever a criminal is caught as it would encourage the group in fighting crime. He however announced Nicholas Ewaesiha as the commander of vigilante group of Nigeria Orhionmwon command. The Public Relation Officer of the vigilante group of Nigeria Orhionmwon chapter Mr. Osayamade Uyi Friday said the purpose of organizing the vigilante group in the area was to reduce the crime rate in the area stressing that it came to a time that people in Orhionmwon found it difficult to go to farm, market and their place of work and that the police could not do it alone hence the formation of Orhionmwon vigilante group of Nigeria (VGN) to compliment the effort of the police and other security agencies. He however, appealed to relevant authority to come and assist the vigilante group in the area with finance, employment and patrol van among others.
least 650,000 persons are displaced within the boundary of Nigeria. “And what is of most concern to the UNHCR in Nigeria today are these internally displaced persons,’’ she said. The UNHCR chief said that her organisation was working hard at establishing a regional office in Gombe that would take care of many of the internally displaced persons. Dikongue-Atangana said the international community and the UN systems in Nigeria were working jointly
in providing protection and care for the affected persons. The representative also disclosed plans by UNHCR to ensure efficient coordination and management of camps for those affected. “UNHCR will always support respective states in taking care of internally displaced persons. “This is one reason we want to establish an office in Gombe, so as to be able cater for the needs of many displaced persons in this part of Nigeria,’’ she said.
Osun Governorship Poll
SDP Appoints 45-Member Campaign Committee OSOGBO- The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Osun has said that it has set up a 45-member campaign committee ahead of the August 9 governorship election in the state. A statement from Mr Yemi Edundokun, the Administrative Officer of the party, said in Osogbo that the committee would be chaired by Mr Bibire Abolubode, a former governorship aspirant and an educationist. “The committee has three dons as members, and the membership cuts across the
nine geo-political zones of the state and will be inaugurated by the state Chairman of the party, Mr Ademola Isola, today,’’ the statement said. The party expressed confidence that its candidate, Mr Segun Akinwusi, would emerge victorious in the election. “We have a better chance of winning the August 9 election. I am sure SDP will win because the people of Osun will not vote for party but for personality in this election,” he said.
Truck Driver Docked For Stealing Employer’s Tyre SANGO-OTA (OGUN)-A truck driver, Amoo Emmanuel, was charged before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, over the alleged theft of two tyres worth N200,000 belonging to his employer. Emmanuel, 34, who resides at No. 25, Ogundele St., Iyana Iyesi, Ota, Ogun, is facing a one-count charge of stealing.
L-R: Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedo Nebo; Minister of Mines and Steel, Mohammed Sada and Vice President Namadi Sambo at a meeting of the National Council on Privatisation in Abuja recently.
The Prosecutor, Cpl. Abdulkareem Mustapha, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 9 at Iyana Iyesi Area, in Ota. Mustapha said that the accused, who was the driver of a truck with registration No. BDG-408 XC, stole two tyres valued N200,000 belonging to Jeretment Nigeria Ltd., Ota, Ogun. He said the offence contravened Section 390(9) (6) of the Criminal Code, Revised Law of Ogun, 2006. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The Magistrate, Mrs. A.O. Abimbola, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. Abimbola said that the sureties must be working and reside within the court’s magisterial district and swear to an affidavit of means. She said that the sureties should provide evidence of 2013 tax clearance and submit their passport photographs to the court. The case was adjourned till July 24, for further hearing.
Lagos Don Urges Varsities To Partner Foreign Counterparts
LAGOS -A lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Alfred Susu, has urged Nigerian universities to join their counterparts in the developed countries in embracing ‘interdisciplinarity,’ to tackle challenges. “Inter-disciplinarity means collaboration between Nigerian universities and their counterparts in advanced countries to solve science-related problems. Susu, who is a Professor of Chemical Engineering, gave the advice at a lecture entitled: Interdisciplinarity; Implications for Complex Problem Solving at UNILAG. The lecture was organised by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering as part of its 2014 lecture series. According to Susu, embracing inter-disciplinarity is a mode of transmitting and creating new knowledge that can accelerate national development. He said that such development would “equally relieve universities of the destituteness fostered by poor governmental funding for the fulfillment of their core functions’’. The don said that for over a century, universities and colleges throughout the world at all levels had relied on academic disciplines as platforms for imparting knowledge and
generating new knowledge. “The same was not the case today, where inter-disciplinary learning or inter-disciplinarity at all levels is far more common as there is growing recognition that such is needed to answer complex questions and solve complex problems. “Real-world research problems that scientists address rarely arise within orderly disciplinary categories and neither do their solution. “I think it is critical for Nigerian universities to look into the direction of their counterparts in the developed world in embracing inter-disciplinarity as a mode of transmitting and creating new ideas or knowledge. “The first step in making this possible is the creation of research centres and institutes for the solution of real-life problems that defy interdisciplinary solutions, resulting in the creation of commercialisable knowledgebased technology. “A coordinating office of technology licensing is inevitable to provide a mechanism for bringing inventions, developed as a result of research forward to public use and benefit.’’ The lecturer said it would also serve in the capacity of providing an additional source of income to the University Research and education.” Susu noted that the transition to this new structure would
require the commitment of government in providing seed money for the creation of extra centres. He added that there was also need to provide the enabling legislation for intellectual property rights, conflict of interest issues, licensing rights and start-up company formation. The don said that government must also use its political persuasion on the country’s multi-nationals to patronise its universities for their research and development requirements. Susu said that both federal and state ministries and agencies must see universities as a huge resource for solving societal socio-political, defence, health and other technological problems. He suggested that private foundations must also endeavour to be part of the new national enterprise. Susu said that interdisciplinarity should be on the
agenda of any national discussion on the future direction of university education. “The history of the most
National President, Ogidi Development Union, Mr. Tunde Ipinmisho appreciating some Masquerades during the 2014 Ogidi-Ela Day in Kogi, weekend.
LAGOS - The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed concern over the protracted industrial action by polytechnic lecturers in the country.
In a statement he issued in Lagos, Mr. Remi Bello, the LCCI President, said that the 11-monthold strike was unprecedented and constituted a setback to the nation’s aspiration to improve its human capital. “One of the major challenges of the Nigerian economy today is the capacity gap in technical education. “Therefore, for activities in our polytechnics to be paralysed for about a year, is not good. “The LCCI believes that this matter deserves a speedy and higher level of attention than it is currently receiving,” he said. Bello said the strike had negative implications for the Nigerian economy and its education system. “It will cause deterioration in the quality of technical education and increase the number of students seeking admission into the polytechnics in the new academic session. “Wastage of public funds is
Demolition: FG Denies Loss Of Life particular plot was meant for mass housing and was allotted to Holyfield Ventures for that purpose,’’ he said. He said that aggrieved residents appeared to be imbibing the idea of causing mayhem in the city whenever a government policy affected them. “We exercise a lot of decorum in handling tasks like this so that people do not suffer unnecessarily. “But we observe that protests have become an emerging trend in Abuja; protesters did something similar at Airport Road sometime ago,’’ he said. He said that during and after the demolition, no incident of death was reported to the department. “We have not received any
universities can be a critical source of the origin and rapid growth of advanced technology,” he said.
Chamber Of Commerce Express Over Prolonged Strike By Lecturers
Local Securitymen dancing to traditional music during the 2014 Ogidi-Ela Day in Kogi, weekend.
ABUJA- The Department of Development Control and Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has said that there was no loss of lives during the demolition undertaken on Thursday in Lungu village, Abuja. The Director of the department, Malam Yahaya Yusuf, said at a news conference on the issue that it was careful not to harm people during demolition. He said that the demolition was executed with the knowledge of leaders in Lungu village. “The exercise came after we had consultations with the chief of the village and after serving several notices to the residents. “Villagers are fond of selling government land and this
recognised hi-technology centre demonstrates that the presence of significant stock of scientific and technical knowledge at
official reports from any law enforcement agency that people died in Lungu village during the exercise yesterday but we will continue to investigate,’’ the director said. Mr Reuben Okoya, AMMC Coordinator, said that the exercise was a statutory function of the development control department to maintain the Abuja master plan. He said that the department would continue to discharge its duties fairly with full cooperation of citizens and urged the press to shun unconfirmed reports. “The department came out to discharge its statutory function of maintaining Abuja master plan and the chiefs and residents of the community were fully notified.
“We shall keep maintaining and sanitising the city but we will do it fairly but citizens should provide accurate information to the public,’ he said. Mr Nosike Ogbuenyi, Chief Press Secretary to Sen. Bala Muhammed, the FCT Minister, said that the issue would be investigated. He advised journalists to thoroughly verify their reports before going to press to avoid “heating up the polity’’. The reports state that residents of Lungu on Thursday blocked the Kubwa Expressway while protesting against the demolition. The protests caused a huge traffic gridlock on the road. They accused the authorities of causing the death of a child.
inevitable, as the main purpose of these institutions have not been fulfilled in the past one year. “The industrial action will also create an upsurge in the predisposition of the students to anti-social activities arising from over 11 months of idleness,” he said. The LCCI president urged the Federal Government and the striking lecturers to urgently resume dialogue and resolve the
impasse by making compromises. “The current situation is clearly unacceptable and needs to be brought to an end; the educational system has enough issues to deal with, especially in the area of quality assurance. “The industrial action can only worsen the situation. “It is our hope that both parties will see reasons and return to the negotiation table,” Bello said.
ABUJA - The Defence Headquarters has said that troops of the Nigerian Army had killed a terrorist commander, identified as Mallam Hussaini, on the JosBauchi road. An unsigned statement posted on the official website of the Defence Headquarters, defenceinfo.mil.ng, stated that the suspect was killed during a gun battle between his group and a military convoy. It said that the suspect was billed to launch an ttack on Jos before he was killed. The statement said that Hussaini and his gang attacked the military convoy, which was on an operational patrol in the area, but the troops repelled the attack and captured their operational vehicles and some Improvised Explosive Devices, arms and ammunition. “The terrorists gang had attacked a military convoy while on an operational patrol between Jos and Bauchi. “At the end of the encounter,
the Ford bus used by the terrorists was captured, eight primed Improvised Explosive Devices, rifles, pistols and about 70 rounds of ammunition,” it said. The statement said that the killed terror suspect had led an attack on the headquarters of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Abuja in November 2002. It further stated that the suspect had also carried out another attack on a military convoy on Lokoja-Abuja road where two soldiers were killed in January. The statement said that security forces on the trail of some terrorists who attacked a police station at Malamfatori, Borno, had recovered a vehicle from the insurgents who abandoned it and fled into Niger Republic. The troops also recovered uniforms of security organisations, protective gears, boots and other goods stolen by the insurgents from various locations along the Nigeria/Niger border from the suspects, it said.
Troops Kill Terrorist Commander
Across The Nation Kano Trains 1,120 Mechanics, Vulcanizers KANO- The Kano State Government said that it had trained 1,120 Mechanics and Vulcanizers toward self reliance. Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who announced this in Kano at the graduation of the trainees, said that the training was organised to empower youths in the state. Kwankwaso said that the beneficiaries were selected from the 44 local government areas of the state and were trained for two weeks with the aim of eradicating poverty among the youth. He presented an economic empowerment package worth N53,000 to each of the 280 vulcanizers. He said that each of the
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State (left) with the Managing Director, Current Mech Engineering Ltd., Mr. Babangida Zango during the G o v e r n o r ’ s inspection of new Bauchi General H o s p i t a l construction site in Bauchi recently.
mechanics also received a package of N63, 000 in addition to a mechanic tool box and uniforms. In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Metropolitan Affairs, Alhaji Haruna Makoda, thanked the governor for the programme and urged the beneficiaries to share the knowledge with others. Makoda also urged them to make the best use of the knowledge acquired during the training to enable them become self-reliant.
FIDA Urges FG To Harmonise Workers Salary
PORT HARCOURT- The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State branch, has appealed to the Federal
Government to harmonise the salaries of different professions to stem industrial actions by workers.
The Chairperson of FIDA Itamunoala, told newsmen in in the state, Mrs. Florence Port Harcourt that the spate of strikes by labour groups in the country was due to salary disparities among them. Itamunoala said that per day for parking car.’’ ‘The new system will harmonization of salaries of benefit the public because the workers and political office state government will in return maintain the roads’’, holders would enthrone peace in every sector of the Fakoya said. He expressed the country. determination of the state She stated that the country government to recruit more would not make progress if youths into the new company. corruption and salary
Kano Employs 300 Youths KANO-The Kano State Government has employed no fewer than 300 youths through its new Platinum Parking Management Company Limited. Mr Segun Fakoya, the General Manager of the company, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano. He said the ‘park and pay’ policy was introduced by Governor. Rabi’u Kwankwaso to reduce unemployment among the youths and regulate parking of vehicles along the major streets of the city. Fakoya said the policy would also help the state government to improve its revenue base. “The revenue generated from park and pay will assist
the state government to carry out some developmental projects for the wellbeing of its citizens. “People were parking on the walk ways, which is illegal, but now the service is making motorists to park well and allow pedestrians to pass with ease’’, he said.
According to him, vehicle owners are expected to pay a token of N50 for parking for 30 minutes. “We have also introduced up street parking for those that do not have parking spaces in the premises of their offices or places of work. “Each person will pay N100
disparities were not checked. According to her, the wide disparity in salaries of professionals is the reason why majority of workers prefer certain jobs to others. She also urged the Federal Government to equip the police adequately to enable it to combat crime, adding that most criminals were more sophisticated in equipment than the police.
Loko-Oweto Bridge’ll Transform Host Communities - Maku
LOKO (NASARAWA) -The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, says completion of the Loko-Oweto bridge and access roads will transform the economies of Loko, Oweto and adjourning communities in Benue and Nasarawa States. Maku made the assertion while addressing members of Loko, Agwada and Udege communities
in Loko town, shortly after the National Good Governance Tour team inspected work on the bridge. He assured the communities of Federal Government’s commitment in improving their living standards through the
Plateau Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, Pastor Yiljap Abraham (2nd right) with other Tourism officials during the visit to pardam game reserve and tourists village in Quran Pan Local Government Area of Plateau recently.
execution of people-oriented projects in the area. The minister said that the completion of the bridge and road projects would transform the area into an economic hub and create better opportunities for commerce and other ventures to thrive in the two states. “I want to urge you all to see this project as a legacy project because what you are seeing today will change lives in this area and beyond. “People will come to this axis to establish businesses as a result of the road that connects the north, the eastern and southern parts of the country, you may not understand what is happening here now until these things start manifesting,” he said. Maku appealed to the people to embrace peace and shun acts that would truncate the nation’s nascent democracy. The minister tasked traditional, religious and other opinion leaders in the communities to take charge of peace in their domain. He said that the Goodluck Jonathan administration remained committed in
transforming the lives of Nigerians, irrespective of their backgrounds, but needed to do so in an atmosphere of peace. The minister assured the people of Nasarawa of Federal Government’s preparedness to cite more people-oriented projects in the state if they embraced peace. He urged members of the communities to be vigilant and report any questionable acts to security agencies in their communities. “Today I bring you a message of peace from Mr President, Mr President says it is only peace that can guarantee development and that is what he has asked me to tell you people. “You must preach peace in all that you do as members of your communities and all of you are involved report any strange movement of people or actions to your authorities for necessary action,” he said. Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Guto, a former Sole Administrator, Loko Development Area, thanked President Jonathan for actualising the Loko-Oweto
bridge project. He said that several past administrations had promised but failed to deliver on the project, describing Jonathan as a detribalised Nigerian. Guto appealed to the Federal Government to put in place other components of the project such as the access roads from Loko and Oweto to be completed on schedule. He pledged the support of the people for the present administration, noting that the communities were firmly in support of the president’s second term ambition in 2015. Other members of the communities commended the Federal Government for the Loko-Oweto bridge project. They expressed optimism that the project would not be abandoned by government having completed over 60 per cent of work on the bridge. Five out of the 12 piles designed for the bridge have been completed while the remaining seven are at different stages of completion. The Loko-Oweto bridge scheduled for inauguration by October. 2015, was awarded to Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) on November 2, 2011, at the cost of N36 billion.
Abuja NIM Seeks Improved Welfare For Civil Servants
ABUJA- The President of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr Nelson Uwaga, has advised governments at all levels to accord priority to the welfare of workers to boost morale in the civil service. Field questions at the newsmen forum in Abuja, Uwaga said that welfare was an important factor that could dampen workers’ morale, if not taken seriously. He advised governments to consider an upward review of the country’s minimum wage and to organise regular training as a step towards improving the welfare of civil servants. “By our establishment, we are supposed to really play such roles that would help to lift the morale of workers. “Welfare is very important in
Nigeria and it plays a big role in demoralising workers, particularly in the civil service. “But then, we continue to believe that as you subject workers to further training, they are able to manage their unhappiness and their stress a lot better. “Two years ago, we made this offer to government without charging them any money to train all heads of human resources in all the federal establishments. “We gathered them at the Office of the Head of Service and gave them extra training and this included on how to manage workers. “Presently, the polity is highly heated; even the issue of minimum wage, you just ask yourself how anybody can manage with N18,000 in a
month.’’ He said that the NIM would continue to play supportive roles to government and urged other corporate bodies to also do the same. “By our establishment, we are supposed to help government achieve; we don’t run in opposition and we always try to make position papers. “We believe that by so doing, we will help the government of the day.’’ He decried the proliferation of training institutes in Nigeria and urged the government to increase regulation of such institutes. “Many of those organisations are just there to make profit but we have made a point to the Head of Service of the federation that this issue needs to be addressed. “Ordinarily, proliferation is
society because hunger tended to make people aggressive and disagreeable. “Look at the fertile lands we have; look at the irrigation systems we have in Nigeria. If we put in a lot more into agriculture and develop it, this country will feed itself and will export so much. “The middle belt is so fertile that we can say we are the envy of every other country. We can compete with the U.S. if we
look into agriculture. “It will create a lot of jobs and mop up the young men that are roaming the streets and from which the militants and insurgents are now finding recruits,’’ he said. Uwaga urged government to also put in place the right policies that would encourage the creation of small and medium scale industries. He said this would enable Nigeria to yield the kind of progressive economy it had the potential.
... Urges FG To Look Beyond Oil
ABUJA - The President, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr Nelson Uwaga, has urged the Federal Government to shift from oil resources and develop the solid mineral and agricultural sectors for even development. Uwaga made the appeal when he featured on the newsmen Forum in Abuja. He expressed optimism that Nigeria moving from the current mono-economy of oil would help increase business opportunities, eliminate hunger and create additional jobs for the country. “There is no state in Nigeria that does not have an abundance of solid mineral. “All we need to do is to create the right environment to explore it. Even if the money is coming from oil, we do not have to share all and spend all. “Solid minerals is a sector that we can develop and there will be more than enough jobs, particularly when the Federal Government does this in collaboration with the federating units or states where these minerals are found,’’ he said. Uwaga said that getting more people involved in agriculture was a sure way to eradicate hunger and poverty in the
okay, if there are checks and balances; unfortunately, there are
not quite such checks and balances. “There has to be a way of
rationalising the others when the time comes.”
Abandoned 10 Kilometres Opume-Okoroba Road linking Ogbia and Nembe Local Government Areas in Bayelsa.
