Nigerian observer 29 08 2014

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 39 NO. 067 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014 • N100.00

House Demolition Over Kidnapping

ART AND CULTURE Page 19

Anthropoid creatures in Culture

REFLECTION Page 23

The passion of John the Baptist

Edo Govt restates commitment on policy

BENIN CITY - The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State Barrister Henry Idahagbon has reiterated that the state government will demolish any house or

property linked to kidnapping.

Idahagbon disclosed this in an exclusive chat with The

N I G E R I A N OBSERVER in Benin City.

According to him, “if you allow your house to be used as a den for kidnappers and you are arrested by the Police, Edo State Continues on page 2

Doctor dies of Ebola in PH

. 100 others under surveillance . Amaechi designates quarantine site

By ELIZABETH AGBOEGBULEM

PORT HARCOURT - The Rivers State Ministry of Health has placed about 100 persons who had contact with late Dr. Ike Sam Enemua, under 24-hour surveillance for possible symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease.

This is as the ministry shuts down the late Enemua’s hospital, as well as the Good Heart Hospital, a private health facility, where he was treated until his demise and a hotel, where a staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who was

treated by the late medical doctor lodged while he was in Port Harcourt.

Enemua died on Friday, August 22, 2014, in Port Harcourt, and result of the

samples taken from him, which was released yesterday morning indicated that he died of the dreaded disease.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, who disclosed this

while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt, said those quarantined include staff of the two hospitals, and the hotel, as well as the late Enemua’s wife.

... as NUT lauds FG for shifting resumption of ABUJA - The Nigeria schools Union of Teachers (NUT) has commended the Federal Government’s decision to postpone the resumption of schools in the country till October 13 to contain Ebola Virus Disease spread.

The federal government had on Tuesday directed primary and secondary schools to resume in October instead September 8, following an outbreak of the disease in the country.

It said that the order affected both private and public institutions.

The federal government also said

the schools’ resumption date was postponed to enable school officials undergo a two-week mandatory training conducted by health officials on how to handle Ebola cases.

Reacting to the development, the NUT President, Mr Michael Alogba-Olukoya, told journalists that the decision was commendable.

Alogba-Olukoya said that the postponement was a proactive and bold step taken to contain the spread of the Ebola virus disease.

Continues on page 2

TIT BIT

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”

- Abraham Lincoln

42ND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: L-R: Incoming President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Jacob; Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga; Vice President Namadi Sambo; out-going President of MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu; Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Bashiru Yuguda and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the 42nd Annual General Meeting of MAN in Lagos yesterday.

Parker stated that the deceased’ wife, who is also a medical doctor, had already shown sign of fever and had been taken in for treatment, adding that any of those quarantined, who showed signs of fever, which is the simplest symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease, would be taken in for treatment.

He said, “Dr. Ike Sam Enemua died last Friday, August 22, 2014, as a result of what was suspected to be Ebola Virus. The Rivers State Ministry of Health, on becoming aware of the conditions of his death, i m m e d i a t e l y c o m m e n c e d investigation and contact-tracing. As at yesterday (Thursday), about 100 contacts from the hotel, patients of Dr. Enemua, patients of the hospital where the late Dr. Enemua was treated till his demise have been identified and restricted in Rivers State.

“The locations are being decontaminated.

Continues on page 2

Rainstorm Disaster: Edo Govt to

give relief materials to victims

FUGAR – All is now set for the supply of relief materials to victims of rainstorm disaster in Fugar, the administrative headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State.

The State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu gave the assurance on behalf of Governor Adams Oshiomhole when he paid an assessment visit to the rainstorm victims in

Fugar.

Accompanied by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Lucky James; Special Adviser on

Special Duties and State Emergencies, Hajia Maimuna Momodu and other key government functionaries, Dr. Odubu said he was in Fugar to assess the extent of

damage done by the rainstorm.

Expressing shock at the disaster, the deputy governor commiserated with them on the loss of

intensify efforts at protecting journalists in the course of discharging their duties.

Garba spoke at the

Nigerian Editors Conference in Katsina on Thursday.

The theme of the

property and the temporary displacement occasioned by the incident.

He comforted the victims, assuring that the Continues on page 2

NUJ President tasks govt to protect conference is “Credible KATSINA - The journalists Elections and Good President, Nigeria Governance; the role of opening of the 10th All Union of Journalists (NUJ), Malam Muhammad Garba, has urged governments to

editors’’.

He said that the call had become imperative Continues on page 2

News

Edo Govt restates commitment on ` policy

Continued from page 1

government has the will to pull down the house with no apologies.

“Edo State government has the political will to do any thing that is good for the generality of Edo people, including demolition of houses and property associated with kidnapping”, he said.

This, he said is because it will be in compliance with the provisions of the law duly enacted by the state House of Assembly.

Citing section 12 of the kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) law 2013, he said, “the state shall be at liberty to destroy and or do any such thing as it desires appropriate against

properties of any person convicted on the offence of kidnapping”, adding that “conviction must come before destruction of property”.

While advising house and

Doctor dies of Ebola in PH Continued from page 1

From our investigations, some fact have emerged; a staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on the team that received late Dr. Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American diplomat, who died of Ebola disease in Lagos, Nigeria, made a trip to Port Harcourt, where he checked into a hotel and met Dr. Enemua.

“About a week after his departure, Dr. Enemua took ill and was rushed to a hospital where he presented with symptoms of high fever, stooling and vomiting. In the cause of his treatment, the managing physician became suspicious and took samples for investigation. A few days after, Dr. Enemua died. His body was deposited at a mortuary in Port Harcourt.

Dr. Enemua’s widow, who is also a medical doctor and who cared for him during his illness, has taken ill. She is being quarantined. A few hours ago, the result of the samples taken from Dr. Enemua came out and it was positive. The diplomat, who was seen by late Enemua is alive and well.”

The commissioner, who refused to give the name of late Enemua’s hospital, and the hotel, where he met with the diplomat, said the state government has the needed resources and personnel to tackle the effects and spread of Ebola in the state.

Quarantine Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi has visited and approved a temporary quarantine site in Oduoha, Emohua Local Government Area of the State to control the spread of the Ebola virus.

Amaechi gave the nod when he embarked on a facility inspection visit with some technical partners to the quarantine site in Oduoha Community, Thursday.

He said plans have been concluded to upgrade the facility to enable experts and professional medical doctors properly manage and control the spread of the Ebola virus in the State.

Amaechi assured that the involvement of technical partners like the World Health Organization (WHO), Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) also known as Doctors Without Borders, the American Embassy and the Federal Government will ensure drastic measures are put in place to tackle and eliminate the disease.

This is a temporary approved quarantine site for the Ebola virus and we are working on it to upgrade the facility. The place is a bit out of town and we want to start from here while we continue to search for a permanent site. I am going to address the State on the issue.

I am not saying that Ebola virus is bad as we think and it doesn’t just kill the way people think.

Professional doctors have said, if the Ebola virus infection is well managed, the possibility of tackling the virus is there. The World Health Organization (WHO), Doctors without

borders, the American Embassy and the Federal Government are involved and so we are sure and confident that we will control the Ebola virus from spreading and possibly eliminate it in our state.”

He said.

The governor also urged Rivers people and residents who have symptoms of the infection to boldly inform the State government as plans have been put in place to give swift attention and treatment to the patients.

“I don’t want anybody infected to feel shy and possibly take it to the rural areas because it could affect your children, family and relations and may result to death.

That will be too disastrous. When you have high fever that you can’t account for, please, don’t go to any Primary health centre, come to the corridors of government and our doctors will pick you and give you adequate treatment. It is not a case all doctors can handle. Our doctors will take care of your medical treatment, feed you, so you can survive. You can

see that a lot of patients infected by the Ebola virus have been successfully discharged in Lagos State.

That is because of the quick response by those who reported and recieved adequate medical care,” Amaechi explained.

He further advised the youths and people of Oduoha Community and its neighbouring communities in the Emohua Local Government Area not to panic over the temporary site, adding that the Ebola virus is not air borne as confirmed by medical experts.

“There is no need to panic because the Ebola virus is not air borne. Government has provided an alternative Model Primary Health Centre site in the villages where people reside. This place is an isolated area. We want the youths and the people of Oduoha and Emohua to protect our temporary quarantine centre. It is for the good and interest of Rivers State,” Amaech.

property owners to be mindful of the people who reside in their house or property, Idahagbon said, “if you don’t want your property to be destroyed, don’t allow kidnappers to use it as den”.

“Landlord must know about the people they are employing; know their jobs; one cannot see any reason a landlord will give his house to four young men who have flashy cars and non of them is working for multi-nationals; if you are caught for kidnapping, that house may be forfeited to the government”, he said.

He disclosed that several kidnappers have been convicted under the kidnapping prohibition law 2009 and the 2013 amended version, but however decried the situation where kidnapped victims and witness refuse to come to court to testify for fear of incurring the wrath of kidnappers and their accomplices.

According to him, this uncooperative stance tended to frustrate efforts to diligently prosecute kidnappers when they are charged to court.

Idahagbon exonerated the Ministry of Justice from the notion that kidnapping suspects are not prosecuted, saying it is the duty of police to arraign suspects in court while the ministry gives legal opinion to determine the nature of offence for which any accused could be prosecuted.

... as NUT lauds FG for shifting resumption Continued from page 1 school authorities, health of schools the “I want to appreciate the officials and other

Federal Government for the N1.9 billion intervention fund to contain the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country.

“I want government to ensure that the fund is judiciously utilised to avoid and prevent more spread of the deadly virus.

“The idea of allowing Nigerian factor as it concerns the fund to fight the disease should be seriously discouraged,’’ he said.

He also called on government

to make efforts in developing vaccines for prevention and provide screening centres where Nigerians can go for test pending the resumption of the schools.

Besides, he said that the two-week mandatory training to be conducted by health officials for school officials was a good decision.

He, however, called on

cases of attacks on journalists in the course of discharging their mandate by political thugs.

He, however, said journalists also needed to be properly guided in order to ensure professionalism in their reportage ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Garba also urged journalists to register for the

life insurance scheme initiated by the union.

He noted that 10 media practitioners have benefited from the policy nationwide.

Also speaking, former governor of Ogun State, Mr Olusegun Osoba, said that the 2015 general elections would be crucial for good

do its best soonest to cushion their plight just as he said government will also send an SOS to the Federal Government to assist in restoring their normal lives.

Some of the victims who spoke through an interpreter thanked the state government for the on-the-spot-assessment visit and the willingness to offer them a lifeline at this

trying moment.

The deputy governor and his entourage were also at the office of the Chairman, Etsako Central Local Government Council, Hon. Emmanuel Momoh who disclosed that the council has started distributing relief materials to the victims, noting that about 116 houses were affected

stakeholders to exhibit high level of seriousness, commitment and patriotism at the two-week mandatory training.

“My candid advice to all teachers in the system is that they should be conscious of their primary contact.

“They should abide by the rules and they should equally advice the students to comply with the protective measures being put in place by the health officials,’’ he urged.

NUJ President tasks govt to protect Continued from page 1 in the country. journalists governance He expressed optimism in view of the increasing

that after the 2015 polls, a new Nigeria would emerge because INEC had started taking concrete steps to ensure credible elections in the country.

Osoba, therefore urged the electoral body not to relent in its efforts at ensuring credible, free and fair elections in 2015 and beyond.

Edo Govt to give relief materials Continued from page 1 to victims byAtthetherainstorm. palace of Ogie State Government would Aviawu of Aviawu, Chief Jackson Etokhana describe the disaster as unprecedented in the history of Aviawu as over 1,000 of his subjects were displaced.

Areas worst hit included Ivinone, Ulumohie, Iviocha and Iviavia, all in ward one, Etsako Central Local Government Area.

However, no life was lost.

Good Governace: Nigeria

needs to conduct credible election in 2015 - Adesina KATSINA - The President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina, yesterday advised the country’s electoral body to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2015 to entrench good governance.

Adesina gave the advice in Katsina at the opening of the 10th All Nigerian Editors Conference.

“In 2015, we want nothing less than free, fair and credible polls; we want elections that are not only free, but also seen to be free, elections that are only fair but also applauded as fair.

“And elections that are not only credible, but which even the blind will see to have been credible,’’ he said.

He said that “good governance’’ could be secured through credible elections.

Adesina said that when public officers got their powers through such processes, they would struggle to justify it. “’They do all within their

powers to sustain the confidence people have reposed in them,’’ he said.

He, however, explained that when public officers got their powers through artificial means or sleight of hand, they develop an indifferent attitude.

Adesina said that was why the theme: “‘Credible Elections and Good Governance: the role of the editor” was chosen.

In his remarks, the Senate President, Mr David Mark, said that journalism entailed a high degree of public trust.

Represented by Sen. Mijitapha Muhammad, the Senate Special Adviser on Political Matters, Mark noted that editors were gate keepers who ensure quality control of the media.

He said that issues of national interests like security should be carefully reported for peaceful coexistence, considering the current security challenge facing the country.

Edo Line: Staff

Verification begins

By LUCKY EFESE

BENIN CITY - The Workers of Edo Line Transport Service Limited on Tuesday commenced verification exercise organised by the Edo State Government through the supervising Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Special Duties, to ascertain the genuine member of staff in the transport company.

Conducting the verification exercise, the duo of the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo and his Special Duties counterpart Comrade Didi Adodo, noted that the exercise had become imperative and particularly, against the backdrop of the long period of closure of the transport company, which eventually led to the death of many workers and others disengaged from the transport service.

They posited that the exercise was in dictate with the directive of the Comrade Governor to ensure transparency and accountability on the task for the newly appointed Sole Administrator of the transport company, Chief John Osamede Adun JP. It was noted that the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, on 1st of May this year directed the reopening of the Edo Line Transport Services Limited, which as closed down following workers protest against some rots penetrated by the former management in 2010 and subsequently appointed a private transport gum, Chief Dr. John Osamede Adun JP, the Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom, as the Sole Administrator to take the transport company to the next level, especially as it affects the payment of workers’ salaries in the new regime.

On his remark, the Sole Administrator of the transport company, Chief John Osamede Adun, expressed satisfaction over the exercise.

He thanked the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for his initiatives.

Chief Adun pointed out that

the exercise was long overdue considering the period the state owned transport company was closed down and it subsequent re-opening on the 1st of May this year, after he was appointed as the Sole Administrator by the Governor.

He noted that the exercise was to ensure accountability and transparency in payment of workers salaries in their payroll for the period he took over the mantle of leadership.

Chief Adun, further said that the verification exercise had exposed some workers who are long overdue for retirement and those who are incapacitated, but still in service.

The Sole Administrator who urged the workers to comply with the directive of the governor to ensure a hitch free exercise, however, expressed satisfaction on the turn out of workers and assured them that their names will be incorporated on the state government payroll as legitimate staff of Edo Line TransporServices Limited with immediate effect. In a released development, the Adun Manager of the transport Company, Pastor (Mrs.) Osaro Masimia and the chairman of the civil service Amalgamation of the Edo Line Transport Company, Comrade Erharuyi J. expressed satisfaction in the verification.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, they noted that the exercise which was a practical demonstration of the love the Edo State Governor had for Edo Line workers shall address some grey areas among the workers.

They posited that with this exercise, the workers were some of getting their salaries very soon and thanked the Governor, Comrade Oshiomhole for this initiative.

They averred that the turn out of their workers was satisfactory and commended them for their maturity exhibited while the exercise lasted.

They promised to work with the state government to uplift Edo Line.

Abuja Businessman Docked For Issuing Dud Cheque ABUJA - A businessman, Yusuf Bazza, appeared before an FCT High Court for allegedly issuing four million naira dud cheque.

Bazza, Managing Director Zabira Oil and Gas Nigeria Ltd., was arraigned before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, on a two-count charge of fraud and issuance of dud cheque.

Prosecutor John Ijagbemi told the court that the accused issued dud cheque of four million naira to Vital Nwafor, Manager of Park View Hotel.

Ijagbemi said the accused made use of the facilities of

Park View Hotel on about February 15, 2013 at Wuse Zone 1 FCT Abuja.

He said the accused issued the cheque in his company’s name.

The prosecutor said that when the complainant presented the cheque at the bank, it was dishonoured due to insufficient funds in the account.

He said the accused also fraudulently issued a Unity Bank Plc., cheque No. 28849318 dated June 26, 2014, for four million naira with intent to defraud the bank.

He said the offence contravened Section 1(1) of the Dishonored Cheques Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Counsel to the accused, Mr Sunday Emoku, applied for the bail of his client but Ijagbemi opposed the application contending that the accused had earlier jumped administrative bail.

In his ruling, the judge granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Goodluck ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant resident in the FCT, and must deposit his international passport with the court registrar.

The judge ordered that the accused be remanded in prisons custody, till he meet his bail conditions.

She adjourned the case till November 19, for commencement of trial.

laws that impose age restrictions on young people seeking elective positions.

“The youths have no limit in terms of number and capacity to lead this country to greatness.

“The only limit is that for youths to contest as president, they need to be 40 year.

“If General Yakubu Gowon was able to rule this country at 32, there is no reason why the youths should not be given the

chance.

“I think what the youth should do now is to come together, and I will support you, and take a bill to the National Assembly to amend some discriminatory provisions of the constitution in terms of age,’’ Jonathan had said.

The president had described the provision of age limit as discriminatory against young Nigerians, who had the energy, ideas and other qualities to lead the country to greatness.

Forum To Promote Youths Involvement In Governance ABUJA - The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) says it will partner media executives on boosting young peoples’ participation in governance.

The National Secretary of the forum, Mr Nuhu Atta, told newsmen in Abuja that the meeting was scheduled for August 30 in Lagos.

Atta said that the proposed meeting would canvass the support of the media in projecting the forum’s vision on the issue of young peoples’ participation in governance.

He said that the meeting would be held over dinner at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, with all heads of media organisations and other stakeholders in the industry.

“We want the media to key into the vision and also help to sell it to the Nigerian public; we want to carry the media along in our quest for generational shift in governance.

“We intend to foster good collaboration with the media in making sure that young people get their rightful places in governance in Nigeria.

“Recently the president talked about pushing a bill to the National Assembly to seek the removal of age barrier to young people’s participation in governance,’’ said the scribe.

According to him, more people need to key into the vision with a view to moblising young people with new ideas to move the country forward.

It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had, at the recent summit by NYPF, called for a review of

Pipeline Policing

NNPC Seeks Police Assistance ABUJA - The Group M anaging Director of

NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, has solicited the assistance of the police in protecting its pipelines, checking crude oil and refined products’ theft.

A statement issued by Emmanuel Ojukwu, the force spokesman in Abuja yesterday stated that Dawha made the request when he visited the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba.

Dawha also solicited the assistance of the police in protecting top management staff of the corporation, adding that peace and security were essential ingredients for

the socio economic growth of any nation.

He congratulated Abba on his appointment, and thanked the force for maintaining what he called the “age-long collaborative relationship” between the corporation and the force.

Responding, Abba said that the police would continue to give maximum protection to oil facilities and personnel of the corporation.

Abba said that the force was exploring modern techniques of surveillance for the protection of critical national infrastructure.

News NAN MD’s Mother Passes On

L-R: Former CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo; husband of late Prof. Dora Akunyili, Dr. Chike and other family members at a requiem Mass in honour of Prof. Dora Akunyili at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu on Wednesday.

Catholic Bishop Describes Akunyili As Challenge To Nigerians

ENUGU (ENUGU STATE) - The Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese in Enugu State, Most Rev. Godfrey Onah, has described the late Prof. Dora Akunyili as a challenge to all Nigerians.

Speaking during a requiem mass in honour of the deceased at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu on Wednesday, Onah said Akunyili was “one who made a difference in the sea of corruption in Nigeria’’ and praised her for her brevity.

He encouraged all Nigerians to emulate the character of the deceased to make a remarkable difference in the country.

“While people may be singing the praises of Dora and hailing her as a heroine, I will rather want to point that she is a challenge to all of us.

“She was committed to making a difference as a

Christian, not minding the discouragement she got from people about the corruption in our country.

“What we are doing today is much more than paying tribute; it is an expression of her faith, which she shared and is still sharing even in death,” he said.

The bishop called on Christians to live as those who believed in resurrection so as not to lose the greatest gift of God. In his vote of thanks, the husband of late Prof. Dora, Dr Chike Akunyili, appreciated all those that attended the mass to pay his late wife last respect.

Akunyili described his late wife as a light to the nation and a practising Christian.

“Wherever we find ourselves, let’s try and be little

Cleric Calls For Family Care

By IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL

BENIN CITY – The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City, Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Akubueze has enjoined all Christian families to model their family after the holy family of Jesus Mary and Joseph and imbibe the culture of unity among parents and children.

The Archbishop made this statement at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Airport Road, the venue for this year’s synod of the family of the Archdiocese which had the family, the person and the society as it’s theme.

Most Rev. Dr. Augustine

Akubueze emphasize the need for parents to take good care of their children, bring hem up in the way of God, care for their need, so that, they will become children whom they will be proud of and thereafter do exploit in the society.

