Nigerian observer 25 11 2014 by Nigerian Observer

The Nigerian

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vo l . 39 • NO. 128 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 • N100.00

APC chieftain lauds electorate, berates INEC Voters’ Registration:

OPINION Page 20

Evils of oppression in a democracy

By LUCKY EFESE

BENIN CITY - A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Edo State, Hon. Charles Ekhorutomwen Idahosa JP, has commended the

electorate for turning out enmasse for the just concluded voter’s card registration exercise which ended last week Wednesday. Hon. Idahosa, who is the Political Adviser to the

Governor, described the large turnout of electorate for the exercise as a pragmatic display of patriotism towards positive change in governance. Speaking to newsmen

at Ehor, the administrative headquarters of Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the state, the APC leader and one time Chairman of Continues on page 2

Ebola

FG warns against smuggling of frozen chicken

ABUJA - The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has warned Nigerians involved in the smuggling of frozen chicken to desist from doing so as it could bring back the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) . The warning was consumption of local contained in a statement chicken, loss of jobs issued in Abuja by the provided by the poultry Federal Department of industry and decrease in Animal Production and national income Husbandry Services. generated from the The statement noted poultry sub-sector on the that the importation of illegal trade. poultry and poultry Although the statement products had continued acknowledged that the to find their way into local sale of frozen chicken markets through several had become a means of land borders despite the livelihood for some ban on such products. Nigerians, it stated that its It quoted the USAID continuous consumption Agricultural Information posed a great health risk. Network as reporting that Some factors adduced 90 per cent of frozen by nutritionists for its chicken come in through health risk include the Benin Republic and other length of storage of West African countries. frozen chicken before It also blamed the reaching Nigeria. decline in the According to the

MATTERS IN FOCUS

Page 32 PDP and avoidable austerity measures

statement, the quality is usually very low due to the break in cold chain

during several hours of land journey in Nigeria through illegal routes.

The statement also identified the absence of quality certification or

standard of instruments used as another source Continues on page 2

Quality of Education

Ihonvbere tasks ministry

By QUEENNETH A. OROBEDO BENIN CITY – Secretary to Edo State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere has advised the State Ministry of Basic Education to re-double efforts at enhancing quality of education, in view of the fact that the future man-power need of the state is dependent on their output. Prof. Ihonvbere was speaking yesterday in Benin City, at the

inauguration of the office complex for the ministry. The office accommodation of the state Ministry of Basic Education located at the Block “D” wing of the state Secretariat on Sapele Road which has state of the art facilities according to the SSG will no doubt enhance productivity. Prof. Ihonvbere enjoined staff of the ministry to remain

TIT BIT “ Life is a play that does not allow testing. So, sing, cry, dance, laugh and live intensely, before the curtain closes and the piece ends with no applause. - Charlie chaplin

dedicated to duties where the common interest of the state should be paramount. He however Continues on page 2

CLOSING CEREMONY: Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu taking a salute during the closing ceremony of the Orientation Camp for the 2014 Batch ‘C’ NYSC members posted to Edo State at the Orientation Camp in Okada, Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State yesterday. Photo: MOSES OBOH.

Don’t reject corps members, Edo urges employers

OKADA – Edo State Government has called on employers of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in both public and private sectors of the economy not to reject corps members posted to them for the one year mandatory programme. State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu made the call at Okada on behalf of the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the

closing ceremony of the State. orientation camp for the Declaring the 2014 Batch ‘C’ Corps orientation course members posted to Edo closed, Dr. Odubu urged

employers of Corps members to accept them into their workforce as well as expose them to

the set up of their establishment to enable

JALINGO – The Speaker of Taraba House of Assembly, Mr. Josiah Kente has resigned his position. Kente told journalists yesterday in Jalingo that

state. It would be recalled that Kente was elected speaker in November 2013, following the death of his predecessor, late Mr. Haruna Tsokwa.

He thanked the people of the state and members of the seventh assembly for their cooperation during his one year tenure as speaker.

Continues on page 2

Taraba Assembly Speaker resigns he had forwarded his resignation letter to the clerk of the assembly. The speaker said he took the decision in the interest of peace in the

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

News

APC chieftain lauds electorate, berates INEC

Continued from page 1

Uhunmwode Local Government Council, noted that he was impressed by the turnout of people for the exercise. He said it was an indication that democracy in Nigeria was on the part of progress and assured them of his commitment to continually protect their interest towards positive change in the locality. He urged the electorate to protect their Voter’s Card, being their power to choose credible representatives into elective positions during elections and particularly made reference to the forth coming 2015 general elections. He however, berated the attitude of INEC, for not living up to the expectations of the people, while the exercise lasted and

advised both the Federal Government and the INEC to continue the exercise in order to allow Nigerians, who have attained 18 years and above exercise their fundamental

human rights as shortage of the DDC machines and lack of adequate power supply in designated centres were militating factors against

FG warns against smuggling of frozen chicken Continued from page 1

of health risk. Besides the above factors, the recent outbreak of EVD in some West African countries had shown that the handling of these products could transmit the disease, the statement said. It said that people handling these frozen chicken were not known and as such, there

were no checks on the storage facility and the mode of transportation. The statement also claimed that the deaths caused by the EVD and burial places, may not have been properly reported in some of these West African countries. It warned that Nigerians

Ihonvbere tasks ministry Continued from page 1

decried the filthy environment in some government offices, which he noted was grossly unsatisfactory and counter productive. In another engagement, the SSG played host to children of St. Eucharia International Academy who came on a

speedy progress of the exercise. Hon. Idahosa assured the electorate of peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections in the state and advised to vote wisely to achieve good results.

study tour to Government House. Explaining the art of Education to the children, Prof. Ihonvbere admonished them to take their education seriously and obey their parents, adding that to be a leader they need to be self disciplined, respectful, courageous, compassionate,

hardworking and fair in their dealings. Leader of the delegation, and proprietor, St. Eucharia International Academy, Mr. Ben Chukwura said the initiative is part of extra curricular activities geared towards broadening the minds of the children.

should not assume that all affected West African countries had achieved 100 per cent tracking and control of EVD as Nigeria had done. “It is on this note that the Federal Department of Animal Production and Husbandry Services is calling on Nigerians smuggling chicken to desist from doing so. “The department is also calling on the Nigerian Customs Service to step up surveillance to further curb this illegal trade. “Similarly, agricultural and health watchdogs must keep a vigilant eye on poultry product to prevent contaminants in the product”, the statement further said.

Don’t reject corps members, Edo urges employers

Continued from page 1

them acquire the much needed experience. He assured the NYSC authorities of government’s support for their programmes in the state, pointing out that the state government would continue to support the

scheme with the payment of annual subventions and the meal subsidy to enable the NYSC scheme realize its lofty objectives. According to him, the strength of thenational

cohesion is the vibrancy of the youth and their ability’s to explore areas that need growth and development in the society. He charged the corps

members to work towards achieving excellence by contributing to the growth of their host communities, especially through Community Development Service which might qualify them for state honours award.

Community Crisis: PCRC begins

By ROLAND OSAKUE

BENIN CITY – The Peace And Conflict Resolution Committee (PCRC) has commenced fact-finding mission to a troubled community, Aruogba, where leadership tussle last Saturday led to one dead, houses razed and vehicles burnt. The committee is expected to ascertain the extent of damage and speak with the elders. In the clashes that tore the community apart weekend, four houses, nine vehicles and property which amount are yet to be estimated were lost to the fiasco. Besides the loss of life which occurred, many persons were said to have sustained serious injuries. The Chairman, Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, Chief Eduwu Ekhator Obasogie in his reaction described the acts as uncivilized and barbaric and vowed that the committee will bring the perpetrators to book, no matter whose ox is gored. Chief Obasogie, who led other members of the committee to the scene of crime lamented that the elders merely folded their arms and allowed such acts of magnitude to pervade their community, particularly when the state government under Governor Adams Oshiomhole was working out modalities on how to improve the socio-

fact-finding

economic welfare of the people. The committee has summoned Pa. Ewansiha Owieadolor and Clifford Omoregie Omosomwan, Odionwere and Ohen of the community respectively, as well as Wilfred Aiyamenkhue who is the hairman, Community Development Association (CDA) and Okoro Ogbaetin to report at the committee’s Secretariat, along Gapiona road in the State Capital on Thursday at 10am. Meanwhile, the officers of the

Nigeria Police team led by Mr. Paul Gbaniyi, who were on ground to maintain peace and order in the community conducted the members of the committee round the scene where the houses and vehicles were razed. Earlier, the Odionwere of the community Pa. Ewansiha Owieadolor alleged that the Chairman of CDA had been involved in sharp practices for over fifteen years after which the elders resolved to elect

BENIN CITY -Commissioner for Transport, Hon, Orobosa Omo-Ojo has described the late Director of Fire Service as a dedicated, honest and trust worthy staff whose vacuum would be difficult to fill. He made the observation when he paid a condolence visit to the family of Mr. Destiny Osunde, noting that the news of his death came to him as a rude shock. He condoled the family and assured them that the Ministry would do the needful as he equally directed the public Relations Officer, Fire service, Mr. Franklin Agbonlahor to liaise with the family.

Responding on behalf of the family, the eldest daughter, Miss. Peace Osunde, expressed their profound gratitude to the Hon. Commissioner for the condolence visit, saying the death of her father has created a big vacuum in the family which will be difficult to fill. Mr. Destiny Osunde until his death in the early hours of Sunday was the Director, fire service, one of the Agencies under the Ministry of Transport, He is survived by his wife and children, the Hon. Commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Barr.

Okoro Ogbaetin as the youth chairman which consequently led to disagreement between the duo and some elders in the community. The Chairman of the Peace Committee was accompanied on the tour by HRH Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen, the Enogie of Egbaen, Bishop Iyobosa OC. Atoe (JP) and Barrister (Mrs.) D. Ota-Ojo who is the secretary of the committee. However, there was relative peace in the community yesterday when the committee visited.

Commissioner eulogises late Director of Fire Services

Augustine Akhenkhun and other principal officials of the Ministry.

Nigerians call for gender LAGOS - Alhaji Lai equality Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Party (APC), yesterday advocated gender equality in policy making in the country. Mohammed made the observation in Lagos at a summit organised by Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) in partnership with United Kingdom Aid and Voices4Change. The aim of the summit was to promote gender equality as a principle of human rights and a developmental goal. WARDC is also advocating the rebalancing between men and women in terms of resources, legal rights, participation, decision making and equal relations. He urged government at all levels to encourage the participation of women in politics and be voted into positions of relevance in the 2015 general elections. Mohammed classified some of the challenges impeding women participation in the political space as traditional, religious belief, economic and education. He urged women to rise up to the challenges so that their voices could be heard. “Women have proved

time and again that if given the right opportunity and tools, they can contribute meaningfully to the political process and national development,” he said. Also speaking, a representative from the National Conscience Party (NCP), Mr Seyin Ajayi, urged policy makers to ensure that women were elected as deputy governors. “No matter how women are marginalised, policies should be designed to have a female deputy for all male governors; it must not be by appointment if they must contribute meaningfully,” Ajayi said. Earlier, the Executive Director, WARDC, Dr Abiola Akiode-Afolabi, said Nigerian women with over half of the Nigeria population, were facing some challenges preventing them from participating in decision making and political participation. “The journey to total political emancipation for women is still a long one but we can shorten it through our collective effort. “It begins with educating women on their fundamental human rights so that they are not easily intimidated,” she said.

Fashola presents 2015 budget proposal of N489bn LAGOS - Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Monday presented a 2015 budget proposal of N489.69 billion to the state house of assembly for consideration. The amount was the same as that of 2014. The breakdown shows that education got N82.11 billion or 16.6 per cent as against N77.42 billion or 15. 81 per cent recorded in 2014. Environmental protection got a vote of N34.95 billion or 7.1 per cent instead of N39.72 billion or 8.11 per cent it was allocated in 2014. Recreation, culture and religion got N3.12 billion or 0.6 per cent as against N3.48 billion or 0.71 per cent in 2014. Housing and community amenities got N49.03 billion or 10 per

cent as against N50.54 billion or 10.32 per cent in 2014, while health was allocated N44.62 billion or 9.1 per cent instead of N37.81 billion or 7.72 per cent it was voted in 2014. Public order and safety got N15.55 billion or 3.2 per cent instead of N17.98 billion or 3.67 per cent it got in 2014, while social protection recorded N1.59 billion or 0.3 per cent as against N2.47 billion or 0.50 per cent in 2014. Fashola said that the budget size was retained in order to keep zero deficits for the incoming government. Fashola will be leaving office in May 2015 after completing two terms. “We have retained the same budget size of 2014 to keep zero deficits. “This will give the administration the room to start up very quickly,’’ he said.

Minister decries rising cases of snake bites JOS – The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, on Monday in Jos expressed “deep concern’’ over the rising cases of snake bites in Langtang and other parts of the Plateau-South senatorial district. Ochekpe told journalists that the an average of six incidences were recorded every day, and declared that such rising prevalence was “just too much’’. “For the five days we were in one community in Langtang for the Federal Government’s free

medical outreach, there were 33 cases of snake bites. “The situation is particularly precarious because between N75,000 and N90,000 is required to treat a victim; this is quite outrageous for our poor rural dwellers,’’ she said. The minister said that she had alerted the health minister who was already initiating steps to help the affected communities. “One step will be to secure antisnake venom vaccines. We also hope to encourage people to rear pigs and dogs, so that those

animals can reduce the quantity of snakes,’’ she said. Ochekpe said that the health ministry would soon dispatch a team to the affected areas, to examine the situation and work out solutions, so as to help the people. On the free medical outreach, the minister said that 4,500 people had so far benefited in the six local governments of the Plateau-South senatorial district, and explained that 244 surgeries were carried out, while 246 persons received free eye glasses.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

News

Cleric Eulogises Late management and staff of Oyiboke Bendel Newspapers BENIN CITY – The

By MARTIN ERHARUYI

Chief Imam of the Benin Central mosque, Alhaji Abdul-Fatai Enabulele has eulogised Late Mallam Karimu Oyiboke for his brave attitude and benevolent service to God and humanity during his life time. The Chief Imam was speaking in Benin City during the 40 days Fidau prayer session for the late Oyiboke. Alhaji Enabulele who led other muslims fateful in the prayer session said that, death is an inevitable end for humanity, while advising the bereaved family to be steadfast in their worship of God by submitting themselves to the direction of Almighty Allah. He hinted that, late Oyiboke would be remembered for his courageous attitude to stand for truth in any matter, regardless of personalities involved describing him as a cool headed and devoted muslim fateful. The Chief Imam also urged Late Oyiboke’s children to persistently water the seed of unity sown

among them by their family bond as according to him, “only on the bases of tolerance and respect for one another that unity can strive in the family and the society at large. He enjoined them to shun any dispute in course of sharing their late father’s property, while calling for diligence in what ever they do now that their father is no more. The prayer session was followed by a social dance/ entertainment of guests which was attended by

Company Limited (BNCL) Publisher of Observer titles. Speaking with newsmen the eldest son, and a staff of the BNCL, Government House Correspondent told The Nigerian OBSERVER that the memory of the disciplinary attitude inculcated in them by his late father will linger on. Late Mallam Karimu Oyiboke attended St Patrick’s Secondary School and the Edo State School of Health Technology before he worked and retired as Civil Servant from the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 1998.

The Acting General Manager, Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Publisher of The OBSERVER titles, Rev. Monday Aigbe (left) receiving a copy of the programme of activities from Prophet Okoduwa Atorkpa, Coordinator, World Christian Fellowship, who led a delegation of the Fellowship to the newspaper house on a courtesy visit to sensitise the public on Nigeria National Fasting and Prayer Day coming up on Saturday November 29, 2014 at Akure. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

EIRS Executive Director Gives Out Daughter In Marriage By VICTOR OMOALU

BENIN CITY - The solemnization of Holy Matrimony between former Miss (Engr) Vivian Osama Obazee and Engr. Daughter of an Executive Director with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) Hon. John Obazee and engineer Samuel Azubuike took place in Benin City weekend.

The couple declared their consent a t about 12:15pm before Rev. Fr. John Ograh to become husband and wife. In his homily, Rev. Fr. Ograh of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road, Benin City described marriage as the power that equalizes a man with a woman.

He noted that the strength towards sustaining a marriage lies on the woman’s ability to handle the home, admonishing the couple to always seek the face of God if they most overcome any challenge or situation. In his remarks at the reception, Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Osarodion Amen, advised the couple to jettison any form of superiority and build their marriage on understanding, saying as such would always enable them to glorify

God for making it possible for them to come together as husband and wife. “You must recognize that you are husband and wife; don’t listen to outside talks, but always listen and plan together as that will help you build understanding between both of you,” stated Amen. He congratulated the couple and prayed God to always answer them in their point of call. Father of the bride and the Executive Director, Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Hon. John Obazee advised the

couple to jettison any interference from third party if they must succeed in their marriage. “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. They should love each other and adhere to themselves,” said Hon. Obazee. Present at the occasion included the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu, top government officials, management team/staff of EIRS, members, of the State House of Assembly, Local Government Council Chairman, party leaders, families as well as friends and well wishers.

No Plane Crash In Yola, Say Nigerian Military, Others By ERANGA ISAAC Acting General Manager, Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Rev. Monday Aigbe (4th left right), flanked by Prophet Okoduwa Atorkpa, Coordinator, World Christian Fellowship (3rd right), Solomon Imohiosen (Esq.) Editor, The NIGERIAN OBSERVER (2nd right) and other officials of the Fellowship and staff of The OBSERVER, during a courtesy visit of members of the Fellowship to the newspapers house. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

YOLA - The Nigerian Military has debunked reports that its plane crashed in Yola, the

Uromi Community Association Gets New Chairman UROMI – The Onojie Idemudia, an AbujaBy TUNDE EIGBIREMOLEN

of Uromi, His Royal Highness. (HRH) Zaiki Anslem Odaloighe Eidenojie II has removed Chief Okosodo Okoh, the Eni of Uromi Kingdom as the National Chairman of Uromi Community Association (UCA) and replaced him with Chief Philip

based industrialist as the new chairman of the Association. In a statement by the National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Uromi Community Association, Hon. Sunday Omodiale, the Onojie directed Chief Okosodo Okoh to hand

over all documents and materials in his possession to the new chairman and wished him well in his future endeavours. In a reaction by eminent Uromi sons and daughters, including Rt. Hon. Friday Itulah, member, House of

Representatives, they hailed the appointment of Chief Idemudia describing it as a round peg in a round hole and expressed the hope that his track record as a successful businessman and community leader will attract development to the Uromi Community.

Adamawa State Capital, or in any other location in the country weekend. Speaking with aviation correspondents, Air Commodore Dele alonge, spokesperson for the Nigerian Airforce said all their planes are intact, as none was involved in any accident. Also speaking, the Director of Military Information, Major General Chris Olukolade said he had no information of any plane involved in any accident. Olukolade said he had no information of any plane involved in any

accident. The Nigerian aviation authorities also said they were not aware of any crash within where the territory. “We don’t know where the story of plane crash came from,” said Yakubu DAtti, General Manger, C o r p o r a t e Communications of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigerian (FAAN). There had been reports that another military chopper crashed in the Damere suburb of Yola, near where a military helicopter crashed three weeks ago.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

News Downward Capital Market Trend Attributed To ProfitTaking -Expert

LAGOS – Mr Gbenga Obisesan, the Managing Director, Topmost Securities Ltd. Lagos, has attributed the downward capital market trend to profit-taking. Obisesan told newsmen in Lagos that it was a common syndrome that the capital market usually goes down whenever the year was coming to an end. According to him for about two weeks the capital market has been on the downward trend. Meanwhile, the All-Share Index of the capital market declined by 756.8 points or 2.17 percent to close at 34,145.79 as against 34,902.59 posted last Tuesday. Similarly, the market capitalisation, which opened at N11.564 trillion, lost N251 billion or 2.17 percent to close at N11.313 trillion due to price losses by some blue chip equities. Dangote Cement led the losers’ chart with a loss of N9.74 to close at N185.20 per share. Julius Berger came second with N3.36 to close at N63.84, while UACN lost N2.30 to close at N44.70 per share. Total Oil dipped by N2 to close at N163, while Nigerian Breweries dropped N1.70 to close at N217 per share. Conversely, Seplat topped the gainers’ chart by N10.7 to close at N442 per share. Presco garnered 5k to close at N27.5, while Champion rose by 46k to close at N9.71 per share. Flour Mill improved by 35k to close at N48.65, ETI appreciated by 19k to close at N17.2 per share. FBN Holdings emerged the most traded stock, accounting for 43.93 million shares worth N406.77 million. Cornerst followed with a turnover of 35.01 million shares valued N17.51 million, while FCMB sold 33.52 million shares worth N108.23 million. In all, a total of 268.225 million shares worth N3.35 billion were traded by investors in 4,218 deals. The volume represented over the 179.882 million shares valued at N2.22 billion traded in 3,962 deals last Tuesday.

Mobile Subscription Near Billion Mark

Chief Obomwan Okoh Iduseri, the Ezomo Nrhoro of Benin Kingdom, thanking the Benin Monarch for being confered with a chieftancy title.

LAGOS – Ericsson, an Information Technology software and infrastructure company in Africa, says that Africa has topped 880 million in mobile subscriptions for the third quarter of 2014. This was disclosed in Ericsson’s Mobility Report, which was launched recently and made available to newsmen in Lagos. The Ericsson Mobility Report is a comprehensive update on mobile trends leveraging big data from live networks worldwide. The report quoted Fredrik Jejdling, Ericsson’s President & Regional Head, SubSaharan Africa as saying that

Chief Obomwan Okoh Iduseri (left) and his team of supporters, paying homage to the Benin Monarch, for conferring him with the Chieftancy title of Ezomo Nrhoro of Benin Kingdom.

