Nigerian observer 31 10 2013

THE NIGERIAN

The Nigerian

cmyk

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PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 DISCOURSE Page 11 Esan North East Why PDP should respect APC victory

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

• Vol . 38 NO.344• THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 20 13 • N100.00

Fight against kidnapping

Oshiomhole hails Army

BENIN CITYGovernor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has commended the

Nigerian Army for its assistance to other security agencies in the fight against kidnapping

and armed robbery in the state.

The Governor who stated this yesterday,

when he received the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Continues on page 2

National Dialogue

MOTORING Page 20 Between new and second hand vehicles

Edo faults Nyiam’s response BENIN CITY - The Edo State Government has faulted the response by a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, Col Tony Nyiam (Rtd) over his ungentlemanly conduct during the sitting of the committee in Benin City on Monday.

In a statement, Peter “Our attention has Okhiria, Chief Press been drawn to the lame Secretary to Governor and odious response of Adams Oshiomhole said Col Tony Nyiam to his the lame and odious shameful action at the response of Col Tony sitting of the Presidential Nyiam to his (Nyiam) Advisory Committee on shameful action exposed National Dialogue in his hands as a biased Benin City, on Monday member of the October 28 where he committee which should fully exposed his hands be above political, ethical as a biased member of and indeed other a Committee which sentiments. should be above The statement titled: political, ethnic and “Rejoinder to Col Tony indeed other sentiments.

Nyiam’s Misplaced “We wonder when Col outburst, added: “We Nyiam became the wonder when Col Nyiam President’s spokesman became the president’s as to want to drag the spokesman as to want to President’s name into drag the President’s his shameful act. We are name into his shameful however not surprised, act. Below is full text of going by his the reaction. antecedents, the Benin

incident was just another manifestation of Nyiam’s lack of respect for

constituted authority and his love for disunity.

“Even as an officer in

stood out like sore such a disciplined thumb and his naked profession as the Continues on page 2 Nigerian Army, Nyiam

Communal clash

Army confirms loss of lives

BENIN CITY- The Nigerian Army has confirmed the loss of several lives and property in a communal clash in Ukhuorumi, community, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo. Capt.

Roslyn Managbe, the Public Relations Officer, 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Benin City.

“We are yet to make any arrest; we arrived at the location after the damage had been done.

We are on ground to forestall any further crisis and to bring peace back to the community,’’ she said Witnesses, who spoke to Newsmen on the condition of anonymity, said that the clash was

TIT BIT “The assurance that even the slowest ant has a way of getting to the top of the tallest tree for its food, explains the much that patience can achieve.”

- Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama

between members of Ukhorumi Community D e v e l o p m e n t Association (CDA) loyal to two rival leaders of the association.

“As we speak, the

Continues on page 2

AWARD: Vice President Namadi Sambo (right), receiving an Island Club Award from the Chairman, Prince Ademola Dada, at the Foundation Stone laying ceremony of the Club’s Storey Car Park in Lagos recently.

ABUJA - The All Progressives Congress (APC) will welcome into its fold the seven governors who are having problem with their party,

the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) if they

decide to join the party.

The Interim National

Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made

standing committee on Commerce and Industry to investigate the current operational status of AVA

Cement factory Ikpeshi in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state.

The State Government had committed the sum of N3.9 billion to make up

APC ready to receive G7 PDP governors - Lai Mohammed EDHA probes AVA Cement Coy

By KEN ABU

BENIN CITY- Edo State House of Assembly has mandated the House

Continues on page 2

this known yesterday during an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

“They are welcome if that is their final decision.

The development will strengthen our party towards 2015 election,”

Continues on page 2

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

News Oshiomhole hails Army

Continued from page 1

Division of the Nigeria Army, Major General Ahmed Jubril in Government House said the Army had extended enormous support to the government in its fight against crime.

According to him, “this is an opportunity for me to, on behalf

of the good people of Edo State, place on record our gratitude as a people and government for the enormous support which the Nigerian Army under your command has extended to us outside the normal call of military duties. If the DSS Director were here, he

would narrate to you the amount of help that the 4 Brigade has rendered to them.

“Going by the role of the Army, it is not your lot to be buffeted with internal policing, but because of the seriousness of the situation, we have all come to appreciate that the

started when some CDA members, who were loyal to the association’s vice chairman, allegedly tried to wrest power from the incumbent chairman.

“The reaction that followed was spontaneous, as

gunshots rented the air.

“Several cars and houses, belonging to members of the two opposing factions, were torched in the ensuing fight and not less than 10 persons reportedly died in the fracas,’’ another witness told newsmen.

Army confirms loss of lives

Continued from page 1 community is deserted by the people for fear of possible reprisal attacks, as many cars and buildings were burnt by the combatants on Tuesday,’’ one of the witnesses told newsmen.

They said that trouble

APC ready to receive G7 PDP governors

Continued from page 1 he said.

Mohammed affirmed the readiness of the party to effect a positive change in democratic system to uplift the country.

According to him, APC is built on the principles of democracy and popular participation.

The national publicity secretary maintained that the party would begin the registration of its members

nationwide in November.

Mohammed told newsmen that the party was intensifying efforts through robust logistics to ensure successful membership registration.

He added that the nationwide membership registration would strengthen the party and enable it to contest all future elections

in the country.

According told him, the party had resolved to maintain inclusive party machinery where all parties that merged into the APC, would fully participate in all its activities and membership registration due to begin in November.

He said he was optimistic that Nigeria would be better if everybody could truly contribute his quota.

to know the status of the beneficiaries, a development which prompted the speaker of the House to observe that disbursement of government loans be spread across the 18 Local Government Areas.

The commissioner was however requested to furnish parliament with a comprehensive list of the beneficiaries of the revolving loans.

As part of the ministerial briefing, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Arch Frank Evbuomwan and his Basic Education counterpart, Hon. Patrick Agumede also made their presentation yesterday.

According to Evbuomwan, the ministry of Housing and

Urban Development generated N250.7 million during the last six months out of which N45 million was committed to the purchase of digital maps used in the Ministry of Basic Education, on his part hinted that his ministry received N5.4 million for recurrent expenditure out of the approved N16.7 million while N262.2 million was accessed from the N2.5 billion capital vote.

Agumede, a former member of the House representing Esan West Constituency too was asked to take a bow after he told the parliament that the state presently has a total of 1069 primary schools; 13,463 teacher, 311 Junior Secondary School and 2,187 teachers.

EDHA probes AVA Cement Coy

Continued from page 1 the N26 billion to be provided by the Private investors seeking to revamp the cement factory.

Speaker of the House Hon. Uyi Igbe handed down the directives yesterday at the second allotted day of the ministerial briefing by the state commissioner.

State commissioner for Commerce and Industry Hon. McDonald Obasuke, during his brief on activities of the ministry disclosed that upon assumption of office, Bendel Brewery received a new lease of life which ensured that one production line was producing optimally.

The commissioner said that as part of the statutory functions of the ministry to give out revolving loans, the ministry through the Bank of Industry (BOI) provided revolving loans to deserving beneficiaries as well as provide microfinance loans through a Microfinance Bank to traders.

The distribution of the loans was however queried by some lawmakers who sought

Edo faults Nyiam’s response Continued from page 1 ambition for power led to the death of many officers and men who owned up and faced the sentence for their treason, but where was Nyiam, he took to his heels rather than face

the consequence for his action, like all cowards do.

“Nyiam said Governor Adams Oshiomhole was “talking down on the people”.

We wonder when airing one’s opinion or saying “I believe

Re-Run LG Poll: Afegbua denies PDP rigging

By SUCCESS OSAYI

BENIN CITY – The Special

Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, has refuted allegations by the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP), Esan North East Chairmanship candidate in the last local government election, John Yakubu that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State rigged the election.

In an early morning discussion programme on Channels Television monitored in Benin, Afegbua said that the allegation was a deliberate attempt by the PDP to soil the credibility of the election, saying the honourable step should be to

Army has had to complement the efforts of the Police and other security agencies in matters of internal security in the country.

“If we are feeling safe, it is no doubt as a result of the role of the men of the Brigade. I am also aware of one or two instances where soldiers have paid the supreme price when violent criminals attacked and the risk which these men are exposed to in order to keep our state safe; we are appreciative”, he said.

He declared “our people have greater confidence when they see the military at check points and in Operation Thunderstorm, giving confidence that the Army is part of the state security. That has helped a lot”.

Oshiomhole noted “we have parts of the state which have been described as very difficult to police and your men have been very helpful in identifying illegal refineries and putting them out of operation. “ With their efforts and for the first time in many years, the NNPC were able to pump oil from Warri Refinery to the Benin Deport without having to use trucks.

“We are appreciative of the role of the Nigeria Army in its bid to keep criminals in check across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

“We don’t need experts to tell us what could have been the situation if you had not been involved in fighting elements of insurgency. But for your intervention if you decided to retreat to your conventional duties, this country would have easily become ungovernable”, he added.

The Governor assured that the jobs that the government is doing in all the barracks would be completed.

Earlier, the General Officer of the 2nd Division said he was in Benin to assess the operational readiness of the Brigade in handling security challenges in the state.

He thanked the Governor for the support rendered to the officers and men of the 4 Brigade in the state.

allegation

go to court.

Afegbua noted that the reported violence that rocked some aspect of the election process were all instigated by PDP members.

According to him, as soon as results from the different wards were announced and it became clear to the PDP that its candidates were going to lose, they imported police officers from outside the state and started arresting members, including the chairman, of Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC).

He accused one Mr. Patrick Ejededawe, who,

according to him is an indigene of Uromi for coming to Uromi with several number of police officers, from Lagos, to supervise the elections, saying such practice should not have been.

The special adviser also alleged that the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, may also have been involved as he is also an indigene of the area, besides being a retired police officer.

He added that the disorderliness created by the PDP throughout the election forced EDSIEC officials to use the police stations in the local Government as collation center.

that the outcome of this conference will not be different from that of other conferences we have had in the past” means talking down on the people “Nyiam deserves our pity.

He might still be hallucinating thinking he is an Army officer who must be obeyed. We recognize that no military officer worth his salt would openly disagree with a superior or a Governor at a forum such as the one in Benin City, but again, we recognize that the maxim “Officer and Gentleman” does not apply to Nyiam as he has once again displayed to the people in the open.

“We find it interesting that Col Nyiam has exposed the undercurrent motive of the conference which has also confirmed Governor Oshiomhole’s initial fears about viability, necessity and desirability of same “In as much as we believe that Nigeria is in dire straits, the Governor still insists that a talkshop with no agenda is not necessary at this time”.

Edo Mass Movement mourns Akhigbe BENIN CITY – The Edo Mass Movement has expressed its deep pain over the sad news of the demise of former Military Vice President Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe.

In a statement signed by Prince Francis Omo-Osunde Iyasere, the body said the news of the death of Admiral Akhigbe, who was described as a fine officer and perfect gentleman, came with the same bang which always accompanied the death of great people.

He described the late naval officer as a dependable and quintessential leader whose style of leadership is worthy of emulation.

Prince Iyasere said the Movement, however, take

solace in the fact that this distinguished Nigerian and an illustrious son of Edo State, contributed immensely to the democratic dispensation the nation enjoys today, as second-in-command in the government that midwifed the return to democratic rule in Nigeria.

He said the federal government owed the late Admiral a lot of gratitude and should therefore give him a befitting burial and name a very important national edifice after him for a memorial.

Prince Iyasere prayed God to grant his soul peaceful repose and give the family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

ASABA Media practitioners in Delta have called for the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act at all levels to ensure transparency and accountability in the public service.

The call is contained in a communiqué issued in Asaba at the end of a two-day workshop on “Social Accountability and Good Citizenry’’.

The workshop was organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with Delta state government.

The communique was signed by Austin Ogwuda of Vanguard Newspapers, Frankwhite Osabohein of Delta Broadcasting Service and Ebere Obiakor of Africa Independent Television (AIT).

It urged public office holders to release information of public interest, especially those relating to the activities, programmes and development projects of government to the media.

It added that making such information available to the public would ensure

accountability and good governance.

It called on media practitioners to be alive to their responsibilities by not compromising their constitutional mandate as the “watchdog’’ of the society.

The communiqué called for the enactment of laws that would compel public office holders at all levels to be accountable to the electorates through periodic presentation of their score cards.

According to the communiqué, such account of stewardship should be subjected to public scrutiny.

“Stakeholders involved in the public procurement process and enforcement of the Fiscal Responsibility laws should insist on best practises.

“And Nigerians should start taking their destiny in their hands by monitoring government projects which are in their domain,’’ the communiqué stated.

It urged lawmakers both at the national and state assemblies to take professionalism into consideration when carrying out their over sight functions.

Media Practitioners want FOI implemented at all levels

SON acquires equipment for heavy metals ABUJAStandards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has installed a stateof-the-art equipment for the analysis of heavy metals in water and food products, an official told newsmen in Abuja.

Mr Louis Njoku, the Director Laboratory Services of SON, said the equipment known as Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, was acquired to ensure that the contaminant was not beyond the allowed standard. “ The simple reason for this is to ensure that this contaminant does not get beyond what was allowed in the standard.

“The standard covers deep protected wells in communities, individual drilling wells, company drilling wells and public water.”

He said also that the implementation of the standard would go a

longway to ensure uniform standard for drinking water, which is in line with international standard.

To enhance the quality of water delivered to the people, a set standard was to be put in place to ensure compliance and safety of water for public consumption.

National Standard for Drinking Water Quality was approved in April 2007.

Meanwhile, a two-day workshop to present a document on Quality Assurance and Quality Control for Drinking Water Treatment Utilities ended in Abuja on Wednesday.

The workshop was organised jointly by the Department of Water Quality Control and Sanitation of Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Standard organisation of Nigeria (SON).

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

News Edo IGR Drops To N1.6bn

By KEN ABU

BENIN CITY – The Internally generated revenue profile of Edo State has plummeted from the monthly N1.8bn to N1.6bn owing to the review and harmonization of the personal Income Tax, indicating a 20 percent drop in the revenue collection.

Edo State Commissioners for Finance, Mr. John Inegbedion made the disclosure during commencement of the ministerial briefing organised by the state House of Assembly on the activities and performance of the respective ministries based on the 2013 budget estimate.

The State Commissioner in his presentation on the activities and performance of his ministry declared that the ministry received N4.7m for expenditure for January till September 2013.

Members of parliament were critical in their assessment of the briefs by Hon. Inegbedion for not giving a breakdown of the allocation from Federations

sioner

- Commis-

accounts, GR of the state, Indebtedness profile and financial allocations to other state ministries and revenue from SUREP. Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Finance, Hon. Momoh Abdulrazak submitted that there was no basis for comparative analysis of the figures presented.

The inability of the commissioner to furnish parliament with figures for comparative analysis further earned him criticism from Hon. Kingsley Ehigiamusoe who suggested that the ministry ought to be the last of all the ministry to briefs parliament so as to enable comparative analysis of figures provided by other ministries with ones provided by the finance ministry.

However, Hon. Peter Aliu defended the inability of the commissioner to provide figures of the finances allocated to other

Ukpaja Holds New Yam Festival Nov 2 UKPAJA (ESAN SOUTH EAST) – The 2013 New Yam Festival of Ukpaya Community, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State comes up on Saturday November 2, 2013.

The festival, referred to as Ihunlan is an annual event which marks the beginning of the consumption of New yam

for the people of the community.

A statement endorsed by an elder statesman in the community. Ukpalo Ehi Godwin invites well wisher from across the globe to participate extravaganza which would also feature the unveiling and launch of the 2014 almanac for the event.

ministries, pointing that the term ministerial briefing implies the commissioner was only at liberty to give briefs on the activities of his ministry.

The Finance Commissioner was however mandated by parliament to furnish it within one week with data that could allow comparative analysis of the financial activities of the state.

In the same vein, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Hon. Aghedo Lawrence appeared before the House to give briefs on activities of his ministry.

President Goodluck Jonathan (right), laying a wreath at the tomb of former President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah on Tuesday.

Screening Ends For ‘Who Is Who’ Almanac

BENIN CITY - AS the year runs to an end and the 2014 Edo State most prestigious ‘who is who’ almanac about to be published, the screening committee chairman, Mr. Donald Duke has completed the screening of the Edo State House of Assembly members for the almanac.

At the end of the screening, four distinguished Honorurable members have been selected to appear in the 2014 edition of the almanac.

They are the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbe; Hon. Philip Shiuabu, Majority Leader, Edo State House of Assembly; Hon. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Ativie, the

Integrated Measles Campaign Begins BENIN CITY – The year is easily spread through coughNov 2

2013 Integrated Measles Campaign is scheduled to hold across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State beginning from Saturday November 2 to Wednesday November 6, 2013.

The campaign shall take place in all Health Centres/Designated posts across the state between 8am and 4pm daily.

The designated posts shall include markets churches, mosques, schools and motor parks.

A statement in Benin City indicated that the campaign shall feature the administration of oral polio vaccines on children of ages 0-59 months and measles vaccine on children of ages 9-59 months.

The statement also indicated that banners would be displayed at the Health Centres and the designated posts as them would be no ‘House to House’ movement.

The statement therefore advised mothers and caregivers to avail themselves of this opportunity and take their children and wards to the nearest

immunisation centre, irrespective of previous immunisation status.

Integrated measles campaign is a strategy put in place to reduce sicknesses emanating from measles diseases and interrupt wild polio virus transmission amongst children.

Measles ranks among the 10 leading causes of childhood mortality in the world .

It is a highly infectious viral disease for which humans are the only reservoir, it is also a highly contagious respiratory system disease caused by a viral agent and with no specific treatment.

The main signs and symptoms are fever, rash, cough, running nose, eye infection (conjunctivitis) sore throat, light sensitivity and appearance of tiny spots with blue – white centre of the inner lining of the check.

The spot starts behind the back of the ears and in few hours begins to spread on the head and neck before it will later spread all over the body and causes considerable itching. It

ing and sneezing.

Risks factors that makes one vulnerable to infection include, children with poor immune system, children living in places where measles is common people not vaccinated for measles, children with Vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition in growing children.

only woman in the House and Hon. Patrick Osayimwen representing Oredo East Constituency who is also a philanthropist and has contributed much to the development of his constituency.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the organization, Mr. Steve Onweme has disclosed that the 20th anniversary of the yearly almanac

would be celebrated next year.

He expressed gratitude to God for the success recorded all the years while hoping for a brighter future.

Who is who’ personality almanac is a wave image making publication that has featured such great personalities as the

Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Most Snr. Apostle Dr. Joshua Osasuyi, Spiritual Leader, Christ Chosen Church of God International and other great men of God as well as other prominet members of the society.

Leadership Tussle: Accord Party Urges Public To Disregard Statement

By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR

BENIN CITY – The Accord Party has urged members of the public to disregard a statement issued by one Mohammed Nalado, claiming to be the National Chairman of the party, and also issued a release on Accord’s position on the crisis in Rivers State.

A press statement signed by the National Secretary of Accord Party, Dr. Samson

Isibor stated that the Mohammed Nalado-led National Executive was removed from office by more than two-third vote of the National Executive Council and National Working Committee members on July 29, 2010, for gross misconduct and anti party activities.

The statement noted that the Mohammed Nalado-led national executive was re-

Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, addressing a joint news conference with her Palestine counterpart, Ryad Almalky, After a bilateral meeting in Ramallah on Tuesday.

moved in accordance with the party’s constitution.

Besides Isibor said the process was presided over by the Chairman Board of Trustee of the Party, Chief Augustine Maize.

While stressing that the National Chairman of Accord Party is Rev. (Dr.) Isaac Adeniyi, Isibor also noted that the party has issued a statement advising the president to play a fatherly role by ending the crisis in Rivers State before it engulfs the nation or risk impeachment.

The press release added that Nalado cannot seek recognition and favour from the presidency by impersonating and issuing a statement on the crisis by attempting to chide the party’s position on the Rivers state crisis.

It therefore enjoined members of the public to ignore Nalado and his cohorts as they have been removed from office.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

News NEPAD Begins Second Phase ABUJA- The New Of Peer Review Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has concluded plans to begin its second phase of peer review to assess progress made in governance and socioeconomic development.

Dr Samuel Faseyi, the Acting Chief Executive of NEPAD said this in Abuja at a meeting with the NEPAD focal point officers.

According to him, the review will cover all the member states in the country.

Faseyi said that the second review was an appraisal of the extent to which National Programme of Action (NPOA) had been implemented with a view to reinventing and identifying commendable best practices.

He said that the aim of the review was also to come up with issues that might distract or promote the socio-economic growth in the country.

He said that NPOA was designed to complement and guide annual budgetary system of governments toward addressing the identified governance gaps.

Faseyi said that the essential documents required for the review had been prepared and submitted to appropriate authorities.

“Preliminary activities have started and this meeting is part of the preparation, the National Steering Committed for the

second review has also been inaugurated,’’ he said.

He said that the committee would determine the zonal arrangements and stakeholders to be engaged by the Country Review Mission (CRM) to ensure effective participation of the review.

He said that the aimed of the meeting was to appraise the public with the developments and to ensure a credible country review report.

He said that the meeting would firm up the partnership arrangement between NEPAP and MDAs to ensure it achievements which involved effective implementation of the programmes that would reduce poverty.

He explained that NEPAD established African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as a voluntarily instrument for selfmonitoring for better governance.

He said that APRM was designed to monitor the implementation of NEPAD and foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability and development in the country.

Earlier, Malam Kurfi Armaya‘u, the Director of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation of NEPAD, said that the agency sought to Africanise development with a view to achieve the

UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Armaya‘u said that the agency was committed to creating platforms and synergies for achieving it objectives which would be in line with the achievement of the transformation agenda of the president.

He, however, urged the participants to deliberate on the issues that would result to a concrete recommendations and bring about transformation of the country.

Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resoures, Hon Abdul Oroh (3rd left) Team Leader, Oil Palm Value Chain, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr Dickson Okolo, (3rd right) Executive Director Nigeria Institute For Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Dr Asemota, (2nd right) Regional Director, South-West, FMARD, Mr A. O. Quadri, Chairman, IPPC, Hon Harrison Okpamen (left) and State Director, FMARD, Cross Rivers State, Dr (Mrs) A.U. Bassey at the 2013 Oil Special Palm Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) preparatory meeting in Benin City recently

Senate Urges FG To Immortalize Solomon Lar

By JOSES SEDE

ABUJA - Senate of the Federal Republic has urged the federal government to immortalize late Chief Solomon Lar by naming a monument after him.

They also observed one minute silence in honour of the deceased; and resolved to send a high powered delegation to commiserate with his family, the government and people of Plateau State.

In his remark during debate on life and times of the late sage, presiding Senate President David Mark noted that Solomon Lar was a honest and courageous leader who fought for unity of the country.

When I came back from exile, Solomon Lar and Chief Barnabas Gemade were the first few people who approached me and said I must join Politics.

Solomon Lar always referred to me as ‘my son and my General’ and for those of you who know him, was a down to earth person.

There was no pretence about what he does or says, he just says things the way he saw them

Hon Friday Ogierhiakhi member representing Orhiomwon II Constituency Edo state House of Assembly (right) and Hon Kabiru Adjoto representing Akoko-Edo I Constituency Edo State House of Assembly chatting during the debate on a motion calling on Chairmen of the Eighteen Local Governments, Managers f filling stations, inter-state motor parks, bateries E.T.C to construct public toilets and were disposal in their Business Environment and Strategic location. PHOTO GODWIN ISEGUAN

and that put him on collision path with so many powerful people but I don’t think it bothered him at all. He just said whatever he thought he should say but whatever he said was in the best interest of this country.

Even outside his official duties, if you discuss with him privately, you will understand the passion he has for Nigeria, the passion he has for the unity of this country and the passion he has for development. Not just for Plateau State or the Middle Belt but for the whole country.

Lar never fought for minority exclusively, he fought for Nigerians. He fought for whatever he believed was in the best interest of this country. He was a very courageous leader.

Many few people would have taken the sort of risks that Lar took particularly with the military.

