Nigerian observer 31 12 2013

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 38 • NO. 387 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 20 13 • N100. 0 0 NUTRITIONAL HEALTH & DIETETICS Page 14 The importance of anti-oxidants

DISCOURSE Page s 24-26 Before the final whistle

A case for National Dialogue devoid of constitutional trapping

Corruption: ICPC adopts surveillance because what we now approach do is to present to the suspect, the evidence

ABUJA The Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday said it had concluded plan to adopt surveillance approach in its fight against corruption.

Mr Ekpo Nta, the

Chairman of ICPC, told newsmen in Abuja that the approach would go a long way to reduce time spent on investigation.

“We have cut down investigation time because we have

insisted on doing more of surveillance before striking, so as to reduce time spent on trying to get answer from a suspect.

“With this approach, admission level to corrupt practises is higher

we have already discovered,” he said.

Nta said the commission had strengthened its Asset Tracing and Monitoring Unit to ensure that the Continues on page 2

Jonathan urges support for infrastructural development

AWGU (Enugu State) - President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged affluent Nigerians to assist government at all levels to provide basic amenities for the people. the responsibility of Jonathan made the government to provide call at the inauguration of basic amenities for the 8.5km asphalt road and people but a little help a classroom block built from well meaning by a philanthropist, Chief Nigerians will go a long Chris-Baywood Ibe for way in improving their his community in Isu lives.

Awaa, Awgu Local Jonathan commended Government Area of the philanthropist for the Enugu State. gesture, saying it as The President, worthy of emulation. represented by “The road is of high Chairman of Federal standard and in line with Road Maintenance the transformation Agency (FERMA), Mr agenda of the present Ezekiel Adeniji, said that administration’’, he said. such assistance would In his remarks, Ibe, improve the living Lagos based standard of the people. businessman, said the According to him, it is

gesture was part of activities to mark the silver jubilee of his wedding and wife’s 50th birthday.

Ibe said the road

linked four communities comprising Agbogugu, Isu Awaa, Agbudu and Ihe. He said the projects

were part of his humanitarian services to his people, adding that it was not politically motivated as he had no interest in partisan

politics.

Earlier in a church service, the Anglican Bishop of Awgu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Ugwu, urged politicians and well meaning Nigerians to always give back to the society that made them.

The cleric described Continues on page 2

Atiku tasks politicians on nation building ABUJA - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday urged political office holders at all levels to brace up to the challenges of nation building to make Nigerians better in 2014.

This is contained in a New Year message issued and signed by Atiku’s Media Officer, Mr Paul Ibe, in Abuja.

The former vice president, while congratulating Nigerians for the New Year,

described as unacceptable the worsening poverty in the country.

This, he noted, was taking its toll on the ordinary citizens, adding, however, that, with hard work and dedication, elected leaders and public servants could rise to the challenges of national development and economic prosperity.

He said that doing so was critical to redressing the deepening poverty of

TIT BIT “In today’s evil world; man is not even spared the thought of smuggling a gun to heaven’s gate and demanding a forceful entrance from the gatekeeper”.

- Kingsley-Ogbeide-Ihama

ordinary Nigerians in 2014.

He urged Nigerians to face the future with optimism, adding that the New Year would bring good tidings to the country.

Atiku thanked God for keeping Nigerians

EMPOWERMENT OF WIDOWS: Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left) with the Executive Director, Office of the Fist Lady, Hajia Maimuna Momodu (right) presenting a sewing machine to Mrs. Felicia Omigie at an empowerment ceremony to distribute working tools to widows in the state. Photo: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE.

Oshiomhole assures of EIRS’ interface with public

Continues on page 2

By VICTOR OMOALU

BENIN CITY – The Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has reiterated that the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) will continue to interface with the public with a view to seeing how it can dot the ‘I’s and cross the ‘T’s.

The governor stated this while declaring open a s t a k e h o l d e r s sensitization workshop/ two-day management

retreat by the EIRS held in Benin City weekend.

The governor who was represented by Chief of Staff, Hon. Patrick

Obahiagbon, said towards ensuring effective, transparent and accountable tax administration, Edo State

became the first state to establish the Tax Assessment Review Commission (TARC) to oversee all tax related

issues.

He said in its bid toward cleansing the system with the aim of making it more democratic, the EIRS Continues on page 2

expert, on Monday said that the budgetary allocation of 72 per cent

to recurrent expenditure could hinder the nation’s economic development.

Okurounmu, a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),

newsmen in Lagos.

The Federal Continues on page 2

Ex-CBN Gov faults high recurrent budgmade the observation LAGOS - Mr Titus etary allocation in an interview with Okurounmu, a financial

News

ICPC adopts surveillance approach

Continued from page 1 commission’s power on assets’ seizure was exercised.

“To every investigation that we do, there is an element of assets tracing and monitoring because my attitude is that we cannot stop corruption if we do not seize the proceeds of crimes.

“Somebody takes money and builds a house, gets arrested and spends three months in jail or a fine in the alternative and goes back and enjoys the property.

“My new approach is that, since the money cannot be retrieved back, I can trace it to the house built with the money to ensure that the person has no right to enjoy the facility,” he said.

He said the commission had since the inception of the present administration ensured that matters involving economic and financial crimes were moved to the EFCC to

avoid duplication of duties.

“Petitions that are basically administrative in nature, we refer them to Code of Conduct Bureau and the Public Complaints Commission,” he added.

Nta said that the commission had published a law report on cases handled by the commission, adding that the aim is to enlighten the public on distinction

Ex-CBN Gov faults high recurrent Continued from page 1 budgetary allocation

Government presented a budget proposal of N4.6 trillion for 2014 to the National Assembly.

A breakdown of the budget showed that the recurrent expenditure is 72 per cent of the 2014 budget compared to 68.7 per cent in 2013.

The capital expenditure is 27 per cent of the 2014 budget against 31.3 per cent in 2013.

According to him, no country willing to develop will earmark such large portion of budget to recurrent expenditure.

“The operational cost of running public offices, especially in Nigeria, is economically unsustainable, leaving little for development programmes.

“The overhead cost of public

Atiku tasks politicians on nation building

Continued from page 1 together, despite the country‘s myriad of security, political and socioeconomic challenges.

“Despite our challenges in the area of security, infrastructure, politics and economy, I am grateful to God for keeping us together as one.

“It is my hope that we all will face the future of our country with confidence and fervent hope that God will grant us the better tomorrow we are working for,’’ he said.

Jonathan urges support

Continued from page 1 Ibe’s philanthropy as ‘exceptional’ due to the magnitude of the projects.

“If one man can build an 8.5km of asphalt road, a storey building for primary school and a church auditorium for his community, what is left for government to do will be less’’, he said.

compliance.

She said that the internal revenue service must be shaped in such a manner that will give the public the confidence to voluntarily pay their taxes, especially in a more efficient and convenient manner.

According to her, “To do that, the service today needs to be changed in many directions, such that it needs to be automated, have quality staff, structures and communicate better to the taxpayers in a transparent manner”.

She said it was the responsibility of the government to demonstrate not only in the general sense, the benefit of tax payment as

BENIN CITY – Former two-time governor of old Midwest and Bendel States, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia has attributed failure in governance to a situation of one person in position exercising powers of all.

Dr. Ogbemudia stated this at the university of Benin during the inaugural national summit on peace/security organized by the Edo Youths United for Democracy (EYFD) on Thursday in Benin City.

Dr. Ogbemudia who was represented by his son, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia (Jnr.) , averred that the aspect of governance was critical “because you cannot have one man doing everything.

While emphasizing the need for checks and balance in the system, Dr. Ogbemudia said, “ if we don’t have all the representatives at the central level we will not be able to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.”

The former governor who spoke on the theme: “Peace and Security, the twin oracles of social justice,” noted that security plays a vital role in the issue of poverty.

He described the proposed national confab as a way forward for the nation’s development, adding that it was only decentralized power that creates a number of employment for the teeming youths.

The Chairman of the occasion, and former

graft agencies to enable them combat and reduce the scourge of corruption.

“The scourge of corruption has eaten so deep into the fabric of our social and economic lives.

“Even the 28 per cent of the budget which is for capital project is not free from corrupt practices even when it is not enough to transform the country,,” he said.

IGARRA – The Paramount Traditional Ruler of Igarra/ Akuku Clan HRH, Oba E.A.Saiki II (JP), the Otaru of Igarra, has reacted to a publication in The NIGERIAN

OBSERVER of November 26, 2013 where the Chairman of Akoko-Edo local government was said to have paid a visit to a traditional ruler in Igarra in the person of Otu. In a rejoinder, HRH Oba Saiki II (JP) considered the said publication as not only derogatory to the stool of the Otaru of Igarra but was also offensive, inciting and misleading to the public.

Oba Saiki said Otaru is the only Paramount traditional ruler of Igarra/Akuku clan and therefore the only Monarch so recognised by the “Western Region of Nigeria Chieftaincy Law of 1957, The traditional rulers and chiefs Edict, Edo state of 1979 and High Court declaration judgment of 31st October 1985 delivered by Hon. Justice D. Akenzua”.

The rejoinder, which was signed by S.A. Amana, Palace Secretary, declared that, “J.M. Akpeji is not even a recognised ‘Chief’, not having been so registered under the traditional rulers and chiefs law 1979, let alone being a traditional ruler.”

“The position of Otu of Igarra is still vacant and the only prescribed authority for the conferment of such a title (Otu) is the Otaru of Igarra, the Paramount Traditional Ruler of Igarra/Akuku clan,” the rejoinder further added.

ABUJA - The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has cautioned aides of its elected officials to desist from rushing to make statements that could cast aspersions on such officials.

This is contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa

Osun on Monday in Osogbo urged Nigerians, especially residents of the state, to pray for peace in 2014 to enhance development.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy in Osun, and made available to newsmen.

The party called for peaceful coexistence among the people of the state in 2014 and enjoined all religious leaders to continue to pray for peace.

It urged those who had plans to fan the embers of discord to change their attitude, assuring that the year would mark a new beginning for the people of the state.

The party lauded Gov. Rauf

Aregbesola for his achievements in 2013, citing transformation of the education sector, road construction and other areas where he had made tremendous impact.

“Only this year, the state broke the record to become the first state in the whole of Africa to introduce a tablet of knowledge (Opon Imo).

“There was massive road construction in all parts of the state while the education sector of the state has been transformed significantly,’’ it said.

The party urged the people to continue to support Aregbesola who had more good things in store for them in 2014.

Otaru of Igarra refutes report on council chairman’s visit to Otu

in the areas of schools and road constructions, but in what she described as “immediate sense of vicinity where the taxpayers are based where he can feel the benefit of the taxes he’s paying in his/her community”.

Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru emphasised that change was necessary so as to bring about an effective tax system, noting that the change was not about Chief Elamah, Executive Chairman, EIRS, but a project that will impact on all.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue, (EIRS), Chief Oseni Elamah said the workshop became imperative because of the need to constantly raise the awareness by acquainting the public with the various provisions of the tax laws as stipulated in the constitution.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu bags silverbird award BENIN CITY – Former Chief of Staff and Secretary to Edo State Government in the tenure of Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu has been confirmed with the award of the “Edo Politician of the Decade”.

The award was conferred on Pastor Ize-Iyamu by SILVERBIRD organisation, Benin City at a colourful ceremony on Sunday, 29, December, 2013 at the Uyi Grand International Hotel, Benin City.

The former SSG and Chief of Staff is a top notcher of All Peoples Congress (APC) and a widely acclaimed personality in political circles in Edo State.

In his reaction to the award, Pastor Ize-Iyamu thanked the SILVERBIRD organisation for deeming it fit to select him for the award, noting that it was a mark of recognition for his contribution to the

By VICTOR OMOALU

office holders is actually swelling recurrent expenditure which is solely responsible for paucity of funds for infrastructure,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to seek alternative ways of earning funds if we the country was desirous of empowering Nigerians economically.

Okurounmu advised the government to increase the budgetary allocations to anti-

Oshiomhole assures of EIRS’ interface with public

Continued from page 1 became a citadel with the philosophy of the Comrade Oshiomhole led government in the state.

In her remarks, the former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru emphasised the need for government to build strong tax institutions that would guarantee credible tax collections and voluntary

between corruption and non-corruption cases.

He said the report was to assist judges in their decisions and rulings, adding that the idea is also to address challenges of sending petitions outside the mandate of the commission.

Ogbemudia flays failure in governance

development and politics of Edo State and Nigeria at large.

He assured that he would continue to contribute his quota to the development of Edo State and would always be at the forefront to bring positive changes and progress to Edo State.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

Head of State General Yakubu Gowon frowned at a situation where politicians engage the youths on social violence, just as he called on the youths to see their lives as more important as any politician or leader.

Represented by Rev. John Imoniche, state coordinator, Nigeria Prays, disclosed that efforts have been made so far to sensitize the youths on the need to pray for Nigeria, even as he prayed God to grant peace in the land.

While some members of the civil society/human rights organizations aired their voices on various factors responsible for the breach of peace/security in the land, former AttorneyGeneral/Commissioner for justice, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, said towards achieving social justice there was need for equal opportunity and equality amongst the people.

He said that the concept of democracy goes beyond periodic elections, maintaining that democracy was all about the majority.

The EYFD President, Adaze Andrew Emwanta (Esq) who delivered his speech on the topic: State Police or a Governor’s Police: Legal Implication of regional or state created law enforcement agencies, described the situation in the country since the civil war as worse.

He noted that the essence of state police and the state creation of law enforcement agencies would be defeated due to the overriding influence of the governors as evident in the case of the State Independent Electoral Commission.

PDP NWC cautions aides of elected officials

APC urges Nigerians to pray OSOGBO - The All for peace Progressives Congress (APC) in

Metuh, in Abuja.

Metuh said this was in reaction to statements credited to Governor Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State on the proposed national conference by one of his aides.

According to the party spokesman, the purported statement portrays the governor in bad image.

He added that the PDP as an organised democratic institution had duly established channel of external communication.

This, he said, was carried out with the utmost sense of responsibility after due clarifications on issues.

“It is therefore wrong and completely unacceptable for anybody to present statements made by individuals who are not members of the NWC on the official position of the party.

“More so when such statements were made without due clarifications from the governor,’’ Metuh said.

He, therefore, cautioned aides of elected party officers at all levels and particularly governors’ aides to desist from rushing to make unnecessary statements that could ridicule the party‘s elected officials.

2014: Archbishop Charges

News

Govts To Tackle Unemployment

BY OSE EHEBHA THE archbishop of Bendel Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev’d Friday Imaekhai has challenged government at all levels to aggressively address the nagging issue of unemployment in 2014.

The religious leader who made the call in his new year

message said such effort is necessary to reduce or eradicate propensity to criminality in the country.

According to him, the pencentage of unemployment, put at over 70 is too high for comfort.

He stressed the need for leaders to be selfless and avoid the syndrome of pilling up moeny for themselves, at the detriment of the citizenry they

End-Of-Year Service

Army Advises Churches To Close Early YOLA - The 23 Brigade of Nigerian Army in Yola has advised the Christian community in Adamawa to round off their end of year Church services today by 10 p.m.

The advice was contained in a statement signed by the Brigade’s Public Relations Officer, Capt. Ja’aafaru Nuhu.

He said the early completion of church services by 10 pm was because of the existing 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew still in full force in the state.

“The Headquarters of 23 Brigade wishes to bring to the notice of the general populace

of Adamawa state that the imposition of curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily is still in force.

“While we all know the importance of night prayers, especially at the last day of the year, we need to consider the best interest of the general public,” the statement said.

It pledged the commitment of security agencies in the state to the safety of life and property and urged the public to sustain its support and cooperation towards the goal.

The curfew has been on force in the state since the declaration of state of emergency in May.

are called to serve.

Archbishop Imaekhai cautioned politicians to be circumspect in their utterrances, so as to avoid heating up the polity prior to 2015.

“We appeal to all political parties and politicians to be very careful in their utterances in order not to heat up the polity prior to 2015.

“They (politicians) must bring to bear in their utterances the desire for a united Nigeria and focus on these things that unite us as a people.

“We advise those who beat the drum of war to stop, as it is not the will of God for our nation”, he said.

He equally admonished the citizens to be obedient and supportive to leaders at all levels, just as he called for end to political or religious antagonism in the country.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left) his daughter, Dr. (Mrs) Winne Owumi and the Executive Director, Office of the first Lady Hajia Mamuna Momodu at a ceremony for the presentation of empowerment tools to widows in the state by state government

Man Docked Over Alleged Insurance Fraud

LAGOS - A 27-year-old man, Mohammed Okikiolu, who allegedly obtained N230,000 by false pretext from insurance policy holders, was charged before a Shomolu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.

Okikiolu, who resides at

No. 11b, Fabian St., Shomolu, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences.

The prosecutor, ASP Akinlabi Adegoke, told the court that the accused had in October and November collected a total of N230,000 belonging to Niger Insurance company, located at No. 302/ 304, Ikorodu road.

Adegoke said that Okikiolu, an employee of the

company, had approached and collected the monthly premium of some of the company’s customers.

“Okikiolu, in October and November, collected the monthly premium of some of the Niger Insurance policy holders and refused to remit the collection to the company, “The accused collected a total sum of N230, 000 from

the customers and has refused to refund the sum,” the prosecutor said.

He said the offences committed contravene Sections 278 and 312 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Bola Osunsanmi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N150, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till January 22, 2014.

Pharmacist Council Calls For Better Funding

NAFDAC:

Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Deaconess Endurance Odubu welcoming the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to the ceremony for teh destributino of empowerment tools to widows in the state by the state government.

Harmattan: Fire Service Asks

Residents To Be Safety Conscious KANO - The Kano State Fire Service has advised the public to guard against practices which could cause fire outbreaks during the harmattan season.

The Service Public Relations Officer, Malam Kasim Musa, told newsmen in Kano that the directorate was already battling with reported

cases since the season began.

“Most of the outbreaks are largely caused by unextinguished fire and nonchalant attitude towards fire safety by some members of the public,’’ he said.

The Fire Service official advised against indiscriminate bush burning, especially during this period.

Musa, who is also the service’s Director of Operations, further urged the state’s residents to be careful when handling electrical appliances.

“They should patronise the services of professionals whenever they experience electrical faults in their houses or In their business premises,’’ he said.

ONITSHA (ANAMBRA) -The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government and donor agencies to fund the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for optimal performance.

Mr. Uche Apakama, a member of the council, told newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra that the agency had been “performing creditably well’’ looking at the limited resources available to it.

Apakama noted that presently the agency’s resources and man-power were “over-stretched and over-laboured’’ due to the country’s vast land mass as well as population, which are not enlightened medically enough.

He added that there was dearth of man-power, infrastructure and enforcement personnel for the agency to carry out its day-today markets, drug-outlets and pharmaco-vigilance surveillances.

He observed: “NAFDAC is working hard; you can see they are working hard.

“Whether they are working very well is left for us to decide; but they are working hard enough; I know that.

“They are going for inspections; they are confiscating drugs everyday; they are on TV everyday, they are working hard.

“But the system we operate in this country is such that you cannot; it is not easy for you to do the right things in this country in the right time.

“So, NAFDAC is doing well; I believe they are doing well.

“They could be better, but the question is: do they have what it takes to do what they are supposed to do.

“The infrastructure, manpower; how many people are in NAFDAC office in Onitsha here; how many staff do they have. Are they able to police the whole of Anambra State?

“I don’t think they are more than twenty people in that office. Can they go round Anambra State, the whole Anambra State; it is not just about one point, the whole of the state?

“Do they have the equipment, do they have the

machinery, do they have the vehicles. Are they supported by law enforcement?

“It is not just about enforcement, you know, you cannot lock somebody’s place and close it down just like that. Do you have enough enforcement to go with it,’’ he said.

Apakama, who is the Chief Executive of Paxs Pharmaceuticals Ltd, urged Nigerians especially the educated ones to support NAFDAC to ensure that people were enlightened about the agency’s responsibilities and its strides over the years.

According to him, enlightened Nigerians should teach those close to them on the need to only buy prescribed drugs from approved drug outlets in their localities.

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) is a Federal Government Agency, established by Decree 91 of 1992 (now Act 91 of 1992) to regulate and control the practice of pharmacy in the country.

News

Year 2013, Challenging For Nigerian UOKHA (Edo State) – The Students - Old Students Assoc outgoing year 2013 has been described as eventful and challenging, with fair performance of some sectors of the economy coupled with insurgence, enthronement of corruption by those in the corridors of power and strangulated economy.

A statement jointly endorsed by the President, Uokha Grammar School, Old Students Association, Mr. Friday Uanseoje and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jacob Afeinkhena said Nigerians passed through harrowing experiences from the hands of the leaders.

The statement recalled the protracted ASUU-federal government face-off, which paralysed academic activities on campus, the industrial dispute in the health sector, wanton destruction of lives and property occasioned by insurgence, astronomical increase in the price of goods and services, because of poor implementation of budget by the federal government.

Inspite of all these odds, the statement pointed out, the country remains one, even when political bickering thickens and those fanning the embers of discord between

politicians from the ethnic divide were bent in actualizing their selfish motives.

The statement salute the courage of patriotic Nigerians, who offer personal sacrifice to promote peace and stability in the country.

It lauded the investment of

Edo State government in the education sector and massive infrastructural development and sued for its sustenance in the New Year.

The statement commended members of Uokha Grammar School, Old Students Association and selfless contributions towards the

growth of the association.

As Uokha Grammar School, sets to mark the founder’s day scheduled for the 25th of February, 2014, having been founded on that day, the statement appealed to all old students to be part of the ceremony.

BY JOEL CHUKWUEGHONIM IGBANKE – Members of the Committee of Friends of the Association of Ohojie in Igbanke, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State have urged members of the association to be good ambassadors of the association and also to regard the association as their constituency which should be revered at all times.

Speaking during the association’s end of year party, the Chairman of the association, Mr. John Ugbesie said the association will

welcome any assistance from members and outside the members of the association.

He also appealed to the members to be good ambassadors of the association to avoid being ridiculed.

In addition, the Chairman, Mr. Ugbesie also appealed to the members to abide with the rules and regulations of the association. And he prayed to God to give the members wisdom, strength, resources to contribute to the welfare of the association and say bye to 2013 End of Year celebration again.

Osun To Herald New Year With Fireworks - Commissioner

Cross section of Benin Palace Chiefs at a Special thanksgiving service held at Holy Aruosa Cathedral to climax activities for the 2013 Ugie festival of the Benin Monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

Seplat Set To Renovate Hospital SAPELE – Seplat Petroleum Development Company has renovated and equipped the female and children ward in Sapele General Hospital, Sapele, Delta State in line with its strategy of improving the quality of lives in its host communities.

