THE SUNDAY
The Sunday
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
CMYK
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PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968
ODD NEWS
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13-Year-Old Girl Begins Masters Studies
• Vol. XI NO.4,014 • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 20 13 • N 100.00
INTERVIEW Project Charilove Is God Inspired - Chris Omusi
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LECTURE: Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (left), and Emir of Suleja, Malam Muhammad Awwal Ibrahim at a public lecture to mark the 20th anniversary of the Emir of Suleja in Suleja yesterday.
International Peace Day
Stakeholders Decry Breakdown In Family Ties • Edo SSG Urges Nigerians To Eschew Violence
By EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU/GEORGE OGBOLU/INNOCENT OMOAKA
PARTICIPANTS at a forum to commemorate the International Peace Day on Saturday in Abuja decried the increase in the breakdown of family ties across the globe. The event was organised Organisations, Universal by two Non Governmental Peace Federation (UPF),
and the National Unity and Peace Corps (NUPEC). The 2013 International Peace Day has as its theme: “The Role of Education in Building a Culture of Peace and Fostering Global Citizenship’’.
Mr. Olaleye Alao, the Secretary-General of UPF, said that family crisis was devastating every country in the world today, and “as it is a more insidious war than bloody conflicts’’. “No power has been able to curb the breakdown of the family; the family is in crisis; spousal and child
abuse, infidelity and divorce are rampant. “Youths grow distant
from their parents; respect between husband and wife is on the decline and people are becoming more
individualistic. “Family breakdown has
country’s electoral commission for effective performance. An online statement
from the presidency obtained by reporters quoted Mahama as saying
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Mahama Pledges To Reform Ghana’s GHANA’S President, Election Commission John Mahama, has pledged his commitment to reforms that will position the
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
NEWS
International Peace Day Continued from pg.1 increased most sharply in affluent countries as nations are experiencing their greatest period of economic expansion.’’ Alao said that societal and social problems could not be solved through technology or government programmes but through the formation of good characters. He said that besides the family, another institution that was vital to the formation of an individual was education. The UPF Secretary General said that education played the role of one’s parents “in loco parentis’’ and also played remedial role when good standards were lacking from homes. On his part, the CommandantGeneral of NUPEC, Mr. Chinedu Nneji, said that education on peace could revolve through the five layers of social strata. He listed the layers as the individual, family, community, nation and international community. Nneji noted these layers form the channel through which cultural values and norms were imparted informally to citizens in inter-personal, interfamily, inter-communal and international levels. “They all intertwine and relate with one another; we should know how to relate with one another without being aggressive, violent, disrespectful and biased. “We must not forget that the absence of peace takes away the opportunities that we need to better our lives in order to develop our society and face challenges of tomorrow.’’ Similarly in Kaduna State, participants at a walk held in the capital to commemorate the occasion, urged Nigerians to be
tolerant of one another. The participants, including clerics, community leaders and youths, noted that only in an atmosphere of peace could meaningful development be achieved. Addressing the scores of residents that participated in the walk, which took the group through parts of the metropolis, Pastor Yohanna Buru, appealed to Christians and Muslims to strive to live in harmony. The cleric said that no country could make progress in a situation of conflict and violence. Meanwhile, the Secretary to The Edo Stat Government,(SSG), Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, has urged Nigerians to eschew violence in all its ramifications as there can be no development where there is strife. The SSG, represented by his Permanent Secretary, Hon. Abdul Mamudu, gave the charge during the 2013 International Day of Peace commemorated by the Department of Peace and Conflict Resolution, National Open University (NOUN), Benin Study Centre at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. According to him, where there is conflict, people will not have the time to think of things that will bring development. He however called on Nigerians to imbibe mutual respect, humility and nonviolence. In their relationship with one another. On his part, the guest speaker of the occasion, Chief Eduwu Ekhator, the Obasogie of Benin Kingdom, commended the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole for his strides in enhancing unity among the ethnic groups in the state. He said all these were achieved through economic
Jennifer weds Lawrence The solemnization of marriage between former Miss Obasohan E. Jennifer and Mr. Osayande Lawrence Jeffrey (based in Australia) took place on Friday 20th September, 2013 at the Oredo Local Government Council Marriage Registry in Benin City. Amongst those present were Mr. Efosa Osayande, Mr. Obasohan O. Jeffrey, family members, relations, friends and well wishers. Picture shows the couple at the Registry. Congratulations .Photo: SONNIE. E.
empowerment, enhanced education and provision of employment to the people of the state. He therefore charged the people to imbibe the culture of love, patriotism and positive participation in the state’s affairs so as to promote peace. Similarly, the chairman of the occasion, and Commandant, Nigerian Peace Corps, Patriot Mutairu Habib Odion stressed the importance of peace to national development. He noted that it was due to this that the UN set aside the day to canvass for world peace. The International Day of Peace is held every 21st day of September to sue for peace across the globe.
The Vigilante Group of Nigeria promoted some of its hard working officers. Photo shows from L-R: Bishop Nober Margaret Osarohvovo being presented certificate of promotion by the Edo State Commandant by Olushegun Adebusoye while others look on.
VGN Officers Tasked On Orderly Behaviour By DANIEL EDOBOR
OFFICERS and men of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) have been advised to behave themselves in an orderly manner, wherever they find
themselves in order to achieve the set objective of the group. Assistant Commandant General of the group Olutayo Odesanya gave this advice in Benin City recently while decorating some officers of
the group. He said the standard set by the Commandant General, Alhaji Ali Sokoto and Deputy Commandant must be strictly adhered to in other to get the best performance of the men and officers of the
NAF Vows To Win War Against Terror
THE Chief of Air Staff, AVM Alex Badeh, says the force will win the war against terror and insecurity in the country. Badeh gave the assurance in Enugu at the weekend while inaugurating blocks of flats built for air officers and men. The chief of air staff said that the military was doing everything within its power to
tackle terror, noting that terrorists would be wiped out in no distant time. “We are aware that the Commander in Chief, President Jonathan, declared state of emergency in some states. “We have been doing our best. What we have noticed is that
Mahama Pledges Reform Continued from pg.1 this when former members of the Ghanaian parliament visited him. The statement quoted the president as saying that some form of reform was necessary to reposition the election body for effective service delivery. “Part of the beauty of democracy is credibility of elections; so we are ready to support a reform that will help deepen Ghana’s democratic credentials.’’ The president was also quoted as saying that his administration was ready to take steps that would boost socio-economic development in the country. “As a team, we are ready to work with all Ghanaians irrespective of their location and their ethnic, religious, political or geographical differences. “We are prepared to partner with those who are ready to provide their wealth of experience for the improvement of things in Ghana.’’ The president said the government was spending about 70 per cent of its revenue on payment of wages to workers. “Government has serious
interest in the welfare of its workers, but the current situation where about 70 per cent of the country’s revenue is spent on wages is worrisome. “The situation is clearly above the accepted global average which is about 30 per cent, it is really a source of worry to government,’’ Mahama said. He said that government would need to thread with caution in order to meet the challenges facing it from other sectors. Mr. Kosi Kedem, Leader of the delegation of former parliamentarians was also quoted to have congratulated Mahama on his victory in the election petition matter recently decided by the Supreme Court. Kedem urged the president to run an inclusive government as a way of fostering unity and bringing productive minds together in the pursuit of national development. “Ghana will be better developed when we exhibit a true sense of collectivism and patriotism in governance; this is what we want the government to pursue,’’ the statement quoted him as saying.
people living within the area of attack are the ones leading the attacks. “That is why it is difficult to know when the attacks are coming because they are not coming from far away. “We are winning the war because we are government, we are Nigerians. With time, they will wear out or we will kill all of them.’’ He urged the officers to make use of the building as their own and not treat it as ‘government property’. The Commander, 337 Base Services, Air Commodore Jacob Gbanwan, commended Badeh for the release of funds for the building. He noted that the projects would give a face-lift to the base and ease accommodation challenges faced by air officers in the state. “What we are witnessing today is a testimony to the fact that the Chief of Air Staff is fulfilling his vision to transform the Nigerian Air Force into a self-reliant and highly motivated professional force,’’ he said.
security outfit. He said members of the group will always be promoted through hard work stressing that any effort put into the service will always be noticed, adding that the work of the group was a selfless one without gratification but that they should hold their head above board in their task of working towards a crime free Edo State. Assistant Commandant General, Adesanya said that indiscipline has been abolished from the group, adding that every member of the group has to officially compliment a senior member, even if it is only one rank above him. Edo State Commandant of the group Olusegun Adebusoye also commended the officers being decorated for their dedication to the work of the group and service to the state. He later decorated them with their new ranks. Those decorated include Deputy Commandant Daniel Akeme in charge of Admin, Sylvester Benson to the rank of Deputy Commandant in charge of intelligence and Raymond Ogbemudia to Assistant Commandant in charge of Training.