He challenged the military not once, not twice but constantly and he even did so when people from Langtang were majority in the military and most times when he did it, people will always say ‘ these are your own people’ but his answer was straightforward, ‘I was speaking for Nigeria and Nigerians, not about my people’.

I think such leaders are very few in this country and it is not for the things that he did not do.

It is for the things that he did at a very difficult time that we should remember him for. He was a selfless leader, he was a very honest person.

He was equally courageous and patriotic but also very humorous and very humane. Very few people went to Lar with problems and did not get attention from him. Even when his schedule was very tight. Sometimes, he would stop by his car and listens to you and then say, ‘my son, try and come back later’.

He was a father figure to virtually everybody even those who are older than him and I think that from testimony given

by Gemade, he started this early.

So, it is a gift that he had and he utilized it very effectively.

His death would be in vain if peace does not reign in Nigeria because he lived and fought for peace in this country throughout

his life time and we would remember him for that.

He nurtured PDP to where it became the largest party in Black Africa and he would be pained if PDP does not remain the largest party in Black Africa but he would be more pained even in death if PDP does not meet the expectations of the people.

So, I think for the sake of Lar, those of us in politics should make sure that it is played in the words of the great GNPP leader, Waziri, it should be politics without bitterness”, Senator.

Mark noted.

Presenting the motion which he titled “The Demise of Chief Solomon Lar (1933 - 2013)” earlier, which he co-sponsored with 30 other senators, Sen. Victor Lar (Plateau South) noted “with the deepest sense of lost the death of, Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, whose glorious exit occurred at Innova Hospital Fairfa, Virginia, USA, after a protracted illness at the age of 80 years”.

He recalled that “Chief Lar was born in Pangna, Langtang North Local Government area of Plateau State in April 1933. He attended the then Sudan United Mission (SUM) primary school in Langtang in 1943 and later proceeded to Gindiri Teachers College in 1950 where he qualified to teach at the primary school Langtang. Two years later, he returned to Gindiri and obtained his higher elementary certificate and started to teach at the senior primary school level”.

“His active political career started in January 1959 when he was elected a councillor to Langtang Native Authority under the platform of United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC), and elected to the Federal House of Representatives.

On arrival at the House of Representatives, he crossed over to the NPC and was made Parliamentary Secretary in Tafawa Balewa’s administration.

He was the Junior Minister in charge of Establishment until the Kaduna Nzeogwu Military coup of January 1966, and was later

elected the first civilian governor of Plateau State in 1979.

Chief S.D. Lar, after the 1966 coup went and studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, graduating in 1970 with LLB and was called to bar in 1971.

He established a private legal practice and was co-founder and first National Secretary of the Nigerian Legal Association.

Like his contemporaries in the First Republic, Chief Lar truly believed in and worked for a united, progressive, indivisible Nigeria. As Governor of Plateau State, he developed Plateau State into a melting pot of all the tribes and religious faiths in the state to the extent of appointing nonindigenes as commissioners and special adviser in his government.

Solomon Lar spent more than 55 years of his 80 years in active service of God and humanity. He fought for the establishment of the Nigeria Legal Association which later transformed to the Nigeria Legal Aid Council; a council that has now become the indigent and poor man’s only hope for legal support in Nigeria.

In 1972, Chief Solomon Lar joined the board of the Amalgamated Tin Mines of Nigeria (ATMN) Local mining multinational that produced all the Tin and Columbite from which Jos acquired the name “Tin City”. Chief Lar was appointed Chairman of the Board of the defunct African Continental Bank (ACB).

Late Chief Lar was a politician who stands for the truth and will always say it no matter whose ox is gored. He led several Second Republic politicians under the aegis of G18 to the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha telling him to abort his selfsuccession plan in 1998.

Chief Solomon Lar alongside other members of the G34 and offshoot of the G18 formed the Peoples Democratic Party and was made the first National Chairman in 1998; a position he used in leading the party to victory in 1999.

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News 2 Docked Over N1.5 Fraud

Start Businesses, Consultant Advises Unemployed Nigerians PORT HARCOURT- Dr Femi Agbede, a Port Harcourt-based business consultant, has advised unemployed Nigerians to strive to start their own business rather than depend on relations.

Agbede gave the advice in Port Harcourt at a training workshop.

He said that there were many small, but profit yielding businesses that were formerly under estimated in our communities.

Agbede said that the most important things were to have a plan, cultivate saving habit and be disciplined.

He said that N5,000 was enough to start business in the area and make progress, stressing that “start small and progress’’.

Agbede said a pastor, whose identity he did not disclose, had challenged unemployed female members to collect N5,000 loan from the church and start at least Akara business.

The consultant said there was no response from the women who had demanded financial gifts from the pastor. ‘’Discipline, planning and saving habit are all it takes to succeed in business,’’ he said.

Chairman, Owan East Local Govt Council, Hon (Barr) Jimoh Ijegbai Commissioning a water project at Ohanmi. Right is the chairperson, W o m e n Development Programme Mrs Florence Ijegbai and the Vice-chairman, Hon Andrew Osigwe (2nd right.

Community Renovates School With N2.5m

ILORIN- The Oke OlaOro community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara has in Ilorin said it had renovated 10 blocks of classrooms and constructed a new administrative block.

Alhaji Saliu Kadiri, the community’s chairman, told officials of the Ministry of Education that the project at Jam’atul Nasrul Islam Secondary School cost N2.5 million.

Kadiri said indigenous philanthropists in the community felt the need to complement

governments efforts in developing education in the community.

“The ‘think tank’ of Oke Ola-Oro community came together and volunteered to help the school as it was dilapidated and without an administrative block.

“We cannot continue to rely on government to do everything. So, with the little we have, we joined hands to help our community.

“The thing to be proud about it now is that other

BHA Directs Former Council Boss, Others To Refund N1m MAKURDI- The Benue House of Assembly has ordered Mr Simon Iwar, a former Chairman, Gwer Local Government, and two other officials to refund N1 million to the coffers of the council.

The order followed a report of the House Committee on Public Accounts which considered the interim report of the Auditor General for Local Government on the council’s accounts from 2008 to 2012.

The other affected officers of the council are Mrs. Regina Odangla, the Director General, Service and Administration, and

the Protocol Officer, Mr. Joseph Orya.

The House of Assembly, at a plenary in Makurdi, directed the affected officers to refund the money within three weeks and tender evidence of payment to the committee.

The Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr James Ochojila, told the plenary that the council officials claimed to have used the money for entertainment.

Ochojila said that the officials were unable to substantiate their claim with facts when they appeared before the committee.

Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Terhile Ayua, who read the

resolutions of the House of Assembly, directed the affected officials to refund the money in equal sums.

n e i g h b o u r i n g communities surrounding us are borrowing the idea from us,” he said.

Reacting, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of the state’s Quality Assurance Bureau (QAB), commended the community’s efforts.

He said the diversity of the education sector was such that government alone could not provide all its needs.

Abubakar said the collaboration of wellspirited individuals, groups and organisations would be required to take the standard of education to the highest pedestal in the interest of the nation.

‘Through this partnership, which you have demonstrated with this intervention, we are assured that sufficient foundation has been laid to breed the future leaders of the state,” he said.

ABEOKUTA- Two men, Lameed Abiodun, 27; and Oluwakemi Shotanade, 42, have appeared before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrates’ Court over N 1.5 million fraud and forgery.

The Police Prosecutor, ASP Paul Etusi, told the court that the offence was committed on August 31 at Ibara in Abeokuta.

He said the duo defrauded one Iyabo Odunmolorun of the sum on the pretext of assisting her to purchase two plots of land.

Etusi added that the accused also forged a land purchase agreement and tendered it as authentic to the complainant.

“The duo promised to help Odunmolorun purchase two plots of land, took her to a property that was not theirs and forged a land purchase agreement.

“When the complainant wanted to start work on the land, she was stopped by the real owners of the land,” he said.

Etusi said the offence contravened sections 516, 419 and 467 of the Criminal Code Law of Ogun, 2006.

The two men, however, pleaded not guilty to the threecount charge of conspiracy, fraud and forgery.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Anthony Araba, granted them bail in the sum of N 100,000 with one surety each in like sum and adjourned the case to January 13, 2014.

Man, 35, Arraigned For Sexual IBADAN- A 35-year old Assault man, Lukman Akinola, on Tuesday appeared before an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court for alleged romancing and kissing a 13-year-old girl.

Akinola was arraigned on a one-count charge of indecent assault.

Prosecutor James Oriola told the court that the accused indecently assaulted the minor by romancing and kissing her without her consent on October 15 at Oke-Seni Area, Mokola, Ibadan.

Oriola said the offence contravened Section 222 of the Criminal Code.

The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Counsel to the accused person, Mr Sunday Adediran, urged applied for the bail of his client on a liberal term.

The Magistrate, Mrs Risikat Ebeloku-Mustapha, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Ebeloku-Mustapha said one of the sureties must be a Civil Servant and adjourned the case to November. 19.

The Vice Chairman Owan East Local Government Council Hon. Andy Osigwe drinks water from the tap after the commissioning of the water project at Ohanmi.

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South-South Envoy Applauds South Korea, Nigeria Relationship PORT HARCOURT - Mr. Desmond Akawor, Nigerian Ambassador to South-Korea has applauded the improved diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South-Korea.

Akawor told newsmen in Port Harcourt the cordial relations had increased the trade relationship between the two countries and had impacted positively on the nation’s economy.

He said that five years ago, Nigeria did not have effective business ties with South-Korea but today almost every home appliance in the country was produced in Korea.

“In terms of diplomatic achievements and diplomatic relationships, there are things you count: what was the relationship with the other country before you see yourself as a representative of Mr. President.

“First of all, the one that comes to mind, I’m sure five years ago, Nigerians were not talking about Korea. Today everybody is saying something about Korea.

“I think that is the number one achievement because my priority in Korea is not politi-

cal diplomacy, I came there to play economic diplomacy.

Our relationship with Korea was less than one billion dollars, that’s our trade relationship. But today it is 2.7 billion dollars.

‘Most of the FPS tools, all the oil tools you see today, the FPS Agbani, FPS Apo, they are all constructed by Koreans.’’

According to Akawor, there are 15 Nigerian students who are undergoing various doctorate degrees on Korean scholarship, and we have others on various under graduate programmes.

The ambassador also said that a group of youths from Nigeria, especially from the Niger Delta region, just came back from Korea after attending a technical programme.

Odot (Akwa Ibom)- The Akwa Ibom State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) said HIV/AIDS prevalence in the state had dropped from 10.9 per cent to 6.5 per cent.

The Chairman of SACA, Dr Francis Udokpong, made the disclosure at the Free Medical Outreach of HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign in Odot, organised by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS

(NACA).

Odot is a community in the Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

The reports state that the programme was organised by NACA in collaboration with the office of the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said that the state, which formerly occupied the second

The Chairman, Owan East Local Government Council, Hon. (Barr.) Jimoh Ijegbai, commissioning a block of three classrooms and headmasters office/toilet.

Hospital Defends Recruitment Of 48 New Workers

UYO -Prof. Etete Peter, the Chief Medical Director of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), has said that the hospital recruited 48 new employees without advertisement in accordance

with the principle of federal character.

Peter made the explanation in a news briefing following complaints by prospective applicants for the posts.

A nurse and prospective applicant, Mrs. Constance Udoimuk, told Newsmen that she was very disappointed.

“It is very frustrating that UUTH, a government hospital, could not advertise for vacancies before recruitment is done.

“I was very hopeful that I would be interviewed at the

Akwa Ibom Records Drop In HIV/AIDS Prevalence

Man, 27, Nabbed For Fraud CALABAR - The Cross River Police Command has confirmed the arrest of one Okon Ntiedo, 27, for allegedly duping 50 unemployed persons of about N3.5 million.

Ntiedo was said to have told the unsuspecting victims who hailed from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states that he was an informant for the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and conned them into believing that he could secure federal appointments for them.

The spokesman of the command, Mr. Hogan Bassey, who confirmed the story, told newsmen that the suspect had since been arrested.

“The information is correct and there is no attempt to release him from detention because investigations are continuing.

“The suspect is not on the staff of the DSS, we have confirmed that. His so called residential address is still in

doubt,’’ he said.

Bassey said that Ntiedo, who was arrested on October 24 in a drinking spot in Afokang, Calabar South, was being detained at Mbukpa Police Station.

He said the suspect promised to secure jobs for the victims in the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Prisons Service and other federal parastatal agencies.

He said the suspect collected between N100,000 and N250,000 from the victims with the pretence that the money would enable him to process their forms and lobby officials.

On his part, Ntiedo confirmed to journalists that he collected various sums as deposit from the victims.

He said the total money he collected was N2 million and not N3.5 million as the police claimed.

position in the country, now occupied the sixth position.

Udokpong said that the reduction was due to improvement in people’s response to the awareness created by SACA in collaboration with other partners on HIV/AIDS. “It was an embarrassment to me when I came in as the chairman of SACA and discovered that Akwa Ibom occupied the second position in the HIV prevalence rate in the country.

“What I did then was to let people know what HIV is all about because they don’t know

what it means; what it does and what it is all about.’’

Udokpong advised people to stay away from “risky social behaviour and multi-partnership’’ in order to reduce HIV infections in the state.

In his remarks, the DirectorGeneral of (NACA), Prof. John Idoko, commended the State Government for its efforts toward the reduction of the scourge in the state.

Idoko, represented by Dr Priscilla Ibekwe, NACA Deputy Director Programme Coordination, said that Nigeria was rated

the third in Africa in terms of mother-to-child transmission.

“This presupposes that the country has more people to treat and going by the prevalence rate, if adequate measures are not taken, it may not meet the 2015 MDGs target.”

Idoko, however, urged those tested to maintain their status by avoiding any act that could lead to transmission of the deadly virus.

“No fewer than 40 per cent of people living with HIV/AIDS are not aware because they have not gone for test.

A block of three classrooms at Ikao inaugurated by Hon. (Barr.) Jimoh Ijegbai, Chairman Owan East Local Government Council.

hospital any time recruitment was done but the hope was dashed last week,” Udoimuk lamented.

Another medical doctor, who did not want his name mentioned, said that he felt very bad that invitation for interview was sent through text messages to few persons.

“I have got my primaries, so I was very hopeful for the job at UUTH but I was not invited for the interview,” he said.

However, the chief medical director said that the management was granted a waiver to select candidates from its pool of applicants.

“It was at the discretion of the Federal Character Commission that we went into the pool and shortlisted candidates.

“The Federal Character Commission has given us certificate of no objection because it was satisfied with what we have done,” he said.

Peter said that out of the 48 new employees, 16 were not Akwa Ibom indigenes, thus reflecting that the institution was a Federal Government establishment.

He said that the recruitment was taken out of the hospital premises to avoid disruption by host communities of Edienne- Ikot and Obio-Imo group of villages.

“We were threatened that they will bring traditional injunction or `juju’, so we had to tread with caution and relocate,” Peter said.

He said that the recruitment was for highly skilled manpower, such as doctors, radiologists and nurses, not for clerical staff.

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Across The Nation Ijegbai Condoles With Akhigbe AFUZE (Edo) – The Chairment Area the fortitude to bear man, Owan East Local GovernFamily the irreparable loss of this noble ment Council and Secretary,

L-R: Wife of Governor of Lagos, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola; Iyaloja General, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo and Senator Oluremi Tinubu at the inauguration of Iyaloja General in Lagos on Tuesday.

Edo State ALGON, Hon (Barr.)

Jimoh Ijegbai has, on behalf of the people of Owan East Local Government commiserated with the Akhigbe family and the people of Etsako Central Local Government Area on the death of their son, Late Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe (Rtd).

Hon. Ijegbai noted in a statement endorsed by his Special Assistant on Media, Comrade Dele Enaifoghe that the Late Vice Admiral Akhigbe contributed immensely to the political stability of the country and would be remembered for his numerous achievements before and during the democratic emancipation of Nigeria.

PPA Rallies Support For Anambra Guber Candidate

ONITSHA (ANAMBRA) National and state officials of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) threw their weight behind the candidacy of Mr. Godwin Ezeemo in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra.

The reports state that the officials demonstrated their support for Ezeemo during a rally in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra.

Chief Sam Nkire, the National Chairman of the party, led the team, which included the state chairmen from Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra.

Nkire said the flag bearer was “the most qualified candidate to liberate the state from underdevelopment”.

He said that Ezeemo was a candidate with potential and was God-fearing, adding that he ordinarily did not need to campaign if there was level playing ground in an election.

Nkire urged the people to go home and ensure Ezeemo’s victory at the poll.

“You should go home and vote en masse for Ezeemo, stay at the polling booths to protect your vote after voting,’’ he said.

Mrs. Naomi Achibong, the National Women Leader of the party, urged female voters to

give Ezeemo their votes, assuring them that the candidate would not disappoint them.

Mr. Patrick Okeoha, the ViceChairman (South-East), urged the electorate to give the party’s flag bearer their votes for him to use his wealth of experience garnered over years both at home and abroad to develop-

ment the state.

Chief Austine Udeh, the Chairman of the party in Enugu, said Anambra would benefit much if Ezeemo was elected as the governor of the state.

In his speech, Ezeemo said that the state needed a strong leader to effectively develop it.

He said his manifesto was anchored on five important areas with the acronym “SHAPE”.

speech during a ceremony in his honour, as out-going president of the association.

He lamented the delay in his handing over to a new administration as stipulated by the constitution of the association for three years, which he said was as a result of 2012 Environmental Health Week and the devastating flood that ravaged the state.

Sanitarian Mein highlighted his administration’s key

achievements to include, the increased rate of registration of members and the acquisition of licence by members to enhance their operations in the state.

He also highlighted the employment of Environmental Health Officers in government hospitals such as the Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, as feats achieved during his tenure.

According to Sanitarian Mein, participation of the mem-

He remarked that the news of the death of the Late Akhigbe came to him as a rude shock, especially now that his contributions to further entrench the political sphere of Edo State and Nigeria is most needed.

He prayed God Almighty to grant the family of the Late Admiral and the people of Etsako Central Local Govern-

Son of Afenmai land, and Edo State generally.

Late admiral Akhigbe was at different times, the military administrator of old Ondo and Lagos States, and the nation’s military Vice-President during the administration of General Abdulsalam Abubakar.

ENUGU - The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Samuel Uche has expressed hopes that Nigeria will be better in the near future.

The prelate, who spoke with newsmen in Enugu said that with fervent prayers, the country would come out of its current challenges.

“I foresee a Nigeria with good leaders, employment for all and better infrastructure but these can only be possible with prayers.

“Only prayers can save and change the country. Nigeria will not disintegrate. It will remain united,’’ he said.

Uche, who was the former Archbishop of the church in Enugu before his new appointment, appealed to Nigeria, to be patient with President Goodluck Jonathan in his transformation agenda.

The prelate also urged the people to pray for the president rather than attack him.

He pleaded with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its four month strike in the interest of their students and future of the country.

“ASUU and the federal government should come back to the negotiation table and find a way of resolving the problem.

bers of the state chapter in national programmes of EHOAN and educational programmes such as the Thematic Training Programme witnessed considerable increase during his administration.

Similarly, he identified the recognition of the state chapter in the comity of states in the federation achieved during his tenure as commendable, stressing the key roles played by the state chapter in the South-South Zone of the association as worthy of note.

He added that the state chapter has also seen the appointment of its members at the National level of the association which was the first of its kind

in the history of the chapter in addition to the appointment of its members into key positions by the Bayelsa State government.

The out-going president said, “all the achievements recorded by the state chapter was possible in his tenure due to the active support of members”.

He also commended the Elders Forum of the association in the state for their support to his administration, stressing the Elders Forum’s financial contributions for rentage of the association’s secretariat in 2010.

According to him, the Elders Forum also played fatherly role in settling disputes among the executive members and ensuring stability of the polity in the state chapter.

YOLA - A “mysterious” fire burnt the store of the Adamawa Ministry of Agriculture at the state secretariat in Yola.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Lucy Ishaku, who confirmed the fire incident to me in Yola, said that no casualty was recorded.

Ishaku said that the fire started at 3.30 p.m. while workers were still in their offices.

“The source of the fire still remains unknown because at the time of the outbreak there was no electricity supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

“Even though our generator was working at the time of the incident, it had no link to the fire,’’ the commissioner said.

She said that a panel would be set up to investigate the incident.

Also commenting on the fire, an official of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Gambo Daniel, said that the fire destroyed the store which contained documents.

He said the early intervention of the fire service prevented the fire from spreading to other offices in the ministry.

Methodist Prelate Predicts Better Prospect For Nigeria

Association Applauds Members Cooperation

By INNOCENT OMOAKA YENAGOA – The President of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Sanitarian Gilbert O. Mein has lauded members of the association for their immense support and contributions to the success of his administration.

Sanitarian Mein made the commendation in a valedictory

Fire Guts Govt Owned Store

Empty stalls at Maboreje Market in honour of the official inauguration of the Iyaloja General in Lagos on Tuesday.

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Across The Nation 25-Yr-old Apprentice Arraigned

Death Of Boyfriend: LOKOJA - A 25-year-old tailoring apprentice, Gloria Ugbede, has been arraigned in a Lokoja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly killing her boy friend, Omachonu Ukubile, in a hotel.

Ugbede, of Ichala-Ibaji in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi, charged with culpable homicide contrary to Section 221 of the Penal Code, was said to have committed the offence on September 29.

The Prosecuting Police Officer, Mr. B.A. Nwadiea, told the court that the accused, on the fateful day, accompanied Ukubile, of Ejule-Ojebe also in Ibaji, to Debanjesi Hotel, Bishop’s Road, Idah.

According to him, a few minutes after they arrived and

entered the hotel chalet, the deceased started coughing and releasing foamy saliva from his mouth. Ukubile was rushed to Odoma Clinic, also in Idah where he later died.

Nwadiea told the court that police investigation into the case was in progress, and opposed admitting the accused to bail on the ground that the offence was capital in nature.

He also told the court that the accused would jump bail and prejudice police investigation if granted bail.

He, therefore, urged the court to refuse any application for her bail. The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Alhassan Hussein, said he shared the opinion of the prosecution without prejudice

regarding the material placed before the court.

He pointed out that the accused was effectively linked to the alleged offence, and it would be difficult to accede to any request for bail in view of the nature of the offence and severity of the punishment on conviction.

Hussein, therefore, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Idah.

He also directed that the case be transferred to the Chief Magistrates’ Court, Idah, for the convenience of the parties.

Hussein adjourned the case to November 17 for mention.

L-R: Chairman, National Dialogue Advisory Committee, Sen. Femi Okoruonmu; Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Mr Joe Nwogu; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and former Ebonyi State Governor, Dr Sam Egwu, during the committee’s Stakeholders meeting in Enugu.

Kaduna Speaker’s Removal

Court Fixes December 6 For Judgement KADUNA - A Kaduna High Court has fixed December 6, for ruling on the case brought by Alhaji Muazu Gangara challenging his removal as speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

The reports state that the case was first mentioned on October 23, during which the Judge, Justice Dogara Mallam ordered all parties to the case to be properly served.

At the resumed hearing counsel to the defendants, Yunus Usman sought for the dismissal of the case, saying that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it.

He told the court that they had filed a notice of preliminary objection on October 7, challenging the continuation of the case.

According to him, the removal of the former speaker was purely an internal disciplinary action which the assembly has a right to do.

He further argued that the step taken by the House was in line with section 2851 of the 1999 Constitution.

Usman said the section was clear on the type of election cases that could be brought before a court of law.

He averred that the former speaker and other principal officers, were party to the resolution of the assembly on August 14, when a one month ultimatum was issued to them to either enhance their leadership style or be removed.

In his submission, cousel to the plaintiff, Samuel Atung, urged the court to dismiss the submissions of the defendants, arguing that the current position of the law regarding section 2851 of the Constitution was very clear.

Atung also argued that the members who purportedly voted to remove Gangara did not form the required quorum as provided

under section 92 (C) of the Constitution.