The project, which was a joint venture (JV) between Seplat and Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), was recently commissioned and handedover to the management of the General Hospital.

C’ttee Chairman Urges Members To Be Good Ambassadors

The newly modernized female and children ward now has additional equipment worth millions of naira.

The equipment included hospital beds with mattress, mackintosh, accusson sphygmomanometer dekamet, suction machines, wheelchairs, X-ray viewing boxes, complete oxygen therapy sets, nebulizers, suction nozzle, operating tables and dedicated 15KVA generator, pulse oximeters, operating lights, anaesthetic machines, oxygen gauges, laryngoscopes, galipot and

other sundry equipment.

The renovation of the hospital ward and the donation of the equipment by Seplat is an extension of the company’s flagship healthbased corporate social responsibility (CSR) for its health investment programme and Seplat Safe Motherhood, which seeks to promote safe delivery and hygienic practices for pregnant mothers while educating and equipping local birth attendants with very relevant information on modern safe pregnancy and delivery practices.

In addition, Seplat said it would continue to provide drugs and equipment for several hospitals, including Oben Cottage Hospital, Edo State and Ugborhen Hospital and others as part of its community health project.

OSOGBO - The Osun Government has said it had concluded plans to usher in the New Year with fireworks display in 10 towns across the state.

Mr. Sunday Akere, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said this in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo.

Akere said the towns where the government would officially display fireworks to usher in year 2014, include Ilesa, Ife, Ikirun, Iwo and Osogbo. Others are Ikire, Ede, Ejigbo, Ila and Okuku.

The commissioner said the display would be a “way of letting the people know that government activities should not be localised and

centralised to the capital alone.

The essence of a responsible government is to spread its policies and programme with a view to allowing the populace to have a feel of government at all times’’. ‘’It is our way of celebrating and welcoming the year in conformity with global practice.”

He said “it is the desire of government to ensure that the new year is celebrated with fun fair’’.

The commissioner said that government officials from each of the constituencies would monitor the display.

He appealed for calm from the people of the state during the exercise, adding that there would be no reason for panic.

Kebbi Fire Service Records Low Fire Incidents BIRNIN KEBBI - The Director of Kebbi Fire Service, Alhaji Bello Zagga, has said the state recorded a decrease in fire incidents between 2012 and 2013.

Zagga told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that 114 fire incidents were recorded in 2013, as against the 175 recorded in 2012.

“Seventy-five per cent of

the incidents were recorded in urban centres and major towns, while two lives were lost in separate fire incidents this year,’’ the director said.

He attributed the success to the enlightenment campaign on preventive measures for people to adopt, saying this would be sustained.

Zagga identified the use of sub-standard electrical cables

and careless handling of animal feeds as the leading factors causing fire incidents.

The director however appealed to the state government to recruit about 100 new staff for the directorate.

“This will enable us give more effective services and provide a wider coverage of the entire state,’’ he said.

Some of the grinding machines given to empower widows by Edo State government.

South-South Agency Executes 160 Community Projects BENIN - The Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), a World Bank-assisted agency, executed 160 projects in Edo from 2009 to date, its Managing Director, Dr Gbenga Daodu, has said.

Daodu, who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Benin, said the projects were worth N850 million.

He said 120 of the projects had been completed and were already in use, while 40 were at various stages.

He added that the projects executed by the interventionist agency in the 18 local government areas of the state included electricity, water and schools.

The managing director noted that 87 of the 703 communities that applied benefitted from the projects, executed during the first phase of the programme.

The projects chosen by the communities, had made tremendous impacts in the communities and by extension, discouraged rural-urban migration, he noted.

He, however, said that the problem of lack of fund hindered the agency’s ability to execute many other projects the people yearned for.

He said other communities

would, however, benefit from the second phase of the community and social development projects of the agency.

Daodu pointed out that 25 projects were initiated this year, 18 of which had been completed, while others were on-going.

IBENO (AKWA IBOM) The Ibeno beach in Akwa Ibom was a beehive of activities during the Christmas season as families and friends from various parts of the state converged on the beach to catch some fun.

Some of the fun seekers were from the neighbouring Cross River, Rivers and Abia.

They were seen in groups eating, drinking, discussing, and dancing to music provided by a ‘live’ band, Solid Star, Lagos.

Mr Effiong Okon, who lives in Eket, Akwa Ibom, said that he decided to be at the beach with his family to have some recreation.

“Staying in-house, eating and drinking wouldn’t make a good Christmas for me. As you can see, my children feel happier running around here.

“This is a beautiful scene and I enjoyed coming here with my family or friends during holidays,” Okon said.

Mr. Nduka Ogunda, who travelled from Port Harcourt, Rivers, said that the beach meant life to him, because he grew up in an aquatic environment.

“I have always loved water, and water is a natural habitat to me. I love being at the beach always,’’ he said.

The Ibeno beach is ever fresh with sea breeze; the alluring sand is a play ground for people of all ages,” he added.

Mr. Austin Obasi, from Calabar, Cross River, said that he visited the beach to have a good time, adding that fun in the beach was always a memorable experience for him.

‘It is obvious that people are having fun here. I enjoy the sea breeze at the beach.

I enjoyed looking at beautiful people and the smiles on their faces when they are out of the water,’’ he said.

“The first phase of the CSDP ends this December. Next year will be used for cleaning up of the projects executed in this phase, while the second phase will begin in January 2015.

“The impact of our projects had been tremendous. We had a

community where a secondary school never existed but the CSDP established one there.

“The school, the Ofunwengbe Secondary School, Okada, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, which started academic session in September 2012, now has a large population.

“We also had a school without a science laboratory but CSDP provided one. The CSDP had also assisted communities to have electricity, water and many other amenities,’’ he added.

The Esere of Benin Kingdom, Chief Stanley Obanmwonyi (right) and the Eribo of Benin Kingdom, Chief J. E. Oviasogie at a thanksgiving service held at Holy Aruosa Cathedral to climax activities for the 2013 Ugie festival of the Benin Monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

Fadama Disburses N1.1bn To 114 Associations CALABAR - The Fadama III Project has disbursed N1.1 billion to 114 Fadama Community Associations (FCAs) in Cross River in the last four years, the state’s Coordinator, Mr. Bassey Elemi, said.

Elemi told newsmen in Calabar that the amount represented 99.98 per cent of the total disbursement made to the association during the period under review.

The coordinator said only the 114 associations met the requirements to attract funds from the programme in the state, noting that the Fadama III programme will end this year.

He pointed out that the number was below the targeted 200 associations in

Yuletide: Fun Seekers Besiege Ibeno Beach

Masquerades at the Benue Youths carnival in Makurdi on Sunday

Cross River, in a period of five years, noting that 135 persons had their capacity built in the state under the programme since its inception in 2009.

The coordinator said the state government had paid its counterpart funds up to 2012 “and promised to pay the 2013 counterpart funds as soon as money is available.”

He identified the programme’s major challenge in the state as the inability of local government councils to pay their counterpart funds since 2010.

He, however, said the Cross River government had done well in the implementation of the programme, saying it deserved to be included in the programme extension in 2014.

The state government, he noted, was already holding discussions with authorities of the programme on requirements for inclusion in the extension projects.

According to him, the project extension which would focus on cocoa, rice and cassava production and processing, would begin in the first quarter of 2014.

“So, the state is already trying to see how we can key into the project to increase our cassava production where we have comparative advantage, ‘’ he said.

NDDC Boss Advocates Cultural Carnival

WARRI (DELTA) - Chief Tom Amioku, a Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) representing Delta, has advocated for an ethnic cultural carnival to foster unity in Warri.

Amioku, at a cultural fiesta organised by the Warri Rebirth Initiative (WRI) in Warri, said the cultural carnival would bring the various ethnic groups in Warri together.

He said that the carnival would engender the spirit of unity that had eluded them.

The commissioner said that Warri was a meeting point for people irrespective of origin and

cultural background. “ The relative peace and tolerance we enjoyed in Warri in the past is no longer there.

“This Warri Rebirth Initiative is set to bring back the lost glory of Warri.

“Different ethnic groups residing in Warri coming out for this kind of carnival will promote peace among the people,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Mr. Austine Uroye, the Transitional Committee Chairman of WarriSouth Local Area of Delta, said that government would support the vision of WRI. He said that the support would

enable the association to champion the cause of rebuilding Warri.

“This town must be rebuilt; together we are stronger and divided we are weaker,’’ he said.

The Chairman of WRI, Mr. Kes Agbosa, said the initiative was muted in 2009 after due consultation with some Warri indigenes.

Agbosa said WRI was a nonpolitical organisation striving to attain peace and unity known among the Warri people in the

50s and 70s.

“The aim of this organisation is to endeavour to destroy all seeds of tribal discord among the various ethnic groups in the area.

“It is also to sow those seeds of peace and unity as a vehicle for individual and collective progress and development through social interaction and assistance where necessary,” he said.

Agbosa said that the group would explore various media like workshops, seminars and other

social mechanisms to pursue the re-building of Warri devoid of ethnic barrier.

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Alfred Bubor, said that Warri was known for its unity in the past, adding that no meaningful development could be achieved in an environment of disunity.

Various cultural groups drawn from Urhobo, Ijaw, Yoruba, Ndokwa, Isoko and Esan ethnic groups in Warri participated in the fiesta.

A novelty football match between Warri boys and Warri girls was played and it ended in a draw.

Lagos

(L-R): Oba Erediauwa Excellence Award 2013 recipients, Eddy Adesuwa Oyenakwe, Don Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki, Rev (Mrs) Christiana Bamidele George, Chief Oyuki Obaseki, Pa Godwin Imasuen who represented Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, Eddy Lawani and Prince Omoregbe Erediauwa, the Chief Executive Officer of Hex Entertainment, the organiser of the award ceremony. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE

Katsina To Conduct LG Polls Early 2014 KATSINA - Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State has said that the state’s Local Government elections would be conducted in the first quarter of 2014.

Shema who disclosed this in Katsina at a state PDP zonal meeting said the elections date would be announced in January for the political parties to begin preparations The governor, who was represented by Sen. Umar Tsauri, said all the materials needed for the exercise were on ground.

The 34 local governments in the state were being managed by caretaker committees.

This was as a result of the expiration of the tenure of elected council officials early in 2011.

“The elections will take place next year, God willing, because everything has been put in place,’’ Shema said.

The governor called on PDP supporters to come out en mass during the elections

to vote for the party’s candidates.

On the defection from the party to APC by some members, Shema said “most of such people are not original PDP members. Now, they have joined the group they belong to’’.

He, however, admitted that the party was facing challenges.

“We all know that PDP is facing some challenges and anyone trying to say otherwise is deceiving himself.

“But we have been able to identify those challenges. By identifying the problem itself, it means half of the challenges facing us as a party have been solved,’’ the governor said.

Shema however said PDP in the state would continue with the zoning and consensus principle.

He also called on party members to woo to the party’s fold other people that would help PDP in achieving its political objectives.

APC Official Warns Members Against Bickering Over Positions

Mrs Adesuwa Oyenakwe (Nee Osunde) receiving a plaque from the Benin Monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa after receiving the Oba Erediauwa Excellence Award in Benin City. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE

SOKOTO - A top official of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State, Alhaji Sani Boza, has cautioned the party’s members against bickering over positions.

“All members of the party are equal and all of us should only occupy ourselves with building a stronger, united and

Governor Lauds Yobe Residents For Hitch-Free LG Polls YOLA - Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa has commended the people of Yobe for the success of Saturday’s local government elections in the state.

The governor said this in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Malam Ahmed Sajoh, in Yola.

The State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) conducted the council polls which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the seats.

The governor said the turnout of voters and the peaceful conduct of the election had laid to rest doubts

about the possibility of conducting 2015 general elections in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.

According to Nyako, “the massive turn out of voters and the peaceful manner the process was conducted has proved all sceptics totally wrong about the possibility of conducting 2015 election in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states “.

The statement urged those it called “Abuja Politicians” to stop misleading the presidency, INEC and security agencies about the real situations in the affected states.

“Furthermore, the successful conduct of the

local government elections in Yobe has proved beyond any

doubt that those flying the kite about non-conduct of elections in our states in 2015

are just playing out an agenda aimed at disenfranchising us,” it said.

The cleric quoted Pope Francis as saying in his Christmas message that peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation should be embraced by people of the whole world.

“The Pope’s message is a special blessing to the world and it also calls for prayers.

“The prayers of the Pope and that of many other adherents of the Christian faith across the globe were the greatest efforts that could

bring about the reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace which the whole world and Nigeria need,’’ he said.

Hickey urged Nigerians to join the faithful to pray for forgiveness, reconciliation, humility and peace, because “without humility, there will be no forgiveness’’.

He then prayed for all Nigerians to have the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness, and for Nigeria and the world to have peace in 2014.

Cleric Urges Nigerians To Resolve Differences M A R A R A B A (NASARAWA STATE) - Rev. Raymond Hickey, the Catholic Priest of St. John of the Cross Parish, Mararaba in Nasarawa State, has advised Nigerians to resolve their differences and reunite as the New Year approaches.

Hickey gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

formidable APC,” he told newsmen in Sokoto.

Boza, an official of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) in the state, was reacting to the recent claims of ownership of the party by some members in the state.

“All members are equal, and nobody can claim to have owned the party in any state or at the national level.

“Members of the defunct CPC, DPP, APGA, ANPP and ACN are equal stakeholders in APC,” he said.

Boza urged APC members to concentrate on how to develop the party to the level it can help to salvage the nation, instead of bickering over positions.

“Internal wrangling in the state’s chapter of the party will stunt its development,” he said.

The party official reiterated his commitment and loyalty to the APC national leadership and Gov. Aliyu Wamakko, who is the party’s leader in the state.

“We are in this struggle to salvage Nigeria, and we should do it with absolute caution and spirit of patriotism,” he said.

Lagos Cleric Stresses Importance Of Parental Responsibilities LAGOS - Rev. Father Simon Okelezo, Associate Priest, Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, Okokomaiko, Lagos, has urged parents to imbibe Godly virtues in the upbringing of children, in line with Biblical teachings.

He made the call during a homily he delivered at the celebration of mass to mark the feast of the holy family.

He stressed the need for parents to show good examples to their wards in line with the dictates of the Bible, adding that children were largely the products of family upbringing.

He said men, as heads of the home, must always make themselves available for their families, and to offer direction where the need arose.

Okelezo expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude of some men, who he said, preferred to spend more time outside their homes than with their families.

He noted that in the story of creation, God placed man in leadership position to oversee the affairs of every other living creature, and

ordered him to be in charge.

He said “this role also extends to family life.

“The role of men in the homes cannot be overemphasised. They are the

pillars of the family, just as God put Adam in charge of the Garden of Eden, and gave him the task of leadership.

“That responsibility has not been lifted off the shoulders

of men, and so, every father must strive to exhibit this leadership role in the family, through the provision of direction, protection, love and care.’’

The clergyman said women, as mothers of the homes, were placed as help mates for the men, and so, they had the duty of rendering assistance to their husbands.

He added that women were saddled with the responsibility of raising children and urged them to emulate Godly virtues.

He condemned the attitude of some women, who he said, render their homes

Don’t Use Open Trucks To Convey Workers: LASHA

warns Employers

By SURAJU RAJI

People traveling for the New Year, at Conker, on Lagos Badagry Expressway in Lagos.

LAGOS - Lagos State house of assembly has appealed to employers of labour to stop conveying workers to their destinations in open trucks. The house added that such trucks are only used as carriage of animals or goods. The state

Deputy Speaker Empowers 500 Constituents

By SURAJU RAJI LAGOS - The Deputy Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Kolawole Taiwo has trained no fewer than 500 members of his constituency in various vocations.

Nigerian Observer’s investigation revealed that Hon Taiwo donated 10 tricycles to the constituents.

He also donated sewing machines, generators, clippers for barbers and shoe-making utensils to people who received entrepreneurship training. People were also trained in tie and die business.

Hon Kolawole Taiwo explained that he bought the entrepreneurship materials to help his people and because of the love he has for them.

Former speaker of the assembly, Hon Bola Badmus has described the present Deputy speaker – Hon Kolawole Taiwo as a true politician who lives within his people. She said a true politician must always be within his constituents and not to seldom visit the constituency. The Speaker RT Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji also described Kola Taiwo as the longest serving law maker in Lagos State House of Assembly. RT Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji disclosed that Kola Taiwo loves his constituency and fight for them.

“unconducive’ for living.’

He said “every reasonable father will always make himself available in the home where there is peace and love.’’

On the part of children, the cleric stressed the need for obedience to parents, adding that it was the only commandment in the Bible, which had a promise of long life attached to it.

Peaceful protest by youths from Ehingbo area of Omu-Aran in Kwara Against Five months black-out recently.

assembly also appealed to ministry of transportation and Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) to prohibit such behaviour.

The appeal followed a motion moved by Hon Abiodun Tobun over the death of 25 people who lost their lives at Oke – Ogun in LekkiEpe Expressway. He revealed that the victims died when an open truck had head on collision with another vehicle on the fateful day. Tobun also frowned at use of antiquated vehicles to convey people.

In his contribution, Hon Rotimi Olowo lamented that foreign employers of labour don’t respect Nigerian employees in terms of welfare of workers while Hon Segun Olulade expressed worry on multinational’s attitude of failing to take care of workers.

How ever, Hon Senai Agunbiade revealed that there is a legislation that prohibits any company using containerized vehicle for transportation of workers.

Nevertheless, he called for revamping and strengthening the law. He said contravention attracts a heavy fine. The motion was committed to committee on Judiciary and transportation to look into the enforcement of the law.

Yuletide: FERMA Rehabilitates Roads, Urges

LAGOS - Mr. Oladipo Fagbamila, South-West Zonal Coordinator II, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said that all roads in the zone had been rehabilitated to ensure safe motoring during the festive season.

Fagbamila told newsmen in Lagos that all potholes and various road failures in the South-West Zone II had also been taken care of, to stem road mishaps.

He, however, appealed to road users to avoid reckless driving and speeding, due to the smoothness of the roads, so as to stay alive.

“We have made the roads smooth but motorists should not drive from one lane to the other but should maintain sanity and obey traffic rules, to avoid accidents,”

Motorists To Drive Carefully

Fagbamila said.

He said that the contract for the rehabilitation of the Lagos/Badagry expressway was awarded to three firms who had improved the road from Mile Two up to the Seme Border.

“Vehicles can now pass from the Lagos end to the Badagry side without any rancour,” Fagbamila said.

He said boulders and stone bases were also laid on the Lagos/Abeokuta expressway, to make it smooth, despite the contract awarded to Julius Beger to reconstruct the highway.

Fagbamila explained that the Minister of Works mandated the agency to make all highways smooth.

“The agency decided to move in on the Lagos/ Abeokuta expressway due to public outcry when the road became impassable and the Honourable Minister of Works, through the agency, directed us to rehabilitate all federal roads.

“FERMA has been fully on ground in almost all the federal roads in Lagos, most especially for South West Two. We have also worked along the Shagamu/ Ajebandele/Ore Road, where a lot of traffic builds up.

“We have been able to intervene and the road is now smooth,” he said.

Fagbamila said that the agency’s traffic management units were also stationed on

every 500 metres on some highways, to slow down speeding vehicles, due to the smooth roads, to avoid accidents.

“We have the SURE-P people on ground to ensure there is no traffic build up and we have made it in such a way that a SURE-P staff would be on ground, every 500 metres.

“This is on Shagamu/ Ajebandele road and they are to hold the red flag, so that they can control traffic,” he said.

Fagbamila said that the Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance and Action Against Road Side Trading and Other Forms of Road Abuse (FERSCARA), was also working with the agency.

The coordinator said this was to curb accidents and all forms of recklessness and abuse of the roads.

“FERSCARA is working to ensure that vehicles do not move from one side of the road to the other to cause gridlock there,” he said.

Fagbamila said the committee made up of FERMA, the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, the Civil Defence Corps, National Union of Road Transport Workers and the FRSC, was on ground to ensure safety.

He said that roads repaired included the Lagos/Badagry expressway, Lagos/Abeokuta expressway, Ikorodu/ Shagamu, Ikorodu/Itoikin, Papalanto/Shagamu road, Shagamu/Ajebandele road and the Ibadan//Gbogon/Ife road, among others.

Abuja NUJ President Lauds Performance Of Members GOMBE Malam Muhammad Garba, the President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has lauded the performance and contributions of journalists to national development.

He gave the commendation in Gombe in a message he delivered at an End-of-Year dinner, organised by the Gombe Council of the NUJ. Represented by Alhaji Mukhtar Gidado, the former Vice President, NUJ Zone E, Garba said journalists played critical role in the development of the country, in spite of the hazards they encounter in the discharge of their duties.

He expressed dismay over the harassment of journalists on duty by some security agents and urged them to desist from such unpatriotic acts.

He urged members of the union to always publicise such unpatriotic acts of some security agents for the public to know and appreciate the environment under which journalists were operating.

Garba urged journalists to take the issue of NUJ Insurance Policy seriously in order to secure the future of their families and relations.

The NUJ boss also urged journalists to shun bias reporting, adding that the union was doing a lot to curtail the activities of

quacks in the profession.

He added that the National Secretariat of the union had directed state councils to make efforts to rid the profession of quacks.

In a message he delivered at the occasion, the Gombe State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Habu Dawaki, commended the cordial

relationship existing between the media and the state government.

Dawaki, who was represented

by Alhaji Saidu Gaddam, the Director of Information, expressed concern over the recent encounter between some journalists and security agents in the state.

He promised that the ministry would take up the matter with a

view to finding a lasting solution to such ugly incidence in future.

In his remarks, Alhaji Alhassan Yahaya, the Chairman, Gombe State Council of the NUJ, said the council had paid the insurance premium of 65 members of the union from the state.

He urged journalists practising in the state to register with the union to enable them to benefit from the NUJ Insurance Policy.

Kwara Council Discovers 339 Ghost Workers OMU-ARAN (KWARA) Alhaji Luqman Owolewa, the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Council in Kwara, yesterday, said the council has discovered 339 “ghost workers’’ on its monthly pay roll.

Owolewa told newsmen in Omu-Aran, headquarters of the council, that an audit committee would soon be set up to scrutinise the council’s pay system.

He said the audit committee became necessary in order to fish out more “ghost workers’’ and correct other anomalies in the council’s pay process.