Sokoto Customs Command Collects N73m Revenue
THE Sokoto State Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service collected about N73 million revenue in August. The area command covers Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states. Mr. Bamidele Akande, the Area Comptroller, told newsmen in Sokoto yesterday that the command adopted some new measures that led to the feat
recorded. “Proactive security measures have been adopted by the command to ensure that all vehicles coming into the country paid all relevant customs duties’’. Akande said that already, all identified smuggling routes had been blocked by competent and dedicated officers to ensure the arrest and prosecution of offenders.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
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APC Loses Bid To Stop Ebonyi Council Polls A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abakaliki, at the weekend dismissed a suit brought before it by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the decision of the state electoral body to adopt open ballet system during the council polls. The Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) said it would use
‘Option A 4’ for the conduct of council polls due to hold on Septrmber 28. Justice Miriam Onyekwunu, in her judgment ruled that EBSIEC had the right under the 2010 electoral Act (as amended) to conduct the council polls using open ballot voting system. She added that the state electoral body also had the right under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to do so.
Onyekwunu said the right to personal secrecy as provided by Section 37 of the 1999 constitution as amended, did not extend to election matters but only to a person’s private life and property. The judge contended that open ballot system of voting would not constitute a violation of the right of the voter. According to her, the choice
of voting is a decision only the voter can make adding that the voter may decide to stay at home during the voting process. “Voting, though a civic responsibility, is a thing of choice as both electoral Act and the 1999 constitution did not criminalise refusal to vote. “It is my considered opinion that the decision by the Ebonyi
electoral body to use option A4 ballot system has neither contravened the constitution nor violates the fundamental rights of the voter. “The voter is at liberty to vote whoever he or she wants to vote without necessarily concealing his or her identity. “Accordingly, the suit is hereby dismissed as lacking in locus and in merit,’’ Onyekwunu ruled. No cost was, however,
awarded against the plaintiff. Reacting to the judgment, the Counsel to APC, Mr Godwin Onwsi, said the party would file an appeal after it must have studied the judgement. “Well, my Lord has delivered her ruling and we are going to study it critically. “Don’t forget that we have the right of appeal, we must definitely appeal against the judgement of the lower court,’’ Onwusi said.
THE European Union (EU) Delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said at the weekend that exports from Nigeria to Europe had reached a volume of 28 billion euros. Mr Massimo De Luca, EU Trade Counsellor, told newsmen at a briefing in Lagos that the 2nd European Union-Nigerian Business Forum would hold between October 3 and 4, in Lagos. According to him, Europe is the biggest market for Nigeria’s non-oil commodities, as there is an estimated 40 billion Euros of European investment holdings in Nigeria. “Europeans have enjoyed a business relationship, which spans through several decades with Nigerian entrepreneurs. “They have been exporting cocoa, rubber, cotton and leather to Europe, for a long time,” he said. Mr David MacRae, Head, Delegation of EU to Nigeria, said that the forthcoming business forum was a platform for Public/Private Partnerships to strengthen ties between Nigeria and the EU. “The value of the combined connection between Nigeria and Europe is immeasurable and probably underestimated. “Despite the general economic upheavals of the last few years, the EU remains the biggest trade and investment partners to Nigeria. “The forum will create
opportunities to leverage our business connections beyond figures, into bigger relationships that will create prospects for many people,” he said. MacRae also said that the forum would focus on projecting Nigeria as a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) country, to the rest of the world. “The SMEs are key in developing supply chains and creating jobs. “A market that is not SMEfriendly, cannot deliver on developments from production to post-sales services. “The EU connected SMEs possess high levels of business and technical knowhow and they are constantly looking for investment opportunities around the world,’’ MacRae said. Miss Jennifer Anoyika, Chief Operating Officer, Nigerian-German Business Association, said that the forum would hold annually, henceforth. According to her, it will also focus on the business, energy, construction and agricultural sectors of the economy. The forum is being organized by 12 European countries, in collaboration with the EU Delegation to Nigeria. A fashion show and a movie festival would form part of side attractions during the forum.
Nigeria/Europe Trade Volume Hits 28 Billion Euros
Cross section of participants at the 2013 International Day of Peace at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City yesterday.
Faculty Concession Framework Responsible ALHAJI Olayiwola Shittu, For Poor Port Services - ANLCA National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has blamed the total concession of Nigerian ports for their poor services. Shittu told reporters at the weekend in Lagos that some stakeholders had pointed out some problem areas in the current arrangement when the port concession began seven years ago. He said that even neighbouring countries did not allow total privatisation of their ports to allow for government’s regulations to ensure standard port services. “When the ports concession was done seven years ago, some of us pointed out that it was not well thought-out because no country privatises all its terminals. “Countries which are our neighbours did not embark on 100 per cent privatisation, they simply formed a consortium where the government’s interest is vital. “It means that government has some control in each of the terminals which should have been the case with the Nigerian Ports Authority,” Shittu said. He said that operators could
not do things with impunity, but worked within the timeframe to offer efficient services in countries where the government were part of the port operations. Shittu said that the objective of boosting inflow of foreign exchange through the concession had failed because terminal operators were only developing infrastructure with what they made from the business. “Almost all the terminals are doing their expansion and renovation and buying equipment from the monies that they are making, rather than bringing in direct investments,’’ he said. Shittu said that lack of close monitoring had made the terminal operators to carve out small areas of operation which were not standard enough. “These terminals are cannibalised into small spots with each company taking care of its own area, but the facility within that small areas cannot meet the standard terminal requirements. “Some of the terminals don’t have offices for customs officers to operate and you cannot run a
terminal without customs presence,” he said. The ANLCA president said that both the empty and laden containers were contesting for spaces because provisions were not made for holding bays. Shittu said that apart from this, the terminals did not have warehouses to send containers to. He said these deficiencies had slowed down operations, including the positioning of containers for examination at the right time. “These are the reasons the
clearance process is slow. You can imagine that it takes between 10- 14 days for cargoes to be examined after booking for the positioning,” Shittu said. He said the combination of these challenges had caused importers to patronise ports in neighbouring countries where the processes were prompt and efficient. Shittu said the inefficiencies in port operations could be solved if the Nigerian Ports Authority introduced some regulations.
Investors Urge FG To Refurbish Alpha Beach To Boost Tourism
MR. Tunde Awujale, spokesman of Alpha Beach Tourism Investors Association has appealed to the federal government to renovate the Alpha Beach in Lagos to boost tourism. The beach which is located on the Atlantic shores off the Lagos-Lekki expressway is a heaven for tourists all year round. Awujale , who spoke with newsmen at the weekend said the beach was one of the outstanding public beaches in
Lagos with some degree of facilities that met the standard of international tourists who visit the place all year round. The association made its position known following the closure of the beach by the government following an ocean surge that killed eight persons on October13, 2011. Awujale described the beach as one of the international tourist destinations in the
country, saying there is need for renovation before it is reopened. According to him, the Alpha Beach is one of the public beaches in Nigeria where tourists feel very safe and are well received anytime. “All we are asking government is to retain the beach as a public beach because it is very popular with tourists,’’
Awujale said. He advised the government to carry the association along in its decisions on the beach and on ways to develop it to attract more tourists. “We are expecting that government should give us some reprieve as partners. “We should be carried along in what government is planning to do right now because we are stakeholders.
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NEWS
Youths Brainstorm On Ways To Improve Youth Participation In Agric
YOUTHS in the agriculture sector in Abuja have met to deliberate on ways to drive the youth agenda on environment and agriculture in country, The meeting tagged : ‘’National Youth Round Table on National Youth Manifesto on Agriculture,’’ was convened to discuss a blueprint to guide the government on the needs of youths. The Chief Executive Officer of Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative, an NGO, Ms Nkiruka Nnamego, said that the meeting was necessary to push forward the youths’ demands from the government. ‘’The idea is for us to push forward the youth agenda because we realised that young people constitute over 60 per cent of the Nigerian population. ‘’There is nothing we can do without getting young people involved. ‘’We are complaining about the unemployment rate, we are complaining
about the insecurity in the country; of course, there is food insecurity as well. ‘’So, if we must promote all these in a positive way, we need to mainstream young people into what the government is doing; the projects, that is, the Agricultural Transformation Agenda. ‘’We need to involve every Civil Society Organization, the private sector and the media.’’ Nnamego explained that the project, which started in July 2013, in collaboration with Oxfam Nigeria, was targeted to campaign for the ‘Right to Food Bill’. She added that it was also to campaign for the implementation of the Maputo Declaration on agriculture and food security. ‘’The Nigerian Government has endorsed this declaration and the declaration asked for 10 per cent budgetary allocation to agriculture, but at the moment, Nigeria is below three per cent. ‘’We feel that at the
moment that there is a need for us to support what the government is doing to ask for more investment in agriculture. ‘’There is also a need to promote small-scale agriculture because that is where children, women and the youths come in.’’ she said. One of the participants, Mrs Bridget Osakwe, a
representative of West Africa Network for Peace Building in Nigeria, an NGO, noted that there was the need for youths in the country to put in more efforts toward making a difference. ‘’Youths are responsible for the change we need and the energy to drive this country forward is in them. ‘’We need that energy in the agriculture sector; we
need people who will monitor the money that is consistently being allocated to agriculture.’’ She advised young females in the rural areas to follow the footsteps of their mothers to participate in production, since women were recognized as contributing most in food production. This, she added, would guarantee the future of the
next generation. Another participant, Mr Thomas Tormen, the Programme Manager, Nigerian Association of Women in Agriculture, North Central zone, emphasised the need for the implementation of government policies in the rural areas. He noted that much agricultural activities were ongoing at the grassroots and so new agricultural initiatives must target specific regions or states for full implementation.