He therefore called on the court to dismiss the objections of the defendants and to hear the case on its merit.

Justice Mallam, who did not respond to the objections raised by the counsels, ordered them to submit their submissions to the court for accellerated judgement on the case.

The judge said he would suspend his other engagements to attend to the case, and fixed December 6, for judgement.

L-R: National Coordinator, Traders Rights Initiative, Comrade Christopher Okpala; former Minister of Foriegn Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and moderator, Dr okey Ikechukwu, at the South-East Economic summit in Enugu.

N5bn Sure-P Funds: GUSAU - Zamfara chapter of Northern Youths Association (NYA) has called on the state government to give public account of how it spent funds accruing to the state from SURE-P. The chairman of the association, Malam Mannir Haidara, made the call when he addressed newsmen in Gusau.

“Though funds received by the state government under the SURE-P program stands at over N5 billion now, there is nothing to show for it in terms of youth development,” Haidara said.

He alleged that the state government, under the leadership of Gov. Abdulaziz Yari, had not done enough to empower youths in the state.

He said despite promises, the state government had failed to pay the registration fees for May/June, 2013 SSSCE for students from the state to collect their results and seek higher education.

“We cannot boast of being good leaders of tomorrow, when we are not even allowed by the present crop of our leaders to

Zamfara Youths Demand Explanation

go to school,” he told newsmen Haidara warned that: “If the state government fails to render account of how it managed the SURE-P funds, the association will have no option than to take the matter to court.”

The chairman called on all youths in the state to join hands with the association to achieve improved wellbeing of youths in the state.

Reacting to the allegation, the

Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin- Magaji, said the state government had channelled the SURE-P funds into capital projects, especially roads rehabilitation and construction.

“Right from the time we started receiving the funds, we sat at council level and resolved that instead of making it merry go round, we will create avenues that will open up opportunities

to our unemployed youths and we considered the provision of access roads as one of them.”

Birnin-Magaji said that the state government had utilised the funds by encouraging the establishment of private sanitation outfits, which had employed over 200 youths as

street cleaners across the state so far.

He said the government made sure that the private sanitation outfits engaged unemployed youths in the state, adding that “this has greatly impacted positively in the lives of our youths”.

Niger To Complete N1.4bn Hospital In 8 Months MINNA - The Niger State Government said work on the N1.4 billion maternal and neo-natal ward extension project at the Minna General Hospital will be completed in eight months.

Alhaji Sa’idu Ndako, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), said this at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on the project in Minna on Monday.

The SSG said the project would improve access to health care delivery by

pregnant women and children in the state.

He said the project, which would consist of four wards and a theatre, would be furnished with the state-of -the art medical equipment for the treatment of various ailments and delivery of babies.

Ndako said the state government would start paying the contractor handling the project after it had attained 36 per cent of its contract value in line with the contract terms.

He said the government would

keep to its contractual terms by ensure prompt payment to enable the contractor to complete the project in record time of eight months.

“I am confident that the project will be completed before the May 27, 2014 deadline, as the governor is expected to inaugurate the project to mark his seventh year in office, Ndako said.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Mutual Commitment Nigeria

Limited, Mr. Charles Liu, assured early completion of the project in accordance with the contractual agreement.

He said that the equipment to be used on the site would be “the most modern and latest technology available in the medical field.

“We will not compromise on standards.”

Alhaji Hassan Nuhu, the state’s SURE-P DirectorGeneral, said the directorate would provide 100 per cent funding for the project as part of its intervention in the health sector.

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Abuja

Institute Proposes Unification Of Criminal, Penal Law ABUJA - Prof. Epiphany Azinge, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, said the institute is working on a draft bill to unify criminal and penal laws to ensure limited scope of law.

Azinge made this known in Abuja at a stakeholders’ meeting on the proposed unification of criminal and penal laws in Nigeria.

According to him, the unification of both laws will ensure easy understanding and interpretation.

Azinge said unification of the two laws became necessary for the country to move forward as a committed and indivisible nation.

He said in spite of the numerous challenges associated with the unification of the two laws due to their differences in religion and cultural values, there was the need for a change.

“We want a situation where we can collate most of our laws and bring them under one umbrella.

“This will make it easier for people to understand. For now, up north, we have the Penal Code and in the south, we have the Criminal Code.

“We need to try as much as possible to assimilate and condense the similarities and dissimilarities in the laws to see how we can manage them so that

ABUJA - Labour movements from 28 countries have demanded the immediate withdrawal of Moroccan troops from Western Sahara and an end to colonial occupation.

The labour leaders converged on Abuja for a three-day conference with the theme “Liberation of Western Sahara: Ending colonialism in Africa’’.

The conference had in attendance labour leaders from 18 African countries and 10 other countries with two parliamentary delegations from the EU and Spain.

Declaring the conference open, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, regretted that Morocco had illegally occupied Western Sahara for more than 40 years.

Omar said the continued rule

by Morocco following the withdrawal of Spain had continued to subjugate its people to untold economic and social exploitation.

The NLC president condemned Morocco for allegedly disregarding several calls, including the UN Resolutions and the African Union for people of Western Sahara to take charge of their affairs.

“On our part, we are calling on the UN, AU, EU and other friends of liberation to exert the necessary pressure on Morocco to let the Saharawi people go.

“The right to self-

determination is an inalienable right and is non-negotiable. No nation, no matter how powerful, has a right to trample on a weaker one.

“Similarly, resolutions are nothing if they are not given effect to and respected. For too long, the world has looked the other way while the Saharawi tragedy unfolds.

“Yet, Africa cannot be said to be free if a part of it is in chains.

No nation is free if others are in bondage,’’ he said.

Omar said the dignity of human race could not be said to be complete if there were classes of citizenship, saying there will be no rest until the Saharawi Democratic Arab Republic is liberated.

The conference is focusing on the severe, brutal violations, abuses and crimes against humanity, allegedly committed by the Moroccan military and security forces since the conflict began many years ago.

A University of Lagos lecturer, who is the lead speaker, Prof. Yomi Akinyeye, urged African countries to drag Morocco before the International Court of Justice for human rights abuses.

The don called for a composition of a high powered committee by the AU to liberate the republic as was done for South Africa during the apartheid regime.

Also speaking, Amb. Maitama Sule called for equality

in the fullness of time, we will have a limited scope of Criminal Law.’’ He said the committee doing the research had been able to bring people from diverse areas based on their state of origin and religion to get “the benefit of interjection of people from the diverse cultures’’.

The director-general expressed the concern that most existing laws were obsolete, and stressed the need to modify and unify them to meet current challenges.

He said the institute would continue to advise relevant stakeholders, particularly the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly on the need

to modify the country’s laws to meet international best practices.

“The laws that we have now are very outdated, considering when they were made and the fact that not so much effort has been made in so many areas to update them.

“Some states like Lagos seem to have reviewed and modified

their own laws but others are doing it in piecemeal instead of going straight into the criminal law of the state.

“The National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly should therefore rise up to the challenges of the time and look at some of those laws, including their definitions,” he said.

Earlier, a professor of law from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Karissu Chukkol, said the effort made by the institute would go a long way in unifying the country.

Chukkol urged the institute to take the issue of punishment for offences seriously in the draft proposal.

Labour Movements Rally Support For Western Sahara for the Saharawi people, noting that equality was a God-given right and must be respected by all.

A Lagos based lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, said he had contacted lawyers in Europe to charge France and other European countries before the European Human Rights Court.

He said France would be charged for supporting the ongoing dehumanisation and occupation of Western Sahara.

“After this meeting, I have already gotten in touch with lawyers in Europe to charge Spain, France and other collaborators with Morocco to European Human Rights Court.

“This is with a view to checking the illegality of the exploitation of the resources of Western Sahara,’’ Falana said.

The Newsmen reports state that goodwill messages were delivered by representatives from Algeria, South Africa, Ghana, Spain and Zambia as well as local and international civil society organisations.

The event, tagged “African conference of solidarity with the struggle of the people of Western Sahara’ was organised by NLC, Civil Societies and Movements in solidarity with Saharawi people.

The Western Sahara conflict or Polisario Front dispute for independence is an ongoing conflict between Polisario Front of the Sahrawi people and the State of Morocco.

L-R: Head, UN Mission in Cote D’Ivoire, Ms Aitchatou Mindaoudou, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head, UN Office for West Africa, Amb. Said Djinnit; Ivorien Prime Minister, Mr Daniel Duncan and Resident, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Desire Ouedraogo, at a Regional High Level Conference on organised transnational crime in West Africa in Abidjan on Tuesday.

L-R: Former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III and Gov Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State when Gen. Abubakar paid a courtesy call in Sokoto on Tuesday.

Human Trafficking

ECOWAS Partners Media

ABUJA - The ECOWAS Commission has expressed its readiness to partner with the media in its effort to eradicate human and child trafficking in the West African sub region.

Dr. Adrienne Diop, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Gender, said this at a workshop on the role of the media in combating human trafficking and child protection in Abuja.

Diop, represented by the Director, Humanitarian and Social Affairs of the commission, Dr Daniel Eklu, said the three-day meeting was to develop a media and communication network and strategy for combating trafficking in persons and child protection.

“Women and children all over the world suffer from deprivations visited on them by human traffickers. This reality is borne out by the weakness of the child protection systems in our various member states.

“The linkage between human trafficking and child protection is intricate; I cannot over emphasise the importance of the media in our quest at promoting alliances to achieve the desired results in the important areas.

“I am confident to proclaim that this is a meeting of leaders saddled with the important task of articulating a common vision for our children and other vulnerable persons.”

Diop outlined efforts of the sub-region to enhance child and

human protection in the region.

“The ECOWAS Heads of States adopted a plan of action to combat trafficking in persons from 2001 to 2011 and is currently undergoing review.

“Also, a joint plan of action between ECOWAS and ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) was entered into in 2006 as well as Multilateral Cooperation Agreement between West and Central Africa.

“In 2010, the commission adopted a policy on ‘Protection and Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking’ and ‘Guidelines for Protection, Support and Assistance to Witnesses’ in the same year.

“On the ECOWAS Child Policy, the commission elaborated and adopted a framework for the monitoring and evaluation of child protection interventions.

“Subsequently, training sessions were held for national authorities responsible for child protection on its application.

‘All these instruments have informed the practise of member states in combating trafficking in persons and have been reviewed on an annual basis,” she said.

She added that “child protection elements” were also being introduced into other ECOWAS resolutions to facilitate efforts at tackling trafficking.

Also speaking with newsmen, Advisor in Charge of Human Trafficking in the commission, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi, noted that the awareness among and response of member states to issues of trafficking had “improved considerably”.

Olayemi said the sub-region worked with the national task forces of member states, adding that it had improved their approach to issues of trafficking.

He said the meeting would develop an appropriate framework within which to work.

Services generally must work for women and children. That includes law enforcement, social protection for families that are vulnerable, things that create a safety net.

“You cannot have a country or a region where children, women and other vulnerable groups are victimised and hope that that society will ever develop or there will ever be peace in that society.

“These are some of the things that we hope that in discussing with the media at this meeting and in trying to form a network of media organisations that can keep these issues on the front burner.

“We hope to have a clearing house for the network through our department of communication here and the directorate of social and humanitarian affairs which deals with these issues for which this meeting is convened.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

News National Dialogue

Dankwambo Appoints of the committee, while Mr. C’ttee Magallen Dedan would serve as GOMBE- Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe has appointed 21 persons to serve as the state’s National Dialogue Advisory Committee.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Bage, issued in Gombe.

The statement named Alhaji Usman Faruk, as the Chairman

its Secretary.

According to the statement, the committee is mandated to study issues in the upcoming National Dialogue.

Other terms of reference of the committee are, to make recommendation to government concerning the conference agenda and also mobilize citizens in the state to participate in the conference.

ABEOKUTA- The police in Ogun have arrested members of an armed robbery gang, who confessed to killing no fewer than 25 security operatives since 2011 in states in South-West Nigeria.

The Police Commissioner in the state, Mr Okoye Ikemefuna, showed three members of the gang to reporters in Abeokuta, whom he said were arrested on Friday last week at the Obele area of the state.

“Our officers who acted on a tip-off stormed the area which is a border town between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin at around 3 p.m. on Friday. ‘’On reaching there, the gang members opened fire at the team and the team returned fire-forfire and killed three of the robbers while three were arrested and the others escaped. ‘’Efforts are, however, going on to arrest the fleeing gang members. The lady among them is the most deadly. She was the

one shooting at the SARS men,” the police boss said.

Ammunition recovered from the gang according to Okoye, include two AK 47 riffles, a Wealthier P.22 pistol with 49 rounds of live ammunition and two cut-to-size double barrel guns He said the police also recovered 100 rounds of live AK 47 ammunition, 55 live cartridges, assorted charms and two packets of Lexomil tablets.

The gang members were said to be allies of a robbery kingpin, Abiodun Egunjobi, popularly known as Godogodo, who was recently arrested in Lagos.

Okoye said that the gang members had confessed to killing the former South-West Coordinator and Ogun State Commander of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), Mr Yomi Bamgbose, in 2011.

He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the police concluded investigations.

The leader of the gang, Adegoke Kasali, who is physically challenged, due to burns he claimed to have sustained since his childhood, said he regretted his involvement in crime.

“This is the work of the devil.

I cannot understand why I am into armed robbery. It is beyond my comprehension.

Police Smash Robbery Gang Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh (left) enrolling at a National Identity Card centre in Bauchi on Tuesday/

Tambuwal Urges Legislators To Abide By Law ABUJA- The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, in Abuja, called on members of the legislature to live by example by abiding to the rule of law .

Tambuwal said this in Abuja, at a two-day workshop organised by the Joint Committee of Rules and Business of the Senate and the House in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative Studies and Democratic Governance for Development Projects.

The theme of the workshop was “Legislative practice and procedure.”

He said legislators must not see themselves as being above the law, and must, therefore, subject themselves to the rule of law in carrying out their legislative functions.

Tambuwal explained that while the law protects lawmakers over comments made on the floor of the House, it does not extend to illegality perpetrated by a legislator.

“You will find also as you discuss the privileges and immunity of legislators that while the law protects the parliamentarian over comments made on the floor of the house, that privilege does not extend to any illegality perpetrated by a legislator.

“In other words, being a parliamentarian does not place you above the law. Indeed, it imposes on you a responsibility to abide by the law at all times,” he said.

Tambuwal also challenged the legislators to enforce accountability on public office holders through effective oversight and investigative hearings so as to facilitate rapid development of the democracy.

Tambuwal expressed the hope that the workshop would enrich the knowledge of participants and improve on the workings of the parliament and democracy.

“Sometimes, especially in political matters, you will find that practice can be so different from theory, this particular workshop seems to cover practically all areas of legislative practice.

“By the end of the day, participants will, no doubt, improve their knowledge of the whole system of parliamentary democracy.

“The discussion on the Bill Process will hopefully throw more light on the complexities involved in passing any law in a bicameral legislature.

“Most of the work is actually done by committees and we try

Power Sector:

Partners ABUJA- The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has lauded the contributions of donor agencies to the ongoing privatisation in the power sector.

The minister stated this when the Donor Coordinating Group, led by the UNIDO Representative, Dr Patrick Kormawa, paid him a courtesy call.

A statement signed by Mrs Grace Njoku for Deputy Director/Head of Press of the ministry, quoted the minister as saying that the exercise would have experienced more hiccups, but for the expertise, foresight and doggedness of the partners.

He said the government had achieved 90 per cent success in the payment of PHCN workers’ severance packages and pension.

He said 40,093 workers had received their severance packages with an additional 5,000 waiting to be revalidated.

The minister said that the intention of the Federal Government was to avoid delay in the

as much as possible to involve the public in the lawmaking process.

“We believe fervently that democracy can only grow when people choose to participate and influence the process for the collective good.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers, Mr Inuwa Garba, commended the organisers for the “ laudable initiative” of putting together the event.

Garba, who was represented by his Deputy, Hajia Monsurat Sunmonu, told the participants that the workshop was to en-

hance parliamentary procedures in the country.

He said that the workshop was also aimed to promote national interest as well as the development of the country.

Reports state that the conference is being attended by principal officers of the National Assembly, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairmen of Committees of Rules and Business.

Also in attendance were Speakers of State Assemblies

proposed formal physical handover of power assets to private owners.

He called for more collaboration from the international part-

ners, adding that their assistance would ensure access to “cheap” funds.

Earlier, Kormawa said the group was focused on providing

Minister Lauds Development support for the sector, and to provide platform for share of knowledge, expertise and information on development in the sector.

President, Rivers/Bayelsa Shippers Council Association, Mr Udofia Ofon (left) and coordinator, Nigerian Shippers Council, South-South zone, Mr Maurice Effanga, at the Rivers/Bayelsa Shippers Association Forum in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Discourse

Esan North East: Why PDP Should Respect APC Victory

THE Peoples Democratic Party PDP must learn to be good losers in Edo State elections.

There is no gainsaying the fact that PDP only lives in the minds of only a few persons in the state seeking contracts and political appointments from President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Prior to the local Government election in Edo state was the Governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) where then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won in all the eighteen local government elections in the state. It showed the level of acceptability of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole -led government in the state because all over the 18 local governments, citizens are tired of the deceit of the People Democratic Party. And so, like lepers, no one local government wants to identify with the PDP in Edo. That is why when the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) set out to conduct Local Government elections earlier in the year as provided for by the constitution, the PDP knew there was no way they could convince any ward let alone a council area to vote for

them. Rather that beg Edo people for forgiveness and make concrete promises that may be believed, the PDP resorted to insulting Governor Oshiomhole from one campaign ground to the other believing, rather foolishly that the more the man is insulted, the more votes they would gather. What a sheepish and default strategy and reasoning!

During the April 20 council polls held in the state, the PDP cried foul just as they are weeping today. They claimed the election was rigged. But Edo people who were interviewed by most media organisations adjudged the election as “ peaceful and orderly”, contrary to the impression being painted by a PDP-controlled electronic media in Benin City which sole agenda has been to incite the public against the government. As at the time of the PDP issuing its wild allegations, results were fully collated in fourteen councils with clear winners emerging.

For instance, the PDP State Chairman Mr. Dan Orbih, won his ward by a margin of 27 votes but lost the Chairmanship by a margin of 38 votes. To achieve that, ACN chieftain in the area, Mr. John Umoru, was brutally beaten up by soldiers allegedly on the orders of PDP leaders. In Fugar,

By DAN OWEGIE

the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, won his polling unit but lost his

less than 18,000 people by the PDP. That is in addition to over 10,000 thugs they imported

ward. These results showed PDP’s winning some counsellorship positions clearly exposes the lie that that entire process was ‘a charade’ Following the rescheduled Esan North East Local Government elections, Chief Dan Orbih and the Edo PDP henchmen in Abuja again, believed that militarization of the local Government was the way to traumatise the people and forcefully win the area. But the people were resolute in protecting their votes. On the day of the election, over 2000 policemen and soldiers were shipped into the local government of

from neighbouring states to a tiny Local Government. Scores of our APC leaders, including former transitional committee chairman of the Local Government Area were beaten mercilessly and thrown into the open cabin of police Hillux van in a most dehumanising manner, all in a desperation to win the council election.

Some of them are still in police detention under inhuman conditions and refused bail by the police.

Yet, the same police have not arrested and detained Mr. Dan Orbih, Mr. John Yakubu and their cotravelers in PDP for parading fake elections results in the state. We

know and do agree that it is the duty of the police to maintain law and order but we also know that it is not the duty of the police to take sides with the PDP or help it to rig any election.

Esan North East citizens and indeed Edo people are glad that in spite of all the intimidations, the people voted APC all the way and results were announced by EDSIEC and APC swept the polls again. As it is customary with Dan Orbih and Mathew Urhoghide, they cried foul and vowed to challenge the results in the court. Good idea in a democracy!

Orbih claimed: “ We received certificates of return for all eleven wards in the councillorship election.

The certificates of return are part of the documents we will tender in court.” This is good plan.

“Edo PDP need to go to bed again and continue its dreams regarding what hit them from the general elections, through the governorship and now to the local government elections and rediscover themselves that Edo people have roundly rejected them and that position is final.”

If you know that certificate of return was issued to PDP and not APC, why not wait and tender them in court. Instead, the PDP woke up from another horrible nightmare again, this time, through its State Publicity Secretary, Mathew Uroghide alleging that the APC and EDSIEC officials have been holding nocturnal meetings to perfect plans to tamper with the election documents and other evidence of irregularities against them ahead of the litigation in court.

The onus of proof lie on Urhoghide, Dan Orbih, John Yakubu and Edo PDP to prove their election rigging allegation in court. They are also required to substantiate and produce proof of their thoughtless allegation of “APC and EDSIE nocturnal meetings.”

Edo PDP need to go to bed again and continue its dreams regarding what hit them from the general elections, through the governorship and now to the local government elections and rediscover themselves that Edo people have roundly rejected them and that position is final. If you can’t beat us, our doors are open for you to join us. But you must discard your garb of corruption, non-performance and join the new forces of development of Edo land ably led by Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. Quad Errand Demonstradum.

• Mr. Dan Owegie is a Chieftain of All Progressive Congress, APC, Edo State.

THE NIGERIAN

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MORE than any other issue in Nigeria today, the greatest concern has been the security condition of the country.

ALMOST on a daily basis, there are accounts of several security threats arising from armed robberies, assassinations, armed militancy and banditry, kidnapping, bombings and of recent, the blood-let from a religious sect called the Jaamatus Alhus Sunnah Lid Daawatis Wal Jiliad (otherwise called Boko Harm) who say they are opposed to Western education and are ready to attack every vestige of western civilization.

INDEED, the rate of crime and criminality, as exemplified in the high incidence of kidnapping, bombings and other organised crimes has sadly moved from the realm of security threat to an area of real and present danger.

THE frightening security condition in Nigeria has not only been a source of worry, it has also dented Nigeria’s International status.

FOR instance, on August 26, 2011 the terrorist group, Boko Haram bombed the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s Federal capital city. The consequences of that attack, as of today, are yet to abate.

IN the wake of the UN building attack, Nigeria, lost her hosting right of the global food security meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAQ) which was moved from Abuja, to Senegal. The meeting was an assemblage of experts and food administrators all over the globe.

ASIDE the UN building bombing on August 26, 2011 that claimed 23 lives including 11 UN personnel, local Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, had until late, been orchestrating series of isolated attacks predominantly in Northern Nigeria. The sect is

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013 THE NIGERIAN

Security And Intelligence Sharing believed to be targeting centres of international attraction, especially in the Federal Capital Territory.

CURIOUSLY, the presidential committee on security challenges in the North East Zone has identified security lapses, inter-service rivalry and lack of collaboration as factors that have encouraged the proliferation of security crises in the Northern part of the country. It also blamed the security breaches on high level of poverty, unemployment and other social ills.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is however of the considered opinion that serious security collaboration and intelligence sharing must be urgently evolved to arrest security breaches and this needs to go beyond the shores of the nation. The federal government must build inter-agency cooperation through diplomatic channels/pacts, and international intelligence to ensure that crime of whatever scale is nipped in the bud.

MOST importantly, there is the overriding need to promptly move to demilitarize the Nigerian society and reduce the heavy influx of arms and ammunition in the country which have unfortunately gone into the wrong hands.

TO this extent, the Customs and Immigration Services, in tandem with the Ministry of Interior should work round the clock to protect the

porous Nigerian borders.

SOMETHING fundamental equally needs to be done to reduce, if not totally eliminate the existence of private militias that were established, funded and used by politicians and individuals who later dumped them after having been trained to handle arms.

ALSO, the various security agencies, beside the need to be technologically equipped and funded to carry out their assigned tasks, would need to be restructured. The structure and duties of our security agencies must be revisited so as to ensure that each organ very well knows its specific roles and function, while the laws establishing these agencies must be made clear on who does what.

THE government at all levels, particularly the federal government, urgently needs to carry out reforms in the security sub-sector to eliminate inertia created by inter-agency rivalry and react decisively to security threats with dispatch.

