Nigerian observer 29 04 2014

THE NIGERIAN

The Nigerian

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 38 • NO. 470 TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014 • N 100.00 NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND DIETETICS Page 14 Auto Intoxication And What To Do

HOS tasks Perm Secs on Synergy

BENIN CITY – The Edo State Head of Service, Mr. Igbaekemen Jerry Obazele has made a passionate appeal to Permanent Secretaries in the state Civil Service to synergise in order to effectively drive home government policies

geared towards the transformation of the state.

Mr. Jerry Obazele gave the charge when he met with the Permanent Secretaries in

Government House, pointing out that no ministry should be seen to be working in isolation.

He explained that what the present administration of

Comrade Governor Aliyu Oshiomhole is preaching was collaboration of all and urged the Permanent Secretaries to key into the new philosophy of government.

On training of Civil Servants, he stated that Continues on page 2

2016 Edo Governorship

BOTTOMLINE Page 15 Levels of truth in dialogue

Search for responsible Ogbemudia urges Edo people candidate,

By VICTOR OMOALU

BENIN CITY – Two-time governor of Midwest and Bendel States, General (Dr.) Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia (rtd) has stressed the need for the people to intensify their search for a thoroughly responsible candidate that will ensure sustenance of the even developmental strides of the present administration, come next governorship elections in the state.

The former governor Community in Ikpobamade the call during a Okha local government visit to Ohovbe area of Edo State.

Dr. Ogbemudia who

lauded the monumental achievements of the state governor, Comrade

Adams Oshiomhole, noted that it was high time the people started to shop for another good candidate that will build on the legacies of the

Comrade Governor, instead of waiting till the eleventh hour.

“Our brother (governor Oshiomhole) has done well. So we

need somebody that will take over from him,” stated Dr. Ogbemudia.

The people of Ohovbe Community, who turned Continues on page 2

EDHA resumes, adopts 4th quarter calender

By KEN ABU BENIN CITY – Edo State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary sitting for the fourth quarter, third session of the fifth Assembly with the adoption of its Business Calendar for the quarter.

Presenting the Business Calendar for consideration and adoption by the House, the Majority Leader and Chairman, House Committee on Rules, Business and Government House, Hon. Philip Shaibu stated that the House will sit for a period of 24 days during the fourth quarter commencing from April

28 to May 30, 2014.

He noted that after the completion of the fourth quarter, the House would have sat for a total period of 185 days, including 50 days in the first quarter, 60 days in the second quarter, 51 days in the third quarter and 24 days in the fourth quarter, thereby exceeding the mandatory 181 sitting days stipulated by law for any Legislative House in the country.

Hon. Shaibu thereafter moved a motion for the adoption of the Business Calendar and was seconded by minority leader, Hon. Emma

TIT BIT “ Even if love is offered to you as a precious jewel; it would still be your decision to wear.”

- Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama

Okoduwa and subsequently approved by the House.

Meanwhile, the speaker Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Uyi Igbe has directed the 18 Local Government Chairmen in the state to send to the House, briefs on the activities of their respective local government.

The speaker noted that Continues on page 2

COURTESY VISIT: L-R: Vice President Namadi, Sambo, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammad, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and President Jakaya Kikwete of United Republic of Tanzaania during the Vice President’s courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Daressalaam, Tanzania on Sunday.

Abuja Economic Forum

Security operatives assure on safety

ABUJA - Security operatives yesterday assured the international community of tight

security during the World Economic Forum (WEF) scheduled to hold in Abuja from May 7 to 9.

Officials of the security services in the country gave the assurance while addressing members of

the diplomatic community in Abuja.

Officials of the State Security Service (SSS),

Malaria, major cause of morbidity

By FRIDAY OBANOR BENIN CITY – Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Aihanuwa Eregie has

- Commissioner

said that malaria is the major cause of morbidity as a child dies of malaria

fever every minute.

Speaking at this year’s 2014 World Malaria Day

organized by the State Health Ministry, Dr. Eregie noted that under the leadership of Continues on page 2

defence staff, police, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons attended the meeting.

In an address, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Bade, offered guarantees to Continues on page 2

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

News Search for responsible candidate

Continued from page 1

out enmasse to receive the former governor, applauded his landmark achievements while in office and pledged their support for him.

The Enogie of Ohovbe, HRH (Dr.) Iduriase Oyenmwnesere, commended Dr. Ogbemudia for the visit, saying, “I am impressed by the visit.”

The Chairman of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Robinson Ogunkoru noted that Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia’s achievements while in office cannot be contested, According to the Head of Ijaws he has thrown his weight

behind the realization of a better candidate that will help advance the trend of development in Edo State, “We are part and parcel of Edo State and we will rally round

whatever policy that will bring about the betterment of the people.”

The two-time governor was accompanied by the representatives of the Benin

HOS tasks Perm Secs on Synergy

Continued from page 1

the government was doing enough to widen the horizon of Civil Servants, adding that his office will continue to organize in house training programmes.

He disclosed that in the first quarter of 2014, over four seminars and workshop where over 250 Civil Servants had been trained, were held.

Mr. Jerry Obazele

announced the resuscitation of Public Service forum and mandated the Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Administration to set machinery in motion to revive the moribund programme.

On internally generated revenue (IGR), the Head of Service reemphasized the

Isiaka Hassan commended the state government’s commitment towards ensuring a disease free environment for its citizenry.

According to him, “Malaria which is spread by mosquitoes remains the best known and biggest killers among vector-borne diseases.”

He said the vectors thrives under conditions where housing is poor, water is unsafe and Environment Contaminated with filth.

Dr. Hassan, however assured that as development partner, WHO is firmly committed to providing all required supports to the state in the fight against malaria.

He therefore urged all stakeholders in the war against malaria to continue to

educate communities, build capacity of Health Workers on malaria, monitor and evaluate control measures at all times.

On her part, the programme officer, malaria control, Ministry of Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Adesuwa Ebomwonyi demonstrated how to use the nets before the distribution of treated mosquito nets to participants at the one day awareness campaign programme.

Highlights of the 2014 World Malaria Day Celebration in Edo State were Road Walk around Kings Square and some major streets in Benin City, distribution of Handbills to the public, distribution of treated mosquito nets and anti-malaria drugs to women, free malaria test as well as a symposium to mark the celebration.

Malaria, major cause of morbidity

Continued from page 1

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health and Implementing Partners, the state has been implementing the Roll Back Malaria Strategy in line with international Standard in the fight against malaria.

Dr. Eregie stated that the ministry in line with the Federal Ministry of Health’s Policy direction on malaria has adopted Malaria Elimination Programme with a view to eliminating malaria from the state.

This, she said necessitated the 2012 state – wide mass distribution of long lasting Insecticidal Nets.

While appealing to everyone to join hands with the state government in eliminating malaria from the state, Dr. Eregie hinted that, to achieve the state’s vision of a malaria free Edo State, “we must keep our environment clean, clear our drains, remove stagnant water, clear bushes around our houses as well as access malaria treatment from the various health facilities in the state.

In his contribution, the Director, Disease control of the ministry, Dr. Osamwonyi Irowa said the theme of this year’s celebration, “Invest in the future: Defeat Malaria” is very timely in view of a global call to commit more resources to help maintain and accelerate the progress made so far against malaria in line with the Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6.

In a goodwill message, state Co-ordinator, World Health Organization (WHO), Dr.

EDHA resumes, adopts 4th quarter calender

Continued from page 1

it is customary for council chairmen to render account of their stewardship to the House.

Such briefs should reach the office of the majority Leader on or before May 16, 2014 for scrutiny, noting that the House will mandate its committees to visit the councils in order to ascertain the contents of the briefs.

Monarch, Chief Solomon Ogbewe, the Uwayoba of Benin Kingdom, Eze Ndigbo, Eze (Dr) Luke Abbas, Chief Omo Osula, the Arala of Benin Kingdom amongst others.

Security operatives assure on safety Continued from page 1

members of the international community that “Abuja is safe”.

Bade, however, said that security checks might cause traffic inconveniences due to the absence of necessary equipment.

“I can guarantee you that Abuja is safe.

“The only thing is that there is this hardship of coming into Abuja but until we are able to get technology to assist us, we would continue to grapple with this hardship.

“It is either we withstand this hardship or leave everybody to come in with whatever they want to. But I think it is better to go through with it and feel safe,” he said.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Kenneth Minimah, also assured that the rest of the country was “largely stable”, aside the north-east.

He reiterated that adequate security would be offered ahead of the forum.

Minimah said that the traffic situation would be put under control to allow commuters move around freely.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said that resources had been put together to ensure the success of the conference.

“In the past six months, we have been on top of the situation trying to prepare for this allimportant conference.

“We have committed security equipment and resources in terms of personnel from the police, military, SSS, and NIA to ensure the routes, venue and hotels where delegates will be accommodated are safe.

“We have dominated these areas for the past three months and it is ongoing to ensure these places are given the needed security they deserve to get,” he said.

Representatives of the SSS and the NIA also reiterated the commitment of the government to the safety of participants.

The Chairman, Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Amb. Emmanuel Imohe, made a presentation on efforts the committee had made to control the flow of small arms in the country.

Imohe said the committee worked closely with the security officials to curtail vices that could lead to insurgency.

He said the presentation was to assure the international community of the government’s efforts at combating insurgency.

Earlier in his presentation, Chairperson, WEF, Mr Frank Nweke, outlined conditions for the admittance of participants for the conference.

“Invitation is only open to members of this diplomatic corps whose heads of state will be attending.

“This is not peculiar to the diplomatic corps; it is not all ministers of the federal cabinet that have received invitation.

“It is important for everyone to understand that the registration and accreditation process is extremely rigorous and access will not be granted to anyone who has no prior invitation or registration.

Nweke also said that the committee was also working with the security officials to ensure a hitch-free programme.

premium the state Governor attached to revenue generation and called on the Permanent Secretaries to redouble their efforts to surpass the targets allotted to them.

He added that areas of leakages and wastes must be sealed off and called for proper monitoring.

A committee headed by Dr. Festus Okorubo, Permanent Secretary, office of the Deputy Governor was set up to organize a send off party for retired Permanent Secretaries.

NULGE cautions Confab against abolishing LG system

ABUJA - The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) yesterday cautioned ongoing National Conference against the abolition of Local Government as a tier of government in the country.

NULGE, in a paper presented to the conference committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government by its National Deputy President, Mr Jones Ofunne, called for retention of local government and its autonomy.

Ofunne recalled the events that led to the Etsu Nupe’s Presidential Technical Committee set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to among other things, review performance of local government as a structure of governance.

He also recalled that while the presidential steering committee on the conference visited the six geo-political zones, “Nigerians unanimously rejected the removal of local government as a tier of government and demanded its autonomy.

“The former president, the committee and Nigerians were shocked with the revelation by the union, backed up with relevant documents, how state governors plunder the resources of local government councils.

mobile court begins sitting in Benin

Vehicle safety: BENIN CITY – The Mobile Court set up by the Edo State Ministry of Transport for the trial of vehicle safety test offenders has commenced sitting in Benin City.

The Mobile Court, presided over by Magistrate M.O. Osayi of Oredo Magistrate Court 3 convicted offenders on various charges ranging from faulty brake light, indicator lights, broken windscreen, broken side mirror, non availability of side mirror, worn-out tyres, missing wheel nut and rickety vehicles.

Based on the offences for which the vehicle drivers were convicted, they were asked to pay fines ranging from N1,000.00 as well as repair their vehicles within two weeks.

After the various charges were read to the offending motorist by the Vehicle Inspection Officer (V.I.O), Hassan Imuekemhe, the offenders were crossexamined by the Deputy Director of Public prosecution, Anthony Okungbowa Esq. and the Senior State Counsel, Orobosa Okunbor (Esq).

Failure to pay any of the fines and fix their vehicles, which included trucks, lorry

and cars, offender would be remanded in prison custody for specified period of days or weeks, the Magistrat said.

In all, a lorry containing crates of drinks belonging to 7Up Bottling Company was ordered to be kept off the roads in a verdict by Magistrate Osayi based on application by Anthony Okungbowa (Esq) reckety, unserviceable and a danger to the driver, apprentice and other road users.

Commenting on the inaugural sitting of the court, Edo State Commissioner for Transport, Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo (JP) said it was in line with the laws of Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA).

He stressed that, the exercise was not for revenue generation but to ensure safety on the roads in Edo State, saying that the era of struggling steering with motorists was over.

Also, the Head of the Vehicle Safety Test, Unit, Osayande Okoro emphasized that the officers in the unit, including VIOs and other professionals had been adequately trained to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently.

ABUJA - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said inefficiency in local government administration in Nigeria caused the current lack of fiscal transparency and corruption.

Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, the EFCC’s Chairman, said this at the opening ceremony of a training workshop on anticorruption, fiscal responsibility and effective leadership in Abuja.

Lamorde, represented by Mr Bolaji Salami, Director of Organisational Support in EFCC, said the workshop was organised for principal officers of local councils in Nigeria.

He said the programme was a product of collaborative efforts of the EFCC and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

The chairman said the objective of the workshop was to rid the country of economic crimes and promote fiscal responsibility.

“While local governments are said to be the best institutions that can facilitate efficient and effective service delivery at the grassroots level, local governments in Nigeria are riddled by institutional and systematic

problems.

“The problem of corruption and lack of fiscal transparency remains one of the hydraheaded factors that accounts for the inefficiency and retarded growth experienced by local governments in Nigeria,” he said.

Lamorde said investigations carried out by the EFCC had shown that corruption in local governments thrived in inflation of prices, overestimation of project costs, ghost workers syndrome and award of contracts and subsequent abandonment.

The EFCC boss commended the current leadership of ALGON for deeming it important to resuscitate the already existing relationship with the commission.

“I am by this medium assuring that the EFCC shall give ALGON all the support it requires to educate its officials on anti-corruption, fiscal responsibility and effective leadership at the grassroots level,” Lamorde said.

Mr Ozo Okafor, the ALGON President, said the training was timely, considering the need to increase the capacities of principal officers of local governments across the country.

Inefficiency in LG administration breeds corruption - EFCC

Boko Haram activities, Sheer madness - Sheriff

By JOSES SEDE ABUJA - Former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has described the activities of the outlawed Boko Haram sect as “sheer madness” which every Nigerian must unite against.

Ali Sheriff, who was the governor of the state between 2003 and 2011, during which time the activities of the sect first came into public recognition, sounded that the abduction of over 200 girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, was unacceptable and

condemnable.

Sheriff, in the statement made available to newsmen said, “I wish to join other Nigerians in adding my voice to the condemnation of all acts of terrorism and aggression against the Nigerian state and fellow citizens.

“I wish to particularly condemn the abduction of innocent school girls in Chibok, in my home state, Borno, and call on all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious, political inclinations to rise up against such ignoble acts.”

Sheriff, one of the chiefs

of the All Progressives Congress, added, “The nation must rise up against this sheer madness and affront on all Nigerians. It is the height of insensitivity for innocent school girls to be taken out of their learning environment and be subjected to the criminal livelihood of these insurgents.

“As a former governor of Borno State, I am saddened that our people are being subjected to horrific experiences occasioned by the condemnable activities of the Boko Haram, which agenda is to destabilize the country and subject Nigerians to undeserved conditions.

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Inside Edo Festus Alenkhe Bags VGN Excellence Award

BY DANIEL EDOBOR BENIN CITY – The Anchor man of crime watch, a security-related programme aired weekly on Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS), Mr. Festus Alenkhe has been given an award of excellence for helping to control crime in the state.

Edo State Commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Adebusoye Olusegun who presented the award, disclosed that Mr. Alenkhe was honoured for being committed and devoted to the programme.

He said the Edo State Vigilante Group of Nigeria appreciated Mr. Festus Alenkhe’s official responsibility in curbing crime and enlightenment of citizens in Edo State.

He stressed that a lot of people in Edo State and beyond benefited from the programme and are now very proactive on crime prevention.

Commandant Olusegun, further said that Mr. Alenkhe is a force to reckon with as far as crime reporting is concern and needed to be given an award.

He added that Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter would want to establish a direct contact with him as a crime fighter in order to get expeditions response in reducing crime to its barest minimum in the state.

Responding, Alenkhe commended the Vigilante Group of Nigeria for giving him the award, saying that it would make him work harder.

He said that when crime is

exposed, the younger ones who see it on television would be caution, stressing that no criminal has ever operated for three years without being caught.

According to Alenkhe, any criminal who involves in rape would not last up to six months before being caught.

He however gave out some security tips which included deleting of bank credit alert in our phones, keeping minimum of N50 air-times credit in our phone at bed time and to always make sure that all our doors are properly locked before going to bed.

Cleric Tasks Christians On Thanksgiving

By VICTOR IMADE, OGIJI MATTHEW AND FAITH ISIKHUEMEN

Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu, Deputy Governor, Edo State (left) and former Ghanaian President, Jerry John Rawlings during the 70th birthday anniversary and thanksgiving service of Chief Tom Ikimi, All Progressives Congress National Leader in Igueben recently. Photo: MOSES OBOH.

Internship Scheme

Stop-Gap Between School, Labour - GIS Boss

BY VICTOR OMOALU BENIN CITY – The project Director of Graduate Intership scheme (GIS), Peter Papka said the GIS has made efforts as a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to bridge the gap between school and labour market with a view to addressing graduate unemployment in the country.

Papka stated this at the opening ceremony of the orientation training for interns and firms representatives held in Benin City yesterday.

Papka who was represented

by Miss Ngozi Okonkwo of the project implementation

unit (PIU) pointed out that fast tracking man-power development was a key focus of the Federal Government transformation agenda as well as a priority towards the vision 20:2020.

He described the training as a milestone in the life of interns (participants), point of self discovery and redefinition of self esteem as well as self actualization.

The project Director listed some of the objectives of the programme to include; to enable interns optimize their internship period by developing useful skills/ positive work habits towards exposing interns to opportunities and challenges

The Head of Hausa Community, Edo State, speaking, while Gen. Samuel Ogbemudia rtd (middle) and the Enogie of Ohovbe, HRH Dr. Iduriase Oyenmwenger (left) listening with keen interest. Right is the representive of the palace, Chief Solomon Ogbeiwe, the Uwayoba of Benin Kingdom.

in work place.

Maintaining that government alone can not provide employment for the people, Papka however stressed the need for enabling environment that would stimulate job creation.

He said that in as much as the present administration recognized private sector as major employer of labour, it requires certain skills from graduates, hence the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS)

provides interns with the opportunity to acquire the basic skills in order to improve their employability.

He urged the participants to take advantage of the training.

The GIS convener, Barr. Audu maikori said the initiative was targeted at employing about 50,000 graduates.

Maikori who was represented

by Mr. Emeka Ekpunobi, Technical Assistant of GIS expressed hope that the training would impact positively on the people.

BENIN CITY – A newly ordained minister of the Ogbeson Branch of Christ Chosen Church of God, Pastor Edobor Osawemwenguan Erhenwe has stressed the need for Christians to give thanks to God at all times.

Pastor Erhenwe stated this while speaking with the NIGERIAN OBSERVER in Benin City.

The cleric who was recently ordained with 70 others earlier in the month expressed his profound gratitude to God for his enormous grace upon his ministry, describing the day he was ordained as an eventful one.

According to him, a lot of ups and downs have been experienced since he was called into the ministry in 1997.

Pastor Erhenwe who expressed sadness over the Nyanya bomb blast and prayed God to touch the hearts of the Boko Haram Sect.

He advised the youths and Nigerians generally to always look up to God in times of distress, while urging the ministers of God to always preach salvation messages, rather than preaching only prosperity related messages.

CDA Chairman Advises Youths To Plan For Future

BY ROLAND OSAKUE EBO (BENIN CITY) – Youths in Ebo Community, Iyekogba, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State have been urged to make adequate preparation against a rainy day, rather than depend on the sales of community land for a temporary gains.

The chairman, of the Community Development Association (CDA), Ambassador Austin Enehizena gave the charge at a meeting with the community member when he hosted the community members to a luncheon in the community.

Ambassador Enehizena, who expressed disappointment over the attitude of some youths who mainly resort to land speculation said proceeds from the sales of land was a temporary boost which could make them lose sight of

acquiring skills for the purpose of a secured future.

He noted that acquisition of skills or education was a seal for them to secure their tomorrow, pointing out that using proceeds from the sale of land to acquire luxury cars and over indulgence in extravagancy were all material focus which are merely for a while.

According to him, “buying of big cars to show to your friends or the female folks are just mere formality.”

“When these cars break down, you start looking for money to repair or fuel them, and when there is no money you now opt for the sale of another persons land.”

The chairman charged the youth to remain focus and disciplined, while assuring them of the community’s assistance for those who wishe to go to school or prepared to acquire any skill that could sustain and prepare them for better future.

He further stated that the

hosting was part of his administration’s effort to bring about the eluded peace in the community, as well as make all the inhabitants of the community have a rethink towards self dedication.

In their separate response, the Odionwere and the youth chairman of Ebo Community, Pa. Otarobo Ogunrobo and Comrade Festus Omozusi respectively expressed appreciation at the gesture and assured the CDA chairman of total co-operation.

Ambassador Austin Enehizena

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Across The Nation INEC Embarks On Restructuring Exercise

ABEOKUTA The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it had embarked on a restructuring exercise as part of efforts to ensure the success of the 2015 general elections.

Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ogun,

stated this in an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta.

Olumekun, who said that the exercise was not synonymous with retrenchment, pointed out that it was meant to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the commission in the conduct of the polls.

He explained that the development was borne out of a strategic review of previous elections in which some proposals came up and evolved into ‘’election project plan for 2015 polls.”

The re-organisation, according to him, involves the collapse of

some departments into directorates and the creation of other divisions.

Olumekun added that it also entailed redeployment of personnel to INEC’s offices across the country as well as welfare packages to produce a contented workforce that would be committed to the success of the electoral process.

“We have identified seven principal business areas which are very critical to the conduct of any election and we are now in the process of executing the election plan project,” he added.

Olumekun said that he had

embarked on an assessment tour of INEC’s offices across the state, noting that the exercise had afforded him an opportunity to interact with various stakeholders.

“It has also helped me to be acquainted with the political terrain of the state which in my view is matured and conducive to the conduct of a free and fair election,” he said.

He assured residents of the riverside areas in Ogun of timely and adequate supply of election materials to avoid disenfranchisement of the people.

Olumekun also said that the

commission was strengthening its voter education programme to produce an enlightened citizenry which could participate effectively and positively in the electoral process.

He, however, stressed that voter education was not the exclusive preserve of INEC, but a collective responsibility which would reduce mistakes as voters perform their civic responsibility.

The commissioner called for increased collaboration of various stakeholders in the state to ensure a success of the 2015 polls in the state.

Paediatrician Cautions Parents On Mumps depending on whether other Vaccination salivary glands are involved.

A cross section of the participants at the Graduate Internship Scheme and Orientation Training for Interns and Firms’ representatives at Vichi Hotel in Benin City. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

ABUJA - Dr Kunle Otuneye, a paediatrician, yesterday said children who were not vaccinated against mumps (infertility disease) were at higher risk of infertility later in life.

Mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands that run along the angle of the jaw in front of and below each ear.

Otuneye, who works with

L-R: Olumuyiwe Yemi Oyeniyi, Managing Director C&C Consult and Capital Ltd, Mrs. Ngozi Okonkwo, Middle, Emeka Ekpunobi representing Barrister Audu Maikori, Convener, GIS, during the Graduate Internship Scheme and Orientation training for Interns and Firms representatives which was held in Benin City yesterday at the Vichi Hotel. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

the National Hospital, Abuja, told newsmen in Abuja that mumps could affect the testicles in men and ovaries in women if not treated.

According to him, mumps is caused by an organism, called a paramyxovirus which is transmitted via the mouth by tiny drops of saliva and is contagious.

It can be contracted from talking, sneezing, sharing drinks, kissing or coughing.

“Children have the disease because they do not have the immunity to fight but they are more exposed to infection. “ A vaccine for mumps dramatically reduces the incidence of the disease, it is one of the most viral diseases among children,’’ Otuneye said.

He said the symptoms of mumps were fever, headache, weakness, fatigue and loss of appetite starting from 14 days to 24 days after infection.

“About a day after the onset of fever, the parotid gland near the ear begins to swell and ache, this makes chewing and swallowing painful and also increases in body’s temperature.

“The swelling and tenderness worsens over the next three days and may extend forward to the jaw and, for some, down the neck,

Eggs, Cholesterol Good For Humans JOS - A veterinarian, Dr Mari Dawuda, said yesterday in Jos that many researches had disproved the erroneous notion that cholesterol was not good for the human body.

Dawuda, the Chief Executive Officer, Nannang GZ Veterinary Services, Jos, was reacting to the impression that eggs were not very healthy for humans of a particular age group due to its cholesterol content.

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy lipid (fat) found in the bloodstream and in all body cells transported to and from the cells by special proteins carriers called ‘lipoproteins’.

An article entitled “Fixing the Broken Cholesterol Paradigm’’ by Dr. J. E. Williams, explained that there are two main types of

lipoproteins — low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and highdensity lipoprotein (HDL).

According to the article, LDL is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood.

“If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can clog your arteries.

About one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL, and is referred to as “good cholesterol” (and LDL as “bad cholesterol”) because high HDL levels seem to protect against a heart attack.

“We need cholesterol in every part of our body for brain and nerve cells, Vitamin D and steroid hormone synthesis, for healthy cell membranes, and many other structures and functions in the body.

“Too little cholesterol over time can lead to hearing and vision loss, and is associated with chronic constipation and

- Vet

megacolon, liver failure, and spontaneous miscarriages.’’

Corroborating Williams’ view, Dawuda said:“The body produces cholesterol and if the egg is not taken, the body has to produce its own, and the one the body produces is more harmful.

“It is a low density ‘lipoprotein’ which is more dangerous to health than the one from the egg which is the high density ‘lipoprotein’.

“In fact, in developed countries, medical practitioners no longer discuss eggs as a medical issue.

“Eggs are very much needed by the old and the young alike and we do know that nutrients from the egg help build our

health, our memories and are of enormous benefits to man.’’

Besides, the doctor said that the human body rather than reject cholesterol, needed it for the body to function well.

He said that egg was one of the cheapest sources of protein and therefore, encouraged Nigerians not to be afraid of consuming eggs.

According to him, because of the fear of side effects, many Nigerians are not eating enough eggs as required by their bodies.

In a separate interview, the Managing Director of Grand Cereals Limited, Mr Layi Oyatoki, suggested adequate awareness creation to enhance the consumption of eggs and other poultry products.