“The society will be free from corruption, crime and other evils when parents take up the challenge to bring up their children in the way of God, share the word together with them, advice them at all time keep close relationship with them and tell them what they ought to know before learning the wrong things from the evils in the society” he concluded.

Dora, let us have courage to say the truth at all times to enthrone a better society,’’ Akunyili said.

He donated N1 million to the Enugu Catholic Diocese for the training of seminarians in honour of his late wife, whom he said, loved making seminarians realise their goal of becoming priests.

Among those who attended the mass were former VicePresident, Dr Alex Ekwueme, former Governor of the central bank, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the Secretary to Anambra State Government, Mr Oseloka Obaze, and Enugu State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr Jude Akubilo.

ABUJA - The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Ima Niboro, has lost his mother, Deaconess Agnes Owoma Ukeseh, Nee Ekemike.

She passed on at mid-day on Wednesday, August 27, 2014.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Office of the Managing Director, Mr Obiora Chukwumba, on Wednesday in Abuja, and made available to newsmen.

“It is with sad but grateful hearts, and in total submission to the will of the Almighty God that we announce the peaceful transition to glory of Deaconess Agnes Owoma Ukeseh, Nee Ekemike.

“Deaconess Ukeseh turned 79 on August 6, 2014. She was devout Christian, a retired Nursing Matron with a lifetime commitment to the service of

Ebola: Jonathan Condemns Discrimination Against Nigerians

ABUJA President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the stigmatisation of Nigerians by some countries over recent cases of Ebola virus in the country.

Kano Approves N500m For Residential Houses

KANO (KANO STATE) Kano State Government has approved N500 million for the construction of residential houses at Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu, Babban Daki and Dorayi areas of the state.

Alhaji Yusuf Dambatta, state Commissioner for Lands and Survey, made this known at a news conference on the outcome of the State Executive

Council meeting in Kano on Wednesday.

The commissioner said the council had also approved N36 million for the procurement of Walk-in Cold Rooms.

“The council also approved N18 million for the construction of motorised boreholes at Kura Informatics Institute, Madobi Midwifery and School of Midwifery at Gezawa.

God, the Church and the community.

“Deaconess Ukeseh was accomplished in her Christian ministry and the nursing profession.

“She is survived by her children, Mrs Sarah Ajiboye, a business woman, and Bishop Columba Niboro, General Overseer of the Sunrise Community Church, Toledo, Ohio, USA. Others are Olorogun Ima Niboro, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria and Mrs Grace Owhraigbo of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as well as many grandchildren’’, the statement said.

The programme of celebration of her life and memory as well as internment will be announced by the family, it said.

“The council approved N3.5 million for the screening of the remaining 23 staff of the Triumph Publishing Company and fund for their outstanding allowances’’, he said.

He restated government’s determination to develop infrastructure in the state as part of the measures to improve the welfare of the people.

Some residents of Fugar, headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government Area, Edo State whose houses were destroyed by rainstorm recently, wailing when the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu led government officials for an on the spot inspection visit to the area.

Jonathan made this known at a meeting with Dr David Navarro, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Ebola, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati.

The president, according to the statement, decried discriminatory actions by some countries against Nigeria, including the incident which forced Nigeria’s team to the Youth Olympics in China to abandon its participation.

He said that there was no justification for such stigmatisation of Nigerians since the Ebola Virus had been effectively contained in the country and never attained epidemic level.

He called for the immediate cessation of every discriminatory action against Nigerians around the world over the virus and urged the UN Secretary General, Mr Ban KiMoon, to support the call.

Acknowledging the secretary-general’s commendation of Nigeria’s response to the Ebola outbreak, the president attributed it to the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos State Government and citizens.

“All hands have been on deck to contain the virus here. I commend my team and the Lagos State Government.

“We have been able to set politics aside and work in unison to deal with a national threat.

News NNPC Seeks Greater Collaboration ABUJA - The Nigerian was engaged in seismic With Army Limited, National Petroleum Corporation data acquisition activities.

(NNPC) has called for greater collaboration between it and the Nigerian Army for efficient protection of vital oil and gas assets in the country.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department, of NNPC. The statement said that the call was made by NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Dr Joseph Dawha, when he visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

Dawha was quoted to have expressed gratitude to Security Chiefs in the country for their roles in providing the muchneeded cover for the

corporation’s smooth operations despite mounting security challenges.

He said that his visit was to renew the existing relationship between both organizations, stressing that the Army had continued to provide security support for NNPC’s assets in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors.

He particularly lauded the role of the Army in the security Joint Task Force charged with the responsibility of protecting oil assets in Port Harcourt, Benin and Auchi.

Dawha also commended the army’s role in the Chad Basin where one of the corporation’s strategic business units, Integrated Data Services

He enjoined the Nigerian Army to continue to provide security support in the fight against crude oil theft, which he said, had a negative impact on the nation’s resources in recent times.

Responding, the Chief of Army Staff expressed satisfaction in the bond between NNPC and the Army, saying that both organisations would continue to have common grounds of cooperation for the economic development of Nigeria.

Minimah said providing security to national assets including those of NNPC was one of the first lines of duty of the army and assured the corporation of sustenance of the support.

Ahmadiyya Holds Annual Conference

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM

LAGOS - The leader of the Nigerian Ahmadiyya Muslim jamaat, Dr Mashuud Fashola along with other nineteen members have joined their counterparts across the world in the Oakland Farm, UK for the 48th annual conference of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association , UK from 29th to 31st,of August.

In a statement issued by Qasim Akinreti, the National Secretary Publications and Media relation, officer, Ahmadiyya Muslim jamaat Nigeria, the three day event is an annual Islamic gathering focusing on lectures geared towards peaceful coexistence, global religious harmony , Islamic and moral upbringing from renowned Islamic scholars across the world.

The gathering will be opened on Thursday 28th with an International tabligh preaching seminar on effective ways of peaceful propagation and better understanding of Islam by the Ahmadiyya Islamic community.

Distinguished guests, head of governments across the world, traditional rulers, and representatives of religious groups have also been invited to grace the occasion.

The highlight of the event is the global bait - Islamic allegiance to the Khalifah of the time and world head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V. Arrangements have been concluded to bring the proceedings of the conference live on www.mta.org and brief newscast on two Nigerian television stations ,Murhi International television and Lagos Television service. The Friday Islamic page of the

National Mirror will equally cover the gathering for the print media in Nigeria.

Ahead of the event, the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Nigeria,Dr Mashuud Fasola had a live interactive on MITV Islamic Programme last Friday and the National secretary Tabligh (preaching) Dr Saeed Timehin will also feature on the same stations to preview the London Islamic conference.

Members across the world will also use the opportunity to discuss with the world head of the ahmadiyya community for spiritual upliftment and personal fulfillment .

A pan African gathering for all Ahmadiyya Muslims across Africa is scheduled for the Baitul Futuh mosque, Morden, London to entertain guests and review the progress of the Islamic organisation in the continent.

Among the delegation are three señior journalists from

Voice of Nigeria,Qasim Akinreti , Head Reportorial corps and Manager News , Alhaji Ishiaq Tunde Okunola General Manager,Murhi International television service and Alhaja Sekinat Lawal,the Deputy Editor National Mirror newspaper, Shortly after the event, the leadership of the Ahmadiyya Muslim jamaat in Nigeria is to meet its members in the diaspora first in the United Kingdom during the 48th annual Islamic gathering of the organisation to discuss their commitment to the National mosque building trust fund scheme.

The meeting to be lead by the Amir Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Hjamaat Nigeria Dr Mashuud Fasola along with the chairman of the Mosque Building Programme In Nigeria, Dr Yaqeen Habeeb, who is also the Naib Mir North Deputy head of the Islamic organisation.

UNN Holds College Assembly For Akunyili ITUKU/OZALLA (ENUGU STATE) - The College of Medicine at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka on Wednesday held its last college assembly in honour of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili who was once its lecturer.

The assembly which held at the Ituku/Ozalla campus of the institution in Enugu State was attended by many emeritus and serving professors of the college as well as the staff of the university’s teaching hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, the Provost of the college, Prof.

Ernest Onwuasigwe, said Akunyili’s death was a loss to pharmacology, the university and the country as a whole.

Onwuasigwe said the former minister of information left legacies in the college which students who did not meet her in person still enjoyed.

Also speaking, a member of the college, Prof. Paul Okonkwo, said that apart from her life in public offices, the late Akunyili was an accomplished scientist and pharmacologist.

Okonkwo said she had between 20 and 30 publications in journals and co-authored at least two books while working in the college.

Reacting on the encomiums shower on the late professor, her husband, Dr Chike Akunyili, recalled how he met her at the pharmacy in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, saying she instantly warmed herself to him in spite of the general lukewarm attitude of pharmacists.

He called on health workers generally to change their attitude to patients, while also calling on managers to be good to their workers to get the best in them.

Across The Nation Gov Uduaghan Advises Aspirants Against Politics Of Culumning

By BETTY IDIALU L-R: Chairman, Board of Trustee, Dr. Seinde Akinsete, Vice President, Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, Dr. Ayobade Ogundipe; Representative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Olujonwo Obasanjo and President of the Society, Dr. Sebastian Nwosu, at the 39th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in Ibadan on Wednesday.

Lagos To Promote Reading Culture Among Students LAGOS - The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) says it has mandated principals in public schools in the state to have classroom reading corners, to promote reading culture among students.

Mrs Gbolahan Daodu, Executive Chairman SUBEB, spoke with newsmen in Lagos.

Daodu said that the idea of having a reading corner with library material in the classroom was to ensure that the students had easy access to required books.

“The state government has also taken the challenge to encourage reading culture among students by providing the fund for SUBEB to purchase and supply schools with various library materials on regular basis,’’ she said.

According to Daodu, the policy is already effective in the secondary schools, as a day has been set aside within the week for the students to study and read books.

“Though such a day has yet to be set aside in the primary schools, we would ensure the compliance,’’ she added.

Reacting to the mass failure in the recently released West African Examination Council (WAEC) results, Daodu said that the government or teachers should not be blamed.

She said that the parents and students were the major culprits, noting that parents no longer devote time to monitor the education and performance of their wards.

Daudu said that students were also to blame as they were not ready to read and develop their talents.

She urged parents to collaborate with the government in the task of rejuvenating reading culture among students, to improve the standard of education in Nigeria.

“The state government in the past four years had put in place maximum improvement in the education sector; that was why it acquired the World Bank loan.

“It is because of the positive impact and improvement that the World Bank saw in the education sector of the state that propelled them to renew the loan for the state.

L-R: Representative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Olujonwo Obasanjo, member of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, Prof. Oyinade Olurin and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Dr. Seinde Akinsete, at the 39th Annual General Meeting of Scientific Conference of Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in Ibadan on Wednesday.

WARRI (Delta) - Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan broke his silence on his successor with a charge on all aspirants for the gubernatorial election in the state to sell their programmes and policies to the people rather than scheming on how to disqualify fellow aspirants.

Governor Uduaghan who has been evasive on his likely successor noted that neither he nor any level of scheming could determine the candidate that would take over from him in 2015 but that the final choice rested in the hands of God. Dr. Uduaghan spoke at an Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter ’s (Anglican Communion), Asaba to mark the 23th anniversary of the creation of Delta State on Wednesday.

He cautioned aspirants to “stop running around trying to disqualify anybody because who God wants to give power, that He will give, whether you disqualify somebody at the screening stage and God wants that person, the person will succeed.”

The Governor recalled that in the build up to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in 2006, he was disqualified by a screening committee in Port Harcourt before an appeal panel cleared him to contest the polls.

“As an aspirant who wants to take over from me, tell the people what you want to do, let us have a clean electioneering campaign. Who God wants, He will put in office,” Dr Uduaghan said, stressing, “let the campaign not be about me, about whom I am supporting or who I am not supporting, let the campaign be about what you can do for the people.”

He added, “I want to thank everybody that have indicated

Commissioner Declares Interest In Governorship Seat

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM

LAGOS - The Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Hamzat has finally broken his silence, saying he is contesting for the governorship seat of Lagos to succeed his boss, Babatunde Raji Fashola in 2015 in order to sustain the lofty legacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The commissioner also dismissed claims that he is not an indigene of Lagos State, saying categorically that he is a Lagosian because his father, Olatunji Hamzat, is an Epe indigene, with proofs to back it up.

Hamzat, in an interview with our correspondent in his office said: “I intend to contest under our party and I understand that our party, APC, has a lot and enormous number of talented people and that is the truth; there are a lot of people that have been in government and have the skills.

“At the right time, all of us will present our case and I am sure the

party will do the right thing and get a candidate that will defeat the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, hands down,” he said.

Hamzat said he had been fortunate to be in government since 2005, serving as Commissioner in the Ministry of Science and Technology and now Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the positions that had exposed him adequately to governance.

“I have been fortunate to be part of both governments, during Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s tenure and now. I have also been fortunate to be a member of key instrument of government like the State Tenders Board, STB, since 2005. The board is responsible for awarding and scrutinizing contracts, so if Ministry of Health, Ministry of Works, Environment, for instance, want to carry out a project, they will come to the State’s Tenders Board and defend the project.

Hamzat said he would be thorough and professional in the discharge of his duty to Lagosians if given the mandate to represent APC in the forthcoming governorship election, adding that the PDP was no match for his party.

Using an analogy, the commissioner said: “we must allow a system whereby you don’t give the job of a carpenter to a plumber, it doesn’t matter how good that plumber is, that is not his area and he is not a carpenter and will not be able to do a carpenter’s work. He is a plumber, he will do a good plumbing job, but will not be able to do carpentry job and that is the reality.”

He said those aspiring to occupy positions of authority should not think of themselves, but the future of their children’s children so that the nation could be better for all, adding that this was what made the Americans

far ahead of Nigeria as their leaders do not engage in selfish aggrandizement.

On his indigene, Hamzat said he’s a Lagosian by birth, tracing his paternal root to the Ajiborisa family of Epe and insisted that he is not from Ogun State as being claimed in some quarters.

He claimed, “My father was a commissioner in Lagos State in 1979. The reality is that everything that my family has done is in Lagos and my dad played his politics in Lagos. The truth is this; I don’t think there is any politician who does not know my dad in Lagos. The reality is that there are lots of politicians in Ogun State who do not know my dad. Of course, he was at a time the Vice Chairman of AD in the southwest, so a lot of people may also know him”.

“When his own father died, he was aged nine and that was when he lived in Epe all his life. In fact he went to primary school in Epe to that from Lagos, nobody can dispute it. The present Olu of Epe went to the same primary school with him.

interest to take over from me in 2015, it is not easy to make up one’s mind to contest but, know that there is only a space for one person at a time for four years.”

Governor Uduaghan said that Delta State has cause to thank God on the occasion of the 23th anniversary of the state creation in view of the giant strides that have been recorded by successive administrations in the state.

According to him, the decision to mark the occasion with a thanksgiving service was to acknowledge God’s mercies and goodness towards the Government and people of the state and a means of securing more favour from the creator.

The Governor said the state has recorded successes and used the occasion to declare August 27 as Thanksgiving Day for Delta State.

Governor Uduaghan who pronounced August 27 every year as a Day of Thanksgiving indicated that a bill would be sent to the House of Assembly to formally proclaim the day and urged the Speaker and members of the State Assembly to give the bill expeditious consideration.

He explained that his administration’s Delta Beyond Oil Programme was a legacy that would stand the test of time because it involved going back to economic activities that the people were engaged in before the discovery of oil.

“We must go back to those things we used to do before oil was discovered, agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing, and others,” he added.

Dr Uduaghan attributed the peace, stability and development in the state to concerted and sustained prayers and called on the people to be more united and shun bitterness towards their neighbours.

“What we need now is unity, we must remove every bitterness from our body, there is so much bitterness and such bitterness can lead to ethnic strife and security challenges,” the Governor observed, emphasizing that there is need for change of heart.

The Governor also commended traditional rulers in the state who have renounced fetish practices to embrace God and appealed to the few traditional rulers who are yet to embrace Christianity to do so stating: “When a traditional ruler suppresses God’s activities, that Kingdom cannot grow.”

National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in a sermon on the need for thanksgiving observed that such heart of gratitude grants access to God, answers to prayers, assurance of victory, abundant grace and long life.

He cautioned against unbridled quest for money, noting, “we need money but, we must not love money, every other evil is linked to the love of money.”

Lagos APC Crisis: Peace Talks

Ongoing

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS – The Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun has revealed that peace talk is ongoing to resolve the internal crisis rocking the party, All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the state and other parts of the country.

Amosun also declared that the former governor of the state and a chieftain of the party, Chief Olusegun Osoba remain the leader of the party and his leader, warning detractors to stop meddling into their affairs.

The governor stated this in a live broadcast on the state owned radio and television station, OGBC and OGTV while reeling out his programmes in the last three years and three months in office.

He said, “I have said it times without number that the issue between me and my leader, our leader, Chief Olusegun Osoba is an internal issue and I don’t want to discuss it again. When an issue is under resolution, one must be wary of what to say, especially on TV as some mischievous people out there will not be happy with the development.

In the programme, tagged: “My Stewardship” which was anchored by seasoned journalists led by the General Manager of Ogun State Television, OGTV, Alhaji Ayinde Soaga., the governor said, “Some people who are not in our party that we know are our leaders, we accord them the regard, not to talk of Chief Olusegun Osoba, who is a chieftain of our party. He remains our leader and we will forever be loyal to him”.

On the debt profile of the state, the governor revealed that those saying the state owed up to 300 billion naira are mischievous and they are yet to wake up from their slumber.

The governor challenged them to come out with fact and figures to counter his claim that the state is not owing up to what they are claim, adding that, the spate of work has caught them unaware.

“They are wondering how

- Gov Amosun

these works have been done, they don’t believe what they are seeing, because when they were here for eight years they could not achieve what we have achieved in just three years. They have not seen anything yet, this is Ogun state, we can’t just be doing substandard work here as they did during their time, it must be a standard one and nothing except that.

“I want to state here tonight, thank God, this is a live programme, everybody is seeing and hearing me, the debt profile of Ogun state as I am speaking will be between 35 and maximum of 40 billion naira. No bank can give you such amount as being peddled around by these people. I am an accountant and I know what I am talking about. At the end of the year, maybe our debt profile may nosedive to something about 11billioin naira.

“Let any of the banks come out and debunk all what I have said. We are using only two banks in the state and anybody can go in there to verify what I have just said.

There is no truth in all what they are saying that we are owing 300billion naira,” the governor revealed.

On the allegation that the governor is planning to impose his candidates on the party ahead of 2015 elections, Amosun assured that all aspirants will be given equal treatment, adding that, they will have a level playing ground in picking would-be candidates for the party.

He also revealed that the past administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel owed almost 1.9 billion naira before it left office, adding that, “In the handing over note, they claimed we are owing N49.7bn, which is approximately N50 billion naira. And as you know, this is my profession, we contracted it out to firms and we were able to see that, they owed N86 billion naira.

The governor, however, solicited the support of the good people of the state, promising that better days are ahead for them in the state.

Members of Ikorodu Youth Assembly in collaboration with Voluntary Service Overseas and Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, protesting against Domestic Violence in Ikorodu, Lagos on Wednesday.

Suspected Drug Peddlers Arraigned

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS -No fewer than nine suspected drug peddlers, including two teenagers have been arrested by the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit when it stormed their hideout in Lekki axis of the state.

It was reliably gathered that the suspects were arrested during a raid on their den by the officials of the taskforce at Wole Olateru Street, Lekki Phase 1 on Tuesday and arraigned at

the Special court, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

Sources said that the state government acted on the several complaints made by the residents of the community, on the activities of the illegal drug peddlers. They claim that their activities were affecting the security of life and property.

It was learnt that the drug peddlers deal in cocaine, though none was recovered from the suspects. Some of the hard drugs recovered at the scene included Indian helm, analgesics and routine drugs

used for treating common cold.

Also recovered from their hideout, were different charms wore by the suspected drug peddlers to avoid being arrested by the taskforce officials.

Mr. Buhari Muhammed, one of the suspects, while narrating his year of experience said “I have been in this illegal business for about two years and I made lots of money from the business. I make thousands of naira every day from this business.”

Explaining the mode of

not make profit in the first year of production of some food items, but it has tremendously improve and it is expected to be more soon.

He lamented that the high competitive by other cement manufactures at the market brought abrupt halt to the production of BAGCO cement but it has been reviewed and would soon hit the market again with the best.

He also blamed the insurgency at the Northern parts of the country as the major problem militating against its production in Maiduguri as the stall was partially close down since five months ago.

According to him, only the station manager and some few staff including the security men are left behind in the state for skeletal jobs, adding that production will be return as soon as the security situation improves in the area.

He acknowledged that the company has benefitted from the Federal Government support fund for Agro-Allied business, which has been a good help to the development of the company’s business.

Gbadebo also revealed that the company has bought 4, 500 acres of land for the production of rice and other food items in the country to improve its products in the market.

Among the places where he claimed that the company has huge investments on different products includes, Niger State where it has Sugarcane cultivation project, Snack factory in Agbara area of Lagos State, Vegetable oil company at Ibadan, Oyo State and oil processing firm in Edo State.