Centre Accredits 200 Mgt Institutes
ABUJA- The Centre for Management Development (CMD) said it accredited 200 m a n a g e m e n t development institutes out of 280 that applied for accreditation
Peaceful protest by Residents of Okoroba Community over alleged neglect of 10 Kilometres Opume-Okoroba Road linking Ogbia and Nembe Local Government Areas in Bayelsa.
between 2011 and 2014. The Director-General, CMD, Dr Kabir Usman, told newsmen Abuja that the accreditation was to check quacks and set global standards for the institutes. Usman said that the accreditation was also aimed at sanitising m a n a g e m e n t development institutes and consultants firms. According to him, the accreditation will go a long way in helping workers to improve on their productivity by getting value on their training. Usman told newsmen that the Nigerian Council for M a n a g e m e n t Development mandated
the centre to accredit the m a n a g e m e n t development institutes and consultant firms in the country. According to him, the purpose is to encourage best practises and set global standard for the institutes to discourage workers from going abroad for training. “During the accreditation, we ascertained whether any of the institute was established by law and to be sure that it has physical address and human resources facilities. “Other requirements for the accreditation include the faculty programmes and quality assurance,’’ Usman said.
IFDC To Boost Cassava Productivity
ABUJA- The International Centre for Soil and Agricultural Development (IFDC) says it is set to boost the productivity of Psaltry International Limited, a cassava processing firm, for the production of cassava beer in the country. This is contained in a statement issued by the Communications Coordinator, Mrs Feyikemi Adurogbangba, in Abuja on Thursday.
The statement said that IFDC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigerian Breweries and Psaltry International Ltd on the project. It said that the MoU was aimed at promoting commercial cassava production in Nigeria with a view to producing beer from the crop. “IFDC, through the 2SCALE project, will work to increase the productivity of Psaltry International’s outgrower
farmers.’’ “The partnership is being established in the framework of the Dutch-funded Public Private Partnership programme, ‘2SCALE’, which is being implemented by IFDC.” According to the statement, Psaltry, an Oyo-based firm, is currently working with about 500 cassava farmers and seeks to increase their productivity to meet the demand of Nigerian
Breweries. The statement quoted the Chief Executive Officer of Psaltry, Mr Oluyemisi Iranloye, as saying that the processing activities had led to the development of market and access roads in the community. The statement acknowledged that Nigeria is the world’s largest cassava producer with an annual production of over 42 million tonnes. It stated that, since 2009, IFDC
has been working to develop a sustainable cassava value chain, by building the capacity of smallholder cassava farmers and increasing the use of improved cassava varieties. The centre is collaborating with IITA and Notore, a fertiliser company, to develop specific fertiliser blends for cassava and has connected farmers to improve mechanised practices and credible agro-dealers in various intervention areas.
The IFDC is a public international organisation addressing critical issues such as international food security, alleviation of global hunger and poverty, environmental protection and promotion of economic development and selfsufficiency. I FDC, with headquarters in the U.S., focuses on increasing productivity across the agricultural value chain in developing countries.
Business & Economy Sokoto Spends N70m On Almajiri School SOKOTO - Sokoto State Government has spent about N70 million on the construction of the first phase of the Almajiri school in Dange-Shuni Local Government Area, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Tukur Alkali, has said. Alkali told newsmen in Sokoto that the project was part of measures to offer children access to quality education and end street begging in the state. “The school will serve as a model for the provision of sound Islamic and western education to the children,’’ he said. According to him, work on class rooms, hostels, mosque, dining hall, staff room and fencing of the school has been completed. He assured that a conducive environment for teaching and learning would be created to encourage the children to remain in school. The commissioner urged parents to enrol their children in formal schools to secure their future and that of the state.
Infrastructure: FG To Spend
N268.37bn SURE-P Fund
ABUJA -The Federal Government would spend N268.37 billion on infrastructure in the country in 2014 under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). SURE-P Chairman, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), said this when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja. “The president promised the Nigerian people that the money from the partial removal of subsidy would be set aside and judiciously used to be managed by a group of credible Nigerians.” According to Agwai, the Federal Government takes 41 per cent of the subsidy money with 51 per cent going to States and Local Governments while 5 per cent is left for ecological matters. He said that the Federal Government appropriated N180 billion yearly as SUREP federal money, adding that
the current budget included the roll over from 2013 budget. Agwai explained that N88.37 billion of the amount appropriated for SURE-P in 2013 was not accessed as some of the programmes set aside for intervention did not meet required criteria. “In the budget of last year N88.37 billion was not assessed by some of the programmes. And, we have criteria that we measure for us to intervene in the tune that government has asked us to intervene in a project or in a programme. “And if you do not meet those criteria we will not release the money. So, because of that we now have to roll over N88.37 billion from last year’s budget to 2014 budget. “And that is why if you add N180 billion to N88.37 billion, it will give you the N268.37 billion that we have in the budget this year.“ According to Agwai, government has designed
Monarch Urges FG To
... Invests Encourage Private N20bn On Investments In Tourism the country day by day to see LAGOS -The traditional if there is a new thing, new Agric ruler of Ilara in Epe, Lagos place and a development in
SOKOTO - The Sokoto State Government said that it has invested more than N20 billion to boost the agriculture sector of the state in the last seven years. Alhaji Arzika Tureta, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, disclosed this to Newsmen in Sokoto yesterday. Tureta said that more than N2 billion was expended on the construction of permanent site of the state College of Agriculture in Wurno. He explained that the college was expected to produce the manpower needed to modernise the sector for optimal realisation of goals. According to him, about N1.7 billion was spent yearly on the procurement and distribution of assorted fertiliser to genuine farmers across the state. The commissioner also revealed that N950 million was used to procure and distribute 150 tractors to small, medium and large scale farmers on soft loan. He assured that the state government would continue to accord priority attention to agriculture in order to tap and utilise the vast land available to produce various crops for local consumption and export. Tureta said that various water pumping machines were also purchased and distributed to different farmer groups across the state to boost irrigation activities in the state.
State, Oba Akeem Adesanya, yesterday urged the Federal Government to encourage private investors to explore the enormous potential of the nation’s tourism industry. Adesanya, who made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, said that over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s tourists’ centres had yet to be tapped. The monarch said state governments should also assist private investors in utilising the abundant tourism potential in the rural areas. “The only thing that government could do to explore the country’s huge tourism potential is to engage private operators. “Government cannot harness the nation’s tourism resources alone without the support of private investors,” Adesanya said. He said that over a thousand tourists’ sites remained untapped. “There is no rural area in the country without tourism potential,’’ Adesanya said. The monarch urged the government to harness the potential of the numerous tourists’ centres to increase its revenue earnings. He said the tourism potential could contribute at least 30 per cent to the nation’s economic growth. “Visitors and tourists visit
the tourism industry,’’ Adesanya said. The monarch said there were many plots of lands in Eredo Local Council Development Area, Epe, which the government could use to build at least a minizoo, relaxation centre and parks. “With the involvement and support of private investors, stakeholders and non-governmental organisations, Nigerian tourism industry will grow to be the preferred tourism destination in the world,” he said.
SURE-P as an instrument that will build the capacity of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on project implementation.
He said this was why the managers of SURE-P were working with the MDAs through their Projects Implementation Units (PIU).
He explained that the PIUs were the link between SURE-P, the project and the benefiting ministry, adding that this was meant to ensure proper project monitoring and evaluation.
L-R: Deputy Editor-In-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Idris Abdulrhaman, President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr. Nelson Uwaga and another Deputy Editor-In-Chief of NAN, Mrs. Nkechi Okoronkuo, during a NAN Forum in Abuja on Sunday
Commissioner Calls For Contribution BENIN CITY – Edo To National Development State Commissioner for Establishment and Special Duties, Comrade Didi Adodo has called on Nigerians to contribute their quota to the over-all development of the country. The Commissioner was speaking when the Coordinator, Abuja Chapter of the National Council of Child Rights Advocacy of Nigeria, Mrs. Margaret Udo visited him in Benin City. Commissioner Adodo posited that the prevailing situation in the country whereby the country virtually imports
everything was unacceptable as it does not augur well for the economic wellbeing of the citizens. He said no country can attain economic freedom and self reliance except the situation is reversed. He noted that Nigerians, irrespective of their standing in the society could play their role objectively, for the country to witness rapid social economic development soon. While calling on parents and children to remake the world, he noted that to re-
President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Dr. Nelson Uwaga (left), with the Acting Editor-In-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Lawal Ado, during his visit to NAN Headquarters in Abuja on Sunday.
engineer the society, the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole led government declared free education in primary and secondary schools. He therefore called on parents to key into this government gesture by enrolling their wards and children in government schools. To meet the health needs of the populace, the commissioner informed his visitors that free medical care was declared by Governor Oshiomhole for all pregnant women and children below the age of five years. He called on everyone to imbibe the Child Rights Act, while urging all relevant government and Non-Governmental Organization to assist in creating awareness on the act. Mrs. Udoh who was accompanied by the state co-ordinator of the group, Ronke Ojeikere said her mission in the state was to sensitize government officials on the rights of the Nigerian child. She noted that the rights of children should be respected by parents and government alike.
NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (23/06/2014) Stocks
Open
Close
Change
Deals
Units
Value
MRS
64
67
3
0
759,737
7UP
91
91
0
0
45,981
4,226,728.39
MULTIVERSE
0.5
0.5
0
0
20,000
10,000.00
ABBEYBDS
1.36
1.36
0
0
2,000,000
2,720,000.00
NAHCO
4.8
4.84
0.04
0
2,985,287
14,612,150.88
ABCTRANS
0.85
0.83
-0.02
0
1,190,491
1,007,145.78
NASCON
11.52
11.88
0.36
0
2,521,038
29,315,290.32
265.69
NB
166.5
170.02
3.52
0
1,041,944
175,443,478.50 89,756.00
ACADEMY
1.71
1.71
0
0
163
46,734,776.48
ACCESS
9.8
9.8
0
0
19,108,282
187,027,982.40
NCR
15.2
15.2
0
0
5,900
AFRINSURE
0.5
0.5
0
0
850
425
NEIMETH
1.24
1.24
0
0
232,670
301,136.38
AFRIPRUD
3.2
3.25
0.05
0
1,522,985
4,923,976.20
NEM
0.85
0.85
0
0
4,050,002
3,429,597.68
AFROMEDIA
0.5
0.5
0
0
700
350
NESF
552.2
552.2
0
0
150
78,688.50
AGLEVENT
1.38
1.38
0
0
16,496
23,750.30
NESTLE
1050
1050
0
0
64,446
67,471,675.38
AIICO
0.88
0.84
-0.04
0
3,166,839
2,670,305.76
NEWGOLD
2047
2066
19
0
400
826,400.00
AIRSERVICE
2.54
2.42
-0.12
0
864,920
2,094,805.25
NIGROPES
7.46
7.46
0
0
150
1,063.50
ALUMACO
7.75
7.75
0
0
100
737
NNFM
20.78
19.75
-1.03
0
120,709
2,384,002.75
ASHAKACEM
30
29.93
-0.07
0
3,070,639
89,819,906.91
NPFMCRFBK
0.97
0.93
-0.04
0
51,000
47,470.00
AVONCROWN
1.77
1.77
0
0
60
101.4
NSE30
1869.94
1891.46
21.52
0
349,795,479
4,817,787,904.00
BECOPETRO
0.5
0.5
0
0
750
375
NSE50
2022.4
2043.37
20.97
0
411,575,546
5,141,462,818.00
BERGER
9
9
0
0
46,052
408,791.56
NSEASEM
950.94
950.94
0
0
50,850
25,464.00
BETAGLAS
16.59
16.59
0
0
7,438
126,446.00
NSEASI
41129.29
41577.49
448.2
0
519,292,158
5,358,492,362.00
BOCGAS
6.06
5.76
-0.3
0
81,500
469,440.00
NSEBNK
426.47
430.8
4.33
0
246,997,078
2,195,992,844.00
CAP
42
42
0
0
102,673
4,163,837.25
NSECNSMRGDS
1010.62
1016.35
5.73
0
7,955,499
361,185,643.30
2576.09
2598.84
22.75
0
4,380,997
153,988,517.80 22,808,742.11
CAVERTON
6.29
6.41
0.12
0
2,153,629
14,033,445.16
NSEINDUSTR
CCNN
11
11.42
0.42
0
502,167
5,653,601.31
NSEINS
146.76
147.25
0.49
0
30,993,348
CHAMPION
11.26
11.26
0
0
22,000
235,600.00
NSELOTUSISLM
2738.38
2767.58
29.2
0
12,012,244
402,220,230.80
CHAMS
0.5
0.5
0
0
6,700
3,350.00
NSEOILGAS
504.83
525.22
20.39
0
56,312,330
1,701,107,070.00
CHELLARAM
3.95
3.95
0
0
100
376
OANDO
31.88
33.47
1.59
0
43,646,234
1,459,856,965.00
CILEASING
0.5
0.52
0.02
0
23,050,534
11,587,044.82
OASISINS
0.52
0.51
-0.01
0
1,491,460
754,464.60
CONOIL
69.1
67.8
-1.3
0
578,892
38,878,173.30
OKOMUOIL
34.99
33.25
-1.74
0
411,315
13,726,416.44
CONTINSURE
1.06
1.1
0.04
0
468,000
503,400.00
OMATEK
0.5
0.5
0
0
200
100
CORNERST
0.5
0.5
0
0
1,705
852.5
PHARMDEKO
1.57
1.5
-0.07
0
52,060
78,090.00 433,750.00
COSTAIN
1.4
1.36
-0.04
0
604,626
822,189.20
PORTPAINT
4.81
4.81
0
0
86,250
COURTVILLE
0.58
0.58
0
0
13,150
7,633.50
PRESCO
36
36
0
0
143,390
5,200,401.50
CUSTODYINS
3.54
3.6
0.06
0
2,008,830
7,091,874.38
PRESTIGE
0.5
0.51
0.01
0
1,297,268
652,234.00
CUTIX
1.9
1.97
0.07
0
272,072
534,761.62
PZ
38
36.4
-1.6
0
261,201
9,491,541.56
CWG
4.95
4.95
0
0
220,205
1,082,553.35
REDSTAREX
4.98
4.95
-0.03
0
430,868
2,091,741.76
DAARCOMM
0.5
0.5
0
0
100,700
50,350.00
ROYALEX
0.53
0.53
0
0
1,000
550
DANGCEM
225.06
227.5
2.44
0
174,162
39,562,959.81
RTBRISCOE
1.01
1.03
0.02
0
413,955
418,364.25
1,176,864.88
SCOA
4.91
4.91
0
0
2,920
13,636.40
DANGFLOUR
8.5
8.5
0
0
140,126
DANGSUGAR
9.75
9.49
-0.26
0
1,036,334
9,880,986.59
SEPLAT
670
684
14
0
51,571
34,354,045.92
DIAMONDBNK
6.47
6.59
0.12
0
14,916,240
96,806,777.12
SKYEBANK
3.36
3.34
-0.02
0
11,156,431
37,496,632.91
DNMEYER
1.06
1.06
0
0
14,755
16,378.05
SOVRENINS
0.5
0.5
0
0
91,500
45,750.00
DUNLOP
0.5
0.5
0
0
1,006,000
503,000.00
STACO
0.5
0.5
0
0
502,463
251,231.50
ENAMELWA
32.27
32.27
0
0
600
18,396.00
STANBIC
25.8
26.81
1.01
0
412,931
10,921,381.40
EQUITYASUR
0.5
0.5
0
0
200,000
100,000.00
STERLNBANK
2.42
2.34
-0.08
0
9,722,477
22,821,337.95
ETERNA
4.8
5.04
0.24
0
10,825,893
50,999,260.18
TANTALIZER
0.5
0.5
0
0
91,460
45,730.00
ETI
16.68
16
-0.68
0
634,198
10,158,810.48
TOTAL
170.51
171.02
0.51
0
36,412
6,234,550.82
EVANSMED
2.52
2.4
-0.12
0
247,500
594,000.00
TOURIST
3.88
3.88
0
0
50
184.5
FBNH
15.31
15.1
-0.21
0
21,974,749
336,944,560.00
TRANSCORP
4.88
5.12
0.24
0
44,956,430
228,898,606.50
FCMB
4.25
4.27
0.02
0
7,446,369
31,356,410.19
TRANSEXPR
2.24
2.13
-0.11
0
288,047
613,550.11
FIDELITYBK
2.07
2.03
-0.04
0
10,266,466
21,054,029.68
UAC-PROP
17.65
17.65
0
0
130,217
2,336,260.30
FIDSON
2.99
3
0.01
0
2,017,200
6,025,875.50
UACN
59.52
59.7
0.18
0
646,061
38,524,365.97
FIRSTALUM
0.5
0.5
0
0
50,706
25,353.00
UBA
8
7.9
-0.1
0
144,555,663
1,156,431,422.00
FLOURMILL
77
77
0
0
64,586
4,953,283.91
UBCAP
2.35
2.37
0.02
0
12,540,108
29,756,007.71
10
10
0
0
164,997
1,657,470.89 20,900,516.83
FO
250.01
250.01
0
0
379,967
87,259,938.78
UBN
FTNCOCOA
0.5
0.5
0
0
70,800
35,400.00
UNILEVER
50.03
50
-0.03
0
414,857
GLAXOSMITH
66
66
0
0
545,208
35,721,661.05
UNITYBNK
0.5
0.5
0
0
245,900
122,950.00
GUARANTY
28.83
28.9
0.07
0
12,696,986
367,110,674.90
UNITYKAP
0.5
0.5
0
0
600
300
GUINNESS
180
180
0
0
51,659
9,310,313.76
UNIVINSURE
0.5
0.5
0
0
100
50
HMARKINS
0.5
0.5
0
0
750
375
UPL
4.57
4.35
-0.22
0
214,611
969,312.85 562,872.20
HONYFLOUR
4.07
4.06
-0.01
0
1,729,490
7,080,738.32
UTC
0.54
0.54
0
0
1,043,985
IKEJAHOTEL
0.82
0.86
0.04
0
455,882
378,780.88
VETGRIF30
18.86
19.07
0.21
0
3,800
72,464.00
4.72
4.5
-0.22
0
149,855
674,052.50 13,284,463.31
INFINITY
1.61
1.61
0
0
44,249
71,580.81
VITAFOAM
INTBREW
26
26
0
0
105,700
2,771,913.00
WAPCO
109.99
110.01
0.02
0
119,544
INTENEGINS
0.5
0.5
0
0
8,019,477
4,010,622.50
WAPIC
0.72
0.75
0.03
0
17,831,730
13,373,618.29
IPWA
0.5
0.5
0
0
674,529
337,264.50
WEMABANK
0.94
0.95
0.01
0
21,276,710
20,290,320.15
ZENITHBANK
23.8
24.7
0.9
0
12,221,105
297,958,723.30
JAPAULOIL
0.58
0.6
0.02
0
15,579,106
9,345,146.16
JBERGER
72.81
76.45
3.64
0
488,744
37,191,551.65
JOHNHOLT
1.15
1.15
0
0
1,332
1,465.20
JOSBREW
2.85
2.71
-0.14
0
50,100
135,771.00
LAWUNION
0.5
0.5
0
0
510,000
255,000.00
LEARNAFRCA
1.61
1.61
0
0
42,700
71,323.00
LIVESTOCK
3.05
3.11
0.06
0
1,692,058
5,301,960.27
MANSARD
2.65
2.65
0
0
5,560
15,012.00
MAYBAKER
1.65
1.7
0.05
0
772,117
1,310,089.74
MBENEFIT
0.54
0.52
-0.02
0
3,879,894
2,017,546.88
MOBIL
129
130
1
0
85,195
11,143,405.92
TOP 10 GAINERS Stock NSEASI NSELOTUSISLM NSEINDUSTR NSE30 NSE50 NSEOILGAS NEWGOLD SEPLAT NSECNSMRGDS NSEBNK
Close 41577.49 2767.58 2598.84 1891.46 2043.37 525.22 2066 684 1016.35 430.8
TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain
Stock
Close
Loss
448.2 29.2 22.75 21.52 20.97 20.39 19 14 5.73 4.33
OKOMUOIL PZ CONOIL NNFM ETI BOCGAS DANGSUGAR UPL VITAFOAM FBNH
33.25 36.4 67.8 19.75 16 5.76 9.49 4.35 4.5 15.1
-1.74 -1.6 -1.3 -1.03 -0.68 -0.3 -0.26 -0.22 -0.22 -0.21
RECENTLY, the Federal Government said it had concluded plans to change the nation’s education policy of 9-3-4 system to a 1-6-3-34 education structure. Then Minister of education, Prof. Ruqquayat Rufa’i while announcing the imminent change, had said the proposed structure would be a remodification of the current 9-3-3-4 system which came into effect in 2009 when the old 6-3-3-4 system was dropped. RUFA’I said the new move was sequel to the recommendations of the Presidential Task Team on Education, which President Goodluck Jonathan had already approved. The new system which is already proposed to the National Assembly is said to be planned to include exposure of five -year old learners to one year of early childhood education before they proceed to the six-year primary education. WE see the proposal of the federal government as unnecessary distraction of children of public school system who are already overburdened by several policy somersault and this move is not any different previous policy rigmarole. In any case, the system is not anything novel as it is already being practiced by the private school system where some children are enrolled in kindergarten classes at three or four. They run it full three years and move on to primary one when they are six. However, such children end up doing only five years primary education and move on to the junior secondary school and they do very well because of the background knowledge they are given from age 3 while blending with the school environment. NIGERIANS know too well that before this proposal, the nation’s educational system had gone through many modifications. In the late 70s and 80s, it was the 6-5-4 system that was in place. It provided for six years in Primary school, five years in secondary and
THE NIGERIAN
Remodifying Nigeria’s Educational System four years in the university. Another shift in policy later gave birth to the Higher School Certificate (HSC) which gave birth to another two-year stop gap of learning to pupils after secondary school, before they proceed to the university this time to spend three years. All these gave way for the 6-3-3-4 and later 9-3-4 system. ORDINARILY, there is nothing wrong with a nation desiring a change for the better or best, but we condemn the frequency of change in the education sector which has left the sector worst for what it since the change episode started. It is a fact that Nigerian graduates of the 70s and 80s remain the best ever produced in the country and they remain reference point in our national history, the advent of technology in the late 80s and 90s notwithstanding. RATHER than piecemeal changes, we will encourage the federal government to come up with a once -and -for -all change that can stand the test of time. Government should introduce the nursery system into its policy whereby children are enrolled in schools from age 3 to formalise nursery education in Nigeria. We believe such policy will now cover what private schools are already operating, instead of the proposed one year starting at age five. Our worry about the looming policy is how long it will last if it eventually sails through? HOWEVER, Nigerians expect an educational policy that will ensure that children begin primary school at six. We deplore a situation
where at age 4 or five, a child is already in primary school. Some parents are in such a hurry for their children to climb up the education ladder without taking into account the repercussions of such a rush on their children. These set of children create problems for the teachers, because many of them do not know their right from their left at the end of the day, only whiz kids are able to cope in such circumstance. WE believe that there is no much problem at the moment with the current policy, except that any new government devices a way of siphoning public funds, otherwise we know that there are a number of teething problems buffeting the education sector at the moment begging for the federal government’s attention. The questions to ask at this point are: Is the 1-6-3-3-4 system going to turn the flooded classrooms or under- the- mango tree classrooms to model classrooms as being done by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State? Is it going to provide adequate text books, reading and instructional materials to the pupils and their teachers? Is 1-6-3-3-4 system the priority, more than an enabling environment for teaching and learning? INTERESTINGLY, these are the issues being pursued by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who are currently up in arms against the Federal Government. We implore government to shore up funding of education to remove the decadence that has characterised schools from primary, secondary up to tertiary with very few exceptions. We expect that President Goodluck Jonathan coming from an academic background is in a better position to appreciate the level of decay in the system, more than anyone else. We implore him to do the needful to salvage Nigeria education sector which holds the key to the future of the country and halt the distraction being provided by the policy somersault mongers.
