Nigerian observer 28 08 2014

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 39 • NO.066 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 20 14 • N100.00 SPOTLIGHT Pages 16-17 The hard talk

Have Nigerians lost their value system?

FG targets 30 per cent electricity from coal

ABUJA - The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Musa Sada, has said that the Federal Government had targeted coal to contribute 30 per cent

of power generation in the country by 2015.

Sada told newsmen in Abuja that the Federal Government was determined to address the country’s

power challenge through coal.

He said that the ministry was taking steps toward meeting the target by making effort to determine the amount of coal deposit

in the country.

The minister explained that the quantity and life span of coal deposit in the country would determine the basis for Continues on page 2

Capacity Building BENIN CITY - The Head of Service of Edo State, Mr. lgbaekemen Jerry Obazele has commended the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole for his interest in the capacity building of the entire workforce. contrary to rules and Mr. Jerry Obazele regulations guiding stated this when he the Civil Service. declared open a seminar He enumerated for Clerical Officers in the them to include State Civil Service. He lateness to work, equally praised the outright absenteeism governor for the peaceful without permission industrial harmony that and laxity. the State is enjoying.

To curb these The Head of Service abnormalities, the whose address was read Head of Service on his behalf by the emphasized his Permanent Secretary, decision to organize Establishment, Mr. Alfred the seminar to redirect Omorogbe Olaye the officers. challenged the officers to He added further be good ambassadors of that the selection of the State Government in Starpeal Consult by their various offices, his Office to conduct reminding them that the the seminar is Civil Service is meant for premised on their intelligent and antecedents in the hardworking people. handling of such Mr. Obazele however seminars, He regretted that most junior therefore enjoined the officers tend to imbibe participants to be habits that inhibit focused. productivity and run

MAN AND NATURE Page 27

Creative Power of God

HOS lauds Oshiomhole

The Head of Service stated further that very soon the attendance of such seminars may form part of the promotion requirements in the Civil Service.

Delivering his paper, Mr.

Vincent Agbonrofo, a retired Permanent Secretary stated that by its nature, government’s services are essential to the development of a thriving and competitive

economy and the maintenance of a stable society.

Mr. Agbonrofo strongly advised the Clerical Officers to restrain themselves from

partisan politics in keeping with the Civil Service regulations which according to him prohibit Civil servants from engaging in Continues on page 2

Edo inaugurates management team

HIV/AIDS:

By QUEENNET A. OROBEDO BENIN CITY- Edo State Government has inaugurated the state Management Team (SMT) on HIV/AIDS with a charge to reduce HIV/ AIDS prevalence.

Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, who preformed the inauguration, tasked the

members to provide annual report on HIV activities in the state.

The inauguration of the State Management Team (SMT) which has the state Commissioner for Health as Chairman, Project Manager, state Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Secretary, representatives of Local Government Councils, the academia and other stakeholders.

TIT BIT

“Those who want to live, let them fight, and these who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live.”

- Adolf Hitler

Prof. Ihonvbere remarked that the SMT is also in line with the goals of Edo State 2010-2015 strategic plan, which aims to further reduce the prevalence rate of Continues on page 2

L-R:Former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and wife, Beatrice, representative of Enugu State Government, Dr. Jude Akubuilo and NAFDAC Director of Operations Enugu, Mr. John Okwori, during a Requiem Mass in honour of Prof. Dora Akunyili at Holy Ghost Cathedral Enugu yesterday.

Voter Education: ABUJA - The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has said that lack of funds was preventing it from educating the public on the ongoing voter

registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) from INEC. Mr Afam Anene, the agency’s Director of Political and Civic Education, made this

NOA laments lack of funds

known in Abuja yesterday while speaking on NOA’s perceived silence on the

ongoing processes.

“We’ve been talking about 2015 elections but the problem is a hit and

Ebola: Flights to Nigeria not suspnded

PARIS The French Government yesterday said flights to Nigeria and Guinea need not be suspended due to

the risk associated with the Ebola virus.

However, the government recommended its nationals to avoided Sierra Leone and Liberia and asked Air

- French Govt The government said

France-KLM to suspend flights to both countries due to the Ebola outbreak in them.

its decision was aimed at those people whose Continues on page 2

run approach, you do one in one state with the meager fund you have and then you go back and relax, because it is not enough.

“Even if I have 300 million leaflets to share in the whole country it is not enough now, some people may not be able Continues on page 2

News

HOS lauds Oshiomhole

Continued from page 1 partisan politics.

The retired permanent secretary urged the officers to be innovative and to improve on the system in order to meet with the modern and global practices. He also challenged them to avail themselves of the opportunities that abound everywhere to educationally

improve themselves.

In his lecture: “Investment Strategy and Personal Financial Management for Civil Servants”, Barrister Felix Agbonrofo urged Civil Servants to learn to invest.

In his word, “many Civil Servants in their obvious detriment are largely ignorant of financial matters despite the fact that they have to

Continued from page 1 HIV/AIDS in the state which presently stands at 0.8% State commissioner for Health, Dr. Mrs. Aihanuwa Eregie earlier in a welcome address said “though a lot has been achieved locally and nationally in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the

statistics are still frightening” in some parts of the country, hence the initiative.

According to the commissioner, the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with development partners has been able to set up HIV comprehensive care centres

Continued from page 1 presence was not absolutely necessary in both countries.

The announcement by the government was driven by “developments in the epidemic and the state of the health systems” in the two West African countries.

In Freetown yesterday, a government official announced that a third top doctor had died of Ebola in the country.

Sierra Leonean Presidential Adviser, Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said Dr. Sahr Rogers had been working at a hospital in the eastern town of Kenema when he contracted Ebola.

Two other top doctors had succumbed to Ebola since the outbreak early this year, including Dr. Sheik Humarr Khan, who also treated patients in Kenema.

The World Health Organisation, on Tuesday, said it had shut a laboratory in Sierra Leone and withdrawn staff from there after a health worker there was infected.

In Hong Kong, the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) announced yesterday that it had barred people who had lived or visited Ebola affected countries from donating blood.

The ban applies to those who had lived or visited Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.

The blood transfusion agency said they would not be allowed to donate blood

for at least 28 days from date of departure from the affected countries.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Health has advised men who were treated and discharged of Ebola virus to avoid sexual intercourse for at least seven weeks.

Dr Bridget Okoeguale, Director, Department of Public Health, gave the advice during interview with newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

Okoeguale said this was in line with protocols issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“There are many literatures that say that after men are infected, when the virus is not found in the blood, it tends to stay in the semen for about seven weeks to three months.

“What we did according to

On the treatment of Ebola patients, Okoeguale said no drugs or vaccinations were given to them, adding that health authorities had complied with WHO treatment protocol.

Okoeguale said everybody had his/her own body reaction, “so our own is to help build their immunity, give them fluid to replace lost fluid through vomiting and diarrhoea.’’

Continued from page 1 to read; even if you write it in their local languages they are not literate enough to read them.

“So we need to go through the radio, and all the media and then do the traditional media as well; is it not money?

“If I have to go to your village to do the town crier thing, it’s not me who will do it; I have to commission the people who do town crier work in your village to undertake it for me and it’s for a cost.

“Even if we have, we are just scratching it.“ Anene said that the responsibility of NOA was to ensure that government policies got to the people, adding that awareness campaign had already begun in some states but there was need for aggressive campaign.

According to him, NOA is a member of the National Voter Education Campaign.

He added that voter ’s education became the responsibility of NOA because of its reach, structure

that is the basis for the designing of power plant itself, otherwise, our efforts will be speculative.

“The problem in the gas power plant is that pipelines have not reached where some of the power plants are located and we don’t want that to happen with coal,” he said.

Sada said that there were no coal power plants operating in the country currently because there were factors to consider in designing and running them.

“For you to be able to build a coal power plant, you must determine the amount of coal deposit you have and how many years it can last.

“Once you start a coal power plant, you cannot switch it off and that is why we are at the stage we are now.

“Most of the companies we have engaged now are working on the quantity of coal we have because that is the basis upon which power plant can be built,” he said.

The minister said that he was not aware of any power generation company in the country that imports coal from South Africa or any other part of the world.

Sada explained that those importing coal might be doing so for other purposes and certainly not for power

HIV/AIDS:

make financial decisions to secure their financial positions in and out of employment”.

Barr. Agbonrofo advised the participants to learn to save no matter how little, saying that from the savings they can build up capital to buy shares, bonds, life insurance or starting a business of their own.

To actualise their dreams: he posited that they must be patient, noting that Rome was not built in a day”.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Mr. Peter Dakpokpo, a clerical officer in the office the of the Head of Service thanked the comrade governor and the Head of Service for the rare opportunity given them to attend the seminar.

Edo inaugurates management team in fifteen (15) of the General Hospitals across the state.

Project Manager, SACA, Hajia Marriet Binkola, gave further insight into the activities of the team.

The State Management

Team is borne out of the Presidential Comprehensive Response Plan (PCRP) unveiled by President Goodluck Jonathan on 15th July 2013 to Co-ordinate and begin to take owner ship and responsibility of HIV response at the state level.

Flights to Nigeria not suspnded the WHO protocol is that we made sure that when the men are discharged they are given enough condoms, if they cannot abstain for that period.

“We advise them to abstain from sex but where they cannot abstain, they are provided condoms and after the (abstinence) period, we double test to make sure they are free’’, she said.

She explained that the patients were also placed on electrolyte by intravenous fluid to avoid dehydration, adding that those who were anaemic had blood transfusion.

“That is the supportive care that has helped us to be able to discharge more than five people’’, Okoeguale said.

The director also advised the general public to avoid crowded social gathering. “ We are not advising people not to go to club or bar but if you have to, just remember that you must keep your hands clean, avoid contact with as many people as possible.’’

She urged Nigerians not to consider the disease as a death sentence and that recent cases had shown survival rates for patients were high with early detection and treatment.

NOA laments lack of funds

and trained manpower, adding that INEC should concentrate its energy in organising elections.

The director said that voter education was not an issue that should be put on hold until the “11th hour“, adding: “it should be a continuous exercise from year to year; we should be doing voter education consistently.“ He said that if voter education were to be carried out yearly, there would be less work to do, saying Nigeria had penchant for fire brigade approach.

FG targets 30 per cent electricity from coal

Continued from page 1

d esigning the coal power plant to generate power supply.

He said the Federal Government would ensure that gas, solar and wind energy contributed to power generation, adding that all the countries that had steady power supply did same.

“What we are looking at now is the targeted contribution from coal and we must take the right step towards achieving it so that we don’t get stock along the way.

“It is very important that we determine the amount of coal deposit that we have because

generation.

He explained that some of the cement factories that use coal only used it to fire the limestone they use for cement making to save the power that they could have used for that.

“Coal is as volatile as any combustible mineral because if you pack a heap of coals here, it has a very high tendency to catch fire.

“Storage of coal is not an easy thing because you cannot put coal in a container or in a room; it must be stored in the open and consistently watered.

“I am not sure there are facilities to handle coal at our ports currently,” he said.

Cancellation Of Concession agreement

Commission blames agencies ABUJA - Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has blamed cancellation of some concessional agreements on refusal of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with conditions of Public-PrivatePartnership deals.

Chairman of the Commission, Sen. Ken Nnamani, made this known in the 2013 Annual Report of the commission released to the media yesterday in Abuja.

Nnamani said that the recalcitrant disposition of the MDAs to the concessions’ terms had led to persistent disputes in law courts and avoidable cancellation of some concessions.

“We regret that some MDAs still require a lot of pressure to submit to the regulatory guidance of the commission on PPP development, monitoring and compliance.

“More worrisome is the refusal of some MDAs to comply with contract terms and conditions of their PPP contracts.

“This is a situation which invariably leads to avoidable arbitrary cancellation of concessions and persistent disputes in law courts,’’ he said.

He, however, said that the commission assisted the MDAs to deliver world-class infrastructure projects by issuing Certificates of Compliance for two critical PPPs in 2013.

According to him, the list of these projects will be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

He named the projects as the Maritime Surveillance Platform under Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) valued at 120 million dollars and the 1.2 billion dollars Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos.

“In addition, a total of 28 projects are being executed through PPP and have reached various stages. “ One of these projects, the automation of activities of the citizenship and business department, is currently under implementation.

“Others are six roads and bridges projects, two deep sea ports and an inland port, one lighter terminal at

Kirikiri, the concession for the Operation and Maintenance of narrow gauge Eastern and Western Railway lines,” he said.

The chairman added that the list also included the development and modernisation of road network in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Medical City Mall and Abuja Mass Transit Railway Lot 2.

He stated that the commission had also provided regulatory guidance for the development of many roads, bridges, sea ports and power projects across the country.

“As part of its regulatory activities, the ICRC has endeavoured to carry out monitoring and compliance activities on the Federal Housing Authority’s PPP projects and made interventions where necessary,’’ he said.

On the commission’s achievements in 2013, he said that Katampe urban infrastructure development, which served as a model for the development of urban infrastructure in the FCT reached 25 per cent completion during the period.

He said that NIMASA’s concession agreement with a private sector proponent on a “Supply-Operate-andOwn” basis for a suite of offshore surveillance platforms for the Nigerian maritime domain was sealed during the period.

“It is also worthy to note that the project preparation for the second Niger Bridge, the deep sea ports at Ibom and Lekki, together with Lagos-Kano and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri narrow gauge railway lines are moving according to schedule.

“As at December 2013, the second Niger Bridge reached the significant milestone and an accelerated procurement of concessionaire is in progress,’’ he said.

The former President of the Senate disclosed that certain weaknesses in the enabling law of the commission was affecting its operations and called for a speedy review of the law.

“A proposed amendment of the ICRC 2005 Act is at present before the Federal Executive Council for consideration,’’ he stated.

Nation Building: NAWOJ President

ABUJA - The National President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, yesterday urged journalists in the country to promote nation-building in their reportage.

Omowole said in Abuja that negative reports about the country could tarnish its image.

“Let all journalists join hands and build this nation instead of promoting wrong information and bad image.

“When there is division, unrest in a nation,

advises media

everybody will bear the brunt.

“Let us value what we have as a nation. I am proud to be Nigerian and if I have the opportunity of coming back to this World after death, I will be a Nigerian,” she said.

“We must write to promote unity and peace in Nigeria.

The country is too large and no other nation will take us as refugees if we have crisis,” she added.

Omowole urged the media to cultivate developmental journalism in all their activities, saying that it was the way to go as “fourth estate of the realm.”

News Comrade Bus: Credit Card Paves Way For Preferential Treatment

By MBADUGHA KINGSLEY AND PIUS ABAH .O

BENIN CITY- It has been observed that drivers of Edo Intra City Bus, popularly called ‘Comrade Bus’ give priority attention to passengers with E.C.T.S credit card in line with the directive of the state government.

Speaking with our reporters who visited the comrade Bus loading bay at Oba market Road, by Oba Ovoranmen Square and Mission Road Benin City, one of the drivers who pleaded anonymity revealed that there has been a directive from the state government to give preference to passengers with credit card.

According to him, “Only those that have the credit card are allowed to enter the bus first before others who do not have the card.

Emphasizing on the importance of the E.C.T.S credit card, the driver enjoined the passengers who do not have the credit card to try and purchase theirs.

The card allows a passenger to board the comrade Bus for five consecutive times according to the driver.

In addition, Obayuwana Philip, a student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and three other respondents stressed that the credit card has really been useful and

helpful as well.

“I always have this believe that whenever I get to the bus stop, I must enter

the bus; that is the edge I have over those that are yet to purchase the credit card”, Philip said.

AGENEGBODE (Edo) -The traditional Marriage ceremony of former Miss Afishetu Joy Kadiri and Idowu Samuel Idogun of Imiruekhe, Afokpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State took place weekend.

The event which held amidst pomp and ceremony was graced by dignitaries from

Media Salary Scale Still Feasible - NUJ ABUJA - The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the struggle for the actualisation of a new salary structure for journalists in Nigeria, “the Media Salary Scale (MSS)’’ is still feasible.

The NUJ President, Malam Mohammed Garba, said this on the sidelines of a condolence visit to the NUJ Secretariat by the leadership of the Labour Interactive Forum in Abuja on Tuesday.

The forum, an arm of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), was at the NUJ secretariat to condole with the union on the recent demise of its former President, Mr Ndagene Aku.

Garba said the struggle for enhanced remuneration for journalists in public and private organisations was still on course and would be actualised.

“The issue of the MSS is still on course and we have even gone ahead to enhance our position by reviewing our proposal to make it holistic.

“What we are working on at the moment is the media enhancement bill which we believe will benefit all journalists.

“The new proposal captures enhanced salary for workers, improved working

environment and harmonised laws regulating practice. We are consulting with stakeholders at the moment.’’

According to him, the assurances are that the media enhancement bill will be ready for transmission to the National Assembly before the end of the year.

He said the union and the stakeholders were worried about the condition of service in the media industry in Nigeria, adding that the contentious issues would be addressed in the draft bill.

The president explained that stakeholders were also working on ending the lingering leadership crisis in the Nigerian Press Council (NPC).

He expressed the hope that the sector would be enhanced with the enactment of the Media Enhancement Bill.

The president restated NUJ’s commitment to fight for improved working conditions and other packages for journalists in Nigeria.

Earlier, in his remark, the Chairman of the forum, Mr Raphael Okoro, said the group visited NUJ secretariat to condole with the staff over the demise of its former president, Aku. Okoro said the group deemed it necessary to identify with the union given the late Aku’s struggle for improved welfare for Nigerian workers.

He said the forum would always stand for enhanced welfare and other working conditions for the average Nigerian worker.

Okoro said the NUJ remained a strong ally of the NLC and the backbone of workers’ struggle in Nigeria.

Afishetu, Idowu Hold Traditional Marriage Ceremony

By VICTOR OMOALU

different parts of the world including the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Colonel Umar Otikiti, family members as well as friends and well wishers.

Speaking at the ceremony, the CSO, UNIBEN, Col. Umar Otikiti (rtd) admonished the couple to jettison all forms of interference that might emanate from third party if they must succeed in their marriage.

Otikiti who was represented by an Admin Officer in UNIBEN Mr. Audu advised them to imbibe the culture of prayers and continually seek God’s intervention, with a view to building peace, unity and love amongst themselves.

The couple who are both staff of the University of Benin, while speaking with The NIGERIAN OBSERVER expressed gratitude to God Almighty for making the ceremony a huge success. they expressed their appreciation to the former Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Simon Imuekemhe; Prince Malik Afegbua; Hon Henry Idogun; executive Director to the State Governor on Youth Affairs, Comrade Emmanuel Yakubu; Theophilus Ibodamhe, Joachin Obalu as well as Saheed Bello for their support towards the successful ceremony.

Idogun who was the former president of the National Association of Okpella Students (NAOS) used the medium to congratulate the Vice Chancellor, UNIBEN Prof. Osayuki Godwin Oshodi for his recovery and resumption of duty.

Fear Of Ebola: Passers-By

Denies Sick Person Aid

By ROBINSON OFUJU

LAGOS - For fear of contracting Ebola Virus, a young man, simply identified as Jogodo was deserted at Alaba International Market, near Unity Plaza, as he slumped and fell on the road after he allegedly got drunk.

Jogodo who engages in menial jobs in the market is in the habit of excessive drinking.

Although his colleagues in the same job gave his real name as Mustapher, they also expressed fear

that excessive drinking may cost him his life unless he desist from it A young man who identified himself as Chibuzor said “if I did not known this boy with this habit, I would have also ran away from him for fear of contracting Ebola virus”.

“The fear of Ebola can make people who suffer epilepsy or convulsion die without attention from people around”, he said.

News Police Kill Armed Robber, Arrest 9 Others

By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON

BENIN CITY- The Police in Benin have gunned down a suspected armed robber said to have been on wanted list in Edo State for months now.

The police also apprehended six other members of the alleged notorious armed robbery gang, while arms, ammunition, nine cell phones, one Gulf car and N45, 450.00 cash were recovered from them.

This was contained in a statement endorsed by the acting Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, DSP Noble Uwoh, and made available to The NIGERIAN OBSERVER in Benin City.

It further stated that the gang had on Sunday, August 17, 2011 robbed a man and his girl friend of their valuables at kings square in Benin City.

The statement added that covert investigation launched into the robbery led to the arrest of a member of

the gang who confessed to the crime and also named six other gang members.

It was disclosed that attempt by others to repel their arrest in their hide outs resulted in some of the suspects sustaining various degrees of bullet wounds.

Also, the police smashed a three member gang of interstate car snatchers who disposed a driver of his car after he was successfully drugged.

Evangelist Ofojie Burial Begins Today

By OMORODION LAWRENCE/ IKPONMWOBA O. JOEL/ OMEIZA ROBINSON

Passengers in queue waiting to enter the Comrade Bus in Benin City.

Red Cross Training Camp Opens In Auchi

By MORRISON HAYBLE

AUCHI - A week long annual First Aid and Leadership Training camp organised by the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Edo State branch for its volunteers and the public opened Tuesday at Evangel International School Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

It is being attended by over 253 participants drawn from a cross the division.

Declaring the training open, Chairman of the society, Edo State, Mr. Moses Obaze

appealed to well meaning individuals and organisations for assistance to enable the body succeed in its task of rendering humanitarian services.

Obaze explained that the Red Cross was not an NGO, but purely a humanitarian organisation which necessarily partnered with government in attaining its desire in the areas of first aid in terms of disasters.

He recalled that the body in 2012 was evidently involved in voluntary rescue efforts during the natural disasters in parts of

the country, but lamented that the state branch lacked ambulance and other necessities to make it function effective.

The state Red Cross boss disclosed that the training was being rotated within the three senatorial districts of the state in other to create awareness for the youths by inculcating morals and leadership ability for them to be loyal to their parents and constituted authorities.

He used the medium to appreciate the Benin Monarch,

FRSC To Establish Mobile Courts To Punish Violators Of Lane Use Rules — Director

LAGOS - The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said on Wednesday it would establish mobile courts to prosecute road traffic offenders, especially violators of the rules guiding the use of lanes.

Mr Ademole Lawal, FRSCís Commander in charge of Administration and Strategies, who disclosed this in an inter-

view with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that articulated vehicles were not supposed to be on the fast lane “except when they are overtaking“.

Lawal said that violators of the Highway Code would be prosecuted in the mobile courts to ensure instant punishment for offenders.

“There is going to be mobile court where offenders that are violating lane will be dealt with.

“Trailers (articulated vehicles) are not supposed to be on the fast lane except when they are overtaking.

“Everybody wants to be on the fast lane and most times, overtaking has been done

Passengers in queue waiting to enter the Comrade Bus in Benin City.

wrongly.