The chairman said that the result of his assessment of the workers few weeks after assumption of duty showed that out of the 839 workers on the council’s pay roll, only 500 were genuine staff members.

He added that “when I assumed duty in November, I was surprised at the few number of workers reporting for duty and this prompted my undertaking a personal assessment to know what was wrong.

“I immediately ordered the

Kano To Deploy Sanitary Inspectors To Local Councils KANO - Kano State Government is to deploy sanitary inspectors to all the 44 local government areas of the state.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Kano.

Abbas, who monitored the monthly sanitation exercise in some parts of the state, expressed dismay over the sanitary condition of some areas.

He specifically indicted owners of some business outfits for operating without regards to basic rules of hygiene.

Abbas also said sanitary inspectors to be deployed to the council areas would be empowered with the necessary skills to ensure the discharge of their duties.

More than 191 people were arrested for violating the law restricting movement during Saturday’s sanitation exercise in Kano.

stoppage of the salaries of those workers we could not identify physically.

“It was there that we discovered lots of discrepancies in the council’s past employment processes and we found out that only 500 of the 839 workers of the council were genuine staff members.’’

Owolewa said N2.5 million was now saved monthly following the process embarked upon to regularise the pay system.

He noted that the council had embarked on the execution of some community-based projects with direct impact on the lives of the people in the area.

Representative of Inspector General of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe (right), presenting food items on behalf of IGP to one of the widows of police officers taht lost their lives on duty, Mrs Nandi Peter, during the presentation of food items to the widows in Jos yesterday.

BUK Directs Students To Resume Tomorrow KANO - The authorities of Bayero University Kano (BUK) has directed students of the institution to return to school on Wednesday, January 1.

The university’s Deputy Registrar, Public Relations and Protocol, Alhaji Mustapha Zaharaddeen, gave the directive during an interview with newsmrn in Kano.

Zaharaddeen said the university fixed the date for the resumption of all students after the senate had reviewed the academic calendar of the institution.

He said the students were expected to resume on the stated date unfailingly because academic activities would commence immediately.

According to him, first semester examinations will commence after two weeks of resumption.

He added that “the first semester examination for all students will commence in two weeks time after resumption.’’

He advised the students to ensure strict compliance with the resumption date.

Kaduna To Establish New Science Schools ZARIA (KADUNA) - The Kaduna State Government has it would establish four new Science Secondary Schools in 2014 to enhance the study of sciencerelated courses.

The State Governor, Alhaji Muktar Yero, disclosed this at the 21st Annual General Meeting of the Zaria Education Development Association (ZEDA) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Yero, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Kaduna Government House, Alhaji Yahaya Aminu, said the schools would be located in different parts of the state.

He said that the Teachers’ Service Board in the state had recently recruited 1,800 science teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning in secondary schools.

The governor said that about N1 billion was set aside from the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) fund for foreign sponsorship of eligible students to pursue educational carriers across the world.

According to him, the State Executive Council has recently approved contracts worth N3.7 billion for the construction and renovation of educational

facilities in the state.

“The money will cover construction of examination halls, laboratories, construction and renovation of classrooms; painting and supply of furniture; and science laboratory equipment,’’ he said.

In his message to the event, Governor Idris Wada of Kogi, lauded the efforts of the association for embarking on educational programmes that had given the less-privileged persons the opportunity to acquire Western education.

Wada, who was represented by the State Commissioner for

Health, Dr Bedi Idris, described education as a leading light and a tool for self-actualisation.

“I must stand bold to say that your efforts is laudable, commendable and worthy of emulation by all emirates and chiefdoms across Nigeria,’’ he said.

The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, said that it was a collective responsibility to ensure that children receive the best education.

He said that such education would make them responsive to the rapidly increasing challenges of the modern society.

The Emir, who was represented by Sardaunan Zazzau, Dr Muhammadu Jumare, called on both state and local governments to continue to partner with the association to

promote education and peaceful co-existence among the people of the state.

Earlier, the Chairman, ZEDA Board of Trustees, Alhaji Abdullahi Nuhu-Bamalli, said the association’s approach toward community empowerment, through the promotion of quality and functional education, would continue to be pursued at all levels.

“This approach will continue to be developed in an attempt to meet up with emerging challenges in respect of our objectives.

“It is in this regard that all stakeholders, including parents, youths, organisations, as well as government should fashion out new strategies that will guarantee sound, qualitative and purposeful education,’’ Nuhu-Bamalli said.

Nigerians Urged To Strive For Lasting Peace

Members of Christian women in politics, displaying their gifts during the distribution of Christmas and New year gifts by Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi in Bauchi yesterday.

LOKOJA - Kogi Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi has called on Nigerians to strive for legacies that would outlive their stay on earth.

Awoniyi made the call at the funeral service of Mrs. Elizabeth Bello, former Chief Nursing Officer in Egbe, Yagba East Local Government Area of the State.

In addition to the legacies, the deputy governor said Nigerians should always do the right things before God and humanity.

Awoniyi, who described death as a compulsory end for all mortals, held that it was unfortunate that people now lived without thinking of leaving good

legacies behind.

He said the deceased would be remembered for putting smiles on the faces of women whom she medically assisted to achieve conception and delivery.

He called on the family she left behind to take solace in her good works and be consoled by the testimonies about her life.

In his sermon, Rev. Samuel Adewumi of the First Baptist Church in Ejuku, called on Nigerians to live life worthy of emulation.

He described man as one on a journey on earth and expected to give account of his stewardship and sojourn when he meets with God.

Across The Nation Nigerian Re-Elected Assistant Sec Gen OIC ABUJA - A Nigerian, Amb. Hameed Opeloyeru, has been reelected Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

A statement issued by the OIC secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, said Opeloyeru was elected at the 40th Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC held in Conakry, Guinea, from December 9 to December 11.

Opeloyeru, a former Ambassador to Lebanon, who was first elected to the position in 2009, will represent the African Group in the Organisation.

“It is evident that the reelection of the Nigerian candidate by the African Group in the OIC is aimed at consolidating the gains made towards socioeconomic cooperation within the OIC,’’ the statement said.

According to the statement, the OIC has made remarkable progress in the implementation of its 10Year Programme of Action adopted in 2005, including the creation of a dedicated programme for Africa.

It highlighted core achievements to include the establishment of a special fund for poverty alleviation and the harmonisation of tariffs and trade policies among member-states.

According to OIC Statistics, trade among the 57-member countries increased from 14.44 per cent in 2004 to 17.9 per cent

in 2012.

Similarly, the cumulative trade finance disbursement among member-countries increased from 2.5 billion dollars in 2008 to 4.5 billion dollars in 2012.

Last November, the organsation successfully completed the approval stage of the 12 billion dollars Special Programme for the development of Africa.

Also the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development has committed 1.64 billion dollars to the execution of 46 projects under its 5-year strategy aimed at scaling up human capital development among its member-states.

Leader, Christian Women in Politics, ECWA II Railway Bauchi, Mrs. Ladi Sambo (left) r e c e i v i n g Christmas/New Year Gifts from State Chairperson, Mrs. Sarah Yohanna, during the distribution of gifts from Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi in Bauchi.

Pregnant Women Urged To Take Preventive Treatment

ABUJA - Dr Nnenna Ezeigwu, National Coordinator, National Malaria Control Programme, has advised pregnant women to access at least three doses of the Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTP) to prevent miscarriages.

Ezeigwu, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, adding that not accessing the treatment could cause low birth rate of babies.

“We encourage every pregnant woman to make sure that she accesses at least three doses of the IPTP all through the cause of the pregnancy, starting from second trimester.

“The major thing we are worried about is low birth rate, abortion of the baby, that is miscarriages which is what malaria causes in pregnancy.

“You know the underweight of babies means that the child is more vulnerable to a lot of

health issues that can lead to the baby’s death.

She also advised pregnant women to always sleep under the long-lasting insecticidetreated nets (LLINs) to prevent being bitten by mosquito.

Ezeigwu said: “Make sure you sleep under the longlasting insecticide-treated nets LLIN by that you will not be beaten by mosquito and if you are not beaten by mosquito you will not get malaria.

“Also try to keep your environment clean, do everything you can to keep misquotes away from you.’’ she stressed.

The Coordinator disclosed that the Federal Government had concluded plans to deploy the strategy of labial sources management to control and eliminate malaria in 2014.

She noted that the ECOWAS sub region was also promoting the same strategy, adding that it comprises of

Representative of IGP, Mr. Chris Olakpe, with families of Police Officers that lost their lives on duty, at the presentation of food items to the widows in Jos recently.

integrated test, treat and larval source management project.

Ezeigwu further said that the government had started a recampaign process of the use of insecticide net in some states.

This, she said, was necessary because the efficacy of the net would depreciate after three years and would need to be replaced, especially in states that conducted campaign in 2009.

“A lot of work has gone into that plan and we are very hopeful that by next year that project would be able to take up and that is not to say we are stopping the other interventions that are already on going.

“The use of long lasting insecticidal net is still a major focus for malaria control; we have started re-campaign process in Sokoto State.

“Plan is also on to begin in Ogun very soon and next year we are going to also conduct a re -campaign in a number of other states.

Reacting to the 2013 World Malaria Report which showed that millions of people still do not run malaria test before treatment, Ezeigwu, acknowledged that this was still a challenge in the fight against malaria.

The Coordinator said that it was regrettable that most people in the country still patronise pharmacy or chemist shops to cut cost without subjecting themselves to pretreatment tests for malaria.

According to her, the country’s policy on test before treatment does not allow pharmacies and chemists to carry out test on people.

Ezeigwu further said that most Nigerians practice self medication and preferred across the counter buying of drugs from local chemist or pharmacy.

“It is still an issue because the current strategy is that you should get tested if you suspect malaria before you are treated with any medicine.

“But we found out that, that is not being done and one of the reasons is because in Nigeria many people access antimalaria from the private sector maybe in the pharmacy or chemist shops.

“We continue to advocate and insist that people should test before treatment; we are also trying to see how we can get the policy amended so that people that even go to pharmacists can be tested before they are treated.

Meanwhile, she called on the media to help in educating the public on the importance of testing before treatment.

Oversight Functions

Activist Advises NASS

ABUJA - The Executive Director, Conscience Nigeria (CN), an NGO, Mr Tosin Adeyanju, has urged members of the National Assembly to pay more attention to oversight functions for transparency in governance.

Adeyanju told newsmen in Abuja that effective oversight function would tackle misappropriation of funds in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

According to him, reasonable level of budget implementation can never be achieved without efficient oversight.

The activist alleged that the business of oversight was ineffective due to the quest of some lawmakers to grab contract from MDAs, which was encouraging corruption in the system. “ We appeal to the National Assembly, especially, House of Representatives to focus more on law making and oversight functions rather than attending to issues heating up the polity. “ It is obvious that the House of Representatives is more interested in raising alarm and constituting probe panels when ever Civil Society

Organisations expose corrupt act of people in government.“ The executive director stressed the need for enhanced relationship between the executive and the legislature with a view to ensuring hitchfree budget consideration and approval.

Adeyanju commended the Senate for promoting harmonious relationship with the executive, saying “ the Senate has demonstrated some level of maturity in the manner they handle issues that concern the executives”.

The senate, according to him, has always ensured speedy confirmation of appointment of appointee sent by the executives.

He described the recent defection of 37 legislatures from the Peoples Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress as healthy for the sustenance of democracy in the country.

Adeyanju said the development would encourage competition in our democracy and make the leaders to become more serious with their campaign promises.

Business + Economy Expert Advocates 5-Year Tax Holiday For Tourism Operators

Transition Council Chairman, Musawa Local Government Area of Katsna State, Alhaji Tanimu Kira, testing one of the Ambulances, during the inauguration of Garu and Dangane Hospitals Ambulances in Musawa yesterday.

LAGOS - A Tourism Consultant, Mr. Ikechukwu Uko, has advised the Federal Government to grant fiveyear tax holiday to tourism operators.

Uko, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Naija 7 Wonders, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

He said that the tax holiday would reduce the costs incurred by tourism operators.

“The tax holiday will allow operators to focus on

FG To Provide Incentives For Rice Farmers

BAUCHI - The Federal Government said it would provide incentives to 10,000 dry season rice farmers in Bauchi State as part of effort to ensure food security in the country.

Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the state, told newsmen in Bauchi that the initiative would be provided under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.

He said each farmer would receive three bags of fertiliser at 50 per cent discount and 25kg of improved rice seeds.

“The state government will also get 40 (3HP) and 13 (7HP) water pumps at 75 per cent discount, which will serve the farmers registered for the programme.

“More than 400,000 farmers from 19 participating states are being supported with the inputs to help boost their production capacity under the 2013/2014 dry season GES scheme.

“The effort produced more than one million tonnes of rice during last year’s dry season farming with just over 200,000 farmers drawn from 10 states.

“We intend to double or even triple the production this year.

“We have already carried out sensitisation campaign across the state, identified genuine farmers, enlightened them and assessed their level of preparedness in respect of land and source of water.

“I am happy to inform you that our farmers are ready; they have prepared their lands in clusters and ready for planting. Very soon, we will commence distribution of the inputs,“ he said.

The director advised the

farmers to utilise the inputs to expand their production capacity, adding that the problems of processing and marketing had been addressed through value chain initiative.

He said 15 integrated rice mills had been established in

Kano, Lagos, Benue, Kebbi, Jigawa, Anambra, Imo, and Niger.

According to him, the mills have a combined capacity to process 850,000 tonnes of rice.

“The Federal Government, in

L-R: Very Rev. Sunday Ngwu; Igwe Tony Ojukwu of Ogui Nike and Methodist Archbishop of Enugu Archdiocese, Most Rev. Christopher Ede, during a Christmas and end of year visit to the Igwe in Enugu yesterday.

collaboration with USAID, is also planning to establish rice collection centres across the federation for easy evacuation of paddy by the millers.

“I assure you that the government is doing everything possible to make rice farming profitable,” he said.

Former Governor Bemoans Influx Of Imported Goods BENIN CITY - A former Governor of Edo, Chief Odigie Oyegun, yesterday said Nigerians’ penchant for imported goods had led to the closure of several local industries.

Oyegun made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Benin.

He said that the closure of these industries had rendered millions of Nigerians unemployed.

The former governor also said that the erratic power supply and non-implementation of policies had also contributed to the import-dependent nature of Nigerians.

Oyegun urged the government to articulate policies that would grow the economy and promote local industries.

He said that government must not only institute policies that would encourage manufacturing, but also encourage businesses,

Oyo Traders To Get N300m Interest-Free promises to the people, you ensure you fulfill them,’’ Oladapo Ajimobi Loan said. of the six umbrella bodies of

IBADAN - Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State says all traders in the state’s 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) will have access to government’s N300 million interest-free loans in January 2014.

Ajimobi gave the assurance at an interactive session with market men and women, held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building at Secretariat, in Ibadan.

“Oyo state traders will be entitled to this interest-free loan.

The loan will be co-ordinated by members of the executive organs

market associations in the state,’’ he said.

The governor said each of the bodies would receive N50 million, and urged the associations to ensure that the loan revolved among the members.

He also said no fewer than 20 neighbourhood markets would be completed in 2014 to cater for traders who

were banned from selling their wares along the roads.

The President, Oyo State Markets Association, Alhaji Dauda Oladapo, expressed appreciation to Ajimobi for the loan, assuring that the traders would ensure prompt repayment.

“You are a different governor.

We have never had it so good.

Your tenure has witnessed a lot of good things for the people of the state. Once you make

the core duties like provision of a suitable environment for relaxation, sight-seeing and facilitating trips to choice destinations all over the world, “Uko said.

He said that the tourism sector would achieve its full potential if government could give credit facilities for the operators. “ Industry stakeholders will grow when credit facilities are given at less than two digits interest rate, less administrative charges and with fewer conditions,’’ the expert said.

Uko said it was regrettable that most states did not have well articulated policies on tourism. “ Besides Cross River and Ekiti, there are really none of the states with viable policies on tourism, “ he told newsmen.

The traders also pledged their support for Ajimobi’s second term as governor, pledging that they would do everything to ensure his re-election “for the sake of continuity of good governance in the state’’.

The interactive session involving the governor and the traders was aimed at strengthening the relationship between government and traders in the state

particularly at the small scale level.

The former governor, however, said that without improvement in power supply, policies aimed at expanding the economy would not work.

According to him, without power, no economy can grow.

“Of course, this pre-supposes that we have policies that will grow the economy.

“Today, Nigeria imports even the most basic things like toothpick, toiletries and others in spite of our resources and competency of our craftsmen in this regard.

“We used to have a boost of some car assembly plants but today they are all gone because of our penchant for “tokunbo’’ cars.

“Agriculture is there but because of oil, we jettisoned this sector,’’ he said.

Oyegun said that government should ensure that most of the nation’s foreign exchange would not be spent on importation of luxury goods..

The former governor said that government should promote agriculture and bring down the costs incurred by Nigerians on rice imports.

“We are blessed in this country agriculturally with climatic zones that virtually grow any kind of crop,’’ he said.

The former governor also urged the Federal Government to eradicate corruption and place emphasis on polices that would protect the local industries.

IT presents a sad scenario that despite several policy initiatives the menace of poverty is a staggering reality and may have accounted for the loophole in myriad of social vices. Most notably are high incidences of armed robbery, kidnapping, corruption, advance fee fraud (419), prostitution Rings, human trafficking and “the likes perpetuated and perpetrated by the authors as the quickest route to scale the poverty barrier.”

THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 2012 Human, development report on Nigeria, states that 70 per cent of Nigerians are in abject poverty while massive unemployment of people and the under utilization of resources are the order of the day.

Since the report nothing about the poverty level has changed dramatically.

NO doubt, the crushing poverty level currently ravaging Nigeria has become so overwhelming that over 70 percent of Nigerians have unwittingly bowed to the pangs of biting hardship.

POVERTY is today a generic term and has been so since attempts at its classification by various study and academic groups with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) ever more vehement and critical on the problems associated with large scale poverty and ways to improve the economic status of those classified in the group.

SOCIAL scientists in attempt at plausible stratification and definition of the term find it necessary to contrast poverty with such opposite terms as richness, wealth, comfort, affluence and the likes as the terms carry inherent semantic undertones that most times solicit sympathy, empathy and compassion from those afflicted with the plague which poverty has come to symbolise.

HOWEVER, by daily interactions within society and among communities and nations, it is clear that poverty has striking universal

THE NIGERIAN

Need To Scale Poverty Barrier perception and similarities because of its crosscountry feature and characteristics. The basic feature being that people suffer hunger and deprivation with not enough to eat, lack shelter and clothing as well as basic necessities required for human existence.

FOR instance, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights aptly sums uppoverty as a “human condition characterised by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of all adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights”.

THERE is, as a result, conscious efforts by many organizations to mitigate the harsh effect of poverty which is more endemic in developing countries and many parts of Asia while in Nigeria, government’s effort at providing palliatives and putting in place workable measures from some of its economic policies that cause poverty shocks are yet to yield the desired impact.

IT is the concern for the world’s poor and to find solution to spreading poverty crisis that the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is celebrated worldwide in order to push people up the ladder of comfort where health care, food, shelter, clothing among others are assured the citizenry without experiencing the pain of deprivation.

IN Nigeria, however, government has put in place social programmes as National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), National

Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS), the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to tackle problem of youth unemployment, a crucial poverty indicator among the socio cultural stratification.

IN assessing Nigeria’s poverty level, based on its oil wealth which it described as a mixed blessing, the report explained that it was not the oil resources that are the problem, but the management of those resources.

A general overview of Nigeria’s poverty crisis indicates therefore that there is a fundamental problem which the Federal Government needs to identify and tackle in order to address the continuing poverty level in Nigeria. The NIGERIAN OBSERVER urges the government to re-appraise some of its economic policies and those geared towards poverty eradication.

Beside, it is remarkable that government insensitivity to suggestions put forward to it is increasing and is not being addressed as they should.

A holistic reappraisal is therefore inevitable in all sectors of the economy and mitigating measures put in place if government is to succeed in its poverty eradication drive.

IN the face of glaring discontent at the increasing poverty level, the World Bank proffered in its report. that “oil and natural gas will generate continuing wealth for many years on which Nigeria can build, if it manages this wealth well. If it channels more of this wealth to the development of its people and to the productive use of its land and other resources, then Nigeria has a promising Future”.

WE implore the Federal Government to continue to put policy measures in place to scale down poverty level. Corporate bodies and organisation can play a part by partnering with the various governments to alleviate poverty In the land.

Culture & Tourism Esan Acrobatic Dance Exchanges

A Case Of Eroding Culture Acrobatic dance otherwise known as Igbabonelimi’ is synonymous with the Esan ethnic group located within the central senatorial district of Edo state.

This dance had remained prominent, wide-spared and regarded as sacred among the people of these ethnic groups. Today, isolated performance of this dance draw many who are apparently attracted by rare displays that characterize every move by the dancers. In fact, it is quite easy to reach a conclusion that none of its kind has ever been seen not only in Nigeria, but elsewhere in the world.

Because of the reverence accorded this dance, our fore-fathers made some attempts not only to preserve but also to showcase the beauty of this dance to the outside world. One of such attempts gave birth to the “Esan Acrobatic Dance Exchange” a vehicle of social interaction which ultimately helped the past generation of Esan maintain peace and socio-cultural harmony.

The Exchange usually involved two Esan towns hosting each other in turns every other year.

The men from the towns were expected to choose a regular friend known in local circle as “Osho” from the other town, who will be saddled with the responsibility of accommodating, feeding as well as general care of such friend throughout the duration of the festival.

The acrobatic dance

By BONIFACE OJIENON fiesta, organized between the month of September and November usually left the participating communities with unparallel merriment and great excitement. It was a time characterized

display, there are always a lot to eat and drink, irrespective of the number of guests who had come from all walks of life to catch a glimpse of the occasion and the accompanying actions.

It is always a stiff

everywhere within the hosting community, the period usually afforded people from the participating communities the opportunity to strengthen bilateral agreements, some of which developed into marriages, which had

by emotions as people engage in several activities in preparation for the D-day. Such activities include shopping, harvesting of yams, soliciting for kegs of palm-wine, hunting of games and many more. It is also a time for entertaining relations, in-laws, friends and well-wishers. Majority of these friends and relations do not visit emptyhanded. They usually present kegs of palm-wine, tubers of yam and money to their hosts. During the one week of acrobatic

competition which leaves the hosts and their community with the mandate to provide the best for their “Oshos” from the visiting community. Attention is given to the level of reception received and this usually determine the level of reciprocity, as each community tries not to fall below standard. Although there was no bench- mark in assessing such reception and entertainment, one thing was quite obvious – the Esan hospitality.