Osun HoS Wants Teachers To Embrace ICT
THE Head of Service (HOS) in Osun, Mr Sunday Owoeye, at the weekend advised teachers in the state to embrace Information Communication Technology (ICT) to be at par with global trend. Owoeye made the call in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo. The head of service, who spoke on the sideline of a seminar organized for newly recruited teachers into the state primary schools, noted that ICT would help teachers in the discharge of their official duties. He also advised the teachers to be contented with their earnings and guard their pupils to be of good character. He said “the process that brought you in as teachers into the state primary education is an indication of credibility that remains our watchword in Osun. “This is the first time any state government in Nigeria will engage the service of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board for the purpose of conducting aptitude test for applicants. “We are consciously doing this to guide against inefficiency in our public
schools as primary education is the bedrock of all the strata of education.’’ Owoeye said the rationale behind the training was to enhance the teachers’ intellectual quality and performance in the classroom. “Certainly, special blessing is awaiting you from God if you commit yourself to this job without cutting corners,’’ he said. He said the last recruitment in which 3,000 teachers were employed was unprecedented in the history of the state.
Internally displaced persons from Nasarawa crisis taking refuge at the Palace of the Osana of Keana, Nasarawa State weekend.
4 Farming Communities Get N4m Agric THE Agriculture and Rural empower the people at the Management Training Loan From Institute grassroots as well as enhance Institute (ARMTI) has given The acting DirectorN4 million loan to four farming communities through its newly launched Rural Development Initiative.
General of the institute, Mr Samuel Afolayan, said during the ceremony in Ilorin that the initiative took into
cognisance the peculiarities of the people of the four communities. Afolayan said that the initiative was designed to
Community Leader Tasks Bayelsa On Provision “Our people are not happy MR Jacob Bonzom, the over inadequate Of Potable Water Chairman, Onopa Community Development Committee (CDC) in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, has called on the state government to provide potable water for the people of the community. Bonzom told reporters at the weekend in Yenagoa that the community lacked potable water. “Issues bothering my community are much; we don’t have good roads, our
schools are not conducive for learning, and most importantly, no potable water. “Our water has been polluted by oil; we do not have drinkable water; we only depend on the sachet water popularly known as “pure water.” “We cannot drink from the ocean; water has been the major challenge in my place and water is a necessity to human life. “I urge the government to
come to our aid by providing us with water because we have contributed immensely to the development of this state. “My community is one of the oil producing areas, so we need government to assist us.’’ He expressed the resolve of the people of the community to continue to press their demand for the provision of infrastructure that would make life bearable for them.
infrastructure in my community and we cannot keep quiet until the government comes to our aid.” “We need those amenities, especially standard schools to enable our people to meet with global challenges.’’ Bonzom, however, described Onopa community as a peaceful and loving place” and urged youths and chiefs in the area not to relent in their effort to sustain existing peace in the area.
agriculture in the rural areas. He identified the four communities in Ifelodun and Ilorin South Local Government areas of the state as Falokun-Oja, Fufu, Elerinijare and Idofian, which are predominantly agrarian communities. Afolayan said the initiative would empower the rural communities and improve food production and security. In his speech, Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed, represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Bode Olayemi, said that the government would partner with stakeholders to key into rural development initiatives. Reports indicate that about 160 farmers are expected to benefit from the loan.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Let Go Of The Old MEMORISE: “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.” GOD is doing a new thing but some people are not prepared for it. In fact, some people have become so used to suffering that they are afraid of experiencing something different. I once prayed for somebody that when he is coming to the next convention of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, he would come in his own car. I noticed he did not say amen so I asked
him if he heard what I said. He said he heard but that when one gets a car, he will begin to bother about mechanic, insurance, fuel shortage and so on. There are some people who prefer to die poor. Why? They believe that if they are rich, armed robbers will begin to harass them; but are the poor also not victims of this? If you were to compare, you will find out that being rich is still
better than being poor, being full is better than being empty, progress is better than stagnation, etc. However, for the new to begin, the old must end. Take for example when Jacob experienced a change of name in Genesis 32:24-28, before he could be called Israel, his old name Jacob was done away with. God also changed Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. If there is going to be a new beginning in your life, be prepared to part with old habits, thinking and stereotypes. If you think being sick gives joy I believe you need
E. A. ADEBOYE On Sunday to think again. If you think that poverty will get you into Heaven, you do need to rethink. You can be the poorest man in the world and still end up in the hottest part of hell, whereas you can be the richest man on earth and still be a king in Heaven. The deciding factor is not what you have or do not have, but salvation through faith in Jesus
Christ. God does not train His children with sicknesses contrary to what some people think. He received stripes for you to be healed. He has paid for your healing already because He does not want you to be sick. He gains nothing
in delaying your miracle. Make bold to receive with thanksgiving, what He has already accomplished for you on the Cross. Are you ready to let go of the old so that the new can have its course?
ACTION POINT Ask God for the grace to completely leave the old for new blessings.
“If there is going to be a new beginning in your life, be prepared to part with old habits, thinking and stereotypes.”
WORLD NEWS Watchdog Gets Details Of Sylian Chemical production facilities. Arsenal However, diplomatic
TECHNICAL experts at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons were reviewing Saturday a further disclosure from Syria about its chemical weapons programme. A day earlier, the body that polices the global treaty outlawing chemical weapons said it had received a preliminary submission from Syria. No details have been released of what is in the Syrian declarations, and OPCW spokesman Michael Luhan refused to give any more information about the latest submission. Under a U.S.-Russia agreement aimed at swiftly ridding Syria of its chemical arsenal, Damascus had until Saturday to submit a full list to the organization of its chemical weapons and production facilities so they can be secured and destroyed. U.S. officials said last week that Washington and Moscow agreed that Syria had roughly 1,000 metric tons (1,100 tons) of chemical weapon agents and precursors, including blister agents, such as sulfur and mustard gas and nerve agents like sarin. In the aftermath of the U.N. report that concluded sarin had been used in an August 21 attack in Damascus, the Hague-based chemical weapons watchdog is looking for ways to fast-track moves to secure and destroy Syria’s arsenal of poisonous gas and nerve agents as well as its
efforts to speed up the process are moving slowly. A meeting initially scheduled for Sunday at which the organization’s 41nation executive council was to have discussed a U.S.-Russian plan to swiftly rid Syria of chemical weapons was postponed Friday. No new date has yet been set for the meeting and no reason given for its postponement. Under the U.S.-Russia agreement brokered last weekend in Geneva, inspectors will be on the ground in Syria by November. During that month, they are to complete their initial assessment and all mixing and filling equipment for chemical weapons is to be destroyed. All components of the chemical weapons programme are to be removed from the country or destroyed by mid-2014. The destruction plan of action will be backed by a U.N. Security Council resolution. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday he talked to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, about Syria’s chemical weapons. “I had a fairly long conversation with Foreign Minister Lavrov,” Kerry said in Washington. “We talked about the cooperation which we both agreed to continue to provide, moving not only toward the adoption of the OPCW rules and regulations, but also a resolution that is firm and strong within the United Nations. We will continue to work on that.” The Organization for the
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Chicago Police Search For Suspects In Back Of The Yards Shooting
CHICAGO Police searched for suspected gang members who opened fire with an assault weapon at a park, wounding 13 people including a 3-year-old boy, in an attack that has highlighted Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s struggle to stem violence. Up to three gunmen used at least one assault-style weapon with a high-capacity ammunition clip to fire on a crowd in the city’s Back of the Yards neighborhood late on Thursday, Chicago Police
Superintendent Garry McCarthy said. The shooting, on a warm night as residents were enjoying a basketball game, came 10 days after Emanuel and McCarthy held a press conference nearby to claim success in a strategy of flooding 20 high-crime neighborhoods with police. Back of the Yards was not among the neighborhoods receiving police reinforcements under the plan, McCarthy said.