Oyatoki also told newsmen in Jos that many Nigerians were not eating eggs because of the high price and erroneous

impression that eggs were harmful to body.

“For those who can afford eggs, they don’t buy it because there is this belief that if you eat much of eggs it would give you cholesterol.

“Consumers must be informed that eggs are not hazardous as scientists have recently proven.

“Take for instance, South Africa, which is like one-third of Nigeria’s population, consumes eggs three times more than Nigeria.

“One of the reasons is that our people cannot afford the eggs we produce in Nigeria because they are too expensive.

“And we cannot blame the sellers because the cost of the feeds is very high and that is equally because the raw materials used in producing feeds are very expensive as well.’’

Otuneye said the majority of mumps cases affected both the right and left parotid glands.

He said parents must make conscious efforts to take their children for immunisations, especially mumps vaccination.

“Some cases of infertility in men and women could be as a result of not taking the mumps vaccination, mothers should make sure that their children are immunised,’’ Otuneye said.

Anambra Declares War On Exam Malpractice AWKA - The Commissioner for Education in Anambra, Prof Kate Omenugha, said yesterday that the state government would eradicate special examination centres also known as miracle centres in the state.

Omenugha said this while receiving officials of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in the state during a visit to his office.

She said the state government had declared war on such centres used by students to cheat in Senior Secondary Schools and JAMB examinations, adding that it is determined to eradicate them.

“Special and miracle centres will be eradicated by the present administration; it is one of the visions of the state government,’’ she said.

Omenugha urged the proprietors to appreciate the innovations introduced by the government in the education sector, saying it was to upgrade standard and ensure quality.

The Commissioner said the ministry would work with the school proprietors to further improve the standard of education in the state.

Omenugha said the state government had produced a 10year rolling plan for the development of education in the state.

Earlier, Mr Sunday Anaekwe, the President of the association, pledged to work with the government to raise the standard of education in the state.

He said the association would also work with the government to eradicate miracle centres in schools.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

CALABAR - The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has donated foodstuff and toiletries to Infant Jesus Orphanage in Calabar.

The foodstuff includes 20 cartons of indomie, two bags of rice, five cartons of juice, soap, biscuit and others.

Presenting the items, Mr. Albanus Nwachukwu, the Cross River Sector Commander, said the donation was part of the commission’s humanitarian service to the needy in the society.

Nwachukwu said that the kind gesture was ongoing across the

South-South FRSC Donates To Orphanage country, adding that it is part of the activities lined up to celebrate the United Nation’s Safety Week.

He said that the theme of the celebration was “Keeping Children Safe on the Road.’’

“This donation is part of our love for the children; we need to show them love, care, and also to support their welfare and growth.’’

He urged the children to always have a positive approach towards life, adding that their

future is in the hands of God. The sector commander assured the children that the commission would always remember them in its activities.

Rev. Sister Epiphaina Evuleocha, the Officer- inCharge of the home, received the items on behalf of the home, and thanked the commission for the gesture.

Evuleocha said that the food items would go a long way in adding nutritional value to the growth of the children.

She said that it was not an easy task to care for children who came from different cultural background.

“We have 22 children in this home, it has not been easy for us, I appreciate the efforts of those

who have been donating cash and materials to the home.

“We still have accommodation problem in this home that is why we have only 22 children here. I am appealing to the government and private organisation to come

to our aid.

“These children need support from members of the society; the Catholic Church cannot do it alone. It should be a collective effort in order to put smiles in their faces,” she said.

The Infant Jesus Orphanage is owned and managed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Calabar.

Terrorism: Idokpa Community Chairman Harps On Collective Efforts BENIN CITY – The Chairman of Idokpa Community Development Association in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr. Nosa Obamwonyi has sued for collective efforts of Nigerians to fight crimes and terrorism.

Mr. Obamwonyi noted this while speaking to newsmen in Benin City, weekend, during an interactive sessions in curbing crimes and terrorism in the country, organised by Heritage Communications Limited. He posited that crimes and terrorism are manifestation of devilish intents and that they needed to be tackled through spiritual means.

According to him, terrorism and crimes are being encouraged by high profile poverty and indolence. Speaking further, the community chair averred that those perpetrating the devilish act are the youths and poverty striken people, who do not mean well for their people.

He therefore solicit the collective responsibility of the people, particularly the communities in the rural areas to organize security outfit to monitor the movement of strange people in and out to address the ugly trend in the country.

The Community Leader, who is also a farmer lamented the incessant killings of innocent citizens by the Boko Haram insurgent, and especially sympathised with families of the recent Nyanyan bomb blast killings and prayed for God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss of their persons.

Mr. Obamwonyi, also sympathised with the President/ Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, for the recent killings in the North, which aimed to destabilise his government. He, however, described Mr. President as a man of courage, who is not deterred by distractions, just as he urged government at all level to create employment for youths, who are willing to work and establish an orientation agency across the seven hundred and seventy-four local government areas in the country to give the youths an orientation course about the negative effects of these persistent killings of souls.

Mr. Obamwonyi, who averred that Idokpa Community is working out modalities to organise a tight security outfit to be supported by the security agencies in the state and the state government in fighting any form

of criminal activities and terrorism has also charged all the communities across the country to emulate them for the the purposes of making this country a peaceful place for living.

Idokpa Chairman, also thanked his community indigenes for giving him an enabling environment to bring development to the community for these few years of his administration. He noted that the Idokpa community which has

hitherto been abandoned by past administration has taken a view look since assuming the mantle of leadership.

He posited that his administration has been able to provide basic infrastructures, especially good road network in the area and therefore assured his people his readiness to transform the Idokpa community to a greater height as he solicited their cooperation to actualise his objectives.

L-R: Mr. Tunde Alabi, Chairman Skye Bank Limited Plc, Captain, (Dr) Hosa Okunbo, Chairman Ocean Marine Tankers Ltd and his wife during the 10th year Anniversary of his late father, Evang. Hon. Robert Amos Okunbo, which took place at the Christ Apostolic, which took place at the Christ Apostolic Church of God Mission Benin City. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.

Rivers APC Elects State Officials

Dr. Tinyan Okunbo and wife (right) with Captain, (Dr) Hosa Okunbo and his wife during the 10th year Anniversary of his late father, Evang. Hon. Robert Amos Okunbo, which took place at the Christ Apostolic, which took place at the Christ Apostolic Church of God Mission Benin City. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.

Amaechi To Make Rivers Education Hub

PORT HARCOURT Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers said his administration was making effort toward making the state the education-hub in sub-Saharan Africa.

Amaechi made the remark at the maiden convocation of the Rivers State College of Arts and Science (RIVCAS) in Port Harcourt.

Amaechi, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Lawrence Nemi, said that education remained the focal point of his administration’s development agenda.

The governor noted that his administration was prepared to turn out manpower needed for economic development of the

state and country at large.

Amaechi said that his administration had recorded success in its strategy to empower youths by providing them with quality education thereby exposing them to endless opportunities and possibilities.

“Earlier in my administration; I declared a state of emergency in the education sector with a view to making the state the hub of education in Nigeria and subSaharan Africa.

“I’ll continue to pursue this vision vigorously because we believe that education has the power to free Nigerians from the shackle of ignorance, disease and poverty.

“We have redirected the

interest and energy of our youths toward education; both for their self actualisation and for the economic growth and betterment of our society.

“We have made tremendous efforts to replace the guns that were illegally in the hands of misguided and un-uniformed youths with books; thus creating employment and wealth,” he said.

Amaechi said that his administration’s vision was being realised and recognised with Port Harcourt chosen as the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Book Capital for 2014.

Earlier, the Rector of

RIVCAS, Dr Hillary Wordu, said its maiden convocation covered students who graduated from the college between 1992 and 2013.

3, 080 students were awarded with Higher National Diploma, National Diploma, College Diploma and Certificates in various courses of study.

Wordu said that 86 students graduated with distinctions, 225 with upper credits, 1, 146 lower credits, while 1, 623 graduated with pass.

He said that the college had been cleared by the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to operate as a Polytechnic.

PORT HARCOURT - The All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers chapter, has elected 36 officers as members of the state executive of the party.

Reports say that though the officers were elected by consensus, more than 2000 delegates still cast ballot for them.

Chief Davies Ikanya was elected as Chairman while Chief Emeka Bekee was elected as Secretary.

Other officers elected are Mr. Mike Nwielagha, Organising Secretary, Chris Finebone, Publicity Secretary and Dr Abel Tariah, Treasurer.

Mr. Cosmos Maduba, the Chairman of the congress organising committee, said that the party was determined to elect officers that would turn its fortunes in the 2015 elections.

“We are optimistic that the officers will make the party win the 2015 elections at the state and national levels,’’ he said.

Mr. Chris Finebone, newly elected state Publicity Secretary of the party, said that the officers would strive to win the 2015 election in the state.

Finebone said “we have a formidable team and we will work hard to win the 2015 election and continue to give our people quality leadership.’’

“As you can see, the congress was free and fair, and we will carry on in that spirit,’’ he said.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

South-West FG To Build Biggest Seaport

BADAGRY (LAGOS STATE) President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged that the Federal Government was planning to build the biggest seaport in Badagry, Lagos State.

Jonathan made the pledge at the 37th coronation anniversary of the Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu-Toyi 1, held at his palace in Badagry, Lagos State.

The president, who was represented by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said the decision to establish the seaport was part of the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda.

“Badagry is a historic town and it is the cradle of tourism, so we hold it in high esteem.

“For over 100 years, Badagry was the exporting point in Nigeria but back then, it was slave that was being exported out of the country.

“We are making plans to build a seaport in Badagry which will be bigger than the one in Ibeju-Lekki.

“The reason for this is to ensure that Badagry exports everything from Nigeria to the whole of Europe.

“With this, Badagry would be redeemed of its lost glory, and also we are not going to marginalise Badagry because it is important to the country,” Jonathan said.

The President commended the Akran for installing peace in Badagry.

“Badagry is a very peaceful place and the Akran must be commended for that because Badagry is a town of many ethnic groups and religions, but he has been able to unite everyone together.

“We appreciate your efforts and we pray God keeps on giving you strength to live for many more years,” he said.

Responding, the Akran appreciated the gesture of the Federal Government to develop Badagry after several years of neglect.

Menu-Toyi urged the government not to relent in the ongoing projects in the area, especially the

development of Air Force School and vehicles assembly plant.

“I would keep on doing my best in ensuring that peace continues to reign in the town.” the Akran said.

Reports state that the Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro was part of the Federal Government’s delegation to the event.

The Akran of Badagry, at the end, presented a Badagry Pilgrimage Award to the president.

Edo State Commandant of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Commandant Adebusoye Olusegun presenting an award of Excellence to Mr. Festus Alankhe, Presenter, Crime Watch, Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS).

Idanre Hill For World Heritage Centre AKURE - Mr. Olorunnipa Amos, the Heritage Curator, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Akure, says the Idanre Hill in Ondo State, is being considered for upgrading to a UNESCO world heritage centre.

Amos told newsmen in Akure that the centre, if finally approved, would become the third world tourist centre in the country.

“Idanre cultural landscape is a proposed national monument for the Federal Government of Nigeria and also UNESCO world heritage centre in Nigeria.

“We have 985 of such centres on the world heritage map but in Nigeria, we have just Osun Osogbo in Osun State and Sukun Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State.

“The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Ondo State Government, is making several efforts to actualise the dream of making the Idanre Hill a great tourist site,” he said.

Amos said a lot of work had been done to prepare it to meet UNESCO standard, adding that it would be a huge source revenue

Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba during the inspection of his constituency projects in Ikom, Cross River Central recently.

UPN Will Win Seats In Ekiti, Osun

LAGOS - Dr Frederick Faseun, the National Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has assured Nigerians that his party would win some seats in the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun elections.

Faseun, who is also the leader of the Odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), gave the assurance when he spoke with newsmen in Lagos.

“Certainly, the purpose of any political platform coming to being is to submit people for positions; that is what we will

do and we are hoping to capture some offices by the grace of God.’’ The chairman said that the party was not just working hard to ensure it won seats in the two states but in every state it fielded candidates for the 2015 general elections.

“Now that we are registered, we are working very hard to make sure that any state we present candidate, such candidate will win their elections.

“We will ensure we win

- Chairman

some seats at the local, states and national levels.

“And at the moment, various meetings are on to have a good preparation for 2015,’’ he said.

According to him, it is the only way the party could remain registered.

Faseun pledged that the party would ensure it met the aspirations and expectations of Nigerians who had kept

faith with the party.

The chairman assured Nigerians that UPN was a party that would bring about the needed change in the country’s development.

He said in about a month or six weeks’ time, the party would hold its national congress to elect its leaders.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has approved the registration of

UPN. This is contained in a statement signed by the Commission’s Director of Voters Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi.

It said that the registration of the party was approved at its last meeting on April 17 after the applicant met the legal requirements for registration.

The registration of UPN brings to 26 the total number of political parties in Nigeria.

- Curator

for government when completed.

The curator said that government had rehabilitated some old buildings built in 1915 by the Idanre community.

He, however, advised residents of the hilly community not to mutilate the walls of the buildings but cooperate with government in realising its dream.

“This historic hill is 670 steps uphill and it is one of the highest in South-West Nigeria.

“We have been creating awareness in form of moving students, scholars and researchers day in day out, to and from the site.

“Recently, the state government initiated the celebration of the annual Mare Festival on the hill, and this has been attracting foreigners from across the globe,’’ he said.

Amos said that since the government’s initiative in 2008, the number of tourists visiting the hill had increased tremendously.

Cleric Urges Youths To Shun Immoral Acts IBADAN - Rev. Ademola Ishola, the Immediate Past President, Nigeria Baptist Convention (NBC), has admonished Nigerian Youths to shun immoral activities and embrace God. Ishola made the call while delivering a sermon at the solemnisation of Hadiza Okoya and Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala held at the Molete Baptist Church, Ibadan.

Hadiza is the daughter of the Lagos businessman, Alhaji Rasak Okoya while Olamijuwonlo is the son of a former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala.

Ishola, in his sermon entitled “Commitment to Enduring Marriage,” said immoral activities such as homosexuality and others should be condemned in their entirety.

“I thank our parliamentarians for going against homosexuality in Nigeria. Even animals in this world do not engage in such.

“I advise our youths not to engage in such shameful act,” he said.

Ishola admonished the new couple to love themselves and to always reason and hold onto God. He described marriage as a long journey, that is, a marathon race, and told them to always stay together forever irrespective of the circumstances.

“I enjoin the new couple to embrace piety and total devotion to God. Always teach yourself in the direction of the Lord,” he said.

The occasion was attended by parents of both the groom and the bride.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Lagos Emmanuel Ikubese, 25, Wins Mr Nigeria 2014

LAGOS - A 25-year-old actor, Emmanuel Ikubese, was crowned “Mr Nigeria 2014’’ at an event held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Reports say that Ikubese also got a car, a modelling contract and N1 million prize money.

The winner would also get the chance to represent Nigeria at the “Mr World’’ contest in the Netherlands later this year.

Ikubese defeated 19 other contestants to emerge winner of the annual contest, organised by the Silverbird Group.

The event featured stage appearances in different outfits and performances by the 20 contestants.

The contestants appeared on stage in different attires and gave different artistic performances before being reduced to 10 The hosts then took them through a question and answer routine before they were again reduced by half, where Ikubese emerged as winner.

Austine Igwilo and Michael Amilo clinched the first and second-runner up positions respectively.

The winner of the contest told newsmen that he would use his position as Mr Nigeria to be a good role model and to inspire millions of youths and encourage them to chase their dreams.

He said “I am currently part

of a campaign against HIV/ AIDS and I will also do my own projects.

“One of them is the fight against domestic violence because I have come across a lot of such violence in the news in recent times.

“The case of the man who stabbed his wife 72 times got to me and I decided to take it up. We are Africans and we are honourable men and beating our women is never a sign of our strength.’’

Ikubese added that “I want to get us talking about Godgiven innate African qualities again and encourage our men to be real men.’’

The Mr Nigeria 2014, who studied International Relations at the United States International University, Nairobi, Kenya, hails from Kwale in Delta State.

Youth Appeals For Transparency In Governance

An articulated vehicle carrying an industrial tank on Warri-Effurun Road in Delta State on Sunday.

Theft: Man, 32, Docked

LAGOS - A 32-year-old man, Tosin Bankole, who broke the padlock of the Apapa Port Police Station in a bid to escape from custody was arraigned on Monday in Lagos.

Bankole, whose address is unknown, was arraigned at an Apapa Magistrates’ Court on a two- count charge of stealing and escaping from custody.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Soji Ojaokomo, told the court that

the accused committed the offences on April 5 at the Apapa Port Police Station in Lagos.

He said the accused, who was lawfully detained in cell, broke the central padlock of the cell and escaped from custody.

“But luck ran against him when the policeman who was on a routine check to the cell saw him and raised alarm which led to his being re-

arrested.

“On close watch, he discovered that the accused had broken the central padlock cell and escaped,” Ojaokomo said.

“Bankole had earlier been detained for stealing a mobile handset, belonging to one Mrs Netisa Talam, on March 29 at 3 a.m. at Railway Gate, Apapa.’’

The offences, Ojaokomo said, contravened Sections 106

and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the offences.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

She directed the surety to show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.

Adelaja adjourned the case until May 6 for mention.

9 Ships To Berth At Lagos Ports LAGOS - Nine ships carrying rice are expected to berth at the Lagos ports yesterday, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said in its bulletin, Shipping Position’’.

The agency said that one ship carrying rice was already waiting to berth at the terminal.

The bulletin said the ships were expected to berth at ENL Consortium, Green View Development Nigeria Ltd (GDNL) and Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd. (ABTL) It listed the ships as Wariya Naree, Aqua Runner, Silvretta, Quest, Aeolos, Lake Hakone and Maraki.

The publication also said that eight ships carrying petroleum products would berth at Single Bouy Mooring, New Oil Jetty, GDNL and ABTL. It said other ships would sail in with malt, wheat, fertiliser, pet coke, soda ash, sugar and general goods.

The publication said some of the ships would sail in at Fishery Wharf, NISPAN and AP Moller Terminal.

A Senior Police Officer cleaning the shoe of a junior officer on Guard at the inauguration of Lagos State Traffic Administrative and Training Hall in Lagos.

95,926 Candidates Write Common Entrance Examination

LAGOS - The Registrar, National Examinations Council (NECO) has disclosed that a total of 95,926 candidates registered for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) nationwide.

Okpala, who disclosed this in a telephone interview with newsmen in Lagos, said that in 2013, 88,444 candidates sat for the examination.

The registrar attributed the increase in number of candidates this year to improved service delivery and facilities on ground in the

government colleges.

He said that more Nigerians were becoming confident in the efforts put in place by the Federal Government in ensuring that the colleges remained the choice destination for the Nigerian child.

“I am overwhelmed at this new development on the side of the Nigerian parents. It shows that they are increasingly becoming aware that indeed government is leaving nothing to chance in its effort to give the Nigerian child the best education.

“You can tell from the large turnout for this examination

nationwide, with Lagos topping the chart in terms of number of candidates that registered.

“There is a great improvement in the area of teaching and learning in these colleges which the parents are beginning to acknowledge.’’

Okpala noted that in a bid to improve on the quality of products in the Unity Schools, government was putting every resource at its disposal to make the colleges rank top among schools at the secondary level.

“I know government has been doing a lot to justify this

new found confidence that is being reposed on them by the Nigerian public.

“I want to advise that government does not relent but rather do more, especially in the area of facilities so that we will be able to position not just these schools but also our children and the nation at large for global competitiveness,” he said.

The Zonal Coordinator of the Council in Lagos, Mr Niyi Aribisala, said that the examination held at about 111 centres across the state was hitch-free, with all logistics in place.

LAGOS - The Visionary Impact Network, a youth consultancy and management social enterprise, yesterday appealed for transparency at all levels of governance.

This is contained in a 12-page communiqué released at the end of its first social forum, tagged “Visionaries Hub Hangout “, as part of its proposed solutions to problems of economic and social development.

The ‘Hangout’ was designed for Nigerian youths and elders to deliberate and network in a relaxed environment.

The communiqué said that the problems of development included wrong mindset by the people about leadership and nation building.

It listed misplaced priorities, wrong value system, high level of nonchalance, “much talk, less action“, and religious inclinations that promoted mental limitation as other challenges of development.

The communiqué said that social welfare policies should be made for the poor, homeless, unemployed and the physically challenged.

“There is a need for the provision of a platform to allow transfer of knowledge and to bridge the gap between our elders and we, the youths.

“This would enable proper understanding of our current situation and aid us in charting a course for a better future,“ it said.

The communiqué listed solutions like trade liberalisation, attraction of foreign investment in technology, medicine and manufacturing and building up of foreign reserves.

Some other solutions were open market for local contents and products, support for local industry and granting of license to more local industries in the free trade zones.

According to the communiqué, manpower development with substantial investments in public and private education is necessary for education and youth development.

It specified improvement of teacher’s welfare, review of remuneration structure to make teaching attractive and review of school curricula at all levels as necessary initiatives.

The communiqué quoted participants as proposing construction of more primary and secondary schools to meet with the UNESCO standard, creation of job opportunities and improvement in the education sector.

“The past is relevant because if we do not take it into consideration, we might repeat the mistakes of our elders, rather than learn from them.

“Our challenge as a nation is not restricted to bad leadership, but we as citizens have a role to play,’’ it said.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

North Board Embarks On GirlChild Educ Campaign

L-R: Bishop, Sonrise Community Church, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A Bishop Columba Niboro; Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ima Niboro; the General Overseer, United Believers Mission, Pastor Augustus Owraigbo and Chairman, Bible Truth Ministry, Pastor Vincent Omugbe, during the hand-over and dedication of an ultra-modern United Believers Mission Church building erected by Mr Ima Niboro, at Emevor Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta weekend.

Emir Solicits Law To Enforce Polio Immunisation BAUCHI - The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rulwanu Suleiman, has called on the state government to enact a law on polio immunisation to curb its spread.

Suleiman made the call in Bauchi at a roundtable on ways to curb polio organised by the Voice of America (VOA) and the Centre for Disease Control.

Represented by the Dam Amar Bauchi, Alhaji Hassan Bayero, the monarch said such a law would take care of parents who refused to bring out their children and wards for immunisation.

He explained that though the disease had reduced in the state, especially in Bauchi and Toro local government areas, there was still the need for a law to sanction defaulting parents.

Suleiman warned against the use of underage persons as vaccinators which led to some of the non-compliance in previous exercises.

He cited where he personally dropped some underage vaccinators in Kangere and Liman Katagum towns who were recruited to immunise the children in some wards.

In his contribution, a cleric

with the Bauchi State Shari’ah Commission, Uztaz Hadi Abubakar, disabused the minds of the people that the administration of polio vaccine was un-Islamic.

Abubakar explained that it was wrong for parents and guardians to prevent their children and wards from being immunised.

He warned against some religious leaders who preached

against the immunisation, saying that such leaders have no justifiable reason to kick against it.

Some vaccinators, who attended the occasion, complained about the shortage of pluses given to children during the exercise and urged the state government to provide more pluses for distribution.

Ultra-modern United Believers Mission built

by Mr Ima Niboro, MD News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and inaugurated at Emevor, Isoko-North Local Government Area of Delta.

5 Killed In Nasarawa Communal Crisis

LAFIA - The Nasarawa Police Command has confirmed that five persons died in the renewed communal crisis in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Umar Ismaila, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lafia.

He said that the crisis broke out between the Eggon and Gwandara ethnic groups over a farm land at Igga in NasarawaEggon Local Government Area.

Umar, however, said that normalcy had been restored in the area following the prompt response of the police to a distress call.

The police spokesman said investigation into the crisis had commenced and urged residents to avoid taking laws into their hands.

He stressed that law enforcement agencies were always on hand and willing to settle all disputes.

KANO - The Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has commenced massive enlightenment campaign on girl-child education through the use of film shows.

Hajiya Amina Umar, the board’s Deputy Director in charge of Communication unit, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Kano.

She said that the campaign, which started last Friday, was being carried out by the board in collaboration with the Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN), a UK funded programme.

She added that the campaign was aimed at sensitising the public, particularly parents, on the importance of girl-child education and the need for them to enroll their daughters in primary schools.

Umar said the film shows would stress the importance of establishing School Based Management Committee (SBMC), whose membership would be drawn from community members.

“This is because the community is actually supposed to be part and parcel of the school system in terms of ensuring proper management.

“We should not expect government to shoulder the responsibility of providing

Empowerment Prog: Women HADEJIA (JIGAWA) Some women in Hadejia, Jigawa, have commended the state government over its Women Economic Empowerment Programme.

The state government had disbursed loans to 810 rural women under its Livestock Enhancement Support Programme.

Thirty women were selected from each of the 27 local government areas of the state to participate in the programme.

Each of the women received N30, 000 as loan to enable them

Commend Govt Over

go into livestock production.

The programme is designed to empower rural women to enable them become self reliant.

A cross section of the beneficiaries who spoke with newsmen in Hadejia, described the gesture as commendable.

Mrs Hauwa Abdullahi said that the programme had assisted them to engage in income generation activities.

“We have been exposed to

modern goat production and the facility given to us enabled us to buy goats for rearing,” she said.

Amina Usman, another beneficiary, noted that the support would improve the social and economic status of women in the state.

Usman said that the initiative had encouraged them to engage in animal feeds and livestock trade, adding that the gesture has improved their living conditions.

She called on the state

government to expand the scheme to enhance participation.

Also commenting, Alhaji Lawan Abdu, the Sole Administrator, Malammadori Local Government Council, said the initiative would reduce poverty and enhance wealth creation at the grassroots.

Abdu urged the beneficiaries to ensure effective utilisation of the funds and to engage in meaningful activities.

everything to schools, hence the need for SBMC in schools.

“So, each community is expected to raise an SBMC in each school nearest to it in order to have a sense of ownership of the school.’’

The deputy director said the programme was launched in Fagge Local Government Area, where members of the community, including religious leaders, were invited and shown the film.

“The emphasis in the entire film show is on the importance of girl-child education and the dangers associated with resistance by parents to enroll them in school,’’ she added.

According to her, the campaign will be extended to all the 44 local government areas of the state.

DPR Seals Fuel Stations

IIORIN - The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Kwara has sealed five fuel stations over diversion of petroleum products, over pricing, illegal operations and adulteration.

The Controller of DPR in Kwara, Mr Amos Jokodola, ordered the closure of the stations during an unscheduled visit to the stations.

Reports say that all the affected stations located in llorin and Offa were owned by independent marketers.