Flour Mills Records 95 Percent Profit

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS -The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Plc, Mr. Paul Gbadebo has revealed his company is making 95percent profit from its food business, compared to cement which has step back as a result of competition in the market that affected the product.

Addressing stakeholders at the Facts Behind The Figures gathering held at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Gbadebo revealed that although, the company did

Scene of petrol tankers explosion at Marine Bridge, Apapa in Lagos on Wednesday.

transaction between the peddlers and their customers, he said “People come here to patronize me. Some come with Sport Utility Vehicle, SUVs to this place to buy these drugs.

We even have youths and women coming here to patronize us.”

Commenting on the arrest, the chairman of the Taskforce, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Bayo Sulaiman said the exercise was long overdue as the residents of the area had written several complaints to the unit, noting “the taskforce had to take its time in investigating the case thoroughly before swinging into action on Tuesday.”

Sulaiman assured residents of the state that the Taskforce would continue to raid other such bad spots, adding “would not rest on its oars until activities drug peddling are wiped out in the state.”

He said that the arrest would be “serving as warning to others that drug peddling in Lekki Phase I and other parts of the state will not be entertained.”

Saleswoman Docked Over Theft

IKEJA - A 32-year-old saleswoman, Mariam Ojo, who allegedly stole goods worth N279,000 from her employer ’s shop, has appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

The accused resides at No. 11, Abeje St., Moricas Road, Agege, Lagos.

The Prosecutor, Insp.

Chinalo Uwadione, said that the offence was committed on August .

10, at her employers shop at No. 4, Irewole Avenue Opebi, Ikeja.

He said that the accused stole clothes worth N279,000 belonging to her employer, Mrs Folake Odunlade.

The prosecutor said

that when the clothes were discovered missing and the police was invited to investigate, some of the missing items were later recovered at the home of the accused.

Uwadione said that the offence committed contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The section prescribes three years imprisonment for anyone convicted of stealing.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs Margaret Dan-Oni, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to Sept. 9 for mention.

Across The Nation Cleric Harps On Religious Harmony LAGOS - The Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Bernard Okodua, recently described religious harmony as a viable tool for sustainable development of the country.

Okodua said in an interview with newsmen in Lagos that no country could achieve meaningful development in an atmosphere of religious chaos and uncertainty.

The cleric said that one of the ways lasting peace could be achieved in the nation was “for Christians and Muslims to accommodate, tolerate and embrace one another and promote peaceful coexistence“.

“Religious harmony is absolutely important for us in this country in order for the country to develop, to grow.

“As long as there is fear, there is mutual distrust and blatant disrespect for people’s religious views and religious freedom to downright destruction of lives and property base on religion, there cannot be peace and harmony in this nation.

“But if we are able to establish justice and love then, peace will naturally follow; and I think those three qualities that are paramount to establish a true religion are common to even both Islam and Christianity.

“A true Christian and a true Muslim must work towards justice, love and peace; if we are not doing that, then our worship is vain.’’

He advised rumour mongers to desist from engaging in any act capable of stoking the fire of distrust and disharmony.

Jang Moves Into New Govt House Sept 5

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa (left) with the Deputy Governor Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud, Creation of the State in Dutse on Wednesday.

JOS - Governor. Jonah Jang of Plateau and his cabinet will move into the newly built Plateau Government House on Friday, September 5, the State’s Commissioner for Information, Mrs Olivia Dazyam has said.

Dazyam announced this at a news conference after the State Executive Council’s meeting in Jos .

She said the memorandum for the movement was presented by the Secretary to the State Government and approved by council.

The commissioner said it was the first time Plateau Government was building a government house as the current structure in Rayfield was originally built as a Presidential Lodge.

“You will recall that the council, at its meeting of Wednesday, September. 28, 2011, at the 23rd Anniversary of the approved the construction of new government house in Rayfield, Jos, at the initial cost of N4.4 billion.

“Due to additional works, the contract was reviewed upward to N9.7 billion’’, she added.

According to her, finishing touches are on going in the complex to make it ready for “I will give you an example: occupation. in London there is a play by Dazyam said the council also Agatha Christy called “The approved the movement of the Mouse Trap’’; the mouse trap has palace of the Gbong Gwom Jos, been going on in one theatre for Chairman of the Plateau 58 years.

Traditional Council, to the “And you will not believe it, current Governor’s Office and grandfather played it, father Lodge at Jishe. played in it, son is playing in it “This decision came up after a and they are making money; it is careful assessment of the palace of Gbong Gwom Jos. a full time salary affair.

“The State Government felt “We have not created that kind of tradition in this country. We that the current palace was not think theatre doesn’t pay, people befitting the status of the king and just dismiss it, but we forget that saw the need to relocate it to the office being vacated by the it has to be built up.“ governor.

Entertainment Heroes: Lari

Williams Seeks Hall Of Fame LAGOS - A renowned actor, Lari Williams, has urged the Federal Government to build a Hall of Fame in honour of persons who contributed to the development of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

The actor, who was also the pioneer president of the Actors Guild, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

“I am talking about building a Hall of Fame, not only to create work for the artistes, but also to remember our past heroes.

“People like Orlando Martins, the first Nigerian actor who went commercial abroad, we are forgetting him. Fela Showande was the first Nigerian to orchestrate our folk music.

“Ambrose Campbell, our first pop musician that went from this shores to England with a mixture of high life and juju music people like this should not be forgotten.

“The fire spouting actor, Duro

Ladipo, should not be forgotten.

There are people I can name that have contributed so much to the building of the entertainment industry who are now unsung.

‘So, if we have a Hall of Fame, we will remember the giants of this nation.“ Williams also called for the revival of stage performance to produce quality actors for Nollywood.

According to him, stage performance has the capacity to promote huge revenue generation for the country.

He said that genuine acting originated from the recitation of scripts on stage and not just cutting and pasting shots together to form screen plays.

“How many of the so-called stars today that we see on the screen can stand on stage and perform; they cannot because they cannot hold two lines together in their heads.

“The industry is dying

because we cannot get actors on stage and that is why we don’t even realise that the entertainment industry can make money for this country enormously.

“If you think about Broadway in America, Broadway makes more money than screen films, because there is Broadway, there is Off Broadway and there is Off-Off Broadway.

‘It has formed a tradition of theatre, which means people go to watch shows every night; tickets are bought ahead of time.

Early Childhood Education

Zamfara To Enroll 500,000 GUSAU - The Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said it would enroll 500,000 under the Early Child Care Development Education (ECCDE) programme by 2015.

The Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Murtala Jangebe, stated this in Gusau.

He was speaking at an advocacy meeting on child education in the state with Education Secretaries,

Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State (left) in a handshake with Chairman, Past Kaduna State Development Area Administrators Forum, Alhaji Haruna Dogo, during the Forum’s visit to the Governor in Kaduna on Wednesday.

traditional rulers and ECCDE Desk Officers.

Jangebe said the meeting was aimed at sensitising the participants on how to implement the programme which was introduced by the Federal Government.

He said that the programme made enrolment compulsory for children between three and five years before their enrolment into primary schools.

Jangebe, who was represented by the Board’s Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Sani Mailafiya, said the board was highly committed in ensuring “our children’s readiness to be enrolled in primary education”.

According to him, the state has a total of 1,558 public primary schools out of which 251 offered early childhood education while 99 private primary schools out of 178 offered the programme.

“Based on our last school census, out of 436,580 children, only 24,803 were enrolled into the programme.

“We need to improve our efforts so that by next enrollment we will capture up to 500,000 children across the state,” he said.

He called on the Education Secretaries, ECCDE desk officers and traditional rulers to synergise to ensure the success of the programme.

Inside Edo Edo Monthly Sanitation Holds Tomorrow

NUJ Press Week C’ttee Holds Inaugural Meeting BENIN CITY- The 2014 Press Week Committee set up by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council yesterday held its inaugural meeting, expressing optimism that the achievement recorded last year by a similar committee can be surpassed.

Chairman of the 13 member committee, Comrade Joseph Apili in his remarks during the meeting advised members to be selfless and transparent in the course of discharging the committees assignment.

He also advised them to see their inclusion as members of the committee as a call to service which demands commitment and lots of sacrifice.

Other members in their separate remarks expressed their readiness to work towards a successful press week.

The committee members later visited the council chairman.

Comrade Desmond Agbama who enjoined them to be above board in their assignment.

Ebola Stakeholders Decry postponement of Schools Resumption

By IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL/OMEIZA ROBINSON

BENIN CITY- Members of the public have expressed displeasure over the postponement of resumption date for primary and secondary school in Nigeria by the Federal Government.

They made their observation when newsmen visited some public and private schools, in Benin City yesterday.

Speaking with The NIGERIAN OBSERVER, Mrs. Ekiuwa Omofomwan, a teacher in Iyowa, Primary School said she is not happy about the situation..

It is not for my benefit because, I will still be paid my salary, but for the children, what will they be doing at home till resumption.

I don’t think this is a right step by the federal government because Ebola virus has not gotten to Edo State, yet why suffering the students”? , she concluded.

Mr. Osahon Ogbaide, a teacher in Living Spring High School described the postponement as a means of disturbing the smooth flow of the school calendar and therefore called on the federal government to reverse the pronouncement as Edo State is devoid of the dreaded Ebola Virus.

Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Mr. Femi Ajayi (right), in a handshake with member of Environmental Micro and Corrosion, Prof. Matthew Edoga (left), during the PTDF Annual Oil and Gas Research Grant Competition Peer Review Exercise in Abuja on Wednesday. With them is Prof. Paul Onaji .

BENIN CITY –This month’s statewide environmental sanitation exercise holds tomorrow, Saturday August 30, 2014 from 7am -10pm.

A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities, Major Lawrence Loye (Rtd) indicated that there shall be restriction of human and vehicular movement during the period.

The statement directed members of the general public to clean up their premises desilt drains in front of their houses and as well

Lawmaker Condemns Confab Recommendation

By SURAJU RAJI seriously confronted problems For More States in the power sector.

LAGOS - The legislator, representing Ojo constituency ii in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi, has condemned the resolution of the National Conference calling for creation of more states in Nigeria.

He condemned the delegates’ recommendation during the weekly time- out with the press at the new chambers of the Lagos assembly He said the confab’s resolution is meant to distract Nigerians from the core issue affecting Nigerians.

Speaking on the major objective of the confab, the lawmaker said salient issues were not addressed.

He disclosed that the major thrust of the confab was how Nigerians should exist as a nation and not the issue of creation of state.

Hon. Ogunyemi disclosed that electricity supply is epileptic and local councils cannot fend for themselves without federal allocation, and therefore queried the call for creation of new local governments that cannot pay

workers salaries The lawmaker revealed that government is not achieving any policy thrust on power supply saying that since 1999 to date, the government has not

The lawmaker therefore advised government to do what is right, adding that those who want to generate power could not do it because power is on the exclusive list.

collect refuse together for easy disposal by the state Waste Management Board.

According to the statement, “every house hold must have appropriate waste bins with covers for their refuse storage so as to avoid littering of waste around their premises and beyond”.

In addition, the statement advised all Local Government Councils to adequately mobilize their Environmental Health Departments for the sanitation exercise and ensure compliance by setting up Environmental Mobile Courts as well as carry out massive evacuation of refuse from public places.

The statement reminded members of the public that special Mobile Courts are in place to try offenders of the sanitation laws who are seen loitering about during the sanitation exercise.

Man, 46, Docked Over Alleged N22.7m Visa Fraud IBADAN - The police has arraigned a 46-year- old, Semiu Olujide, in an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ court sitting at Iyaganku for alleged N22.7 million visa fraud.

The Prosecutor, Insp Joseph Adebayo, told the court that the accused was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretext and conversion of N22.7 million to personal use.

Adebayo said the accused committed the offence on April 1, 2013, at about 1.30p.m at the Oyo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in Ibadan.

He said the accused fraudulently obtained the sum under false pretext from the Chairman of the Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Taofik Akewugbagold.

The prosecutor, who said that the money was meant to secure visas for 16 pilgrims, added that the accused with one Omo-Oba, now at large, converted it to their personal use.

Adebayo said the offence

contravened sections 390, 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Chief magistrate Fatima Badrudeen granted the accused bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till September 25 for hearing.

L-R: Vice Chancellor, Kaduna State University, Prof. Williams Qurix; Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali and Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State, at the launch of overseas scholarship awards in Kaduna on Wednesday.

Cleric Expresses Commitment to Spread In a chat with The to him, “it is Gospel notAccording NIGERIAN OBSERVER a matter to be left for

By VICTOR IMADE/ IKPONMWOBA JOEL

BENIN CITY –The General Superintendent of Jesus Reigneth Chapel and Chairman, Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) Oredo Local Government Chapter, Bishop Iyobosa Atoe has reiterated his commitment towards ensuring that Christianity religion spreads to the people at the grassroot.

in Benin City Bishop Atoe said, “it is our duty to make sure that Christianity gets to the wards of Oredo Local Government Area and to ensure that peace reigns among the people and the government”.

Beyond this, he said it is also part of his responsibilities as a religious leader to contribute towards the

security of lives and property of fellow citizens, including those at the grassroot.

Bishop Atoe stressed the need for all Christians, irrespective of denomination to contribute to the process of peace and security in Nigeria by engaging in regular prayers to God on behalf of the nation.

the men of God alone, but, it is a concern for every body; what affects one person, affects all; so, let us join hands and fight this problem, (terrorism)” He also emphasized the need for federal government to put more effort at ensuring the release of the kidnapped Chibok School Girls while urging all Christians to pray for their safe release.

Business + Economy Nasarawa Registers 11,000 Cooperative Societies KEFFI (NASARAWA) The Nasarawa State Government has said that it has registered more than 11,000 cooperative societies in the state as part of efforts to boost socioeconomic activities in the country.

Mr. Danlami Jacob, the Director of Cooperatives at the Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, disclosed this to newsmen in Keffi, Keffi local government headquarters of the state.

He said that cooperative societies were vehicles for the socio-economic development of any society.

“Our department in this ministry is saddled with the responsibility of organising, supervising and promoting the activities of cooperative societies; we are doing our best to ensure that cooperative societies function effectively in the state.

“Our department had so far registered over 11,000 cooperative societies in the state, but out of this number only 9,000 cooperatives are fully functional in the state.

“The State Government had built and allocated shops to traders in Karu International Market and in Lafia Modern Market,’’ Jacob said.

The director said that the strategy has not only boosted the socio-economic activities but also reduced the rate of unemployment and poverty in the state.

According to him, the registration of cooperative societies is not only in the interest of the government but also in the good interest of the masses.

He explained that members of registered cooperative societies would have access to credit facilities to boost their business activities.

Jacob urged people, especially civil servants, to form cooperative societies in order to improve their socio-economic welfare and contribute to the overall development of the country.

He said that cooperative societies would also enable civil servants, especially small income earners, to harness and exploit their resources.

Jacob said this would enable them accomplish huge projects and embark on investments which they could not do as individuals.

The director also said that cooperative societies would also provide members with loans at lower interest rates than commercial banks and other financial institutions.

He said that some people build houses and pay school fees for their children through cooperative societies.

Jacob pledged to properly enlighten citizens on the benefit of cooperative societies so as to boost the socio-economic development of the country.

He, however, appealed to the state government to ensure adequate funding of such societies in order to improve their activities at the grassroots level.

Cross section of Youths trained as Motor Mechanics, at the distribution of working tools in Sokoto recently.

USAID To Train Nigerian Farmers

ABUJA - The U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) and Syngenta Nigeria, an international agric-business company, have signed a threeyear Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train no fewer than 500,000 farmers.

U.S Deputy Chief of Mission Maria Brewer and Syngenta Country Director, Dr Sachi Sharma signed the agreement to train the farmers on use of technologies to improve crop yields.

The MoU would be executed in

collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

The Minister of Agriculture, and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, congratulated both parties for signing the MoU, saying it would change the face of seed supply in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

Adesina said President Goodluck Jonathan had provided the “political will’’ to transform agriculture and some gains have been increased on public, private and partnership

in the sector.

“Technology, policies, institutions and partnerships matter in agricultural sector.

“It took technologies to feed the world and change all of Asian green revolution with high yielding varieties of rice and wheat. “ In Nigeria, the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture

(IITA) is doing tremendous work on cassava, varieties of maize and wheat.

“Technology matters and I have often said Nigeria is not going to be a laggard in the use of modern technologies in agriculture.

“We will come up with responsible policies to promote modernized agriculture,’’ he said.

In her remarks, Brewer reiterated U.S government’s commitment to “teaching farmers not only how to plant but helping them learn how to run successful businesses’’.

“I am truly excited about the contribution of Syngenta’s

expertise as one of the world’s leading agribusiness and partnering with it to benefit the 80 per cent of Nigerians that work in the agriculture sector.

“This directly supports the government of Nigeria’s Growth Enhancement Support programme, improving the efficiency of input and service procurement and getting inputs to the farmers that need them,’’ Brewer said.

Also, Sharma said Syngenta would work with USAID and major research institutions to ensure that Nigerian farmers had access to the best agricultural technologies to boost their productivity.

According to him, the 500,000 farmers will be selected from 10 states in the country, but he did not mention the affected states.

Stakeholders Task NSE On Financial Education

Working tools to be distributed to youths trained as Motor Mechanics in Sokoto recently.

LAGOS - Some financial experts in the stock market have urged the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to increase retail investors participation in the market by leveraging strategic investment campaigns.

They said in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos that there was need for NSE to embark on aggressive portfolio investments education and opportunities on the capital market across the country.

ICRC Lists Challenges Facing Infrastructure the political will towards Development ABUJA - Infrastructure transforming the infrastructure

Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) said lack of continuity in governance and unacceptability of Public-PrivatePartnership (PPP) as procurement alternative were major challenges facing infrastructure development in Nigeria.

The Director-General, ICRC, Alhaji Aminu Dikko, disclosed this in the 2013 annual report of the commission made available to newsmen in Abuja.

The report quoted Dikko as saying that PPP arrangement had the potential of leapfrogging the country’s infrastructure potential

but regretted that it was suffering some setback.

“The approach has some daunting but not insurmountable challenges such as acceptance of PPP as a veritable procurement alternative, lack of continuity following change in leadership and inadequacy of budgetary provisions,’’ he said.

According to him, absence of a stable and affordable long term financing is also another big challenge to infrastructure development in the country.

He called for long term

infrastructure fund sourced from international and domestic markets to help attract more investors.

“These assets can be tapped domestically from funds reposed in the country’s banking sector, sovereign wealth fund, pension funds, insurance funds and tax revenue.

“This will go a long way in ensuring that the huge opportunities for infrastructure investments in all sectors of the economy are realized,’’ he said.

Dikko said that the Federal Government had demonstrated

landscape with the introduction of National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) as primary source for PPP project development.

According to him, a lot of savings can also be made through efficiency gains in the utilization of existing infrastructure, mainly through maintenance.

“The World Bank 2009 estimated that about one-third of Africa’s infrastructure funding needs could be met through efficiency gains.

Mr Chineyeme Anyanwu, a Managing Partner of Dependable Securities Ltd, said that Nigerians’ knowledge about portfolio investments, contrary to other opinions, was still very shallow.

Anyanwu said that ignorance on the dynamics of the capital market has kept numerous Nigerians away from the market.

According to him, building and strengthening of investors’ confidence through investment education are strategic to the participation of many Nigerians in the capital market.

“I believe that when people have clear knowledge and understanding of how the market operates and the benefits accrued from it, they will be motivated to participate,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Emmanuel Eze, a Broker and the Managing Director, Perfecter Investment Trust Limited, suggested that the Federal Government should also invest in wealth creation education on opportunities through the NSE. Eze said that availability of enough fund in the market would enhance performance of the market, increase the market capital base and the number of investors.

