Nigerian observer 28 01 2014

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 38 • NO. 407 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 20 14 • N 100. 0 0

CUTTING EDGE Page 13 Between the kingmaker and the King

Trade Fair: Edo Govt enters Franchise BENIN CITY – Edo State Government has entered into Franchise Agreement with mastocoprime Ltd and Benin Chambers of Commerce, industry mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA) to organize the Edo State

Agreement

trade fair in order to stimulate commerce, growth and industrial development of the state.

The Hon. Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr.

Obasuke

Macdonald made this known at the signing ceremony of Edo Trade Fair Franchise agreement between Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture

(BENCCIMA) and Mastocoprime Ltd in Benin City.

The ceremony which was witnessed by officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry took place at the conference Room of the Continues on page 2

24 Hours Power Supply

NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND DIETETICS Page 14 Some golden rules of health

Oshiomhole tasks Electricity Coys

By OYIBOKE ADAMS

BENIN CITY - Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says Nigerians expect the new Electricity Distribution Companies to deliver 24hour electricity to their homes and nothing short of this will be acceptable to them.

The Governor who According to the spoke yesterday when he Governor ‘’I am excited granted audience to the that the federal Management team of government has muscled Benin Electricity the power to do what it Distribution Company led has to do considering the by its Chairman, Mr. fact the Nigeria Victor Osibodu, said government simply have whereas Nigerians were the capacity and even the afraid to tackle the discipline at all levels to PHCN, they would not be manage power supply. afraid to demand full “After many years of service for tariff from the lamentations and failed new DISCOs. promises doing costly

interventions that borders on change of name from E.C.N to NEPA and PHCN as if the power lies in the name.

He said ‘’if we have 40% of power supply

and the economy is growing at 60%, it is easy to extrapolate that at 100% the economy would do twice what is currently doing. If every Nigerian gets the power we deserve, if every rural

person has power to generate supply, every urban and corporate bodies have access to power supply, the more jobs would be created,’’ he stressed.

“In the past, Nigerians

were not able to do anything about PHCN because it had federal might backing it, but I’m not sure they will treat the new DISCOs with the Continues on page 2

HOS lauds NIM on leadership devt

BENIN CITY – The Head of Service of Edo State, Mr. Jerry Igbaekemen Obazele has described the Nigerian Institute of Management as a veritable body that has contributed immensely to the development of leadership quality of the society.

He said that the publications of the institute attest to this, point out that the institute is known for building the capacity of its members world-wide through its

well articulated seminars.

The Head of Service added further that he is an avid reader of the institute’s publication, hoping that in the new dispensation, the various publications centered on leadership will assist him in the discharge of his new responsibilities.

Mr. Obazele disclosed that he was privileged to attend the institute’s leadership seminar organized in the USA and some other foreign

TIT BIT “The integrity of a man can be assessed through the persons he recommends for job and how independent his assessment of the job becomes”.

- Kingsley-Ogbeide-Ihama

countries in the past.

Responding to the request of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Oredo branch, the Head of Service said he will prayerfully consider their request to be a member.

He said he will also consider their request to attend the forthcoming Continues on page 2

COMMISSIONING: Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left), explaining a point to Rev. Tom Amenkhienan (right), during the commissioning of a 650-seat auditorium at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Edo State, donated by Pastor Chris Oyakhilomen (middle), President of Believers Loveworld (Christ Embassy) yesterday. Photo: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE.

Senators defy APC, screen service chiefs

By JOSES SEDE ABUJA - Senators of the All Progressive Congress in the joint Senate Committees on Defence and Army, Navy, and Air-force, yesterday, defied directives from the APC and participated in the Screening of the acting service chiefs recently forwarded to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan for necessary confirmation.

This is even as members of the National Unity Group o f the House of Representatives, a

multiparty platform of Nigerian lawmakers committed to good governance, “say no to anarchy as being fomented by the newly registered All Peoples

Congress.

The APC had directed its members at the

National Assembly to frustrate or turn down any presidential request to the federal legislative house, including Budget 2014 that was transmitted to the NASS

by President Jonathan.

Among the APC senators who participated in the screening were, Senators Akin Odunsi, Kabiru Continues on page 2

Ambrose Alli University, (AAU), Ekpoma-Edo State.

The facility which has 100 KVA sound proof generator, was handed

over to the Edo State Governor and visitor to the university, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who then handed it over to the Continues on page 2

Pastor Chris donates 650 capacity Auditorium to AAU

By OSE EHEBHA EKPOMA -The president, Believers’ Love World (Christ

Embassy), Rev. Chris Oyakhilome yesterday handed over a 650capacity ultra-modern auditorium to the

News

Oshiomhole tasks Electricity Coys

Continued from page 1

same kid gloves.

Nigerians expect 24 hours power supply and not four hours or six hours. It cannot be our lot or our luck, as you say, for us to have just six hours power in a day.

Governor Oshiomhole who lamented the incessant power failure in the country said it has led to closure of many industries relocating to other African countries.

According to him ‘’we are fast working for an

incompetent power supply system. This is why I am a believer that what the government cannot do, it should hand over to those who can do,’’ it he said. ‘’Let us see what will come out of the sections that have been privatized and we hope the success will make the government to allow those who have the competence and discipline to help out in providing power.’’

While calling on the management to reconsider

Pastor Chris donates 650 capacity Auditorium Continued from page 1 university authorities.

Oyakhilome, an alumnus of the university equally pledged to donate a solar powered lantern to each of the student resident on campus, in addition to executing solar powered street light for the hostel.

The religious leader said he was spurred by the determination of the leadership of the university to provide for the needs of the students, adding that a former pro-chancellor of the school, Ambassador Aziz Garuba had approached him for assistance.

“It is to use this as the first phase and to serve as a catalyst for others to join hands in developing the country.

“The problem is not the management of our natural resources but managing the potentials locked up in the minds of our teeming youths whose education cannot be separated from their aspiration He commended governor Oshiomhole for his developmental strides in the state, saying such will galvanize others to strife for more.

Governor Oshiomhole in his response, commended the Cleric for his “vision and

commitment,” describing him as a global icon.

He said “Pastor Chris is not just a good ambassador of the University, but of the state and the entire country.

We are here, not only to commission a building but to attest that by his conduct, he is giving to others.”

Earlier while acknowledging the gesture, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. (Mrs.) Cordelia Agbebaku, said the gesture was unprecedented, as according to her, “it is the first time an individual is donating such an edifice to the University since its inception”.

She said, “This is not surprising because the donor as a man of God, knows the importance of being a cheerful giver, aside from being an alumnus of this University.”

The Acting VC also expressed gratitude to governor Oshiomhole whose support, she said has continued to spur development in the University.

She also commended the release of N300 million by the governor out of the N500 million he promised to give to the university in late 2013.

Oshiomhole urges EDHA to confirm Commissioner nominee

By KEN ABU BENIN CITY -Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has requested the Edo State House of Assembly to confirm the nomination of Mr. Christopher Okaiben as Commissioner nominees in the state.

The request of the Governor was contained in a letter dated January 23, 2014 and signed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.

The letter requested parliament to give the request of the governor speedy consideration.

The Speaker, Hon. Uyi Igbe during planary session directed the House Standing

Committee on Rules, Business and Government House to peruse and screen curriculum vitae of the Commissioner – nominee and report back to parliament.

Also, during yesterday’s plenary, parliament considered the report of the standing committee on Appropriation and Budget Monitoring on a Bill for a Law to make provision for s u p p l e m e n t a r y appropriation for the contribution of Edo State to the Power Sector Special Intervention Fund set up to finance the Emergency Power Project of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

sacked union leaders into its work force urged the company to make fresh initiative that would rejuvenate the power sector.

Earlier, while addressing the Governor, the Chairman, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Mr. Victor Osibodu had commended the state governor for its prompt payment of electricity bills stressing that the state ranked

best among other states of the federation.

He said, Edo State with 49 service centers is lucky to enjoy 12 hours power supply which according to him is the highest in the country. Mr. Osibodu requested the state government support for Benin Electricity Development Company in the settlement of electricity bills by Government parastatals and agency.

HOS lauds NIM on leadership devt

Continued from page 1

get together party of the branch.

Speaking earlier, the Vice Chairman of Oredo branch, Nigerian Institute of Management, M.E.T. Idahosa who spoke on behalf of the chairperson, Princess Ekiuwa Inneh said the purpose of the visit was to felicitate with the new Head of Service on his appointment.

The institute eulogized, Jerry Obazele, describing him as a man of many parts and encouraged him to join

the institute as a full fledge member.

Mr. Igbaekemen Jerry Obazele, Head of Service, Edo State

Senators defy APC, screen service chiefs

Continued from page 1

Marafa, Sani Saleh, Ali Atai Aidoko, Femi Ojudu, and Robert Boroffice.

Shortly in his address before going into closed doors, Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator George Sekibo regretted that Nigeria was currently going through major security challenges including, escalating insurgency, kidnapping, oil theft and pipelines vandalization.

As a result, he hinted that “the screening exercise may not necessarily be to assess your academic but your competence in strategic military operations” and hoped that those of them that would scale through the screening of the Senate joint Committee and the confirmation by the Senate will eliminate the aforementioned national security challenges.

“Our country is going through some major security challenges, including among others the North East insurgency, oil theft and pipeline vandalization in the South South and kidnapping in the South East and other parts of our country.

If the required attention is not given to these challenges, they are capable of disintegrating our country or putting our nation’s unity in question.

It is the wish of the Senate and indeed the entire Nation that no part of this country would be allowed to exist in lawlessness and every part of the country must be fully protected, as that is one of

the primary objectives of a good government.

The oil theft and vandalization of pipelines in the South South region is a major economic breach with resultant effect of reducing National earnings from the oil and gas sector and this must be stopped.”

This is the first time since 1999, the present democratic dispensation, military chief appointees are being subjected to civilian screening.

Sections 217 - 219 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) provide for NASS to make laws for the establishment of the Armed Forces, appointment of Service Chiefs, and operational use of Services.

Council mourns Vice Chairman

By AUDU ADAMA

UGBEKPE – EKPERI The death last Friday of the Vice Chairman of Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Charles Eshiesimua has been described as a great loss not only to Ekperi Kingdom but also to the entire Council Area, the Political Class as well as Edo State in general.

The Eghiegbai of Ekperi Kingdom, HRH D.Y.E Kanoba who made this assertion at his Royal Palace Ugbekpe – Ekperi while playing host to the Chairman of Etsako Central Local Government Area, Hon. Emmanuel Momoh, advised the Chairman not to deviate but to honor all the Agreements he may have reached with the Deceased.

While pledging his Loyalty to the Edo State Government and the Local Administration, the Royal Father said that no one can take the Soul of a fellow human being except the Almighty Allah and stressed that no amount of tears would bring back the deceased.

Apparently in tears, the Chairman of the Council in

company of top Council Officials told the Royal Father that they were in his Palace to commiserate with the Kingdom on the sudden death of one of their Sons whom he described as “not just a Friend, Brother and a more experienced Colleague, but one who was also Loyal, Peaceful, understanding, tolerant and above all, he did not believe in heating up the Polity unnecessarily” He told the Palace that he was particularly sad because their administration had not even spent up to a year in office before this sudden death. He however promised that any understanding reached between him and the late Vice – Chairman would be implemented to the letter.

A two – time Chairman of the Council who was in Hon. Momoh’s entourage, Chief Akhigbe Alemoh, who expressed shock at the sudden death of Hon. Eshiesimua, told the Nigerian Observer that he knew the deceased as far back as 1964 reiterating that the Deceased would be missed for his “Humility, Steadfastness and Sincerity”

Tax Administration

Edo CJ lauds EIRS boss

By VICTOR OMOALU/ JENIFER OGEDENGBE/ RUTH ATSEGOR BENIN CITY – The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service, (EIRS), Chief Oseni Elamah has been lauded for his effort towards advancing the revenue administration of Edo State.

The Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Cromwell Idahosa made the commendation during the flag – off ceremony of the Tax Identification Number (TIN) for the judiciary, which held at the High Court, Benin City.

The C.J said with the TIN registration, the tax system will be saved from all forms of irregularities.

He stated that with Elamah’s innovation, other establishments were now complying with the tax administration of Edo State as

against the past when it was apparently restricted to civil servants.

He however assured that the judiciary will continue to do its best without fear or favour to support the revenue administration.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue, Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah had stated that the TIN was a project put together by the Joint Tax Board (JTB) in collaboration with the State Boards of Internal Revenue with a view to addressing the rigorous processes taxpayers have to pass through before accessing tax information.

While noting that the exercise was in continuation of the TIN registration in the state, Chief Elamah thanked the judiciary for its support towards the success of tax administration in Edo State.

Govt enters Franchise Agreement

Continued from page 1

Ministry of Commerce and Industry Secretariat Building, Sapele Road, Benin City.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Obasuke Macdonald who was represented by the Director of Commerce, Mr. John Hadomeh said that Edo State Government will provide the enabling environment for Commerce to thrive and encouraged private sectors to partner with the State Government in harnessing the huge economic potentials of the state.

He urged Mastocoprime Ltd and the Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA) to work together to ensure the successful hosting of Edo State Trade Fair and use the hosting of the trade fair to jump start the promotion of goods and services available in the state.

He then promised the assistance of the State Government in realizing the objective of the Franchise agreement.

On his part, the President of Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA), Mr. Edobor Andy said that Franchising of the Edo State Trade Fair hosting right to Mastocoprime is a good innovation which will help revive Edo State Trade Fair.

He also added that the signing of the agreement between Mastocoprime Ltd with Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA) will enable Mastocoprime Ltd deploy its expertise in the conduct of the trade fair.

In a similar vein, one of the Directors of Mastocoprime partners Ltd, Mr. John Oshoma said that they were in Edo State to positively contribute to the

good work Governor Adams Oshiomhole was doing in the state.

Mr. Oshoma on behalf of Mastocoprime promised to bring their wealth of experience to bear in the hosting of Edo State Trade Fair and to take it as a part of their social responsibility to organize Edo State Trade Fair.

He noted that it was opportunity for foreign investments in the state as goods and products that will be on sale will enhance the growth of the state’s economy.

Also present at the signing ceremony were Mr. Joel Edionwe of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. John Imalingmhe Yesufu, staff of Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture BENCCIMA and Management Staff of Mastocoprime Ltd.

Colour Code: Drivers Welfare

Scheme Lauds Commissioner BENIN CITY - Edo State Drivers’ Welfare Scheme has lauded Edo State Commissioner for Transport, Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo (JP) for the hnge success so far recorded in the enforcement of colour code for commercial vehicles in the state.

Official of the scheme declared their willingness to partner with the Ministry to ensure that members comply with the directive to paints their commercial vehicles to the government approved coloun colour as well as obey all traffic rules in the state. This came to the fore when the commissioner met with the leadership of the

welfare scheme in Benin City.

Ambassador Omo-Ojo disclosed that the interactive between the Ministry, Drivers Welfare Scheme and Zonal commanders of Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) was at the instance of officials of the welfare scheme.

The Commissioner, who displayed samples of various traffic signs to the drivers leadership, expressed joy that both stakeholders were thinking alike towards making vehicular traffic smooth and safe.

He noted that colour code was an age long practice world wide, saying it was aimed at checking the madence of

crime and criminality.

In their respective remarks, Welfare Scheme Vive President, Comrade Aideyan Okponmwany, Deputy Vice President, I k p o n m w o n s a Aiyerekpen and Secretary, Comrade Jude Anormhen commended Omo-Ojo over the innovations introduced into the transportation system in Edo state.

They disclosed their readiness to synergise with the ministry to make vehicular movement pleasurable and safe, pointing out that the scheme does not tolerate any misremember from its members.

They also gave assurance to give due regard to the Ministry’s pera-military personnel in the course of duty.

Barr (Chief) Jimoh Ijegbai, Chairman, Owan East Local Government Council being decorated as he was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Onojiemai of Ake-Ievbu by the Asogbon of Ake, HRH Andrew Ohiorenoya.

Agric Devt: Foreign Firm BENIN CITY- Officials of a banana professional company based in Netherlands, Agro fair have visited Edo state on a fact finding mission geared towards boosting the sate processing and export of the state’s perishable fruits like

Midnight Inferno Claims 2 Children EKPOMA (EDO) - Two children of the same parents have been roasted alive in their sleep at Ekpoma, in the Esan-West Local Government Area of Edo. The children, a female, four-year-old Oyenchi Akamezie and two-year-old Chukwudalo Akamezie, a male, were reportedly burnt

when fire from a local lamp engulfed their room at night.

It was alleged that the mother of the children, Christy Akamezie, locked them up in the room while asleep and allegedly left the house for prostitution.

A crowd of sympathisers who had gathered at the residence on Ilenlua Street,

Centre Wants Fund For Young Entrepreneurs BENIN CITY - Mrs. Julie Momah, the Manager, Technology Innovation Centre (TIC), Benin, has urged the Edo government to establish an innovation fund to assist young entrepreneurs in the state.

She made the call in an interview with newsmen in Benin City.

Momah said such fund would go a long way in boosting innovation and commercialisation of research findings.

The manager said an innovation fund would also enable upcoming entrepreneurs to be more focused and resourceful.

She noted that “the lack of finance is a major challenge that confronts young entrepreneurs and innovative ventures.

“But if the state government establishes a fund, it will encourage innovators in the state.

“Young people will then be able to develop their brains and

put their ideas into positive use, which will ultimately divert their attention from crimes.

“I know that in the next five years, our level of technological advancement in the state will be high if government can give attention to the right people and create favourable environment for the people to operate.”

rained curses on the bereaved mother, calling her unprintable names.

As at the time of this report, the charred bodies of the children had yet to be evacuated from their oneroom apartment, while the Police had arrested their mother for alleged negligence.

The father of the children, Mr. Chike Akamezie, a trader based in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area, who wept uncontrollably, told newsms that though he had been estranged from his wife, he never failed to provide for the upkeep of the children.

Akamezie, who admitted he never paid any dowry on his estranged wife, alleged that he

was compelled to separate from her because she was sleeping around with other men.

He said he never knew that the woman could lock up the children at night to go for prostitution, adding he would have collected the children while separating from her, if his late mother was still alive.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Esan-West Local Government, declined comment, but directed the reporter to the Police/Public Relations Officer (PPRO) at the State Police Headquarters in Benin.

He explained that DPOs were not authorised to grant media interviews.

Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbe, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly (right) receiving the T-Shirt logo from Chief Oseni Elamah, Executive Chairman, Edo State Board of Internal Revenue shortly after Mr. Speaker was registered for the Taxpayer identification number (TIN).

Photo: GODWIN ISEGUAN.

Visits Edo banana.

They were led on by the Director and Quality Assistance sourcing manager, Mr. Geert Demeyerce.

He informed the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Abdul Oroh that samples of bananas from the state tested in their company’s laboratory were found to be free from micro-elements as well as organic growth.

Steve Ebhota, an indigene of the state and an employee of the company who facilitated the visit said it was meant to see the company key into capacity building for farmers.

Hon. Oroh, while expressing satisfaction over the visit disclosed the state government’s readiness to key into the movations brought about by the company towards developing agriculture in the state.

Describing the idea of the company as laudable, Oroh gave an insight into the

government efforts at making the state as food basket of the nation, create jobs for the populace through engagement in agricultural activities as well as improve the living standard of peasant farmers.

These, he said has resulted in the state playing host to several investors in and outside Nigeria.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry. Dr. Collins Aibaogun disclosed that the coming of the investor firm would provide spite for farmers, especially in banana, plantain and orange, in the area of given lasting value to their produce which otherwise would perish due to lack of storage facilities.

The delegation which was accompairued by a consultant to the company, Dr Mr. Peter Arenamen and a representative of Nigerian Export Promotion Counvil, Mrs V B Ovierie later visited Ehor, Uhummwode Local Government Area for on the spot assessment of the agriculture produce there as well as Ekpoma.

Madam Ilerhunmwuwa For Burial

BENINCITY - The death has been announced of Madam Grace Ilerhunmuwa (Nee Jserhierhen), Alias Iye Lucy she was aged 76 years.

According to the burial arrangement, on Friday January 31, 2014, at 10am, corpse would be taken from Guobadia Hospital for Ugbogun community in Uhumwode Local Government Area, Benin/ Auchi Road. This would be followed by social wake at 8pm till dawn.

Saturday February 1, 2014, family utes and

social dance on Sunday February 2, 2014 beginning at noon. Venue is Western Boys High School, Ikpoba Hill Benin City.

Late Madam Grace Ilerhunmuwa (Nee Jserhierhen), Alias Iye

Aburime For Burial THE family of Aburime of Idumwele – Ewu, Esan Central Local Governmetn Area of Edo State has announced the demise of their son, brother, father, Grand father and uncle, Mr. Edward Irigibholo Aburime onJanuary 14, 2014. He was aged 72 years.

Until his demise, he had worked with SCOA Motor, Edo Line Transport Company from 1994 – 1999 and later became the Managing Director, Eagle Line Transport.

The late Aburime is survived by five children, grand children, daughters in law and other relations.

A statement by his eldest son, Harrison Aburime indicated that the burial ceremony commenced yesterday with a Home Mass at his residence, 35 Ihama Road, G.R.A, Benin City at 4 pm.

On Thursday January 30, 2014, at 4 pm, there will be

vigil mass at his residence and a pregiven Mass on Friday January 31, 2014 at St. Pauls Catholic Church Airport Road, Benin City from where the body would be taken to his home town, Ewu for internment same day.

The burial ceremony would climax on Sunday February 2, 2014 at 6am with a Thanksgiving Mass at St. Pauls Catholic Church.

News BENIN CITY – The families of Late Pa Ominike of Aragba Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government Area and Chief James Okiah Oghene of Orhoakpo in Ethiope East Local Government Area, both of Delta State has announced the demise of their beloved daughter, mother, grandmother, sister and

Lady Ominike Burial Ceremonies Commence Tomorrow

cousin.

According to a statement by Dr. Clement Kayode Oghene on behalf of the families, the burial ceremonies would commence on Wednesday January 29, 2014 with a vigil

mass at her residence, Flat 18, Street 26, Federal Housing Estate, Aduwawa, Benin City by 4.00 p.m.

Friday January 31, 2014 at 8.00a.m, her remains will be taken from Eloho Clinic mortuary, Agbarho

Street to St. Gregory Catholic Church, Oroakpo for funeral service, to be followed by interment at Late Chief James Okiah Oghene’s Compound.

Entertainment of guest follows immediately at the same venue.

The ceremony would climax on Sunday February 2, 2014, with outing service at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Benin – Agbor Road, Ogbeson Quarters, Benin City, beginning at 8.00 a.m.

Comrade Philip Shaibu, Majority Leader, Edo State House of Assembly (left) receiving an award of Excellence from Comrade Shugaba Aliu, Chairman, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Edo State Chapter during the Association visit to the leader in his office recently. Photo: GODWIN ISEGUAN.

New Constitution ’ll Be Ready By July, Says OKUTA (KWARA) - Zakari Mohammed, the Chairman, House Of Reps’ Spokesman House of Representatives’

Late Mr. Edward Irigibholo Aburime

Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said the country’s new Constitution would be ready by July.

Mohammed told newsmen in Okuta, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State that the delay in producing it was as a result of wide consultation.