Apart from the noticeable excitement

gone a long way to forestall intercommunity squabbles or outright wars. It also helped to boost cultural interaction and the overall economies of Esanland. Thus everyone concerned awaited the period with a lot of eagerness and great expectation.

It is rather disheartening to note that, for the past thirty years or so, this once important and highly cherished acrobatic fiesta appeared to be eroding. The million naira question now is,

what has happened to this once highly revered aspect of the Esan culture? It’s a high time the people of Esanland wake up from their doldrums and make concerted efforts to ensure an immediate return to the status quo which gave our fore-

fathers un-imaginable recognition and fame. I am quite certain that the majority of the Esan people and their friends would want this dance exchange resuscitated and continue on a sustainable basis. In this modern era when a lot of people are reaping the dividends of their tourism potentials, some of which find expression in dances, carnivals etc.

Esan land, and indeed Edo State, may well be on the part of becoming the tourist destination in Nigeria, if deliberate efforts are made to re-

package the Esan dance exchange and make it more attractive to the uncountable guests that delightfully form part of its beauty. Like the popular saying goes, the object being sought for in “Sokoto” is in one’s “ Shokoto”.

Finally, many governments have been battling with the problem of “rural-urban drift” coupled with its attendant under development. With this dance sustained and adequately mirrored to the outside world, many of the middle aged men with emotional attachment to it would prefer to stay and work in their locality where they could have constant opportunity to perfect their dance steps. The overall implication of this is the countless benefits derivable thereof. First is the opening up of the localities involved to the outside world. Secondly, it could help to stem rural-urban migration with its inherent problems. Again with the kind of unity which the practice affords, intercommunity bigotry and blood clashes would certainly become a thing of the past.

It is therefore the fervent opinion of this writer that the once cherished and highly patronized “Esan Acrobatic Dance Exchange” among the Esan communities be revitalized, modernized and properly packaged and placed on the world’s radar to compete with other carnivals elsewhere in Nigeria, and even beyond. Edo people in general stand to reap the dividends if this is done.

Nutritional Health And Dietetics

The Importance Of Anti-Oxidants

TREE Radicla –free radicals are your brains most malicious enemies. Your brain is the most vulnerable target of free radicals than other body tissues, because it uses so much oxygen and is the fatest organ in the body.

How Free Radicals Are Generated. Free radicals are generated when you breath or burn calories and glucose during normal metabolism that is, building up and breaking down of substances.

They also get in your body through cigarette smoke, air pollution and toxic chemicals in the air and water.

They are also, carried into cells in foods notably fatty foods. Fat is the favorite breeding ground for free radicals.

Oxygen reacts with fat molecules in ways that generate free radicals through a process called oxidation which leaves the fat oxidized or in other word, rancid.

A rancid brain is not a well functioning brain. Rancid fats in brain cell membranes cause incredible havoc.

The oxidation of animal fat produces hydrogen perioxide (free radical) and this destroys blood cells.

Free radicals attack fatty cells membrane and genetic material (D.N.A) creating permanent cellular-damage leading to accelerated ageing and virtually every chronic disease imaginable including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and degenerative brain problems Dr. Packer asserted.

Oxidized fat cripples the functions of the mitochondria (energy factories of cells) prompting a cascade of events and can cause cell death.

The brain’s iron, which sparks the formation of free radicals and fat oxidation.

How Free Radicals Destroy Your Brain: Your brain is particularly vulnerable to free radical damage for two reasons.

First, it is a hot bed of activity, it never stops working. Brain cells need constant flow of blood and oxygen to produce energy which increase the production of free radicals.

Secondly, the brain is composed of (50 percent) fat which make it vulnerable to lipid perioxidation Chemicals attack unsaturated fatty acid molecules in cells

membrance. During the heat, chemical reaction leaves the fat spolit and rancid.

Crippling the cells, so that they can no longer properly move calcium out of the cells (Anna, 2000).

Calcium can rise to toxic levels, resulting to events that activate poisonous glutamate

weaker and dyfunctional.

Your brain is the number one target of destructive chemicals that rampage through your body damaging cells and including premature ageing, brain dyfunction and virtually all other chronic disease.

Brain may be particularly

and generate more free radicals as well as arachidonic acid, a nerve poison (Riva,2008) it ends when the cells command center the mitochodrai dispatches” sucide protein” and signals enzymes to deplorise inner membrana in a fit of self – electrocution, the cell disintegrates and it shrinks into oblivion. Another brain cells vanished and if enough are destroyed, the brain grows

vulnerable Mercy says to the damaging effects of free radicals because, it is relatively deficient in antioxidiants.

Every instance of existence is an elegant dance of life and death between free radicals and antioxidants.

When free radical activity gets the upper hand over antioxidant activity, the result is imbalance known as oxidative stress (May,1999).

That is free radicals can overpower the antioxidant causing the membranes to leak their neuronal connection or dendrites and synases to shrink their energy to be depleted, possible ending in cell death, if free radicals predominate your brain it is headed for trouble.

If antioxidants predominate, your brain is apt to stay in a good shape.

Unfortunately, as you age, your body tends to produce

With

O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 more free radicals and fewer antioxidants. This may result to mental and physical decline. Antioxidant starts slowing down at the age of 25-twenty –five years What Then Are The Antioxidants? Antioxidants are chemical that neutralize other hazardous chemicals called oxygen free radicals that perpetually attack and damge bodily cells disrupting their functioning and promote aging and disease of all kinds.

Scientists have increasingly recognized that any mental problems from conception to death stem from many rampaging free radicals and not enough antioxidant free radical cannot be removed together. They are normal, in fact, are generated when you breath or burn coilories and glucose during normal metabolism. In fact, all your, organs and tissues are subjected to free radical assaults. But the brainappears to suffer most all.

Antioxidants are vitamin’s E &C lipoic acid, coenzyme Q 10, flavonoids etc crlutattiones made internally by the body.

They are made up of antioxidants network and many other chemicals in the food.

Among the antioxidants network, Only lipoic acid can reauscitate all the other network antioxidant plus itself, Nutritionists confirmed.

How Does Antioxidant Work? When antioxidant merges with free radical by donating an antioxidants to become unstable and actually assume the characteristics of a relatively weak and harmless free radical which then decomposes some exhausted, antioxidant can be quickly rehabilitated, converted back to their original antioxidant form.

When other antioxidant donate elections needed for the transformation back.

That is how certain antioxidants work together to revitalize each other in the heat of battle. Dr Packer asserted that if vitamin E goes down while disarming a free radical. Vitamin C or coenctron, bringing vitamin E back to life as an antioxidant.

The purpose is to guarantee the survival of an all important network of antioxidants in the bodies.

Otherwise, to starve off the boards of free radicals created every micro-eat and synthesize incredible numbers of antioxidant.

Sources of Antioxidants – where do you get the antioxidants that fight off the free radicals? Nature provides an army of antioxidants in the food supply. Fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants including vitamins and other more exotic chemicals called carotenids polypheno.

The people who eat the most fruits and vegetables generally have the lowest rates of cancer high blood pressure, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and premature ejaclution. If you need an expert guidance or advice on which fruits or vegetables that go together for good health and longetivity the writer will be of help to you.

Researchers believe that fruit and vegetable, convey antioxidant activity that curb cancer and disease –inciting lamage free from radicals.

Fruit and vegetables contain a complex assorted countless antioxidants each pushing their antioxidant powers far above their mere additive value.

To free yourselves or to save your brain from free radicals such as peroxide, proxy and hydroxy/ radical, you needs to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. For medicinal ones and expert advice is needed

“How Does Antioxidant Work? When antioxidant merges with free radical by donating an antioxidants to become unstable and actually assume the characteristics of a relatively weak and harmless free radical which then decomposes some exhausted, antioxidant can be quickly rehabilitated, converted back to their original antioxidant form.”

Bottomline

The New Year

get money to carry out his plans for the celebration of the New Year. And who knew, anything could turn up, Otoro Otutu thought.

Then he went back to his seat. And as he sat down, he took a packet of Benson and Hedges which was on a low stool before him, flipped the flap open, took a stick and lighted it. While he smoked the cigarette, musing, blowing out into air the tang of smoke, his friend, Ike came to him and the young man seemed to be in a hurry.

“There is a job. And a good one,” Ike announced rather hurriedly.

“A job?” Otoro Otutu said. He was surprised.

I haven’t had any job since the beginning of this December, which you know ends tonight. Which good job now?”

“Meet the man,” Ike said standing. He was a young man of about the age of thirty. Short and fat and fair, he wore a beige jeans, which he topped with a grey T-Shirt. “He is outside in his car waiting. I want you to meet him.”

So Otoro Otutu got to his feet. And with Ike in front, walking so very briskly, Otoro Otutu followed.

IT was five minutes past five 0’ Clock in the evening. And it was the eve of the New Year. The wind blew, scolded the cringing boughs of the big Mango tree at the back of Otoro Otutu’s house. The wind scoffed, then swept across the chapped face of the man who sat under the mango tree.

The man was Otoro Otutu himself. And though he was sitting Otoro Otutu

going to hover about as he did during the Christmas while every other man was eating, drinking throwing away wads of naira note with hilarity? Was he to remain useless all through the New Year? Eating nothing?

Drinking nothing. And celebrating nothing?

And while he was still entangled with his thoughts, in great rage with them, then a shadow

tried to learn trades. He moved from one trade to another and midway, he abandoned all of them. No trade was good enough for him. And finally, he stopped trying and turned to thuggery. Since then, he worked for anybody

foliage of the mango tree, his glinted eyes all roving and searched out very thoroughly the branches of the tree. And then he saw it! A little black bird darting very freely from one branch to the other high up in the tree. The

was hugely tall and black with a wide reptilian rapacious face. And that face of his, since the cold harmattan wind started, had been troubled, bedeviled and now, the thick black upper and lower lips were becoming too rough or dry and peeling.

Otoro Otutu was there alone - he had been sitting there for close to one hour - under the mango tree, quite silently waging war with the flurry of things, trying different solutions on them in his mind.

Would he ever be able to celebrate the New Year? he asked himself angrily.

Christmas came and passed away and he did not celebrate it. He went about shamefully and hungrily.

Tomorrow too would be New Year! Was he still

crossed his face. But when he looked up suddenly, then quickly sideways, he saw that the very owner of that shadow was a woman.

A stumpy little near-old woman. She was really small and fair with two small dark moles on both sides of her dry face. She owned a veg and plantain store across the road not very far from Otoro Otutu’s house.

“This evening, Madam,” Otoro Otutu said sharply, knowing the reason why the woman had come to him.

“You always say that!” the small woman said, with a scowl on her face.

“Every time I come to you, you always tell me, ‘this evening, Madam!’ your evening never ends!”

Otoro Otutu was a thug.

Year back, he had really

whether rich or poor, provided he had something, anything to take home. But this December, not a single work came, and nobody hired him.

“Please, Madam,” Otoro Otutu said after sometime.

“You will get your money this evening. I am serious.”

“You are a liar!” the small woman said angrily.

“You have always lied to me. You should go into the house and get me my money. I know you can beat people, you will beat me for my money today.

Tomorrow is New Year and I have my children to cloth and feed.”

And then, just suddenly, and not that he tried deliberately or chose to ignore the small woman, Otoro Otutu looked up into the thick green-brown

“Would he ever be able to celebrate the New Year? he asked himself angrily. Christmas came and passed away and he did not celebrate it. He went about shamefully and hungrily.

Tomorrow too would be New Year!”

By AIWUYO IGHODARO

bird was warbling, and it had been singing that same song quite intermittently, quite ominously ever since he had taken his seat under the mango tree.

Angry now, coupled with his bad present state, Otoro Otutu sprang up. He did not like the warbling black bird, he did not like its song and he thought the song spelt something evil, some bad misfortune,

some dangerous devilish omen. His eyes caught a greased, short heavy rod.

He went for it immediately, took the rod and flung it at the bird. And although his shot missed it, the bird flew away.

“That bird is evil,” Otoro Otutu said to the small woman. “Did you listen to its song? It is frightening and quite obviously spells danger and bad omen.”

“It is,” said the small woman, really worried. “ I listened to the song, it is bad and quite like a funeral dirge and mourning! It appears somebody is about to die. One should stay indoors throughout today, so one can ride very safely and happily into the New Year.”

Then Otoro Otutu said, “Ride happily into the New Year without food and money? Just with nothing?”

“Oh yes, but safe. Very safe,’ the small woman said, and added after some thought she did not really quite understand. “Now I am going back home! And make sure you bring my

money to me this evening.”

“Sure, Sure, Sure!”

When the woman was gone, Otoro Otutu was glad. The woman was termagant, and this was something he knew. For he had half feared that she would create an unpleasant scene he would not stomach and therefore, then disturb him from finding ways, any ways to

Soon they were outside, standing before a big sparkling white Range Rover jeep.

“Get inside. Both of you,” the man at the front, at the steering of the Range Rover said quickly in a gruffy, yet an imperious voice.

They took their seats in the jeep arid the man drove away.

(To be continued)

Perspective

Plight Of Nigerians

By NDUBUISI UMORO

ACCORDING to the latest edition of the English Mini-Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, youth is defined as “the time of life between childhood and

maturity.” The Nigeria National Youth policy defines youth as comprising all young person between the age of 18 and 35 years who are citizens of the country.

It is often said that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow.” If this saying is anything to go by, then, it is right to say that Nigeria is in a problem because of problems bedevilling the growth of her youths. It is true the country is faced with a lot of challenges but it is imperative that the country should put the

issue of her youths in the front burner if they must get it right since it is often said that no nation can develop without a vibrant youth.

The fact remains that

(average 7.4%) in the last decade.

However it retains a high level of poverty with about 63% living below 1US dollar a day.

In fact, the problems of Nigeria youths are so intricate and myriad that

Nigeria as a country has not accorded the youth its rightful place in the scheme of things.

The question that is begging for urgent answer is what could be responsible for the plights of Nigerian youths despite her abundant natural resources especially crude oil. Nigeria is said to have a production capacity of three million barrels per day yet her youths continue to wallow in abject poverty.

Nigeria has one of the world’s highest economic growth rates

one may equate it to the whole problem militating against the progress of the country.

According to UNFPA, Nigeria has a population of one hundred and forty million people (NPC 2006) which makes her the most populated nation in Africa. One third of her population

are young people between the ages of 10 to 24 years.

The fact that the youth constitutes a greater percentage of the entire population, the country has not accorded priority attention to the plight of the youths hence the

numerous challenges militating the growth of the country.

One major problem of Nigeria youths is that they are not given ample opportunity in the governance of the country.

Only few of them are given opportunity to participate in

governance, a great number of Nigerian youths are not offered the opportunity to acquire quality education like their counterparts in the Western World, for instance, the National

Bureau of Statistics stated that 33% of persons aged 15 years and above could not read or write in any language. The few of them who hardly read and write are mostly found in urban areas.

The primary school completion at the national level is at

minimal rate. Only 47% children have access to secondary school.

The South-West geopolitical zone reported highest figure of 69.4%, followed by South-South 48% and South-East having the lowest.

The most worrisome is that the ones that manage to go to school are often buffeted by the fact that the curriculum content and delivery of our school system are hardly consistent with postschool employment requirement. Hence the high rate of unemployment amongst the Nigeria youths.

Unemployment is another major problem facing Nigeria youths.

Due to increase in the population of Nigeria, a lot of graduates mostly youths are not employed.

This has also brought about a lot competition for the few job vacancies that exist. A great number of university graduate that are mostly youths are seen today roaming the streets of major cities in the country like Lagos, PortHarcourt, Abuja without means of livelihood. The few job vacancies that exist, the number of years of experiences often required by the employers are not easy to come by, by these fresh school leavers. If you open newspapers or

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“The question that is begging for urgent answer is what could b plights of Nigerian youths despite her abundant natural resour oil. Nigeria is said to have a production capacity of three millio her youths continue to wallow in abject poverty. Nigeria has one o economic growth rates (average 7.4%) in the last decade.”

Perspective

Youths: Call For Reappraisal

magazines where job vacancies are advertised, you will see that the number of years of experiences ften required by the employers range from 5 to 0 years. How would a fresh graduate acquire such xperience. This no doubt has caused the ncreasingly rate in social vices in the country.

In addition to unemployment, the lack of access o business support funds is also another challenge onfronting Nigeria youths. The lack of economic pportunity like soft loans or grants enable the ouths to set up their own business poses a great hallenges to the youths. Hence most of the youths who are ill-equipped migrate to urban areas in earch of greener posture or even migrate to other ountries at a great risk. A great number of them ave died in the process of migrating to other ountries. Some of them that were deported ecause of one reason or the other are often faced with a lots of challenges ranging from ccommodation, feeding etc.

The lack of access to reliable health support is nother challenge bedeviling the growth of Nigeria outh. However, a great number of the youths are ulnerable to debilitating diseases and various ealth problems that often associated with nadequate national health care services, poverty nd promiscuity. At present, there is high incidence f HIV/AIDS among Nigeria youths. This ndoubtedly is a great problem to Nigeria’s quest or sustainable development.

Another challenge facing Nigeria youth today is xposure to the culture of greed and corruption that he country is currently grappling with. Nigeria outh are born in the midst of country that is haractierised by greed, recklessness and general isregard for public utility by public office holders who manage the national resources. They are born nd nurtured into a culture of institutionalization n every facet of our national life and are sychologically influenced to imbibe the culture f greed, selfishness and the quest to get-richyndrome.

Another scenario that paints a grim picture for Nigeria youth is over exposure to the negative ffects of Western culture. The pervasion and roliferation of information and communication echnology through cable networks, DSTV, the nternet, mobile communication like phones, omputers has indeed made the world a global illage. But, this has imparted negatively on the

be responsible for the rces especially crude on barrels per day yet of the world’s highest

lives of Nigeria youths who are not productively engaged and are often linked to negative side of Western Cultures that detach them from their traditional roots. Social vices like drug abuse, violence, promiscuity, access to ammunitions, gangsterism are learnt from over exposure to these foreign media.

The over dependence of the country on oil is another major problem facing Nigeria youth.

The United Nations security councils global

forum, “Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, is also one of the best endowed in terms of natural resources. Yet, it is one of the poorest countries in the World.” As is the case with many oil-rich developing countries, oil reserves have proved a mixed blessing for Nigeria. Since 1974, only 14 years after independence, oil production for export has been by far the main source of revenue for the

government. Either by choice or default the oil has expanded in Nigeria at the expense of other previously important production sector, such as agriculture and manufacturing. This has created regional imbalances and an increasingly unequal distribution of wealth between different sectors of society deepening the potential for conflict in this complex multiethnic nation.”

Girl Child trafficking

paints another gloomy picture for the youths of this country especially the girls.

Girls trafficked are lured into prostitution, forced labour and in some cases as human sacrifice. The most worrisome is that some families support this ugly trend because they see it as a means to break the shackle of economic hardship. The lure of economic opportunities abroad to escape the scourge of deprivation back home is also formidable pull factor in the situation.

“The lack of access to reliable health support is another challenge bedeviling the growth of Nigeria youth. However, a great number of the youths are vulnerable to debilitating diseases and various health problems that often associated with inadequate national health care services, poverty and promiscuity. At present, there is high incidence of HIV/AIDS among Nigeria youths. This undoubtedly is a great problem to Nigeria’s quest for sustainable development.”

Nature

Kola Nut: Nature’s Wonder THE Yorubas cultivate kolanut, the Hausas eat it with great passion while the Igbos celebrate it.

Apparently, the only thing on earth which is basically not a drug is water, but note that even then water is medicine. Hence it is used for treatment in a discipline called hydrotheraphy “Hydro” stands for water while “theraphy” means medicine. What is a drug and medicine?

For the purpose of simplifying issues in this column, I will offer very uncomplicated and easy to understand definitions of the two terms. First a drug: This is a substance which, on being administered in the body causes a shift in the way the body is functioning. This is why a drug generally is said to bring about either positive or negative health results or consequences.

On the contrary, a medicine is used by a doctor for treatment in a prescribed and approved way to eliminate diseases.

From these definitions, you can see that not all

drugs are medicine but all medicines are drugs.

There are more drugs than there are medicines. Infact, invariably, if you pick up a medicine, not prescribed for you by a doctor and you use it in an unapproved way, that medicine in your hand is automatically drug.

It is against this background, that I imply that kolanut is a drug. So be warned; each time, you eat a kolanut, you should know you are drugging yourself.

Kolanuts are mainly of two types: Hausa (gbanja) and native people have different tolerance or sensitivity for each type. Some people ordinarily can get a good lift if they eat a little native kolanut but they get pissed off by eating the same quantity of Hausa kolanut. Then of course people exist who can literally eat a trailer load of any type of kolanut, and apparently will not exhibit any side effects from doing so.

Meanwhile when an Igbo eat a little piece of kolanut in afternoon, his day would be in

By GIFT ONAGHAMA

nervous tatters. At night he wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Truly it is different

a healer if he withdraws a natural medicine in which you have spent a fortune,

people, different strokes for kolanut.

Kolanut lesson learnt here is that people have different bio chemical affinity for drugs from this stand point, one can understand why people also react differently to medicine so don’t be angry with

and replace it with another similar one.

He is doing so because it is not body friendly.

There are drugs sensitivity test for bacteria in laboratories before such drugs are administered. But none exists for life style, non-bacteral

“It is against this background, that I imply that kolanut is a drug. So be warned; each time, you eat a kolanut, you should know you are drugging yourself.”

luness.

Kolanut contains caffeine, an alkaloid stimulant also found in coffee, coke, pepsi and some brand of tea. Naturally,

excitability sleep disorders and nervous restlessness. In simple terms, what is being said here is that kolanut can cause you stomach

kolanut promotes wakefulness, relieves some headaches and pains. Also kolanut is a mood enhancer builds one selfconfidence, promotes sociability and provide motivation for work.

However, the benefit on one’s biochemical affinuy for it and whether one is a habitual/addictive user of the substance or not.

Habitual eater of it usually drive more of these benefits from it.

The side effect of eating kolanun: they include gastic irritation, over

trouble, tostart with.

The suggestion is that in some cases, kolanut can bring about peptic ulcer in conjunction with other causative agents. If you have stomach disorder please stay away from kolanut. You can see therefore, that kolanut has its good, bad and ugly sides. It is left for you to decue whether to continue eating it or stay away from it entirely. This choice is your because the choice in life is always yours.