Off With These Impostors! THE sad events of the past couple of days - which were reportedly orchestrated by some disgruntled members of the Edo State House Of Assembly, paints a horrible spectacle of the miserable depths to which some politicians are willing to condescend in their debauched quests for the ephemeral trappings of life; a sequence of events that have, once again, exposed the pettiness, hollowness mediocrity that saturates and drives the warped minds of some members of the political class. In a well rehearsed, but poorly executed, attempt to overthrow the incumbent leadership of the lawmaking arm of government in the state, some comic characters attempted to act out a poorly written script; pantaloons who made a mess of a Pantomime that was designed for mischief. This group - made up of the opposition members of the lawmaking chambers, in conjunction with some turncoats of the All Progressive Congress attempted a Mafia-style coup that was meant to turn back the hands of the clock. It is not my intention to bore you with the nuances of the crisis - as details of this are available on all available media, regular and social - but proceed to express my displeasure at this gross display of immaturity and irresponsibility by those from whom much is expected, having being given so much by the system they are desperately fighting to destroy. The conduct of the opposition members of the House, together with their APC co-collaborators, is shameful and unbecoming of elected legislators. The unfolding drama is not only embarrassing, but absolutely preposterous; a clear exposure of the true colours of the Chameleons masquerading as angels of light; shameful performances by a band of mercenaries doing the biddings of their evil masters - the evil Vicars who are more at home fomenting trouble than engaging in any meaningful enterprise; the conflict entrepreneurs and instigators who profit from chaos; the power-crazed demagogues who, having suffered series of defeats in past popularity contests, have been scheming to take Edo State back by fire and force. One very saddening and laughable aspect of the unfolding drama is the treacherous roles some individuals, who rode on the wings of people power to office, are playing. I am talking about the ignominious roles of some APC legislators who have allowed themselves to be used as agents of destabilization in the state. It is highly regrettable that the same set of people, who owe their current stations in life to the magnanimity of the good
Cutting Edge With Obuseh Jude
people of Edo State, are the same ones constituting themselves into clogs in the state’s wheel of progress; annoying that people who had no political clout whatsoever before the former Action Congress of Nigeria now All Progressive Congress — APC) offered them the platform to sell themselves to the people, are the same set of people who have ganged up with the trouble- courting members of the opposition to derail the democratic train. That individuals who were elected by the members of
in government, as the legislature is the only representative body among the three arms of government -Executive, Parliament and Judiciary - through which the people participate in the processes of governance. Thus, any attempt to inhibit the proper functioning of this very crucial arm of government constitutes an attack on the principles of popular rule - a system that is based on mass participation. The legislature is the voice of the voiceless; an organ that embodies the very soul of the
constituencies to the letter. That is the traditional practice in all truly democratic societies. Anything short of this is a crisis of democracy.
their constituencies to represent their collective interests could turn around to bite the hands that feed them is very unfortunate; an outrageous attack on the civil liberties of the people; a punch on the people’s collective jugular; a betrayal of the popular mandate that brought them to office; the height of treachery, so to speak. The truth is that any attack on the Legislature constitutes an attack on the people’s collective right to participate
polity; a conduit pipe of information flow between the rulers and the ruled; the lifeforce of any truly democratic society. Popular sovereignty is superior to political sovereignty; the power of the people is greater than the power of elected political office holders. The led extend their mandates to their leaders who are expected to conduct themselves responsibly, while in office, and diligently discharge their official responsibilities to their chief
The people decide those that are fit - or unfit - to govern them. The erring members of the Edo State House of Assembly have gone against the terms of the mandates that were popularly given to them by the citizens of their constituencies and have, therefore, lost their legitimacy. Governance, ideally, should be a trust between the people and their leaders; a social contract with clearly defined conditions, one of which is that: anytime the bearers of mandates go
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against the terms of the pacts, on which their relationship with the citizenry is based, such individuals automatically lose the privileges afforded them by their offices. The rebellious members of the Edo House of Assembly, having gone against the wishes of the people of their constituencies, by agreeing to be bought over to the side of professed enemies of the people, are guilty of gross insubordination and dereliction of their core duties as the representatives of their people. They have, therefore, forfeited the mandates that were popularly given to them. Here is calling on the members of the constituencies that these shameless charlatans claim to be representing to rise up in one accord against this latest attempt to clog the wheel of the fluid and uninterrupted developments rolling across the length and breadth of Edo State. The time has come for you to show, once and for all, that it can no longer be business as usual for these Marabous who have been masquerading as your representatives. The indecencies of these Bushwhackers should no longer be tolerated. They constitute threats to your continued enjoyment of the dividends of the current democratic order. Their actions are not only perfidious and damnable, but atavistic and demonic. You have the weapon to annihilate this Phantom menace once and for all by exercising the popular authority constitutionally granted you as Nigerian citizens — one that you are yet to brandish - the power to “Recall” lawmakers who betray the terms of your contracts with them. Chapter Five Section 110 of the Nigerian constitution states that: A member of the House of Assembly may be recalled as such a member if (a) there is presented to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission a petition in that behalf signed by more than one-half of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency alleging their loss of confidence in that member; and (b) the petition is thereafter, in a referendum conducted by the Independent National Electoral
Commission within ninety days of the date of the receipt of the petition, approved by a simple majority of the votes of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency. My brothers and sisters, rather than allowing ourselves to be continually subjected to the impudence of individuals we elected to represent us, the Recall Clause in the constitution should be immediately evoked to check and balance the intransigencies of the debauched characters trying to throw Edo State back to barbarous times. These leeches have lost our confidence and should be shown the exit door. We can no longer call these cankerworms our representatives - they are nothing but self-seeking opportunists who represent nobody but themselves and their cronies. That is why they have the effrontery to sell the mandate we willingly gave to them for peanuts without recourse to the possibility of any form of censorship. That is why they can insult us with so much effrontery and think they can get away with it. They are Stool Pigeons who should be shooed off the seats they have unwittingly declared empty by their shameful conduct. By allowing themselves to be used as agents of destabilization, these graspers should be relegated to the lowly backgrounds they came from. This is not the time to dilly daily, anymore, on the steps to take; no longer time to cringe in fear, when we can stand up and act. It is time to rise up and say a reverberating “No” to the insidious designs of these mountain Trolls who should be sent back into their Trolling holes. This latest attempt to destabilize the state is a scheme that should not be allowed to stand. It is our collective duty — as stakeholders in the Edo project - to save Edo State from the suffocating grip of our common foes — the desperately wicked members of the opposition who have remained unrelenting in their morbid attempts to throw this this state back to the dark ages of modern times. The aces and jokers are on our table — let’s throw them wisely. Off with these impostors! MR OBUSEH JUDE, A SOCIAL COMMENTATOR, WRITES FROM BENIN CITY.
Nutritional Health And Dietetics Nervousness And The Causes III
WHEN a person who has always appeared to be fairly well-balanced suddenly, breaks down and goes to pieces. It is natural to ask what went wrong? Nervous illnesses are common. Sometimes, they are the result of sorrows and disappointments. These usually clear up without any serious consequences once the crisis has passed. But there are times, when the individual may have been ill for years, perhaps all his life. His reactions may never have been entirely normal. All his life things have seemed to go against him. He never has a chance to develop as a normal person, able to meet the stress and strain of living. Scientists say, there are over a hundred mental and nervous disorders. Any one of these may greatly affect a person’s behaviour. Anything that interferes with the nutrition of the brain may result in a loss of normal reasoning powers and good judgments. Research shows that head injuries and brain tumours may greatly affect a person’s behaviour. Vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition also, alter a person’s thinking. Any infections disease, especially, when there is a high fever, will influence a person’s behaviour to a marked extent. A failing kidney will so increase the level of poisons in the blood that he will begin to see pink elephants and all kinds of nonexistent things. Alcohol is the most common cause of trouble in this respect. Research shows that the stress and strain of growing up often places an added burden on young personality. Parents expect a child to be dependent. Yet the child must gradually deparate himself from them if he is ever to grow up and take his place in the world as an individual in his own right. Remember, too much protection may make the child overly dependent. He may become shy and overanxious. On the other hand, he may become angry and belligerent and his behaviour may become uncontrollable. Fretfulness and over
excitement increase the adrenal secretion and the blood pressure. Taking large quantities of fluid into the stomach, especially, if much salt or salty food is consumed, raises the total blood volume and consequently, the pressure. Constant use of to much salt or salty food without an increased intake of fluids will over tax and injure the kidney whose task it is, to excrete excessive amounts of salts and will thus, offer increased resistance to the heart action, raising the blood pressure.
begrudges himself needed rest, reaction and vacations, is a most likely candidate for high blood pressure. The high – tensioned, high-strung and irritable man or woman who engages in social and political activities in addition to strenuous business responsibilities at the sacrifice of necessary relaxation is another type that will land in the high blood pressure class. Worriness is detrimental to health and blood pressure. Nervous sweating – various kinds of stress, such as some prolonged illness, may also,
not irritate the skin. People whose nerves are calm and steady often find it hard to understand their fellow mortals who may never have known a day of real peace in all their lives. Sometimes, it takes a serious illness or some tragedy to make us compassionate toward our fellow men. You should not be afraid because, you are a bit nervous. Actually, you are among the most distinguished people in the world. Most clever people are nervous and high strung. They are all a bit sensitive
Drinking great amounts of fluid without salt also raises the blood pressure, by overactivity of the heart and kidneys in ridding the system of excess fluid, so as to maintain. The proper salt concentration and equilibrium of the blood and body fluids. Some faddists drink gallons of water daily, to their own harm. Strenuous or prolonged exercise doubles the pulse rate per minute, seriously, altering the blood pressure. The fat, flabby and greedy individual who wants to grab and amass all he can who
produce heavy sweating. But the most trouble some perspiration arises from nervous tension. In some people, the hands and armpits are often wet and sticky. The skin of the feet may become soggy and macerated. This provides an ideal climate for the growth of fungus infections. Frequent bathing of the skin helps to remove the excessive perspiration and keeps the body healthy. People who suffer from nervous tension should bathe even more frequently, using a good grade of soup that will
often too sensitive for their own comfort. But after all, they are the truly interesting personalities that we all like to meet. Research shows that many of these outstanding people are quite nervous and irritable. They are perfectionists, artists at their work. This is what makes us appreciate their contributions to society. These are usually the people who get busy and get things done in the world. So cheer up. You are in good company. Most talented people are tense and nervous. When
“Research shows that many of these outstanding people are quite nervous and irritable. They are perfectionists, artists at their work. This is what makes us appreciate their contributions to society. These are usually the people who get busy and get things done in the world. So cheer up. You are in good company.”
With
O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 things do not go as they have planned, some of them may have a serious nerve storm. Many of them suffer from migraine. Some manage to cover their feelings fairly well simply because they have learned how to live with themselves. Never be tempted to envy those who are dull and
apathetic. They are often a real disappointment to others and to themselves. Life is very dull for them. They rarely know the real joys of living. You can feel sorry for them. They may actually be suffering from mental breakdown of their own. Be thankful you are not one of them. So, if you are nervous, you are among those who often accomplish great things in life. Perhaps you have talents for above the average. You must put this to work, doing the things you are seeking to accomplish. To do this, you have to make some farreaching changes in life. This is the time to analyze yourself and your own motives just. To be sure you are not striving in the wrong direction. You can begin to solve your emotional problems by understanding something about yourself.
What are these nerves that seem to cause all these troubles? a why are they so essential to our well being? Our nerves are the remarkable organs of our bodies. Every baby is born with thousands of millions of them. Without his nerves he could not digest his food or cry or even breathe. His whole nervow system is closely bound together ready to help him become an outstanding success if we will give him the chance. It is through our nervous systems that we have the ability to make decisions. Everyone has a breaking point beyond which it is dangerous for him to go. It takes a long time to recover from a nervous breakdown. The person who is well adjusted can still feel and understand the problems of others. The experiences of life have not left him cold and remote from the world around him. On the outside, he may appear calm and well controlled. But if he is placed under heavy enough pressure, even the calmest person may be irritable. In other words everyone has a breaking point. But the mature well adjusted person will demonstrate his maturity by the speed with which he regains his sense of balance. The greater a person’s capacity, the more sensitive his nervous system becomes. All the great artists and leaders through all time have lived under tension. Many of them are sensitive and not too easy to get along with. Highly talented people are always intensely alive to what is going on around them. Only vegetables lack nerves, who wants to be like vegetables. Ill-health is often the rest of a nervous system that has been pushed beyond its normal limits of endurance. How to help yourself – By all means let us copy the good points of our ancestors. But when it comes to bad habits, we should learn to avoid them. Do not be ashamed, stop excusing your weaknesses. Do not waste your money on treatment. Be patient with yourselves. Take time to rest or take a vacation to refresh. Develop new hobbies and new interests, stop worrying about the past. Learn therefore, how to live with your nerves.
The Emirs And Inter- BOTTOMLINE With Religious Relations Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
THE motivation for this reflection is the Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Ayau Kaigama. He is also the current President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria. I am inspired with the statement I found in his book “Peace, not War” (Published 2012). He says, “We discovered that we had a mutual passion for peace and inter-religious harmony” (Page 163). The context of this statement is his tribute to the late Emir of Wase, Dr. Haruna Abdtillahi. He calls the Emir, “Brother and Friend”. The introduction of the tribute reveals the deep relationship between an Archbishop and an Emir. (Peace. not War, Pages 162163). Those who sent the text messages to inform Archbishop Kaigama of the sickness and death of the Emir serve as witnesses to religious coexistence between Muslims and Christians. The contents of the book “Peace, not War” go beyond Kaigama decade of interventions in the Plateau State Crises (2001-2011). The book is a blueprint for Interreligious relations between traditional rulers and religious leaders in Nigeria. The relationship between the present Sultan of Sokoto and John Cardinal Onaiyekan is still very conspicuous. This relationship was very visible when both of them were CoChairmen of the Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC). Very often, the present President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor refers to the Sultan of Sokoto as “my very good friend.” The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah who is also the Episcopal Chairman of Inter Dialogue in the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) is a testimony of the peace that can be achieved in a good human and religious relationship. His relationship with the Sultan of Sokoto and the Emirs in Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina (Sokoto Diocese)
could be among the reasons for the peace in these states. The Catholic Bishop of Kano. Most Rev. John Niyiring affirms that the late Ernir of Kano. Alhaji Ado Bayero had a good Inter-religious relationship as a grand patron for the Committee for PeacefuL coexistence in Kano. All these are indicators that the Emirs are potential peace builders. To translate these potentials into actuality, they could give capacity to their subjects to promote peace in their immediate environments. Many Nigerians are puzzled that the Emirs have become targets of terrorists attack whereas they occupy a very sacred position that should be revered h their subjects and every Nigerian. Some of the possible questions are: “Do the terrorists want to kill an Emir because he is promoting peace and denouncing violence and terrorism’. Is an Emir who has a good relationship with people of other religions a threat to a politician who is over ambitious? Would the Emirs not be safer if the Federal or State government do not dictate who should be an Emir?” The assassination attempt on the late Emir of Kano, A Ado Bayero was enough scandal. One should have expected that he should be allowed to join his ancestors without riots over his successor. The killing of the Emir of Owoza, A Idrissa Timta is the height of desecration of the royal throne in Nigeria. These are serious indications that a wound has been inflicted on the traditional values of Nigeria. This calls for urgent traditional intervention to save the traditional institutions. As we pray for the peaceful repose of Alhaji Ado Bayero, we could use Kano as a wake up call for the need for all the Emirs and the Sultan to come together in sincere dialogue to work with other religious leaders to save the nation from anarchy. “Caravans across the Desert: Marketplace”.