He said the task of amending a

constitution is a tedious job and not a job which people would sit down and conclude easily.

“But we are looking at the month of June or July as when we are going to have a clean copy of the new constitution for Nigeria.

“For what we did in the House of Representatives, we went to the 360 Federal Constituencies and, as much as possible, we were able to

Commissisoner Commissions IGUELABA (ORHIONMWON) – The Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Lucky James has commissioned the newly constructed Health Centre at Iguelaba town, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

Commissioning the project, Chief James commended the Sole Administrator of the Local Government, Hon. Ernest Ighalo for his initiative in giving to the people a greater sense of belonging, describing the project as a product of the people’s tax.

Chief James also commended the community for appreciating what government has done and expressed satisfaction with the people’s assurance to maintain and secure the facility.

He re-affirmed government’s readiness to provide more amenities so long as the one’s provided are judiciously made use of.

Hon. Ighalo, had expressed

Iguelaba Health Centre

joy and gratitude that the occasion was taking place after what he termed “a tortuous journey”.

He however appealed to

members of the community to secure and put the facility to proper use as the foundation for more development has been laid.

gather the views of the people.

“What we have reported is exactly what we pushed forward for them, and what we

are saying is that at the end of the day, we are going to have a constitution that is workable for the Nigerian people,’’ Mohammed said.

Massachusetts Benin Club Of Mass Commiserates With Oba

By ANDY EGBON Erediauwa BENIN CITY – The Benin Club of Massachusetts, United States of America has commiserated with the Benin M o n a r c h , His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa over the death of his eldest wife, Oloi (Queen) Esther Omoye Erediauwa, the Eson N’Erie of Benin

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), been welcome by Bishop David Abioye and wife Pastor Mary Abioye to the Living Faith Church (AKA) Winners Chapel Goshen, near Keffi Nasarawa where the President join to warship yesterday.

Kingdom.

In a statement through The Nigerian OBSERVER electronic mail box, the club noted that the news of the demise of the Queen “came as a rude shock at a time when we were all looking forward to more of her valuable contributions to the advancement of the Kingdom”.

The statement was signed by Patience Iziengbe Abbe and Emmanuel Okunmwendia, club’s President and Publicity Secretary respectively.

According to the statement: “Death is inevitable but when it happens, we seek the divine intervention to provide the fortitude to bear the loss”.

The club noted that its members share in the pain created by the unfortunate incident and therefore prayed God to heal the occasioned wounds.

For those whose lives have been positively impacted by the late Oloi’s act of humility, humaneness and generousity, the club noted that her sudden demise “represents a huge loss and a devastating experience”.

The club therefore urged the Royal Majesty, the entire Benin Royal family, the numerous people whose lives, she touched positively and Edo people to be consoled, by her exemplary life which was punctuated by great achievement.

Memorial Service Held For Late Oby Okeke BENIN CITY – A memorial Service to mark the 10th anniversary of the demise of Prophetess Elizabeth Oby Okeke, President and founder of Christ Revival Mission, Benin City, Edo State, took place recently.

The memorial service which took place at the grave-side of the late prophetess in Benin City was attended by children and relations of the deceased.

Prophetess Elizabeth Oby Okeke

News

Same-Sex Marriage Law: OMU-ARAN (KWARA) - Some religious leaders in Omu-Aran, Kwara State have commended President Goodluck Jonathan, for signing into law the same-sex marriage prohibition bill recently passed by the National Assembly.

The religious leaders, who gave the commendation in Omu-Aran, Kwara, yesterday in separate interviews with newsmen said the move was a step in the right direction.

The Bishop of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s, Omu-Aran, Rt. Rev. Phillip Adeyemo, said the president had the right to protect the sovereignty of the country and also sustain the values of its cultural heritage and practices.

“I think the president has rekindled the hope of the citizenry in his ability to protect the country’s sovereignty and its cultural values by his signing of the same-sex marriage prohibition bill into law.

“The signing to me has put to rest the dictatorial tendencies of some countries trying to meddle in the internal affairs of the nation.

“We commend in strong terms President Goodluck

Jonathan for having the zeal and political will to sign this bill into law, in the interest of the people of the country,” Adeyemo said.

Prophetess Bosede Adimabua, the President of the Women’s Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Kwara Chapter, said President Jonathan’s action deserved praises from Nigerians.

Adimabua said the President’s singular act had further demonstrated the resolve of the administration to always listen to the voice of reason in protecting the country from external influences.

• ‘The passage of the samesex marriage prohibition bill into law is a welcome idea. It is important that as Christians, our sovereignty as a nation and heritage is preserved.

“We are in support of the fact that no form of civilisation is superior to our culture as Africans,” Adimabua said.

Pastor Alex Adefikayo of the 2nd ECWA Church, Agamo, Omu-Aran, said the passage of the same sex marriage prohibition bill was a move in the right direction.

“The president has done the right thing by signing the bill

Xtian Leaders Commend Jonathan

into law. “We support the president on this and any other

law that would improve the Image of the country,” he said.

It would be recalled that the

President had, a couple of weeks ago, put his ascent on the same-sex marriage

L-R: Prince Hillary Oshoma, MD/CEO Barr. Greg Otsu, John Oshoma, Mr. Joel Edionwe, Mr. John Hadomel, Mr. Edoba Andy, Mr. John Imaligmhe at the signing of franchise agreement between Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BEUCCIMA) and Mastacoprime Limited.

Residents Speak On 2015 Elections Time Table

AWKA -The release of a timetable for the 2015 general elections by the Independent National Electoral

Showcasing the head of Idia during Igue festival. Photo: BRIGHT IMHANZETO.

Commission (INEC) has continued to generate reactions from stakeholders in Anambra State.

Some of those who spoke to newsmen in Awka commended the Prof. Attahiru Jega-led commission, saying that the publication was a right step in the right direction.

In his contribution, former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife, said the early release of the timetable would reduce pressure on the people associated with elections.

“A level playing ground also includes the early release of the time-table. I think it is proper so that people can have a campaign plan, rather than being taken by surprise.

“It is the prerogative of INEC to release the timetable anytime they want, but I hope this one is not skewed to

favour or disfavour somebody,” he added. In his reaction, former Governor of Anambra, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, described the timing of the release as ‘apt’.

Ezeife, however, said that there was need to study the time-table to ensure that it achieved the best results.

“We, the politicians will study the timetable and make sure it is proper and that it will lead to the best result. If it is not, we will oppose it, but we cannot oppose it for nothing.

“We must know whether it is good for the presidential election to go with the governorship or whether it is good for the presidential poll to go with that of the National Assembly the same day or any other combination.

“It is important that we adopt a combination that gives the best result for our

practices so as to meet the increasing challenges posed by employment.

Edo State Coordinator of NDE, Ayo Edegbai said the quest to eradicate poverty and unemployment cannot be done by government alone hence the NDE activities have been structured to allow for

collaboration with well meaning individuals and organisations.

Hon. Yakubu, on her part said the empowerment programme is her campaign against poverty which has dealt untold hardship on many people.

Etsako West LG Leader Inaugurates Empowerment Prog For 100 Youths IKABIGBO (Etsako West) – An empowerment programme for 100 youths in Ward 12, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State has been inaugurated in Ikabigbo, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The programme is under the auspices of the Leader of

Etsako West Legislative arm, Hon Abibat Yakubu in collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Muhammed, represented by the South South Zonal Director of NDE, Mr. Don

prohibition bill, which had prescribed a 14-year jail term for convicted offenders.

Umoru noted that beside the 100 direct beneficiaries, there are thousands of other who shall benefit through secondary and indirect impact.

He said the directorate would continue to fine-tune its programmes and strategies in line with international best

nascent democracy,” he stressed.

Ezeife advised the commission to improve on its performances, which according to him, had been commendable.

“There has been transparency in Jega’s elections even though there were attempts by people to rig, but he is not conniving with any rigger, so let him keep it up that way,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Press Secretary to the Anambra Governor, Mr. Mike Udah, said the early release of the timetable showed that INEC was sensitive to calls for credible elections in the country.

“It shows that Jega is a serious-minded person who wants to make the job entrusted to him a success,” Udah said.

He urged the commission to conduct the polls in an atmosphere of peace and fairness, where the votes of the people will count.

Jega, INEC Chairman

South-West Release Of 2015 Time-table

Nigerians Hail INEC ABEOKUTA - Major stakeholders have continued to react to the release of the timetable for the 2015 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr. Sunday Oginni, Secretary of Labour Party (LP) in Ogun, in a telephone interview with newsmen, commended the electoral body for the prompt release of the timetable.

Oginni said that the release of the timetable had officially signified the commencement of politicking.

“INEC with the release of the timetable has blown the whistle for politicking to start,” he said.

The LP chieftain, however, urged political office holders not to jettison governance for politics.

He enjoined them not to neglect the people they were elected or appointed to serve

while preparing for elections.

Mr. Buruji Kashamu, Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee (SouthWest) of the PDP, also lauded the development.

“Political parties will have enough time to prepare for the elections,” he said.

He said that the PDP in the region was prepared to play the game by the rules and expressed optimism that the party would sweep the polls in all categories in the region.

Senator Femi Okurounmu, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, also lauded the “timely release” of the timetable, saying, “this is an indication that INEC means business.”

Okurounmu noted that the development would enable stakeholders, including political parties, to prepare adequately for the election.

“It is good for the system

because nobody would be caught unawares about the elections,’’ he said.

He also commended the electoral body for allowing enough time between the election and the inauguration day, saying it was consistent with the electoral law.

The Chairman, Ogun branch

of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Ayodele Adebayo, also commended INEC for the prompt release.

He, however, said that the gubernatorial and the National Assembly elections should have come before the Presidential and state House of Assembly

elections.

The NBA chairman said his view was informed by the controversies and serious problems which the issue of presidential ambitions had generated in the country.

The state Chairman, Institute of Surveyors, Mr. Bimbo Alagbe, however, said any of the categories of the elections could come first as long as they were conducted freely and fairly.

Sen. Olugbenga Kaka, (APC Ogun East) however, faulted the timetable and called for a review.

Kaka said the elections were

Mixed Reactions Trail INEC Time-Table OGBOMOSO (OYO STATE) - Former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala has described the release of the 2015 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a welcome development.

In an interview with newsmen former governor said the early release of the timetable would allow politicians to be well prepared.

Alao-Akala likened the development to a student who had been given enough notice to prepare for an examination.

In a separate interview Chief Akin Oke, the Oyo state chapter Interim Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) wondered why there was a reverse of the schedule of elections from the previous ones.

“My fear is that, I hope this timetable was not with ulterior motive.

Mr. Bashiru Lawal, the state Chairman of Accord Party, said that INEC has done the right thing by releasing the schedule of the elections very early.

Lawal, however, also objected to the order of the election, saying that of state Governors and state assemblies elections should have come first.

“I think the states elections should be conducted before the national elections at this period when every party is struggling to be at the centre,” he said.

Mr. Moshood Erubami, President, Nigeria Voters’ Assembly, described the release of the timetable as a good step but expressed fear over the implementation.

Erubami listed the complaint of paucity of fund by INEC and the proposed National Conference as factors that might affect the time-table.

INEC had last Friday released the timetable for the 2015 general elections scheduling the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February

14, 2015 while governorship and state assembly elections are to hold on February 28, 2015.

It also announced the dates for governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

L-R: Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom and Governor Idris Wada of Kogi after the turbaning ceremony of Governor Shema as Sarkin Fulani Katsina 1 by the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Usman in Katsina weekend.

Osun Guber, National Polls:

too close to the date of the inauguration and called for the elections to be held around the fourth quarter of 2014.

Some residents of Bauchi said the timetable would give enough time for aspirants, political parties and the electorate to plan for the polls while some suggested that all elections be held in one day.

The North East Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Malam Al’amin Sani, said that INEC looked prepared for the task ahead.

“The timetable is in order.

INEC should prepare adequately for the uphill task of conducting the elections.

“PDP is ready for the election to hold any time. We should all pray for peaceful and hitch-free polls,” he said.

Malam Ali Dogarai, a chieftain of APC in Bauchi and former Secretary of defunct CPC in the state, also said that the sequence for the conduct of the elections was good.

“With what I have seen, INEC has given itself and Nigerians adequate notice as such there will be no excuse for avoidable mistakes this time around.

Nigerians are wiser now,” he added.

Alhaji Dahiru Mohammed, Chairman of the NUJ in Bauchi, however, said that he would have preferred the elections conducted in one day to avoid a “bandwagon effect”.

“I would have preferred that the elections were conducted in one day to avoid the problem of the outcome of the Presidential election determining the results of subsequent elections.

“I will advise that the sequence be reversed for the election to be credible and acceptable to the people,” he suggested.

PDP, APC Pledge To Shun Violence

OSOGBO -The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Alliance (APC) in

Osogbo pledged to shun thuggery and rigging in the forthcoming 2014 and 2015 elections in Osun.

While the gubernatorial election is scheduled to hold in Osun in 2014, the people of the

L-R: President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigence (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero; representative of Chief Launcher, Mr. A d e m o l a Seriki; CCII Vice President, Chief Wole Akinwande, at the fund raising for new palace building for the Olubadan in I b a d a n weekend.

state will join the rest of Nigerians for the Presidential and National Assembly election in 2015.

The Osun gubernatorial election is slated to hold on August 9.

Mr. Diran Odeyemi and Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, spokespersons of PDP and APC respectively made the pledges in separate interviews with newsmen.

Consumers Groan As Fish Sellers Begin Strike OSOGBO - Fish consumers in Osogbo have complained about the scarcity of the product in the markets owing to the strike action by fish sellers.

Fish sellers in the area began a strike on January 23, over what they described as hike in the price of the commodity.

Speaking to newsmen in Osogbo, some of the consumers expressed regret over their inability to buy the commodity.

Mrs. Ronke Oke, a teacher said she had gone to the market for the past two days to buy fish but

Ibadan Loses Religious Leader IBADAN - An Ibadan-based religious leader, Alhaji Wahab Lawal, 92, is dead.

Lawal died at his residence at Ring Road, Ibadan, during a protracted illness.

The Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State, Alhaji Ishaq Sanni, confirmed the death

to newsmen in Ibadan.

Sanni described Lawal as a respected Islamic leader endowed with wisdom.

He said that the religious leader was a humble man, who devoted his life to the service of God and humanity.

Sanni said that the community

would miss Lawal’s philanthropy.

Islamic clerics and scholars offered prayers on the dead (Janazah) before Lawal was buried at the back of a mosque he donated to the community.

Speaking during a prayer session for the repose of the soul

Odeyemi said that the PDP would play its part towards ensuring that the elections were peaceful and devoid of malpractice.

Odeyemi, who is the PDP Director of Publicity and Media, advised political parties to make peace their watchword and ensure that their supporters were of good conduct.

of the deceased, Sheikh Lukman Busari described Lawal as a father of all, whose demise would be missed by the entire community.

Busari advised other leaders to emulate Lawal’s lifestyle and rededicate themselves to the service of Allah and humanity.

had not seen any fishmonger.

“I was wondering what had happened until I heard that the fishmongers were on strike.

“I did not believe it; It is not good at all; I hope the problem will be resolved so that we can have fish back in the market,” she said.

Miss Todimu Ajala, a corps member, said it sounded strange that fish sellers went on strike.

“I think a situation like this is weird. How can fish sellers be on strike? I think it is more than funny. Something should be done fast before the situation degenerates.

“You will not believe that meat sellers have started taking advantage of the situation to sell at exorbitant prices.

“Who should blame them when their competitors have deserted the market?

“The fish sellers should have mercy on us and come back because fish is essential,” she said.

Lagos Bode George’s Thanksgiving

Cleric Urges Leaders To about two years imprisonment Fear God by the high court, which, on

Chief Olabode George and his wife Rolly during their thanksgiving service in Lagos weekend.

Students Protest: LAHA Speaker, Members

Visit LASU To Assess Damage

LAGOS - The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has frowned at Thursday’s violent protest at the Lagos State University (LASU) and said steps would be taken to avoid a recurrence.

Ikuforij spoke at the school premises when he led some other members of the house on a visit to the institution to assess the level of damage done during the protest.

He said that the house, after its investigations into the crisis in the school, would come up with recommendations.

The university had been shut just as examinations were about

to begin after a violent students’ protest which led to destruction of property in the institution.

Some students of the institution protested following the closure of the portal for registration when they had not registered.

Ikuforiji said: “The house will set up panel of inquiry that will investigate the incident and come up with recommendations.

“The house will also put a stop to violent crises in the Lagos State University.”

He said that the damage done to the administrative block of the school was scary and it was the grace of God that saved the school’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof

John Obafunwa when the students attacked the building.

“We are close to seeing the end of crisis in LASU. “The last few years have been better than the previous decades; there has been tremendous improvement in LASU. “If the right thing is done, we will get scandalous events behind us in LASU,” the speaker said.

The lawmaker said that the assembly would ensure that

necessary repairs were carried out in the school and that Governor Babatunde Fashola, would be contacted on the matter.

He condemned the damage done to the office of the vicechancellor and the destruction of vital academic documents during the protest.

The speaker, however, said that efforts would be made to reopen the school soon.

Ikuforiji said that the issue of hostel accommodation for the students would also be considered.

LAGOS - Ven. Williams Mehinsan of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Anglican Communion, Marina, Lagos, has warned that there would be dire consequences for leaders without fear of God. He gave the warning in a sermon he preached at the thanksgiving service for Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

George had gone to the church to thank God for the Supreme Court’s judgment, upturning his conviction by a Lagos High Court.

“Our leaders must learn to fear God and eschew evil.

“The privileges we enjoy as leaders are from God, and we should never abuse them.

“Politics is not enough reason for Nigeria to be divided. Our differences as a nation should be our strength” Mehinsan said.

He urged Nigerians to always pray for their leaders.

“We must all be committed to building the Nigerian nation,” he said.

Mehinsan described George as a man desirous to serve God. “In all my dealings with you, I am convinced that you know the Lord,” he said.

It would be reported that the Supreme Court, on December 13, 2013, quashed the conviction of George by a Lagos High Court.

George was sentenced to

NDLEA Arrest Undergraduates With 1.745kg Of Cannabsis

NUJ Expresses Worry Over Industrial Actions

AKURE - The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zone B, has expressed concern over the spate of industrial actions in the country.

This is contained in a statement by the Vice-president of the zone, Mr Dele Atunbi, in Akure.

The statement observed that “the industrial actions are pointers to the fact that the industrial atmosphere is cloudy.

“This also shows that there is need for the people at the helm of affairs to address the issues leading to the rampant strikes.”

The statement, therefore, called for a summit where the welfare of the entire workforce would be reviewed to forestall industrial disharmony.

It said that the frequent agitation in various sectors of the economy should be viewed seriously to find lasting solutions to all the pending issues relating to workers welfare.

“The havoc that industrial action has wreaked on the country’s economy is enormous, particularly the six-month-old

ASUU strike, ASUP strike and the just concluded health workers three-day warning strike.

“It is, therefore, necessary for the employers and the employees to deliberately create a conducive atmosphere for industrial harmony to reign in the country through equity, justice and fair play,” it said.

The zone comprises Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States.

L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ogun State, Mr. Wole Sokunbi; Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief Alaba Lawson; Olori Confort Aina; Olu of Ilawo, Oba Oladapo Aina; at the Annual Thanksgiving Service for NUJ South West Zone in Abeokuta on Sunday.

NUT Partners GLO On Free Phone Calls For Teachers

LAGOS - The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Chapter, is partnering with the Glo mobile network to provide a platform for members of the union to talk free to one another on phone.

The Chairman of the chapter, Mr Segun Raheem, told newsmen in Lagos that the initiative was aimed at bridging communication gap between the union and its members.

He also said that the free mobile phone calls would promote effecting

October 26, 2009, convicted him of contract splitting during his tenure as the chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority board.

He had served the prison term before the Supreme Court’s verdict.

Speaking at a grand reception held after the service, George said that his commitment to the nation and humanity at large remained unchanged.

The PDP chieftain said that he had forgiven those who contributed to his tribulation.

George appealed to the governors who left the PDP to return to the party.

Dignitaries at the thanksgiving service include the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku; his Works counterpart, Michael Onolememen; a former Minister of Defence, Erelu Obada; Sen. Iyiola Omisore, Sen. Teslim Folarin and Sen. Andy Uba. Others include Amb. Musliu Obanikoro, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, former Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun and Chief Alao Akala, the immediate past Governor of Oyo State.

Mr Jimi Agbaje, the 2007 Governorship Candidate of the Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) for Lagos and the state PDP Chairman, Chief Tunji Shelle, were also at the event.

The Atona Collectives (George’s Foundation) was officially launched at the reception.

communication among the union members.

“As part of our 2014 agenda, we have concluded a system of communication with Glo network tagged: Close User Group (CUG).

“This will enable teachers in the state to talk with one another for free. Members will only be charged N1,000 rental fee each month.

“As a movement, we want to build a platform that will elevate the profession through effective dissemination of information and smooth communication among members,’’ he said.

The chairman said that the union would roll out 3,000 lines to start the free phone calls.

Raheem also told newsmen that there was an arrangement to register teachers in the state at the

Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) for them to obtain their teaching licence.

According to him, teaching without a licence is a punishable offence, although some teachers are not aware of that.

“Most teachers practise only by registering and not obtaining the licence to teach from the TRCN. “The union recognises this fact; that is why we want to obtain the licence for them,’’ he said.

LAGOS - The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said that it arrested an undergraduate with two parcels of cannabis weighing 1.745kg.

In a statement signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr Mitchel Ofoyeju, the NDLEA said that the suspect was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja.

The statement was made available to newsmen in Lagos.

The NDLEA said that the 20year-old suspect imported the banned drug with his school fees.

It said that the suspect also bought a cell phone for N107,000 with the school fees in the belief that he would pay his tuition with profit from the sale of the cannabis.

The agency said that the suspect was found in possession of the drug during the inward screening of passengers on an Africa World Airline flight from Accra.

“The drug was hidden inside a bag containing his personal effects. He was immediately arrested.

“The case is under investigation,” it added.

Across The Nation

Money Laundering: EFCC Amends Charge LAGOS - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed an amended money laundering charge against a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, at a Federal High Court in Lagos.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the Prosecutor, Mr Festus Keyamo informed the court of the amended charge containing 40 counts and applied that the plea of the accused be taken.

After the first count was read to the accused, his Counsel, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), raised an objection that the charge was invalid and his client could not plead to it.

Adedipe argued that the count stated that the accused “accepted cash payments of over N10 million”, without stating the donor of the said money.

He said it was alleged throughout the charge that the accused “accepted various sums of money”, without

Emir Tasks Govts On Poverty Alleviation KATSINA - The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, has urged the governments at all level to intensify efforts in the fight against poverty in the society.

Kabir gave the advise in Katsina when he conferred the traditional title of “Sarkin Fulanin Katsina’’ on Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shema.

He said the call became necessary because government was meant to impact positively on the living conditions of the populace.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on state governors to do something that will assist the poor in the society,’’ he said.

The Emir also urged followers to be obedient to their leaders and pray to God to continue to guide them in the right direction.