The outlets were Bollyma Petrol station on llorin-Jebba road which was sealed for suspected diversion of 22,000 litres of petrol, Olutola petrol station on Ajase-Ipo road, llorin, shut over suspected diversion of 33, 000 litres of petrol, and AB Lawal Petroleum Station on Erin-Iie-Offa road sanctioned for selling at N120 per litre.

Others were Kareinat Petrol located on Ira-Offa road for operating without DPR Licence and Rafmore Petroleum on Erin-IIe-Offa road over suspected product adulteration Jokodola said the stations would remain shut until they complied with standards and desisted from cheating innocent members of the public.

Jokodola also directed Tade Petrol station on Erin-IIe-Offa road and Okin Oloja Petrol station on old Jebba road to adjust their pump price to N97 per litre.

He vowed to ensure sustained unscheduled visits to filling stations to ensure that sanity was maintained in all filling stations in the state.

It would be recalled that the department had earlier sealed four filling stations belonging to some major marketers in llorin in March to instill discipline in the industry.

THE NIGERIAN

9

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Abuja Nat’l Confab NULGE Faults Plan To Expunge LGAs ABUJA - The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has asked the members of the National Conference not to approve the recommendation of its subcommittee on status of local government councils The President of the union, Mr. Ibrahim Khaleel, who made the call at a news conference in Abuja, urged the conference to jettison any decision that was against the autonomy of the councils The Committee on Devolution of Power and Structure of Government of the Conference has recommended that local government councils be put under the control of state governments and expunged from the constitution.

“The attention of NULGE has been drawn to the position of the committee on Power Devolution and Structure of Government which has resolved that local government system in Nigeria should be put under the control of state governments.

“NULGE also frowns at calls that local government councils should be expunged from the constitution.

“This position is arbitrary and did not take into consideration the feelings of Nigerians and recommendations of previous panels, committees and the National Assembly,’’ Khaleel said.

He said it would be “wise and logical’’ for the Conference to base its position on the reports done after collating and analysing memoranda from the public on the issue.

Khaleel further said the composition of the delegates to the conference, did not give adequate representation to the local governments.

“I am there as a delegate under the auspices of organised labour.

NULGE was not recognised by the organizers of this conference as competent enough to represent the interest of local governments.

“None of the 774 local government councils was considered as important to represent the interest of the grassroots at the conference.

“Our position is very clear on this issue, NULGE will not accept anything less than strengthening the institutional framework of local governments to function as a tier of government.’’

The president noted that local governments must remain recognised as provided in the 1999 Constitution, adding that any move to expunge it would be opposed by the union.

The NULGE boss said handing over the third tier of government to state governments was a sure way of wiping out local governments from existence.

He advised the Conference to conduct an independent research into how the councils had faired under the control of the state governments, particularly with respect to funding, structure, democratisation and policy.

People crossing a military check point afoot in Suleja, Niger State on Sunday.

NSC Donates To Federation ABUJA - Gbenga Elegbeleye, Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) has donated N450,000 to the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA) for its monthly keep-fit exercise.

Elegbeleye, who made the donation at FEPSGA’s first exercise for 2014, said N50, 000 would be given monthly for nine months to the team with the highest number of attendance.

He said the gesture was to encourage public servants in the FCT to participate regularly in this year’s exercise. ‘‘We want to encourage every agency of government to get involved in this exercise so that they can live longer and healthier,” he said.

Alhassan Yakmut, the Director of Grassroots Sports Development, who was the assistant captain at the exercise, said his office had been directed to replicate such exercise at the grassroots.

According to Yakmut, this will help to drive President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda through a healthy public service.

Yakmut commended the staff of the NSC for emerging as the best behaved team at the exercise.

FEPSGA President, Victor Orji thanked the DG, saying that the donation would encourage healthy competition among the public servants in the FCT. Orji said that the money would also go a long in attracting participants to the federation’s monthly exercise.

According to reputes way that the Federal Ministry of Transport won the best kitted team award.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) won a double after it won the highest in attendance and first in arrival awards.

No fewer than 2,000 public servants participated in the exercise which took place at the National stadium Abuja practise pitch.

He also promised to provide a level-playing ground to all members irrespective of tribal and religious differences.

The election was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.

The chairman and other officials were elected through consensus.

Also in Zamfara, 37 officials emerged through consensus at the congress which took place at the Sardauna Memorial Stadium, Gusau.

The Congress Committee Chairman, Alhaji Hadi Gumel, said the new executives emerged unopposed following the decision of members of the party to conduct a rancour-free congress.

Gumel said that Alhaji Lawali Kaura-Namoda was returned as Chairman, while Lawali Bala was elected Deputy Chairman, and Alhaji Sani Mono emerged as Secretary.

In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman, Alhaji Lawali Kaura-Namoda thanked members for the peaceful congress and assured that the new leadership would not fail them.

In Lagos State, the congress elected 35 new executives by consensus.

The State Chairman of the party, Mr. Henry Ajomale and the Deputy Chairman, Mr. James Odunbaku retained their positions.

APC Elects New Officials

ABUJA - All Progressives Congress (APC) new states officials to run the affairs of the party emerged on Saturday nationwide as many were returned through consensus.

In Gombe State, the party elected a-31member executive officers to run the affairs of the party in the state.

The officials were elected during the state congress of the party, which was held at the Gombe Local Government Secretariat of the party.

The election was conducted peacefully.

Announcing the results, the Secretary of the Congress Committee, Alhaji Baba Madugu, said that the election was conducted through affirmation of “Yes” or “No” votes by the delegates because there was only one contestant in each of the positions.

Madugu said that Mr. Magaji Doho, the Interim Chairman of the party was elected substantive chairman, while Mr. Simon

Dauda-Tula emerged Deputy Chairman of the party.

In his acceptance speech, Doho said the executives would go to all the nooks and crannies of the state to mobilise the people to vote for the party in the 2015 general elections to ensure change.

In Yobe, Alhaji Maimala Buni, emerged as the new chairman of the party in the state.

Maimala and 34 others emerged as the party’s executive council members through a consensus conducted and ratified by about 1, 000 delegates from 178 wards in the state.

Mr. Usman Abbas, the party’s returning officer read out names of the 35-member executive council for adoption and possible objections to the delegates before the commencement of election.

Abbas said that the constitution of the party provided room for consensus but that the delegates must endorse and elect the candidates before returning them as elected officers.

The election was supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

During the polls, Alhaji Adamu Chilari was returned as the new Deputy Chairman of the party, while Abubakar Bakabe, emerged as secretary.

From Sokoto State, the results show that Bala Abubakar emerged as Chairman of the party in the state, while Alhaji Usman Danmadami was returned as Vice Chairman.

Announcing the results, Alhaji Baba Dalla, who conducted the election on behalf of the national secretariat of the party, also said that Aminu Bello was elected as Secretary of the party.

Dalla said 1,620 delegates attended the congress.

In the FCT, the congress produced Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman as Chairman.

Speaking with newsmen after his election by the 382 delegates who attended the congress, Usman pledged to promote internal party democracy.

People buying bananas at Zuba fruit market in Abuja weekend.

NECO To Conduct Post Common Entrance Exam ABUJA - The National Examinations Council (NECO) says it will conduct another test for candidates who pass its Common Entrance Examination to select the best for admission into Federal Government Colleges on merit.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, made the announcement when he monitored the ongoing Common Entrance examination in some schools in the FCT. Wike, who was represented by the Director, Basic and Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Daniel Uwaezuoke, said this was in line with government’s promise to ensure that 60 per cent of admissions into Federal Government Colleges were on merit.

According to him, 40 per cent will be allocated on the basis of quota system.

He said the increase in enrolment this year was an indication that NECO was getting to a stage of perfection in conducting examinations and that parents were beginning to have

confidence in the body.

Also speaking, the Registrar of NECO, Prof. Promise Okpala, reiterated government’s resolve to ensure not only access but also quality in enrolment at all levels of education.

Okpala said the increase in enrolment this year was a proof of parents’ confidence in the quality of education service offered by the schools.

He said a total of 95,926 candidates registered for the Common Entrance Examination into Federal Government Colleges in 2014 as against 88,444 in 2013.

The registrar said that 18,726 candidates registered for the examination in the FCT alone, while Lagos State had the highest number of enrolment with 26,926 candidates.

He disclosed that there was, however, a decrease in some Northern states where Borno registered 218, Yobe 176 and Adamawa 318.

Zamfara, he said, recorded the lowest number of enrolment with only 113 candidates.

THE NIGERIAN

10

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Issues Family Matters

Infertility: Assisting Couples

INFERTILITY is fundamentally the inability to conceive a baby. Infertility also refer to the state of a woman not being able to carry a pregnancy to full term.

Infertility is the inability to conceive. A couple may be considered infertile if, after two years of regular sexual intercourse, without contraception, the woman has not become pregnant.

Primary infertility is infertility in a couple who have never has a child, while secondary infertility is failure to conceive following a previous pregnancy.

Infertility may be caused by man or woman, but often there is no obvious underlying cause. Men and women are affected by infertility in different way. Most couple experience the struggle in much the same way. This is related to the traditional ways men and women have be trained to think, feel, and act.

Women are typically seen, by others as well as themselves, as the emotional caretakers or providers in the relationship. Women typically feel responsible, not only for everyone’s bad feelings, their emotional can become more ominous until they finally feel out of control. Their emotions… can become a monster about to swallow them whole.

Break The Jinx

By BLESSING OBUH

Women in infertile couples often protect their husbands from their own pains and feeling of failure by taking much of the responsibility for the treatments upon themselves. When it is suggested that men accompany their wives

conception process and from their own feelings, which could easily be intensified by so much contact with the medical process.

Men are traditionally seen as the financial

They are trained to be more instructional to take charge, to make decisions and to think without being sidetracked by emotions.

Males in infertile couples often feel overwhelmed by the

for appointments. Couple get concerned about issues like income loss, use of time, etc while these concerns are usually relevant and important, they also serve the purpose of protecting husbands from their own responsibility in the

providers of the relationship and are responsible for protecting the family from real or imagined dangers.

Men usually feel more threatened expressing themselves since they have been conditioned to repress their emotions.

intensity of their partner’s emotions as well as an inability to assess their own. They tend to focus their energy back into their work, and a place where they feel they can get more success.

As a result of taking responsibility for the

“Men usually feel more threatened expressing themselves since they have been conditioned to repress their emotions. They are trained to be more instructional to take charge, to make decisions and to think without being sidetracked by emotions.”

emotional impact of infertility, the woman experience intense feelings such as pains, anger, fear, and so on which combined with the message … things is in some way dysfunctional or “crazy” causes her to feel an anxious

depression. As feelings spill our, she feels out of control and doesn’t really know how to ask for what she needs especially from the husband she is struggling so hard to protect. She may yearn for emotional connection/ interaction at one moment and in the next withdraw emotionally from her disappoinment.

Men also find themselves in a position where, regardless of how well they have been trained to solve problems, they are helpless to make this situation better for the woman and, as a result, may give off messages

that she is too emotional or sensitive hoping that this will calm her down.

But the wife hears this as criticism of her coping and care taking skills rather than as an expression of her husband’s fears. This is the time when couple cling together for their life, feeling that they have failed in the most basic of all roles- reproduction.

Couples are hesitant to admit problems in their marriage, feeling that having difficulties would mean that their marriage is also a failure.

Luckily, there are ways that both men and women can help each other balance thinking and feelings they… struggle side by side on their journey towards priesthood. The question then arises: How do I get what I need from my partner? How can I support my partner during this difficult time?

Here are some suggestions to help both partners during the infertility period: !

Communicate openly with each other !

Ask your partner what she/he needs rather than assuming that you can /cannot give it. !

Recognize the psychological and emotional differences between men and women !

See if you can teach each other some of the skills you have learned from your own experiences as man and woman. !

Share more in the process of treatment share both the burdens and joys of your different perceptions/ experiences of infertility. It will help to balance the intensity and bring you closer with a deeper respect for each other.

THE NIGERIAN

11

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (28/0414) Stocks

Open

Close

Change

Deals

Units

Value

MTI

0.5

0.5

0

0

2,000

1,000.00

ABBEYBDS

1.35

1.35

0

0

1,000

1,290.00

NAHCO

4.8

4.79

-0.01

0

679,838

3,264,509.14

ABCTRANS

0.91

0.87

-0.04

0

391,785

345,947.95

NASCON

11.51

11.51

0

0

503,300

5,743,698.07

ACADEMY

1.8

1.8

0

0

200

342

NB

148.08

148.02

-0.06

0

190,569

28,181,554.88

1.19

1.24

0.05

0

251,154

301,583.26

ACCESS

8.22

8.3

0.08

0

2,142,598

17,767,317.60

NEIMETH

AFRIPRUD

2.94

2.95

0.01

0

548,711

1,625,467.24

NEM

0.76

0.77

0.01

0

4,202,100

3,188,273.60

AGLEVENT

1.56

1.49

-0.07

0

247,480

369,125.20

NIG-GERMAN

7.36

7.36

0

0

50

350

AIICO

0.79

0.79

0

0

31,333,638

24,755,872.02

NNFM

22.01

22.01

0

0

500

10,455.00

AIRSERVICE

2.31

2.25

-0.06

0

225,450

508,586.50

NPFMCRFBK

0.88

0.84

-0.04

0

193,042

162,155.28

ASHAKACEM

16.23

16.41

0.18

0

184,698

3,038,681.63

NSE30

1758.14

1745.11

-13.03

0

71,721,768

994,209,720.30 1,097,617,408.00

ASOSAVINGS

0.5

0.5

0

0

95,000

47,500.00

NSE50

1909.11

1895.2

-13.91

0

97,661,158

BECOPETRO

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

NSEASEM

950.94

950.94

0

0

2,500

1,875.00

38857.01

38598.33

-258.68

0

146,984,926

1,226,645,057.00

BERGER

8.9

8.9

0

0

120,518

1,069,050.12

NSEASI

BETAGLAS

18.97

18.97

0

0

1,000

18,110.00

NSEBNK

398.2

394.44

-3.76

0

48,141,521

403,538,737.30

BOCGAS

6.47

6.47

0

0

476

3,208.24

NSECNSMRGDS

971.08

967.29

-3.79

0

5,303,308

187,337,218.80

CADBURY

79

79

0

0

61,030

4,580,301.50

NSEINDUSTR

2530.23

2501.97

-28.26

0

605,880

21,352,101.27

CAP

40.26

40.26

0

0

76,955

3,206,623.90

NSEINS

139.31

139.99

0.68

0

39,071,611

30,974,721.46

CAPHOTEL

4.55

4.55

0

0

600

2,862.00

NSELOTUSISLM

2754.17

2737.34

-16.83

0

5,227,140

268,869,702.80

CCNN

8.81

8.81

0

0

71,928

637,182.80

NSEOILGAS

320.96

321.03

0.07

0

2,903,479

51,615,168.00

CHAMPION

13.79

13.79

0

0

40,100

525,711.00

OANDO

15.99

16

0.01

0

2,764,909

44,182,302.51

CHAMS

0.5

0.5

0

0

200

100

OASISINS

0.53

0.55

0.02

0

615,100

324,563.00

CILEASING

0.5

0.5

0

0

23,467

11,733.50

OKOMUOIL

36.34

35

-1.34

0

277,090

9,704,478.90

CONOIL

49.2

49.2

0

0

93,638

4,567,852.72

OMATEK

0.5

0.5

0

0

2,000

1,000.00

CONTINSURE

0.95

0.99

0.04

0

693,868

681,929.32

PHARMDEKO

1.57

1.57

0

0

138

216.66

CORNERST

0.5

0.5

0

0

45,000

22,950.00

PORTPAINT

4.2

4.2

0

0

60,000

259,900.00

COSTAIN

1.31

1.37

0.06

0

85,257

116,527.75

PREMBREW

0.77

0.77

0

0

300

240

COURTVILLE

0.7

0.71

0.01

0

757,869

521,024.99

PRESCO

43

42

-1

0

425,456

17,880,717.00

CUSTODYINS

2.29

2.21

-0.08

0

783,503

1,734,022.35

PRESTIGE

0.6

0.6

0

0

816,557

475,424.20

CUTIX

1.9

1.9

0

0

9,232

16,735.42

PZ

37

37

0

0

330,617

12,227,652.51

CWG

5.48

5.48

0

0

50

260.5

REDSTAREX

4.25

4.25

0

0

37,390

165,350.90

DANGCEM

228

227

-1

0

35,394

8,020,724.40

RESORTSAL

0.5

0.5

0

0

3,500

1,750.00

DANGFLOUR

8.08

8.08

0

0

160,867

1,247,363.53

ROYALEX

0.62

0.62

0

0

1,900

1,178.00

DANGSUGAR

9.5

9.5

0

0

976,848

9,171,519.26

RTBRISCOE

1.25

1.31

0.06

0

533,404

669,555.68

DIAMONDBNK

6.14

6.09

-0.05

0

1,927,508

11,708,506.96

SEPLAT

598

590

-8

0

123,420

72,880,715.11

EKOCORP

3.72

3.72

0

0

500

1,770.00

SKYEBANK

3.7

3.52

-0.18

0

10,827,097

38,712,570.54

ETERNA

3.79

3.79

0

0

23,820

85,990.20

SOVRENINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,300

650

ETI

13.6

13.27

-0.33

0

1,096,766

14,583,462.86

STACO

0.5

0.5

0

0

160

80

ETRANZACT

2.32

2.32

0

0

50

110.5

STANBIC

23

23.2

0.2

0

235,534

5,445,613.35

EVANSMED

2.2

2.31

0.11

0

84,521

191,509.10

STDINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

2,200

1,100.00 12,899,653.76

FBNH

13.2

12.89

-0.31

0

11,485,137

149,302,804.80

STERLNBANK

2.28

2.25

-0.03

0

5,694,748

FCMB

3.55

3.53

-0.02

0

1,662,730

5,883,991.05

TOTAL

161.2

161.2

0

0

6,021

965,113.92

FIDELITYBK

1.95

1.94

-0.01

0

2,547,471

4,962,669.45

TRANSCORP

3.64

3.51

-0.13

0

14,691,721

52,304,943.27

FIDSON

2.88

2.85

-0.03

0

2,613,947

7,459,721.40

TRANSEXPR

2.13

2.13

0

0

15

30.45

FIRSTALUM

0.5

0.5

0

0

54,000

27,000.00

UAC-PROP

24.85

24.95

0.1

0

738,209

18,510,951.10

12,614,925.44

UACN

59.01

58.25

-0.76

0

461,448

26,841,581.08

FLOURMILL

65.2

68.43

3.23

0

185,756

GLAXOSMITH

70

69.5

-0.5

0

520,112

36,155,259.60

UBA

7

6.83

-0.17

0

6,125,116

42,212,908.45

GNI

0.5

0.5

0

0

10,000

5,000.00

UBCAP

2.38

2.27

-0.11

0

3,031,805

6,887,540.35 5,035,107.95

GUARANTY

27.3

27.2

-0.1

0

5,878,573

158,683,303.10

UBN

10.19

10

-0.19

0

504,872

GUINEAINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

700

350

UNILEVER

47.04

47.04

0

0

532,686

25,683,416.31

GUINNESS

190

180.51

-9.49

0

174,584

31,666,758.89

UNIONDAC

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

HMARKINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

2,072

1,036.00

UNITYBNK

0.5

0.5

0

0

6,000

3,000.00

HONYFLOUR

4

3.88

-0.12

0

1,524,530

5,882,537.50

UNIVINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

3,500

1,750.00

IKEJAHOTEL

0.58

0.6

0.02

0

129,300

77,580.00

UPDCREIT

11.02

11.02

0

0

10,000

104,700.00

INFINITY

1.61

1.61

0

0

5,050

7,734.50

UPL

4.15

4.15

0

0

167,478

645,697.30

INTBREW

26

26

0

0

462,998

11,733,543.49

UTC

0.53

0.53

0

0

90,199

47,805.47

INTENEGINS

0.53

0.53

0

0

1,015,168

540,962.04

VETGRIF30

17.62

17.45

-0.17

0

3,380

58,981.00

IPWA

0.58

0.58

0

0

1,000

580

VITAFOAM

4

4.1

0.1

0

150,960

614,094.60

JAPAULOIL

0.5

0.5

0

0

109,320

54,660.00

WAPCO

109.2

110

0.8

0

46,155

5,085,093.00

JBERGER

69.9

68.89

-1.01

0

1,446,068

96,663,836.18

WAPIC

0.72

0.69

-0.03

0

1,656,376

1,152,902.62

LAWUNION

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

WEMABANK

0.99

1.03

0.04

0

12,725,883

13,017,480.13

LEARNAFRCA

1.65

1.65

0

0

304,185

504,359.23

ZENITHBANK

21.96

22.19

0.23

0

4,365,637

96,855,410.19

LINKASSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

100

50

LIVESTOCK

3.3

3.3

0

0

9,482

29,784.04

MANSARD

2.39

2.43

0.04

0

295,000

682,833.70

MAYBAKER

1.78

1.78

0

0

30,110

53,151.40

MBENEFIT

0.5

0.5

0

0

20,000

10,000.00

MOBIL

122.1

122.1

0

0

14,995

1,809,191.21

MORISON

1.91

1.91

0

0

400

728

MRS

51.72

51.72

0

0

96

4,717.44

TOP 10 GAINERS

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THE NIGERIAN

12

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

THE Federal Government recently announced that 86 persons out of 1,623 reportedly infected by the cholera outbreak in some parts of the country have died. As its response, the Federal Government directed the Nigeria Centre for disease Control to immediately coordinate all its response activities and report to the ministry of health daily on both the patterns of occurrence. The Federal Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media and Communications), Mr. Dan Nwomeh, directed all federal health facilities in the country to provide free services to cholera patients.

AS at the last checks, the cholera outbreak has affected a number of states including Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Zamfara, Nasarawa and Lagos with fears of possible spread to other parts of the country. There is also gastroenteritis outbreak in Sokoto and Katsina states which have not been confirmed to be cholera.

WE are alarmed at the sudden outbreak of cholera in the country and the fast rate of its spread. The death toll is also disturbing because it show the parlous state of our attention to basic hygienic practices in the country.

IT is shameful that while other countries in sub-Saharan Africa are making progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goal on Sanitation, Nigeria is off track. Also shameful is the fact that Nigeria is off track in meeting the Millennium Development Goal for Water.

Cholera, as we all know from basic science or hygiene is a water-borne disease. It is sad that in spite of billions of dollars earned from crude oil since its discovery in commercial quantity in 1958, access to potable water is still a mirage to many citizens as 42 per cent of Nigerians still take water from unwholesome sources.

THE NIGERIAN

Curbing The Spread Of Cholera WE also decry a situation where the Federal Government still saddle itself with provision of water to Nigerians, a responsibility it ought to have devolved over the years to the States and Local Governments, which are the tiers of government closest to ordinary citizens.

ALSO, owing to the failure of government to provide potable water to its citizens, many resort to self help with poor regulation of the sector by government whose responsibility it is to regulate the sector. Many boreholes are located near sewage and pits while a good number are located near graves in residential premises. Some citizens as a result are practically drinking their faeces. These situations predispose citizens to water- borne diseases such as the cholera epidemics that is ravaging parts of the country.

IN some parts of South-West of Nigeria, human faeces and wastes are exposed close to sources of drinking water in such a way that the outbreak of cholera is as good as a time bomb waiting to explode.

WE therefore call on governments at all levels to rise up to their responsibility of providing safe drinking water to Nigerians and take steps to regulate the sector in such as way that private persons involved in water provision for self-use comply with international best practices.

WE urge governments of affected states to take a cue from the federal government by ordering free medical services to all cholera

patients in secondary and primary health institutions across the country.

AS the nation is currently undergoing the process of amending the 1999 constitution, or producing a brand new constitution as being demanded by Nigerians from the national dialogue advisory committee, we urge the law makers and conference participants to make access to water and sanitation a right for all Nigerians. It should be expressly stated in the constitution. This is, more so, when a number of International instruments and convention exists governing the right to water and sanitation. However, governments of all countries need to domesticate these instruments for the rights of citizens to be assured.

ON 30 September 2010, the UN Human Rights Council affirmed for the first time that the human right to water and sanitation is legally binding. Nigerian authorities need to guarantee this right for all citizens. The right to water and sanitation is derived from the right to adequate standard of living, which is recognised in several international treaties.

These include the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) to which 160 States are party, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has reached nearly universal ratification.

IT is instructive to note that the Council’s resolution helps those denied the right to water and sanitation to hold governments to account. It is for these reasons we call on Civil society and those at risk to actively claim this right from duty bearers. The Society for Water and Sanitation, NEWSAN, Nigeria’s umbrella body for Civil Society Organisations working in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector to rise up to the occasion by holding government to account and ensuring that Nigeria moves speedily in guaranteeing the rights of all citizens to WASH.

THE NIGERIAN

13

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Teens Issues And Mothers

Issues On Delinquency OH yes! Here is another edition we must have expected.

I’m really happy to be here again. Today we are still gonna dwell on issues about teenagers.

We are still maintaining the same dance step and so you are highly welcome on board.

“Really good parents expect their children to be noisy, messy, Bouncy, Squabbly, whingy and covered in mud” said Richard Templar. It’s true of course, yet there is no seconds, no minute, no day, no season, no year, no condition or circumstances a good parent would welcome, embrace or encourage delinquent acts among his or her offspring. This is because delinquency is a canker worm.

Delinquency is a concept that has got many definitions. This is based on an individual’s idea about it. However, some see it is as a legal concept, as a behavior by non-adults which violets specific legal norms or standards of a particular social group with such frequency or seriousness that the delinquent individuals are marked by the society as bad dubious character (Onyejiaku, 1991) and so on and so forth.

Be that as it may, Delinquency is a wrong doing commonly committed by young ones as such can be termed Juvenile Delinquency because it portrays the age characteristic of the offending individuals.

In line with the above, Juvenile Delinquency involves to a large extent the socially unacceptable behavior which include truancy, running away from home, the use of illegal drugs, loitering, assault, armed robbery, murder etc.

Juvenile Delinquency as seen in our society today is digging more deep among the young individuals between the ages of 14-18 who are teenagers. Many of these young ones commit these offences, yet there is to a great extent under reporting of delinquent act in our society and so no much concerted effort has been made to curb the menace.

People see these offences when committed by these young ones as minor since they (teenagers) are not more than 18 years of age. Our people therefore sweep these acts under carpet considering that they (offenders) are not up to the age to vote and to be voted for. Hence the offenders are not arraigned before a law court for such offences. As such our society gets filled with citizen over loaded with corruption and criminal minds.