Dishonoured Cheque Act To Enhance Cashless Policy

ABUJA – The Nigerian Law Reform Commission says the proposed reform of Dishonoured Cheque Act will enhance the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and promote the use of cheque as a means of payment. This formed part of recommendations contained in a communiqué issued by the Commission at the end of a workshop on the Reform of the Dishonoured Cheque (Offences) Act. In the communiqué, made available to newsmen in Abuja, the Commission said the reform was to address the inadequacies that made the Act ineffective. It stated that “the reform of the Act is necessary in view of the fact that 37 years after the Act was passed, the incidence of dud cheque remained on the increase in Nigeria. “It is therefore important to address the inadequacies that have made the Act ineffective.’’ It further noted that fines, as a form of penalty for the offence of dishonoured cheque should be enhanced, especially for corporate offenders. “This is because custodial punishment could jeopardise or frustrate the civil remedies

available to the victim.’’ According to the recommendations, a customer who habitually issues a dud cheque within a given period of time should be barred from operating an account in Nigeria for one year. It also recommended that the three months limitation

period within which a cheque must be presented as provided under Section 1(1) of the extant Act for the provision of the Act to apply should be extended to a period of six months. “This is in line with Section 74 (a) of the Bills of Exchange Act, 1990 and Banking Practice.’’

By TUNDE EIGBIREMOLEN

honouring him with the title of Ezomo Nrhoro, expressed delight that with his new status, the Royal Palace has demonstrated confidence in his ability to defend the Culture and tradition of the Benin Kingdom. According to him, “when translated, the title “Ezomo Nrhoro’ means a General, Protector of Benin Kingdom in times of crisis, but since we are not in a war situation, it means it is my duty, as a Prince, and a member of the royal family to protect the Benin culture and

The Commission further proposed an institutional synergy among the banking sector and appropriate law enforcement agencies for effective prosecution of offenders under the Act. Meanwhile, the draft of the amended Act is to be submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for further necessary action.

the increase in mobile subscriptions was due to increased availability of lowcost smart phones in the region. Jejdling said that these lowcost smart phones had led to a rapid increase in smart phone subscriptions in the region. “ The increased availability of low-cost smart phones in Sub-Saharan Africa will lead to a rapid increase in smart phone subscriptions in the region, “ he said. He said that the report revealed that proliferation of mobile technology continued at a rapid pace and would see 90 percent of the world’s population over six-year-old having a mobile phone by 2020. The Ericsson president said that despite the increased rate of sales, there was still room for growth in the sector as many users had yet to make the switch to the more featurerich, internet-friendly option. The report predicted a strong uptake in the coming years as the number rises from 2.7 billion smart phone subscriptions today to the forecasted 6.1 billion in 2020. It also said that video was the largest and fastest growing segment of mobile data traffic in 4G-dominated networks, which currently constituted 45 percent to 55 percent of mobile traffic. In terms of future outlook, the report estimated that mobile video traffic would increase tenfold by 2020, and ultimately constitute around 55 percent of all mobile data traffic in the year. “Video is increasingly appearing as part of other online applications such as news and adverts, and on social media platforms and the devices used are also evolving. “ Many have larger screens, enabling higher picture quality for streamed video, which results in video being consumed on all types of devices and in higher quantities both at home and on the move,“ the report said.

Chief Obomwan Iduseri Thanks Benin Monarch Chieftancy Title:

BENIN CITY – One of the newly installed Chiefs of the Benin Royal Monarch, who has been honoured with the chieftancy title of Ezomo Nrhoro of Benin Kingdom, Chief Obomwan Okoh Iduseri, yesterday, led a team of supporters to pay a “thank you” visit to the Benin Monarch. Chief Obomwan Okoh Iduseri, who was full of thanks for the Benin Monarch for

tradition at all times”. On what may have prompted the Benin Royal Palace to honour him with the Chieftaincy title, Chief Iduseri, a businessman who hails from Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, said the Palace has its specified criteria which he had met. He however, observed that the title goes only to men of “Strong personality, wisdom and experience”, adding that having lived abroad for over 30 years, he now symbolises a “bridge between the ancient and modern

who must of necessity, strive to protect and preserve the essential elements of Benin culture and tradition”. He also said, “as for my functions, they are not too different from that of civil defence, and vigilance and as a general, the whole of Benin people are my troops, because you cannot have a general without troops. That is why I have come to the Palace today to sincerely thank the Omo N’Oba, our most Reverend King, for doing me this honour, it’s a very great honour.”

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

North Foundation Registers 180 Displaced Persons

MAIDUGURI - The Bama Development Foundation, an NGO, has said that it had registered 180,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Bama taking refuge in Maiduguri. Malam Mohammed Hassan, the Chairman of the foundation, stated this at a news conference in Maiduguri. Hassan said that the IDPs were in four camps in Maiduguri. According to him, the IDPs are those displaced during attack on the town by insurgents in September. “We have recorded about 180,000 IDPs from Bama taking shelters in four different camps in Maiduguri as at October 31. “The camps are located at the Yerwa Girls Secondary School, Women Teachers College, NYSC Orientation Camp and Government Girls College, Maiduguri’’, he said. Hassan added that some other IDPs were taking refuge in the neighbouring Cameroon and Chad Republics. He said that the continued siege on Bama by the insurgents was creating hardship for the residents held hostage in the town. “Only about one-third of the Bama population has been able to escape, leaving the rest under the captivity of the insurgents. “Most of those left are the weak comprising women, children and the aged. These people are exposed to hunger, starvation and diseases.’’ Hassan appealed to the Federal

Government to strive hard and free the town from the hands of the insurgents, so that the IDPs can return home. He commended the military for reclaiming some towns seized in Adamawa State by the

insurgents. “We commend the military for liberating towns like Mubi in Adamawa from the insurgents. “We urge them to extend the war to Bama and liberate the town so that we can all go back

home,” Hassan said. He also commended Governor Kashim Shettima for providing shelter to the numerous IDPs from Bama in Maiduguri. “We commend Governor Kashim Shettima for providing camps for Bama IDPs in Maiduguri. “We also commend public spirited individuals and corporate bodies for their intervention in different forms in the IDPs camp”, he said.

Foundation To Offset N4.7m Electricity Bill OMU-ARAN (Kwara) - The Living Faith Foundation has offered to offset the N4.7 million electricity bill owed by Water Works and the General Hospital in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State. The founder of the foundation, Bishop David Oyedepo, made the

One of the cars set ablaze by hoodlums who invaded Aruogba Community, Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State.

Dry Season Farming: Bauchi

Introduces New Crops

BAUCHI - The Bauchi State Agricultural Development Authority (BSADP), said it would add wheat, green maize, vegetables and spices to its dry season rice farming in 2014. Dr Illiyasu Gital, Programme Manager, BSADP, made this known during interview with newsmen in Bauchi. “We had a pilot scheme last year and from that, we are expanding this year, you see, more farmers were involved in the irrigated agriculture. “We want to double or triple the number of farmers this year, and we are going to also double or triple the agricultural produce of the farmers. “We will do that through giving the farmers the right technologies, the right inputs, and that is what the State Government is doing right now’’, Gital added. The manager said that the authority was going to introduce value addition, preservation, as well as provide market information so that farmers could break even. He stated that no fewer than 2,000 farmers participated in Dry Season Rice Production at Gadau Pilot Scheme in 2013. Gital explained that about 200 families of the figure

produced an average of 50 bags of rice each. He said that the authority was not able to obtain the actual total yield because some farmers sold their produce before the statistics were taken. “Definitely, there are some farmers that got 200 bags each. But the average was 50 bags per farmer, so if you combine it you will see that the tonnage was very high. “Gadau was not the only pilot project, we have three other locations and we are going into rice production during the dry season in the whole of the state’’, he added.

Some of the buildings set ablaze by hoodlums who invaded Aruogba Community, Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State.

Send Children Back To School, Govt Appeals To Parents MAIDUGURI - Following the re-opening of public primary schools in Maiduguri last week, the Borno State Government has appealed to parents to send their children back to schools Dr Mohammed Dongel, Chairman of the State Committee on the Resuscitation of Primary School Education, made the appeal during interview with newsmen in Maiduguri. Dongel said the State Government had made adequate provision for the security of teachers and pupils in schools. He said although a large number of parents had sent their

children to schools, others were still apprehensive. “I want to assure parents that government has made adequate security provisions in all schools for the protection of teachers and pupils. “Parents should endeavour to send their children to school,” Dongel said. He said that the state government had plans to commence the distribution of uniform free of charge to all pupils in public schools next

week. “Gov. Kashim Shettima is expected to flag off distribution of uniforms free to all pupils in public schools next week. “He will also flag off provision of free daily meals in all public primary schools next week,” Dongel said. Dongel said state government had also procured instructional machines for easy teaching and learning in schools in the state. “We are trying to introduce elearning in primary schools to

transform our education system into world class’’, he said. Dongel added that government had also introduced new security measures in schools to ensure safe environment for teaching and learning. Public schools, closed on March 14 due to deadly attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents and were re-opened on November. 17. The attacks climaxed with the kidnapping of almost 300 school girls in Chibok Community.

pledge in a message to the OmuAran Festival 2014 held at Government Secondary School Playground, Omu-Aran,. Electricity supply to the two affected public utilities had been disconnected since April due to the debt. The development had resulted in scarcity of potable water and partially disrupted healthcare services in the metropolis. Oyedepo, in the message delivered by the former Military Administrator of Bauchi and Osun States, retired Col. Theophilus Bamigboye, said the gesture was to alleviate the suffering of the people. He said the Living Faith Foundation would continue to channel available resources to raise the living standard of the people. Oyedepo said elders had brought the matter to his attention. The Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Ibitoye, elated by the development, thanked Oyedepo and the foundation for the gesture, saying that the community would remain grateful. The foundation had one year ago employed 12 teachers to handle some core subjects in schools spread across the community as part of its cooperate social responsibilities.

Favouritism

Governorship Aspirant Debunks Claim DUTSE - Alhaji Aminu Ringim, one of the four gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa, has said that he was not anointed by Governor Sule Lamido as insinuated in some quarters. He spoke in an interview with newsmen in Dutse shortly after his arrival from Kaduna where he attended the PDP North West zonal screening. “I think, as someone who served as Chief of Staff to former Governor Saminu Turaki for five years and served as in similar capacity to Governor Sule Lamido for about eight years, it is an experience enough to enable me consolidate on such gains and to continue from where my principals stopped. “After all, there are four of us contesting, I don’t think there is any one of us that was anointed by the Governor. “If you say anointment, you can go and ask the people because they are the ones that anointed candidates not the governor.” Ringim, however, said that his decision to join the gubernatorial race on the platform of the PDP in Jigawa followed wide consultations with relevant stakeholders, close associates, friends and well wishers.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Lagos

Association Asks Professionals To Uphold Ethics

LAGOS - Mr Gabriel Fasoto, the President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), has urged Nigerian professionals to uphold the ethics of their professions.

Fasoto, also a former President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CITN), made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. According to him, professionals must blaze the

trail in ensuring that the yearnings of Nigerians for a positive change in the nation’s life become a reality. The APBN president said that this was possible given the vintage position the

professionals occupy in the country. “This advice becomes necessary considering the level of mediocrity and corruption in our society today. “It is my belief that high ethical standard is the only attribute that will distinguish a thorough bred professional from a mediocre. “The association will focus on institutionalising

professionalism among its members. “This will be done by encouraging members to place the campaign of adherence and enforcement of high ethical standards in the forefront in their respective institutes,” he said. Fasoto said that the association would continue to engage various tiers of government on utilisation of skills, knowledge and expertise of Nigerian professionals in projects execution.

He said that the association would also engage governments in ensuring improvement on compliance level of the local content requirements as provided by the law. Fasoto said that the association would also work with its members to guarantee quality assurance on any job executed by Nigerian professionals. According to him, the association’s achievements in this area will strengthen its relevance in the country.

Quality Cassava Processing Plant, made the observation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. She said that more farmers were now cultivating cassava tubers because of availability of ready markets. Tinubu said that cassava processing into flour was becoming easier because of exposure and support from the government on cassava flour processing. “The main challenge we used to have before was the supply of raw materials which is no longer a challenge because there are more farmers and they know where their buyers are already. “The challenge of infrastructure too has been lessened because the rural roads have been improved. “But the challenge of power supply is still there, it has not improved at all; we are still depending on other alternative sources such as diesel.

“We have actually become farmers and that has helped to reduce the expense in purchasing raw materials,“ Tinubu said. Mr Sola Adepomola, the President, Nigeria Cooperative Association Organisation (NACO), said that the 10 per cent cassava flour inclusion in bread production was the government’s way of ensuring food security. “This is another way for government to sustain food security in the country. It is an improvement and these are steps we should be taking, “ Adepomola said. Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, had on November18, launched commercial production of 10 per cent composite cassava flour product in the country. The initiative was to promote local content in bread production.

Manufacturer Hails Increased Cassava Cultivation

Newly appointed Judge of Lagos High Court, Justices Iyabo Akinkugbe, having her oath document endorsed by Governor Babatunde Fashola at the swearing-in of four Judges of the High Court of Lagos State in Lagos recently.

Oil Price Slump: LAGOS- Dr Samuel Nzekwu, former president, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), has urged the Federal Government to diversify the economy to meet the challenges of prevailing slump in oil prices. Nzekwe told newsmen in Lagos that must improve the performance of the non-oil sector, particularly the agricultural sector, in order to mitigate the effect of the slump on the economy. “Everybody was talking about diversifying the economy. Federal government could finish and we were being warned everyday that one day oil would finish. “Most countries use oil windfall to develop infrastructure and create enabling environment for their economies to thrive. “It is unfortunate that we waited so long until now when the price of oil in the international market came down and we started planning,’’ Nzekwe said.. He said that since the nation’s economy was oilbased, anything that happened to oil would affect the country. The former ANAN president recommended that the budget benchmark for 2015 be cut down to 70 dollars as against the 73 dollars proposed by the government. “If the benchmark is adjusted to 70 dollars, whenever the need arises, there could be supplementary budget. There is no need to put the benchmark at the point you are

LAGOSAn agro processor, Mrs Nike Tinubu, has said that increased cultivation of cassava had boosted its processing into flour and reduced the challenge of sourcing for raw materials. Tinubu, who is the Managing Director, Eko

Ex-ANAN Boss Proffers -Solution

not sure of”, he said. He also called for strict implementation of annual budgets in order to move the nation forward. “All along, because of poor budget implementation, capital projects have become more like recurrent expenditures because of poor performance, poor materials and embezzlement.” According to him, a situation where same capital projects are rolled over year-in-year out is not healthy for the economy. He also said that the federal government must tackle corruption and insecurity, invest in critical infrastrusture as well as end epileptic power supply to save the economy. Nzekwe, however, lauded the idea by government to tax luxury goods to generate more revenue. “Is a known fact that Nigerians do not pay tax. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) should do more enlightenment about the Value Added Tax (VAT) because the VAT only affects the end users. “FIRS should set up effective and efficient machinery to improve tax collection, not by coercion or arbitrariness, but in a developed manner to improve Internally Generated Revenue. “The FIRS has not done well in the collection of VAT as a result of not being able to register all vatable persons and organisations in the country. “ A lot of organisations are outside VAT net and the FIRS is only waiting for them to fall into the net before getting hold

of them,’’ the former ANAN president said. He noted that the introduction of the Tax IdentificatIon Number (TIN) has helped to improve tax collection, but said the system was not good enough as organisations are still evading tax payment. “Money from VAT alone is capable of financing the budget to a very large extent. “The taxation issue has come to a point that companies and individuals operating in the

country must be made to meet minimum regulatory requirements to do business if they are demanding for foreign exchange.” Nzekwe said henceforth such organisations should also be made to produce evidence of registration with the Industrial Training Fund and their contribution to the national pension scheme. “If these conditions are put in place, they would reduce the rush and pressure mounted on the naira by those companies seeking for foreign exchange,” he told newsmen.

L-R: Newly appointed Judges of Lagos High Court, Justices Iyabo Akinkugbe, Serifat Sonaike, Abdulfattah Lawal and Abisoye Bashua, taking oath at their swearing-in in Lagos recently.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Across The Nation NIS Arrests Suspected Illegal Immigrants

Boko Haram

Hunters Call For Support, Prayers YOLA - Officials of Adamawa Hunters Association assisting the military in the fight against insurgents in the state have called for public support and prayers for victory over the insurgents. Officials of the Association made the call in an interview with newsmen in Yola, saying their members were committed in contributing their quota toward curbing insurgency in the country. Philips James, the Secretary of the hunters association, said “we need the peoples’ support and prayers. We also need government’s assistance in this assignment.” James urged the public to be vigilant and be security conscious, as well as prayerful for victory over the insurgents. Suleiman Namtari, the Administration officer of the Association, who also urged for sustained support to the hunters, said they were confident of victory by the grace of God. Namtari also called for government’s assistance, particularly in areas of logistics and cartridges. Meanwhile, the people of Adamawa have continued to sustain the weekly special prayers for peace and an end to insurgency which started this month (November). The prayers, which were being observed on Sundays by both Muslims and Christians, have been described by many as a welcome development.

University Appoints New DVC KEFFI (NASARAWA STATE) - The Governing Council of Nasarawa State University (NSUK), Keffi, has approved the appointment of Prof. Yakubu Ngwai and Dr Sa’adatu Liman as new Deputy Vice Chancellors, Administration and Academics respectively. Notice of the appointment is contained in a statement signed by Prof. Muhammed Mainoma, the Vice Chancellor of the university, made available to newsmen in Keffi. The statement quoted Mainoma as saying “the decision to confirm the appointment of the two officers was taken at the meeting of the council, in line with the law that established the university. “The confirmation of the appointment, which is for five years, is with immediate effect.’’ Until their appointments, Ngwai was the Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, while Liman was the Head of Department of Islamic Studies and Deputy Dean Students Affairs.

of NSCDC with other sister security agencies,“ Okoronkwo said. Also speaking, the Commander of NDLEA, Fegge Area Command, Mr Taiwo Aladetohun, thanked the navy for the seizure, saying: “The navy had helped the NDLEA keep away 150kg of cannabis out of circulation in Anambra State.”

AWKA - The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Anambra says it has arrested about 300 suspected illegal immigrants in the state. The Comptroller of Immigration in the area, Mr Darlington Chude, disclosed this to newsmen in Awka. Chude said that the aliens were “mopped-up” in Awka North and South, Nnewi North and South, and Onitsha North and South local council areas of the state where they were mainly located. “The mop-up exercise which is a continuous one, is a programme of the Immigration Service to rid the country of foreign elements ahead of the 2015 elections. “We discovered during their profiling that majority of them, who do not have anything doing, came into the country from Chad, Senegal, Cameroon and the Niger republics without any documents,” he said. The comptroller said that after the suspected illegal immigrants were screened, they would be moved to the NIS head office in Abuja from where they would be repatriated to their respective countries. “Our mission is to complement the efforts of the Federal Government on security by ensuring that all immigrants without travel documents are repatriated,” he said.

mattresses, rubber mats and blankets, among others. Ilallah said the materials were approved by the NEMA headquarters in Abuja for distribution to the victims who were being camped at DawakinKudu town. According to him, the agency would continue to assist victims of disasters in order to alleviate their hardships. “NEMA as a Federal Government agency will continue to support victims of various disasters to cushion their sufferings’’, he said. Receiving the materials on

behalf of the victims, an official of the state Emergency and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA), Alhaji Garba Abdu, commended the federal government for the gesture. He assured that the agency would ensure equitable distribution of the materials to the victims. Abdu, however, called on the affected persons to cooperate with the state government officials to ensure fairness in the distribution. The agency had recently distributed relief materials worth millions of naira to IDPs who relocated to Kano from Wukari in Taraba.

UMUAHIA - An Umuahia based nutritionist, Mr Victor Ifenkwe, has warned that consumption of food with high salt content could increase the risk of life threatening diseases. He gave the warning in Umuahia an interview with newsmen. He said: “Consumption of food with high salt content could raise one’s blood pressure. “The higher your blood pressure, the greater the strain on your heart, arteries, kidneys and brain. Ifenkwe explained that when these organs were not in good condition, the circulation of blood and nutrients to the body

would be limited which could lead to heart attack, stroke, dementia and kidney disease. The nutritionist said an adult should consume not more than a teaspoon of salt each day. He said that about 80 per cent of salt people consume is contained in processed food like bread, biscuits and breakfast cereals and processed food. He said that reducing the consumption of processed food and moderation in the amount of salt used for cooking would help to prevent the dangers associated with consumption of food with high salt content.

Coordinator, Nigeria Immigration Service, “Zone E” Command, Mr. Godwin Ogbenjuwa, inspecting a guard of Honour during his official visit to Uyo Command recently.

Navy Hands Over Smuggled Fuel, Cannabis To NSCDC, NDLEA ONITSHA (ANAMBRA) The Nigerian Navy, has, handed over 2,600 litres of smuggled fuel products to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC). It seized 150kg of cannabis and handed it to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The navy also seized a van used to convey the 13 drums containing the smuggled products and arrested the driver. Handing over the seized products and the suspect, Navy Captain Mike Oamen, the Commanding Officer of Naval Outpost Onitsha, said that the arrests were made possible by a tip off. “I just want to use this opportunity to sound a note of warning to criminal minded persons that are planning or have the motive of coming to perpetuate evil or criminal acts along the lower River Niger that

they would have the navy to contend with. “And then, now that we have a veritable platform, the jointtaskforce set-up by his Excellency Chief Willie Obiano (the governor of Anambra State); we are better prepared. “And ready to take them on and ensure that we rid Anambra of illegal persons, criminal minded persons. “And make the state conducive place for people to go about their lawful duties,“ he said. The commander, who said that the navy would sustain the tempo, warned oil bunkerers and other smugglers using the River Niger waterways to stop their activities or have the might of men of the navy to contend with. Reacting after taking over the case, the Deputy Commandant of NSCDC, Anambra Command, Mr Chris Okoronkwo, applauded the collaboration between the

navy and NSCDC in tackling crimes along the River Niger. Okoronkwo said that the case would be prosecuted to its logical conclusion and more arrests made in connection to the crime if any. “Our boys are seriously working and this is one of the result as you can see; we would not relent even as we continue to build-up the existing relationship

Displaced Persons Get Relief Materials

DAWAKIN KUDU (KANO STATE) - The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Dawakin Kudu, Kano State, distributed relief materials to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Mubi in Adamawa. The 150 persons fled Mubi town to Dawakin Kudu about two weeks ago following attacks by Boko Haram insurgents. NEMA Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, said the items included foodstuffs,

Expert Warns Against Excessive Salt In-Take

Clerk of Onitsha South Council, Mr. Clement Chibota (left), swearing-in the new chairman of the council, Mr. Alex Achebe recently.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Across The Nation 2015 Polls: UNESCO

SOKOTO- The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has conducted a two-day training workshop in Sokoto as part of its support to the electoral process in Nigeria. The workshop which was attended by participants from the states in the North West geo-

political zone was opened by Governor Aliyu Wamakko . A statement signed by a UNESCO communication officer, Mr Macaulay Olushola, issued in Sokoto has said that Wamakko reiterated his administration’s focus on multisectoral approach to women empowerment.