He said the title was conferred on Shema because of his efforts towards moving the state forward, particularly in the areas of education, youth empowerment and agriculture.

“The governor has done a lot and we have seen it. We want others to emulate his good efforts,’’ he said.

Kabir expressed optimism that the governor would take advantage of the title to explore ways of creating cordial relationship among the different ethnic groups in the country at large.

The Emir also urged Nigerians to continue to pray for peace, unity and stability of the country, adding that development could only be achieved in the atmosphere of peace.

The event was graced by Vice President Namadi Sambo, some state governors, politicians and traditional title holders.

mentioning the names of the persons from whom they were received.

The counsel submitted that the charge was “invalid, persecutory and oppressive”.

Keyamo, in response, argued that the charge bordered on money laundering in which monies involved had no source as opposed to conversion or stealing where there was a particular source.

He submitted that he was

Against Fani Kayode

prepared to file a written address on the issue.

Justice Rita OfiliAjumogobia, in a short ruling, said that both parties were at liberty to either file written addresses or address the court orally on the issue.

She adjourned the case to February 3 for ruling.

Fani-Kayode had earlier been re-arraigned on an amended 47-count charge.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail.

In the charge, the accused was alleged to have transacted with funds exceeding N500, 000 without going through a

Chairman, Technical Committee on Re-organisation of today’s Challenge Magazine, Rev. Danjuma Byang (right), presenting the report of the committee to the Board Chairman, ECWA Productions Limited, Rev. Majam in Jos recently.

Emir of DASS, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu (middle) with Bauchi State new members of National Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) during their courtesy visit to the Emir in DASS, Bauchi State recently.

financial institution.

The accused was also alleged to have accepted cash payments of about N100 million while he served as Minister of Aviation and Minister of Culture and

Tourism respectively.

The offences were said to contravene the provisions of Sections 15(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and 15 (2) (a) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.

YOLA - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftains in Adamawa have expressed opposing views on the release of the 2015 General Elections timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The chieftains made their positions known in separate interviews with newsmen in Yola.

Alhaji Umar Duhu, the North East National Vice chairman of APC, and another APC chieftain in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri, kicked against the timetable saying INEC should have waited for the National Assembly to pass the new electoral act.

“This hasty decision by INEC is faulty as it cannot conduct election with 2010 electoral act,’’ Waziri said.

“I am not in support of INEC’s timetable for the elections. I prefer INEC conducting the entire election on the same day, this staggering of election is costly for Nigeria apart from other disadvantages.

“I want to appeal to the National Assembly to reject INEC’s proposal and make all the elections to be conducted on the same day”, Duhu said.

However, the state Secretary of PDP, Mr Tahir Shehu and another PDP chieftain, Mr. Phineas Elisha, declared support for the timetable saying it was timely and would get the political parties started.

“It will get the political

parties set before the elections.

PDP is equal to the task and I assure you that we will get organised to face the election.

“INEC has complied with the constitution and all things being equal, PDP in spite of the recent crisis that bedevilled it has enough time to put its house in order to face the elections”, Elisha said.

Mrs. Hanatu Jarengol, a chieftain of People Democratic Movement (PDM) in Adamawa said, the release of the time table came at the right time and would help keep the political parties busy.

“There is a lot of political tension here and there particularly between the APC and PDP members, I hope the release of this timetable will keep them busy within their respective parties instead of threatening each other and over heating the polity”, Hanatu said.

2015: PDP, APC Chieftains Differ On Election Time-table

Initiate Youth Devt Programmes, Al-Mustapha buy him food and on his way, had GOMBE - Maj. Hamza Urges State Govts an accident and later died.

Almustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha , has urged state governments to initiate programmes that would aid in harnessing the potentials of youths in the country.

Al-mustapha, who is the President and Chief Executive of the Al-Mustapha Poverty, Unity Development Initiative (APUDI), made the call when he visited the deputy governor of Gombe State, Mr. Tha’anda Rubainu in Gombe.

He said that he was meeting and discussing with various youth groups in the country, with a view to recommending how their potentials could be developed.

He called on governments to study the report his organization and some youth groups in the country, would be compiling at the end of the exercise.

According to him, prior to his arrest and subsequent incarceration, he was working with various youth groups and associations on the how best to empower the younger generation.

The former CSO said after he regained freedom in June last year, he decided to consolidate on the gains he had made in that direction.

“Prior to my arrest and incarceration for 15 years, we were working tirelessly for the country, along with many

responsible youth associations from the Southern part of Nigeria, and Northern part of this country.

“We played several roles aimed at promoting the wellbeing of our fellow brothers and sisters, who were in need, the objective of which was to have an environment that is free of violence, mutual suspicion and insurgency,” he said.

Al-Mustapha thanked the people of Gombe state, for supporting him during his travails in the prison, saying he would dedicate himself to the development of the youths.

The former CSO recalled how a soldier from Gombe went to

“We are committed to the restoration of hope, where confidence is lost, or restoration of confidence where hope is lost.”, he added.

Responding, Rubainu commended Al-Mustapha for having the passion for peace and unity, as well as youth development and empowerment.

The deputy governor assured him that the government and people of the state, would support his mission and vision.

Al-Mustapha’s entourage was received by a mammoth crowd of his admirers, who later escorted him to the palace of the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar.

Maina Mobilises Support For Jonathan’s Administration YOLA - The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, has called for support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to continue to deliver dividends of democracy.

Maina, who made the call when she spoke with newsmen in Yola, said the present administration was working vigorously to improve and develop the nation.

“The Federal Government’s presence is being felt all over the country. This administration is doing whatever it can to improve and develop every state,’’ Maina said.

The minister, who was in Yola for Adamawa PDP stakeholders meeting, said party members in the state had resolved to propagate the party and ensure it retains its popularity in the state.

She said the ministry was collaborating with Adamawa Ministry of Women Affairs in setting up skills acquisition centres to empower women and youths.

Abuja NAPEP Rolls Out New Poverty Alleviation Plan ABUJA - As a way of reducing poverty in Nigeria, the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) is set to commence a nationwide grassroots empowerment programme for women and youths.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Godwin Nbeine, Chairman, JOSDAN Global Peace Foundation Network (NAPEP’s partner) and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

According to the statement, the programme is in cognizance of the fact that activities and programmes of NAPEP over the years had not effectively permeated to a substantial number of grassroots women and youths.

The National Coordinator of NAPEP, Mallam Mukhtar Tafawa-Balewa, also said the programme was collaborating with JOSDAN Global Peace Foundation Network to roll out the new poverty alleviation plan in 2014.

The statement said the new poverty alleviation plan is seeking to provide rural women and youths with business ideas that would serve as veritable means of livelihood for them.

“It is aimed at arming youths and women with skills required for personal development and community transformation.

“The programme itself is billed to commence before the end of January,” it explained.

The national coordinator emphasised that the programme was unique as it would be all inclusive, productive and effective.

Nbiene thanked TafawaBalewa for embarking on such a notable programme, especially one that was targeting women and youths at the grassroots.

He pledged full support of the non governmental organisation as technical partner to drive the new plan to fruition.

Nbiene said this was because a good number of the nation’s population— especially the poor— resided in rural communities.

“Such programme at this time is not only apt and timely but will impact positively on the economic development of this country.

“I call for the support and collaboration of relevant stakeholders— at the state and local government levels— to ensure the success of the programme and to enable these wonderful ideas to be achieved,” he said.

L-R: Former Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Sonni Tyoden; former President, Church of Christ in Nation (COCIN), Rev. Pandang Yamsat and representative of Guest Speaker, Mr. Dinshak Luka at a the political awareness seminar in Jos weekend.

Terminal Benefits: BPE To Tour PHCN Offices ABUJA - The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) will soon visit some designated offices of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the country to address issues of terminal benefits.

A statement in Abuja signed by the Bureau’s Head of Public Communications, Chigbo Anichebe, said the benefits were

those of 4,538 workers which were yet to be settled.

It said the tour of offices would simultaneously hold at PHCH’s Abuja Corporate Headquarters, Ikeja Office, Port-Harcourt Zonal Office, Kaduna Zonal Office and the Bauchi Business Unit.

The statement also quoted Anichebe as saying all the PHCN staff with pending issues were advised to take advantage of the new initiative.

“They should visit the designated venues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with their complaints.

“All the staff having pending issues are advised to contact their Successor Companies’ Human Resources Departments for

further information and modalities,’’ it said.

The statement recalled that as at December 20, 2013, 43,375 of the 47,913 PHCN workers had been cleared and paid their terminal benefits and pensions, which amounted to N361,024, 432,338.48.

It added that the number represents 95 per cent of the total staff. “Those yet to be paid have issues, prompting the Federal Government to set up a Technical Committee to address those issues,” it said.

The statement said the tour would hold from January 29 to February 12 to address residual issues

related to the settlement of the terminal benefits of staff of the defunct PHCN workers.

“This is in line with the Bureau’s determination to ensure that all residual issues related to the settlement of the terminal benefits of staff of the defunct PHCN are resolved following the privatisation of the former government monopoly.

“The tour will be co-ordinated by the Technical Sub-Committee of the committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power and set up by the Federal Government on the Settlement of PHCN Terminal Benefits,” it said.

Explore Internal Mechanisms To Resolve Issues, Minister Advises Disengaged NSCDC Staff

Bauchi State Christian Women in Politics at a stakeholders meeting in Bauchi weekend.

ABUJA - The Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, said there were internal mechanisms for resolving issues that arose within a ministry and other paramilitary agencies under it.

Moro made the disclosure while reacting to questions by newsmen in Abuja about a suit filed against him and Dr Ade Abolurin, the Commandant-

General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The suit, filed by some officers of the Plateau command of the NSCDC at the National Industrial Court, Jos, alleged wrongful termination of their appointments.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the termination of their appointments as unlawful, null and void and that

Industralists Task FG On Construction Of Waste Silos ABUJA - Some industrialists have urged the Federal Government to build world class “waste silos’’ and scrap collection points to accelerate the conversion of the country’s waste to wealth.

The industrialists, who spoke in separate interviews with newsmen in Abuja, said the construction of the facility would lead to the emergence of a one-stop-shop waste management system.

According to them, the facility will provide opportunities for manufacturers to add economic value to waste.

Chief Chris Okafor, the Chief Executive Officer, Golden Rubber Plant Nigeria Ltd., said the Federal Government could harness the enormous waste generated by providing a central control system.

Okafor explained that the onestop-shop platform would serve as a rendezvous to dump and

waste collection.

He said “waste recycling is an important element in manufacturing industries, but that has not been promoted in the country very well.

“For instance, you may have known that table tennis board is made from waste papers and wood dust, but these by-products are often burnt here.

“The waste to wealth campaign can only be realised if deliberate steps are taken to develop that sector of the economy.’’

Alhaji Musa Katangu, the Managing Director, Fils

Automotive Nigeria Ltd., said the improper disposal of industrial waste hinged on the incapacity of most industries to manage the waste they generate.

“It will be nice if the Federal Government can create a hub where manufacturing companies and even the public will dump all wastes.

“All materials we refer to as waste are actually by-products that can produce other valuable products when subjected to further processing.’’

Similarly, Mr. Norman Kelman, a German Entrepreneur

based in Nigeria, said the country would enhance its economic capacity if attention was given to waste conversion and treatment.

According to him, the building of waste plants and collection centres across the country is the anti-dote to the disconnection in the manufacturing value chain.

“The larger society is forced to bear the brunt of this neglect as industrial waste is carelessly dumped and regularly burnt in the neighbourhood,’’ Kelman said.

the defendants should be ordered to reinstate them and to pay all their entitlements from the date of termination.

Moro said the ministry and the corps had carried out a verification exercise and found that many officers were improperly employed into the corps.

The minister added that “following appropriate procedures and considering the report of the verification committee, we dismissed those persons.

“There are internal mechanisms for resolving grievances that these people may have; but anyone who chooses to go to court, we will meet them in court,’’ Moro said.

He stressed the need to reorganise the corps in order to properly place officers in positions commensurate to their qualifications.

He, however, emphasised that “anyone dismissed for illegally gaining employment in the corps will not be reemployed.’’

Business + Economy Project Aquila: Board Saves N14.43b, Says Executive Secretary ABUJA - The Petroleum Equalisation Fund Management Board (PEFMB), said it saved N14,433 billion through “Project Aquila’’ between January and November 2013.

Mrs. Adefunke Kasali, the Executive Secretary of PEF, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen.

She said “Project Aquila is a high-tech electronic loading and delivery system introduced by PEF to check leakages in the system, as well as enthrone transparency and due process.’’

According to her, PEF has been able to check fraudulent activities among petroleum marketers and ensured transparency in the system through the project.

“The new initiative, also

known as ‘e-loading’ ensures the delivery of petroleum products to the right destination.

“It has saved the nation a huge sum of money by curtailing the unwholesome practices of some marketers,” she said.

The executive secretary said the project had also been able to remove encumbrances that normally caused distortions in the supply chain such as the issue of prompt payment of bridging claims.

Bridging claim is the money paid to marketers to take care of logistics in the movement of products and to ensure uniformity in prices of petroleum products in different parts of the country.

Kasali said that Project Aquila, which had been successfully deployed in all parts of the

country, ensured automated data capture and enhanced processing and payment of claims.

She said the project was still being applied in the dispatch and receipt of trucks.

Stakeholders in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry had continued to commend the initiative due to its on-line, real-time information management capability, she noted.

The PEF boss said “because

Project Aquila provides accurate confirmation of all loadings and deliveries, petroleum products are now available in all parts of the country at government approved prices.’’

She, however, denied insinuations that payment of marketers were being delayed, adding that the initiative had facilitated the availability of petroleum products across the country due to prompt payment

of claims.

“In fact, there is strong evidence of new investments in retail outlets and trucks in the past year, arising from prompt payment of marketers’ claims.

“Such investments have also encouraged job creation within the industry as envisaged by Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda.’’

Kasali also refuted claims that the board was underpaying some marketers, saying that the

PEFMB had been consistent in paying the right claims due to marketers.

This, she said, was in accordance with their capacity as approved by the Department of Petroleum Resources.

“Those who are complaining are those that the robust Project Aquila has blocked their old ways of “milking’’ the system and are uncomfortable with the new measures imposed to check past abuses,’’ she added.

To Fight Malnutrition, DFID Earmarks 64m Pounds GUSAU The UK Department for International Development (DFID) is investing 64 million pounds in partnership with two NGOs to fight malnutrition among women and children in Zamfara and Jigawa.

DFID would release the funds while Save the Children in Zamfara and Action for Hunger in Jigawa would facilitate the implementation of the programme for five years from 2014.

Alhaji Abubakar Kande, National Programme Manager of Child Development Grant of Save the Children, made this known at the Emir of Tsafe’s palace in Zamfara.

He said at a sensitisation meeting with members of the pilot community that Tsafe and Anka Local Government Areas had been selected from Zamfara.

Kande also said that three local governments of Gagarawa, Buji and Kirkasama were selected in Jigawa state for the exercise.

He added that 60,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers of children not more than two years, would benefit from the grant and that they would receive N3,500 each month throughout the period of the intervention.

Kande also said that each of the beneficiaries would be given a mobile phone fitted with a SIM card through which the impact of the scheme would be assessed.

He said while the programme was aimed at ensuring cost effective and long term food security, it would also result in improved child nutrition in 60,000 households with an expected 420,000 beneficiaries.

Kande said the meeting was to create awareness on the cash transfer method.

“It is also to solicit the support and cooperation of the royal fathers in the enrolment of the beneficiaries who must residents of the selected areas.’’

The Chairman of Tsafe local government, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, pledged his readiness to provide necessary support to the Save the Children in order to ensure the success of the programme.

The chairman decried the

apathy among pregnant women and nursing mothers in going to health facilities.

He urged traditional rulers to continue to enlighten husbands to encourage their wives to take part in the programme.

The emir of Tsafe, Alhaji Habibu Aliyu, thanked DFID and the NGO for selecting his chiefdom and assured that he would offer the needed support to ensure the success of the programme.

L-R: Stable member, Ibadan Polo Club, Mr. Jubrin Ali; Vice President, Prince Adeoye Ajibade and Captain, Mr. Koyinsola Owoeye, addressing a News Conference on the forthcoming Polo Tournament in Ibadan recently.

Assoc Wants ICT Facilities Upgraded

LAGOS - The President, Association of Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, has urged Federal and State Governments to upgrade obsolete Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities in educational institutions.

Ajayi told newsmen in Lagos that facilities such as computers and ICT books in public learning institutions were not up to date with current global trends.

He said that upgrading these facilities would enable public tertiary institutions in the country to compete favourably with their counterparts across the globe.

The ATCON president said that such upgrading would also improve on the quality of ICT graduates from the nation’s tertiary institutions.

“It is still worrisome that graduates still have to attend

private institutions at huge costs, to acquire recent ICT innovations, because of the outdated facilities in our tertiary institutions.

“The government should take some proactive measures to make our institutions of higher learning produce world class ICT graduates by upgrading their facilities to modern ones,” Ajayi said.

He said the country could not afford to lag behind, given the reality that the global economy was now being driven largely by ICT. “The transformation from its current state into a fully digital economy is dependent on how well the government has created digital activities.

“This will be tailored towards encouraging massive production and patronage of indigenous ICT products,” Ajayi said.

He said government should empower more students at the tertiary level by subsidising

L-R: APC Rivers Interim Chairman, Mr. Davies Ibiamu; member, representing Emuoha/Ikwerre Federal Constituency, Mr. Andrew Ichendu and Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, at the Save Rivers Movement Rally in Bori Rivers recently.

LAGOS - The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, has called for establishment of a bar and bench forum in the Federal High Court to promote effective justice delivery.

The Chairman of the branch, Mr. Alex Muoka, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

He said that there was the need

for a closer working relationship between judges and lawyers in the Court.

The chairman noted that the Federal High Court adjudicated on critical business disputes affecting Nigeria’s economy.

He urged cooperation between the judges and legal counsel for more efficiency.

“The Nigerian Bar Association, from time to time,

receives complaints from its members about incidents at the Federal High Court.

“Occasional interactions through a bar and bench forum will afford judges the opportunity to express their views on the conduct of counsel before them.

“This forum will help to address occasional friction and mistrust between these two critical ministers in the temple of

the computer acquisition scheme in the universities.

The ATCON president said such a scheme would be a

springboard for building a knowledge economy by the leaders of tomorrow.

NBA Advocates Bar, Bench Forum justice, and enhance timely justice delivery,” he said.

Muoka, however, warned that such a forum should not be used as a “back channel to fetter the court’s discretion’’.

He noted that the Lagos State Judiciary had set the pace by formalising such as a forum.

According to him, the forum holds quarterly to discuss issues affecting the state judiciary, the

bar and the administration of justice in Lagos State.

He, therefore, urged to the chief judge of the Federal High Court to establish such forum at the Federal High Court in Lagos and other states. “ forum should comprise the chief judge, senior judges, chief registrars, deputy registrars, representatives of the NBA and senior lawyers,” he suggested.

WHEN Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Mr. Peter Voser recently raised the red flag that security situation in Nigeria worsened not many Nigerians were taken aback. Voser in a speech posted on the company’s website noted “the stealing and sabotage of crude oil intensified during the year under review thereby threatening its multi-billionairedollar business” and opined that shell alone cannot tackle the issues. THE Company’s chief executive recommended a multi-stakeholder approach as they have pushed for several years which has gone unheeded by the Nigerian authorities.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER, is disturbed over the security situation in the country as the United States of America recently raised alarm over escalating insecurity of lives, property and businesses necessitating in its restricting the movement of its citizens within some states in Nigeria.

WE are even more worried over the implications of corporate citizens’ perceptions of our security on larger businesses and in particular, growth and development of the country.

Unfortunately, efforts by Nigerian security to address the challenge have not yielded the desired results.

IT is an incontrovertible fact that there could be no meaningful development in any society where security of lives and property is heavily under threat. Shell’s expose reveals of colossal sums of money lost through oil theft by criminals who, in our view act in concert with powerful and well connected Nigerians including even some unscrupulous

THE NIGERIAN

Oil Theft And Insecurity In Nigeria officials of the nation’s security organisations.

THE sad situation the nation finds itself is an attestation of the lack of political will by government over the years to deal decisively with the various security challenges that have arisen with one leading to the other, some of which now have ethnic, and religious colourations.

Kidnapping of multinational oil workers in the Niger Delta went on for too long unaddressed until it metamorphosed into kidnap of innocent low income earners, a situation which speaks volumes of our unpreparedness to tackle the menace of kidnappers until the mother of the Finance Minister and Head of the economic team of Mr. President was kidnapped by hoodlums to the utter embarrassment of the whole nation.

TERROR groups in Northern Nigeria have, since the inception of the Jonathan administration unleashed mayhem on innocent citizens in most parts of the region with security agencies and the presidency promising almost on a daily basis to deal with the insurgence without any headway till date.

CLEARLY, the Nigeria Police Force have

failed woefully to live up to its responsibility as from every indications, the police themselves, including the high authorities are either involved in criminal activities or are pre-occupied in shielding perpetrators of criminal offences.

THE political class have equally not helped the situation as most of them are involved in arming youth groups to do their political billing who in turn go back to the trenches with such arms to perpetrate criminality against the people and the state.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is strongly of the view that if Nigeria must attain its national goals and objectives, the present administration must take proactive steps to fight insecurity in the land and restore hope and confidence amongst all stakeholders.

BUT in all, we believe the President needs to exercise the political will to make this happen. Mr. President needs to throw away ethnic, sectional and other sentimental garbs and wear his nationalistic apparel to deal with insecurity in the country.

GOING forward, we join shell Petroleum Plc to recommend a well organised, multi-stakeholder approach to dealing with insecurity in the country.

The Nigerian Army, Navy, Air force, Department of State Security Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Immigration, Nigerian Customs and most importantly, the Nigeria Police Force need urgent overhaul. All outfits need better coordination to arrest the situation and make the country safer for all.

CHIEF Olusegun Obasanjo, the retired military General and one time number one citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – first, as a military Head of State from 1976 to 1979, and second, as a civilian President from 1999 to 2007 - is unarguably one of the most outstanding and influential political figures in Nigeria, nay Africa. As a soldier and political leader of no mean repute, Obasanjo has distinguished himself in every capacity his fatherland has called him to serve.

He is an elder statesman in every sense of the word - one of those few men you can’t help but admire and even revere. That is why whenever he deems it necessary to bare his mind on critical issues of national importance, Nigerians can’t help but take notice, for as the popular maxim goes “the

commenced when, in two separate, harshly worded letters circulated in the – regular and unregulated social – media, prelude to the 2013 Yuletide, both godfather and godson tried to publicly paint each other in the darkest colours they could contrive. Father OBJ fired the first salvo by accusing the son of plethora of sacrileges against the Nigerian state, its people, and political allies; accusations that have stirred the Hornet’s nest, placed several question marks on the openness and sincerity of GEJ’s government, and pushed the country closer to the precipice of collapse. In reaction to this public hounding, GEJ returned fire for fire in his rejoinder by systematically puncturing holes in his father’s crude censorship of his

boldly stares us all in the face is that our leaders don’t give a hoot about our welfare or how Nigeria eventually ends up. That is why I am piqued whenever our politicians resort to whipping up nationalistic sentiments to explain away the constant infightings within their ranks.