Delinquency is a serious crime Hoo ha! Individuals that

commit these are law breakers!

The acts are contrary to the law irrespective of the age of the offender. Laws are rules, regulations and expected acceptable behaviours in the society and so should on no account be neglected by anybody.

Violation of any of these laws is a crime and when neglected will get to unmanageable status and our society will be losing and living in fears.

Juvenile delinquency is a menace among teenagers. It has greatly eaten up our young ones. This is more among secondary school students between 15-’17 years of age usually found in the senior secondary (SS Classes). Many of them are seen loitering around the school and even the streets. Some bully the younger ones (JS Students), fight, take alcohol and drugs (lgbo or Marijuana), while others engage in illicit sex, abortion, cultism, smoking, vandalization of school property, rape and even murder.

Despite the wide range of delinquency among adolescents, three types tend to enjoy near universal coverage.

According to Okafor and Ugwuegbulam, (2000) they include the following: • Unsocialized-psychopathic delinquent • Socialized-subcultural delinquent • Neurotic delinquent Unsociallized-psychopathetic delinquent results in a situation when a young individual is characterized with aggression.

The offenders are usually impulsive and assaultive and so are usually seen to quarrel, fight, get anxious, and generally antisocial in behavior. Such an individual is termed wicked. He disobeys rules and regulations.

Socialized-subcultural delinquency is exhibited usually by an individual (young sters) based on the circumstances surrounding him/her. Situations which include parental activities towards antisocial behaviours, neighbourhood and peer pressures.

Some of the teenagers that involve in this type of

delinquency usually form group call it ‘Partners in crime’.

They commit this crime in an organized and stable manners.

They maintain closer relationship. Some of them have physical courage, ability and are violent in nature. Some of them are drug users, gang sters etc. Notably an individual may portray characteristics of

of school vacation common among secondary school students especially those in the rural areas. There is a need to stop breaking lockers or vandalizing school and government properties; you’ve got to start obeying teachers, elders, parents, rules and regulations. Avoid peer pressure you will be able to stop

the three classes of delinquency yet there is usually dominancy in one.

However, you as a teenager which of the classes would you group yourself? Are you actually delinquent? Change your behavior today. You can be better than what you think if only you can make a U-turn today. Delinquency can lead to if not death, deformation; it may ruin your future, your destiny.

There is every need to stop quarrelling, fighting on the day

taking drugs and alcohol.

There is no gain in robbery or “guying’ as you call it. No gain in victimizing the junior students. You can be descent today, try it. You don’t have to inculcate delinquent attitudes in you. If it follows you to adulthood, your own is gone.

Stop it now!

Remember, there is a limit to what you can change or control.

Now listen there is what is called ‘juvenile court’; its not usually heard of or mentioned yet one day you may be used

as an example. Stop delinquency!

Our teachers are really trying.

Isn’t it? They are, but are advised to do what Igbo call “ Ike aju n’ume”. This would enable them to do more towards helping these individuals curb delinquency. “ Onye a si ya jide nke o ji nke o ji di mma.” Ride

on.

And you our parents, mothers in particular, do not think it does not matter. It really does. In fact, listen, your daughter and your son have gone farther than you may think. Some of them have tried Cigarette if not lgbo, but have no evidence to show it. What would you do to this?

Running after them doesn’t help matters; in fact, you better don’t stand in front of a moving train. In other words yelling isn’t the answer not to talk of confronting them.

“However, you as a teenager which of the classes would you group yourself? Are you actually delinquent? Change your behavior today. You can be better than what you think if only you can make a U-turn today. Delinquency can lead to if not death, deformation; it may ruin your future, your destiny.”

With Cynthia Jiwueze 08095627953 I have mingled with teenagers so so much, not just in my seminars with them. I have got to study them in books and at homes, churches and in schools. Beating or yelling at them doesn’t help. I know you have your own personalworked-out principles that have been helping you all the way.

Yet to these principles, add prayer, love, understanding and care. During family prayer mention the name of your delinquent son or daughter.

This action can make that child

of yours remorseful. If you add this ‘Tonic’ definitely they are much more likely going to open up. They are going to come and tell you if anything gets out of hand or is a real problem for them. And that’s the really important point. If you maintain this relationship with them, then they will feel they can trust and talk to you without fear of an irrational response. Your correction and advice this time, you will see holds water.

Government and other constituted authorities especially our judiciary should as a matter of urgency make these ones be familiar with laws of the land. They should be exposed to the knowledge of juvenile court and what it stands for. By means of media and other informative and communicative means teenagers can be discouraged from indulging in Delinquent act of any level.

THE NIGERIAN

14

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Nutritional Health And Dietetics

Auto Intoxication And THE intestines swarm with bacteria, the flow of digestive juices is greatly decreased when one hurried, worried and upset and with decreased digestive juices, unchewed or others wise indigestible food will undergo decomposition and bacterial putrefaction in the long winding intestinal tract.

It is therefore, most reasonable to expect that the products of decomposition and bacterial putrefaction will be absorbed into the circulation and cause symptoms of poisoning or auto-intoxication” from one’s own waste production.

The symptoms may very greatly depending, on the nature of the decomposition products absorbed. But usually, they are according Philip (2006) headache, dizziness, heart palpitation, disagreeable taste in the mouth, nausea and vomiting.

The way to prevent this condition from becoming chronic is to retain a happy and peaceful state of mind, to chew well, to eat your food with zest and relish so as to assure rich and plentiful digestive secretions and to make sure the food you eat is fresh, clean and cleanlyhandled.

Respond promptly to your bowel’s demands at any time, in any place and under all circumstances. Delaying to responding because of childish shyness and embarrassment or because of diziness causes stagnation in the bowel and absorption of the products of decomposition and putrefaction.

This auto-intoxication hypothesis is based on medical beliefs of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks that putrefaction of the stools, causes disease, that is intestinal autointoxication.

They believed that the principle associated with feaces was absorbed into the general circulation, where it acted to produce fever and pus.

The ancient Greeks extended the concept of putrefaction to involve not only the residues of food, but also, those of bile, phlegm and blood, incorporating it into their humoral theory of disease.

According to Encyclopedia dictionary auto-intoxication is self –poisoning resulting from

the absorption of waste products of metabolism, decomposed intestinal matter or other toxins produced within the body. Also, called endrogenic toxicosis.

Diseases are caused by chronic poisoning due to intestinal stasis, putrefaction within the intestine and absorption of toxins among others.

Theory of auto-intoxication claims that by –products of incomplete digestion may poison the body and therefore, cause disease. It can be traced back to most ancient cultures of medicine. Western world, humoral medicine was based on the idea that all diseases were caused by the imbalance of the four body humours, waste products formed in the intestinal tract were thought to be a major potential contributor to such imbalance.

Both Hippocrates and later Galen viewed auto intoxication as a major etiological factor of disease.

Regular bowel movements remained the key to good health.

Overfeeding and wrong feeding will produce a selfpoisoning within the digestive tract (auto-intoxication) that will do about the same to the system as alcohol and narcoties.

The beginning of Bright’s Disease usually, comes from an abused digestive tract that has to throw off so much poison through the kidneys that the kidneys become diseased and can no longer function.

This form of trouble is very common with the businessmen. Remember that hate, fear, excitement or any strenuous depressing or fighting emotion stop the peristalsis of the digestive tract (the wave motion) and the food is not carried on and digested as it should be.

There is fermentation and putrefaction and the product of this fermentation (autointxi cation) is carried through the system and all the glands and tissues suffer. Friends often write about an “Inscrutable providence” that has carried a brother away. An “outraged providence would be a better expression. When business men learn a little about the wonderful forces within them and maybe, a little less about the fleeting money that cannot bring

What To Do health or happiness, unless, some simple laws of Nature and observed, then, we will have more life and still enough money.

Money cannot bring happiness. It can only clear the way for happiness.

Knowledge and wisdom only can bring real happiness.

cat under the fluoroscope will illustrate the condition of the businessman’s case. Feed a cat with a barium meal and put it under the fluoroscope and you can watch the wave motions (peristalsis) of the bowels and as long as, the cat is kept purring, the peristalsis is not interrupted.

The peristalsis of the bowels and the constructive and regenerating forces within the liver according to W. Kapp are controlled by the adrenals primarily and any shock or overstrain, physical or mental, especially, mental or emotional, will stop the actions of the whole chain of forces.

Drinking, smoking and excesses of food are not a good combination to take to a business where a clear head and fine decisions are necessary. The example of the

But then, pull the cat’s tail or prick her with a pin and get her angry or distressed and the wave motion stops at once and is not resumed until the cat is quite and happy again.

It is the old fight or flight story so with the man or woman who is happy and contented, the wave motion of the digestive tract will be normal, but as soon as there is grief, fear, anger, worry or any of the inhibiting emotions which stop the glands (adrenals, thyroid and pituitary) from acting, then, the peristalsis

“Money cannot bring happiness. It can only clear the way for happiness. Knowledge and wisdom only can bring real happiness.”

With

O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 stops and we have putrefaction, fermentation troubles, liver trouble, constipation, etc.

As long as the businessman works under hurry, anger, hate, fear, jealousy etc, he will not be at his best. He needs to learn to “purr.” It is time for man in his evolvement to sacrifice the best within

have a food value or stimulation that urges the reconstructive forces of the body which lie in the glandular system, to do their normal work.

We need to learn the art of loving, for love is the great constructive force, as the great teacher Christ so clearly taught. The art of loving, the art of being, needs to be taught

himself and learn to utilize his inner possibilities.

All told, you know now, that the intestines swarm with bacteria, that the flow of digestive juices is greatly decreased when one is hurried, worried and upset and that with decreased digestive juices the unchewed or otherwise, indigestible food will undo decomposition and putrefaction in the long, winding intestinal tract.

It is therefore, most reasonable to expect that the products of decomposition and putrefaction will be absorbed into the circulation and cause symptoms of poisoning or “autoxication,” from one’s own waste products.

The symptoms may vary greatly depending on the nature of the decomposition products absorbed.

Curative medicine must

in the homes and schools and in the churches.

Oxygen is absolutely necessary in all the digestive and reconstructive processes of the life-giving force or the substance that is or produces life. All slow-burning fires on incomplete – combustion fires produce carbon monoxides gas.

We must learn the effects on all of us as individuals and as races of hate, fear, anger, jealousy, shocks and of hope, faith, happiness, laughter, service, interest, religion and of alcoholics, tobacco, tea, coffee, drugs that are not food and of all pure thoughts and evil thoughts and lusts and indiscretions and of a wellpoised life. We must learn to be honest with ourselves.

You cannot fool the endocrines. You can radiate what you wish. The power is within you.

THE NIGERIAN

15

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Levels Of Truth In Dialogue MY article, “THE VALUE OF TRUTH IN DIALOGUE”, published in the Sunday Trust and Pilot newspapers of June 16, 2013 have attracted some questions and reactions that call for the need to clarify some concepts like natural truth, moral truth and religious truth”. This is important given that the media has given us a platform for dialogue in addition to the usual seminars and workshops.

Natural Truth: There are some religions that are simply called “natural religion” or “religion of nature” because they believe that God, the soul, spirits, and the supernatural are not separate from nature. They do not bother much about extraordinary visions and revelations like Frank Lloyd Wright who said: “I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.”

The history of natural religion can be traced to Aristotle hylomophism that reduced the world to matter and form.

Monotheism in the past thought that heaven and hell were physical places, locating heaven in the sky and hell in everlasting fire. The new age and some ethnic religions today practise natural religion in the context of what is made available to the senses. Some African Religions arrived at the concept of “Almighty God” through observation of nature and natural occurrences. The oriental religions approach God through nature. Although some naturalist could end up in pantheism, wherein God is seen as part of every physical thing, it should be recognised that some monotheistic religions arrived at the unity of God through natural events.

Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century relied heavily on nature to explain how God is perceived without reference to special revelation or religious experience. From nature he was able to propose the five ways (Quinque viæ) to prove the existence of God from the arguments of the unmoved mover, the first

cause, from contingency, from degree and the teleological argument. These arguments are expounded in Summa Theologica (ST, Ia, q.

2 a. 3 co) and Summa Contra Gentiles (SCG 1.13). This argument can also be true of the belief in the one God of Sikhism, Vedantic and Bhaktic Hinduism. Natural truth enables people to hold conversations as natural human beings in search of truth without seeking conversion to a particular religion but conversion to the supreme good (Summum Bonum).

Moral Truth: In Kant’s 1785 Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, (3rd edition, Hackett p. 30), he says that human beings occupy a special place in creation, and morality can be summed up in one ultimate commandment of reason, or imperative, from which all duties and obligations derive.”

Hypothetical imperatives define a certain end of an action. For example, “if I wish to quench my thirst, I must drink something; if I wish to acquire knowledge, I must learn. On the other hand, a categorical imperative justifies an end in itself such that you “Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time will that it should become a universal law”. That is to say, act in such a way that every body want to behave like you or be like you. Let no one encounter you and regrets meeting you. Kant viewed the individual as a rationally self-conscious being with “impure” freedom of choice to “do or to refrain from doing as one pleases”.

Naturally, a person should know what is good and what is evil in the quest for happiness. For instance, no religion accepts adultery, murder, violence, stealing as morally right. Moral truth is acceptable to every rational person irrespective of religion. From a person’s actions it can be judged whether he or she loves God whose essence is “good”.

God identified Cornelius in

his natural life. His only credentials were the things he was doing morally outside any of the recognised religions. He was a centurion of the Italia cohort stationed in Caesarea. He had a united and happy household, devout and God fearing. He was generous and prayed constantly to God (Acts 10, 12). Although Cornelius was not a Jew and an adherent of Judaism, God noticed him and told Peter about him. His respect for human beings was

manifested in his reception of Peter. “As Peter reached the house, Cornelius went out to meet him, fell at his feet and did him reverence. But Peter helped him up. Stand up he said, I am only a man (Acts 10, 25-26). Through the actions of Cornelius, Peter came to another awareness of divine truth. “I now really understand, he said, that God has no favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him“(Acts 10, 34-35). The natural law from where moral truth is derived is infused in the human person.

Consequently, God can be

BOTTOMLINE With Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua GSM: 08034006260

found in the good activities of the human person. The life of Cornelius was acceptable to the Christian community.

Peter only confirmed what was already evident through baptism. The Muslim can identify with Cornelius because his almsgiving, prayer and fasting are part of

that makes others believe what you say.

Religious Truth: A Muslim friend told me recently that the only religion that will exist in heaven is Islam. Critically, we can say that the truth of this statement is that in heaven, there may be no organized religion except life

“Trinity” means “Three Gods” whereas, for Christians, God the father does not imply a biological father as if God has a wife that gave birth to Jesus. Some Muslims have been asked why God talk in the plural “we” in the Qur’an. Why do we still pray for the peace of

the pillars of Islam.

The truth about a person does not depend on certificates and what the person claims to be. The certificate ought to certify the actions, performance, skills and capacity of a person. If a person cannot perform the duties in accordance with what the certificate says then the person is not true to himself or herself. The moral truth about a person can be captured in key performance indicators. Jesus said, even if you do not believe in me; believe in the works that I do (John 10, 37-38). Moral truth makes a person credible. It is who you are and what you are

in peace and love with God for those who have naturally and morally submitted to the will of God. When the Catholics say, “Outside the Church, there is no salvation”, the implication is that the Church has all that is required to lead one to heaven. My life as a Catholic priest should defend the truth of the Catholic faith. It is not enough for me to be a priest if my actions do not uphold natural and moral truths. I should be seen to do the work of God. It is those who do the will of God that share in the gift of salvation that is abundant in the Church.

Nothing has divided the world more than arguments on religious truths. This is why doctrinal issues are sometimes avoided in interreligious dialogue. In discussing religious truths, concepts could mean different things to different people. In the middle ages, a term like “substance” almost rocked the Church. For the Muslim,

Allah to be upon the prophets who are already enjoying the peace of God in heaven?

Religious truths make religious issues sensitive and delicate hence natural truth and moral actions explain religious truth better than all philosophical and theological arguments. The report in some news papers and ttp:// www.jackophite.com that a “man surrenders Boko Haram son to JTF in Maiduguri” is seen by so many people as a practical way of teaching the true tenets of Islam. If we accept the dignity and value of the human person, we shall forever live in peace here and hereafter.

“The truth about a person does not depend on certificates and what the person claims to be. The certificate ought to certify the actions, performance, skills and capacity of a person. If a person cannot perform the duties in accordance with what the certificate says then the person is not true to himself or herself. The moral truth about a person can be captured in key performance indicators. Jesus said, even if you do not believe in me; believe in the works that I do (John 10, 37-38). Moral truth makes a person credible.”

Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja and Consultor of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican City. (comonokhua@hotmail.com)

THE NIGERIAN

16

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Perspective Continued from last week

WHERE ARE YOU TRAVELLING TO FOR BUSINESS? DUBAI? LONDON? NOT FROM MY HOUSE! MOST fundamentally is the fact that the women do not have much say even in the businesses they want to engage in: The head of the household, the man, makes all the economic decisions with limited input from the woman. In fact, they do not have control over their own movement.

Their husbands must approve of every movement for peace to reign in the home. If the man’s permission is not given and she embarks on that trip, that marriage is as good as ended. She will be termed as wayward and since no woman wants to be called by that name, most of them remain dormant, even if it means engaging in a job that they are not interested in and which they cannot run successfully.

Which gadgets do you say you need? No way, they are too artificial. Use your God-given hands and the methods my mother used, they are better and any way, food cooked with firewood taste better. That’s what my mother used, so, I know: Most women have limited access to technologies that will cut their time on tasks at home and release time for other activities, due to lack of information, and know-how, as well as lack of funds to purchase such gadgets like washing machines, drying machines, pressure cookers and pots, microwave ovens, freezers, hoovers and a host of others. In fact, it seems that many men are happy to see the women spend most their time cooking, washing and cleaning. They claim to prefer food cooked with fire wood and do not like the taste of food cooked with gas; they do not like cooked foods stored in freezers, they want freshly cooked foods, freshly cut vegetables and houses swept with brooms!

Consequently, many women have very high labour burden (Dejere, 2006). This labour burden takes a lot of the time that could be applied for improving their productivity in income generating businesses. Their responsibilities for family and child care limit their mobility and oblige them to set up their businesses in less conducive environments for business.

LACK OF SKILLS AND TRAINING: Most women lack skills in the fields of production, food processing, preservation and packaging. Apart from garri, amala, fish and a few other subsistence commodities, women are lost when it comes to fairly sophisticated food processing skills. Training of women in skills acquisition currently focuses on traditional skills of tie and dye, weaving, basketmaking, soap-making, baking etc for which the market is already highly saturated. Of course their high illiteracy rate also limits the type of vocational and skills training that they can be offered. They also have inadequate skills in business management and marketing and do not know where to go to get them. In fact, women’s responsibilities for childcare are often cited as reasons for their low participation in skills training and literacy programmes which are crucial for improved productivity in building business management skills (Sherif, 2008).

YOU WANT TO BECOME FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT SO THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER RESPECT AND OBEY ME? Access to credit and finance is a crippling hindrance to women’s productivity. Their lack of assets due to the gender discriminating property and inheritance practices, limit their access and control over resources, especially land. With the need for collateral in order to access loans from banks and other financial/credit institutions, women are highly

Enhancing The Productivity disadvantaged in sourcing credit facilities. With the introduction of micro credit institutions, this problem ought to be ameliorated but it is not. Their men won’t let them obtain such credit, for fear that the women will not be able to meet the required obligation of paying back and also sometimes, for fear of becoming less needed and respected should the woman succeed.

These, to a great extent, are unfounded fears, but they constitute a wedge to women’s productivity and advancement. It stifles them. Consequently, the unmet credit needs of women remains great and extensive.

WEAK INFRASTRUCTURE: Inadequate infrastructure (and utilities) is a problem of which inadequate transportation and power supplies are the most critical. Weak infrastructure affects women extensively.

This includes the low development of roads and lack of adequate transport. Women who live in communities with low infrastructure (water, transport, energy and sanitation) are worse affected. Their time burden is heightened as they go on foot to markets to sell and buy their wares, streams to fetch water for cooking and other household chores and forests to collect firewood as cooking energy. Some studies, (Salvo, 1994), suggest that access roads, access to pipe-borne water in every home can improve women’s productivity and consequently, income. The limited access to water by communities not only exacerbates the women’s and girls’ time burden, it also affects their livelihoods negatively by decreasing their productivity in money-making ventures.

LIMITED ACCESS TO MARKETS: Women entrepreneurs often complain of lack of markets or demand for their products. Various factors limit their access to markets. These include their limited mobility due to factors linked to either their family responsibility or cultural practices. Those who can travel, lack market information on products and inputs, thus making them dependent on middle men who buy off their goods at ridiculously low prices than the market prices thereby making tremendous gains which should have gone to these women. Also, because women usually produce in small quantities, they are limited to local markets, where the market for their products and services are already saturated. Middle men who have the required mobility rip them off and take the goods to the urban centres for better profit.

WEAK BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS AND NETWORKING: There is also the problem of lack of organisation and networking, both among themselves and between women and existing business associations and support institutions. Our women have various types of informal and semi-formal economic and social associations where they can pull their labour and resources together to maximise labour and productivity and social networks. However, the capacity of these associations is weak. They are more concerned with their social interests rather than looking at what they can do to enhance their businesses and productivity. These community based associations can be registered and invited to relevant training programmes which can open their eyes to what they can do in their businesses to make them thrive, Local Government Authorities are in a good position to do this effectively.

THE ABSENCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY: Peace and security are prerequisites for enhanced productivity and in fact for development and all human beings desire those,

“Women entrepreneurs often complain of lack of markets or demand for their products. Various factors limit their access to markets. These include their limited mobility due to factors linked to either their family responsibility or cultural practices.”

By PROF U.B. GBENEDIO

including women. All people also aspire to happiness and quality of life devoid of poverty and indignity. Yet in the last couple of decades, we have hardly enjoyed peace and security.

Oppression, gross violations of human rights, diversion of material resources and internal security have all combined to intimidate women into taking the back seat in economic productivity. The nation must work hard to ameliorate this situation through proper policing and provision of employment for idle persons in the society. These persons are very close to the local governments, the government at the grass root. We can start by registering all our unemployed youths at that level, in order to either train or retrain them for gainful engager rents or, engage those who are already

adequately trained. This will help women to feel free as they go about their legitimate duties and jobs.

ABSENCE OF LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND ENABLING REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT: Attention is not currently being paid to the development of small scale enterprises sector through appropriate legal framework. A lot of right noises are being made but these seem to have no substance as nothing has so far been achieved. Attention must be paid to promoting womenowned micro and small enterprises so as to ensure their economic empowerment and enhanced productivity as a way of reducing poverty and promoting growth.

ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY OF WOMEN: ACTION IMPERATIVES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS: Although women entrepreneurs are rapidly becoming a major force in economic production in Nigeria, women entrepreneurs are often prevented from running competitive businesses by their relatively low education and skill levels which generally limit their access to various support services.

Some mitigating actions are therefore being proposed in this section.

FUNCTIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Women’s contributions could become even more significant if a number of restrictions were removed so that their full potential could be fully exploited (Sherif et al, 2008).

No matter where society has confined them, women deserve

to be produc For ex positiv implic the bet import It is b techno which promi wideni betwee Our w to the bringin

mak mus do n strug (Oy Igno nece majo train entr appr occu train train dem pref skill by a drop appl cont PRO

resp o Tr deve othe

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Perspective

y Of Women In Present Day Democracy

properly and functionally educated so as to enhance their ctivity wherever and in whatever capacity they find themselves. xample, research has long identified mother’s education as being vely related to the health and well being of the family and by cation, the well being of society. The more educated the woman, tter the health of the members of her family. It is therefore very tant to invest in their education even if for that purpose alone. becoming more obvious that no nation can escape economic and ological slavery without running a knowledge-based economy in h women who constitute half of its population, must feature nently. Unfortunately, so far, knowledge gap and divide is ing between men and women, boys and girls, just as it is widening en the developed and developing nations of the world. women, especially those in the rural areas, need education geared acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are potent at ng about rapid socio economic development to a nation. Let’s

ke no mistakes about it, men cannot do it alone. Consequently, we st commit to the education of our women resource potential. If we not commit to this course, we should be ready to lose the unending ggle to achieve good standard of living in our lifetime and beyond edepo, 2010). orance and poverty are twin problems ravaging our country. With essary education and skill, our women can overcome poverty. One or way to go is to offer vocational and technical education and ning to women. It is a dynamic way of developing dynamic women repreneurs. There is need to transform the gender segregated roach to vocational training in which girls are trained in traditional upations like knitting, weaving, baking, hair dressing etc and boys ned in plumbing, electrical works, automobile repairs etc. Skills ning programmes should be developed according to labour market mands for men and women, boys and girls depending on their ferences and aptitudes and not on their sexes. Those with a little l should be brushed up through occasional retraining organised all levels of government – local, state and federal. Women who p out of school should be given a second chance to improve and ly their knowledge in areas where they could make meaningful tributions to the economic growth of the nation.

OMOTING MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES: Promoting the growth of micro and small enterprises is a ponsibility that government institutions must embrace — Ministry rade and Industry, Local Governments (which are statutory rural elopment engines), Ministry of Women Affairs and all relevant ers, need to work to grow women’s capacities. These groups must

not work in isolation, but in co ordination with one another so that unnecessary duplication of efforts and wasting of resources will be eliminated.

Gender statistics on the characteristics of women entrepreneurs and their business practices are necessary for informed decision making. Governments, especially local government office of statistics and their partners, should be key players in collecting, analysing and disseminating key information, especially on women in the micro and small business enterprises. .

The capacities of women associations for micro and small enterprises and other social benefits is currently weak and so should be grown to enhance their productivity. There is need to support those women group to organize themselves with a view to enhancing their common interests.

PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: The existence of gender related bias can, and constantly, thwart the economic potential of women as entrepreneurs and workers, and such barriers have an adverse impact on enterprise development, productivity and competitiveness in Nigeria and Africa in general (Barden, Blackden and Guzman, 2006). It is therefore, important to appreciate gender issues when considering strategies to enhance the productivity of women.

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are instruments for poverty reduction. To do this successfully, there is need to expand women’s access to, and control over fundamental assets such as land capital, Knowledge and technologies. Women’s lack of access to productive resources is a serious economic problem. Denying women the opportunity to inherit and own properties has serious implications on productivity and income of families and households: There is need to encourage equality in property and inheritance rights. Greater attention needs to be paid to galvanising efforts to ensure women’s ownership of land and other properties through policy formulation reform, revision of our legal systems and changing customary practices.