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (28/08/2014) Stocks

Open

Close

Change

Deals

Units

Value

NEIMETH

1.09

1.04

-0.05

0

500,633

521,366.32

7UP

134

134

0

0

59,938

8,408,909.28

NEM

0.81

0.81

0

0

9,390,987

7,613,643.64

ABCTRANS

0.71

0.69

-0.02

0

946,750

646,427.50

NESTLE

1079.99

1079.99

0

0

41,585

43,818,248.51

ACADEMY

1.55

1.55

0

0

1,700

2,566.00

NEWGOLD

2015

2066

51

0

38

77,620.00

ACCESS

10

9.84

-0.16

0

1,185,587

11,630,965.77

NIG-GERMAN

7.36

7.36

0

0

5,000

35,000.00

AFRIPRUD

3.3

3.32

0.02

0

2,352,942

7,848,148.44

NNFM

21

19.95

-1.05

0

186,651

3,733,544.05

AGLEVENT

1.46

1.46

0

0

71,117

99,327.38

NPFMCRFBK

1.1

1.05

-0.05

0

342,210

365,122.00

AIICO

0.8

0.8

0

0

5,809,476

4,651,487.80

NSE30

1868.46

1881.03

12.57

0

95,970,426

2,106,786,372.00

AIRSERVICE

2.08

2.08

0

0

11,951

25,493.18

NSE50

2025.08

2038.82

13.74

0

218,446,083

2,384,166,642.00

ALUMACO

7.75

7.75

0

0

35

257.95

NSEASEM

951.96

951.96

0

0

300,000

423,000.00

ASHAKACEM

32

33.12

1.12

0

582,862

19,448,661.40

NSEASI

41121.14

41359.89

238.75

0

262,806,346

2,496,642,948.00

BERGER

9

9

0

0

33,027

288,786.44

NSEBNK

420.1

427.44

7.34

0

102,861,211

945,962,688.80

BETAGLAS

18.85

18.85

0

0

1,400

26,585.00

NSECNSMRGDS

1022.84

1023.69

0.85

0

9,274,788

420,739,148.50

BOCGAS

5.48

5.48

0

0

4,640

24,174.40

NSEINDUSTR

2695.79

2685.64

-10.15

0

2,065,410

106,852,277.10

CADBURY

59.85

59.85

0

0

98,186

5,660,213.25

NSEINS

144.69

144.59

-0.1

0

21,393,647

17,890,474.10

CAP

39.05

39.05

0

0

38,241

1,495,057.09

NSELOTUSISLM

2729.94

2728.01

-1.93

0

8,552,589

409,519,679.80

CAVERTON

5.32

5.32

0

0

76,600

406,316.00

NSEOILGAS

463.16

470.82

7.66

0

6,428,656

337,744,056.90

CCNN

14.45

14.4

-0.05

0

461,666

6,689,372.40

OANDO

25.96

26.15

0.19

0

5,103,878

132,474,082.80

CHAMPION

8.3

8.3

0

0

61,150

492,325.00

OKOMUOIL

33.51

34.49

0.98

0

194,386

6,575,723.20

CHAMS

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,470,000

735,000.00

PAINTCOM

1.6

1.6

0

0

97,490

155,993.00

CILEASING

0.5

0.5

0

0

7,004

3,502.00

PHARMDEKO

2.38

2.38

0

0

4,000

9,614.40

CONOIL

68

67.1

-0.9

0

157,291

10,602,904.46

PORTPAINT

5

5.1

0.1

0

100,000

510,000.00

CONTINSURE

0.99

1

0.01

0

1,436,890

1,425,752.20

PREMBREW

1.81

1.9

0.09

0

219,326

416,719.40

CORNERST

0.59

0.57

-0.02

0

1,735,618

989,302.26

PRESCO

36.3

36.3

0

0

111,800

4,035,056.40

COSTAIN

1.08

1.03

-0.05

0

895,177

944,364.43

PZ

35.5

35

-0.5

0

320,692

11,012,959.36

CUSTODYINS

3.85

3.88

0.03

0

628,321

2,505,012.32

REDSTAREX

4.8

4.8

0

0

57,500

264,200.00

CUTIX

1.84

1.84

0

0

101,200

186,816.00

REGALINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

800

400

DAARCOMM

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

ROYALEX

0.57

0.58

0.01

0

120,905

70,252.24

DANGCEM

225

225

0

0

14,219

3,200,388.27

RTBRISCOE

0.88

0.89

0.01

0

200,602

179,107.06

DANGFLOUR

7.5

7.16

-0.34

0

397,432

2,845,993.60

SCOA

4.91

4.91

0

0

560

2,615.20

DANGSUGAR

8.63

8.63

0

0

1,376,615

11,882,905.24

SEPLAT

680

680

0

0

51,790

35,174,036.78

DIAMONDBNK

6.1

6.05

-0.05

0

5,845,259

35,572,468.37

SKYEBANK

2.93

2.95

0.02

0

2,900,585

8,553,050.72

EQUITYASUR

0.5

0.5

0

0

381,772

190,886.00

STACO

0.5

0.5

0

0

14,435

7,217.50

ETERNA

3.9

3.9

0

0

179,015

688,764.36

STANBIC

30

30

0

0

534,663

16,040,699.40

ETI

16.5

16.4

-0.1

0

1,897,642

31,260,398.89

STDINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

14,250

7,125.00

EVANSMED

2.02

2.02

0

0

14,710

28,819.20

STERLNBANK

2.4

2.37

-0.03

0

62,218,211

152,044,783.50

FBNH

14.1

14.49

0.39

0

8,730,141

124,748,104.40

TANTALIZER

0.5

0.5

0

0

26,974

13,487.00

FCMB

4.3

4.28

-0.02

0

3,744,053

15,867,803.09

TOTAL

180.02

180.08

0.06

0

46,461

8,379,977.70

FIDELITYBK

1.98

2

0.02

0

1,046,762

2,080,197.09

TRANSCORP

5.81

6

0.19

0

29,715,522

176,791,614.80

FIDSON

3.33

3.33

0

0

8,016,203

26,685,018.90

TRANSEXPR

1.79

1.79

0

0

4,500

7,695.00

FIRSTALUM

0.5

0.5

0

0

990

495

TRIPPLEG

1.88

1.88

0

0

44,429

79,527.91

FLOURMILL

68.11

68.11

0

0

70,346

4,593,692.68

UAC-PROP

15.95

15.6

-0.35

0

310,301

4,739,501.52

59.9

58.52

-1.38

0

3,302,372

193,243,717.20

FO

215.05

225.8

10.75

0

834,045

175,856,613.00

UACN

FORTISMFB

5.42

5.42

0

0

200

1,136.00

UBA

7.19

7.44

0.25

0

3,113,192

22,920,329.67

FTNCOCOA

0.5

0.5

0

0

6,900

3,450.00

UBCAP

2.15

2.2

0.05

0

2,271,198

4,929,462.98

GLAXOSMITH

65.99

65.99

0

0

27,467

1,725,308.90

UBN

8.1

8.1

0

0

153,727

1,258,101.48

GUARANTY

28.88

29.87

0.99

0

15,640,821

461,729,204.20

UNHOMES

0.5

0.5

0

0

9,500

4,750.00

GUINNESS

185

185

0

0

196,745

36,190,994.32

UNILEVER

49

49

0

0

259,830

12,636,470.27

HONYFLOUR

4.09

4.15

0.06

0

759,201

3,151,714.30

UNIONDICON

14.11

14.11

0

0

300

4,023.00

IKEJAHOTEL

0.82

0.78

-0.04

0

525,000

421,080.36

UNITYBNK

0.5

0.5

0

0

41,321,212

20,660,606.00

INFINITY

1.52

1.52

0

0

18,119

28,707.91

UNIVINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

196,312

98,156.00

INTBREW

27

28

1

0

1,354,035

37,909,697.00

UPL

4.25

4.35

0.1

0

258,954

1,126,493.20

INTENEGINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

4,704

2,352.00

UTC

0.5

0.5

0

0

504,807

252,403.50

JAPAULOIL

0.51

0.51

0

0

3,487,913

1,788,360.33

VETGRIF30

18.65

18.8

0.15

0

20

376.2

JBERGER

65

65

0

0

3,928

252,066.40

VITAFOAM

4.15

4.15

0

0

583,922

2,422,523.83

JOHNHOLT

1.13

1.13

0

0

69

74.52

VONO

1.14

1.09

-0.05

0

130,000

141,700.00

LASACO

0.5

0.5

0

0

5,182

2,591.00

WAPCO

120

118

-2

0

635,305

74,850,617.45

LAWUNION

0.5

0.5

0

0

7,000

3,500.00

WAPIC

0.78

0.75

-0.03

0

1,761,507

1,356,861.28

LEARNAFRCA

1.58

1.58

0

0

38,500

59,120.00

WEMABANK

0.94

0.95

0.01

0

6,540,569

6,144,665.18

LINKASSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

ZENITHBANK

24.3

24.75

0.45

0

8,859,425

218,913,189.10

LIVESTOCK

3.14

3.25

0.11

0

535,000

1,699,950.00

MANSARD

2.5

2.54

0.04

0

610,090

1,527,772.30

MAYBAKER

1.44

1.37

-0.07

0

1,609,300

2,251,494.30

MBENEFIT

0.54

0.54

0

0

37,128

19,679.12

MCNICHOLS

1.41

1.41

0

0

300,000

423,000.00

MOBIL

174

174

0

0

32,758

5,741,265.97

MRS

55.96

55.96

0

0

75,208

4,000,448.66

NAHCO

4.9

4.95

0.05

0

545,295

2,712,314.61

NASCON

10

10.19

0.19

0

2,460,050

24,875,819.73

NB

174.73

175

0.27

0

1,235,061

214,836,682.10

NCR

13.5

13.5

0

0

27,441

370,453.50

TOP 10 GAINERS Stock NSEASI NEWGOLD NSE50 NSE30 FO NSEOILGAS NSEBNK ASHAKACEM INTBREW GUARANTY

Close 41359.89 2066 2038.82 1881.03 225.8 470.82 427.44 33.12 28 29.87

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain

Stock

Close

Loss

238.75 51 13.74 12.57 10.75 7.66 7.34 1.12 1 0.99

NSEINDUSTR 10.15 WAPCO NSELOTUSISLM UACN NNFM CONOIL PZ UAC-PROP DANGFLOUR ACCESS

2685.64

-

118 2728.01 58.52 19.95 67.1 35 15.6 7.16 9.84

-2 -1.93 -1.38 -1.05 -0.9 -0.5 -0.35 -0.34 -0.16

DURING the week, an international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International , in its latest report and video footage of the nation’s Armed Forces alleged that the Nigeria military is involved in “brutal” extra-judicial killings in the North-Eeastern part of the country.

THE video footage released in Lagos on Monday showed the nation’s military abusing civilians and engaging in extrajudicial killings of civilians in the north eastern parts of the country, where the activities of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, have been overwhelming.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER believes in the aphorism that two wrongs can’t make a right and as such calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to give the report the needed attention by instituting a high powered probe to ensure that Nigeria is not shielding right violators in its military.

THIS measure is important because of the hasty dismissal of the report by some top government officials who ought to be more diplomatic in responding to the report because such early dismissal of the report is capable of damaging the nation’s image among the comity of nations. The Coordinator, National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri at a news conference in Abuja same day absolved the military of human rights abuses, saying the Nigerian Army was not involved in the alleged killing of the Boko Haram detainees as reported

by Amnesty International. He went ahead to describe the Nigerian Army as a professional security forces which would not get involved in such “dastardly act.”

THE soldiers involved in the brutal extrajudicial execution of victims, either suspects or not do not have such rights under the Nigerian constitution. Nobody, under the Nigerian Constitution has the

THE NIGERIAN

Probe Alleged War Crimes

By Soldiers rights to undertake extra-judicial killing(s).

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER views Omeri’s comments as patronising and expected trademark of the usual government’s grandstanding in the face of obvious evidence.

WE expected the federal government to be more circumspect and diplomatic in its choice of words since Omeri and his agency did not carry out any immediate investigations to determine the veracity of the allegations. A situation where ordinary Nigerian citizens come up with clear cases of rights violation and the state sweeps it under the carpet, international organisations come up with their accusation and is also sweep under the carpet, may be creating a fertile ground for citizens to device unconventional means to express their disgust.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER recalls that the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency stems from extra-judicial execution of the leader of the outlawed group in police custody. Part of the demands of the extremists that infuriated their later actions was the demand for justice for their slain member. Till date, there is no action from the Federal Government to show that justice has been delivered to Yusuf, even in his grave.

So, dismissing by a wave of the hand a report

with weighty allegations of international magnitude is quite deluding.

WE believe the Nigerian government cannot allow security agencies to commit war crimes against its own people and expect civilized nations to tolerate these same crimes being perpetrated by the state and then provide the help needed to win the war against terrorism. We strongly believe that it is self -defeating and uncivilized. This is why the government must thoroughly and independently probe the Amnesty International reports and take action against security operatives that are implicated in them, irrespective of their ranks.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER strongly believes that to assist the nation’s armed forces and prevent further occurrence, President Goodluck Jonathan must raise a strong panel of inquiry to investigate the allegations of war crimes as shown in the video footage, otherwise the atrocities may be taken as official position and the President stands the risk of being accused of war crimes and crime against humanity.

IT is equally important to call on the military to prosecute the current war against terrorism in Northern Nigeria with sufficient respect for human rights. This is direly needed to enjoy the confidence of the international community in its campaign against terrorism.

FINALLY, we also want to call on Amnesty International to also extend its work to the Boko Haram camp and reveal to the world the butchery, slaughtering of their captives so that global citizens could take them more seriously. Releasing a one-sided report in a war that has revealed several extra-judicial killings in most bizzare manner by the insurgents is inappropriate and capable of tarnishing the global human right’s watchdog’s image.

write up is of the utmost importance to both Muslims and non Muslims alike because these are the most common sins that most believers commit. Some commit them due to a personal weakness, while others commit them due to the fact that they do not understand what each one means. After reading through, you should have an understanding of what these three sins are, so that you can get on the path of removing them from your life.

The Qur’ an teaches us how to treat other Muslims and non- Muslims. First, we should not seek to find the faults of others. If you search hard enough, you will find something wrong with just about everyone including yourself.

The Qur’ an states: ..And do not spy or backbite each other. (Qur’an 49: 32) We should be focusing on eliminating our own faults, If we are not doing so, then we are destroying our own souls by neglecting them while we try to find out what is wrong with the soul of someone else.

Next, the Qur’an states:”0 you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become regretful over what you have done” (Qur’an 49: 6) The Arabic word, translated here as ‘a disobedient one’, is fâsiq, which literally means an evildoer. According to the explanation of this particular verse, though, the word’ ‘fâsiq’ here refers to people of doubtful character, or those whose honesty has not yet been proven, or known sinners.

The verse was revealed about a noble Companion who had made a bad mistake that had serious consequences for the community; nevertheless, he was not a consistent evildoer.

Before you spread any information, you should verify it. If you hear something about a person, go to him or her and confirm it before spreading that information. This applies no matter who told you, because even the most righteous person you know may be incorrect about another person and pass on false information. How many lives have been hurt, destroyed, or ended because people have unintentionally passed on false information?

You may actually cause such damage by your action. Would you want to face Allah on the Day of Judgment having spread a rumour that destroyed someone’s life, only to find out that it was not even true?

Consider how you would feel if you were on the other side. Would you want people to spread information about you without trying to verify it with you first? Imagine that everyone in a community now believed something about you that was not true, because no one bothered to come and ask you about it. Treat other people as you would want them to treat you.

During the time of the first three generations, people lived in close-knit communities. People living in the same neighbourhood all knew each other, and they knew each other’s condition as well. A person’s reputation could easily be ruined. If anyone lied publicly, he or she would be known to be a liar from that point on. In the modern world, many of us live further apart, and we are distracted by television, the Internet, homework, video games, sports, iPod portable media players and the like.

Therefore, it is extremely difficult to know who is internally truthful despite their external piety and religiosity. In these trying times, it is best for us to err on the side of caution and check anyone’s story, no matter how pious the person appears to be. In my short life, I have personally witnessed very religious people (who were considered trustworthy) aid in the destruction of another Muslim’s reputation simply because they did not go back and ask that Muslim for his side

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Voice Of

Islam

Every Friday With Mallam Abdulfattah Enabulele Chief Imam of Benin

The Problems Of Not Verifying Information of the story. They heard something about a Muslim and passed it on to another Muslim, who passed it on to another Muslim — and they all turned out to be wrong because they did not go back and verify it with that person. We have an example of this when some hypocrites accused our mother A’ishah of adultery. Word spread around the Muslim community, and it took a verse from the Qur’ an to restore her reputation. In these days, no verse is going to come down to restore our reputations, so we need to be extra careful about what we say or believe, and we need to be doubly careful to verify it.

Many people fail into this trap when talking about politics, when they recount what they heard on the news or read in the newspapers. Others go to the further extreme of relating this to some British, Masonic, or Jewish conspiracy theory for which they have no real proof whatsoever, All they have is conjecture. Islam teaches us that a person who narrates whatever he hears is not a truly trustworthy person. Muslims should not relay any information unless they know it firsthand. Even then, they should only relay information that is beneficial and permissible.

The Qur’an compares backbiting to cannibalism. Picture yourself eating a raw carcass of a human being, because this is what you are doing.

0 you who have believed, avoid much negative assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.)

(Qur’an 49: 12)

Backbiting means saying something about others, behind their backs, which they would not like to have said about them — even if it is true.

Abu Hurayrah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: Do you know backbiting? They said: Allah and His messenger know best. He said: When you speak about your brother what he would dislike, it is backbiting. Someone asked: What if my brother is as I say? The Messenger of Allah: If he is as you say, you have been backbiting; if he is not as you say, you have slandered him. (Muslim) If you engage in backbiting, reflect on the hadith of the truly bankrupt person. The Messenger of Allah (said: Do you know who is bankrupt? They — the Companions — said: A bankrupt person is the one who has neither dirham (money) nor wealth. The Prophet said: The bankrupt person among my followers is the one who would come on the Day of Judgment with prayers, fasting, and zakãh; but he would have offended one person, slandered another, devoured others’ wealth, shed the blood of this person, and hit that person.

(Consequently) his rewards will be distributed to all of them, and when he loses all his rewards before their accounts are fulfilled, then their sins will be taken and cast upon him, and he will be thrown into the hellfire.

(Muslim) Think about all of the prayers, fasting, charity, and other good deeds you did in your life. The person you just talked about now has a right to take from your good deeds on the Day of Judgment. Can you afford that? Is it worth it? Reflect on this before you talk about others. Also, try to live up to this hadith: He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say what is good or be silent. (Bukhari and Muslim) In our culture, we have a similar saying: “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

There is an exercise some scholars recommended to cure one from backbiting.

Carry a notepad with you. Every time you backbite, write down what you said, when you said it, where you said it, and whom you were talking to. You may begin to notice a pattern after a week. You may find that you only backbite when you hang out with Zayd or Layla. That will teach you that you have to be extra careful guarding your tongue when you are around Zayd or Layla However, there are three occasions when backbiting is permissible. If someone is inquiring about the character of a person for a possible marriage or a business partnership, and you have witnessed firsthand that the person under consideration is morally corrupt, then you must tell the one who is asking.

However, you can only relate information that you have seen personally. Also, if you are called to testify in court, you must tell the truth.

Solving The Problems Committed By The Seven Limbs OUR problems are rooted in sins. Sins are manifested on the seven limbs, which may refer to a physical or spiritual nature.

This write up contains exercises developed by our predecessors to help us kick the habits of sin from the seven areas we use to commit sins.

Exercises for the private parts For forty days straight, give up fornication, adultery, and being in a room alone with an unrelated woman. If you can do it for forty days, you can do it for life.

Exercises for the hands For forty days straight, give up all the ways that you can harm other human beings with your hands, such as stealing and fighting (except as necessary in selfdefense, martial arts class, disciplining

your children, or other similar situations).

If you can do it for forty days, you can do it for life.

Exercises for the feet For forty days straight, give up walking or driving to anywhere that you may commit sins. If you can do it for forty days, you can do it for life.

Exercises for the stomach For forty days straight, give up eating pork, drinking alcohol, and accumulating wealth through interest, gambling, or any other forbidden means. If you can do it for forty days, you can do it for life Exercises for the ears For forty days straight, give up listening to backbiting, slander, spying, and any music or television programs that promote sins, If you can do it for forty days, you

can do it for life.

Exercises for the tongue For forty days straight, give up lying (except in situations when it is permissible, when you are trying to protect someone from physical or mental danger or to reconcile two people who are quarreling), backbiting, slander, gossip, arguing, being nosy and not minding your own business. If you can do it for forty days, you can do it for life.

Exercises for the eyes For forty days, give up looking lustfully at members of the opposite sex, watching other people sin or being in their environments, or watching television programs that show people committing sins. If you can do it for forty days, you can do it for life.

IT is really absurd how the Nigerian society is very good at setting ‘crazy standards’.

Standards that are often unheard of in other advanced or developing nations across the globe, particularly those that are far better than us as a nation in all ramifications.

That is how best we can describe the ‘superiority’ debacle that is currently plaguing the health sector in Nigeria. The rivalry between the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)/Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), AND the Joint Health Sector’s Unions (JOHESU)/ and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA), is threatening to put Nigerian health sector in serious crisis.

This unfortunate development to us, is amongst the major reason Nigeria’s health sector has been on a life support because of its ‘self-inflicted’ problems that is encouraged by the political class. But where peoples’ lives is now used to play politics, it seriously calls for concern.

Though, the described rivalry between NMA/ MDCAN on the one side and JOHESU/AHPA on the other, has been there for quite some time, it became quite obvious when barely a few days after the Nigerian Medical Association suspended its planned industrial action in January 2014, the Joint Health Sectors’ Unions announced its decision to embark on a five-day warning strike which began from January 15 to 21, 2014.

The union, had on January 7, directed its members to proceed with a warning strike except the Federal Government addresses its grievances through constructive dialogue. The JOHESU, comprising of pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers and laboratory scientists, among others, warned that a “dialogue with President Goodluck Jonathan would be the minimum and non-negotiable conditionality for the resolution of the crisis.” The union listed its grievance to include approval of consultancy status for some cadre of health workers, payment of specialists and other professional allowances as enjoyed by doctors, call duty/ shift allowance, and refusal of Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, to abide by the ruling of the National Industrial Court in July 2013.