Concludes Training

The governor was represented by the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Kulu Nuhu. ‘’ These range from skills acquisition programmes to free education, to enable them to become self-reliant and for overall socio-economic transformation.

‘’ We are also committed to the objective of the project, as the state government has approved and made provision for the stepdown training of 200 women across the state for political participation process to be done by the ministry.’’ The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hayiya Zainab Maina, represented by Mr. Omoefe Omonigho, said that the occasion was both historic and unique. She said its uniqueness was because it attracted “an

unprecedented number of participation as well as leadership personalities in the society”. While commending the efforts of UNESCO for supporting the programme, the minister lamented that in spite of the large population of women in Nigeria, their participation in politics and decision making had been dismal. ‘’This state of affairs has resulted in Nigeria not satisfying the provisions of the National Gender Policy that recommends

35 per cent public office for women”, she added. The Regional Director of UNESCO office, Abuja, Prof. Hassana Alidou, represented by Mr. El-Hadi Diop, said the training was part of UNESCO’s support to the electoral process in Nigeria. It was funded by the EU, UKAID, the Canadian Government and UNEDP, through the Democratic Governance and Development Project.

Coy Boss Wants Wreck Removal Project Monitored

Participants at a workshop on control of processions, Electoral Laws, Enforcement, Managing electoral results and public reactions, in relation to outbreak of violence in Gombe recently.

LAGOS- Mr Alex Egenti, the Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Shipping and Marine Services Ltd., has suggested a proper monitoring of ongoing wreck removal project in the nation’s territorial waters. Egenti made the suggestion in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. He said there should be proper monitoring of the wreck removal project to produce satisfactory works. Egenti said that government had sunk “huge’’ amount of

money into the project. According to him, before now, government has been setting aside budgets for removal of wrecks but the situation is that most of these wrecks are not removed and government keeps paying for it. “If you remove the wreck, government will pay for it; if you don’t remove the wreck, government will not pay you,’’ he said. Egenti said the nation’s maritime industry “ will experience remarkable improvement if such project (wreck removal) monitoring is replicated in all areas of the subsector’’. He said, “Nigeria, being a huge maritime nation, could only maintain a hub status when projects are handled

professionally to meet the needs they are designed for. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 2009, got the Federal Government’s approval to remove wrecks from the nation’s waters at a cost of N3.4 billion. Twenty four of the wrecks were deemed highly critical to navigation around Nigerian waters. Surveys conducted in the Lagos waters before the commencement of the project, showed that more than 100 wrecks were lying in different locations along the channel. Out of the 31 wrecks considered very critical to navigation, NIMASA is working on seven.

Polio Eradication Journalists Advocate Adequate Budgetary 19, which focused on Allocation November polio in the context of

scheme was to broaden chances of talented girls from less privileged families in rural areas to obtain higher certificates. “At present, girls are jostling

over the chances which allow them the opportunity to obtain NCE at Isah Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma,’’ he said. Sama’ila said that girls with Senior Secondary School Examination results that possessed relevant NCE entrance requirements were eligible for the scheme.

immunisation and child survival. The resolution signed by Abubakar Ahmed, Zamfara State with newsmen, called for transparency, accountability and stronger commitments by policy makers and other stakeholders. “There should also be the timely release of funds and physical involvement of PEI and other child-survival issues. “Media practitioners and their organisations should continue to utilise their special positions in the society to strengthen and sustain the polio eradication and other child-survival programmes,’’ they said. The resolution urged journalists to build their skills to enhance networking through social media and other emerging technologies to boost their news reports and programmes. The journalists pledged to be more passionate and professional, individually and collectively to the eradication of the polio virus.

Abuja, reported the matter to the Gwarimpa Police Station on November 12. Idi said that the accused went to Lenkat’s shop and beat her up, leaving her with serious injuries all over her body. He said that the complainants

was currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Gwarimpa, FCT. The prosecutor said the offence is punishable under Section 241 of the Penal Code. However, the accused, pleaded not guilty to the charge but the Judge, Malam Abubakar

Mohammed, refused to grant him bail. Mohammed then ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and adjourned the case until December 8 for further hearing.

Public Relations Officer, office of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Col. Aminu Iliyasu, Director, Army Public Relation, BrigGen. Olajide Laleye and Chief of Staff, Directorate of Army Public Relations, at a news conference on Army officers conference in Abuja recently.

SOKOTO- Journalists from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara have called for adequate budgetary allocation for the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in the country. The journalists made the call at the end of a two-day media sensitisation/ review meeting on strategies to interrupt the transmission of the wild polio virus. No fewer than 49 journalists attended the meeting held between November 17 and

Parents Told To Support Girl-Child Education

DANDUME (Katsina State) -Malam Ado Sama’ila, the Education Secretary, Dandume Local Government Education Authority, in Katsina State, has urged parents to encourage their daughters to study in tertiary institutions in order to maximise their potentials. Sama’ila made the call in an interview with newsmen in Dandume. He said it was important for parents especially in rural areas to stop the habit of preventing their daughters from obtaining higher qualifications after secondary school. The education secretary said that the practice limits the

abilities of girls to contribute more meaningful to societal development. He advised parents in the area to access the “Female Teachers Scholarship Scheme’’ instituted by the state government and UNICEF to support women in rural areas to further their education. Samaila lamented that since the introduction of the scheme in 2009, only eight students from the area had benefit from the scholarship scheme, because the parents had forced those with genuine interest to abandon school. He explained that apart from supporting the beneficiaries to study for the National

Certificate of Education, the scheme also confers automatic employment to them which allow them to teach in primary schools in their localities. Sama’ila said the aim of the

Man Remanded For Causing Grievous Hurt ABUJA- The police have arraigned a business man, Victor Usaka, at a Grade 1 Area Court, Kado, Abuja, for causing grievous hurt. The prosecutor, Cpl Friday Idi, told the court that one Dimkan Lenkat of Gwarimpa Estate,

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Business + Economy FG Awards N272m Abuja Light Rail Contract ABUJA - The Federal Government has approved a N272 million contract for consultancy services for the feasibility study and conceptual design of Lots Four, Five, and Six of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit System. This was the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Supervising Minister of Information, Mr Nurudeen Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, said the contract was awarded to Ladiom Associates with a completion period of 12 months. “The Federal Capital Territory Rail Mass Transit system is designed primarily as a mover of

people within and between the satellite towns and the different phases of the city. “There is a provision of N280 million in the 2014 FCT Statutory Appropriation for the project. “The projects, upon completion, will reduce traffic congestion, shorten journey distance and reduce pressure on existing public transport services. “The project will also provide employment opportunities to about 5,000 skilled and unskilled workers, while about 4,500 skilled workers will be engaged in the direct operation of the system on completion.“ The supervising minister said the FCT Rail Mass Transit System would be integrated with the planned national rail network. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Bala Mohammed, who also briefed

newsmen, said that everything about the project was on course in terms of the financial plan. Let Four will carry passengers from Kuje to Karshi; Lot 5 from Kubwa to Bwari because there must be some provisions for crisscrossing of commuters within the city. “Lot 6 will carry people from the airport to Kuje and Gwagwalada up to Dobi, a satellite town that is far off

Gwagwalada. That will complete the feasibility studies that we are set to do. “You are aware we are executing the Lots One and Three and we have gone 60 per cent. Everything about the project is on course in terms of the financial plan. “What we are doing now is to start building the stations - 13 in number - that are going to be used by the passengers. So, everything

about the light rail is on course. “Lot Two is the most viable one. Already, we have gotten expression of interest from the organised private sector to do it, which is very significant to us as a government as a mark of confidence shown in Nigeria and in Abuja because it is a bankable project and the passengers are there because it is going to provide rail transportation from Nyanya to the city centre up to

Representative of the DirectorGeneral, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Bulus Dabit (right), presenting a trophy to Hajara, the overall winner, at the closing ceremony of Local Government Area Commanders of Community support brigade’s course in Jos recently.

Access Bank Partners Airtel On Mobile Money Service LAGOS - The Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr Herbert Wigwe, restated the bank’s commitment to capture more unbanked Nigerians into the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) financial inclusion programme. Wigwe said this in a statement signed by the bank’s Head of Corporate Affairs Unit, Mr Abdul Imoyo in Lagos. He said that the bank had collaborated with Airtel to develop and launch a mobile money service to capture more unbanked Nigerians. The Access Money powered by Airtel allows customers to perform simple, secure and instant financial transactions using their mobile phones. It also allows customers on the mobile network to send and receive money, make deposits and withdrawals, pay their utility bills and buy airtime for their lines. The platform provides

customers with the ability to receive money through agents nationwide or through cardless withdrawals from any Access Bank Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). Wigwe said, “Through Access Money, we will provide financial access to more and more people and small businesses and create an easier channel for the distribution of financial aid.

Expert Tasks West African Stakeholders

Power Challenges: LAGOS - Mrs. Ifey Ikeonu, Council Member, ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority, Ghana (ERERA) has urged stakeholders in the power sector to address electricity problem in the sub-region beyond

national barriers. Ikeonu gave the advice in a presentation titled “Improving Regulatory Governance through Benchmarking’’ which she made at a two-day West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) in

Kano Provides Toilets, Boreholes In Markets

KANO - The Kano State Government said it spent N754.8 million on the construction of 74 public toilets in 74 rural markets in the state. The State’s Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Alhaji Garba Durbunde, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano. Durbunde said that the provision of the toilets which was also supported with solar-

Kubwa. “In fact they (investors) are struggling for that. “For the Lots Four, Five and Six, that is why we are doing the feasibility study. We want to run away from the previous practice where contracts were awarded on the basis of conceptual design. “This time around, we are coming with the engineering design and the bill of quantities before we go to tender.”

powered boreholes was to stop open defecation in the communities. He said that the projects were executed in the last two years, adding that they were jointly financed by the state government and benefitting local government areas. He said that N407 million was spent on the construction of the boreholes while the toilets gulped

N338.8 million. The commissioner said the boreholes and latrines were provided in selected rural markets across the 36 council areas in the state. “The project is part of the state government’s commitment to extend the dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the people, particularly the rural dwellers and to stop open defecation,” he said.

L-R: Jigawa Commissioner for Education, Prof. Haruna Wakili; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Lawal Abdu and Chairman, House Committee on Education, Alhaji Nasiru Mohammed, at the inauguration of the State’s Boards of Tertiary Institutions and Agencies in Dutse recently.

Lagos. According to her, the region’s biggest challenge is that of bridging the gap between electricity supply and demand with average access rate to electricity in the region being about 30 per cent. “This is a very huge gap that requires a lot of proactive and innovative solutions if we are to meet the goal of sustainable energy for all by the year 2030. “The region is blessed with an abundance of natural and renewable resources. “Therefore, we must try to articulate the right strategies that will attract the required financial resources needed to put power infrastructure across board in place. “We should leverage on the resources within the region, to rapidly improve access to electricity,’’ she said. Ikeonu said that the vision of West African leaders for the electricity industry should be a sustainable and integrated electricity sector which was reliable and affordable. She said that such integrated electricity would serve as the bedrock for economic and social development and growth of the region. “My advice is that stakeholders must begin to look beyond national barriers in addressing the electricity sector challenges in the various countries of West Africa.

“We must learn to rely on our joint resources, be it natural, human or financial, in tackling these challenges. “Furthermore, we need to pay attention to the governance of the sector because a sustainable power sector can only be built based on a clear, predictable and transparent regulatory framework,’’ Ikeonu added. She disclosed that in order to ensure the smooth operation of the regional market, member states were mandated to establish an independent regulatory authority where none existed. She stressed the need for the protection of the independence of the regulatory authority. According to her, member states should particularly ensure

that the regulatory authority has legal personality, budgetary autonomy, and adequate human and financial resources to carry out its duties. Ikeonu said that ERERA was currently concluding arrangement for the take-off of ECOWAS regional electricity market, adding that the council had finalised the regional market rules. “We are also working on the development of the contractual templates for cross-border electricity trading in the region. “The adoption of all of these regulatory tools will signal the commencement of the first phase of the regional market and I am eager to see this in place as soon as possible,” she said.

CBN Sells N119.93bn Worth Of Treasury Bills LAGOS - The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it sold N119.93billion worth of treasury bills on November 19, at its weekly sale. The bank, in data on its weekly sale of government securities posted on its website on Thursday, said it sold three categories of securities. The securities are 91, 182 and 364-day treasury bills. The bank said that the bills were sold at the Primary Market

Auction (PMA) wing of the CBN. It said that the bills were worth N32.44billion, N22.82billion and N64.67billion, respectively. It also said that the 91-day bills would mature on February 19, 2015 with a yield of 10.25 per cent, while the 182-day bill would mature on May 21, 2015 with an interest of 11.42 per cent. CBN added that the 364-day bills would mature on November19, 2015 with a yield of 14.26 per cent.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY(24/11/2014) Stocks

Open

Change

Deals

Units

Value

MOBIL

148.92

8,579

1,266,533.94

7UP

149

17,558

2,579,515.91

MRS

720

38,304.00

ABCTRANS

0.58

953,912

557,125.08

NAHCO

4.69

4.9

0.21

609,413

2,969,810.58

ACADEMY

0.95

-0.05

73,632

69,950.40

NASCON

7.2

7.23

0.03

1,108,876

8,058,357.22

157.51

160

2.49

453,441

72,407,596.14

ACCESS

7.83

7.97

0.14

15,394,978

124,458,890.70

AFRIPRUD

2.88

-0.12

2,244,694

6,549,726.56

NCR

12.83

2,996

36,521.24

AIICO

0.85

0.88

0.03

2,289,557

1,941,624.53

NEIMETH

0.92

0.9

-0.02

136,486

123,746.33

ALUMACO

7.75

1,000

7,370.00

NEM

0.61

0.6

-0.01

1,105,000

662,479.57

845

860.01

15.01

54,524

46,936,365.71

ASHAKACEM

22.89

46,975

1,064,688.50

NESTLE

AVONCROWN

1.59

268

444.88

NEWGOLD

2050

2048

-2

14,336.00

BECOPETRO

0.5

39,000

19,500.00

NIG-GERMAN

100

665

BERGER

8.7

210,106

1,811,920.10

NNFM

354

6,726.00

0.86

6,100

5,189.00

BETAGLAS

22.05

2,382

52,523.10

NPFMCRFBK

CADBURY

42.09

150,216

6,131,064.59

NSE30

1527.82

1528.25

0.43

163,636,806

2,331,133,480.00

CAP

36.15

0.15

145,714

5,261,056.10

NSE50

1664.18

1666.27

2.09

230,826,634

2,486,901,926.00

CAVERTON

3.44

22,100

79,738.00

NSEASI

33926.18

33875.26

-50.92

265,900,695

2,889,723,099.00

355.17

355.56

0.39

125,517,071

1,285,393,313.00

CCNN

10.8

32,091

343,790.81

NSEBNK

CHAMS

0.5

1,000,000

500,000.00

NSECNSMRGDS

846.1

851.07

4.97

12,432,826

264,757,550.10

CHELLARAM

3.95

100

376

NSEINDUSTR

2054.21

2033.21

-21

1,900,597

204,661,621.70

CILEASING

0.5

449,166

224,583.00

NSEINS

144.18

144.67

0.49

4,614,081

3,503,605.19

2124.64

2118.94

-5.7

3,901,299

303,595,260.50

CONOIL

49.23

20,998

982,076.46

NSELOTUSISLM

CONTINSURE

0.89

0.93

0.04

400,000

372,000.00

NSEOILGAS

390.28

397.62

7.34

6,486,649

136,706,324.60

CORNERST

0.5

143,124

71,562.00

OANDO

21.4

21.41

0.01

4,567,442

97,908,856.74

COSTAIN

0.84

37,561

31,343.24

OKOMUOIL

26.8

28.14

1.34

151,632

4,238,038.06

5.04

32,000

153,280.00

COURTVILLE

0.5

63,750

31,875.00

PORTPAINT

CUSTODYINS

3.8

3.82

0.02

322,188

1,230,756.51

PREMBREW

3.98

1,068

4,047.72

CUTIX

1.53

1.47

-0.06

214,166

315,874.02

PRESCO

26.13

29,526

771,982.90

DANGCEM

195

185.25

-9.75

937,598

173,856,021.10

23.3

22.2

-1.1

342,887

7,702,106.09

4.2

1,000

4,300.00

DANGFLOUR

6.55

1,125

7,008.75

REDSTAREX

DANGSUGAR

5.82

0.18

7,907,740

46,786,921.22

RESORTSAL

0.5

400,000

200,000.00

DIAMONDBNK

5.5

5.49

-0.01

7,817,612

43,137,690.43

ROYALEX

0.5

123,374

62,520.20

DNMEYER

0.87

100

RTBRISCOE

0.81

0.85

0.04

374,081

317,954.61

426.01

430

3.99

532,304

228,846,595.00

DUNLOP

0.5

14,000

7,000.00

SEPLAT

ETERNA

2.99

3.08

0.09

1,728,837

5,043,352.59

SKYEBANK

2.47

11,434,503

28,330,578.36

ETI

17.05

939,086

16,006,798.20

STANBIC

28.2

28.25

0.05

147,107

4,145,446.92

ETRANZACT

2.21

1,000

2,300.00

STERLNBANK

2.3

33,900,737

78,053,230.88

147.4

8,386

1,277,817.54

FBNH

9.32

9.4

0.08

53,929,906

501,474,888.40

TOTAL

FCMB

3.25

3.2

-0.05

1,251,987

4,006,078.13

TRANSCORP

3.88

4.07

0.19

11,235,246

45,207,292.69

FIDELITYBK

1.7

1.66

-0.04

1,928,882

3,212,069.71

UAC-PROP

11.04

11.4

0.36

479,740

5,388,087.20

FIDSON

3.4

226,900

788,500.00

UACN

41.99

103,095

4,248,953.11

4.37

4.45

0.08

9,056,851

40,627,036.63

FIRSTALUM

0.5

UBA

FLOURMILL

41.51

743,508

31,919,628.54

UBCAP

1.61

1.69

0.08

2,038,944

3,437,450.23

199

200

151,687

30,189,383.35

UBN

8.35

8.15

-0.2

568,825

4,650,692.72

FTNCOCOA

0.5

1,000,000

500,000.00

UNILEVER

232,738

7,637,511.20

0.5

GCAPPA

14.46

2,549

35,023.26

UNIONDAC

GLAXOSMITH

170,378

8,859,864.22

UNITYBNK

0.5

254

127

GUARANTY

23.4

23.66

0.26

7,052,056

166,560,482.70

UPDCREIT

12,815,207

128,152,070.00

GUINNESS

160

157.36

-2.64

112,374

17,596,972.04

UPL

4.13

3.93

-0.2

200,574

788,262.82

15.06

15.29

0.23

152.9

HONYFLOUR

3.28

3.15

-0.13

482,348

1,525,195.64

VETGRIF30

IKEJAHOTEL

3.75

3.71

-0.04

4,185,000

15,623,420.00

VITAFOAM

3.78

3.8

0.02

312,800

1,188,248.00

INTBREW

-1

512,691

14,281,059.07

WAPCO

279,565

21,802,468.00

INTENEGINS

0.5

299,000

149,500.00

WAPIC

0.69

0.67

-0.02

607,340

401,694.49

0.92

0.96

0.04

18,037,539

16,896,217.59

20.95

20.75

-0.2

37,423,541

780,355,842.80

JAPAULOIL

0.5

294,400

147,200.00

WEMABANK

JBERGER

60.66

115,484

6,682,992.92

ZENITHBANK

JOHNHOLT

0.98

1,000

940

LASACO

0.5

10,700

5,350.00

LEARNAFRCA

1.36

1.41

0.05

334,100

444,530.00

LIVESTOCK

2.03

0.03

202,000

420,600.00

LOTUSHAL15

10.38

10.59

0.21

1,010

10,145.90

MANSARD

2.86

8,360

23,894.60

MAYBAKER

1.43

1.4

-0.03

287,500

400,080.00

MBENEFIT

0.5

50,000

25,000.00

TOP 10 GAINERS Stock NESTLE NSEOILGAS NSECNSMRGDS SEPLAT NB NSE50 OKOMUOIL FO NSEINS NSE30

Close 860.01 397.62 851.07 430 160 1666.27 28.14 200 144.67 1528.25

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain

Stock

15.01 7.34 4.97 3.99 2.49 2.09 1.34 1 0.49 0.43

NSEASI 50.92 NSEINDUSTR DANGCEM 9.75 NSELOTUSISLM GUINNESS 2.64 NEWGOLD PZ INTBREW UBN UPL

33875.26

Loss -

2033.21 185.25

-21 -

2118.94 157.36

-5.7 -

2048 22.2 28 8.15 3.93

-2 -1.1 -1 -0.2 -0.2

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

RECENTLY an international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, in its latest report and video footage of the nation’s Armed Forces alleged that the Nigeria military is involved in “brutal” extra-judicial killings in the North-Eastern part of the country. THE video footage released in Lagos recently showed the nation’s military abusing civilians and engaging in extra- judicial killings of civilians in the north eastern parts of the country, where the activities of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, have been overwhelming. THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER believes in the aphorism that two wrongs can’t make a right and as such calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to give the report the needed attention by instituting a high powered probe to ensure that Nigeria is not shielding right violators in its military, THIS measure is Important because of the hasty dismissal of the report by some top government officials who ought to be more diplomatic in responding to the report because such early dismissal of the report is capable of damaging the nation’s image among the comity of nations The Coordinator, National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omen at a news conference in Abuja same day absolved the military of human rights abuses, saying the Nigerian Army was not involved in the alleged killing of the Boko Haram detainees as reported by Amnesty International. He went ahead to describe the Nigerian Army as a professional security forces which would not get Involved in such “dastardly act.” THE soldiers involved in the brutal extrajudicial execution of victims, either suspects or not do not have such rights under the Nigerian constitution. Nobody, under the Nigerian Constitution has the nights to undertake extra-

THE NIGERIAN

Amnesty International Report On Extra Judicial Killings judicial killing(s). THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER views Omeri’s comments as patronising and expected trademark of the usual government’s grandstanding in the face of obvious evidence, WE expected the federal government to be more circumspect and diplomatic in its choice of words since Omen and his agency did not carry out any immediate investigations to determine the veracity of the allegations A situation where ordinary Nigerian citizens come up with clear cases of rights violation and the state sweeps it under the carpet, international organisations come up with their accusation and is also sweep under the carpet, may be creating a fertile ground for citizens to device unconventional means to express their disgust. THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER recalls that the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency stems from extra-judicial execution of the leader of the outlawed group in police custody. Part of the demands of the extremists that infuriated their later actions was the demand for justice for their slain member. Till date, there is no action from the Federal Government to show that justice has been delivered to Yusuf, even in his grave, So, dismissing by a wave of the hand a report with weighty allegations of international magnitude

is quite deluding. WE believe the Nigerian government cannot allow security agencies to commit war crimes against its own people and expect civilized nations to tolerate these same crimes being perpetrated by the state and then provide the help needed to win the war against terrorism. We strongly the Amnesty International reports and take believe that it is self -defeating and uncivilized. This is why the government must thoroughly and independently probe action against security operatives that are implicated in them, irrespective of their ranks. THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER strongly believes that to assist the nation’s armed forces and prevent further occurrence, President Goodluck Jonathan must raise a strong panel of inquiry to investigate the allegations of war crimes as shown in the video footage, otherwise the atrocities may be taken as official position and the President stands the risk of being accused of war crimes and crime against humanity. IT is equally important to call on the military to prosecute the current war against terrorism in Northern Nigeria with sufficient respect for human rights. This is direly needed to enjoy the confidence of the international community in its campaign against terrorism. FINALLY, we also want to call on Amnesty International to also extend its work to the Boko Haram camp and reveal to the world the butchery, slaughtering of their captives so that global citizens could take them more seriously. Releasing a one-sided report in a war that has revealed several extra-judicial killings in most bizzare manner by the insurgents is inappropriate and capable of tarnishing the global human right’s watchdog’s image.