ON their part, the citizens must cooperate with the security agencies by supplying them with prompt, useful and relevant information on likely security breaches. This can be facilitated by the existence of a well-coordinated biometric database of Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike indicating where people live, their nature of jobs and background.

This will assist in fishing out the bad eggs in the society.

DECISIVE steps should be taken to cripple Boko Haram Sect and their operations as well as end their menacing reign. If anything, a safe, secure and peaceful environment is what the present democracy needs to be strengthened and sustained, as such the government and people of Nigeria cannot afford to leave this to the whims and caprices of miscreants.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Impact Of Infidelity On Marriage

WHEN a marriage is affected by an affair or infidelity, it can be like dropping a pebble into water.

The ripples of devastation grow wider and wider and can last literally for generations. Thus, as couples who want to have extraordinary marriages, it would be wise to learn about infidelity, what happens, and why, and then find out what YOU can do to keep your marriage affair-free.

To understand how affairs start, a couple needs to understand a few key concepts. Envision the love of a marriage like a campfire.

First there is a time and place for marriage just as there is a time and place for a campfire.

It’s made in the fire pit and rocks are put around the fire to protect it. You don’t do a campfire during dry season, during the rain, or in wind near grass as there is a chance that the fire could go “out of control.” And it’s the same for a marriage. Marriage is for people who make a very serious commitment to each other (a covenant) and then put rocks in place to protect the fire. Next, there are actions a person can do to build the fire–call those Love Kindlers. When people first start dating, they spend every free moment together, they get to know each other and talk long into the night, they do fun activities together and laugh together, they send each other love notes or buy silly stuffed animals or write poems, and they are attracted to each other and express that physically (usually with holding hands, kissing, hugging, and some degree of making out). These are actions that kindle love and make the fiery passions of love blaze! BUT there are actions that a person can do to put out the fire too–call those Love Extinguishers. Some are like a little drip from the bottom of a holey bucket…some are like pouring a bucket of water on the fire…and some are like dumping a swimming pool! However, if a bucket had enough small holes and the water constantly dripped and drizzled onto the fire, that fire would never be able to blaze would it? Some common Love Extinguishers are things like never really severing that tie with mom

the pressure to provide for a family, so he starts working two jobs. When he is home, he’s tired and wants to relax by watching TV. They don’t do fun things together or talk as often, and she misses that so she says something, and they argue because he feels like she’s blaming him. Then in year four she’s pregnant again and this time it’s a daughter. She doesn’t lose any of the baby weight and in fact, she’s stopped even

house, and kids crying! More and more they argue, and lately, when they do, the words said are more spiteful, hurtful, and frankly hateful.

One night, while he is playing video games and ignoring her yet again, she logs onto Face-book and has a friend request from her long lost old flame from college–freshman year. Oh she had SUCH a crush on him and it’s nice to hear from him again, so she approves the friend request and sends him a message saying how good it is to hear from him–how is he? He writes back that he’s going through a divorce and

trying to wear nice clothes– just wears sweats and a tee shirt with her hair up in a knot. She wants him to help and he “never does” so she nags. She wants some romance, hugs and kisses and gets pecks or demands for sex. She wants to sit up and talk all night with him, and he wants her to stop talking and leave him alone.

He wants her to look up to him and admire his promotions but all she thinks of is the kids. He wants her to be the curvy sexy mama and she falls into bed exhausted. He wants to come home to a clean, quiet, well-maintained home and every night he comes home to a pile of bills, a messy

that he found her by luck just surfing around–how is she?

She writes about her hubby ignoring her and he’s understanding and comforts her. He sends her a friendly little Face-book daisy and then a hug saying “hope you feel better” and she gets a little love zing out of it. Back and forth they go on, starting as friends at first, just catching up and being a little more than friendly…but not much. They exchange photos and treat each other really nicely, and she thinks, “He actually cares about me and gives a rip.” Then he says something really tender and caring, and she’s touched.

Meanwhile her husband has no idea about the old flame

By DAVID AND CINDY J. TAYLOR

and dad, angry explosions (attacking your spouse), being critical or judgmental (finding fault with everything your spouse does), keeping score, treating your spouse like it’s “your way or the highway”, holding an error over their head forever, being a bottomless pit (enough is never enough), or growing too comfortable (neglectful, taking your spouse for granted).

So let’s follow a typical married couple through their relationship. They meet when they are young and either through friendship or attraction, they have some interest in each other–they catch each other’s eye or there is a very initial, little spark. They are trying to maybe start a love fire! So to the little spark, he adds a love poem, flirts with her, and gets her a little gift (adding Love Kindlers); she flirts with him, admires his muscles, and takes the time to get dressed up to see him (more kindlers).

Pretty soon they are dating and keep adding more and more Kindlers like he’s finishing his degree in a good field so he’ll have a good job…and she touches him and kisses him and physically wants him. And after a year of nothing but Love Kindlers, they are so deeply in love they can’t see straight and he proposes– they’re getting married.

After the wedding, a small Love Extinguisher or two pops up. He had no idea she left her face goo all over the bathroom and she had no idea he squeezed toothpaste in the middle! She isn’t the greatest cook and he doesn’t help with chores. So that first year or so after the wedding is an adjustment but they also keep up all the Love Kindlers so they still feel really in love.

Then in year two she tells him, she’s pregnant. They have their son and she spends a lot of time with the baby. She’s always too tired for sex every night but they still have some, and well…she gained a little weight but she lost about half of it. Meanwhile he’s feeling

“When people first start dating, they spend every free moment together, they get to know each other and talk long into the night, they do fun activities together and laugh together, they send each other love notes or buy silly stuffed animals or write poems, and they are attracted to each other and express that physically (usually with holding hands, kissing, hugging, and some degree of making out).”

Relationship With IMOISILI EDITH 07089364470 from Face-book, or maybe she’s told him and he has forgotten about it, and he continues as he had been. He gets home from work and immediately ignores her and goes to watch TV (or play a game). He still gets mad about the credit card bill, and he still tries to demand sex without even trying to romance her. And feeling a little guilty about the Facebook friend, she might suggest maybe they need some counseling or say “this isn’t working for me” but her

thing we MUST do is stop looking at what our spouse is doing wrong and look at ourselves! At the deepest level, marriage is an example of the covenant that God makes with us, loving us even when we were unlovely, and in a similar way sometimes we have to make a commitment to our spouse– to look at ourselves and humbly admit our own weaknesses and issues and then do the work to fix ourselves, even when they are unlovely. One option is to

husband dismisses it and says they don’t need help. Or worse–she brings it up and he argues with her about it and it ends in a big screaming match.

This marriage is actually in the first stage of an affair: Vulnerability! One of the hardest things we are called to do as married people is take our eyes off of the faults of our spouse and instead take personal responsibility for ourselves.

As you can see, up to this point, neither spouse was “right” or “wrong” but rather both were contributing to an environment that made their marriage vulnerable.

Each one may have had individual weaknesses that made the individual susceptible to extramarital attention, and in addition, they both contributed to making the marriage vulnerable. To create an extraordinary, affair-free marriage, the most expedient

honestly look in the mirror and acknowledge that we have done the Love Extinguisher, but another option that can be really helpful in a marriage is to ask your spouse to tell you what Love Extinguishers you’ve done that have hurt them the worst. Now this can be a big risk for your spouse to open up and be honest with you, especially if you’ve told them to be honest in the past and then blow up at them when they were honest! But if they are willing to be honest and tell you, please listen with an open heart, and if it gets hurtful, rather than being defensive remind yourself to ONLY say, “Thank you for being honest. I’ll think about what you’ve said.”

This demonstrates that they have a safe place to truly be honest and they can tell you what is actually on their heart even when it isn’t all ‘loveydovey’ that you can take the sting of honest truth in a mature way.

To Be continued

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

The Stage Is Set For Ajuwaya 2013 NYSC Batch C Today

THE National Youth Service Corps Batch C orientation course starts on 5th and ends on 26th November 2013.

This stands as the official date that all NYSC camps in the thirty-six states and FCT would be formally opened. Registration and orientation programmes commences as soon as the camp is opened.

However, graduates from far and near should be getting themselves ready for the compulsory three weeks orientation course that is designed to enable prospective corps members acquaint themselves with their new environment interm of political, social, cultural and economic setting. This three weeks orientation course will also equip them (prospective corps members) with practical, social and leadership skills that will enable them meet the challenges of the service year ahead.

As the corps members in embryos are now receiving their call-up letter from their various institution, they are enjoined to handle the letter with care.

Call-up letter is not a property or credential of any corps member as NYSC officials will collect it back on camp. This letter is not expected to be laminated. You are expected to give it back as it was given to you.

It is high time the prospective corps members understand that NYSC orientation camp is a regimented community. Yielding to all official directives is a matter of necessity. A lawlessness society is a violent society. Nigerian graduates are law abiding citizens and this must be exhibited in orientation camp.

He who fails to prepare is preparing to fail. On this note, prospective corps members are expected to prepare well by coming to the camp with all necessary documents/credentials as stated in the call-up letter. You maybe deployed to a far away state and going back because of any credential might be difficult. Be vigilant.

However, there is a clear indication that NYSC officials in Edo State are planning and preparing for the 2013 batch C orientation camp. Edo state orientation camp is known for dynamism. The last batch witnessed the maiden edition of carnival in Okada camp and there is undoubted tendency of witnessing new package again this November just as Edo State NYSC official under the leadership of Mr. Olarewaju Ologun are pressing hard to stage a

By ERUKUBAMI OMOLADE

successful camping while concomitantly put smiling in the lips of the corps members serving in the state already so also is Edo State Government.

During the recent courtesy visit to Edo State Governor by NYSC officials, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said that this NYSC orientation camp in Okada would be retained promising that permanent structure would be put in place at the camp.

Oshiomhole said “The pace of work may have been slow but this project will definitely continue my hope is that we will find resources to complete the project very quickly so that we can have a standard camp where Corpers can have a level of comfort expected in a civilized society.”

Besides the upgrading of Okada Orientation Camp, Oshiomhole also promised the payment of monthly allowances to corps members serving in the state public schools.

While condemning the idea of not paying this corps members serving in public school, the

Governor said it is not right for people posted to school not to be remunerated. Now, there is tendency new moon to appear on the sky.

However, heaven help only those who help themselves. As NYSC officials and government are working round the clock for the comfort of prospective corps members, the equation is expected to be bal-

anced by the third party (prospective corps members).

Serving our fathers’ land after graduation is a duty of all Nigeria graduates therefore,

answer the clarion call without murmuring but with deep enthusiasm. Next Tuesday is the day.

Effect Of ASUU Strike On NYSC Scheme

THE ripping effect of the four months strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in protest of Federal Government’s failure to implement the 2009 agreement, has started to tell on the nation’s public universities.

ASUU, presided by Nasir IssaFagee, the National President, and his colleagues are on the mission of no-retreat, no surrender, if federal government fails to meet their demands. The decision taken by ASUU in closing down both the federal and state universities has caused more havoc than the intended blessings it was suppose to bring to the students and most especially to the prospective corps members in their final year in their respective public university.

The strike has been a tug of war between the two heavy weight in the nation. Academic activities have been disrupted in all public universities, exception to university of Ilorin.

It is no longer news that the reason for this unbearable action taken by ASUU was for the federal government to implement all the issues tabled down by ASUU in 2009. Out of nine demands requested by ASUU, only two have been met by the federal government since 2009 till date. Thus, it is to be noted that, in the course this present strike,

By ERUKUBAMI OMOLADE the federal government has been able to cough out N130 billion, and also promised to give education maximum priority in next year’s budget and they also promised to develop the universities to world standard.

However, ASUU rejected all these demands and promises, demanding for full implementation of the agreement. This rejection has added more injury to the students’ cuts for it has succeeded in worsen the situation.

It is now a situation where two elephants are fighting, the grass, representing both undergraduates and prospective corps members, will suffer the menace caused by the strike action.

Some of the students in the public universities due for their one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme will not partake in the 2013 Batch ‘C’ NYSC mandatory programme stipulated for November 5th to

26th, 2013.

One cannot just stop to sympathize with these great lads than to empathize with them because its absolutely absurd for one to be held ransom due to some people’s selfish interest.

How do they expect the future of the country to look when they deprive students from excelling and concentrating fully in their education and eventually go further in serving their father’s land with this strike.

Students in private institutions have started receiving callup letters for the 2013 Batch ‘C’ orientation exercise while their colleagues in state and federal universities still find themselves in a sorry state, hoping for ASUU to raise a white handkerchief by surrendering in calling off their ‘usual’ annual strike.

The fact that the shut down of public institutions for close to four months means that prospec-

tive candidates will not enroll for service, as all clearance needed for the call-up letters were not carried out.

Moreover, some students are yet to write their final year examinations, while some are still in the early stage of their projects or yet to defend their projects. Some schools’ senates are yet to approve the results of the students in the finals, due to the strike that has disrupt the academic activities of the schools.

The menace of the strike might eventually lead to the low turn-out of graduates for the 2013 Batch ‘C’ orientation exercise. call-up letters for the 2013 Batch ‘C’ orientation exercise, while their colleagues in state and federal universities still find themselves in a sorry state, hoping for ASUU to raise a while handkerchief by surrendering in calling off their ‘usual’ annual strike.

Graduates will Majorly be

mobilized by the polytechnics, private universities and some few students from the public universities, that is those that were not mobilized with their colleague during the June Batch ‘B’ 2013 exercise.

With this unimaginable and dishearten occurrence faced by the public universities students due to the menace of ASUU strike, it is advisable for the federal government and ASUU to reach an agreement and end this annual scourge because the students who have been calm, patient and portrayed good moral values during this strike period, might not take things easy if the strike prevent them from serving come 2014 Batch ‘A’ orientation exercise.

A word they say is enough for the wise, and no student will want to be bitten twice by ASUU strike.

“One cannot just stop to sympathize with these great lads than to empathize with them because its absolutely absurd for one to be held ransom due to some people’s selfish interest. How do they expect the future of the country to look when they deprive students from excelling and concentrating fully in their education and eventually go further in serving their father’s land with this strike.”

THE NIGERIAN

15

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Child Health And You

Coping With Febrile Convulsion In Children

INTRODUCTION “My pikin is dying.

Somebody help me!!! that sounds like lye Rume. “1 think I have my bottle of herbs mixed with palm kernel oil which I got from baba”. At once, I dashed out to see what was happening in lye Rume’s house’. Behold, it was Nosa, Osarume’s younger brother; he was convulsing. Virtually every neighbour had come to the scene with one bottle of concoction or another. Some were black, others in paste and semi-solid forms. Some were in liquid form that seemed like urine. All these were being forcefully given to Nosa.

Onions were being sliced, mashed and rubbed on his eyes, nostrils, mouth, and into his anus. “Aha! Mama Ngozi, you are welcome!”, someone exclaimed. “We have been waiting for your palm kernel oil”. Quickly, this was forcefully poured into Nosa’s mouth and some of the concoction gushed out through his nostrils. The convulsions continued and alas, Nosa’s feet were drawn towards the fire which the mother had put up to prepare dinner. Fire! Fire!!

Fire!!! Nose’s feet were burnt.

As though nothing had happened, a concerned neighbour called out to iye Rume from the corner of her kitchen saying, “We need urine! Perhaps, lye Rume should pass her urine for her son to take”. “Your urine will certainly stop the convulsion”, the neighbour suggested. Of course, in the midst of the confusion, lye Rurne ignorantly searched for a place to pass urine for resuscitating her dying three year old son.”

Nosa is a three year old boy who had developed fever within the last three days. On this fateful evening, Nosa was by his mother in the kitchen unusually quiet. Suddenly, he laid on the ground and started stretching his hands and legs.

His eyes rolled upwards and he was noticed to have started foaming from the mouth. His mother grabbed him by his shoulders and started screaming for help from the neighbours.

He was convulsing. The convulsion lasted for about twenty minutes. At the end of the convulsion, Nosa was noticed to have been lying helplessly on the ground, blood was oozing out of his mouth (injuries from spoon which was used forcefully to open his mouth to administer the different concoctions) and several degrees of burns were noted on his feet and legs.

Thank God for lya lyabo, who came to the scene and had insisted that Nosa must be

taken to the hospital (health centre).

The story above is usually the scenario in almost all communities in Nigeria where it is noted that a child is having convulsion.

DEFINITION OF FEBRILE CONVULSION Febrile convulsion (also known as febrile fits or febrile seizures) is a disorder occurring in a child from the age of 6 months to 5 years and who had significant rise in body temperature. The diagnosis of febrile convulsion is one that must be arrived at by eliminating more serious cause of seizures and fever in children such as meningitis, and/or encephalitis.

Febrile convulsions occur in young children when there is rapid increase in their body temperature.

Convulsion usually occurs at the peak of fever during a febrile illness such as malaria, acute respiratory infection (such as otitis media (ear infections), acute tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and pnuemonia), urinary tract infection, gastroenteritis, etc. In most cases, the illness is caused by virus, bacteria or parasites.

This shows that/any child with any febrile illness may develop febrile convulsion.

TYPES OF FEBRILE CONVULSIONS (A).

Simple febrile convulsion which is characterized by generalized tonic clonic seizures, usually of extra cranial origin, lasting for less than 15 minutes, and usually occurs once in 24 hours.

The child regains consciousness at the end of the seizures and there is usually presence of paternal genetic factors. This type of febrile convulsions represents the majority of cases of most febrile convulsions in children. For the purpose of this write-up, emphasis is on simple febrile convulsion.

(B). Complex febrile convulsion is characterized by longer duration, recurrence or focus on only part of the body.

There may be multiple attacks of seizures in 24 hours. All children with complex febrile convulsion must have medical evaluation by a medical doctor!

Febrile convulsion (simple or complex) often seems frightening. It rarely results in any permanent brain injuries.

However do not allow any episode of febrile convulsions lasts more than 30 minutes without seeking medical attention. If a child has several attacks in quick succession, YOU MUST SEEK MEDICAL attention. This is because prolonged fits and/or several fits in quick successions may cause brain injury.

Half of all children who has

had an episode of febrile convulsion will have another attack the next time they have an elevated body temperature (body hot/fever). But the risk lessens with time and attack usually should not occur after the age of five years.

Although most febrile convulsions look like epileptic fits (episodes of convulsions in

• Children may inherit the tendency to suffer febrile convulsions from their parents. > If either parent suffered a febrile convulsion as a child, the risk of their child suffering from febrile convulsion is 10-20 percent. > If both parents and their child have at some point suffered a febrile convulsion,

of the black eyes.

• Convulsions usually last for less than 30 minutes.

• Most children regain consciousness after the episode of convulsions WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD SUFFERS AN EPISODE OF FEBRILE CONVULSION DO THE FOLLOWING: • Lay the child straight on the ground/floor • Turn the child’s head to the left to prevent choking • Clear the mouth and nostrils of any secretions which may choke the child

the absence of fever), febrile convulsions however rarely have anything in common with epileptic fits. Virtually all children who had a febrile convulsion have no more fits after they have reached school age.

A risk of development of epilepsy in children with febrile seizures is very rare except when the febrile convulsion is associated with positive family history of epilepsy and abnormal neurological examination in the phase of complex febrile seizures.

RISK OF SUFFERING FEBRILE CONVULSION • Recurrence of febrile convulsions occurs in about one-third of cases after the first episode • Risk of recurrence increases with young age at first episode and onset of seizures at lower body temperature. The first attack of febrile convulsion may be accompanied with a relative temperature- below 39°C.

the risk of another child getting the disorder rises to 20 to 30 percent.

• However the child’s susceptibility also depends on whether the child gets infections. About 4 out of 10 children who have had febrile convulsions will get them again at some stage, although the risk differs greatly from child to child. The child’s risk of febrile convulsion rises if: > They are genetically predisposed to it > They suffer frequent febrile illnesses (with high temperature) SYMPTOMS OF SIMPLE FEBRILE CONVULSIONS • The attack often begins with the child losing consciousness, and shortly after wards the body, legs and arm go stiff.

The head is thrown backwards and the legs and arms begin to jerk.

• Some children may start foaming in the mouth • There may be upward rolling

• Attempt reduction of the child’s body temperature > By removing clothes and extra clothes the child is putting on.

Ensure that the room where the child is laid is not over crowded. Open the windows of the room to ensure adequate ventilation. > The child could be fanned using the hand fan or where there is electric power, an electric fan can be useful. > In areas where suppository paracetamol is available, this could be administered in to the child’s anus to lower the body temperature.

The recommended dosage MUST be administered.

• When the convulsion subsides, keep the child in the recovery position that is lying on his side. And then take the child to the health centre or hospital for evaluation. The child may not necessarily be admitted in the hospital or health centre however, the

By DR. DAMIAN UCHECHUKWU NWANERI

child should be admitted in the hospital or health centre if the present febrile convulsion is his/her first episode/attack. It is also always important to determine following an episode of febrile convulsion whether or not the convulsion is only due to harmless infection. For this reason, a doctor should always be consulted following an episode of febrile convulsions even if the con vi’!sion has subsided!

• The child should be given something to eat or drink ONLY when he/she has regained full consciousness • If the convulsion occurs repeatedly or become prolonged (more than 30 minutes), take the child to the nearest health centre or hospital.

DURING AN EPISODE OF FEBRILE CONVULSIONS, THE ‘DO NOT’ INCLUDE: • Do not panic • Do not forcefully push stick or spoon in the mouth. This may injure the child’s mouth and can extract or pull off the child’s tooth/teeth • Do not forcefully give the child any food or fluid to eat or drink. The child may aspirate the fluid and may develop respiratory problems • Do not use any home-made concoctions on the child as most of these concoctions are harmful to the child. Some of these concoctions have been found to cause low blood sugar which may worsen the child’s consciousness and delay recovery from the febrile convulsions.

• Do not put the child’s legs or feet into a burning fire. This may cause several degrees of burns and death!

CAN FEBRILE CONVULSIONS BE PREVENTED? Yes, by lowering the body temperature of at risk child following fever episode via tepid sponging or administration of appropriate dose of over the counter paracetamol tablet or syrup.

The child should then be taken to a health centre or hospital for further evaluation.

DR DAMIAN UCHECHUKWU NWANERI Research Fellow I Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, Benin City Edo State, Nigeria CHILD HEALTH AND YOU’, a Weekly Thursday Feature, is a collaborative initiative between the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, and the Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Benin City.

THE NIGERIAN

16

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Spotlight

Continued from last week IN the entire history of the world, bringing about major changes. especially positive ones, has never been cheap in any generation. Men and women have got to pay high prices, including giving up their lives to bring the will of God to bear on the history of man. This example was first demonstrated by Christ Himself, hence the Bible says “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps”.

(1 Peter 2:21). This is were modeling Christ has become very unattractive and unappealing to the Church because Christians do not wish to carry the old rugged cross anymore as their counterparts of old.

Christians do not want to suffer for Christ and His Kingdom to ensure that they model Christ to the world.

But, do they really have any acceptable option? The answer is no! this is why the Apostle Paul called on Christians to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) meaning to see like Him, reason like Him, act like Him, pattern our desires in accordance with His and employ His sense of judgment and evaluation in all matters. it is only with the Christ’s kind of mind that one can really commitedly model Christ to the world without fainting because the least sources of encouragement for the Christian is the world. Christ had to suffer in their hands to save them and so it will be for the Christians who will have to suffer diversely in their hands to see them saved. In the course of modeling Christ for the world, some have given their lives and some will still give their lives, but we have these word of comfort from our Master; “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man

shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

(Matthew 16:24-27). The paramount place of sound doctrine and unity can never be Overemphasized if the Church must model Christ to the world effectively. A divided and polluted Church can not possibly give salvation to a confused world.