He blamed lax U.S. gun control laws for allowing assault weapons on the streets and complicating efforts to curb violence in Chicago, which has one of the worst murder rates in the country and sees more violent crime than the more populous cities of New York and Los Angeles. “A military-grade weapon on the streets of Chicago is simply unacceptable,” McCarthy said. “This kind of shocks the consciousness just like the
other high-profile incidents that happen across this country. The Chicago shooting followed the killing of 12 people at the Navy Yard in Washington on Monday by a man with a history of gunrelated offenses and treatment for mental illness. Emanuel’s office said he canceled meetings in Washington on Friday and returned to Chicago, where he went to a hospital to visit Deonta Howard, the 3-yearold boy police said was critically wounded by a bullet entering his ear. Late on Friday the mayor attended a prayer vigil during which he urged witnesses to come forward and the shooters to surrender. “For a city to have its sense of civility, its sense of community, it must live by a moral code, not a code of silence,” Emanuel said at the New Beginnings Church, some 5 miles west of where the shooting occurred. “So many times in our community when violent things happen, they think we’re savages, they think we’re animals, they think that we’re anything but human,” New Beginnings Pastor Corey Brooks said at the vigil, which drew about 60 people. “When our kids get shot, it hurts us, it pains us. When our community has to endure violence it hurts us and it pains us as well.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Couple Plots To Rape Their Unborn Child
A couple started a family so that they could rape their own children. Jonathan and Sarah Adleta have been found
guilty of child-sex charges and face many years, possibly life, in prison. The children involved? Their own
daughter and son, and possibly the most twisted part of all of it? They reportedly began planning the sexual
13-Year-Old Girl Begins Masters 200 rupees (less than $3.50) Studies for laboring on construction
IN a country where many girls are still discouraged from going to school, Sushma Verma is having anything but a typical childhood. The 13-year-old girl from a poor family in north India has enrolled in a master’s degree in microbiology, after her father sold his land to pay for some of his daughter’s tuition in the hope of catapulting her into India’s growing middle class.Verma finished high school at 7 and earned an undergraduate degree at age 13 — milestones she said were possible only with the sacrifices and encouragement of her uneducated and
impoverished parents. “They allowed me to do what I wanted to do,” Verma said in an interview Sunday, speaking her native language of Hindi. “I hope that other parents don’t impose their choices on their children.” Sushma lives a very modest life with her three younger siblings and her parents — eating, sleeping and studying alongside them in a cramped single-room apartment in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state. Their only income is her father’s daily wage of up to
sites. their most precious possessions include a study table and a second-hand computer. It is not a great atmosphere for studying, she admitted. “There are a lot of dreams … All of them cannot be fulfilled.” But having no television and little else at home has advantages, she said. “There is nothing to do but study.” Sushma begins her studies next week at Lucknow’s B. R. Ambedkar Central University, though her father is already ferrying her to and from campus each day on his bicycle so she can meet with teachers before classes begin. Her first choice was to become a doctor, but she cannot take the test to qualify for medical school until she is
abuse long before the children were even born. Sarah, who pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and could serve up to 30 years in prison, reportedly testified that while she was dating her ex-husband, Jonathan, he would discuss sexual situations between fathers and daughters and even said he wanted “daddy-daughter sex.” Jonathan reportedly said that he would only marry Sarah if she agreed to his plan. While this would be enough to make most women run for their lives — and call 911 on their way out the door — Sarah went along with it because she wanted to “be with him.” And a year after they were married, she gave birth to their daughter. While it’s unfathomable that any woman would agree to this, Sarah reportedly told jurors that she would do whatever it took to be with Jonathan, because he was just that much of a winner, folks. Sarah and Jonathan, who is reportedly a former Marine, eventually divorced. You think this would at least get the daughter away from her sick father, but Sarah reportedly continued to allow her ex to sexually abuse their daughter over Skype and during visits. Sadly, even if Sarah had balked at Jonathan’s horrific plan, he was intent on finding a child to victimize. In fact, after his divorce, his new girlfriend allegedly allowed him to abuse her young daughter. The idea that a woman would willingly give birth to a child so that her child could become prey to a sexual predator is sickening to say the least. Hopefully these two won’t see freedom for a very long time, maybe never
Man Fractures Girlfriend’s Eye Socket And Nose
Woman Kills Own Children
PEOPLE go to extremes just to make sure another person isn’t happy. In this case, a mother took her level of disdain for the father of her children to an inexcusable level. A woman murdered her children after it was rul custody of the children should go to the father. Although many details are being withheld due to the age of the children, it has been reported that 42-year-old Marilyn Edge murdered her 13-year-old autistic son and nine-year-old daughter after a judge declared the children should be returned to the primary custody of the children’s father. Prosecutors believe Edge poisoned her kids. As the story goes, Marilyn Edge and her ex-husband Mark had been in a very long feud over the custody of their son Jaleel and daughter Faith. Marilyn Edge lost the case while the kids were in her care, which was a Wednesday. She texted Mark
Edge that she would bring the children back to his home on the upcoming Sunday. However, Jaleel and Faith never made it back to their father’s house because their mother poisoned them on Saturday. Once Mark Edge was notified about what happened to his kids, he was taken to the hospital for stress. Marilyn Edge tried to take her own life as well, but was caught by police before she could succeed. She was driving a car and crashed it into an electrical box. when people tried to help her, she refused to get out of the car and even wrapped an electrical cord around her neck as people tried to free her from the car. If convicted of two counts of murder with special circumstances, she could face the death penalty.
YOU would think that when you tell your man you’re not feeling good and not in the mood for sex, he would be understanding and allow you to rest and gain your strength. But for one Arizona woman, her request to sit one sexual escapade out because of illness was met with a fist to the face by her boyfriend, the violent encounter left her with a messed up eye and nose, and having to make a mad dash out of her home to get help. According to the New York Daily News, a man from Mesa, Arizona has been arrested for allegedly beating up his girlfriend of three months because she told him she was too sick to have sex. Jose Perez, 33, reportedly beat the woman early on Sunday morning after he arrived intoxicated to the home they were staying at. According to the girlfriend, Perez hit her after she declined and then threatened her if she called authorities. So she laid down with him and pretended to go to sleep,
only to run out of the house to a neighbor’s residence while Perez was asleep to call the police. Once authorities arrived on the scene, the victim was transported to the hospital while Perez was arrested. Perez denied abusing her, but couldn’t provide an explanation for her injuries, even though he admits that they were the only two adults in the house at the time. The girlfriend was left with fractures to the eye socket and nose.
Odd News Compiled By EJIROGHENE ONOJETA
Hospital Needs Blood From 100 Virgins A research hospital in China caused outrage when they requested for female virgin blood. According to report, Peking University Cancer Hospital in China put out a request for ages 18 to 24. “Male virgins are not needed, just females, how is this science?” posted one highlycited user of a Chinese social media service similar to Twitter. The Hospital spokeswoman Guan Jiuping insisted that there is nothing sinister in their need for the blood. She claimed that researchers were doing studies on the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is usually transmitted through sexual contact. Guan says:
“It’s in line with international practice to collect female virgins’ blood samples, which serve as negative control substances in HPV research, given that the risk of contracting HPV is low among women who have never had sex. Too much attention to sensitive words like ‘virgin’ and sex is not necessary in this context.” Researchers said virgin blood is helpful because risk for the virus is low among women who have not had sex. So far, 50 self-proclaimed virgins have donated their blood to science, it was reported. However, the number of actual virgins may be smaller, because the hospital is taking all the donors at their word.
IN a very tragic incident, a mother who starved her fouryear-old son to death and kept his mummified corpse in a cot in her bedroom for almost two years while claiming his child benefit has been arrested. Hamzah Khan’s body was still dressed in a baby-grow when police made the ‘dreadful discovery’ at Amanda Hutton’s house in Bradford, West Yorkshire. His mother’s manslaughter trial heard Hamzah died in December 2009 but was found 21 months later.It was revealed in court that the boy, four, was so small he fitted into clothes for a six-month-old child. He was found dead next to his favourite teddy in the room where Hutton, a habitual cannabis smoker who drank a litre of vodka every day, slept each night. Neighbours complained because of the smell from her house and when she started tossing soiled nappies into her garden. ‘Hamzah’s growth had been stunted,’ the prosecutor said. ‘It had been stunted because he was malnourished over a lengthy period and that state of affairs
resulted in his death. ‘in short, he starved to death. The body was discovered when police became concerned about the smell coming from her house Evidently, the body was found within a court in Hutton’s bedroom, beneath other items. ‘What they discovered disturbed even hardened officers,’ he said. huttonmurd It was also revealed that Hutton ordered pizza within hours of her son’s death and continued to claim child benefit for him.
A criminal sent to prison by magistrates after being on the run for four months had to be freed – because cuts meant the cells were shut.
Ryan Goss – sentenced to 16 weeks for breaching a community service order – was released to hang around in court buildings to be taken to jail. He said: “Last year, when I did a runner they couldn’t catch me for four months and now they’re putting all this trust in me. “If it was a longer stretch there would be no chance I’d be waiting here.” Funding cuts mean cells at Worcester are closed Tuesdays and Thursdays. So he was asked politely to wait for somebody to take him to jail. The prisoner passed time by eating a chocolate bar, smoking in the toilets, and phoning work. He even chatted to pals and arranged for clothes to be taken to him in prison.