International

Rajoelina Candidate Leads Madagascar Presidential Vote

A N TA N A N A R I V O (Madagascar) - The candidate supported by Madagascar coup leader Andry Rajoelina held a decisive lead in the island’s run-off presidential poll on Monday with ballots from nearly all voting stations in, results showed.

H e r y Rajaonarimampianina, 55, had won 53 percent of the vote after more than 96 percent of 20,001 voting stations had been tallied, according to figures on the electoral commission’s website which are still to be validated.

His rival Robinson Jean Louis, 61, the candidate of former leader Marc Ravalomanana who was ousted by Rajoelina in a 2009 coup, was trailing by 6.6 percent.

A total of 19,291 polling stations have been counted so far.

Both candidates had

already declared themselves the winner, claiming vote rigging.

The polls are aimed at pulling the Indian Ocean island out of a political and economic crisis brought on by Rajoelina’s army-backed overthrow of Ravalomanana.

Barred from running in the polls amid fears of a return to violence, the two main political players backed proxy candidates who went head-tohead on December 20 after an inconclusive first round in October.

Jean Louis, who has demanded a freeze on the release of results, was set to present evidence of fraud later Monday.

Despite the mud-slinging that followed the polls, international observers gave the vote the green light and called on the parties to respect the electoral process.

Only half of the island’s 7.9 million eligible voters cast their ballot.

RAMADI (Iraq) - Deadly clashes broke out in the Ramadi area on Monday and mosques called for “jihad” as security forces sought to dismantle Iraq’s main antigovernment protest site, an AFP journalist said.

The violence, which follows a raid on a Sunni MP’s home in Ramadi city, west of Baghdad, in which he was arrested and his brother killed, threatens to escalate already-widespread anger among Iraq’s minority Sunni Arab community.

An AFP journalist saw the body of one person and said 10 more people had been wounded in an area of Ramadi that adjoins the protest site, where demonstrators have gathered for more than a year.

Security forces were deployed near the site and helicopters could be seen firing into the area, the journalist said, adding that two security forces vehicles were burned and gunmen had seized a third.

As the fighting raged, some mosques in the city used loudspeakers to exhort people to “go to jihad”, or holy war.

Iraqiya state TV had earlier said that “local police are removing the tents from the protest site in Anbar” province, after an agreement between security forces, religious leaders and tribal sheikhs.

The violence in Ramadi

comes after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the protest site had become a headquarters for Al-Qaeda, and called on legitimate demonstrators to leave.

“I say clearly and honestly that the sit-in site in Anbar has turned into a headquarters for the leadership of Al-Qaeda,” Maliki said.

He called on “those who are with them in this place who refuse sabotage and who have legal or illegal demands... to leave these camps, and leave this place, so that Al-Qaeda stays alone,” adding protesters had a “very short period” in which to leave.

Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf addresses foreign media representatives at his farmhouse in Islamabad on December 29, 2013

Deadly Clashes As Iraq Forces Dismantle Protest Site Protests broke out in Sunni Arab-majority areas of Iraq late last year after the arrest of guards of then-finance minister Rafa al-Essawi, an influential Sunni Arab, on terrorism charges.

The arrests were seen by Sunnis as yet another example of the Shiite-led government targeting one of their leaders.

In December 2011, guards of vice president Tareq alHashemi, another prominent Sunni politician, were arrested and accused of terrorism.

Hashemi fled Iraq and has since been given multiple death sentences for charges including murder.

to a level not seen since 2008, have been killed in violence when the country was just since the beginning of the emerging from a brutal period year, according to AFP figures The demonstrations have of sectarian killings. based on security and medical tapped into long-standing More than 6,750 people sources.

Sunni grievances, who say they are both marginalised by China Says Abe Not Welcome the government and unfairly After War Shrine Visit targeted with heavy-handed BEIJING - China’s Foreign since Junichiro Koizumi went in tactics by security forces.

2006 to mark the anniversary of In another incident that has Ministry on Monday accused the end of World War II. Abe, a Japan’s prime minister of escalated tensions, security hypocrisy and said he would not nationalist who advocates forces on Saturday raided the be welcome in China after he revising Japan’s pacifist Ramadi home of Sunni Arab visited a shrine honoring Japan’s constitution, had previously visited Yasukuni while out of MP Ahmed al-Alwani, who war dead.

Ministry spokesman Qin Gang office. backs the anti-government South Korean President Park protesters, arresting him and said that Japanese Prime Geun-hye on Monday also urged Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the sparking clashes that killed his Yasukuni shrine in central Tokyo Japan not to impair bilateral ties brother, five guards and a had seriously hurt relations by opening up past colonial security forces member. between the countries and shut wounds.

“I hope that there won’t be any Violence in Iraq has surged the door for dialogue between

U.S. Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel speaks to reporters at the Al Udeid Airbase.

their leaders.

“Abe’s hypocrisy in his claims of prioritizing relations with China and hopes for dialogue with the Chinese leaders has been fully revealed,” Qin said at a regular briefing.

“The Chinese people do not welcome him. Now, Abe needs to admit his mistakes to the government and people of China, cut loose from the past and make a new start,” he said.

Japanese politicians’ visits to Yasukuni have long caused friction with China and both Koreas, because the 2.5 million war dead enshrined there include 14 class A war criminals from World War II — national leaders who were either executed or died in prison or during their trials.

Japan colonized Korea and occupied parts of China, often brutally, before and during World War II. It was the first visit to the Shinto-style war shrine by a sitting Japanese prime minister

act of breaking down country-tocountry relations ... by digging up the wounds of the past,” Park said during a regular meeting with her aides, according to South Korean media pool reports posted on the website of her office.

Park didn’t cite Japan by name but Park’s office said she was referring to Japan.

Also Monday, North Korea’s state media said that Abe’s shrine visit was tantamount to a “declaration of war” against people in Asia and the rest of the world.

“Japan has now turned into a war state deviating to the right and fascism,” the official Korean Central News Agency said in a commentary.

Abe has previously said criticism that visits to Yasukuni are an act of worshipping war criminals is based on a misunderstanding. He said he did not intend to hurt the Chinese and Korean people’s feelings and expressed conviction that Japan must never wage war again.

Youth Rendezvous

THE World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a youth is the people between age of 18 and 30 years. This is quite different from the definition of the youth by the church, which is “an unmarried young man or woman above 18 years” however, the challenges faced by these two categories of people are similar: they have failing health.

The youth are supposed to be the healthiest age group as their immunity against disease is relatively stronger than the other age-groups.

This makes them less vulnerable to most diseases such as cancers and infectious diseases.

However, the opposite is the case as most youths suffer from illnesses which hinder their ability to grow and develop to their full

OJUDOH – I, formerly Miss Ojudoh Henrietta Omoteselenoria now Mrs. Henrietta .O. Ebhojie. All former documents bearing my former name remain valid. Concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

potentials.

A greater number of them engage in behaviours that jeopardize not only their current state of health but often mar their health for years to come.

The unique challenges they encounter are as a result of their level of development and the society situation.

Therefore, promoting health practices among this age group and taking steps to protect them from health risks is critical to the future of the country’s, health and social infrastructure and to the prevention of health problems in adulthood.

Most of the health challenges youth face are preventable. The major health challenge include accidents and violence; reproductive health problems as rape, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, sexually transmitted infections ( STIs), including HIV/ AIDs, homosexuality, early marriage and child birth.

Mental health problems in young people among others include antisocial disorders, anxiety disorders, Depression, psychosis, eating

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

DAVID – I, formerly called David Sandra is now known and called David Osazuwa Sandra.

All former documents remain valid. General public and all concerned authorities should please take note.

OKOEBOR – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Iziegbe Monica Okoebor now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Patience Iziegbe Oriaifo. All former documents remain valid.

General public and all concerned authorities should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

PUBLIC NOTICE The general public is hereby notified that the leadership tussle between Pa Osazuwa Izevbizua, the Odionwere of Iguelaba Community and Chief J.A. Osawaru, the Ohen of Iguelaba Community has been resolved by His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba, N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Erediauwa, the Oba of Benin and his Chiefs in Council on 22nd day of November, 2013 in favour of Chief J.A. Osawaru, the Ohen of Iguelaba Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo State.

As a result, all transactions in respect of the community matters shall be dealt with by the Palace of the Ohen of Iguelaba Community.

Anybody who deals with any other person/persons under the guise of Iguelaba Community without the consent of the Ohen or Mr. John Odia, Chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA) does so at his/her/their own risk.

Signed Chief J.A. Osawaru Ohen N’Iguelaba

Youth And Healthy Challenges: A Sad Debacle

By ADJA FAMOUS disorders, substance-abuse, alcoholism cigarette smoking, use of illicit drugs Cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine e.t.c a sniffing of strong chemicals (petrol, kerosene, gluesl suicide

esteem; notion of ‘machismo’ characterized by independent risk-taking behaviour, engagement of older siblings in drug taking.

Employment outside the home such as teenager who

malnutrition. underweight, overweight and obesity).

These are not mutually exclusive of the other one of the conditions that can lead to the cause of other for instance, drug abuse can lead to other mental conditions which will further lead to accident and violence, rapes, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, STDs and HIV/AIDs which may all eventually lead to death. So it is a cascade.

THE CAUSE Many of the factors that underline unhealthy development in young people sten from the social environment. These factors include ignorance distorted families, broken homes, poor level of parent-child communication, poverty and unemployment, gender and ethnic discrimination and advertisement such as those associating smoking with success glamour popularity, youthful vigor and good health, predisposition to experimentation, rebellion and desire for Independence, peer pressure; defects impersonality such as low self

drop out of school to take up menial job in market places and motor parks, frustration caused by tension between improved levels of education and shrinking employment opportunities, the impact of social change on family and communities.

THE WAY OUT Improving the health of the youth should be a pertinent issue and a necessary symposia discussion for the youth, the family, the church, the government and the society at large as the age groups contribute a great part to the economic and social development of a nation. A good understanding of how the force shapes the lives of young people is fundamental to programming for their health and development.

The youth must decide to live right despite the wrong information the system has passed and is passing on to them. Walk with people who can always and only influence them to do the right thing, and educate and empower their peers healthy living and health supporting practice.

Parents and elderly siblings should serve as good role models to their children and younger siblings respectively.

They should also develop and improve good parent-child communication. Parents should offer safe and supportive environment to their children which can

nurture and guide youth and will reduce the effect of peer pressure among youths.

Studies have shown that people who feel close to their parents consistently showed more positive psychological development, behavioural competence and psychological wellbeing.

The government should encourage, promote and facilitate the establishment of youth – friendly health service in health institutions and the orientation of all services to be youth friendly. They should make decision more accessible and affordable as this reduces number of school drop - outs which constitute a greater number of youth associated with health risks.

The issue of unemployment should be promptly and adequately addressed to reduce the vast delirious effect of unemployment on the health of youth.

The social environment must foster personal development, encourage young people to adopt healthy behaviour, and enable them to gradually take on adult responsibilities through participation in

decisions that affect their lives.

They must also be encouraged to make contributions to their families and communities through supportive and caring relationships with adults and friends. Positive school experiences are

particularly significant aspects of a supportive environment for young people.

The church must provide moral instruction and spiritual guidance that will promote positive development and health of young people, organize and promote programs that will enhance the health and development of young people, and cooperate with other sectors to enhance the health and development of young people.

Finally, having this knowledge, avoiding the causes risk factors and applying all the recommendation to the later are only palliative measures to the health challenges of the youth the ultimate therapy is Jesus Christ – the bread of live and the living water, the great physician that have therapy for even the dead. He does not only heal the body, he also makes your soul to come alive. All you need to have this everlasting therapy is to come to the source, God our father through Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour.

Issues Family Matters

Helping Your Teen Overcome Peer Pressure

By JAMES MILLICENT OCHUWA

As your children grow older, the influence and effect of friends and peer on their lives become more and more prevalent. Peer pressure can become both a positive and negative influence on them and the decisions they make.

So peer pressure can be defined as the amount of influences people of the same age have over one another either good or bad influences, here are possible ways parents and family members can help teenagers overcome negative peer pressure.

Teach them their self –worth: A child that valued a home will not be as likely to give in to negative influences when he/she is away from home. Making sure that your child

feels loved and feels valued in everything he/she does is probably the most important thing you can do as a parent to help them combat the outside influences of the world.

If your children feel good about who they are and confident in their choices and opinion of others.

Talk to your children, let them know that you value them and that they are important; include your child in important conversations and truly take their input into consideration. This will help your child feel valued and more self-confident in their own decision making process.

Encourage interests-Every children has a unique set of talent and help your child discover these interests and skill and do everything you can to encourage him/her. A child that has his own interests is less likely to be persuaded by a group of peer so help your child to make

“Talk to your children, let them know that you value them and that they are important; include them in important conversations and truly take their input into consideration.

This will help your children feel valued and more selfconfident in their own decision making process.”

a different set of friends who also share those interests this will provide in return a positive peer group that can be effective in helping to encourage your child further in achieving goals related to his/her interest.

Have a good line of communication-while your child is growing open the lines of communication effectively.

If you talk to your children about everything when they are younger, chances are they will talk to you about the more important stuff when they are older. With open communication you can talk to your children about your concerns as they relate peer and peer specific situation and scenarios that they might face and together create a workable plan as to how deal with those situations. It is important to talk to your child and help them to decide how they will act. If a child is already familiar with a choice that is presented to him and has decided on course of action, such a child is more likely to follow that plan unlike novice that may easily go astray.

While peer pressure can be an important influence on your child’s life, parent and family are still the most important. if your children feels loved, valued and supported at home, they are more likely to avoid the pressure of their peer turn to you for advice. The important thing is to remember that as an influence for good in your child’s life you need to start when they are young and be consistent.

International Features

French President Francois Hollande gives a conference in Riyadh on Sunday.

hired in 2012 to clean up radioactive fallout from streets in the town of Tamura.

The sprawl of small firms working in Fukushima is an unintended consequence of Japan’s legacy of tight labormarket regulations combined with the aging population’s deepening shortage of workers.

Japan’s construction companies cannot afford to keep a large payroll and dispatching temporary workers to construction sites is prohibited.

As a result, smaller firms step into the gap, promising workers in exchange for a cut of their wages.

Below these official subcontractors, a shadowy network of gangsters and illegal brokers who hire homeless men has also become active in Fukushima. Ministry of Environment contracts in the most radioactive areas of Fukushima prefecture are particularly lucrative because the government pays an additional $100 in hazard allowance per day for each worker.

Takayoshi Igarashi, a lawyer and professor at Hosei

means many of the more than 60,000 who lived in the area before the disaster will remain unable to return home until six years after the disaster.

Earlier this month, Abe, who pledged his government would “take full responsibility for the rebirth of Fukushima” boosted the budget for decontamination to $35 billion, including funds to create a facility to store radioactive soil and other waste near the wrecked nuclear plant.

Japan has always had a gray market of day labor centered in Tokyo and Osaka. A small army of day laborers was employed to build the stadiums and parks for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. But over the past year, Sendai, the biggest city in the disaster zone, has emerged as a hiring hub for homeless men. Many work clearing rubble left behind by the 2011 tsunami and cleaning up radioactive hotspots by removing topsoil, cutting grass and scrubbing down houses around the destroyed nuclear plant, workers and city officials say.

Seiji Sasa, 67, a broadshouldered former wrestling promoter, was photographed by

University, said the initial rush to find companies for decontamination was understandable in the immediate aftermath of the disaster when the priority was emergency response.

But he said the government now needs to tighten its scrutiny to prevent a range of abuses, including bid rigging.

“There are many unknown entities getting involved in decontamination projects,” said Igarashi, a former advisor to exPrime Minister Naoto Kan. “There needs to be a thorough check on what companies are working on what, and when. I think it’s probably completely lawless if the top contractors are not thoroughly checking.”

The Ministry of Environment announced on Thursday that work on the most contaminated sites would take two to three years longer than the original March 2014 deadline. That

undercover police recruiting homeless men at the Sendai train station to work in the nuclear cleanup. The workers were then handed off through a chain of companies reporting up to Obayashi, as part of a $1.4 million contract to decontaminate roads in Fukushima, police say.

“I don’t ask questions; that’s not my job,” Sasa said in an interview with Reuters. “I just find people and send them to work. I send them and get money in exchange. That’s it. I don’t get involved in what happens after that.”

Only a third of the money allocated for wages by Obayashi’s top contractor made it to the workers Sasa had found.

The rest was skimmed by middlemen, police say. After deductions for food and lodging, that left workers with an hourly rate of about $6, just below the minimum wage equal to about

Japan’s Homeless Recounted For Maurkey Pukushima Clean-Up SENDAI - Seiji Sasa hits the train station in this northern Japanese city before dawn most mornings to prowl for homeless men.

He isn’t a social worker. He’s a recruiter. The men in Sendai Station are potential laborers that Sasa can dispatch to contractors in Japan’s nuclear disaster zone for a bounty of $100 a head.

“This is how labor recruiters like me come in every day,” Sasa says, as he strides past men sleeping on cardboard and clutching at their coats against the early winter cold.

It’s also how Japan finds people willing to accept minimum wage for one of the most undesirable jobs in the industrialized world: working on the $35 billion, taxpayer-funded effort to clean up radioactive fallout across an area of northern Japan larger than Hong Kong.

Almost three years ago, a massive earthquake and tsunami leveled villages across Japan’s northeast coast and set off multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Today, the most ambitious radiation clean-up ever attempted is running behind schedule. The effort is being dogged by both a lack of oversight and a shortage of workers, according to a Reuters analysis of contracts and interviews with dozens of those involved.

In January, October and November, Japanese gangsters were arrested on charges of infiltrating construction giant Obayashi Corp’s network of decontamination subcontractors and illegally sending workers to the government-funded project.

In the October case, homeless men were rounded up at Sendai’s train station by Sasa, then put to work clearing radioactive soil and debris in Fukushima City for less than minimum wage, according to police and accounts of those involved. The men reported up through a chain of three other companies to Obayashi, Japan’s second-largest

construction company.

Obayashi, which is one of more than 20 major contractors involved in government-funded radiation removal projects, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. But the spate of arrests has shown that members of Japan’s three largest criminal syndicates - Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai - had set up black-market recruiting agencies under Obayashi.

“We are taking it very seriously that these incidents keep happening one after another,” said Junichi Ichikawa, a spokesman for Obayashi. He said the company tightened its scrutiny of its lower-tier subcontractors in order to shut out gangsters, known as the yakuza. “There were elements of what we had been doing that did not go far enough.”

Part of the problem in monitoring taxpayer money in Fukushima is the sheer number of companies involved in decontamination, extending from the major contractors at the top to tiny subcontractors many layers below them. The total number has not been announced.

But in the 10 most contaminated towns and a highway that runs north past the gates of the wrecked plant in Fukushima, Reuters found 733 companies were performing work for the Ministry of Environment, according to partial contract terms released by the ministry in August under Japan’s information disclosure law.

Reuters found 56 subcontractors listed on environment ministry contracts worth a total of $2.5 billion in the most radiated areas of Fukushima that would have been barred from traditional public works because they had not been vetted by the construction ministry.

The 2011 law that regulates decontamination put control under the environment ministry, the largest spending program ever managed by the 10-year-old

agency. The same law also effectively loosened controls on bidders, making it possible for firms to win radiation removal contracts without the basic disclosure and certification required for participating in public works such as road construction.

Reuters also found five firms working for the Ministry of Environment that could not be identified. They had no construction ministry registration, no listed phone number or website, and Reuters could not find a basic corporate registration disclosing ownership. There was also no record of the firms in the database of Japan’s largest credit research firm, Teikoku Databank.

“As a general matter, in cases like this, we would have to start by looking at whether a company like this is real,” said Shigenobu Abe, a researcher at Teikoku Databank. “After that, it would be necessary to look at whether this is an active company and at the background of its executive and directors.”

Responsibility for monitoring the hiring, safety records and suitability of hundreds of small firms involved in Fukushima’s decontamination rests with the top contractors, including Kajima Corp, Taisei Corp and Shimizu Corp, officials said.

“In reality, major contractors manage each work site,” said Hide Motonaga, deputy director of the radiation clean-up division of the environment ministry.

But, as a practical matter, many of the construction companies involved in the clean-up say it is impossible to monitor what is happening on the ground because of the multiple layers of contracts for each job that keep the top contractors removed from those doing the work.

“If you started looking at every single person, the project wouldn’t move forward. You wouldn’t get a tenth of the people you need,” said Yukio Suganuma, president of Aisogo Service, a construction company that was

$6.50 per hour in Fukushima, according to wage data provided by police. Some of the homeless men ended up in debt after fees for food and housing were deducted, police say.

Sasa was arrested in November and released without being charged. Police were after his client, Mitsunori Nishimura, a local Inagawa-kai gangster.

Nishimura housed workers in cramped dorms on the edge of Sendai and skimmed an estimated $10,000 of public funding intended for their wages each month, police say.

Nishimura, who could not be reached for comment, was arrested and paid a $2,500 fine.

Nishimura is widely known in Sendai. Seiryu Home, a shelter funded by the city, had sent other homeless men to work for him on recovery jobs after the 2011 disaster.

“He seemed like such a nice guy,” said Yota Iozawa, a shelter manager. “It was bad luck. I can’t investigate everything about every company.”

In the incident that prompted his arrest, Nishimura placed his workers with Shinei Clean, a company with about 15 employees based on a winding farm road south of Sendai. Police turned up there to arrest Shinei’s president, Toshiaki Osada, after a search of his office, according to Tatsuya Shoji, who is both Osada’s nephew and a company manager. Shinei had sent dump trucks to sort debris from the disaster. “Everyone is involved in sending workers,” said Shoji. “I guess we just happened to get caught this time.”

Osada, who could not be reached for comment, was fined about $5,000. Shinei was also fined about $5,000.

The trail from Shinei led police to a slightly larger neighboring company with about 30 employees, Fujisai Couken.

Fujisai says it was under pressure from a larger contractor, Raito Kogyo, to provide workers for Fukushima. Kenichi Sayama, Fujisai’s general manger, said his company only made about $10 per day per worker it outsourced.

When the job appeared to be going too slowly, Fujisai asked Shinei for more help and they turned to Nishimura.

A Fujisai manager, Fuminori Hayashi, was arrested and paid a $5,000 fine, police said. Fujisai also paid a $5,000 fine.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe poses for photographers after sounding a bell during a ceremony marking the last session of the year 2013 at Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo yesterday.