“So, the violation of orders on the roads will no longer be tolerated by the present management of the commission, which said that all rules relating to usage of road must be adhered to.

“Because more vehicles are going to be put on the road within few kilometers; more motorcycles are going to be put on the road to curtail the excessiveness of some of our road users.“ The commander said that the commission would remain committed to instilling discipline in road users and making them to adhere to worldclass traffic rules.

He said that the commission was focusing on “indiscipline“ on the highways and was set to declare “total war on overloading and over-speeding“.

Lawal said that the commission was working hard to align itself with the United Nationís resolve to reduce road traffic deaths by 50 per cent.

According to him, 30 per cent of road traffic crashes are caused by indiscipline with some road users seeing the road as their personal property where other road users have no stake in.

His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa as other traditional rulers in the state, corporate bodies and individuals for their continued support to the organisation.

In a remark, Rector, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Dr. Mrs. Philipa Idogho described the Red Cross as a necessary organisation given to humanitarian gestures.

Represented by the Dean, Students Affairs, Mr. Mike Imhakhu, the Rector expressed willingness of the Polytechnic management to support the organisation whenever possible.

The opening ceremony was attended by representative of the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Chris Okaeben, the Primary Health Coordinator, Etsako West Local Government Area, Alfred Esiemoghie, and Mr. Victor Akuza who stood in for the Head of Social Department, Etsako Central Local Government Council.

BENIN CITY-The families of Ofojie Egbelle and Odiboh of Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo have announced the death of Evangelist Mrs. Christiana Ofojie (Nee Odiboh) she was aged 56 years.

A statement signed by Ernest Ehikioya Ofojie for the family indicated that the burial ceremony for the late Evangelist begins today, August 28, 2014 with a service of songs at her residence, No 184 Evbotubu Road, before the bad spot, Benin City, beginning at 4 pm.

On Friday August 29, 2014 at 8am, the body will be taken from Faith Mediplex to her home town, Efandion, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State for interment.

There will be social dance at her residence on Saturday September 6, 2014 beginning at noon.

The burial ceremony will climax on Sunday September 7, 2014 with a thanksgiving service at Living Faith Church, Ekewan Branch, Benin City, beginning at 9.30am.

Late Evangelist Mrs. Christiana Ofojie

Peace Weds Maurice Aug 30 SAPELE - The wedding ceremony of Miss Peace Ugheni and Mr. Maurice Onojake comes up on Saturday, August 30, 2014 at Kingdom Hall of

• Peace and Maurice

Jehovah’s Witnesses, 197 Yoruba Road, Sapele, Delta State at 12.30 pm. Reception follows immediately at Crudas Road, Sapele.

News

Institution Tasks Indigenous Engineers

Infrastructure Development: ABUJA - The Nigerian Institution of Highway Engineers (NIHE) has appealed to the Federal Government to challenge indigenous engineers to build and maintain infrastructure in the country.

The Chairman of the institution, Engr. Isa Emuabino, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He said that engaging foreign engineers to build infrastructure in the country would only

relegate indigenous engineers to the background.

“No foreigner should come to Nigeria to build Nigeria; it is Nigerians that will eventually have to build Nigeria the way they want it.

“So, we believe that the government of Nigeria should challenge Nigerian professionals to build Nigeria infrastructure; then you will also begin to know that there will be constant maintenance of those

Kaduna Impounds 500 Commercial Buses

Colour Code:

KADUNA- A total of 500 commercial buses have been impounded by the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in Kaduna State for not being painted in the state’s official colours of Green-Yellow-Green.

The State VIO Director, Ali Dantsoho, told newsmen in Kaduna that the vehicles were impounded within one month.

“Of the commercial buses arrested, 150 are Suzuki buses which carries five passengers and 350 are 10-seater buses,’’ he said.

The director said the exercise would continue and the VIO would make sure all commercial buses complied with the state government’s directive on the approved paint before using the roads.

Dantsoho said no commercial bus which was impounded

would be discharged without being painted.

He said the need to have an approved state paint was for security reasons because the state government was concerned about the security and safety of citizens in the state.

The VIO official also commended the state government for banning the operations of commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as “Okada’’, in the state.

“This has helped to reduce accidents in the state,’’ he said.

Dantsoho urged motorists in the state to go and update their vehicle particulars to avert being arrested.

He urged motorcycle owners to go through the proper channels in processing their particulars to avoid falling victims of fraudsters.

infrastructure.

“If they are built by Nigerian professionals, it means that Nigerian professionals will also do the maintenance and it will be easier to have functional infrastructure in Nigeria.

“So, our take on this is that the government should please stop engaging foreign nationals directly to do our infrastructure; we should find a way of getting Nigeria professionals to be directly involved.

“And they should also give allowance or room or a leeway for that Nigerian professional to invite any other foreign professional wherever he may be when he thinks he needs that person particular specialty.

“And the delivery of infrastructure would be a lot better; will be maintained better and we are going to have it lasting longer for us.“ Emuabino urged government to build confidence on indigenous professionals, adding that when they were allowed to construct the road, the maintenance would be done easily.

According to him, government should get them involved fully in the construction and maintenance of road network for good delivery, adding that the institution wants to be a catalyst that will assist the government in doing what is right in road sector.

Enugu Records 51 Cases Of Sexual Harassment, Rape ENUGU- No fewer than 51

minors were sexually abused or raped in Enugu State between April 2014 and August 2014, the Executive Director of Women Aid Collective, Dr Joy Ezeilo, has said.

Speaking at a media roundtable organised by the Sexual Assault and Referral Centre (SARC) in Enugu, Ezeilo said that 45 adults were also victims’ of rape in the state during the period of review.

She listed the number of cases to include 30 rape cases, four attempted rapes, 10 sexual assaults, 37 defilements and 15 other cases of domestic violence.

Ezeilo said the cases emanated from 14 local government areas in the state.

She listed the local government areas to include Aninri (two cases), Enugu East (28), Enugu South (19), Igboeze South (1), Nkanu East (6), Nsukka (1), Udi (7), Awgu (2) and Oji-River (1).

Others are Enugu North (15 cases), Ezeagu (1), Isiuzo (2), Nkanu West (2), and UzoUwani (2).

She said that three other cases were reported from outside the state.

“We have recorded 96 cases of rape or sexual assault. We want the government to begin to consider a budget to care for sexual assault victims,’’ she said.

According to her, 77 persons out of the victims know the perpetrators while 15 do not know the perpetrators.

She lamented that 16 persons out of the perpetrators were family members of the victims.

The director also expressed dismay at the increasing cases of rape by Fulani cattle rearers in the rural areas.

Ezeilo called on traditional rulers, community leaders and community members to help guard against rape in the different communities.

The Manager of the centre in the state, Mrs Nkechi Nwabueze, said it was in collaboration with the Enugu State Government and the police to prosecute rapists.

Nwabueze said the centre, a gender response project, was

set up to provide a rapid, holistic and high quality free medical, counseling and other support services to victims and survivors of sexual assault in the state.

According to her, the center is being supported by the Department for International Development (DFID) and Justice for All. Some journalists who spoke at the event stressed the need for stakeholders to join hands in fighting the menace.

Mrs Gloria Orji-Emodi of Dream FM said the event was a welcome development, adding that it would help to sensitise the public.

“This is a good idea because it will help people, especially the victims, to know that there is a centre where to address their complaints,’’ she said.

On his part, Mr Dennis Agbo of the National Mirror called on media organisations to collaborate with one another to publicise rape cases.

“We do not need to hide the culprits. We need to make them know that all eyes are on them to reduce these cases,’’ he said.

South West

Voter Registration: OTU (OYO STATE)Residents of Otu in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State have appealed to INEC to extend the period for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the council area.

Speaking with newsmen in separate interviews in Otu, the residents said the extension would enable eligible voters who could

Residents Seek Extention Of Exercise

not register within the stipulated period to do so.

A respondent, Alhaji Iyanda Oniyangi, said: “I want to appeal to INEC to extend the period because we have so many people who are yet to be registered.

“It will be unfair to unjustly deny eligible voters the right to vote.

“One registration machine for each ward will not be enough and that is why the queue is so long everywhere.’’

A politician, Mrs Oluyemisi Ishola, who corroborated Oniyangi’s observation, said some of the equipment became faulty during the exercise.

“ In Igbojaiye area on Thursday, the INEC officials informed us that the battery was bad and that they could not continue with the exercise. “ They only resumed work on Sunday; I think

we urgently need an extension in this council, “ she said.

The reports state that the exercise is meant for Nigerians who have reached the age of 18 years and other eligible voters who did not register in the

previous exercise.

But INEC’s spokesman, Mr Kayode Idowu, has reiterated that the commission would not be able to extend the registration period due to some logistic challenges.

Osun To Recruit 20,000 Volunteers

OSOGBO- The Osun Youth Employment Scheme (OYES) has said that the state government would recruit 20,000 youths as volunteers in February.

The Commandant of scheme, Mr Oyewole Enibukun, said this in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo.

“Official recruitment process is ongoing to recruit 20,000 youths into the OYES programme to replace the present batch of cadets who will disengage from the scheme in 2015,” he said.

He said the youths, who were to be recruited for the two-year empowerment programme, would be engaged between 2015 and 2017.

“The recruitment exercise is a two- year revolving and volunteer scheme which began in 2011 to tackle

unemployment among youths.

“So far, 40,000 youths have benefited from the scheme and more youths are expected to benefit from the present and future recruitment exercises.

“Those who are selected for the programme based on their eligibility and suitability will be engaged and trained in various vocations by the state for two years,” he said.

Enibukun also told newsmen that the programme had helped to reduce the unemployment rate, especially among jobless graduates.

“Empowering the youths through the scheme has led to employment generation. “ At 2013, unemployment rate has dropped to 3 per cent according to the National Bureau of Statistics,” he stated.

He advised other states to replicate the programme so as to tackle unemployment.

APC faithful receiving, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Legal adviser in Osun State and his followers into the APC in Osogbo on Tuesday.

NDLEA Warns Security Agents

Illicit Drug Consumption: ADO-EKITIThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned security officers in the state against consuming banned substances and hard drugs.

The Principal Staff Officer (PSO), Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the agency in Ekiti, Mr Peter Njoku, gave

the warning at a seminar organised for Nigeria Immigration Officers and Federal Road Safety Corps in the state.

He said some of the factors which normally led to unlawful assault by security agents on people are mostly caused by illicit drugs taken by the officers on duty.

NJoku said apart from assault, Peoples Democratic Party’s Legal Adviser in the State of Osun, Barrister John Abolarinwa Abidoye (middle), Elder Adelowo Adebiyi (4th right), Chief of Staff to Osun Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola (left), APC Assistant Public Relations Officer, Apostle Samson Oyebode (2nd right); Secretary of APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun (right). With them are Abidoye’s wife, Kemi (2nd left); Shade and Lola (4th right), during the defection of the PDP Legal Adviser to APC, at the Party Secretariat, Osogbo on Tuesday.

regular intake of banned drugs could result to brain damage as well as affecting the job performance of the officers who indulge in such acts.

He advised security officers of the various agencies to be self disciplined and avoid patronising restaurants and joints where people smoke Indian hemp or take drugs like cocaine and tramadol, among others.

Njoku warned them to avoid friends that were addicted to drugs in order not to jeopardise their active performance in their offices.

He advised them to engage in recreational and religious activities to keep themselves busy during their leisure time instead of indulging consumption harmful substances.

Threat To Life: Wife Seeks ADO-EKITI-Mrs Divorce

Munirat Owoeye, 32, urged an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court to dissolve her sixyear-old marriage to her husband, Arimiyau.

The reports state that the case first came up for mention on June 30.

Munirat is seeking the dissolution on grounds of threat to life, frequent beating and lack of care for the family.

She said that her husband often slept outside of the matrimonial home and at times subject her to beatings when enquiries were made about his movement.

Munirat, a mother of two, said that her husband

sometimes ago assaulted her using a hot iron.

She said that her husband had also threatened her with a cutlass and sent her out of their home.

The complainant further told the court that she had been responsible for the upkeep of the children as her husband was jobless.

She prayed the court to dissolve the marriage and award her the custody of the children so that they would be well catered for.

The President of the court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, however, adjourned the case to Sept. 16 for further hearing.

Lagos

Lagos Trains Teachers On ICT

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS - No fewer than 1000 secondary schools teachers in Lagos have been trained by the State government in the Effective Use of ICT across the

Education Curriculum.

The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye who disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the Workshop in Lagos noted that it is the beginning of a series of

many capacity building interventions and activities for teachers in the state public secondary Schools which the government is putting together.

The Commissioner pointed out that the quality of education

is one of the major planks of national development adding that nations that have developed all over the world have paid great attention to their educational service delivery as they have not only invested in physical infrastructure but also in the human infrastructure at all levels..

Said she, “in Lagos State, our thinking is that while it is right to build infrastructure, it is even of greater importance to build the capacity of staff who will deliver

services to the teeming populace of our State. The reasoning behind this is the fact that only competent and committed teachers teach, not bricks and mortar.”

She opined that this reasoning informed the State Government’s decision to continuously invest in the Education Sector through a variety of interventions like the development of physical infrastructure and development of teaching and administrative

staff in state public Schools.

“Apart from improving on the physical infrastructure in the State’s Public Schools, we have invested heavily in capacity building across all strata of the education sector particularly through the Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project by strengthening school administration, enhancing service delivery and improving learning outcomes,” Oladunjoye

Ban On ‘Okada’ Remains - LASG

An overloaded vehicle at Ado-Awaye Village on Iseyin-Abeokuta Road on Tuesday.

LAGOS - The Lagos State Government has declared that it was not embarking on any review of the 475 routes in the state where the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okada, have been banned.

This declaration is against the resolution passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly recently stating the decision of the House to review the routes and resolve areas of controversies.

The House’s resolution came following complaints about Police harassments, brutality and extortion suffered by motorcycle riders who carry out their activities legally on the routes

Members and patrons of Nigerian Red Cross Society (Lagos State Branch) Alimosho Division, SS Joachim and Anne, Ijegun Detachment during their inauguration in Lagos on Tuesday.

Imbibe Ethics Of Legal Profession, Law Students Advised

LAGOS - The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Ade Ipaye has called on aspiring lawyers to imbibe the ethics of the legal profession through character building, intelligence and personal comportment.

Ipaye who gave this charge at the first Appellate MOOT Court Competition of University of Lagos Law Students Association, urged them to make hardwork, dedication and commitment their watchword.

He said the idea behind the competition is to serve as opportunity for students to develop their writing skills, improve on research as well as sharpen their advocacy skills.

He said the Ministry of Justice decided to sponsor the competition following the need

to encourage aspiring lawyers to identify and build up arguments through thorough research.

According to him, “The exercise was based on a judgment delivered at the High Court and the students were required to come up with Appellate, Respondent and reply Briefs of arguments”, adding that he was very impressed with the level of commitment and extensive research the students displayed during the exercise.

While encouraging more students’ participation in the future, he promised to ensure that the Ministry sponsors the competition annually.

The competition was rated by

a four-man panel comprising of Hon. Justice Sidi Bage [JCA] of the Federal Court of Appeal, Hon Justice Lawal Akapo, Hon. Justice Atinuke Oluyemi both of the Lagos State High Court and Mrs. Idowu Alakija a Director of Public Prosecution in the State Ministry of Justice.

Hon. Justice Bage [JCA] charged the Law students to always respect the law, abide by the ethics and code of conduct of the law profession.

“There is order, decorum and mode of dressing in Court which must be strictly adhere to by lawyers”, he added.

The four chambers within the faculty that participated in the

competition are Kayode Eso Students Chamber; Gani Fawehinmi Student Chamber; Justice Oputa Student Chamber and Teslim Elias Student Chamber.

All participating Chambers were presented with cash gift and certificate of participation.

The overall winning chamber, Justice Oputa Student Chamber Representing the Respondent got a cash gift ofN100.000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira), books and certificate of participation while the runnerup, Teslim Elias Student Chamber got N60,000.00 (Sixty Thousand Naira), books and a certificate of participation.

not affected by the Lagos State Road Traffic Law passed in 2012.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Raji, debunked what it called insinuations, especially in the social media, of a plan to review the State’s Road Traffic Law 2012 concerning operations of commercial motorcycles, saying the government has no intention of reversing itself on the matter as the law was made in response to popular demand.

Raji emphasised that it had no plans, either now on in the near future, to reverse itself on the matter of Okada operations in the state pointing out that by that decision to restrict the movement of commercial motorcycle riders, considerable gains have been made in the area of protection of life and property in the state.

Noting that the decision to regulate okada operation was not a unilateral one, Raji maintained that the government acted in response to the popular demand of the general public who were at the receiving end of the fatalities of commercial motorcycle’s daily operations.

Raji reiterated that the Road Traffic Law did not ban okada operation in the state but restricted a category of motorcycles from operating on only 475 out of the 9,100 roads in the state, which represents a mere 5.6 percent of Lagos roads.

He added that the result and impact of the decision has been tremendous.

According to the statement, an average of 16 deaths and 646 injured patients were being recorded at the state’s secondary and tertiary hospitals every month as a result of motorcycle related accidents, but by March this year the number had dropped to only one to two deaths and less than 100 injured victims of okada accidents a month.

“No doubt, we have all the reasons to thump our chest that we have been responsive and responsible in the discharge of our duty to the people of Lagos,” Raji said, He added that no matter what the cynics think or say, Lagos State government is the only government that has given recognition to the use of motorcycle as a means of commercial transportation through the instrument of the law and regulations meant to protect the riders and the generality of the citizenry.

Indicating that government

knows where the misinformation is coming from and the objective it is meant to achieve, Raji declared: “we are very much aware that in some jurisdictions controlled by the sponsors of this malicious propaganda, they have, through the instrumentality of raw power, banned outright the use of motorcycles.

“The reason and motive of the sponsors of this unpopular agenda is obviously to set the stage for roguish conduct in the 2015 election.

“Their action is not altruistic but sinister. Their subtle and malicious campaign is to aid their sinister plots of fomenting trouble and snatching ballot boxes with the use of motorcycles during the forthcoming general elections.

Such evil plans will have no place in Lagos.”

Man, 43, Arrested For Impersonation LAGOS - A 43 year- old man, Shola Onabanjo has been apprehended at Ojota, Lagos for impersonation and extortion with fake Identity card of the Lagos State Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI Brigade) the law Enforcement unit of the State Ministry of Environment.

The suspect who was not in KAI uniform as at the time of his arrest allegedly demanded and extorted N1, 000 from a yam seller named Amodu Sulaimon who was pushing a wheel barrow with some tubers of yam at Ojota Amodu Sulaimon the yam seller narrated that the man Shola Onabanjo had been extorting money from him and other yam sellers for a long time at Ojota with assurance to them that they would not be arrested by any other KAI official in the area if each of them could pay him one thousand naira daily.

According to the yam seller, himself and other sellers were paying the money because they thought that the man was offering them help by shielding them from KAI’s arrest until the secret was revealed when the KAI patrol vehicle noted that a trader selling tubers of yam at Ojota had refused to move away from the spot after being ordered to vacate the place, which led to his arrest but later pointed at the man Shola Onabanjo who had been encouraging him to maintain his selling spot.

On interrogation the suspect confessed that economic hardship made him engage in this illegal act since he had no job and has to cater for his family.

Across The Nation Katsina Disburses N100m To Victims Of Gun Attack FASKARI - (Katsina State) The Katsina State Government has began the disbursement of N100 million to victims of gunmen attack in Sabuwa and Faskari Local Government Areas of the state.

Unidentified gunmen raided several communities in the two areas, killed 117 persons and injured 37 while 708 were displaced between March 11 and March 12.

Presenting the cheques to families of the deceased and injured persons in Faskari, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, said interim relief packages had earlier been distributed to the victims.

According to him, the state government sponsored the treatment of injured persons.

He said a committee, led by Brig. Gen. Maharazu Tsiga, visited all the affected settlements and had direct contacts with the victims.

Garba said, “Gov. Ibrahim Shema and myself personally

visited the affected communities to condole and sympathise with them.’’

He urged the beneficiaries to consider the packages as support and not compensation for the lives and properties lost during the incident.

According to him, N520,000 will be given to each family of the deceased and between N100,000 and 280,000 to injured persons.

He said N500,000 and below would be given to persons who lost properties depending on the quantity of the items. hairman of the Distribution Committee, Alhaji Lawal Aliyu, assured of prudence and transparency in the distribution.

He commended the governor for assisting the victims and urged the beneficiaries to be patient during the entire exercise.

The Acting Chairman of Faskari local government, Alhaji Sale Tsagero, said the

council had liaised with the various committee representatives to ensure that right persons obtained the support.

He commended individuals, institutions, groups and government agencies for the support and emphasised his commitment to protection of lives and property in the area.

The displaced persons are from Unguwar Tuje, Unguwar Kaka, Unguwar Tudu, Maiwalki, Hayin Goma, Dukku, Kunwa and Unguwar Doka.

L-R: Director, Nigeria Sustainable Development Solutions Network (NSDSN), Prof. Ikenna Onyido; Director, Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV), Prof. Labode Popoola, President African Sustinable Development Network (ASUDNET), Prof. Ndowa Lale and Guest Speaker, Prof. Sola Olopade, at the annual Ibadan Sustainable Summit in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Anambra Assures Of Completion Of Atani-Ekwusigo Road

ONITSHA -(Anambra) The Anambra State Government has assured of quick completion of the ongoing Atani-Ekwusigo road project.

The Commissioner of Works, Mr Callistus Ilozumba, told newsmen in Atani near Onitsha, that the road was cardinal to its Agricultural Transformation

Scheme meant to generate employment and boost food production.

Ilozumba said that the 12km road would link many farming communities that would participate in the agriculture programme.

Speaking after after inspecting the ongoing project, the commissioner said that three bridges meant for the road had been completed while the work was going on at a good pace.

“Atani-Ekwusigo road is a focal road for us, especially as it would support the Agricultural Transformation Scheme since in this axis of the state, we have very fertile arable land.

“It would assist our farmers to get their produce to major markets in Onitsha in order to get good bargain for them

Boko Haram:

APC aspirant for October Governorship By-Election in Adamawa, Mr. Yakubu Tsalla, displaying his Intent and Nomination Forms during his declaration at the APC Secretariat in Yola on Tuesday.

MAIDUGURI - Governor.

Kashim Shettima of Borno state has advised residents of the state to remain calm following alleged proclamation of Islamic State in Gwoza by Boko Harm insurgents.