It also blamed the NMA and the Ministry of Health for all the lingering problems and disharmony in the health

sector, warning that the move to appoint a Surgeon-General, to head the health sector, would create more confusion not only in the health system, but among all cadres of workforce in the country. The union accused Chukwu of seeking to institutionalize the professional chauvinism of medical and dental practitioners as against international best practice.

The JOHESU also blamed the minister for Nigeria’s poor health indices and inconsistencies in the national health bill.

It is no news that the problems bedeviling the Nigerian Health Sector are enormous: ranging from poor funding by the government – with resulting poor equipment and lack of specialist medical personnel - to brain drain and lack of industrial harmony among the workers in the field. Obviously, because it has to do with ‘human lives’, we are not sure if there is any other sector in Nigeria that has been traumatized by industrial disharmony more than Nigeria’s health care. The sector has been literally brought to its knees by interprofessional bickering and struggle for supremacy. While the doctors contend that they – by virtue of their training and responsibilities—are the natural heads of the sector, other health workers, including nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, laboratory technicians/ technologist, radiographers, and practically every other non-physician staff argue otherwise. And of course, while this rages on, the health care sector continues to suffer with attendant loss of innocent lives; the lives of our women and children, our fellow Nigerians. It is no surprise therefore that the life expectancy of any child born in Nigeria today is amongst the lowest in the world, only higher than that of a child born in Angola and Afghanistan.

In its bid to address issues, it was reported that the Federal Government of Nigeria and JOHESU reached an agreements on some of the issues of contention.

According to reports, the “agreements” was said to have been reached at a meeting that was held in Abuja, FCT between the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA); with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity; Honourable Minister of Health; Chairman, Salaries, Income and Wages

Insight The Supremacy Struggle B

By ZIK GBEMRE

Commission; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and other top government functionaries on 5th of June 2014. Three of these agreements, which the MDCAN has equally raised a brow on, are of great concern to us since they have grave implications for the management and survival of the health sector in Nigeria.

According to the report, firstly, the meeting was said to have communicated that a circular dated 16th May, 2014 had been released by the Federal Government, formally restoring “consultancy status to other health care professionals and approving the payment of a specialist allowance to other health care professionals other than medical and dental practitioners.” In line with this so-called circular, JOHESU/AHPA have directed that all their members who are due and have satisfied the existing criteria, as upheld by a court judgment, for consulting positions, should apply for the payment of the allowance with its accrued arrears with effect from 1st January, 2010 in line with the CONHESS Circular dated 8th December 2009.

The second thing was that the meeting was said to have accepted JOHESU and AHPA’s position and demand, and accordingly agreed to abolish the post of Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC).

JOHESU/ AHPA’ position is that the establishment and existence of that post is unlawful, and that no further appointment should be made into the post.

Thirdly, the meeting was said to have agreed to refer a number of issues to the Yayale Ahmed Committee.

These issues include the review of the process of appointment of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Teaching Hospitals and the agitation of JOHESU & AHPA that appointment of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors be made from permanent staff of the teaching hospitals rather than from the universities; the alleged lopsidedness of advertorial for appointment of CMDs/MDs, which is skewed in favour of medical and dental practitioners, and the agitation of JOHESU & AHPA that the appointment process be made open to all “competent and qualified” health professionals.

Just like the MDCAN, we vehemently disagree with the above reported agreements as agreed and approved by the Federal Government. We believe Medical Practitioners that make up the MDCAN are an association of medical and dental consultants, who, exclusive of other professionals in the health sector, are known and addressed as “consultants”.

Negotiating and agreeing with non-medical and dental practitioners in the health sector, and designating them “consultants”, such that there will now be multiplicity of consultants in the teaching hospitals, is not acceptable and a grievous step in the wrong direction.

Across developed societies, medical doctors/ medical consultants are the ones that are known to head health institutions and not Nurses or Laboratory technicians or Physiotherapists or what have you. This is hinged on the fact that the training, schooling and exposed experiences of this two great divide are different. Nurses and others in that category are supposed to be ‘aides’ that assist medical doctors/ medical consultants in health care delivery and not to assume heads of medical clinics or become medical consultants. No matter the years and experience gathered by a Nurse for instance, it does not automatically make such a Nurse qualified to become medical consultants. As a Nurse or any other health worker, it is expected that if one wants to become a medical doctor/medical consultant, one should go back to the appropriate school to get a degree in medicine. We know people in UK and in the USA, that had read other medical courses up to PHD level and they still went back to school to read medicine and wrote the appropriate exams to become medical practitioners/doctors today.

Medicine is not Pharmacy, neither is it Nursing or Laboratory technology.

These medical fields, though related and are meant to work in harmony, are still different.

You cannot just become a medical consultant like a doctor by mere ‘promotion’ or ‘ascribed status.’ And it is absolutely wrong for the Federal Government or its officials to do this. Doing so is practically putting the Nigerian health sector in

great jeopardy. In advanced societies in the UK and USA, prescriptions for various ailments are only given by medical doctors/medical consultants. And such prescriptions are strictly followed by Nurses and Pharmacists without altering them.

On this issue of superiority in the health care sector and the appointment of staff into leadership positions; Sahfeeyah Musa, a member of Thought Leadership Forum, noted one very important fact and that is, the word

the medical doctor, it will appear, has training in ALL aspects of patient care.

However, let us reiterate the fact that every member of the health team is equally important, but due to the central role that the doctor plays in the team then it is impossible to strip him/her of the leadership role. For instance, when a person is sick and needs to go to a hospital, the patient goes to see a doctor. The doctor, from his assessment of the patient will determine if the patient needs admission or not; tests

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‘superiority’ is a misnomer and should never be used in the context of team work.

Provision of health care, like it is with almost everything else, is team work. Within the team are several professionals each with his/her own area of expertise. But as it is with every field of human endeavour there must also be a leader for every team. While leadership is not usually a birth right, certain qualities entrust leadership on certain groups of people in the natural order of things. In the health care team, the medical doctor, from our understanding and by virtue of his training, job function and experience, is no doubt the leader of the team.

While all other health care workers (including the Pharmacist, Laboratory technicians/Scientist, Nurses, Physiotherapist etc.), will appear to have training in specific areas of patient care,

or not; drugs or not; physiotherapy or not etc. This central role must not be taken for granted and should be respected by all and sundry.

We are aware that in some parts of the world a patient can as a matter of fact go to the hospital to see a nonphysician staff. This is especially true with “nondisease conditions like pregnancy” where a woman can be registered to see a trained nurse midwife and not a medical doctor. However, this arrangement, like we have observed, is meant to ‘free-up’ more specialist personnel i.e. the obstetricians, for more serious conditions like surgeries, eclampsia or pre-eclampsia.

Interestingly, even where complications are observed in such a person, the patient is immediately registered to see a doctor. As such, it will be disingenuous to suggest that

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Insight Between Medical Doctors And Other Health Workers

ients go to hospital to see other health professional er than the doctor. Even a gnant woman on her first t to a hospital for her antial care, is still made to first a doctor before she can see nurse mid-wife on sequent visits. ome honest questions for keholders to ponder; uld anyone (on both sides he obvious divide), allow ostess to pilot a plane, cause she is in close

mity to the pilot and helps enjoy your flight time? d anyone allow the clerk eir lawyer argue their case urt? Would anyone allow bricklayer champion the neering design of their ding? Now the hostess s the same remuneration as ilot, the clerk wants to run hambers, the bricklayer is garding the instructions of uilding engineer. No doubt, y one of them is crucial to uccess of the project, but e are differences in the fications, responsibilities positions of them all. It is fore expected that they all k together with dignity acing the positions they are fied to fill. s a known fact before a on can be appointed a ultant in the medical ssion; he or she must have ned the requisite degrees of helor of Medicine and elor of Surgery (MB, BS).

The person must be a fellow of a post-graduate medical college either in Nigeria or from any other recognized post- graduate medical colleges, and must have the required professional experience and expertise as a medical doctor. The post graduate medical colleges in Nigeria and West Africa being referred to here are the West Africa Post-Graduate Medical College, West Africa PostGraduate College of Surgeon,

and the National PostGraduate Medical College of Nigeria.

Under the scheme of service, as contained in the relevant Circular, issued by the Federal Ministry of Health, medical consultants who have the requisite qualification and who must have undergone a minimum level of professional training, are the ones, exclusive of other health professionals, to whom patients are assigned, and who, upon that assignment, are responsible for the management of patients.

Further, under that exclusive assignment and management duty, it is the medical consultant (Medical Doctor) that will determine who, apart from himself, has to join him to manage his patient, depending on the diagnosis, and whether the patient is suffering from a

single ailment or multiple ailments. If the medical doctor to whom the patient is assigned is a consultant in the field of medicine covering the patient’s ailment, but the diagnosis reveals that the patient’s primary ailment has implicated other organs of the body and occasioned secondary or consequential diseases over which the medical consultant has no specialization, it is still the duty of that medical consultant, managing the patient, to call in other consultants or specialists to assist him in managing his patient.

Designating or appointing Nurses, Pharmacists or Physiotherapists or Laboratory technicians/ Scientists as “Consultants” in the hearth sector is, therefore, an aberration, and a perversion of the ‘order of care’ in the health sector.

Under this order of care, there is no rule that can accommodate this designation or appointment of non-medical doctors as consultants or specialists, even if some managers of public hospitals in Nigeria want to invent the absurdity.

In the medical profession, Nurses, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists and Laboratory technicians are not trained to make diagnosis and prescribe treatment. In fact, members of the NMA/ MDCAN have genuine fears that the constitutionally guaranteed right of patients to life will be in jeopardy if nonmedical doctors are appointed as consultants. Come to think of it, when patients die or are dissatisfied with any aspect of health care, it is the Consultants/medical doctors that are sued rather than the nurses or others in this category. We believe that being Medical Doctors who swore to the Physician’s Oath, and being Medical and Dental Consultants – which are the eminent class in the medical profession; members of MDCAN are duty-bound to protect lives of Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are passing through Nigeria’s health care delivery system.

So, the Nigerian Government should not complicate issues for everyone by playing politics with the health of its citizenry. The oddity and aberration of this agreement by the Federal Government of Nigeria and JOHESU and APHA on “extension of Consultancy statuses to all

health professionals,” is not only that it is professionally and administratively perverse; it is also a legal absurdity.

It is imperative to recall that, following the determination of a Suit in 2012 involving the Trade Union Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHUSU), which include: Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria; National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives; Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospital, Research Intitutes and Associated Institutions Nigerian Union OfPharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professions Allied to Medicine; and NonAcademic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions Vs. Federal Ministry of Health, on Monday, the 22nd day of July, 2013, by Hon. Justice B.A Adejumo ( Presiding Judge), Hon. Justice B.B Kanyip and Hon, Justice M.N. Esowe, where in the National Industrial Court, held that a few non-medical and dental practitioners aberrantly appointed as consultants in University College Hospital, Ibadan should continue to enjoy that status. The Federal Ministry of Health (that is the Federal Government of Nigeria), appealed that decision, and the MDCAN also approached the National Industrial Court with an application to set aside the judgment. The Appeal and Application are still pending in Courts.

We all know the law is well settled in Nigeria that once a civil matter is placed before a court or judicial tribunal for adjudication, parties to the court action most refrain from doing anything capable of overreaching, undermining or foisting a fait accompli on the court. Doing so will not only be tantamount to subverting the rule of law, but also will amount to treating the court with contempt, the punishment of which is imprisonment. No matter the impatience on the part of parties, they are under a legal obligation to await the outcome of the resolution or determination of the issues submitted to the court for adjudication. Hence, the so called agreement on the extension of consultative status to all health professionals and the purported issuance of a circular to that effect is contemptuous of the Courts. It undermines and subverts the majesty, dignity and integrity of the Courts; it is illegal and it is an affront to the rule of law.

A public affairs analyst noted that back when he was in primary 4, with no personal prior contact with a medical doctor, he made a stunning observation – and that is, everyone who then was pursuing a medicalrelated courses in the University, be it Biochemistry, Microbiology, Optometry, Physiotherapy, Medical Lab Science, Nursing or Pharmacy, came home to the village brandishing his or herself as a doctor. When few clarifications were made about these disciplines by his teacher, he reasoned that there must be something about the doctor that is lacking in the other ENVIABLE DISCIPLINES that made them proudly present themselves as who they were not, even after spending time reading a profession. Looking into the Nigerian society, the medically ignorant (literate or not) without reservations refers to anybody who offers any help in his ailment as doctor. Be it the over the counter patent medicine dealer; the charlatans who have taken over our media houses with treatments of staphylococcus, gonococcus and even non existing cocci; the specialists in diagnosing malaria and typhoid who do ‘culture’ for every ignorant Nigerian presenting to him; the man who has converted drug dispensing places to consulting rooms and treatment centres with many children who had earlier seen him with diarrhoea presenting later to the hospitals with extra pyramidal signs and symptoms; or the women in the maternity homes (most of them owned by hospital orderlies, after all they work in the hospitals), from where almost every case of obstructed labour and ruptured uterus emanate. Do a little finding about the man who flaunts stethoscope in front of his car daily along our roads and you will be shocked about the man behind the wheels.

The major problem here is that unfortunately, we live in a society where titles take precedence over proficiency; where leaders are bereft of common sense; where the struggle for national cake is sacrificed for excellence; where charlatans and noisy touts dictate for professors the course of state affairs; where laid down rules/ guidelines are sidelined once the man up is either your

brother or colleague or you have patted him on the back; where we wait first for a system to crumble or become overstretched before we act right and even when we act, we do window dressing that ends up producing whitepainted sepulcher. Perhaps, the day the doctor starts looking at this current war from this view point, he will be better armed and informed to fight along. Most of these fights are attempts to get even; attempts to square up; attempts to prove to then classmates “after all we are still equals.” If only those in the medical field, especially the health workers aside medical doctors, would take pride in their expertise and be content with where they are.

And if one wants to change his/her status to a medical doctor, then one should pay the necessary sacrifice to read medicine and attain it.

In view of the several troubles our Country is going through currently, there is need for the Presidency to do everything in its powers to ensure that the health sector is not thrown into disarray on account of ill -motivated and ill-decided positions taken on behalf of Government by officials who seem not to be aware of, or care little about the havoc the decisions being taken by them will wreak on the health sector. There is need to address these perennial issues of granting arbitrary, anti-health care delivery concessions in the health sector by agents and agencies of government, just to placate and appease some workers in the health sector, even when those concessions, on the long term, will lead to the destruction of the health care delivery system in our Country. It is high time the system stopped granting concessions that will ruin the health care delivery system to a resentful and conspiratorial segment of the health sector workforce on the altar of political expediency, and in the illusion that doing so is the best way to guarantee industrial harmony. The lives of human beings are at stake here not personal interests.

The government must be above board in reining in everyone in the health sector and not play politics with human lives each moment a union throws tantrum; be it doctors or non-doctors.

Focus

Between Danjuma And Mary Williams DR. Tony Campolo Writes: “I know a man who loves to use his money to help people who do not and will never know him. When he was told about a student who was hoping to become a minister in the vineyard, but going to drop out of school for financial reasons, he contacted the college and arranged to have the student’s bills paid.

That student became one of the best preachers in the world, hundreds have become Christians under his leadership, thousands; and he never did find out who put up the money!

Behind it all was a person with resources, and the desire to do something that would live on, it surprises me that more people don’t do this.

Many keep their money tucked away and when they die, they leave it to people who don’t really need it. What a waste, when they could make a difference in so many lives.

Barely a week after the sad story of citizen Danjuma, 25 year–old physically challenged man who was dumped in a dust bin in front of his uncle’s house at Oza Street, Benin City Edo State, another pathetic case of abandonment has been reported in same city.

Like Danjuma, Miss Mary Williams, a three hundred (300 level) part -time Accounting student at the University of Benin, Edo

By FRIDAY OBANOR

State, Nigeria has been abandoned by her biological father Mr. Williams because of her condition.

Mary was said to have been dumped by her father at the bush near the Ekehuan campus of the University of Benin sometime in 2012 after she was diagnosis to have been tested to the dreaded Hiv/ Aids virus.

Abandoned by her biological father and not by her creator (God), the young lady who said she hailed from Irrua, in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo state has battled with life up to this moment for survival.

Mary who walked into The NIGERIAN OBSERVER premises on Monday 25th August, 2014 in company of the coordinator of Initiative for Rehabilitation, And care for OVC, Hiv/Aids Prevention (INRECA), a Non Governmental Organisation, Mrs. Roseline Odiase said in 2012 when she was seriously sick, with the instruction of her father she was dumped by the bush at the back of the university of Benin, Ekehuan campus where passerby saw her and took her to UBTH where she was treated for some months by the authority of the hospital free of charge.

Upon her discharge from the hospital, no where to go, she now sleep in the open room at the hospital before INRECA attention

was drawn to her situation and with the support of the social welfare department of UBTH and a Rev. sister, who owns a home came to her rescue and she was

my father discovered that I tested positive to Hiv/ Aids after diagnosis, he decided to dump me at the bush near Ekewan campus of the University of Benin

mother in 2003 and that she is the second of twelve (12) children given birth to by her father who runs a polygamous family.

“In the process of my illness, I have to stop schooling because I could no longer cope with my present situation and going to school; infact I was now becoming stigmatised when my fellow student got to know what I was passing through”.

Miss Mary Williams

taken into the place where she has been living ever since.

According to her, “I was a 300level part time Accounting Student at the university of Benin as at the time I fell ill and when

where passersby now came to my rescue and took me to UBTH for treatment”.

Mary who was visibly weeping while narrating her experience to this paper said she lost her

“I was a 300level part time Accounting Student at the university of Benin as at the time I fell ill and when my father discovered that I tested positive to Hiv/Aids after diagnosis, he decided to dump me at the bush near Ekewan campus of the University of Benin where passersby now came to my rescue and took me to UBTH for treatment”.

Seeing my condition, the coordinator of INRECA, Lady Roseline Odiase now decided that since I cannot continue with my University Education, I should think of something else to do in life so that I can have something to put food on my table instead of continuous dependant on people.

“INRECA then cried to LAPO on my behalf for succor and LAPO promised to help me learn a trade”. She lamented.

Collaborating her tales, the coordinator of INRECA, madam

Roseline Odiase said when mary fell sick last November and almost gave up the Ghost it was God that brought her back to life adding that when she cried to notable politician in the state including the member representing her (Mary), constituency at the Edo state House of Assembly, non could show interest as some believed she was already dead.

“She will not die, she only need adequate food, medical attention and booster inclusive; her attitude has been low and before anything Mary will collapsed and she will be rush to UBTH where the CMD, Professor Michael Igbadi and his team of medical personnel has showed professionalism in helping to revive her anytime there is crisis, today by the Grace of God she is better” “LAPO kept to its promise to INRECA that it will train Mary for a trade, now Mary has graduated from LAPO and ready to do something in order to take care of herself not to die like Danjuma but she needs support”. She asked.

Things Mary need to start a new life according to the INERCA coordinator are equipments needed to set up her own careering business which include GAS, oven, fridge, scale, Blender, salade kit, pin roller, sieves, meat cutter, Baking Pan of various designs, big rubber bowls and small rubber bowls.

Others are greater, brush, trail, hand towel, egg cutter, big pots, native pots, big spoon, mix meat machine, pounding machine, rolling pin etc.

Who-would-be donors are also advised to channel whatever they have for Mary through INRECA office at No. 64A Siluko Road, Benin City or telephone number 08026679786, Email: Inrecafor hivaids yahoo.com or cash donation can be send to INRECA Account Number 0124664310, Bank GT Bank.

Society Humanitarian Services: CHURCHES are springing up like wide fire during the dry season in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large but most of these churches that are economically vibrant have not really contributed their quota to the development of their host community and the society at large.

The government continually activities of the church in bare the burden of developing Nigeria especially in Edo state the society when churches on and found out that various the other side has a lot to do local governments areas in assisting the government in benefited from such developing the society and humanitarian services making it a better place to live provided for their host in. communities and Churches can collaborate government. Our reporter with the government in precisely monitored the several ways like constructing activities in Oredo local bad roads that leads to their government area where the worship centres, providing services took three hours (7 – boreholes for their host 10 am). communities, providing As early as 7am on the said scholarship to under - date, Urhokpota Hall, the privilege students in the venue where the exercise communities, providing for kicked off was full with vulnerable and abandoned members of the church ready children, assisting the to render their services to the motherless babies home people. All members wore among others. yellow apron with the The issue of development inscription “Mormon must not be left for the Helping Hands”. In their government alone other mist you hardly know who the institutions on their own part leader of these people are and can rise up together in unity they joke, talk and mixed and do something positive for freely with one another the society, the state, the signifying the great unity and nation and the world at large. bond among them.