Issues Education MANY stakeholders in the education sector have argued that formal education of the girl child has not been receiving adequate attention by governments in the country.

They have also noted that even when girls are in schools, they are faced with several challenges including coping with household chores, insecurity and lack of funds to meet their needs.

These challenges and many others, they say, had contributed to poor performance and low quality of education among girls in Nigeria and other developing countries.

Anita Ubong recalls that said dropped out of school in Cross River when she was 11 years old because her parents could not fund her education.

She said she had to take a job as a nanny when she was 13 years to enable her raise money to go back to school.

“I worked for three years as a nanny before I went back to school because I knew how important education is, especially for a girl like me who wanted to become very useful in life,’’ she said.

In response to issues of girl child education, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Dec. 19, 2011 declaring every October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child.

The focus of this year ’s celebration, “Innovating for Girls’

Education’’, is to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face globally in the pursuit of formal education.

Mrs Ifeoma CharlesMonwuba, Director at ActionAid Nigeria, says the celebration of the day in Nigeria will improve the number of girl enrolment in schools by creating awareness on the importance of education for girls.

Quoting a UN report, she says that 36 million school-age girls are not in school globally, and that Nigeria accounts for more than six million of the figure.

“Most of the girls’ rights are violated and all of these necessitated the UN to set aside this day as the International Day of the Girl Child.

“The day is meant to promote girls’ rights and highlight gender inequalities among girls and boys in schools.

“Many girls in developing countries become mothers before they are 18 years and more that 50 per cent die annually during childbirth.

“The International Day of the Girl Child gives people and organisations an opportunity to raise awareness on the different types of discrimination and abuse many girls around the world suffer,’’ she noted.

Charles-Monwuba insists that when given equal access to resources and education, women reduced the number of

Innovating For Girls’ Education

hungry people worldwide by 16 per cent.

“Educated girls grow into educated women who have healthier babies and more likely to educate their children.

The implications of not giving the girl child education are diverse, and covering areas of nutrition, life expectancy, income levels, family relationship, hunger and malnutrition.

“For instance, a study indicates that girls who

By ABIEYUWA MORU

stay in school are four times less likely to be sexually active than those who dropped out, reducing the incidence of HIV drastically,’’ she said.

Charles-Monwuba says ActionAid is advocating that all states in Nigeria should pass and implement the Child’s Rights Act, noting that 12 states have yet to implement it.

Besides this, she

“Many girls in developing countries become mothers before they are 18 years and more that 50 per cent die annually during childbirth.”

advises that parents, extended family members, traditional and religious institutions and politicians, should encourage girl child education and discourage early marriage.

Sharing similar sentiment, Dr Patrick Okolie, an Abuja-based general medical practitioner, says that child marriage exposes young girls to diseases.

According to him, allowing female children to attain age of maturity before going into marriage after their education will prevent diseases and promote development.

In recognition of the importance of girl child education, stakeholders

have urged UN agencies, member states, civil society organisations and private sector actors to encourage girls to advance their education.

They call for improved public and private means of transportation for girls to get to school and provision of science and technology courses targeted at girls in schools, universities and vocational education programmes.

To ensure that awareness on girl child education is more effective, observers recommend a review of school curricula to integrate positive messages on gender issues relating to violence, child marriage, sexual and reproductive health, and the roles of males and females in the family.

Discourse Before The Final Whistle: A Case For National Dialogue Devoid Of Constitutional Trapping AS the year runs to an end, our regular contributor, Dr. John Abhuere takes a look at the proposed National Conference and suggests it be called national management/leadership summit devoid of constitutional trappings THE decision to host a national dialogue in the wake of many National problems is good. It should be seen as opportunity for citizens to participate in decision-making aimed at finding solutions to National problems. Mr President should thus be trusted and supported in the task because workable ideas could emanate from such national gathering to fix things. However before the final whistle is blown for take off, there is need to reflect on the appropriate name and nature of the proposed national gathering- a name and conference that would win the confidence and support of majority citizens and preserve the peace and unity of the country.

Based on current mood of the nation and careful review of reactions to the Advisory committee, it is clear that Nigeria needs a Non constitutional Conference a fact finding and problem solving summit devoid of constitutional apron ñ strings. We suggest NATIONAL MANAGEMENT /LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2014 to proffer solution to identified problems and sift those for Executive and Legislative actions. What the country desires is not a brand new constitution but new progress minded elites with the right attitude to do the right thing such as the provision of manís basic needs, fair-play, justice and equality of all citizens before the law as already contained in 1999 constitution.

The furore observed during the Advisory committeeís work was over a constitutional conference and not a national dialogue per se.

The need to win support for the outcome of the proposed conference inspired this essay.

Given the tension that greeted the advisory committee, the rejection of the exercise by some sections of the country and opposition party, the presence of a large army of unemployed citizens about 54% youth unemployed says NBS, which could easily be swayed into wrong doing; a constitutional conference is ill advisable. We need a national meeting that will build trust and love, reduce tension, emotion, suspicion and engender support and all hands on deck. Caution, wisdom and national interest should come first while ideology, party politics take the backstage.

Part of the assignment of the Okorunmu’s Advisory Committee was to submit report to enable government brief the nation on the nomenclature,

structure and modalities of the dialogue. But given the hard ideological posture and persuasiveness of an influential section of the elites and the body language of the committee, there is the fear that it might not come out with recommendation based on reality of today but on some preconceived ideas of few but powerful and influential educated elite who had been spoiling for a constitutional conference for no just reason.

The sharp division within the elite and hostile reaction to the idea of a conference as being diversionary suggest a house on fire and thus unsafe place for constitutional conference aimed at redesigning country before the fire is extinguished.

According to news reports, a National Conference would kick off in February 2014. With the survival of our dear country in mind this article is aimed at showing why we should resist the temptation of hosting a constitutional conference today.

One of the points to consider is the harsh reaction to the planned conference. A review of the reactions and other developments in the polity shows that the time is not auspicious for a constitutional conference of any type. It is neither urgent nor necessary but only a bogus demand by a few educated elite. There is the frightening foreboding and sickening feeling of anger, distrust, conflicts and firework about the proposal. Rather than love and patriotism, selfishness, bitterness, intolerance, unwarranted rivalry dominated the scene of preparation. It is too slippery a ground for such a thing. A dispassionate observer must truly wonder why we should like fishing in troubled water, invent or create problems where there was none; and thank God that Nigeria was not created by one of the major tribes but by the British which conferred on every citizen equal membership and ownership of our common inheritance Nigeria. Only a non constitutional conference can heal the wounds of the nation today.

A creative interpretation of the advisory’s committeeís terms of reference will show that government desired maximum participation of citizens in the preparation for the proposed conference to enable her make informed decision. However, for many reasons, this was not possible: citizenry participation was low.

In particular, a section of the

By JOHN ABHUERE elites rejected the proposal and boycotted the committees work.

There was so much rancour and heartaches caused by ëwarringí parties whose extreme positions precipitated some crisis of confidence. What became obvious was a mixed grill of reactions both for and against a constitutional conference but those against seems more in number and outside the

unwise and unhelpful to ignore the threat implied. With such a motley gathering of so many disagreeable people from different parts of the country, no consensus could be built and no successful constitutional conference should be expected.

UNSERIOUS ISSUES Most of the issues being peddled are not serious enough,

nature ñ for example corruption, sectarian disturbance, insecurity and unemployment, kidnapping and poor governance. Others can be handled by the National Assembly. For instance National Revenue sharing formulae, resource control, decentralisation of power, human rights, removal of obstacles to political injustice, protection of the hopes, aspiration and dreams of

President Goodluck Jonathan corridors of power. But as Nigerians the feelings of opponents could not be ignored without hurting the cause of the proposed conference itself.

LACK OF CONSENSUS The task was to build support and consensus not division over such important national agenda and to allay fear and reckon with reservation of the people about it across the six geo political zones. But this was impossible. As Dapo Fafowora observed, the proposed national dialogue did not only present serious dilemma also it lacked national consensus in support of it. And with many people rejecting or kicking against it, its decision ìcannot be binding on them (The Nation 7/11/ 2013). Among those kicking are the APC, a major opposition party in control of almost the SW, the governments of Edo state, and Jigawa state. With the defection of five governors mostly from the north from the PDP to APC to swell the ranks of the opposition as well as hard core ideologues who did not want anything outside Sovereign National conference that would produce a new constitution, the emerging signs are not indicative of a fruitful constitutional outing. It will be

many of them are not even constitutional while some are already contained in the 1999 Constitution and can easily be handled by the National Assembly which has the power to amend the constitution. Some are ridiculous and laughable.

Contrary to the elites who argued that a constitutional conference is the only way out, there are other ways to attain the same goal. One of such ways is the Management / Leadership Summit. It is far less costly, more cost effective and easier to organize than a constitutional conference. This is even more so when most of the serious problems of the country are operational and managerial in

Nigeria, unemployment, insecurity, poor governance (The Nation 21/11/2013 p 43, How National Dialogue Can Succeed By Activists). Others are state police, decentralisation ñ more powers to the states.

Presidency should not be the birth right of a group, Political right not based on state of origin but of birth and residency, restructuring, concept of federalism, desirability or otherwise of the presidential government, íright of freeborn, root cause of our problems ñ not after effects (Bolanle Bolawole Sunday tribune 6-10-2013) Youth Unemployment (Arogbola) re ñ structuring along linguistic lines (Diran

Apata Sunday Tribune 6-102013).

And some such as the linguistic division of the country are selfish and illogicalsmacking of intolerance. The illogicality here manifests when the proponents move from the major tribes to the minor ones thus: ìthe large linguistic nations.... should each become a state (and), smaller linguistic nations should be assisted to negotiate among themselves to form few states.... While the big tribes cannot tolerate or co habit with others, the smaller ones should be assisted to do so. The idea of collapsing the 36 states to 6 or so is not in tune with aspiration of majority citizens as could be gleaned from requests at the National Assembly for more states. The existing 1999 constitution may have its flaws but it is not as bad as being projected. It has served our democratic cause since 1999.

Chapter 2 alone is enough to drive the country to its destiny.

GROW AND STRENGTHEN OUR INSTITUTIONS There are other reasons for ruling out a constitutional conference. One of them is the democratic structures already in place especially the National Assembly and the need to strengthen them. The framers in their wisdom laid down procedure for amending the constitution. President Jonathan was elected to serve the country and protect and defend the constitution and not to set it aside or replace it by rewriting a new one as some of the educated elites have been pushing with impunity and disregard for laid down rules for constitutional amendment. Letís learn to play by the rules of the game, grow, nurture and strengthen our institutions instead of trying to cut corners.

All the elite’s talk about lack of Nigerian inputs to past constitutions and their ëmilitary impositioní are untrue and insincere. Apart from the fact that that there was Nigerian input because the military men were foremost Nigerians and worked together with civilians, there is never a time all Nigerians would gather in one room for purpose of constitutional writing. The

Continues on pg 25

“A creative interpretation of the advisory’s committeeís terms of reference will show that government desired maximum participation of citizens in the preparation for the proposed conference to enable her make informed decision. However, for many reasons, this was not possible: citizenry participation was low. In particular, a section of the elites rejected the proposal and boycotted the committees work.”

Discourse ...National Dialogue Devoid Of Constitutional Trapping

Continued from pg 24

writing of a constitution is not everybodyís business but a select few working on behalf of others. The 1999 constitution is thus not fraudulent in stating ëwe, the people of Nigeria...Will a new constitution now be said to be written by ëwe, the people of the mars?íAnd will all Nigerians be put in one room or field for purpose? No, it is impossible.

Besides, there cannot be two sovereign powers in one country as implied in the sovereign national constitutional conference advocated by a section of the more vocal elite class. In other words, based on what’s on ground including foul mood of the nation, hostile reactions and sharp division within the elite class over the proposed dialogue as well as a large pool of unemployed from which recruits could be made in the service of evil men, it would be unwise to host a constitutional conference.

NEVER TOO LATE TO DO THE RIGHT THINGDECISION MAKING A CONTINUOUS PROCESS Some might wonder if this piece was not coming out too late. It is not because decision making is on going and a good manager is one who is able to review relevant issues and make decisions based on fresh development and information or superior intelligence. It is never too late to do the right thing.

Suppose a President had signed the death warrant of a citizen but just before execution fresh evidence emerges that he is innocent, would it be too late to save life by stopping the approved execution? NO. It is never too late to correct the wrong. There is much danger for the country in the way of a constitutional conference at this moment basically the mood is not right. The President has a duty to act right no matter how late in order to save the country from perdition or doom foretold by some Researchers in the USA The National Intelligence Council since 2005.

Decision making is a continuous process and it is not easy. In the view of some writers such as H. Simon (1963), it is the main function of a Chief Executive. To others, it is a product of rational thinking (Marx Weber) but Linblom 1959, disputes this arguing that decision making is a muddling through business into which many things go. Dror attributes decision making to extra rationality and intuitive judgement. Thus Lynch may be correct in observing that there is no exact formula for making decision which may explain why Handy (1966) insists that the situation should define decision making by any Chief Executive. The meaning of this is that a Chief Executive can change his decisions many times depending on what is available on stage.

SCANTY EMPIRICAL

EVIDENCE: the problem of low citizenry participation Decision to hold a constitutional conference ought to depend on popular demand and driven by maximum citizenry participation and active support of the elites. But this was not the case.

Participation of citizen has been low leaving scanty empirical evidence of support for a constitutional conference.

Participation became a popular approach to governance in the 1970s when it came to be realised that people are more eager and willing to support programmes and projects which they were involved in formulating, executing and evaluating. Thus citizenry participation became the vogue and the Advisory Committee was to facilitate this through wide consultation with citizens for the planned national dialogue. There is no doubt that that the concept of popular participation is a powerful tool in modern management if properly applied because we need maximum citizenry participation for the success of programs. Part of those to be mobilized for the proposed National Dialogue was the elites class but unfortunately a significant part of it proved difficult and unwilling to participate.

This should be a major source of worry for the planned national conference even much more so for a constitutional conference. It is an unhealthy signal because in practical terms it means that many people including a significant part of the elites would not support and accept the decisions of the conference. The elites are dangerous and they know how to undermine a system, a program. Theoretically we delude ourselves by saying that we are all equal before the law but in reality we know that to be untrue. Though born equal, the kings, political, religious, and professional leaders enjoy more rights and privileges than others. As George Orwell observed all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. The elites are in many ways more equal than the rest in any society and their interest can only be disregarded at great risk. They have the means to challenge, to fight a cause. The role of a certain Dr ATKIN in scuttling the June 12, 1993

election is a good reminder of the deadly nature of the elite more so the aggrieved one.

CAN’T AFFORD TO IGNORE THE ELITES The elites game is delicate and where not well played could precipitate crisis of serious proportion. This is largely so because its players are nearly equally matched: talented, organised, clever, and wealthy with the right reach to make things happen for better or worse in society. As Hunters observed, they are the real holders of power and they have what it takes to hurt society badly or build it peacefully.

According to Wikipedia, the elites are a few people that ìdecide the life and death issues of a nation as a whole. They cause war and negotiate peace on behalf of others a small number that outwits the majority, what Mosca calls a tiny minority that organises and outwits the larger majority.

According to Michel, the elite run social and political organisations in society and are thus critical to the growth and development of any nation.

They are characterised by struggle for political power, interest in the status quo and are found in different spheres of human endeavour.

To Bottomore (1964), such groups exist in each society ìfrom the least developed jungle tribes to the great modern nation states and Grand Perry (1969) explains that they play essentially influential parts in political and social affairs. They are very manipulative and society cannot afford to have highly antagonistic and divisive elite as we currently do or ignore them without harmful effects.

For many reasons I do not trust the Nigerian elites. They have not displayed enough patriotism and zeal to promote national unity and development.

They have been unwilling to make strategic sacrifice in the national interest. They have been cunning as can be gleaned from the annulment of the 1993 June 12 election or the exclusion of traditional rulers from power in 1960. They are adept in inventing problems and hating their country. In short the educated Nigerian elites are anti nation, self centred, hateful of their country and adept in creating obstacles to frustrate her growth and development.

They can easily work against a constitutional conference today.

It is always wise to pacify them through due consultation in order to have a sense of participation. Otherwise they would stop at nothing to injure or frustrate any program such as the one under review. There has been a major split over the proposed dialogue by the elites and such sharp division is unhealthy because each party to the debate has the means to hurt the nation badly.

Each of the contending groups claimed to be speaking for the people or ordinary Nigerians in the national interest. This is incorrect: the elites speak for

the educated ones only. What is clear from the review is not a popular demand for a constitutional conference by majority Nigerians, but an open struggle within the educated elites to outdo each other for the control of the soul of the country and its power especially at the centre. There are proponents but the preponderance of the opponents should make a constitutional conference futile and ill ñ advisable.

UNCOMFORTABLE TWIST AND THE NEED TO ACT WISELY The Nigerian elite can hardly

for a sovereign National Conference as Chairman of Advisory Committee to prepare grounds and define modalities for the proposed national meeting. Then we began to observe uncomfortable twist and role reversal of serious magnitude. Those who had been agitating for a national conference rejected the move while those who were against it became strong advocates. There was sharp division within the elites which made consensus building difficult. Instead of warm embrace, there were criticisms, rejection, doubt,

David Mark, Senate President themselves and act to protect their own interest. This includes so called cultural groups such as Afanifere, Ohaneze, Arewa etc.

The call for constitutional conference belongs to minority elites. It is a big lie invented and sustained by a section of the educated elites in Nigeria.

Constitutional issues are hardly a game for the poor and ordinary citizen but elites. The idea that Nigerians need a constitutional conference to write a new constitution is false. It is just an eliteís game and an obsession of

be trusted and hence the need to act wisely. Generally they are deadly, dangerous and treacherous. For example, when on October 1st, 2013, Mr President announced government’s intention to host a national dialogue / conference, most of us thought that the progressives original proponents of the national conference had finally won the day. And nothing more could prove that point better than the appointment of Senator Femi Okunronmu, a persistent caller

“Each of the contending groups claimed to be speaking for the people or ordinary Nigerians in the national interest. This is incorrect: the elites speak for themselves and act to protect their own interest. This includes so called cultural groups such as Afanifere, Ohaneze, Arewa etc.”

suspicion, disagreement, ethnic and religious intolerance, lack of faith, distrust, boycott, blind support and morbid hatred depending on one’s disposition to the proposed dialogue. Such a background of hatred and distrust is not the type that would produce unity of purpose for a fruitful constitutional conference. It is important to note the Parliamentarian’s insistence that they hold sovereignty on behalf of the people thereby making a constitutional conference superfluous.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN ñ YOU CANNOT HOLD A MEETING IN HOUSE ON FIRE The sharp division within the elites continued till date.

Every where the heat was on, giving a feeling of fire on the mountain or a house on fire today and you cannot hold a successful meeting in a raging inferno. The cause of fire is not difficult to pinpoint. Apart from the barbaric nature of politics in

Continues on pg 26

Discourse

A Case For National Dialogue

Continued from pg 25

Nigeria and the delicate, emotional difficulties associated with constitutional making, the history of constitutional conference in the country had been characterised more by rancour, hostilities, broken promises and lack of implementation of recommendations than peaceful conducts. Some read political

the time Professor Nwabueze, an ardent supporter of constitutional Conference saw ìimminent conflicts between Nigerians and President Goodluck Jonathan over the planned conference things were almost getting out of control (The Nation21-11-2013).

RECONCILIATION FIRST Reconciliation should come

down by themselves but through the harmful actions of the elites. Nigerian elites have largely been unhelpful to the cause of national unity. While their present pressure for a constitutional conference is the latest in their weird box of unpatriotic acts of infamy, we need creative ways to handle them and save the polity.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE IS

Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives motives to current plan.

According to them, the ruling party planned to use the conference to buy time and cover up some gaps. Such people questioned the timing of the proposal asking why now?

When 2015, the year of the presidential and general election was just around the corner. To such people, the proposed national dialogue is a Greek gift (Falana, The Nation, 2/10/2013) and it might lead to break up of the country (Ogbe).

To Dare, itís an October Surprise, a move from the wrong quarters (The Nation, 8/ 10/2013). It is good but Mr President should not call or appoint participants (Balarabe Musa) a decoy? (Oladesu).

Senator Ayo Fasanmi seemed to have expressed the fear of many when he observed that the National Conference is a divisionary strategy to buy time for the PDP to gain grounds where it has lost. Jonathan is planning to elongate his tenure, the conference should not spread to 2015 (The Nation, 20/ 11/2013).The competition for show ñ down was so fierce that Dr B. Tukur, Chairman PDP was reported as reminding us that the confab isn’t war even as some insisted it could lead the country to war (Daily Newswatch 17/10/2013). By

first. It is a prerequisite for the success of any national conference today especially a constitutional one. In particular the differing elites need to be reconciled, wooed and accommodated into the fold in the national interest for a fruitful constitutional conference to take place. But such reconciliation and unity of purpose cannot be achieved through a constitutional conference per se largely because of the politics of 2015.The time may be too short for that and Management Summit could fill the gap. In particular, the Action Party Congress (APC) needs to be wooed for support. Even if partisan, it is fast emerging as a strong leading opposition party in the country and its views on national issues can no longer be brushed aside in a cavalier way the chairman, Advisory committee demonstrated during an AIT interview in November 2013 where he derided opponents as people with very limited vision not beyond the next election. I worry because I know the deadly nature of the elite’s game: the elite are vengeful and skilfully disruptive. As it has been observed guns don’t kill human beings but people do with them. Nations donít break

GOOD IN ITSELF-MR PRESIDENT WAS RIGHT Given the delicate circumstance of today Mr President was right in proposing to host a national dialogue to discuss and proffer solution to national problems. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary a dialogue is a formal discussion between two groups or countries especially when they are trying to solve a problem or end a disagreement.

To this extent, nothing is wrong in holding a national dialogue devoid of constitutional powers as way of working towards genuine reconciliation of the motley crowd of disagreeable elites. None of the problems threatens the corporate existence of the country as much as the prospect of a constitutional conference.

Disagreement is part of life even within the family and can be resolved through dialogue genuinely entered by the concerned actors. Luckily there are some settled issues such as the need for national unity, democratic government, rule of law and respect for the dignity of man, human right, justice, fair play and equality before the law as contained in the 1999 constitution to form the basis of national dialogue /management summit. As a student of participation I know the power

of dialogue in conflict resolution.