We must promote gender equality. Gender inequalities and gender biased discriminations are perpetuated by customary practices. As society grows and the people are getting more enlightened, we must enhance awareness about the disadvantages of discriminations, not only to women and girls but to the communities as well.

ACCESS TO MICRO CREDIT AND TRAINING: Access to micro credit and training should be ensured although this alone cannot ensure the growth of women’s businesses and productivity. Various gender related challenges like time burden; lack of decision making power, limited access to markets and resources and lack of skills must be addressed and appropriate measures devised at the same time, for meaningful progress.

Expanding micro finance opportunities could be a significant step towards improving the social and economic status of women. Targeting women in rural areas will be beneficial for the country’s development in general.

CHAMPIONING WOMEN’S RIGHTS: In an increasingly interconnected world, women’s rights need to be addressed. Neglecting their rights will continue to have serious national and global implications in form of human trafficking, economic stagnation and spread of diseases.

Women’s rights must be championed at the grass roots by local governments which are closer to the people and so understand their plights and challenges’.

ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF WEAK

INFRASTRUCTURE: To improve women’s productivity, there is need to improve infrastructure so as to cut their labour burden and free up time for other economic activities. Interventions in conventional and alternative energy development should take account of the energy needs of households and micro and small enterprises. Poverty reduction and incomegenerating projects need to take into account of the infrastructure needs of women’s micro/small enterprises.

ALLEVIATING WOMEN’S DOMESTIC BURDEN: Women’s domestic burden has to be eased either through the employment of technology and gadgets to take care of some aspects of work in the home to save time and energy or, through men taking up some share of the burden.

Alternatively, domesticity should be reconstructed into a valued occupation and calculated in official economic statistics. There may be need to enact laws and create initiatives that would make domesticity attractive and desirable even for our men.

Government at all levels, especially at the Local Government level, must take important steps to ensure the viability and continued development of society by taking policy initiatives on poverty, health, the environment and women issues among others.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the doors of public space must be thrown open for women to access freely. They must not be stilled or consigned to the drudgery and backdoor of domesticity.

Society must not, ‘in its wisdom’, brand low paying jobs as women’s jobs. They should be allowed and encouraged to be the best that they can be. They must be allowed to share in policy formulation and decision making. We cannot afford to ignore them if we are to achieve democracy and sustainable development. The illogical and artificial line that separates the public and the private spheres need to be blurred so that whether in the public and the private sphere, men and women can be equally engaged. All programmes that seek to transform our economy should simultaneously seek to transform African masculinity, ‘femininity’, domesticity and gender relations. If this is not done now, time may come when changes of revolutionary proportions will take place because women are no longer satisfied with talent-killing, age old myths and legends about their place being in the kitchen. Women are becoming exasperated with mere tokenism; they want a share of the action, as many of them are becoming highly educated and competing favourably with men in all academic disciplines and professions. In fact, it is now more expedient than ever, to emphasize the need and importance of spreading knowledge, information skills, and technology, in promoting growth and productivity among women in our communities. That is the only way to go. To this, there is no alternative. Women are not beasts of burden. They need help with the numerous duties thrust upon them, not only by Biology, but also by society. Society must not shy away from rendering this help no matter what the twin ideologies of patriarchy and sexism propounds.

As in all seminars of this nature, the talk must come to an end for reflection on all that have been said to begin. Talks become useful only when actions are put to them. I hope that the organizers of this seminar will do just that, for that is the essence of this seminar, I most sincerely hope.

“In conclusion, the doors of public space must be thrown open for women to access freely. They must not be stilled or consigned to the drudgery and backdoor of domesticity. Society must not, ‘in its wisdom’, brand low paying jobs as women’s jobs. They should be allowed and encouraged to be the best that they can be.”

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Gender Issues Continued from last week ADOPTION OF MEASURES TO E L I M I N A T E D I S C R I M I N AT I O N AGAINST WOMEN; prevent discrimination against women on the grounds of marriage, marital status, or maternity; in terms of employment, contract, or other occupational engagement whether in public or private sphere, on grounds solely of the person’s marital status, circumstances of birth, condition of pregnancy, maternity leave, or such other circumstances of birth, or such other reasons relating to the person’s maternal or parental status, appointment and credit, school enrolment, award of scholarship, bursaries or such allocation, that parity is ensured for both men and women. And this shall be made mandatory for organs or agencies of government, public or private institution, commercial or cooperate body, community or other entity, shall take appropriate measures to protect the maternity status and reproductive health of women, including maternity and such special measures aimed at protecting maternity shall not be considered discriminating.

Ensure enforcement of maternity leave with pay or with comparable social benefits without loss of former employment, promotion, advantage, or other allowances which otherwise are due to the person; provide necessary supporting social services to enable parents in employment to combine family obligations with work responsibilities and participation in public life, in particular through the establishment and development of child-care facilities in the work premises; MODIFICATION OF SOCIAL CULTURAL PRACTICES: Every organ or agency of government, public or private institution, commercial or corporate body, community, or other social entity, including educational institutions shall have the responsibility to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of gender stereotyping, prejudices, and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes, or the roles for men and women. Data shows that many Nigerians live in rural communities; this means that development efforts should focus on the empowerment of

people living in rural communities in order that the country will improve their indices. Also discrimination against women in economic and social life should ensure on the bases of equality; the right to family benefits, equal access between men and women to capital, credit, including informed sector, small and medium scale loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit.

ELIMINATION Of DISCRIMINATION IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH Appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against any person on any ground whatsoever, in the field of health care.

Accordingly, every organ or agency of government, public institution, commercial or corporate body, or other entity responsible for providing public health care services shall ensure that all women who are pregnant and within 2 years of delivery, and all children under the age of 12, are given free and quality health care services, including provision of all necessary medical, surgical, diagnostic, and pharmacological supplies.

ELIMINATIONION OF DISCRIMIINATION IN POLITICAL AND PUBLIC LIFE: Every organ or agency of government, public or private institution, commercial or corporate body, community, or other entity, should take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to women, on equal terms with men.

Women should be deemed eligible for election to all publicly elected offices and bodies without any restriction, limitation or barriers whatsoever, participation of women in implementation and formulation of government policies, hold public offices and perform all public functions at all levels of government, local, National, regional and international.

ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION: Appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of education to ensure on the basis of equality of men and women, The same opportunities for access to programmes of continuing education, including adult and functional literacy programmes, particularly those aimed at reducing, at the earliest possible time, any gap in education existing between

Gender Gaps And Affirmative Action

By FLORENCE GBINIGIE

men and women; any stereotyped concept of the roles of women and men at all levels and in all forms of education by encouraging coeducation and other types of education which will help to achieve this aim. Equal opportunity to benefit from scholarship, bursary and other study grants, participate in vocational, extra curriculum and other non-academic activities including sports and physical education in both private and public institution.

ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION IN THE FIELD OF EMPLOYMENT: There is need to take all

identity and she shall have the choice, without hindrances, limitations, disadvantages or conditions, to retain her maiden name. Every person shall have the right to define and assert his or her identity, and accordingly, no rule, regulation or guideline shall impose on any persons, place of abode, domicile, state of origin, or name.

RIGHTS IN MATTERS RELATING TO MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RELATIONS Every organ or agency of government, public or private institution, commercial or corporate body, community, or other entity shall take all

appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment opportunities, occupation or profession, in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women.

The right to free choice of profession and employment, and equal treatment and consideration in the areas of promotion, job security and all benefits and conditions of service including training and retraining opportunities. The right of everyone to the protection of the person’s safety in work place, including the safeguarding of the function of, and making choices RIGHT TO CHOOSE INDIGENSFIIP AND IDENTITY Every organ or agency of government, public or private institution, commercial or corporate body, community, or other entity shall grant to women and men equal rights to acquire, confer, change or retain their indigeneship and in particular, shall ensure that neither marriage, divorce nor widowhood shall deny a woman the right to choose or retain her citizenship and

appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and shall ensure, to women and men such as the right to enter into marriage freely choosing their spouses, etc.

PROHIBITION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN a. All forms of violence against women are prohibited, whether the violence takes place in private, family or public sphere, including unwanted or forced sex, or traditional, religious or cultural practices harmful to the health, well-being and integrity of the woman. b. All forms of violence against elderly women including sexual abuse, and discrimination based on age are prohibited.

C. All forms of violence against women with disability’ including sexual abuse, and discrimination based on disability are prohibited. d. Every educational, school or training authority in the state shall promote peace education through curricula-

and social communication in order to eradicate elements in traditional and cultural beliefs, practices and stereotypes which legitimize and exacerbate the discrimination against women, persistence and tolerance of violence against women. e. All forms of trafficking in women and children, abuse and exploitation of women and children in any manner or way, and medical experiments on women without their informed consent, or on children without the informed consent of their parents or legal guardian, are prohibited.

P R O V I S I O N S RELATING TO MARRIAGE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES

Subject to the subsisting provisions of the Marriage Act, Child Rights Act, and the Matrimonial Causes Act: a. No marriage shall take place without the free and full consent of both parties; b. the minimum age of marriage for women shall be 18 years; c. every marriage shall be recorded in writing and registered in accordance with national laws, in order to be legally recognized; d. a woman and a man shall jointly contribute to safeguarding the interests of the family, protecting and educating their children; e. during her marriage, a woman shall have the right to acquire It is sad to note that out of the 893 seats contested for in the 2011 senatorial election, men got 807 (90.4%), while female were 86 (9.6%), in the house of representatives the male 3004 (90.9%) out of 3306 total number of seats, while the female had 302 (9.1%). We had only 5 female presidential candidates and none saw the light of the day as emerging winner.

(Statistics from NCAA Gender Issues Newsletter 50/ 50 by 2020 Vol.1 No2). In Edo State the story is not different from the statistics collated by my NGO Forum of Nigerian Women In Politics (FONWIP) in INEC office Edo State, it was noted that only 9 females emerged as candidates for the houses of assemblies (state and Federal) 2011 general election, after which only 1 scaled through into the Edo State House of Assembly.

It is really unfair to females, that from the 63 registered political parties, from our findings and monitoring of political party primaries, there were increased number of women who indicated interest to contest for the 2011 election, but unfortunately just a handful got their party ticket and emerged as candidates due to discrimination amongst other factors.

It is no longer news that the few women who have had the rare opportunity to hold government or decision making positions have excelled in their various fields of endeavor. These are the likes of the Finance Minister, Prof Okonjo Iweala, who ensured Nigeria’s debt was forgiven amongst redressing other economic predicaments in the past administration that is re appointed in this present administration as the only minister that with a double portfolio of finance and economy. Her good and efficient efforts / role played in the past government as a Minister, has made the present Federal Government to plead with her to come back for another redemption of her Nation Nigeria, from the highly exalted position she holds in the World Bank. We also have Dr. Oby Ezekwesili a former vice President (Africa Region) of the world bank who served this nation meritoriously. Same go for Prof. Dora Akunyily, who until her presence in NAFOAC a lot of Nigerians have been sent to their early graves due to the perpetration of the sale and administration of fake and adulterated drugs to innocent citizens, amongst others that time will not allow me to mention. Such potential females are also abound in Edo State.

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Drumbeats

Secret Of Billionaires (5) ONE of the greatest benefits which Billionaires enjoy from God and nature is that they have natural and Devine foresight to site business opportunities and use them to their advantage.

What the natural man, or woman with a low mindset and those with little foresight see as impossible, Bi1lionaires see them as opportunity to enhance their productivity and generate more billions of naira.

Lest us look at the lives of famous scientists and how through their discoveries made billions of Dollars and left great fortunes for their generations yet unborn to enjoy. Archimedes, invented Archimedean principle, famous theory of buoyancy, and many mathematical and mechanical discoveries in 287212 BC. lnfact he is more often remembered as one who discovered weight.

Heinrich Hertz invented electromagnetic theory of light and electromagnetic waves in 1857-1894.

Andre Marie Ampere invented unit of measurement to measure electric current in 1775-1836.

Amedeo Avogadro invented Avogadro’s Law, that is, “Equal volumes of different gases, pressure being equal contain the same number of molecules” in 1776-1856.

Neils Hendrik David Bohr invented Bohr model of Atom in 1885-1962.

Johannes Gutenberg invented Letterpress printing press also known as mechanical printing press in 1398-1468.

Albert Einstein invented theory of relativity, photoelectric effect and lots more in 18791955.

Rudolf Diesel invented combustion engine 1858-1913.

Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen invented x-ray. 1845-1923.

Karl Friedrich von Drais invented bicycle. 1785-1851.

Peter Heinlein invented pocket watch. 1479-1542.

Ferdinand Verbiest invented the first ever car. 1623-1688.

Graham Bell invented the first practical telephone. 1847-1922.

Phillip Reis. Reis is known for the early invention of telephone 1834-1874.

John Logic invented television 1888-1946.

Werner von siemens invented dynamo. 1816-1892.

Hans von ohain invented jet engine. 1911-1998.

Artur fisher invented fishertechnik. 1919.

Felix Hoffmann invented aspirin 1868-1946.

Hugo Junkers invented civilian avion. 1859-1935.

Otto Lilienthal invented gliding filter. 1848-1896.

Melitta Bentz invented coffee filter. 1873-1950.

Konrad Zuse invented first working computers. 1910-1995.

Charles Babbage also invented computer.

Gottireb Daimler invented automobile and internal combustion machine. 1834-1900.

Robert Koch invented isolation

of bacillus anthracis, tuberculosis bacteria and vibrio Cholerae. 1843-1910.

Karlheinz brandenbury invented mp3 technology. 1954.

Heinrich Gobel invented incandescent light bulb.

Samuel Hahnemann invented creation of alternative medicine practice called homeopathy. 1755-1843.

Heinrich Focke invented helicopter 1890.

Levi Strauss invented jeans.

1963.

Samuel F.B Morse invented telegraph. 1791- 1872.

Percy Spencer invented microwave own.1894-1970.

Wilbur wright and his brother (both known as the Wright Brothers) invented Airplane 1871- 1948,1864-1912.

Benjamin Franklin one of the founding fathers of America, is attributed to have invented electricity.

The famous listed scientists were able to achieve their goals

wrong and that I personal had benefitted much from him financially at various occasion.

Agree that most Billionaires give generous’).while others seldom give to their friends and to charitable organization. “And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabul according to all these words in the name of David, and ceased.

And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, who is David?

And who is the son of Jesse?

1829.

Otto Hahn invented nuclear fission and known as the father of nuclear chemistry 1879-1968.

Julius Lothar Meyer in regarded as the first person to draw the periodic table of chemical elements. 1830-1895.

Emil Berliner invented record player. 1851- 1929.

Rudolf Hell formulated technology for scanner and fax 1901-2002.

Fritz pfleumer invented audio tape. 1881 -1945.

Thomas Edison invented electric light bulb. 1847-1931.

Elias Howe invented sewing machine 1819-1867.

Laszlo Jozsef Biro invented ball pen. 1899- 1985.

Garrett Augustus Morgan invented traffic signal respiratory protective mask (gas mask), hair straightening preparation. 1877-

and dreams because they saw obstacles as stepping stones to progress and through their deep insight and foresight achieved what the average man or woman regarded as impossible.

Billionaires protect Their Monies One of the major quality I admire in the lives of Billionaires is that they protect their monies.

Some years ago, I entered a taxi cab in Abuja and I told the driver where to stop me. As soon as we got closer to the building I told him to drop me, he started by saying that every body in Abuja knows that the Billionaire that owned the building never gave out a kobo to any body. unknown to him (the driver) that the Billionaire in question was my closet friend. Having said that, I then informed him that his knowledge about the man was

There be many servants now a days that break every man from his master.

Shall I then take my bread, and my water, anti my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be.

So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all these saying And David said unto his men Gird ye on every man his sword and they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying behold, David sent messengers out o wilderness to salute our master; and he railed them.

“From the above passages of the scripture you will discover that Nabal refused to assist David with part of his possession. And this act in the life of Nabal greatly annoyed David and he then decided to teach Nabal a lesson by killing him and all that he had ever accumulated in life.

David felt so bad because he helped Nabal to secure his sheep by preventing them from being destroyed by others.”

With Apostle Dr. Raphael O. Ayemere 08035459593

But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were conversant with them, when we went in the fields.

They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the

sheep.

Now therefore know and consider what thou with do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his hours hold. For he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

Then Abigal make hast, and took two hundred loaves and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and flue measure of parched corn, and a hundred dusters of raisins, and two hundred cake of figs and laid them on asses.

And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I came after you. But she told not her husband Nabal And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

Now David had said, surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that passeth against the wall.

And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed her se to the ground,

And fell at his feet, and said, upon me, my Lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine hand maid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience and hear the word of thine handmaid.

Let not my Lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name and folly is with him: But I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my Lord, whom thou didst send.

Now therefore, my Lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord bath withheld thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my Lord, he as Nabal And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my Lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my Lord.

I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my Lord a sure house; because my Lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundles of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling God of Israel liveth, which hast kept me back front hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and came to meet me, surely there has not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that passeth against the wall.

So David received of her hand that which she had brought to him, and said unto her, go up in peace to thine house: see I have harkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person “. 1st Samuel 25 :9-35.

From the above passages of the scripture you will discover that Nabal refused to assist David with part of his possession. And this act in the life of Nabal greatly annoyed David and he then decided to teach Nabal a lesson by killing him and all that he had ever accumulated in life. David felt so bad because he helped Nabal to secure his sheep by preventing them from being destroyed by others.

The life of Nabal is synonymous with the Lives of many Billionaires. They find it difficult to part with their money and help others. Nabal over protected his wealth and this made God to personally kill him.

As a Billionaire when you over protect your money and fail to use part of’ it to help and assist the less privileged in the society, then note that your wealth is in great danger and soon you might lose them.

THE NIGERIAN

20

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Issues Nigeria’s Democratic Experimentation

The Challenges Of Poverty, Corruption CLOSELY related to the culture of self preservation and related issue is the endemic problem of corruption and poverty in the country which pose a serious challenge to the experiment of democratic

military and civilian is so pervasive and endemic that as the ICPC boss has observed, “Nigeria has lost at least $300 billion to corrupt leaders since independence” This assertion has far reaching implications

governance in the country. We are daily inundated with stories of mind boggling corrupt practices on the part of political office holders. Apart from cases of outright looting of the treasury, numerous cases of bribery and corruption abound.

An interministerial committee to probe the cause(s) of “unusually high cost of construction projects and procurement was set up recently by the Federal Executive Council, “worried by the fact that government contracts in the country are overpriced by as much as 3 0%” (Daily Sun, Thursday, May 27, 2010). We are of the view that the reasons for the overpriced nature are too obvious to warrant wasting of tax payers’ money on funding an interministerial committee to probe the cause(s). We are familiar too, with the numerous scandalous cases of multimillion dollar bribery of government officials, mainly political office holders by such multinational firms as Haliburton and Siemens, amongst numerous others.

Indeed, the problem of corruption on the part of the country’s leadership, both

for democratic governance in the country. (e ) The Challenge posed by Poverty The endemic and widespread problem of poverty among the vast majority of the population constitutes another major challenge to the new-found democratic dispensation in the country. Poverty engenders exclusion and limits choices. It constrains the acquisition of information and knowledge, two factors that are critical to the entrenchment of the democratic culture. Faced with the debilitating scourge of poverty, citizens easily fall prey to money and other forms of material inducement that are offered them by the political class, altering as a consequence their choice(s) of candidate(s) for electoral position(s).

The problem of poverty in the country is real and deeply entrenched. In fact, studies have shown that Nigeria as a country is extremely rich but the people are extremely poor (The World Bank, 1996). Some other studies have shown that about 95% of the country’s wealth is in the hands of less than 5% of the country’s population This effectively

By ANNA NIMAS translates to the fact that the country is populated by a large mass of poverty stricken people who are merely struggling to eke out a living somehow. This

that hijacked the affairs of the country. In fact, the depth of mismanagement made the country to join the unenviable league of failed states. That

state of affairs represents a significant challenge to democratic governance in the country, as an enlightened citizenry could easily tackle frontally the problem of corruption on the part of their political leaders.

5. The Way Forward Nigeria at independence held out high hopes of being a great nation with immense potential for sustainable growth and development, in view of the country’s substantial natural resource endowment, amongst several other factors.

Unfortunately, these hopes were dashed, no thanks to the gross mismanagement of the country and its resources by successive generations of the inept and visionless leadership

Nigeria exhibits the symptoms of a failed state is not now a contentious issue. Karl Maier describes “Nigeria as the largest failed state in the third world”. The way forward for Nigeria, therefore, is for the country to understand why the country has been so classified and accordingly, tackle headon the issues. Failed states are characterized by paradoxes.

And in Nigeria, several of such paradoxes can be identified.

Some of them include: (a) A country with one of “Africa’s most educated elite” but burdened with the misfortune of being led by a University graduate for the first time nearly fifty years after independence. This is paradoxical

(b) It is paradoxical that the country is extremely rich but the people are extremely poor. (c) It is paradoxical that the people are extremely poor but are said to be the happiest people on earth. (d) It is also paradoxical that the country’s endowment with abundant sunshine notwithstanding, energy crisis has remained chronic and indeed endemic. (e) It is a paradox that the serious problems of petroleum product shortages continue to haunt the country from time to time despite the fact that the country is endowed with huge crude oil resources. (f) It is paradoxical that the country continues to grapple with the problem of food insecurity despite being blessed with vast acres of arable land. A report in The Daily Independent of Thursday May 27 2010 states that the World Bank “has set aside the sum of $45 million credit for Agricultural Production Programme for Nigeria and two other West African countries”, a further demonstration of the penchant to accumulate external debt by the leadership of the country, a further paradox when considered against the backdrop of external reserves accumulation. (g) It is a paradox that while Nigerians are known to be a very religious set of people, (Nigeria is probably the most religious country in the world), it cannot equally be said that Nigerians are known to be very godly. (h) It is paradoxical that the country’s financial sector is booming even when the real sector where the production of goods takes place has collapsed. The epileptic nature of the power sector easily explains this state of affairs and this explains also why about 800 industrial plants in the

country have closed shop in recent times, thus complicating an already precarious unemployment situation in the country. Some factories have relocated to Ghana and other neighboring West African countries. Interestingly and perhaps paradoxically, religious organizations have taken over the warehouses that they have vacated.

The consequences of the totality of the foregoing are such that “fifty years after independence, the country cannot feed itself while pipe borne water is still a luxury all over the country. The Federal, State and Local government roads in the country are virtually death traps while life and property are very insecured all over the country. Corruption in both public and private sectors of the economy has become the order of the day.

The education sector is crying for revival. Above all, the health care delivery system in the country is yet to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

(Bello-Imam, 2010).

The failure of the Nigerian project to date in virtually all the sectors of the national economy is not, in my view, a disappointing surprise because underlying it all is corruption and the culture of selfpreservation on the part of any who is able to ascend to the position of (political) leadership in the country. The way forward for the country in the new democratic dispensation, in my view, therefore, is for all, and the leadership in particular to do some introspection, purge ourselves of all selfish tendencies, cultivate the culture of altruism and recognize above all else that the greatness of a country does not proceed from the selfishness of its leadership and followership but from altruism on the part of all.

“The failure of the Nigerian project to date in virtually all the sectors of the national economy is not, in my view, a disappointing surprise because underlying it all is corruption and the culture of self-preservation on the part of any who is able to ascend to the position of (political) leadership in the country.”

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

View Point Continued from last week

WE have tried, in our own way, to become a watchdog of Washington, to be numbered among the few investigative reporters who seek to discover what is really happening in the nation’s capital. It is seldom what the press spokesmen and the public relations experts say is happening. There are no press secretaries to brief those who search after concealed facts, no hucksters to package the suppressed details in attractive press kits. We have never known a government official to call a press conference to confess his wrong doing, nor a government agency to issue a press release citing its mistakes.

Men in power, and men seeking power, do not relish having their cozy relationships exposed, their sources of money bared, and their blunders brought to light.

Rather than cooperate, they obstruct investigative reporters. Doors are closed; files are locked; phones are slammed back into receivers.

The last thing people at the top of government want to see are stories about government wrongs. For they know that exposure can bring an end to power.

Investigative reporters grate against the political conviviality and easy friendships of official Washington. They avoid the social entanglements that inhibit straightforward reporting about the high and mighty. They are not impressed with the Henry Kissingers and William Rogerses and Elliot Richardsons whom the establishment reporters cultivate. The pashas of the press consider good journalism to be an appointment once a week with Henry Kissinger. But investigative reporters know that Henry Kissinger is never going to tell them anything the President doesn’t want them to know.

At the time President Nixon was secretly supporting Pakistan, for instance, Kissinger and Rogers deliberately misled the reporters they saw. They swore the Nixon Administration was neutral in the India-Pakistan conflict.

They denied the Administration was secretly shipping weapons to Pakistan.

They pretended that a naval task force was not dispatched to bring military pressure upon India. These were all lies. They lied because the President wanted them to lie.

The top officials and the authorized sources will always say what the President wants them to say. They will not disclose the real policy that is often hidden behind the stated policy, nor will they reveal the backroom deals that promote and protect the privileged. Investigative reporters, therefore, must rely more on unauthorized than on authorized sources.

The most reliable sources are the professional, nonpolitical public servants whom the public never sees.

Their first loyalty is to the citizens who pay them, not to their political superiors. The professionals know what the intelligence reports really show and what the Administration’s policies really are. These career people implement the policies and therefore know the truth about them. Some are willing to tell the truth, at considerable risk to them selves. The information they possess, and the documents they pro duce to back it up, are often exactly the opposite of the kind of news that is officially leaked or passed out at press conferences or printed in press releases.

Unquestionably, the way an investigative reporter is compelled to operate is an imperfect system of newsgathering. Sometimes the sources do not have all the details. Sometimes the jigsaw pieces of information do not form a complete picture and the missing pieces are buried too deeply. Investigative reporters must work without the power of subpoena. They lack the money and manpower that the government can marshal to counter their efforts. The authority to classify embarrassing facts, the ability to shut off channels of information, the power to intimidate sources who could tell the truth-all these are on the side of the government.

It is not altogether surprising, therefore, that

A Word About Power And The Press (2)

By JACK ANDERSON

investigative reporters do not always get all the facts. They can uncover enough hidden scraps, however, to cast light on a blunder or an embarrassment or a scandal that the people in power had conspired to conceal. If our society was as free and open as it should be, and if government officials fully subscribed to their oaths to protect the public interest, there would be little difficulty

General Motors which releases unsafe cars upon the highways, or a Richard Nixon who condones lawlessness while preaching law and order. But there is no good word for an investigative reporter who wrongly condemns someone in authority.