The church for example They engaged in sweeping should not just be a place of the major streets around the worship but should also be a kings square, as well as centre for co – ordinating cutting over grown weed positive ideas and godly along the roads. The activities principles that will benefit not saw members sweeping and only the church but the entire cutting grasses along oba human race. market road, Oredo Talking about supporting Secretariat road, front of Oba the government and various Palace, Airport road even the communities to make lives public toilet in Urhokpota better for the people and make Hall also benefited from the governance easy for our humanitarian services of the leaders, the church of Jesus Church.

Christ of latter Days Saints Speaking to the had over the years NIGERIAN OBSERVER at collaborated and contributed the end of the exercise the their quota to the development Ikpokpan Stake President of of mankind and spreading the the Church Lawrence gospel to various part of the Ehigiator said the exercise is world. done simultaneously all over The church have over the Africa adding that it is a years engaged in various calling to all to practice humanitarian and voluntary hygienic living and ensure services to help humanity, the that the environment they live community and the state in is clean. This act according without expecting anything in to him will save us all from return as the church and her any kind of diseases. members believe that any He said if we live in a clean service rendered to humanity environment, most of the is rendered to God as the airborne diseases will be blessings of such services is grossly reduced in our society, not going to come from man state and nation at large. but certainly from God. “What we are doing now is a Recently, the church across voluntary and humanitarian Africa engaged in “All West work and services and the Africa Service Project” church as a body is not where the church carried out expecting anything in return. humanitarian services to Our church does this every support the people, the year and this is the 8th time we community and the are doing this and we are government in the locality doing this to touch the lives where the church is situated of the people. What ever we across Africa. This year’s do is for the benefit of service is the 8th the church humanity not for the church. has engaged in across Africa The 2 nd councillor of the and it is done simultaneously. church, Julius Gbakeji said the Our reporter monitored the exercise is done every year to

A Call To Help The Needy

By RICHARD OKORO EWEKA/ IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL

contribute their quota to the development of the society.

“Members of our church have been taught the correct principles of service and we are confident that when we serve humanity, we are in service for God, knowing that the blessing from such will be given to us

by God. We do this humanitarian service joyfully without expecting anything in return.

The church of Jesus Christ of later day saints was organised on April 16th 1830 and it has continued to spread across the

in the 80s, the church have grown from a little unit to what we now have which is about 45 different branches which we address as ward.

For convenient, the church divide this units into stake and in Benin City there are five (5) of such stakes.

“Apart from rendering humanitarian services to the community where our church is located, we also assist the government in providing boreholes for the people. We have sited

living ordinances for those that are still living. Baptism for the dead is as old; it did not just start today.” St. Paul has asked the Corinthians to pray and baptise for the dead. We do all what will take us to eternal life; we believe that the family continue.

People believe that after the death of a person, the next step is judgement. But according to Ehigiator, God is not interested in loosing any soul to Satan, as He love those that are living as well as those that are dead. The dead still have a chance of redemption. We have certain people who may

globe in over 176 countries. The church came into existence due to the quest of Joseph Smith a 14 year old Youngman to seek and search for knowledge and the truth about the gospel. Smith did this to fulfil the scriptural verse as recorded in the book of James 1:5. He began to get revelations from God and discovered through the revelation that either Pentecostal or Baptist which his parents belong to are the true church. The revelation led to the setting up of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints whose mission and goal as instructed

by God the father and the son is to preach “RESTORED GOSPEL” According to Lawrence Ehigiator since the restoration of the gospel, the church has continued to grow from place to place except for some Arabic countries where Christianity is not tolerated. The church continued to preach restored gospel and continued to spread all over the world including Benin City Edo state.

The church came to Edo state

different borehole project in Benin City. Just last month here, we got the approval from our church to sink 10 more boreholes in communities that lack clean drinking water. The church is using the various project sited in various communities to increase the standard of living of these people. The church is doing this not for publicity but strictly contributing their quota to development of the society and making lives better for the people”.

The 2nd councillor of the church, Julius Gbakeji said the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints is the only church that operates temple services and the temple is different from churches. It is only in the temple that ordinances are performed even on behalf of the dead. It is done in proxy, which is, you don’t need to bring a dead person to the temple but you do it in their absents. We also perform

not have heard of the gospel before their death, they have a lot of hope of redemption if only they accept the gospel of Christ when He went to preach to them in the spirit world.

People say there is no hope after death, but yes there is hope after death. In the book of 1 Corinthian 15: 29. Such preaching is still going on now, Christ has commissioned people who are doing that right now as I speak. 1 peter 3: 15-20; 4:5-6.

“Paul asked a question that what they have done for the dead? What have they done to baptise the dead? The dead can not do anything for themselves, it is those that are alive that can help the dead. In the book of 1 peter 3: 15 – 22, here Christ taught the principle too. The need of Jesus Christ coming is not for the righteous but for those who need repentance and especially for the dead”.

Lawrence Ehigiator said the church have a book called Mormon, it is not just a book

but the scripture which is misunderstood by many people. They don’t know that the book is an inspirational book; it is an inspiration of the revelation given by John. The book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is the record of God’s dealing with the Israelis that crossed the great waters to present day American. The book of Mormon is also the scripture, this should be noted (revelation 22: 18 – 22). This chapter is misunderstood by many who read the scripture.

We read the scripture and equally we also read the book

of Mormon. A lot of things have been removed from the bible unlike the book of Mormon where everything is mention; this is the fullness of the gospel.

Aside the Bible and the book of Mormon, we also have another book called Doctrine and Covenant. We don’t blame others for their mistake or blame our fore father for the mistake they made. (Mal 4:56) “Unlike other churches, we don’t depend on our members, our members depend on us. All the leaders in our church are working and belong to different professions; they don’t put their burden in anyone. What ever the church do like building or sinking boreholes in community is achieved using tithes generated by the church.

We also use the money to assist those that are greatly in need of help. Our leaders are truly called and they are justifying that. Our church looks at the need of the people around us and we help out. That is what is obtainable in our church”.

Religion Unacceptable Thanksgivings EVEN though God was the god of Ekron, requires that children of To God (Part 1) itanother god, outside the men give Him the sacrifices of thanksgiving and to declare his works with rejoicing, it is not all sacrifices of thanksgiving from children of men that are acceptable to God. We all know that God is good to all and His tender mercies are over all His works as written in Psalm 145: 9.

Therefore, everybody testifies of the goodness of God, especially when they are miraculously saved from one problem or the other or when they are saved from an untimely death as a result of terrible sickness or ghastly motor accidents.

Every creature of God enjoys God’s goodness and tender mercies because it is His divine nature to be kind both to the unthankful and to the evil as written in Luke 6: 35c.

The longsuffering of God makes Him to forbear with all men and to save them from deadly calamities. He is not willing that any should perish. God, by His divine nature is not interested in the death of the sinner but that the sinner should come to repentance and acknowledge Him as the only true God that can save, heal or deliver

from death.

In Lamentations 3:22, it is written that it is of the Lord’s mercies that all of us are alive today, that we are not consumed or swallowed up by death, because the key of death and of hell is in God’s hand as written in Revelation 1:18 and I quote “I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death”.

This longsuffering of God towards all men makes the hearts of men to be hardened to continue in their wickedness. Why? Because He is very slow in executing judgment on the wicked as written in Ecclesiastes 8: 11 “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil”.

It is only Jesus who has the key of death, that can say die or live. The case of a certain king known as Ahaziah who fell from his upper chamber clearly reveals the fact that the key of death is with Jesus. This king Ahaziah, though an Israelite yet was wicked before God as written in II Kings 1:1- 6 and I quote “Then Moab rebelled against Israel

after the death of Ahab.

And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, why are ye now turned back? they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

Therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. ” This king thought

true God that created the heaven and the earth that could determine if he would recover from the sickness. God made sure that he died.

Unfortunately, most people, when they are delivered, come to the house of God to give thanks with a wicked and unrepentant heart. Such thanksgivings are not only unacceptable to God but are abominations before God. In Proverbs 21:27, it is written and I quote “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?”

The sacrifices of thanksgiving required by God are those given through Jesus Christ as written in Hebrew 13: 15 and I quote “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” But how can people give sacrifices of thanksgiving to the God that does not know them, and they do not have His Spirit; for the scripture says in Matthew 7:22-23. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And

With

REV. OLU GEORGE then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Why? Romans 8 : 9c “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” It is not every sacrifice of thanksgiving or testimonies that is acceptable to God. The sacrifices of thanksgivings offered in the house of God by adulterers and adulteresses even though they are ordained in the church, are abominations before God. Their thanksgivings are “foul” odours before God. These adulterers and adulteresses are the Christians who are in friendship with the world and love the world and the things in

the world James 4:4; I John. 2:15 – 17. These adulterers and adulteresses are enemies of God. God forbid that He should accept sacrifices of thanksgiving offered to Him by His enemies who are under the fire of His wrath, as written in Nahum. 1:2 and I quote “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies”.

TO BE CONTINUED. C O U R T E S Y: R E V. OLU GEORGE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL CHURCH (The Truth Centre)

“This longsuffering of God towards all men makes the hearts of men to be hardened to continue in their wickedness. Why? Because He is very slow in executing judgment on the wicked as written in Ecclesiastes 8: 11 “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil”.

“But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.”

Reflection

With REV. FR. JOHN DAMIAN ADIZIE PHONE: 08076635886

The Passion Of John The Baptist

WE are celebrating today the passion of John the Baptist or what most people refer to as the Beheading of John the Baptist. We are remembering today the brave men and women who have lost their lives while defending the truth. We are celebrating today the triumph of the truth. So many people have died because of truth, yet truth is still alive. Herod thought that by killing John the Baptist he will succeed in destroying the truth not knowing that truth is eternal as we shall see in this reflection. This reflection is meant to inspire and encourage more truthful men and women in our society. It is also for the glorification of Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). As you go through this reflection you will be encouraged to proclaim the truth at all time and at all cost.

John the Baptist was the first New Testament prophet and Marty. He was the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the one that God used to prepare the way for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into this world.

He was the one that baptized the Jewish people in preparation for the new age, the coming of the Messiah.

John was even the one that baptized our Lord Jesus Christ. He was a courageous preaching, a great prophet and activist. He was the defender of the defenseless and the voice of the voiceless.

John the Baptist was a man with an impeccable character.

Jesus admired his courage and steadfastness. He told his disciples that John was the greatest man that was born of a woman. He said in a in a rhetoric form, “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously apparelled and live in luxury are in kings courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet… I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John” (Luke 7:24-28). For our Lord Jesus Christ, John was the greatest man on earth.

What must have made him so great and popular?

JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A HUMBLE PROPHET: He was the most humble prophet the world has ever known. He had all the opportunity to claim the position of a Messiah but he was so humble that he

maintained his position as an ordinary forerunner of the Messiah. While he was baptizing people, he was pulling crowd, many people were flocking to him. people started wondering if he was the Christ but he simply said, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:15-16). John acknowledged the greatness of Jesus even in his absence.

I wonder how many men of God will be humble enough to promote their fellow men of God the way John did.

John’s humility was demonstrated during the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to be baptized by John, John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus insisted, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:13-15). John humbled himself before Jesus. He did not presume to be greater than by age. He knew that greatness does not necessarily depend on age.

The peak of John’s humility was expressed when Jesus Christ started his own public ministry. After his Baptism Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea where he remained and baptized (John 3:22) The Jews came to John and reported Jesus saying, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven.

You yourself bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him... He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:2630). What a humble statement!

This is the most humble and most charitable statement I have ever heard! How many men of God can say this concerning their fellow men of God? Instead, they will do everything possible to frustrate any new vision, even when it is obvious that they are directly inspired by the Holy Spirit. For John, his younger cousin must increase but himself whom most Jews look up to as Messiah, must decrease. This is humility in action!

In our world today all most the ministers are aspiring to become General Overseer,

the priests themselves wants to become Bishop, even the bishops are aspiring to become Cardinals, no one is contended with his position.

Ministerial positions have turned into earthly titles and dictatorship; whereas our Lord Jesus Christ told his followers that “He who is greatest among you shall be

a unique man, a man who was not carried away by the fashions of his time, a man who was contented with what he has. But consider what is happening in our world today, men of God are now going to women saloon to curl their hair before climbing the pulpits. This is another form or madness! We need simply

sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; because he had married her; For John said to Herod, ‘it is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ (Mark 6:18) Child of God, how can any reasonable man marry his own brother’s wife? This is not just an injustice but an abomination.

your servant” (Matthew 23:11). We need humble and prophetic leaders like John the Baptist in our world today.

JOHN THE BAPTSIT WAS A MAN OF PRAYER AND AUSTERITY: John spent most of his life alone with God in prayer. He was not just a prayerful man he also lived a life of asceticism and austerity. He was not wearing what other people were wearing and he was not even eating what others were eating: “John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locust and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4). He lived a life or penance and mortification.

John the Baptist was indeed

and humble men of God like John the Baptist in our world today.

JOHN THE BAPTSIT WAS A COURAGEOUS PREACHER: He was the voice of the voiceless and defender of the defenseless.

He confronted the unjust structures of his society. He does not see any difference between a king and a slave.

Everyone equal deserves equal respect and justice. He proclaimed the truth at all times and at cost. This was exactly what led to his passion and death. John was beheaded in a cold blood because he confronted King Herod for doing something that was abominable in the sight of God and man.

Herod arrested John for the

Herod did it because he was in a position of authority. It is an abuse of power! No one was courageous enough to tell Herod that what he did was an abomination. John was the only man that could confront him. Instead of repenting Herod got John imprisoned.

At the demand of her evil daughter and wife, Herod beheaded John. He brought his head to her daughter on a platter, the girl gave the head of John the Baptist to her mother (Mark 6:21-28). Only God knows what this evil woman did with the head of John the Baptist.

By destroying the life of John the Baptist they thought they have destroyed the truth. Not knowing that truth is eternal.

No one can destroy the truth.

When Jesus started proclaiming the truth; He became so famous that even king Herod heard of his fame.

There were so many speculations concerning him.

People were even saying he was John the Baptist but Herod was so confused that

he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised” (Mark 6:16). It was as good as saying, ‘the truth which I destroyed is still alive.’ Herod was so foolish to think that he could destroy the truth or any child of God. Jesus told his disciples, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Herod only destroyed the body of John but he could not destroy his soul. John’s soul lives on and that is why we are celebrating him today. Child of God, if you are as humble and as courageous as John the Baptist you will be celebrated and it shall be well with you, in Jesus name – Amen!

Politics

Hon Agbabi Eyes National Assembly

HON. Anslem Agbabi, the firebrand politician from Lampese, has pledged to bring quality representation to AkokoEdo Federal Constituency under the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 elections.

Hon. Agbabi, twotime member of Edo State House of Assembly and former Transition Committee Chairman of Akoko-Edo Local Government Council, told The NIGEIAN OBSERVER in a chat in Benin City that his quest for the Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency is predicated on the wish and yearning of the people for quality

representation.

“My people are tired of failed promises by Abuja politicians, people who would after currying their votes, abandon them and make Abuja their permanent abode.

“The people of Akoko-Edo want a true representative at the National Assembly, a grassroots man who would not disconnect from them after victory at the polls and it is their fervent wish and prayers that I, Rt Hon. Anslem Agbabi should be that member at the National Assembly come 2015 and I have consented to their demand after due consultations with major

By MATTHEW OKAGHA

• Hon. Anslem Agbabi

stakeholders and political interest groups in AkokoEdo”.

Hon. Agbabi further

contended that he wants to re-engineer the politics of Akoko-Edo having represented a section of

International S/Sudan Army And Rebels Trade Blame Downing Of UN Helicopter:

JUBA- South Sudan’s rebels and army traded blame Wednesday for shooting down a UN helicopter killing three crew and scuppering a day-old ceasefire deal, the fourth in eight months of war.

“The rebels shot it down,” army spokesman Philip Aguer said, while rebel spokesman Mabior Garang said: “This was not our work.”

The UN Security Council on Wednesday confirmed the cargo helicopter was downed by an “attack” that killed three Russian crew members and injured another, but did not say which side was to blame.

Thousands of people have been killed and more than 1.8 million have fled a civil war sparked by a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy Riek Machar.

Rebel forces in Unity state, the war-torn region where the helicopter crashed, are led by warlord Peter Gadet, who has been slapped with sanctions for atrocities by both the United States and the European Union.

Aguer said Wednesday the helicopter was “shot by forces of Riek Machar under Peter Gadet”.

But rebels insisted the attack took place over an area controlled by the army.

“We were not to blame,” Garang told AFP by telephone from Ethiopia.

“Our soldiers on the ground reported that there was an explosion, but according to our reports, it was in the territory held by the government.”

The attack has raised deep concern among aid workers and diplomats.

British Ambassador to South Sudan Ian Hughes said the “tragedy underlines the risks humanitarians run daily helping the vulnerable”.

UN cargo helicopters are vital to supplying peacekeeping bases and providing food for civilians, particularly as aid agencies have warned of the risk of famine should fighting continue.

Noel Molony, who heads the aid agency Concern Worldwide in South Sudan, said it was “a deeply troubling development in what has already an extremely challenging environment”.

Over 45,000 civilians are sheltering in the UN camp in the northern oil town of Bentiu alone, some of the

almost 100,000 civilians who have fled to UN bases to escape the conflict.

“We depend on air travel to get both supplies and staff to and from Bentiu, as insecurity and heavy rains make it completely impossible to travel by road to reach people in need,” Molony added.

On Monday, warring leaders recommitted to a ceasefire deal after regional mediators threatened sanctions. Like previous deals, it was broken within hours.

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeals yesterday ordered the release of taped phone conversations about corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma, a move that could resurrect a case that has dogged the leader since before he took office.

Zuma had applied to prevent the tapes from being released while the opposition Democratic Alliance party sought access to them.

Conversations on the recordings were cited as a reason to drop fraud and corruption charges against Zuma before he became president in 2009. The prosecuting authority at that time said the conversations showed there was a political conspiracy against Zuma, but the actual recordings were never

the locality at the State House of Assembly and also presided over the affairs of the council.

Corruption

Court Re-Opens Zuma Fraud Charges made public.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille applauded the decision by the court on Thursday, and said her party will analyze the tapes and determine if there were legal reasons to withdraw the charges against Zuma.

“We are all equal before the law,” she said in front of the court. “None of us is above the law. The court systems are being hijacked by politicians like Zuma and his network... If anybody is suspected of a crime and if there is a case to be made, that person must have his day in court, whether that person is a president or a pauper.”

Islamic Fighters Kill Captured Syrian killing underscored how the DAMASCUS — The Islamic Soldiers group uses violence — and State group has killed dozens of Syrian soldiers it captured after overrunning a military base in northeastern Syria, shooting some and using knives on others in the latest brutal mass killing attributed to the extremists, activists said yesterday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants rounded up the soldiers in the arid countryside on Wednesday near the Tabqa airfield, three days after seizing the base in heavy fighting. The government troops were among a large group of soldiers from the base who were stuck behind the front lines after the airfield fell to the jihadi fighters.

Observatory director Rami

Abdurrahman said the extremists killed up to 65 soldiers. He said some were shot to death, while others were killed with knives.

A statement posted online and circulated on Twitter by supporters of the Islamic State group claimed the extremists killed “about 200” government prisoners captured near Tabqa.

It also showed photographs of what it said were the prisoners: young men stripped down to their underwear marching in the desert. The photos could not immediately be verified, but correspond to other AP reporting.

The photos and reported mass

“After all these years, I am better equipped now to bring quality representation which will be predicated on compassion, consultation and mutual benefit between me and the entire constituent.

“Over the years, the people have been alienated from their representative in Abuja.

We want to change all that in 2015 and beyond, by the grace of God”.

Hon. Agbabi disclosed that his campaign train is gradually gathering momentum, adding that the people are eagerly waiting to board the train when his campaign formally takes off in due course.

images of violence — to terrorize its opponents, as it sweeps further into Syria and Iraq. The group has declared an Islamic state, or caliphate, in the territories it controls straddling the border.

On Wednesday, a U.N. commission accused the extremist group of committing crimes against humanity in Syria. The U.N. has accused the group of similar crimes in Iraq.

In southern Syria, meanwhile, government warplanes targeted rebels near the country’s frontier with Israel in the Golan Heights, a day after opposition fighters captured a crossing point on the disputed border.

The National Prosecuting Authority has five days to release the recordings and internal notes on discussions about why the charges were dropped. Zuma, who at the time was deputy president, was accused of accepting bribes to thwart an investigation into wrongdoing by a French arms company involved in a massive weapons deal in the late 1990s.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s acting director Mokotedi Mpshe in 2009 said he dropped fraud and corruption charges against Zuma because of prosecutorial misconduct.

That decision came after Zuma’s legal team brought him taped phone conversations allegedly between prosecutors and a head of a now disbanded crime-fighting unit called the Scorpions about the charges and their timing. The charges were announced around the time of a national conference of the ruling African National Congress party in 2007, purportedly to undermine Zuma’s bid to become party president.

The president’s lawyers have argued that the opposition party would use the tapes for political gain.

Kwandiwe Kondlo, a political and governance analyst, says the decision helps restore confidence in legal institutions.