FG To Complete Silos Nationwide KWALI (FCT) - The Federal Government has promised to complete silos under construction across the country in order to attain 1.3 million metric tonne-capacity by December.

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the promise at the inauguration of 100,000 metric tonne Silo Complex and Private-Sector Driven Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises in Kwali, FCT. He named the silos to be completed as those in Birnin Kebbi, Maiduguri and Ado Ekiti, (100, 000 metric tonnes each, and Igbariam, Anambra, 25,000 metric tonnes.

Others are in Yola, (25,000mt), Damaturu, (25,000mt), Bauchi, Bauchi State (25,000mt), Lafia, Nasarawa State (25,000mt), Uyo, (25,000mt) while that of Yenagoa (100,000mt) was being redesigned.

Adesina, said that Nigeria’s food import bill had declined from N1.1trillion in 2009 to N684 billion by Dec. 2013 through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

According to him, the silos will go a long way to tackle food waste and post-harvest losses.

“There is no doubt that the agriculture sector is growing rapidly, private sector investment in agriculture is also expanding across our nation.

“Small holder farmers are witnessing a refreshing dawn but

the challenges in the sector are the low level of mechanisation.

“Therefore, Nigeria must as a matter of urgency and priority, fully mechanise the agricultural sector; this will unleash the hope and market for farmers”, he said.

Adesina said the launching of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise was private-sector driven to provide farming equipment for farmers. “It will ensure that the ministry no longer buys nor distributes tractors again.

“A farmer with tractor will be able to plant 10 hectares per day compared to one hectare per day done manually with human labour, hoe and cutlasses.

“The number of tractors per 100 kilometres square in Nigeria

is less than 10 compared to 728 in the UK, 257 in the US, 200 in India, 130 in Brazil and 125 in Philippines.

“To improve on this, we have left it fully to the private sector to drive the mechanisation’’, he said.

A farmer, Mr Samaila Madaki, said the farm equipment would translate their productivity from subsistence to profitable agricbusinesses when fully utilised.

Mrs Aisha Nwaru, a farmer in Kwali, said that the maize and rice seedlings subsidised by the Federal Government yielded better and cooked faster.

They applauded Federal Government’s efforts in establishing facilities in their council area.

as well as help those that would like to buy direct from the farms.

“It would be a useless venture, if after producing these tonnes of food items there is no good means of transporting them out of here and getting them to the market.

“Government would ensure speedy completion of the road which will provide a quicker passage in and out of Onitsha,’’ he said.

The commissioner stressed that the road would act as a good alternative by-pass to ease traffic jam at the Upper Iweka axis of the OnitshaEnugu road.

“The road, when completed, would also bring considerable relief to commuters using the Onitsha-Owerri road, as they

would easily connect the Niger Bridge to Delta State through the road, instead of contending with the usual traffic jam at Upper Iweka through the Onitsha-Enugu road,’’ he said.

Ilozumba thanked the people of Ogbaru council for the support they had given to the state government as well as contractor handling the project.

Anambra Government has started mobilising massive land, seedlings and inputs for its agriculture programme.

While in the programme, Anambra North Senatorial zone, which includes Ogbaru area, would be focusing on mass production of rice due to its arable swampy land and accessibility to water from the River Niger.

This is contained in a statement by Shettima in Maiduguri.

The governor was reacting to a video released by the terrorists on their operations in Borno.

“With very due respect, I cannot comment on the authenticity or otherwise of that video. I will leave that to security experts.

“I also cannot disclose measures being adopted by security agencies on whatever development in Gwoza or any part of Borno.

“I can assure the good people of Borno and other members of the public that the State Government is actively in touch and supporting security agencies deployed to the state.

“We are not just studying the situation with collaborative tact and urgency but indeed appropriate measures are being taken by the right authorities’’, he said.

He urged the people to remain calm and resolute in

their support for security agencies and abiding in faith and prayers.

“The security agencies are in position to analyse the content of the said new video, compare with the facts on ground in Gwoza and brief the Nigerian public as they deem fit professionally.

“They should bear in mind the national interest and patriotism as well as the overall safety of citizens’’, he said.

The governor appealed to Nigerians and the media not to dramatise and sensationalise issues such as the one connected with Gwoza.

“This is to prevent the insurgents from achieving their aim which is to claim victory over our sovereign state, our rights to existence, our freedom and our liberty.

“It is always the goal of the insurgents to create so much panic that will make anyone who doesn’t share their ideology feel unsafe and defeated’’, he said.

Shettima Calls For Calm

Abuja Implement 27.5 Percent Peculiar Allowances, Teachers Urge - FG

ABUJA- The Unity Colleges Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has appealed to the Federal Government to implement the 27.5 per cent peculiarity allowance of its members.

Mr Emeka Okonta, the association’s Coordinator, told newsmen in Abuja that the teachers were being denied of this and other allowances such as core science and mathematics teachers’ allowance, house master and house mistress allowance as stipulated in the Civil Service book.

According to Okonta,

unlike teachers, nurses who work as civil servants outside the hospital environment received whatever benefits paid to their colleagues.

Okonta stressed that teachers welfare was paramount to the development of the education sector.

“When a teacher’s salary cannot take him home, it is not going to be easy for that teacher to put in his

best.

“If you are asking a teacher to manage, he cannot improvise.

“When we were employed, we saw our money being deducted under the Association of Senior Civil Servants.

“Why we became jittery about the whole thing was that in 2010, the Federal

Government said it was going to give what was called 13th month to civil servants.

“As civil servants, we were happy, but when it was approved, we were excluded, and upon inquiry, we were told that as teachers, we would not benefit from the 13th month.’’

Man, 38, Charged With Impersonation, Forgery

Traditional Ruler Urges FG To Promote Local Festivals ABUJA - The traditional ruler of Iwaro-Oka, Akoko, Ondo, King Stephen Ogunoye, has called on the Federal Government to promote local cultural festivals to boost tourism.

Ogunoye said this at a news conference in Abuja to mark the end of the 252th Ukori Annual Festival that took place in the area.

Mr Felix Aponbiede, Youth Leader, Iwaro-Oka Akoko, who spoke on behalf of the monarch, said local festivals remained one of the tourism potentials the government could exploit.

He said that Ukori festival was special because it helped to eliminate diseases among children.

“This is the belief of the local community,” Aponbiede said.

Ogunoye said that the festival also helped to promote peace and unity in the community, notwithstanding religious differences.

He said the celebration of Ukori was a continuous attempt to promote the cultural heritage of the people, adding that it had equally boosted the economy of the community.

“Ukori festival is a dramatic performance involving singing, dancing, masquerades parade and traditional prayers for the community.

“Ukori festival is celebrated in appreciation to the god of Ukori hill that helped the community warriors to defeat the opponent in a war,’’ he said.

Ogunoye, however, called on the government to step up its war against the Ebola virus disease.

According to him, everybody should be involved in the fight against the disease as it portends grave danger to humanity.

He called on Nigerians to make their environment clean, adding that since cure had not been found for the virus all hand must be on deck to prevent further spread of the virus.

The traditional ruler also said that 91 masquerades featured at the festival and it witnessed a large turnout of people in and around the state.

He also said that teachers were denied the payment of peculiarity allowance, when it was approved on grounds that they were civil servants.

Okonta said it was a different situation for people in other professions who work as civil servants.

“From what I am seeing now, teachers are not putting in their best and yet

people are crying about mass failure.

“They are not putting in their best because they are not happy.’’

He, therefore, urged the governments to evolve measures that would motivate teachers put in their best.

The coordinator also urged the Federal Government to ensure the payment of all allowances due to teachers in the unity schools.

President Goodluck Jonathan (4th left), his wife, Dame Patience (5th left), Dora’s husband, John and other family members of Late former Minister of Information, Prof.

Dora Akunyili during a requiem mass at our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church in Abuja on Tuesday.

ABUJA - Augustine Okechalu, 38, has been arraigned in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for alleged impersonation and forgery.

The accused, a resident of post Army Housing Estate, Kurudu, Abuja, is also charged with obstructing a police officer on duty.

Police prosecutor, Sgt. Atteh Effiong, told the court that the matter was reported at the Kurudu Divisional

L-R: Dora Akunyili’s husband, John; President Goodluck Jonathan; his wife Dame Patience and Dora’s daughter, during a requiem Mass for Prof. Dora Akunyili at our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church in Abuja on Tuesday.

Tackle Illiteracy, UNESCO Tells State Govts

ABUJA- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has advised state governments to address illiteracy challenges confronting the country.

The Regional Director of UNESCO, Prof. Hassana Alidou, gave the advice in Abuja at a one-day advocacy meeting on revitalising adult and youth literacy programme.

The 19 commissioners for education in the Northern part of the country attended the meeting.

Alidou was represented by Dr Daidou Jallow, Senior Programme Specialist on education.

The director said the meeting was aimed at strengthening the

national capacity for designing, delivering, evaluating and monitoring the quality of literacy programmes in the country.

According to her, UNESCO has provided the technical support for all phases to ensure the development of strategic framework for literacy and nonformal education in Nigeria.

She said UNESCO, in collaboration with National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), had trained 5,264 facilitators across the six geo-political zones to address illiteracy in Nigeria.

“These facilitators have been picked from 146 local government areas of the country under the project.

‘The facilitators, however, will be unable to contribute to raising literacy level in their respective states if they are not engaged by the states for which they are trained.

“The role of the states in engaging these facilitators is therefore crucial,’’ she said.

She, however, called for collaboration from all stakeholders in the various states to address the issue of adult and youth illiteracy.

Mr Jibrin Paiko, the Executive

Secretary of NMEC, advocated for proper funding of facilitators to enable them actualise their objectives.

Paiko explained that the commission had advocated for a stipend of N7,500 to be paid to the facilitators in each state, adding that only few states had keyed into this policy.

He commended the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Rivers states on their efforts to eradicate illiteracy in the country.

“Major challenge faced by NMEC is the payment of N7,500 as salary for facilitators as only few states are doing this by paying more than the fixed amount to the facilitators.

Police Station by ASP. Okporo Jerry on Aug. 13.

“The accused commanded the police officer who was controlling traffic at Karu roundabout, to stop other vehicles in order for him to move on.

“The accused also showed the traffic warder a police identity card, identifying himself as an Assistant Superintendent of Police.’’

Effiong said the conduct of the accused necessitated the traffic warder to order his arrest.

The prosecutor said the accused confessed to have forged the identity card by imposing the name ‘Harrison Onyila’ on it as his name.

The prosecutor said investigation also revealed that the accused forged the ID card to enable him to convey and distribute Indian hemp to his customers.

Effiong said the fake identity card was to enable him to evade arrest.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 132, 364 and 148 of the Penal Code.

The accused, however, denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the crimes.

Senior Magistrate Usman Shuaibu granted him bail in the sum of N1million with a surety who must be a civil servant not below GL.12.

Shuaibu said the surety must have a traceable address which must be within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the matter to October 14 for hearing.

ABUJA - Some Nigerians have decried the incessant strikes witnessed under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, saying that they have impacted negatively on the economy and national development.

They made their views known in a national survey by our newsmen.

Some labour leaders identified failure on the part of governments’ and the management of companies to honour agreements as the major cause of strikes.

In Abia, the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr Sylvanus Eyeh, told journalists that labour often resorted to strike when government failed to implement negotiated agreements.

“Workers usually embark on strike, when government fails to implement its agreement with the union.’’

Mr Hyacinth Okoli, the Chairman, Abia Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, corroborated Eyeh’s views, stressing that government and labour should always reach “implementable agreements’’ on industrial issues.

“Government should endeavour to respect agreements it willingly entered into; but where it becomes obvious that the agreements are no longer feasible, labour should show understanding,’’ Okoli said.

A public affairs analyst, Mr Emma Ugwu, blamed labour for “always making unrealistic demands from government’’ and holding the nation to ransom.

Ugwu cited the incessant strikes by ASUU, ASUP and NMA as instances, saying that labour had ceased to enjoy public sympathy for most of its agitations.

He said that apart from making “unrealistic demands’’, labour often exhibited a high level insensitivity to the nation’s economic downturn and the consequences of strikes on the citizenry.

Ugwu and Okoli said that strikes “paralyse the system and the economy, and at the end government will be arm twisted to pay the salaries of the striking workers’’.

They urged labour to evolve a more realistic and friendly means of resolving industrial disputes with the government in the interest of the nation’s economy and “the common man’’.

In Ogun, the NLC Chairman Akeem Ambali, expressed similar opinion, and urged the Federal

News Extra Nigerians Decry Incessant Strike Government to honour agreements reached with labour unions.

He said: “Throughout the world, government is measured by the standard of adherence to signed agreement. The law of collective bargaining is simple.

“When you see a government that reneges voluntarily on agreement, you expect hiccups in the system.

“Until government turns a new leaf to appreciate and respect the leadership of labour unions and shows sincerity to the plight of the masses, the issue of incessant strikes may subsist,’’ Ambail said.

Mr Samuel Adesanya, the Deputy President, Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), said labour leaders were aware that dialogue, negotiations and industrial courts were alternative dispute settling mechanisms.

Adesanya, however, opined that “the negative attitude of the government often discouraged labour unions from exploring the options.

“You discover that the government representatives often use delay tactics by failing to turn up for dialogues or claim that they did not have mandate to commit the government to a particular level of negotiation.’’

Also, Mr. Okikiola Ogunsola, the Chairman, Ogun chapter of National Association of Nigeria Student (NANS), said that some of the strikes were induced.

He alleged that on some occasions, opposition parties used labour leaders, adding that in such occasion, “they often turn deaf ears to all entreaties by the government’’.

Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, the Ogun Head of Service, decried the strikes, which he said, had its negative effect on the economy.

“The incessant strikes have impacted negatively on the nation’s economy, part of which are loss of national output, fall in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and manpower loss.

“When there is strike, goods and services will be scarce while demand will be high; and this will result in inflation as too much money will be chasing few goods, thereby crippling the economy,’’ Adekunle said.

In Lokoja, Nigerians also

criticised the strikes, saying that the industrial unrest had robbed the civil service of efficiency and quality service to the nation.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman in the state, Mr Ibrahim Obansa, told journalists that the country had suffered economic losses, including slow growth.

The Special Assistant to Governor Idris Wada on SURE-P, Mr Kabiru Yusuff, while decrying the strikes, called for the immediate overhaul and restructuring of

state, Mr. Hamisu Gital, said that no labour leader would prefer the strike option because of the implication on the socio-economic development of the country.

Gital urged the three tiers of government and industries to always endeavour to be open to negotiations and faithfully implement agreements reached.

“Once that is done, labour will have no moral or legal justification to call out its members on strike,” he

productivity of workers to develop’’.

He stressed the need for government negotiators and leaders to be “sincere and open-minded’’ always with labour.

“Open everything on the table for us because Nigeria is our country; I believe no labour leader will see the truth and refuse to accept the fact,’’ Matazu said.

He, however, said that in most cases, government would tell labour

uniform salary structure was also responsible for the strikes.

Akanbi said that if all categories of workers were treated uniformly in term of salary and other welfare packages, strikes in Nigeria would become a forgotten issue.

He said that strikes could be eliminated in the country, if government eliminates “deregulation’’ in workers’ salary.

Another economist, Dr Aliu

that they don’t have funds to implement workers’ demands and without explanations.

“So, how do we know that the government doesn’t have the funds to meet our demands.’’

In Damaturu, some Nigerians told journalists that they were fed up with the strikes and called on governments and labour to explore other avenues other than strikes to settle industrial disputes.

A student union official, Alkali Inuwa, noted that ASUU and ASUP wasted many months just as doctors spent 55 days on strike, yet the issues were not fully resolved .

Meanwhile, some Nigerians in Ilorin, have called the Federal Government to evolve a harmonised welfare package for workers as part of measures to curb strikes in the country.

The NLC Chairman in Kwara, Farooq Akanbi, told journalists that the lack of a

Badmus, urged the government to evolve a policy that would cater for workers’ plight, to put an end to strikes.

In Jos, Mr Sunday Akinfolarin, the Deputy Secretary of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), North Central zone, admitted that strikes were unhealthy for the nation’s economy.

Akinfolarin said: “strikes have always been an effective tool for negotiation but they are dangerous to the economy of any nation.

“Strikes inflict much damage to the economy but they are an unavoidable instrument and a legal way for workers to express their fundamental human rights.’’

He said that strikes could be nipped in the bud, if government established a social way of constantly dialoguing with labour and called for robust collaboration between governments and labour.

He said that the idea of government always trying to lord it over labour should be discouraged.

Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, NLC President.

the unions to stem the tide.

A Bauchi-based economist, Dr Ahmed Mai-Abba, said that the incessant strikes undermined the economic development of the country.

Alhaji Mai-Abba , the Managing Director, Alind Nigeria Ltd., said that strikes, regardless of the sector, inhibit economic growth, either directly or indirectly.

He cited an example with the education sector, which according to him, witnessed more strikes than other sectors, resulting in the loss of trillions naira.

“The incessant strikes recorded in the education sector has completely bastardised the education system of this country that trains manpower.

“Education has become sub-standard as over 40 per cent of annual academic sessions are covered by industrial actions over one demand or another.

“If you analyse this gross failure in terms of naira and kobo, it runs into trillions or even more,” Mai-Abba said.

The NLC chairman in the

advised.

Similarly, the Deputy Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, Bauchi chapter, Dr Bashir Faruk, explained the spiralling effect of strike on the economy, citing as an example, the recent industrial action by resident doctors.

According to him, the strike has taken its toll on access to health facilities, thereby inducing a drop in socioeconomic activities.

“A department that is supposed to be handled by about 18 doctors, now has only six doctors to attend to patients.

“By these analyses, one can see clearly that the country is losing something that would have contributed to its advancement,” Faruk said. however, the NLC Chairman in Katsina, Alhaji Aliyu Matazu, called on governments at all levels to intensify efforts toward implementing agreements with workers to discourage strikes.