THE NIGERIAN

Mercantilist Christianity T

HE yuletide is upon us again. It is that time of the year when both true and copycat Christians traditionally assemble to celebrate the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, the author and the finisher of our fate; one whose life and works changed the course of human history. Like previous seasons, it is my seminal season; that time of the year when I usually wax lyrical. I have always spoken out, no holds barred, against some of the ungodly atrocities being perpetrated in the house of Jehovah, the God of creation, in contemporary times, by the devil incarnates in our midst masquerading as angels of light; ceaselessly slammed the indecent and sacrilegious manner some self-styled “shepherds of the flock of Christ” have transformed Christianity into a huge Joke; continuously carpeted the taboos of the false apostles of moral correctness in our midst. Of all the outrageous practices that have received the fiery brunt of my sword of truth, the inroads capitalism has made into the establishment and administration of most contemporary churches has been the most prominent. This piece continues in the same stead. That money-changers have taken over the running of most contemporary churches is no longer breaking news. Some of our worship centers, which have been blasphemously christened the “Houses of God”, are actually dens of thieves; abodes for some of the most reprehensible characters that can be imagined; havens for wolves in sheep’s clothing. The fact is that most modern churches are no longer places of refuge for the spiritually infirm, but huge business centers where some of the most mouthwatering financial transactions take place; bustling commercial hubs where trunk loads of cash constantly changes hands. Most of today’s churches operate strictly as commercial consortiums that are meant to bolster the exchequer of their proprietors - the General Overseers; business concerns that are driven by the “Mercantilist Philosophy”; the Philosophy that defined and drove the colonial enterprise – a commercial enterprise that is based on the notion that an individual or group can increase their status and power by obtaining as much wealth as possible, and by instituting a favourable balance of trade, in which they receive more than they give out. The ultimate goal of this system of commerce

is economic self-sufficiency (emphasis added). That contemporary churches have borrowed from the Mercantilist system of commerce is a fact that cannot be overemphasized. The establishment of churches with their large network of branches is meant to shore up the wealth of the parent church by exploiting the labours and resources of their congregations and securing the future of their children and children’s children. It is on the basis of these strictly commercial considerations that the unholy prophets in our midst go to extreme lengths to establish churches of their personal contriving; houses of debauchery that are devoid of divine authority; whore houses where the most reprehensible characters regularly assemble; centers of deceit where hypocrites rendezvous to playact. The “moneycentric” dispositions of some contemporary churches are legion; schemes that are designed to enrich the potentates at the expense of the unsuspecting, ignorant and largely brainwashed members of their congregations. When a church spends the proceeds from the tithes and offerings of its members to invest in capital intensive projects – like filling stations, financial houses, publishing houses, commercial airlines, private educational institutions et al - that are expected to yield huge profits that will not be redistributed to cater to the needs of the largely impoverished members of the congregation, it deviates from its core duties– catering to both the spiritual and physical needs of its members – as depicted by Christ throughout His earthly ministry. Our Lord Jesus Christ recognized the significance of balancing both the spiritual and physical needs of his flock. On several occasions, he took out time from His very tight schedules to also minister to the physical needs of the multitude that thronged the venues of His crusades to hear His message of salvation for their souls (See feeding of the multitude, Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:3044 ; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). But majority of the chief shepherds of some of today’s churches don’t’ give a hoot about the welfare of their flock. All they are pre-occupied with is devising newer and more satanic methods of worsening the already pitiable conditions of

their sheep. What a pity! In some of our churches, today, we are continually inundated on the need to “sow” or “plant” seeds – of the need to invest in ministries through offerings, tithes and other contrived, compulsory contributions: “partnering in the ministry”, they call it. But unknown to the bewildered herds - the ever submissive sheep who daily flock to these centers of shame - who are ever submissive to the manipulations of the men/women on the pulpit, sowing, planting seeds or partnering with the ministry actually has nothing to do with investment or entrepreneurship, which has become the chief focus of the self-styled shepherds of the flock. The word partnership has been corrupted to serve the greeddriven ploys of the men and women in cassock. When you browse through most church websites, watch television programs or read handbills, you are more likely to come across bank account details that members are supposed to fund in order to “partner with God” and qualify to enjoy his goodness. What a laugh! Unlike the practices in the past when we had Christian missions that were performing largely voluntary humanitarian functions - collaborative efforts by churches that helped in supplementing the efforts of government in mitigating the conditions of the masses such as the establishment of orphanages, schools, relief centers, hospitals, maternity centers, home for the homeless to the granting of scholarship schemes - most cotemporary churches have operated more like selfaggrandizing, profit oriented enterprises – money changing concerns that prefer plowing funds into enterprises that will not benefit those who contributed their operating capital; services they view as strictly government business. On the rare occasions when some of these churches manage to give things freely to the society, it’s simply to sell their brand to the impressionable public and possibly win more potential contributors to their already swelling purses; a form of advertising that is targeted at an audience with itchy ears. More annoying is the branding of these churches with the pictures of the pastors and their wives (This will be the subject of another discourse on this page). The hypocrisies in today’s churches are mind-bending; manmade contradictions that are as

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Cutting Edge With Obuseh Jude GSM: 08033510173 nauseating as they are damning. Is it not hypocritical for a church to set up schools that majority of its members – individuals who contributed their hard earned tithes and offerings, that are supposedly to being invested for them in heaven by their pastors, towards constructing these projects – cannot afford to attend because of the astronomical costs

log in our own eyes before attempting to remove specks from the eyes of others. Churches are supposed to be non-governmental and non-profit organizations established to cater to both the spiritual and physical needs of the multitude; not centers of commerce where mammon is venerated. Most of the common challenges people

have are impostors who have turned the house of God into a house of thieves; a brood of vipers whose goofs are legendary. Christians must be wary of the evil designs of these dark lords; these incarnates of Satan. True Christianity is not a commercial enterprise – it never was and never will be. Jesus Christ, the avatar of the Christian

required for entrance into these centers of learning? Is it not more hypocritical that the student populations of these same schools are largely constituted by the children of the so-called “unbelievers” - non-Christians who can afford to pay the exorbitant fees required to gain admission into these schools? Is it not hypocritical that the same churches that criticize political leaders for failing to provide the basic necessities of life for the enjoyment of the citizenry are the same ones avoiding providing these same responsibilities in the little ways they can? Is it not hypocritical for churches to accuse their members of not paying their dues - as and when due - into the exchequer of the church, when they refrain from plowing back the profits made from their various investment portfolios into making life better for some of their members? What we have is the case of pots calling a kettle black. The bible admonishes us to first remove the

have had to grapple with over the years - especially in developing countries - would have been effectively ameliorated if religious institutions had been contributing their own quota by collaborating with the authorities to tackle some of these challenges. Considering all the billions that are being contributed to the coffers of most churches, succor from the ravaging effects of poverty, disease and other social insecurities should not be far from the deplorably poor members of these congregations. The craze by the heads of most contemporary churches to acquire wealth is ridiculous. From the acquisition of private jets, state of the art cruise ships, posh mansions in choice locations around the world, customized bulletproof cars to other luxury items money can buy, the vanities being exhibited by our church leaders are as shameful as they are embarrassing. Most Pastors buy jets with church money and register it to their names, obviously with the intention of willing it to their siblings. All these they do at the expense of the stupefied members of their flock who are at the mercy of these charlatans. The greedy, mingy merchants of death acting as caregivers in some of our churches today are not the true shepherds Christ spoke about in his biblical parable. What we

religion laid its basic pillars, none of which is centered on the acquisition of worldly wealth. Accepted that the children of God are supposed to live blissful lives on earth, as well as in the afterlife, it should not be at the detriment of their souls (Matthew 16: 21; Mark 8:36). Christ’s teachings on true wealth was of a spiritual mien (Matthew 6:19-21), not the mainly physical definition it is being coloured with in the present dispensation. Rather than being cocoons of caterpillars where greed and avarice runs roughshod uncensored, contemporary churches must endeavour to take a cue from Christ Himself and shed the false skins of perfidy that have defined its evolution since post-apostolic times. Rather than being centers of falsehood where some of the most marvelous scams are devised and perpetrated by some of the most despicable scammers the world has ever laid eyes on, contemporary churches must do a detour and revert to the true teachings and practices of the early apostolic church of Christone that was based on the key principles of loving, sharing and giving. God bless us all! MR OBUSEH JUDE, A PEACE RESEARCHER AND PRACTITIONER, WRITES FROM BENIN CITY. TEL O8033510173.E-MAIL: syncado2006@yahoo.com.

“The hypocrisies in today’s churches are mind-bending; man-made contradictions that are as nauseating as they are damning”.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Nutritional Health And Dietetics

Plants The Greatest Gift Of Nature

PLANTS nourish and feed us, add spice to our life, bestow health and beauty, scent and colour and brighten our days. They mediate love, hope and gratitude, they clothe and cleanse us, they heal and soothe our bodies, minds and souls. They touch every aspect of our existence, from our daily sustenance to the air we breath, to the keys to other dimensions. They are the alchemists that turn sunlight into green force of life continuously revolving, restoring, rebirthing through the cycles of time. Plants are truly the greatest gift of nature, yet also, the one we most take for granted. Herbal plants are parts of the driving force that sow the seeds for a greener healthier future. Culinary herbs not only impart a great flavour but also, have subtle effect on the digestive process. Other herbs are more medicinal than culinary and can be used as remedies based on the wisdom of age old traditional plant knowledge. Special herbs are thought to impact certain essences conducive to love –getting, money-drawing, protection from evil or the removal of curses and for spells. Some plants have anticancer and antioxidant activity. Some are rich in vitamins especially vitamin c plant fibre, flavonoids, phytosterols and glycosides which make plants nutritional heavy weight in the leafy greens division. Some plants emulsify the fat cells and assist them out of the system, hence, the name fat –burster. Some are metabolic balancer with potentially regulating effect on the thyroid. Please note that I am not advocating that people stop using their normal medication, but would like to make people aware that some alternative therapies can be effective too and help to solve problems and create a healthier, younger and more vital you. It might interest you to know that some herbs contain triterpene, saponins, hentiacontanol, coumarins, mucilage, phytosterols, tocopherols, gamma – linoleic acid, minerals, flavonoids mainly apigenin c-glycosides and rutin, organic acids-carboxylic acids and vitamin c. Food, everything we eat

comes directly or indirectly from plants. Plant is important to us because, the air we need to breathe, we can use them as herbs for healing –injuries and diseases. Some are used for medication. Our body needs plants because, there are some nutrients in them that we can’t afford to miss or do without. Plants are indispensable to our lives, aside from being our food, they are also, important in other things like our shelter, buildings, home furnishings and other supplies like papers, glues, pencils and the like and glues, pencils and the like and also, our medicines and so on. All living organisms here in our planet depends on them. They prevent landslides, accepts carbondioxide and releases oxygen, shelter for the animals. No herbivorus animal will survive if there are no plants and there will be no carnivores who will survive as well and no human, for there will be no food to sustain our body. The essence of the taste of bitterness in some foods and herbs: The bitterness on our taste buds alone is a nutrient in a sense. The bitterness sends a chemical reaction throughout our bodies and has numerous health benefits. When you sweeten bitter foods, you destroy the majority of the health benefit of that particular food. Many nutritionists, herbalists and other health experts believe that far too many modern industrialized humans are deficient in bitter substances, which in part contributes to our rise in digestive related illnesses, inflammatory conditions, immune challenges, diabetes and more. The health benefits of bitter foods are to -Help to absorb nutrients while the bitterness is perceive as unpleasant, the interaction between bitter constituents in foods and our bitter taste receptors stimulate the production of

With

O.C. Madu

gastric acid in the stomach. This helps prime the stomach for the food it is about to encounter. Bitter foods and herbs help to stimulate digestives juices and support food digestion. -Bitter foods help stimulate our taste receptors on the

the liver, helping it to do what it is meant to do, that is to keep your body clean and clear. -Bitter foods can help fight free radicals in the body. Bitter foods are usually nutrient dense and are packed with plenty of nutrients. For instance, beta-carotene for healthy skin, folate for a healthy nervous system, vitamin k for healthy blood

state of shock and can adjust accordingly. That is why I treat with emphasis on balance. Balance, one of the most neglected concepts. In terms of dietary balance, do not neglect the bitter

easily absorbed into the body and blood stream, leaving minimal residual and side effects. To maintain good health and to help combat illness, herbs are indispensable to our

tongue, which subsequently stimulate enzyme production and bile flow and better your food digestion, the more food digestion, the more nutrient you will absorb from your food. It does not matter what you eat, if you cannot absorb it, it would not be of much benefit to you. -The more bitter greens we eat, the more bitter greens we want. -Unknown to you, bitter foods are thought to reduce food cravings and aid in weight loss. - Bitter roots contain fiber that help to sweep waste through the digestive tract. Bitter foods also, contain sulfur –based compounds which support the natural detoxification pathways in

clotting and phytochemicals for healthy inflammation response, managing cholesterol, balance hormones, detoxify the blood and metabolizes fats. Many greens are also mineral rich, so, gentle cooking will help make those minerals more bioavailable to the human body. Remember that the human body is wired to maintain balance over all else. Imbalances especially in diet always cause over compensation in the opposite direction, in order to maintain the acid alkaline balance that keeps the body in homeostasis, that is why dietary changes are best implemented slowly, so that the body is not thrown into a

flavour/taste element in favour of more appealing and friendly choices like sweet or salty. Bitter foods and herbs have many important function in the body, specifically, in regards to the liver, detoxification and digestion. It is understandable that people avoid bitter foods as they can be somewhat unpleasant, however, there are many ways to incorporate bitter foods to your recipes. What is more is that bitter foods usually make you feel great, especially, those that directly affect the liver. Herbs are plants that are found in nature and are naturally and blood stream, leavingconsumed by animals and human beings. They are

wellbeing. Research has shown that between the cells in the herb leaves, flowers and roots are sacs that contain the essential oils for that particular plant. Each sac of essential oil contains between 50-2000 chemical constituents that are the active ingredients responsible for the healing and balancing effect of the herb. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and only small amounts are needed resulting in minimum side effects. Our body has a defence mechanism which protects us from becoming ill. This is our immune system. When our immune system has weakened due to illness, toxins, environment, stress, lifestyle or injury, we become more vulnerable to illness, disease and injury. Herbs work synergistically with our body. In other words, herbs work together with our immune system and internal organs, helping them to become stronger, healthier and more vital. As a result, we are overall healthier and less vulnerable to illness.

GSM: 08056379608

“Herbs work synergistically with our body. In other words, herbs work together with our immune system and internal organs, helping them to become stronger, healthier and more vital”.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Insight

RECENT developments in Nigeria have made a review of the health of the nation’s economy rather compelling. The political leaders have always raised the people’s hope by painting glowing picture of their development plans and how to take the nation to the promised land’ of true democracy and economic prosperity. They swore that citizens empowerment would become their top priority yet they refuse to fix the infrastructures and institutions that would propel the economy and create employment for the millions of graduates churn out by the educational institutions yearly. Like the leaders before him, Jonathan promised a bunch and years after, the people are left with promises. It is unarguably a Herculean task to govern a society, and it becomes much more daunting in a society such as Nigeria with an uncertain sociopolitical and economic environment. The state of the society is, therefore, defined by the ineffectiveness of the political leaders and poor social institutions that have crippled the economy and pauperized the people. The myriad problems in the society are exerting untold pressures on the people who have utilized every opportunity to pour out their anger and frustration before any person who is willing to listen. It appears, however, that there is public optimism that the Jonathan would usher in a new era of politics and

integrity in governance. But if the past is prologue it is doubtful that he could deliver on his promises of resolving the nation’s socioeconomic and political problems, in other words, it is doubtful that Jonathan is the answer to the challenges facing the Nigerian economy. Challenges facing the Nigerian Economy: Human Development Challenges: Human resources play an immerse role in the success or failure of any organization or nation in terms of capability and strength of character. In Nigeria, most of the problems facing the economy are a reflection of the poor quality of human development and management because education, which plays a critical role in human development and the economic health of the nation, has been neglected for decades (Krueger and Lindhal, 2001, Dike, January-March, 2002). One has to understand the problems facing the educational institutions to really appreciate the magnitude of problems facing the Nigerian economy. Good quality education or value education that involves ‘educating for character’, good ‘moral values’ and civic responsibility shape the character of nations. As Lickona (October 1992) has noted ‘respect and responsibility are the two foundational moral values’ that a society should teach its citizens. Others include honesty, fairness, tolerance, prudence, self –discipline, helpfulness, compassion,

Challenges Facing Nigeria’s By LAWRENCE OMORODION/MARY OKPABE

cooperation, courage (the virtues of Aristotle) among other democratic values. And taking responsibility for the things we do wrong as well as the things we do right is important for national development. Part of the problems facing Nigeria is that its educational institutions are not designed for the modern economy. They lack the tools to produce good quality graduates to manage the affairs of the nation. Majority of them (the graduates workers) lack the skills that drive human productivity. Increase in productivity would enlarge the nation’s economic pie and reduce poverty and crime. The environment in which business or nations operate determines the outcome of their activities. No nation would make any meaningful socioeconomic and political stride without viable educational institution. In its 2010 reports on “Doing Business in Nigeria 2010 through Difficult Times,” the World Bank ranked Nigeria 125 out of 182 economies surveyed in the Global Doing Business Report. The report also noted that about 90percent of Nigerian businesses that operate in the informal sector lack access to create. And in its 2008 Review of World Development, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranked Nigeria 157 out of

177 in Human Development Index, it was also among the “Least Livable nations. The leaders appear oblivious of the magnitude of the problems facing the

cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them’ (cited in Dike, February 1, 2000). For the economy to grow, and for businesses to thrive, the institutions responsible for human capital development should be

is a responsibility. Leadership, among other definitions, is a process of getting things done through people,” it means responsibilityhaving ‘passion for the purpose and the mission of the organization’ or society one leads

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister economy . Although some of the problems facing Nigeria today require common sense solutions, other would involve sophisticated framework of ideas (debate, discussion and decision making) and application of modern technologies. As Albert Einstein has noted, the specific problems we face today

“The environment in which business or nations operate determines the outcome of their activities. No nation would make any meaningful socioeconomic and political stride without viable educational institution.”

properly funded, equipped and managed to enable them produce advanced skilled manpower to manage the affairs of the nation. Leadership challenges: The leadership problem that has confronted Nigeria since independence appears to be worsening because the state of the polity is rapidly deteriorating. As noted earlier, very few of the leaders, if any, work for, “common good’. Over the years a wave reform programmes have been undertaken but the society lacks committed political leadership to implement them to address the problems facing the economy. Thus leadership