AFRICA: One Continent, Many Worlds. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation is an original archive of January 2, 2005 that was retrieved on May 6. 2007. According to this document, the Kingdom of Kano was based on an ancient settlement of Data Hill while small chiefdoms were previously present in the area. Okehie Offoha, Marcellina and Matthew N. O. Sadiku (December 1995) citing the Kano Chronicle, says that Bagauda, a grandson of the
mythical hero Bayajidda became the first king of Kano in 999, reigning until 1063. According to Ki-Zerbo Joseph (1998) Muhammad Rumfa ascended to the throne in 1463 and reigned until 1499. During his reign he reformed the city. expanded the Sahelian Gidan Rumfa (Emirs Palace), and played a role in the further Islamization of the city as he urged prominent residents to convert. Evangelization is the
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tool of every religion to persuade and convince people to worship God in all sincerity. It appears that the Emirs have some historical relationship that could be used today to promote peace and unity. For instance, the Hausa state remained independent until the Fulani conquest of
Tukur, and claimed the title of emir. It is expected that this episode should not be replayed in this enlightened period. The British made Kano the administrative centre of Northern Nigeria. It was replaced as the centre of government by Kaduna and only regained administrative significance with the creation of Kano State following
kidnapping of Muslims and Christians. They do not care what tribe a victim comes from. They have even gone to the extent of kidnapping Fulani women. Do they care about position and hierarchy? Who knows if they would not one day abduct the Emirs and their wives? Now is the time for the Emirs to redesign a new strategy by taking
1805. Lovejoy Paul (1983) is of the opinion that the jihad of Usman dan Fodio led to the emergence of the Sokoto Caliphate while Kano became the largest and most prosperous province of the empire. According to the BBC News of December 21, 2001. from 1893 until 1895, two rival claimants of the throne of Kano fought a civil war. With the help of royal slaves, Yusufu was victorious over
Nigeria’s independence. It is however consoling that although the Emir had limited formal political powers; he continues to exert considerable authority and provides leadership on issues such as the tension between Christians and Muslims in the cit (WorldSiaIesrnen. Org. Very often, the disparity in land allocation for religious purposes and other religious discrimination have been blamed on some State governments. Who knows if hat is happening today could have been avoided if the Emirs had rebuked the religious intolerance of some religious fanatics and some politicians who used religion to ascend to power. Now that darkness has fallen upon some parts of Nigeria, it is obvious that the terrorists do not discriminate in the killing and
seriously the need to come together in the form of “intraEmir dialogue”. Then they should in collaboration with the Christians seek the face of God to save themselves and their subjects not only from the web of the terrorists but from a religious disharmony that does not make way for peaceful coexistence. Long live the Emirs! May God give our Emirs the wisdom and strength to restore what is falling apart through good inter-religious relations! Fr. Prof Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja and Consultor of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C Vatican City (comonokhua@hotmail.Com).
“Very often, the disparity in land allocation for religious purposes and other religious discrimination have been blamed on some State governments. Who knows if hat is happening today could have been avoided if the Emirs had rebuked the religious intolerance of some religious fanatics and some politicians who used religion to ascend to power.”
Perspective IT is common practice for security agencies especially the Nigerian Police to parade suspects in their custody before the public. Most times, the parade is organized before investigations are concluded, before cases are established against the suspects and long before they are formally charged to court. The agencies would call a press conference where the suspects would be lined up along with items purported to have been recovered from them and suspects to have been used in perpetrating the crime for which they were being investigated or related to if some how. Reporters would be told how crack teams of operatives overcame various odds in the raid that yielded the arrest of the suspects. Reporters, in turn, take the liberty of extracting all forms of confessions from the suspects while playing the self-assigned role of unofficial prosecutors there by complementing the stage-managed spectacle. They also go to town with stories that are more in the realm of sensationalism than in fulfillment of their duty of keeping the public informed. The stories are illustrated with pictures of the suspects who the public would not realize were unwilling characters with no choice, but to appear in the elaborately planned and directed drama sketch. This basically is the setting for trial by media” where the police and the press collaborate to prematurely “prosecute” crime suspects and “convict” them publicly, in spite of the fact that inconclusive investigation is not likely to sustain the criminal charge and knowing full well that inconclusive evidence cannot secure a conviction in the court of law. Above all these, their action is in disregard to the legal presumption that the suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. One sure achievement, however! is that, by the time the drama is over, the paraded suspects would have attracted enough public odium through the illegitimate trial
Press, Police And Protection O By NGOZI IKEYI
and conviction. Rather than letting up on these parades, many newspapers have since created pages dedicated for crime reports some of which feature outright parade of suspects. The crime stories and pictures of suspects are presented in ways that portray the Nigerian media as insensitive towards protecting either an accused person’s or a victims constitutional right to a fair trial: that right available to every person to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Trial by the media has become a common place and widespread that the press in some climes brazenly exploit it majorly for pecuniary reasons. This dimension to the practice should alarm anyone or organization concerned with driving professionalisation of journalism because they are not unaware of the challenge commercial considerations by media owners and practitioners pose against achieving the ethical objective. The practice may prove more difficult to control when confronted with the scenario described by Or. Shashi Srivastava-Pradeep Kumar, in his online article entitled “Trial by Media vs Right to Fair Trial” where “in order to sensationalize the reporting and to increase commercial value, the media starts, naming and blaming the suspect or accused. Photographs and other materials in the form of interviews etc are published and shown along with public reaction”. The reporter must be made to know, acknowledge and be guided by the fact that the right to fair hearing is as inalienable to a suspect as the right to freedom of expression and the press is to journalism. The journalist should therefore be charitable enough to recognize that his constitutional right of access to information does not supplant a suspect’s
constitutional right to fair hearing and corresponding legal preservation and protection of his innocence until it is determined otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction. It may also be rightly considered unprofessional for the reporter to exploit the defenselessness of a suspect to harass and extract a confession from him under duress or assume the position of prosecutor of the suspect in the “police court”. It is not as if the Nigerian Police are not aware of the damage they are doing to suspects’ chances of fair trial by bringing them to public odium through this premature and illegal public trial, but they, like the reporters who sensationalise crime stories in order to sell their newspapers also see the parade as a way of making a public show of what they consider a veritable evidence that they are working. This is in view of the preponderant public perception in the contrary. However, the continuous parade of suspects by police units has been in defiance of several directives of the police high command banning the practice. Even after the present InspectorGeneral of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar reinforced the ban on all police units across the federation, it has continued to be obeyed in the breach just as the press has continued to be willing accomplices in defiance of persuasive appeals against it because it is unethical with moral and professional implications on journalism
practice. Besides the offices of the Inspector General of Police and the Nigerian Press Council that have stood up against the unfairness of media trial of crime suspects, the practice had been greeted with condemnation from groups of lawyers, civil societies and members of the general public. Egbeaziem Oshodi was reported in The Punch of February 14, 2012 to have advised that “President Goodluck Jonathan should, through an executive order inform the (then) Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed O. Abubakar, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, to quickly put a stop to this inhumane, cruel and brutal practice . . .by passing down an order to law enforcement officials to change the way they handle criminal suspects and to correct their offensive methods of law enforcement especially to humans who have the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty”. It should be clear at this point that neither ignorance of the law, nor lack of ethical guidelines or attempts at discouraging trial by the media was responsible for the routine violation of suspects’ right to fair trial. Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly stipulates the presumption of the innocence of a suspect until it is proven otherwise in a trial by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists contains sufficient professional
guidelines to elicit caution in the reportage of parade of suspects, the orchestration of which is such that it could easily lead to an innocent person being condemned by the public and in the event
complement the story, without infringing on the fundamental right of suspects. Some media are already applying some levels of caution which should be commended.
the ar the Sp polic Heal Whil unce man
• Mohammed Abubakar, Inspector General of Police
of release of the suspect by the police due to lack of evidence or an acquittal of such a person later by the court, he would have had his reputation greatly damaged. The obvious challenge the press must tackle is how to report crime and safely and fairly use pictures, where they necessarily
Some newspapers report crime stories without images of the parade of suspects. Others apply image censor techniques which blur out faces of suspects as well as victims of crimes being investigated. The Punch and The Guardian on March 18, 2013 for instance, reported
“Trial by the media has become a common place and widespread that the press in some climes brazenly exploit it majorly for pecuniary reasons. This dimension to the practice should alarm anyone or organization concerned with driving professionalisation of journalism because they are not unaware of the challenge commercial considerations by media owners and practitioners pose against achieving the ethical objective.”
comm Guar of the Dai ‘Crim Thur the fa impo self m affec stori news whic as co imag simil on th page can b simp Cen pictu limit robbe
Perspective
Of Suspects’ Right To Fair Trial
rrest of a fake doctor by pecial Fraud Unit of the ce in Lagos for N89m lth Insurance Scam. le The Punch had an nsored picture of the that allegedly
mitted the scam, The rdian blocked the face e suspect. ily Sun which publishes me Watch” every rsday consistently blurs aces of suspects. Most ortantly, none of these methods and depth or ct understanding of the ies or sale of the spapers. Some papers h have not been quite onsistent blur some ges and leave other lar images, sometimes he same subject and e. Such inconsistency be easily resolved in a le house-style review. nsorship of the use of ures should not be ted to cases of armed ery or kidnap alone. It
should also apply to crimes such as rape. The Guardian of March 21, 2013 displayed a censored picture of the suspect in a rape case headlined ‘Man arrested for deflowering daughter,
suspect in a crime case is the recent response by the police to the parade of suspects which borders on extreme compliance with the suspects right to fair trial, This time around, the suspects are lined up as usual, with their purported tools of the crime on display, but blindfolded Reporters cover this spectacle and yet see nothing wrong in this sub-human treatment of suspects. This can only be indicative of the fact that journalists exercise little restraint or are ignorant when it comes to administration of justice. It is equally obvious that there are no set parameters for crime reporting in Nigeria. How on earth is putting a man in blindfold before being paraded publicly amount to an indication of
“The various media establishments must determine how publications from their stables should report stories and images of crime. Whatever style chosen, must not be based on personal idiosyncrasy, but on the highest professional consideration, consistent with constitutional, legal, social and moral values, with a reasonable balance struck between the rights of the suspects and the freedom of the press.” his innocence of a crime until proven guilty. How does the blindfold put on him make him look in the eyes of the public: better or worse than when his face is exposed? What memories do the public generally have of people paraded blindfold? The InspectorGeneral of Police certainly
Press Freedom:
granddaughter in Lagos”. Thisday used the same story on the same day but preferred to use the picture uncensored. The only pertinent addition here is to remind reporters of the ethical considerations for victims, where they happen to be children and minors. In such a case, they are not supposed to be identified ‘either by name or picture, or interview” especially “when involved in cases concerning sexual offences, crimes and rituals or witchcraft either as victims, witnesses or defendants.” The most worrisome dimension to this issue of safeguarding the fundamental right of a
I N T E R N AT I O N A L Press Institute (IPI) has commended the Pan African Parliament for its resolution to launch a continent campaign to promote and protect press freedom and persuade African governments to abolish criminal defamation and other laws that restrict access to information, which it made on May 15, 2013 in Midrand, near Johannesburg! South Africa. The IPI made the commendation during the 62” world Congress Annual General Assembly held on May 20! 2013 in Amman! Jordan. It considered this as a major move by a government institution to combat the growing secrecy adopted by some African nations in the conduct of public affairs, the promulgation of laws restricting journalists in news gathering as well as the continued persecution of journalists in some instances. The IPI in its three other resolutions called on states to implement laws and
has a lot of lessons to teach his hierarchy of senior officers in respect for fundamental human rights of fellow citizens. The various media establishments must determine how publications from their stables should report stories and images of crime. Whatever style
chosen, must not be based on personal idiosyncrasy, but on the highest professional consideration, consistent with constitutional, legal, social and moral values, with a reasonable balance struck between the rights of the suspects and the freedom of the press.
IPI Commends PAN African Parliament
By NNAMDI NJEMANZE policies aimed at promoting a safe environment for journalists and fighting impunity in cases of violence against them. The IPI Congress also passed a resolution, calling for an end to restrictions on freedom of movement for Israeli and Palestinian journalists who are believed to be suffering from unacceptable restrictions on freedom of movement between Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. It called on all journalists and their associations, to actively support the right of Israeli and Palestinian journalists to work freely throughout the region.
The Congress adopted a resolution calling on Yemen to release Abdulelah Haider Shaia, a freelance journalist who has been detained since August 2010, in the absence of evidence linking him to terrorist activities. While presenting the Executive Directors annual report on, The state of Press Freedom world wide”, Alison Bethel Mckenzie said that a total of 36 journalists had died in 2013 while carrying out their journalistic duties. In breaking down the casualty figures, she noted that Latin America, where a total of 11 reporters had been killed, was the most
dangerous region. She also said that 11 journalists had been killed in Africa as a result of persecution, while many others had been injured, Five were killed in Middle East, eight in Asia and one in the Caribbean. The Congress was informed that Liberia and Niger are the only African countries that have endorsed the resolution of African Editors which announced a campaign titled ‘Press Freedom for Development and Governance: need for Reform’ which was adopted at the annual world newspaper congress of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers held in Cape Town, South Africa in 2007.
“The IPI in its three other resolutions called on states to implement laws and policies aimed at promoting a safe environment for journalists and fighting impunity in cases of violence against them.”
Gender Issues
IN late 1989 it was decided that the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), or the Earth Summit, would be held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)—20 years after the first UN Conference on Human Environment in 1972 in Stockholm. The report Our Common Future, compiled by the Independent Commission on Environment and Development and chaired by then Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, was used as a conceptual and political basis for the Earth Summit. Environmental issues had been on the UN agenda since the Stockholm Conference,
States in 1990 with former US Congresswoman Bella Abzug as the leading figure, focused on environmental issues right from the beginning. Early in the 1990s WEDO called on women from all over the world to follow preparations for the Earth Summit. From the start the WEDO international task force was present at every single preparatory committee session for the conference. In November 1991, approximately six months before the Earth Summit, WEDO organized the World Women’s Congress for a Healthy Planet, held in Miami (United States). Attended by 1,500 women from 83 countries, this was the largest
but women were seldom taken into account in connection with these, and their participation in debates on the use of natural resources and environmental protection was rare. Environmental problems in developing countries were concrete, everyday issues that women had been dealing with for some time. In the US women regarded pollution and environmental degradation as the cause of many problems including women’s health problems, especially increases in breast cancer. This is one of the reasons that ecological issues were often addressed in feminist agendas and in women’s studies programmes. In contrast, eco-feminist thinking in Europe and the Nordic countries is rare, and there aren’t any significant women’s environmental movements. The Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), established in the United
unofficial meeting held prior to the Earth Summit. The Congress adopted Women’s Action Agenda 21, directly related to the main document prepared for the Earth Summit, entitled Agenda 21 or Agenda for the 21st Century. This text then was the basis for women’s efforts to influence UNCED documents in Rio. The Preamble of Women’s Action Agenda 21 declared clear points of departure for women’s actions on the environment: “As caring women, we speak on behalf of those who could not be with us, the millions of women who experience daily the violence of environmental degradation, poverty, and exploitation of their work and bodies. As long as Nature and women are abused by so-called ‘free market’ ideology and wrong concepts of ‘economic growth’ there can be no environmental security.” “We equate lack of political and individual will among
Women For A Healthy Planet By HILKA PIETILA
world leaders with a lack of basic morality and spiritual values and an absence of responsibility towards future generations.” “We will no longer tolerate the enormous role played by the military establishment and industries in making the 20th
It proved an unprecedented success in Rio and was later instrumental in ensuring that women’s voices were heard in several other UN world conferences in the 1990s. It also helped ensure that issues related to women were systematically and effectively
century the bloodiest and most violent in all of human history Militarism is impoverishing and maiming both the Earth and humanity” An Infallible Strategy Drawing from her experience in the US Congress and as a skilled lawyer, Bella Abzug founded within WEDO the Women’s Caucus, which’s operative capability was first “tested” in the Earth Summit preparatory process and then used during the event itself. The Women’s Caucus is a well-organized lobbying network comprising women from dozens of UN Member States from around the world.
promoted. At the Earth Summit, for example, the processing of the texts was an enormous effort as the conference document swelled into a massive pile totalling almost 800 pages. In the preparatory phase, the women organized into groups that concentrated on specific sections and suggested alterations. These were compiled and approved together within the Caucus, before they were brought to the official process. Furthermore, this process had to be repeated several times as the documents were constantly changed throughout the preparatory
process. Another challenging task was the process of negotiations in which the suggested amendments were “lobbied in.” Their inclusion was not guaranteed by the mere fact that they were well researched and written in the style of UN documents. Since the NGO representatives are not usually entitled to speak in the official subcommittees and negotiation groups, either government delegates or representatives of the secretariat have to be persuaded to adopt the suggested amendments and changes and then work them through in the official process. The success of such a largescale lobbying operation requires plenty of “likeminded” partners in both the delegations and the conference secretariat. Creating these collaborative relationships is crucial to the process and requires expertise and credibility. The success of lobbying is also vitally dependent on the willingness of the SecretaryGeneral of each conference to cooperate with women’s unofficial networks. In the 1990s, conference SecretaryGenerals such as Maurice Strong (Secretary-General of UNCED), Nafis Sadik (Secretary-General of the International Conference on Population and Development and Executive Director of UNFPA), Juan Somavia (Secretary-General of the World Summit for Social Development—WSSD), and Gertrude Mongella (Secretary-General of the Beijing Conference) were all well disposed to working with women’s groups. They, together with several delegations, often expressed their satisfaction at the fact that women suggested many relevant and significant improvements to the conference texts. As a result of the women’s strategy, UNCED’s Agenda
21 underwent great changes during the preparatory process and during the conference itself. The preliminary drafts of the document mentioned women in less than a handful of places—all in the “poverty” section or in the context of women and children as “vulnerable groups” or victims. In the final version of Agenda 21, the issues and concerns of women had been introduced in hundreds of places, most notably in paragraphs dealing with environmental policy, the use of natural resources, consumer policy and sustainable development. At the end of the Earth Summit, Maurice Strong gave full credit to the women’s lobby when he said, “I think we have moved the cause of women and the awareness of their importance a tremendous step forward, thanks to the women who have been with us all the way to Rio... And they’ve got to continue after Rio.” Bella Abzug revealed the central rule that made the women’s action so effective: “. . .to be the best organized and most unified and effective group can come from being the best informed?’ She went on to say that “the story of the global women’s movement is, however, still a work in progress. Mothering earth will take many hands and minds” (WEDO, 1993). During the period of time that included the world conferences on women and other events held during the UN Decade for Women and thereafter, a practice started to emerge among the governments that women’s perspective should be considered in all organs and bodies of the UN system. Also the implications and impacts of decisions and policies on both men and women were to be taken into account, respectively (Pietilä and Vickers, 1996).