Matazu told jounalists that “every nation relies on the

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (27/08/2014) Stocks

Open

Close

Change

Deals

Units

Value

NB

175

174.73

-0.27

0

501,382

87,568,981.11

7UP

128.78

134

5.22

0

241,799

32,394,884.65

NCR

13.5

13.5

0

0

2,198

29,673.00

ABCTRANS

0.71

0.71

0

0

24,350

17,047.50

NEIMETH

1.14

1.09

-0.05

0

287,400

313,911.00

0.82

0.81

-0.01

0

12,842,464

10,429,809.48

0

73,217

76,225,726.73

ACADEMY

1.55

1.55

0

0

68,000

105,155.00

NEM

ACCESS

9.8

10

0.2

0

187,161,284

1,836,630,488.00

NESTLE

1079.99

1079.99

0

AFRIPRUD

3.25

3.3

0.05

0

3,727,527

12,281,297.87

NEWGOLD

2019

2015

-4

0

17

34,255.00

AGLEVENT

1.46

1.46

0

0

17,067

25,474.50

NIGERINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

11,000

5,500.00

AIICO

0.8

0.8

0

0

32,745,011

26,222,064.80

NNFM

21

21

0

0

572,444

11,420,257.80

1.1

1.1

0

0

255,500

278,550.00

1868.46

-1.06

0

264,572,613

3,394,792,085.00

AIRSERVICE

2.08

2.08

0

0

3,050

6,380.00

NPFMCRFBK

ASHAKACEM

32

32

0

0

230,046

7,585,309.01

NSE30

1869.52

BECOPETRO

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

NSE50

2025.25

2025.08

-0.17

0

317,111,442

3,793,644,517.00

BERGER

9

9

0

0

200,508

1,735,838.02

NSEASI

41235.27

41121.14

-114.13

0

387,602,388

3,936,891,416.00

BETAGLAS

17.96

18.85

0.89

0

2,377,516

44,798,376.60

NSEBNK

415.18

420.1

4.92

0

219,258,247

2,335,218,828.00

1022.83

1022.84

0.01

0

38,064,705

510,847,391.20

2713.57

2695.79

-17.78

0

4,110,376

243,846,624.50

BOCGAS

5.76

5.48

-0.28

0

118,811

651,084.28

NSECNSMRGDS

CADBURY

63

59.85

-3.15

0

160,900

9,632,699.82

NSEINDUSTR

CAP

39.05

39.05

0

0

114,808

4,484,094.08

NSEINS

144.99

144.69

-0.3

0

52,066,095

41,970,390.34

CAVERTON

5.32

5.32

0

0

81,510

434,779.90

NSELOTUSISLM

2745.11

2729.94

-15.17

0

5,455,069

396,928,885.80

CCNN

14.6

14.45

-0.15

0

187,583

2,695,258.55

NSEOILGAS

471.8

463.16

-8.64

0

6,477,316

304,586,780.30

25.05

25.5

0.45

0

5,021,775

127,105,272.60

34.65

33.51

-1.14

0

614,549

20,701,708.31

CHAMPION

8.31

8.3

-0.01

0

100,000

830,000.00

OANDO

CHAMS

0.5

0.5

0

0

355,000

177,500.00

OKOMUOIL

CILEASING

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,800

900

PAINTCOM

1.6

1.6

0

0

13,000

21,040.00

CONOIL

71.5

68

-3.5

0

293,371

19,973,180.45

PHARMDEKO

2.38

2.38

0

0

1,360

3,087.20

CONTINSURE

1.02

0.99

-0.03

0

2,682,222

2,604,548.34

PORTPAINT

5

5

0

0

10,010

50,052.00

1.73

1.81

0.08

0

50,700

91,739.00

CORNERST

0.59

0.59

0

0

14,400

8,342.00

PREMBREW

COSTAIN

1.13

1.08

-0.05

0

1,097,476

1,194,308.60

PRESCO

36.3

36.3

0

0

417,687

15,147,372.46

COURTVILLE

0.57

0.57

0

0

7,150

3,954.00

PRESTIGE

0.5

0.5

0

0

12,424

6,212.00

CUSTODYINS

3.85

3.85

0

0

101,976

395,503.38

PZ

36

35.5

-0.5

0

413,642

14,481,262.03

CUTIX

1.84

1.84

0

0

11,667

22,517.31

REDSTAREX

4.8

4.8

0

0

42,830

203,538.50

0.57

0.57

0

0

730,776

417,024.14

0

0

91,038

83,122.58

CWG

5

5

0

0

2,000

9,500.00

ROYALEX

DAARCOMM

0.5

0.5

0

0

2,500

1,250.00

RTBRISCOE

0.88

0.88

DANGCEM

228.5

225

-3.5

0

634,739

142,846,021.80

SEPLAT

680

680

0

0

2,085

1,419,592.75

DANGFLOUR

7.5

7.5

0

0

32,995,596

247,443,567.40

SKYEBANK

2.9

2.93

0.03

0

2,256,114

6,593,954.54

DANGSUGAR

8.7

8.63

-0.07

0

634,042

5,490,641.43

SOVRENINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

200

100

30

30

0

0

773,765

23,208,899.47

DIAMONDBNK

6.23

6.1

-0.13

0

3,741,901

22,896,649.82

STANBIC

DNMEYER

1.15

1.15

0

0

500

550

STDINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

2,000

1,000.00

DUNLOP

0.5

0.5

0

0

50,000

25,000.00

STERLNBANK

2.32

2.32

0

0

2,949,295

6,648,779.36

EQUITYASUR

0.5

0.5

0

0

350,000

175,000.00

STUDPRESS

2.4

2.4

0

0

10

22.8

ETERNA

3.8

3.9

0.1

0

345,722

1,305,640.35

TOTAL

182

180.02

-1.98

0

40,952

7,372,183.00

5.71

5.81

0.1

0

23,075,005

133,663,308.80

1.88

1.88

0

0

96

171.84

ETI

16.5

16.5

0

0

267,604

4,417,093.03

TRANSCORP

EVANSMED

2.02

2.02

0

0

51,916

103,042.20

TRIPPLEG

FBNH

14.1

14.1

0

0

13,169,682

185,295,170.70

UAC-PROP

15.4

15.4

0

0

222,807

3,364,607.30

FCMB

4.3

4.3

0

0

3,779,521

16,078,969.60

UACN

58.75

58.75

0

0

629,543

37,084,856.76

FIDELITYBK

1.98

1.98

0

0

2,504,435

4,962,311.67

UBA

7.23

7.19

-0.04

0

4,558,263

32,766,739.18

2.15

2.15

0

0

2,636,061

5,684,154.94

FIDSON

3.2

3.33

0.13

0

3,181,823

10,564,270.57

UBCAP

FLOURMILL

68.11

68.11

0

0

65,165

4,258,048.59

UBN

8.1

8.1

0

0

427,687

3,472,469.81

FO

232.11

220.55

-11.56

0

593,989

135,604,592.40

UNIC

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,488

744

GLAXOSMITH

65.99

65.99

0

0

69,008

4,356,280.22

UNILEVER

49

49

0

0

149,517

7,197,740.78

GUARANTY

28.59

28.88

0.29

0

10,214,088

291,540,753.00

UNIONDICON

14.11

14.11

0

0

60

804.6

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,081,000

540,500.00

GUINNESS

185

185

0

0

17,396

3,219,535.50

UNITYBNK

HONYFLOUR

4.1

4.09

-0.01

0

952,090

3,893,424.31

UPDCREIT

8.7

8.7

0

0

15,000

124,500.00

IKEJAHOTEL

0.81

0.82

0.01

0

1,401,950

1,141,579.70

UPL

4.3

4.25

-0.05

0

369,153

1,563,482.29

INFINITY

1.52

1.52

0

0

300

471

VETGRIF30

18.68

18.65

-0.03

0

15,585

290,531.70

INTBREW

27

27

0

0

136,559

3,687,268.00

VITAFOAM

4.15

4.15

0

0

213,500

886,278.50

120

120

0

0

330,499

39,608,117.17

INTENEGINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

272,296

136,148.00

WAPCO

JAPAULOIL

0.52

0.51

-0.01

0

3,109,594

1,575,616.79

WAPIC

0.78

0.78

0

0

2,645,188

2,065,734.72

JBERGER

65

65

0

0

19,431

1,245,105.69

WEMABANK

0.95

0.94

-0.01

0

3,170,627

2,990,473.69

LEARNAFRCA

1.58

1.58

0

0

2,404

3,654.08

ZENITHBANK

24.3

24.3

0

0

5,177,576

125,289,589.60

LIVESTOCK

3.28

3.14

-0.14

0

777,259

2,440,598.76

MANSARD

2.5

2.5

0

0

20,710

51,596.00

MAYBAKER

1.51

1.44

-0.07

0

430,179

620,758.96

MBENEFIT

0.54

0.54

0

0

752,900

406,695.00

MOBIL

174

174

0

0

25,591

4,500,835.30

MRS

58.9

55.96

-2.94

0

155,916

8,725,076.31

NAHCO

5

4.9

-0.1

0

644,963

3,187,234.94

NASCON

9.96

9.9

-0.06

0

1,409,900

13,637,332.35

TOP 10 GAINERS Stock 7UP NSEBNK B E TA G L A S OANDO GUARANTY ACCESS FIDSON ETERNA TRANSCORP PREMBREW

Close 134 420.1 18.85 25.5 28.88 10 3.33 3.9 5.81 1.81

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain

Stock

Close

Loss

5.22 4.92 0.89 0.45 0.29 0.2 0.13 0.1 0.1 0.08

NSEASI 114.13 NSEINDUSTR 17.78 NSELOTUSISLM 15.17 FO 11.56 NSEOILGAS NEWGOLD DANGCEM CONOIL C A D B U RY MRS

41121.14

-

2695.79

-

2729.94

-

220.55

-

463.16 2015 225 68 59.85 55.96

-8.64 -4 -3.5 -3.5 -3.15 -2.94

THE need to conserve our forest through scientific research to improve the quality of forest trees in Nigeria becomes more important than ever.

Forests area source of wealth and beauty which we should collectively conserve. FOR Instance, there Is the need for governments at all levels to encourage the planting of neem frees.

The neem tree, particularly in the Northern part of Nigeria, is one of the most economic trees you can find anywhere.

RESEARCH has revealed that apart from using It to reduce the effects of desertification, it has been discovered in the last ten years that there are so many things that can come out of the neem tree.

FIRST, there is the neem oil. Sold all over the world and used by most cosmetic industries, the neem oil is a by product of the neem free. The neem seed when crushed, produces one of the best cosmetic oils anywhere in the world.

THERE are also other byproducts which come out of making the oil and many of them are being used at the moment for making soap, detergents and paints, it has been discovered lately that a good part of local paints used all over the North for painting mud houses, are also byproducts of the neem tree.

BASED on the above, deliberate efforts need to be made, more than ever before, to conserve our forests, for the economic, social and agricultural value. FORESTS are an important

THE NIGERIAN

Imperative Of Forest Conservation component of the national environment which play a significant role in water and soil conservation. The importance of forest lies In its ability to hold rain water, which is gradually released to the soil below and streams which flow through them.

BESIDES, forests act as protective cover for the soil against the action of rain and wind. It also reduces the speed of wind and devastating effect of erosion. Forests any where in the world provide home for wild life.

INDEED, forests, especially the luxuriant rain forest in Nigeria is being depleted at an alarming rate. Apart from serving as a source of timber, forests are daily destroyed for farming activities.

Added to the above is the destruction of this natural environment for the sitting of industries, residential buildings and road construction.

WHEN the forests are destroyed the soil is left bare and consequently exposed to erosion and in some cases, flooding. Therefore, many plant species are lost and the natural home of wild life destroyed. The above factors conspire to reduce the number of wild life available.

THIS accounts for why some hitherto

thick forested regions of Nigeria are now left as a barren semi desert today.

HOWEVER, there is the urgent need to strengthen the selective felling of frees WHAT we have seen over the years were mere rhetorics rather than pragmatic tree planting policies by government at all levels. T1 efforts towards forest conservation will be far from success unless the issue of bush burning is addressed. Bush burning has led to the destruction of forests, wild life and loss of soil fertility.

Sometimes, this damage and soil degradation become irreversible.

GOVERNMENT should therefore introduce protective legislative measures to prevent the incidence of bush burning.

HOME to several plants and wild life, conserved forests will serve as tourist centres as it is obtainable in a country such as Kenya.

TOURISM will help to diversity the economy of Nigeria, provide employment and provide huge revenue required for national - development FINALLY, the conservation of our forests should not be restricted to the confines of government alone.

Traditional rulers, Non Governmental Organisations (N.G.Os), private firms and the public should adopt the culture of preserving the work and gift of nature bearing In mind that not every country of the world has this same blessing.

Therefore the duty lies on all of us to protect and preserve our forests for future generations.

Opinion Food Security And National Development

IT has been predicted that there would be a catastrophic widespread food famine, the type the world has never witnessed before the year 2020.

It is of common knowledge that the quality of the food a people eat is a reflection of their lives. In African setting, one of the achievements of a man is his ability to provide quality food for his family, an idea which the Holy Bible also prescribes.

By extension, any country that is self — sufficient in food production, and does not depend on other countries for the provision of food for her citizenry has reasons to be proud among comity of Nations.

Considering the abundant agro-opportunities around our country, Nigeria, there is no justifiable reason for her to be part of the over 1 billion people currently experiencing hunger across the world, despite the governments resolve to make the country one of the top 20 economies by the year 2020.

Food Security is an essential tool for national development. It might interest you to know that with little co-coordinated efforts to utilize the abundant human and Natural Resources, Nigeria can be reposition on the map of the world as a leading food producer. Most of what Nigeria needs to attain this enviable height is within her reach.

Compared with any country of the world, Nigeria has one of the best climate and land resources for produce would be enough for consumption, exportation and industrialization. There is a wide range of crops in which it enjoys comparative advantage.

Achieving food security in Nigeria is pivotal to national development. This is because it serves as boost to other sectors of the economy. It is a common saying that a hungry man, is an angry man, therefore a nation with a fragile food security will have a fragile internal security that could produce nothing better than a population of people with bottled anger, awaiting exposition.

It is a common knowledge that good food enhances immunity and good health, a well fed child can develop intellectually to justify investments in his education.

Besides, the nutritional values and industrial potentials, food is an International Identity, as world-class exported food tends to become cultural

By OJO ESTHER OFUJE ambassador for a country and its people.

According to a food expert, Mr. Kennedy Nwakapa, “food security exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary and food preferences for an active and healthy life style”. This is a fact that tends to have ended the intelligence of leaders of this nation, Nigeria.

Nigeria is predominantly an agrarian society, as a reasonable percentage of the population engages in Agricultural production though at subsistence level.

Agriculture holdings are generally small and scattered.

It provides about 41 percent of Nigeria’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1999 this percentage represented a normal decrease of 24.7 percent from 65.7 percent GDP in 1957. The decrease is still ongoing because, as economic development occurs, the relative size of agricultural sector usually decreases?

The fertility of the Nigeria soil and the wide range of varieties in climate allow it to produce a variety of food and crops. The staple major food crops include yam, cassava, corn, plantain, rice, sorghum and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

The leading cash crops are cocoa, citrus, cotton, groundnuts, palm oil, palm kernel, beans seed and rubber; they form part of Nigeria’s major exports commodities in the 1960s and early 70s. Chief among the export destinations for Nigeria’s agricultural products were Britain, USA, Canada, France and Germany.

Other aspects of the nations agricultural sector involves cattle herding, fishing, poultry and lumbering which contributed more than two percent to the GDP in the 1980s.

According to the United Nations food and Agricultural Organization (UN-FAO) 1987 estimate, there were 12.2 million cattle, 13.2 million sheep, 26 million goats, 1.3 million pigs, 700,000 donkeys, 250,000 horses, and 18,000 camels, mostly in Northern Nigeria and owned mostly by rural dwellers. Fishing out pet range from 600,000 to 700,000 tons annually in the 70s but statistical data indicated that all these aspects

of our agricultural sector have dropped to it’s lowest ebb due to numerous factors which must be overhauled if the nation must be on course for vision 202020 No country can truly be a truly great nation if it is not capable of feeding its citizens. Recent estimate put the number of hungry people in Nigeria at over 50 million, just less than 30 percent of

proffered. If Nigeria truly takes food security seriously.

This is because developments go hand in hand with the issue of food security in every nation of the world.

Although agriculture contributes about 42 percent of the country’s GDP. Provided employment means of livelihood for more than 80 percent of the productively engaged population, it receives less than 10 percent of the annual budgetary allocations.

Under funding in this regard is central to the crisis

Akinwumi Adesina, Minister for Agriculture the country’s total population in food production and food of about 160 million out of security in Nigeria which which about 52 percent live explains the high incidence under the poverty line. of poverty and As earliest stated in this underdevelopment. write up, Nigeria was self Akin to this problem is the sufficient in food production seemingly irresolvable and was indeed a net exporter incoherence in governments’ of food to other regions of the policy formulation and world. However, things implementation strategies. changed dramatically for the The fact remains that the worse following the global Nigeria agriculture is still too economic crisis that hit feeble to compete with the developing countries forces of Nature and the beginning from the late 70s, dynamics of the International coupled with ;the discovery of Market. The farmers are crude oil and subsequent incompetent to contend with rising revenue from the the challenges of the climate nations petroleum sector. change.

These provided a platform for With too little or too much the neglect of the agricultural rains, the Nigerian farmers sector and turned Nigeria into are still the losers because an a net importer of food. average farmer has no By 2009, for example, the stabilizing factors to cope Federal Ministry of with the challenges. The Agriculture and Rural farmers, still depends largely Development estimated that on traditional implement.

Nigeria was spending over 3 The Nigerian farm is still a billion Dollars annually on model of incompatible food Importation. marriage between new ideas Numerous factors are such as improved crop responsible for this ugly trend varieties and crude age-long in the nation’s agricultural working tools of bare — foot sector, these must be revisited old farmer. and appropriate solution

More so, with so many Agricultural and research institutes, Nigeria hardly needs more paper work.

Nigeria needs to move from crude to mechanized farming.

The machines can produce better than the crude method of farming by the fast ageing population of the poverty — ridden rural dwellers, struggling to feed million of Nigerian people.

Basic infrastructural facilities like good roads to access the rural areas where the bulk of the agricultural crops are cultivated are inadequate; lack of farm labour due to rural — urban drift, trade restrictions, illiteracy on the part of farmers, little or nongovernment assistance in providing some basic facilities like fertilizers, dams for Irrigation, storage facilities and credit facilities coupled with acts of nature such as drought and flooding are some of the factors militating against food security in Nigeria. The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Ayo Adesina recently in an interview with newsmen identified the appalling level of financing in Agriculture in comparison with their African Nations.

According to him “Nigeria spends only 3% or less of her entire budget onAgriculture.”

Other countries, much smaller than Nigeria do far more than this. Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique spend between 10-15 percent or more in agriculture.

The Minister pointed out that agricultural production low, nothing that yields of farms in Nigeria are extremely low, with the average yield of seed crops in Nigeria still at approximately one ton per hectare compared to the global average of five tons per hectare. The minister went on to say that “as big as Nigeria, only one percent of our farmers use modern seeds.” He pointed out that Nigeria is presently using 13 killogramme. Per hectare of fertilizer,” According to him “Now the global average is 100 killogramme, China is close to 400 per hectare. Most of the food we produce comes from expanding cultivated areas, not from increasing productivity per unit area.” In addition, he said a lot of what we produced is lost due to lack of proper storage and processing facilities, explaining that Nigeria farmers have been poor managers of agricultural resources due to poor planning. The Minister concluded that, Nigeria is now the largest importer of tomatoes paste from China

and Italy when we have tomatoes in abundance, wasting away on a daily basis due to no storage facilities.

The ongoing co-ordination between the ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the efforts to reposition the agriculture sector is enjoying the support of industry analyst who seek enhanced Agriculture Productivity and the attainment of food security.

Attention was again drawn to the abysmal performance of the nations agriculture sector when the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi reeled out the facts and figures on why existing agricultural policies should be reviewed with the aim of improving out put from the sector.

Just as the CBN governor’s revelation show that Nigeria is incurring a total food import bill of $4.2 billion (about N638.4 billion) annually due to the neglect of agriculture, the governor proposed a completely new agriculture policy.

With all these problems bedeviling the nation’s agricultural sector, it must be reiterated that no government in Nigeria has displayed ignorance of the possibilities of food security in National Development. Whether their policies and programmes have been mere white elephant protect or paper tiger, whether they are blue print or mere political statements, whether they are genuine intentions or mere channels of siphoning public money are puzzles Nigerians have found difficult to give accurate definition.

It is high time Nigeria translated the country’s huge agriculture potentials into realities by encouraging local production and strengthening the value chain so as to make Nigeria self-sufficient and generate income and wealth for the Nigerian farmers.

If country must move from its current level to higher heights in food production and, if she desires true national development, then, food insecurity which is as a result of the under performance in the agricultural sector can only be turned around with more commitment on the part of policy makers.

In this is a sure way to put the nation on the part to attaining the millennium Development Goals and the transformation agenda of Mr. President. Besides, food security should be given greater priority in order to enhance self sustainability which is one of the prerequisite for National growth and development.

Ajuwaya Relevance, Benefits Of National Youth

THE National youth service Corp was set up by decree 24 and modified by decree 51 of June 1993 to inculcate in ‘Nigerian Youths’ a spirit of selfless service to the community and to promote a spirit of oneness and unity in a nation of diverse cultures, economic and social backgrounds. It was one of the tools by which Nigeria hoped to achieve some of her post civil war objectives of a united, strong and self-reliant nation, a dynamic economy, a land full of opportunities for all citizens and a free and democratic economy.

Establishing the relevance and benefits of a national youth service scheme for Nigeria should not be done to the exclusion of internationally accepted definitions of terms related to national youth service and features common to successful programs in addition to possible benefits of a well run programme.

What is National Youth Service?

An organised activity in which young people serve others and the environment in ways that contribute positively to the society. Eberly 2000 Nigeria National Youth Service Scheme: A case for Review Successes claimed by NYSC point only to the fostering of national unity (increased interethnic marriages, change of attitude, etc) and where civic responsibility has been indicated no stronger evidence than that there has been increased voluntarism in community development projects based on the introduction of awards has been put forward.

The Nigerian NYSC scheme has few of the features common to successful programs and in more than one instance clearly runs counter to them. For example it is not easily apparent that the NYSC scheme meets needs of the Nigerian society.

The need for national unity and social integration on which the aim of the programme is centred, if the reports of achievement are anything to go by have been met. More common activities embarked upon by participants on the scheme and their area of service has little relevance to other needs implied in the objectives.

Needs that would be met by the scheme, as it is currently being implemented could be redefined possibly as justification for its continuation.

Using the scheme to swell the thinned ranks of teaching staff in the rural areas was not a stated objective nor is there conclusive evidence on which to base the claim even if it can be shown as an area of need relevant to the Nigerian society.

It may also not be a desired objective of the scheme unless

By LATEEFAT O. MOSHOOD

it is compatible with the core philosophy of National Youth Service and contains some positive features. This particular claim of success also gives little indication of how effective corps members have been in the classroom without prior teacher training and whether they remain voluntarily in the teaching profession on completion of their mandatory service year. And if indeed anything was gained from the experience.Another ‘success’ claimed is that the Nigeria National Youth Service Corps scheme is used to provide ‘cheap labour’ thus implying that corps members are used to replace paid workers. Apart from being a negation of the philosophy of national youth service, in a country like Nigeria where unemployment figures are high, and many core service areas are under serviced which is used for the scheme should be reconsidered, this time working with the Labour Congress to protect the interests of paid workers. (Where governments increasingly use the programme to provide services in areas with acute staffing shortages, care is taken usually to ensure that they do not replace paid workers and that participants are provided with appropriate orientation and training as well as adequate support during the service period to ensure their effectiveness.)The Nigeria National Youth Service Scheme runs to N9 billion a year in stipends alone. This does not include provision of allowances, uniforms and other kit, nor does it include the cost of administration. The scheme is almost entirely funded by the central government and despite this huge cost value derived from the scheme has not yet been computed. The successes recorded by operators of the scheme may be regarded by some as benefits to the nation and that its value lies there-in.

It is however impossible to see the gain to individual participants without the ‘stipend’ which, contrary to the philosophy of the program, is the only other incentive for participation, the first being that participation is compulsory.

Participants are generally not known to speak highly of the scheme and many consider it a waste of their time. If the singular aim of the Nigerian National Youth Service Scheme is to foster national unity all that would be required is a formal evaluation to verify the achievements claimed by its operators. This being done, the scheme can then be marked as highly successful and tendered, as was done at the 5th national Conference of the International Association of National Youth Service, as evidence for cultural

integration. Doubts about this claim will of course be forgiven, given the clamorous calls for a sovereign national conference and an increasing incidence of ethnic and religious clashes. The more important question however is, in the light of the new social, economic, cultural and political dispensation, should the Nigerian National Youth Service Corps Scheme have more than the singular aim of fostering national unity or could it be used to achieve other objectives that are more in line with societal needs and of

greater value to the nation even as individual participants benefit from the experience?

Nigeria and a Revised National Youth Service Scheme Nigeria is characterised by poverty, illiteracy, hunger, disease, a lack of infrastructure, corruption, and ignorance and may be on the verge of sociopolitical disintegration. Even without these evidence of social malaise, there are areas of societal need that are indicative of a need for a properly implemented national youth service programme. A programme that provides service-learning opportunities as a benefit to participants and from which Nigeria as a nation will derive the most value can then be designed to service areas such as· emergency and disaster response · fire/rescue service ·security – police/coast line and boarder patrol/ forensics · road safety · road works – maintenance, lighting, beautification, etc · health services – paramedics, doctors, nurses · community development – education, health, environment · post prison rehabilitation This list is not exhaustive nor

Service Scheme

does the redesigned programme have to address each and every need identified. The redesigned programme could however be structured to agree with four themes as stated in Don Eberly’s (Honorary President IANYS) essay prepared for the 4th global conference on National Youth service. These are Military – The most successful schemes worldwide have either evolved from the military or been strongly influenced by it. This can actually be supported by the Nigeria experience as

recommended as an essential part of NYSC because as Don Eberly pointed out in his essay (4th Global conference on NYSC, it will help sustain linkages between the military and civilian sector of society, the discipline will help prepare participants for the actual service period and finally it will serve as a reminder of citizenship responsibilities. The training should last for a minimum of 3 months (ideally 6) during which period participants will in addition to receiving military training also be inducted and trained in

participants in the scheme find the orientation camp (when they undergo paramilitary training) the most challenging and fulfilling of their service year experience.

Useful service – The program should be geared towards providing service that is useful to others (society) and challenging to participants. The programme should however avoid using participants to replace paid workers.

Service-learning – The programme should be geared towards enabling participants to learn from their service experience and to grow as individuals.

Global service – As contained in resolutions by the IANYS, the program could be structured to provide training in specialised areas to participants so that they serve as a corps of reserves in for example, emergency response both in their own countries and else where in the world.