We have made our share of errors, despite our pains to avoid them. Most of them

in quickly establishing the truth. But officials all too often cover up the facts and then lie to the public.

Investigative reporters must work harder, dig deeper, and verify their facts more carefully than establishment reporters. preposterous lies can be told to make the powerful look good: grievous blunders can be committed by officials in the name of the government the public can be cheated by men sworn to uphold the public trust. But let an investigative reporter make a mistake and there will be howls of Outrage. There can be a good word for a Lyndon Johnson who sent boys to die in a senseless war, or a

could have been avoided if we had been willing to report only the news that is produced at press conferences or printed in press releases or whispered to chosen reporters by officials. We believe it is better to err on the side of freedom, however, than to submit to such.

Time and again, meanwhile, our leaders have used the stamp of official secrecy to protect themselves. This is censorship at the source.

There are relatively few documents that must be kept secret in the interest of national security. The number does not even begin to approach the twenty million documents and papers the

“The top officials and the authorized sources will always say what the President wants them to say. They will not disclose the real policy that is often hidden behind the stated policy, nor will they reveal the backroom deals that promote and protect the privileged. Investigative reporters, therefore, must rely more on unauthorized than on authorized sources.”

government hides from the people.

There is nothing sacred about the secrecy stamp. The President does not hesitate to release classified information if it will win support for his policies or help him squeeze money out of Congress. Often secret papers are shown to reporters by the same officials who prosecute others for

publish official, selective facts as the whole truth do themselves and their nation a disservice. Newsmen are out of their element when they share with the governors the view from the mountaintop upon the governed below. A reporter should keep on the same footing with the people he is supposed to inform. And

leaking those papers which reflect unfavorably on themselves. Like dictators our leaders stay in power by barring the public’s access to unfavorable facts. We are free to select our leaders, but this freedom is constantly abridged by leaders who seek to curtail our knowledge of their activities.

The question of how much truth government spokesmen should give out—and how much the people are entitled to—may never be precisely defined. Most people would probably agree that the government, for the protection of its citizens, need not always tell every last detail about every situation.

On the other hand, it should not lie or mislead lest it lose the trust of the very persons it is seeking to protect. In a democracy, when the government cannot tell the whole truth, it should stand by its privilege to be silent.

The reporters, for their part, should never accept as final the government’s refusal to comment. And those who

he should always look with skepticism upon the politicians.

Meanwhile, the pressures for conformity and the domination of the government over the news have combined to suppress controversy. It has become the fashion for writers to be high-minded and carefully objective, presenting every view but taking stands only on safe subjects. Radio and television producers shy away from controversy as if it were unpatriotic. They hire motivational researchers, statisticians, sociologists psychologists, and, of course, pollsters to make sure they don’t offend the mass mind.

There is menace in too much conformity, in the government’s Uncle-knowsbest attitude, in the willingness of the press to accept the government’s version of the news. The democratic machinery should never run so smoothly and so silently that the rumble of opposition becomes muffled. Let there be a few cogs, at least, that grate against the massive wheels of Big Government.

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Law FOR purposes of Civil appeals, any proceeding in which no one was accused of any offence is a Civil proceeding, such as a proceeding for an order of prohibition to restrain a Court from trying a Criminal case.’

All appeals in civil proceedings exist solely by statute; and no appeal lies unless there be ex press provision to that effect. Those who may appeal, the time within which the right of appeal shall be exercised, the manner and conditions for the exercise of the right, and so forth, are prescribed in the legislative provisions governing the appeal.

There is a distinction between the conferment of a right of appeal and the procedure regulating such appeal: a statute may confer right of appeal competently and yet be incompetent to regulate the procedure for such appeals. Unless expressly otherwise provided, it is the appellate court to determine its rules with regard to the appeal. A prospective appellant must come within the provision of the statute creating the appeal before he can be entitled to exercise the right of appeal created by that statute. And unless the terms and conditions laid down by the statute are fulfilled, the appellate court is without jurisdiction to entertain the appeal. Nor can it exercise its discretion to cure the defect and entertain the appeal. A statute which is void cannot create a valid right of appeal. Where the court

has no jurisdiction to hear an appeal, the court cannot transfer the purported appeal to the court of competent jurisdiction in the absence of a statutory provision expressly authorising the transfer.

The statutory provision to the effect that the decision of a court on a matter is final cannot preclude an appeal on the ground of lack of jurisdiction. But there is no right of appeal against a consent judgment: maybe appeal lies with leave under the Constitution. And there is no right of appeal (except with leave) against an order for costs only even when made in a final judgment. Appeal lies of right against a decree nisi.

There is no right of appeal by an applicant dissatisfied with the terms on which he was granted stay of execution.

Appeal may lie with leave where there is no appeal as of right. Also if the right of appeal be not exercised within the period stipulated, the period within which to appeal may be en larged.

Only the relevant appellate court has the competence to enlarge the time for appeal. If the local rules contain no provision for enlargement of time• prescribed by those rules, the appellate court may enlarge the time under the provisions of English rules where to do so is not inconsistent with the local rules. But if the time is prescribed by statute which makes no provision for enlargement of time within which to appeal, the court cannot

General Notes On Civil Appeals

Right Of Appeal

enlarge the time even though the rules contain enlargement provision.

Application for leave to appeal shall be made within the period

By A. OBI-OKOYE

notice of appeal after the leave was obtained, that the court might in granting the leave impose a time limit as a condition for

leave, within the same period. A decision preferring the former to the latter was itself over ruled. Application for

amount of the claim, it is the value to the appellant of what he stands to lose that is the test, and the court should look at the

Mohammed Adoke, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation

prescribed and once so made failure by the court to determine the application within the period shall not be fatal.

It was formerly held obiter that if there be no express provision for time limit for the giving of the

granting the leave. Later it was held that in such a situation, the applicant must not only file his application for the leave within the prescribed period but must also file the notice and grounds of appeal, after obtaining the

“A further test is what the judgment appealed against will be held to have decided. Appeal lies with leave where the subject matter is not capable of assessment in terms of monetary value.”

leave must be considered only by the court when duly constituted.

In deciding whether to grant or refuse an application for appealing out of time, the length of time that has elapsed is a material factor. The application could readily succeed if it be shown to the satisfaction of the court that the failure to act within time was caused by the negligence or inadvertence of the applicant’s counsel.

Where the right of appeal is limited by

substance. A further test is what the judgment appealed against will be held to have decided.

Appeal lies with leave where the subject matter is not capable of assessment in terms of monetary value. The opinion of the High Court on any question of law referred to it under section 15 of the Arbitration Act is a final decision at first instance, so an appeal lies there from as of right

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Science

SOIL bacteria. Bacteria are the smallest and most numerous of the soil organisms and it is difficult to appreciate both their minute size and their vast numbers.

On the average, they are about 1/25000 of an inch in size, which means that it would be possible for about 250,000 of them to find room on this full stop. Only one tenth of a gramme of soil contains about twice as many bacteria as there are human beings on the whole earth.

Soil bacteria live by using substances in the soil and there are many different species which use a great variety of substances. Many are aerobse and therefore need oxygen; these have an important part to play in the formation of humus by the decay of plant and animal remains. Many of the bacteria are specialists, living only in a certain way and on specific substances. Unlike normal organisms some do not use protein material but use

inorganic substances such as nitrates, sulphates ammonia and even sulphur. Others use free nitrogen from the air to build up amino compounds which they incorporate into their own bodies, Some are normally anaerobic and do not require oxygen, while others, normally aerobic, can live in a different way in the absence of oxygen. All bacteria are builders as well as decomposers; they not only produce their own cells at a great rate but often give off valuable products to the soil, such as nitrate and ammonia.

The soil bacteria of the greatest important in nature are those concerned with the cycle of nitrogen and its compounds.

SOIL FUNGI: Soil fungi play an important pact in decomposing plant and animal remains in the top layers of the soil. They reproduce by means of spores which are very minute and numerous and they spread everywhere.

The body of the fungus, called a mycelium, is made up of a net work of white or grey threads which can be seen in upturned soil and compost. The mycelium grows out of the spores when they germinate. It lives on the proteins, lignins and carbohydrates in the organic remains of plants or animals and it uses these products to build up more of its threads. The more organic matter present in the soil, the more plentiful are the soil fungi; they are particularly plentiful and active in forest soils. Soil fungi play an important part in the formation of humus, and their own bodies are a concentrated source of nitrogen. When the

Life In The Soil fungi die, bacteria decompose the mycelium, and the nitrogen compounds which the mycelium contains are converted into nitrate. The ‘fairy rings’ on lawns demonstrate this action; where the grass is lush the nitrates have been set free from the dead mycelium. Soil fungi include moulds, mildews, mushrooms and toadstools; some of these are described in Chapter 22.

PREDATORS IN THE SOIL: A large number of micro scopic animals live as predators on the bacteria in the soil, e.g. amoebae and slime-fungi, and these are important in keeping down the numbers of bacteria in the soil.

OTHER SOIL ORGANISMS

There are many animals which are common in the soil.

These live on other organisms or on the organic matter in the soil, and their bodies and their excreta make an important contribution to the formation of humus. Amongst the most important are ants and termites, other insects, such as beetles and their larvae, earth worms and perhaps millipedes. Mites, nematode worms and spring-tails are very numerous in the soil and may be of importance. Slugs, snails and grubs of all kinds, Bving main’y above the surface, are ravenous feeders on plant materials and must return a great deal of organic matter to the soil.

TERMITES: These have been described in Junior Biology 2 and are probably of paramount importance in

tropical soils. They not only live on wood and other plant material, but excavate and take in vast quantities of soil for their runways and mounds. They part-digest a great deal of organic material and much nitro genous matter is added to the soil in very finely divided form. They are responsible for a great deal of loosening, mixing and aeration of the soil, which has a profound effect on its finer crumb structure. Large quantities of soil are exposed to the air by the activities of termites, and thus the soil becomes fully oxidised by the oxygen in the air.

SOIL ANTS. Soil ants do a considerable amount of breaking up of plant debris and they excavate quantities of soil by their borrowings.

As there are such large numbers of them they must have an important effect on the soil and upon its content of humus.

EARTHWORMS: Earthworms are common in some areas of the wet tropics but are only evident in rainy periods. It is doubtful whether they could survive in very dry climates and they must stay deeper in the soil during a long dry period. Their casts can be seen on the surface of the soil in great profusion, particularly in the good savannah grassland soils, such as that of South Western Nigeria which have a high rainfall and good supplies of organic matter.

The tall worm casts dry out very hard and become compacted together, indicating their very fine texture. The worms burrow in the soil by eating their way through it and so aerate it by the channels which

they leave. Partly-digested organic material and finely ground soil are passed out in the casts. Where they occur, worms are undoubtedly very important in their effect on the soil and in the contribution they make to the humus content.

Earthworms are nocturnal and are only seen above the ground at night during wet periods, or they may be uncovered during digging in damp soil. There are many different species but over large areas of drier Africa earthworms are rarely seen.

NEMATODES : Nematodes are thread-like worms, some of which are parasitic on man, e.g.

Filaris, etc., and are very numerous in the soil.

Nematodes are not easy to see without careful examination of the soil (see Exercise 57) although they are so plentiful, especially in soil which is rich in organic material. Some nematodes called eelworms cause serious diseases by attacking the roots of plants; they are plentiful in the tissues of plants and animals. They live in the pore- spaces of the soil in the film of water round the particles. Out of contact with water, nematodes die, and they do not burrow.

MITES: These are a group of small animals, called the Acarina, which are very abundant in the soil but are of unknown importance, although they probably live on the organic matter in the soil. One common mite found in the soil and on the surface of the soil during the wet season is remarkably bright velvetred and grows up to 3 mm. across. Another very small mite burrows in the skin and cause scabies.

- Book of Nature and Sciences.

By Edmus Karl

“Earthworms are common in some areas of the wet tropics but are only evident in rainy periods. It is doubtful whether they could survive in very dry climates and they must stay deeper in the soil during a long dry period.”

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

International Mayor Shot In Eastern Ukraine KIEV - The mayor of Ukraine’s second-largest city was shot in the back yesterday and pro-Russia insurgents seized yet another government building as tensions rose in eastern Ukraine ahead of a new round of U.S. sanctions.

Armed insurgents tacitly

Suicide Bomber Kill 9 As Police, Army Vote

BAGHDAD - Iraqi officials say suicide bombers have targeted polling centers as soldiers and security forces cast ballots ahead of parliamentary elections. The attacks killed at least nine people.

Police say in one of the attacks yesterday, in the northern city of Tuz Khormato, the bomber blew himself up at a checkpoint leading to the polling center.

Maj. Gen. Torhan AbdulRahman Youssef says six security personnel were killed and four were wounded.

Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan Ibrahim says another bomber struck a polling center in Baghdad’s western Mansour area, killing three troops and wounding four.

A police officer says five security forces were wounded in another suicide attack, in the northern city of Mosul.

He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to media.

Quake Strikes Off Tonga Coast

SYDNEY, Australia - An earthquake measuring 6.5 magnitude struck off the northeast coast of Tonga in the South Pacific on Saturday, said the U.S. Geological Survey.

The undersea quake was 10 kms (6 miles) deep, and about 75 kms (46 miles) northeast of Tonga. There was no immediate tsunami warning.

backed by Moscow are seeking more autonomy in the region from the interim government in Kiev. In a bid to ratchet up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Barack Obama has promised to levy new sanctions on Russian individuals and companies in retaliation for Moscow’s alleged provocations in eastern Ukraine.

Hennady Kernes, the mayor of Kharkiv, was shot in the back yesterday morning, his office said. Kernes was said to be undergoing surgery and “doctors are fighting for his life,” according to the city hall.

Officials have not commented on the circumstances of the shooting and it was not clear who was behind it. Kernes was a staunch opponent of the proWest Maidan movement that toppled President Viktor Yanukovych in February and was widely viewed as the organizer of activists sent to Kiev from eastern Ukraine to harass those demonstrators.

But he has since softened his stance toward the new Kiev government and insisted that he does not support the pro-Russia insurgents or any annexation of Ukrainian territory.

Kharkiv is in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian gunmen have seized government buildings, set up roadblocks or staged protests to demand greater autonomy or

outright annexation by Russia.

Ukraine’s acting government and the West have accused Russia of orchestrating the unrest, which they fear Moscow could use as a pretext for an invasion. Last month, Russia annexed Crimea weeks after seizing control of the Black Sea peninsula.

Yesterday, masked militants with automatic weapons seized another city hall building in eastern Ukraine, this time in Kostyantynivka, 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the Russian border.

After the seizure, about 15 armed men guarded the building.

Some posed for pictures with residents while others distributed St. George’s ribbons, the symbol of the pro-Russia movement.

Kostyantynivka is just 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Slovyansk, a major city in eastern Ukraine that has been in insurgents’ hands for more than three weeks now.

President Obama said on visit to the Philippines earlier yesterday that the targets of the latest U.S. sanctions will include high-technology exports to Russia’s defense industry. The full list, which is also expected to include wealthy allies of Putin, will be announced by officials in Washington later yesterday.

The European Union is also planning more sanctions against

Pakistani Serial Killer ‘Wanted To Teach Gays Lesson’ LAHORE (PAKISTAN) Short in stature and softly spoken, Pakistani paramedic Muhammed Ejaz was probably destined for a life of relative anonymity –- until he began killing gay men he met online.

The 28-year-old father-of-two was arrested last week and confessed to three brutal murders, saying he wanted to send out a message about the “evils” of homosexuality, though police insisted he had sex with his victims first.

The killings have sent shockwaves through the underground gay community of the eastern city of Lahore, which fears Ejaz could be lionised as a hero in a conservative Islamic society where homosexuality is

stigmatised and sodomy is punishable by up to 10 years in jail.

In an interview with AFP from his prison cell Sunday night, Ejaz, who sported a neat trimmed beard and was kept shackled, expressed remorse over the killings but said he was acting to stop wrongdoing.

“My way was wrong. It is tragic that the families have lost their relatives but they were spreading evil in society and I had to stop it,” said Ejaz, who is due to appear in court yesterday.

“I wanted to warn them to stay away from this evil.”

The killings happened in March and April, according to police officer Asad Sarfraz, who headed the investigation. The

Assad To Run For President

DAMASCUS - President Bashar Assad announced his candidacy for the June 3 presidential elections yesterday, a race he is likely to win amid a raging civil war that initially began as an uprising against his rule.

The statement, made by Parliament Speaker Jihad Laham on state-run television, was quickly followed by broadcasts of nationalistic music praising God. Assad — who has ruled the country since taking over from his father in 2000 — was widely expected to run for a third sevenyear term in office, although it remains unclear how the vote can take place in areas engulfed in fighting.

Six other contenders are in the race, but they are mostly

Russia, with ambassadors from the bloc’s 28 members to meet yesterday in Brussels to add to the list of Russian officials who have been hit by asset freezes and travel bans.

The increasingly ruthless proRussia insurgency is turning to an ominous new tactic: kidnapping.

Dozens of people are being held hostage — including the seven observers, journalists and pro-Ukraine activists — in makeshift jails in Slovyansk.

The German government on Monday decried the seizure of the eight European military observers there and called for their immediate release. The observers, including three German officers, were detained Friday on allegations they were spying for NATO. Pro-Russia militants in camouflage and black balaclavas paraded some of the captive European military observers before the media on Sunday.

They also showed three captured Ukrainian security guards bloodied, blindfolded and stripped of their trousers and shoes, their arms bound with packing tape.

A Swedish officer was released Sunday and German captive Col. Axel Schneider spoke that same day, stressing at a news conference — under armed guard — that they were on an OSCE diplomatic mission and not spies.

expected to give the election a veneer of legitimacy, analysts say.

Following the announcement, the state-run TV also ran a brief biography of Assad, quoting him as asking Syrians not to resort to celebratory gunfire and telling them that “we are now in the atmosphere of (democratic) elections in Syria for the first time in its contemporary history.” It was unclear if that was meant as acknowledgement that previous elections were not democratic.

But a call to elections — or the vote, if and when it’s held — won’t be enough to heal Syria’s bitter war, now in its fourth year, said activists.

The conflict, which has killed

over 150,000 people and displaced more than one-third of the population, began as largely peaceful demonstrations against Assad’s rule in March 2011. But it quickly turned into an armed uprising and a civl war.

“If he (Assad) had announced this at the beginning of the revolution, it would have saved all that blood that was shed,” said activist who uses the name Abu Akram al-Shami, speaking over Skype from Damascus.

Al-Shami said he and other activists would ignore the election, adding that their war now wasn’t just against Assad but for his entire government to fall.

“It’s about the whole regime.

Even if, let’s say, he (Assad) left office, as things now stand his regime would continue,” alShami said.

victims were a middle-aged retired army Major and two other men, both in their twenties.

All three were found with their necks broken and had been sedated.

After examining their mobile phone call logs, police were able to identify Ejaz’s number and found another former lover whom they used as a honey trap to lure him to a meeting a week ago, where they arrested him.

Ejaz, who was married in 2011 and has two infant children, said his family knew nothing of what he had done and insisted that he was not gay himself.

“I started going on Manjam two months ago using my mobile phone, and found that the gays are everywhere in Lahore,” he said, referring to a popular social networking website.

“They are spreading evil and transmitting diseases. They cannot control themselves,” he added.

Ejaz said he was the victim of sexual abuse by an older boy when he was around 10 years old and had led a deeply unhappy childhood.

“I have hated them ever since what happened to me,” he said.

The case has shone an unwelcome spotlight on Pakistan’s closeted gay community, who are often afraid to come out to their families and in the absence of gay venues rely on the Internet and mobile apps to arrange clandestine dates.

With sex outside marriage both illegal and deeply frowned upon, same-sex partners are generally able to avoid the same level of scrutiny unmarried heterosexual couples come under.

RECONCILIATION OF NAME I, Omoriawo Stephen Omoluabi is the same person as Omoriawo Steven Omoluabi as used in my NYSC certificate, and Omoriawo Iyamah as used in my Primary School Leaving Certificate. I now wish to be properly known and addressed as Omoriawo Stephen Omoluabi. All former documents remain valid. All concerned authorities and the general public take note.

RECONCILIATION OF NAME I, Anthony Obieze is the same person as Anthony Obi as used in my Primary School Leaving Certificate. I now wish to be properly known and addressed as Anthony Obieze. All former documents remain valid. All concerned authorities and the general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Jeff Agboinmere Okoduwa wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Joseph Agbonmere Okoduwa.

Henceforth, I am properly known and addressed as Jeff Agboinmere Okoduwa. All former documents remain valid.

All concerned authorities and the general public take note.

I, Odigie Wilson Alekhuemen wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Alekhuemen Enehizena and Odigie Wilson as appeared in my various documents. Henceforth, I am now properly known and addressed as Odigie Wilson Alekhuemen. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Immigration Service, UNIBEN, concerned authorities and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

DAUDA – I, formerly called Abraham Dauda is now known and called Abraham Inegbedion Prince.

All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public please take note.

AZIBA – I, formerly Miss Aziba Lawrenta Omonye now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Asika Lawrenta Omonye. All former documents remain valid.

All concerned authorities and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

IGHARO – I, formerly known and addressed as Igharo Aimierovbiye Linda now wish to be known and addressed as Osagie Linda. All former documents remain valid. All concerned authorities and the general public take note.

OGUNYE – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Elo Loveth Ogunye now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ehigie Elo Loveth. All former documents remain valid.

All concerned authorities and the general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE AFFECTING LIVES GLOBAL MINISTRY The general public is hereby notified that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under the Companies and Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES 1.Pastor Mark Okubokeme 2.Pastor Mrs. Faith Okubokeme 3.Barr. Echefu U. Burman AIMS & OBJECTIVES 1.To preach the Gospel of Christ all over the world.

2.To heal the sick in the name of Jesus Christ.

3.To publish and distribute tracts and other Christian materials.

4.To affect lives positively by reaching out to the needy.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar- General, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Akpomiemie .M. Akpomiemie Esq. 07036844613, 08030530411

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

International Court Seeks Death Sentence For Brotherhood Leader, 682 Supporters

MINYA Egypt - An Egyptian court handed down a death sentence on the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and 682 supporters, intensifying a crackdown on the movement that could trigger protests and political violence ahead of an election next month.

A death penalty for Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood’s general guide, will infuriate members of the Brotherhood which has been the target of raids, arrests and bans since President Mohamed Mursi was forced from power by the military in July.

The movement says it is committed to peaceful activism.

But some Brotherhood members fear pressure from security forces and the courts could drive some young members to violence against the movement’s old enemy the Egyptian state.

In a separate case, the court

handed down a final capital punishment ruling for 37 others.

The 37 death sentences were part of a final judgment on 529 Muslim Brotherhood supporters who were sentenced to death last month. The remaining defendants were sentenced to life in jail, judicial sources said.

Death sentence recommendations in the case involving Badie will be passed on to Egypt’s Mufti, the highest religious authority. His opinion is not legally binding and can be ignored by the court.

Mass trials in the biggest Arab state have reinforced fears among human rights groups that the military-backed government and anti-Islamist judges are using all levers of power to crush dissent.

“The decisions are possibly the largest possible death sentences in recent world history. While they’re exceptional in scale, they’re certainly not exceptional in kind,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director for Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch.

“It seems that these sentences are aimed at striking fear and terror into the hearts of those who oppose the interim government

including the interim government.”

The rulings can be appealed.

Many defendants are on the run.

Nevertheless, the cases have raised new questions about Egypt’s stumbling political transition three years after an army-backed popular uprising ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak and raised hopes of a robust democracy.

A pro-democracy movement that helped ignite the uprising that toppled Mubarak in 2011 was banned by court order yesterday, judicial sources and the website of the state-run AlAhram newspaper said.

Search For Missing Malaysia Plane Enters New Phase

US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks about the collapse of Mideast peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians at the US State Department in Washington, DC.

SYDNEY - The chance of finding floating debris from a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner has become highly unlikely, and a new phase of the search will focus on a far larger area of the Indian Ocean floor, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said yesterday.

The search effort for

BANGUI Central African Republic — Dozens of heavily armed Muslim rebels opened fire inside a hospital in a remote corner of Central African Republic, killing at least 16 people including three local health workers employed by Doctors Without Borders, officials yesterday.

The weekend attack was the first time the international aid group has lost staff members in the country since sectarian violence began here in December. Doctors Without

with people who fled the violence and reached a neighboring town 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.

Witnesses said the rebels had come to the hospital demanding money before opening fire on the meeting.

“It’s indescribable what is happening there. People are completely at the mercy of the Seleka forces and there is absolutely no international peacekeeping force present in the area,” Dofone told The Associated Press.

C/African Republic Rebels Kill 16; 3 MSF Staffers Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, of MSF, is the only group providing aid in much of the deeply impoverished country and has continuing working in areas where fighting has erupted.

Spokesman Tim Shenk confirmed that three colleagues had been killed in Nanga Boguila, a town located in the northwest near the border with Chad, though had no further details.

A humanitarian official briefed on the attack said the hospital had

been surrounded by more than 40 armed rebels on Saturday.

The attack on the Boguila hospital came as staff members from Doctors Without Borders met with several dozen local village chiefs from the area. At least 16 people were killed, the official said on condition of anonymity because the details had yet been made public.

Sylvain Dofone, a legislator from the area, said he had spoken

Israel Risks Becoming ‘Apartheid’ State-Say Kerry

WASHINGTON US Secretary of State John Kerry told a group of senior international officials that Israel risks becoming an “apartheid” state if it does not make peace soon, a US news website reported.

Kerry made the controversial remarks at a closed-door meeting of the influential Trilateral Commission on Friday, The Daily Beast news website reported Sunday.

The Daily Beast said a source at the gathering provided them with a recording of Kerry’s remarks.

“A two-state solution will be clearly underscored as the only real alternative. Because a unitary state winds up either being an apartheid state with second class citizens —- or it ends up being a state that destroys the capacity of Israel to be a Jewish state,” Kerry said, according to The Daily Beast.

Once you put that frame in your mind, that reality, which is the bottom line, you understand how imperative it is to get to the two state solution, which both leaders, even (Thursday), said they remain deeply committed to,” he reportedly said.

The online publication said that US, Western European, Russian, and Japanese senior officials and experts were at the event.

The term “apartheid” is a reference to South Africa’s 19481994 oppressive and racially

segregated social system.