“During the period of time that included the world conferences on women and other events held during the UN Decade for Women and thereafter, a practice started to emerge among the governments that women’s perspective should be considered in all organs and bodies of the UN system. Also the implications and impacts of decisions.”
Drumbeats
How Big Is Your Dream THE size of your dream determines the size of your financial growth, spiritual and physical growth. How big is your dream? If God through his dream for humanity can create the heavens and earth and made us in his image and
cat in 64 days. The donkey and the Zebra both require 365 days for their pregnancy, while it will take 624 days (21 months) for an elephant to reproduce. When you think about it for a moment, you realize it
claimed that their lack of success could be tied to their lack of education. Friends, I say to you again that your lack of formal education does not determine the level of your dream or success. Every human being on earth has been endowed
“And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-erite: and his son Gideon Threshed wheat &v the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the
likeness and told us to reproduce after his kind and also assured us of doing greater works, then I see no reason why we should fail, “Verily, Verily, P say unto you He that believed on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, be cause I go unto father”(John 14v12). The size of your dream determines your input and output in your generation. For example it takes 21 days for a rat to reproduce and 22 days to hatch a chick. The dog gives birth in 61 days and
makes sense. The size of what you give birth to seems to determine the size of your dream and how long your gestation period lasts. I accede to the fact that our physical size or height does not determine the size of our dream, neither does it determine the height of our success in life, but the truth is that there is nobody without a dream. Suffice it to say that our educational background does not determine the size of ones dream. I have heard, read and met thousands of people who
with a dream by God to enhance his or her status in any given society. We fail in life because of over dependent on others to help interpret our dreams. Each time we approach rich people in our society for money or help to achieve our aims and objective we are simply telling them that we lack the power, wisdom and strength to interpret or implement our dream. I have also discovered that the size of our dream determines our language in public and in private places.
Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto bin oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why them is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of saying
With Apostle Dr. Raphael O. Ayemere 08035459593
did not (lie Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him, and said, go in this thy might and thou shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites, have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, of my Lord, where with shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father house. And the Lord said unto him, surely I will be with thee, and thou shall sin the (lie Midianites as one man “Judges 6v 1-16. The Biblical passages of the scripture unveil to you the language of Gideon as regards fulfilling God’s dream in his life. God has to persuade Gideon time without number before Gideon could believe in Him and in hi in self. Friends, our negative language have tile potent Weapons that could pull down the actualization of dreams and then end up generating unfulfilled destiny. “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in (lie Spirit of the Lord, and set inc down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones. And caused me to pass by them round about,
and, behold there were very many in the open valley, and, to, they were very dry. And he said unto me, son of man, can these bones live? And f answered 0 Lord God, thou knowest”. Ezekiel 37v1-3. The language of prophet Ezekiel in his life time as reflected in the biblical reference is synonymous with our life and language as regards implementing our dreams which more often than not, are characterised by fears and doubts. God already knew that you can succeed in this world by the size of the dream which he mercifully gave to you and I. If we fail to implement our dream and succeed in this world the fault lies in our weaknesses and laziness. Friends, I ask you again how big is your dream? God expects you to affect your generation positively by the size of the dream which he placed upon your life. Beloved, you have divine enablement to fulfill your dream and achieve your aims and objective in life. Dare to do the impossible by constantly speaking positively about your dreams to others.
“I accede to the fact that our physical size or height does not determine the size of our dream, neither does it determine the height of our success in life, but the truth is that there is nobody without a dream.”
Focus THE system of recording transactions in government is expectedly meticulous because all receipts or payments must be vouched for on set out forms. Accordingly, the Financial Regulation of 1976 as Revised, FR. 601 — 627 gives detailed guidelines of payment procedure. This is however the subject of Chapter Eight. Suffice it to say that the rules outlined in the various relevant sections
Self Accounting units. The Central Post Offices of such ministries and departments effect these transactions. Remember that a SelfAccounting unit is a Ministry or Department that maintains detailed accounts in form of cash books and ledger accounts, using the transcript to send information to the Treasury Central Accounting Unit for consolidation. A SubAccounting Unit on the other hand jeeps a single entry cash book and the double entry of
Government’s Transaction Arrangement By ANI WILSON UCHENNA
Provision on FR 817 that “The Sub-Treasurer of the Federation will remit all foreign cheques received to the Central Bank of Nigeria for negotiation. The same treatment shall be given to the foreign currencies received. Transactions routed through the Federal Pay offices in the States. Actually
monthly accounts of the previous month. Documents to submit which should summarise his transactions include: (i) Original Cash Book folio with cash specification as the last page. (ii) Original and duplicate receipt and payment voucher (iii) Balance statement
the Federal Pay Office exists in the states as SubAccounting offices. The Federal Pay Office is the Federal Government Cash Office in each state capital in the federation. It’s in reality a miniature sub-treasury. Federal Pay Offices are entrusted with the receipt custody and disbursement of public money in the states and are required to keep the Treasury Cash Books. About six days into a new month, Federal Pay Offices are expected to present their
(iv) Bank certificate (4) Transaction carried out through the host state government. This takes place when the Federal Governments Treasury delegates the receipts or payment of money to State Government. Such State Government will now route such transactions through its own sub-treasury. A variant of transactions under this arrangement are transactions between Federal and State Governments. Such transactions between
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister
of the Financial Regulation must be observed for payments on receipts to be valid. The government being an enormously large set up, many transactions arrangement are in place to take care of huge scale of operations and complexity. What are these transactions arrangement? That is how do government units effect payments or collect money? Precisely at least five possible transactions arrangement exist in the area of main Government Accounting. It should be noted that the “Government” here refers to the Central or Federal Government. Simpler but elaborate systems exist in the other tiers of Government. TRANSACTIONS ARRANGEMENT (1) Transactions carried out in Self-Accounting and Sub-
its book-keeping is completed not in its unit but in the Sub- Treasury’s Cash book Transactions conducted through the federal subtreasury. The sub-treasury is the Federal Governments main cash office. This office receives public monies, pays from public f supplies cash to pay offices, supplies receipt books, safes, cash tanks, etc. to Ministries and other extra ministerial departments. This unit of the Treasury Department maintains the Federal Governments current and other accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Transactions routed here include those of Non-selfAccounting Units and other Federal Government’s transactions which may be of peculiar nature. An example is the Financial Regulation
Federal and State Governments are accounted for through current accounts. Two below the-line accounts are allocated for transactions between the Federal Government and each state Governments. These are: i. Current Account (Outwards) ii. Current Account (inwards) The current account outwards takes care of payments made by the State Government, while the Current Accounts inwards cover the credits due to the State Government. Code numbers are allocated to these current accounts. The codes are: Group 1204 -1211 and 1231 —1250. F o r example in Lagos State the current account numbers are: (i) For current account outwards — Code No. 1237 (ii) For current account inwards — Code No. 1238 When for instance the amount due to the Lagos State Governments is determined by the cash supply section, a subsidiary journal is raised crediting code 1238 — Lagos State Current Accounts inwards while the Federation account, the Pool account, is debited. Likewise when an amount is paid on account to the Lagos State Government, a payment voucher is raised and a cheque is issued. Code No. 1237 — Lagos State current account outwards is debited while the credit goes to the sub-treasurers cash book, a ledger account in Federation accounting. Balances on these current accounts are reflected under the Treasury Clearance Fund in Statement No. 2 of the Federal Governments Published Financial Statements variant of the conventional sheet at the end of each accounting period, At such periods, where the Outwards Accounts exceeds the Inwards Account, the difference represents debt
due to the Federal Government from the State concerned. Where on the other hand the Inwards Account is more than the Outwards Account the excess stands for a liability to Federal Government in favour of the particular state. (5) Transactions carried out by other agencies, e.g. crown agents, government coastal Agency, Nigeria Airways, Shipping Lines and the Treasury Pay Office in London which functions as part of the Nigerian High Commissions Accounts Department. The Crown Agents Unit handles the accounts of the Nigerian High Commission, London and the Crown Agents. CONCLUSION It should be noted that transactions carried out by Government Parastatal have not been considered under this section. A separate chapter specifically deals with the accounts of Parastatal of diverse peculiarities. For purposes of incorporation of these several transactions of these several transactions outlined above into the Treasury Central Accounting System Transcripts are used by the self Sub-Accounting Units while Federal Pay Offices and State Governments utilize control sheets or control books. These summary statements are usually prepared monthly and sent to the Treasury. While the Transcript require detailed analysis and classification of expenditure and revenue heads, the control sheet is simply a summary of the cash book analysed according to revenue and expenditure. As these summary statements are vital sources of information for the preparation of Treasury final accounts they form the object of the next chapter.
“The sub-treasury is the Federal Governments main cash office. This office receives public monies, pays from public f supplies cash to pay offices, supplies receipt books, safes, cash tanks, etc. to Ministries and other extra ministerial departments. This unit of the Treasury Department maintains the Federal Governments current and other accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”
Politics THERE is the adage in Esan that says a liar has no memory. Yet another one that says any person who betrays his friend or his people will eat from the ground. Similarly the Esan people say it is in the morning that you know the child who will be useful to his parents. In more ways than one, Festus Ebea the suspended deputy speaker of Edo house of assembly symbolizes the imprints of the axioms above. When the nomination or the congress to elect the candidate of Governorship for the A.C .N took place in 2007, it was clear that Ebea will betray the people of Esan South East. He was at that time not only a strong supporter of Charles ldahosa “Alias Charles Temple” he led a very strong brigade of army of thugs to Ubiaja where the congress was held. Festus Ebea was one of the most prominent who with the army of thugs attempted to subvert the nomination of Adams Oshiomhole, to make sure he did not get the nomination and support of the people of Esan South East. Because the Bible says one with God is with majority, at the end, with all his Army of thugs Festus Ebea was defeated and Adams Oshiomhole won Charles Idahosa, Ken lmhasuagbon and others. Since then we have been watching Festus Ebea with our eagle eye. Then came the house of Assembly election, Festus Ebea showed interest to contest, but many people kicked against his candidature. Some leaders refused vehemently knowing his antecedent. Before then even as secretary, Edo State Rapid Response Agency, Festus Ebea was still hobnobbing with P.D.P. One faithful day, he was invited to a meeting at Ubiaja by his friends in the opposition party but on his way to Ubiaja, he had a fatal accident that almost claimed his life . The accident left his leg broken from his thigh. The first set of persons that took him to the private hospital at
Uromi were his P.D.P friend but during his stay at the private hospital at Uromi it was the office of Rapid Response Agency that came to his rescue with cash and kind. Three months after the accident he was discharged but his broken leg was almost rotten, He could no longer move with the leg and so could not come to the office. Despite this his salary was going on, well paid, as at when due for over one year. Again, a time came when the suspended Deputy Speaker Festus Ebea could no longer get out of his rented apartment. He cried to leader Victor Eboigbe and Managing Director Edo State Rapid Response Agency, for help. In response, the Managing Director Engineer Stanley Dako wrote a very powerful and sympathetic letter to the same Governor whom he worked against, during the congress and who appointed him the secretary of Rapid Response Agency despite all odds for assistance. The Kind Oshiomhole, who does not look back at any one’s antecedent, approved that request and gave Festus Ebea the sum of Four Million, Two hundred Thousand naira to go for treatment abroad. Today he no longer limps, He walks with his two legs, that was to be amputated. When the issue of who will represent the people of Esan South East in the house of Assembly came Festus Ebea and Honorable Larry Aghedo showed interest, Some leaders vehemently kicked against the candidature of Festus Ebea because of his antecedents’ in one of our numerous meetings at leader Victor Eboigbe’s house, at about 2 am, with all the leaders in a meeting some leaders told the little they knew about Ebea in Ubiaja politics. Some leaders reminded the people about Ebea’s role in the nomination of Adam Oshiomhole during the congress. That did not go down well with our leader because, what we saw in
Festus Ebea’s Last Song among the leaders but because blood is ticker than water we were able to manage the situation and the ticket to house of Assembly was given to Festus Ebea. The suspended Deputy Speaker was unable to pay his
Government Area to ask for the support for Festus Ebea. Next Year, is the house of Assembly Election, and Ebea knows very well that he cannot win his nomination, hence, he think his defection to P.D.P will help him out. Since he became a member of the
nomination fee, he was unable to print posters, and all were done for him by supporters. Festus Ebea did not even campaign one day on his own. The people of Esan South east did the campaign for him .The Comrade Governor crowned it all by going round the Local
house of assembly, Festus Ebea has no consistency office. He has never visited his people to tell them what is going on in the house, The people of san South East who he represents, do not know what he is doing. The constituency fund! No one knows about it and the supposed project that
By EDDY BONG
Ebea was not only prophetic but a reality because that was how they could explain the reason they rejected his nomination. Festus Ebea was a very wretched down trodden candidate. Some persons told our
Hon Festus Ebea leader that Larry was a better promising man to be trusted, and we should support him Ebea was almost washing the pants of those he knew would help him, our stand at that time almost caused a rift between some leaders and leader Victor Eboigbe, who incidentally is the youngest
“If Festus Ebea is sincere, or is a man of conscience, he should be able to say the number of projects he as a member of Edo State Assembly since he assumed office executed in Esan South East, our people are not fools. There are many more qualified politicians, but for the luck and the opportunity he had, he would not have been elected.”
follows. For the fear of the questions that will come very soon so Festus Ebea decided to opt out to P.D.P. but he forgot that wherever he goes with the people’s money, he will be invited to account for it when the time comes. Because a liar has no memory in an interview recently, he alleged that there was no single project in his consistency that is why he opted to move over to the P.D.P. If Festus Ebea is sincere, or is a man of conscience, he should be able to say the number of projects he as a member of Edo State Assembly since he assumed office executed in Esan South East, our people are not fools. There are many more qualified politicians, but for the luck and the opportunity he had, he would not have been elected. This is a man who could not host people during his appointment as a secretary of Edo State Rapid Response Agency. Our Esan people say that any man who forgot where he was drained, or where he was sunned is an ingrate. Festus Ebea forgot so soon, how, when, where, he was assisted to become a member of the house of assembly. There is the adage that, any man who deceive harlot once will one day want to go back to her but at that time he will never have his way. Let us quickly remind Festus Ebea that where he thinks is better now, will be worse for him. In Esan South East local government area, where he comes from and the people he represents, there are numerous projects executed by the state and local government. Very soon all these projects will be unfolding in the print and electronic media, because they say picture don’t lie. Finally, we are watching and waiting how far the fowl will fly.
Law
BY the decision of the court we mean the judgment of courts. Very often the character of a court decision as well as the court that gave the decision is relevant especially on appeals whether in the same case or in another matter. It is essential to know exactly what it means to say that a decision is an authority on facts, final, interlocutory, and so forth. Authority: A decision is an authority on the principle of law enunciated therein if it is binding on the court to which it is referred to for application in the case on hand. Strictly, the term is applicable only where the court to which the case is cited is absolutely bound by the decision, such as when a decision of the Privy Council is cited to the High Court. But the term is very often also used, rather in a loose sense, when a court is referred to a decision which it may follow as a matter of judicial comity, such as when a decision of one High Court is referred to another High Court. In this sense the decision is referred to as one of persuasive authority. Decision on Facts: A decision on facts is one which laid no new principle but merely illustrates an existing principle in the application of the particular facts of the case. Such decision is not binding on any court even when made by the highest court in the country. The usefulness of a decision on facts in relation to subsequent cases, is that it may illustrate how the court might regard facts.
However, a decision that certain legal consequences follow from certain facts is more than a decision on facts simpliciter and shall be binding in another case raising substantially the same or similar facts. Final Decision: Once a decision has finally disposed of the controversy between the parties, it is final. Four different tests may be applied to ascertain the finality or otherwise of the decision. They are (a) was the decision made upon an application such that a decision in favour of either party would deter mine the main dispute? (b) Was the application made upon an application upon which the main dispute would have been decided? (c) Does the decision, as made, determine the dispute? (d) If the decision in question is reversed, would the action have to go on? A decision is final for purposes of appeal even though the court merely expressed its opinion in a matter referred to it under the Constitution or other enactments A final decision is none the less final by reason of the fact that it was made in an interlocutory motion, or that it is subject to appeal or that it reserved liberty to apply. A final decision is appealable as of right. Interlocutory Decision: A decision that is not final is interlocutory. An interlocutory decision is generally not appealable as of right. Appeal may be only by leave, and also the time within which the appeal lies is much shorter. The appellate court may hear an appeal without deciding whether or not the decision appealed against
Court Decisions
is final or interlocutory, especially where the appellant misconceived the nature of the decision.’ Non Suit: Non suit is a decision that neither the plain tiff nor the defendant is entitled to judgment on the evidence before the court. It is a final decision for purposes of appeal though the plaintiff is not
precluded by reason of such decision from bringing fresh action on the matter.’ Obiter Dictum: Principles which are enunciated in the course of a judgment and which go beyond the occasion in the sense that they are not essential to reach a
By A. OBI-OKOYE
conclusion on the issue before the court but merely amplify or illustrate the conclusion, are not part of the court’s decision in the case: they are classified as Obita dicta and have no binding authority whatsoever no matter the status of the court. It is,
in which a decision of the court should be held to have been given per incuriam are those decisions given in ignorance or forgetfulness of some inconsistent statutory provision or authority binding on the court: so that in such cases,
however, common sense that when dicta are contained in the judgment of a very superior court they may have persuasive effect and so may be disregarded by subordinate courts only on sound reasoning. Per incuriam: As a general rule, the only cases
some part of the decision or some step in the reasoning on which it is based, is found, on that account, to be demonstrably wrong. Deficiency of parties or the mere fact that the court had not the benefit of the best of argument, would not make the decision per incuriam. A decision given per incuriam is not an authority. But it would appear that when there is a doubt as to whether or not the decision of a superior court was given per incuriam, a lower court shall follow it as it is only such higher court or any other court still higher that
“A decision that is not final is interlocutory. An interlocutory decision is generally not appealable as of right. Appeal may be only by leave, and also the time within which the appeal lies is much shorter. The appellate court may hear an appeal without deciding whether or not the decision appealed against is final or interlocutory, especially where the appellant misconceived the nature of the decision.”
can decide the nature of the said decision. Ratio decidendi: This term connotes the abstract of the decision of the court. It enunciates the principle, i.e. the legal reason on which the issue on hand is being decided. As a matter of definition, ratio decidendi would be described as the general
reasons given for the decision, or the general grounds on which the decision is based, so that when they are detached or abstracted from the peculiar facts of the case, those grounds or reasons crystalise into ascertained principles having the force of law for application in subsequent cases. It is the ratio decidendi that can be used as an authority in another case. Stare decisis: By this is meant the doctrine of judicial precedent, that is to say, binding authority of court decision. This is dealt with in the next section.