Other Issues that should be taken into consideration when revising the NYSC program in Nigeria are time, age limits and whether or not the scheme should be voluntary or compulsory.Military training is

preparation for the services they will provide during the actual work period (9 – 12 months) of their service. An additional 1 to 3 months should be allowed on completion of national youth service to enable participants reflect on what was learned and achieved during the service period. This should be considered as a disengagement period and should be done in a military camp with the coordination of both military and civilian supervisors. Age limit for participants – NYSC should be seen as a way of aiding the psychological development of participants and should ideally take place at the end of adolescence and beginning of the early adulthood. This according to experts is the stage when the exposures and experiences of the scheme will have the strongest impact. For us in Nigeria , this would be between the ages of 18 and 25.

Whether NYSC scheme should be voluntary or compulsory in Nigeria should be looked at in the light of the cost of the scheme compared with the value derived from it. The (compulsory) scheme has been said to be increasingly popular

because of the increase in number of participants since its inception 29 years ago, its can also not be denied that administrative structures in place have become inadequate to service this increased number of participants, that avenues of waste have been multiplied and that the scheme has become increasing poorly regarded among would be participants.

The popularity of the scheme will easily be put to test should the scheme be made voluntary.

This should also prove to be beneficial in the long run as successes of a welladministered voluntary scheme (with smaller numbers of more dedicated young people) will serve to attract more participants for subsequent years. If the scheme must

remain compulsory however, some flexibility (in timing and nature) may be introduced to enable participants give it their best effort.

Addendum The philosophies and principles of the Nigerian NYSC scheme should be redefined along with its aim and objectives. The rationale for a national youth service differs from one country to the next and this is no different for Nigeria. What we need to do is articulate our needs, both real and perceived, and structure our national youth service programme to meet these needs while using the right quality of staff. Only then can participants be motivated.

The NYSC can be used as an avenue for involving more young people in the Nigerian democratic process. As part of the prescribed military orientation, participants should be helped to understand their social rights and responsibilities. Information on social principles, citizenship responsibilities and the political process should be routinely provided and arrangements made to involve young people in the decision-making structures of government.

Continued from last week

STEP NINE: Give No Artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.

SUCKING from the teat of a feed-bottle is relatively with little or no effort by the baby especially if the teat has several large holes which mothers are very likely to create in order to make the milk issue freely and readily from the bottle. Milk can, in fact, issue from the bottle that is inverted to further buttress the point that the effort of the baby is not required, or minimally so, to obtain milk from the bottle. The situation with the baby suckling from the breast is very different as the baby exerts some effort at suckling when properly attached on the areola of the breast. It is the suckling effort at the areola that stimulates the mother with resultant impulses generated from the areola and sent to the brain to cause the release of the relevant hormones that participate in the production and expression of breast milk from breast. Therefore, a baby exposed to both sucking from the teat of the feedingbottle and suckling, with proper attachment to the areola, from the breast experiences the compelling pressure to make a definite decision concerning feeding preference: to suck from the bottle without effort or to suckle from the breast with some desired effort. The choice is likely to be clear and predictable; from the teat of the feeding-bottle! This is referred to as the ‘Nipple Confusion’ and is experienced by a breastfeeding baby exposed to the teat of the feedingbottle. This Step Nine is intended to prevent the difficulties of ‘Nipple Confusion’ in breastfeeding infants. This confusion is a common reason that results in breastfeeding infants abandoning the breasts for the feeding bottle and mothers will readily claim, and inappropriately so, that the babies discontinued

breastfeeding of their own volition in preference for the bottles. No breastfeeding baby will abandon the breasts in preference for the bottle if it was never introduced to the feeding-bottle! The reality, therefore, is that mothers encourage and facilitate their babies to discontinue breastfeeding by introducing them to the teat of the feeding bottles and such other items as pacifiers, soothers, dummies and artificial teats.

These other items are also offered to soothe crying or disturbed infants who may, in fact, benefit from protean effects of breastfeeding in the circumstance: provision of the best bioavailable food for the baby, emotional bonding and guaranteed care in addition to the psychological soothing effect offered by

Child Health & You Understanding 10 Steps To Successful Breastfeeding (2)

By PROF C.O. EREGIE

sucking at the breasts.

Adequate emotional bonding between mother and baby and the growing child is a sine qua non for normal psychosocial development and personality formation.

Of course, these soothers,

artificial teats, pacifiers, and dummies also constitute vehicles for contamination and transmission of infection to the growing babies which breastfeeding clearly protects against by avoiding the use of these items in addition to the protective effects of the plethora of anti-infective factors in human breast milk.

Mothers need to be enabled to develop confidence in their ability to psychologically soothe their breastfeeding infants by suckling them at the breast rather than exposing them to the potentially dangerous use of

teats, soothers, pacifiers and dummies in an attempt to calm such babies.

STEP TEN: Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

There is a tall assumption that all healthcare staff are

“The reality, therefore, is that mothers encourage and facilitate their babies to discontinue breastfeeding by introducing them to the teat of the feeding bottles and such other items as pacifiers, soothers, dummies and artificial teats.”

“Hence, with the BFHI, everybody relevant to supporting breastfeeding mothers within and outside the hospital are identified and endowed with the tools to be breastfeeding support agents.” knowledgeable in the skills and techniques required to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Natural as it is, breastfeeding is a process that has to be taught and learnt.

Indeed, the knowledge, skills and techniques for successful breastfeeding can be taught, and learnt by everybody and anybody. Hence, with the BFHI, everybody relevant to supporting breastfeeding mothers within and outside the hospital are identified and endowed with the tools to be breastfeeding support agents.

This is the genesis of Step Ten which seeks to foster the formation of ‘Breastfeeding Support Groups (BSGs)’ that can provide the needed support for breastfeeding mothers within the hospital and, more importantly, outside the hospital. The BSG can be formed anywhere and everywhere: places of worship, schools and other work places, markets among others. Both men and women can be members of the BSG. In particular, women who had previously breastfed successfully can be of immense value to the BSG but this is not a mandatory requirement for the formation and productive output and usefulness of the BSG. What is more important is the exposure of members of the BSG to training in the basic knowledge, skills, and techniques required for the protection, promotion, and support for successful breastfeeding. While in the hospital, mothers with breastfeeding difficulties are referred to the BSG formed within the hospital so that the healthcare staff can focus

attention on other ‘breastfeeding couples’ with more pressing difficulties.

On discharge from the hospital, however, mothers with breastfeeding difficulties are referred, in the first instance, to BSGs within the community for the desired support. This makes breastfeeding a matter for everybody and, indeed, everybody has a role to play.

This presentation in ‘CHILD AND YOU’ concludes the review of the ‘Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding’ in order to improve the understanding and the relevance of the ‘Ten Steps’, as foundations of the BFHI, to the protection, promotion, and support for breastfeeding as an imperative for optimal infant and young child feeding; the panacea for enhanced child survival, health, protection and development.

Professor C.O. Eregie Professor of Child Health and Neonatology, Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, Benin City.

Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City.

‘CHILD HEALTH AND YOU’, a Weekly Thursday Feature, is a collaborative initiative between the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, and the Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Benin City.

Comments on this page should be forwarded to The Editor, Observer newspaper or Director, Institute of Child Health University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State.

Spotlight THE truth, they say is bitter and as such, it is often difficult to say the truth, especially when all odds are against one or the situation is not favourable or you will be hated and despised by many for saying the truth. But notwithstanding, the ‘Truth’ has to be said, even in the midst of all the ridicules or castigations. For it is ‘only’ the truth that can make/set us free; that is the Bible principle that transcends all time and can never change. unfortunately, we are in a generation that abhors, despises, rejects and refuses to accept the truth even when it is steering us in the face. And as such, we have become a morally bankrupt Nigerian society and a people that are steadily losing their fundamental ‘values’ and speedily degenerating to oblivion.

We are where we are today in Nigeria not because of any other thing other than the fact that we have become a people that have lost their ‘value system’. And as such, every level of ‘leadership’, be it in politics, family, or even religion, have all been ‘corrupted’ one way or the other, we have become a people that value ‘ephemeral gains’ of life more than life itself. we have exchanged the value of life for material wealth, even if our actions will adversely affect millions of our fellow human, we have exchanged the virtues and values of hard work, integrity, sincerity, honesty, punctuality, accountability, patience, brotherliness and so on for the most ‘self-centered’ corrupt tendencies and mediocrity of highest proportions. That is why the present generation of politicians and society Elites has failed and are still failing the people and the society at large. They have become leaders that are more interested in their well-being than that of those they are meant to ‘serve’.

Someone once said that ‘political violence’ do not just happen, they occur because of “series and strings of unjust political decisions”, without a doubt, the increasing levels of insecurity, underdevelopment and suffering in Nigeria today did not start in one day. It started as a result of accumulated years of ‘bad decisions’ made by past and present political leaders in various Government circles.

And as such, every other thing has been ‘corrupted’ with the virus’ from top to bottom, because once the ‘head(s)’ is/ are faulty and corrupted, every other thing down the line will follow suit. In other words, we

The Hard Talk:

are where we are today because of every of the decisions/indecisions and actions/inactions of our past and present leaders in different strata of government and the entire society. So do not be surprised or alarmed by the Boko Haram insurgency that is daily claiming countless innocent lives and property worth billions of dollars. . Nigeria indeed has had more share of bad leaders than it has good leaders since independence. And as such, the country is today still in the woods of underdevelopment and backwardness, despite its vast human and natural resourcefulness. To make matters worse, we have become a people that do not hold their political leaders accountable since they are the custodians or the nation’s resources. Even when questions are asked and eye brows raised over government actions, the political class simply do what they know how to do best and that is, wave a magic wand to suggest they are on top of the situation and after a while, some few key persons’ interest are taken care of while some will have their integrity compromised.

And with time, the rest of the Nigerian populace will ‘forget’ and life goes on; moving on to other issues that are often used to distract the main issues.

Hence, we are known as a people that are “suffering and smiling”. with very few exceptions, it seems about all we do is ‘smile at our problems and shrug them off with ‘e go better’. But rather than things ‘get better’, they are getting worse by the day.

An uninformed and impoverished citizenry that shares everything in common with destitute can scarcely participate in matters of state ours is a country where well over 85 percent of the population is excluded from the ownership of the means of production and distribution on of material wealth and services. Those who control the economy strive desperately to control what happens in the polity too; that is if they are not the major determinants of the nature of democracy currently in vogue in Nigeria.

In truth, Nigeria is a preening democracy. Presently, politicians and their endorsers mobilize the gullible and heartlessly deprived populace to serve sectarian and individual interests, even at the

Have Nigerians L

risk of losing their lives in the process. When the political, social, economic and educational objectives in the 1999 constitution take root in governance, we can justifiably be talking of a democratic Nigeria. For now, the various political parties, led by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have seized the nation’s sovereignty and democracy by the jugular. The stinking brand of Nigeria’s kind of democracy favours no other than them. The strife between the Presidency, select governors and economic magnates who collectively define the Nigerian state, is an internal ‘family affair’ among the ruling elites. The majority of Nigerians are not meant to benefit from this strife in any way whatsoever.

The unfortunate thing is that the ruling class has failed to realize that it is also in their own-best interest and that of those supporting them, to ensure that the interest of the majority is considered into the country’s political and economic calculations. “Power should speak the truth to itself to endure”. Failure to learn that mass disaffection could lead to a violent eruption (that even military repression may not always contain), which could squander the remnants of what many now term Nigeria’s ‘fragile democracy.’

All of this goes to justify one fundamental truth and principle that practically explains where we are, what we are, and where we will be as a nation. And that truth is the fact that “the dominium usually assumes the (real) character of its ruler.”

That is, every nation, state, society and entity usually assumes the character of its ruler/leader. For instance, Nigeria under Abacha is different from Nigeria under Obasanjo. Nigeria under Yar’Adua is different from Nigeria under Jonathan, and so on. And that is because the ‘character’ of these rulers/ leaders is different from one another. There are things you can do now in the Nigerian polity and practically get away with it, which you cannot do and easily get away with it in the time of some past leaders like Obasanjo.

And as far as we are concerned, it is as if the situation in Nigeria is getting ‘with a very successive ruler/ leader since the inception of Democratic rule in i999. with

the present administration as a classical example, never have we witnessed such number of incidents and insecurity that has led to the loss of thousands of innocent lives in the country’s democratic history. or is it the level of corruption and impunity that has practically rendered and made the Judiciary and anti-graft agencies as toothless bulldogs and laughing stock. Not to mention the witnessed broad day light robbery of electoral mandate and electoral fraud; perversion of justice; abuse and disregard for the rule of law; indiscipline and mediocrity of high proportions in public service delivery.

The one that buys us most is the level of corruptions and impunity that has been evident at all levels of governance since the inception of the present administration, when public office holders are allowed to go scot free or merely given a slap on the wrist for stealing public funds meant for the general good of all, then the system is practically adding kerosene to the already burning fire. At least in time past, we have seen the prosecution and sentencing of an Inspector General of Police, a former state Governor and some other high profile cases. Even though some may argue that back then, such fight against corrupt public officials was selective’, the fact still remains that ‘there was evident fight against corruption” to a considerable degree. This cannot be said of the present administration.

That is why the EFCC of today cannot be compared to the EFCC of the past when Nuhu Ribadu was its chairman. Why can’t our present political leaders fight corruption like the late Nelson Mandela of SouthAfrica and Jerry Rawlings of Ghana did when they were in government? At least the present government should locate the more than $49Billion (about N79Trillion), that the central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reported ‘missing’. Or at least prosecute those behind the fuel-subsidy scam. It is only then that the international community will start taking this administration seriously, as not paying lip-service to the fight against corruption.

Speaking of the fight against corruption, the speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Waziri

“The unfortunate thing is that the ruling class has failed to realize that it is also in their own-best interest and that of those supporting them, to ensure that the interest of the majority is considered into the country’s political and economic calculations. “Power should speak the truth to itself to endure”. Failure to learn that mass disaffection could lead to a violent eruption (that even military repression may not always contain), which could squander the remnants of what many now term Nigeria’s ‘fragile democracy.”

Tambuwal had some months back, deployed president Jonathan’s failure to act promptly to prosecute fraudulent cases diligently exposed by the National Assembly, as the bane of the blossoming corruption in the country is shameful, ‘kleptocratic governance’. worst still, Tambuwal said the

that “the Jonathan administration is not going to fight corruption on the basis of mere speculations.” In other words, what the present administration is telling Nigerians is that everything we have heard and observe about the fuel subsidy scam, the pension scam etc, are ‘mere speculations’ as far as this

Assem paid la Minim N18,0 pay of and n degen benefi insult to disc justify called perfor That c

anti-corruption agencies read the body language of the president and prosecute cases selectively. otherwise, cases like the $6.SBillion fuel subsidy probe result, the security and Exchange commission probe, the clandestine and shady oil bloc deals in the Petroleum Sector and the bullet-proof car purchase scandal and others should have been prosecuted by the executive arm of government with their agencies. It is really sad to note that in all of this, all that the present administration has been known to do is to set up committees to either probe or look into them, but at the end of the day, nothing concrete comes out of such exercises. In fact, all that the Presidency could respond to the statements made by the speaker, through President Jonathan’s special Adviser, Dr, Rueben Abati, was

administration is concerned.

Abati also said that “the Presidency will not condone any act of proven corruption”.

We are then forced to ask, what happened to all the high profile corrupt cases where compelling evidences were provided, like the video and tape recorded proofs provided on the $620,000 bribery allegation against Hon. Farouk Lawal and Otedola? Has all that been swept under the carpet? God help us in this nation. Like we said, Nigerians are often made to ‘forget things’ and get distracted with other things while we live life as if all is well or going to get better.

In as much as the points raised by the Federal House of Representatives speaker is very much valid, however, we would like to remind him that Nigerians find it appalling that the Nigerian National

to an Feder Waziri Kolade Nigeri speak Minori he and accus Tambu betwe and str ground This jumbo the Na the he run ag demo discon The sp in anot known highes One w the ho warra N150

By ZIK GBEMRE

Spotlight

Lost Their Value System?

mbly members are still the highest awmakers in the world, when the mum wage in the country is merely 00. The argument about the jumbo Nigerian lawmakers at both the state national levels has a way of nerating into a farce, with the iciaries, the legislators, often adding to injury: Not only do they often fail close the exact figure, they even y their sumptuous pay with the sod ‘enormous national duty’; the nonrmance of which is their signature. conversation was recently elevated

performance is even a greater embarrassment: empty seats during sessions, merry-goround on non-conclusive inquiries which are often turned into rent-seeking exercises. It is even more scandalous that they are paid sumptuously for the sinecure they call responsibility. They are the recipient of unimaginable allowances outside basic salaries, including foreign and local travel, recess, utilities,

absurd level by the speaker of the ral House of Representatives, Aminu i Tambuwal at the Fifth Christopher e Symposium series organized by the ia Leadership Initiative (NLI). The ker, who was represented by the ity Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said d his colleagues were being wrongly ed of earning outrageous salaries. uwal went further to differentiate een their basic salaries and allowances ressed that both were justified on the d of their enormous responsibility. s barefaced defence of legislators’ o pay by a high-ranking member of ational Assembly is, to say the least, eight of insensitivity. It does not only gainst the grain of public opinion, it onstrates in absolute terms “the nnect between leaders and the led’. peaker and his colleagues must reside ther planet not to appreciate the welln fact that Nigerian legislators are the st paid in the world unjustifiably so. wonders what duty or responsibility onourable members are discharging to nt an annual appropriation of about billion! The reality of their

furniture, constituency allowances, and vehicle loan as well as vehicle maintenance, and even a ‘hardship allowance’ among others. Also, it is the practice that under the pretext of statutory transfer the National Assembly are allocated huge sums which details are not made public.

They enjoy these privileges for doing nothing and against the backdrop of a minimum wage of N18000 for an average worker, unpaid public servants, millions of jobless graduates who roam the streets and increasing social crises. The unimpressive recurrent expenditure pegged at 81.6 per cent in the 2012 budget is overweighed by the salacious outlay on the legislators. The end result is that nothing is left for capital expenditure.

It should be said with all emphasis that such thoughtlessness as Tambuwal’s

unguarded submission is the very basis for the call for reform of the national legislature.

There is indeed a compelling need to rethink the form and content of the legislature. And it is to be noted that Nigeria national income cannot sustain the gluttony of its lawmakers.

A step towards its reform must be backed by the need to reduce legislative reward to merely sitting allowance without a basic salary component and it should be structured to be part—time. As it has been advocated times without number, the country does not need a bicameral legislature. It is a waste of public funds and it should be reorganized or streamlined into just one chamber. The Senegalese example is there for all to emulate. That country went back to a unicameral legislature to save resources for other compelling development goals.

Nigeria can do the same here and the people will be the better for it. Around early December 2013, the British Members of parliament (MPs) and cabinet rejected an 11% Pay rise authorized by the British Independent parliament commission, saying the pay rise was “unnecessary” since there is ‘cost of living crises’ in the UK. The British MPs also disagreed with the BBC Authority for “huge Pay-offs” of senior staff. According to the MP5, BBC top Executive staff could be held for “contempt of Parliament”. And the penalty for contempt of parliament includes prison sentence, but such cases are rare since the 19th century. They said some of the justifications for the huge pay offs had been extraordinary and this was blamed on the culture of cronyism that allowed for the liberal use of public’s money. The MPs described the huge pay offs (severance package) of senior staff of the BBC as “sweeteners”. The question now is, when will Nigerian Legislatures play a ‘genuine role’ of checks and balance within the various arms of government? When will Nigerian law makers see the need to cut down on their outrageous pay and allowances that are draining the nation’s purse?

We find it out of place to observe our public leaders in government circles earning millions and hundreds of millions of naira annually, when millions of Nigerians are living below one dollar (about N160) per day; when 60 percent

of Nigerians do not have access to regular power supply. Even Nigerians that are privileged to earn a six digits salary figure are still ‘struggling’ to keep their heads afloat from sinking with the ‘high cost of living’.

But if our economy is buoyant, and there is availability and affordability of food and basic social amenities, the issue of minimum wage will not arise in the first place. For everybody will be ‘comfortable enough’ with the much or little they earn.

On the other side of the coin, the “followers”, as citizenry are seriously not helping matters because they have been encouraging those at government circles as political leaders to brazenly misappropriate/steal public funds with reckless abandon and impunity. It is only in Nigeria that ‘thieves’ in political circles are celebrated and exulted. People tend to ‘worship’ and respect those that are in government circles who obviously, from their lavish lifestyle and affluence in wealth, indicate that they have been stealing public funds under their care. Imagine a situation where someone, who some few months back, was struggling to fend for himself and family. All of a sudden finds himself in government circles and within months, the person has fleet of state of the art luxury cars and different mansions all over the country.

Nobody cares to ask questions and find out the sudden change of financial status. Rather, people tend to worship, praise and adore such a ‘criminals’ in government, we tend to praise them for doing nothing because they are our kingsmen. As one that steals in government circles, you tend to have more followers in Nigeria.

Until we stop deceiving ourselves and start holding our political accountable no matter how long it will take for them to respond and change, the majority of the Nigerian citizenry will continue to suffer greatly. No one best captures the problems with Nigeria than our late literary icon, Chinua Achebe, in his book: An Image of Africa And The Trouble with Nigeria. Tribalism, false image of ourselves, Nigeria style of leadership, disunity, unpatriotic, social injustice and the cult of mediocrity, indiscipline, corruption, amongst others were listed in the stated book by chinua Achebe, as troubles with

Nigeria. In the words of Achebe while explaining where the problem lies: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.

“I believe that Nigeria is a nation favoured by Providence. I believe there are individuals as well as nations who, on account of peculiar gifts and circumstances, are commandeered by history to facilitate mankind’s advancement. Nigeria is such a nation. The vast human and material wealth with which she is endowed bestows on her a role in Africa and the world which no one else can assume or fulfill. The fear that should nightly haunt our leaders (but does not) is that they may already have betrayed irretrievably Nigeria’s high destiny. The countless billions that a generous providence poured into our national coffers in the last ten years (1972-1982) would have been enough to launch this nation into the middlerank of developed nations and transformed the lives of our poor and needy. But what have we done with it? stolen and salted away by people in tower and their accomplices. Squandered in uncontrolled importation of all kinds of useless consumer merchandise from every corner of the globe. Embezzled through inflated contracts to an increasing army party loyalists who have neither the desire nor the competence to execute their contracts, consumer in the escalating salaries of a grossly overstaffed and unproductive public service. And so on and infinitum. Does it ever worry us that history which neither personal wealth nor power can pre-empt will pass terrible judgment on us, pronounce anathema on

our names when we have accomplished our betrayal and passed on? we have lost the twentieth century; are we bent on seeing that our children also lose the twenty-first? God forbid!”