(Northouse, 20007). But the leaders of Nigeria appear good at prescribing solutions to economic problems without providing the institutional framework necessary for it to work. And more often than not, their policies are hastily put together and poorly executed. The political landscape is littered with wreckage of unreasoned policies and those involved in such activities appears to enjoy the nation’s underdeveloped status ( Dike, July 2006). The activities of the leaders shape the reality contradiction in their words and their deeds. They fall to understand that performance is the only standard by which

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Insight

’s Economic Development leaders are judged. Nigeria’s development rests with good leadership and governance. Governance challenges: Related to leadership problem is bad governance. Governance among others is defined as a system of values,

policies, and institutions by which a society manages its economic, social, and political affairs through interactions within the state, civil society and private sector. Thus governance comprises the mechanisms and processes for citizens and groups to articulate their interests, to work together and mediate their differences, and exercise their legal rights and differences, and exercise their legal rights and obligations with rules, institutions, and practices that set limits and provide incentives for individuals, organizations and firms. Good governance refers to the question of how a

society can organize itself to ensure equality of opportunity and equity (social and economic justice) for all citizens. It also promotes people – centered development. Bad governance (political, economic and social governance ) the three dimensions of governance is among the major causes of the problems facing the nation as it is threatening to undermine the nation’s democratization process. The people are not allowed equal economic opportunity and freedom to participate in the political process. But as Sen (1999) has noted, ‘unfreedoms’ leave the people with little choice to exercise their reasoned agency. He posits that ‘Freedoms are not only the primary ends of development, they are also among its primary means. Therefore, development (social, political and economic) “requires the removal of major sources of unfreedoms’. The problem with Nigeria is that the system lacks checks and balances (or mechanisms) to control the autocratic tendencies in government and to hold political actors accountable for their actions. Also, the politicians do not practice ethical politic and their actions do not add values to the system. Lack of ethical politics and values and politics of hate and destruction contribute to the economic and political hiccups in the society. However, the people should not just sit there and hope for the best, they should be politically active to get the government and the politicians to listen and act right. Political pressure from the people could determine the type of policy the government would choose for execution. Corruption is,

however, a greater part of the problems facing Nigeria as it leads to poor governance, which hampers sociopolitical and economic development. Corruption Challenges: Although corruption is a global scourge, Nigeria appears to suffer the most from it because the leaders are pathologically corrupt. Everyone appears to believe that the nation has a “ culture of corruption”. Over the years, Nigeria has earned huge sum of money from crude oil, which has gone down the sinkhole created by corruption. In an article, ‘oil giant that runs on grease of politics’, Nigeria was described as a rich nation floating on oil wealth ‘but almost none of it flows to the people’ (San Francisco Chronicle, March11, 2007). Top public servants are very rich because they harbour the mentality that public money belongs to no one. National dailies are awash with news of how public officials are acquiring million dollar homes (within and outside Nigeria) and stock piling stolen public money in financial institutions abroad. Infrastructural and Institutional challenges: Any person familiar with Nigeria would agree that one of the main challenges facing the economy are poor social infrastructure and institutions; bad roads, erratic power supply, limited access to potable water and basic healthcare, ineffective regulatory agencies, and much more. And the

plethora of policies in the society is ineffective due to broken institutions and dilapidated infrastructure (Hoff, 2003). Building a vibrant economy or restoring growth to a sluggish economy takes resources, to ensure long-term growth and prosperity. Nigerian must use it rescores wisely, invest in advanced technology and rebuild the institutions and infrastructures without which the economy will not gain from the power of productivity: A nation enjoys higher standards of living if the workers can produce large quantity of goods and services for local consumption and extra for export. The deficiencies in the economy lead to low productivity, poor quality products and competition in the global market place. And without sustainable growth and create employment the people would lose interest in the society. The federal and states’ budget appropriations and statutory allocation recently reported that by December, 31, 2010 the three tires of government (federal, state and local) would have spent N40 trillion or more, since January 2006. But there is nothing on ground to show for spending such a huge sum of money. In a country where electricity is said to be about 40 percent cost of production (Daily sun, June 7, 2010) reasoned macroeconomic policy and investment in electricity would lure lucrative industries into

the society and wake up the sluggish economy. Macroeconomic challenges: Policy inconsistency and greed are among the causes of the hemorrhage, in the economy (Eichengreen, 2004). Every administration that comes on board takes on a new policy initiative instead of building on the previous ones. As a result, Nigeria has toyed with a series of ineffective and poorly implemented policies. For instance, as chief economic adviser to Obasanjo, Charles Soludo instituted the National Economic Empowerment and Development strategy (NEEDS), which was supposed to focus on creating wealth and employment, reducing poverty and guide values re-orientation, but the NEEDS failed to achieve its objectives because of the reasons already elaborated in the preceding sections. The late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration (inherited by Jonathan) dumped the NEEDS and adopted the vision 2010 is the unrealistic aspiration of the administration to transform Nigeria into one of the first 20 largest global economies by the year 2020. These programme that now appear dead gulped huge sum of money, which could have been used to resolve some of the social, economic and political challenges facing the nation. Market challenges: lack of genuine competition in the system is among the challenges facing the economy. Real capitalistic economies are

controlled by market forces or what Adam Smith brands the ‘invisible hand’ of the market. The selfregulating nature of the market determines where one lives and works, how much one earns, and what one can buy. Although every economy (developed, developing or underdeveloped) needs some form of government intervention, Nigeria’s leaders are yet to heed the advice of Adam Smith in 1776 that the state should not unnecessarily interfere in the economy. In Nigeria, the federal government has virtual monopoly of setting the prices of petroleum products and other goods and services. Recently, the federal government arbitrarily raised the price of gas by 400 percent without considering the distributive negative consequences on the economy. Given the poor state of the economy, the debate or conversation in Nigeria today should focus on how the government would provide the enabling environment for a healthy economic competition, and allow the law of demand and supply (not personal idiosyncrasies) to regulate prices for the well-being of the society. Market forces (and competition”) would drive ineffective organizations out of business and open up more market to wellmanaged corporations. Therefore, for the Nigerian economy to change along with the changing new global economy, the economy managers and political Continues on pg 21

“Although every economy (developed, developing or underdeveloped) needs some form of government intervention, Nigeria’s leaders are yet to heed the advice of Adam Smith in 1776 that the state should not unnecessarily interfere in the economy.”

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Point Blank

HERE are lots of folks everywhere about the forthcoming election. Some people have stated predicting the outcome, some have predicted a divided Nigeria. But the issue here is not what you hear or say but it is the actions being portrayed by the government officials, the politicians, and the electorates. There are factors that can make for a diverse or united Nigeria, these factors are seen around, perceived in the air but every body has ignored them because we are scared of what will follow after then. The real issue is how the politician want the game of politics to be played and how they are currently playing it. Some politicians are threatening hailand brim stone, at the detriment of the innocent citizens who also seemed to be the electorates. The electorates here are being treated with levity and their interests are being marginalized because the politicians think their own interests is more vital and important. These were the cases of what have occurred back them in 1959-1999, and even till date. There are some politicians who think politics is a do or die affairs, that they must be elected by ghost electorates because the physical and live electorates does not need them to be there because of what they have done in the country. Their actions triggers the other parts of the innocents

2015:

The End Of Nigeria?

who comes and do their will, and that is, developing their environment and their lives. Asari Dokubo is one of the southern citizens who had played his own roles in the Nigerians politics, but his roles are yet to be understood by the people of Nigeria. Many people clamour his presence in the media for an interview but often refuse to listen to what he say. Buhari, who is supposed to be an elder statesman both in his party and country wants to rules for the third time in his life time, one time as the military head of state, while the second as a civilian president of the state, coupled with his new ambition for 2015. His speech in 2011 triggered some disparities between the North and other parts of the country. He threatened the peace and the unity of the country. He has called for different Islamic reforms and movements in Nigeria, and has invoked fear and anger in the mind of the people of Nigeria. He has not posed his interest in his party but his interest is always the interest of the North, especially the Northeastem part. The following factors that could bring about a true Nigeria or a divided Nigeria is as follows: Terrorism; For over four year, there have not been rest in the whole of Nigeria because of the emergence of

By LAWRENCE OMORODION

terrosist group, though if we are to think and analyse for ourselves, it will only take few seconds to know who are behind the formation of the group. These people are

then the help of international community is needed because as long as the world still stands, no body is an island. The politician how are corrupt in

known in the society, but are still walking free and are given special position and respect because of what position they stand in Nigeria. They are among the ruling class. I guess the reason why they set up Boko Haram was to harm or reduce the population of Christians and other tribes in Nigeria. The real aim was

the sense that, those in support of the terrorist group should be flushed out of the society. Political factor- The way Nigerian politicians play their political games is quite different from every other nations political actors. Sincerity has to come to play in the mind of Nigerian politicians and citizens.

“There should be room for religion tolerance. Religion transformation should be done according to the will and the conscience of the unbelievers”. citizens, and that is, fear and anger. Some citizen are ready to go which way Nigeria seems to separate or divide. The south are being neutral but are ready to do whatever is needed of them. The south are patriotic and loyal to any emerging rulers

terrorist group known as “Boko Haram”, who said to stand on the part of destruction of lives and property. Till now, no body has presented himself or themselves as been responsible for the emergence of the deadly

to instill fear in the heart of Christians because they thought they posed as a huge threat to their interest and their political images. The solution as to hold those behind the actions reasonable for their acts, and if this sound difficult,

They should speak what they should and can do, giving the people false hope tend to aggravate the political unrest and turmoils. The people of the country are angry and pissed at what the government are doing with

the heads of its subject. They should invite honesty into their affairs of the day. Politics in recent times has become something to be feared and shunned because the dividends does not pay the citizens of the state.

The nations wealth should be used for the development of the nation and its citizens. If things are not well structured economically and in benefit of the country, then, people will be forced to break free from economic slavery to what we don’t know yet. The truth is that, Nigeria economy can and

Every leaders in each zones needs to come together and have chat on how to move the country forward. And this should be done regardless of the political party you belong to because if necessary and important measures is not taken to curb and control the violence in Nigeria now and the one that is to come. No leaders can lead when the state or country is in a state of unrest, turmoil, imbalance and anarchy. Economic factor-The government of the day should be honest and accountable to the economic lives of the citizens of the country. The government economic programs should be visible and obvious to every economic oriented citizens who care to know the economic status of his/her nation. The government should try and provide for the needy and create employment to create a better economic growth.

will be able to take care and finance the affairs of every citizens in the country. Religious factor: Every religion adherents should try to mind his/her own religion, and not force his religion on others who are not ready to accept the religion which is not their calling. There should be room for religion tolerance. Religion transformation should be done according to the will and the conscience of the unbelievers. While the issue of the name infidel should be scrapped and rejected at all means possible. No one on Earth would want to be forced to accept what he/she doesn’t believe in. Everyone should be free to practice which ever religion fit and suit their interests. Religions fanatics should be sensitized and enlightened. While those who refused to change should be dealth with according to law, that is, those who take the lives of others as a means of religious transformation.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Drumbeats

Who Is A Wealthy Man? (Napoleon III) Continued from last week BETWEEN 1838 and 1839, Louis-Napoleon stayed at No. 6 Clarendon Square, Royal Leamington. Spa. He secretly returned to France and attempted yet another coup in August 18.40, sailing with fifty hired soldiers to Boulogne-sur-Mer, taking the train to Lille and repeating the failure of the Strasbourg coup. This time, he was not exiled but sentenced to life imprisonment albeit in relative comfort, in the fortress of the town of Ham in the Somme department. While in the Ham fortress, his eyesight reportedly became poor. During his years of imprisonment, he wrote essays and pamphlets that combined his claim to be emperor with progressive, mildly socialist economic proposals, published as L’extinction du pauperisme’, which he came to define as Bonapartism In 1844, his uncle Joseph died, making him the heir apparent to the Bonaparte claim. He finally escaped in May 1846 by exchanging clothes with a mason working at the fortress. His enemies would later derisively nickname him “Badinguet”, the name of the mason whose identity he assumed. He eventually made it to Southport England. A month later, his father Louis died, making Louis-Napoleon the clear heir to the Bonaparte legacy in France Return to France LouisNapoleon lived in Great Britain until the revolution of February 1848 in France deposed LouisPhilippe and established a Republic. He was now free to return to France, which he immediately did, The provisional government, however, judged him an unnecessary distraction and requested his departure. Back in England, he volunteered to be a special constable in the event of chartist rioting. In the same month, April, he ran for, and won a seat in the constituent Assembly elected to draft a new constitution for France. He did not make a great contribution and, as a mediocre public orator, failed to impress his fellow members. Some even thought that, having lived outside of France almost all his life, he spoke French with a

slight German accent. His temporary exile in 1848 proved to be a blessing in disguise for the December presidential election, as it mean he played no part in the June Days, and was able to enhance his image as “all things to all men” against his main opponent, Louis Eugene Cavaignac who had led the repression against the workingclass of Paris. President of the French Republic When the constitution of the Second Republic was finally promulgated and direct elections for the presidency were held on 10 December 1848, Louis Napoleon won a surprising landslide victory, with 5.6 million votes (75%) to 1.5 million for his closest rival, Cavaigna His platform was based on the restoration of order, strong government, social consolidation, and national greatness. The Monarchist right (supporters of either the Bourbon or Orléanist royal households) and much of the aristocracy supported him as the “least bad” candidate, as a man who would restore order, end the instability in France which had continued since the overthrow of the monarchy in February and prevent a proto communist revolution. A good portion of the industrial class, on the other hand, were won over by LouisNapoleon’s vague indications of progressive economic views. Despite this support among sectors of the upper classes, his overwhelming victory was above all due to the support of the biggest class in France: the peasants. To these non-politicized rural masses, the name of Bonaparte meant something, as opposed to the other little-known contenders. He appealed with all the credit of his name, that of France’s national hero. Napoleon I, who in popular memory was credited with raising the nation to its pinnacle of military greatness and establishing social stability after the turmoil of the French Revolution. During his term as President, LowsNapoleon Bonaparte styled himself the Prince-President (Le Prince- President).

With Apostle Dr. Raphael O. Ayemere 08035459593

Despite his landslide victory, Louis-Napoleon was faced with a Parliament dominated by monarchists, who saw his government only as a temporary bridge to a restoration of either the House of Bourbon or of

the Catholic majority in the assembly. He soon made another attempt to gain Catholic support, however, by approving the Loi Falloux in 1851, which restored a greater role for the Catholic Church in the French educational

the assembly and presenting himself as the protector of universal male suffrage. After months of stalemate, and using the money of his mistress, Harriet Howard, he staged a coup

Orleans. Louis-Napoleon governed cautiously during his first years in office, choosing his ministers from among the more “centre-right’ Orleanist Parti de I’Ordre monarchists, and generally avoiding conflict with the conservative assembly. He courted Catholic support by assisting in the restoration of the Pope’s temporal rule in Rome, although he tried to please secularist conservative opinion at the same time by combining this with peremptory demands that the Pope introduce liberal changes to the government of the Papal States, including appointing a liberal government and establishing the Code Napoleon there, which angered

system. According to the constitution of 1848, he had to step down at the end of his term, so he sought a constitutional amendment to allow him to succeed himself, arguing that four years were not enough to fully implement his political and economic program. The National Assembly, dominated by monarchists who wished to restore the Bourbon dynasty, refused to amend the Constitution. D’Allonville’s cavalry in Paris during Napoleon III’s 1851 coup. The National Assembly passed a new election law in 1850 that placed restrictions on universal male suffrage, imposing a threeyear residency requirement. It prevented a large proportion of the lower class, which was itinerant, from voting. LouisNapoleon was able to seize the opportunity and break with the Assembly and the conservative ministers opposing his projects in favour of the dispossessed. He surrounded himself with lieutenants completely loyal to him, such as Morny and Persigny, secured the support of the army, and toured the country making populist speeches condemning

d’etat and seized dictatorial powers on 2 December 1851, the 47th anniversary of Napoleon Is crowning as Emperor (hence another of Louis-Napoleon’s nicknames: ‘The Man of December”, “ tie décember”). The coup was approved by the French people in a national referendum, the fairness and legality of which has been questioned by Napoleon lll’s detractors ever since. The coup of 1851 alienated the reactionary and careerist elements in the Assembly. Victor Hugo who had hitherto shown support for LouisNapoleon Bonaparte, decided to go into exile after the coup, and became one of the harshest critics of Napoleon III, despite the amnesty of political opponents in 1859. Recognizing the reactionary classes in society as being the gravest threat to his position, Louis Bonaparte moved on 22 January 1852 to confiscate all the property of the House of Orleans. Emperor of the French Authoritarian empire A new constitution was passed which officially maintained an elected Parliament and re-established universal male

“Two assassination attempts were orchestrated against Napoleon 111, one in April 1855 and the other in January 1858”.

suffrage. However, it also dramatically expanded the presidents powers and extended his term to 10 years. The new constitution was approved in a referendum December officially with 92 percent of the votes. Parliament soon became irrelevant, as real power was completely concentrated in the hands of Louis—Napoleon and his bureaucracy. The ink had barely dried on this new, authoritarian constitution hen Napoleon set about making himself emperor. In response to officially inspired requests for the return of the empire, the Senate scheduled another referendum for 2 1-22 November 1852 on whether to make Napoleon emperor. After an implausible 97 percent voted in favour; on 2 December 1852—exactly one year after the coup-the Second Republic was officially ended and the Empire restored, ushering in the Second French Empire. President LouisNapoleon Bonaparte became Emperor Napoleon II His regnal name treats Napoleon 11 who never actually ruled, as a true Emperor (he had been briefly recognized as emperor from 22 June to 7 July 1815). The 1851 constitution was retained, with the word ‘president’ replaced by the word “emperor.” That same year, Napoleon 111 began shipping political prisoners and criminals to penal colonies such as Devils Island or (in milder cases) New Caledonia Napoleon III in 1863 The emperor, hitherto a bachelor, began quickly to look for a wife to produce a legitimate heir-apparent. Most of the royal families of Europe were unwilling to marry into the parvenu Bonaparte family, and after rebuffs from Princess Carola of Sweden and from Queen Victoria’s German niece Princess Adelheid of HohenloheLangenburg, Napoleon decided to lower his sights somewhat and “many for love”, choosing the Countess of Teba, Eugénie de Montijo a Spanish noblewoman of partial Scottish ancestry who had been brought up in Paris. In 1856, Eugénie gave birth to a legitimate son and heir-apparent, Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperia. Two assassination attempts were orchestrated against Napoleon 111, one in April 1855 and the other in January 1858. Until about 1861, Napoleon’s regime exhibited decidedly authoritarian characteristics, using press censorship to prevent the spread of opposition, manipulating elections, and depriving the Parliament of the right to free debate or any real power.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Opinion

THE Webster International Dictionary defined oppression as the unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power especially by the imposition of burdens, weighing down or causing obstruction in the body or of an individual or group of individuals mind. Oppression is widespread in every society and across cultures and it manifest when individuals or group are systematically subjected to political, economic, cultural or social degradation, deprivation, subordination. subjugation and exploitation. In societies where oppression has assumed a worrisome dimension, government, individuals or political organization that is in power usually place restrictions overtly or covertly on oppressed group or individual so that they may be exploited and less able to compete with other social groups. A good example here is the exorbitant school less charged by some schools, be it private or public. Many parents cannot afford tuition fee for their children or ward and for this reason the children are out of school and made to learn a trade instead of going to school to become literate and elite of the society. Another good example is the high cost of obtaining nomination form for the various political offices, as evident in the on-going democratic process in Nigeria. It cost between seven hundred thousand naira and one point two million naira to obtain nomination form to declare intention to contest

for seat at the State House of Assembly, depending on the political party one belongs. Due to the high cost, many interested and qualified aspirants could not pick the form. The implication is that the best in the society cannot emerge to represent the people at different level of government. So, the oppressed individual or group is devalued and deprived of privilege by few individuals who want to continuously cling to power, thereby subjecting the majority to perpetual poverty, subjugation, deprivation, and exploitation. Apart from political oppression, there are social oppression, which tend to encourage the creation of social categories such as the rich and the poor, the haves and the have not, the masses and the elites, the political class and the masses, the privileged and the less privileged and so on. There is also the systemic or institutionalized oppression which is perpetrated by the various authorities including law enforcement agents through the unjust use of force, authority or societal laws. In our society, it is common to see the law enforcement agents blaring their siren vehicle to harass other road users, coupled with the use of horse whip. The law enforcement agents are used by the political class and elites to oppress the less privileged masses. The wrongful use of siren, harassment, assault, and intimidation are all forms of social

Evils Of Oppression In A Democracy

oppression prevalent in our society. Unemployment, poverty, homelessness, lack of basic health care, electricity, water, good schools, poor social facilities are all institutionalized form of oppression by those in authority. Any society or

government that has the features mentioned above is not only depriving, but oppressive in nature. It follows therefore that in any society where you have the privileged class there is also the oppressed group. Oppression tends to block the pursuit of a good life by the oppressed. Just as being

By DESMOND AGBAMA

privileged opens doors of opportunity, being oppressed closes doors of opportunity. That explains why there was the declaration of Universal Human Rights in 1948 by the United Nations in order to

limit oppression of any kind among the human race. That also explains why democracy is preferred to military government which is viewed as dictatorial, and totalitarian. It is also why Colonialism and apartheid have to be defeated globally to pave way for Universal Suffrage. Unfortunately, some of

â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, the oppressed individual or group is devalued and deprived of privilege by few individuals who want to continuously cling to power, thereby subjecting the majority to perpetual poverty, subjugation, deprivation, and exploitation.â&#x20AC;?

the leaders stirring the democratic process in many developing democracies such as Nigeria are worse than military juntas in their continuous exercise of authority or power in an

to check the growing rate of oppression and impunity, especially among the elites, political class and law enforcement agents. The widening gap between the rich and the poor should be bridged through provision of job opportunities, social

unjust and cruel manner. This has resulted in widespread criminality and insecurity in the country in the form of kidnapping, armed robbery, advanced fee fraud called 419, thuggery and violent attacks, killings and destruction of lives and properties, militancy, insurgency as well as corruption. This is so because when people are oppressed or dehumanized, they feel as if they are not human and psychologically, they could behave animalistically which of course is not good for the oppressor and the society as a whole. Therefore, there is need

infrastructure and facilities, functional health care and quality education among others. Government at all levels should expand the capacity for ordinary Nigerians to actualize his potentials to the fullest for his or her benefit and for the overall benefit of the society. Everyone enjoys meaningful life and as such no one should be denied it. Finally, oppression, deprivation and dehumanization are not only crime against humanity, they are instrument of a retrogressive society, which we must all speak and stand against.