Nature Science
The Nerous System And Co-Ordination In Vertebrates
GENERAL STRUCTURE VERTEBRATES have a highly complex nervous system which invests the whole body. There are a number of highly specialised sense organs, such as the eye, the ear and the nose; organs sensitive to touch, pressure, pain, heat and cold, balance and position relative to gravity; and lesserknown sense organs which are sensitive to tension in muscles and other internal conditions in different parts of the body. All the sensory cells in these organs are connected to a large and complicated central nervous system by means of sensory nerve fibres. The sensory cells collect information about conditions outside and inside the body. This information is transmitted to the central nervous system by nerve impulses for assessment and co-ordinated action. In this way muscle systems work together, digestive juices are secreted at the right time, oxygen and food supplies can be increased if necessary, enemies and harmful situations can be avoided, prey can be trapped and food taken; thus the animal can function as a whole. Many of our simple actions depend on highly complicated muscle movements which must be co-ordinated exactly, and the nervous machinery to achieve this must necessarily be extremely intricate. The central nervous system is assisted in its work of coordination by the endocrine system which is closely related to it. This consists of a number of special glands which secrete chemical substances into the blood stream. Each of these secretions has a particular effect on the activity of certain organs in the body. When the nervous system is made aware of the need for regulating the activity of a particular organ, a message is automatically sent to the appropriate gland to increase or decrease its secretion into the blood, and the organ is controlled accordingly. The central nervous system in vertebrates consists of a large cord of nervous tissue known as the spinal cord which runs the whole length of the body inside the vertebral column. At the anterior end, the cord is expanded into a larger part, the brain, which is enclosed in the skull. The brain has a
definite shape and structure and is the largest nerve centre in the body, showing a considerable division of function in its different parts. The sense organs of the head and the viscera are connected to the brain by sensory nerve fibres which are carried in the cranial nerves. Nerve fibres from the hind-part of the brain go out to the organs and tissues of the head and viscera also by way of the cranial nerves. The cranial
nerves pass through the skull by way of special holes or foramina. The spinal cord is continuous with the brain and large tracts of nerve fibres pass to and from the brain up and down the spinal cord. The spinal cord passes out of the skull through the large hole in the base. It is connected to the sense organs and the tissues of the
rest of the body by pairs of spinal nerves which pass out, one on each side, from between the vertebrae down the length of the body. These nerves serve the limbs, body wall and all other organs. The spinal nerves contain the sensory fibres coming in from the sensory organs and the motor fibres going out to organs of response. Impulses coming into the spinal cord by the sensory fibres of the
spinal nerve can be transmitted within the cord and then sent out directly by motor fibres in the spinal nerve to an organ for immediate response; this happens in the well-known knee- jerk reflex. Impulses may also be sent to the brain by the sensory tracts of fibres in the cord so that the brain is informed if further co ordination is necessary;
likewise messages from the hind-brain travel down the cord in the motor-fibre tracts, carrying impulses to be transmitted to any organs of response by a spinal nerve. The brain therefore has contact with the whole of the body via the spinal cord and the spinal nerves! NERVE CELLS, NERVE FIBRES AND NERVES Nerve cells which make up nervous tissue are called neurones; they have been briefly described (a) in an earlier chapter (page 14). Neurones have a specialised structure suited to their function of receiving and conducting electrochemical impulses, but this varies according to their position in the nervous system A typical neurone from the grey matter of the brain or the spinal cord of man consists of a small cell-body with a nucleus and many fine thread-like extensions of its protoplasm, called dendrites; dendrites are particularly highly developed in this type of nerve cell. The dendrites connect up with dendrites from other similar nerve cells and we believe that these connections, called synapses, are the means by which impulses can be conducted from pile nerve cell to another As the human brain contains several millions of such cells, an infinite number of synapses are possible. It seems likely that the experiences to which our nervous system is exposed bring about the synapses in the brain and in this way the brain records our past experiences. The synapses are the basis of our learning, and by studying them we get some explanation of how our brains can store such an immense amount of information. Those nerve cells which are concerned with the conduction of impulses over a distance to and from the brain or the spinal cord, have a larger cell body and one specialised outgrowth, called an a or nerve fibre; they also have many small short
outgrowths from the protoplasm of the cell body. Each nerve fibre is protected and insulated by a layer of fat. In sense organs, the sensory cells which perceive the particular stimuli are connected by fine protoplasmic fibrils to the axons of nerve cells; these axons conduct the impulse to a nerve centre and are called sensory fibres. The fibres of nerve cells which conduct impulses away from a nerve centre are called Motor fibres; these end in a brush of small fibrils at the organ which responds to the impulse, for example a muscle or a gland. Nerve fibres are very fine and delicate; they are often very long and would be easily damaged; vast numbers cannot therefore be left passing at random through tissues all over the body. Many often have to travel along the same route and these are naturally combined together, like the separate wires in a cable, into bundles made up of several hundreds of fibres, enclosed ; a sheath of connective tissue, to form a nerve. In a dissection of any large animal, main nerves are easily seen as white cords of different thick nesses, which give off more slender branches as they pass near the different organs. This is obviously a much safer and neater arrangement than having hundreds of delicate threads travelling independently across tissues. Some nerves are made up entirely of sensory fibres, e.g. the nerve from the eye or the ear to the brain; others are entirely motor nerves, e.g. the nerves from the brain to the eye muscles. Where sensory and motor nerve fibres have to travel in the same locality, they are combined together in the same nerve-sheath as a single mixed nerve, for example, the nerves serving the face and the mouth.
“Nerve fibres are very fine and delicate; they are often very long and would be easily damaged; vast numbers cannot therefore be left passing at random through tissues all over the body. Many often have to travel along the same route and these are naturally combined together, like the separate wires in a cable, into bundles made up of several hundreds of fibres, enclosed ; a sheath of connective tissue, to form a nerve.�
International Features
Egypt Sentence 3 Al-Jazeera Reporters
AN Egyptian court convicted three Al-Jazeera journalists and sentenced them to seven years in prison each on terrorism-related charges in a verdict Monday that stunned their families and was quickly denounced as a blow to freedom of expression. International pressure mounted on Egypt’s president to pardon the three. The verdicts against Australian Peter Greste, Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohammed came after a 5-month trial that Amnesty International described as a “sham,” calling Monday’s rulings “a dark day for media freedom in Egypt.” The three, who have been detained since December, contend they are being prosecuted simply for doing their jobs as journalists, covering Islamist protests against the ouster last year of President Mohammed Morsi. Three other foreign journalists, two Britons and a Dutch citizen, were sentenced to 10 years in absentia. Media groups have called the trial political, part of a fight between the government and the Qatarbased Al-Jazeera network , which authorities accuse of bias toward the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi. The network denies any bias. Prosecutors charged them with supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist group, and with fabricating footage to undermine Egypt’s national security and make it appear the country was facing civil war. But the prosecution presented little evidence in the trial. “I swear they will pay for this,” Fahmy, who was Al-Jazeera English’s acting Cairo bureau chief, shouted
some footage showing clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and police, but without any indication it was falsified. They also cited as of additional charges of process that could take evidence leaflets that the possession of ammunition. months. The three would three had picked up at the Al-Jazeera has said that remain in prison throughout protests. Mostly, they charge was rooted in a spent the appeals, unless they win presented random video shell found in his possession a separate “suspension of clips also found on the three — a souvenir he’d picked up verdict” ruling. An appeal that had nothing to do with from protests. can grant them a retrial, but the case — including a Australian Foreign only if flaws in the court report on a veterinary Minister Julia Bishop said, proceedings are found. hospital in Cairo, another on “We are all shocked by this Christian life in Egypt and old footage of Greste from previous assignments elsewhere in Africa, including video of animals. The defense also complained repeatedly that it did not have access to the prosecution evidence. “The only reason these three men are in jail is because the Egyptian authorities don’t like what they have to say,” Amnesty International said in a statement. The group’s observer at the trial, Philip Luther, said the prosecution “failed to produce a single shred of solid evidence linking the journalists to a terrorism organization or proving they had falsified news footage.” “Consigning these men Al-Jazeera English Producer Baher Mohamed, Centre left, Canadian-Egyptian acting Cairo Bureau Chief, Mohammed to years in prison after such Fahmy, Centre, and Correspondent Peter Greste, second right, appear in court along with several other defendants a farcical spectacle is a during their trial on terror charges, in Cairo, Egypt. travesty of justice,” said The trial has had a including the son of Luther. “The Egyptian attending the session. His verdict.” She said the mother and finance broke government would contact strong political dimension Mohammed el-Beltagy, a judiciary has proved time down in tears. “Who did he newly elected Egyptian from the start, tied into the senior figure in the Muslim and time again that it is kill” to get this sentence? President Abdel-Fattah el- July 3 ouster of Morsi by Brotherhood. Most of the either unwilling or incapable Fahmy’s mother, Wafa Sissi and ask him to then-army chief el-Sissi and co-defendants were of conducting an impartial intervene in the case. the subsequent crackdown students, arrested separately and fair trial when it comes Bassiouni shouted. She said Egypt’s on the Muslim Brotherhood. and accused of giving to those perceived to support Fahmy’s brother said they would appeal the government should “reflect Security forces have killed footage to the journalists. the former president.” verdict but added that he what message is being sent hundreds and arrested Before the verdicts, The managing director had little faith in the system. to the world ... We are thousands more, trying to of Qatar-based Al-Jazeera Australian Prime Minister “Everything is corrupt,” he deeply concerned that this crush protests by Morsi English, Al Anstey, said in Tony Abbott said Monday said. Greste’s brother verdict is part of a broader supporters. a statement that “not a shred he spoke with el-Sissi over Qatar, which owns Al- of evidence was found to the weekend and told him Andrew said he was attempt to muzzle media Britain’s Jazeera, was a top ally of support the extraordinary that Greste was innocent. “I “gutted” and also vowed to freedoms.” Foreign Secretary, William Morsi, and the military- and false charges against did make the point that as an appeal. Australian journalist, Peter The three received Hague, said he was backed government has them.” since treated it as a bitter sentences of seven years “appalled.” “To have detained Greste would not have been El-Sissi has the power opponent. Amid the them for 177 days is an supporting the Muslim each in a maximum security Egyptian outrage. To have sentenced Brotherhood, he would have prison. Mohammed, the to commute the sentence or crackdown, pardon the three — but only authorities accused Al- them defies logic, sense, simply been reporting on the team’s producer, received after appeals are finished, a Jazeera of being a and any semblance of Muslim Brotherhood,” an extra three years because Abbott told reporters in justice,” he said. Greste, Fahmy and Canberra. “The point I made was Mohammed were arrested that in the long run, a free in December when police and vigorous media are good raided the Cairo hotel room for democracy, good for they were using as an office. security, (and) good for Police confiscated their stability,” he said. equipment, computers and Also Sunday, visiting other items. U.S. Secretary of State John During the trial, Kerry said he discussed Alprosecutors contended they Jazeera trial with el-Sissi. would present fabricated Kerry said el-Sissi promised footage aired by the a reevaluation of rights defendants as evidence they restrictive legislation and a aimed to undermine Egypt’s reevaluation of the judicial security. process. He didn’t elaborate. Instead, they presented Courtesy: AP. angrily from the defendants’ cage after the sentences were announced in the Cairo court. Fahmy is also accused of belonging to the Brotherhood. Greste, an awardwinning correspondent, silently raised a clinched fist in the air. “They just ruined a family,” said Fahmy’s brother Adel, who was
“Prosecutors charged them with supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist group, and with fabricating footage to undermine Egypt’s national security and make it appear the country was facing civil war. But the prosecution presented little evidence in the trial.”
mouthpiece for the group, an accusation the station denies. During the trial, Fahmy shouted in court that their prosecution was an extension of the fight between Egypt’s government and Qatar. There were 14 other co-defendants in the case. Eight being tried in absentia each received 10-year prison sentences. Two of them were acquitted,
International
Ukraine: Putin Calls For Compromise
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly expressed support for Ukraine’s declaration of a cease-fire in its battle against pro-Russian separatists and called on both sides to negotiate a compromise. Putin said such a compromise must guarantee the rights of the Russian-speaking residents of eastern Ukraine, who must feel
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like they are “an integral part” of their own country. Putin’s statement appeared to signal that he sees their future in Ukraine. Separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions have declared independence and asked to join Russia. Moscow has rebuffed their appeals, but is seen by Ukraine and the West as actively supporting the insurgency. Putin’s conciliatory words came as Russia began large-scale military exercises and after NATO accused Russia of moving troops back toward the Ukrainian border. Putin appears determined to keep up the pressure to force the Kiev government to give the eastern industrial regions more powers and to prevent Ukraine from moving too close to the European Union or NATO. But he also wants to avoid more punishing sanctions from the U.S. and particularly from the European Union, whose leaders will meet Friday in Brussels, and therefore needs to be seen as
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“That President Poroshenko announced a truce is without a doubt an important part of a final settlement, without which no agreement can be reached, and there is no doubt that Russia will support this intention, but in the end the most important thing is a political process,” Putin said. Putin discussed the cease-fire on Sunday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, Merkel’s office and the Kremlin said. “After the Russian government too referred to the cease-fire in positive terms, the interlocutors emphasized the need for all sides to abide by it now and for a political dialogue to be put in motion,” Merkel’s office said in a statement. “Another topic of the conversation was the issue of securing the Ukrainian-Russian border.” U.S. Vice President Joe Biden welcomed Ukraine’s unilateral
pro-Ukrainian activists marched outside Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a revered Orthodox monastery, which was guarded by riot police, some on horseback. The activists had come to prevent pro-Russian supporters from holding their own march at the monastery, which is under the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchy. Putin has appealed to both sides to halt all military operations and sit down at the negotiating table. It remained unclear whether the pro-Russia separatists would comply and how much pressure Russia would put on them to cease fire. Putin said Sunday that fighting was continuing, including what he said was artillery fire from the Ukrainian side. Poroshenko has said his troops reserve the right to fire back if separatists attack them or civilians. Poroshenko, in turn, told Biden that “Russian-backed separatists continued to attack Ukrainian forces, including with the use of artillery, following the cease-fire declaration,” Biden’s office said. Biden reiterated that the U.S. was working with its G-7 partners to prepare further economic sanctions against Russia if Moscow failed to take actions “to stop the flow of arms and militants across the border and use its influence to publicly call on the separatists to lay down their arms.” Tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated sharply in February when protests in favor of closer Ukrainian ties with the European Union drove proRussia President Viktor Yanukovych from power. Russia denounced the events as a coup and annexed Ukraine’s mostly Russian-speaking Crimea region. Rebellion in the eastern regions broke out shortly afterward, with Russian President Vladimir Putin, (left) and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Ukraine accusing Russia of attend a victory day parade which commemorates the 1945 defeat of Nazi supporting it. Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of Germany at Red Square in Moscow, Russia recently. thousands have fled their homes.
cooperating with efforts to deescalate the conflict. The Kremlin initially dismissed the peace plan that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko laid out on Friday. But in a statement issued late Saturday, Putin said he welcomed the cease-fire and Poroshenko’s “intention to take other concrete steps to reach a peaceful settlement.” As part of his plan, Poroshenko suggested a decentralization of power to give the regions more political authority. He also proposed new local and parliamentary elections, and measures to protect the language rights of Russian speakers in the east. Putin was more specific on Sunday, when he spoke publicly following ceremonies commemorating the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.
cease-fire declaration in a telephone conversation with Poroshenko, but expressed concern that separatist leaders have refused to reciprocate, Biden’s office said in a statement. A damaged window is seen after explosion at regional administration in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, Sun … In Kiev, Poroshenko also addressed his nation on the day on which Ukrainians and Russians mourn the millions who died during World War II. He called for peace, but urged his compatriots to stand strong and united. “It was so during the violent struggle against the Nazis and it should be the same now,” Poroshenko said. “Facing a real threat, we must unite even more and secure our historical choice, defend our right to live freely on our land.” Also Sunday, a few hundred
Afghanistan’s Chief Electoral Officer Resigns
KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s chief electoral officer has resigned in a bid to resolve a political crisis over allegations of massive fraud in the runoff presidential vote earlier this month. Zia ul-Haq Amarkhail told reporters that he denies any involvement in fraud but he is stepping down “for the national interest.” One of the two candidates, Abdullah Abdullah has said his campaign monitors had recorded ballot box stuffing and other irregularities. He suspended cooperation with the vote counting process and demanded Amarkhail be suspended. The crisis has threatened what Western officials had hoped would be a peaceful transfer of authority. President Hamid Karzai is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. An Afghan official says the Taliban have released 33 university professors and students abducted nearly two weeks ago in the country’s east. Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, the deputy governor of Ghazni province, says the hostages were released overnight and early yesterday, following mediation by
tribal elders in the region and the staff from the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ghazni. Ahmadi says the 33, most of whom are professors at the
Kandahar university, were on their way to the Afghan capital, Kabul, earlier this month when their bus was stopped by the Taliban in the province’s Qarabagh district.
The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed the release of the 33 in a statement to media. He didn’t say if a ransom was involved or provide details.
BAGHDAD - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Iraq’s prime minister in Baghdad yesterday to push for a more inclusive government, even as Baghdad’s forces abandoned the border with Jordan, leaving the entire Western frontier outside government control. Sunni tribes took the Turaibil border crossing, the only legal crossing point between Iraq and Jordan, after Iraqi security forces fled, Iraqi and Jordanian security sources said. The tribes were negotiating to hand the post over to insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant who took control of two main crossings with Syria over the weekend. Kurdish forces control a third border post with Syria in the north, leaving central government troops with no presence along the entire Western frontier which includes some of the most important eastwest trade routes in the Middle
East. For the insurgents, capturing the frontier is a dramatic step towards the goal of erasing the modern border altogether and building a caliphate across swathes of Syria and Iraq. Washington, which withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2011 after an occupation that followed the 2003 invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, has been struggling to help Iraq contain a Sunni insurgency led by ISIL, an al Qaeda offshoot which seized northern towns this month. U.S. President Barack Obama agreed last week to send up to 300 special forces troops as advisers, but has held off from providing air strikes and ruled out redeploying ground troops. Washington is worried that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s Shi’ite-led government has worsened the insurgency by alienating moderate Sunnis who once fought al Qaeda but have
now joined the ISIL revolt. While Washington has been careful not to say publicly it wants Maliki to relinquish power, Iraqi officials say such a message has been delivered behind the scenes. There was little small talk when Kerry met Maliki, the two men seated in chairs in a room with other officials. At one point Kerry looked at an Iraqi official and said, “How are you?” The meeting lasted one hour and 40 minutes, after which Kerry was escorted to his car by Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari. As Kerry got in, he said: “That was good.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday accused Washington of trying to regain control of the country it once occupied - a charge Kerry denied. Iraqis are due to form a new government after an election in April. Maliki’s list won the most seats in parliament but would still require allies to win a majority.