Many of the problems today such as terrorism sectarian uprising and kidnapping, armed robbery, election rigging / malpractices, religious and ethnic intolerance, corruption, unemployment, poverty, underdevelopment, tribalism etc have nothing to do with the constitution but the ineptitude of the elite. Issues of structure had been addressed long time by breaking the big three regions inherited at independence to 4, 12, 19, 21, 30 and 36 of today to allay the fear of domination in the country. However the elites suffering from over ñ dose of classical notion of federalism and affliction of being like the Jones syndrome or greed for power have continued to twist things for unpatriotic reasons as though the world anay Nigeria had been stagnant since 1914.

They blame constitution unduly.

Nigeria is not in need of new constitution but a new set of patriotic and development oriented elites with positive attitude to nation-building and a fresh resolve to do the right thing always especially good governance.

Constitutional conference is not a tea party. It is crisis prone, unduly hostile and costly. It is neither a pressing need nor a necessity for peaceful co ñ existence. The problem of the Nigerian state is not with the content of the constitution but the character of the Nigerian elites especially their unwillingness and failure to play by the rules of the game.

In short, constitutional conference held a thousand times cannot solve the nagging problems of the day without good men with the right attitude on stage to do what is good and right. Most of the issues peddled for constitutional conference betray ignorance, lack of creative thinking, insincerity, unpreparedness by the elites to accept the common nature of humanity, equality and brotherhood of human beings as well as their unwillingness to make strategic sacrifice in the national interest.

Those who called for a conference of all sovereign nationalities amalgamated in 1914 are ignorant of history. By that time all what is known as Nigeria today had been conquered and colonised by the British and the kings lost their territories, thrones, power and authority. The problem is not with the structure but with lack of creative elites to use it well.

Writing or rewriting the constitution a million times will solve nothing if there are no right people to run it. While there is no perfect constitution anywhere in the world, history teaches that with sound policy, honest leadership, patriotic elites, fair play and justice, human beings irrespective of

creed, race etc can live in peace and harmony. Otherwise there will be conflicts. This is what Mandela demonstrates with multi racial South Africa, Yu in multi cultural Singapore and Awolowo in multi ethnic western Nigeria. So let’s hold National dialogue to find solution to our problems but without constitutional apron strings.

There is no constitutional crisis but some hard operational nuts to crack.

INTERNATIONAL ANGLE There is the international angle. Not long ago it was predicted that Nigeria would break up by 2015. I have always dismissed it as impossible but I am beginning to see things differently. Recent events including the ceaseless unpatriotic call for a constitutional conference even when there is no need for it and related anti nation activities of the educated elite are making me to shiver. Some of them smacks of ulterior motives. The signals around are quite indicative of the dooms day prophecy by some foreign elements. Already it is becoming clear that sectarian disturbance in the country had external connection. Nothing else seems more capable of threatening the corporate existence of our country than the hosting of a constitutional conference. Enemies could use it to destabilize or break the country. It should not be allowed.

A T T E N D A N C E MOTIVATED BY ANGER AND FRUSTRATION It is needless to say that the hostilities of today and emerging sharp divisions within the elites are only a tip of the iceberg a little of the foretaste of what to expect at a constitutional conference. It is always better to avoid a crisis than to manage it. It frightens to recall the rancour which for instance attended the question of resource control during the last conference organised by the Obasanjo administration. Yet people went to that conference in better mood than they would this time. There are strong reasons to believe that the planned conference could be rougher in session because as Mohammed Haruna rightly observes attendance is motivated more not by patriotism but anger, hatred and frustration at being regarded as being afraid of such conference and thus the desire for vengeance to settle scores. For me it is not a pleasant prospect.

LET’S SAVE NIGERIA FROM BREAKING UP WE CAN LIVE TOGETHER PEACEFULLY Nigeria is a beautiful country destined for greatness and we can live and enjoy it together peacefully with minimum efforts if we really care to make strategic sacrifice in the national interest.

However the greed, intolerance and unreasonableness of the educated Nigerian elites had not allowed her fulfil her destiny. I love Nigeria and thrilled by its many promises and possibilities. There have been many cases of broken dreams but she remains the land of giants, mighty hope and boundless opportunity. She should not be allowed to die.

Donít get things wrong. It is not about my minority ethnic status, for I come from a glorious part of the country the great Benin Empire the cradle of the universe and land of the heavenly kings and Uromi kingdom the land that never lacks, whose kings were dethroned and exiled by the British for their anti colonial stance and whose grand children fought the colonial administration for Independence. I am referring to Oba Onvonrame of Benin Empire and HRH Okojie 1 Ogbidi the great of Uromi who were exiled and Chief Tony Enahoro & Co who later joined forces in the struggle for Independence.

We have been part of Nigeria since 1914 and I can say that one big Nigeria is better than any part of it. Besides all my life I worked preaching love, patriotism, tolerance, discipline, sacrifice in the national interest and above all national unity to youths with remarkable impact on the attitude of younger generations. A new Nigeria is steadily emerging through the efforts of organisations such as the NYSC but the obstacle has always been the older segment of the educated elites who do not believe and have faith in Nigeria. Now I am seeing the greatest threat ever to the country since June 12 1993 in the wings. We must ward off the danger and save her from breaking up. Those angling for the balkanisation of Nigeria or believe they cannot work or live with other ethnic groups are advised to learn some lessons from the current crisis in Southern Sudan for a rethink so soon after Independence from Sudan. In fact they should look at the rancour at their Local government over political power to appreciate the fact that people even within the same family disagree especially in the face of injustice and unfair play.

These are trying times requiring utmost care and greater acts of patriotism by all especially the elites.

John Abhuere Ph.D, FNIM.(Ovenorefuare of Ebelle Kingdom)Chairman/ CEO Centre for Child Care & Youth Development, Former Director Corps Welfare and Inspection NYSC NDHQ Yakubu Gowon Building Maitama, Abuja Nigeria.Tel: +234-803-7017956

By Faith Akina Ayedi

Education

Why Students Fail In Academics

STUDENTS are vulnerable to failure in their examinations due to many reasons.

Most of these reasons are dispositions to learning. A student who takes to clubbing, partying

faced with psychological problems which could be resultant

his personal choice, face majority of which sprout from apathy and

and gambling should expect nothing less than the consequential effect of his negligence of what he ought to do.

The Economists opportunity tie this matter to opportunity cost which is alternative for gone or sacrificed alternative.

One cannot eat his cake and have it. It is not all students who fail in their examination that are not serious in their studies. Some are

from stress, emotional distress, internal or external tension.

These might be psychological disequilibrium which will eventually affect the disposition and composure of such students.

Another case is that students are liable to fail when they face academic challenges.

For instance, a student who finds himself or herself studying a course without an affinity to

disconcerted mannerism to study hard.

Needless to mention, is some student lackadaisical attitude towards attendance of classes which make their class performance to lack luster and degenerate to a worst state of seeking to top their grade by moving from one lecturer’s office to another. What we hear we may remember, but what we practicalise we

By BIJOR CELESTINA

sure understand.

However, reading at the eleventh hour is one of the reasons why some students fail in their

notes over and over again, he might encounter problems.

Furthermore, student fail in their examination due to lack of fortified determination to belong to the leading number in class. By the leading number, I mean those who do the right thing at the right time. Study, do assignment, answer questions, ask questions and concentrate.

By ready to read as you have been taught. Answer the questions you understand very well, follow examination instructions and work hard to ensure success.

Further investigation by W e e k e n d OBSERVER in interview with same student in Delta State University Abraka,

anything down on the examination hours.

While others said, some student so much believed in bribing lecturers after an examination, either with their body or cash, but sad to say, they still failed.

Source stated that a final year student who was harassed for a long period of time, by a lecturer from Delta State University Abraka, (name withheld), was disgrace and strip naked by the female student (name withheld) in her hostel, because of several carry over that the lecturer have given her over the passed three years in his course. The nakedness was seen on different social networks.

Nevertheless, when students read for examinations, practicalised it, make research and do assignments, they will be able to

“One cannot eat his cake and have it. It is not all students who fail in their examination that are not serious in their studies. Some are faced with psychological problems which could be resultant from stress, emotional distress, internal or external tension.� examinations. Pilling up notes and waiting for the exam bell to be rung before reading has been a major factor, if one lacks concentration and does not study hard by reading the

some said the reason why most students fail in examination, especially weekend student, is that they only read on the day of examination, and at times they are unable to write

overcome failure after writing exams.

These aforementioned above showed reasons and why students engage in exam malpracticed and still failed.

Barclays Premier League... Barclays Premier League...

Southampton Out To Stop ChelSOUTHAMPTON will look to sea end Chelsea’s winning run in the Premier League when they meet at St. Mary’s Stadium tomorrow.

The Blues go into this game on the back of two important wins having beaten Swansea City 1-0 and Liverpool 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to move up to occupy third place with 40 points.

Jose Mourinho’s side will now look to replicate their form away from home against a Southampton side that is tough to beat in their backyard.

The Saints go into this clash having lost 2-1 to Everton to drop down to remain in ninth place with 27 points but defender Jose Fonte says they are up for the challenge against one of the title contenders.

“We’re looking forward to the Chelsea game and to putting this loss (to Everton) behind us,” said Fonte.

“It’s the best kind of game because it’s a big one that we all want to play in, so let’s test ourselves against them.

“We believe in ourselves and what we do, and we know we can compete against anyone in this division.

Liverpool Target Confident Hull LIVERPOOL will look to end their two-match losing streak when they host Hull City at Anfield tomorrow.

The Reds have recently lost two games on the trot, going down 2-1 to both Manchester City and Chelsea, with both matches being played on the road.

Brendan Rodgers’ men have now slipped down to fifth place on the table with 36 points, six points behind leaders Arsenal and will look to respond strongly in front of their fans.

“It’s never a good feeling when you lose two games in a row but I think the games speak for themselves,” said defender Daniel Agger.

“We didn’t get anything out of the two games - that’s the downside - but we produced two good performances. We just need to carry on like this

Arsene Wenger

Wenger Won’t Listen To Title Talk

ARSENE Wenger is refusing to contemplate Barclays Premier League glory despite reaching the halfway stage of the season with Arsenal at the top of the pile.

The Gunners headed back thinking about the big prize. into first place with a 1-0 He said: “Look, we believe victory at Newcastle, secured in ourselves and we are

by Olivier Giroud’s lone determined to give our best, strike. absolutely, and to turn back on However, while Wenger is the season at the end and think intent on remaining there, he we have given our best. admits it is too early to start “I hope it will be enough, of course, but it’s a long way to go. It’s too early to say that.”

Arsenal had to scrap their new manager Tim Sherwood, way back above Manchester who insists that his City in the table by winning a inexperience will not be hard-fought encounter at St barrier to being a success at James’ Park.

White Hart Lane.

The Magpies went into the “It’s a gamble because I’ve never done it before,” the 44- game having won seven of their last nine league games, year-old said.

“But there are a lot of good and they threatened to take the managers who had never done lead in first-half injury time it before and become a when first Moussa Sissoko forced a good save from success.

“I was never a professional Wojciech Szczesny before footballer until I stepped on to Mathieu Debuchy headed against the crossbar. the field.”

But Giroud proved to be the United are sixth and Spurs seventh, both teams have 34 match-winner with a glancing points to their name and are 65th-minute header from edging closer to the UEFA Theo Walcott’s free-kick after Champions League he briefly lost marker Mike qualifying places represented Williamson. by the top four spots in the The Frenchman passed up a standings. glorious opportunity to seal

United, Spurs Poise For Action

MANCHESTER United and Tottenham Hotspur will both be looking to get 2014 off to a flying start when they meet for a Premier League clash tomorrow.

United head into the game on the back of some fine form, having racked up a sixth successive win across all competitions with their 1-0 triumph at Norwich City on Saturday, and that in the absence of talisman Wayne Rooney.

The striker missed the trip to Carrow Road with a groin problem, but manager David Moyes expects him to return to the squad for the visit of Spurs on New Year’s Day. “Wayne was missing because he’s got an adductor injury in his groin,” the United boss told Sky Sports. “He missed the Stoke game because of the same injury.

“I think if we hadn’t got so many games and we could give him a couple of weeks just to recover properly, I think he’d be fine but I’d expect him to be OK for the next game against Tottenham.”

At the post-match press conference, Moyes revealed Robin van Persie was also on the mend, saying: “Robin has started some light training and he might not be too far away as well.

“We have not had them as a partnership very often, and we are looking forward to having them together.”

Tottenham come into the match having recorded a first Premier League win – 3-0 at home to Stoke City – under

and cut out the mistakes.

“When you lose a game, it’s good to have the next game so soon after. We have the Hull game to focus on and we definitely have to get the three points.

“Hull are a great team. We lost there not long ago so we know they are a dangerous team. We just have to carry on playing like we have done and keep believing in ourselves.”

When the two sides met at the beginning of December it was the Tigers who stunned Liverpool 3-1 to register their first win over the Reds in 17 attempts.

Steve Bruce’s men are currently in 10th place with 23 points from 19 matches and go into this game with no shortage of confidence following the 6-0 win over Fulham.

the victory four minutes later and his side might have been made to paid when Szczesny blasted an 82nd-minute clearance straight at Loic Remy, but saw the ball run just wide.

However, Wenger was delighted with the resilience shown by his side, a trait he believes they have strengthened during the last calendar year.

He said: “We have come out

of very difficult games - we have played Everton, we have played Manchester City, Chelsea, at West Ham and Newcastle.

“We have dropped some points, but I felt it was more down to the heavy schedule and the short recovery time we have had than to the difficulty of the games.

“But we have to show it on the pitch, and that’s what we Brendan Rodgers try to do.”

TOGETHERNESS will help Aston Villa come through the tough run they are experiencing, according to striker Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Villa left the field to boos once more on Saturday after holding on for a 1-1 draw against Swansea to bring to an end a sequence of four straight defeats.

Agbonlahor scored the opening goal in the seventh minute - the first time Villa have scored in the first half of any league game at Villa Park this season - but Roland Lamah equalised before halftime.

Swansea had more then 70

per cent possession and in the second half Villa struggled to break out of their own half.

Villa’s goal celebration was designed to make a point, with the whole team running to the bench and forming a jubilant huddle.

“We are a team,” said Agbonlahor, who is captaining the side in the absence of injured defender Ron Vlaar.

“Through the good times and the bad, and as long as we stay as a team, then we will be okay. That was just to show the staff and the players we are all in it together. We know it’s going to be a fight. But we are up for it.

“We might not be showing the best quality at times but if we give 100 per cent and fight, then we will be fine.”

One man not included was manager Paul Lambert, who is under fire from the fans but still has the backing of chairman Randy Lerner.

Agbonlahor explained: “You can’t do that to him.

That’s why he only got a high five. He’d have hammered me for that.”

Villa’s poor run reached a nadir on Boxing Day when an injury-time Dwight Gayle goal earned Crystal Palace victory at Villa Park.

So, although it certainly was not pretty, Agbonlahor stressed avoiding defeat had to be the priority against Swansea.

He said: “We wanted to stop

Agbonlahor Calls For Villa Unity

City Hope To Start 2014 With A Bang MANCHESTER City will hope to hit the New Year in the fine fashion they ended 2013 off with a win over their next adversaries Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow.

The Citizens ended their year off on a winning note when they narrowly edged out Crystal Palace 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Though the home ground and their weaker adversary would have expected a larger scoreline, it was an encounter which saw many of Manuel Pellegrini’s usual starting eleven rested due to the heavy Christmas schedule.

Traditionally used as a ‘super-sub’, Edin Dzeko

scored the only goal of the game just after the hour mark but it was Joe Hart’s performance in between the sticks that saw City hold on for a crucial draw.

City’s challenge for the title was largely undermined by their backline but Hart’s return has made him become a formidable obstacle to overcome.

Palace witnessed his defiance first-hand and, to their credit, tested City more than most of the Premier League’s big spenders this season.

“It was like walking on eggshells,” said captain Vincent Kompany. “You were worried what was going to

happen on the break: was someone going to slip up?

“It was undeniable Joe [Hart] pulled off a great game.

But sometimes it’s not the amount of saves you make; it’s about doing the right save at the right moment.”

However, Swansea can expect to see most of Pellegrini’s first choice players back in the line-up in the midweek and they will be wary of coming up against a buoyant City side.

The Swans only managed to end their year by holding Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon but Michael Laudrup’s side are all too familiar with shocking some of England’s elite.

losing. You can say we might be disappointed not to win the game, going a goal up, but we have to take the positives out of it and take the point. It all goes on the table.

“In the Palace game we were disappointed because, although we might not have been good enough to win that game, we shouldn’t be losing it.

“That’s what we did (against Swansea). We didn’t really deserve to win the game.

That’s a good Swansea team. I thought they were outstanding in the way they passed the ball.

“But it was a case of, if we weren’t going to win, then we aren’t going to lose. We have to drill that into the side.

“There’s going to be other games where we get a chance.

At the moment, it’s a case of stopping the rot. Picking up points, hopefully in every game we play.”

Next up Villa head to Sunderland, who have had a good Christmas, beating Everton and then staging a late comeback to draw at Cardiff.

Lambert hopes one or both of Christian Benteke or Vlaar might be back, and Agbonlahor is taking confidence from Villa’s 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light last season.

He said: “We know it’s going to be tough, they’ll look at us and think they can get at us.

But we beat them there last year, so there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.”

Ibrahimovic Talks Up Future Celtic Move ZLATAN Ibrahimovic may be open to a move to Celtic before he retires after saying he would love to play in front of the Celtic Park faithful.

Speaking to the Scottish ever want to leave playing in Sun, the Paris Saint-Germain the stadium for those fans.”

Celtic boss Neil Lennon said forward said the lure of playing in front of a loud, it was a huge compliment that passionate crowd was a real a player of Ibrahimovic’s draw when asked about a stature was keen to join the club. potential switch to Glasgow.

“He’d have to play well to “I have a very important job to do in Paris, but in football I get in our team,” he joked. have learned that you can “Seriously, it would be never say never,” he told the wonderful if we could get that newspaper. “Celtic is a club type of player to the club. I with a big tradition and a place think that’s a long way off yet.

“It’s a nice compliment for where any top player would the club, though, and it just want to end their career. How could I say I wouldn’t want shows the reputation we have to play for those fans every built up over the years. That’s testament to the players’ week?”

The 32-year-old would be performances over the last following in the footsteps of couple of seasons — the fellow Sweden legend Henrik Larsson, who spent seven years playing for the Hoops in the Scottish Premier League.

“Henrik was good enough FRANK Ribery has hailed to play for any team in coach Pep Guardiola for making Europe, but after playing at an already powerful Bayern Celtic Park it is easy to Munich team into a stronger understand why he chose to force. stay there for so long,” Ibrahimovic, who played against the Bhoys for Ajax in 2001, said. “No player would

supporters as well and what they bring to Celtic Park on European nights. I think a lot

of players and coaches would like to sample that on a regular basis.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The German giants completed an unprecedented treble under Jupp Heynckes last season, winning the Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and DFB-

‘Messi Still The Best’

Xavi Hernandez

Frank Ribery

Pokal.

Guardiola then had a touch act to follow upon his takeover of the successful side, but Bayern have managed to continue on the path of success under his tutelage.

“I think that when the coach arrived at Bayern, it was not an easy situation for him as we had already won all the possible trophies,” said the French international.

“But our coach is very experienced and proved himself while he was with Barcelona.

He has won many titles and knows football like very few people do.

“During the last six months, the coach and us, together, we have done well.

“Our level was already very high last year but we are even stronger since his arrival.

“We are enjoying ourselves on the pitch and you can see it.

“I am really happy as we have won new titles and we feel that we will win many more with him.”

Coke Urges Sevilla To Keep Working SEVILLA defender Coke says his side should try to outdo themselves during the second half of the season and not relax following their positive start.

The Andalusian side went into the December break in high spirits following one of their better starts in recent seasons.

Although they have been knocked out of the Copa del Rey, Unai Emery’s side are currently in seventh place on the La Liga standings and are into the Europa League Last 32 round.

“The team is growing a lot, but we must not settle. We must keep working,” Coke told reporters.

“We have moved up many places in the league, in the Europa League we also finished top of our group, whilst we have had the disappointment of the cup elimination.

“Overall, though, we have maintained our line and must now continue to grow.

“Our rating for the season so

Inter And Juve Battle For PSG Man INTER are said to be eyeing out a possible swoop for Paris Saint-Germain wide-man Jeremy Menez, but Juventus have already made a bid.

The former Roma player is six months away from his contract expiration date at the Parisien outfit and is expected to part ways with the club after failing to be offered a new deal.

According to l’Equipe, Juventus have made a bid worth +2m for Menez in hope of bringing him to Turin during the January transfer window.

However, PSG are keen to cash in an extra 1.5million Euros for the 26-year-old and could welcome negotiations from Inter who are another fond admirer of him.

The Nerazzurri are expected to

splurge in the winter transfer window with the arrival of new owner Erik Thohir and they could be willing to lift their bid in order to swoop the Frenchman.

Jeremy Menez

Real Keen On Paulinho

Ribery Hails Guardiola

BARCELONA midfielder Xavi Hernandez has praised Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery but says Lionel Messi is still the best.

The trio have been shortlisted for the 2013 edition of the FIFA Ballon d’Or and the Spaniard believes all three are capable of winning the trophy.

“Ribery and Cristiano have done enough to deserve winning the Ballon d’Or, but I have no doubt that the best right now, and in history, is Messi, Anyway, I do not vote.”

The veteran midfielder also spoke about the Spanish national team and their hopes of defending the World Cup trophy in Brazil next year.

“We have great enthusiasm and we know that it will be difficult,” he added. “Especially against Brazil who are hosts and who are a great opponent, as demonstrated at the Confederations Cup. “We intend to defend our title.”

Transfer Window

far is a positive one because the team began with many new faces and last-minute additions, but little by little we have been showing ourselves as stronger in games.

“We have been improving, conceding fewer goals and we are up in the standings.”

Sevilla will resume their campaign with a home league fixture against Getafe on Sunday afternoon.

Iniesta Responds To Yaya’s Comments ANDRES Iniesta has responded to Yaya Toure’s comments that Barcelona are scared of meeting Manchester City in the Champions League.

Last week the Ivorian international said Barcelona, who he used to play for, were afraid of their impending clash because of the English club’s current excellent form.

Iniesta however has since responded by denying the allegations despite admitting the Citizens were the toughest

opponents the Catalans could have landed up against.

“We are not scared. This is football, the Champions League and Barca can’t be scared of anyone,” the Spanish midfielder told Marca.

“It’s going to be an intense and exciting tie. I think City was the toughest side we could have drawn and will prove a good test for us.”