While both Kerry and President Barack Obama have refrained from using the term when speaking of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, former president Jimmy Carter (19771981) titled a 2006 book that he wrote on the subject “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.”

Kerry also insisted that the peace process was not dead.

“The reports of the demise of the peace process have consistently been misunderstood and misreported. And even we are now getting to the moment of obvious confrontation and hiatus, but I would far from declare it dead,” Kerry said, according to the news website.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 with 239 people on board, has so far failed to turn up any trace of wreckage from the plane.

Given the amount of time that has elapsed, Abbott said that efforts would now shift away from the visual searches conducted by planes and ships and towards underwater equipment capable of scouring the ocean floor with sophisticated sensors.

He admitted, however, that it was possible nothing would ever be found of the jetliner.

“We will do everything we humanly can, everything we reasonably can, to solve this mystery,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Malaysia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Britain and the United States are assisting Australia in

California Governor Jerry Brown (centre) speak during a media briefing by members of President Barack Obama’s Climate Task Force committee in Los Angeles, California recently.

California Gov Issues Second Drought Emergency Proclamation LOS ANGELES California’s drought is so severe that the state will roll back some environmental protections and loosen the rules on transferring water to farmers, Governor Jerry Brown said on Friday.

Issuing his second emergency proclamation on the drought in just three month, Brown said the state would redouble its efforts to conserve and distribute water fairly, and called on residents to avoid washing their cars, watering their lawns and even accepting glasses of water in restaurants if they are not thirsty.

“The dry season is upon us,” Brown declared at a meeting on environmental sustainability in

Los Angeles. “With this proclamation I’m calling upon all Californians, municipal water agencies, and anyone who uses water to do everything possible to conserve.”

Brown, who served two terms as governor from 1975 to 1983, during the state’s last severe drought, said an executive order issued on Friday would shorten the application process for farmers who need water for their crops, and cut red tape for cities that need to improve or expand their water systems.

It forbids homeowner associations from fining residents who let their lawns go dry.

At the meeting, sponsored by the Los Angeles Business Council and held at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, Brown warned of the impending summer wildfire season, when rain is extremely rare and blazes race through the state’s dry, brushy canyons, threatening homes and causing millions of dollars’ worth of damage.

He exempted the California Department of Forestry and Fire

Protection and other emergency responders from competitive bidding rules when purchasing equipment needed to fight fires or reduce its risk.

Brown linked the drought to global climate change, saying that unless people reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, conditions will continue to worsen.

“The only way out over the long term is to substitute the fossil fuel with solar, with wind,” Brown said. “We are playing Russian roulette with our environment.”

conducting the most expensive search in aviation history.

It remains unclear what caused the Boeing 777 to veer sharply off its course and disappear from radar as it prepared to cross into Vietnamese airspace.

Malaysian authorities have still not ruled out mechanical problems, but say evidence suggests it was deliberately diverted from its scheduled route.

Malaysia is under pressure to bring closure to the grieving families by finding wreckage to determine definitively what happened to the aircraft.

But the empty expanse of water northwest of the Australian city of Perth is one of the most remote places in the world and also one of the deepest, making the search complicated.

Authorities had been focusing on a 10 square km (6.2 square mile) stretch of seabed about 2,000 miles from Perth, after detecting what they suspected was a signal from the plane’s black box recorder on April 4.

The U.S. Navy Bluefin-21 underwater drone searching the seabed has so far failed to turn up any sign of the plane.

“We are still baffled and disappointed that we haven’t been able to find undersea wreckage based on those detections,” Abbott told reporters.

Abbott said that the new search area, which spans 700 km by 80 km (435 miles by 40 miles), could take between 6-8 months to completely examine, at a cost to Australia of as much as A$60 million ($55.69 million).

The search operations have up until now been handled primarily as a military operation by the countries involved, but Abbott said that one or more commercial companies would be hired by Australia and Malaysia to handle the next phase.

Angus Houston, head of the Australian agency coordinating the search effort, offered a sobering assessment of the operation.

“We haven’t found anything anywhere that has any connection to MH370,” Houston said during the Abbott news conference.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

International Features AS three-month-old Asoma Khatu approached her final, labored breaths, her neighbor Elia, a 50-year-old former farmer, dug through the strongbox holding some of the last medicines in this camp for Myanmar’s displaced Rohingya.

First, some paracetamol for the severely malnourished girl’s fever and a wet towel for her forehead. Then some rehydration salts for her diarrhea. There was nothing else left.

The death of Asoma in a dusty, stifling hot camp a two-hour boat ride from Sittwe, capital of Rakhine State in west Myanmar, is part of a growing health crisis for stateless Muslim Rohingya that has been exacerbated by restrictions on international aid.

“I think my child would have made it if someone was here to help,” Asoma’s mother, Gorima, told Reuters, as she cradled the girl’s shrouded, almost weightless body in her arms.

In February, Myanmar’s government expelled the main aid group providing health to more than half a million Rohingya in Rakhine State Medecins Sans FrontieresHolland (MSF-H) - after the group said it had treated people believed to have been victims of violence in southern Maungdaw township, near the Bangladesh border, in January.

The United Nations says at least 40 Rohingya were killed there by Buddhist Rakhine villagers. The government denies any killings occurred.

Attacks on March 26 and 27 on NGO and U.N. offices by a Rakhine mob angered by rumors a foreign staffer for another group, Malteser International, had desecrated a Buddhist flag led to the withdrawal of aid groups providing healthcare and other essential help to another 140,000 Rohingya living in camps after being displaced by Buddhist-Muslim violence since 2012.

The government had pledged to allow most NGOs to return to full operation after the end of Buddhist New Year celebrations this month.

But so far only food distribution by the World Food Programme has returned to normal, and Rakhine community leaders in the state government’s Emergency Coordination Centre have imposed conditions on others wanting to go back.

NGOs will only be allowed to operate if they show “complete transparency” in disclosing their travel plans and projects and are not seen to favor Rohingya, said Than Tun, a Rakhine elder who is part of the center. Neither MSF-H nor Malteser are being allowed back in, he said.

With foreign aid largely absent, every day of delay is measured in preventable deaths.

No one is there to count them accurately, but the average of 10 daily emergency medical referrals before aid groups left are no longer happening, said Liviu Vedrasco, a coordinator with the World Health Organisation.

Extrapolating from that how many people could be saved is impossible, Vedrasco said. “It was not ideal before March 27.

NGOs were not providing fivestar medical care. But they were filling a gap.”

Government medical teams have been making limited visits to Rohingya areas, but foreign aid

groups say they are inadequate.

Most of the slack has fallen to under-qualified Rohingya using whatever is at their disposal.

In Kyein Ni Pyin, nearly 4,600 Rohingya live under police guard and their movements are restricted. They are classified by the government as illegal Bengali immigrants. One foreign aid worker described the area to Reuters as “a concentration camp”.

Elia is one of eight people given seven days’ training to assist in an MSF-H clinic, which now sits empty. The only medicines he has are those he used on little Asoma and some iodine. Government doctors have made three visits of about two to three hours each, he said.

Eight people, including six infants, have died since the aid group left, he said. The night before a recent Reuters visit, one woman lost her baby during delivery.

Win Myaing, a spokesman for the Rakhine State government, dismissed the notion that there is a health crisis in the camps.

“There is a group of people in one of these camps that shows the same sick children to anyone who

A Rohingya woman shows her baby, who is suffering from a skin infection, at the Thet Kae Pyin camp for internally displaced people in Sittwe, Rakhine state recently.

Rohingyans Face Health Crisis As Aid Groups Withdraw visits. Even when the government arranges for treatment they refuse it,” he said.

The United States, Britain and other countries have called on the government to allow aid groups to return to Rakhine State, to little effect so far.

Appeals by the international community for Myanmar to do more to end persecution of the Rohingya have similarly made little impression on a government that sees them as illegal immigrants and denies them citizenship.

U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking during a visit to Malaysia, said on Sunday that Myanmar would not succeed if its minority Muslim population was oppressed.

He may visit Myanmar towards the end of this year, when it is due to host a regional summit, and he could come under pressure from lobby groups to restore sanctions that have been softened since the end of military rule in 2011.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the fight for democracy while the military ran the country and now sits in parliament, has faced rare criticism abroad for her failure to defend the Rohingya.

Visits by Reuters to the remote Kyein Ni Pyin camp, as well as several camps near Sittwe, reveal a widespread struggle with illness. In lowslung huts, dozens of mothers showed their emaciated children.

There is no data to compare malnutrition rates to when NGOs were forced to leave.

Along the bustling main street of the Thae Chaung camp outside Sittwe town, thatched bamboo stalls that sell a limited selection of drugs have become makeshift clinics.

Mohammad Elyas, a 30-yearold who sold medicine in Sittwe’s market before he was

driven out by marauding mobs in 2012, displays his laminated qualifications near the front, including a degree in geology and a certificate in traditional

medicine.

Medicine is sporadically supplied by sympathetic Rakhine Buddhists in Sittwe, but they run the risk of retribution from their

own community for doing so.

At least 20 to 30 people come each day seeking treatment, Elyas said. “Week by week it’s getting worse.”

“I’m just trying to save as many lives as possible. Even though I don’t have the proper qualifications, if I don’t do this work, people will die,” he said.

Obama Hails Security Pact With Philippines

PRESIDENT Barack Obama said a new military pact signed with the Philippines yesterday granting a larger presence for U.S. forces would bolster the Southeast Asian country’s maritime security, but was not aimed at countering China’s growing military might.

The agreement, which will have an initial 10-year term, was touted as the highlight of Obama’s first visit to the Philippines, the United States’ oldest ally in the region.

It sets the framework for a beefed-up rotation of U.S. troops, ships and warplanes through the Philippines, part of a rebalancing of U.S. resources towards fastgrowing Asia and the Pacific.

But China interprets the move as an attempt to contain its increasing military capability and embolden Manila in a decadeslong territorial dispute with Beijing.

“The goal for this agreement is to build Philippine capacity to engage in training, engage in coordination, not simply to deal with issues of maritime security, but also to enhance our capabilities so that if there is a natural disaster that takes place we can respond quickly,” Obama told a joint news conference in Manila after talks with President Benigno Aquino.

“Our goal is not to counter China, our goal is not to contain China. Our goal is to make sure that international rules and norms are respected, and that includes the area of maritime disputes.”

He reiterated Washington’s support for Manila’s move to

seek international arbitration over conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea, an important shipping route that is believed to be rich in energy resources.

The Philippines is the last stop on a week-long tour of Asia partly aimed at reassuring U.S. allies that Washington remains committed to its strategic “pivot” to the region.

Obama said all four countries he has visited, including Japan, which has its own dispute with China over tiny islands in the East China Sea, were committed to seeking a peaceful resolution of territorial issues.

China claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea, a claim that overlaps with those of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

China has rejected international arbitration, preferring a bilateral route to solving the jurisdictional disputes.

Rising regional tensions were highlighted by a commentary from China’s state news agency Xinhua criticizing the pact.

“Given that the Philippines is at a bitter territorial row with China, the move is particularly disturbing as it may embolden Manila in dealing with Beijing,” the commentary said.

“A more assertive or even reckless Manila would stoke regional tensions and in turn upset Obama’s policy of rebalancing.”

Aquino said China “shouldn’t be concerned” about the new agreement, which is aimed at increasing joint military training, especially for disaster relief operations.

The United States and the Philippines will hold joint exercises next week in areas mostly north of the capital.

“We are not a threat militarily to any country, we don’t even have ... presently a single fighter aircraft in our inventory,” Aquino said, adding his country had “legitimate needs” to protect its 36,000 km (22,370 miles) coastline.

The United States was not seeking to rebuild old military bases or construct new ones under the agreement, said Obama, who was greeted with a 21-gun salute upon his arrival at the presidential palace in the former U.S. colony.

Dozens of anti-U.S. protesters shouted slogans and waved banners to protest against his visit outside the palace.

The United States had maintained two military bases northwest of Manila, including Subic Bay, which was once its biggest overseas naval base, until the Philippine Senate ordered U.S. troops to leave in 1991.

Eight years later, the Senate approved an agreement providing for temporary visits by U.S. forces, allowing the staging of joint military exercises.

Officials said the new security accord did not specify the

number of U.S. troops and equipment to be deployed in the country, with those details to be discussed separately by the two governments.

“They can do construction and upgrade of infrastructure, they can store or preposition defense equipment, supplies and material, as well as hard equipment and supplies,” said Lourdes Yparraguirre, Philippine ambassador to Austria and a member of the negotiating panel that worked on the deal for eight months.

“China was never discussed in the negotiations,” she told reporters on the sidelines of a signing ceremony hours before Obama’s arrival.

“We don’t aim to contain or confront anyone. I hope that our neighbors in the region would also view this agreement as a positive contribution to peace, stability, security and prosperity in the region.”

While some analysts believe the new military agreement with Washington raises Manila’s military capabilities, others think it will create more problems for the country.

“Relations with China...will deteriorate further in the context of maritime disputes. China is averse to any Philippine government initiative to involve the U.S. in its security agenda,” said Rommel Banlaoi, analyst at the Center for Intelligence and National Security in Manila.

“We are strengthening our relationship with the U.S. at the expense of our relationship with China,” he said.

THE NIGERIAN

27

IF we want, our children to bring about the desired change we have been praying for on behalf of our dear country, then please, please let us begin now to teach them to work hard, so they can stand alone and most importantly be content, and not having to steal, which seem to be the norm these days.

“30 is the new 18”, which seems to be the new age for testing out the world in Nigeria now. That seems to be an unspoken but widely accepted mindset among the last 2 generations of parents in Nigeria.

At age 18 year, a typical young adult in the UK leaves the clutches of his/her parents for the university. Chances are, that is the last time those parents will ever play “landlord” to that child, except of course the occasional home visits during the academic years.

At 21 years and above or below, the now fully grown and independent minded adult, graduates from university, searches for employment, gets a job and shares a flat with other young people on a journey into becoming fully fledged adults.

I can hear the echo of parents saying, well, that is because the UK economy is thriving, safe, well structured and jobs are everywhere? But I beg to differ and I ask that you kindly hear me out.

I am a UK-trained Recruitment Consultant and I have been practicing for the past 10 years in Nigeria. I have a broad range of experience from recruiting graduates to executive director level of large corporations. In addition, I talk from the point of view of someone with relatively privileged upbringing.

Driven to school everyday, had my clothes washed for me, was barred from taking any part- time job during my A-levels so that I could concentrate on studying for

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

my exams! But, I got the opportunity to live apart from my parents from age 8 and the only time I came back home to stay was for 3 months before I got married!

Am I saying that every parent should wash their hands off their children at age 18? No, not at all, of course, I enjoyed the savings that I made from living on and off at my parent’s house in London. Indeed that is the primary reason for my being able to buy myself a 3 bedroom flat in London at age 25 with absolutely no direct financial help from my parents.

For me, pocket money stopped at age 22, not that it was ever enough for my lifestyle to compete with Paris Hilton’s or Victoria Becham’s.

Meanwhile today, we have Nigerian children who have never worked for 5 minutes in their lives insisting on flying “only” first or business class, carrying the latest Louis Vuitton ensemble, Victoria’s Secrete underwear and wearing Jimmy Choo’s, fully paid for by their “loving” parents. I often get calls from anxious parents, ‘my son graduated 2 years ago and is still looking for a job, can you please assist!’

Oh really! So where exactly is this “child” is my usual question. Why are you the one making this call dad/ mum? I am yet to get a satisfactory answer. But between you and me, chances are that the ‘big’ boy is cruising around Lagos with a babe dressed to the nines, in his dad’s sparkling new SUV with enough “pocket money” to put your salary to shame.

It is not at all strange to have a 28 year old who has NEVER worked for a day in his or her life in Nigeria but “earns” a six figure “salary” from parents for doing absolutely nothing. I see them in my office once in a while, 26 years old with absolutely no skills to sell, apart from a shiny CV,

Parenting An Open Letter To Middle/ Upper-Class Nigerian Parents written by his dad’s secretary in the office.

Of course, he has a driver at his beck and call and he is driven to the job interview.

We have a fairly decent conversation and we get to the inevitable question... so, what salary are you looking to earning? Answer comes straight out N250,000. I ask if that is per month or per annum. Of course it is per month. Oh, why do you think you should be earning that

much on your first job?

‘Well, because my current pocket money is N200,000 and I feel that an employer should be able to pay me more than my parents.’ I try very hard to compose myself.

Over parenting is, in my opinion, the greatest evil handicapping the Nigerian youth. In fact, it is at the root of ALL of our national

By AMAZIA WALTER OTUNYO

malaise.

We have a youth population of tens of millions, who are being “breastfed and diapered” well into their 30s.

Even though the examples I have given above are from parents of considerable affluence, similar patterns can be observed amongst all segments of the population, from Abeokuta to Adamawa!.

Wake up mum! Wake up

the world. May be, even consider reducing or stopping the pocket money to encourage them to think, explore and strive. Let them know that it is possible for them to succeed without your “help”.

Take a moment to think back to your own time as a young man/woman, what if someone had kept spoon feeding you, would you be

dad! You are, in practice, loving your children to death!

No wonder corruption continues to thrive. We have a society of young people who have been brought up to expect something for nothing, as if it were a birth right.

I want to encourage you to send out your young men and women (anyone over 20 can hardly be called a child!) into

where you are today?

Children that are not exposed to challenge, do not cook well. That is why you see adults complaining, “My parents did not buy clothes for me this Christmas”. ask him/her how old...

30+. Because of the challenges we faced in our youth, we are where and what we are today. No tree grows well under another tree. This syndrome of my children will not suffer what I suffered is destroying our tomorrow.

Deliberately reduce their allowances or mum—do not cook on Saturday till late afternoon or evening— do as occasions deserve.

I learned that the children of a former Nigerian Head of State, with all the stolen (billions of) monies in their

“Hard work does not kill, everything in Nigeria is going down, including family settings. It is time to ‘cook’ our children, preparing them for tomorrow. We are approaching the season in Nigeria where only the RUGGED, will survive. How will your ward fare?”

custody, still go about with security escort as wrecks.

They are on drugs and several times because of the drug, they collapse in public places.

The escort will quickly pack them and off they go. What a life, that is why no one wants to get married to them.

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young

Henry Ford Hard work does not kill, everything in Nigeria is going down, including family settings. It is time to ‘cook’ our children, preparing them for tomorrow. We are approaching the season in Nigeria where only the RUGGED, will survive. How will your ward fare?

If the present generation of Nigerian pilots retired, will you fly a plane flown by a young Nigerian pilot, if trained in Nigeria? People now have first class, who cannot spell GRADUATE or read an article without bomb blast!

Which Way Nigeria! Which Way Nigerians!! Is this how we will ALL sit and watch this country SINK?

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TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Suarez Wins Player Of The Year Award LUIS Suarez has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Player of the Year for 2013-14.

It marks an amazing turnaround for the 27-year-old, who almost a year to the day was caught on camera biting the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and banned for 10 matches by the Football Association.

Despite missing the first four games of the Premier League season through suspension, the Uruguay international is practically assured of winning the Premier League Golden Boot after plundering 30 goals in 31 appearances, as well as providing 12 assists for a Liverpool team which regularly blew the opposition away with their pace and attacking football.

Suarez won the award ahead of Liverpool teammates Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge, Southampton’s Adam Lallana, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and also Yaya Toure of Manchester City.

Suarez travelled down to the ceremony at Grosvenor House in London after the Reds’ 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea earlier in the day, which dented their title hopes.

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, absent for the game at Anfield due to injury, was named winner of the Young Player of the Year award.

Suarez said: “The Premier League is full of really great players and so it is a great honour when these players recognise your work on the pitch. I always try my best for the team and it is nice to get awards but really this is for my team-mates and the staff at Liverpool because without their help I wouldn’t have this prize.”

The South American has put behind him a troublesome year which saw him agitating for a move in the summer, even at one stage claiming manager Brendan Rodgers had reneged on a deal to allow him to leave for a Champions League club.

Rodgers’ handling of the

situation has been impressive but the Reds boss insisted all of the credit should be with the player.

“He is a brilliant talent. I think the supporters have seen him mature over the course of the last season,” Rodgers said of Suarez on Friday. “I think he was in a real low moment after that game [against Chelsea last year] but he has gone away and probably looked in the mirror and reflected on himself because he is not that type of guy and it probably just spilled over.

“He is a really intelligent man who fits the values of this club, which is all about humility, class and he has all of that. He is a sheer winner and that probably overspilled last year but his development over the last year has been remarkable both on and off the field and Liverpool have benefited from that.

“For me he is the consistently outstanding player over the course of the last year.”

Former Spurs winger Gareth Bale, now at Real Madrid, won both young and senior PFA awards in 2012-13. Suarez was also nominated for the senior award last season.

Blockbuster Double Move For Van LOUISGaal Van Gaal has

Luis Suarez

City Take Advantage Of

MANCHESTER City’s title hopes are back in their own hands as they took full advantage of Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho time-wasting tactics, Steven rested players ahead of the Gerrard received a pass Champions League semifinal around the halfway line, second leg with Atletico which he miscontrolled and Madrid on Wednesday, and then lost his footing in his handed youngster Tomas panic to recover the ball.

Kalas a surprise start in Demba Ba pounced then central defence, while raced towards goal, keeping Brendan Rodgers kept faith his composure to slip the ball with the Liverpool side that through the legs of Simon defeated Norwich last Mignolet and into the net in front of a silenced Kop. weekend.

Liverpool continued to At the end of a first half knock on the door throughout memorable only for Chelsea’s the second half but, with

Sherwood Blasts Managers ‘After His Job’ TOTTENHAM head coach Tim Sherwood has hit out at the managers he claims have been touting themselves for his job while he is still employed at White Hart Lane.

Sherwood, who was given an 18-month contract when he replaced Andre Villas-Boas in December, is expected to leave Spurs in the summer.

But he believes some of his managerial peers have acted wrongly by pursuing the Tottenham job during his reign.

Both Louis van Gaal and Glenn Hoddle have been strongly linked with the post in recent months and Sherwood said: “Every press conference I do it’s: ‘This manager’s coming in...Van Gaal, then Hoddle, this one and that one.’

“Some of these managers are actually touting themselves for my job. I don’t think that’s

right. It’s something that doesn’t sit well with me. If anyone ever asks me about another job I just tell them that they’ve got another manager.

Until they haven’t got a manager and until I haven’t got a job, say nothing.

“At every press conference at our training centre it was: ‘You’re keeping the seat warm for someone else.’ Yeah, I am, but the seat’s getting quite hot.”

Tottenham recorded a 1-0 victory at Stoke on Saturday to keep alive their faint hopes of a top-four finish.

He added: “I’ve done alright, you know, it’s been hard. I’ve had to keep my discipline I suppose and my dignity, pride and just get on with the job.

That’s all I’ve tried to do. It’s an honour to manage this football club and long may it continue.”

Spurs have won 60 percent of their league games under Sherwood and are averaging almost two goals per game since he replaced Villas-Boas, whose teams managed less than one per match on average.

And if they win their final two league games, they will equal last season’s club record total of 72 Premier League points, which was achieved before Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid.

“Our record was 72 last season with one of the best players in the world,” Sherwood said. “We’ve had to accommodate for that and find other ways to score goals. My brief when I come into the club was to find a way to score more goals. We’d scored 15 [in 16 games] when I took over and I think we’ve got 38 now so think I’ve ticked that box.”

Liverpool Slip

seconds remaining, substitute Fernando Torres was left with a clear run through on goal and slipped the ball to Willian to complete a shock result.

Manchester City then claimed all three points from their trip to Crystal Palace, beating the Eagles 2-0 to end the hosts’ run of five straight Premier League victories.

An early goal from Edin Dzeko helped settled the nerves as he headed home Yaya Toure’s cross after just four minutes, and Toure doubled City’s advantage shortly before half-time,

capping a marauding run from halfway with a delightful curling finish into the top corner to send the travelling support — and City’s bench — wild.

Should City now win their remaining three matches, they are in pole position to lift the trophy. They currently have a goal difference superior to Liverpool by eight goals so victories over Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham should be enough for the club to claim a second Premier League title in three seasons.

identified his two main targets if he is to be named new Manchester United manager. Van Gaal has decided midfield is his top transfer priority and his No.1 targets will be Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos, 24, and Roma’s Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, currently recovering from knee surgery, according to the Daily Star.

Paper Round’s view: Kroos and/or Strootman would be sensational signings for United and with Van Gaal there you do feel they have a much better chance of landing top targets than they would have if Moyes was still in charge. Kroos will be harder to dislodge from Bayern but Strootman, who was often linked with United during his PSV days, would look like a natural signing given his existing relationship with Van Gaal through the national team. However, with Roma set to return to the Champions League next season, he certainly won’t come cheap.

Van Gaal

Ferdinand ‘Embarrassed’ By Season

RIO Ferdinand has been left embarrassed by Manchester United’s disastrous season and admitted in the Daily Star he cannot bring himself to look at the league table.

United lost patience in former manager David Moyes and sacked him last Tuesday. Ryan Giggs took over as interim boss, but United are still on course to post their lowest-ever Premier League points tally and will miss out on Champions League football for the first time in 19 years.

“I’ve not looked at the league table for flipping ages,” Ferdinand said.

“It’s

embarrassing. But that’s down to us as players. We take responsibility for that.

“We have to keep our heads down, work hard and try to end the season on a high. It has certainly been the most disappointing season of my career.”

Ferdinand endured a torrid campaign under Moyes and started only nine league games under the Scot. Giggs restored the defender to United’s starting line-up for their 4-0 victory against Norwich on Saturday and Ferdinand reiterated that he wants to stay at Old Trafford next season.

“I’m going to continue playing,’ Ferdinand said.

“Whether it’s here, I don’t know. But I hope so.”

Rio Ferdinand

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Atletico Win Again,

PSG Squander Chance To Wrap Up Title ATLETICO Madrid showed no sign of faltering at the top the table in Spain.

AS Roma stayed in touch to play than Atletico or with Italian leaders Barca.

Athletic Bilbao Juventus while in the strengthened their hold on Bundesliga Bayern fourth place with a 3-1 Munich, long since crowned champions, victory over Sevilla.

Veteran striker Claudio warmed up for their Pizarro scored twice in an Champions League semiexplosive second half to final against Real Madrid help Bundesliga with a 5-2 victory over champions Bayern Munich Werder Bremen. crush Werder Bremen 5-2 In France, Paris St after the Bavarians had Germain squandered the chance to wrap up the twice been behind.