Therefore, there is great need for the Church to face these challenges of modeling Christ to the world as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and not just as different denominations with their biases. This is not by any means suggesting a voluntary betrayal of denominational identity and peculiarity but a realization that at our best, each denomination is nothing more than a good part of the whole or a subset of the universe. It is said that together we stand but divided we fall. This prompted Jesus to pray for His Body (the Church) thus; “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”. (John 17:21). This is the basis of ecumenism which is a movement towards the restoration of Christian unity.

THE CHURCH MODELING CHRIST THROUGH HER MEMBERS: There is no better and more effective way the Church can model Christ to the world than through her individual members i.e. the Christians themselves in their individual daily interaction with the world. In this matter, no member is more important neither is any useless. It was the Apostle Paul who, in his letter, used the analogy of the human body to describe the Body of Christ. He said For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, and being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). All members of the Body of

Modeling Christ I

Christ, the Bishops, Clergy and Laity, are equally responsible in this business of modeling Christ to the world. It is not the Church buildings or the sign posts that will do it; these as good as they may appear will at their best showcase religion but what the world needs and yearn for is Christ. It is the worshipping community of believers that will model Christ and not their place of worship. In the early Church, reference to the word ‘Church’ meant the worshipping community and not necessarily the venue of worship as we have it today.

Individual members must, therefore, wake up to this reality for the Bible speaks thus of us “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of ail men: for as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

(2 Corinthians 3:2 &3; 1 Corinthians 4:1 & 2). As Christians, we must, like Paul surrender worldly pursuits for the sake of Christ and His kingdom. Paul declared; “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that .he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eight day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:4-7). This is captured by A & M 108 stanza 4: A & M 108 (WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS) 4. Where the whole realms of nature mine,

•

That were an offering, far to small; • Love so amazing, so divine, • Demands my soul my life, my all.

We can gladly do so if we esteem as precious the salvation and position God has offered and given us in Christ Jesus. We should not be hypocritical or we will misrepresent God before the world, rather we should live up to our confession. Paul cautioned the Roman Christians saying “If you are a Jew, you are relying on God’s law for your special relationship with him. You boast that all is well between yourself and God. Yes, you know what he wants; you know right from wrong because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a beacon of light for people who are lost in darkness without God. You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that in God’s law you have complete knowledge and truth. Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you Steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you do it? You condemn idolatry, but do you steal from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.

No wonder the Scriptures say, “The world blasphemes the name of God because of you.” (Romans 2:17-24). If your practical living is fake, your message cannot be real..

There are two descriptions Jesus gave His Followers that are crucial to this discourse; they are: (a) Christians as the Salt of the earth: In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said of His, followers during His famous sermon on the mount; “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.” The definite article used implies that just as nothing else can play the role of salt in food,

“There is no better and more effective way the Church can model Christ to the world than through her individual members i.e. the Christians themselves in their individual daily interaction with the world. In this matter, no member is more important neither is any useless.”

By MOST REVD F.J. IMAEKHAI JP, PH.D, FNIM

so no other group can take the place of Christians on the earth. The salt brings out the full and right taste of other components of the cooking and yet it remains hidden. It is also used to preserve and prevent from decay. These translated, are the roles of Christians on the earth - to preserve the earth from all forms of decadence, especially morally and to add taste to living. (b) Christians as the Light of the’ world: Continuing in His sermon, Jesus said in verses 14 - 16, “Ye are the light of the world - like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, .let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Again, Jesus was here definite in referring to His followers as the light of the world without whom the world will wallow in darkness. Light in this context speaks of righteousness and He enjoins Christians to manifest this light to the world through their good life that God may be glorified.

This is here in this discourse’ described as modeling Christ to the world.

SHOULD THE CHURCH FAIL? Should the Christians fail in this agenda of modeling Christ to the world? What will be the consequence?

These are critical questions that need objective answers.

This Church will not fail if Christians hold on committedly to their confession. Jesus warned the Christians of the possibility of the salt losing its saltiness and when it happens, nothing can be done to make it salty again. Furthermore, He said lamp is not lit and then put under a bowl because a city on the hill cannot be hidden. It is only sin that make the salt in Christians lose its saltiness and the lit lamp of Christians to be put under a bowl. It is sin that can stop Christians from modeling Christ to the world by speaking of Him and living out their faith in Him everywhere -home, school, market, office, business, politics, etc.

Failing in this matter of

eternal venture will not go without consequences because Jesus said; “If anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32 & 33). The Church should

Most Revd. F.J. Imaekhai

better not fail. The Church is God’s vehicle of salvation through Christ. It must match on and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it even though it is not immune to persecution.

THE HOPE OF THE WORLD Jesus Christ is the only hope of the world. He said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is” (John 14:6 & 7a). This I AM statement has been contended, objected and rejected by most other religions and regions

THE NIGERIAN

17

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Spotlight

n Our World adherents and in most circles of thought. However, “The adherents of these other religious and religious adherent and in most circle of thought. However, “the adherents of these other religious say that God cannot love man because man is sinful, and because there is no room for repentance and total

salvation though it may not have so much known it and God has given a Saviour to the world in the Person of His only Son, Jesus Christ.

“And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole, in the wilderness, so 1, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have

forgiveness and restoration to God in the teachings of all other religious of the world, the thoughts of having access to God, having or maintaining a living relationship with Him is completely ruled out for man. This is where Christianity takes a giant leap of departure from the group of religions in that in Christianity, there is, not just a ray but a beam of the hope of gaining access to God through Jesus Christ. His only begotten and offered Son, who died for the forgiveness of the sins of man and was raised from the dead for their justification” The world is in dare need of

eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. ‘There is no judgment awaking those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing, in the only Son of God.” (John 3:14-18). Jesus is the hope of the world and He has raised ambassadors of the kingdom among men to model Him to the world; “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God. For the creature was

made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21). Jesus Christ has left Christians to showcase Him to the world. That the world may accept His offer of salvation and be saved from corruption. In this rhetoric saying of Paul, the wisdom of God in this arrangement is revealed; “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:14-17). Salvation in Christ is the hope to the world. May the world not be lost while we have the key to its salvation but we must all begin from our Jerusalem.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE THEME FOR US We are called to model Christ in our daily encounters with the world.

We are called to mimic His styles and at best as archetype as Christians. Our daily living should be characterized by: 1. A life of prayer and intimacy with the Father ii. A life of holy living and purity of heart iii. A life of compassion, forgiveness, services and justice. iv. A life of humility, gentleness, patience v. A life of love and manifestation of the Spirit empowered life vi. A life of complete obedience as we take up the Cross daily in our walk with Jesus Christ vii. A life of commitment to the proclamation of the

“Jesus Christ is the only hope of the world. He said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is” (John 14:6 & 7a).” good news viii. A life that recognizes the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, the Great Commitment, the Great Commander and live in obedience thereto. ix. A life that recovered the Great Omission and avowed commitment to making Disciples x. A life that respects the dignity and sanctity of the human person.

It is when we model or imitate Him that we can be called disciples. Christian disciples is one who has become a personal follower of Christ -that is, one who has committed himself or herself to walk Christ’s way, live Christ’s life and share Christ’s love and truth with others. It is important that we know that as we walk in His Steps, we are to be followers of Christ as disciples (Mark 2:13-17). We must commit our lives to following Jesus and imitating ‘His life. We must also acknowledge that, as disciples, we are learners (Matthew 11:28-30). What we learn from the Master (Jesus Christ) through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit should transform our lives and the change or transformation must be evident in the way we live.

Furthermore, when we model Him as disciples, we must mature to produce offspring (Matt. 28:11-20).

To model Christ to the world, we must recognize that we have a mission filed and every member must take the task of bringing the Gospel to those with no faith as a matter of urgency and priority. We need to live the Gospel in such a joyful and provocative way that our unbelieving neighbours will be prompted to ask questions and perhaps even be persuaded to join us in our journey of faith. One of the impediments to the Gospel in the past and even in our generation has been that those

who are outside the fold have not been able to see any real difference between those who call themselves Christians and those who don’t, the obvious fact is that the world has squeezed us into its own mould, rather than the other way round. In order to share the Gospel, we have to know it. As result, the laity of the Church has to be equipped and be made to be diligent in attending public worship and being faithful in prayer and the private reading of the scriptures. The importance of the Church must be reasserted. The Church must not be seen as an. optional extra in Christianity, but the on-the-ground community of those who have answered the call of the Gospel and are ready and willing to proclaim and defend it in season and out of season. We cannot be Christians and say that we are not part of the church. As members of the Church called to mimic or model or imitate Christ, we must use our God-given resources to build ourselves and God’s Church. Some of the nouveau riche Christians erroneously believe that their accomplishments are through their cleverness and own efforts and, as a result, they become selfish and would do nothing for the Church.

CONCLUSION Christians are called upon to model Christ to the world everywhere, every time and in all circumstances. We are, as Bishops, Clergy or Laity, to model Christ in our families as husband, wife, guardians; we are to model Christ to our colleagues in the office and places of work; we are to model Christ to our partners in business and even to our enemies: We must ensure that our practical living is in consonance with the word of God so that our faith is not camouflage and our message futile. In

addition to preaching Christ in the course of modeling Him to the world, we must willingly demonstrate the truthfulness and compassion so that men can be drawn to Him through our lives. Most times we find ourselves counting the people we have led to the faith and disciple for Christ and we brag about our achievements. But who can ever tell the utterances, being found in wrong places, committing sins in secret, showing partiality in judgment, by un-forgiveness, and other forms of hypocrisy and syncretism? This calls for caution because Jesus said “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words shalt be justified, and by thy words shalt be condemned.”

(Mattew 12:36 & 37). Let us allow the Holy Spirit to shed the love of Christ abroad in our hearts that we may be enabled to bear the fruit of the Spirit. In that way. modeling Christ to the world will become pleasurable rather than burdensome. Jesus said “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Can others tell by the marks on your life that you are modeling Christ? Is he your priorities? Is there enough of Jesus in your life that you can show? Paul was bold to say for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:17b.). Let us all live to showcase the character traits of Jesus so that our modeling in our deformed world can bring order to His Creation.

Concluded

“Can others tell by the marks on your life that you are modeling Christ? Is he your priorities? Is there enough of Jesus in your life that you can show?

Paul was bold to say for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:17b.). Let us all live to showcase the character traits of Jesus so that our modeling in our deformed world can bring order to His Creation.”

THE NIGERIAN

18

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013 With Obuseh Jude 08033510173

Security Issues

Doing Business And Building Peace THE need for cordial and peaceful relations between business organizations and the communities within which they are domiciled cannot be overemphasized.

But this has not always been the case as serious frictions occur from time to time in relations between business organizations and their hosts.

The bone of contention has sometimes bordered on the perceived insensitivity of some business organizations to the plights of residents of their host communities viz-aviz: Provision of infrastructures and basic amenities, youth engagement, capacity building, job creation, environmental protection, peace, security, etc.

Some of the conflicts that occur between business organizations and their hosts often escalate into violent confrontations as depicted by the sad scenarios in the oilrich Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (before the commencement of the peace process that ultimately doused tensions in that region). The violent conflagrations in the Delta region were due largely to the uncensored exploration activities of the giant multinational oil corporations operating in the area, and the people’s collective conviction that these activities were exploitative, harmful to the environment, and inimical to their development and growth.

The Niger Delta Conflict is a graphic example of the possible negative consequences of poor rapport between business organizations and their host communities.

In a bid to stem the ugly tide of distrust between corporations, their hosts and other concerned parties, the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become integral aspects of the operations of most – especially - large business organizations the world over, with varying degrees of

successes and failures. CSR, as an essential tool in modern business practices, has the potential of bridging the divide between business organizations, their clients, host communities, government, nongovernmental organizations, (NGOs) and other equally significant stakeholders. It is a set of standards to which a company subscribes in order to make its impact felt on society. It has the potential of contributing to sustainable development, poverty alleviation, growth of the national economy, peace and security. It is a tool utilized by corporations to positively impact on society, and the parameters on which the efficacy of their programs can also be measured.

Today, most well structured business organizations carry out extensive CSR projects. In partnership with different governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), some corporate organizations promote causes that have direct bearings on the lives of their clients and communities of residence.

These projects apart from being developmental in their thrusts’, also serve as confidence-building mechanisms that are geared towards placating restive host communities. These include: Building of classroom blocks, construction of health care centers, sinking of boreholes, construction of roads, establishment of skills acquisition centers, some level of employment generation, and award of scholarships to selected students from some host communities.

To create awareness about their developmental programs and win more public support, most modern business organizations establish Community or Public Relations Departments, which apart from educating the public and the communities within

which they operate about their activities, also help in image laundering and damage control, in the event of failed or ineffective service delivery. They also help in setting agenda for future actions. Convincing as these efforts are, they have not completely removed the animosities and mutual suspicions that exist between some organizations and their

hosts. One major reason for this is that public relations stunts only succeed in selling the image of business organizations, but do not translate into objective efforts at putting value back into their host communities in form of developmental programs. This perceived lack of social empathy on the part of business organizations in their quest for capital accumulation is at the fore of the several frictions between them and other key stakeholders.

The suspicion with which the indigenes of communities playing host to some business corporations view most of their developmental initiatives are premised on the

general conviction that most of the programs - laudable as they appear to be on the surface - are mere handouts compared to the stupendous profits being appropriated by these corporations; as caveats masking the real capitalist motives of big businesses; as deceptive gimmicks meant to exploit and further impoverish them. This has inadvertently deepened the

gulf of distrust between both parties. In the haste to cover up their inadequacies, most large corporations, especially in the third world where there are less legal regulations to check their excesses, rather than accepting their shortcomings, resort to cheap propaganda in attempts to convince their clients, host communities, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), regulatory agencies, and other equally significant stakeholders, that they are adhering to the laws regulating their activities as legal entities.

A peace-building approach to addressing the traditional animosities between business

“The suspicion with which the indigenes of communities playing host to some business corporations view most of their developmental initiatives are premised on the general conviction that most of the programs - laudable as they appear to be on the surface - are mere handouts compared to the stupendous profits being appropriated by these corporations; as caveats masking the real capitalist motives of big businesses; as deceptive gimmicks meant to exploit and further impoverish them.”

corporations and their host communities suggests that: The CSR practices of all business organizations should only be better structured, but more extensive and sustainable.

The usual practices in the past where corporations see CSR initiatives as philanthropic gestures should be completely jettisoned for more focused, more result-

responsibilities by creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Apart from churning out legislations, the provision of infrastructures and basic amenities will go a long way towards making businesses more profitable and encouraging them to put something back into their host communities. Other measures such as expanding

oriented approaches; development-oriented approaches that are geared towards gratifying the communities that play host to these businesses.

Corporations must be ready to make valuable contributions to the communities playing host to them.

Towards achieving the above-stated ideal, this writeup suggests that a solid regulatory framework to ensure that all big corporations operating in the different productive sectors of the global economy are compelled to perform their CSR functions to the letter, be expressly put in place, especially in developing sections of the world where businesses have developed the proclivity for operating irresponsibly without checks and balances. To this end, necessary legislations should be passed and enforced by governments to keep all stakeholder organizations in line. Governments should also wake up to its

the definition of what constitutes corporate to include other societal institutions whose functions impinge to some extent on the lives and environment of their hosts must be expedited.

Communities and businesses should begin to see themselves as partners in progress - not as strange bed fellows without consideration for each other’s interests. The growing air of distrust of corporations by the public can be overturned if corporations become more socially responsible by engaging in genuine efforts aimed at building a better world. The public is looking forward to a time when there will be a growing sense of social responsibility among most businesses and industry groups. From support of local arts initiatives, to international efforts to improve the environment, corporations must do more to help in making the world a better place for all to live in.

THE NIGERIAN

19

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

View Point

Nigerians Are The Problem Of Nigeria

BELIEVE it or not, to seat and list out the problems of Nigeria would turn out to be a task almost as long as a complex surgical procedure.

For a country that celebrated its 53rd year of independence recently and of course to celebrate 100 years of its birth next year, we are impeded with too much problems, even those we should not be having.

Time and again, Nigerians and foreigners have sat to discuss Nigeria and its ever growing problems. Even with the different approaches and dimensions taken in examining these problems, there seem to always remain one consistency: a different problem with every new examination.

Problems like bribery and corruption, insecurity, unemployment, poor infrastructural development, over dependence on the oil sector for federal revenue, poor work ethics, increasing citizens’ dissatisfaction and disaffection with the government, inadequate funding of the key sectors, misappropriation of funds, etc are just a few of the invaluable problems that is crippling the country.

The negative effects of these problems have been felt to the extent some analysts have predicted as probable the risk of a permanent national shutdown.

Explaining that there is just so much Nigerians can bear of these problems before making a full scale revolt against the government in power.

The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Johnathan on Tuesday the 8th of October, 2013 announced, in a nationwide broadcast, the putting together of an advisory committee to draw out the needs and modalities for the takeoff of a national conference after years of its clamour by especially the Southern Nigeria People’s Assembly led by Pa Edwin Clark.

This signaled the suggestion that the president is taking seriously the threat of a national shutdown. He had in the past paid a blind

By SUCCESS OSAYI ear to suggestions of a national conference; although he has said he has nothing against it.

When enthusiastically enlisting these never ending problems over and again, we are also quick to point the fingers. We blame the government; blame the politicians, the corporate society. We even blame the British for joining the North with the Southern part of Nigeria; saying they forced a marriage of incompatible couples.

In the end, we fail to blame the real cause, the one factor that if changed, will speedingly rid Nigeria of almost all troubles: ourselves.

Yes, Nigeria would be on a far different level from where we are now were it not for us and our phlegmatic attitude towards the very same land we profess undying love and trust for.

Should one decide to read between the lines of the challenges faced by this country; the fact that bribery and corruption are practically tailored to every one of them would be noticed.

This corruption is not the one of misappropriation or embezzlement of funds by people in government but that of wickedness, greed, heartlessness towards your fellow countryman, lack of any element of patriotism, general immorality and vice which are very common among Nigerians.

For a country so vociferous in its infuriation at the volumes of problems it has amassed over the years, one would expect more discipline and morality from its citizens but unfortunately…

It is often said that you have to be conspicuously better than your object of criticism but the case with the Nigerian citizen advertises the opposite. People who are in power or whose actions affect the country or any of its units are often treated to negative critical reception or perception by most Nigerians

but in this process, we tend to forget that we are practically guilty of the same supposed crimes perpetrated by the ones in and with power.

Our crimes against Nigeria, individually, hold no weight or significance but as a whole, they are deadly, even more deadly than that of those in power. Our corruption, born out of a comprehensible greed to

make money at all cost is killing this country on a grand scale.

Practices like bribing the way to a goal instead of trying to get there on the basis of meritocracy is shamefully a cultural practice everywhere in Nigeria. Most of us the masses are bribed on a daily basis though usually with considerable lower amounts compared to what the persons in power get.

That N500 you gave in order to gain access to a story as a journalist or that N1250 you collected and let a car driver go with his car after violating traffic rules are all part of the general corruption practice. Whether it is N40 or

N40mil, corruption is corruption.

We openly denounce the trend of favouritism and nepotism in the appointment and employment of officials both by the government and other corporate societies but we at the same time cry betrayal when such favours are not granted us by our relatives in power. What irony!

Then there is the issue of lectures and students in higher institutions. As far as corruption among the ordinary populace goes, those that occur in tertiary institutions may well take the

mantle of leadership. Anyone who has passed through the tertiary institutions of Nigeria will find it difficult advocating for graduates of the institutions because the corruption present there is currently red hot.

The students are usually the givers while the lecturers are, shamefully, the takers; producing students who sometimes completely lack the required intelligence to even pass the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination. These same lecturers, void of any atom of self-respect, still join the crowd when the competences of key professionals across the country are brought into

“We have basis for Nigeria’s unity in the sense that it is our choice. It should be our choice and it will be our choice and that is why we have these discussions going on now. I believe Nigeria can be a great country and that Nigerians can live together”.

question.

And then there is the issue of violence. Boko Haram, a perfect example that illustrates the violence and insecurity in Nigeria, share one thing in common with their haters and critics: they are also Nigerians. Is anyone who can watch and do nothing while four youths are beaten are burnt to death not as evil as the Boko Haram themselves?

Different shades of violence exist across Nigeria including and especially domestic violence. The brutal habit of the lot of Nigerian Men towards their wives is the bed rock for the general violence that exists so infamously across Nigeria.

the government when they tar roads or install electrical plants and systems or when clean water system is set up for our consumption. We would know that it is their duties and that they should even be punished should they do otherwise.

We do not stand up to our fundamental rights let alone those abundant ones that are gifted us by law and we expect those who influence the country’s direction to treat us right? Our lives and mode of living in general must be seriously worked on or we will keep oscillating on this particular forward and backward movement.

Lots and lots of eminent

By beating your wife or even children whenever they wrong you, you have effectively taught your offspring that the answer to any wrong doing, both obvious and perceived is violence.

There are other bad social, professional and even domestic habits that can worth heavy textbook pages should they be treated. We practiced so many so often to the extent that they are beginning to seem normal in the eyes of the average Nigerian.

If we stop the corruption acts ourselves, we can effectively probe those in power when things do not go towards right. We can call them to open questioning without fear or the probability of blackmail because by then we would have nothing to hide.

If we can live right irrespective of what we may stand to lose we would know that we should not be praising

personalities spoke during Nigeria’s latest Independence Day but one stand out comment was that of Rights Activist, Ms Ankio Briggs when she said that we have nothing to celebrate but: “We have basis for Nigeria’s unity in the sense that it is our choice. It should be our choice and it will be our choice and that is why we have these discussions going on now. I believe Nigeria can be a great country and that Nigerians can live together”.

That there is to some extent, the perfect truth-if there is such a thing.

We can be great if we so choose but if we think that the men gracing in the powers and wealth this country has to offer will take the initiative, then we are in for a long wait.

Mahatma Gandhi said: “be the change that you want to see in the world” change that “world” to Nigeria and we are good to go as far as greatness is concerned.

THE NIGERIAN

20

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Motoring With OSAGIE AIFUWA 08023412452

The decision to buy brand new or second hand is yours.

There are no right or wrong answers. Some brand new cars are much cheaper than some second hand cars. Some second hand Range Rover cars go for more than N7m, which is enough to buy two of some Kia/Hyundai models with enough money left for registration, insurance etc. the beauty of a brand new car is that you don’t need to know your mechanic’s house or have fellowship with him every weekend. With oil and filter change every 5,00km, you are free to do better things with your time.

Between New And Second Hand Vehicles I tend to get a bit upset when it is time to renew my car’s insurance. It is not because I feel I am throwing money away.

I truly appreciate insurance and the peace of mind it brings, especially in these ‘ember’ months when reports of car snatching are on the rise. Also, my insurance company has been every nice to me. What I find upsetting is finding out the current market price of my car, knowing how much I bought the car brand new. I find the depreciation annoying because I know what I would have done with the money rather than Pose it to depreciation just like that. Does it make sense to throw away so much money in the name of driving a brand new car?

WEALTHY FOLKS ALSO BUY SECOND HAND According to a 20-year study of 500 millionaires and more than 1,000 high net worth individuals, Thomas I. Stanley, bestselling author of “The Millionaire Next Door”, discovered that more than 75 per cent of self- made American millionaires do not drive the latest model and most bought second hand.

They waited for someone else to pick up the steep depreciation before they bought the car. Among the minority that bought brand new cars, most held onto it for eight years and above before they traded them for a newer model.

Most cars depreciate the most in the first year. The moment you stick a number plate to a car, it loses about 25 per cent of its value before you drive it away from the dealer’s parking lot. That means if you bought a car for N6m, you would have lost about N1.5m as you drive off from the dealer’s parking lot. If you had used that N1.5m to buy a plot of land in the outskirts of town, it may be worth more than N10m in less than five years. Compare that to what the whole car will be worth in five years.

Spending is emotion-driven and we love the good feeling that comes with getting something we really want, even if it makes no financial sense in the long run. There is nothing wrong in buying a new car, but sometimes we need to take a step back and see what it is we are doing with our money and the impact years down the line.

SNEAKY CAR DEALERS. Making the decision to buy a car is not an easy one. I remember my experience with my current car two years ago.