The first round final 16 clash will be played at the Etihad on Tuesday, February 18.

REAL Madrid are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho.

Spurs fans fear the sight of Los Blancos in the transfer period, and it will be no different this coming year as reports in

Paulinho

England and Spain suggest Madrid are chasing Tottenham midfielder Paulinho.

Madrid first lured Luka Modric to the Spanish capital before completing a worldrecord £85 million deal to sign Gareth Bale in the past summer.

According to the Telegraph Carlo Ancelotti is now ready to bring Paulinho to the Santiago Bernabeu.

It is most likely though that Ancelotti will only table a bid in July next year according to the media outlet.

The 25-year old joined Spurs from Corinthians last summer, in a £17 million deal, but has already attracted interest from a number of clubs across Europe.

Juventus Plan Bid For Bayern Striker

JUVENTUS are starting to work their way into the good books of Bayern Munich in hope of landing Mario Mandzukic at the end of the season.

The 27-year-old Croatian is expected to find himself sidelined at the end of the season should the Bavarians land the signature of their long-anticipated arrival in Robert Lewandowski.

Should the Polish international arrive, Mandzukic is expected to face a tough task in fighting for a regular starting spot due to Pep Guardiola’s preference in playing a lone striker.

Tuttosport suggests that Giuseppe Marotta has reportedly been given the go ahead to move for the Croatian international by Andrea Agnelli and they are believed to be prepared to pay a fee in the region of 20 million

euro and 25 million euro.

Mandzukic has been in impressive form for Bayern Munich, scoring 12 times in 20 appearances.

Maria Mandzukic

Utd To Break The Bank BORUSSIA Dortmund have For Rues told Manchester United manager David Moyes that they will need to break the bank in order to land Marco Reus’ signature.

The Mail Online suggests that the Red Devils are on the hunt for so much-needed depth in their midfield after seeing Manchester United fall short of their domestic rivals following a sluggish start to

the campaign.

United, who won the title by eleven points last season, are eight points off the top of the Premier League and five behind fourth placed Everton.

It is said that Reus is valued at £40m, leaving him a difficult property to get a hold of.

Australia Open Blitz

Formula 1

Sharapova Dominant In Brisbane MARIA Sharapova returned after four months out injured with a completely dominant 6-3 6-0 victory over France’s Caroline Garcia in the opening round of the Brisbane International yesterday.

The world number four showed no signs of the shoulder injury which has kept her off court since the Western and Southern Open in August as she raced into the second round in 64 minutes on Pat Rafter arena.

“I was pretty sick of the offseason and I was ready to get going,” a beaming Sharapova said on court.

“I missed the game, I wanted to come out here and really perform well and I tried to do that.”

Clearly frustrated after so long without any competitive action, the 26-year-old Russian came out firing on all cylinders and raced to a 3-0 lead against her 74th ranked opponent.

The four-times major champion, watched by her new coach Sven Groeneveld, ruthlessly dismantled the big serve that has created excitement around the 20-year-old Garcia.

Sharapova wrapped up the first set with a blistering forehand winner after 39 minutes and two further service breaks later was 4-0 up in the second.

With the momentum all on her side of the court and Garcia shaking her head at the quality of some of the returns coming back over the net, Sharapova grabbed another break and sealed the victory on her own serve with a forearm smash.

The Russian, forced to pulled out of the Brisbane tournament by injury for the last two years, was delighted to finally show off her skills to the Queensland public.

“It’s been so long, I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve been meaning to play this event for so many years and I’m so happy it was this year after being away from the game for a few months.”

The third seed will undoubtedly have the majority of the crowd against her in her second round match when she plays Australian teenager Ash Barty, who earlier beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 7-5.

“It’s going to be another tough one, she’s already played four times here which is a huge advantage coming into the new year,” said Sharapova, who is seeded to meet world number one Serena Williams in the semifinals.

Maria Sharapova

Michael Schumacher Condition ‘Extremely Serious’

Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka

Azarenka Relishes Serena Rivalry

VICTORIA Azarenka thinks her rivalry with Serena Williams is making her a better player and is looking forward to renewing it over the next four weeks at the Brisbane International and the Australian Open.

World number two behind the when she took a controversial 1017-times major champion, minute medical time out, means Azarenka will only meet she has of lot of goodwill to win Williams if both players make the back in Australia over the next final at the Pat Rafter arena next month.

“Every year I look so much weekend and Melbourne Park on forward to coming here,” she January 25.

The Belarussian, who has won said, apparently unperturbed. the Australian Open for the last two years, has a 3-13 record against Williams but split last year’s four matches and beat the American 7-5 6-3 in an exhibition match in Thailand at the weekend.

“I think it’s great, first of all, to be a part of that rivalry because ROGER Federer, who has it really helps you to grow as a taken on childhood hero Stefan player, as a person,” the 24-year- Edberg as part of his team, thinks old told reporters in Brisbane on the recruitment of former great Monday. players as coaches will be good “You learn things about for tennis in the long term. yourself and what you need to The 17-times major champion improve, because when said bringing the likes of Edberg, somebody is taking you to the Ivan Lendl, who coaches Andy limit you really have a good look Murray, and Boris Becker, back at what you have to do better to into the sport was a positive rise up. move.

“I definitely enjoy that and love The 32-year-old, who earlier tough competition. To take that this week said Edberg had taken challenge for me every time is some coaxing to get involved, very exciting. That’s what I wake had been surprised at Becker’s up for and train hard for.” involvement though.

Azarenka avoided Williams “I didn’t think he wanted to altogether in Australia last year, become a coach, I didn’t expect firstly in bizarre circumstances in to see him back on tour, that was Brisbane when she was forced to a bit of a surprise,” Federer told withdraw from their semi-final reporters at Brisbane on Monday. meeting after a pedicure went “But then again, I’m happy to wrong. see former greats and legends They were again scheduled to excited to be doing such a job and meet in the last four in wanting to help the next Melbourne before an injury- generation and it brings them hampered Williams lost her back into the game. quarter-final to compatriot “I think it’s a good thing, I think Sloane Stephens. in tennis we have tendency to, I Azarenka’s subsequent victory won’t say drive out, our legends over Stephens in the semi-finals, and former greats (but) I think we

“It’s one of my favourite places to play. I’ve loved it since I was a junior.”

Second seed Azarenka will open her new season in the second round of the Brisbane International against local wild card Casey Dellacqua, who beat Kazakh Galina Voskoboeva 3-6 6-2 6-3 in the first round yesterday.

Coaching Greats Good For The Games, Says Federer

should integrate them more.

“I don’t think it’s the best way to integrate them as a coach,” he chuckled.

“But at least you see them again.

“And maybe they actually get a taste of it and other greats see that they are welcome and that we are so happy to see them.

“I think it sends out a good message.”

In spite of the plethora of big name coaching recruits for the teams of the top players in men’s tennis, Federer sees little change in the pecking order for the Australian Open.

“I think Rafa (Nadal) and Novak are going to be the ones to beat this season, particularly at the beginning, and then we have to see if they can stay injury-free.

“I expect them to go deep in most of the tournaments they enter, of course,’’ he said.

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray would almost certainly be grouped with world number one Nadal, and number two Djokovic, had he not been sidelined since mid-September after a surgery on his lower back.

MICHAEL Schumacher is in an “extremely serious” condition in an induced coma following surgery on a brain injury sustained in a ski crash in France, doctors caring for the Formula One legend have said.

The team treating Michael Schumacher in hospital in Grenoble told a press conference that his situation remains critical and they could not predict what was going to happen.

Chief anaesthesiologist professor said: “We cannot tell what the outcome will be yet. We are working hour-by-hour but it’s too early to say what is going to happen and to have a prognosis.”

The 44-year-old underwent surgery to reduce brain swelling and remove blood clots after hitting the right side of his head on a rock while skiing off-piste at Meribel in the French Alps on Sunday.

Schumacher suffered inter-cranial haematoma”, which is bleeding between the brain and the skull which causes the brain to swell.

Doctors dismissed rumours he had had a second operation, and said there were no current plans for further surgery.

Professor Payen added that Schumacher’s life may have been saved by wearing a helmet, saying: “We think his helmet did help, without a helmet he wouldn’t be here now.”

Earlier on Monday a hospital spokesperson said: “Michael Schumacher was the victim of very serious trauma. He was very agitated when he arrived and we decided he was in a critical situation and he quickly went into a coma.

“The neurosurgical treatment he received brought us quite a lot of information. We had to operate urgently to release some pressure in his head. Unfortunately, he has some lesions within his brain.”

Schumacher remains under the care of Professor Gerard Saillaint a brain and spinal injury expert who is also president of the FIA Institute.

The pair became friends after the doctor treated Schumacher’s broken leg sustained in a crash at Silverstone in 1999.

Retired seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher was in ‘critical’ condition with head injuries after an off-piste skiing accident in the French Alps resort of Meribel.

The 44-year-old German was in hospital in Grenoble.

“He suffered head trauma with coma that needed prompt neurosurgical treatment,” Schumacher’s agent Sabine Kehm said in a statement late on Sunday evening, which a hospital official read to reporters.

“He remains in a critical condition.”

A hospital official declined to give more details but said more information would be given on Monday.

Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte, the director of the Meribel ski resort where Schumacher has a holiday home, said earlier that the former champion was wearing a helmet when he fell and hit his head on a rock at around 11:00. CET (10:00 UK time).

He added that the German had been conscious while being transported first to a local hospital in Moutiers before then being transferred to Grenoble. “He was conscious but very agitated while being taken to hospital,” said the director.

It is a feature of head injuries that the patient can initially appear relatively unhurt, before their condition worsens as the brain swells.

In Germany, Schumacher’s accident topped news bulletins, with the bestselling tabloid newspaper Bild reporting on its website: “Schumi fighting for his life”.

Bild reporters also said that Ross Brawn, the Briton who worked with Schumacher at Ferrari and Mercedes as technical director and team principal respectively, had arrived in Grenoble.

The Formula One community, and the wider world of motorsport, reacted with shock and prayers on social network Twitter for the champion to win his biggest battle.

“If anyone can pull through, it’s him,” said Britain’s triple Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, who is still walking on crutches after a huge crash in October that ended his racing career.

“Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to win through, like you used to. You can do it,” said Schumacher’s former Benetton team mate Martin Brundle.

Former Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa, who suffered a near fatal head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, said he was praying for his friend.

Michael Schumacher

Kwara United Targets Premier League Return

Aminu Maigari, NFA Chairman

Essien Considering Winter Move

MICHAEL Essien’s agent has said his client will not return to France and is more likely to join a club playing in the Champions League this January.

After moving from his native Ghana to Bastia in 2000, Essien made his name in Corsica and then further embellished that reputation in an all-conquering Lyon side before joining Chelsea in 2005.

Though the 31-year-old is widely expected to leave Stamford Bridge during the January transfer window, Essien’s representative, Fabien Piveteau, ruled out a return journey across the Channel.

He was quoted as saying by RMC: “You’ve got to stop with all that. Michael plays for Chelsea, a big club, so there’s no point in dreaming about him coming back to France.

“In France, he could only play in Paris, Lyon... but Bastia, Sochaux, without disrespecting them, no. It’s impossible for them to take on a Chelsea player’s salary.”

With an eye to boosting his playing time ahead of next

Akpala Suffers Another Injury Setback NIGERIA striker Joseph Akpala ended 2013 on a low point after he suffered a tendon injury in Karabukspor’s 3-1 loss at Sivasspor.

Akpala, who had injury worries on moving to Turkey from Werder Bremen in the summer, injured his tendon and had to be substituted in the 73rd minute by Beykan Simsek.

Karabukspor coach Tolunay Kafkas was disappointed by Akpala’s latest injury.

“Akpala’s tendon injury was bad. I am sorry for the injury which he got toward the last minute. I wish he returns quickly,” coach Kafkas lamented.

The Jos-born striker has scored four goals in 11 league appearances this season.

summer’s World Cup, Essien should be seen again in European football’s biggest club competition in 2014.

“It’s true that he could leave Chelsea this winter,” Piveteau said. “Several big European clubs playing in the Champions League have made enquiries and it should play out in the next 10 days or so.

Michael wasn’t included in Chelsea’s list of players for European competition, so he’s free to play in the Champions League with another club.”

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had taken Essien on loan to Real Madrid last season during his time in charge at the Bernabeu, but he has used the midfielder in just three Premier League games for the Blues this year.

THE General Manager, Kwara United FC of Ilorin, Alhaji Haruna Maigidasanma, yesterday restated the focus of the club to return to the Nigeria Premier League next season.

Maigidasanma made the “I call on Kwarans both assertion in an interview the supporters and fans of with newsmen in Ilorin. the club to support us as we The general manager said can only do it together in the club had resolved not to peace and harmony. be distracted in its plans to “It is not only our job to return the elite league. return the team back to the “We are almost done premier league, but also by raising a team capable of the support of everyone. returning us back as soon as “Our fans must also possible. That has been our understand that the game of focus in the last few weeks. football is either you win or

the players’ fault that led us to the relegation.

“I am very sure if it was not because of the incident we might probably be playing in a continental competition by now,” he said.

The general manager commended sports writers for their support to the team but urged them to show more commitment by verifying issues before publication.

Kwara Utd was banished to Lokoja and had played some home games behind closed doors after a fan attacked a match official on Saturday, August 31, 2013 during a week 29 match in Ilorin.

The team was subsequently relegated to National Division One after failing to garner the required points in the premier league.

KANO Pillars chief coach Abdu Maikaba has told MTNFootball.com the Nigeria league kings need to shore up their defence for the coming year.

In October, Pillars won a back-to-back league championship.

But Maikaba, who took over at Pillars following the exit of Mohammed Babaganaru to Nasarawa United, said they have to work more on their defence.

“We were one of the highest-scoring sides last season, but we also conceded a lot of goals,”

said the former Enyimba coach.

“That is a pointer that we have a very good attack, but also parade a very bad defence. That was why we have brought in three quality defenders to beef up the squad.

“We have Kingsley Udoh from Heartland, Henry Ezekiel from Sunshine and Nura Mohammed from Enyimba. That shows our intent for next season to build a formidable team.”

Last season, Pillars scored 46 goals, but let in 39 goals.

Pillars Coach Wants Improved Defence

Michael Essien

‘French Tax Will Have Big Consequences’ FRENCH Football League (LFP) president Frederic Thiriez has called the decision of the Constitutional Council to validate the government’s one-off tax on high earners “deeply regrettable.”

Despite arguments put forward by opposition MPs and football bodies such the clubs’ union, the UCPF, and Thiriez’s own LFP, France’s highest constitutional body ruled on Sunday a 75 percent tax can be levied on employers on all salaries they pay in excess of one million euros.

The measure, which applies to 2013 and 2014, will bring Francois Hollande’s government an estimated additional 210 million euros, 44 million of which will come from professional football clubs, many of whom — Thiriez told media — will struggle to handle the additional outlay.

“The decision of the Constitutional Council is deeply regrettable,” the 61year-old said in quotes reported by RTL. “Everyone acknowledges the 75 percent tax is absurd economically, ineffective fiscally and unfair

lose or they must take it like that because no team wins always.” he said.

Maigidasanma expressed confidence in the ability of Samson Unuanel, the Technical Adviser of the team to deliver on the mandate.

“Let me tell you this if you don’t know, it took some high ranking stakeholders’ intervention to convince Unuanel to stay with us.

“We knew he can do it that was why we allowed him to continue, he is a quality coach with modern experience.

“What led to our relegation at the end of last season was unfortunate; remember we are comfortably in top four before the Warri Wolves incident.

“It is obvious that it was not Unuanel hand work or

socially.”

He added: “The consequences will be very big for our clubs in the years to come.”

While Monaco are excluded from the measure and Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari owners have the funds necessary to cover their estimated 20 million bill, their Ligue 1 rivals have no such

safety net.

After initially postponing a lock-out originally scheduled for late November, the UCPF — which represents clubs in France’s professional top two tiers — had suggested they may go on strike later this season in response to the measure, which they claim will force clubs to sell players to cover the cost.

GHANA Premier League side Wa All Stars have confirmed parting ways with long-standing coach Nurudeen Amadu.

The 43-year-old has been at the Wa-based side since 2005 and was assistant coach to Maxwell Konadu before being appointed as head coach.

It is still unclear why Amadu was relieved off his duties but the ex-Kotoko and King Faisal player has paid for the side’s inconsistent displays.

A club statement said: “Following the mutual parting of ways with Nurudeen Amadu, the Club can announce that James Corbblah has been appointed Head Coach for the rest of the season.”

Amadu has been replaced by James Corbblah.

Meanwhile, Wa All Stars new

head coach James Corbblah will officially start work on 01 January 2014, the club have confirmed.

Corbblah takes over from Nurudeen Amadu who has parted ways with the Wa-based club.

Former Danbort FC coach must improve the clubís 10th position chalked after the first round of matches.

“We are delighted to have brought in someone with Premier League experience to bring out the best in our squad,íí Wa All Stars General Manager Seth Panwum said.

“We have a great squad and we believe Corbblah can allow them to flourish and enjoy a strong, exciting finish to the season.”

Corbblah has had premiership stints with Heart of Lions and Sporting Mirren.

Wa All Stars Sack Head Coach Amadu

Abubakari Sokpari, who was Sokpari took temporary charge in previously in-charge of the All Starsí 3-0 win over Hearts of Oak on the final day of the first reserve team, will assist him. round.

Nurudeen Amadu

CMYK

THERE has been no stronger vindication of public fears about the lack of sincerity of the current administration than the recent letter to President Goodluck Jonathan written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Even if we have genuine reasons to question the right of the “pot” to call the “kettle” black, we must admit that what is important here is that the “pot” has decided to speak up and confirm the fears that some of us have always nursed about this administration.

The issue here is no longer who is worse off but that the gang has decided to break it’s code of silence and let us in on the vile realities that have defined their activities so far.

Of course, most Nigerians cannot be shocked by allegations of corruption anymore. We do not need a letter to know how much of a festering sore this has become. It has become so rampant that it now feels like the norm for many since the government has consistently ignored it’s responsibility to address the issue, but it certainly is interesting to hear One of the key actors in Nigeria’s political inner circle making such weighty allegations against a man he had forced on Nigerians against their wishes.

What is also interesting is the fact that Obasanjo has joined a growing list of “former” Jonathan supporters who have jumped ship and have made public their doubts about his sincerity to fight corruption; this is not a good sign. Obasanjo is not the only one who has spoken out about the malfeasance in the NNPC, several i n t e r n a t i o n a l organisations, and even national institutions, have raised these same issues many times before.

Recently, the governor of the Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, recently expressed concerns over huge sums that were not

remitted by the National Petroleum company. We cannot simply dispel these worries as part of a surreptitious plot to undermine the president’s efforts, which seems to be the most common retort of the president’s men these

Obasanjo expressly reveals his own doubts about the authenticity of the same man he went to great lengths to impose on Nigerians and he also buttresses the worries of many Nigerians about the dangers that lurk in

OBJ’s Epistle

A Letter To Ponder On

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo (left) and President Goodluck Jonathan days.

There is no better vindication of the many allegations levelled against the government than to read about the creator’s dissatisfaction with his creation and the sly insinuations that his 2007 game plan has come back to bite him hard; a priceless peep into the inner doubts that we have been prevented from knowing all this while.

I find some particular points pertinent to note here: first is the admission that Mr. President did promise to do one term, which the Presidency has gone to great lengths to deny; the admission that a surreptitious plot exists to exploit ethnic and religious sentiments for personal ambition and how this has been played out in the constant threats of violence by the “Ijaw Nation” if Mr. President is not re-elected in 2015. By these two claims,

personalising the 2015 political programme.

Obasanjo expresses the same fears that most Nigerians have expressed over the years. If Obasanjo admits this, I do not see anyone countering that claim since he was almost single-handedly responsible for creating the president’s national political profile.

Consistently, there have been allegations of presidential influence in cases of political witchhunting, some of which Obasanjo candidly speaks about in the letter such as the crisis in Rivers State.

He even goes further to reveal some frightening allegations that he says he has been informed about: the compilation of a political watch list that contains the names of a thousand people should not be taken lightly, neither should such claims as the training of a sniper squad be considered the rantings

of a senile old man. Coming from a former president who most probably still has a few eyes and ears within the Presidential villa and in the state security agencies, it would be difficult to wave off these allegations as mere rantings. There might be some element of truth to them.

For me, there is also a personal satisfaction that comes with reading about the same issues that I have always raised and also some of the suggestions that I have made. On President Jonathan’s support for some opposition party governors in order to secure their endorsement of his candidacy, I believe many Nigerians have always voiced their doubts about the sincerity of the country’s political process. Obasanjo is the last person to voice dissatisfaction with this as his hands in the Imo elections that saw Ikedi Ohakim emerge as

Governor was nothing different. However, it would be diversionary to respond to his allegations by simply referring to his own past misdeeds.

Obasanjo has raised salient issues and they must be looked at sincerely.

While I do not think he has the moral right to castigate anyone for political hooliganism I am aware that the political challenges in the country today raise serious concerns for all of us and Obasanjo’s allegations speak the minds of many Nigerians. I do not know if he has done this for ulterior reasons but I know that it is timely and suspect it is inspired by the fear that the growing tide of public anger may sweep him too.

The president’s men who intend to respond to the letter must think long and hard about their responses and must not concentrate on just casting aspersions on Obasanjo’s person or stressing on his political

antecedents. They should rather be ready to counter the points raised in the letter with rebuttals that clearly exonerate Mr. President.

While I have my doubts about his sincerity, I share Obasanjo’s views on the failure of the president’s tactics in the fight against terrorism in the north.

Some successes may have been recorded in stemming the spread but very little has been achieved in eradicating the threat. Just as he says, I believe we have put too much effort in conventional approaches to fighting the scourge rather than concentrate on the key areas that need attention.

As Obasanjo says, “there are many strands or layers of causes that require different solutions approaches or antedotes.

Drugs, indoctrination, fundamentalism, gun trafficking, hate culture, human trafficking, money laundering, religion, poverty. Unemployment, poor education, revenge and international terrorism are among the factors that have effect on Boko Haram.” if the government fails to address all these key issues it would be impossible to defeat the scourge.

Even as we recognise Obasanjo’s penchant for fuelling controversy, as he has done since the Babangida days, It is disheartening that those who claim to support the President have chosen to dwell on Obasanjo’s personal flaws than address the substance of the letter. The issues he has raised are pertinent and potential fuel for conflict.

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