The ongoing impasse - just like other gang wars witnessed from time to time at all facets of government - is not because our politicians care about us, or that they wish to better our lot in anyway - it is simply a contested hereditary claim meant to protect the territories of the Dons from the encroachment of their competitors. What matters to these duelers is power and how to acquire larger chunks of it.

That’s all.

The truth of the matter is that

in rags? How can somebody who stole a cow accuse a man that stole a bird of being a thief?

Plethora of other rhetorical questions has been thrown up by

exposes his disinclination towards anybody with an independent mindset. This is a man with a very vindictive demeanor, who during his stints

whenever you hear of sitting Presidents and Governors facing off with their deputies, or political godfathers fighting with their godsons, it means there are disagreements concerning how to adequately appropriate resources to their personal constituencies, and not because of their philanthropic dispositions. It is

the contradictions in the ongoing tragic affair. OBJ is equally guilty of virtually all the accusations – worsening state of insecurity, corruption pandemic, ethnic politics, economic stagnation, et al - he has leveled against GEJ. With a bit of hindsight, I would like to state without fear of contradiction that most of these

– military and civilian - as the country’s chief executive officer had the proclivity for dominating his political foes to their injury – his vendettas against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Chief James Ibori, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Deprieye Aliemesegha et al are minute fractions of the several celebrated cases of his blood

Cutting Edge With Obuseh Jude GSM: 08033510173

Between The Kingmaker And The King words of our elders are words of wisdom” (?).

OBJ belongs to a select species of Nigerians who - in Nigerian political lexicon - are known as “Godfathers”. Godfathers are the kingmakers of Nigerian politics who decide those that are “capable” of running the affairs of the Nigerian State. They are the potentates of the Nigerian establishment who sit in court to handpick the leaders of Nigeria even before – the usually doctored – elections are held. The godfathers of Nigerian politics, as their names connote, are like divinities residing in human flesh – they are like Janus, the double faced Roman god of knowledge and keeper of all doors, reserving the powers to allow or deny any of the protégées – or godsons - of their fancy entry into the mansions of power at the various levels of governance. Just like the gods on Mount Olympus, these human divinities congregate from time to time to decide on the direction our ship of state should travel. They are the political Cognoscenti of Nigeria who know what is best for this country – the Illuminati of Nigerian politics whose views and decisions are final. It is to this group of rare Homo sapiens that our former President belongs.

It is on the above premise that one rues the cyclically escalating conflict between elder Obasanjo, and his godson, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the incumbent Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; a sad and very worrisome development that is not only as shameful as it is comical and regrettable, but also poses a serious threat to the country’s security – collective and strategic. What started as a mere rumour has now exploded into an all-out war of attrition between father and son; a battle that promises to reveal more skeletons in the closets of these two commanders as events continue to unfold. It is not as if this is the first time Nigerians have been forced to be spectators to a complex drama such as this, but the forceful manner this particular one is being fought, the determination of the conflicting parties to see through the struggle, in tandem with the global spectatorship it has so far attracted, makes this a battle worth watching to its full conclusion.

The ongoing conflict

stewardship in Aso Rock, accusing him of misrepresenting the truth for personal reasons.

Since the onset of this family row, the issues raised by father and son have expectedly - as has become the tradition in Nigeria over the years - polarized the political class, as some concession-seeking politicians have cashed in on the tiff by taken sides with the disputing parties in order to further their decadent and greed-driven political ambitions; a development that has further heated up an already tensed up political theater.

Notwithstanding the accusations and counteraccusations flying left right and center, what is most worrisome about the latest public show of shame by our so-called leaders especially in these dark times when we should be more concerned with fashioning out feasible solutions to the several searing challenges posed to the security, unity, development and growth of the country politically – is the manner it has been conducted. Nigerians and the rest members of the watching global community have been forced to be spectators to a roughly sketched Pantomime with several Pantaloons vainly trying to outwit and outshine one another. The latest public spectacle has exposed our rulers for who they really are: a fragmented group of barefaced, disgruntled, idle, treasurehunting tics engaged in an endless struggle for the ownership and control of the minds and commonwealth of Nigerians; a cartel of greedy political entrepreneurs in search of profits and concessions; an army of occupation committed to stripping the country of all its resources; a Cosa-Nostra run amok.

However, Nigerians should not be fooled by the latest drama by our political class. It is another side attraction that is meant to distract us from the gaping holes in the system as currently operated. The vain attempts by our false apostles of political correctness to paint glowing portraits of themselves as patriots who desire the best for this country and its people should be seen as an insult on our collective psyche as Nigerians. The rude fact that

OBJ not from the kindness of a kingmaker, a king or members of the ruling council that we should expect the blessings of government, but from regard to their personal interests. We must address ourselves not to their synthetic compassion, but to their greed, and never to their sense of sacrifice, but to their profitmaking motives. This lack of piety and honour among these modern day Alibabas, together with the countless thieves involved in the several territorial wars we are forced to witness on a daily basis, annoys me to the marrow. Considering the timing of OBJ’s letters and the issues that have formed the fulcrum of the ongoing saga, some persons obviously want power to change hands in order for their tomorrow to be guaranteed, regardless of the effects of these false displays of nationalism on the larger body politic in the long run.

Come to think of it, is OBJ better off than GEJ? What was his track record throughout his stewardship as the nation’s first citizen? Why should a kettle call a pot black, when both are black?

How can a man who has Giant Sequoias in his own eyes, attempt removing specks from the eyes of another man? How can a naked man laugh at somebody dressed

President Goodluck Jonathan challenges did not originate with GEJ – though some of them have accelerated since his coming - but can be traced to the dastardly dark days of OBJ’s reign. For instance, the insurgency in the Northern halve of the country spearheaded

by Boko Haram had its origins during OBJ’s first tenure in office as a civilian President. The Niger Delta conflict escalated to heights previously unknown in the post1999 years when Baba’s government succeeded the outgoing Khaki Junta. It was the fruits of OBJ’s managerial blunders – Odi in the Niger Delta being a typical case in point - that resulted in the escalation of these conflicts in later years, buckpassing aside.

OBJ’s blanket carpeting of GEJ’s stewardship should be seen for what it truly is: an attempt by an offended father to beat an earring son back into line. It is simply a bargaining chip meant to remind the President of the terms of the covert agreement that brought him to power. But the manner he has gone about doing this is what is most regrettable. Responsible families don’t wash their soiled garments in public - they do that within the confines of their homes. By publicly harrying his son, OBJ has expiated a pettiness that

feuds with perceived political opponents. A witch-hunter extraordinaire, OBJ has obviously not changed from his wily old ways. His latest misdeamenour does not behoove of an elderly man worthy of respect of any kind. He must jettison his bellicose dispositions for a more diplomatic approach to issues, especially those of crucial national importance. As a past chief executive officer of this country – a global figure per excellence - much more decorum is expected from him.

For GEJ, my advice to him is to view the current crisis from an objective perspective.

Outrageous as some of the accusations leveled against his person and administration might sound, some of them are spot-on.

My advice to him is to use the opportunity presented by the imbroglio to re-assess some of his policies with a view to reforming them for better performance.

Conflicts should not be necessarily viewed from a negative standpoint; they should be seen as opportunities for changes or improvements in relationships or in the manner things are done. This particular conflict should be seen as a blessing in disguise for the President and exploited to the

letter, especially as regards his future political objectives. As the nation’s first citizen, on whose table the bulk of whatever happens in the country stops, GEJ must be wary of the Satanic schemes of certain mischief makers – some of who are hovering around him as advisers, but who in reality are fifth columnists - in the polity who want him to fail by taking the wrong decisions that will not do this country any good. He must be seen to be in charge of his office, acting within the ambits of the laws of the land in his quest and determination to create a new and better Nigeria for all before he ultimately leaves office.

In another sense, the drama of the last few weeks should be seen as a mirror reflection of what to expect in the months leading up to the 2015 General Elections; a bird’s eye view of events yet to unfold as we march towards another transition year. As the political forces begin to line up to stake their claims to the tenancy of the various mansions of power at the various levels of government, Nigerians should prepare for some of the most keenly contested duels, in the country’s checkered history, for the next crop of leaders who will captain their ship of state from May 29, 2015. With the alignments and re-alignments ongoing across the country, more theatrics should be expected from our political actors.

For OBJ and GEJ, I urge them to sheath their swords and give peace a chance. Whatever differences they have can be resolved without resorting to haranguing each other in public.

After all, there is nothing wrong with a father and son having misunderstandings from time to time. For the members of the Nigerian political class – especially those in the ruling People’s Democratic Party - who have cashed in on the standoff between the President and his political father to promote their personal interests by taking sides with the main characters in the sad drama: You are a disgrace to this country, its citizens and values. You have become an embarrassing clog in this country’s wheel of progress, throwing her back to preenlightenment times through your shameful conduct. Your past indiscretions are largely responsible for this country’s gradual decent into anarchy. You are warned to desist from further stoking the fire of conflicts in this country or prepare to face the music when the time comes. You stand to lose more in the event of this country skidding off the cliff than the largely impoverished masses who are victims of your wizardries. You are advised to backtrack and desist from causing further mischief. Enough of your elderly rascality!

Nutritional Health And Dietetics

Some Golden Rules Of Health

Whenever there is garbage, nature gets to work on it. Her workers according to Dr. Smith are tiny microscopic creatures called bacteria.

There are many kinds of bacteria, some beneficial to man, some harmful. The beneficial kind give rise to fermentation, the harmful kind to putrefaction a going rotten process.

The normal inhabitants of the large bowel in man, the bacilli Coli Communism and the bacilli Acidophillus are acidforming beneficial bacteria, which break down the body’s waste –products by a process of fermentation.

This they can do only if the food-residues in the bowel contain ‘roughages’, that is, carbohydrate wastes, such as the peel of vegetables and fruits and the bran of grain.

The lactic acid formed in the process of fermentation prevents the formation of putrefactive poisons and also, act as a stimulant to the bowel, encouraging normal evacuation.

But if the food residues in the bowel contain no such cellulose material (roughage), the bacteria, feeding only on the incompletely digested portions of flesh foods, turn from friends into enemies, they become putrefactive, poison producing organism.

Moreover, the growth of other kinds of harmful bacteria is encouraged by such surroundings. The result is according to Nutritionists, foul-smelling products, atrophy of the bowel, constipation and a vitamin, and mineral starvation, owing to the fact that vitamins and minerals are found chiefly in the peel of fruits and vegetables, in the husks of grain and in the green leaves and stems of vegetables.

The overall result is that the beneficial bacteria gradually disappear altogether , being replaced by putrefactive poisons. Very often, the entire population of the large bowel of someone who eats flesh – foods consists of putrefactive poison –producing bacteria and as a consequence, his stools are foul-smelling.

Nutritionists say some roughage should, therefore, be eaten everyday if the large bowel (the main drain of the body) is to be kept healthy and free from putrefactive poisons, which produce auto

intoxication and foul– smelling stools.

This is Golden Rul number one.

Every mouthful of food and this includes milk should be thoroughly chewed. Moreover solid food should not be washed down with liquid of any kind, all liquids being taken between meals, never with them, also, over-hot and ice –cold foods and drinks should be avoided. This is Golden Rule number two.

The body should be washed all over every day and frictioned with brush or rough towel. No soap should be used, except for the removal of dirt from the hands or other exposed parts of the body, but a rub all over with common salt followed by a cool shower is very beneficial. The temperature of the water should not exceed 98.4% F.Hot baths except on occasion for some special purpose such as to induce sweating are relaxing and weakening. Skin hygiene is therefore, Golden Rule number three.

The norms in which you live, eat and sleep should be wellventilated, so that at all times of the day and night you are breathing pure oxygen-rich air. This is Golden Rule number four.

Daily exercise preferably the sort that induces sweating, because, by means of sweating, the body is able to eliminate waste-products and toxins is Golden Rule number five. Without exercise, the body is unable to manufacture its own digestive enzymes.

Exercise also, stimulates the circulation of the blood and ensure that it is properly oxygenated . If for any reason, you are unable to take exercise, you should step up your intake of raw foods, as those are the only sort that contain enzymes. Cooking destroys vitamins and enzymes in food. The other reason why food should be eaten in its natural raw state as far as possible, is because, it provides better roughage.

Golden Rule number six is: Eat only when hungry.

Remember that, because firstclass protein food contains all the essential aminoacids, it is not necessary nor advisable to

With

O.C. Madu

eat more than one first –class protein at any meal. This does not mean that two different kinds of cheese or two different kinds of fish should not be eaten at the same meal, it simply means that two or three different kinds of firstclass protein should not be

eat a little more and never be persuaded to eat when you feel no desire for food, nor when you are over –tired or exhausted, or emotionally upset or in a bad mood. Food at such times will not be properly digested. It is better not to eat till the tiredness or the upset or the mood has passed or till you feel a real desire for food.

Golden Rule number 7 is:

Refined white sugar should be avoided so, too, should flesh foods, which to make palatable, need cooking and cooking and cooking, kills their vitamins and digestive enzymes, without which they cannot be completely digested and assimilated by the human,

that is, with your feet and legs higher than your heart. A special chair for relaxation (it is called a relaxator) can be bought. Resting in the body – slant position promotes a better circulation and relieves the work of the heart, by reversing the pull of gravity on

eaten together, for example, meat and fish are different kinds of first class protein, so are meat and milk and it simply overburdens the digestive organs if these combinations are eaten together.

It is not generally realized that thousands more people die of over eating than of starvation. Democritus, the Greek scientist who lived to be 109, advocated a sparse diet as the recipe for a long life. So, never eat to repletion –always get up from the table feeling that you could, if necessary,

Never eat what you positively dislike, but try to like the right things. The right things are the natural whole unrefined foods, fresh-picked vegetables, salads, fruits etc, eaten, as far as possible, in their raw state.

Raw vegetables can be juiced in a press oft mushy foods, like porridge and packet cereals soaked in milk, should be replaced by raw bran and raw oat meal or groats (ground oat grin). These should be soaked in for 10-15 minutes in a little boiling water before eating them and then milk and a little honey may be added.

digestive organs. This leads inevitably to autointoxication –self –poisoning and disease. Eskimos are big meateaters, yet they are very disease free, cancer being unknown amongst them. This is due to the fact that they eat their meat raw, thereby conserving its digestive enzymes, thus enabling it to be completely digested and assimilate by the digestive organs.

Golden Rule number eight is: Take a short rest before and after meals. Rest, if possible, in the body –slant position,

the blood –flow. It also, relieves congestion in the legs and feet, assists the digestive organs and helps to relax all muscles and nerves.

Golden Rule number nine is: Give your digestive organs an occasional rest by going without solid food for 24 hours –Golden Rule number ten is start every meal with something raw. This prevents leucocytosis, a flooding of the digestive treat with leucocytes. Leucocytes are the white blood –cells which form the defence –corps of the body.

GSM: 08056379608

“The body should be washed all over every day and frictioned with brush or rough towel. No soap should be used, except for the removal of dirt from the hands or other exposed parts of the body, but a rub all over with common salt followed by a cool shower is very beneficial.”

Bottomline

Between Love And Hatred

Time To Spread Love!

LOVE and hatred are not opposite to each other but two sides of the same coin. The coin is a sort of attachment.

We are attached to those we love and

are indifferent.

However, we cannot be indifferent to those we love or those we hate because they can fulfil our greatest need or

those we hate. The opposite of attachment, and thus the opposite of love and hatred, is indifference.

We want nothing, neither approval nor disapproval from those to whom we

inspire our greatest fear.

The people we love and care about are those who affirm that we are the persons we know ourselves to be, and are prepared to discountenance or

By OGIERHIAKHI IMIENTINYAN

override our love, often with tragic circumstances.

Our greatest need is to become the person that we know ourselves to

to all the people who matter to usthose we love and those we hate, recognize the extraordinary

be.

When we are young, like Romeo and Juliet, our hearts often feel that it will burst with our longing to be the person we know ourselves to be and

individual their we are. Alas, at that age we do not know how to be ourselves.

We have not gained the confidence we need, both to be ourselves and to face the hazards and

uncertainties of life.

The person we know ourselves to be is our most i m p o r t a n t possession.

In extreme situations, we will choose to let our body die, either in an act of heroism, or suicide, in order to die in the truth of whom we are rather than live like pretender.

Juliet chose not to live a disguise life of being Paris’s wife, Romeo knew he could not-continue as the empty vessel he was. He needed to be filled by Juliet’s carriage and her love which was boundless as the sea.

Knowing yourself to be an individual person is both a wonderful and a terrible thing.

Wonderful because our ‘I; is no more than a structure of ideas which are the guesses our brain has constructed

about who we are, what the world is, what our post was, our present is, and our future will be, when our gueses are being proved right, we feel confident and secure but when our guesses have been shown to be wrong, we begin to feel that ‘I’ is falling apart, and we are terrified.

We also meet and garnish hate to love: example is if a fight doesn’t come, there won’t be room for reconciliation.

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is not just that of the star-crossed lovers; but of the two old men who failed to realize that their hatred and pridetied them to one another as securely as Juliet and Romeo were tied by their love.

So it is imperative at this time to spread love abroad and sustain it at the level where it cannot afford to fail. What better time than this yuletide and onwards!

“The people we love and care about are those who affirm that we are the persons we know ourselves to be, and are prepared to discountenance or override our love, often with tragic circumstances.”

Perspective

NEWLY married couples in Nigeria on the day of celebration wear a cheerful look. This is because every marriage is procedural in the country. There is no form of enslavement marriage, neither is there a slave nor a slave master anywhere.

Women are not sold off.

Marriages in Nigeria are committed. Co-habiting is never called marriage.

Marriage is one of the things that define our humanity. It is an enlightened combination of man and woman. The man and the woman get better in marriage when they complement each other. The bride is revered because of the biological roles she plays. In some traditions the bride is believed to be the connection between the unborn and the ancestors.

Investigation reveals that lack of marriage is the death of a nation and a people. Such a people become debauched and self-disparaging with an assortment of communal, financially unviable and health issues. Nigeria as part of history of human civilization has traditions of marriage that have stood autonomous of time.

This varies from race, geography and culture of the different ethnic groups.

Marriage in Nigeria has been used to unite tribes and nations to secure peace, trade and development. Marriage in Nigeria is a serious cultural affair. It brings the families of the bride and the groom together.

The woman automatically would change her name to the man’s family name and becomes part of his family.

Irrespective of the community where it’s taking place, marriage calls for big occasion. Singing, merriment and dancing characterise marriage ceremonies in Nigeria.

Such items as goats, palm wine, chickens, cows, tobacco, salt, rice, wrapper, yams, kola nuts and many others are among the rituals that are expected from the groom before he could be given the bride to live with.

The rituals last for months depending on the tradition and culture of the community that is involved. Men and women are not much revered in the society till they are married. Women above the age of 30 who are not married get pressure from family and friends to get a suitor.

How Western Philosophy The men above 35yrs are also not left behind the pressure. The society sees them as irresponsible people till they are married. Public offices and sensitive positions can then be entrusted on them because they are married. But all these are changing for Western philosophy.

The culture of getting married in Nigeria in the traditional way is fast fading away, now becoming more like the Western-style church weddings.

Many couples prefer the weddings in the Mosque or Church than the traditional marriage where the two families involved do not need any external hand to give out their son and daughter out in marriage. Suffice it to say that Eurocentric and Arabcentric missionaries have really influenced the Nigerian families that sometimes a lady who has been duly married in the culture and tradition of her people would not see herself as a married person till the husband takes her to the altar. Except she is wedded on the altar, she will not be given her place in the church.

Nigeria is a religious country with Mosques and Churches littered everywhere. In some churches, the lady who is not wedded will not be allowed to baptize her child or receive the Holy Communion. Other wedded women would make jest of her and talk to her in unprintable manners. This compels the ladies to tell their husbands to even forfeit any traditional form of marriage and make sure that they are taken to the altar to evade insults. Even though that couples who go directly to marry in the Church are not recognized by their families and friends and the entire people because they do not pass through the Traditional Marriage rituals of their ethnic group first, a lot of people would rather prefer to be ostracised instead they will not wed in the church.

In the good old days, the clerics themselves will not give consent to such marriage because the couple didn’t

By ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE

recognize the family first. But things have changed. The clerics themselves will be the first to approve of the wedding. Hardly is any cleric observing the Marriage Act, Chapter 218, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 thus: A minister shall not celebrate any marriage if he knows of any just impediment to such marriage, nor until the parties deliver to him the registrar’s certificate or the license issued under section 13 of this Act. They say that the country is applying the 1999 Constitution.

The celebration of Marriage under the Marriage Act, Chapter 218, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, states that marriage may be celebrated in any licensed place of worship by any recognised minister of the church, denomination or body to which such place of worship belongs, and according to the rites or usages of marriage observed in such church, denomination or body: Provided that the marriage be celebrated with open doors between the hours of eight o’clock in the forenoon and six o’clock in the afternoon, and in the presence of two or more witnesses besides the officiating minister.

There has to also be a legal registration of the couple.

Before, it used to be the parents of the parties involved that would investigate the groom and the bride and attest if they could live together as husband and wife. In some cases, the parents find suitors for their children following family ties and relationship of families.

But the Pastors and the Imams have taken over that role and are playing it. Although, the traditional rituals are observed, but they are insignificant before the so-called men of God if the marriage is not dedicated on their altar.

Initially, the bride must be a virgin before getting married, either traditional marriage or the Eurpean style. However, that tradition is seen by many as an old order. Unlike before ‘pregnancy outside of marriage

was considered shameful. It has become a fad today. Some men say that they would want to impregnate their wives to ascertain her fertility, because of the rate of infertility that is being experienced among many married couples. Some have married for ten and above years without any sign of baby still coming soon. So, people prefer pregnancy before marriage or wedding and the families and their men of God do not shy away in giving their nod to the couples.

It is not an easy thing to raise a family in Nigeria. This is the reason polygamy is merely in vogue. Nigerian homes are patriarch and the men find it very expensive to feed one wife, let alone, two wives. Even though that polygamy is legal in Nigeria, the Christian religion outlaws it. Polygamy is not prohibited in the Muslim marriages. It is a fad. It even qualifies one to be a good Muslim. Unlike in the Christian setting where it is one man to one wife, a Muslim is entitled to take up to four wives. It is the responsibility of a man in such a marriage to provide for his family. Marriage in Nigeria takes many shapes and forms.

But in all, no marriage is said to be complete without dowry in monetary terms paid.

Dowry is a serious aspect of the marriage culture in Nigeria.

It makes a woman to be valued both at her place of birth and at her matrimonial home. She is expected to respect and be submissive to her husband. In return, the husband should love her. This is applicable to polygamous marriages. The harsh economic situation in Nigeria is making a lot of men to frown at getting married; hence spinsters are increasing in number. If the economy is good, a lot of men would not see anything wrong in polygamy.

After all, polygamy has been characteristic in not only Africa, but the world at large. This can be found to have expressed itself in the Jewish, Islamic and the native traditions.

“The culture of getting married in Nigeria in the traditional way is fast fading away, now becoming more like the Westernstyle church weddings. Many couples prefer the weddings in the Mosque or Church than the traditional marriage where the two families involved do not need any external hand to give out their son and daughter out in marriage.”