None of the dealers I met told me the truth. I am not saying all car dealers are liars. I was not lucky enough to meet one of the truthful ones. Most of them then were not aware that you could check the history of a car online using the VIN or Chassis Number on some sites like carfax.com. it shows

maintenance and repair records, mileage readings etc before shipment. Some of the searches are free while you have to pay to access records for some cars. All the cars I was interested in, upon my online search, were accidented cars.

I don’t have any issue with an accidented car (though it might feel a little creepy when one thinks about what may have happened to previous owners). Most of the cars were sold off by insurance companies as write-offs, to recover some of the money paid in claims settlement. These cars are fixed up and sprayed in a standard workshop making the car virtually as good as new. Also, because the car had been dumped in a yard for months and maybe years, the low mileage on the speedometer is usually correct (you can see a three-year old car with a mileage of less than 20,000km).

Due to low usage, the chassis, shock absorbers and shafts etc are in pretty good shape. My main issue is that the dealer should be upfront with the true history of the car, and give me the privilege of making the decision whether to buy an accidented car or not, rather than make the decision for me by telling lies.

Also, in some instances, the car was affected by flood water e.g from Hurricane Katrina, Rita, Sandy and its cousins. That means the electronics may have been affected, which is the reason insurance firms sell them off to whoever cares to buy.

It is a 50-50 scenario, everything may be fine or it may give you problems down the line due to Water damage. Again, the dealer will not tell you the car was a victim of flooding.

Everything would have been cleaned up to look as good as new. All you may notice is the low mileage on the speedometer and the relatively cheap price for such clean looking car.

CHEAP NEW AND EXPENSIVE SECOND HAND CARS

Driving Lesson: Causes Of Road Accident In ‘Ember’ Months THE possible causes of road accidents in the “ember” month (September. October. November and December). a) Increased Traffic Density: A lot of people move from their work places to their places of origin to celebrate Christmas and New Year or an end year vacation, thus increasing the inter-city traffic. More vehicles on the highways could increase the stress on the road, which could result in more conflicts (crashes) b) The Lust of Money: The urge to make more money at expense of human safety and comfort by commercial vehicle operators especially, result in overloading of vehicles, violation of traffic regulations as more trips are made and total neglect of their operating vehicles, believing that the time “wasted’ at the workshops could be used to make more money. c) Urge to Fulfill Aspirations: The urge to fulfill all aspirations earlier set at the beginning of the year at all-cost is another problem. some road users suddenly realize that the year is coming to an end, yet their target as earlier “decreed” are yet to be “actualized”. They immediately set in motion all plans to get their ambitions, sometimes unrealistic goals fulfill.

The result of course is bang, bang, and bang on the highways as caution is thrown to the wind, as efforts are made to realize the set ambition. d) Poor Visibility Caused by Harmattan: Toward the end of the year, harmattan sets in and this results in impaired visibility which could result in road crashes as most of vehicles plying our highways have poor lighting, and the drivers with poor eye sights.

DRIVE WITH CAREI!!

“Most cars depreciate the most in the first year. The moment you stick a number plate to a car, it loses about 25 per cent of its value before you drive it away from the dealer’s parking lot.

That means if you bought a car for N6m, you would have lost about N1.5m as you drive off from the dealer’s parking lot.”

THE NIGERIAN

21

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Issues

Independence Anniversary: A Post Mortem BY all accounts, Nigeria’s political history has shown that the struggle for independence and nationhood has not only been tortuous and cumbersome but daunting and tasking.

Historically, while it is true that not much blood was spilled in the struggle against colonialism as was the case in some African countries, many of Nigeria’s founding fathers suffered untold hardship in the hands of the colonial masters.

Observers point to the fact that the doggedness and determination of most Nigerians to keep the nation united in spite of obvious challenges made it impossible for agents of division and fragmentation to succeed in breaking up the nation.

This, according to them, explains why superior reasoning had always prevailed against attempts by a few individuals to cause disaffection and division in the country.

Although not all the aspirations of the founding fathers have been met, observers believe that significant progress had been made in 53 years to sustain and ensure that Nigeria remained an indivisible sovereign entity.

Malam Sanusi Mohammed, a public analyst, believes that the country has not done badly in the last 53 years.

“It is a big score; we may not have reached the “Promised Land’’, the kind envisaged by Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Tafawa Balewa, but the country is

By SANI ADAMU

steadily making progress and gaining global recognition as a leader on the Africa continent.

“This is not to say that all is glossy as we must admit that there are still developmental, economic and social challenges which we have to contend with,’’ he said.

Mohammed argues that with the opportunity given to Nigeria to address the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, the third of such opportunity since independence, the country will eventually attain its dreams of becoming among the top 20 economies by 2020.

In the same vein, President Goodluck Jonathan expresses confidence that Nigeria will be stronger and united despite her challenges.

He told the 2013 World Igbo Day congress in Enugu that he was optimistic that the future was still bright for the nation in spite of the challenges facing it.

To further strengthen his optimism, the president declared that the amalgamation of Nigeria by Lord Lugard in 1914 was not an accident.

According to him, the amalgamation was an act of God, designed to bring together the nation’s diversity for positive purpose.

“As we look up to our centenary celebration, there are quite a number of questions people ask themselves.

“People ask, may be Lord Lugard made a mis-

take to amalgamate the northern and southern parts of the country.

“This informed why some talk about sovereign national conference and so on and so forth.

“But those of us who are Christians know that God

the president assured.

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo shares similar sentiments when he said that Nigerians have cause to celebrate the nation’s 53rd independence anniversary despite the challenges facing the country.

‘In spite of the challenges that the nation has faced both in recent times and in

niversary, the Catholic Archbishop of Benin, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, noted that although some Nigerian leaders had fallen short of the expectations of most Nigerians, the country is still united.

He decried the attitude of some politicians who, he said, placed their selfish

• President Goodluck Jonathan

does not make mistake.

God has a reason for Lord Lugard to amalgamate the northern and southern parts of this country.

“So, those people who are trying to exploit our diversity to create problems for us as a nation will surely not succeed. The challenges we are seeing now are very transient; we will surely get over them,’’

the past, the country is still united and is moving forward,’’ he said.

Oshiomhole said that independence anniversaries were celebrated, not because the nation is perfect or without challenges, but because birthdays are usually celebrated.

In his sermon to mark the nation’s independence an-

“Although not all the aspirations of the founding fathers have been met, observers believe that significant progress had been made in 53 years to sustain and ensure that Nigeria remained an indivisible sovereign en-

interests above national interest.

Analysts believe that although Nigeria achieved a significant growth in GDP in the last 53 years, the growth was yet to translate positively on the lives of ordinary citizens of the country.

Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, shared similar sentiments when he expressed regret over the failure of the country to attain ‘progressive governance’.

He noted that in spite of her 53 years of existence, Nigeria still lacked purposeful leadership, adding that it had deprived the na-

tion the ability to take its pride of place as the giant of Africa.

Martins chided past and present leaders for failing to properly address the root cause of the widening disenchantment among the various ethnic nationalities.

“I want to thank God for making it possible for us to come together once more as a country to celebrate independence anniversary.

“However, I am sad that we have yet to evolve into a truly united and progressive country as was envisaged by our founding fathers at independence.

“There is so much disenchantment owing to unemployment, lack of electric power and general decay in the polity; our educational and healthcare sectors are in a state of comatose.

“All these have led to endemic state of insecurity and corruption in the system. It is time for us to appraise where we are as a nation, and where we are heading to.

“Unless we do this, I am afraid the unity of this country will continue to remain a mirage,’’ he stated in a statement released recently in Lagos.

Analysts, however, have harped on the need for purposeful leadership to consolidate the gains of the country’s existence since the past 53 years.

For them, Nigeria must begin to think seriously on how to reduce its dependency on foreign loans; move from a monoeconomy to a diversified economy.

But all said and done, for Nigeria to overcome its current political, economic and security challenges, analysts opine that leaders at all levels of governance must put the interest of the nation uppermost above their selfish political, sectional, and economic interests.

• (NAN)

THE NIGERIAN

22

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Opinion

What Abia State Has Become THEY have told us that Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji has built a new society of law and order. They sufficed that to say that Abia State is standing tall, as a model state, in the federation, under him. These statements are such that we have heard and continue to hear from the governor’s horn blowers.

(ThisDay: “Orji’s Model State of Law and Order”, 14 Apr 2013).

We are deafened with their noises of how the state has become a haven of peace and tranquility, and that the people now open their doors and windows wide and sleep with their two eyes closed. But that are falsities.

What Abia State has become under Gov. T.A Orji is sad and qualifies to be declared a Disaster Area, as hoodlums have taken over the whole of the state, but especially Aba, the pummeled commercial hub of the state.

“In Abia State, crime has become the order of the day, with the alarming and ever-increasing crime wave. For the innocent citizen, it is like a cockroach wading through a congregation of roosters. Armed robbery, kidnapping illicit drug dealing, child trafficking and now the fastest growing crime in the state – baby factories – pose a serious threat to the existence and image of the state, as well as the safety of its citizens.”

(Osun Defenders: “Criminals take over Abia State”. Sep 29 2013).

The reputable media outfit went further to say that criminals spring in dozens in Abia and are fast spreading across all nooks and crannies of the state like wildfire. A day hardly passes without the police or other security agencies arresting or parading criminals and kidnappers.

“Since the exposure of baby factories and child trafficking in Abia State some18 months ago, not less than 80 young girls have been paraded by the police and all of them were arrested at local hospitals and maternity homes built and managed by people who claim to belong to the Christian faith.

“In addition, most of these teenagers whose ages range between 13 and 20 years, claim to be students of either secondary schools or tertiary institutions.

What agitates the mind therefore is why these under-aged ladies have decided to make money through such means, abandoning their education.”

(Osun Defenders: “Criminals take over Abia State”. Sep 29 2013).

The answer to why these young girls are abandoning their schooling may be giving to the lackadaisical approach with which the government of Gov. Orji has been handling the educational system in that state, without a day passing and we do not hear that either the students school fees have been increased, the tutors are not paid their salaries of many months, and so on.

The crime level in Abia State saw to a man specialised in issuing fake

By ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE

vehicle plate numbers.

Charles Ubani was arrested for printing out fake vehicle number plates bearing the same serial numbers to people.

(Channels Television; September 24, 2013).

The way education is handled in Abia State

Umuoba in Isiala Ngwa South; 20-year-old Goodluck Erondu of Umuagu Umuoba Isiala Ngwa South; 19-year old Gift Lawrence of 15/17 Igwebuike Street, off Ohanko Road, Aba; 14year-old Favour Kalu of No 28 Enugu Street/Obolies Road Aba, and Ann

Mbator in Obingwa LGA, and Victor Okoro of Okobumo Essien Udim LGA, Akwa Ibom State.”

Without sounding detractive, the Osun Defenders narrated that even the Commissioner of Police, Abia Sate Command, Mr. Usman Tilli Ababakar, confirmed this ugly state that Abia has become, when he told

Gov Theodore Orji

might not be unconnected with the reason, at least 12 girls, including a 14-yearold JSS 2 student of a secondary school at Aba, were reportedly picked up by the police at the Isaac Okwuonu maternity home at Ogbor Hill Aba on Monday, September 23.

“19- year-old Precious Ogbonna who lives at 190 Cameroon Road; 20-yearold Mary Dickson of 28 Akpa Road Ogbor Hill Aba; Happiness Chinyere, 19 years, of Umuire

Okechukwu of Ohuru Isimiri in Obingwa, were among the 12 pregnant girls arrested on Monday at the maternity home.” (Osun Defenders: “Criminals take over Abia State”. Sep 29 2013).

Others were given as: “Rose Ubani of Avo Mgoko, Itu Ngwa in Obingwa LGA; Uchechi Omwunali of Umuire Eziama Ntigha in Isiala Ngwa North LGA; Favour David of Nkanu Amaodu Awkananaw, Enugu State; Chikodi Samuel of Akpaa

“It is no gainsaying that Gov. Orji’s Abia State has become a place of crime and criminality in the recent times, making residents and investors to look elsewhere. Another mayhem in the state is the aspect of dearth of motorable roads, not even pedestrians are liable to use them. Dirt and filth are other names for the state. Touts are known to be the logo of the state, as they have taken over the activities of the state.”

journalists that the suspects were rounded up at Isaac Okwuonu’s Hospital and Maternity home situated at No 127 Ikot Ekpene Road Ogbor Hill, Aba, between September 17 and 18. The media further frowned at how kidnapping has become another shoddy aspect of Gov. Orji’s Abia State, where virtually everyone now lives in fear in the state irrespective of social status.

“In Abia, kidnappers can take persons hostage for as low as the sum of N20, 000. Kidnapping in the state has assumed an alarming dimension which has received widespread condemnations from well meaning people of Nigeria and even the international community. The first reported case of kidnapping took place on

September 27, 2008, at Aba involving the kidnap of 15 school children, who were later released, perhaps, after the payment of a ransom. And ever since then, there have been cases of kidnapping involving women, children, the wealthy and foreigners.”

(Osun Defenders: “Criminals take over Abia State”. Sep 29 2013).

It is no gainsaying that Gov. Orji’s Abia State has become a place of crime and criminality in the recent times, making residents and investors to look elsewhere. Another mayhem in the state is the aspect of dearth of motorable roads, not even pedestrians are liable to use them. Dirt and filth are other names for the state.

Touts are known to be the logo of the state, as they have taken over the activities of the state.

The state has broken down, yet, Gov. Orji and his horn blowers are telling Nigerians other stories as they augur well with them, with irresponsibility and insensitivity. In a report, it was “Criminal gangs are reportedly recruiting unemployed youths who pay fees ranging from N40, 000 to get guns to start their criminal activities.” People say that Aba has become ‘Aba(ndoned)’.

There is no need for anyone to direct his or her blame to anyone or group, but Gov. Orji. He is the chief security officer of the failed state. Excesses of kidnapping and rape of the government have also characterised the activities of the government, making Abia State a no-go state; and the crime activities have gone beyond the security apparatuses, and declaration of Disaster Area will be suitable for the state.

Odimegwu Onwumere is a Poet/Writer, Rivers State. Tel: +2348032552855. Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com

THE NIGERIAN

23

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Religion

With REV. DR. A. A. OPARA

A Treatise On Divine Prosperity Continued from last week

THE BLESSING OF THE LORD’ IT MAKETH RICH PROV 10:22 The Bible put it clearly this way: “THE BLESSING OF THE LORD, IT MAKETH RICH, AND HE ADDED NO SORROW WITH IT” PROV 10: 22.

This is the statement of God, These are God’s words and God cannot lie (Num 23: 19). What is simply meant here is that God can bless you and you will be rich but God’s riches will not go with sorrow. This s a clear distinction between genuine riches that come from God and false riches that come from Satan. We know that Satan can bond men with riches, indeed Satan knows the effect of this on the human race. People want to get money by all means and Satan readily provides the evil opportunity for ill-gotten wealth. Some go the extra mile to swindle, to cheat, to deceive, to steal, to rob, to defraud etc all in an attempt to get money and get rich quickly. Some others may choose the spiritual or occultic means to get money from Satan through money rituals by different forms of evil supernaturalism such as magic, spiritism, spiritualism, sorcery, voodooism and even witchcraft. All these aforementioned methods are Satanic and the obvious manifestation is that these persons may get rich but sorrow upon sorrow may befall them. For this simple reason the Bible warns: “For the love of money is the root of all evil, which wile some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows’1 Tim 6:10.

What the Bible refers to here is the propensity to get rich at all costs and Satan capitalizing on this egocentric drive can make the Christian via from the path of the Lord. Satan seeks whom he may devour (1 pet 5:8 and one quick way Satan can do

this much more easily is the propensity to ‘lust after money. The lust for money is a temptation for any believer.

He must be careful!

“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” 1 Tim 6:9.

While the Bible warns against lust, greed and avarice and the, “I must be rich at all cost syndrome”; It dose not condemn any believer from genuinely aspiring for the blessings of God. I use the word “genuine which also means sincerely seeking God’s blessings in your life. Now is proper for a Christian to aspire? To aspire means to want to move up or forward in life. So if a Christian is progressive it is very good because it shows that the Christian serves a God who is progressive. I don’t see anything wrong in a Christian aspiring to succeed. Success should be seen as a good testimony of our faith as children of God. But the aspiration should be predicated on the fear of God and in accordance with the will of God. A Christian: should have a genuine aspiration not necessarily being over-ambitious; he must also be industrious, hardworking and painstaking backed up with prayers. God shall cause a smile on the face of such a believer. A Christian should not resign himself to a life of failure and defeat and interpret that to be the will of God. God wants his name magnified through the testimonies of the life of the child of God (Ps 35:27).

When God appeared to Solomon in the night after he had been crowned king and he had accepted the charge of the father David to oblige himself to fear God and build the temple of God as God had directed; God told Solomon “Ask what I shall give thee” 2Chron l:8; Solomon asked the lord for “wisdom and knowledge” (2Chron l :10).

God blessed him bountifully saying to

Solomon; “wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches and wealth and houour such as none of the kings have had” 2Chron 1:12.

YOUR POINT OF CONTACT I don’t teach nouveaux riche’ principle to wealth. I even believe that nouveaux riche’ principle which is the quick rich syndrome cant lead an individual to hell God must first prove you if you would be qualified to enjoy

Now you have to be faithful to God in a little before he can extend his greater blessings unto you in terms of riches wealth, authority and power.

These ingredients serve as tonics or intoxicants if not properly managed by a balanced mind! God will not likely pour a manna of riches, on you without first proving you if you can be faithful in a little, then he can give you authority over “ten cities’. In proving you, you must start from somewhere. You must

lazy and were loafers. Now how many of us will believe Gods leading in this manner?

You want to do what is in your mind not the mind of God. (Isaiah 55:8) “Egypt” may look to you a better place but God will say to you go to “Gerar” a poorer and an unknown city -there lies your blessing. Lets not forget the psalmist said”-the lord is my shepherd I shall not want” Psalm 22::! Now Isaac got to Gent he did not just fold his hands and waiting to expect

his divine blessing of richesbecause riches have become snares to some people who are not deep rooted in Christ or in the word of God. In the parable of the pounds Jesus Christ told the story of the nobleman going to a far country to establish his kingdom with the hope of returning. He called his ten servants and gave them each a pound. On his return he called them to render an account of their stewardship.

It is important to note that the first servant who invested his one-pound and gained ten pounds was told by his master: “Thou has been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” Lk 19:17.

have a point of contact which may be in terms of service production or material production. God will touch that service that you render or that material you produce, then your blessings shall flow. You must graze in the wilderness before you begin to pasture. God was going to bless Isaac with riches and wealth even in the time of great famine in the word as at then. Isaac move from canaan where he had sojourned and wanted to go to Egypt- but the lord did not permit him to go to Egypt- for that was not where God was going to bless him. He obeyed and God led him to a poor and hungry city called Gerar, where the people were

a windfall as some Christians would do today; for after all God had told Isaac “Sojourn in this land and I will be with thee and I will bless thee..”

Gen 26: 3 Isaac had to seek a point of contact? He had to start “grazing” before “pasturing” God was going to prove him by his hard work and faithfulness.

Grazing means cattle or sheep eating grass in the field; and pasturing means a suitable graze land i.e land rich with grass for grazing animals. That means you MUST START FROM DRY LAND TO LAND OF MILK AND HONEY, While you are on the “dry land” the lord is proving you, you are working hard, the lord is blessing your labour; that is your point of contact.

So Isaac did just the same thing; he sojournd in the land by divine grace, he cultivated the land as his point of contact; and God blessed the labour of his hand. You must seek from God your point of contact, (Eph 5:17)

“Now you must have faith in God to have a financial breakthrough because without faith it s impossible to please God and you cannot receive anything from him (Heb11:6). You must learn to absolve yourself from the poverty mentality syndrome and learn to work hard.”

When God blesses that point of contact., then you shall prosper.

“Then Isaac sowed in the land and received in the same year and hundred fold and the lord blessed him Gen 26:12.

Isaac had been faithful in a little: then the lord multiplied the blessing.

“And the man waxed great and want forward and grew until he became very great:

for he had possessions of flock and possessions of herds and great store of servants and the philistines envied him” Gen26: 13-14. When God begins to bless you, the “philistines” shall envy you.

The philistines are your distracters! God must first prove you in a little thing then lift you when you are faithful in that little thing, by touching or blessing y point of contact.

For “though the beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase” J0h8:7 Now you must have faith in God to have a financial breakthrough because without faith it s impossible to please God and you cannot receive anything from him (Heb11:6). You must learn to absolve yourself from the poverty mentality syndrome and learn to work hard. The lord shall bless the labour of thy hand and shall “Shake the heavens, and the earth and the sea and the dry land” for your sake (Hag 2:6) To be continued

THE NIGERIAN

24

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

International Features

Will US Stop Spying On Allies?

WILL President Barack Obama’s ongoing “review” of American spying programs lead to a blanket ban on surveillance targeting allied leaders? Not likely.

At first blush, the odds might seem good that the president would embrace sweeping new restrictions in response to the global uproar over the National Security Agency actions.

On Monday, Obama told

Fusion TV that he hoped “to make sure that what they’re able to do doesn’t necessarily mean what they should be doing.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., declared herself “totally opposed” to National Security Agency spying on leaders of U.S. allies, except in times of war or emergency and with a presidential order.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ESONARE – I, formerly known and addressed as Esonare Collins Osarumwense now wish to be known and addressed as Omoruyi Aigbovbiosa Collins. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME SULEMAN – I, formerly called Suleman Tajudeen is now known and called Suleman Bright Tajudeen Asishana Alade. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

SALAMI ALOFOJE – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Vivian Omotayo Salami Alofoje now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anazia Vivian Omotayo. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OJEMEKE – I, formerly miss Flora Ojemeke now Mrs. Flora Umheni. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

AUCTION SALES There will be public auction sales of accidented, unclaimed and abandoned vehicles, motorcycles and household items at the following Police Divisions, Edo State Command. Date of Sales is three weeks from this publication. ABUDU DIVISION: 3 Daylong Motorcycles Reg. Nos, ABD 32 QA, 507UML, and Engine NO. DL 156, FM124186514, 3 Lifan M/cycles Reg. Nos QY133B, DT9463Y, QC831UBJ and 2 unregistered Lifa M/cycles, Baya M/cycle Reg. No. QC501, Mitsuba M/cycles. OKPELLA DIVISION: Sunny car, 8 motorcycles and household items.

OPERATION THUNDERSTORM OFFICE: Honda Civic saloon Reg. No. LAGOS DE827LND. Contact: Abu Osodionahon Police Auctioneer 08074007087, 08060382828

MISSING CERTIFICATE I, Ehioghae Roland Erhun of No. 48 Jesus Christ Street, Off Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Edo State wish to bring for the information of the general public that my Bachelor Degree in Dentistry from University of Benin 1984-1993 with Matriculation No. DEN8401451, School of Medicine/Dentistry has been declared missing since February 2010 in Benin City.

All efforts to trace the said Certificate proved abortive.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

And National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said officials were “examining whether we have the appropriate posture when it comes to Heads of State; how we coordinate with our closest allies and partners; and what further guiding principles or constraints might be appropriate for our efforts.”

By Tuesday, Republican House Speaker John Boehner lined up largely behind the review.

“There ought to be review, and it ought to be thorough. We’ve got obligations to the American people to keep them safe. We’ve got obligations to our allies around the world,” Boehner told reporters.

“But having said that, we’ve got to find the right balance here. And clearly, we’re imbalanced.”

The President, the Speaker, the Senate — that’s unusual unity. So why will that rare outbreak of agreement (probably) not result in any major changes when it comes to America spying on its friends? Because the nation’s spymasters show no sign of wanting to. And because it depends on what the meaning of “friends” is.

There’s a list of countries that qualify for special “major non-NATO ally” status — a standing that makes it easier for them to receive American military aid and confers a certain symbolic closeness upon the bilateral relationship.