Iraq Crisis: Kerry Presses Maliki
International Syrian Rebel Groups Sending Children Into War - HRW DAMASCUS - Militant Islamist groups in Syria are recruiting children as young as 15 and sending them into battle after promising them a free education, a Human Rights Watch report said. The report said the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which has made rapid territorial gains across the border in Iraq, had given children weapons training in Syria and told them to carry out suicide bombings. Citing personal accounts, the rights group also found evidence of children being mobilized by the more moderate Westernbacked Free Syrian Army, the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, the Islamic Front coalition and security forces in Kurdishcontrolled areas. “The horrors of Syria’s armed conflict are only made worse by throwing children into the front lines,” said Priyanka Motaparthy, the author of the report which drew on the accounts of 25 children. It said 14-year-old youths had been used in support roles for the fighting. Reuters could not independently confirm the accounts. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights, an anti-Assad monitoring group, said on Sunday that relatives of kidnapped students in Syria fear that ISIL will use the children to carry out car bombs or suicide attacks. Syria’s conflict started with peaceful demonstrations for political change in 2011 but has descended into a civil war, pitting forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad against a myriad of opposition groups. Infighting among opposition combatants has complicated the conflict, which has stirred sectarian tensions across the Middle East and spilled over into neighboring countries. HRW said the number of children fighting in Syria was not known. The Violations Documenting Center, a Syrian monitoring group, had documented 194 deaths of “noncivilian” male children in the country since September 2011, the report said. The children said they had fought in battles, acted as snipers, manned checkpoints, treated the wounded on battlefields, and brought supplies to front lines, the report said. A 16-year-old boy who gave his name as Majed said the Nusra Front recruited him and other
boys in the southern city of Deraa near the Jordanian border. The group provided free schooling at a local mosque that included military training and commanders had asked children as well as adults to carry out suicide attacks, he said. “Sometimes the commanders would say, “Allah chose you,” and sometimes the fighters volunteered,” Majed said, according to the report. Many children followed their
relatives or friends into the armed groups, while others lived in battle zones without schooling or other options, HRW said. Others had taken part in protests or were angry with the government. All of the 25 interviewed were boys, but the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) police force and its armed wing had enlisted girls to guard checkpoints and conduct armed patrols in Kurdish-controlled areas, the report said.
Human Rights Watch said some armed groups had taken steps to end the use of children in the conflict. The Westernbacked Syrian National Coalition said it was examining the allegations. “We take such allegations extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring that anyone responsible for the voluntary or involuntary recruitment of children is held to account,” it told Human Rights
BANGKOK — Police in Thailand arrested eight people for demonstrating against the nation’s increasingly repressive military junta, including a man who was dragged away by undercover officers for reading a copy of George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” outside one of Bangkok’s most luxurious shopping malls. The arrest was the first known case of anyone being
detained for reading as a form of protest since the military seized power last month. Handfuls of anti-coup protesters have staged several silent readings of the classic book elsewhere in the capital in recent weeks because they say its indictment of totalitarianism has become relevant after the army deposed the nation’s elected government in a May 22 coup.
A police officer said all the arrests took place in and around Siam Paragon, a crowded, upscale mall in downtown Bangkok that’s one of Southeast Asia’s largest. It was the world’s most photographed location on Instagram last year. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to give information to the media. A Thai reporter who
Thai Police Detain 8 Anti-Coup Protesters
Iraq Air Strike Kills 7 In Militant-Held Tikrit
Tikrit (Iraq) - An air strike on the insurgent-controlled Iraqi city of Tikrit killed at least seven people, as the authorities seek to stem a swift Sunni militant offensive. The air strike, reported by state television and witnesses, comes after a lightning advance earlier this month in which insurgents including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant jihadist group overran a swathe of territory, including Tikrit. The television said the strike targeted a group of militants and killed 40 of them, while witnesses told AFP the attack hit a petrol station in the centre of the city, which is the capital of Salaheddin province north of Baghdad. The witnesses said seven people were killed, but did not know whether the casualties were fighters. Beginning late on June 9, militants led by ISIL but also including a number of other
groups such as loyalists of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, overran most of one province and parts of three others north of Baghdad. The security forces wilted in the face of the initial onslaught, in many cases abandoning vehicles, equipment and even their uniforms. They appear to have recovered in the past few days, with officials touting gains against militants, though insurgents have made territorial progress elsewhere. The United States has offered up to 300 military advisers to help Iraq stem the tide, but has stopped short of acceding to Baghdad’s request for air strikes, calling instead for more inclusive leadership by the Shiite-led government. The crisis has alarmed the international community, with the United Nations warning that it was “life-threatening for Iraq”.
Watch in a letter. The Islamic Front, a coalition of several rebel factions, told HRW it had investigated the accounts and found no evidence that its fighters included children. “We never arm a young man, or give him the opportunity to join the Front, including the Ahrar AlSham Islamic movement, except after a thorough check of his documents, to ascertain he’s over 18,” it told HRW.
Mohammed (right), a 13 year-old fighter from the Free Syrian Army, aims his weapon as he runs from snippers loyal to the Syrian regime in Aleppo’s Bustan al-Basha district.
witnessed the lone man reading Orwell’s book said he was taken away by half a dozen plainclothes police. The reporter, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the man first read the book quietly, then held it up as officers approached and journalists took photos. When questioned, the man said he was reading the book for “liberty, equality and fraternity” — the slogan of the French Revolution. The man was also playing the French national anthem on his smartphone, the reporter said. Several other people were also detained in the shopping mall’s food court for preparing to hand out sandwiches, mimicking another recent protest in which a small group of student activists from Bangkok’s Thammasat University gave out that said were “sandwiches for democracy.” The eighth arrest Sunday was of a woman wearing a T-shirt with the words “Respect My Vote” on it. The phrase became popular among pro-democracy groups trying to counter anti-government protesters who obstructed elections Feb. 2 that were later annulled in a controversial court ruling. The protesters had accused the government of corruption and abuse of power, and had repeatedly called for it to be overthrown and urged the army to intervene.
Israeli Military Carries Out Airstrikes In Syria JERUSALEM— Israeli warplanes bombed a series of targets inside Syria early yesterday, the Israeli military said, in response to a crossborder attack that killed an Israeli teenager the previous day.
Israeli Security forces take part in an operation yesterday in Bethlehem to locate the three Israeli teenagers who disappeared on June 12 while hitchicking in the Southern West Bank.
In all, Israel said it struck nine military targets inside Syria, and “direct hits were confirmed.” The targets were located near the site of Sunday’s violence in the Golan Heights and included a regional military command center and unspecified “launching positions.” There was no immediate response from Syria. In Sunday’s attack, an Israeli civilian vehicle was struck by forces in Syria as it drove in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. A teenage boy was killed and two other people were wounded in the first deadly incident along the volatile Israeli-Syrian front since Syria’s civil war erupted more than three years ago. The Israeli vehicle was delivering water as it was doing contract work for Israel’s Defense Ministry when it was struck. “Yesterday’s attack was an unprovoked act of aggression against Israel, and a direct continuation to recent attacks that occurred in the area,” said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman. He said the military “will not tolerate any attempt to breach Israel’s sovereignty and will act in order to safeguard the civilians of the state of Israel.” The sudden burst of violence
has added to the tense situation in Israel, where forces have spent the past week and half in a broad ground operation in the West Bank in search of three teenage boys believed to have been abducted by Hamas militants. Israel has carefully monitored the fighting in Syria, but has generally kept its distance and avoided taking sides. On several occasions, mortar shells and other types of fire have landed on the Israeli side of the de facto border, drawing limited Israeli reprisals. Israel is also believed to have carried out several airstrikes on arms shipments it believed to be headed from Syria to Hezbollah militants in neighboring Lebanon. It was not immediately clear whether Syrian troops or one of the many rebel groups battling the government carried out Sunday’s deadly attack in the Golan. But Lerner said it was clear that the attack was intentional. Israel has repeatedly said it holds the Syrian government responsible for any attacks emanating from its territory, regardless of who actually carries them out. Israel captured the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau overlooking northern Israel, from
Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel’s annexation of the area has never been recognized internationally. The incident occurred in the area of Tel Hazeka, near the Quneitra crossing. The Britainbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian troops had shelled nearby targets on the Syrian border earlier in the day. Israeli police identified the boy as Mohammed Karaka, 14, of the Arab village of Arraba in northern Israel. Local media said he had accompanied his father, the truck driver, to work. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke to the boy’s father and sent his condolences. “Our enemies don’t differentiate between Jews and non-Jews, adults and children,” he told an international gathering of Jewish journalists. In his address, Netanyahu said in conflicts like Syria, where alQaida-inspired extremists are battling Iranian-backed Syrian troops, there is no good choice and it is best for Israel to sit back and let its enemies weaken each other. “This is a fault line between civilization and savagery,” he said.
Tribute
AS Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Erediauwa, marks his birthday, our palace correspondent, Raymond Osogbe reflects on the personage of the iconic Oba, whose footprints are visible in all spheres of life. Oba Erediauwa, was born as the eldest child of Oba Akenzua II and by implication, the heir apparent to the revered Benin Royal dynasty that tenaciously upholds the law of progenitor. The Oba’s full title is His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolor, Erediauwa I. However, before his ascension to the throne, he was known and addressed as Prince Solomon Aisekhuoba Igbinoghodua Akenzua. Apart from home informal training as a heir apparent in his formative years, he actually attended Government Primary School, Benin City, before proceeding to Government College, Ibadan (1939-45). There after he gained admission to then Yaba College, before proceeding to the prestigious King’s College, Cambridge to study Law, Administration and History. After completing his studies in England, the patriotic zeal to serve his fatherland pulled him back to Nigeria. On arrival, as a detribalized Nigerian, he joined the Eastern Nigerian Civil Service in 1967 as a District Officer, subsequently he transferred his service to the Federal Civil Service, where he later rose to the position of a Permanent Secretary, before he voluntarily retired. The first class traditional ruler retired in the Federal Ministry of Health and subsequently he briefly served as Regional Representative of Gulf Oil, before his appointment as commissioner for finance in 1975 during the Military Administration of Major – General Agbaika Innih of blessed memory. Oba Erediauea however ascended the throne on March 23rd 1979. It is indeed quite a daunting task trying to chronicle the Oba’s intimidating profile. However, this writer has no choice as fate bestows on him the daunting task of this X-ray from time to time as circumstances such as this dictates.
The Iconic Oba Erediauwa Therefore, suffice it to say that Oba Erediauwa is an iconic King of a rare breed. This arises from the fact that, the highly revered monarch with his comportment, contributions to national development, peaceful resolutions of sensitive issues, sagacity and intellectual disposition, is one monarch that is a step ahead others. First, he has indeed over subscribed his affirmation of uniting the Edos at home in diaspora, during his coronation speech in 1979. It is indeed not an exaggerated fact, the Edos in the South, Central and North Senatorial divide now speak with one voice as moderated by the revered Benin Monarch. Perhaps, that is why Barrister Nosa Peter Osifo, former Nigeria Bar Association Chairman, Benin Branch describes the Oba as a father of equity among the Edos. Similarly, Deacon Peter Agbonkonkon Ogbeide refers to the Monarch as a father of the Edos. Inspite of the puritanical nature of the Benins norms and values, the monarch has been able to diplomatically cross breed culture with encroaching modernity, without compromising both. Benin Kingdom and indeed the entire Edo State has witnessed sustainable developmental strides since the ascension of Oba Erediauwa. The monarch aside his hectic schedule have time for detailer relaying to development of Edo State. It is indeed a statement of fact that, the reconstruction of Benin – Ore – Lagos Road is a result of the Oba’s constant loud cry about the then deplorable situation of the road. In same vein, credit could as well be given to the monarch regarding the ongoing expansion of project of Benin – Okene –Abuja Road, as he constantly drew Federal Government attention to the road. Aside drawing Federal Government and state Government’s attention to sustaining infrastructural revival in the state, the Oba also care for the wellbeing of his subjects in the state and Federal Service.
By RAYMOND OSOGBE
As a season technocrat, he monitors the metoric rising of his subjects in both services and many a time intercede for the oppressed ones. The Oba’s concern in this regard is not all about senior official alone but board. Without much hulabalo, the Oba has indeed influenced the
Commissioner of Police emphasize that the Oba is the heart with which all the Edos breath, adding that the Oba and his subjects are one soul spiritually linked together. It willl be bias of this writer, if he does not use this forum to applaud the Oba for the quarterly entertainment he
watch and relaying significant messages to all and sundry from such. Again, it is of essence to emphasize that the intellectual Oba, who is a prolific writer have been able to use his books and speeches to correct some erroneous views about Benin Kingdom. He is indeed a guru when it comes to communication. He likes
and integrity. Across all spheres of human endeavours, the best of all professions could be seen among the Oba’s Chiefs. Perhaps that is why Mr. Sunny Aguebor says the Oba of Benin is as constant as the northern star who has no equal in the firmament. The attestations arises from the fact that, the Oba is
continuously give to members of the pen fraternity in Edo State. Suffice it to say, that among other professionals in Edo State, the monarch extended this rare privilege of a Royal Dinner to Journalists and indeed Journalists alone. Aren’t we lucky? We are indeed! The monarch sustains this kind gesture because he is aware that the Journalist is always in stress owing to his daunting task of keeping the entire society on constant
putting everything or opinion of his in writing for records purpose. Such records are meticulously kept in the archived. It is also of essence to stress here that this art of good record keeping is innate among the Benins as their artistic works are aimed of keeping certain records. A glance at the Oba’s Chiefsin-council will reveal to you that, the Oba indeed has a knock for those with intellectual depth, excellence
excellent, dwells in excellence and mingles with excellent crew. Much have been said and much is yet to be said about the revered monarch, whose kingdom’s history is prizeless and staleless. All other kingdoms are now history, but Benin Kingdom forever and ever will remain fresh, evergreen, and will always remain topical, so long as her wonderful pieces of art work are scattered round the world.
Oba Erediauwa employment of numerous persons of all ethnic background. He is indeed a free giver, many persons and corporate organizations have indeed benefited from the Oba’s benevolence regarding land distribution for the sake of development. This writer can attest to the fact that few unlike the nine lepers in the Bible, come back to express gratitude to the Oba. Inspite of this, the illustrious monarch is unpertuded, but still tenacious in manifesting his innate benevolence to all and sundry that encounters him and ask. Indeed, this confirms the reason why the Uwangue of Benin Kingdom describes the monarch as water that has no enemy and never dries. While his counterpart, the Osa of Benin Kingdom, Chief J. Usen, a retired
“Again, it is of essence to emphasize that the intellectual Oba, who is a prolific writer have been able to use his books and speeches to correct some erroneous views about Benin Kingdom. He is indeed a guru when it comes to communication. He likes putting everything or opinion of his in writing for records purpose.”
Today’s Matches 5:00 PM Costa Rica
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England
5:00 PM Italy
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Uruguay
9:00 PM Greece
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Côte d’Ivoire
9:00 PM
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Colombia
Japan
Michael Bradley Recalls Final MICHAEL Bradley said Ronaldo, who delivered a Play the United States players “left perfect cross for Silvestre everything on the field” and should have “no regrets” after settling for a 2-2 draw with Portugal on Sunday. The U.S. fell behind in the first five minutes but rallies to take the lead at 2-1 before Portugal hit back to tie the match on the last play of the game.
The U.S. would have advanced to the knockout stage with a win, but a draw means they must still try to earn points against Germany to ensure they move on. But a draw against a team ranked fourth in the world by FIFA still gives the U.S. a strong hope to move out of the socalled “Group of Death.” “The effort was incredible. It’s disappointing not to close it out,” Bradley said. “We talk all the time about working hard and how we respond in difficult moments. Tonight was another example of us showing everybody who we are and what makes us a good team. Soccer can be a cruel game sometimes. “Crazy game. We put so much into it. After a difficult start the response, and the commitment, the effort was incredible. Difficult conditions and still we found a way to push through and really, every guy left everything on the field.” Bradley was involved in the final play as the U.S. tried to close out the final minute of stoppage time. He received the ball just inside Portugal’s half but quickly lost possession. Portugal passed down the wing to Cristiano
levelled at the death after a subdued Ronaldo delivered a cross into the penalty area but Bento said neither the world player of the year nor any of his team mates had struggled in the humid conditions. “We were fine physically, it was more the mental aspect that determined the course of the game,” he said. “We were a goal up and then fell behind. In the end we got an equaliser that leaves us in with a mathematical chance to
progress. “We dominated the first 45 minutes and should have scored more goals but the situation changed in the second half. We never lost control of the match although we didn’t dominate the whole game and failed to contain their right wing. “The second U.S. goal came through our mistakes and in the end I guess a draw was a fair result although it left us in a very difficult situation.”
Varela to head home. After the match, Bradley recalled the final play in an interview with ESPN. “Obviously, the end of the game, we’re trying to move ourselves out and make the game as difficult for them [as possible],” he said. “The ball popped up and I was able to make a few quick steps and get there. It was tight and unfortunately I wasn’t able to make a good enough play to keep it for us or get a foul. At that point the ball turns over and it’s up to us to deal with the situation.” Bradley at times stopped himself as he tried to find the right words as he attempted to explain how he can move on from the mistake. “Certainly, the way it ends, you rack your mind thinking ‘Can you do this better, can you do that better?’” Bradley said. “But the reality is still that over the course of a game there’s a million of these kind of plays and you can’t let these plays — they go on in the course of a game and there’s nothing else to it.” Asked if blamed himself for the U.S. dropping points, Bradley said, “I put my heart and soul into every game, every time I step on the field. ... I’m proud of that and proud every time I play, and there are certainly no regrets in my book.” Michael Bradley and the U.S. settled for a 2-2 draw against Portugal on Sunday. As for the Americans’ comeback after conceding early, Bradley revealed that resilience is a large part of the team’s mentality. “That’s who we are,” he said. “We talk all the time about what we’re like on the hardest days. When the spotlight comes on brightest, and the biggest tests come, what are we like? How do we respond in difficult moments? And I thought tonight was another example of us showing everybody who we are and what makes us a good team.”
CRISTIANO Ronaldo has said Portugal can’t win the World Cup and to ever suggest they could was a flight of fancy. Portugal are on the brink of a group stage exit and would have been eliminated last night but for a late equaliser in the 2-2 draw with the United States. Paulo Bento’s side need to beat Ghana, hope Germany beat the USA in the final round of Group G fixtures and for the matches to produce a six-goal swing to tip goal difference in their favour. AS reports Ronaldo as saying after the draw with
Jurgen Klinsmann’s side that Portugal are perhaps not one of the best teams at the tournament. “There might be several factors. It was a long season but that’s a factor everyone could claim,” Ronaldo said when asked why Portugal have struggled so far. “It wasn’t for a lack of attitude we didn’t win. All teams are here to win and we were never favourites. “The dream that Portugal could win the World Cup was always a fictional dream because everything is possible in football, but other teams are
- Ronaldo
better and perhaps deserve it more than we do.”