Women have their rights in any of these traditions and the laws protect them. It was Colonialism which Nigeria saw in the hands of the British from 1861-1960 that made polygamy become a taboo. With its mingy nature for exploitation, Colonialism brought with it Capitalism. This disintegrated families due to Shylockic

not end there; it is repeated in the first chapter of the Epistle of Titus. The 1 Corinthians (chapter 7, verse 2), however writes, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let ‘’every’’ man have his own wife, and let ‘’every’’ woman have her own husband.”

While many see polygamous marriages as not ideal, African

co ea N ab fl W be w di ne as

mindset to sharing of large families’ inheritance. In some theories, Nigerians are not primordial with the traditional belief in polygamous marriages.

It was the Western philosophy of “one man, one wife” which Nigerians have bought deeply into that churlish the practice.

The Christian bible to a large extent supports polygamy, albeit the bible frowns at this form of marriage very little. It is not a taboo with many Christians.

Theologians authoritatively say that the New Testament does not explicitly deal with the probity of polygamy. This text however, states in the bible verse of 1 Timothy that certain Church leaders, like a Bishop, should have but one wife and he will be not apportioned with blame. In chapter 3, verse 2, a bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. It is also evidence in verse 12, where deacons are admonished to have only one wife. This admonishment did

theologians of the Roman Catholic wing, have bickered that polygamy can be a legitimate form of Christian marriage following what the bible says about polygamy.

What matters most is that every form of marriage should build spiritual, material, and intellectual capacities around it.

But modern marriages in Nigeria hardly see anything truthful in that. This is also to say that division of labour in the homes is not adhered to as wives (do not expect their husbands) to look at them to do everything those before them did as they relate to family chores. They expect a 50/50 ratio of these works with their husbands. This is evidence in the fact that men are not 100% the breadwinners of families in the recent times, women most times earn money more than the men. This is causing havoc in homes coupled with the imbalanced western philosophy called human rights.

This 50/50 ratio with the men that Nigerian women are clamouring for has made

ho m in

A se he T kn lik th re sh T ha th an am “b to A ev ne un W ev

m 10 lo se of

Perspective

y Ruins Nigerian Marriages

ouples to be less tolerant with ach other. This intolerance in Nigerian marriages has brought bout divorces, a sign of a lawed system, hypnotised by Western mentality. It has ecome a culture especially, with celebrities celebrating their ivorces on the pages of the ewspapers, this act once seen s a taboo. Initially, no matter

ow a couple quarreled they make up without the help of an ntruder.

But the case is different today.

A quarreling couple rather than ettle amicably would prefer the elp of their Pastors or Imam.

The issue of inviting kinsmen nown of our forebears in a case ke this has been relegated to he background a long time eplaced with the cultures of hamelessness and indignity.

The Christians especially, ardly associate with anything hat has to do with our tradition nd culture. The Pentecostals mong them masquerading as born again” were hoodwinked o believing that anything African is satanic, voodoo and very other thing that represents egativism. But this is shear ntruth. It was the creation of the Western philosophy as is vidence in the bible.

Harmony in Nigerian marriages used to be more than 00% harmony. But this was ost when our people started to ee marriage from the periscope f the West. Today, instead of at

least 100% harmony, the issue of 100% gender egalitarianism characterises Nigerian marriages. Men and women hardly conduct themselves.

Family structures have collapsed. Many scholars have captured the loss of virtue that is gulping the African, saying that the overall African philosophy is that life and the

reproduction of life sit at the core of human society.

Men and women have children who ritualise their parents and ancestors.

Individualistic societies selfishly place emphasis on personal rights and so-called freedoms over the rights of the unborn, or the community.

Choice begins with birth control and using a condom. There are situations (rape, incest, severe deformity, health risk) that lead to abortion. But abortion in Western societies with its over sexualised conduct is more of a birth control, which is used as the last resort after a irresponsible night of lustful pleasure. Why should the life in a woman’s womb be destroyed because of low maturity or lack of sexual control between consenting adults?

It is regrettably that many Nigerian children are not living with both of their biological parents because of the arrogant culture of divorce. Illiteracy is a disease of proper marriage relationships debilitating the

proper marriage relations among Nigerians. The story of sexual health issues such as gonorrhea and syphilis among married Nigerian couples is not

sugercoated. Some people have even questioned why is it that the rate of HIV/AIDS among married Nigerians is also increasing. Is it economic

disparity, social instability, poverty, gender inequality, sexual violence and so on that are making couples not to settle their flaws in marriage? Some

would say that it is caused by high mobility, rapid urbanisation and modernisation, and ineffective leadership of husbands.

Kalu’s Awards To Diezani Alison Madueke

THE former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is one man who recognises the strength in others on the servingdish of selflessness. Being a talented man and a master strategist, he recognises geniuses. As an accomplished businessman and politician, in earnest, he recognises who gets the credit. Recognising the abilities of others who have done well in their different fields, Kalu is not limited with the ability of doing good.

Recognising the Minister of Petroleum Resources recently in far away China, Dr. Kalu formally gave two awards to Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The two awards are (1) The Quintessential Minister of Petroleum Resources and, (2) The Mother of Local Content.

The awards were coming aftermath of the Christmas festivity in which the woman showed rare mettle and there were petroleum products in abundance, unlike what used to be a tradition of scarcity of the products during the period.

Dr. Kalu gave AlisonMadueke the awards having periscoped her performance from July 26, 2007, when she was appointed Minister of Works and April 6, 2010, when she was posted to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. In his wisdom, Kalu believes that Alison-Madueke has done very well in line with her present occupation and says that it is only the do-nothings that will say that she has not performed creditably above board.

Kalu says that the awards were given Alison-Madueke, because of her zest to harness the activities of the ministry optimally than she met it. He does not see anything wrong with whatever the thoughts or opinions expressed by other people about Alison-Madueke are. But that don’t deny any sense that she has done very well in her job. In this regard, some persons

By ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE

might accuse Kalu of expressing his beliefs on the minister scantily.

Overcoming his pride as a very influential personality and opening his mind beyond what

awareness. This, perhaps, is the reason the minister’s recognition is required, which comes from the dude who has such a powerfully divine gift, to foresee things beyond mere beer parlour

Diezani-Madueke is comfortable, Kalu doesn’t clap for the wrong things. He has appraised Alison-Madueke as one Minister of the industry who has expressed clear dignity to work from the day-one on her duty post, by localising and indigenising the industry, particularly as it matters to the local content proposal.

A quiet truth about Kalu is that deep within, there is something profoundly about him: guiding Nigeria along the path of greater becoming. This is a true

visions and recognitions. Kalu has the undying flood of passion, excitement, liveliness, influence, potency, affluence, acknowledgment, admiration, desire, willpower, keenness, buoyancy, bravery and vivacity that work and nourish the love and passion that spring from inside.

To Kalu, Alison-Madueke has solved the problem in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which was not meeting local demands,

predominantly during festive periods. To Kalu, AlisonMadueke has fought wisely in making sure that petroleum products go uninterrupted. He says that the occasional shortage of the products caused by PENGASSAN and other unions in the sector can’t be ascribed to be the shortcomings of the minister; and the Local Content Bill before the National Assembly is one substantial attainments of this debonair and judicious administrator.

Before Kalu gave AlisonMadueke the awards, it was easy to see the minister and what she was doing, but very hard to take to account her dutiful accomplishments and recognise the awakening of silence, which Kalu has just done. Kalu has expressed to Nigerians that there are the taste for sensations of revelation and the tang for emotions of recognition. It is in his belief that Nigerians should support the minister, because she has done very well in the area of providing local content; Diezani Alison-Madueke has fought irreversibly and is committed in making sure that the bill is not waved and shaved aside to the area of dustbins.

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu marvels at the achievements of the minister, but is very clever to realise and say that she’s born to lead. It therefore, behooves all to support Diezani Alison-Madueke, according to Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, her colleagues in the Organisation of Petroleum Countries (OPEC), say that she has shown no-less role since she joined the elevated organisation.

Diezani Alison-Madueke was among the top women executives in a recent documentary by the Cable News Network (CNN) copiously mentioned in the global economy, says Kalu. The awards are receiving applause so loud and several evaluations.

Alison-Madueke must be anesthetised with happiness, as these alone are also part of her life and her world.

“The awards were coming aftermath of the Christmas festivity in which the woman showed rare mettle and there were petroleum products in abundance, unlike what used to be a tradition of scarcity of the products during the period.”

Arts

‘Echoes Of A Kingdom’ AS Benins Commemorate the centenary celebration of the remembrance of Oba Ovoranmwen N’Ogbaisi, who passed on this month in 1914 while on forceful exile in Calabar, this writer encounters onions Edionwe, a creative Editor, Producer, Director and Author of “Echoes of A Kingdom: Great Benin, witness To witness-kingdom versus kingdom’, a sober reflection of the event of 1897.

Frankly speaking the choice of onions to bare his mind on the centenary celebration and remembrance of Oba Ovoranmwen is not a misnomer. Onions is one Benin man whose entire life depends on Benin Heritage.

He writes and produces Benin cultural stories for a living and this epic effort has earned him Oba Erediauwa’s bead (Ekele). In other words, he is on the oba’s laurete’s list in the palace hall of fame.

Regarding the book “Echoes of a Kingdom” that captures the exact situation of what transpired in 1897, onions deposed that the book was produced in 2010. He unfolded that, the book was the brainchild of Omo n’ Oba, Erediauwa, as according to him, he mainly edited and mass produced the book for public consumption.

He said that, the Oba in a public lecture during the Benin centenary celebration unveiled all the facts contained there-in the book and there-after with the permission of the Oba, who is the intellectual property owner, he edited and reproduced the book.

According to him, the book is unique in the sense that, since 1897, what the public had always held on to regarding the unprovoked attack of Benin, is what he referred to as the British perspective or version.

However, with the unveiling of the facts submitted by Oba Erediauwa during the centenary celebration, records were kept straight by no other person, Oba Erediauwa himself, being a grandson of Oba Ovoranmwen n’ogbaisi.

Onion’s emphasised that, it was his inate desire to preserve the Oba’s rare account on British invasion of Benin in 1897, that propelled him to converting the royal misery presentation to a book that has sold thousands of copies.

The Ace producer cum Director said that the British account of the event of 1897 is not only fallacious, it was doctored to justify the British unjustifiable invasion of Great Benin.

WITH his recent remark – “I Am Not Resigning Until My Tenure Ends” – Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the embattled Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, can be best described as a contentious person. Since his appointment, he never seemed to be a man who speaks with one tongue, but two. Some of his first sermonisations were that the Federal Government should fire more 50% of Civil Servants. On another occasion, he raised an alarm that certain billions of naira were missing. He would later come to say that his comment was in error. It has been from one ill-behaved comment to another by Sanusi, making him a man whose brain needs cross-examination by a competent psychologist or psychiatrist.

Sanusi was over conceited to abreast the fact that a public office holder or political appointee at the national level serves at the enjoyment of the sitting president. Such an appointee is shown the exit door in a case the appointer no longer enjoys the pleasure of the appointee. So, keeping Sanusi would not be in the confidence of the person who appointed him, with him having shown much treacherous tendencies and lopsidedness to duty and today, romancing with whomever that he feels that he earns his support against his appointer.

Who is sure what else Sanusi wants to teach Nigerians when he has blatantly denigrated the office of the president by that singular comment that he was not going to quit till his tenure expires, even when he was supposedly asked to do so by the president. This is a tolerated insult and mockery of the presidency by Mallam Sanusi taken too far. That he would not go on terminal leave or resign now, are violation and desecration of the office of the president.

In earnest, not minding whatever academic qualifications that may be associated with Sanusi and his pedigree as a prince of a northern ruling class, he behaves like one who is yet to grow up in handling of national issues, let alone, such aplomb position as the country’s chief monetary manager. It’s not that somebody was in the job of labeling Sanusi that everyday money was missing from the CBN purse, but himself.

Invariably, Sanusi is well competent on how to talk but not on how truth is enforced about the Country’s Excess Crude Oil money. Sanusi has made the business of the CBN to be shrouded in secrecy. There is always a missing figure and actual

By ROLAND OSOGBE Further, Onions said the book: “Echoes of A Kingdom” is illustrated with authentic and authorised original pictures of the main Actors of 1897 episode – Oba Ovoranmwen, Captain Philips, Ologbosere, the seven Britons killed at Ugbine, Chief Agho Obaseki, original face mask of Queen Idia n’iye Esigie etc.

These and many more, Onions said are abundantly reflected in the book, he said redefine history of a kingdom versus a kingdom.

Also, the fundamental issue of reparation or restitution for

Onions .A. Edionwe Benin Cultural Art Producer/Director Oba Palace, Benin City.

the looted artworks of Great Benin by the British invading forces in 1897 was well articulated and canvassed in the book.

The views of some prominent Benins were sampled and the consensus opinion was that, the royals and the people of Benin deserved some form of compensation from the British authorities for keeping their word class and prizeless Artworks in captivity.

It is of essence to state here that precedents dictate that the Benin royals and people deserve not only compensation but, also the return of their universally appreciated artworks.

After the Napoleonic wars, he was compelled by the European powers to pay reparation to the owners of works of art looted or destroyed during the war. It then became an international offence for anybody to destroy or loot works of arts and sciences of any conquered state or kingdom.

Again, till tomorrow, the Jews are still receiving some compensation from the Germans for their artworks that were destroyed during the first and second world wars. Any identified artwork of the Jews are automatically returned to Jewish family anywhere in the world.

Recently, the modern state of Israel returned some pieces of artwork to some Jewish families in Israel and we were told by the Prime Minister Nathanyahu, that the items were returned from Europe and the original owners of the artworks were found in modern Israel.

However, Onions told this writer that he is a reparation crusader. He affirmed that Benin artworks has fetched the British billions of pounds from tourism, auction e.t.c.

Therefore, he submitted that, on no account, should the British remain defiant to the international clamour for reparation for the Benins and return of their art treasure.

The book also unfolded some certain facts about the famous Agho Obaseki’s place of origin. Chief Agho Obaseki is said to be the grandson of Obi of Nsukwa, now in Delta State.

According to the book, the first Obi was himself the son of King Ehengbuda n’Oba n’obo (about 1578 AD). It is essential to state here, that the Benins and their influence is felt throughout the West Africa subregion.

Indeed Lagos, specifically the original inhabitants of Lagos Island, Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana e.t.c.

Finally the “Echoes of A Kingdom” is apt and timely written to break what I may call a centenary silence.

Oba gha to! Kpere!

Ise!

Opinion Sanusi And Thoughtless Challenge Of Mr President

By ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE figure, which have made Sanusi a strange alarmist, never to be taken seriously any day, any time. He has made the work of the CBN to look like a wrong one and Nigeria, a wrong country, when a man like Sanusi has seemingly taken the posture of an opposition to be bashing President Goodluck Jonathan.

His foolhardiness that he would not resign and was ready to resist any attempt to force him out of office before June 2 when his tenure expires except that 2/3 of the Senate says otherwise, makes Sanusi a man of arrogant posture. Initially, he sounded like a prudent man when he told the Senate select committee in December 2012 that he would resign. The comment was in the aftermath of one of his garrulousness that the National Assembly’s budget for overhead was 25.4% of the country’s total. So Sanusi has been jumping from one comment to another. In a lecture he delivered at the eighth convocation of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, he said 25% of the nation’s resources were spent on the lawmakers.

Much as Nigerians knew, Senators on this floor took turns to tongue lash Sanusi. He was fingered as a man who talks like a weed-controlled fellow. Some of the questions from the House were, “do you enjoy your job? Do you feel like quitting?’’ And the ever loquacious CBN Governor replied before an erroneous soothing crowd of spectators: “My name is Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, (my name is) not Central Bank Governor. I enjoy my job but if you want me to quit, I will honourably quit.”

Much as everybody would agree that democracy is dependent on allowing people the freedom to speak, it is however, not speaking like Sanusi whose ovation has expired long time ago.

The boastful Sanusi had said that he had always been involved

in the fight for democracy. He had hinged his comment on the way back to the time of June 12 and that even if the military takes over now, he will still fight them off: a comment that makes him better be taken as a bigheaded opposition than a gentleman spearheading the exalted monetary office as the CBN. What perhaps had been puffing Sanusi to superciliously say that he would not quit as purportedly directed by Mr. President to him to do was because he saw President Jonathan as a man from the minority and himself, from the majority Hausa/Fulani tribe. But he was unaware and was highly proud to align with the fact that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confers on the president so much power. Sanusi is too condescendingly to come to term with the fact that President Jonathan is his employer before his inglorious and unpleasant comment.

Whoever that is backing Sanusi that swells his head, just want him to ruin his career. It is not the 1999 constitution that is Sanusi’s employer, but the president. Sanusi’s haughtily comment that he would not resign except his tenure expires has betrayed the ‘man of honour’ that many Nigerians thought that he was. Many Nigerians would say that the goofing Sanusi thought that he had a legal right to force himself upon an unwilling employer.

But one thing is certain: Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has shown that he is a very proud man. They said that he studied economics, but he was incompetent to use his ‘common’ sense to know when he was brought to test and how he was expected to conduct himself. He did not take grace to bay, owing to the fact that he would have been removed from the CBN in about July 2010, with regards by some people that he has damaged and disorganised the banking industry, Stock Market and the economy. Claptrap!

Development

Assessing Nigeria’s Performance In Water Supply

AGAINST the backdrop of the importance of freshwater resources to human and animal existence, the UN General Assembly designated March 22 as the World Water Day to focus attention on their sustainable use and management.

The UN also declared 2013 as the “Year of Water Cooperation’’ to further raise awareness on the need for increased cooperation on water.

The declaration on the “Year of Water Cooperation’’ also aimed at addressing the challenges facing water management due to increasing demand for access to water, allocation and services.

The awareness campaigns are also informed by reports that many communities, especially at the grassroots in developing countries, still lacked access to safe drinking water.

For instance, a UN report indicates that Nigeria, with an estimated 170 million population, has been in the forefront on water inaccessibility.

Also, in 2011, a report of Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey indicated that 70 million Nigerians did not have access to safe water in that year.

Over the years, several reputable organisations classified Nigeria as being “off track’’ in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water due to underutilisation of its water resources.

Although the MDGs

By MAGDALENE UKHUEDOJOR

target of 75 per cent water coverage has yet to be achieved, water resources Minister, Sarah Ochekpe insisted that Nigeria had improved on its water coverage from 58 per cent in 2011 to 65 per cent in 2013.

However, reports indicated that some state governments had commenced prioritising water and sanitation programmes to boost Nigeria’s performance in that sector.

Mr Owojuyigbe Olugbenga, General Manager, Osun State Water Corporation, said that the government had intervened remarkably in the provision of safe water in the state.

Olugbenga described the intervention as timely, saying that one of the biggest water plants in the state, the Ede Head Works, was undergoing repairs to guarantee maximum provision of potable water.

“The biggest water scheme that we have in the state produces about 180,000 litres of water per day, and it serves about 12 local government areas,’’ he said.

Also in Sokoto State, the construction of an underground water supply scheme started in May 2012 and was completed in June.

Mr Nasir Mu’azu, the Director of Water Supply, Sokoto State Water Board, said “presently, most of the residential areas and almost one third of the towns benefit from this water supply scheme.

“We are running the plants and people have seen great improvement; all those people that spent years without running taps are getting constant water supply.

“This year, new water pumps and generating plants were provided to tackle power supply

challenges and replace aging machinery,’’ he said.

Also, Mr Gotau Bawa, Planning, Research and Statistics Manager at the Plateau State Water Board, said that the government secured an

eight billion naira loan for water development expansion, and changing of old water pipes.

He explained that with a two billion naira loan assessed in 2012, the government was able to maintain water treatment plants to increase water

undergone public hearing.

A senior hydrologist at the state water corporation, Mr Olatunji Femi, said the policy would enhance water access to cater to the needs of the people when passed into law.

He explained that the

access.

For the Ekiti State Government, one of its major achievements was the presentation of a draft to the state House of Assembly on Water Supply and Sanitation Policy, which has

policy’s goal was to improve water supply coverage from the present 40 per cent to 60 per cent by 2014.

Mr Kehinde Fabikun, a principal officer in the Planning Research and Statistics Department of the FCT Water Board, said the Lower Usuma Dam remains the main source of water supply to Abuja.

He, however, added that water would be transferred from the Gurara Dam to augment supplies in the territory.

“Formally, we depended on the Lower Usuma Dam

“While some states had performed creditably well, many others are still struggling with funding of their water agencies to prioritise water and sanitation at the grassroots.”

to get water across to the people, but now there is the Gurara Water Project.

“Water will come straight from Gurara as well as our dam; the purification process and other things will be taken care of there,” Fabikun said.

In Enugu State, the government has approved N400 million for the provision of potable water for residents.

Chuks Ugwoke, Commissioner for Information, said recently in Enugu that the approval was to provide adequate water for the people and guard against outbreak of water borne-diseases.

He explained that N300 million would be spent on the rehabilitation of the Ninth-Mile Corner Water Scheme and re-building of eight and drilling of four additional bore holes.

Ugwoke said that N48 million was set aside for the state’s water corporation to procure water treatment chemicals for the Ajalli-Owa Water Scheme.

These achievements are a reflection of the situation across Nigeria. While some states had performed creditably well, many others are still struggling with funding of their water agencies to prioritise water and sanitation at the grassroots.

Stakeholders agree that these contributions to promote water coverage are in line with the objectives of the International Year of Water Cooperation.

To be sustainable, they say there is the need to implement the Nigeria National Water Sector Transformation Programme to tackle major challenges in the provision of safe water.

Issues View Point Examining Advantages Of Writing A Will A will is a legally enforceable declaration of how a person wishes his or her property should be shared after death.

Writing a will is what many people would not want to think about, as it could be difficult to sit down and think about death and what happens to one’s property thereafter.

However, an online commentator, Mr. Anthony Horn, insists that will provides loved ones with several advantages because “if an individual dies without a will, his estate will be distributed as prescribed by law.

“If a valid will is left, the property goes in accordance with the provisions of the will. I am sure no one would want his/her property to be handled by law.’’

In spite of the advantages of writing a will, the practice is yet to gain the desired acceptance in Nigeria.

Available records showed that 3,718 people collected Letters of Administration from the Probate Registry of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja Division in 2012.

Letters of Administration are obtained from the probate by relatives of people who died intestate (without leaving a will) for the administration of their estate.

A World Bank report indicates that the average life expectancy in Nigeria as at 2011 was 52 years; the 17th lowest in the world.

In spite of this statistics, majority of Nigerians, irrespective of societal status, ethnic group or

religion, refused to imbibe the culture of will writing.

A former Chief Registrar of the Lagos High Court, Mr. Ganiyu Safari, attributes this to superstitious beliefs, noting that “an average Nigerian thinks you wish him dead if you ask him to make a will.’’

He points out that failure to write a will often creates problems in the administration of deceased persons’ estates.

“It is in your best interest to write a will once you are an adult and have started acquiring property.

“With your will, you can distribute your estate the way you want by overlooking traditions, customs and religious beliefs.

“That is why we need to enlighten Nigerians to develop the culture of writing a will.’’