Who’s on it? Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, New Zealand, Argentina, Bahrain, the Philippines, Thailand, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Sure, Obama has sometimes bent the definition: He famously described Egypt in a 2012 interview with Telemundo as “not an ally, not an enemy,” which left the

State Department flailing to explain what the relationship was.

And Hayden’s statement about Heads of State technically would not cover leaders, such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who are technically heads of government.

(U.S. officials say the review covers both).

But can you imagine Obama — or any president — categorically ruling out spying on Pakistan, its people or its leaders? Or Afghanistan? Or even Mexico? Egypt?

Two of the country’s top spy chiefs don’t seem able to imagine that.

“That’s a hardy perennial,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday.

“As long as I’ve been in the intelligence business, 50 years, leadership intentions in whatever form that’s expressed is kind of a basic tenet of what we are to collect and analyze.”

Have America’s allies targeted America’s leaders for spying?

“Absolutely,” Clapper said, before declaring that the chorus of European outrage “reminds me a lot of the classic movie ‘Casablanca.’ My God, there’s gambling going on here? You know, it’s the same kind of thing.”

(Clapper: Not the guy you want on your movie quotes trivia team).

The White House has said that there are several reviews of intelligence gathering, and suggested that some spying on foreign leaders already has been curtailed. When it comes to Merkel, White House press secretary Jay Carney repeated Tuesday, “the United States is not and will not gather information on her communications.” (OK, but what about this?)

Career intelligence officials say it’s unlikely

that Obama knew about the spying on Merkel.

First, because his daily “presidential daily brief” on national security is

that the administration is weighing the strategic value of intelligence obtained from various methods versus the

Obama, U.S President

generally fairly thin on sourcing. Second, because spying on Merkel probably generated few dynamite disclosures. Third, because Germany is not a closed and hostile regime like North Korea or a hostile and complex one like Iran.

The president would be less likely to challenge his team to explain where a given piece information came from.

But if Obama could publicly announce an end to spying on Merkel, could he do so for other world leaders? Though careful to deny reported plans for a blanket halt to spying on allied leaders, U.S. officials have indicated

potential for diplomatic tensions that could damage cooperation on key dossiers.

Representative Adam Schiff, D-Calif., pressed Clapper on that very problem at Tuesday’s hearing.

“Well, sir, there are many things we do in intelligence that, if revealed, might have the potential for all kinds of blowback,” Clapper replied.

But, Clapper noted, “the conduct of intelligence is premised on the notion that we can do it secretly, and we don’t count on it being revealed in the newspaper.”

“That’s a hardy perennial,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday.

“As long as I’ve been in the intelligence business, 50 years, leadership intentions in whatever form that’s expressed is kind of a basic tenet of what we are to collect and analyze.”

THE NIGERIAN

25

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

International Features

FACED with a flood of revelations about U.S. spying practices, the White House is considering ending its eavesdropping on friendly foreign leaders, a senior administration official said.

A final decision has not been made and the move is still under review, the official said. But the fact that it is even being considered underscores the level of concern within the administration over the possible damage from the months-long spying scandal — including the most recent disclosure that the National Security Agency was monitoring the communications of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

On Monday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for a “total review of all intelligence programs” following the Merkel allegations. In a statement, the California Democrat said the White House had informed her that “collection on our allies will not continue.”

The administration official said that statement was not accurate, but added that some unspecified changes already had been made and more were being considered, including terminating the collection of communications from friendly heads of state.

The official was not authorized to discuss the review by name and insisted on anonymity.

Reports based on new leaks from former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden indicate that the NSA listened to Merkel and 34 other foreign leaders.

“With respect to NSA collection of intelligence on leaders of U.S. allies — including France, Spain, Mexico and Germany — let me state unequivocally: I am totally opposed,” Feinstein said. She added that the U.S. should not be “collecting phone calls or emails of friendly presidents and prime ministers” unless in an emergency with approval of the president.

In response to the revelations, German officials said Monday that the U.S. could lose access to an important law enforcement tool used to track terrorist money flows. Other longtime allies have also expressed their displeasure about the U.S. spying on their leaders.

As possible leverage, German authorities cited last week’s non-binding

US Weighs Spying On Allied Heads Of State

resolution by the European Parliament to suspend a post9/11 agreement allowing the Americans access to bank transfer data to track the flow of terrorist money. A top German official said Monday she believed the Americans were using the information to gather economic intelligence apart from terrorism and said the agreement, known as the

of top-secret documents in an apparent bid to show the NSA was acting legally when it gathered millions of Americans’ phone records.

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper said he was following the president’s direction to make public as much information as possible about how U.S. intelligence

Constitution’s ban on unreasonable search and seizure of evidence from innocent Americans.

The release of the documents comes ahead of a House Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday on FISA reform.

The documents support administration testimony that the NSA worked to operate

says that in September 2009, the NSA advised the Senate Intelligence Committee about its continuing collection of Americans’ phone records and described a series of demonstrations and briefings it conducted for three judges on the secretive U.S. spy court. The memorandum said the judges were “engaged

within the law and fix errors when they or their systems overreached. One of the documents shows the NSA admitting to the House Intelligence Committee that one of its automated systems picked up too much telephone metadata. The February 2009 document indicates the problem was fixed.

Another set of documents shows the judges of the FISA court seemed satisfied with the NSA’s cooperation. It

throughout and asked questions, which were answered by the briefers and other subject matter experts,” and said the judges appreciated the amount and quality of information the NSA provided.

It said that two days later, one of the judges, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, renewed the court’s permission to resume collecting phone records.

The documents also included previously

Barack Obama, U.S President SWIFT agreement, should be suspended.

European Union officials who are in Washington to meet with lawmakers ahead of White House talks said U.S. surveillance of their people could affect negotiations over a U.S.Europe trade agreement.

They said European privacy must be better protected.

Many officials in Germany and other European governments have made clear, however, that they don’t favor suspending the U.S.-EU trade talks which began last summer because both sides stand to gain so much through the proposed deal, especially against competition from China and other emerging markets.

As tensions with European allies escalate, the top U.S. intelligence official declassified dozens of pages

agencies spy under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Monday’s release of documents focused on Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows the bulk collection of U.S. phone records.

The document release is part of an administrationwide effort to preserve the NSA’s ability to collect bulk data, which it says is key to tracking key terror suspects, but which privacy activists say is a breach of the

classified testimony from 2009 for the House Intelligence Committee by Michael Leiter, then head of the National Counterterrorism Center. He and other officials said collecting Americans’ phone records helped indict Najibullah Zazi, who was accused in a previously disclosed 2009 terror plot to bomb the New York City subways.

The documents also show the NSA considered tracking targets using cellphone location data, and ran tests to see if it was technically possible to gather U.S. cellsite data, which can show where a cellphone user traveled. According to an April 2011 memo the NSA consulted the Justice Department first, which said such collection was legal.

Only later did the NSA inform the FISA court of the testing.

NSA commander Gen. Keith Alexander revealed the testing earlier this month to Congress but said the agency did not use the capability to track Americans’ cellphone locations nor deem it necessary right now.

Asked Monday whether the NSA intelligence gathering had been used not only to protect national security but American economic interests as well, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: “We do not use our intelligence capabilities for that purpose. We use it for security purposes.”

National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden later clarified that: “We do not use our intelligence capabilities to give U.S. companies an advantage, not ruling out that we are interested in economic information.”

Still, Carney acknowledged the tensions with allies over the eavesdropping disclosures and said the White House was “working to allay those concerns,” though he refused to discuss any specific reports or provide details of internal White House discussions.

“European Union officials who are in Washington to meet with lawmakers ahead of White House talks said U.S. surveillance of their people could affect negotiations over a U.S.-Europe trade agreement.

They said European privacy must be better protected.”

THE NIGERIAN

26

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

International Features

Strained Finances Trip Up French Firms’ Recovery Role SQUEEZED by thin margins and high debt, French companies will struggle to ramp up the investment spending on which President Francois Hollande’s government is banking to underpin a fragile recovery.

Hollande’s government has hung its 2014 recovery hopes on business investment taking over consumer spending’s traditional role as the motor of growth in the euro zone’s second largest economy.

It expects growth to reach at least 0.9 percent in 2014, counting on a corporate tax credit scheme to boost overall business investment by 1.5 percent and even more for spending on new equipment even though spare capacity is ample at nearly six percentage points below the long-term average.

“It’s all just political mumbo-jumbo,” said Pierre Vauterin, chief executive of CBA, which makes airplane parts outside Paris and employs about 65 people.

“I don’t see any grounds to prophesy an investment rebound,” added Vauterin, who said his company’s 2014 budget would focus what little investment was possible on improving quality and performance rather than boosting production.

Under the tax credit scheme designed to cut labor costs by 10 billion euros ($13.8 billion) next year, the government sees average French operating margins rising to 28.7 percent from an es-

• Francois Hollande, France President

timated 28.2 percent this year. By 2015, it hopes to have cut labor costs by 20 billion euros or six percentage points.

But France has the weakest margins in Europe, and analysts say such improvements will do little in the short term to restore French profitability to levels enjoyed elsewhere in the euro zone, where the average operating margin is nearly 38 percent.

“There’s a real problem with profit margins and this problem is going to hold back any recovery because there will be fewer means to invest,” Bank of France head of structural analysis Gilbert Cette said.

Forecasting 0.7 percent growth on average for next year, economists polled by Reuters are not too far short of the government’s own 0.9 percent target.

But if any risks emerge to threaten that scenario, the corporate sector will struggle to pick up the slack. According to esti-

mates compiled by Thomson Reuters, analysts see roughly flat capital spending by the 40 largest companies listed on France’s CAC40 index.

SURVIVING, NOT THRIVING The weak profitability of French firms has meant they have taken on debt to try and maintain investment levels as much as possible, leading corporate debt to pile up to near record levels at close to 66 percent of economic output - a fact that further restricts room for maneuver.

Though Spanish and Italian firms shoulder much bigger debt burdens, they have better margins, and Spanish firms for their part are deleveraging quickly.

Spanish firms have cut debt from about 118 percent of GDP in 2010 to less than 100 percent now.

Though business sentiment surveys suggest optimism is rising among French firms, many ex-

ecutives remain stuck in a retrenchment mindset rather than in the mood for expansion.

Chief financial officers’ top priority remains cutting costs followed by expanding margins through internal growth, according to a survey of 74 CFOs by Deloitte.

“Companies are going to try to scrape by next year by closely managing cash flow and investments,” Vauterin said, adding that he was careful to keep cash flow positive in order to steer clear of needing credit.

The phenomenon is visible from small and medium-sized firms like CBA, the aircraft parts manufacturer, right through to France’s top groups.

Eager to win back an investment grade credit rating, the top priority of building materials group Lafarge is to cut net debt to less than 10 billion euros this year and get it down to less than 9 billion next year.

In its last analyst con-

ference call in July, management repeatedly stressed capital spending was subject to “strict discipline” and the little investment in the works would target fast-growing emerging economies rather than France.

Also constrained by non-investment grade credit rating, power and infrastructure group Alstom lacks the financial muscle to buy businesses that would help it compete with bigger rivals like GE and Siemens, analysts told Reuters.

With the company balance sheet limiting investment options, CEO Patrick Kron says the focus is squarely on cost cutting.

“This doesn’t mean that we’ll stop R&D (research and development) or that we’ll stop investing ... but we’ll tighten the bolts wherever it’s possible,” he said last month.

RATE RISK Boosting growth to jump-start job creation is the top political priority of Hollande’s government, with unemployment around 11 percent.

But some companies acknowledge that any investment they make will not help that goal.

“What we’re seeing is investment to get productivity gains rather than increasing capacity,” said Pierre Marol, CEO of airport equipment firm Alstef.

Marol said new retirement rules requiring special compensation for jobs deemed particularly

strenuous would encourage firms to invest in robotic machines, not workers.

Though historically low interest rates have allowed French companies to keep investment from collapsing, firms are particularly vulnerable to a rise in the cost of borrowing.

“A rates increase would seriously weaken French companies’ financial situation and make financing investment much more difficult,” the Bank of France’s Cette said.

Wary of future rate rises, companies are rushing to lock in low rates on debt markets, where they can currently borrow even more cheaply than from banks, according to Bank of France data.

The government hopes smaller firms cut off from financial markets can secure funds at a new public investment bank.

But Pierre Gattaz, the head of the Medef employers association, is not so much worried about a lack of credit as he is about a global recovery leaving French firms behind as they struggle with one of the highest tax burdens in Europe.

“We will not benefit from better global growth if we don’t take measures to boost the French economy’s competitiveness,” he said.

“The world is moving and France has got to move too.”

• Courtesy: Reuters

THE NIGERIAN

27

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

The Child (1)

THE child’s spirit must pass through entirely different experiences that accord with the threads of fate connected with it.

Not two of the many men on earth follow the same path for the purpose of furthering their spiritual maturing. The experiences of one man are therefore, spiritually valueless for any other man.

And if one person exactly follows and imitates the footsteps of another he has just frittered away his own time on earth.

Until the child reaches maturity, you shall only prepare the tool which it needs for its life on earth and nothing else, namely, the physical body with all its gross material functions.

Exercise the greatest care to see that you do not distort or even completely disable it through excesses or onesidedness. Next to the necessary physical training, schooling in the right activity of its brains plays an important part. The first period of training ends with the beginning of maturity and not until then must the second period begin, which is to reach the spirit to control the entire body correctly.

Abd-ru-shin the author of the “Grail Message – in the light of Truth says until the spirit breaks through in the years of their maturity, the children of earthen have only a predominantly animistic intuitive perception.

Naturally, they are already set aglow inwardly by the spirit, i.e they are not merely like noble animals in the highest state of development, but already very much more.

Nevertheless, the animistic prevents and is therefore, decisive. It is absolutely imperative that this be borne in mind by every educator and the basis of an education strictly adjusted in accordance with it, if the result is to become complete and without harmful effects

on the child.

The child must first receive full understanding in the great activity of all that is animistic, to which at this time it is still more open than to that which is spiritual. In this way, its eyes will open in joy and purity to the beauties of Nature which it sees around it.

The steams, the mountain, the forests, the meadews and the flowers, as well as the animals, will tehn become familiar to every child, who will be securely anchored in this realm, which is to provide the field of activity during its sojourn on earth. It is will then stand quite firmly and fully conscious in Nature, in the whole world of animistic activity, full of understanding and thus, well equipped and quite ready to work with its spirit also, even greater extent all that surrounds it like a huge garden. Only thus, can it become a true gardener in creation.

Abd-ru-shin says on this basis and not other wise must each maturing child stand when the spirit breaks through, healthy in the body and soul, joyfully developed and prepared on that soil to which every child belongs.

The brain must not be one sidedly over-burdened with things that will never be needed during its life on earth, things which do cost great rains to acquire, consequently wasting its strength and weakening body and soul. With the right training and preparation for real life, however, work becomes only a joy, a pleasure, for then everything in creation is also able to vibrate in full harmony, thus the maturing youth by furthering and strengthening it.

Just when the spirit within the young girl’s body breaks forth so that it can make use of the gross materials and other real tools entrusted and

given to it, in order that she may become a real human being, this young representative of woman getting her quickly linked up with a man The spirit, the true human being, which has yet to face earthly activity thus, never get a started. Becoming paralysed, it must watch how the earthly intellect, which was exclusively and wrongly trained, expends itself in nothing but glittering nonsense in order to appear

his nerves over wrought. He provides only a diseased soil for the spirit breaking through, a brain distorted by and satiated with useless things. Thus, the spirit cannot work as it is should and in turn cannot development itself properly, but is stunted and completely smothered by the weight of the dross.

There only remains an unquenchably yearning to give some inkling as to the

clever and witty and thus cover the lack of true spirit.

It must observed how the intellect becomes implicated in all sorts of impossible things, thereby, requiring and squandering the entire strength the tool is able to give finally the woman becomes a mother without ever having been a real human being.

Thus, there is no field left for the spirit, no possibility for it to become active. And things are not much better for the young man. He is weary and fatigued from overburdening study in schools,

presence of the immured and suppressed human spirit.

Finally, even this longing is lost in the mad whirl of earthly haste and greed which is first meant to act as a bridge over this spiritual vacuum and which later on become a habit and a need.

This is the manner in which man now goes through his earthly life. And for the most part, the faulty upbringing is to blame for it.

If a man wishes to stand aright here on earth, the first part of his training, that is, of his education, must absolutely be changed. Let

“If a man wishes to stand aright here on earth, the first part of his training, that is, of his education, must absolutely be changed. Let children really be children in these matters. Never allow them to enjoy equal privileges with grown-ups, no indeed, expect that grown ups should adjust themselves to children.”

Man And Nature With O.C. MADU 08056379608

children really be children in these matters. Never allow them to enjoy equal privileges with grown-ups, no indeed, expect that grown ups should adjust themselves to children.

You are giving them a strong poison by doing so. For the spirit of the children has not yet broken through from within, they are still largely dominated by their animistic

Instead, you often allow them to mingle with grownups in whose company they cannot move freely since they lack everything quickly to do so. Such children become unsteady and precious, which naturally only appears repulsive to grown-ups, giving an unhealthy impression and disturbing

nature and therefore, they are not on a level with grown-ups.

Children feel this very distinctly. Therefore, do not allow them to play a role which deprives them of this consciousness. You only make them unhappy. They become unsteady upon the firm soil of the childhood which is their rightful due and which is ordained for them in creation.

But they can never feel at home on an equal footing with grown-ups, because, they lack the principal quality which entitles them and makes them able to exist on that level the complete connection of their spirits with the outer world through their bodies.

Abd-ru-shin says you rob them of the genuine childhood to which they are fully entitled according to the laws of creation and which they even need urgently, because the experiences of childhood are absolutely, necessary for the later development of the spirit.

pure intuition and all harmony.

For a precious child is like a fruit the kernel of which is still unripe, whereas the shell is already about to grow old. Beware of this, parents and educators, for it is a crime against the laws of God. Let children remain as children. Children that know they are in need of the protection of all grown-ups.

The task of the grown-up is only to furnish the protection which he is able and also, in duty bound to give where the child deserves it. Unless, you yourself destroy this law of Nature the child, in its animistic state, quite distinctly senses the need of the grown-ups protection and consequently looks up to him, by way of balance voluntarily showing him the respect which implies the desire for support.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Wenger Defends Arsenal Squad

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger swiftly rejected suggestions that his side’s 2-0 Capital One Cup defeat to Chelsea exposed the lack of depth in his squad after his second string players struggled to make an impact.

Nicklas Bendtner was conclusions,” he responded to among those who failed to questions about Chelsea win over Arsenal supporters having a stronger squad. “At who have questioned his the moment we have [Theo] return to the Gunners first Walcott, [Alex] OxladeChamberlain and [Lukas] team.

While Wenger refused to Podolski who are out.

“It’s three players who have answer questions about the Dane’s faltering display, he a big impact offensively. If insisted the critics of his side’s you put them in I believe that squad need to reserve their it’s a completely different position in the team.” judgement.

Wenger was in a less than “Don’t go too quickly in the

Arsenal Wenger

Toure Ready To Hurt Arsenal

LIVERPOOL defender Kolo Toure says he is looking forward to taking on his former club when they visit Arsenal on Saturday.

The 32-year-old left the Gunners for Manchester City in 2009 before joining the Reds as a free agent at the start of the current season.

“I think it’s going to be a great game for me to play,” he told Liverpool Echo.

“I had some great times there and it was a big part of my life.

Without Arsene I wouldn’t be here.

“He was the one who saw me.

He’s a fantastic manager and gave me my chance to play football in this country.

“But now is not the time to talk about him. He knows I’ve been talking about him all the time.

“It’s always special to go back there but at the same time I want to show on Saturday that Arsenal made a mistake by letting me go.

“I’m going there to fight. I want to show them what I can do and help my team – Liverpool – to win.

“Right now I don’t want to think about any of the good things that Arsene did for me as I’m focused on getting those three points.

“I’ll definitely try to do my best to show them that I’m still a great player. I need to perform for my team – that is the most important thing.”

Liverpool are currently in third place on the Premier League table with 20 points, two points less than Arsenal who are currently sitting at the top of the standings.

Kolo Toure

lose two successive games at home]. That’s part of the season you know you will not win all of the games, but we have to respond well on Saturday against Liverpool.

“We are in a strong position in the league and we have a good opportunity at home and we have to turn this round because away from home we are very solid but at home as well you know that it is important and vital to win the big games.”

Wenger added: “I think if you take the points we have made since January 1, it’s more than everybody else. I believe that, over a longer distance, you’ll see more of the quality of the team than in the last two games.

“It is true that it is difficult to swallow what happened to us in the last week the Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund], but as well the mistakes are so big that they can be corrected.

We have to keep the basis of our game and go into the next one with that and get those mistakes out [of our system].”

Adnan Januzaj Proves Versatility

Denis Irwin

Denis Irwin In Ferguson’s Al-Time XI

SIR Alex Ferguson says it is “impossible” for him to select a definitive all-time Manchester United team from his 26-year reign at Old Trafford — and named Denis Irwin as the only certain selection.

Speaking at the latest of his theatre appearances to promote his much-discussed autobiography in his hometown of Glasgow, Ferguson said he would have trouble naming his ultimate strike force, although he suggested Eric Cantona is slightly ahead of the rest.

“People ask you: ‘Who is your best Man United team?’ and it’s absolutely impossible,” the former Old Trafford boss is quoted as saying on sundayworld.com.

“It is absolutely

jovial mood as he gave his judgement on a second successive defeat at the Emirates Stadium, even though he suggested the margin of defeat against Jose Mourinho’s men was not as wide as it appeared to many who witnessed the game.

“Overall, it was a very tight game. It was decided by one or two opportunities and Chelsea exploited our mistake,” he said. “We made it difficult for ourselves by giving the first goal away. It is easier in a big game when that happens. We had to come out every time and they are good on counter attack.

“There’s a lot of positives in the game, there is as well negatives because we lost it and that we repeated a little bit giving the first goal away.

In the big games you give yourselves a mountain to climb, especially when you play against a team who defends well and is good on the counter-attacks.

“Of course it’s difficult [to

impossible. You look at the strikers I had, going back to [Brian] McClair, [Mark] Hughes, [Andy] Cole, Cantona, [Ruud] van Nistelrooy, [Louis] Saha, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, [Dwight] Yorke, Teddy Sheringham.

“Then to the present players — Wayne Rooney, [Robin] van Persie, Chicharito [Javier Hernandez].

How do you pick out of that? Cantona and somebody else maybe?”

In his autobiography, Ferguson described Cristiano Ronaldo as the “most gifted player” he ever managed, yet he refused to confirm the Portugal star in his midfield selection.

“The midfield was probably a bit easier because you have [Roy] Keane, [Bryan] Robson

and [Paul] Scholes — they were fantastic players — and [David] Beckham, Ronaldo and [Ryan] Giggs,” he said.

In defence, he said former Republic of Ireland full-back Irwin — a 625,000 pound signing from Oldham Athletic in 1990 — was the only name he would not hesitate to include in the all-time XI. “Honestly, I would say Denis Irwin would be the one certainty to get in the team. I called him an eight out of 10,” Ferguson said.

“At Highbury in one game, he had a bad pass back in the last minute and [Dennis] Bergkamp came in and scored.

After the game the press said: ‘You must be disappointed in that pass back.’ I said: ‘Well, one mistake in 10 years isn’t bad.’ He was an unbelievable player.”

MANCHESTER United believe Adnan Januzaj could provide an option in any of the front four positions after he displayed his versatility in Tuesday’s 4-0 Capital One Cup win over Norwich.

The 18-year-old has played most of his firstteam football for the club on the left wing but he excelled as a No. 10, in Wayne Rooney’s usual position, in the victory at Old Trafford.

And assistant manager Steve Round feels that the teenager can also operate on the right wing or even feature as the main striker.

“We see him as a No. 7, a No. 10 or No. 11. He can play [as] any of those three,” he said. “You ask our reserve coach and he’d say a No. 9. He played there last season. We are trying to give him as much experience as he can and play him in as many positions. Adnan is coming on from strength to

strength.”