“At least we can now believe there was independence in the courts,” he said.

International UK MP Defects To UKIP

LONDON - Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a heavy blow yesterday when one of his MPs, Douglas Carswell, announced he was leaving the Conservative Party to join the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP).

Carswell is to resign his seat and stand as a UKIP candidate at an upcoming by-election which, if he wins, would make him their first elected member of the House of Commons.

Polls suggest UKIP could be poised to take a string of seats from the Conservatives at the 2015 general election, raising the chances of a victory for the opposition Labour party and defeat for Cameron.

Experts say Clacton, up the southeast coast from the seat where UKIP leader Nigel Farage will stand in 2015, is among the Conservative seats most vulnerable to being captured by the eurosceptics at the election.

Carswell accused Cameron of misleading voters over plans to claw back more powers from Brussels ahead of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union, which will take place in 2017 if the Conservatives win next year.

“My position became

untenable,” said Carswell. “The Conservative leadership is not serious about change.”

He added that Cameron’s advisers had told him Britain will not vote to leave the EU in the event of a referendum, because “we will give them (the voters) just enough to persuade them not to”.

The prime minister promised the referendum under pressure from the powerful eurosceptic wing of his party and to win back voters from UKIP, which won May’s European Parliament elections, beating the Tories into third place.

That was the first British poll victory for a political grouping other than the Conservatives and Labour for more than a century.

“We have had a duopoly for many decades,” explained Carswell. “Look at how the country has been run. It has been a competition for cliques to sit on the sofa.

“We need choice and competition in politics.”

Carswell also slammed Cameron’s decision to rule out an election pact with UKIP, pointing out that the Conservatives had been less reluctant to form a government with the centre-left Liberal Democrats following the 2010

general election.

The outgoing MP said it was right to hold a by-election, even though he could have seen out his term as a UKIP representative.

“As someone who’s always answered directly to the independent-minded people of Essex, there is only one honourable thing for me to do,” he said.

Farage, who appeared at his new recruit’s side at a press conference to announce his resignation, called Carswell’s decision “the noblest thing I’ve seen in British politics in my lifetime”.

Carswell has earned a reputation as a staunch eurosceptic and radical libertarian since he was first elected in 2005 in nearby Harwich.

Defecting Conservative Party MP, Douglas Carswell (right), addresses a press conference in Central London yesterday with UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

Turkey: Erdogan Sworn-In As President

ANKARA - Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in yesterday as Turkey’s first popularly elected president, a position that will keep him in the nation’s driving seat for at least another five years.

Erdogan was scheduled to appoint Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu — his designated successor as prime minster and

loyal ally — to form a new government, following ceremonies at the presidential palace.

Taking the oath in parliament, Erdogan said: “As president I swear on my pride and honor that I will protect the state, its independence, the indivisible unity of the nation ... and that I will abide by the constitution,

had fallen under the control of Russian forces.

“A counter-offensive by Russian troops and separatist units is continuing in south-east Ukraine,” it said on Twitter.

It said Ukrainian government forces had withdrawn from Novoazovsk “to save their lives” and were now reinforcing defenses in Mariupol.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk appealed to

the United States, European Union and G7 countries “to freeze Russian assets and finances until Russia withdraws armed forces, equipment and agents”.

French President Francois Hollande said it would be “intolerable and unacceptable” if it was proved true that Russian troops had entered Ukrainian territory.

European shares fell sharply on the news, halting a three-day global rally.

Poroshenko Accuses Russian Troops Of Entering Ukraine

KIEV - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said yesterday that Russian forces had entered his country and the military conflict was worsening after Russian-backed separatists swept into a key town in the east.

Poroshenko said he was cancelling a visit to Turkey and conferring with defense chiefs because of the “rapidly deteriorating situation” in the eastern Donetsk region, “as Russian troops have actually been brought into Ukraine”.

A NATO military officer said: “We assess well over 1,000 Russian troops are now operating inside Ukraine... They are supporting separatists (and) fighting with them.”

Russia says it has no involvement in the conflict between pro-Moscow rebels and the Ukrainian military, in which more than 2,200 people have been killed since April.

It denies sending in weapons or troops, despite the capture of 11 soldiers inside Ukraine this week who Moscow said had probably crossed the border by accident. Russia’s envoy to the OSCE security forum in Vienna said no Russian forces were crossing the Ukrainian border “at any point”.

A rebel leader said their objective was Mariupol, a major port and industrial center further west.

The latest sharp escalation in the crisis came only two days

after the presidents of both countries held their first talks in more than two months and agreed to work towards launching a peace process.

Armored truck with Ukrainian forces guard at a checkpoint in the town of Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, …

Ukraine’s security and defense council said the border town of Novoazovsk and other parts of Ukraine’s south-east

Turkey’s new President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan attend the presidential swearing-in ceremony at the Parliament in Ankara yesterday.

the rule of law, democracy ... and the principle of the secular republic.”

Following a 101-gun salute, Erdogan headed to the mausoleum of the nation’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, to lay a wreath.

Legislators from Turkey’s main opposition party left parliament minutes before Erdogan arrived in protest of the man they accuse of not respecting the country’s constitution. A legislator was seen throwing a copy of the constitution toward the parliament speaker, complaining that he was not allowed to speak.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition party’s leader, snubbed the inauguration ceremony. He has accused Erdogan of violating the constitution by not stepping

down as prime minister immediately after his election as president.

Erdogan “will pledge allegiance to the constitution but he will lie. I don’t want to witness that lie,” Kilicdaroglu said earlier.

Erdogan has dominated Turkish politics for a decade and won Turkey’s first direct presidential elections on Aug. 10. He has indicated he wants to transform the presidency from a largely ceremonial post into a more powerful position and his expected to hold sway in the country’s running.

On Wednesday, Erdogan rejected claims that Davutoglu would merely do his bidding.

He said the two would work “hand in hand” in achieving goals he has set for the country, which includes enacting a new constitution.

Jolie, Pitt Hold Private PARIS - Angelina Jolie and Wedding Brad Pitt were married Saturday in the French hamlet of Correns, a spokesman for the couple says.

Jolie and Pitt wed in a small chapel in a private ceremony attended by family and friends at Provence’s Chateau Miraval.

In advance of the nondenominational civil ceremony, Pitt and Jolie obtained a marriage license from a local California judge.

The judge also conducted the ceremony in France.

The couple’s children took part in the wedding. Jolie walked the aisle with her eldest sons Maddox and Pax. Zahara and Vivienne threw flower petals. Shiloh and Knox served as ring bearers, the spokesman says.

Jolie and Pitt’s wedding caps years of rampant speculation on when the couple would officially tie the knot. Pitt once said that he didn’t want to marry until gay marriage was legal, but

in recent years, both said they intended to. They were engaged in early 2012 after some seven years together.

“It’s an exciting prospect, even though for us, we’ve gone further than that,” Pitt told journalists in an interview in November 2012. “But to concretize it in that way, it actually means more to me than I thought it would. It means a lot to our kids.”

They have six children together, including three they adopted: 13-year-old Maddox, from Cambodia; 10-year-old Pax, from Vietnam; and 9-yearold Zahara, from Ethiopia. The couple’s three biological children are 8-year-old Shiloh, and Knox and Vivienne, 6-yearold twins.

This is the second marriage for Pitt, who wed Jennifer Aniston in 2000. They divorced in 2005.

International Features

SOME security experts are cautioning the administration about its anti-Assad stance, even as the US begins surveillance flights over Syria in anticipation of possible expanded US action against the Islamic State.

After a flurry of speculation recently that President Obama might overcome his distaste for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to go after Islamic State militants in their base inside Syria, the White House is speaking out: There will be no cooperation with the Assad regime.

But even as the United States begins surveillance flights over Syria in anticipation of possible expanded US action against the Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIS, some security experts are cautioning the administration about its anti-Assad stance. While it will be possible for the US to degrade IS inside Syria without coordinating with Mr. Assad, they say, reaching more long-term objectives like defeating or even containing the group will probably mean giving up on the goal of seeing Assad step down from power.

“I don’t think it would be by any means difficult for us to carry out airstrikes [inside Syria] without a permissive environment” of cooperation from the Assad regime, says Michael Desch, an expert on international security and US defense policy at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

Recommended: Do you understand the Syria conflict? Take the quiz But if the US objective is to “see ISIS pretty well contained,” he adds, “the only way there is with a relatively strong central government in Syria – and that means the Assad regime.”

Administration officials on Tuesday

Can US Defeat Islamic State Without Assads Help?

confirmed that Mr. Obama has authorized surveillance flights over Syrian territory to assess and pinpoint IS positions inside the civil-warravaged country, in particular the location of the militant group’s leadership.

Such reconnaissance activity could be the precursor to airstrikes on IS targets such as those the US is

leader’s brutal repression of his own people that spawned the civil war and that allowed IS and other Islamist extremist groups to flourish.

Whatever course Obama takes on Syria, it will almost certainly be limited and focused on

Muallem, said Tuesday that his country is ready to cooperate with the US and other Western countries in fighting IS. But the Syrian government, he also warned, would consider any airstrikes carried out without government

without worrying too much about Assad’s air defense systems, “or whatever he has left of them,” says Mr. Desch of Notre Dame.

On the other hand, degrading IS and keeping it contained will require two things,

approval an “aggression.”

That may be an idle threat, however, some say, since most of Assad’s remaining air defense systems are in the south and west of the country – not in the north and east, where IS controls about a third of Syrian territory.

The US can strike IS positions and command centers in northern Syria

he says: boots on the ground and some centralized power to maintain some semblance of control. And both of those requirements mean “it is time to give up the chimera of regime change” in Syria.

“If you really want to keep ISIS in check, it will have to include some ground component,” Desch says. But if you rule out American or

Bashir Assad, Syria President

carrying out across the border in Iraq.

The president has made no decision to expand airstrikes beyond northern Iraq into Syria, his spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday. But he suggested that if such action is taken, it will not be in coordination with Assad.

The US does not recognize Assad as Syria’s legitimate leader, Mr. Earnest said. Other White House officials say Obama sees Assad as the source of Syria’s problems and not as a lesser evil to work with against a worse enemy.

Obama has called for Assad to step down since the early days of the Syrian conflict in 2011, insisting that it was the

degrading IS, some say.

“What they’re talking about is going after the group’s leadership inside Syria, which is very different from getting involved in Syria’s civil war,” says Lawrence Korb, a former Pentagon official now focusing on national security policy at the Center for American Progress in Washington.

But not everyone agrees that it will be possible to go after the one in Syria – IS militants – without at least tacitly acknowledging the need for the other – Assad – no matter how despised he is.

Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-

other Western forces, as Obama and other leaders have, “then the only option left is to hope that the Syrian military can come in to do the dirty work.”

The Obama administration says it is ramping up support, including training and arms, for moderate armed opposition forces, including the Free Syrian Army. In the eyes of some, it is the moderate opposition, more than IS and other terrorist groups, that Assad fears over the long term.

But Desch says the US will have to be realistic and accept that Syria’s “moderates” are not a viable option. They simply don’t have anything near the capabilities of the Kurdish peshmerga or even the Iraqi security forces on the Iraq side of the border, he says.

“We counted on the ‘moderate opposition’ in Libya, but it didn’t exist, and now look at what’s going on there,” he says. With Islamist factions gaining ground in Libya, the US recently shuttered its embassy in Tripoli.

“We need to learn a lesson from that,” Desch says. “The moderates don’t exist as a significant force in Syria, so it’s not an option if our objective is going to be to keep ISIS degraded.”

“The US can strike IS positions and command centers in northern Syria without worrying too much about Assad’s air defense systems, “or whatever he has left of them...”

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Scholes Backs Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 Tactic

MANCHESTER United legend Paul Scholes has backed the 3-5-2 formation that new manager Louis van Gaal is trying to implement and has called for patience whilst the squad get used to the strategy.

Writing in his column for the Independent, Scholes has tipped Van Gaal to turn the club around but offered his own take on United’s defensive troubles.

The Dutchman took Holland to third place in this summer’s World Cup using a 3-5-2 formation and has attempted to

Paul Scholes

implement a similar strategy with United in their opening two Premier League games against Swansea and Sunderland, which have yielded just a single point.

Scholes wrote: “Three men at the back doesn’t seem to be working for them yet. At the

moment United look like they are going to concede goals too often.

“I understand that Van Gaal is trying to make a lot of changes very quickly but the problem is the players don’t seem to have adapted comfortably to 3-5-2 yet.

It is never easy to make a dramatic tactical change in a short

Arsene Wenger: No Arsenal Swoop ARSENE Wenger has dismissed reports linking For Striker Nikola Zigic Arsenal with a shock move for former Birmingham City striker Nikola Zigic.

With Olivier Giroud out until January with a broken tibia, Wenger had been expected to take a late delve into the transfer market in order to bolster his attacking options.

Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck was among those linked with a switch to Emirates Stadium, while a more surprising swoop for 6 feet 7 inches Zigic was also mooted by his agent Milan Calasan, who claimed on Wednesday to have spoken to Wenger.

Nikola Zigic played for Birmingham from 2010 until the end of last season.

But after watching his side beat Besiktas to earn a place in the Champions League group stage for the 17th successive season, Wenger said Zigic was not on his radar and insisted that he believes the Gunners do not need to sign another striker.

Asked about reported interest in Zigic, Wenger responded: “Who? Zigic? No.

“You will ask me straight away who we will buy. I give you the answer — at the moment, no one. If you want to make everyone happy you buy all of these players but what is important is the performance on the football pitch.

“If you look at the players we had on the bench and those out injured, we have players. You

cannot buy every time a player is injured.

“We are open for any position as long as we feel the player can strengthen the squad. Buy to buy? I don’t see the purpose of that.”

Zigic, 33, is a free agent after leaving Birmingham City following the expiry of his contract in the summer.

QPR, Aston Villa Shamed By Lower League Opposition

ADAM McGurk struck a superb late free-kick as League Two Burton claimed a shock 1-0 win over Premier League side QPR in the second round of the Capital One Cup. The Brewers striker, who for making multiple changes in recovered from a hip injury to the competition and produced a feature, rewarded the hosts for a lacklustre display. bright performance as he curled Leyton Orient inflicted more home a fine set-piece with just cup misery on Aston Villa, 13 minutes remaining at the winning 1-0 at Villa Park.

Pirelli Stadium.

Romain Vincelot’s header QPR’s Junior Hoilett hit the three minutes from time sees bar before the break but the Orient join Bradford in Londoners did not look like humiliating Villa in this winning for a first time this competition, with the Bantams season as the game wore on. famously defeating the Premier Instead they became the latest League team over a two-legged top-flight side to pay the penalty semi-final in 2013.

And earlier this year at Villa Park, Sheffield United knocked Paul Lambert’s men out of the FA Cup. The Sun estimating he could Sunderland’s late show sent miss as much as six weeks of the Black Cats through - and left action.

Birmingham fuming.

Chelsea’s loss of Costa to Jordi Gomez, Adam Johnson injury could prove pivotal to a and Connor Wickham struck in number of clubs as the summer transfer window winds up. The the final 13 minutes to stun the London club may now have to hosts and give the Premier dip back into market for another League side a 3-0 win. striker.

Diego Costa Could Be Out DIEGO Costa has started his Chelsea career in fine form, but Six Weeks may be sidelined for the next month.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has injured his hamstring and could be out of action for up to six weeks, according to reports in the English press.

Costa pulled up sore in training on Wednesday and is in doubt for Saturday’s clash away at Everton.

Chelsea are waiting for further assessment on the injury before making a call on how long the Brazilian-born Spanish international may be out, with both the Daily Telegraph and

DIEGO Costa

ARSENE Wenger

But Blues were angered after Gomez’s opener, claiming the ball had gone out in the buildup.

The Black Cats made hard work of the win as David Cotterill hit the post and Clayton Donaldson missed for the hosts.

James Hanson’s late winner heaped further pressure on Leeds head coach Dave Hockaday as Bradford claimed a 2-1 victory in a fiery West Yorkshire derby.

Beaten finalists two seasons ago, the Bantams were again keen to impress in front of the television cameras as they recorded their first win over United for almost 28 years.

Hockaday, who was given a stay of execution by club president Massimo Cellino following Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Watford, looked a relieved man when Matt Smith headed

them in front eight minutes from time.

But a stunning equaliser from Billy Knott soon lifted the home crowd and again, and they were simply delirious when Hanson prodded over the line with four minutes remaining.

Forward Jonathan Walters scored twice and made a late third for Peter Crouch to ease Stoke into the third round as on-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses enjoyed a promising debut against Portsmouth at the Britannia Stadium.

While the prospect of seeing Moses - who had not started a club game since scoring for Liverpool in an FA Cup fourth round tie at Bournemouth in January - for the first time hardly enticed the locals to the game in their droves, there were some encouraging elements to be seen in a 3-0 victory.

Warnock Named As New Crystal Palace Manager

NEIL Warnock has been appointed Crystal Palace’s new manager, the club have announced.

Press Association had reported earlier on Wednesday that only Warnock and former West Brom boss Steve Clarke were in the frame for the Selhurst Park job.

However, co-owner Steve Parish has decided on a stunning Selhurst Park return for Warnock.

Warnock joined QPR from Palace in 2010 after a two-anda-half-year spell but the 65year-old has not managed since leaving Leeds in 2013.

The appointment will pair Warnock with Jason Puncheon once again after the pair had an infamous Twitter spat that led to Puncheon being hit by a £15,000 and warned about his future conduct.

Warnock enjoyed a successful spell as Palace boss from 20072010 in which he turned them from relegation contenders in the Championship to promotion pusher, but he saw the side lose to Hull City in the play-off final in 2008.

Eventually, severe financial restrictions contributed to him leaving the club in 2010 when the club was in administration.

The 65-year-old Warnock has not worked for 16 months, although he held talks about becoming manager of Nottingham Forest last March before pulling himself out of the race.

He has managed both Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League in the past Palace were forced to turn to Warnock after missing out on their top two targets.

The Eagles were forced to pull the plug on appointing Malky Mackay after the FA launched an investigation into Cardiff’s allegations he sent

racist, sexist and homophobic text messages, while Tim Sherwood withdrew his interest after initially being deemed second-choice to Mackay.

OUR VIEW You can make a case for and against Warnock being a decent appointment for Palace. He has been seen as a man to get you into the Premier League but not so much for keeping you there.

Sheffield United went down his sole season with them in the top flight, while he was sacked at QPR midway through their campaign in the top flight after having brought them up.

space of time when you are dealing with players who have been drilled to play with a flat back four for many years.

“This doesn’t mean Van Gaal’s preference for 3-5-2 is wrong — change isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all and players have a responsibility to trust and believe in their manager’s methods.”

Scholes has likened this week’s shock 4-0 loss to MK Dons to another famous upset in the club’s history, 1995’s 4-3 aggregate loss to York which came despite a 3-1 second-leg win.

“Almost 19 years ago I was part of the Manchester United team that failed to overturn a three-goal deficit in the second round of the League Cup against York City,” said the former United midfielder.

“We won 3-1 at Bootham Crescent in the second leg but it was not enough and the experience of being eliminated by a team two divisions below us was terrible.

“I can only imagine that the United players, as well as Louis van Gaal and his staff, will have felt devastated Wednesday morning as they sifted through that 4-0 League Cup defeat to MK Dons.”

Almunia Set To Retire After Heart Worry

FORMER Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is expected to announce his retirement from football after a heart condition was detected at a routine medical.

The Spaniard was close to joining Serie A side Cagliari earlier this month as a free agent having played the past two years at Watford.

However, Cagliari abandoned the signing of the 37-year-old after medical examinations revealed a heart problem.

“I can confirm that Manuel Almunia failed a medical due to a heart condition,” Cagliari spokesman Alessandro Steri told Press Association Sport.

“Further tests done have revealed he is suffering from an apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).”

HCM is a genetic heart disorder that can cause sudden death.

Almunia began his playing career at home club Osasuna in 1999. He joined Arsenal in 2004 from Celta Vigo, leaving in 2012.

Manuel Almunia

Alexis Sanchez Puts Edgy Arsenal Into Group Stage

ARSENAL progressed to the group stages of the Champions League after a nervy 1-0 victory over Besiktas at the Emirates Stadium.

Missing Olivier Giroud perhaps out until next year with a broken ankle - Arsenal struggled to break down a Besiktas side who were happy not to commit men to the attack. It was Jack Wilshere who went closest early on, while his one-two with Mesut Ozil allowed Alexis Sanchez to slide a shot past the Tolga Zengin on the stroke of half-time.

Wilshere almost conceded a penalty five minutes before Sanchez’s goal when he appeared to slide into the

back of Ramon Motta inside the box, but the referee gave nothing.

In the second half, Arsenal

had a frantic few minutes, when Ozil had a shot blocked from 10 yards, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain struck

chances to win on away goals.

Although Arsenal made it hard for themselves as ever, they deserved their victory and a place in the group stage for a 17th consecutive season.

PABLO Zabaleta believes Angel Di Maria will be a great signing for Manchester United and thinks his Argentina teammate is a talent who every club on the planet would have wanted.