The crusade for Nigeria’s Independence, spearheaded mostly by educated Nigerians was not an easy one. This agitation came to a hilt with chief Anthony Enahoro’s motion for Independence on the floor of the Federal House of Parliament in 1957. According to Sir Abubakar Tafawa Belawa at independence; “Today is independence Day. The first of October, 1960, is a date to which, for two years, Nigeria has been eagerly looking forward. At last, our great day has arrived and Nigeria is now indeed an independent Sovereign Nation”. The British Union Jack was lowered for Nigeria’s symbol of self rule as the green-white- flag was hoisted by Gen. David Ejoor.

These people had a dream that by now, Nigeria ought to be amongst the most developed nations of the world. But today we celebrate and praise corrupt individuals in government circles for doing practically nothing for the masses. Those who have visions and something tangible to offer for the good of all are never given the opportunity to serve, while those not qualified and do not have any vision are placed in such sensitive positions. This is exactly what you and your group are projecting.

A serious food for thought for all well-meaning Nigerians and our political leaders ‘you would agree. Inept leadership has always been the bane of Nigeria’s development. The unfortunate, but yet wellembraced exit of South African icon leader, Nelson Mandela, and his memorial that practically held the whole world on stand still, reminds us of what political leaders are supposed to be like.

For us, Mandela’s life, time and legacy left behind should be a worthy example and stand as role model for Nigerian Politicians and Leaders to reflect on and emulate. If Mandela rested peacefully and the entire world came to a standstill, can Nigerians and the rest of the world standstill for even one day to mourn the death of any of our present and past leaders and politicians? This should be food for thought for all of us. Let our leaders and politicians learn a great lesson from Nelson Mandela’s death: “what you do in the past and present will judge how your future will be and what you will remembered for”. We pray that year 2014 and years ahead, will be better than what Nigerians have been made to go through in recent years.

Zik Gbemre, JP National Coordinator

“A step towards its reform must be backed by the need to reduce legislative reward to merely sitting allowance without a basic salary component and it should be structured to be part—time. As it has been advocated times without number, the country does not need a bicameral legislature.”

Gender Issues Women’s Right:

By HITKKA PIETILA

DURING the past years, greater awareness of a missing link in progress on women’s rights within the UN system has emerged: violence against women.

When the Convention on the Rights of Women was being prepared in I 970s, this issue was overlooked both in the UN and elsewhere.

Consequently, the Convention does not include a single mention of it.

However, since the 1985 Nairobi Conference to review and appraise achievements of the UN Decade for Women, the UN has encouraged discussion to help break the silence concerning the issue of violence against women.

In 1993 the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women after a long and thorough preparation process directed by CSW This Declaration is an important step towards the preparation of a binding Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, as suggested by the then UN SecretaryGeneral Boutros BoutrosGhali in his message on International Women’s Day in 1995 (United Nations, 1996a).

In 1994 the Organization of American States (OAS) had already adopted the InterAmerican Convention on Violence Against Women (known as the Convention of Belem do Para). It entered into effect in 1995. This Convention establishes many important precepts for tackling the task of eliminating violence against women.

Two features of this Convention distinguish it from others. Firstly, the fact that of all the binding (legally obligatory) inter-American instruments on human rights, it is the one which has the highest number of ratifications within the region with 31 ratifications by a total of 34 active OAS Member States, the exceptions being Jamaica, the United States and Canada. The OAS has a capacity to develop treatieswhich served as an example to other regional organizations including the Council of Europe. Secondly, it is the only binding international instrument in the world that specifically

addresses the question of violence against women.

The Inter-American Commission of Women, made up of delegates from each State, is currently drafting a proposed mechanism for following up implementation of the Convention in the respective States Parties so that analyses and recommendations can be generated to reduce and one day eliminate altogether the remaining gulf between the formal requirements of the Convention and the daily lives of women in the Continent The decisive impetus toward making further progress on this issue was provided by the Beijing Platform for Action. One of the Platform’s key objectives is “the elimination of all forms of violence against women.” As many as three of the 12 strategic objectives of the Platform of Action are directly connected to the elimination of violence against women and girls, and include violence against women, women and armed conflict, and the girl-child.

Also the detecting and eliminating economic, structural, social and cultural violence against women runs throughout the Platform for Action.

As part of the process to implement the Platform for Action, in 1997 four high level conferences were held, in which the violence against women was dealt from a new viewpoint.

In these conferences violence against women was examined as “a male problem,” as part of the male culture and its consequences to men themselves and society in whole (Pietilä, 1998). Since then, men’s movements—such as the White Ribbon and others— have grown in their work against male violence in general, and violence against women in particular, in an increasing number of countries such as Canada, Namibia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, and the Nordic and South-East Asian countries.

Also, current research is gradually spreading and analysing the role of men and masculinity in the same way as women’s research has worked on pre conceived

The Missing Link women’s roles in various cultures.

From the Battle Field to the Peace Table The Convention on the Elimination of Violence against Women is still missing, but progress on other dimensions of this issue has taken place rapidly since the early 1990s and also as part of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.

The UN Security Council has expressed its views strongly

women in war are now recognized as war crimes: the aim for which women’s peace movements had worked for years.

Later the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda broke new ground in the area of jurisprudence by convicting individuals of rape as an instrument of genocide, a form of torture and a crime against humanity, The Rome Statute of the new International Criminal Court (ICC) takes gender concerns into account in their definition of crimes of genocide, crimes against

protection of women and girls during armed conflicts, for gender sensitivity in all UN missions, including peacekeeping, and for women to equally participate at all negotiation tables.

As a result, Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security” was unanimously passed by the Security Council on 31 October 2000.

Resolution 1325 calls for integration of women in all conflict resolution processes as well as actions for resettlement, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction. It also recommends special training for all peace keeping personnel on the protection, special needs and human

and effectively on this issue for the first time in its history.

Resolutions and decisions of the Security Council are strong indications of the change in attitudes: Violence against women is no longer an issue of private life, but an issue of security, human rights and war crimes.

In 1992 the Security Council condemned strongly “the acts of unspeakable brutality of the massive, organized and systematic detention and rape of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

In May 1993 the Security Council decided to establish an International War Crimes Tribunal to deal with “serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia” after January 1991. The mandate of this tribunal includes the “massive, organized and systematic detention and rape of women.” This implies that rape and violence against

humanity and war crimes. In January 2002 the statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone includes rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy and any other form of sexual violence among the constituent elements of crimes against humanity. The Special Court decided in 2004 that even forced marriage would be prosecuted as an “inhuman act,” i.e. a crime against humanity (E/CN.6/2005/2).

A further sign of progress is that the negotiation table of the Security Council has been opened to women’s voices. In October 2000 a coalition of women in five peace organizations — Women’s international League for Peace and Freedom, International Alert, Amnesty International, Women’s Commission for Women Refugees and Girls, and the Hague Appeal for Peace — joined with UNIFEM to draft a resolution that calls for the

rights of women and children in conflict situations (S/RES/ I325).

It is particularly important that this kind of resolution was adopted by the Security Council because its resolutions are binding to Member States contrary to the other conferences and meetings, whose resolutions are only recommendations.

Since October 2000 the Security Council has held several open debates to discuss progress and challenge to implementation.

Four presidential statements (in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005) recognized the link between peace and gender equality and called for action to implement the resolution by those concerned and for an end to the culture of impunity.

Shortly after the Resolution was adopted, Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM, appointed Elisabeth Rehn and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf “to conduct

an independent assessment of women, war and peace so that people throughout the world will know and understand not only what women have suffered but what they have contributed for building peace and reconstruction?’

The report was published in 2002 and has received a lot attention around the world (UNIFEM, 2002, vw.unifem.org/resources/ item_detajl.php?productID=17).

During the five-year anniversary debate of Resolution 1325 held in October 2005, UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan presented his UN systemwide action plan for implementing resolution 1325 (S/2005/636), structured around 12 areas of action: conflict prevention and early warning; peacemaking and peace building; peacekeeping operations; humanitarian response; post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; preventing and responding to gender-based violence in armed conflict; preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse

by UN staff, related personnel and UN partners; gender balance; coordination and partnership; monitoring and reporting; and financial resources (www.un.org/ Docs/sc/sgrep05.htm).

The action plan will be used

by UN entities to formulate concrete strategies, actions and programmes to advance the role of women in peace and security areas; ensure more efficient support to Member States and other actors in national and regional level implementation of Resolution 1325; strengthen the commitment and accountability of the UN system at the highest levels; and enhance inter-agency cooperation.

Women around the world have eagerly used the resolution in connection with present conflicts in their respective hemispheres. f has been translated into many languages and women’s groups are very active in demanding that governments implement the resolution in training of personnel for peacekeeping and crises management. Women in Africa have been the first ones to sit at the negotiation tables for the resolution of conflicts and implementation of peace agreements in their continent.

A].

INTRODUCTION: Recall that the logarithm of a number M say, to a certain base x is the power or index or exponent to which such base (in this case x) must be raised to be

Solution: (i). Similarly, consider the index of both sides i.e. 32 = 25 Answer (ii). log1010 = 1 becomes 10 = 101 Answer

Mathematics With Stanley Osobase 08023454887 Osobase2001@yahoo.co.uk

Logarithmic Equation (1)

equal to the number M. (iii). log101000 = 3 becomes 1000 = 103Answer That is if M = xa, then a = logxM. The relations logxM = a 1 a (iv). log = -2 becomes and x = M are equivalent to each 10 100 other. In other words, while M = 1 1 xa is known as the index form, = or 10-2 Answer 2 100 10 the logxM = a is known as the logarithmic form.

Example 3 Note: The short form of Convert log/2 1 = 2 to its index logarithm is log.

4 equivalent

B]. APPLICATION EXAMPLES

Example 1 Convert each of the following index forms to their logarithmic forms: (i). 8 = 23 (ii). 100 = 102 Solution: Since the index form is given, we consider the logarithmic by taking the logs of both sides. i.e. log28 = 3 Answer (ii). Taking the logs of both sides, we get: Log10100 = 2 Answer

((

1

Solution Taking indices, we get: 1 = 1 2 Answer 2 4

(( ((

Example 4 Calculate the value of log2x, if logx4 = 1/2 (NECO, 2005).

Solution Taking indices, we get:

To get x, take the squares of both sides to get: x2 = :- x = 1 8

1 64 Answer

Example 6 If 2log3y + log3x2 = 4, then y is (UME, ’93) Solution: Rearranging the LHS, using the log law, 2log3y becomes log3y2.

Now log3y2 + log3x2 = 4 or log3(y2x2) = 4 x2y2 = 34 y = 2

34 x2

81 2 x /2 4 = x or x/2 = 4 To get y, take the square roots of both or x = 4 (rearranged) sides to get: 81 81 Take the squares of both sides to get: y2 = = 2 x2 x ( x )2 = (4)2 9 2 :y = Example 2 :- x = 4 = 16 Answer x Convert the following Drills Example 5 logarithmic forms to their (1). If log 10x = 0.5, find x.

Solve the equation log2x2 = -6. equivalent forms Ans = 10 Solution: (i). log232 = 5 (2). Solve for y if 5log(y + 3) = log32 Considering indices, we get: Ans = -1 (ii). log1010 = 1 x2 = 2-6 1 1 or 6 or Until next edition, remain blessed (iii). log101000 = 3 2 64 solving Maths and remember to 1 x2 = 1 (iv). Log10 = -2 watch EBSTV, Thur. 4pm!

64 100 1

1

y2 =

Motoring With OSAGIE AIFUWA 08023412452

Advantages Of Using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

How To Acquire New Drivers Licences

FOLLOW the steps below to renew or acquire the new driver’s licence: STEP I Apply online at https:// www.nigeriadriverslicence.org Print the form and bank teller or in person at Driver Licence Centre, DCL STEP 2: Pay the licence fee online or at designated banks STEP 3: Present your form to the Board of Internal Revenue Officer or VIO at the DCL for endorsement STEP 4: Proceed to the Federal Road Safety Commission Office at the DLC for Biometrics Data Capturing STEP 5 You will be giving a temporary driver’s licence that is valid for 60 days For fresh applicants STEP 1: Attend training at accredited driving school STEP

2: The driving school will present you to the VIO for driving test STEP 3: Pass the driving test and the VIO will issue you a Certificate of Proficiemcy STEP 4: Apply online at https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org. Print out the form and bank teller or in person at Driver Licence Centre, DI C STEP 5: Pay the licence fees online or at designated banks STEP 6 Present your form to the Board of Internal Revenue Officer or VIO at the DI C for endorsement STEP 7: Proceed to the Federal Road Safety Commission Officer at the DI C for Biometrics Data Capturing STEP 8: You will be given a temporary drivers licence that is valid for 60 days.

Requirements As A Vehicle Learner 1 My vehicle is properly licensed 2 My insurance is in order 3 My learner’s permit is not out of date 4 A licensed driver is by my side 5 When driving, letter ‘L’ in front and back 6 No passenger at all SAFETY CHECKS DAILY CHECKS (i) Check tyre condition and pressure (ii) Check door locks and windows winder (iii) Check engine oil level and condition (iv) Check radiator water level and its condition (v) Check fan belts tension and condition (vi) Check brake oil level (vii) Inspect battery connection (viii) Check power steering and automatic transmission oil level (if fitted) (ix) Check wiper and windscreen washer water level (x) Check handbrake and foot brake operation (xi) Clean interior and exterior of the car or bus.

WEEKLY CHECKS (I) Carry out all daily check and: (ii) Check/inspect engine for oil or water leakage (iii) Check battery water level and general condition (iv) Check spare tyre, tools and lifting jack. (v) Check steering free-play (vi) Check brake performance (vii) Check fire extinguisher, “C” caution signs and vehicle particulars (viii) Check electrical system and accessories (ix) Wash underneath the vehicle every two weeks especially during the rainy season.

MONTHLY

(i) Carry out comprehensive daily and weekly checks and effect necessary clean up (ii) Check speedometer reading and compare to “next service” label figure and sure regular maintenance service (iii) Secure all tools and equipment in the respective positions (iv) Inter-change the tyres in the order specified in the owner’s handbook (v) Check and keep vehicle particulars and log book up to date (vi) Prepare and send the vehicle condition report to the owner or officers in-change of the fleets.

If all these checks are carried out as specified the vehicle be in good condition always, free from breakdown, unnecessary stay in repair workshop and prolonged service life.

BASIC SAFETY RULES. 1. Keep your vehicle in good condition. Pay particular attention to light, brakes, steering, tyres and direction indicator. Keep windscreens and windows clean and free of abstractions 2. Use your rear view and wing mirrors before moving off, overtaking, turning slowing down or stopping.

3. Signal your intentions in good time and before executing them.

4. On the highway, keep well within your lane. Do not wander from lane to lane or change lane suddenly.

5. Always obey traffic officers in the lawful performance of their duties.

6. Do not, reverse into a major road or expressway and on any road at all. Do not reverse for more than eight meters.

7. Get to know the major traffic signs and road marking and obey them.

THEY reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 95% compared to gasoline, hydrocarbons emissions by 80% and nitrogen oxides’ by 30% • CNG engines decrease noise pollution by having a smoother and. more silent performance than gasoline engines and especially diesel ones.

• The fuel circuit for natural gas is hermetic and has no air inside. Therefore there is no spontaneous ignition. No the contrary, in liquid fuels tanks, there is always flammable mixture, since they are open to the atmosphere.

• Natural gas for vehicles has higher octane numbers than gasoline (125 vs. 90), what provides combustion without selfignition, even in engines of higher compression and efficiency.

• Furthermore, combustion is total, become the mixture between CNG and air is perfect at any ambient temperature.

•. The oil that lubricates the engine is less contaminated if natural gas is employed, and intervals between oil changes are twice as long.

• There are no sediments and the spark plugs are kept clean.

The walls of the engine cylinders are not washed, what results in better and more effective lubrication.

• Combustion gases are not corrosive. By not damaging metals, the life of the exhaust pipe and silencers is longer.

• The gaseous nature of the fuel eliminates the scanning actions in the cylinders during fast acceleration periods, with the advantage of reducing the corrosion of metal surfaces.

• Converted vehicles may switch from using CNG to gasoline by simply pushing a button or turning a knob while driving.

What Motorists Should Know About Their Vehicle Number Plate • First, the public should know that the number plate on their vehicle is government property in their possession.

• They should know that it is illegal to produce or reproduce the number plate in whatever form apart from the original and official form and through the official source.

• Those plying the roads with number plates made from plastic and other materials other than the originals, should know that it is illegal. Violators will be brought to book and their vehicle impounded • The public should avoid decorations or inscriptions on the number plate.

• The number plates should be displayed on the designated point on vehicle and fastened to prevent its falling off • The vehicle number plate should only be used for the vehicle it is registered for.

• All information relevant should be supplied about the vehicle and owner while registering it.

• When an owner desires to change category of a vehicle i.e. from private to commercial and vice visa, proper procedure should be followed through the licensing office and the number plate changed to reflect the new category.

Remember that number plate are made particularly for a category and cannot be exchange. Do not change the colour of the number plate to reflect the new category.

• Defaced number plates should be changed only at the federal Road Safety Command (FRSC) or the licensing office nearest to you.

• You should report any loss or left of the number plate to the police station immediately for your own security. Obtain extract from crimes diary and a sworn affidavit for the loss or theft of the number plate.

St. Peter’s First Speech and Its Effect BUT Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. “For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day; ‘but this is that which hath been spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: “Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

“And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day: “And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; “him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Thou madest known unto me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance.

Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. For David ascended not into the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?

And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that arc afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.

Spirituality The Lives Of The Apostles

By E.A. GARDINER

They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.

The Early Christian Life And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and ‘fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ‘ and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need. And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they did eat their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

‘Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were being saved.

The Miracle at the Beautiful Gate.

Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man that was lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple ; ‘who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms. ‘And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them. ‘But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.”

people saw him walking and praising God: ‘and they took knowledge of him, that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk? “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. “But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked

for a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. “And by faith in his name hath his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know: yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. ‘and now, brethren, I wot that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. ‘the things which God foreshewed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent ye therefore and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; and that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus: “whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began. Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. ‘And it shall be, that every soul, which shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. “Yea and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. Ye are the Sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Servant, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.

Opinion Religion And The Society

By OMORODION LAWRENCE

RELIGION is one institution that has diverse definitions and each definition is seen according to the propounded. That is Experts and religious scholars define religion on how they sense and perceive the term “Religion”.

We can say that some define Religion according to importance and roles it plays in the society.

According to Bolaji Idowu, a scholar and a professor in the field of religion.

Religion is the walking stick which guides man”.

What this implies is that Religion is perceived as what guides and instruct man on what to do and how to go about their day to day activities in order not to fall prey to social vices and pestilence.

Professor Bolaji Idowu explains Religion as what leads and direct man when carrying out his social responsibility.

Religion has laws and ethics that should be guided and kept by its adherents.

Most laws of the society are developed in accordance with that of the religion of the land.

And religious laws and ethics when obeyed would enhance and promote the living standard of every society.

There are some religious laws that forbid gruesome killings, murder, stealing.

Corruption, and bribery, even terrorism. These laws untie and bind every human and tolerate every attitude and behaviours of our neghbours in our society.

Most religions, if not all have divine attachment, and these made the adherents fears and respects its doctrine so that one will not fall to sin or go against what is given as divine laws.

The society is a body of humankind with common characteristics e.g of nationality, race or religion. We can also say that society is an organised group or association, meeting to share common interest or activity.

The society does not only correct and check the behaviours of its inhabitants through religion but also build and develop new characters and behaviours of the people through religion.

The most respected and feared institution in the world is Religion, and when fully utilized and followed will enhance the living situation of the people.

But if turned up side down, it can be very disastrous and evil, there are several examples in our society and the world at large. In Nigeria, we have the dreaded Islamic group (Boko Haram) had claimed lives of innocent Nigerians standing by the notion that their understanding of the religion “Islam” allow them to

MEDIA had a long time ago been on existence though not documented at a particular time or period but we can say it existed from the day or time of creation because communication which is one of the major work or responsibility of media as an organisation took place when God instructed the earth to be formed according to His will.

Let there be light”, and understanding occurred when there were responses, that is there was light.

Media is a body entrusted with the responsibility of dissemination of information and correlation of News to the general audience.

Media usefulness can not be over emphasized or under rated, media anchors so many responsibilities and programs such as:Gathering of information Correlation of News Enlightening the public on sensitive issues Agenda setting

Agenda building Promoting government programmes Promote cultural Awareness and relevance When we look at the political contributions of the media, there are a lot to say and discuss because the success of every political programme is being made possible by the media. We have different programmes that are politically-oriented like.

Bring to the door steps of every citizens government political programmes.

Enlighten the public about political parties objectives and aims Stand as a watch dog in electioneering campaigns.

Survey the socio political environment of a nation.

It exposes the ills of the government in power.

It attacks oppressive government through editorial.

The media help to define the usefulness and the

“The media is an important tool, infact the most important tool for cultural empowerment and education.”

kill people which they refers to as infidels, and these group and other groups like “Isis”. “Ash bab” is currently causing menace and confusion in the world through their gruesome killings.

Religion guides and protects the society. Religion is like a compartment of conscience between good and evil.

Every Religious society is with good moral conduct.

Religions enhance inter relationship between nations, state and most of the time advocate equal rights and justice.

It forbids cheats and cheating.

Religion teaches and preaches against taking what does not belong to you, converting another properties to be yours.

Therefore, it encourage hardwork and owing to self responsibility and social responsibility.

Most religious founders show good examples on how to live in accordance to the “will of the supernatural or the infinite being

which is God. Any how and any way we may take it, most religions of the world preach to God as their source even when personalities stands to be the medium between them and God. God in the religious perception is the first

cause of everything, so every respecter of God should obey and adhere to the society rules and code and ethics that stand to guide the moral attitude and behaviour of every human.

Religion and society can not be separated from each other because they are attached to each other in reverence and obedience of the laws.

Religion shapes our spiritual and moral lives while the society guarantees permanence in the changes that was caused by religion. Also the society has standard to follow in order to be on the right track in bringing development and improvement in our lives and that of the society which we belong.

“Religion and society can not be separated from each other because they are attached to each other in reverence and obedience of the laws.”

Media As A Tool For Political And Cultural Development

problems faced by the general public due to the actions taken by the government in power.

The media also discuss the possible solutions to problems created by the government due to failed

referendum.

The media Organises One on One chat with government officials and activists to talk and discuss

importance.

Experts were invited to discuss and give their different opinions on the matter and after then, the

programmes.