Mother Kills Son, Hides Corpse For Two Years
Thursday Saves A Criminal
12-Year-Old Dies From Ant Bites During Football Game A 12-year-old Texas boy has died after apparently suffering a severe allergic reaction to ant bites while warming up for the second half of a middle school football game. Officials confirmed Tuesday that Cameron Espinosa died days after being bitten multiple times by fire ants. Corpus Christi school district spokeswoman Lorette Williams says the boy used a water bottle to try and remove the ants, but he
eventually fell unconscious last Wednesday. He was taken to a hospital and was hospitalized in critical condition. The eighthgrader died Monday. The game resumed after Cameron was transported to the hospital, but it was later halted when the severity of his condition became apparent. Williams says the boy didn’t know he was allergic to ants. The district had no record of allergies.
THE SUNDAY
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
RELIGION
True Repentance
HAVE you ever been so sure of yourself, ignorantly and consciously before.., it might be so funny, but this is a height I do not think, anybody wants to get to. At that point when you rely so much on your physical and mental strength to survive in this life’s terrain, you are susceptible and nearest to one of your falls. Scriptures was in full understanding of this terrain that is why it said: ‘wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall” I Cor. 10:13;. Proper understanding of this scripture comes to the mind, if you study the verses 12 and 14 of I Cor 10. This is however not saying that you should always forget your personality as a Christian, for “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God seed remains in him: he can not go on sinning, because he has been born of God” I John 3:9 (NIV) but that our strength to surmount and live above sin comes from following and adhering to the ever present framework made available for the survival of sons in this present generation, the seal of our salvation and teacher of all truths - The HOLY SPIRIT: immediately your confidence shifts from reliance on God to total reliance on the confidence you have in yourself, failure is knocking at your door. Also, the position of every Christian in this world is for him to play according to the rules and principles of the realm which he operates in (Eph 1:20,), when you leave your position of power and sonship to try to navigate spiritual truths with the principles of the world your boat might be sailing, but check it very well for leakages, before the water overtakes the boat and it capsizes. Paul had the understanding of his fallibility, explains his situation in Romans 7:17-25 and the verse in Romans 8: 1 is the stinger that acts as check and balances, and that is why he says that irrespective of the great revelations that is made available to him, a thorn was
given him in his flesh to keep him from being conceited, hence his strength now comes from the power of God upon his life, and upon that alone will he boast (2 Cor 12: 7 - 16). The place of properly laying this background, is for us to have something to fall back on when the going gets a little bit rougher, but please I do want us to know that His grace is sufficient for us to surmount every challenge that this world throws at us and His hand of infinite mercy is available at those points where we fall gullible to the wiles and caprices of this world. When we were yet sinners He died for us and loved us, talkless of now that we have being redeemed by His blood, who says he is not interested in us when we fall. Moreover, do not be deceived! Your misbehaviour does not take God away from you, rather it takes you away from Him, because your mind judges and condemns you. Then when you fall you are unworthy to stand before His presence and you run away,.. and when He comes in the cool of the evening after you have messed up and shouts Adam! Adam! we make excuses and hide ourselves from Him (as if we can). But when He comes, please do not feel that way, check out; at those points when you fall, Daddy always comes around you, ready to lift you up when you fall,., for He cares much (this is not a guarantee to sin, for there are blessings that come along with staying holy; it is better to grow up with little or no scars than plague your life with scars). For the sake of reference do not ever measure the distance away from God based on your acts, only God has the yardsticks for effective judgment. This most times is one of the pitfalls that a Christian experiences, “we lie with pride and when we hear fornication, it sounds like grave!” How do I know that, scripture equates disobedience and stubbornness with witchcraft, hatred and murder, outline liars as those that will
By OLUGBEMIRO MICHAEL .O.
have their part in the lake of fire, what now makes you think a sin is larger than the other. Do not base your remorse and repentance on the world’s measurement of sin, but just get back to your Father and hear what He wants you to do and how He wants you to think. The struggle with thought patterns and the presentations of the mind on issues bothering on sin kills most times faster than the sin involved. In this dispensation where you do not look for sin but sin looks for you to the innermost of hideouts, when it sees that you are growing and might not fall for the obvious, it comes in the subtle. The only way for us to survive is to get to know what the father has made available for us in all situations. At every point in time of our life, He has made available pathways to get back to Him, and that way is
II:29;). You cannot be so distressed that God cannot pick you up; you cannot be so dirty that God cannot clean you up; you cannot be so far that He cannot bring you near... no situation leaves you so worst, that the Father is not there for you. Furthermore, what differentiates a son from a servant is that, irrespective of the actions of a son, a father that loves the son will always look for ways to make sure the child is better. So also in this case, as God’s children (1 John 3:2) He will always look for avenues to bring you back to His ways, we as Christians are meant to be an extension of God our Father here on earth (we were created in His image and likeness), At every point in time, He is always ready to bring you back to His original intention, He demonstrated this by sending his only
Jesus; no wonder scripture says that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the Iife. ( John 14 6), knowing that way and how to go about it is easier when we learn of Him (Matt
begotten son to come and die for us at the cross of Calvary: Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. I
am a son of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3: 26), He even gave us assurance of our sonship by giving us a seal i.e. His Spirit; Romans 8:1416 “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God..! The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” Hence all the packages and goodies that are accrued to a son are befitting to me, when a child offends; the father does not kill him rather he scolds him, makes him understand and puts him on the right track. If our earthly father that loves us will do this for us, don’t you think much more will be done for us by our heavenly Father? God does not condemn His children, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1, NIV). Majority of the times in our bid to help God feel bad, we wallow in guilt, give ourselves punishments of all sorts and then pass judgments on ourselves. I am
than you have created. Do not allow the accuser of the brethren to push you out of the knowledge of your personality, in your bid to feel remorse. Any remorse that is not spirit led is a waste of time; it is just a consolation of the flesh. The seal of our salvation and our sonship is always available and ready to help us out in situations of falling, if only we listen to Him. Sometimes the fact that we knew, we heard Him talk before ‘falling makes the guilt stain tough to wash off, but there is no stain tougher than the blood of Jesus Christ. David understood the importance of the Spirit of God in the repentance process and that was why he prayed that “Create in me a pure heart, 0 God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence or take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me” (Psalm 51:10-12. NIV).
not in any way against remorse and repentance, it is essential and compulsory, but do not go to the extreme of condemning yourself and creating a bigger gap between you and Jesus
Repentance outside the Spirit of God is futile, and adherence to the spirit is important to keep guilt from you and equip you with the knowledge to surmount the challenges brought by the accuser.
“At every point in time of our life, He has made available pathways to get back to Him, and that way is Jesus; no wonder scripture says that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the Iife. ( John 14 6), knowing that way and how to go about it is easier when we learn of Him (Matt II:29;). You cannot be so distressed that God cannot pick you up; you cannot be so dirty that God cannot clean you up; you cannot be so far that He cannot bring you near... no situation leaves you so worst, that the Father is not there for you.”
THE SUNDAY
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Planting Trees To Protect The Environment
The importance attached to planting of trees in our environment and protecting our forest against deforestation, cannot be over emphasized, as the various roles played by these trees in making our environment safe and healthy for human habitation brings to the fore the need for all to encourage tree planting and protect our forest against illegal falling of trees. Nigeria is situated in the southern part of the Sahara desert; it’s trees, woods and forests are important and much-loved natural asset. They produce fuel and wood, support plant and animal life and help reduce climate change and its effects whether they are single street trees or networks of woodland in the forest, they provide leisure, recreation, natural beauty and employment. Trees are necessary for our survival, for it is through photosynthesis trees produce the gas that we cannot live without as humans, called oxygen (O2). As we breathe in, our bodies take in oxygen and when we breathe out, we release carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Trees do the opposite. They take in CO2 and release O2, so that people and animals can breathe. Trees are like natural air conditioners and water pumps. They cool the earth by giving shade and recycling water. By cooling the air and ground around them, the shade from trees help cool the earth’s overall temperature. They also help moderate the earth’s rainfall, which also helps keep the temperature cooler. This essential gift of nature has numerous uses
to man apart from being a source of food, it is also a source of medicine (herbs), furniture, stationeries, source of raw material for various industries in our environment. The uses of trees are virtually endless. It is due to these numerous uses that trees are hewed down every now and then, without replacement and the outcome is desertification, erosion and climate change. It is in view of these numerous benefits of trees in our environment and the need to preserve its existence, that the Edo state government under comrade Adams Alliu Oshiomole initiated the tree peace planting exercise, with the aim of encouraging tree planting among the populace. The governor while flagging off the 2013 tree planting campaign, supported by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Bert Ronhaar said: “it is important to begin not only to talk tough but act even tougher, we must recognize that it does not make sense to fall ten trees and then plant two to replace them”. The state government warned against illegal felling of trees as it would be firm in dealing with people who contravene the law while stressing that it would adopt pro-active measures on tree planting in our environment.