THE NIGERIAN

THE Victory of any political party or candidate in an election in a democratic nation is greatly determined by the level and power to persuade and influence the voting attitude of the electorate to support their idea. This however could be liken to advertising which is a process of packaging, communicating and marketing a product or idea using believability, credibility and persuasive messages to capture the interest of the targeted buyer or audience through mass media such as Television, Radio, Newspaper, Posters etc. Meanwhile, the relationship between politics and advertising could be traceable to the advent of political advertising by most developed nations of the world. According to Forman, “there is linkage between politics and advertising for better for worse, we live in an age which is characterized by the widespread use of various channels communication including “political advertising for a broad range of political and other purpose. Therefore, political advertising is a process through which advertisers package election candidates (aspirants) and political party before the electorate through the various communication channels which include Television, Radio, Poster, Newspaper, Rally etc. It is also aim at informing, educating and persuading the electorate to favourably support the idea of a particular candidate or party with the intention to change their voting attitude for the advantage of their clients. However, research has it that the act of packaging election candidates as goods meant for sale, had long taken its root in most

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

developed countries such as U.S.A, Britain, Germany etc only, to recently found its way to developing countries such as Nigeria. Meanwhile, as the 2015 election draws near in the multi ethnic nation of Nigeria, there is no doubt that, a thousand and one questions have flooded the hearts of Nigerians about who will become their leader following the numerous and sophisticated political advertisement of various political parties and their aspirants (election candidates) that have taken the front burner of the Nigerian Mass Media. There is no gain saying that, Nigeria politicians spend huge sums of money on political adverts in any election period ranging from local government to presidency. Furthermore, Nigerian politicians, having discovered the immeasurable, persuasive power of political advertising to influence eligible voters especially, to support their idea and favourably get their votes. They however, renew their relationship to win the Nigerian Press and Advertising Agencies during election period, where they spend more of their financial resources to package themselves before the electorate. Although, modern politics is considered incomplete without political advertising which had made many democratic nation of the world including Nigeria to adopt the concept as part of their political culture in the country. In other words, most researchers had considered the act of packaging and selling political aspirants or party through the various media as the best acceptable means to affect the voting behaviour of

Political Issues Platform Political Advertising A Viable Tool For Victory By MARTIN ERHARUYI

most electorate especially the illiterates among them, owing to the visual symbols or logo adopted by advertisers and media. More over, Nigeria being a third world country, where illiteracy level is still on a high side, the use of visual symbols or logos to represent any political party or aspirants while preparing political advert had played an unprecedented role in

classes embargo amongst electorates in Nigeria following the fact that, even an aged or uneducated voter who live in the rural area in Nigeria can on the spot identify the “bunch of Broom,” or the umbrella representing the two most powerful political parties in Nigeria APC and PDP respectively as well as the picture of their choice candidates even when they

blind voting which in the past engulfed the political system due to the low practices of the concept by most politicians of that time, probably because most of them had financial constrains. The drastic change of political behaviour or attitude among Nigerians in modern politics is traceable to the high educating and informative

the voters, because majority of Nigerians cannot read nor write.” Previously, voting opinions and attitudes were influenced in Nigeria by past performance of aspirants, ethnic and religious affiliation while party programme, manifesto, position on issues of national interest and past record were used in packaging the aspirants. Meanwhile, some scholars who condemned

affecting the voting behaviour of the illiterates voters who had over the years to read or write but, can now easily identify the symbols of the different political parties and the pictures voted blindly as a result of their inability of their choice election candidates. Also, the symbolic feature of the concept, has help to put an end to the educative

know nothing or little about the candidates. Outside the visual symbols used by the advertising agencies, they also, in most cases employed the use of the local languages or pidgin English to disseminate ideas to the electorate. However, vigorous use of political advertising by politicians in Nigeria has greatly liberated the multiethnic Nigeria nation from

effect of political advertising particularly the visual symbols. According to Prossembloom “party identification was the best form of voting behaviour. It is on record that the use of political advert by Nigerian politicians to project the image of an aspirant during election, increase geometrically in every election conducted in Nigeria since the return of government to civilian rule in 1999. Also, as electorate gain more knowledge about politics as well as get involved in political activities, politicians have also deviced modern means of projecting themselves to the electorate. According to Ibrahim “political advertising increase with each election in Nigeria despite the fact that it has less impact on

the persuasive and low impact of political adverts on mostly illiterate voters, however, based their argument on the ground of deceit, noting that many illiterate voters had been deceived to vote against their choice because of the visual pictures used by advertisers to project the image of their political clients who only achieve their victory at the detriment of the electorate. In spite of the foregoing condemnation, the incontestable effect of political advertising remain unbeatable in political sphere. It is the core weapon to securing victory in any election. In conclusion, political advertisers should not only consider how to please their clients but also, to always take time to screen their client for the interest of national growth.

“More over, Nigeria being a third world country, where illiteracy level is still on a high side, the use of visual symbols or logos to represent any political party or aspirants while preparing political advert had played an unprecedented role in affecting the voting behaviour of the illiterates voters who had over the years to read or write but, can now easily identify the symbols of the different political parties and the pictures voted blindly as a result of their inability of their choice election candidates.”

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Economy “Under this whole arrangements, some Nigerians have considered the new development as a politically motivated step, while some have argued that some hidden charges may subsist under ground”.

Reduction In Prices Of Cement

Matters Arising IF the development to reduce cement price in Nigeria becomes evident in reality, then most Nigerians who intend to build, would find the development as a positive process that would lead out of the dark tunnel of high selling price of the product. Largest producers of cement in Nigeria, Dangote Cement Plc, has vowed to make the staple construction material the cheapest commodity in the country. At the unveiling of the 32.5 and 3X cement in Lagos recently, the group managing director, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Edwin Devakumar, said the company is working assiduously to increase cement production to 42 million tones from its factories across subSaharan Africa. He said it was part of efforts to meet the aspiration of the consumers that made the company to crash cement price to N1,000, ex-factory price and took further step to deliver the product to the dealer with its enhanced transportation system to reduce the retail price of cement in the country. Devakumar said, “we have also drastically reduced the price of 42.5, which is our premium, to N1,150 per bag ex-factory, ex-VAT for the benefits to trickle down to the consumers. We have enough trucks to deliver cement at the

By OMEIZA ROBINSON

door steps of dealers and consumers. He said the products would, henceforth, be delivered at the door steps of consumers in the south south, South East and south West at the rate of N1,000 bag because of the proximity of their factories to these region, while they will charge N150 per bag in other parts of the country. Devakumar added that its major priority is to ensure that the customers are protected in distribution chain, assuring that it would put mechanism in place to monitor the sale of the product. He said he is optimistic that reduction in the price of cement will increase per capital consumption of cement in the country which he noted is currently below its sister African countries. Harping on the essence of adhering to on-going

standardization in the country, the company’s chief marketing officer, Mr. Oare Ojiekere, emphasized that the 32.5 is meant for plastering only, and that it is lower in grade and quality compared to the 42.5 and 52.5 cement grades. He counseled the consumers to look at the grades and uses inscription at the bags of its cement before purchasing it saying there are grave consequences of using cement meant for plastering on casting and concrete work. The Federal Government, stakeholders in the cement sector as well as shareholders had hailed Dangote cement for the huge investments in cement as well as the recent slash in the price of the commodity, describing it as unprecedented. However, a few industry watches have expressed concern that the move could hand the company monopolistic advantages in the market. The

group managing director of Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Devakumar, dismissed such position as baseless on grounds that such accusation is totally false because there is no intention whatsoever to chase away some manufacturers from business so that Dangote Cement could monopolise the sub-sector. Featuring on Lagos-based Channels Television business programme, “Business Morning,” the Dangote boss explained that the price cut was purely a patriotic duty to the citizens of the fatherland. According to him “what we have done is a patriotic decision in the overall interest of Nigerians. We are in business to make money and we know that the price cut would not affect our profit margins. We are a Nigerian company; we have responsibility to make the product available to our people at the most reasonable price. “As our production capacity

increases, we found out that we could reduce the price to help low income earners find it easy to build their own houses, and this is what we have done. Those castigating us and crying of monopoly are those who want house ownership to remain exclusive right of the rich.” Maintaining that Dangote Cement likes competition that encouraged the company to commit huge investment into cement sector. “We believe in competition and openness. We can defend our price anytime and it’s only an enemy of Nigerians that would speak against the price reduction,” he stated, declaring that Dangote would continue to protect the hungers from the hands of profiteers who might want to capitalize on the new price regime to create artificial scarcity, one of the reasons the company has been publicizing the price cut in the media. Support for the Dangote Cement price cut has come from several quarters. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, who led others at a stakeholder’s meeting in Abuja, said the decision of Dangote Cement Plc to bring down the price of cement was a patriotic one in line with the aspiration of Nigerians and the Federal Government. He said: “Our main focus for the cement sector is to improve the standard of cement and to bring the price down. More cement manufacturers must do it themselves just as Dangote Cement has done because we do not do price regulation.” According to him, the Federal Government had attracted new private sector investments in the cement sector to the tune of $7billion with three years, a

“He said he is optimistic that reduction in the price of cement will increase per capital consumption of cement in the country which he noted is currently below its sister African countries”.

feat it was proud of. Aganga’s statement came in the midst of expression of surprise by many who though such price slash was not possible in the next 10 years. Chairman of the Trusted Shareholders Association, Mukhtar Mukhtar, described the cement price slash as a positive development for the Nigerian economy, adding that it would create jobs, encourage the poor and middle class to build houses, and bring down house rent in the long run. “I want to, on behalf of shareholders, commend Aliko Dangote for yet another feat.” Coordinator of the NGO Net work, Mr. Muhammad Attah, said the Dangote Cement deserve commendation, adding that the company had invested more than any other firm in the cement sector in the history of Nigeria. The company pegged the Dangote 32.5 cement grade at N1,000 per 50kg bag, while the higher 42.5 grade is to sell for N1,150 per bag. The new prices, exclusive of the VAT, represents about 40 per cent discount on the prevailing market prices of the product. Under this whole arrangements, some Nigerians have considered the new development as a politically motivated step, while some have argued that some hidden charges may subsist under ground. The much tauted reduction of cement price through various mass media channels is a good development though. However, Nigerians expect that there should be no hidden charges whatsoever, and that other companies should do same or even more, if truly they have the interest of the entire citizenry at heart. In an attempt to bring about meaningful and sustainable development in such that there would also exist reasonable alleviation of poverty among citizens, the government also are expected to play a vital role in all their sectors along this same line of price reduction and the likes.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

View Point AN entrepreneur is a person who starts or set up a commercial enterprise, with financial risk. Most economists have opined that entrepreneurship is the essential ingredient for stimulating growth employment and opportunity in every society. There is no doubt that some persons especially in Nigeria, do not derive pleasure in the word entrepreneur because of the erroneous belief that it requires a large sum of money to start a business outfit in a country faced with economic insurgency and rekindling the spirit of entrepreneurship is like carmels passing through the eye of a needle, unknowingly to them, with an aggressive entrepreneurial behaviour a person can start a small business which in today’s society are the primary engines of job creation, income growth and poverty reduction. Joseph Schumpeter described entrepreneurs as the innovators who drive the creative production process of capitalism. He believes the function of entrepreneurs is to reform or revolutionize the pattern of production. This means that entrepreneurship is a perfect creative activity that requires the body and mind interplay inorder to bring a business into existence or manipulate a dieing business into a perfect new look from the inside and outside. This means that there must be a clarion call in the mind and body of a person which makes him search for change, see it and exploit it. Motivation is the vehicle of entrepreneurial personality. It moves the person through storm or dark moment and bring sunshine into the business and make the candle light of a business enterprise shine beyond limit. Various innovative products and services introduced in the world market today is just a tip of the iceberg because more innovative products that are well baked are about to surface. Ideas and entrepreneurship are like bread and butter and believe me, ideas rules the world, those with ideas rule the world. They stand tall in their society to predict and manipulate the economy to suit their taste, fashion and style, shaping and reshaping the economy like the journalists who shape and reshape information in the society and set agenda for public discuss.

Entreprenuership Key To Financial Freedom The spirit of entrepreneur is synonymous with financial freedom because it makes a person to take responsibility for his financial action and also take charge of his financial

block which is an hindrance as a stepping stone to greater heights to the ordinary person. One word that ignites the fire to become an entrepreneur is “START” this word is the mother of entrepreneur, if a

knowing fully well their needs and wants and be ready to initiate smart ideas that can satisfy these needs and wants which are numerous. Those who ask questions like an economic philosopher and keep looking for the answers and interpretation to the economic status of the

environment. Entrepreneurs are like a network; they scan the environment, identify opportunities and also implement these business ideas. A good entrepreneur can solicit the participation of other persons in the business project because the capacity and experience of others may be useful to the growth of the business owning to the fact that nobody is an island. It is not because they do not face challenges, even when they seek others opinion on the business. As expected, one of the problem faced by them are financial problem. This problem is one of the devil faced by entrepreneurs. It makes them to keep struggling, believing that their idea is not authentic. Most banks who should be the saviour of entrepreneurs are out there setting high interest rates before granting loan to an entrepreneur. They normally ask for collateral, but this, has not helped matters as most people cannot afford the requirement, this has dragged a lot of persons to their knees but only those who are propelled by the spirit of entrepreneurship, who can see this stumbling

person can hold this word closely to his heart, the light of profit making will be seen even when it seems it is lost. Start means to start a business that have not been in existence. The acronym for the word START is enumerated as: S– smartness, this means that you have to imbibe a smart business idea that can shake the business environment. Idea should be well articulated to avoid an idea that will never see the light of the day or a business idea that is not realizable. We know that impossibility in business is gradually dieing but the entrepreneur should try as much as possible to initiate a business idea that will give flesh to the skeletal innovation in the society. Smartness entails the entrepreneur reading the minds of the public like a book

country at the long run receive the key to the door of wealth and opportunity. T–Time, this means appropriate time should be given to the business enterprise for it to grow. The difference between a small business and large scale business is time. If enough time is allocated to the business, the business will surely grow beyond expectation. Most people nowadays are faced with different problems in business they often blame themselves for not taking a smart decision but unknowingly their business idea was perfect. The problem lies in the embrace of time. They fail in their capacity to devote the needed time to the business. Sometimes, they blame the

By GODWIN OSAGIEDE

old men and women in their village for the reason while their business crashed. An entrepreneurial should be capable in all aspect to handle the business they want to introduce. He or she should try to analyse the strength and weakness of the business. This will help the

entrepreneurial to visualise the business and known what step to embark on at every giving point in time to ensure the business survives because in every business there is always a storm but the entrepreneur should have the ability to weather the storm. R - Ready, the entrepreneur should be ready to go extra miles to make sure the business grow beyond bound, Alico Dangote, an industrialist and President of Dangote Industries Limited, (DIL) was once quoted as saying “we should not say that because we have a market of 140 million people we should not export our goods. If you don’t export, you will be caged in Nigeria”. As an entrepreneur, a person should be ready to expend its tentacles to different part of a

state, country or nations he or she should be ready to place the business in a strategic position that will be beneficial to him. Think about Adenuga the Managing Director of Globacom Limited, one thing that link him with Dangote is the entrepreneur spirit to see business the other way around. They are not just in business but have an entrepreneurer ministration which have led them to gain financial freedom and control the will of the society.

Today in the world those that are entrepreneur are seen as mover of the society because they determine the fate of the society. When people see the sky as a limit, for them it is just a starting point. T–Trust, it is very important in a business, it is as good as mother’s milk. It makes those who have done business with you to keep coming. Those who have not transact any business with you to come and do so and those who hear about you will want to do business with you. One important point to make in totality is that a better way to start is to start a business and in due time you will surely be found out as a controller and king of financial freedom in your society while achieving a ground breaking feat.

“The spirit of entrepreneur is synonymous with financial freedom because it makes a person to take responsibility for his financial action and also take charge of his financial environment”.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

International Features IN a move likely to further inflame tensions with Israel’s Arab citizens, the Israeli Cabinet on Sunday approved a bill to legally define the country as the nationstate of the Jewish people. The decision, which set off a stormy debate that could bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s brittle coalition government, followed weeks of deadly ArabJewish violence and was denounced by critics as damaging to the country’s democratic character and poorly timed at such a combustible moment. It now heads toward a full parliamentary vote on Wednesday. Israel has always defined itself as the “Jewish state” — a term that was contained in the country’s declaration of independence in 1948. The new law seeks to codify that status as a “Basic Law,” Israel’s de facto constitution. While many critics derided the measure as unnecessary, Netanyahu told his Cabinet the bill is a response to Israel’s Arab critics both inside and outside Israel who question the country’s right to exist. Netanyahu has long demanded that the Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland as a condition of any peace deal. Both the Palestinians and their Arab Israeli brethren say such acceptance would harm the rights of Israel’s more than 1.5 million Arab citizens. The bill calls not only for recognizing Israel’s

Jewish character but for institutionalizing Jewish law as an inspiration for legislation and dropping Arabic as an official language. Netanyahu insisted that Israel would be both Jewish and democratic. “There are those who would like the democratic to prevail over the Jewish and there are those who would like the Jewish to prevail over the democratic,” he said. “And in the principles of the law that I will submit today both of these values are equal and both must be considered to the same degree.” Israel is in the midst of its worst sustained bout of violence in nearly a decade. Eleven Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks over the past month, including five people who were killed with guns and meat cleavers in a bloody assault on a Jerusalem synagogue last week. Jewish nationalists in Netanyahu’s coalition had pushed hard for the bill. The two centrist parties in the Cabinet, Yesh Atid and Hatnua, provided the only opposition in the 14-6 vote. Finance Minister Yair Lapid, head of Yesh Atid, called it a

Israel Cabinent Moves To Define Isreal As Jewish “terrible” piece of legislation meant to appease hard-liners ahead of primaries in

coalition and even trigger new elections. Yesh Atid is the secondlargest faction in

attack on Arab natives of the country and called on the world to offer them protection.

Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu listens during in his Cabinet meeting in his office in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu’s hawkish Likud Party. Health Minister Yael German, another Yesh Atid member, said the party would support a law only if it emphasized Israel’s Jewish and democratic nature equally. “This bill does not preserve that value. It will be a mark of shame for the parliament to pass such a law,” she said. A vote against the bill in parliament by the party could break up the

parliament and could rob Netanyahu of his majority. In a statement, Israel’s attorney general, Yehuda Weinstein, said he had serious doubts about the legality of the bill’s language because it impinges on Israel’s democratic character. The measure could still be delayed or watered down before it is put to a vote in parliament. Ahmad Tibi, a leading Arab lawmaker, denounced the bill as an

Dov Khenin, leader of the mixed Jewish-Arab Hadash party, accused Netanyahu of “pouring fuel into the bonfire of hate.” Israeli Arabs, who make up about 20 percent of the population, have long complained of discrimination and second-class status. Last week, the mayor of the southern city of Ashkelon sparked an uproar by banning Arab construction laborers from working in Israeli

“Eleven Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks over the past month, including five people who were killed with guns and meat cleavers in a bloody assault on a Jerusalem synagogue last week.”

preschools on security grounds. The mayor, Itamar Shimoni, reversed his decision on Sunday but said the children would be moved to other locations while construction proceeded. Though citizens of Israel, the country’s Arabs often identify with Palestinians in the West Bank, and their loyalty to the state if often questioned by Jews. On Sunday, Israel’s Shin Bet security service said it arrested a 22year-old Israeli Arab who had returned from Syria after trying to join the Islamic State extremist group. Israel believes that several dozen Arabs have left the country to join IS in Syria. The deadly unrest in recent weeks has centered on Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, a hilltop compound revered by Jews and Muslims. Israeli restrictions on Muslim access to the site, which Israel says are a necessary security measure, have heightened tensions. The spate of attacks has left many people on both sides on edge. Early Sunday, a Palestinian family in the West Bank said its home had been torched in an attack blamed on Jewish settlers. The fire damaged one room, and Hebrew slogans were scrawled on the house. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army shot and killed a 32-year-old man who approached the border with Israel. Palestinians said the man had been hunting birds, a hobby common among Palestinians. Courtesy AP

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

International

US To Step Up India Trade Talks

NEW DELHI - The United States wants to step up its trade dialogue with India, Trade Representative Michael Froman said yesterday, after the resolution of a global trade dispute paved the way for President Barack Obama to visit India. Direct contacts between Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi this month helped to end a deadlock that had prevented the World Trade Organization from implementing a $1 trillion package of reforms to global customs rules. In India for the first round of high-level trade talks since the breakthrough, Froman urged progress on key areas of U.S. concern such as intellectual property rights on pharmaceuticals and Hollywood movies. “This pace of engagement is impressive, but shouldn’t be

surprising for what President Obama declared the defining partnership of the 21st century,” Froman told a business group in New Delhi. “Our task is to build on our mutual interests, with mutual respect, and deliver on the promise of that partnership,” added Froman, according to extracts of his speech released in advance. Obama, who hosted Modi in Washington in September, will in January become the first U.S. president to visit India twice, completing a remarkable warming in the relationship between the leaders of the world’s two largest democracies. The former chief minister of Gujarat was denied a U.S. visa from 2005 until his election victory in May over allegations that he failed to stop sectarian rioting in 2002 that killed at least

said on Sunday that they retook two towns north of Baghdad from Islamic State fighters, driving them from strongholds they had held for months and clearing a main road from the

capital to Iran. There was no independent confirmation that the army, Shi’ite militia and Kurdish peshmerga forces had completely

1,000 people, mostly Muslims. He denies wrongdoing. Froman was due to meet Indian Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on Tuesday for the first round of a bilateral U.S.-India trade policy forum in four years. The talks will include a meeting of a high-level working group on intellectual property rights set up by Obama and Modi. Meanwhile, the United States will keep troops in Poland and the Baltic states for at least the next year as tensions with Russia remain, the commander of U.S. land forces in Europe said on Sunday. Several hundred U.S. troops were deployed in Poland and the three Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia earlier this year after Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea region in March. The deployment was part of Washington’s efforts to

reassure the nervous eastern European allies that NATO would offer protection from any Russian threat. Originally planned until the end of this year, the “persistent presence” mission of overlapping units on rotation is going to continue, Lieutenant-General Frederick Ben Hodges,

Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe told reporters in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. “We have planned rotations out through next year. Units are designated that will continue to do this”, Hodges said. “There are going to be U.S. Army forces here in Lithuania, as well as Estonia and Latvia and

Poland for as long as is required to deter Russian aggression and to assure our allies,” he said. All three Baltic states used to be part of the Soviet Union. Permanent stationing of U.S. and other units in the Baltics and Poland remains off the table, in part due to concerns this would breach a 1997 Russia-NATO agreement.