Mr. Onyekachi Ubani, the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja, insists that writing a Will before death is very important to avoid conflicts in the sharing of deceased persons’ property.

Ubani is worried that some lawyers fail to write a will even when the NBA is encouraging its members to do so.

“The moment you fail to write a will, you have created a lacuna and given room for crisis that may emanate after your demise.

“Some of your family members, who were not there when you were struggling with your wife, may come and take over the property,’’ he says.

He notes that such

conflicts often lead to series of litigation which result in congesting the courts, explaining that will writing is not difficult.

will.

“Ideally, a will is not supposed to be contested by the beneficiaries, but in most cases, the authenticity

encouraging beneficiaries to come forward and claim the estates of their loved ones.

A teacher, Mrs. Ngozi Onyema, urges the National Orientation Agency to collaborate with

“The will must be in writing. It must be signed by the testator (the writer) and must be attested to by two witnesses in the presence of the testator.

“The maker of the will must be 18 years and above and should have soundness of mind.

“It will be lodged at the probate section of the high court. When you die, the will becomes a valid document,’’ he says.

Another lawyer, Mr. Samson Omodara, suggests that the testator’s doctor should be a witness to the

of wills are doubted; so, it is preferable to have the man’s doctor as one of the witnesses.’’

On how to promote the culture in Nigeria, another lawyer, Mr. Yemi Omodele, calls for more sensitisation of the citizens to the importance of will writing.

“In our churches and mosques, leaders can encourage their followers to write wills because death is inevitable.’’

He says that will writing involves less paperwork and is aimed at

the NBA to educate Nigerians on why they should embrace will writing.

She advocates that will writing should be included in the curriculum of tertiary institutions to increase awareness on its importance.

However, the existence of a will may not entirely check litigation.

The two children of late Prof. Omo Omoruyi, the Director-General of defunct Centre for Democratic Studies, had gone to court to challenge

By SOLOMON ASOWATA

the will written by their father.

The deceased children, Mrs. Amenze OmoruyiOkungbowa and Mrs. Ivie Omoruyi-Idehen want a Benin High Court to void the will written by their

father.

The two daughters of the late professor “want the court to declare that the will of late Prof. Omoruyi be declared null and void, same being contrary to Bini Native Law and Customs.’’

Though will can be challenged, the fact remains that the testator has decided on how his/her property should be shared.

Will writing should be encouraged in order to reduce litigation after the demise of property owners’ over who gets what by their children and relatives.

“The moment you fail to write a will, you have created a lacuna and given room for crisis that may emanate after your demise.

Some of your family members, who were not there when you were struggling with your wife, may come and take over the property.’’

Issues A second-year medical student, Amarachi Sunday, recently got pregnant for a blind man, Festus.

Although Festus claimed that he loved Amarachi, her parents, who are both lecturers in the university, did not approve of their relationship.

They described it as an affront for their 19-year-old daughter to marry Festus, who is poor and physically challenged.

They persuaded Amarachi, their only daughter, to reject Festus, have the baby alone and return to school afterwards.

To their surprise, Amarachi jettisoned their advice, dropped out of school and got married to Festus.

Amarachi’s parents eventually rejected her before she gave birth to a baby girl and shortly after that, she became pregnant again.

Unfortunately, Festus’ attitude suddenly changed towards Amarachi, as he started maltreating her.

He became very touchy and started punching her; beating her up to such an extent that she had a miscarriage which led to the removal of her womb.

Strangely enough, Festus later sent the hapless girl out his home and brought in another wife.

Amarachi’s plight somewhat reflects the troubles of several other teenagers who got entangled with unplanned pregnancies.

Observers note that teenage pregnancy is on the increase in Nigeria, conceding, however, that it is more of a global menace, with African countries mostly affected.

They cite a report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which indicates that more than 16 million girls, between the ages of 15 years and 19 years, as well as over two million girls under 15

Teenage Pregnancy

Who Takes The Blame? years give birth every year worldwide.

They also note that the report reveals, among other things, that an estimated three million girls from age 15 to 19 years undergo unsafe abortion every year.

They observe that the

WHO statistics on Nigeria in 2010 indicate that the country accounts for 22.9 per cent of teenage pregnancies globally.

From all indications, the situation appears grim, compelling concerned observers to call for the introduction of appropriate measures to alleviate the growing menace of teenage pregnancy.

Miss Barisi Elizabeth, a student of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, blames the occurrence of teenage pregnancy on parents,

By STELLAMARIS ASHINZE

particularly mothers, who are too busy to watch over their children’s upbringing.

She also says that some parents are too harsh to their children, making it

where many women leave their children in the care of relations or nannies.

Ugokwe identifies peer pressure as another factor that contributes to teenage

impossible for their children to confide in them on issues concerning sexuality.

“Mothers are supposed to teach their children sex education so as to guard against their making costly mistakes and getting accidental pregnancies,’’ she says.

Sharing similar sentiments, Mrs. Norah Ugokwe, a retired civil servant, also blames the rising menace of teenage pregnancy on parents, particularly mothers.

She frowns at a situation

pregnancy, citing an instance of a student who got pregnant as a result of negative influence by her peers.

However, Mrs. Grace Ketefe of Women Advocate and Research Documentation Centre, Lagos, attributes the phenomenon to the lack of basic knowledge of sexuality.

Ketefe, a lawyer, bemoans a situation in which teenagers get pregnant because of lack of sex education, stressing that if teenagers are well tutored at

“Those who are victims are not wellinformed about their sexuality, either at school or by their parents; so, they are lured into having unprotected sex.’’

home or in school, teenage pregnancies will be reduced to the barest minimum.

Echoing similar views, Mrs. Aluko Olokun, the President, African Female Lawyers Association, notes that many teenagers succumb to unwanted

pregnancies due to their nonexposure to sex education.

“Those who are victims are not well-informed about their sexuality, either at school or by their parents; so, they are lured into having unprotected sex,’’ she says.

Olokun pledges the commitment of her association, among others, to educating teenagers on sexuality, especially during the World Child’s Right Day celebrations.

She, however, insists that the inclusion of sex education into the school curricula will help teenagers to reject sex and scream for help when they are assaulted sexually.

All the same, Mrs. Shekarau Hauwa, the National President, International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), blames the rising incidence of teenage pregnancy on the

society and parents.

Shekarau attributes the menace to absence of sex education, peer pressure and sexual violence, as well as the craze for money by some parents.

She says that many parents often leave their boys and girls on their own to discover their sexuality, instead of guiding them.

“The truth is that most of our children know more than we can imagine, especially with this age of information technology where information is at our fingertips,’’ she says.

Shekarau laments that negative peer pressure has made several girls to experiment sex, adding: “If such girls refuse to conform, they are either rejected or ostracised by their peers.

“The fear of being ostracised makes them to give in since they are not informed on how to control their sexual urge,’’ she adds.

Shekarau, nonetheless, stress that another source of concern is the rising menace of sexual violence, including rape and incest, in the society, calling on all the citizens and relevant stakeholders to tackle the menace.

Beyond that, the FIDA president condemns early marriage, stressing that the Child Right Law prescribes 18 years as the minimum age for marriage.

“Under the Penal and Criminal Codes, sexual intercourse with a minor, whether with the consent of the minor or not, is statutory rape.

“In other words, a minor has no capacity to consent to any sexual act; therefore, having sexual intercourse with a juvenile is rape.

“Unfortunately, how many convictions do we get for the constant rape of our young daughters?

“Sexual violence is generally on the increase; what we are reading in the media today is only a tip of the iceberg,’’ she says.

All in all, the experts insist that the incidence of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria will reduce considerably if concerted efforts are made to uphold criminal justice and punish offenders accordingly.

Economy

Enhancing Economic Growth

AVAILABLE records show that Nigeria’s mining industry is underdeveloped, contributing only three per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Observers note that the exploitation of the country’s solid minerals has been largely affected by the discovery of petroleum, as revenues from crude oil soon became the mainstay of the nation’s economy.

They, however, note that successive administrations have been making specific efforts to revitalise the solid minerals sector, considering its importance in national economic development plans.

For instance, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development recently said that it had formulated a policy to regulate operations in the mining sector in which seven strategic solid minerals were given priority attention.

Mr. Musa Sada, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development said that the selected solid minerals were gold, coal, bitumen, limestone, iron ore, lead/ zinc and barytes.

He said that these minerals had high economic potential that was capable of generating jobs and creating wealth for the people.

Sada said that the seven minerals were chosen out of over 34 identified solid minerals located across the country in view of their strategic importance to the national economy and their quantities.

Mrs. Diezani AllisonMadueke, the former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, also spoke on the development plans for the seven minerals.

She stressed that the minerals’ selection was partly due to the fact that they could be found in commercial quantities across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Owing to the minerals’ distribution pattern, Malam

Goni Sheikh, the former Director of Nigeria’s Mining Cadastre Office, stressed that structured and efficient exploitation of the minerals would contribute significantly to national development efforts.

He said that with the Mineral and Mining Act of 2007, the Federal Government was poised to restore the confidence of foreign investors in the mining industry by introducing fresh incentives and institutional policy changes.

Unfolding the Federal Government’s plans to transform the sector, President Goodluck Jonathan recently expressed the government’s intention to develop mining activities, as part of strategies to diversify Nigeria’s mono-product economy.

He stressed that the government’s commitment towards the development of solid minerals was evident in its design of a roadmap for the transformation of the solid minerals sector.

According to him, the highlights of the roadmap include increasing the sector’s contribution to the GDP from three per cent to five per cent by 2015 and 10 per cent by 2020.

Jonathan observed that Nigeria’s coal deposits alone had the potential of generating more than 30 per cent of the nation’s electricity needs with the development of appropriate technology.

The roadmap notwithstanding, stakeholders underscore the

By FATIMA SULE need to put in place some measures in the mining sector so as to stimulate economic growth via the sector.

They note that the foreign

was rated lowest on coal reserve base because of its poor geosciences data on the available minerals in the country.

“Compared to the U.S.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister

investors’ assessment of Nigeria’s mining sector is not inspiring and, therefore, call for the initiation of proactive measures to attract potential foreign investors.

This is because of the notto-positive views of some international mining experts about the state of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

For instance, a South African mining expert, Mr. Adam Kendall, said that Nigeria was not a significant player in many of the core global mining commodities.

Kendall said that Nigeria

with 237,295 metric tonnes, China 114,500 metric tonnes, Australia 76,400 metric tonnes, India 40,699 metric tonnes, Nigeria has only 360 metric tonnes of coal reserve base,’’ he said.

Kendall stressed that for Nigeria to attract investors in its solid minerals sector, the government must have correct geosciences data on the country’s minerals.

He said that the data would include availability and quality of minerals, stressing that Nigeria should also develop appropriate tax structure to reduce the cost of operation.

Kendall said that the

country should also develop appropriate legal framework, including clear rules, and a social framework that would reduce level of conflicts between mining firms and their host communities Nevertheless, analysts

underdevelopment of the mining sector.

“This is due to inadequate and insufficient policies for solid minerals exploration and development,’’ he added.

Iduh particularly underscored the need to

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Governor

say that there are other problems that hinder the development of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

They, nonetheless, note that the lack of access to credit for potential investors and paucity of funds for minerals’ development schemes are some of the fundamental factors inhibiting the growth of the mining industry.

All the same, Mr. Sunday Iduh of Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy said in a research paper that the extremely low contribution of solid minerals to Nigeria’s GDP “is attributed to the

develop Nigeria’s solid minerals sector to enable the country to achieve economic growth through foreign direct investment.

He said that the sector had the potential to generate additional internal revenue, while boosting foreign exchange, employment opportunities, capital and technology transfer.

Iduh said that research had shown that with an environment that was conducive to economic growth, good policies, good incentives, good in-frastructure and political stability; Nigeria’s mining sector would be transformed.

“Owing to the minerals’ distribution pattern, Malam Goni Sheikh, the former Director of Nigeria’s Mining Cadastre Office, stressed that structured and efficient exploitation of the minerals would contribute significantly to national development efforts.”

Taxation

We Have Enough Number Plates To Serve The Public - Elamah

By VICTOR OMOALU

FOR the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), the key words are better services and professionalism.

For an agency that has endured for so long in the hands of the past successful governments, the practical common sense dictates that, t h o u g h TRANSFORMATION is necessary, only CHANGE can necessitate the desired transformation.

Transformation can not take place overnight, especially in the absence of transparency, accountability, integrity, honesty and value for taxpayers money which help to bring about the needed change and progress.

No doubt the EIRS under the leadership of its Executive Chairman Chief (Sir), Oseni Elamah, has recorded an immeasurable progress.

In a recent briefing with the Executive Chairman, Chief Sir Oseni Elamah assured that the state government has well enough number plates that can serve both the private and commercial vehicle owners.

He also talked on the processes of the drivers licence, registration of the new number plates and verification amongst others.

Excerpts: At the beginning of the year, we try to use the various media to reach out to our valuable taxpayers and stakeholders as regards the activities of our agency (Edo State

Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) for the last one year and also to help sensitize and to remind people of the need for them to ensure they come up within the specified period under the law, to file in their annual returns.

But let me use this opportunity to thank members of the media and the taxpayers in Edo State, who are our stakeholders for all their support.

In the last few months, certain issues relating to tax have come up in the media. Issues like licensing and drivers’ licensing. That is one of the operations that is covered by the Internal Revenue Service. It is entitled to collect what is called road taxes, and road taxes are not collected on the road, but at the various motor licensing office – issuance of vehicle registration, motor licensing, plate numbers, drivers licensing, road worthiness proof of ownership, hackney permit, carriage permit and amongst others.

Last year, we issued various announcements in the press where we tried to guard the public on how to go about the registration of vehicle or obtaining the drivers licensing. But this year we commence the implementation of the various reports.

We streamlined all of that in line with the Edo State revenue policies which came into law long before now, which is Revenue Collection Cashless Policy (RCCP).

What that entails is that

nobody collects revenue on behalf of Edo State Government by accepting cash. None of our officers is authorized to collect cash for any service, including the registration of vehicle and drivers license.

The Edo State

service can approach the banks and when that is not convenient they can come to our office with their ATM and via the P.O.S machine they can make their payment.

We like to inform members of the public, especially applicants of

we want to use the medium to appeal to those who want to operate commercial services to go to any of our licencing office to obtain a commercial plate number which we have in abundant stock.

As we speak, we have over 3,000 number

Chief Oseni Elamah, Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service

Government has initially procured over 200 points of sale (POS) machine through which the people can pay for whatever services they’ve been rendered by government, or pay their taxes using those points of sale machine with their ATM card, or visa card. That has commenced as far back as 2009 but it never received effective implementation in Edo State.

What we have done was to streamline the operation and ensure that those who want the

number plates/drivers license that in Edo State we have enough stock of both commercial and private number plates to serve the teeming applicants in Edo State.

We want to ensure we meet the deadline of issuance of all data number plates prescribed by the Federal Road Safety Commission. The deadline is June 30 2014.

In line with the Edo State traffic management law, you are not allowed to use the private registered vehicle to run commercial activity. So

“We streamlined all of that in line with the Edo State revenue policies which came into law long before now, which is Revenue Collection Cashless Policy (RCCP). What that entails is that nobody collects revenue on behalf of Edo State Government by accepting cash. None of our officers is authorized to collect cash for any service, including the registration of vehicle and drivers license.”

plates. We equally have N50 million credit line with the Federal Road Safety Commission to produce the plates. We also want members of the public to know the cost implication because we have stories of some persons using the illegal means to extort money from the innocent members of the public.

You will all agree with me that this aspect of our operation is most marred with touting activities.

Therefore, in trying to block all these leakages and remove this malpractices, there should be some level of resistance. The hue and cry all over the place with lies that we do not have enough number plates is not correct.

We have to capture your biometric data because if you have to sell your

vehicle, you don’t have to sell it with the number plate because it belongs to you. The new owner of the vehicle will have to register the vehicle.

This is one of the security measure put in place. It helps to trace owner of any vehicle used in Nigeria.

It beholds on applicant who wants to use the vehicle to personally visit any of our motor licencing offices for this exercise to be done, because it requires all forms of capturing of both your photograph and biometric.

In as much as we want to raise revenue, it is important we pay attention to the issue of security. We have made publications on how you can verify if the number plate is registered and this has been captured in the Federal Road Safety Commission. If you enter the FRSC website you will see how you can verify the number plate.

The new number plate has been personalized.

Whether individual or corporate bodies who are eligible to pay tax must acquire the Tax Identification Number (TIN).

I want to remind every taxpayers that it is mandatory to file in an annual returns. This will enable us compute your data to be able to issue you Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC).

For those who have acquired the plate numbers and their data was not captured did so due to lack of information.

They will have to come to our office with that plate numbers so that we can capture their data and compute it, but they will have to pay for the plate number because we are not sure whether they paid through the right process since we could not trace their data in the system.

If you have such plate number, it is not only that it is fake, it was acquired illegally and is criminal under the law.

International AU Welcomes Madagascar Back After Power Handover ANTANANARIVO - The African Union lifted its suspension of Madagascar’s membership yesterday after a new president took office following the island’s first election since a coup five years ago.

Madagascar was plunged into diplomatic isolation and donors froze direct aid worth 40 percent of the Indian Ocean island’s budget when Andry Rajoelina grabbed power with military backing in 2009.

On Saturday, Rajoelina handed the presidency to Hery Rajaonarimampianina, a former finance minister, after presidential and parliamentary elections took place in calm

conditions last month. “(The Council) decides, in view of the completion of the transition process and restoration of constitutional order ... to lift the suspension of Madagascar’s participation in the activities of the AU,” the organization’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) said in a statement.

The African Union is a pancontinental bloc made up of 54 African states whose stated objectives include promoting peace and security on the continent, protecting human rights and encouraging sustainable economic development The PSC said it had also

decided to lift “all other measures” against Madagascar and urged the international community to provide support to the nickel-producing economy.

However, international lenders may not be ready to act just yet. The World Bank told Reuters on Friday it wanted to see the formation of a new government before it would resume normal relations and give budget support.

The Malagasy authorities have not yet released official results of the legislative election, which was held on the same day as the runoff of the presidential vote on December 20.

Syrian chief negotiator Bashar Ja’afari, left, Ambassador of the Permanent Representative Mission of the Syria to UN New York, leaves the meeting, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland recently.

UN Aid Chief In South Sudan Amid Ceasefire Violations

Monzer Akbik, center, a spokesman of the Syrian National Coalition, Syria’s main political opposition group, is surrounded by journalists after a meeting with the Syrian government at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland recently.

JUBA - UN aid chief Valerie Amos arrived in war-torn South Sudan yesterday amid a growing humanitarian crisis, with rebels and government accusing each other of breaking a ceasefire aimed at ending the conflict.

Amos, who arrived in Juba at the start of a three-day visit, is due to meet with government officials and aid workers in a bid to boost relief to the troubled young nation, where thousands have been killed and over 700,000 people have fled their homes in over six weeks of bloodshed.

The fighting has seen waves of brutal revenge attacks, as fighters and ethnic militia use the violence to loot and settle old scores, with the United Nations and rights workers reporting that horrific atrocities have been committed

by both sides.

Amos, UN Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs, will also stress the “importance of ensuring the protection of civilians, and of aid workers”, a statement added.

Both sides say the other is breaking a ceasefire which began Friday evening, but insisting they are committed and that they have opened fire only in self-defence.

Army spokesman Philip Aguer accused the rebels yesterday of “multiple violations” of the ceasefire.

“There were large scale attacks on our positions on Sunday,” Aguer told AFP, reporting fighting in the northern oilproducing state of Upper Nile, as well as in the troubled eastern state of Jonglei.

protests would continue and that a special session of parliament called for today would be “judgment day.”

It’s not clear if constitutional changes will be on the agenda for that session, but granting more power to the prime minister could both sweeten the offer and allow Yanukovych to portray himself as seeking genuine compromise.

The prospect of a state of emergency comes after other official statements suggesting the government is considering forceful moves against the protesters in the wake of the violent clashes between demonstrators and police over the past week. Three protesters died in the clashes, two of them after being shot and the third of unspecified injuries. Authorities have said police do not carry the sort of weapons that allegedly killed the two men who were shot.

Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko, one of the

ministers most despised by the protesters, on Saturday warned that demonstrators occupying buildings would be considered extremists and that force would be used against them if necessary.

He also claimed demonstrators had seized two policemen and tortured them before letting them go, which the opposition denied and called a ruse to justify a crackdown.

The protests began in late November when Yanukovych shelved a long-awaited agreement to deepen ties with the European Union and sought more support from Russia. The demonstrations grew in size and intensity after police violently dispersed two gatherings.

Demonstrators then set up a large tent camp on downtown Kiev’s main square.

Anger boiled over into clashes on January 19, days after Yanukovych pushed through harsh new anti-protest laws.

Protests also spread into other parts of the country, including to some cities in the Russianspeaking east, the base of Yanukovych’s support.

Ukrainian Minister Threatens State Of Emergency

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s justice minister is threatening to call for a state of emergency unless protesters leave her ministry building, which they occupied during the night.

The seizure of the building early yesterday underlined how anti-government demonstrators are increasingly willing to take dramatic action as they push for the president’s resignation and other concessions. Protesters now occupy four sizable buildings in downtown Kiev, including the city hall.

Justice Minister Elena Lukash

said early Monday that she would ask the national security council to impose a state of emergency if the protesters don’t quit the building. But she did not specify a deadline for leaving.

Imposing a state of emergency likely would cause anger to spike among protesters, who have clashed with police repeatedly over the past week. Three protesters have died.

Lukash, in a televised statement, noted that the “socalled protesters” seized the building as ministry employees

were working on measures to grant amnesty to protesters and to make changes in the constitution to return the country to a system where the prime minister’s powers are stronger.

Beleaguered President Viktor Yanukovych on Saturday offered the prime minister’s post to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, one of the opposition’s most prominent leaders. Yatsenyuk, while not flatly rejecting the offer, said

Syrian, UN Official Meet In Homs, Talks Evacuations DAMASCUS, Syria — State TV says a Syrian official and a U.N. representative are meeting in the embattled city of Homs to discuss how to evacuate women and children from rebel-held areas there, as was agreed on in the peace talks in Geneva.

Yesterday’s meeting comes

a day after face-to-face negotiations in the Swiss city between Syrian government representatives and the opposition yielded the limited deal on the evacuations.

British-based activist Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the meeting in Homs is trying to find a safe

area to where women and children could be taken.

It’s unclear when the evacuation would start.

Syria’s Al-Ikhbariya TV quotes Homs governor, Talal Barrazi, as saying the arrangement “has nothing to do with what is being done in the Geneva talks.”

“They killed four soldiers in Mathiang in Jonglei, but because they were attacking our defensive positions, we repulsed them and killed around 120 of their forces,” Aguer added. It was not possible to verify the claim independently.

Rebel military spokesman Lul Ruai Koang also reported Sunday “clear violations” of the ceasefire.

Ceasefire ‘very shaky’ Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, speaking Sunday in Sudan, said the ceasefire was “very shaky”.

Norway forms the “troika” of nations along with Britain and the United States, who have played a key role supporting the young nation.