The state government also plans to enact and enforce environmental regulations and co-operate with relevant organizations to ensure strict adherence to environmental laws and regulations to check the general problems of flooding and erosion.
over 750,000 trees according to the comrade governor, while also setting a new target of two million trees before the end of his tenure. The government is not alone in this quest to protect our environment through the planting and presentation of trees, as
Environment With ANTHONY AIBANGBEE state government to protect our trees and forests. The need to protect our environment through tree planting should not be left to government and NGOs alone, because we as individuals have roles to play in ensuring the actualization of this lofty dream. We should reduce
to protect the forest and trees in our environment. There is the need to make sure our trees, forests and woodlands are properly managed and protected knowing that we rely on healthy forest and trees every day. It is in our best interest to appreciate, respect and preserve
Governor Oshiomhole planting a tree during the 2013 tree plainting campaigh with Mr. Bert Ronhaor
This giant step by the state government to preserve the future of our trees is not all, as the state government has recently revoked 109,000 hectares of de-reserved lands with a singular view to regenerate them, also it has 50,000 tree seedlings for planting in Ehor forest Reserve. Between the year 2009 and 2012, Edo state government has planted
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have ensured that trees are planted and woodlands preserved by supporting the state government through their enlightenment, advocacy and participatory campaigns across the state, example of such group is the Africa initiative for world peace who is partnering with the
the rate at which trees are being hewed down in our local or immediate environment, seek alternative source to trees and woods, try to plant as much trees as possible and discourage illegal falling of trees in our environment. We should not see the forest as a place to be devastated. The government and the people must work together
them. Although it is an acknowledged fact that in our day to day activities, we cannot do without make use of trees or counting down trees, but we should make sure that we are harvesting them sustainably, so that they will be around for future generations of human and wildlife to enjoy and use. So try as much as possible to plant trees today.
“This essential gift of nature has numerous uses to man apart from being a source of food, it is also a source of medicine (herbs), furniture, stationeries, source of raw material for various industries in our environment.”
THE SUNDAY
9
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
The Prerequisite For Good Health
IT is the desire of every human being to always stay healthy in life; any thing short of this brings sadness. Good health as the saying goes is wealth, there are so many people out there who are suffering from one sickness, or the other whereas in time past when science and technology was just in its infancy, human lived with little or no sickness, at that time people have no easy access to basic Amenities and infrastructure that we people of nowadays are enjoying, yet they lived a healthy life and grew old. Technological gadgets like cars, phones, micro wave cooker, blenders and AC etc has its own negative effects on health, this is because people of this generation do not like to stress themselves to do anything. However to live healthy demands certain things like eating right and keeping fit which often present a challenge. If one should follow the right eating habit this world of ours could be turned to a peaceful and convenient place to dwell in. One of the things to do in other to live healthy is to watch what you eat. Be careful about what you eat, food which has high level of cholesterol can cause disease in the body which makes the consumer unhealthy. What is cholesterol? According to the advanced learner dictionary, cholesterol is the substance found in blood, fats and most tissue of the body. High content of it can lead to high blood pressure, heart problem and other related diseases. The medical experts had warned against foods that are rich with it. A food such as egg is one of the foods which contain high level of cholesterol. According to the America association, eggs should not be readily consumed but eaten wisely. A maximum of three eggs a week is enough because an average size of egg yoke contains about 25mg of cholesterol. The lower the cholesterol level in our body, the safer it is and this will help us live a vibrant life. Nutritionist also advised that cholesterol level of three hundred milligram (300mg) a day is ideal for the body but could easily exceed if one
BY ROSELINE BINITIE
eats meat and other animal products during the day. Egg could also be a medium for transmission of deadly disease because just as
also be consumed moderately. Some of the food that taste so good are disguised as caffeines which create a
humans enjoy eating egg, so do micro organism. According to an article featured in the Journal of America diet association, about 60 species of salmonella germ exist in poultry and these causes disease in both men and animals, and has been observed that it will take baking heat sustained for half an hour to break the coat of some of these organisms this makes drinking raw egg and eaten of half cooked egg dangerous and an insidious poison. Fat is another food with high level of cholesterol fat which nutritional value is to give energy to the body in other word it serves as fuel to the human body as the petrol is the car. The main function of fat to the body is to serve as protective pad to the human body. There is danger inherent in consuming excess of fat, than can be used by the body for energy; this tends to raise the cholesterol level in the body thereby exposing consumers to the danger of heart attack and other related diseases. Other foods like milk, diary products should
favourable conditions for early death, the irony is that human being enjoyed living, yet the path to good and vigorous health is hardly pursued. Food such as tea and coffee should also be consumed with care; tea and coffee are stimulant, to some extent they intoxicate. Many other popular drinks are similar, its first effects is exhilaration which increases strength, arouse intellect and more vivid imagination with this the consumer thinks it is doing them good unknown to them tea and coffee does not nourish the system. The continuous consumption will lead to headache, wakefulness, palpition of the heart, indigestion, trembling and many other problems. Consumers are therefore, adviced to take small amount of it. Wine is a kind of food (drink) that should not be consumed any how, because it could lead to the habit of established drunkenness, because moderate drinking is the school through which men are educated for the drunkards career. It is so insidious that the high way to
ealth Watch
H
With ANTHONY AIBANGBEE
drunkenness is entered before the victim suspects the danger. Most drunkards claimed to be drinking because Jesus in the Bible turned water into wine. Sugar is contained in most
that boost your health is good eating habit. Chew your food well because it makes the food easy to digest, more over it is a means of exercising your teeth and gums, eat large food in the morning while in the evening eat small food the
of the refined foods as sweetening agent, it has its own disadvantage as well. Because it is made up of chemical substance sucrose derived from sugar cane. It can cause tooth decay because the deposits of the food we eat sticks to our teeth after every meal these are worked on by germs which in turn bring about diseases in the body, in addition to this, excess sugar decreases the protective strength of the white blood cells. Sugar should be consumed moderately as well. Another important thing
stomach, just as the body need to rest at night. Large food eaten in the evening causes poor rest of the brain which may sometimes lead to bad dreams. Drink enough clean water which must not necessarily be iced water but ordinary water to help the body pass out poison (harmful substance), drinking of plenty water helps the kidney to function well and helps the skin to sweat well to get rid of waste products or poisons. It is advisable to drink about 8 cups of water everyday between meals not within meals. One is likely to
develop kidney diseases if he or does not drink enough water. Furthermore, avoid the wrong eating habit that could cause problem to your health. Eating very hot or cold food makes the stomach work harder and that slows down digestion. Do not eat when you are very excited, tired, hot, anxious, upset or in a hurry, wait till you find rest or relief. You should not over eat, because this makes the body work harder. Indigestion can make one look tired. Also avoid eating between meals, your body and stomach need time to rest space your meals 5 hours apart. In addition to eating right to have a good health is keeping fit which is another therapy for a healthy leaving. To keep fit means the process of engaging in one physical activity or the other like running, jugging, jumping commonly referred to as exercise to make you look fit and healthy. Without exercise the muscles will atrophy, choose exercise as your best therapy instead of pharmacy (medicine), with the help of exercise more disease can be prevented from entering and developing in the body than any other drug you can think of. Exercises are of different types and forms, walking is one of the safest exercise for beginners. Avoid the use of vehicles every where you go, endeavour to walk some time to exercise your muscles. Jugging is another very good types of exercise and if you must jug see a qualified medical practitional. Choose the exercise that suits you, let it be a joy to you, not a burden. Cultivate the habit of exercise which ever style you choose be sure to use your leg which is your second heart, and if you find it difficult to wake up early in the morning for 20mins exercise then do it in the evening.
“One of the things to do in other to live healthy is to watch what you eat. Be careful about what you eat, food which has high level of cholesterol can cause disease in the body which makes the consumer unhealthy.�
THE SUNDAY
10
Continued from last week
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
So You’re A Christian?