Arjen Robben, Bastian Ligue 1 title when they Schweinsteiger and Franck could only draw with lowly Ribery were also on target Sochaux. for Bayern who had won Atletico Madrid stayed only one of their previous rock solid at the top after a 1-0 victory at Valencia - four league games.

Second-placed Borussia Raul Garcia’s header just Dortmund, who have before halftime being already secured their enough to take them to 88 Champions League spot points, a new club record. for next season, needed the Barcelona, playing two skill and scoring ability of days after the death of Marco Reus, who hit one former coach Tito Vilanova, earned an goal and set up the other, emotional win at Villarreal to come from behind and where they came back from draw 2-2 at Bayer 2-0 down to win 3-2 with Leverkusen.

Leverkusen hung on to Lionel Messi sealing the fourth place that leads to victory late on after two the Champions League own goals had allowed qualifying rounds with VfL Barca back into the match.

Wolfsburg a point behind Barcelona are four points behind Atletico with three in fifth. Third-placed games left while Real Schalke lost 1-0 at home to Madrid, who beat Osasuna B o r u s s i a on Saturday, are six points Moenchengladbach.

Second-placed AS Roma behind with a game more kept the Serie A title race

going when they beat AC Milan 2-0 with goals from Miralem Pjanic and Gervinho, their ninth league win in a row.

The win took Roma on to 85 points from 35 games, five behind Juventus who visit relegation-threatened Sassuolo on Monday.

Roma’s win meant that Juventus, who at one point held a 14-point lead, must wait at least another week to wrap up the title.

Paris St Germain failed to clinch the title on Sunday when Thiago Silva’s own goal handed Sochaux a second-half equaliser and a 1-1 draw.

Edinson Cavani scored in the 24th minute to raise hopes that Laurent Blanc’s side could clinch their second successive league title on their visit to thirdbottom Sochaux.

Dimitar Berbatov’s double strike on Saturday helped second-placed Monaco crush bottom club

Ajaccio 4-1 to keep the championship race alive.

PSG, who won the French League Cup by beating Olympique Lyon 2-1 last weekend, have 83 points with three games remaining. Monaco are eight points adrift.

Ajax Amsterdam captured their fourth successive Dutch League title, and 33rd overall, with a 1-1 draw at Heracles Almelo on Sunday.

Lasse Schone’s early goal set up Ajax for an afternoon of celebration but Simon Cziommer’s equaliser in the 22nd minute ensured a nervy finish as Ajax opened up an unassailable lead at the top of the table to seal the title with one match remaining.

The draw moved Ajax to 70 points, out of the reach of the chasing pack.

MATS Hummels would welcome Shinji Kagawa back at the Westfalenstadion, the Borussia Dortmund defender has told kicker.

In 2012, Shinji Kagawa ended his two years at Dortmund, having helped the club win backto-back Bundesliga titles as well as one DFB-Pokal.

Following his transfer to Manchester United that summer, talk about a possible return of the Japan international has persisted.

When Mario Goetze left Dortmund for Bayern in 2013, the club reportedly made a move for Kagawa, and, a year on from that, he is still being linked with Borussia.

Dani Alves

proceeding to take a corner kick.

Allsport A spectator threw a banana at Barcelona fullback Dani Alves during his team’s match with Villarreal.

Alves said after the match

ALVARO Negredo has been touted as a replacement for Diego Costa if the forward leaves Atletico Madrid this summer.

Mundo Deportivo reports that Atletico will turn to the Manchester City striker should Costa be sold to Chelsea.

Negredo only moved to the Etihad Stadium last summer, joining ex-Malaga Coach Manuel Pellegrini at the club in

that humour is the best way to combat racism in sports.

“We have suffered this in Spain for some time,” Alves said. “You have to take it with a dose of humour. We aren’t going to change things easily.

If you don’t give it importance, they don’t achieve their objective.”

Alves has often been subjected to racist taunts and called fighting racism “a lost war” in January 2013, after segments of Real Madrid’s fans abused him with monkey chants during a match.

Alves had already played a key part in the match sparking his team’s comeback from 20 down when his off-target shot was turned in by Villarreal’s Gabriel Armando in the 65th minute.

Shortly after the banana incident, Alves launched a cross that Mateo Musacchio headed past his own keeper before Lionel Messi scored Barcelona’s winner.

The win kept Barcelona four points from league leaders Atletico Madrid.

“We would take Shinji with the greatest pleasure,” Hummels told kicker on Monday. “To form an attacking midfield with [Marco] Reus, [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan and Kagawa — that would absolutely have style. And that’s nothing against our other amazing players.

The attacking midfield, also without Shinji, is our best staffed part of the team.”

Asked whether Dortmund lacked a player like Kagawa, Hummels answered: “I think Micki [Mkhitaryan] is a similar player. But, of course, Shinji’s twists are sharper. And Micki has more speed. All in all, there is not a huge difference. But nobody would have anything against having another player with those qualities.”

Hummels himself has been linked with a move away from Dortmund for several years now, with Manchester United and Barcelona among those clubs credited with an interest in his services. However, speaking to Bild at the weekend, Hummels reiterated that he has no plans to leave Borussia anytime soon.

“When I end my career, I don’t need to win eight championships, I’d rather have done something special. And that has certainly been the case here,” Hummels said. “That’s why I don’t waste any thoughts on this [leaving Dortmund] at the moments. I rather win one championship as a key player than four championships as a part-time player.”

a 20m Euros (£16.4m) move from Sevilla.

Alvaro Negredo

Ibrahimovic Likely To Return Next Week

ZLATAN Ibrahimovic is likely to return from injury for Paris St Germain’s next Ligue 1 game against Stade Rennes, club doctor Eric Rolland said yesterday.

“He has resumed running and there is a 90 per cent chance that he will be at the coach’s disposal in 10 days,” Rolland told French sports daily L’Equipe.

Hummels Keen On Kagawa Return

Dani Alves Responds To Racist Taunt

BARCELONA defender Dani Alves responded to a racist taunt Sunday in his side’s 3-2 win at Villarreal by picking up a banana that landed at his feet, peeling and then eating it before

Atletico Madrid ‘To Target Negredo’

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Sweden striker Ibrahimovic, has scored 25 goals from 30 league appearances this season, has been out of action for almost four weeks since he sustained a thigh injury in PSG’s Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Parc des Princes.

Without him, PSG won the League Cup final, but they lost two matches and have been unable to wrap up the Ligue 1 title after being held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Sochaux on Sunday.

They would claim their second consecutive league title in the next round of matches on May 7 if they beat Rennes at home or do at least as well as secondplaced Monaco who take on En Avant Guingamp.

PSG have 83 points with three matches left to Monaco’s 75.

Ex-Madrid Coach Boskov Passes Away VUJADIN Boskov, who coached Real Madrid between 1979 and 1982, passed away on Sunday at the age of 82.

Boskov was most closely associated with Italian football, leading Sampdoria for six years in which he won the Scudetto, the Italian Super Cup, the Cup Winners’ Cup and two Coppa Italia trophies.

Sampdoria also reached the European Cup final

Vujadin Boskov

under the tutelage of the Serbian, losing to Barcelona in 1992 at Wembley.

Boskov’s career took in posts in Yugoslavia, as well as the Netherlands and Switzerland, with Real Zaragoza first port of call in Spain.

He spent a year at Zaragoza before moving to Madrid, winning the League and Cup double in 1979-80.

After leaving Los Blancos Boskov spent two years with Sporting Gijon.

Boskov was twice appointed coach of Yugoslavia, first between 1971 and 1973 and then again between 1999 and 2001.

His latter tenure took in a famous game against Spain at Euro 2000, in which La Roja triumphed 4-3.

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Sydney FC Confirm Del Piero Departure SYDNEY FC have paid tribute to Alessandro Del Piero after confirming that the Italian striker is leaving the club.

The World Cup-winner and former Juventus forward signed for the Australian side in 2012 and scored 24 goals in 48 games, leading the club as far as the A-League semifinals this season.

Sydney FC’s chairman Scott Barlow praised the impact of Del Piero, stating that the forward was the biggest signing in Australian football history and will be sorely missed.

“Two years ago Sydney FC signed one of the greatest players to have ever worn a football shirt, Alessandro Del Piero,” Barlow told the Australian Football Federation’s website on Monday.

“At the time, if you had said Del Piero would be playing in Australia, few people would have believed it possible.

“His signing was the biggest in Australian football history and it lifted Sydney FC and the A-League onto the world stage.”

Barlow believes that Del Piero’s time in Australia will inspire a new generation of

footballers, while it was also revealed that the Sydney FC and the player will now discuss ways of continuing the player’s off-field relationship with the club.

“There is no doubt that Alessandro’s contribution has laid the foundations for a lasting legacy and he has inspired a whole new generation of Sydney FC football fans and future players,” Barlow continued.

“The next generation of Sydney FC stars will be the kids who came along with their parents to watch Del Piero on the pitch in Sydney.

“While it would have been fantastic to see Alessandro remain in Sky Blue, ultimately this has been his decision.”

Del Piero confirmed his departure on his own website, thanking the fans and the club for his stay in Asustrlia.

“Australia, the moment has arrived to say “arrivederci”,” Del Piero wrote. “My adventure with Sydney FC is about to be concluded, and, even if it makes me rather sad, because I have had a wonderful time here.

“I’m really grateful for the last two years and for the club’s request for me to

PROMOTED Burnley have had three players named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

Top scorer Danny Ings, who was named Championship Player of the Year by managers earlier in the campaign, right-back Kieran Trippier and captain Jason Shackell were all included in the team revealed at a ceremony on Sunday night.

Striker Ings has had a season to remember at Turf Moor, leading their scoring charts with 25 goals, earning his first England

Under-21 caps and netting the winner against Blackburn last month which ended a 35-year wait for a win over the Clarets’ bitter rivals.

Trippier, meanwhile, leads his team in assists and only Ipswich left-back Aaron Cresswell, also named in the team of the year, has more in the entire division with 13.

Shackell is the only Clarets player to feature in every minute of every game for Burnley this season and, along with Trippier, has formed part of the stingiest defence in the Championship.

Burnley Trio In PFA Squad

remain and with whom, I am happy to explore new opportunities to continue our relationship.

“It hasn’t been an easy choice, also because my life on and off the pitch has been fantastic, my family and I have really enjoyed these two wonderful years: Australia will remain in our hearts forever.

“The moment has arrived to make some changes. Now I just need some time to think over all the prospective opportunities for my future.”

Del Piero confirmed that he will be an ambassador for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, which will take place in Australia.

Del Piero

Champions League

‘Passion Will Decide Semi-Final’ PEP Guardiola believes the team that shows the most passion will qualify for the Champions League final ahead of Bayern Munich’s semifinal second-leg clash with Real Madrid.

The eyes of the football defend their status as world will be on Munich European champions since today as 108 TV stations and the European Cup became the 880 journalists cover the Champions League, Los second leg of the European tie Blancos are hoping to finally win La Decima [their 10th at the Allianz Arena.

While the Bundesliga European Cup triumph], and champions aim to become the hold a 1-0 advantage from the first team to successfully first leg at the Bernabeu last

Pep Guardiola

week.

Despite having most of the possession in Madrid, Bayern were not able to beat Real keeper Iker Casillas, and moreover were in danger of conceding more than just once when the hosts caught the title holders out on the counter.

“We ran a lot in the first leg, just like them. They are fast, and when we lose the ball, we need to react. They also try it from the set pieces,” Guardiola told his prematch news conference in Munich yesterday.

“We want to keep them away from our goal. And maybe we will need to use other weapons as well.”

The Catalan coach had come under fire for his possession-based football following the recent defeats against Borussia Dortmund and Madrid, but he says he will not change his philosophy.

“I try to get the best out of the team. When the match is over, and there is criticism, I

Formula 1: Fans Deserve Practice Action

LEWIS Hamilton believes Formula 1 should do more to ensure cars run on track during practice, instead of sitting in garages to conserve tyres.

Four cars, including the two frontrunning Mercedes, failed to complete a timed lap in the third free practice session during the last grand prix

weekend at Shanghai.

Most other cars did fewer than 10 laps across the 90minute session, with Max Chilton’s Marussia clocking the most at just 13 in total.

Hamilton believes the sport should find ways to ensure fans who turn up to the races are seeing more cars on track for more of

the time.

He advocated extending the allocation of extra tyres that has been introduced for practice one this year, or freeing up engine mileage.

“I have sympathy for the people watching maybe just one car going round for the first half an hour - I think it can be managed a

bit better,” Hamilton said.

“When I used to turn on Formula 1 I wanted to see people driving around.

“Now I’m among the drivers, when you come into the garage and don’t go out I can just imagine [what that’s like for the fans].

“We can’t have too much mileage on the engine so

- Hamilton

you’re limited to almost 15 or 16 laps in the one session.

“We almost need a free engine and we’d be bolting around; we’d get 30 or 40 laps at least in each session.

“I think it would be good fun for the fans to see, and good for development.”

have to live with that,” Guardiola said. “It wasn’t the best result in Madrid. And sometimes you have to go beyond pure tactics.”

“The team with the bigger will is set to come out on top.

We have the dream of flying to Lisbon. Passion makes the difference,” he added.

“I will always try and find arguments for possession of the ball. But I am not looking for excuses. It’s my philosophy that my teams have the ball.

“Through that we can set up a better attacking game than the opponent,” Guardiola continued. “I don’t like stats; a lot of unforeseeable things can happen in football. In the first leg we did everything right but still lost. I stick to it: possession of the ball is very important.”

With the dream of a fourth Champions League final in five years still alive, the former Barcelona man would not give too much away about who he would select on Tuesday.

“I have thought a lot about our situation. I liked how dominant we were in Madrid.

But we need to be more aggressive in the box. I need to sleep over the balance one more night,” he said.

Guardiola added that he does not expect Real to “park the bus” by adopting ultradefensive tactics: “They will not play to keep the result for 90 minutes. It’s another thing when you press them into defence.

“We tried that in the first leg, but, of course, it’s clear what we need to advance. And that is more than one goal.”

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Table Tennis

Students Applaud NNPC/Shell Cup

Nigeria Dominates At Week Challenge

NIGERIA picked the gold and silver medals in the boys and girls events at the Hope Cadet Week Challenge which ended on Wednesday in Nairobi, Kenya.

Coach Friday Abah of Kogi State Table Association disclosed this newsmen moments after the team returned to Lagos on Thursday.

The contingent had two male and two female players and was led by a board member of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Tajudeen Agunbiade.

The male players are Umar Ibrahim and Micheal Obayomi, while the girls are Rofiat Jimoh and Abibat Olawale.

Abah, the team’s coach, said that Nigeria’s two players from each of the boys and girls categories qualified for the finals of the event.

He said that Ibrahim in the boys’ event defeated his compatriot Obayomi to win the gold, while Jimoh in the girls’ event won the gold after beating Olawale at the finals.

Abah said that he was impressed with the players skills saying that the players were successful because they played according to his instructions.

The Coach commended the NTTF President, Wahid Enitan-Oshodi for his support in exposing the cadet players.

“The president has been very instrumental in reviving the sport and engaging the athletes all across the states of the federation,’’ he said.

According to him, EnitanOshodi is a lover of table tennis and that he is committed toward repositioning the sport in the country to the international standard.

STUDENTS who participated in the 2014 NNPC/ SHELL Cup All Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship yesterday said the competition helped them to better their skills in the game.

The finals of the championship, tagged “NNPC/ Shell Cup” was held on Sunday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

The students toldnewsmen that they learnt a lot during the competition which would help to improve their strategies in subsequent competitions.

Kehinde Kehinde, an Senior Senior Secondary (SSS) II student of Brightville College, Ibadan, Oyo State, said that the initiative would help to improve grassroots football.

Dr Tamuno Danagogo, Sports Minister

Lagos Plans To Float Sports Fund

By SURAJU RAJI

AN executive bill to establish Lagos State Sports Fund has been forwarded to the state House of Assembly.

The bill which was debated by appealed to youths to take to the Lawmakers stressed the sports as a means of livelihood. importance of sporting activities He revealed that there are many in Lagos. First to elaborate the athletes that started from a significance of the bill was Hon. humble beginning to stardom Lawrence Ayeni who is the through soccer.

Chairman House Committee on Also speaking, Hon. Rotimi Youth and Sports. He said the Olowo revealed that there are bill on sports is long overdue. He many stadia built in Lagos and revealed that government alone government needs to maintain cannot fund sporting events. He them. explained that ministry of sports Olowo added that the would, as a result of the sports composition of the trust fund fund, be assisted by corporate board is appreciable. He bodies to promote sports in therefore warned that there is Lagos state. need to enhance sporting Hon. Ayeni also disclosed that activities in Lagos State. On sport is a big programme which security of sports lovers in the requires people’s efforts. Hon state, Hon. Olowo said, ‘‘Lagos Ayeni therefore implored well- State is very safe’’. meaning Lagosians to In addition, Hon. Yusuf encourage and develop sporting revealed ‘‘Brazilian activities in Lagos. Ayeni also government has no oil but

NBBF Postpones Week 9 Basketball League theMatches best of players from the

THE Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has postponed all Week Nine matches in the ongoing DStv Basketball League scheduled for May 2, an official said yesterday.

Agboola Pinheiro, a board member of the federation, told newsmen in Lagos that week nine matches were postponed becuase of the league’s prestigious AllStar Game.

Pinheiro said that the development would enable some players to participate

in the All-Star match.

He said the week nine matches that were scheduled for May 2 across the Atlantic and the Savannah Conferences had been moved to May 9.

“We are set to witness yet another All-Star Game which comes up on May 3 in Lagos, hence the need to move the date of the matches across the two conferences.

“The shift in date will allow some selected players to participate in the prestigious event which will showcase

two conferences.

“These set of players are also the best that have been monitored since the beginning of the season in March,’’ he said.

The selected players from the Atlantic Conference narrowly defeated their opponents from the Savannah Conference 104103 to win the 2012/2013 edition.

The Atlantic Team got N1million for their efforts while the Savannah Team got N500,000.

survives and known through sports.

While Hon. Yishawu is of the opinion that sports can make the country popular and wealthy.

Also speaking, Hon Omowunmi Edet remarked that the sports bill would give autonomy to the sports ministry. She said it would encourage sports from the grassroots while Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho said if

one cannot excel in education, he can excel in sports’’. Hon. Alawiye King noted ‘‘when sports are adequately funded it would bring unity and peace.

In addition, Hon Alawiye King supported the bill, while Hon. Ogunyemi is of the opinion that the bill will bring unity and progress in sporting activities. The deputy speaker Hon. Kolawole Taiwo advised people to contribute to funding of sports. He therefore committed the bill to committee on youth and sports.

Kehinde, one of the strikers for the school, said that he learnt how to properly position himself on the field and to effectively utilise goal scoring chances.

“I learnt how to properly follow the midfielders so that when they pass the ball to me I will be in a better position to score,” he said.

Goriola Gafari, also an SSS II student with the same school, said that his defending skills had been made better in course of the competition.

Gafari said that he realised that his stance and balance had tremendously improved, saying that it was not easy for strikers to get past him.

Ekene Richard, an SSS II student with Government Model Secondary School, Kontagora, Niger, said that the competition greatly increased his stamina.

“I did not believe that I can play for 90 minutes. I usually play halftime before I am substituted but I played the whole minutes in this competition,” he said.

Richard promised to work and improve on his stamina so as to better his team.

Meanwhile, Basher Shehu, the youngest talented player with Usman Dangogo Secondary School, Bongududu, Zamfara, said that his dribbling skills had improved.

The 15-year-old Shehu said that he would continue to improve on his dribbling skills in order to become better and hopefully join the Golden Eaglets.

Academy Gives Scholarship To Young Players

GOLDEN Child Football Academy of Ezi-Owelle in Anambra has given scholarship awards to no fewer than 20 young footballers across the state, an official of the academy said yesterday.

Emeka Ikezu, chairman of the academy, disclosed this while distributing educational and football kits to the players at EziOwelle in Awka.

He said the initiative was part of efforts to give back to street children.

The children, who are between ages 11 and 13, emerged from the “Come-as-You’’ talent hunt programme aimed at discovering young players in the various communities.

Ikezu said he was motivated into being part of the project because of what he went through when he was young.

He said he could not achieve his educational aspiration when he dropped out of school at the Junior Secondary School level.

“But I have been able to do much through football, after I migrated to Switzerland where I played in the third league and went through various training programmes,’’ the academy

official said.

He however expressed concern over the fate of young unsuspecting Nigerians and other Africans who were sent into modern slavery and labour by unscrupulous football agents and scouts.

Ikezu said the situation was due to poverty and lack of education.

He said education was the major empowerment a child needed to overcome his environment and manage his challenges.

“Our commitment is to encourage children through education and sports, because the opportunity of making a career in sports is not 100 percent.

“That is why we are calling on other well-meaning individuals and bodies to help provide similar platform in their communities.

“This is where children can have a chance of becoming professional footballers while staying back in their own environment.

“We wish to discover and develop hidden talents in Nigeria, especially children with difficult background, and give them the

opportunity to maximise their potential in life so that they can contribute positively to their families and the society,” Ikezu said.

In his remarks, Ohazulike Tokas, a member of the Anambra House Committee on Sports and representing Ihiala 1, described the initiative as laudable.

He called on other lovers of youths and sports to take a cue from the academy and its owners.

Tokas, who own an amateur football club, said sports administration was not an easy task and enjoined individuals and corporate bodies to partner with the academy.

He also expressed the willingness of the Anambra House of Assembly to support the initiative.

One of the students, Gbenga Martins, 13, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, expressed gratitude for the opportunity they have had.

He said he was glad to be chosen and had a dream of becoming the “Cristiano Ronaldo of Nigeria’’.

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Creating Better Nigeria Through National Conference PROCEEDINGS at the National Conference were stalled following sharp disagreements on the voting mode to be adopted to arrive at decisions.

The particular issue in contention is order VI Rule 3 of the Procedure Rule.

It provides that: “Any question proposed for decision in the conference shall be determined by consensus and when this is not achievable, by a three-quarter majority of the delegates present and voting.”

While majority of the delegates wanted the conventional two-third majority to be adopted in arriving at decisions, some others wanted the three-quarter majority to be retained.

The issue plunged the plenary into rowdy session, as delegates moved to engage in “a free-for-all,” but order was restored.

Charting a way forward, Mr. Fola Adeola, representing Ogun, advised the leadership to use “identified geo-political zone leaders” to resolve the issue.

“When a matter becomes heated and emotional, it is very difficult for 492 people to negotiate. You (leadership) should seek the services of the leaders of the different zones.

“There is a lot more that we would need to negotiate over; consensus, we have all agreed, is far superior to voting.

“I am hoping that if we break into our different zones, we can talk to ourselves, we can ask ourselves what are our concerns.

“The difference between two-third and

75 per cent is 41, to some people, it is the whole world, to some people, it is very few.

“Negotiations will always be give and take, and I believe that a smaller number is better and able to reach a reasonable conclusion than 492 people, because emotions are just being whipped,” he said.

Analysts say President Goodluck Jonathan seemed to foresee the divisive tendencies, when in his inaugural speech, he charged delegates to pursue only a Nigerian Agenda.

“I know the task before you is onerous; but there must be only one winner, and there can only be one winner if we do everything right, and that winner must be Nigeria.

“I urge you therefore to focus strictly on the Nigerian Agenda,” the president advised.

Speaking further, Jonathan said: “We must not approach issues with suspicion and antagonism, rather we should be open-minded and work to achieve what is best for Nigeria.

“Even though you come to the conference as representatives of different interest groups, I urge you to make a united, stronger, indivisible and prosperous Nigeria your preoccupation and reference point,’’ he added.

In spite of the views expressed by many delegates before the conference, tones of delegates at the inaugural meeting, showed they were ready to pursue a Nigerian agenda.

When the Secretary, Dr Valerie Azinge announced that delegates would sit in alphabetic order, the d e l e g a t e s overwhelmingly

supported the arrangement.

Raising their voices in unison, the delegates said that they were at the conference as Nigerians.

“I think I have come here as a Nigerian. We should sit in alphabetical order. If any group wants to confer on anything, they can do that after the

“My joy is that a good number of the delegates also applaud the Nigerian issue, not ethnic or religious sentiments.

“I think if this is what will drive the national conference, we might be setting a better pace for the future generation to step in,” Aluko said.

However many

M atters I n F ocus In Focus By PRUDENCE AROBANI meetings, the group adopted 70 per cent, which was unanimously adopted by the delegates.

Conference Chairman Idris Kutigi, said the best means to arrive at decisions at the conference was through consensus.

Kutigi said consensus is better than voting, adding

Justice Idris Kutigi plenary.

“I did not come here to be Yoruba; I want to be able to interact with others and see how we can have a pan-Nigerian discussion,” said Chief Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun.

Mr Steve Aluko, a delegate of Coalition of Civil Society Organisation, said he was impressed that most delegates “have come to this floor to speak the Nigerian language, on how to move Nigeria forward.

Nigerians were disappointed on the utterances of prominent citizens when the issue of voting modality was debated on the floor of the conference.

Divisive tones resurfaced, which nearly divided delegates along ethnic lines and interest groups.

To resolve the impasse, the leadership constituted a 50-man consensus group cutting across geopolitical zones, to confer with the principal officers on the contentious issue.

After series of

that delegates would only resort to voting when all measures to reach a consensus over any matter has been exhausted.

“The most important in arriving at any decision in this conference is consensus.

“It is when consensus fails that we will go for the 70 per cent, and the chairman can adjourn twice or thrice to allow delegates to exhaust measures to reach a consensus before voting.

“We are trying to bring

Nigeria closer to consensus as much as possible,” Kutigi said.

Analysts say breaking the voting impasse through dialogue is commendable and reinforces the hope that Nigerians can reach a consensus on many issues confronting the nation.

Mr Dare Atoye, a public affairs commentator, advised delegates against rigid positions but urged them to always employ dialogue to reach consensus on issues.

He urged them to heed the appeal of the President not to canvass selfish agenda that could further polarise the country.

“Indeed, I am quite worried when I hear people say that some participants in this national conversation are coming here to defend and promote ethnic or clannish agenda.

“It is very regrettable that there are persons who believe that we cannot undertake any collective task in our country without recourse to ethnic rivalry, even after 100 years of nationhood.

“This conference gives us an opportunity to prove such persons wrong and I believe it will.

“As we start a new century of nationhood, we have an obligation to reshape and redirect our country for the benefit of our children,’’ he stressed.

The conference has started on a good note, as it resolved the issue of voting through consensus.

The delegates should imbibe that spirit in all their deliberations, so that the recommendations of the conference will be a “ win-win’’ solution to national problems.

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