Eighteen unarmed monitors from the seven-member East African regional bloc IGAD — which brokered the ceasefire in Ethiopia — are to oversee implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

CHANGE OF NAME DIKA – I, formerly Miss Dika Grace Oneka, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS GRACE ONEKA OKIRI – JEGEDE. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, N.Y.S.C and general public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, ENDURANCE AMENZE OKUNZUWA wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Endurance Amenze Okonzua and Endurance Amenze Okunzuwa. Henceforth, I am now properly known and addressed as ENDURANCE AMENZE OKUNZUWA. All former documents including those where my name is misspelt Okonzua, remain valid. Concerned authorities, and the general public should please take note.

International

Tunisia Finally Passes Progressive Constitution

TUNIS, Tunisia — After decades of dictatorship and two years of arguments and compromises, Tunisians finally have a new constitution laying the foundations for a new democracy.

The document is groundbreaking as one of the most progressive constitutions in the Arab world — and for the fact that it got written at all. It passed late Sunday by 200 votes out of 216 in the Muslim Mediterranean country that inspired uprisings across the region after overthrowing a dictator in 2011.

“This constitution, without being perfect, is one of consensus,” assembly speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar said after the vote. “We had today a new rendezvous with history to build a democracy founded on rights and equality.”

The constitution enshrining freedom of religion and women’s rights took two years to finish. During that period, the country was battered by high unemployment, protests, terrorist attacks, political assassinations and politicians who seemed more interested in posturing than finishing the charter.

At the same time, Egypt wrote two constitutions — and went through a military coup against an elected government.

Egypt’s charters were quickly drafted by appointed committees and involved little public debate or input. In Tunisia, an elected assembly of Tunisian Islamists, leftists and liberals worked on a detailed roadmap for their political future.

Tunisians hope its care in drafting the constitution makes a difference in returning stability to the country and reassuring investors and allies such as the U.S. “We needed time to get this constitution as it is today,” said Amira Yahyaoui, who has closely followed the assembly’s activities with her monitoring group Bawsala.

“Clearly, writing this constitution to do a real transformation of the minds of people needed time and I absolutely don’t regret these two years and I am happy we had time to discuss and think about all the arguments.”

The new constitution sets out to make the North African country of 11 million people a democracy, with a civil state whose laws are not based on Islamic law, unlike many other Arab constitutions. An entire chapter of the document, some 28 articles, is dedicated to protecting citizens’ rights, including protection from torture, the right to due process, and freedom of worship. It

leaves them open to death threats. In response, conservative lawmakers insisted that “attacks on the sacred” be forbidden, which many see as a threat to freedom of expression.

“This formulation is vague and gives too much leeway to the legislators to trample other rights such as the right to free expression,

cultural identity in Arab countries,” he said, lauding in particular not just freedom of religion but what he calls the freedom “not to have a religion.”

While the constitution itself will not solve the country’s persistent unemployment, rising prices, crushing debt and constant demonstrations,

partners that country is headed in the right direction.”

The completion of the constitution is also a tribute to the assembly’s disparate parties to compromise and negotiate to reach a consensus.

The moderate Islamist party Ennahda, which holds more than 40 percent of the seats in the assembly, backed down on putting a number of religious-

Madagascar’s new president Hery Rajaonarimampianina attends his inauguration ceremony at the Mahamasina Stadium in the capital Antananarivo January 25, 2014.

guarantees equality between men and women before the law and the state commits itself to protecting women’s rights.

“This is the real revolution, many democratic constitutions don’t even have that,” said Yahyaoui. “It will have a real impact on the rest of the Arab region, because finally we can say that women’s rights are not a Western concept only, but also exist in Tunisia.”

Tunisia has always had the most progressive legislation on women’s rights in the Arab world and Yahyaoui believes the long period of writing has made people comfortable with its contents.

One of the most hotly debated articles guarantees “freedom of belief and conscience,” which would permit atheism and the practice of non-Abrahamic religions frowned upon in other Islamic countries. It also bans incitement to violence and declaring a Muslim an apostate — a fallen Muslim — which

artistic creation and academic freedoms,” warned Amna Guelleli, the Human Rights Watch representative in Tunisia.

“However, the risk is reduced given the strong safeguards (in other articles) against overly broad interpretations.”

Since the revolution, there has been a rise in convictions for so-called attacks on religion, especially by artists. A Tunisian cartoonist is in the second year of a seven-year sentence for posting cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.

Constitutional scholar Slim Loghmani said despite some drawbacks, the constitution is an “historic compromise between identity and modernity” that can serve as a model for other countries in the region seeking a balance between an Arab-Islamic heritage and contemporary ideas of human rights and good governance.

“It’s a step forward in the nagging question of

Loghmani said it will move politics forward and reassure foreign investors that the country is back on track after a rocky transition.

“It will be a relief for the average Tunisian who is impatient to see the end of the transition period,” he said. “It will reassure Tunisia’s international

inspired measures into the constitution in the face of wide opposition.

At times the constitution looked like it would never get written, with numerous walkouts by different parties and at one point a complete suspension of its activities in the wake of the assassination of a left-wing deputy in July.

In the end, Ennahda made concessions to the opposition and stepped down in favor of a caretaker government to manage the rest of the transition, allowing the constitution to be completed.

The willingness of Ennahda to negotiate stood in sharp contrast to the more overbearing approach of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, which had a more dominant position in the elected parliament and held the presidency. It ran roughshod over the demands of the opposition, citing its electoral successes.

“Egyptian constitutional politics has been a winnertake-all game; Tunisian politics has been more consensual —though consensus has been difficult to achieve,” said Nathan Brown, an expert on Egyptian law at George Washington University.

“The Tunisian experience is one that is more likely to give birth to a functioning democracy.”

The overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt by the military in July and subsequent violent repression was a stern warning to Tunisia, said Yahyaoui of Bawsala, and it helped the various parties find a compromise.

“The only people who won something out of what happened in Egypt was Tunisia,” she said.

“Ennahda saw what happened to the Brotherhood and they didn’t want to see the same scenario in Tunisia.”

Protesters stand guard at the entrance to the Justice Ministry with icons, which they pulled out of the building, in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Monday, Jan. 27, 2014. Protesters seized the Justice Ministry building Sunday night, adding another government building to the several already occupied by the opposition. After bursting into the Justice Ministry, which is several hundred meters away from the main protest camp, protesters began erecting barricades.

The Nation

President’s 11th Private Jet! THE presidency has made a proposal for an upfront deposit of N1.5billion for a brand new private jet, what will become the Presidential Air Fleet’s (PAF) 11th aircraft. This figure is contained in the details of the 2014 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan through the Minister of Finance, Dr. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala. The Federal Government has budgeted another N1.52b for the maintenance of the 10 aircraft currently in the PAF in 2014 and it is now set to spend just about that amount on a new one. This prodigious squandering of tax payers’ money is reckless and irresponsible.

The PAF already boasts of two Falcon 7X jets, two Falcon 900 jets, Gulfstream 550, one Boeing 737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One), and Gulfstream IVSP. Others are one Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation 2 aircraft and Hawker Siddley 125-800 jet. The combined estimated value of the PAF is about $390.5m (N60.53bn).

According to industry experts, it costs a minimum of 20 percent of that figure to maintain them annually. So we’re looking at about $58.57m (N9.08bn) yearly for maintenance. Private jets are money guzzlers either in the air or land.

The proclivity of this administration for frivolous spending is well documented and has been severely criticised in the past for the colossal amount of embezzlement, rip-off and wastage that has been the hallmark of this government.

The rationale behind this new aircraft in the PAF must be condemned in hash tone.

Apparently to hush the cacophony of voices that will rise in opposition to the proposed new jet, the presidency in their usual deceitful manner, have made part payment for what can best be described as a completely unnecessary toy of comfort to an already bloated Nigerian PAF. If he can’t travel in any of the ten jets in PAF’s possession then there’s absolutely no need for an eleventh except if he needs a new one every time he flies to match the strip of his outfit.

At a time we would think the numerous editorials and Op-Eds have served their

purpose on the insensitive frivolity that the spendthrift of the inept leadership of the Jonathan government now symbolises, then came this new proposal. We must continue to resist their recalcitrance. This lavish lifestyle must be curbed.

The squandermania in government is extended to the large entourage that accompanies Mr. President on his foreign trips, one can only imagine the millions spent on hotel bills and estacodes that accrue for the government officials. According to reports, world leaders are stunned at the strangely large number of hangers on Mr. President’s entourage. The recent trip of President Jonathan in the first week of January this year to Kenya and the hullabaloo about his entourage is apt.

It is shocking that the same people who have budgeted millions for this new flying toy are aware that the country has no national carrier as I write. It is shameful that the PAF is about the third largest fleet of aircraft in the country with a total of 10 aircraft, coming closely behind Aerocontractors with 12 and Arik Air, the largest commercial airline in Nigeria with a fleet of 23 aircraft.

Nigeria happens to be one of the few countries in the world with such a large PAF. It is ridiculous that this is happening in an aviation sector that is dominated by foreign airlines. Nigerian carriers are going under due to cash constraints. Countries with visionary and focused leadership like Malaysia, Ghana, South Africa and a host of others across Europe maintain only one aircraft in their PAF. As the much publicised take-off of the proposed national carrier before the end

By THEOPHILUS ILEVBARE of the year failed, it won’t be out of place to make a case for the government to seriously consider converting the PAF to a national carrier, retaining one or two for use by Mr. President and his co-travelers.

The private jets can form the hub of the charter aircrafts.

food, ours spend almost a billion naira to entertain himself and members of his government yearly.

It amazes many Nigerians who watch in utter disbelief the gross absurdity and profligate nature the government of the day has gone about every business of

President Goodluck Jonathan What better example can be set by a national leader like British Prime Minister, David Cameron, did in 2010 when he slummed it out to fly from London to Washington in business class of a commercial airline. He was caught on camera swanning around the world in hired jets.

He flies around the world on British Airways! Had it been in Nigeria, security risks, flight delays are few of the sundry reasons government officials would give for not flying commercial airline.

The U.S President, Barack Obama reportedly pays for his

governance. It leaves us in quandary how an administration headed by a former university don, one who had the humblest of beginnings – walking barefooted as a schoolboy – as well enunciated and trumpeted when he begged Nigerians for votes in the months leading up to the 2011 elections, turned the country’s ‘plunderer-in-chief’. To see him frivol the Nation’s resources in a manner that betrays his humble personae and upbringing is no betrayal of an innate part of him he cunningly hid from us.

This government has embarked on some ridiculous white elephant projects like mere renovation of official residences with billions. We can recall the uproar that greeted the N2.2billion allocated to the construction of a plush banquet hall, last year, with the lame excuse that what the country had was way smaller than what other

nothing.

In these circumstances, how do you convince the various Labour unions who are waiting on the flanks to embark on strike to press home their demands that there are no funds to meet their grievances? Downturn in government’s finances would be a hard sell in a situation where the presidency is competing with individuals for private jets.

It is lamentable that at a time when we still haven’t seen the infrastructural

Finance Minister Ngozi Iweala tiny African countries boast of.

In this part of the world, only citizens are asked to cut costs, make sacrifices; the pains of today are incomparable to the joy of tomorrow are some of the ‘blues’ we get daily from government. In the same breath, political office holders to our chagrin take their spending to absurd heights.

Sacrifice is a language that the over 60 percent impoverished population must understand while our leaders continue their obsession with living in opulence. They sacrifice

“Apparently to hush the cacophony of voices that will rise in opposition to the proposed new jet, the presidency in their usual deceitful manner, have made part payment for what can best be described as a completely unnecessary toy of comfort to an already bloated Nigerian PAF. If he can’t travel in any of the ten jets in PAF’s possession then there’s absolutely no need for an eleventh except if he needs a new one every time he flies to match the strip of his outfit.”

dividends promised with funds freed up from the partial fuel subsidy removed, the president is more concerned in splashing billions on banquet hall, renovation of residential apartments and covert medical tourism trips abroad.

President Goodluck Jonathan should take a break from his aimless globe-trotting in his PAF and use his multimillion naira bullet proof motorcade, to navigate round Nigeria all year round to feel the pangs and yearnings of ordinary Nigerians. This way the presidency can bring governance closer to the people.

This squandermania in the face of limited resources extends to the federal bureaucracy that has brought about an increase in the number of ministries from 21 to close to 40 with the number of ministers jumping in equal quantum or even more.

President Joyce Banda of Malawi will be of immense help in taking our freeloading political office holders through a crash course in government prudence. As a friend of Nigeria, she will oblige.

Mata Could Take United’s Iconic No. 7

NEW Manchester United signing Juan Mata is likely to take the club’s famous No. 7 shirt because of his admiration for Eric Cantona, a Croatian journalist has predicted.

Antonio Bevanda, of the Mata when he was a Spain 24Sata.hr website, spoke to under-21 player in 2010 and

Juan Mata

discovered that the midfield playmaker was “a huge fan.”

Mata completed his move to Old Trafford from Chelsea on Saturday — and that prompted Bevanda to recall the meeting, which happened when Spain’s youngsters played in Croatia.

He wrote: “When Mata came out of the locker room a reporter gave him a red shirt, which Mata gave to his mother to put in his bag.

“It seemed to me that it was an Eric Cantona Manchester United shirt, but I wanted to check with Juan. ‘Is that a Manchester United shirt?’ I asked. He replied: ‘Yes, this is United’s jersey. I’m a huge fan. I hope that one day I will play at Old Trafford.’”

If Mata does take the No. 7 shirt at United, he will be following a long line of legendary players to have worn it.

Its association with star names began with wingers George Best (who more often wore the No.11) and Steve

Title-Chasing Gunners Take On Southampton ARSENAL will travel to Southampton today night for a Barclays Premier League match at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Kick-off at 21h45 (CAT).

These two teams head into this game with completely contrasting form. Arsenal has won their last five games in the league compared to Southampton’s poor recent record of two league wins in six attempts.

Arsenal will be looking to stay ahead of the leading mini-pack which has separated itself from the other top teams – Chelsea, Manchester City and the Gunners are all in fine form and any slip-up could prove costly, with momentum so important at this stage of the season.

The Gunners were ruthless in the 4-0 FA Cup thrashing of League One Coventry City on Friday and, while much is made of the threat they carry going forward, they have conceded only two goals in the last eight matches.

Arsene Wenger’s charges have not lost to Southampton since November 2002, but can expect a stern test at St Mary’s as they attempt to stretch their lead at the top of the table, with City and Chelsea not in action until Wednesday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his first Arsenal start since August following against Coventry following a

long injury lay-off. The forward could be back on the substitutes’ bench against his former club.

Lukas Podolski staked his claim for a starting berth by scoring twice against Coventry, but the Germany international could also return to the bench. Mikel Arteta (calf), Aaron Ramsey (thigh), Tomas Rosicky (broken nose) and Thomas Vermaelen

(knee) are set to be back in contention.

The likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and Bacary Sagna are expected to be restored to the starting lineup. Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott (both knee) are longterm absentees for the Gunners.

Coppell. Then, in 1981, Bryan Robson — who became the longest-serving skipper in United history — took the number and made it his own.

Cantona, whose surprise arrival from Leeds in 1992 proved to be one of the finest pieces of transfer business ever carried out by Sir Alex Ferguson, took the No. 7 shirt when permanent Premier League squad numbers were adopted for the first time in the 1993–94 season.

When the Frenchman retired in May 1997, midfielder David Beckham, who had come through the ranks at Old Trafford and initially been assigned the No. 10 shirt, took the number on.

But when Cristiano Ronaldo arrived, he initially felt there was too much expectation and pressure surrounding the No. 7 for him to want it to wear it, only for Ferguson to insist.

“After I joined, the manager asked me what number I’d like,” Ronaldo recalled. “I said 28. But Ferguson said: ‘No, you’re going to have No. 7' — and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation.

I was forced to live up to such an honour.”

Since the Portugal skipper’s departure from Old Trafford, Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia have worn the No. 7 — although Valencia swapped back to the No.25 he had first worn on arrival at the club after a difficult season wearing seven.

That means the shirt is currently vacant — and, if Bevanda is right, tailor-made for Mata.

Rodgers Hints At Signing Moses Permanently

LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers has hinted that he could pursue a permanent deal for Victor Moses if the winger continues to improve his performances in training.

The Chelsea loanee scored in the 2-0 FA Cup fourth-round win over Bournemouth on Saturday as he featured for the first time since the third-round success against Oldham.

The 23-year-old has made 16 appearances this season, although many of those have come as a substitute as the former Wigan man has struggled to make a major impact at Anfield, sitting behind Raheem Sterling in the pecking order for a role on the flanks.

But Rodgers is now beginning to see an improvement in his summer signing and is hoping that the desire to star at the top level will inspire him to better things.

“For Victor it is very simple,” Rodgers told various national newspapers.

“He wants to remain in a

position that he will remain at a big club, whether it is Chelsea or Liverpool. There is no bigger motivation than that.

“In order to do that he needs to be performing day in, day out in training.

“If he does really well for us there is a possibility we will want to have him permanently but ultimately it is Chelsea’s decision because he is their player. And if he has done really well, then they will want to keep him.

“When you sample the life of

Victor Moses

the big institutions like Liverpool, then there’s not many that want to leave.

“I have seen improvements in his training.

“If the top players are training nine or 10 out of 10 every day and you have players who are five or maybe six out of 10 every day, then they are not ready to train with them, never mind play games with them.

“So you have to get them up to the level.”

For his own part, Moses is now hoping to use his first-half strike against the Cherries as a springboard to more goals for Rodgers’ men.

“It was really important,” he said.

“I know I haven’t been myself for the past few weeks but I started and got a goal today.

“I just want to kick on from here and try to get a few more goals in the second half of the season. It’s crucial for me and the club as well.”

Cisse Set For Magpies Exit?

SENEGALESE striker Papiss Cisse’s time on Tyneside could be brought to an end this week according to the Chronicle.

Newcastle United rejected an offer for Cisse from Qatari outfit Al Rayyan earlier this month, with the 28-year-old also eager to stay at St. James’ Park.

The Magpies, though, could be tempted to off-load the striker to a Turkish outfit before the window closes, with Trabzonspor and Besiktas reportedly interested in his services.

Reports in Turkey suggest Trabzonspor are ready to up their original £4 million bid for Cisse while Besiktas are still keeping tabs on the

forward.

Cisse, who reportedly rejected a move to Bundesliga outfit Borussia Mochengladbach, which would have seen Luuk de Jong go the other way, is happy to stay on Tyneside for the time being.

Martinez hopes to keep Barry

Papiss Cisse

Magpies Reject Offer From PSG For Cabaye NEWCASTLE United have rejected a £14 million bid from Paris SaintGermain for Yohan Cabaye, but the French giants are expected to make a second bid before the end of the week.

PSG boss Laurent Blanc has been chasing the 28-

Yohana Cabaye

year-old for some time now, and is eager on bringing the French midfielder to PSG. Blanc has never hidden his admiration for the midfielder, who he handed his first cap for Les Blues.

Blanch earmarked Cabaye and Roma’s Miralem Pjanic as transfer targets as they look to land a midfielder this month.

PSG’s initial offer is well below Newcastle’s valuation of the player, but the French giants are expected to step up their pursuit for the former Lille man before the window closes.

Cabaye’s contract at St. James’ Park expires in two years.

Martinez Hopes To Keep Barry

EVERTON manager Roberto Martinez has hinted that he hopes to tie up a permanent deal to sign midfielder Gareth Barry from Manchester City.

On-loan Barry has been hugely influential in Everton’s impressive first half of the season and Martinez has suggested he would be delighted to make his temporary stay at Goodison Park a long-term commitment that he believes will enhance his hopes of getting back into the England squad.

“Gareth is a unique footballer and he knows that he can stay at Everton as long as he wants to,” states Martinez.

“He is an incredible leader. All I want is for him to keep doing this until the end of the season and then, in my eyes, he should be helping England in the World Cup. “When he came here, I wanted

him to be very important for Everton, to enjoy his football and I think we can see he is doing that.”

Martinez will be hoping Barry continues his impressive form as he looks to claim a morale boosting victory in the Merseyside derby against Everton on Wednesday night, with the Toffees boss suggesting a victory can Anfield can be vital to his side’s hopes of a top four finish.

“A win in the Merseyside derby can give you the kick you need until the end of the season,” he added. “A win can lead a lot of points.”

Martinez is hopeful of having in-form full-back Seamus Coleman available for the Liverpool game, after the Republic of Ireland star was forced to sit out Saturday’s FA Cup win at Stevenage with a hamstring strain.

New Chief, Same Old Barca Back On Top BARCELONA put a stressful week off the field after the resignation of club president Sandro Rosell behind them to move back to the top of La Liga with a 3-0 win over Malaga on Sunday.

With new president Josep Maria Bartomeu watching on from the directors’ box, Gerard Pique swept home the opener from Xavi’s corner five minutes before half-time.

Pedro Rodriguez then made the game safe with a neat turn and finish from Lionel Messi’s pass 10 minutes after the restart.

Alexis Sanchez slotted home the third moments later from Pedro’s cross for his 12th goal of the season.

However, it was to be another frustrating evening for Messi in front of goal as his La Liga goal drought stretched to eight games.

Atletico Madrid remain level on 54 points with the Catalans as they were 4-2 victors at Rayo Vallecano earlier on Sunday with both leaders a point ahead of thirdplaced Real Madrid.

Victory ensured Barca continued their record run of finishing top of the table for 59 consecutive rounds of league games and Pique hailed his side’s ability to ignore off field distractions once they enter the pitch.

“Despite going through the difficult times we have had over the past 18 months, we have still always managed to maintain our lead,” he told Spanish TV station Canal Plus.

“That means we have a team that is vey compact, solid and wants to remain up there for as long as possible.”

And the Spanish international refuted suggestions that Messi was still to find his best form since returning from a hamstring injury, despite nearing 600 minutes of league play without finding the net.

“Leo scores a lot of goals, but he also offers many other things. When he doesn’t score, like today or against Levante, he gives assists and offers a lot to our play.”

Instead of the Argentine, it was Pique who was in the right place to open the scoring as he fired home Sanchez’s knockdown for his second goal in as many league games.

Willy Caballero kept the hosts at bay at the beginning of the second period as he

REAL Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso says he is pleased with his side’s current form but believes they can still improve.

Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema secured a 2-0 win over

- Alonso

made fine saves from Sanchez and Fabregas, whilst Pique headed another Xavi corner off the post.

Pedro finally found a way past the Argentine keeper as he received Messi’s pass before cutting inside to curl the ball accurately into the bottom corner.

Another Messi dash started the move that led to the third goal as he again fed Pedro and this time he squared for Sanchez to tap home.

Atletico kept up the pressure on Barca with a comfortable win of their own at struggling Rayo.

David Villa put the visitors in front after just eight minutes with his 11th goal of the season, but Diego Simeone’s men were thankful to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois moments later as he saved Jonathan Viera’s penalty.

Arda Turan doubled Atletico’s advantage at the end of a fine team move involving Diego Costa and Jose Sosa before Viera’s deflected strike had briefly given Rayo hope.

The visitors restored their two-goal cushion before halftime, though, as Turan slotted home Gabi’s free-kick from a

We Still Have Work To Do Granada, which moved the Whites to the top of the table on Saturday night, before they were leapfrogged by Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Xabi Alonso

Emery Frustrated By Loss SEVILLA coach Unai Emery admitted his frustration following Saturday’s 3-2 home loss against Levante.