YOU might want to ask, “how do I hurt God when I can not even see or feel Him or even when I don’t know about Him?” your not knowing about Him is enough reason for him to feel hurt because He wants you to be close to Him, to always be with Him. You don’t need to see someone before you can hurt the person. The mobile phones we carry now lets you communicate to each other and often times we get angry when speaking with someone, your words can hurt God because he hears every single thing you say, even the words you don’t say,
your thoughts. God has a big plan for us and that is to be with Him someday in Heaven, and that can only be possible if we accept Him as our God and master. We must do the things He ask us to and always trust His words to us. We don’t need to run away from Him, he doesn’t want to harm us, He just wants us to be friends. How can someone who loves you save you from bondage just to put you back in bondage? His
WHY has fitness center become so relevant today? Apart from the fact that people want to exercise to keep healthy, most people now go to the gym because of the food style which people are leading, mainly the fast life and the consequent fast food which result in unhealthiness and subsequently, short life span. The major reason is the style of food which we take. One major reason for the consumption and patronage of this fast food is because people are busy and this results to obesity. People are least bothered about their healthy body in the beginning, as time goes on they start to realize the changes that has been made in them as a result of this unhealthy food. It is human nature that after consulting a dietician, collecting directions from them and applying it for few days or probably months they fall back to their old food style. Compared to the previous generation, the present generation has short life span, one of the main reasons according to research is our food intake, people are advised to try and select healthy food in quality and not always about quantity alone. Doctors say that the metabolism rate varies in different people for some it is slow, while for others it is fast, people with slow metabolism rate put on weight very fast. Obesity is related to
weight of body, it differs in its terms like excess weight, relates to our bones, muscles. Obesity means excess fat in the body. This can be controlled if we can try to bring changes in the food available. Some people put on weight very soon, the reason may be genetic hereditary, food style etc. Obesity result to too many health problems like high blood pressure, diabetic, cancer and many other diseases. Steps can be taken to reduce your obese through proper exercise and healthy diet. Fast food that people depend on due to lack of time has a lot of calories which fills the stomach very fast like the popular junk food, burgers, pizza. Most times people don’t bother the moment they take food but later on when they realize they put on weight they run behind gym centers to burn it out. Alternatively we should try and take less amount of food which is healthy and do exercise regularly, by it, we can maintain our health to a certain level. According to many study, young adults that eat at fast food restaurants gain more weight and have increase in insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells within the pancreas. When the beta cells detect that food has been eaten, the cells releases insulin into the blood stream. Insulin triggers the body cells to allow glucose to enter
By NKECHI KALY
hand of friendship that is extended to you is very sincere and its out of love. Do we run from God because we don’t want anyone to be the boss of us or because we are confused on what to do? Being independent isn’t the best for us, because it can only lead us to paths we would later wish we had not taken. It’s a lawless and orderless life. What is really best for us and the people around us? God brought back order to a
chaotic world and what we should do is being thankful and not resentful towards the word and preachers of the word of God. For those that have gone through so much, with God beside you at all times because of your relationship with Him, you will agree with me that knowing God is the best thing that can ever happen to man. And that is why when we see people who just live their lives without considerations of people or what God wants, we feel such pity and have this zeal to teach the person about
BRIO With Francis Odupute
how to live and truly live. Because not knowing God is so unimaginable. And that is why we take so much time and make so much effort to let the world know that there is a God who can give them that orderliness and peace that they have been looking at the wrong place for. A God who makes a useless and worthless living useful and worthy. It may seem to you that you live worthlessly because you have no cars, mansions or private jets,
but remember that your real treasure is in Heaven and that your journey on earth is just for a while now and that your victory award awaits you. Having God in your life makes it beautiful and that makes your life worthy. Continually thank the Lord for His gift of righteousness. And always remember that ‘you are saved to save others. Use that mindset to conquer the world today and minister His word to the unsaved.
advice, and seminars should be organized regarding the unhealthy food that results to obesity, likewise one should take in food according to his/ her body metabolism. Eat healthy foods such as grain food, leafy vegetables and add more vegetables to our food. It is important to understand that obesity has certain health effect which are overweight, coronary
heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, hypertension, stroke, liver and gallbladder disease among others, It is therefore important that we watch our food intake and eat healthy meals.
Fast Food: A Threat To Body Fitness
A fast food joint them. The body’s cells need insulin for energy to perform necessary body functions. If glucose isn’t helped by insulin, the body’s cells starve and begin to break down fats to get energy. Children are not left out on obesity, it’s not because of the more food they take but because of the little activities they have, briefly to say an in-balance
between input and output. But for some it might be genetic problems. Try to add healthy foods for small children instead of double cream milk, give low fat milk, boiled vegetables, add black beans, give egg white only, avoid cheese products, processed food and many. In order to try and curb this situation, good
Vera Kilbakwache Mass Communications Department 300 Level University of Maiduguri
“In order to try and curb this situation, good advice, and seminars should be organized regarding the unhealthy food that results to obesity, likewise one should take in food according to his/her body metabolism. Eat healthy foods such as grain food, leafy vegetables and add more vegetables to our food.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
What Is Your Take On The Sacking Of 9 Ministers? THE recent sack of ministers in the federal cabinet by president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan took many Nigerians by surprise which has sparked off heated debates amongst the Nigerian populace as to the motive of the sack. Naked Truth went to town to get the views of Nigerians from different fields of human endeavour. They are here presented for your reading pleasure. Excerpts:The president exercised his discretionary power - Ikhuregbe Ernest Let us be reminded that the president did appoint his ministers and they were approved as prescribed by the relevant authorities. It is however unfortunate that the approval to sack is entirely his prerogative. This discretion is what he had graciously exercised. That the president decided to drop some of his Ministers after they have been tested is in order. It is not unlikely he needs new blood that would enhance the transformation agenda of his government. Quite frankly, the president should know whom he can rely on at this crisis period to bring the dividends of Democracy if his vision and aspiration is to be achieved Jonathan sacked them to win more loyalists - Comrade Obanor Friday To me, I think it is all politics, Jonathan did that just to win more loyalist to his side mostly now that he is walking the tight rope of securing his 2015 ambition which has torn his party,
was only being economical with the truth. Me think that the ministers were sacked because they were no longer loyal to the powers that be. the internal problem that is rocking the ruling party, which led to two factions, and the battle between Bamanga Tukur and Baraje’s factions could be one of the reasons the ministers’ were sacked. Whether the ministers performed well or not,
- David Onimisi Lawaiu An average politician is a political strategist. Mr. President sacked the ministers because of his political interest in 2015. The sacked ministers do not command huge followers in their states. He sacked them to enable him bring in politicians who could do his bidding come 2015. The example of minister for state education and information minister
Naked Truth Compiled By
Citizen Emma Okhakhu because they do not have what it takes to stand the murky water of Nigerian politics. Remover of any minister is a normal constitutional process - Ogiesewu Osazee Kester The removal of ministers
the PDP in recent times. Jonathan in his wisdom felt if these sacked ministers, who have been perceived not to be in sympathy with his course are allowed to continue in office, that may spell doom for him, especially now that he is to face the party primaries against the initial move by some powerful forces within the PDP fold to endorse him as a consensus candidate. Infact, the experience of the seven rebel governors and some persons within the PDP fold have taught him (Jonathan) a bitter lesson so he wouldn’t want to take further chances at all. Jonathan has power to hire and fire - Osaretin Okhomina It is a normal thing for a sitting president to appoint a minister and at the same time fire any minister, he perceives not to be performing up to expectation. But the sacking of nine (9) ministers by president Goodluck Jonathan did not come to me as a surprise. The reason being that what the president adduced as his motivating factors, are not tenable. Mr. president
• President Goodluck Jonathan
whether they were accountable or not, only time shall reveal the reasons they were booted out of office. God bless Nigeria! They were sacked because of Jonathan’s 2015 agenda
are good case in point. He wants politicians as his ministers who do not have the interest of the nation at heart so long as they are ready and willing to do everything in their states to return him come 2015. He sacked them mainly
“It is a normal thing for a sitting president to appoint a minister and at the same time fire any minister he perceives not to be performing up to expectation.”
or even commissioner state levels is a normal constitutional process which must and should be accepted by all Nigerians. However, the president who has the constitutional responsibility to remove any member of his cabinet is backed by the provisions of the law. When a president decides to make necessary changes in his cabinet, he is at of liberty to do so. And that presupposes that he owe it a responsibility to sananitise the Nigerian state by taking decision in their best interest. Be that as it may, government has the intention to create an enabling environment for the Nigerian people. I believe that the president’s decision to remove the nine ministers was in
accordance with the provisions of the law. Above all, no law say’s that a president who has right to hire and fire has no right to take decisive decision which bothers on his administration. It was politically motivated - Innocent Omoaka The factor at play in the sacking of the 9 ministers is more of politics than any factor put together. Politics in the sense that the recent crisis rocking the people Democratic party (PDP) may have resulted to the sacking of the ministers. The ministers may have been nominated by the faction of the PDP opposing the president of the country. The choice of the ministers who got the boot of Mr. president, indicate that they may have chosen to camp with the antagonist of the president and as a result needed to be removed from the system to give way for the men who may represent the camp of the faction the president belongs. Sack has political undertone - Nicholas Eboigbe Although, President Jonathan has the power to remove ministers or reschuffle his cabinet when he deems it fit to do so, the wielding of the big stick on the ministers may have political undertone. This is so because, the president has ambition to return to power in 2015 and as such may or might want to appoint people who have what it takes to help him for re-election. This means that they may have been removed for political reasons. This implies that he would appoint his loyalist. For me, a minimum of two or three years is okay for a minister. The ministers are too many. The duplication of minister’s portfolio is grossly unnecessary! It is not how many ministers but how well Jonathan can use them to develop Nigeria.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
VOX POP
Should Aminesty Be Granted To Kidnappers?