Iraqi Forces Retake 2 Towns From Islamic State BAGHDAD - Iraqi forces

Suicide Bomber Kills 45 GARDEZ, Afghanistan - A suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest in a crowd of spectators at a volleyball match in Afghanistan on Sunday, killing 45 people, a provincial official said, as foreign troops withdraw from the country after more than a decade of fighting. Mukhles Afghan, spokesman for the governor of Paktika province, said at least 50 more were wounded in the attack in Yahya Khel district, where residents had gathered to watch a tournament final. He said most of the casualties

2 Service Members Killed In Afghanistan - NATO KABUL - NATO says that two of its service members have been killed in an attack in eastern Afghanistan. Following protocol, it did not confirm their nationalities. A NATO spokeswoman says the attack happened just before 9 a.m. yesterday. A spokesman for Kabul’s police chief, Hashmat Stanekzai, says that a bomb attached to a bicycle detonated near a foreign military convoy in the eastern part of the capital Kabul. He says one Afghan civilian was wounded. yesterday deaths bring the total for this month of foreign service members killed Afghanistan to three. The total number killed this year is 63, 46 of them Americans. Military convoys and foreign compounds in Kabul have been specifically targeted in recent weeks by insurgent groups waging war against the Afghan government.

were civilians. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack. The spokesman said around 50 more people were wounded. Casualties were high because the crowd was so dense, since people had come from nearby districts to cheer on their team. No other details were immediately available because of the remoteness of the location. The Taliban and other jihadist militants have unleashed waves of suicide attacks in Afghanistan this year as foreign forces pull out after 13 years of war. About 12,000 international troops will remain in Afghanistan next year to train and support Afghanistan’s security forces. Paktika was the site of one of this year’s deadliest attacks in July, when 89 people were killed by a bomb in a crowded market. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach condemned the “cowardly” attack. “It is an attack on sport itself and on the positive values it can bring to help build strong communities and foster peace and reconciliation around the world,” he said in a statement. The Taliban banned public sports events as un-Islamic during their fiveyear rule before the 2001 U.S.-led intervention that toppled them from power after the September 11 terrorist attacks on U.S. cities. Paktika province has an active Afghan Taliban insurgent presence and lies along the porous border with Pakistan’s North Waziristan region, used as a base by both the Haqqani militant network and the Pakistani branch of the Taliban. The Pakistani army for months has been waging an offensive against militants in North Waziristan, driving refugees and militant fighters across the border into Afghanistan. This year has been one of the bloodiest for Afghan civilians, according to the United Nations, which recorded nearly 5,000 deaths and injuries of civilians in the first half of the year.

retaken Jalawla and Saadiya, about 115 km (70 miles) northeast of Baghdad. Many residents fled the violence long ago. At least 23 peshmerga and militia fighters were killed and dozens were wounded in Sunday’s fighting, medical and army sources said. “We have liberated Jalawla and Saadiya,” said Mala Bakhtiar, a senior official in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, speaking by phone from a nearby town. He estimated 50 Islamic State fighters may have been killed out of a force of 400. Iraq’s Shi’ite-led government, backed by U.S.led air strikes, has been trying to push back the Islamic State since it swept through mainly Sunni Muslim provinces of northern Iraq in June, meeting virtually no resistance.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman pauses while announcing a trade enforcement action tied to India, in Washington recently. CHANGE OF NAME

AKENUWA – I formerly called Akenuwa John Izemwingie is now known and called Izevbuwa John. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

RECONCILIATION OF NAME The general public and concerned authorities are hereby notified that Justina Enoyoze and Joyce Enoyoze are one and the same person. Henceforth, I now wish to be known and addressed as Joyce Enoyoze. Former documents remain valid. CHANGE OF NAME OKONOBOH – I formerly known as Miss Okonoboh Omoyebagbe Christiana now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oji O m o y e b a g b e Christiana. Former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and general public should take note.

SOPHIA Weds ABIMBOLA The solemnization of Marriage between former Miss Ughumiakpor Emuobonuvie Sophia (a Fashion Designer) and Mr. Ashafa Oyetunji Abimbola (a Civil Servant) took place on Monday 24th November, 2014 at the Oredo Local Government Council Marriage Registry in Benin City. Amongst those present were Mr. Inomwan O. Mike, Mrs. Eyewumi Shielu, family members, relations, friends and well wisheres. Picture shows the couple at the Registry. Congratulations. Photo: SONNIE E.

I, Aipoh David wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person called Okogie Matthew as appeared in some of my documents as both names are one and the same person. Henceforth, I am now known and called Aipoh David. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

ADDITION OF NAME

I, Mrs. Eweka Sussan Omosede is the same person as Mrs. Eweka Sussan. I now wish to be properly known and addressed as Mrs. Eweka Sussan Omosede. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Religion

God’s Love For His People RIGHT From the time of creation, God have always displayed love for man and Nature in general. First He displayed His unending love when He created the Universe and the creation of man. The daily affairs of man is God’s concern, because God has not abandoned or removed His sight away from the lives of men. His business is the wellbeing and the well fair of man on Earth. He recognized the presence of all men, whether sinners or the righteous ones. God’s love is undeniable, deny us of what He feels for us. He loves every part of our lives with what He is doing and with what we can see and experienced in our daily lives. God demonstrate His love for man through many ways and manners. First, the creation, of which we have talked about and discussed. As one of my teachers would say; he referred to man as naturally selfish. But for God, He is nonselfish, very kind and generous. For a man to create or make a product and render services to people without asking for payment or returns

signifies altruistic nature. The ultimate altruist is God, because the work or help rendered by men, sometime demands payback from the beneficiaries. As example is the love portrayed by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave the most precious asset He has, and that is, His love and life. God’s love is so extravagant and overwhelming that you can not withdraw or retrieve yourself from it. There are sects, groups, people who deny the messiahship of Jesus Christ, but the truth be told Jesus Christ died for everyone, and I mean every living souls and even the dead ones. God’s love shows and portrays the Grace and Favour that covers and binds every human that lives in this Earth, both the dead, and the living. Most at times, sleeping and waking up every morning is not quite easy, neither it is a task. But to gain the favour and grace, nothing or no power can control that dynamic event and occurrence known as dream. God has programmed every man according to His and power, but some of us tend to change or force our destiny to some other direction God has not

By LAWRENCE OMORODION

planned for us. But there are some destinies that can not be broken, changed, or marred

owners of the life we lead. But the love of God supersede every pride and sins of men. He

their enemies without returns. They find it very difficult to see their neighbours as human like them. God shows

because God will take the authority of control from the individual who wants to live his life any how he pleases. That is the reason why the saying correlate the truth about God and humanity. “That the way of man is far different from the one of God. This is because we may have the life now but the true fact is that we are not the

shows love to sinners, evil doers who changed their ways and behavour. God shows His love through the forgiveness of sins of men as they asked and begged for forgiveness. Man is naturally wicked but the grace of God has covered every wickedness and iniquity. Man to forgive man is sometimes giving out all what they have to

love through Blessing and the Blessing in this context covers every aspects in a man’s life. The Blessing is of finance, health, physical and other aspects that humans are enjoying while sailing through the sea of life. There are many challenges to life, and these are experiences one needs to encounter and see. But

“God shows His love through the forgiveness of sins of men as they asked and begged for forgiveness”.

they can be controlled and averted by God if the individual involved is ready to surrender all for God. But this can be challenging due to the attacks encountered or failed from evil forces in the world we are.

God’s love is seen through protection of lives of His people and their affairs here on Earth. The souls of humans as they said are expensive. With one divine being protecting and guiding the lives of His creatures (Humans) against the hands of the devil and his cohorts (demons). God’s love is so emense in such a way that He has given the authority to bind demons and evil doers away from their lives and affairs. God so transferred and conferred the power to bless and anoint others to some people. Though, in general term He blessed everybody with different talents and skills to help them scale through every challenges in life.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Chelsea Look Unbeatable At The Top

City On Brink Ahead Of Bayern Test MANCHESTER City are teetering on the brink of a third Champions League group-phase elimination in four seasons ahead of Bayern Munich’s visit to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. City’s dismal 2-1 loss at home to CSKA Moscow in their previous outing left them bottom of Group E with only two points and they will be knocked out if they fail to beat Bayern and there is a winner in the Russian champions’ home game with Roma. Manuel Pellegrini’s side can draw some solace from the fact that Bayern, who shaded September’s reverse fixture 1-0 thanks to a last-minute goal by former City player Jerome Boateng, are already guaranteed to qualify as group winners. City will also take inspiration from their 3-2 win away to Bayern in the group phase of last season’s competition, although the circumstances then were quite different, with the visitors having already secured a place in the last 16. City’s hand has been weakened by suspensions to Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, both of whom were sent off – the former for a petulant shove – during the defeat by CSKA Moscow on November 5. And although City came from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday, midfielder Samir Nasri knows that Pep Guardiola’s ruthless Bayern side will be a very different proposition.

“We are really lucky to still be in with a chance of qualifying because, with two points and two games left, normally you are out,” said the former France international. “Now is our chance. We have to take it and play with nothing to lose. We can take a lot (from beating Swansea), but a game against Bayern Munich will not be the same as a game against Swansea. “No disrespect to Swansea, who are a great team, but Bayern Munich have world-class players in every position.” Bayern have gone 18 games without defeat since losing to Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on August 13, winning all four of their games to date in the Champions League.The 2013 European champions extended their lead at the Bundesliga summit to seven points by crushing Hoffenheim 40 at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Bastian Schweinsteiger made his first competitive appearance since starring for Germany in the World Cup final, coming on as a late substitute, and Guardiola has hinted that he could feature again at City. “It’s good news for him and for us. I have seen how important Bastian is for the club and the fans,” said Guardiola, who is bidding to win his third Champions League title as a coach after two previous successes with Barcelona.

-Nasri

Manuel peliegrini

Liverpool Slump Is My Responsibility, Admits Rodgers

LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers admits that he is ultimately responsible for the club’s slump in form this season after another costly Premier League defeat, this time by Crystal Palace. Last season’s runners-up endured another afternoon to forget at Selhurst Park on Sunday, having thrown away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 on the same ground last season in a result that ultimately proved crucial in the title race. This time, they could not even escape with a point as goals from Dwight Gayle, Joe Ledley and Mile Jedinak overturned Rickie Lambert’s second-minute opener as the game ended 3-1. It marked a fourth consecutive loss for Rodgers’s side, who find themselves in the bottom half of the table, and the Northern Irishman concedes that they are

suffering from a crisis of confidence. “It was bitterly disappointing,” he told reporters. “It was nowhere near the level that we would expect. We started the game as you would want but I think you saw a team low on confidence. “We’re not quite together as a team, which is what we pride our work on. We need to find a solution very quickly because it was very disappointing. “It’s my responsibility as the manager, ultimately. I picked the team and put the team out there and I pick the best team I think can win us the game. “We made mistakes that you would not expect to see at this level for a team that wants to be challenging. We go 1-0 up and then we fail to manage the game. Overall, there’s that intensity and togetherness that’s not quite there in our game. When you don’t get

the results, that is affected.” Rodgers will have little time to reflect as he bids to mastermind a turnaround. Liverpool face a must-win trip to Ludogorets in the Champions League on Wednesday before returning to Premier League action at home to Stoke City.

with no cover. As long ago as 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Last year was pretty unsavoury. “In fact, I think it was nasty. It is too open for my liking. It should not happen when you build a modern stadium. You need tin helmets. “It is a weakness in the planning that you don’t provide safety for the visiting substitutes and staff.” OUR VIEW: Just last week, a YouGov poll was released that painted a picture of the ‘average’ fan for each club. Everyone chuckled as Gunners fans were

stereotyped as shopping at Waitrose, playing chess and reading The Economist.

MANCHESTER City midfielder Samir Nasri has said he thinks Chelsea currently look invincible at the top of the Premier League table. Nasri, who started for champions City in Saturday’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Swansea at the Etihad Stadium, told the Manchester Evening News that had been a vital victory for his team. “It was important to keep in touch with Chelsea, who look unbeatable at the moment,” he said. “It was really important to win the game.” City fell behind to a Wilfried Bony strike within two minutes, but goals from Stevan Jovetic and Yaya Toure secured the three points for Manuel Pellegrini’s side. “It was a tough start,” Nasri said. “They scored an early goal, but we had a good reaction. We started to press high and play our game.” With Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich looming large and a disappointing run of only one win in six games, Nasri said: “It was good for the confidence as well, because on Tuesday we have a tough game.

Samir Nasri

Arsenal Fan Arrested For Throwing Red Wine At Manchester United Bench

Brendan Rodger

United Forward Falcao Back MANCHESTER United In Training forward Radamel Falcao is back in training after overcoming a niggling calf problem, the 28year-old confirmed on Twitter on Sunday. Falcao, on loan at Old Trafford from Ligue 1 side Monaco, has not featured since a 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Oct. 20. On Thursday, manager Louis van Gaal announced Falcao could be out for a further two

weeks after suffering a “new injury” but the forward could now feature in next weekend’s game against Hull City. “Back to training 100 percent and ready to help the team in the next games,” said the Colombian, who has scored once in four matches for the club. United climbed to fourth in the Premier League after beating Arsenal 2-1 away on Saturday.

AN Arsenal fan has been arrested after allegedly throwing red wine at the Manchester United bench during Saturday’s Premier League fixture between the two teams. The incident occurred when United celebrated the first of their two goals in the 2-1 victory at Emirates Stadium. United employees are reported to have been splashed by red wine, sparking a row between Arsenal fans and the travelling staff and players of the visiting club. CCTV helped to locate the individual suspected of throwing the red wine and a fan was arrested. According to the Guardian, Arsenal have “promised to liaise with the Metropolitan Police and ban any individual whose guilt is proven.” It is not the first time United have been unhappy with the lack of protection afforded to them at Emirates Stadium, with both home and away dugouts being located at the front of the stands

And now this: the most middle class hooligan in the history of sport. Absolutely hilarious.

Podolski

Podolski Demands ‘Fair Chance’ At Arsenal ARSENAl striker Lukas Podolski has delivered the latest in a series of protestations against his bit-part role at the club, insisting that he will not be taken for “a buffoon who sits out his contract in the stands”. The Germany international has yet to start a Premier League or Champions League game for Arsene Wenger ’s side this

season. He has already indicated that he will seek a decision on his future in north London in January, though he would be keen to stay at the Emirates Stadium if given more game time. “I love London, I love the club but I don’t like the situation,” Podolski told Kicker.

“I’m not a buffoon who sits out his contract in the stands. “I have to try to talk to Arsene Wenger. I want a fair chance.” Germany coach Joachim Low has previously suggested that the forward should “think about his situation”, though both Koln and Schalke have ruled out bids to sign him this winter while Wenger says that he is not for sale.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Afghanistan V/Ball Match

Suicide Bomber Kills 45

A suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest in a crowd of spectators at a volleyball match in Afghanistan on Sunday, killing 45 people, a provincial official said, as foreign troops withdraw from the country after more than a decade of fighting. Mukhles Afghan, spokesman for the governor of Paktika province, said at least 50 more were wounded in the attack in Yahya Khel district, where residents had gathered to watch a tournament final. He said most of the casualties were civilians. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack. The spokesman said around 50 more people were wounded. Casualties were high because the crowd was so dense, since people had come from nearby districts to cheer on their team. No other details were immediately available because of the remoteness of the location. The Taliban and other jihadist militants have unleashed waves of suicide attacks in Afghanistan this year as foreign forces pull out after 13 years of war. About 12,000 international troops will remain in Afghanistan next year to train and support Afghanistan’s security forces. Paktika was the site of one of this year’s deadliest attacks in July, when 89 people were killed by a bomb in a crowded market. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach condemned the “cowardly” attack.

“It is an attack on sport itself and on the positive values it can bring to help build strong communities and foster peace and reconciliation around the world,” he said in a statement. The Taliban banned public sports events as un-Islamic during their five-year rule before the 2001 U.S.-led intervention that toppled them from power after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on U.S. cities. Paktika province has an active Afghan Taliban insurgent presence and lies along the porous border with Pakistan’s North Waziristan region, used as a base by both the Haqqani militant network and the Pakistani branch of the Taliban. The Pakistani army for months has been waging an offensive against militants in North Waziristan, driving refugees and militant fighters across the border into Afghanistan. This year has been one of the bloodiest for Afghan civilians, according to the United Nations, which recorded nearly 5,000 deaths and injuries of civilians in the first half of the year.

‘I Rang Blatter And Told Him To Quit’ - Rauball

UNDER-FIRE FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter has been told to quit the world game’s governing body by German football chief Reinhard Rauball. Rauball, the president of the German football league (DFL), has told Kicker that the time has come for Blatter to leave his post, with Fifa currently embroiled in scandal following the partial publication of Michael Garcia’s anticorruption report. The former US attorney

“Unlike other people who only do so in the media, I called Mr Blatter some time ago myself to give him my opinion,” Rauball explained. “This is a Herculean task because there are a lot of different interests. Fifa has 209 members, all of which have just one vote. The award of a World Cup is in the hands of the national associations, and the small

Sepp Blatter (left) chatting with a player.

Klopp To Replace Rodgers At Liverpool LIVERPOOL’S woes continued at the weekend, sparking huge amounts of speculation in the papers. Liverpool line up replacement for Brendan Rodgers: The Reds’ woes continued at the weekend, sparking huge amounts of speculation in the papers -

most interesting of which comes in the Daily Express, claiming that Borussia Dortmund manager Juergen Klopp will be the man to take over at Anfield. Rodgers himself has admitted that his position is under threat, officially marking open season for stories about a

... As Reds Boss Claims His Job Is BRENDAN Rodgers admits the levels we’d expect. On The Line near he is fighting to save his job after You’ve seen a team low on Liverpool blew a one-goal lead against Crystal Palace to lose their fourth consecutive game. The Reds took the lead at Selhurst Park after Rickie Lambert converted an Adam Lallana pass for his first goal for the club before strikes from Dwight Gayle, Joe Ledley and Mile Jedinak sealed three points for the hosts. The result leaves Liverpool 12th in the Premier League after collecting just 14 points from their opening dozen games and Rodgers says he must answer for the team’s plight. “I’m not arrogant enough to think that I will be in a job through anything,” he told reporters. “Any manager will

delivered a 430-page dossier to FIFA looking into alleged misconduct in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process, with a 42-page summary compiled by ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert considered by the author not to be representative of the true facts. And Rauball insists this latest saga should lead to the president’s resignation, with the integrity of the next two World Cups needing to be rescued.

tell you that you have to win games and you have to get results. You have to perform. “In my first year when we weren’t maybe getting the results we were performing well. I will only ever do my best. The best has seen us develop well. “Now I need to fight even harder and take the responsibility because as manager full responsibility comes down to me. Any pressure comes on to me.” Analysing the performance against Palace, Rodgers was critical of his side’s commitment and highlighted a lack of belief as the reason for their slump. He added: “It was nowhere

confidence. “You could see our passing was a wee bit tentative, and then we make mistakes. Mistakes you wouldn’t expect to see at a team that’s supposed to be challenging. We failed to manage the game. “Overall, that intensity and togetherness in our game isn’t there. “We’re in another transition phase, but whatever phase it is we have to do better than that. That’s down to me to coach and manage that. That’s what I’ll continue to fight to do.” Liverpool travel to Bulgaria on Wednesday looking to salvage their Champions League hopes with a win over Ludogorets.

replacement being found. Paper Round says: Klopp’s cheeky sense of humour has made him big favourite with fans and media in England, and he recently said that he would fancy working in the Premier League. But really, will Rodgers get the boot? Having done so much for Liverpool - giving the club its respect back, essentially

Bredan Rodgers

- that seems desperately unlikely. It’ll take more than a bad third of a season to dislodge the current Anfield boss.

football nations have interests other than the greater good. They also depend very much on economic considerations.” Furthermore, Rauball has thrown the name of German FA (DFB) president and Uefa Executive Committee member Wolfgang Niersbach into the running as a potential replacement for Blatter. He said of Niersbach: “He also occupies a critical position in many respects and is most likely to bring solutions within the FIFA Executive Committee along the way. “The DFL representatives on the DFB board are unanimously in favour of proposing Wolfgang Niersbach as a candidate, and I am sure that there will be no other opinion on the DFB board.” Rauball insists that action must be taken in light of Fifa’s unwillingness to act following Garcia’s report, which unearthed evidence of significant sums spent in the wooing of potential voters in the 2022 World Cup bid process. But Eckert’s summary claimed that the misdemeanour was not enough to order a new vote and strip Qatar of its hosting right. “Most people just throw up their arms and say ‘that’s very bad’. But that is not enough. We need a prospect. “There is no willingness to publish both the Garcia report and the decision of the Ethics Committee, but it is simply unavoidable. The differences between the indictment and the decision of the Ethics Committee are clear. “But the impression remains that people are being protected, and that is intolerable.”