The Rojiblancos led 2-1 with 20 minutes left on the clock but late goals from Loukas Vyntra and Simao saw the Granotes grab all three points.

“We feel frustrated to have not won,” Emery told reporters. “This was an opportunity for us, but we let it slip.

“We knew we were going to find these problems, and Levante certainly made it complicated for us.

“This game teaches us that we have to be more clinical, more consistent. This is the evidence for that.

“This was a bad loss, but there are lessons we can learn.

We’ll certainly be drawing a lot of conclusions from this defeat.”

Sevilla remain in seventh place with 31 points and will look to bounce back when they visit Malaga on Saturday.

“It took a great performance to beat Granada,” Alonso told reporters. “They had a good shape in the first-half and we found it hard to break through.

“But we got it in the end and got the points. There’s a lot of work to do but we’re where we want to be.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will face Espanyol in the second leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night.

The Whites will go into the game with a slender advantage after a lone strike from Karim Benzema secured a 1-0 away win over the Catalan side in the first leg.

tight angle at the back post.

Saul Niguez’s then put

through his own net under pressure from Costa to make it

Lionel Messi

Mario Balotelli Out Of Torino Clash MARIO Balotelli will miss AC Milan’s clash with Torino next weekend after picking up his 13th yellow card of the season during his side’s 2-1 win over Cagliari on Sunday.

Balotelli, 23, was booked

for making an obscene gesture to home fans at the Stadio Sant’Elia after equalising for the Rossoneri in a game they went on to win — making it two Serie A victories out of two for new coach Clarence Seedorf.

However, the Dutchman is

Mario Balotelli

Marseille Fans Withdraw ‘Sub-Human’ Players Blast ULTRA fans of French side Marseille took down an explosive Internet posting on Sunday in which they blasted players as “sub-human”.

The South Winners, one of the club’s two main supporter factions, said their vitriolic criticism of their team was sparked by a humiliating midweek French Cup exit against Nice.

Fans also said they had

4-1 before Joaquin Larrivey’s headed consolation rounded off the scoring.

With top-scorer Costa still to score in seven games in 2014, Villa’s return to goalscoring form has come just at the right time and he slotted away the opener confidently from Costa’s unselfish cut-back.

And Spain’s all-time leading scorer was delighted to net his second goal in as many league games.

“I am very happy to be able to help the team get the victory and score a goal,” said Villa.

“It is very important to continue winning, particularly away from home.”

Athletic Bilbao also enhanced their chances of playing Champions League football next season with a crushing 5-1 win over Osasuna to move five points clear of Villarreal in fourth.

been sickened by graffiti making fun of the tragic death of coach Jose Anigo’s son who was shot dead in September last year.

“We condemn this odious graffiti, we have no knowledge of these acts,” said a statement released by the fans who added that their unhappiness with their team was heartfelt.

“We were angry with the players who violate the

shirt but we under-estimated the impact of our text.”

After the defeat to Nice, the fans vented their anger on their website.

“They (the players) feel they are untouchable. We say make their lives hell every day, in the streets, at the bakery, in the restaurants, at the disco...Humiliate these sub-humans,” they wrote.

Marseille are ninth in the French first division and have been knocked out of the Champions League.

not going to be able to rely on the Italy international, who has scored in all three of Seedorf’s games in charge so far, when Milan face highflying Torino on Saturday.

Only Sassuolo’s Thomas Manfredini and Sampdoria’s Nenad Krsticic have worse disciplinary records than Balotelli so far this season.

The loss will be a blow for Milan who face a tricky test against a Torino side who are currently four points above them in the standings, and are starting to consider their own chances of playing in Europe next season. “[Qualifying for Europe] gives us an added stimulus, but our first aim is to avoid relegation. Once we’ve done that, then we can see whether or not we can dream of something else,” Torino forward Alessio Cerci told Sky Sport Italia.

Avoiding the drop also remains coach Giampiero Ventura’s priority, but he may be open to reassessing his aims in the event of a win at the San Siro.

“We’ll see against Milan whether we are capable of coping while in the spotlight,” he is quoted as saying by Calcio News 24.

“Then we could enter into a new dimension.”

With fifth-placed Inter Milan stumbling again at the weekend and facing a trip to Juventus in their next game on Sunday night, Torino would break into the top five with a win, while Milan would reduce the arrears on their city rivals to just two points — reviving their own hopes of qualifying for the Europa League next season — with a victory.

Essien Attacks ‘Haters’ Over False AC Milan Medical

Ghana Seeded For 2015 AFCON Qualifiers GHANA are among the seven top seeds for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the Confederation of African Football has announced.

The Black Stars are ranked second on the CAF Ranking which combined the performance of the teams during the three last editions of the AFCON as well as during the qualifiers of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. African champions Nigeria top the ranking with 39.5 points with Ghana behind on 38 points.

Other top seeds for the qualifiers are Cote d’Ivoire, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Tunisia.

The qualifiers shall be played in the format of several preliminary rounds, as well as a group phase with seven groups consisting of four teams each.

The two top teams of each group will then directly qualify for the tournament, along with the 3rd place winners of the seven groups.

Out of the 51 countries

Yaya To Decide On Elephants Future

IVORY Coast midfielder Yaya Toure will decide whether to retire from international football after this summer’s World Cup. The Manchester City midfielder, who has been capped 82 times for his country, is determined to end his era in the national colours on a high.

“I will see what happens at the World Cup. It’s a very difficult decision and I want to do it at the right moment,” he told the Daily Mirror.

“I am thinking about it, but I haven’t decided when it will happen.

“I want to leave with a good name, in a good moment. The generation of players we have has always been regarded as something special, so we all want to give something good to remember.”

Over the course of the past two seasons, Toure has missed a number of crucial games for the Citizens due to his commitment to the national team jersey.

And should he not retire in July, he will miss the months of January and February next year due to the African Cup of Nations tournament set to be played in Morocco.

Toure has been highly influential for City this season, helping them progress in the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup all while sitting second the Premier League log.

engaged in these qualifiers, the top 21 teams listed in the CAF Ranking shall automatically qualify for the group phase.

The seven others partaking in the group phase shall be determined following the conclusion of the preliminary rounds, held from May to August 2014.

The draw for the qualifiers is scheduled for April 27 in Cairo, Egypt.

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted by Morocco in four cities- Rabat, Agadir, Tanger, and Marrakech-from 15 January to 7 February.

GHANA midfielder supremo Michael Essien has rubbished reports by his ‘haters’ that he has failed a medical ahead of his proposed move from Chelsea to AC Milan.

The clubs agreed a deal to take the Ghana midfielder to Italy on Friday, but a report by Italian newspaper La Republica that the Ghanaian had failed a medical quickly went viral.

La Republica reported that an unsuccessful examination due to long-standing knee issues surfaced soon the medical even though GHANAsoccernet.com, with first-hand contact with the player, insisted Essien had passed the medical.

His Milan move looks set to go ahead after he passed his medical at the Serie A club which he

Michael Essien

2014 World Cup

Parreira Criticises ‘Neglectful’ Organisation

BRAZIL’S stuttering preparations to host the 2014 World Cup have been described as neglectful and a wasted opportunity by the national team’s technical director Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Parreira, Brazil’s World Cup ready in 2018 or 2020, or in time winning coach in 1994, is the for the Olympic Games, but we first member of the team to have wanted everything ready for the made such an outspoken World Cup.... There is total criticism of the organisation of neglect,” he told CBN radio in an the tournament. interview.

“I know there are lots of public “We have missed the chance to works that are only going to be show the world a different

Sepp Blatter

Brazil.”

Brazil’s preparations have been plagued by delays in building stadiums and improving airports, while many public transport and other infrastructure projects have been shelved altogether.

Parreira said the first difficulty visiting supporters would face would be in getting from the airport to the stadium in the 12 venue cities.

“The World Cup is not just about stadiums, the supporters don’t live in the stadiums, they have to get from the airport to the stadium,” he said.

“In Paris or London you choose, you can take the metro, you can take the train, the bus, taxi or you can drive yourself.

“Here there is no choice... just those taxis that hopefully they are going to change.

“I’ve never found a city that is more attractive than Rio de Janeiro but it could offer us so much more in terms of safety, a much better quality of life... and the traffic wears you out.”

Parreira, who has coached the

national teams of Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa at the World Cup, added that he sympathised with the demonstrations which took place in various Brazilian cities during last year’s Confederations Cup. “A lot of things are wrong in a lot of areas, the economy is going down the drain, the country has stopped growing and unemployment is going up,” he added.

“There is no assistance for our citizens in terms of health, education and security.

Everybody is disgusted with this, our citizens have been given a back seat.

“We can see the quality of life people enjoy in other countries and the help they get from public authorities, so in this sense these demonstrations are valid as long as they don’t turn violent.

“The demonstrations are valid, appropriate and well-timed, they represent the desire of the Brazilian citizens to have a better quality of life.”)

confirmed on his Twitter page.

He posted: “Haters will broadcast your failure but whisper your success. Medicals done, looking forward to start my new life with AC Milan.#jahbless.”

Essien has struggled for firstteam action in recent years at Stamford Bridge, having made just 19 Premier League appearances since the 2011-12 season, and spent last term on loan at Real Madrid under now Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

Essien’s first league start of this season hinted at his decline as an error helped Southampton take a 1-0 lead in the opening minute of December’s clash – although Chelsea recovered to register a 31 home win.

Having made just five Premier League outings this term, Nemanja Matic’s return to Stamford Bridge pushed the midfielder further down the pecking order, and Essien has thanked Mourinho for the opportunity to resurrect his career at San Siro.

His AC Milan move will boost his fitness for the 2014 World Cup.

Academy Hails Super Eagles AKURE - The Chairman, Ondo State Football Agency, Mr. Akin Akinbobola, has commended the Super Eagles for qualifying for the semi-final of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa.

Akinbobola in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the agency, Kayode Adewumi, said that the win over the Moroccans showed the never-say-die attitude of the team.

The Eagles came from a 3-0 deficit in the first 45 minutes to win the quarter-final encounter 4-3 after 120 minutes.

The ODSFA chairman also commended the technical and tactical approach of Coach Stephen Keshi.

He said the team should remain concentrate an d

committed until they bring back the CHAN trophy and warned against conceding cheap goals in subsequent matches.

Mental Strength Helped Super Eagles Against Morocco

THE Nigerian Union in Western Cape, South Africa on Sunday described as miraculous the Super Eagles’ quarter-finals defeat of the Atlas Lions of Morocco at the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

President of the union, Azubuike Oparaugo, told newsmen in Cape Town that the team’s mental strength got them the victory against their North African foes.

He added that the players had made Nigerians residing in Cape Town and South Africa as a whole to be very proud of their resolute

performance.

“I will say that history repeated itself in our match against Morocco. I want to liken our performance to what happened to the Flying Eagles in the ‘Damman Miracle’ of 1989.

“If you remember very well, Nigeria were 0-4 down against the Soviet Union (now Russia) and the team had to fight and equalise, and they eventually won the match.

“What happened yesterday (Saturday) in Cape Town was another “Damman

Miracle’’.

“A message has been sent out by the Super Eagles, and not just about the 2014 CHAN but about the 2014 World Cup finals. It has come to show that football has come of age in Nigeria.

“What happened yesterday (Saturday) was a great miracle and the community is very happy about the development,’’ he said.

When asked to describe how he felt when the Eagles were 0-3 down during the match, Oparaugo said he had remained calm in spite of the difficult situation.

“I had to leave the VIP section, where I sat, to join the Nigeria Supporters Club to clap and sing to encourage the boys.

“But, in spite of all, I did not lose faith in the boys and I believed that they would turn the tables against their opponents.

“By the time we scored the equaliser in the 90th minute, I knew the match would be ours,’’ the president of the Nigeria Union in Western Cape said.

He said the team would still perform better in

subsequent matches, adding that Nigerians were yet to see the best of the team made up of players from the domestic league.

The competition, which is in its third edition, was introduced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2009.

It was meant to provide a viable platform for African players featuring in their domestic leagues to showcase their skills.

The 2014 tournament which commenced on Jan. 11 in three centres across South Africa will end on Feb. 1 in Cape Town.

My Players Disappointed Me, THE Atlas Lions of Morocco Coach, Hassan Benabicha, said his players disappointed him during the quarter-final match with the Super Eagles in the ongoing Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).

The Lions lost 3-4 to Super Eagles of Nigeria after taking a 3-0 lead in the first half of the dramatic match played on Saturday.

Benabicha, who spoke through an interpreter, told newsmen in Cape Town, South Africa, on Sunday that his players failed to hold on to their early lead.

He said his players could have consolidated on the lead and finish off the game in the second half.

“I am not disappointed with the result of the match. I am disappointed with my players because they were leading 3-

Says Moroccan Coach

0 only to later lose the game.

“This kind of opportunity rarely comes in a tournament like this. My team could have consolidated on their lead,’’ he said.

Benabicha said the Eagles’ ability to recover from the three goals deficit and win the match showed they were a good team.

“Let me congratulate the Nigerian team for such a good showing, having obtained such a wonderful result.

“At the interval in the dressing room, I told my players that the match was far from over as there was still a lot of work to be done.

“This is because the Nigerian team we are facing is one of the best teams in the continent. “ I made a few changes after we conceded two goals in the second half but it will now

appear from the result that it was a bit too late,’’ Benabicha said.

The coach said the team

would go back to begin preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, which Morocco would host in January 2015.

CHAMPIONS Nigeria will be the top seed for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, according to CAF. Their top ranking was summed up based on a points system from recent AFCONs, the 2013 AFCON as well as their performance

Stephen Keshi

Nigeria Top Seed For 2015 AFCON Qualifiers in the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Other top seeds for the qualifying tournament for the 2015 AFCON include Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali and Zambia.

The 2015 AFCON will be hosted by Morocco in four cities from January 15 to February 7.

The draw for the qualifiers is scheduled for April 27 in Cairo, Egypt.

Meanwhile, CAF are to decide on the hosts for the 2019 and 2021 AFCONs in September.

Algeria have tabled a formal bid for both tournaments.

Other countries who are vying to stage the biennial tournament are Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, DR Congo, Zambia (2019 AFCON) and Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea (2021 AFCON).

CHAN 2014

Sports Minister Offers Super Eagles $100,000 For Final Ticket THE Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Sunday promised to give the Super Eagles 100,000 dollars if they secured a final ticket at the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Bolaji Abdullahi, Sport Minister

Flying Eagles Drawn Bye 2015 AYC:

NIGERIA’S Flying Eagles have been drawn bye to the second round of the 2015 African Youth Championship to be hosted by Senegal.

The six-time African champions will begin their qualifying campaign in May against the winners of the first round match between Kenya and Tanzania.

Should the Nigeria U20 team qualify for the third and final round, they will then face the winners of the second round between Angola and the winners of the first round clash involving Swaziland and Lesotho.

This final qualifier will is scheduled for August.

World Cup-winning Nigeria U17 coach Manu Garba is to be promoted to lead the Flying Eagles, which is expected to be made up of the bulk of the Golden Eaglets from 2013.

Nigeria placed third at the 2013 AYC after they won a

record seventh continental title two years earlier in South Africa.

Senegal will stage the 20th AYC between March 8 and 22 with the four top placed teams qualifying for the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

A statement issued by Julius Ogunro, the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, said the incentive was government’s way of motivating the players to give their best and triumph.

The statement quoted the minister as saying that the country would extend its dominance of African football if the boys qualified for the final and went ahead to win the trophy.

The minister, however, urged

the team not to be carried away by its victory against Morocco but to focus on the ultimate prize, which is the CHAN trophy.

He said the team had shown passion, discipline and commitment, which were hallmarks of the Nigerian spirit.

“With the kind of overwhelming joy that followed the victory across our country, one cannot but feel that perhaps, these players are destined to win the trophy.

Keshi Deserves Glo/CAF Awards THE President-General, Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Rafiu Oladipo, on Sunday said Coach Stephen Keshi had shown with victories at the ongoing Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) that he deserved the Glo/ CAF Awards.

Keshi was named “Coach of the Year’’ by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) during its 2013 Awards ceremonies held recently in Lagos.

Oladipo said in Cape Town that the club was also vindicated as the Glo/CAF Best Supporters Club award winner considering its performances so far at the CHAN in South Africa.

- Oladipo

The president-general told newsmen that it was a feat for the Eagles to rally to defeat the Atlas Lions of Morocco 4-3 at the quarter-final match.

The Eagles had come from three goals down in the first half to level scores at 3-3 at regulation time before going into the extra time where they prevailed over the Moroccans.

Oladipo said that Keshi’s change of pattern in the second half made the team to win the match .

“Many coaches could have lost hopes of recovery but Keshi

proved his worth when he rose to the challenge to emerge victorious.

“His confidence motivated his boys to go ahead and win the game in the second half to qualify for the semi-finals,’’ Oladipo said.

A sports commentator with Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, Kunle Olowusi, said the determination of some of the boys to make the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil motivated them to victory.

Olowusi told newsmen that some of the players could have also been motivated by a desire to grab the attention of foreign scouts.

“They can be confident that a grateful nation will remember for a long time to come that they, with typical Nigerian grit and determination, have extended our dominance of African football.

“I have no doubt in my mind that, with the Almighty God on our side and with the same commitment and will to succeed, the home-based Super Eagles will continue to excel,” the minister said.

The National Sports

Commission (NSC), which Abdullahi heads as Chairman, had earlier offered the team an incentive of 100,000 dollars.

The money was for the team to beat Morocco and qualify for the semi-final, which they did in a dramatic manner on Saturday with a 4-3 victory after extra time.

The statement also quoted the minister as saying the team would get the money promised before their next match tomorrow.

THE Super Eagles arrived in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province of South Africa on Sunday for their African Nations Championship (CHAN) semi-final match.

The Eagles will play the winner of DR Congo and Ghana semi-final match tomorrow at the Free State Stadium.

The Media Officer of the team, Ben Alaiya, told newsmen on telephone from Bloemfontein that the team arrived in the city at 6 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Alaiya said the Eagles flew into the city with the Zimbabwean national team and were staying at the

President Hotel and Conference Centre in Bloemfontein.

“The reception here has been wonderful since we arrived. We are staying in the same hotel with the Zimbabwean national team.

“The players are in high spirit in anticipation of their semi-final match,’’ he said.

He said that before the team departed Cape Town for Bloemfontein, the players relaxed their bodies and swam at their hotel in Cape Town.

“I can confirm to you that the Super Eagles have arrived in Bloemfontein,’’ Alaiya said.

Super Eagles Arrive Bloemfontein

CMYK

AFTER a long hiatus, occasioned by certain u n e x p e c t e d circumstances, this column resumes with the usual expose on the extremely interesting times that Nigerian politics is witnessing. We may be about a year away

stands as a relevant voice for public complaint, considering his role in forcing the administration on Nigerians, but he certainly raises important concerns about the current political atmosphere in the country.

process that is bound to keep the president on his toes. I am sure many Nigerians would have preferred that the process by which a sitting president is removed from office is through the ballot, but this is Nigeria, always finding ingenious

Nigeria’s Political Battles: It May Already

from the elections but it seems the starting shots for the political race have been fired and, I must admit, our political athletes have shown that they have some speed in them.

From the swiftness with which the ruling party lost its majority in the House of Representatives, to the sudden increase in the spate of attacks on political rivals in Rivers state, we are now witnessing the early manifestation of what may play out in 2015.

I am sure most of us read the controversial letter written by the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, the title to which this piece sounds a clear alert. In the letter Obasanjo reveals his dissatisfaction with the p r e s e n t administration’s management of the economy and its inclination towards political victimisation.

He also voices serious concerns about the government’s tactics in tackling insecurity in the country. The former president’s observation that the threats of violence by some trouble shooters if president Jonathan is not re-elected is steering the political ship towards stormy waters is one that many Nigerians share.

These are very pertinent issues. I do not think Obasanjo

However, while Obasanjo may see these indicators as potential sparks for future political crisis, the realities on ground suggest that the events are already unfolding.

For the first time in our new political dispensation, a clear challenge to incumbency is emerging: hardly would anyone have expected that the legislature, which has always been considered a rubber stamp for executive whim, would become the most vehement instigator of a shift in political alliance; I believe this is also the first time that the ruling party stands as the minority party in the legislature.

Other events have even further illustrated a slow but steady decline in presidential influence in the political turf. PDP states have been reduced to 18, as against 16 for the opposition APC; and threats of further defections in the two chambers of the legislature speaks of the imminent decline in the PDP popularity.

In the absence of a military coup d’etat, we are witnessing a legislative coup d’etat.

For the first time, it seems the refusal of the president to accede to demands by a large number of Nigerians has inspired this innovative political

Be Too Late

solutions to its challenges.

There are several reasons why this approach seems to

clear that the situation in the state illustrates the failure of the federal government to function within constitutional

President Goodluck Jonathan

have become necessary. We have seen how the refusal of the president to make c a t e g o r i c a l pronouncements on the political turmoil in Rivers state has further deepened animosities that are threatening peace in the state. With a police commissioner who refuses to bow to constitutional demands that places him as a subordinate to the state governor, and who acts with impunity, obviously buoyed by some superior authority, it is

limits. I have heard many people say Obasanjo also acted with impunity and had very little regard for the constitution, this is true, but those who say this may be deluded by their conviction that the system can never change; I believe they are wrong. The lessons learnt from the Obasanjo years have inspired public resistance to acts of impunity.

Who would have thought that a governor would confront federal might and still remain in

office to tell the story?

Who would have thought that the federal legislature would be the stage for a battle that would completely tilt the political balance in the country, turning the majority into the minority? This is where Obasanjo’s letter becomes relevant. As he mentioned, the series of events have exposed president Jonathan’s political ambition and the vile means by which he and his cronies intend to achieve this. The constant ramblings by the president’s supporters, insisting that he must be reelected president whether Nigerians want him or not, portends great dangers for our d e m o c r a t i c dispensation.

We have also seen an increase in ethnoreligious spurts more than we would have expected from an administration that has always sold itself as the “Transformer” and which promised Nigerians “a breath of fresh air”. If I may say so, the air has not been fresh at all. It seems we have retrogressed to the point where political power must be sought by any means possible.

Whether he knows it or not, the president’s decision to take his political grandstanding to churches and other Christian religious events speaks of his

intentions.

The president may be doing this in the simple belief that his real constituency resides within these clusters.

However, the sooner he realises that the whole country is his constituency the better his political prospects.

Deferring to religious sentiments is only one of many indications of imminent crisis. The president seems to have completely ignored the fact that other religious groups exist in Nigeria and that his overt display of religious affiliation with a particular group will stir distrust among other groups.

On security, we are all witnesses to the re emergence of Boko Haram and the vehemence with which they have carried their recent operations. This is definitely going to be a major obstacle in the conduct of the coming elections. With heightened tensions in the north-east and political conflicts in Rivers state, it is obvious that the stage has been set for a battle that would redefine Nigeria’s political space. Regardless of what political commentators have predicted, one fact remains; obasanjo’s plea that the president should act before it is too late may be stale. From what is unfolding, it seems it may already be too late.

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