The media arouse the people political zeal top participate in political programmes e.g Election campaigns, political debates.

Voting and as well as

important or disturbing issues, like issues relating to the removal of fuel subsidy.

Many or all the media houses and personals were concerned because it was an issue of National

media started enlightening the general public on the importance of the move to removal fuel subsidy.

Medial As A Tool For Cultural Empowerment And Development

By OMORODION LAWRENCE

The media is an important tool, infact the most important tool for cultural empowerment and education. The media teach the young generation their cultural background and heritage, that is telling or lecturing them on how to respect and value their cultural ethics.

There are many cultural dances and parades that we do not see live with our eyes but with the help of the media, these things are now brought to our notice and to our various homes through our various electronic gadgets e.g television, internet radio and others.

The media does not only bring these things to us but expand our knowledge on how the culture was adopted and the prevailing time it came into existence.

The media takes our cultural heritage abroad to further evaluations and analysis, and as well take them to those in diaspora, that is, reminding them of their root and their cultural belief.

Religion

With REV. DR. A. A. OPARA husband. Okay you may to some extent justify this because Michal loved him early in marriage, saved his life and was forcibly taken away from him by Saul to Phalti (1 Sam. 25:44). But what about this: That even though in his thirties when he took over the reigns of government of all Israel and Judah (2 Sam 5:4-5) he consolidated his rule by taking more wives and concubines.

“And David took him more concubines and wives, out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron” (2 Sam. 5:13).

With this harem of wives arid concubines, David was still weak in his passion to commit adultery with Bathsheba the only wife of his own subject Uriah, master minding or instigating his elimination through a secret letter to Joab the army commander and eventually marrying Bathsheba. (2 Sam. 11:1-27)., We can never imitate the weakness of a man but learn some lessons from it; that this weakness in David almost cost him his throne.

Lust:

King David’s Weakness

KING David was obviously a great king anointed of God; full of kingly splendour and grace and full of strength but had his weakness in women.

His weakness in women was probably what influenced his son Solomon when he became king to multiply wives and concubines. Solomon who reigned over Israel for forty years was said to have had “seven hundred wives, princesses and three hundred concubines and his wives turned away his heart” (2 kgs 11:3,2 Chron. 9:30) Some scholars argue that sexual weakness is inheritable, but I do not seem to find any biblical example to support the claim other than suggest that it is the result of influence than inheritance. Solomon’s taste for women was probably influenced by the father David, and had more wives than the father had. And for David, his father Jesse was not known to be a multiplier of wives, so he could not have inherited it from the father or be the influence of the father (1 Sam. 22:3, 17:12). It therefore can only be explained in the weakness of character. It is not unbecoming for some great men to have a weakness of character. Women appeared to be the weakness of David even though a great king who continued to enjoy the love and mercies of God. It is no excuse to allow your weakness shipwreck your faith but realising your

weakness and doing something about it sets you on the path of victory and a candidate for heaven. Some christians who should hide their heads in shame often defend their amorous life by citing the instances of David and Solomon both great kings but we should never cite the weaknesses of men for our example but for us to learn and to avoid; for that reason I have included this chapter in this book.

David’s life with women began with his marriage to the daughter of King Saul; Michal. Saul was actually looking for a way to eliminate David when he noticed that David’s gallantry over Goliath the Philistine was earning him great popularity. Remember even at this time God had already rejected Saul as King but Saul was playing on time.

(1 Sam. 16:1-1 3; 18:6-8) Saul was to give his eldest daughter Merab to David as wife as a bait “for Saul said let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him” I Sam. 18:17. Merab was however later married to another man (1 Sam. 18:19).

And Michal the younger daughter was given to David as wife: the bride price the King demanded was: “an hundred forskins of the philistines… Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of Philistines” 1 Sam. 18:25.

David succeeded and married Michal Saul’s daughter as the first wife; and Michal was said

to have genuinely loved David to the extent that she even saved him from her father and deceived her father from eliminating her husband. (1 Sam. 18:28, 19:11-17).

Saul however later gave Michal his daughter, Davids wife to another man Phalti the son of Laish as wife during the fugitive years of David when Saul sought to eliminate’ David causing David to flee from Israel (1 Sam. 25:44) David had to remarry. He married Abigail the former wife of Nabal who had died, as wife, and also took Ahinoam of Jazreel “And they were also both of them his wives” (1 Sam. 25:42-43, 1 Sam. 30:5). After the death of Saul, David was then anointed King of Judah in Hebron while lshbosheth of Sauls family reigned over Israel, he still had his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail (2 Sam. 2:1-4,2 Sam. 2:1 0-11). “And the time that David was King in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months” 2 Sam. 2:11.. The next account of the scripture of King David’s family life explains clearly that he had multiplied the number of his wives: “And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his first born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, And his second, Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai King

of Geshur; And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith and the fifth Shephatiah the son of Abital; And the sixth lthream, by Eglah, Davids wife. These were born to David in Hebron” 2 Sam 3:25. We can count six wives from the above list viz: Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah. I do not question this number because by the old convenant law as against the new convenant, polygamy was permissible. (Ex. 24:7, Gen. 16:1-3, 29,30): But in the new convenant it is not polygamy but monogamy (1 Tim. 3:2,12) Now the weakness in David for women is seen in the following examples: When the house of Saul was planning a diplomatic reconciliation with him. He was presiding over Judah while Ishbosheth the son of Saul presided over Israel (2 Sam. 2:10-11). The first condition he gave was this: “And David sent messengers to shbosheth Saul’s son, saying, deliver me my wife Michal which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines” (2 Sam. 3:14). Not minding that he had already six Wives and that he had separated from Michal for near seven years when he presided over Judah in Hebron and that Michal was already married to a subject called Phaltiel who was said: “went with her weeping behind her” (2 Sam. 3:16) as she was taken away from her back to her first

According to the prophecy of Nathan; evil reigned in the house of the King for committing adultery with Bathsheba “thus saith the Lord, Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house” 2 Sam. 12:11.

This weakness of David cost him a lot of family crises-one after the other including the incest of Amnon his first born with Tamar (2 Sam. 13:1-11).

The subsequent murder of Amnon his first born son by Absalom his half brother Davids third son (2 Sam 13:32) and later the rebellion of Absalom against his fathers throne which also led to Absalom’s death when the rebellion was squashed (2 Sam. 15:1-37, 18:1-33). Even at a very old age, Abishag the Shunamite a fair damsel was appointed to minister to King David though “The King knew her not”.(l Kg. 1:1-3).

What this X-ray of King David’s life is to show is nothing but the weakness of some great men for our lessons. You are to identify your weakness and do something so that such a weakness would not bring ruins to your life. Remember that the strength of satan is a man’s weakest point. David was indeed a great king; an anointed servant of God, a great warrior, strong in physique that all his enemies bowed before him; filled with the spirit of God to the extent that he was inspired by God to compose the psalms in the

scriptures; feared God and loved to please God; inspired the building of the temple of Jerusalem by his son, Solomon when God had rejected his move to build the temple on the account of his wars and the blood shed (I Chron. 28:2-5) yet king David had an onvious weakness in women.

I have seen some men or women of God consumed in their personal weaknesses even some using them as personal alibis. No; don’t give it as an alibi for your actions.

Identify your weakness and start to make efforts to overcome it. If your weakness is in women or men as the case maybe and you are a child of God - fast and pray and ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you. You will surely overcome; this is for a child of God who has identified a weakness in him or her. Don’t accept the weakness as being part of you; go on your knees and pray. Do the fasting prayer.

“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burden, and to let the oppressed go free; and that ye break ever yoke” Isa 58:6.

While you fast and pray invite the Holy Spirit to intercede for you for the weakness to be overcome; for that is one of the many wonderful functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer: “Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities..., the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be ultered” Roms.8:2 6.

However if you are an unbeliever, you simply need to receive Jesus as Lord and personal saviour and invite the Holy Spirit to come into your life. (Rev. 3:20) and he will start doing something new in your life. A chapter is devoted to this - how the Holy Spirit can come into your life and change your situation completely. Lastly, this chapter is not meant to derogate King David, no! not at all, but to warn that even though as a great Bible character he had some weaknesses just like any other human being; but weak minded persons should not cite his personal weaknesses for an excuse to sin. Some people say David married many wives and had concubines so they would do the same - It is a wrong citation.

Creative Power Of God

THERE is only one creator, one God and hence, only one power which stream’s through all that exists, animating and furthering it. This pure creative power of God Abd-ru-shin says flows continually through the whole creation, lies in it and is inseperable from it.

It is to be found everywhere in the air, in every drop of water, in the growing rock, the struggling plant, the animal and naturally also in man. There is nothing where it would not be.

And just as it flows through everything, so it also streams unceasingly through man. Now, the latter is so constituted that he resembles a lens. Just as a lens collects the sun’s ray stream through it and passes them on in concentrated form, so that the heat-giving rays, united on one spot, singe and set on fire, so man by virtue of his specific nature collects through his intuitive perception the power of creation streaming through him and passes it on in concentrate form through his thoughts.

According to the nature of this intuitive perceiving and the thoughts connected with it, he thus, guides the self-acting creative power of God to good or evil effect. And that is, the responsibility which man must bear. Therein also, lies his free will (Abd-rushin In The Light of Truth).

When schools and churches speak of Heaven and hell, of God and the devil, this is right. It is wrong however, to explain it as good and evil powers.

That must at once plunge every serious seeker into error and doubt, for where there are two powers there must also, logically be two rulers, hence, in this case two gods, a good one and evil one and this is not the case.

Consider that it lies with simple intuitive

perceiving, and thinking whether this Mighty power will evoke good or evil.

What a furthering or destructive power is thus given to you. You need not exert yourselves till you perspire, you need not convulsively cling to some so-called occult practice in order to reach, through every conceivable and inconceivable physical and spiritual contortion, some stage that is completely worthless for your true spiritual upward swinging.

Realize in pure joy that, through your simple, goodwilling intuitive perceiving and thinking you are able without effort to guide the one and mighty power of creation. The power will then take effect exactly according to the nature of your intuitive perceiving and your thoughts. It works by itself, you need only to guide it.

This Abd-ru-shin says take place in all simplicity and unassumingness. No erudition is requited for this, not even reading or writing. It is given to each of you in the same degree.

In this no difference exist.

Just like a child playing with switch can turn on an electric current that produces tremendous effects, so it is given to you, through your simple thoughts, to guide Divine power.

Remember you may rejoice over this, may be proud of it, when you use it for the good. But tremble if you filter it uselessly away or even employ it for impure purpose. For you cannot escape the Laws of Reciprocal Action that rest in creation. And if you had the wings of the morning, the Hand of the Lord whose power you thus misuse would strike you through this automatic reciprocal action, wherever you wished to hide.

Abd-ru-shin says that evil is brought about with same pure Divine power as good.

And it is the kind of use

made of this uniform power of God, left to the free choice of each one, that bears within it the responsibility which no one can escape. Therefore, the admonition. “Keep the heart of your thoughts pure, by so doing you will bring peace and be happy”.

Do not forget that the pure, self-creating power of God also, streams through you and that you too, as human beings are enabled to give, a definite direction to this power through the nature of your inner, intuitive perceptions, that

force, where as, with the dimming into the impure a weakening takes place at the same time. Thus, it is the purity of the power which in any final struggle will always work effectively and be decisive.

Everyone feels to the very finger-tips what is good and what is evil, without a word said. To brood over it would only cause confusion. Dull brooding is a waste of power. But a brisk cheerfulness tears apart the spell of brooding. You need not be sad and depressed.

is, of your volition, for good as well as for evil, destructively or constructively, bringing joy or sorrow.

Since there is only this one power of God, the mystery of why in every serious final struggle the Darkness must retreat before the Light, evil before good, is also, cleared up. If you guide the power of God to the good, it remains undimmed in its original purity and thereby, develops a much greater

You only need to guide it, the power then works on by itself in the direction you desire.

Thus, you have happiness in your own hand.

Therefore, raise your head, proudly and face everything freely and courageously. Evil cannot approach unless you call it.

As you wish it, so will it happen to you.

The cruardians of the Grail are Eternal Primordial spiritual Beings. Who never were

“When schools and churches speak of Heaven and hell, of God and the devil, this is right. It is wrong however, to explain it as good and evil powers.

That must at once plunge every serious seeker into error and doubt, for where there are two powers there must also, logically be two rulers, hence, in this case two gods, a good one and evil one and this is not the case.”

Man And Nature With O.C. MADU 08056379608

human beings. They are the highest of all in the Realm of spiritual substantiality.

However, they are in need of Divine unsubstantiated power are dependent upon it, as all else, is dependent on Divine unsubstantiality, the source of all power, God the father (Abd-rushin).

From time to time on the Day of the Holy Dove, the

through all the spheres.

Only the spirit of earthman stands aside, without intuitively sensing what is happening particularly, to him at that moment or in what a dull-witted manner he accepts such an immeasurable gift, because the limitations he imposed upon himself through his intellect no longer permit him to grasp such

Dove appears above the chalice as a renewed token of the unalterable Divine love of the father. It is the hour of communion which brings about the renewal of power. The Guardians of the Grail receive it in humble devotion and can then transmit this magic power. On this depends the existence of the whole creation (Abd-ru-shin-In the Light of Truth).

It is the moment in which the love of creator radiantly flows forth in the Temple of the Holy Grail, bringing new life –and a new urge to create, pulsating downwards and diffusing itself through all the universe. A trembling and a holy awe, with forebodings of joy and great happiness, vibrate

greatness.

It is the moment when a new supply of vital energy is sent out into the entire creation. It is the necessary ever-recurring ratification of the covenant between the creator and His work should this supply ever be cut off, should it ever fail to come, inevitably all that exist would slowly dry up, grow old and disintegrate.

The end of all days would then come and only God, Him would remain, as it was in the very beginning, because He alone is Life.

The appearance of the Dove on the special Day of the Holy Dove indicates, the sending of the Holy Spirit on each occasion, for the Dove stands in every close connection with the Holy spirit.

United Hammered By Dons, And Press

MANCHESTER United’s new winger Angel Di Maria will not change the course of their troubled season straight away following his British record transfer from Real Madrid, manager Louis van Gaal said.

The Dutchman was speaking after United’s humiliating 4-0 loss at League One Milton Keynes Dons in the Capitol One Cup second round had compounded their terrible start to the campaign.

“I think that he (Di Maria) can contribute and that is very important but we don’t have to expect that from tomorrow our world has changed,” van Gaal told Sky Sports after the Argentina international signed

United are humiliated”. The MANCHESTER United’s humiliating 4-0 defeat at the floor.

Daily Express also opts for hands of Milton Keynes Dons in the Capital One Cup sparked The Independent runs with “Don Four” on its website. an inquest in the British press on Wednesday morning. a simple headline of “MK William Grigg and Arsenal And at the Daily Mail, it’s “DiSASTER,” followed by Dons 4 LVG 0”, below a online coverage is headed with loanee Benik Afobe both “United humiliated by picture of Ryan Giggs and “Staring into the abyss: On the scored braces as a United minnows” and Di Maria’s Louis van Gaal looking day United shattered British squad featuring a mixture of statement of “I didn’t want to youth and experience was concerned on the United transfer record for Di Maria, leave Real”. Ryan Giggs is blown away by a team who lie bench at stadium:mk.

Van Gaal’s flops are humiliated pictured covering his face seventh in the fledgling League Over at the Daily Star, it’s 4-0 by minnows”. while Van Gaal looks to the One table, two divisions below “Don Four: Van Gaal horror as their illustrious rivals.

The numbing result came just a couple of hours after United announced they had completed the signing of Angel di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record transfer fee of 59.7 million pounds.

In the Daily Telegraph, there is no beating about the bush as its sports pages lead with “Shaming the Shirt: Van Gaal’s shambolic United thrashed by League One minnows”. The full-page splash shows Van Gaal looking horrified as events unfold during the game.

And on its website, the paper runs through a rogues gallery of United’s recent signings under the banner “£213.7m of signings = 35 starts and only 7 goals” The Sun combined the transfer of Di Maria and the thrashing at MK Dons for their Manchester United Manager Louis Van Gaal (centre) and Assistant Manager Ryan Giggs (left) watch from the bench banner reading “Capital during the game against MK Dons. punishment” and the headline

Van Gaal Blames ‘Errors’ And ‘Luck’ For United Embarrassment LOUIS van Gaal evoked the spirit of David Moyes after Manchester United’s crushing 4-0 defeat to MK Dons in the second round of the League Cup. United, under strength but featuring international footballers David De Gea, Jonny Evans, Anderson, Javier Hernandez, Shinji Kagawa and Daniel Welbeck in the starting XI, were destroyed by the League One side, just a couple of hours after signing Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record £59.7m.

Loanees Will Grigg (Brentford) and Benik Afobe (Arsenal) scored a brace apiece, with the hosts as exuberant as the visitors were abject.

Afterwards Van Gaal appeared flustered as he attempted to defend his team selection.

“It’s a matter of making errors at the wrong moment,” he said. “When you see the goals against us I believe they were big errors in the build-ups.

“Once it was 0-2 it is very difficult to come back in the game. In the second half we created a lot of chances but we didn’t have the luck to score. But at least we created a lot of chances.

“We took a lot of risks to change the system in one-onones; the spaces were big and the (MK Dons) manager anticipated this very well by bringing on a forward.

“You have to analyse the problem and take your measures. It’s risky to change (the team).

“You mustn’t forget we had nine injuries and a very young team. You cannot expect more of players. We were also unlucky because they scored from our errors, quickly.”

Van Gaal and Di Mana

Everton Confirm Eto’o Capture

SAMUEL Eto’o has signed for Everton on a two-year contract after leaving Chelsea last season.

Eto’o was released by Chelsea at the end of last season and had been linked with Everton’s

Eto’o Everton

Merseyside rivals Liverpool before they sealed a surprise deal for Mario Balotelli.

Eto’o will wear squad number 5 for the Toffees at least for his first season with the club, presumably due to the side’s number assignments largely completed before the deal was done.

The 33-year-old Cameroon international was a free agent and had been heavily linked with a return to Serie A with the Rossoneri.

Sport Mediaset claim Eto’o had been due to have a medical in Milan’s La Madonnina clinic this morning but instead had one with Everton, which he passed.

The whole deal reportedly collapsed last night because Eto’o was frustrated by Milan’s

indecision about the idea of signing him at all.

The former Inter and Chelsea striker therefore told agent Claudio Vigorelli to fly to England and conclude the details with Everton instead.

Eto’o joins Romelu Lukaku as a Chelsea-registered striker from last season to head to Goodison Park this term.

“We are very excited and I think Everton is the perfect home for him,” manager Roberto Martinez said.

The former Barcelona player scored 12 goals for Chelsea last season, including a hat-trick against Manchester United, but saw his relationship with Jose Mourinho placed in the spotlight when the Portuguese questioned

his age in leaked footage from a French television interview.

He could now make his Everton debut against Mourinho and his former team-mates, with the sides due to meet at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Martinez had been on the lookout for experienced options up front, with Arouna Kone’s long-term lay-off leaving him short of cover.

Milan are looking for a replacement for Mario Balotelli, who was sold to Liverpool for £16m, but have been linked with numerous different players around Europe.

The most likely candidates are thought to be Fabio Borini on loan from Liverpool or Fernando Torres from Chelsea.

‘Di Maria Won’t Provide Instant Fix’ for £59.7 million.

“He has to adapt to the culture of England, the culture of the Premier League and the philosophy of Manchester United.

“He shall contribute very much in our way of playing. He is a creative player. I can change the system with Di Maria. He can play as a winger and he can also play in midfield,” he added.

The experienced Van Gaal has yet to fashion a win during his three competitive matches in charge of United this season.

Their thrashing by MK Dons followed a 2-1 defeat against Swansea City, United’s first opening day loss at home since 1972, and a 1-1 draw against Sunderland in the Premier League.

Van Gaal praised the reaction he got from the Old Trafford faithful during the reverse to Swansea and urged them to remain patient as he looks to reshape his struggling team. “(The fans) have to believe in our philosophy,” he said. “We are building up a team that you cannot make in one month or even one year.

“It (Tuesday’s defeat) is very disappointing but I hope they shall maintain their confidence in the club, and in our philosophy because that philosophy takes time.

“We know exactly what we are doing. We have lost in the Capital One Cup, and so tonight has cost us the chance of a trophy, and that is disappointing.”

United’s next game is a trip to promoted Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.

Don’t Judge Alexis Yet, Says Wenger

ARSENE Wenger has defended Alexis Sanchez after an underwhelming performance as a central striker in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Everton on Saturday.

The Gunners fought back from two goals down to claim a draw at Goodison Park, but not before +42 million signing Alexis was withdrawn in favour of Olivier Giroud at half-time.

And Wenger is adamant his marquee summer signing - who he insists is not yet in peak physical condition - should not be judged on the strength of one below-par performance.

“You do not convict a player on one half,” Wenger told reporters. “It was not all bad.

There was some quality in what he did. I just felt, on the day, we needed some more physical presence.”

Giroud picked up an ankle injury in the final minute of the match at Goodison Park and could be out of action for several months, but Wenger insists he has enough alternative options to choose from without delving into the transfer market.

“In England as soon as you have a problem people want you to buy,” the Gunners boss added. “I can give you clubs with plenty of players who every time they lose say they have to buy more. But if you give the number of strikers we have it is unbelievable.”

• Cristiano Ronaldo

• Manuel Neuer

• Arjen Robben

THIS season marks the fourth edition of the UEFA best player award which was born out of an initiative

by UEFA President Michel Platini in partnership with the European Sports Media (ESM) group.

Since inception, the award had previously be won by the king of football “Lionel Messi”, the god of midfield Andres Iniesta and the France Talisman Franck Ribery.

However Cristiano Ronaldo, Arjen Roben and Manuel Nener have all been shortlisted for the 2013/14 UEFA Best player in Europe award which will be announced on today in Monaco.

Candidly speaking, I believe the three players deserve the award having made their way through the ten strong shortlist announced last month that was a product of a first round of voting. By an large, they have their individual record that gave them the edge over others that include the like of Lionel Messi, Luis Squarez, Angel D Maria, Diego Costa, Thomas Muller, Phillips Lahm and

CELTIC’S inclusion in Friday’s Europa League draw will be ignominious after they passed up a second chance at the Champions League by losing 10 to Maribor at Parkhead on Tuesday night.

The Hoops were beaten 6-1 on aggregate by Legia Warsaw in the third qualifier but were reinstated after the Polish club

were effectively thrown out by UEFA for fielding a player who should have been suspended in the second leg at Murrayfield.