Lukaku Can Become ‘Best Striker In The World’ - Martinez AFTER making a slow start to the 2014-15 Premier League season, Lukaku has returned to the form that saw Martinez spend a

club-record £28million to make the Belgium international’s stay at Goodison Park permanent. Lukaku scored the opening goal in Everton’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday. The former Chelsea front man has now found the back of the net in three of his past five Premier League fixtures and Martinez believes the 21-yearold has the potential to be the best striker in the world. “Remember that the assessment of Rom is what he brings to the side. Nobody else in our squad can give us what he gives us,” said Martinez. “He is someone that holds up the ball and brings a lot of fear to the opposition because they always get players around him which opens space at all times. He’s got power, he’s got pace, he’s a clinical footballer driving the ball - I’ve been delighted with Rom.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

AC Milan Need Torres To Start Scoring - Inzaghi

Milan Had The Better Chances, Insists Galliani AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani feels Filippo Inzaghi’s men got the better chances in Sunday’s Serie A encounter with rivals Inter and believes they deserved more than a 1-1 draw. Jeremy Menez gave Milan the lead before the break, but Joel Obi levelled the scoring again after the interval to ensure the Derby della Madonnina ended all square. “It was a balanced match, but we had the clearer chances. They also struck the bar through [Mauro] Icardi, but [Stephan] El Shaarawy’s chance was clearer,” Galliani told the official Milan website. “What a shame about the last chance through [Andrea] Poli. If he had shot with his left foot, maybe it would have gone in. And then there was the crossbar by El Shaarawy.” Irrespective of the two points lost, Galliani saw plenty of positives and is hopeful Milan can keep on growing in the weeks to come. “We didn’t suffer that much. In defence, with respects to the start, we improved a lot. You can always concede one goal. It seems to me that we’re growing.

Andriano Galliani

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

I Showed Ibrahimovic Videos -Capello

FABIO Capello has revealed how he turned Zlatan Ibrahimovic into one of football’s greatest goalscorers by showing him videos of Marco van Basten during his time in charge of Juventus. The Russia boss spent two years working alongside the Sweden international between 2006 and 2008 and explained how the 33-year-old was a rough diamond who required a few minor tweaks before flourishing into his modern incarnation. “Ibra has an awful lot of natural talent and it’s not hard at all to turn someone that gifted into a goal machine. All it took was to explain a few things to him,” Capello told

the official Fifa website. “The rest is down to training hard every day, which is something he’s always done. He always did a lot of work on his finishing. When he started out he could kick the ball very hard but the quality wasn’t quite there. He wasn’t that great in the air either, so what he did was practise his heading over and over. His game really came on as a result. “I called him over one day and I said to him: ‘You’re as good as Marco Van Basten. You’ve got the potential to be right up there with him, but

Montero Out To Put Pressure On Schalke SPORTING forward Fredy Montero will be out to continue his rich vein of form when his side take on Maribor in the Champions League. The Colombian has netted five goals in his last seven matches for the Portuguese outfit as he continues an excellent second season with the club. Montero - who counts Seattle Sounders and Millionarios among his former teams - netted 13 times in 29 Primeira Liga appearances last term. He has followed that up this year and claimed a double in Sporting’s 5-0 Taca de Portugal win at third-tier Espinho on Friday, as Marco Silva’s men reached the last 16 in style. Now Montero wants more, telling Sporting’s official website ahead of Tuesday’s Group G

European clash: “Goals bring confidence. I want to thank the fans for their support [of me]. “You can be sure that we are going to do everything we can in every competition.” Sporting - who sit third in their group with four points from as many matches - revived their campaign with a 4-2 win over Schalke last time out. And while they will be out of the Champions League if they lose on Tuesday, Maribor also know their fate can be decided by defeat. The Slovenian side have battled well for three draws in four matches but must avoid defeat to have any hopes of continuing their progress - and even that might not be enough depending on Schalke’s result against Chelsea in the other game

in the group. Sporting have made a poor start to their domestic campaign by their standards, sitting eighth in the table, but they will be buoyed by their recent form, which seems them unbeaten in three, having scored 10 goals in the process.

Fredy Montero

I’m going to show you how he did it.’ I had someone make a video with all Van Basten’s goals. I showed it to him and I said: ‘You never get close to goal. If you want to score, you have to get close to the opposition goal. You’re always far away. You have fun creating play and you’re great at setting up your team-mates, but if you want to be a goalscorer, you’re going to have to play closer to the area.’ “He got the message very quickly.” Ibrahimovic has made over 300 goals during his time with Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG and the Swedish national side.

PIPPO Inzaghi admits AC Milan need Fernando Torres to find his goalscoring touch but is confident it is simply a matter of time. The 30-year-old has scored just once since his loan move from Chelsea in the summer and endured another frustrating night in the 1-1 draw against Inter on Sunday. Inzaghi, however, believes Torres will quickly find a breakthrough in his scoring drought, pointing to another former Chelsea striker as proof of the virtue of patience. “I believe Torres will soon get back on the scoresheet and I hope so, as we need his goals,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “I tried to improve the level of quality in attack with players like [Keisuke] Honda, [Jeremy] Menez, [Stephan] El Shaarawy and [Giacomo] Bonaventura to provide better service for him. “I am trying to put the best team out to get the best out of him. He does well in training, but not every game goes the same way. “Torres gives his all and I always use the example of Hernan Crespo. Carlo Ancelotti stuck with him when

he didn’t score for two months, then when he made the breakthrough he never stopped scoring.” Menez’s fine first-half strike was cancelled out by Joel Obi’s first ever Serie A goal on Sunday and Inzaghi admitted it was frustrating not to have seen out the win. “It’s disappointing to have some clear chances and not win,” he said. “However, my team gave everything they had and it was a balanced game. Inter did well, too. “Inter were pushing without making much of an impact, but they scored on our mistake. We know that we have to grow, but I believe the spirit, hunger and some of our moves were very good. “The derby showed there are two teams who are works in progress, still under construction, and so there are going to be peaks and troughs. “There was a change of coach, so that gave Inter new enthusiasm. Maybe there is a regret that we didn’t make more of our scoring opportunities, but right now we mustn’t look at the table. We need to look at the character and determination of this team.”

Fernando Torres

Reus Injury An Advantage For Dortmund - Effengberg FORMER Germany’s star Stefan Effenberg believes Marco Reus’ injury problems could prove to be a blessing in disguise for Borussia Dortmund as it could scare off potential suitors. Reus has been heavily linked with a move away from Dortmund at the end of the 2014-15 campaign, with Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid among the clubs keeping an eye on the attacker ’s

situation. The 25-year-old suffered an ankle injury in his side’s 2-2 draw with Paderborn at the weekend that will keep him out for the remainder of 2014, yet Effenberg feels there’s a positive to the Germany forward’s latest physical misfortune, too. “Maybe his injury problems could prove to be an advantage for Dortmund,” Effenberg told Sky90. “Who knows, Reus could

now stay at Dortmund for two or three more years.” The former Borussia Monchengladbach attacker has a contract with BVB until June 2017, but has a clause in his existing deal that allows him to leave the club at the end of the season for +25 million. Reus missed the 2014 World Cup due to injury and has already missed several games this season as well due to recurring ankle problems.

THE NIGERIAN

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Aluko Is Humble In ENI Aluko believes Defeat England Women must humbly accept their deficiencies were exposed on their big Wembley day out. Striker Aluko was Europe’s leading scorer in World Cup qualifying, plundering 13 goals as the Three Lionesses earned their place at Canada 2015 with 10 straight wins. They conceded just once in that campaign but were 2-0 behind to Germany after 12 minutes of Sunday’s big showdown which marked the team’s first appearance at Wembley since the stadium was rebuilt. A crowd of more than 45,000 saw England eventually beaten 3-0, and for Aluko, the sister of Hull striker Sone Aluko, it was a critical stepping stone on the path to next summer’s tournament. The 27-year-old said: “We played the best team in the world and that’s the benchmark, and when you play the benchmark side you’ve got to take as many lessons from that as possible and be humble about it and say, ‘where could we have been better as players collectively and individually?’. “Next time hopefully when we play Germany we’ll be able to rectify some of the mistakes we made. “The purpose of this all is for us to go into a World Cup and compete. Hopefully there’s more to come from this team. “The German players were very composed and knew what they were doing. “We have a huge respect for Germany because for many

Eni Aluko

years they’ve been doing what we aspire to do.” Next summer’s World Cup will be played on synthetic pitches, which has caused complaints to escalate to the point of a legal objection being filed by a number of players. The aggrieved players none of them yet from the England camp - have complained that men would not be expected to play a World Cup on anything other than grass. Aluko offered some sympathy to those arguing the case against 3G surfaces. “It’s up to them what they argue, I can kind of understand some of their arguments,” she said. “It’s not something we can control and to be honest it might suit our style of play. “There are technical differences and you’ve got to adapt to that and be ready.” Sunday’s match was an international perhaps like no other Wembley has known, the sort where an England team could trail by three goals at half-time and be still applauded off the pitch, and where Germany’s national anthem, the Deutschlandlied, was afforded a level of respect sadly often lacking at the stadium.

Rivers Win 5th National Female Cricket Championship

Hon Chris Okaeben, Commissioner for Sports

Edo Athletes Are Ready - Okute Ahead NSF: By NICHOLAS EBOIGBE

THE Director of Sports, Edo State Sports Council, Godwin Okute says his athletes are doing intensive training to enable them perform well in the National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Calabar, Cross River State in April, 2015. to hold the festival whether in According to Okute thus April next year or should the “We are not going into date be rescheduled. camping yet. What we are The Director of Sports doing now is intensive explained that in the next training sessions of all the festival Edo will improve on athletes in all the sports to her position which they got in prepare them for the festival. the last edition. He said that Edo athletes You know that in Edo State, are ready any time they want we don’t like to boast. We like

Mourinho Hits Back In Costa, Fabregas CHELSEA’S manager Jose Wales to play today? I don’t think Feud Mourinho has hit back at Sergio Ramos and Vicente del Bosque over the injuries which kept Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas out of the Spain squad. Both Costa and Fabregas were ultimately declared unable to play during the international break but were decisive for the Blues in the 2-0 win over West Brom on Saturday. Real Madrid defender Ramos was quoted as saying certain players should show greater commitment to the international cause last week, though he later insisted he was not talking about the Chelsea duo. And Mourinho has defended their decisions to withdraw, stating that the Spain team doctor was always part of the consultation process and suggesting Ramos has little place to comment.

THE Rivers team on Sunday in Abuja posted 93 runs in 18.4 overs against their FCT counterparts to win the fifth edition of the National Female Cricket Championship. In the match played at the Cricket Oval at Package B of the National Stadium, the eventual winners won the match by four wickets. Although the Rivers side won the toss, they had chosen to field first, with the FCT team garnering 92 runs in 20 overs. The FCT side lost nine wickets in the process. In spite of a sluggish start at the start of the second innings, Rivers however chased the score down with Odun Sylvia scoring 12 runs and bowling three wickets. Reacting after the game, FCT’s player/coach, Flavia Wayana, said the team lost the game as a result of fatigue. She however said she was not disappointed at her team finishing as runners-up, saying it would rather make her team work harder ahead of the championship’s next edition. “I do not feel so bad, because we did not reach this stage last year. So, this is still okay for us because we came out second. By next year, we will work harder. “But I believe we lost today’s (Sunday’s) game because the girls are tired. We played two games yesterday, while our

“Since I’ve known Sergio Ramos he has been a fantastic football player, but he is not a doctor. He is not a doctor and I am the same. I do my job the best I can but I am not a doctor,” he is quoted as saying by the Mirror. “My doctor and the doctor of the Spanish national team, they had the scans and they decided that the player was not in the condition to play. “I am nobody to go against it and I don’t think Sergio did a medicine Masters in the last couple of years to understand about it. “[Vincent] Kompany didn’t play for Belgium against Wales and he played today [Saturday]. Has he a compromise with his national team? I think he has. He is the captain of Belgium. “Did he, how do you say, ‘cheat’ by not playing against

he did. So we all accept that he was injured.” Mourinho took another swipe at Del Bosque in what is becoming a persistent feud over the fitness of Costa and his role in the Spain side. “I trust my doctor 100 per cent. If Del Bosque doesn’t trust his doctor that is his problem, not my problem. I speak with my doctor and I believe in what my doctor tells me. Nothing else. No problem,” he said. “Fabregas was in a doubtful situation, Diego no. Diego recovered totally from his problem with these two weeks that he had to rest and to improve his injury. “Fabregas is different. Fabregas survived. Diego no, Diego now is in great condition.”

to keep our strategies, technical knowledge of how we want to beat the opponents to ourselves. He explained that Edo State athletes have the potentials and all that it takes to win the National Sports Festival. “We want to state that other

states should not engage in dirty politics which has to do with cheating and lies to win the festival at all cost when they do not have gifted and good athletes that we have. He said the purpose of the National Sports Festival is to discover new talents that are fresh and good, not old and worn-out ones.

opponent played only one. “So, my players were already exhausted. But, it is still okay. They made the runs off their bats. “We fought well, but it was just a hard game,’’ Wayana said. On his part, Rivers’ Team Manager, Tonye Timinadi, said the team won the match by correcting the lapses noticed on Saturday. He added that the win was easy for them because of their spirit of chasing and winning. “I feel glad because this is the first national cricket tournament that we are winning. So, it is a historical one for us to win the trophy.

Eriksen Revels In Great Weekend For Spurs

TOTTENHAM’S midfielder Christian Eriksen is delighted to have rounded off a good weekend for the club, in which many of their rivals dropped points, by scoring the winner against Hull City. Jake Livermore’s early goal against his former club at the KC Stadium had Mauricio Pochettino’s men in trouble before Gaston Ramirez was sent off shortly after the break. Harry Kane then equalised before the Dane stole the points just before the end of normal time and, with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal having lost, Eriksen says that he will “sleep pretty well” as their chances start to look up in what has been a tough season so far.

Zambia To Host 2015 COSAFA Under-20 tournament ZAMBIA has been U-20 Cup would be played in Zambia handed the rights to host the 2015 COSAFA Youth Championships. COSAFA President Suketu Patel disclosed this last Saturday after the

Kalusha Bwalya

Southern Africa regional football governing body’s annual general meeting held in Johannesburg. “Patel said next year’s

in late November/early December. Dates and venues are being worked on with Football Association of Zambia and will be announced in due course,” COSAFA stated in a press release. “COSAFA also made a commitment to prepare a four year programme from 2016 onwards that will see an annual COSAFA Cup plus under-20 and under-17 tournaments, and a Women’s championship.” Zimbabwe will host this year’s COSAFA Youth Championships in Bulawayo from December 4-14. South Africa are the defending champions of the COSAFA Youth Championships after beating guest side Kenya 20 in the finals of last year’s tournament held in Lesotho.

THE NIGERIAN

CMYK

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)led Federal Government has announced austerity measures as its response to falling oil prices which is reducing the external earnings from crude oil responsible for almost 90 per cent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings. The Minister of Finance and the Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy , Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who made the announcement said the measures will see Nigerians paying tax on what they term ‘luxury’ goods. This is coming barely six days after President Goodluck Jonathan formally announced his intention to contest the February 14, 2015 election. Okonjo-Iweala also announced a reduction in public expenditures and international travels by public servants as other measures by the clueless government. The federal government claims they are still compiling the list of what they consider “luxurious goods.” Why will they not finish the compilation before the announcement to Nigerians? This is because they have a grand plan to take Nigerians unawares with harsh fiscal policies. Just as the ill-equipped and poorly motivated Nigeria Armed Forces are touted by the Jonathan’s administration to be “on top of the situation” with the Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria, President Jonathan’s Economic M a n a g e m e n t Team equally claimed they were “on top of the situation” with the sliding oil prices. This is a common cliché of government to fool Nigerians whenever they are boxed to a corner by share ineptitude. Already, the economic crisis has continued to impact negatively on the value of the naira. As at Friday, the official exchange rate of Naira to the dollar was 178. Perhaps by next month, it is projected by economic experts that the Naira would crash to some 200 Naira or more to the dollar. Last week’s announcement of austerity measures by the PDPled federal government leaves Nigerians with the understanding that the government do not learn from history. When the late sage, Chief Obafemi

PDP And Avoidable Austerity Measures

Awolowo warned the NPNled Federal Government that the Nigerian economy was on the down ward slide and may soon collapse in the ’80s, the NPN big wigs lashed out at him. They called him an “apostle of doom”. Six months later, Alhaji Shehu Shagari announced austerity

of voting Jonathan again. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and well meaning Nigerians have been warning that the widespread corruption and plundering of the nation’s resources by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP government is dangerous for the nation’s

President Goodluck Jonathan measures which kept on biting all Nigerians until the corruption- infested and inept government of the NPN was booted out by the military. That was the era of Chief Adisa Akinloye Champaign. That was the era when all NPN big wigs, like the PDP of today, flew into Gboko ‘83, venue of the NPN National convention with their private jets. When they were asked why the profligacy, the NPN National Chairman then, explained that members of the NPN were known to have well built bodies with protruding tummies while members of other parties were looking like suffering lizards . All these happened while over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s citizens were reeling under the yoke of austerity measures. Many unable to pay their rents, children’s school fees, hospital bills and others. Salaries of teachers and public servants were owed for upwards of thirteen months. Sadly, PDP is making history to repeat itself again in Nigeria. Public servants would relapse to such an era if they make the mistake

economy. Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, Lai Mohammed and Many other patriotic voices have been very frontal in warning of the mismanagement of the nation’s economy. They have warned that dwindling oil revenues mean that we should look inwards and diversify our economy, the PDP government have called them all sorts of names. Today, we are faceto- face with the reality. All the savings from excess crude oil account have been badly managed by the PDP. Instead of using such heavy revenues put at over $100bn since the soaring of oil prices in the international market to boost the nation’s economy, nothing was done. Rather, it is all phony activities such as YouWin, Sure-P and Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) where monies are just handed over to PDP chieftains for their personal aggrandizement and political campaigns for Jonathan’s re-election that are evident. It is also disgraceful that the Coordinating Minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, a known

friend of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank has continued to deceive and bamboozle Nigerians with figures and false hopes about the performance of the economy. The reality we face today is that the PDP do not have the right therapy for Nigerians economic woes. The right

MATTERS IN FOCUS WITH DAN OWEGIE as austerity measure was that the PDP would announce that they would prune the number of political aides working with them. The salaries that are paid out monthly which is responsible for almost 73 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget is an issue. It is not the

Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala thing for Nigerians to do is to kick them out of office with their votes in February. If we fail to do so, it will spell huge catastrophe for all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria. Shamelessly, the PDP now wants Nigerians to pay for their corruption and misdirection. Is it to now say that Nigerians are not already under austerity measure? PDP only wants to impoverish Nigerians the more. Their ultimate goal is to devalue the naira as the IMF and World Bank would soon tell them to do so. Trust Okonjo-Iweala and President Jonathan, they would unleash it without a second thought. It is my considered view that to make Nigerians, who did not participate in corruption, to suffer for it, is not right. What Nigerians expected

salaries of Civil Servants, it is the salaries and allowances of the political appointees working for the PDP. They have hordes of ministers, deputy ministers, advisers, special and Notso-special ones, all kinds. A reduction in the number of aides was a more meaningful measure aimed at cutting cost rather than imposing “unnecessary’’ austerity measures on Nigerians. The truth also is that the huge number of political appointees as aides to the Presidency, the ministers, state governors and their commissioners is simply wasting national resources and putting pressure on the economy. If we are looking for ways to cut cost, I think the first place to focus is in the direction of reducing the number of Presidential aides from 133

Shamelessly, the PDP now wants Nigerians to pay for their corruption and misdirection. Is it to now say that Nigerians are not already under austerity measure? PDP only wants to impoverish Nigerians the more.

to the barest minimum of about 25. They also want to stop civil servants from overseas travels but that of the politicians would not be stopped from the announced measures. Nobody can be fooled by the spineless PDP administration. Jonathan is one of the most travelled presidents Nigeria has ever had, yet the many trips did not yield any meaningful Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) into the country. The VIcePresidents also makes his unending shuttles, but nothing comes from there. It is only the development of other minerals, agriculture and the manufacturing sectors that will help Nigeria to escape the challenges posed by the dwindling global oil price. PDP administration lacks what it takes to make this happen. Nobody should be deceived by the PDP that it is a global crisis. Nigeria’s case is not a global case because we have had all the opportunities in this world to get things properly done. Much of our oil wealth, ought to have been properly channeled towards infrastructural development and wealth creation. Labour creates wealth, but here we have a PDP- controlled federal government with over 60 per cent of our youths unemployed! This in itself is a disaster waiting to happen because the day Nigerian youths would rise, no army or police can stop them. 2015 elections, however, is the time to act. The recent registration exercise was another calculated attempt to make sure our youths are alienated and disenfranchised. At the end of the exercise nationwide, the complain was the same all over. So many eligible youths were deliberately cut off by the Independent National Electoral Commission. People queued for days to be registered, yet only a handful were registered. Majority others were told to go away. But Nigerians must arise and prove to the PDP that they can fool some people all the time, but they cannot fool all the people all the time. • Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.

Printed and published by Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, 24, Airport Road, P.M.B. 1334 Benin City. Telephone; Lagos: 01 4930929, Benin: 052 257492, 257531 Editor: BARR. SOLOMON IMOHIOSEN (KSJI)-(07030699646), Deputy General Manager-Marketing (08023457566), Assistant General Manager-Advertisement (08023808856) Lagos Office: 25A Alli Street, Off Tinubu Square, Lagos Island, Lagos. Abuja Office: Floor 1, Edo House, 75 Ralph Shodeinde Street, Central Business District, Abuja. Tel/Fax: 09-5237631. All correspondence to: 24 Airport Road, Benin City. E-mail: nigerianobserver@yahoo.com (ISSN 0331-2674)