Algeria celebrate
Bento And Portugal Relying On US-German Honesty
PORTUGAL are hanging on to a World Cup last-16 berth by their fingernails but will head into the final Group G match with Ghana certain that the US and Germany will not play for the draw that would send both sides through, coach Paulo Bento said. The Portuguese retained Juergen Klinsmann’s vow to slim chances of progressing play all out for a win against after scoring a late equaliser his native Germany even in a pulsating 2-2 draw against though a draw would send the Americans in the both sides through at the Amazonia arena on Sunday. expense of Portugal and Bento refused to criticise Ghana. either a weary-looking “In my entire career as a Cristiano Ronaldo or any of player and coach, I have never the other players for a been suspicious about my lacklustre second-half colleagues playing for a performance in which the draw,” he said. Americans turned a 1-0 deficit “Our obligation is to beat into a 2-1 lead. Ghana and although our “Ronaldo was fit, he played the full 90 minutes and he didn’t seem to have any problem,” a poker-faced Bento told a news conference. “This is a delicate moment for all our players. They are all a bit sad now and this is not the moment to criticise individuals. “Criticise me as a coach if you will, we had a chance to get a result here today, we didn’t but we have to move on and try to beat Ghana.” Bento was asked if he believed United States coach Paulo Bento
chances are slim even if we do, we will maintain our professional standards until the very last minute.” All four teams are still in the reckoning with a myriad of potential scenarios, but Portugal can only advance if they beat the Ghanaians and hope the United States v Germany result goes their way. Having taken an early lead through Nani, Portugal were on the back foot after the interval as a fitter US team turned the match on its head through Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey. Substitute Silvestre Varela
Portugal Can’t Win World Cup
Ronaldo added that he is fully fit after ending the season with a number of ailments that threatened his involvement in the tournament. “I’m not going to justify my physical problems because I’m here to give my best, try to do better, to run,” he said. What I’ve had isn’t worth every day newspaper reports about my knee, tendinitis, this or that, the other. “So I don’t want to justify it. I am here in body and soul to help the team and we don’t get to reach our goal. Let’s see what happens in the next game.”
Steven Gerrard Wants Drop-Outs Named
STEVEN Gerrard has called on Harry Redknapp to name and shame the ex-Tottenham stars who he claims skipped England duty. spoken to one ex-Spurs player, Redknapp stunned members who was “devastated” by of the England camp in Brazil Redknapp’s comments. on Sunday when he claimed The England captain believes some English players asked anyone who dodges him to pull them out of national international duty is wrong and games when he was in charge he called on Redknapp to name at White Hart Lane. the players in question. “When I was at Tottenham, “I don’t know who he means. when full internationals came Is it five years ago? 10 years around, there were two or three ago? We need names,” Gerrard players who did not want to told a news conference in Rio play for England,” the QPR de Janeiro. boss told BBC Radio Five’s “If it’s the case, it’s Sportsweek programme. disgusting.” “They would come to me 10 England may have just days before the game and say, experienced their fastest World ‘Gaffer, get me out of that Cup exit in history, but Gerrard game, I don’t want to play in insists a lack of desire and effort that game’. was not the reason why. “I’d say, ‘you’re playing for England manager Roy your country, you should want Hodgson also denied there was to play’. any lack of desire within the 23“[They would say] ‘Nah, my man party that flopped in girlfriend is having a baby in Brazil. four weeks, I don’t want to He said: “In the two years play’ and that is the truth, so it I’ve been here, I’ve seen a makes you wonder.” greater interest in playing for The claim will not have gone England, so Harry’s comments down well with the long list of come as a bit of a surprise.” Spurs players who represented Hodgson’s focus over the England from 2008-2012. next 48 hours will be on In fact, Gerrard said he has salvaging some pride following
successive World Cup defeats. The England manager will not be sacked even if his men lose to Costa Rica in their final group game on Tuesday. Speaking for the first time since England’s exit was confirmed, Hodgson insisted he was still the right man for the job. “There’s no reason for me to have any serious doubts about the work I’ve done over the years and the qualities I bring to the team,” Hodgson said. “I have the backing of the team and the FA and I feel I am the right man to continue.” Hodgson will make several changes for the game against Costa Rica. It is understood that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not play though as he has suffered
a setback in his recovery from a knee injury. Luke Shaw is likely to make his first World Cup appearance as Leighton Baines is struggling with a hamstring injury.
Algeria Upset South Korea In ALGERIA ended their Six-Goal Thriller winless World Cup run in style as they hammered South Korea 4-2 to keep their dream of a place in the knockout stages very much alive. The Desert Warriors attacked from the kick off and should have had a penalty inside 10 minutes when Sofiane Feghouli was felled in the area.
But they didn’t have too long to wait to celebrate as Slimani rampaged onto Carl Medjani’s ball over the top, held off two defenders and clipped a neat finish beyond Jung Sungryong. It was a moment of pure ecstasy for the Algerians and just two minutes later they were propelled into dreamland as
Last-Gasp Origi Fires Belgium Into The Last 16
DIVOCK Origi struck a late winner as Belgium booked their place in the last 16 with an unconvincing 1-0 win over Russia at the Maracana. The Lille forward came off the bench to crash high into the net with just two minutes left after some mesmeric play by Eden Hazard on the flank. It came just moments after Kevin Mirallas hit the post, but in truth it was very harsh on Fabio Capello’s Russia. The Red Devils have been tipped to go far in this tournament but again struggled to impress as the Russians carved out the better
openings. Victor Faizulin forced a fine early save out of Thibaut Courtois before the Russians had a big shout for a penalty when Toby Alderweireld tripped Maxim Kanunnikov on the left of the area. Alexander Kokorin then planted a free header wide from a sumptuous left-wing cross in first-half stoppage time before Andrey Eshchenko drilled just wide in the second half. Russia looked all set to earn the draw but were undone late on as Belgium stepped it up in the final five minutes to snatch victory.
Cameroon’s Song Banned For Three CAMEROON Matches
midfielder Alex Song has been banned for three matches after his sending off in their World Cup Group A defeat by Croatia, organisers FIFA said on Sunday. The midfielder was dismissed for elbowing Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic in the back
during the first half of their 4-0 defeat in Manaus on Wednesday which meant they could no longer qualify for the knockout stages. The Africans, who lost 1-0 to Mexico in their opener, face hosts Brazil in Brasilia on Monday in their final Group A match.
Diego Maradona Hits Back At ‘Jinx’ Jibe
Origi hammers the ball high into the Russian net.
Appiah Warns Against Ronaldo Germany and the US set to do AFTER earning a draw Fixation battle, Ghana must beat with Germany on Saturday, Ghana remain in contention to advance from Group G and into the knockout phase at the FIFA World Cup for the third tournament in succession. Meanwhile, Portugal’s last-
Kwesi Appiah
gasp 2-2 draw against the United States on Sunday kept their slim qualification hopes alive and set-up an important clash with Ghana in Brasilia. With unbeaten pair
Fulham reject Rafik Halliche rose highest to thump home a header from a left-wing corner. The South Koreans had no answer to the vibrant play of Vahid Halilhodzic’s side and it was three just seven minutes before the break when Slimani made the most of a long ball and coolly rolled it to Abdelmoumen Djabou to steer past the keeper. The Taeguk Warriors responded after the break and pulled one back through SonHeung Min’s superb turn and shot before Yacine Brahimi restored the three-goal advantage with a low finish after exchanging a wonderful one-two. South Korea kept going and Koo Ja-cheol diverted home with 18 minutes left but Algeria held on to claim their first World Cup win since 1982 and become the first ever African side to score four goals in a finals match.
Portugal and hope for a favourable result in Recife. And Appiah believes there is a lot more to Portugal than just nullifying Ronaldo’s influence. “He’s the best player in the whole world - everyone recognises that,” he said. “But it’s about teamwork, I don’t believe in the individual. “It’s important that we don’t allow him to play his game. We will study their game, but it’s not only him, it’s the whole team. “It won’t be easy to reach the Round of 16 because we’ve only got one point. It’ll be tough, it is possible. “You can only stop Cristiano Ronaldo, the best player in the world, by working as a team. We can’t let him show what he can do.”
DIEGO Maradona has responded to being called a “bad luck charm” by the president of Argentina’s football association by directing an obscene gesture towards him on live TV. Maradona was responding to reports that Julio Grondona called him a jinx after Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Iran on Saturday. Maradona watched the game at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte but left shortly before Lionel Messi scored the winner in stoppage time. Argentine media reported that Grondona said “When the jinx left, we won the game.” Maradona, who has a spiky relationship with Grondona, later told Venezuelan broadcaster Telesur, for whom he is working as a pundit: ‘’I want to tell Grondona, who said that, that what I have, I earned working. What he has was bought by FIFA.’’ Maradona added: “Argentina’s victory was thanks to Lionel Messi, not because I left.” He reportedly stuck up his middle finger at the camera and told Grondona to “jinx this” and called him a “moron.”
Jordan Ayew Loving The World determined to work on it. Stage JORDAN Ayew “I ran for 40 metres and I
brushed off his poor judgement in the 2-2 draw against Germany and insisted playing at the World Cup will only make him a better player. The Olympique Marseille star could have set Ghana up for a 3-1 lead against Germany and possibly a win that would have swung group G of the world cup back in favour of the Black Stars, but he chose to go for goal. There was criticism for the 22-year old from all corners, but he is determined not to let that affect just how much he has enjoyed the world cup so far. He said: “I am enjoying the experience. Some great players have never played at the world cup so I have to play my best and enjoy. Maybe it could be my last
Belgium celebrate against Russia
you never know.” Despite enjoying the tournament so far Ayew acknowledges that his decision making has been poor at times but is
was tired so I dribbled and did not raise my head. I am still young and I will improve in those areas. I accept I made a mistake but I took my chance. That is football,” he added.
Jordan Ayew
Brahimi Takes Aim At Russia
ALGERIA attacking midfielder Yacine Brahimi has urged his side to continue playing effective football following Sunday’s 4-2 win over Korea Republic in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Group H encounter. Brahimi was amongst the scorers alongside Islam Slimani, Abdelmoumene Djabou and Rafik Halliche as the Fennec Foxes registered their first World Cup win since 1982.
Jurgen Klinsmann congratulates one of his players.
The victory left Vahid Halilhodzic’s side in second place with three points and boosted their chances of reaching the knockout phase for the first time ahead of the crucial clash against Russia. “We played some very attacking football today, and we need to repeat that against Russia,” Brahimi told FIFA.com.
Americans At Disadvantage THE World Cup has been set up with advantages for the pre-tournament favourites, United States Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said on Sunday. The Americans were conditions, with the referee in moments away from Sunday’s match stopping play advancing to the knockout for the first-ever water break stage from Group G — often at the World Cup. Germany will have an extra referred to the Group of Death — when Portugal day to prepare for their final pegged them back for a 2-2 group-stage match with the draw in Manaus. The U.S. U.S., having drawn 2-2 with now must face Germany in Ghana on Saturday afternoon, the final game of the group while the U.S. played Sunday stage with safety not assured. night. Combined with the The U.S. are travelling more miles at the World Cup disappointing ending against than any other team. They are Portugal, it was all too much based in Sao Paulo to the for Klinsmann. “We have one day less to south, but their first and third They played games are in the northeast, recover. and their second game in the yesterday, we played today,” northwest at the most remote the German-born Klinsmann said about the team from location of the World Cup. With its rainforest climate, whom he played in three Manaus has also proved to World Cups and managed in have the most difficult heat 2006. “We played in the
- Klinsmann
Amazon, they played in a location where they don’t have to travel much. “Everything was done for the big favourites to go and move on. We’re going to do it the tough way.” Jurgen Klinsmann says his team will go through the ‘Group of Death’ the tough way. FIFA can not be completely blamed for singling out the United States, however. The venue schedule was set before the World Cup draw, and any team — besides the eight seeded teams such as Germany — could have hypothetically fallen into the U.S.’ slot in Group G. The U.S. also chose their own base camp location.
Germany chose to set up camp in Porto Seguro, about halfway up the Brazilian coast, cutting their air travel to about half of what the U.S. must face. Despite their disadvantages, the U.S. are second in Group G with four points and need just a draw to ensure they move into the knockout stage. U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley said the U.S. will be prepared for the Germans on short rest. “Obviously, disappointed not to close it out and come away with three points but we have no choice but to keep going,” Bradley said. “It’s a short turn-around and we’ll get ourselves ready for another game on Thursday.”
Yacine Brahimi
“It won’t be easy but it wasn’t easy today either and that didn’t stop us from keeping our calm and playing some good football.” Algeria will take on Russia at the Arena da Baixada on Thursday, while Korea Republic will also be looking for maximum points against Belgium at Arena de Sao Paulo.
CMYK
Celebrating Nigerian Youth (2) Continued from yesterday
T
he things of the youths are usually treated with levity until they are almost out of hand and it is a recurring mistake of the Nigerian elites which explains the persistence of such serious problems such as kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery and the like in the country today. xxx Both the Nation’s award and the excorps members’ inquiry are significant especially for their moral lessons. In particular, they speak to the need to do what is right always. By their inquiry, the youths are reminding the adults of their dereliction of duty and that they are not sleeping but awake and they know when they are being shortchanged. The Nation Newspaper steps to fill some gap by a timely pat on the back of the youth and so motivate them to keep hope alive for a brighter tomorrow. The Paper sends the important message across that beyond the ‘external form of things we normally worship such as wealth, power and positions are those inner qualities of man Mandela (2010) calls “internal factors” that account far more for the growth and development of society. They include such values as courage, patriotism, commitment to hard work and excellence, good character sacrifice, sound moral and ethical conduct, good laws, ideals of justice, fairplay, equity, rule of law, honesty, sincerity, trust, humility, simplicity, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve’. As Mandela explains these ‘qualities which are within easy reach of every soul define the well-being of society and the dignity of men and so should be cultivated for the good health of the community. Nations are built by people-good, hard working and public-
spirited people with many of these qualities who use their own hands and brains to create wealth and achieve desired level of development for all rather few elites. Nigeria is thickly populated country with high percentage of youth-about 60%.This is a huge asset waiting to be exploited for the good of society. They need to be imbued with the right qualities and led well. While the energy of youths is critical here, a highly motivated group often works wonders. This justifies the celebration of our youths to win them to the cause of the nation, facilitate their positive development and proper empoowerment for effective participation and greater performances in the collective interest of all. Thus the greater significance of the Nation Newspaper’s Award lies in pricking the conscience of the elites to higher moral level than crude materialism. it reminds us that life is not all about bread alone but also about some intrinsic values-those ‘inner qualities of man’character, courage, moral conscience, etc. that makes society sane and great. In short the Award is important for the superior values it seeks to ordain and moral lessons and skills it imparts to a society long lost to the gods of materialism. The youths of a nation are its future and we must never relent in doing those things that empower them. The Youth are often imbued with boundless energy, talents and skills and many of the inner qualities mentioned earlier that should be harnessed for the good of the society. However they need the exemplary conduct, good direction and able leadership of the elites. The Nation’s Award should serve as a prime motivation here. It also speaks to the need to sanitize the culture of impunity and filthiness which has characterized Honour’s Award scene
in Nigeria today. The process of selection of awardees in most cases is unclean and many of the awardees are wayward and unworthy of honour in sane society. It appears on sale to the highest bidder thereby adding no much value to ethical conducts in society. In short, the Honours Award industry is in sorry and worrying state. It has largely been abused, bastardized and
curse the day of creation wondering where our sense of morality has gone? It is a blatant a travesty of all honours and emblematic of shamelessness in our public life. Consequently honours awards have not been inspiring and motivating or ennobling but depressing. This has been so because too many of the Awards go to the wrong people who in the eyes of the
Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo trivialized and turned into a cash and carry affair. It is bereft of any iota of honour and adorned with heavily sexed up citations that had no bearing with truth. You read a citation of some Awardees in juxtaposition with reality or empirical evidence and you see a big lie before you. Your belly aches and something in you hints in revolt that falsehood is being embellished to look real. Or you read some names especially from the NATIONAL HONOURS AWARD LISTS and you begin to
public are unworthy of any Honours. They did not live exemplary life that can edify the dignity of man. Rather than lift the spirits and promote excellence, such Awards have tended to depress, demotivate and attract condemnation. This makes Nation’s Award to the youth special and welcome departure from the indecent practice of the past of dishing awards to wrong people. The NYSC President’s Award is however different because the process of selection is clean and rigorous and
it goes often to the best among the bests. The sector needs to be sanitized. An Honour’s Award should be able to garner respect, credibility, integrity and trust of the public. The Nigerian youths deserve to be celebrated for their worthy contribution to nation building in order to motivate them to do even more. Many writers have attested to their selfless service and remarkable achievements. While Olusanya for instance records the impressive role of the Nigerian students in nationalist’s struggle for independence, it should observed that heroes such as Zik, Awo, Bello, Maitama, Sule, Amino Kano, Enahoro, Okoye, Ojukwu were all young when they risked their lives in the struggle against colonialism, so that the country could be free and great. Babatope (1974) documents the role of the Nigerian Students both at home and abroad in mobilizing people and opinion against colonial administration and neo-colonialism. According to the author the opposition of students was largely responsible for the non- signing of the Nigeria-British Defense pact planned for post independence Nigeria in the early 1960s. The youths have demonstrated much vision and commitment to the development of the country to win trust and respect easily. They have lifted spirits when all seemed dull and down. This was the case when the Eagles won the Olympic gold for football in 1996. The country was pariah and was spending heavily on image burnishing with little or no impact. The situation remained pale and sorrowful till the
By JOHN ABHUERE youth stepped on the global stage of competitive games to win the ultimate prize which made the country the darling of every Nation. Some youths have provided leadership when there was gap or lack of will and vision. Isaac Boro stands out here in the movement for the physical development of the Niger Delta in general and the creation of Rivers and Bayelsa states. His daring seminal struggles and sacrifices with fellowIjaw youth in the creeks of Niger Delta for the creation of a state for their people in the 1960s promoted an u n d y i n g consciousness and laid the foundation for the current development activities there today. Boro would later die fighting for the unity of the country during the civil war. Nigerian youth’s commitment to idealism and morality seems to know no limit. Most of the military officers who struck in January 1966 to halt the heavily corrupt and fast failing post independence government of Nigeria were largely young people who were driven more by patriotism to change the course of development in the country than otherwise. During the war the youths served as soldiers of unity and freedom depending on which side of the divide they were. Today the youths have continued with their patriotic contributions to nationbuilding through the NYSC and they serve in all parts of the
“Nigeria is thickly populated country with high percentage of youth-about 60%.This is a huge asset waiting to be exploited for the good of society. They need to be imbued with the right qualities and led well. While the energy of youths is critical here, a highly motivated group often works wonders. This justifies the celebration of our youths to win them to the cause of the nation”.
country under the sun or in the rain and in both safe and unsafe zones in the national interest. We can go on r e c o u n t i n g achievements of the youths but suffice to emphasize that the Nigerian experience is only part of the world –wide positive contribution of youth to Defense, unity, peace and progress of society dating back to the activities of the legendary Joan the Arc of Orleans who reportedly helped France to defeat the British and was subsequently captured by the enemies, tried and paid the supreme sacrifice. Unfortunately the contributions of the youth are hardly appreciated in Nigeria. Opportunities for positive development, proper empowerment and effective participation are severely limited. They are often ignored and their interest neglected until they began to react violently. We see this in the development of Niger delta crisis, the brewing of Boko haram group and the emergence of dreaded militias across the country mostly made of youths. While the properly empowered youths are assets, the neglected constitute great danger to society. Honours Award to the right persons can be empowering with salutary effect on society. This is why I cherish The Nation’s Honours for the Nigerian Youth and I advocate for resumption of the NYSC annual president’ award for their motivational value. They teach lessons in youth development and empowerment for effective participation in the development process of society. (Ends) JOHN ABHUERE, PhD, FNIM is the Oven of Ebelle, Centre for Child Care and Youth Development Abuja.
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