The Scottish champions were confident of reaching the group stages of the tournament for the third successive season after a 1-1 draw in Slovenia last week but Maribor skipper Tavares grabbed the crucial goal in the

UEFA Best Player Award

Who Wears The Crown Today

By STANLEY UGAGBE/EDET ELIJAH

dames Rodriguez.

The World Best player of the year Cristlano Ronaldo who is the only player to have won the Ballon D’or award with two different clubs enjoyed another stellar season last term breaking the record

for most goals in a single UEFA champions league campaign.

His 17th and last strike came from the penalty spot in the final against Athletico de Madrid, sealing the white’s long – awaited tenth European title.

Europa League is Celtic’s level - Deila

• Maribor celebrates

75th minute to take the visitors through 2-1 on aggregate.

Celtic were booed off at the end of the game with some angry supporters gathering outside the main door to protest.

Those fans are unlikely to take any comfort from the assessment of boss Ronny Deila, who admitted the Europa League was his side’s level at

the moment The Norwegian said: “At the end, there is only one thing to say, we haven’t been good enough and we haven’t deserved to go to the Champions League.

There is no excuse. We are not good enough. Now it is the Europa League and we will do everything we can to achieve things in that competition. That is our level now.

“We didn’t lose because of the defending, we lost because we didn’t create anything. We have to have more tempo and movement in our play, that is the job and it has to start now.”

Having been knocked out of the same competition twice it is hard to disagree with Deila that the Champions League is not Celtic’s level. In fact, he may have a job proving that the Europa League is after this abject display. To completely blame Deila would be remiss.

Celtic’s disastrous start to the season is the result of years of under investment. Neil Lennon saw the writing on the wall and moved on. Celtic need to address the lack of quality in their squad – and they need to do so soon. The fact that there is bordering on very little competition in the Scottish Premiership has allowed the Bhoys to coast domestically and it has cost them in Europe.

The Real Madrid talisman is yet to win the accolade since inception in 2011 depite having been part of the last three years final nominees.

Most recently, Ronaldo scored twice to help his team clinch the UEFA Super Cup. The Netherland and Bayern Munich Talisman Arjen Robben is one player that has made debut in the history of football. The last term 21 goal winger put up a sterling performance to help his team clinch the Bundesliga for the second consecutive year.

Robben was on target three times in the Netherlands’ run to the last four of the World Cup, a total that included a double in the Oranjet 5-1 group stage massacre of Spain.

The Germany and Bayern Munich No 1 Manuel Neuer was ever – present during his

country’s FIFA World Cup triumph in Brazil keeping four clean sheets in seven games and catching the eye with a willingness to leave his area to snuff out any danger behind the Mann Schaft defence Neuer who was named the German footballer of the year for a second times helped Bayern to the 2013/14 domestic double. Interestingly he is the first goalkeeper to make the final three of the UEFA Best Player Award.

If given the chance, I will crown all three players the award. However, a race of three persons one person must emerge a winner. I hope to see the fourth UEFA Best Player.

Will it be Ronaldo? Will it be the never tiring Robben or the ever ready Neuer? today will decide!.

Real Madrid Want To Make History And Defend Champions League Title - Bale GARETH Bale has stressed that Real Madrid are keen to make history and become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League title.

The Santiago Bernabeu side beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time last season to win their 10th European Cup in history and the former Tottenham Hotspur star is desperate to add more silverware to the club’s trophy cabinet in the 2014-15 campaign.

“Winning the club’s tenth title was fantastic for everyone. Scoring a goal in

the European Cup final is one of my biggest dreams,” Bale said at a press conference.

“It was a good season for the team. I felt fulfilled.

“We have to look to the future and try to win it again. We want to make history by winning the Champions League again.

“We know there is always a lot of pressure on us, but we like it and we want to win more titles this year.”

Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 earlier this month to bag the European Supercup, but were beaten to the Supercopa de Espana by Atletico over two legs (2-1).

Champions League

Celtic Limp Out After Defeat To Maribor

Porto And Zenit Sweep Through

PORTO and Zenit St Petersburg swept into the Champions League group stage, helped by inspired displays from Yacine Brahimi and Hulk.

Meanwhile, hapless Celtic were knocked out of the competition for a second time in three weeks.

Brahimi, who shone for Algeria in the World Cup, curled in a majestic free-kick and set up a second goal for Jackson Martinez to give Porto a 2-0 win over Lille in their play-off round second leg tie.

Hulk scored twice, converting a penalty and then barging his way through the Standard Liege midfield, as Zenit beat the Belgians 3-0 despite playing the second half with 10 men.

APOEL Nicosia, 4-0 winners over Aalborg, and Belarus champions BATE Borisov, who beat Slovakian counter-parts Slovan Bratislava 3-0, also qualified.

Porto went ahead in the 49th minute when new signing Brahimi curled a superb effort over the Lille wall from 25 metres.

He followed that up by splitting open the Lille defence and finding Colombia forward Jackson Martinez who swept home a first-time effort in the 69th minute as the twice European champions completed a 3-0 aggregate win. zenit, also leading 1-0 from the away leg, went ahead on the half hour when Venezuela forward Jose Rondon headed in Domenico Criscito’s cross.

The Russians, led by former Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coach Andre VillasBoas, were still too good, even after Viktor Fayzulin was sent off for a second booking in the 44th minute.

Hulk put his Brazilian World Cup misery behind him as he converted a penalty in the 54th

minute following a trip on Igor Smolnikov.

Four minutes later, Hulk lived up to his name as he won possession in midfield, flicked the ball past one defender, held off another and burst his way past the third with the help of a lucky rebound before firing past Eiji Kawashima.

BATE, full name Borisov Automobile and Tractor Electronics, went ahead through Mikhail Gordeychuk four minutes before half-time and two late goals from Sergei Kryvets and Vitali Rodionov completed a 4-1 aggregate win.

• Serena Williams

US Open

Serena Shares Spotlight With 15-Yr-Old

DESPITE boasting 17 Grand Slam singles titles, Serena Williams was forced to share the spotlight with a 15-yearold on day two of the US Open.

American wild card Catherine Bellis, the youngest player in the draw, took her place alongside the five-times US champion by stunning 12th seeded Australian Open finalist Dominica Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-1 4-6 6-4.

Williams advanced 6-3 6-1 over unseeded fellow American Taylor Townsend as she followed Federer onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium court to cap the second day of the championships.

Should she go on to win the tournament, the two-times defending champion would join Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in fourth place on the all-time list of women’s Grand Slam singles champions with 18 titles apiece.

“Hopefully, I can just build on this,” said Williams, who has had a disappointing Slam season with her best result a fourth-round exit at the Australian Open back in January.

Margaret Court (24), Steffi Graf (22) and Helen Wills Moody (19) are the only three women to have won more Grand Slam titles.

Other leading contenders were keen to display their skills on a sunny day in Flushing Meadows.

Bouchard pleased to progress after recent struggles Eugenie Bouchard was pleased with her opening round victory at the US Open after having struggled somewhat in the build-up to the tournament.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and runner-up Eugenie Bouchard launched their Open campaigns with a bang, blasting by their respective first-round opponents with a minimum of fuss.

They were joined in the second round by eighth-seeded former world number one Ana Ivanovic, 11th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta, 16th seed Victoria Azarenka and 2011 champion Sam Stosur, but the biggest jolt of energy was supplied by Bellis.

Playing on the secondary Court Six, the teenager added her name to the record books by becoming the youngest female to win a match at the US Open since Anna Kournikova in 1996.

“I went into the match thinking it was going to be such a great experience,” said the pony-tailed Bellis, who

season, climbing from a low of 161 in the rankings at the start of February to 46 and posting her first two wins over top-20 players.

Cirstea, on the other hand, has slumped from 21 a year ago to 80 and this looked a good firstround draw for Watson.

But the Romanian began the match showing form of old, thumping aces and forehands and leaving Watson reeling.

It did not help that the British player, who has developed her own attacking game to great effect this season, was struggling to find her first serve.

Watson had beaten Cirstea in their three previous meetings, most recently in Fed Cup earlier this year, and in 2012 in Miami

she won from 5-0 down in the deciding set.

But a comeback never looked on the cards this time and Cirstea took her first match point with another forehand winner.

Watson’s statistics made miserable reading, with eight double faults, six winners and 23 unforced errors adding up to a very bad day at the office.

The 22-year-old still has not won a match at Flushing Meadows since winning the junior title in 2009 and will look to put this one behind her quickly.

Her defeat leaves Andy Murray once again as the only British singles player left in the tournament.

Watson crashes out at Flushing Meadows HEATHER Watson was swiftly dumped out of the first round of the US Open by Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

• Heather Watson

Nothing went right for the British number one in a 6-1 6-1 loss that lasted 54 minutes.

Watson has had a stellar

received her wild card when she became the youngest player to win the girls’ 18s national championships since Lindsay Davenport in 1991.

“But I never thought I would come out on top winning. I’m still in shock about that match.”

Third-seeded Kvitova of the Czech Republic crushed Kristina Mladenovic of France 6-1 6-0, while Bouchard was nearly as efficient in dismissing Olga Govortsova of Belarus 62 6-1 in the afternoon sunshine.

“I’m very happy. First round is always nerves,” said the hardhitting Kvitova, who won the lead-in tournament in New Haven last weekend. “It was the same today. When I wake up, I start to feel nervous. I was just glad how I played today.”

Kvitova fell at the first hurdle here after winning her first Wimbledon crown in 2011.

“The other Grand Slams are a big challenge for me right now. I remember 2011 when I lost my first round after winning Wimbledon, so I’m just glad that I’m better already,” she said with a smile.

The 20-year-old Bouchard, the only woman to reach the semi-finals of the year’s first three Majors, answered questions over her hardcourt form with an overwhelming win.

Seventh-seeded Bouchard, who won one match in three events since losing to Kvitova at the All England Club last month as she was bothered by knee and hamstring injuries, ripped 19 winners and forced 24 errors from an outclassed Govortsova.

“Obviously I would have liked more matches, but that’s the way it is sometimes,” said the aggressive baseliner.

“I still feel very confident with myself.”

MARIBOR qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 1999 as late Morales Tavares strike was enough to beat a poor Celtic 1-0.

Tavares scooped home over Craig Gordon with 15 minutes remaining to score the only goal of the match following one of many defensive lapses from the home side.

Celtic almost grabbed a late equaliser right at the death to force extra-time but Virgil van Dijk shot straight at Jasmine Handanovic from a couple of yards out.

Ronny Deila’s team were thrashed 6-1 on aggregate by Legia Warsaw in the previous qualifying round but were reinstated after it was discovered that the Polish side fielded an ineligible player.

But having scored the vital away goal in Slovenia, Celtic looked at odds at whether to sit on their advantage or press forward and looked devoid of ideas. Indeed, it was the away side who carved out much the better openings and could have been ahead before the interval.

Deila rang the changes after the break, bringing on Kris Commons, Adam Matthews and Derk Boerrigter. But with Maribor looking increasingly dangerous on the break, they were made to pay 15 minutes before the end as Tavares looped home over Gordon.

Virgil van Dijk almost bailed Celtic out of jail right at the death but it would have been more than they deserved and this time there would be no reprieve. The Europa League beckons.

I Don’t Want Germany Captaincy - Muller

BAYERN Munich attacker Thomas Muller has insisted that he is not interested in wearing the captain’s armband for Germany for now and feels other candidates are better suited for the job.

National team coach Joachim Low is set to announce a new skipper following the international retirement of Philipp Lahm after Germany’s successful World Cup campaign, yet Muller has all but ruled himself out of the race to succeed his Bayern team-mate.

“I think there are a number of candidates ahead of me in the pecking order,” the versatile attacker was quoted as saying by Bild.

“Bastian Schweinsteiger was vice-captain, while we also have a very experienced goalkeeper in Manuel Neuer, who is the No.1 in the world for a good reason.

“There’s absolutely no reason to worry about this.

Falconets Uncrowned Champions Of FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup - Minister

THE Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, says Nigeria’s under-20 women football team are the uncrowned champions of the just-ended FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Danagogo said this when he received the team on Tuesday at the Media Centre of the Abuja National Stadium, shortly after their arrival from Canada.

The minister who commended the Falconets for their impressive performance said Nigerians were convinced that the team deserved to win the match even though

Germany went home with the trophy.

The Falconets lost 0-1 to Germany in the final match of the seventh edition of the Women’s World Cup last Sunday.

“It is with joy that I welcome you this (Tuesday) evening, because you came back with your honour as gallant players even though you did not come back with the

trophy.

“As far as we are concerned, you might not have won the main trophy, but we know you deserve it. I have already received

over 50 text messages from Nigerians, congratulating me on your victory.

“This is to show that you are actually the champions of the competition, because

Mark Congratulates THE Senate President, David Mark, has showered Falconets encomiums on the Falconets of Nigeria for their impressive outing in the just concluded FIFA Women U 20 World Cup. Mark, in a congratulatory message to officials and players, said the girls gave a good account of themselves during the championship.

In a statement signed by Mr Paul Mumeh, his Chief Press Secretary, Mark said that it was the indomitable spirit of Nigerians that gave them victory.

“Though, we did not win the ultimate trophy, nobody can deny that our girls made us proud in Canada.’’

The senate president urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to do all that was needed to keep the girls together so that they could mature into the senior female national team.

He enjoined the combatants at the “Glass House” to resolve their dispute so that the crisis would not affect the fortune of the country’s football that was now regaining momentum.

He expressed optimism that the growing momentum in the Nigerian football would be sustained and improved upon.

• Tammy Danagogo

all of us saw that we have better players and sports women in all of you,’’ Danagogo said.

He said the Falconets truly displayed the Nigerian spirit.

“This is what we always want, by showing determination and discipline in the course of the competition. So, we see you as our heroines and the champions,’’ the minister said.

He however said President Goodluck Jonathan would still host the team at a later date to appreciate the players’ impressive performance.

Also speaking, Muhammed Ali-Wudil, a member of the House of

Representatives’ Committee on Sports who represented the committee’s Chairman, Godfrey Gaiya, said the committee would also host the team.

“We are proud of you and I am here on behalf of the National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives.

“We assure you that the House of Representatives will ensure that all the National Sports Commission (NSC) ought to do for you is done.

“In addition, we will give you a rousing welcome to appreciate your efforts at the tournament,’’Ali-Wudil said.

US Open

Giwa Emerges NFA New Board Chairman

A FACTION of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) congress has elected Chris Giwa as the new Board Chairman of the association, alongside 11 others as board members.

The congress, at the 44 voting members in association’s General attendance.

Assembly on Tuesday in Giwa got 27 votes to Abuja, elected the club defeat the board’s former proprietor following an First Vice-Chairman, Mike election which had 29 of the Umeh who secured only two

votes.

Obinna Ogba won the position of the First ViceChairman after being elected unopposed, while Effiong Johnson retained his position on the board.

He did so by retaining his position as Chairman of State FA Chairmen after winning unopposed.

Yahaya Adama won the North Central zone slot with 26 votes, while Sani Mohammed and Adamu Yahaya won the North East position with 27 and 28 votes respectively.

The North West slots were won by Muazu Suleyman

• Asamoah Gyan

and Sherif Inuwa with 28 and 27 votes respectively, while Felix Anyansi-Agwu won the South East slot with 28 votes.

The South-South slot went to Felix Agua with 27 votes, while Deji Tinubu and Otunba Sunday won the South-West slots with 27 and 28 votes respectively.

In his acceptance speech, Giwa promised that he and his board members would lead the NFA and Nigerian football to a new height.

“I and my board members will make sure that we will lead Nigerian football positively and for results, so that NFA will have a new face and a good story to talk about,’’ he said.

The General Assembly had culminated in the elections, even when it was not on the schedule, after a disagreement among the

members.

The assembly was to deliberate on a roadmap to the elections to be proposed by the board, whose tenure ended on Tuesday.

The elections were earlier slated for Tuesday, but various events in July had led to the board asking for the elections to be moved forward.

But, after the assembly was declared open by the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, and the house was called to order by the association’s SecretaryGeneral, Musa Amadu, events took a new turn.

This, coupled with the arrest earlier in the day of outgoing NFA Chairman Aminu Maigari and Amadu, had led to some of the members leaving the venue of the assembly

Gyan Scores Again As Al Ain Prove Too Strong For Al Ittihad GHANA striker Asamoah Gyan struck his 12th goal in the AFC Champions League this term to lead Emirati side Al Ain to the semi-finals after completing a 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad and 5-1 aggregate victory.

Al Ain will face another Saudi side in the last four after Al-

Hilal edged Qataris Al Sadd 10 on aggregate in their quarterfinal after a goalless draw in Doha.

With Gyan in sparkling form, Al Ain do not have to worry about where the goals will come from.

The Ghanaian has amassed his dozen in 10 games, with Al

Ittihad the only side to keep him out in the duo’s 1-1 draw in group play back in April.

However, the Saudis were unable to call on their supporters in Tuesday’s clash after the AFC banned home supporters from attending the match in Mecca following unruly fan behaviour in the previous round.

Undeterred, the 2004 and

2005 winners grabbed a 35thminute lead against the run of play at the King Abdulaziz Sport City after Ismail Ahmed turned into his own net following a neat turn and cross by Brazilian Marquinho down the right.

The visitors were back level only five minutes later though when Miroslav Stoch’s lofted,

curled pass found Gyan who swiftly controlled and dispatched after beating the offside trap.

Ittihad then needed three goals to advance and they poured forward in the second period but left huge gaps at the back.

A big punt forward from goalkeeper Khalid Eisa found

playmaker Omar Abdulrahman in acres of space and the afro haired attacker cooly ran through and slotted home a second in the 65th minute.

Substitute Ibrahim Diaky added a third with eight minutes remaining after more good work from Slovakian Stoch, on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce.

CMYK

Government Of National Unity As A Tasty Poison

WE are reminded of “Aggregate Seven” – an uncle of ours whose nickname emanated from the fact that he had an aggregate of seven wives, none of whom was original.

Uncle used his position as a Customary Court President to acquire second-hand wives.

At the least prompting, he encouraged the women to push for divorce and he assisted them to facilitate the divorce process. As soon as they were through, they automatically landed in his house to increase his stock. Those were the days when nobody talked about conflict of interest.

We should have known that perhaps some young elements were quietly imbibing Uncle’s idea, with a view to transforming same to the level of national politics some day.

After the initial take-off around 1998, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has hardly recruited any new members. Their stockin-trade has not gone deeper than laying wait on decampees and rejects from the more refined political parties. Today, we are looking at the nebulous concept of the Government of National Unity, GNU, which they have applied very dexterously in swelling their ranks.

Virtually after every election, there are maneuvers and scrambles for the spoils of office. This is where they begin to talk of the GNU. We do not expect the 2015 elections to be much different.

And invariably, too, the stand of the major opposition parties has always been that the GNU is unacceptable. They quickly see it as a tasty poison, which when we drink, we die. They see it for what it is – a way of attracting some of the best brains from the ranks of the opposition. Those who go never return to their original parties anymore.

Actually, coalition

government in a presidential system is a misnomer. It never works.

It is only an effort for selfish politicians to help themselves.

In 2011, 44 of the country’s 63 registered political parties, most of which Nigerians cannot remember their names, on the eve of the election queued behind President Goodluck Jonathan, hoping to share from the spoils of the electoral victory.

Essentially, the quest for a GNU is an extension of the politicians’ search for relevance, particularly in a situation where very little premium is placed on the value of the opposition.

Who really provides the heat that keeps government on its toes to achieve landmarks that will free Nigeria from poverty and the pervading corruption that most people now accept as a way of life?

GNU is a ready tool in the hands of government to appease the losing party after the election war, to create the illusion that it is not winner takes all. It is also a way of splitting the ranks of the parties that are contesting the election results at the tribunals.

The offer is too enticing for politicians who want to recover their investments in the election. They are in such a hurry that they hardly consider the havoc to themselves and their party. Once they go, they become deformed and thoroughly incapacitated politically, that is.

In the ill-fated Third Republic, one of the most vibrant politicians that this country had was the ebullient Ambassador Babagana Kingibe. See how he has since boxed himself to a dead-end by drinking of the tasty poison?

We remember James Ajibola Idowu Ige (1930 – 2001) – Federal AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice under President

Olusegun Obasanjo. He was assassinated on 23 December 2001 in his bedroom at his Bodeja, Ibadan residence.

We have been warned not to speak evil of the dead, except it is in furtherance of the incontrovertible truth. Bola Ige’s decision to join President Obasanjo-led

Perhaps in error, by knowledge and disposition, we had looked upon Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife as a clear leader of the Igbo race. This was one man who took the battle of the progressives to the very heart-land of the conservatives and he defeated them all.

In the ill-fated Third

Nigeria if Jonathan is not allowed to contest the 2015 election, “Whether you are from the North, South, or West, you cannot stop Jonathan from going for a second term and

• President Goodluck Jonathan government dealt a big blow on the progressive movement. It has been held as the issue that finally broke the backbone of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, which won all the governorship seats in the South-West in 1999, but lost all, except Lagos, in 2007.

Republic, he was by far the most vibrant politician east of the Niger. He was the Governor of Anambra State from January 1992 to November 1993.

He has partaken of the tasty poison and today, he has become a Jonathan apologist.

He now preaches the breakup of

winning… Everybody can make noise but if those who are making noise should think deeply, they would realize that the continued existence of Nigeria as one country is anchored on Jonathan’s continuation in office come 2015”.

Carrying his naivety

further, he asserts that if Jonathan does not win the 2015 election, “The Niger Delta boys would blow up all the oil pipelines and the country would break up”.

Senator Ben Obi, Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs was one of the leading SouthEasterners noted for their political brilliance. He was the ACN vice presidential candidate during the 2007 contest. The results of the election were hardly out when he jumped ship by joining the Musa Yar ’ Adua-led administration and he has remained there ever since. He is credited with the famous assertion, “Time of politics is over. We are now in governance”.

Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, former anti-corruption guru, was the ACN presidential candidate at the 2011 elections. As soon as he lost, President Jonathan made him what the Americans call an offer he couldn’t reject – Chairman, Petroleum Revenue Task Force.

The penultimate week, he finally defected to the PDP, where he is now the aspirant to beat for the forth-coming gubernatorial contest in Adamawa State.

GNU is evil. It is an open invitation to the one party State, which Nigerians have always detested as retrogressive.

“We have been warned not to speak evil of the dead, except it is in furtherance of the incontrovertible truth. Bola Ige’s decision to join President Obasanjo-led government dealt a big blow on the progressive movement.”

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