Wilfried Zaha made a belated first appearance for United at Old Trafford after his summer move from Crystal Palace and Round praised him for his performance.

He added: “I was pleased for Wilf Zaha to get a start and play so well. That will have done his confidence the world of good.”

Norwich winger Robert Snodgrass was stretchered off after a clash of heads with Rafael da Silva, causing an eight-minute hold-up in the game.

Manager Chris Hughton said the Scotland international has suffered concussion but does not believe it will prove too serious.

“He’s gone to a local hospital. I think that is very much a precaution,” he said. “He was out for a period of time. It is concussion. They will do some tests to check everything is okay.”

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Ibra Among World’s Top Three

Xabi Alonso Nutmegs The Great Zinedine Zidane

- Ancelotti

CARLO Ancelotti has named Zlatan Ibrahimovic as one of the world’s top three players but says the striker’s “huge contract” with Paris Saint-Germain means he is unlikely to join Real Madrid.

Ibrahimovic, 32, had been linked with a move to the Bernabeu along with Ancelotti when the Italian coach left the Parc des Princes for the Spanish capital last summer. However, last season’s Ligue 1 top scorer recently signed a one-year contract extension through to 2016, an agreement which also reportedly upped his net annual salary to 15 million euros.

The Sweden captain was named on the 23-man longlist for the 2013 Ballon d’Or on Tuesday, with his recent form leading some to suggest he could be a late contender for the award.

Despite the close relationship he enjoys with the player he coached at PSG, Ancelotti told Cadena Cope a reunion at the Santiago Bernabeu would probably remain a pipe dream.

“For me, the three best players in the world are Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic,” he said.

“But I can’t bring him in. He has a huge contract with PSG, and I don’t think he wants to leave.”

In the past Ibrahimovic has courted controversy, and was scathing in his criticism of his former coach at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola, in his autobiography.

However, Ancelotti had nothing but praise for the player who helped him claim PSG’s first French title since 1994 last term.

“I’ve never had any problem with him,” Ancelotti said. “He’s a great player with a lot of desire, he wants to win everything.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is very focused, very professional. I love players that are as focused as him.”

• Zinedine Zidane

ZINEDINE ZIDANE SPENT close to two decades making fools of defenders with his classy, intelligent play for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid, but now the master has received a taste of his own medicine. In a small game of piggy-in-the-middle at Real training, Xabi Alonso played a lovely one-touch, no look pass between the Frenchman’s legs for a nutmeg.

Zidane is currently working as an assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti at the Spanish outfit, having previously performed a variety of other roles for the club. His most recent job was Sporting Director in Madrid, but at the start of this season

the legendary World Cup winner decided that he could contribute more on the training pitch.

to publicly humiliate them.”

Meanwhile, former Portugal and Atletico Madrid winger Paulo Futre claimed that Blatter’s display of apparent favouritism towards Lionel Messi showed why the Argentinean has won the Ballon d’Or for the past four years while Ronaldo has won just one — despite the fact the results of the voting for the award are made always made public.

“These comments explain the reasons why Cristiano does not

have more Ballons d’Or,” he said in Marca. “This trophy is a farce. If I had doubts, they have been cleared up completely.”

Futre, who won 41 caps for Portugal, took the conspiracy theory a step further by stating he was worried Blatter’s “hate” for Ronaldo could have an impact on his country’s upcoming World Cup 2014 playoff with Sweden.

• Xabi Alonso

Ronaldo’s Agent Unhappy With Blatter

CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes has leapt to the defence of his client, claiming it was unacceptable for FIFA president Sepp Blatter to “publicly humiliate” him. client’s fans had been insulted On Tuesday,both Ronaldo and his club Real Madrid reacted angrily to a video that emerged showing Blatter impersonating the Portuguese attacker strutting around the pitch and suggesting he spent a lot of money on hair products.

Blatter soon issued an apology but the genie was already out of the bottle — and supporters and friends of Ronaldo and his club remain outraged, with the fallout showing no signs of abating.

Amid multi-page coverage of what they said was a ‘world scandal’ Marca spoke with Ronaldo’s agent Mendes, who said Blatter’s behaviour had been both “sad” and “unacceptable”, and that “millions” of his

by Blatter’s comments.

“This sad episode involving Mr Blatter shows an unacceptable lack of respect for the exemplary professionalism and dedication that Cristiano Ronaldo has demonstrated throughout his career,” Mendes said. “As well as an unprec-

edented disregard for the millions of Ronaldo and Spanish football fans around the world.”

‘Super-agent’ Mendes, whose list of clients also includes Jose Mourinho and Radamel Falcao, suggested FIFA should be supporting football’s best players rather than embarrassing them.

“This incident is unworthy of the highest representative of an institution such as FIFA,” he said. “They should value the stars that bring so much passion to this sport, instead of trying

Much-Changed Barca Still Too Good For Celta BARCELONA moved four points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga as they eased to a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Tuesday.

Alexis Sanchez continued his fine scoring form after netting the decisive goal in Barca’s 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the

Barcelona’s Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo on October 29, 2013

weekend when he tapped home the opener after just nine minutes.

Celta had their chances to equalise towards the end of the first period, but went two behind at the beginning of the second when Cesc Fabregas’ drive rebounded into his own net off goalkeeper Yoel Rodriguez and Fabregas added a third with a clinical finish soon after.

With Barca in the midst of seven games in 22 days, coach Gerardo Martino made five changes from the side that started the match against Madrid on Saturday.

Javier Mascherano, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Neymar all dropped to the bench, whilst Gerard Pique was left out of the squad due to an ongoing hamstring problem.

Carles Puyol, Marc Bartra, Alex Song, Pedro and Sanchez returned to the starting line up and it was the Chilean who notched his sixth goal of the season after just nine minutes.

Fabregas was played through on goal by Pedro and after his shot had been beaten away by

Yoel, Sanchez had the simple task of tapping home the rebound.

The visitors then had a few more decent openings on the break with Lionel Messi’s shot across goal that flew just wide their best attempt.

But Celta improved mightily as the half wore on and Barca were again indebted to goalkeeper Victor Valdes for keeping them in front at the break.

On-loan midfielder Rafinha Alcantara was inches away from equalising against his parent club on 28 minutes with a driven effort that flew just wide.

Valdes was then forced to block another fiercely struck effort from Rafinha barely a minute later and Celta were right to complain when they then had a goal ruled out for a very soft foul on the keeper after he flapped at a cross from the right.

However, Barca put the result beyond any doubt just three minutes after the restart when Fabregas’ wonderful effort from

25 yards struck the bar and rebounded into the net off the unfortunate Yoel in the Celta goal.

Six minutes later it was 3-0 as Messi again fed Fabregas and this time he made sure it was his name on the scoresheet as he drilled the ball low past Yoel at his near post.

Yoel then denied Messi his first league goal since September with a smart low stop at the end of a wonderful team move also involving Dani Alves and Fabregas.

The Celta keeper denied Messi once more with 12 minutes remaining and the Argentine then infuriated Pedro by going himself and forcing Yoel into another fine save when the winger was completely unmarked in the middle of the box.

However, Barca’s proligacy mattered little as they saw the game out easily by registering their ninth clean sheet in 16 games in all competitions this season.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Yaya Toure Becomes UN Goodwill Ambassador

COTE D’ Ivoire’s international football star, Yaya Toure, on Tuesday joined the roster of Goodwill Ambassadors for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Toure pledged to combat sustainable lifestyle and his the illegal ivory trade that had global status as an seen thousands of African internationally renowned elephants slaughtered each sportsman make him a year. particularly powerful African PANA in New York, voice to speak and inspire quoting a UN statement, action on the environmental reports that Toure said poaching threatened the very existence of the African elephant and if no action was taken, the iconic species would be wiped out.

The Ivorian was African Footballer of the Year in 2011 and 2012 and an inspirational figure for Manchester City and his national side, Cote d’Ivoire.

He said: “I became a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador to spread the message that poaching and other forms of wildlife crime are a betrayal of our responsibility to safeguard threatened species.

“It is also a serious threat Yaya Toure to the security, political stability, economy, natural resources and cultural heritage of many countries”.

UNEP, on its part, said that the extent of the killings now THE Ghana Football far exceeded the natural population growth rates, Association is contemplating putting elephants at risk of taking legal action against extinction, especially in Globacom Mobile Ghana over a US$ 6.5 million Central and Western Africa.

“Even previously secure sponsorship fee arrears.

Glo Mobile brokered a fivepopulations, such as those in East Africa, were now under year deal in 2008 was worth US$ 3 million per season for threat.”

UNEP Executive Director the league and an undisclosed Achim Steiner said the amount for the Black Stars.

The federation is at its wit’s agency was honoured that Toure had agreed to be a end after several unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the Goodwill Ambassador.

“His personal commitment outstanding sponsorship to an environmentally money from the mobile

challenges and the solutions to these challenges.’’

According to UNEP, the illegal ivory trade has tripled since 1998, with criminal networks responsible for the illegal trafficking of ivory between Africa and Asia.

It noted that large-scale seizures of ivory destined for Asia had more than doubled

since 2009 and reached an alltime high in 2011.

It disclosed that increased poaching and loss of habitats were decimating African elephant populations, especially in Central African countries.

The UN estimated that over 17,000 elephants were illegally killed in monitored sites in 2011 alone.

UNEP added that the international community was looking at measures to address the crisis, including improved law-enforcement across the entire illegal ivory supply chain.

It stressed the need for training of enforcement officers in the use of tracking, intelligence networks and innovative techniques, such as forensic analysis.

It also called for strengthening of national legislative networks, better international collaboration across range States, transit countries and consumer markets, as well as action to fight collusive corruption, identifying syndicates and reducing demand.

Ghana FA Considering Court Action Against Glo

Ivory Coast Were Too Physical

MOROCCO U-17 coach Abdellah El Idrissi believes Ivory Coast’s physicality is what saw them through to the next round of the FIFA World Cup. The Baby Atalas Lions bowed out of the competition after losing 21 to Ivory Coast on Tuesday afternoon in the round of the last 16 in the tournament.

The result was the same scoreline as the encounter in April’s African Cup of Nations and El Idrissi

offered his congratulations to The Little Elephants.

“It was almost a rematch of the Afcon semi-final in Morocco. The Ivorian players are physical and athletic. It is logical that the team which wins the challenges wins the game,” he said.

“The difference was on a physical level. And the player who replaced Bouazzati in defence under performed. But I would like to congratulate Côte d’Ivoire.”

phone operator.

“We have kept to our side of the deal. We have even gone on to hold several meetings, sometimes travelling to Nigeria, just to get this issue resolved,” Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi told the Graphic Sports.

“There have been several discussions and concessions given just to ensure that Glo could settle the outstanding bills, but after the last September deadline, no word had come from them. It is very frustrating and unfair to the clubs and the other parties

David Beckham

involved and we must now act to claim the money.”

The Ghana FA has since decided not to re-open negotiations with Glo to extend the sponsorship deal until all outstanding bills were cleared.

A former Brazilian footballer was killed and his decapitated head delivered to his widow by suspected drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night.

Joao Rodrigo Silva Santo, 35, who played for Bangu, Olimpia, Nacional and Swedish club Oster during his career, was kidnapped after leaving the local food store he owned in the district of Realengo.

The next morning, his wife, an officer with Rio’s Police Pacification Units (UPPS), found his backpack containing his severed head outside their house,

Ex-Player’s Head Sent To Police Wife with G1 Globo website reporting his eyes and tongue had been cut out.

“He was a good family man. He lived for football and played until recently,” Bruno Santos, a friend of the victim told the site. “He had no enemies.”

The UPPS has been cracking down on Rio’s drug gangs ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Earlier this month, over 1,000 police stormed some of Rio’s poorest favelas in a bid to regain control back from the gangs.

GPL Clubs Pick First Cheque For TV Rights Money ALL sixteen Ghana Premier League clubs have received a cheque for US$ 17,500 (25,000 Ghana cedis) as part payment from the Television rights deal.

The Ghana Football Association met officials of the clubs on Tuesday and announced how the US$ 700,000 per season money

would be disbursed.

SuperSport, the broadcast rights holders, have paid US$ 400,000 to the Ghana FA as the first instalment for the season.

The remainder of US$ 300,000 will be made before the end of the season.

Last month, SuperSport signed a three-year deal valued at US$ 2.1 million.

Beckham Set On MLS In Miami

DAVID Beckham appears to have chosen Miami as the destination for his Major League Soccer franchise, according to widespread reports.

Former Los Angeles Galaxy star Beckham has been weighing his options as he looks to launch a new MLS team since his retirement from the game this

past summer and it seems as though Florida is his preferred location — if he is successful in acquiring a franchise.

The Sunshine State is seen as an untapped market in the United States with no top-flight team having operated out of the southern state since 2001, when the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny last operated.

The reports suggest Beckham will “will pay a discounted rate of [$25 million] to start an MLS expansion team in Miami,” yet a final agreement on the deal had yet to be ratified.

Beckham business partner Simon Fuller, the brainchild behind the hugely successful “American Idol” TV show, is believed to be heavily involved in the bid, but it

seems as though the highprofile duo face competition to land the franchise.

Further reports suggest 12 major investors have expressed an interest in starting a new MLS side, yet Beckham is said to have an advantage over his rivals after he secured the right to purchase a cut-price franchise as part of his final Galaxy contract.

It has been suggested that Beckham might eventually look to sell the franchise for an inflated fee as a potential $25 million deal with MLS organizers would represent a huge reduction on the price that is normally demanded by U.S. soccer chiefs to establish a new franchise.

The Abu-Dhabi owners of Premier League side Manchester City paid about four times that amount to get involved in the New York City FC team, which is set to launch next year.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

BNCL Acting General Manager, Pastor Monday Aigbe (right) presenting copies of The NIGERIAN OBSERVER Newspaper to Alex Ekhoruwa (left) during a visit to the Company yesterday. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

NBB of C Scribe, Remi Aboderin (2nd right) Alex Ekhoruwa (3rd right) and others during a courtesy visit to the Benin Monarch, Oba Erediauwa at the palace on Tuesday.

FIFA U-17 W/Cup

No More Defensive Errors, Says Ugbade

Remi Aboderin were accompanied on the visit by a WBC recognized referee, Segun Adesanya and the father of the hole-inthe heart boy, Mr. Monday Odudu.

THE technical crew of the Golden Eaglets yesterday assured that it would no longer allow for defensive errors at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Nduka Ugbade, one of the Assistant Coaches of the team, disclosed this to our correspondent on telephone, after the team’s 4-1 defeat of Iran on Tuesday.

With the victory, the Eaglets have qualified for the quarterfinals of the competition and would on Nov. 3 meet Uruguay in the semifinal.

Ugbade, who was commenting on the goal scored by Iran to narrow down the score line, said that the goal was uncalled for, saying that it was purely a defensive mistake by the Eaglets.

“The goal was like a fluke and that was a lapse on the players because there were three of them in the 18-yard box. None of them tried enough to stop it.

“The players have been warned to be careful inside the 18-yard box and I guess we still have a lot of tutoring to do, so that things can be perfect,” he said.

Ugbade, the Eaglets’ winning captain at the maiden edition of the competition in

1985 in China, said that the team had never and would never underrate any team in the competition.

He added that the Eaglets were taking each game as it comes and took time out to study the style of play of each of their opponents.

“Every country is a potential winner and no country should be seen as a small one to beat; the players are being taught to be both emotionally and mentally stable to compete.

“Getting to know how to take on each country had been an added advantage to us and that has been yielding good fruits,” Ugbade said.

The coach said that wining the competition was the utmost aim of the team and that nothing would make them sway from their objective.

“We have won it in the past through hard work and that is the same thing we are working for in this edition of the tournament,” he said.

Ugbade added that now that the tournament had entered its most crucial stage, the team was taking extra care, in order not to make mistakes.

Nigeria had won the competition three times in 1985 in China, 1993 in Japan and 2007 in South Korea.

They were runners-up in 1987, 2001 and 2009.

GOLDEN Eaglets coach Manu Garba has saluted his team’s fire power, saying his team are difficult to stop as they love to score goals.

Nigeria booked their place in the last eight of the U17 World Cup on Tuesday evening after they spanked Iran 4-1.

With 18 goals in four matches, the Golden Eaglets now have an average of 4.5 goals per

match and Manu said there are still many more goals to come.

“I said earlier that my attack is blistering and I still maintained that it would be difficult for any team to stop us from scoring because our t oves scoring goals, “said Manu.

“We don’t pretend we are an attacking team though there are still few errors but we are going to correct them as we go further, as we progress.”

Manu said he has no reason to change his tried and tested coaching style, adding that the best form of defence is to attack, he maintained in the flash interview immediately after the match.

I always want my team to attack and I would always improvise because this is a team where anybody can score,” he added.

The Eaglets face Uruguay for a place in the semi-finals on Saturday evening.

BNCL Acting General Manager, Pastor Monday Aigbe (4th left) and others pose for a group photograph with Alex Ekhoruwa and his entourage during a visit yesterday. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

Int’l Boxing Bout

Board Scribe Pleads For Sponsorship

By MATTHEW OKAGHA

A passionate plea has gone to both the government, corporate bodies and affluent individuals to support generously, the proposed November 9, 2013 international boxing challenge between Edo Stateborn Alex Ekhoruwa and Burkina Faso’s Theodore Lokoso in Benin City. professional boxers in Edo The Secretary-General of State and at the same time, Nigeria Boxing Board of cater for the urgent Control (NBB of C), Mr. medical need of a fourRemi Aboderin made the year-old hole-in-the-heart appeal in Benin City patient, master Favour yesterday when he and Odudu. others accompanied the He disclosed that the boxer on a courtesy visit to boxer out of his the office of the Acting compassion for the plight General Manager of the of the sick lad, has decided Bendel Newspapers that the proceeds from the Company Limited gate fees would be donated (BNCL), publishers of for the boy’s medical The OBSERVER titles. expenses abroad.

Mr. Aboderin stated that The NBB of C’s scribe the proposed international disclosed that the Board boxing challenge is has sanctioned the significant as it would November 9, 2013 bout, afford Alex Ekhoruwa the but however pointed out avenue to inspire other that the fight will require young aspiring

sponsorship from government and other organizations and individuals to become a reality.

Earlier, the boxer, Alex Ekhoruwa had informed the BNCL Acting General Manager, that the visit was to solicit the support of the media outfit in sensitizing the public on the proposed fight billed for Oba Akenzua Cultural Center on November 9, 2013.

Responding, the BNCL Ag. GM, Pastor Monday Aigbe described Alex Ekhoruwa as a member of The NIGERIAN OBSERVER family, adding that the newspaper house will do all within its capacity to help project the proposed fight.

Alex Ekhoruwa and Mr.

Eaglets Unstoppable - Manu

CMYK

THE NIGERIAN

32

Local Govts Beyond Oil

OIL has since become the main stay of our economy. But oil is a depleting asset, which means that someday, oil wells will dry up. Besides, the entire world is busy seeking alternatives to oil. Essentially, oil will not remain on the king’s throne much longer. Our desire is that oil boom should not degenerate to oil doom.

This has started engaging the minds of many Nigerians. In their proactive stance, when the media gurus, the Guild of Editors, gathered in Asaba recently, this issue occupied the front burner in their discussions.

So far, it appears our third tier of government is shut out in the entire process. This tier is everywhere in chains, with various encumbrances on the way of its alternative revenue sources.

Acceptably, tax evasion is a crime while tax avoidance remains a normal practice the world over.

When the oil wells dry up, local governments must look inwards and the collection of market stalls- and other fees must be reinvigorated.

Recently, we saw in Oredo Local Government, what traders are doing about payment of market fees. Their grand design is to wait till Revenue Collectors have closed from work.

This is when the traders start their businesses, all in an attempt to evade payment of dues.

When the tax collectors changed their methods and moved in at night to collect the dues, a storm of indignation burst forth. The traders alleged that

council officials came to the market at night to beat them up. The fact is that laws are made to regulate certain activities throughout the 24

they meet are the small retailers who pay paltry sums as market dues. We hear that this is what goes on in virtually all the major markets. If the local governments must survive beyond

state authorities to operate within their jurisdictions also permits the Local governments to do the same in their domains. Some of them have gone ahead to acquire towing vans to deal

oil, they must also change their modus operandi along with changing times.

Certain issues are, by nature, on the concurrent performance list. The regulation of transportation is one such issue: In Edo State for instance, the Federal Government, as represented by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, is to be seen everywhere on the Federal highways. Their towing vans come handy to deal with defaulters. As soon as you move into Benin City, the State Traffic Officers (also known as Oshiomhole Police) are everywhere to ensure that traffic moves smoothly. In the process, they have their towing vans to deal with vehicles that cause obstructions. The same constitution that allows the federal and

with defaulters.

Rather than continue to muzzle the local government administrations, the States should learn to sit down with the local governments to streamline areas where each should operate.

It is a free world in which survival is the name of the game.

No tier should be deprived of its dues. When it concerns the local govern-

President Goodluck Jonathan

hours of the day, not just during office hours. The Oredo Local Government Edict that prohibits trading in certain designated areas must also be obeyed around the clock. Where such areas become beseeched after office hours, Oredo Local Government would be right to start implementing its laws and apprehending offenders throughout the night, if need be.

Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary handling. Most markets are now night markets. For example, on Oregbeni Market days, the big transactions take place between the hours of 4 and 6a.m. That is when the big traders from the various villages dispose off all their wares with the result that when the revenue collectors arrive at 9 a.m., all

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

ments, the performance of their functions has commonly been defined as harassment. This is where we advise that any motorist who does not want to be harassed should learn to live within the laws. On the other hand, let the collections be with a human face. The crude age of pursuing motorists, particularly drivers of vehicles with out-of-state numbers, with sticks fitted with six-inch nails is over.

What is all this hue and cry on the recent purported removal of Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List? This gives the erroneous impression that exclusivity is synonymous with universality of application.

That the minimum wage is on the Exclusive Legislative List means that only the National Assembly can legislate on it. It does not mean that the minimum wage must be the same for all the segments throughout the country.

Whereas the National Assembly can, for example, make the minimum wage N100, 000 at the federal level and N50, 000 for the two other tiers, it has perhaps been browbeaten into thinking that the minimum wage must be the same everywhere. Apart from placing a big burden on the National Assembly, this apparently short-changes the

staff of federal establishments. The National Assembly must now struggle to create a balance between the salaries of that worker in Abuja with that of the one who works at Uwemuwe, a small hamlet in one obscure corner of Edo State.

While the Abuja worker spends his entire salary on housing and transportation; every Uwemuwe person would feel honoured if the government worker accepts to stay in his house, even free of charge; plus the fact that this worker can also have his small-small cassava farm, which facility is unavailable to the worker in Abuja.

As we approach the post oil era, shouldn’t we allow the Local Governments to determine how much salary they can pay to their workers rather than suffocating them and breathing over their heads from Abuja?

Beyond this, there is no truth. As we speak, some States have not implemented the N18,000 minimum wage. And rightly, the Governors of such States have neither been beheaded nor thrown into prison as a result. Shall we not recall Karl Marx (18181883) in the Communist manifesto, “From each according to his ability; to each according to his needs”?

Rather than continue to muzzle the local government administrations, the States should learn to sit down with the local governments to streamline areas where each should operate. It is a free world in which survival is the name of the game.

Printed and published by Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, 24, Airport Road, P.M.B. 1334 Benin City. Telephone; Lagos: 01 4930929, Benin: 052 257492, 257531 Editor. BARR. SOLOMON IMOHIOSEN (KSJI) - (07030699646), Deputy General Manager (Marketing) (08023457566), Assistant General Manager(Advertisement) (08023808856) Lagos Office: 3/4 Amode Close, Kudirat Abiola Way, By Olushonsun Bus Stop, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos. Abuja Office: Floor 1, Edo House, 75 Ralph Shodeinde Street, Central