Di Maria sealed his move from Real Madrid to United for a British record fee of 59.7 million pounds on Tuesday.

And though Zabaleta plays for local rivals Manchester City, who were reportedly offered the winger, he thinks the 26-year-old represents an excellent piece of business, even at the price.

He told the Manchester Evening News: “With Di Maria, I have to say United have signed one of those players that every single club in the world would like to sign. He’s a top player.

“He has been at Real Madrid and has won a lot of trophies — he’s won the Champions League and has great experience there.

“He’s a great player, he’s fast, he’s direct, sets up goals and can score them. They are spending a lot of money but he will be a great signing for them.

“He has signed for United and of course I can’t say I want United to win, but I wish him the best and I hope he can play well.

“We’ll see where [United manager Louis] van Gaal is going to play him, where he fits into that system. I’ve seen him play in different positions, not just as a winger, so we’ll see.

“I’ll look forward to going up against him. We are friends, we’ll always be friends off the field but not in that game.”

Zabaleta and Di Maria were both members of the Argentina squad who reached this summer’s World Cup final.

Marcos Rojo, Van Gaal’s other recent recruit, also played in Brazil and Zabaleta said he has been offering the United pair advice about their new surroundings.

He added: “I’ve been talking to them both a lot about living in Manchester in the last few days.

Di Maria and Rojo are on the other side but I am very pleased for both of them because I know them very well.”

Pablo Zabaleta Backs Angel Di Maria

Spain’s Alonso Announces International Retirement SPAIN’S Xabi Alonso has retired from international football, the World Cup and twice European Championship winning midfielder said on Wednesday.

In a stellar career that spanned 11 years and 114 caps, since his debut against Ecuador in April 2003, Alonso was a crucial part of the team that shed their ‘underachievers’ tag to dominate international football for six years.

“I quit the Spanish National Team. The hardest thing is knowing when to say goodbye, and after thinking about it, I think that my time with the National squad has come to an end,” the 32-yearold said in a statement on the Spanish football team’s official website (www.sefutbol.com).

“It has been a glorious period with the Spanish team that started more than 11 years ago, I have formed part of an historical generation that has fulfilled the dreams of millions of fans.”

a close-range effort straight at Zengin, and Mathieu Debuchy was sent off for a second yellow. Despite that, Arsenal managed to hold on against a thoroughly toothless Besiktas side, who spurned some good

Sanchez celebrate

Michel Platini Rules Out FIFA Challenge

MICHEL Platini has announced he will not stand against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency and will instead run for re-election as UEFA president.

The 59-year-old Frenchman as UEFA president and I am told UEFA delegates in pleased that it means that this Monaco that he had decided time there will be no battle against standing for the FIFA between FIFA and UEFA.” Platini’s decision comes as post as he wants to continue his work as head of European little surprise — standing against Blatter would have football’s ruling body.

Platini told Press been an uphill struggle and Association Sport after the would have meant the meeting: “This is the decision Frenchman not running for I have made. It is about what the UEFA presidency in March.

I want to do with UEFA.” There is, however, certain European FIFA executive committee member Michel to be continuing pressure D’Hooghe welcomed Platini’s from Europe for FIFA to carry decision not to enter a contest out more reforms and Platini remains unhappy Blatter, who against Blatter.

D’Hooghe told Press was once his mentor, has Association Sport: “It was a reneged on his public promise very positive message — he not to stand for another term.

Five of FIFA’s six said he would like to continue

continental bodies have already announced their support for Blatter, with only Europe having publicly opposed him.

Angel Di Maria

FA Considering Euro 2028 Bid

Sepp Blatter and Platini

THE Football Association will not rule out a bid to host the European Championship in 2028 and is confident that Wembley will win the right to stage the final of Euro 2020.

Only Munich is standing against Wembley to host the final and semi-finals of the

2020 tournament - which will be staged in multiple countries - but Germany may pull out to concentrate on bidding for Euro 2024.

FA general secretary Alex Horne, speaking in Monaco, said: “We’re really confident with our bid.

“We know what the

Germans have been saying.

We know that they’re thinking about 2024, but nothing has been confirmed.”

Asked about England bidding for future tournaments even if Wembley is chosen, Horne added: “I wouldn’t rule out looking at Euro 2028.”

NFA Congress Faction Sacks Electoral Committee, Fixes Sept 4 For Elections

A faction of the congress of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has sacked the Electoral Committee of the football body, and fixed September 4 in Abuja for new Adeola Adelawu and Sani Yakasai. board elections. committee.

“Sampson Ebomhe will The congress, which met He gave the name of the serve as the new electoral on Tuesday night in Abuja, new members to include committee chairman, while cited gross contravention of M.T. Ahmed, Olumide Musa Amadu, the NFA NFA Statutes 2010, NFA Oluyemi, Adams Osmond, Secretary-General will serve Electoral Code and the Sadiq Zaria, Chimdi Ojiohu, as the secretary,’’ Akinwunmi guidelines for the Onyeaghala Obioma, forthcoming board elections.

The Amoni Biambo-led committee was dissolved by 40 of the congress members present at the event.

The members had earlier condemned the committee’s actions and inaction, and noted that there was need to restore the confidence of all stakeholders in the electoral process.

The congress went on to reconstitute the committee with the mandate for it to conduct elections into the board on Sept. 4 in Abuja.

Seyi Akinwunmi, the Lagos Football Association (FA) chairman, who read the communiqué to newsmen, said the new committee’s members had a herculean task of correcting the • Tammuno Danagogo, Sports Minister anomalies of the dissolved

Rooney Named England Captain

WAYNE Rooney was named England captain yesterday by England manager Roy Hodgson It would be a huge surprise if Rooney was not handed the honour of leading his country.

Following the international retirements of Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, Rooney is by far the most experienced member of the pool of players available to Hodgson, who is looking to establish a new order following England’s miserable World Cup campaign.

The 28-year-old has 95 caps, he has just been appointed skipper of Manchester United and importantly, he has the blessing of Gerrard.

“He is a natural leader,” said the Liverpool midfielder, who

• Stanistas Wawrinka

led England throughout the first two years of Hodgson’s reign.

“Aside from being a top player, one who commands respect within the group, Wayne is passionate about representing his country and won’t be fazed by the responsibility.”

Steven Gerrard, centre, has

backed Wayne Rooney, left, to lead England into Euro 2016 qualifying There is a feeling that Rooney is a much more mature and respectable figure than the one that was sent off for petulantly lashing out at Ricardo Carvalho in 2006 and five years later against Montenegro’s Miodrag Dzudovic.

said.

The congress also appointed a new Electoral Appeals Committee, with Okey Ajunwa as Chairman, Dotun Coker and Sani Mohammed as members, and Sanusi Mohammed as Secretary.

Akinwunmi also said chairmen of the three lower leagues would join the new NFA board when inaugurated on Sept. 4.

The league chairmen are Emeka Inyama of the Nigeria

National League (NNL), Ahmed Kawu of the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) and Dilichukwu Onyedimma of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).

Akinwunmi said they would be joining the new board pending the conduct of elections into the boards of the three league bodies in two years’ time.

“Congress affirmed that the three leagues — the NNL, NNWL and NWFL — will resume with the new board

New NFA Chairman Visits Glass CHRIS Giwa, the Board to them’’.

House Chairman elected by a faction The new NFA chairman also of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Congress, on Wednesday said the association would relocate in September to its new secretariat.

Giwa told newsmen in Abuja when he assumed duty at the association’s Glass House secretariat that the NFA would move “in two weeks’ time’’ to the new secretariat.

The new secretariat is located inside the Abuja National Stadium.

Giwa who arrived at exactly 2 p.m. performed his first official duty when he held a meeting with members of staff of the NFA. Giwa, who was elected chairman alongside 11 other members, also inspected the offices which recently got burnt at the Glass House.

Five of the board members, namely Adama Yahaya, Sani

Fema, Effiong Johnson, Felix Obuah and Obinna Ogba, were also at the secretariat ahead of Giwa.

Giwa, who said his election was the will of God, said the new board’s first assignment was “to get the Nigerian football house in order and ensure that the game prosper in the country.

“We will move out of this place (Glass House) immediately.’’

He said it had always been his desire to relocate the NFA from the Glass House.

“Aside from the incident (fire incident) which took place here, it has been my desire that when I get to office the secretariat will move to our permanent site,’’ Giwa said.

He said funds would not be a hindrance to relocating to the new secretariat as it was with the former board, saying “challenges are resolved according to the attention given

2014/2015 UEFA Champions League draw REIGNING European champions Real Madrid have been drawn with five-time winners Liverpool in the Champions League group stage draw held in Monaco on

Thursday.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men achieved the Decima in May with a final win over Atletico Madrid and they will also face Swiss side Basel and Bulgarian champions Ludogorets in Group B as they try to become to first team in the Champions League to win back-to-back titles.

Meanwhile, their Clasico rivals Barcelona have been given a testing group as they will need to navigate their way past Paris Saint-Germain - led by former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic Dutch champions Ajax and Cyprus minnows APOEL. Bayern Munich, coached by former winner Pep Guardiola, will aim for their fourth final in six years but have arguably been handed the Group of Death as they will need to overcome Premier League winners Manchester City, Russian side CSKA Moscow and Serie A

after Sept. 4 since they have two years to end their tenure,’’ he said.

However, while speaking, Musa Amadu, the NFA Secretary-General, who presided over the congress, condemned the earlier congress which took place at Chida Hotel.

He urged the new committee to abide by the rules guiding football administration in the country.

“We have three chairmanship contestants in this house right now and this will tell you the extent of illegality that took place the

runners-up Roma to get out of Group E. Chelsea, Champions League victors in 2011-12, were drawn with Schalke, Portuguese opposition Sporting and Slovenian side Maribor.

GROUP A Atletico Madrid Juventus Olympiakos Malmo GROUP B Real Madrid Basel Liverpool Ludogorets GROUP C Benfica Zenit St-Petersburg Bayer Leverkusen Monaco GROUP D Arsenal

Borussia Dortmund Galatasaray Anderlecht GROUP E Bayern Munich Manchester City CSKA Moscow Roma GROUP F Barcelona Paris Saint-Germain Ajax APOEL GROUP G Chelsea Schalke Sporting Maribor GROUP H Porto Shakhtar Donetsk Athletic Bilbao

said the football body of a country like Nigeria should be operating from a place befitting of its status.

“My first agenda will be to go round the premises and see the situation on ground and see the kind of condition where the staff members are operating from,’’ he said, indicating that he would give staff welfare some attention.

Giwa, however, also gave an indication that he would work at reconciling the divided NFA family.

“My first assignment will be to go and ensure that we have one football house and I don’t believe there is a split in the house,’’ he said.

The NFA chairman further said the board would as quickly as possible conclude discussions on Stephen Keshi’s contract for him to take full charge of the Super Eagles.

“Nobody will want to lose a good thing. It will be difficult to push aside Keshi, especially now that he has gained full knowledge of the country’s football and its players,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Ephraim Chukwuemeka, a member of the Interim Committee appointed by the other faction of NFA Congress, has described the assumption of duty by the Giwa led-board as illegal.

Reports say that the committee had been appointed by the congress’ faction to man the association’s secretariat pending the election of a new board.

“I came to see what is happening here and I have seen it. What is happening here is an illegality and they (the other faction of the NFA congress) are indirectly inviting FIFA to ban Nigeria.

“But we (his faction) are not interested in FIFA banning Nigeria. But if anybody should attract that ban , nobody should blame us because we are standing on the path of the truth.

Man United: Where WITH an unbeaten record of preseason buzz, Louis Van Gaal Seems to have transformed United back into the winning team that commands attention across the ease. Little wonder did world.

Without mincing Rooney said “primier words, the united that edged past Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Galaxy FC during the preseason tour seem to be different entirely from the team that started the Premier League 2014/ 2015 campaign.

Little did fans know that Manchester United are yet to fine their way back into the Premier League which they failed to make any appreciate impact last season.

The atmosphere was tensed, full of expectations, when the Red Devils kicked –off their 2014/15 campaign against Swansea City at old Trafford. However, Red Devils fell flat on the season’s opening day as ‘King’ Louis Van Gaal they failed their fans, trailing to Swansea City by two goals to one.

It was like a drama wrapped in a familiar storyline and it felt more

By EDET ELYAH /UGAGBE like a sequel to last STANLEY/OMEIZA ROBINSON season’s tragic-comedy A round up of the than a revival of past block African stars performance buster under Low Van across Europe where Gaal.

“A new storm is Emmanuel Adebayo stole the headlines as Spurs breaking “ has been the smashed Q.P.R. Manchester United The Togolese striker advertising slogan for this scored one goal and new campaign this new created another on Sunday era, or so the club hope. as Tottenhan whipped But that choice of QPR 4-0 in the English phraseology jarred badly premiership, Stever and can be read more than pienaar lasted just nine one way after this minutes before he was alarming at times forced off injurjed during disorganized and the toffees 2-2 draw with Arsenal. dispiriting defeat.

Moroccan Marouance However, with first Chamakh was on target defeat to Swansea, fans for crystal palace but were a little patient to see could not prevent a 3-1 what happens next.

London derby defeat by A struggling United West Ham. Emmanuel Adebayor who seem like a team that (Tottenham Hotspur) just came from relegation The Togo striker had a laboured to salvage a point fine all round match as in a 1-1 draw against spurs ruined Harry sunderland .

Rednapp’s return to white United seem to look Hart lane with a 4-0 win like any ordinary team that over Queens Park any club can just beat with Rangers. His cross set up

By STANLEY UGAGBE/ EDET ELIJAH

league clubs are no longer afraid of old trofford”.

Is Thy Glory!

At first, they lavished the blame on David Moyes who was relieved of his job due to the team’s failure to win games.

The preseason Silverware holder Van Gaal in a matter of days began his Premier League career with a defeat. The last time

Euro Watch

United started a season at home and lost was in 1972-73 when they were beaten 3-2 by Ipswich. This was also, more personal to him, the first time at the five clubs he has managed that he began his career with a defeat. Three 1-0 victories and a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich preceded Saturday’s debacle.

United have lost five points securing just one in their first two matehes? Fans are beginning to lose interest. Salvaging a point in first two games seems to be unlikely about the United, I used to know. Hope they are not on the brink of failing again?

I remember their anthem, “ Glory Glory man united”. Where is their glory?

After Sunderlands draw, a fan said “whoever is behind United’ woe should leave them”.

African Stars Shine In Europe Nacer Chadli for the first of the Belgian Winger’s two goals.

The provider later turned scorer as Adebayor finished off a sweeping move to score Tottenham’s fourth goal.

Steven Pienaar (Everton) The South African midfielder had a frustrating weekend lasting just nine minutes at Goodison park before Calum Chambers’strong challenge forced him out

Brown Ideye

of what became an enthralling 2-2 draw.

Marouane Chamakh (Crpstal Palace) In rare highlight for the Managerless Eagles, the Morocco forward scored their only goal in a 3-1 defeat by West Ham. Chamakh gave palace a lifeline with a 20 yard shot three minutes into the second half only for Calton Cole to wrap up the points for visitors.

Brown Ideye It was so nearly a dream

debut for the Baggies’ club records 10 million pounds signing when the Nigerian was sent in as a second half substitute for Victor Anichebe at Southampton.

With his first touch, the forward got on the end of a cross only for his header to end up in the side netting and the match ended goalless.

Cheic Diabate (Bordeaux) The Mali striker had an eventful weekend as he played a starring role in maintaining Bordeaux’s 100 per cent start to the season with a 3-1 victory at Nice. Diabate, 25, dispatched a 32 minute penalty- his second goal of the season before setting up team mate Nicolas Maurice Belay to put Bordeaux ahead after half time.

Diabate’s participation ended abruptly, though he was sent off eight mintes from time after a second booking.

Siaka Tiene

(Montpellier) The Ivorian left back scored Montpellier’s opening goal in a 2-0 victory at home to promoted metz as Rolland Courbi’s men strung together consecutive wins for the first time since February.

Tiene, 32, sent a freekick through a gap in the wall created by teammate Paul Lasne.

Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal) Nigerian striker Uche, got Villarreal off to a flying start as he scored the opening goal with a fine low finish, as the yellow ‘subnarine’ won 20 at levante.

Eric Maxim ChoupoMoting (Snalke) On his schalke debut, cameroon’s choupomoting set up a goal for klaas-Jan Huntelaar but he and Ghana international Kevin Prince Boateng ended up on the losing side as Hanover come from behind to win 2-1

CMYK

I Won’t Tolerate Petitions Against Royal Fathers - Oshiomhole

• • • Gives staff of office to Ogieavhianwu of Avhianwu AVHIANWU Clan in the Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State was agog on Saturday, August 23, 2014 when the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole stormed the sleepy community of Iraokhor with his retunee of aides and top officials of the All Progressive Congress, APC. It was on the occasion of the presentation of staff of office to His Royal Highness, Alhaji Jackson Dauda Etokhana It was a display of colour and the best of Avhianwu culture and tradition spiced up with music supplied by Constance, also known as Young Bolivia, scion of the late Afemhai music maestro, Bolivia Osigbemhe. Royal fathers from Etsako who could not be present personally sent their representatives to identify with the new entrant into the exclusive club of royalty. Palace chiefs from the Avhianwu Clan were not left out of the colourful occasion as they stormed the venue in their light yellow uniforms complete with red caps and beads.

The rains had been pouring for days up to the morning of that fateful Saturday as if to wash away all the likely impurities in the clan in preparation for the instalation.The wet days heralding the D-Day had given rise to strong concerns among the people of possible disruption of the ocassion by rains. Some persons had also dismissed it with wave of the hand given the age-long ability of the locals to keep rains at bay on such important ocassions. All these fears about rains turned out to be unfounded as the heavenly hosts seemed to have been in perfect agreement with the crowning of the Ogieavhianwu, the

weather brightened up while the event lasted.

However, some still believed the locals did some magic to keep the rains at bay. This suspicioun was foiled as the clouds started gathering and the heavens opened up

exaulted throne. HRH Oluwe Akphemhi from Iraokhor sub clan was the first to ascend the throne in 1963 having been gazetted by government.

He was succeeded by HRH John Alao from Ivhiunone sub clan. When Alao joined his ancestors

Oboarepke was crowned under some controversial circumstances and had a brief reign as he passed on in November 2013.

Following his demise, the crown had to find its way back to Iraokhor for the second time since inception. It’s also

MATTERS IN FOCUS

By EBOMHIANA MUSA

However, the royal journey of the 52 years old new Ogieavhianwu, son of a Second World War veteran, started in 1987 when his people bequeathed the Egboise

INSTALLATION CEREMONY: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State presents the Staff of Office to Alhaji Jackson Etokhana, the Oghieavhianwu of Avhianwu, at his installation ceremony on Saturday.

moment after the Comrade governor handed over the symbol of authority to the new Oghieavbinwu at about 3.05 pm. Whichever way one looks at it, it was clear that the Creator of the universe, in league with the gods and ancestors of Avhianwu gave His blessing to the crowning of the new Ogieavhianwu.

Avhianwu is made up of four clans, Ivhiunone, Ogbona, Ivhiarua and Iraokhor which has subsisted for centuries.Yet, it has no definite rulling house. The Oghieavhianwu is rotated among these four clans and HRH Alhaji Jackson Dauda Etokhana is the fifth to ascend the

in 1984, the crown moved to Ogbona and HRH Alhaji Ajayi Patrick Oboarepke mounted the throne untill 2010 when he also joined his ancestors.. The immediate past Ogieavhianwu, HRH Sunday Etu from Ivhiarua sub clan who succeeded

instructive to note here that the crown has gone round the four recognized clans in Avhianwu. So, with the presentation of staff of office to Etokhana on Saturday, the crown has started its second round trip. That is, it’s the turn of Iraokhor after 51 years.

on him(second in command to the then clan head), HRH Oyoso Oregbemhe.Since the head destined to wear crown must surely wear it, Etokhana had to mount the throne of his forefathers as the OkpheUkpi (clan head) of Iraokhor in 1992 when

HRH Oregbemhe joined his ancestors . This created the royal window that culminated into his coronation as the 5th Ogieavhianwu on Saturday.

Shortly before presenting him the staff of office, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole admonished the new Ogieavhianwu to educate his people so as to enable them distinguished thieves from the real politicians who mean well for them .

According to him, “we must use every opportunity to educate our people. This afternoon, your Royal Highness, I am not asking you to go and carry party cards . I only ask you and your people to distinguished politicians who will stand only when it is good for their family not when it is good for the larger community”. He said government believes that the foundation for peace and stability requires that we respect not only the traditional institution but we respect traditional rulers who sit on the various thrones”.

He assured royal fathers in the state that government under his watch will never interfere with traditional matters, adding that he will not sponsor anybody to write petition against any royal father and that anybody encouraging anyone to do fictitious petitions will be dismissed.

“All these fears about rains turned out to be unfounded as the heavenly hosts seemed to have been in perfect agreement with the crowning of the Ogieavhianwu, the weather brightened up while the event lasted.”

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