FOLLOWING Barrister Mike Ozekhome’s release by his abductors and his controversial statement soliciting for kidnappers in general to be granted amnesty, SUNDAY OBSERVER interns: Clementina Ukiri, Blessing Salami, Irene Aleogho, and Jeffrey Oboh went to town to feel the pulse of the people. Excerpts: Amnesty should not be given to them – Frances What he said is not right, amnesty should not be given to them, instead a solution should be found to stop kidnapping. I don’t think what he said makes sense, it’s confusing, maybe it’s what he was asked to say or he could be scared, maybe he was threatened. He was out
If they grant them amnesty, then crime will be justified – Osas Williams A learned man should not be talking like that. If they grant them amnesty, then crime will be justified, criminal activities will increase and then I don’t see the need for the police. He was not supposed to say that. They should be granted amnesty. –
who do not have jobs to survive. Although it’s not adviseable. He is insane to have said that – Racheal He is insane to have
Barrister Mike Ozekhome of his home for close to four weeks and tortured, then on his return he is saying amnesty should be given to kidnappers, it does not make sense.
Constance. I think they should be granted amnesty. Some of them do not just start kidnapped, they may have been graduates
said that. Amnesty being granted to kidnappers is just out of it. The world is coming to an end – Izegbue How would kidnappers
be given amnesty? It simply means the world is coming to an end. They should be sent to jail to go through some pains – Mr. Akin Adams In my own view, they should be sent to jail to go through some pains so that they will know what those persons are going through, because it is not really fair. Some of these kidnappers have handwork, so I see no reason why somebody will say that the government should employ them. If this is done, then expect more kidnappers in our state
like businessmen and women, both the rich and the poor will now sleep with one eye close and the other open. Kidnapping should be stopped but not through amnesty – Mr Vincent My view is kidnapping should be stopped but not through amnesty. This is because there are jobs out there, if not big ones there are mini jobs that young people can do to keep life moving. As a matter of fact, I must call this laziness on the part of the kidnappers while some who have something to do want more.
Government should put security in place – David Osayi My view on this is that, if only they can see these people called kidnappers, it would have been a different case. Some of them really don’t have jobs and they are there in the streets just looking for one crime or the other to do, which will not help them. Some of them take to kidnapping as a matter of greed and wickedness. So I think there should not be any form of amnesty but the government should put security in place.
“Kidnapping should be stopped but not through amnesty. This is because there are jobs out there, if not big ones there are mini jobs that young people can do to keep life moving.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
NEWS EXTRA NGO Offers Support To 23,148 Vulnerable Children In Yobe
L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Amb. Godknows Ighali; Technical Committee Chairman, National Council on Privatisation, Mr Atedo Peterside; Director-Deneral, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Benjamin Dikki and Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President, Mr Umar Sani, at a news conference after the meeting on National Council on Privatisation in Abuja weekend.
AN NGO, Network on Ethics, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS Prevention (NELA), has enrolled 23,148 vulnerable children for support and care services in Yobe within one year. Mrs Koleowo Oyofunke, the state Team Leader told newsmen recently in Damaturu that the children were mostly offered counselling and economic support services in view of the crisis situation in the state. The aim she said was to help them integrate fully into the society so as to contribute positively to its growth “in a dignified manner”. She said that the
IPMAN Commends PPMC Over Rehabilitation Of Depots
THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has lauded the management of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) over the rehabilitation of storage facilities across the country. Mr Mike Osatuyi, the National Secretary, IPMAN, gave the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Osatuyi said that the ongoing rehabilitation of damaged and rusted storage facilities in some depots across the country called for great concern. He said that the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, involving refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products, was almost crippled by vandalism and irregular maintenance. The IPMAN scribe said that efforts, targeted at improving distribution by the PPMC, had yielded good results. Osatuyi stated that the ongoing upgrading of some of its rehabilitated depots from analogue to digital loading platforms in all NNPC loading bays, had improved the distribution of products nationwide. “The rehabilitation, which is part of the efforts of various stakeholders in the downstream sector, to sustain the current stability in the supply of petroleum products.
“It has also led to the completion of the repair of the Port Harcourt-Aba, WarriBenin and Jos-Gombe pipeline networks, to ensure the pumping of products to depots in these areas,’’ he said. The scribe said that the rehabilitation of the country’s 21 petroleum products depots of about 5,120 kilometres of pipelines would bring about product distribution stability in the country. He also commended the Federal Government’s initiative on the immediate mobilisation of engineers to vandalised sites, to fix some of the ruptured lines, saying that it had contributed to the immense growth in the oil
and gas sector. “Government is keeping its promise that no part of the country would suffer fuel
scarcity on account of the incident. “The clearing of the Pipeline Right of Way, to make the area accessible and
difficult for oil thieves and vandals to carry out their nefarious activities has also been accomplished,” Osatuyi added.
Cynthia Osokogu Murder: Defendants’
Statements Voluntarily Obtained - IPO
AN Investigative Police Officer, Insp. Joseph Edo, told a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, that statements were voluntarily obtained during investigations into the murder of Miss Cynthia Osokogu. Edo said this while testifying at the trial-within-trial of four persons charged with the killing of Osokogu. The defendants— Okwumo Nwabufo 33; Olisaeloka Ezike, 23; Orji Osita, 33; and
Ezike Nonso, 25— are being tried by the Lagos State Government. The defendants allegedly chained and strangled 25-yearold Osokogu, a student, who met some of the accused via a social media. Her killing at Cosmilla Hotel, FESTAC Town, Lagos, on July 22, 2012, raised a lot of questions as she was
believed to have flown to Lagos from Abuja to meet friends she met on facebook— a popular social media. Edo, led-in-evidence by the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Ade Ipaye, told the court that Nwabufo and Ezike voluntarily made statements to the police and were not tortured. The counsel to the first and second defendants, Mr Victor Okpara and Michael Ajayi,
Kebbi Dismisses Claims Of ICPC’s Investigation international accounting THE Kebbi Government Of Local Councils standards which emphasises dismissed as “mere rumours”, reports of investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) of the 21 local government councils in the state. Alhaji Rabiu Koko, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the visit by the ICPC officials was purely administrative. He said the commission
organization was working in partnership with five communitybased groups to reach their targets in 10 out of the 17 local government areas in the state. “The organization also enrolled 6, 095 households in dire need of support into the programme. “We were able to reach out and provide support services to 961 households under our economic empowerment programmes, for an improved lifestyle. “Much still needs to be done to support orphans and vulnerable children in the state,” Oyofunke said. She called on Yobe Government, corporate organisations and individuals to offer more support to orphans and vulnerable children in the state, for a better society. “We must endeavour to support the less privileged ones for a better society and prosperous future,” she said.
was only “conducting system check on local government accounting system and resource management and not probing anybody”. Reports state that ICPC officials met with the 21 local council chairmen last week, a situation which sparked off rumours of investigations over alleged financial wrong doing against the councils. Koko said that chairmen of the local councils had
appeared individually to brief the anti-graft officials of their accounting system and how they manage their resources. According to him, the chairmen presented all the documents required by the ICPC, which has since concluded the exercise. “We were not found wanting by the commission,” he said, adding that local councils in the state were operating based on “new
more on prudent management of resources”. Koko said that the state government was closely monitoring activities of the councils to check corrupt tendencies. The commissioner urged the general public to shun rumour mongering, adding that the state government would “graciously welcome whoever wants to verify any information”.
during cross examination, inquired from the IPO whether any form of torture was applied to get the defendants’ testimony. Edo, however, stuck to his earlier claim and said that torture was not used during investigation by the Nigeria police. Also, DSP Greg Imoh and ACP Dan Okoro, two senior police officers who participated in the investigation, corroborated Edo’s claim that the defendants voluntarily made their statements. Okoro said that it was like a drama session when the first and second defendants made their confessional statements. “The defendants were attacking each other and claiming that one strangled the deceased while the other tied her hands to the back”, he said. Okpara then told the court that he also had three witnesses for the trial within trial. Justice Olabisi Akinlade adjourned the case till Novrmber 20 and December. 11 for continuation of the trialwithin-trial.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
ISSUES
2013 HIV/AIDS Awareness And Care Project:
T
HE world in the past three decades has been faced with the HIV/AIDS pandemic, a most devastating challenge that is threatening the fundamentals of human existence with severe consequences, especially in developing countries of Africa. In order to reduce the prevalence of this disease in Edo state, Total Group Nigeria recently invested in HIV/AIDS Awareness campaign as part of its sustainable development programmes. In this campaign, the Group invested in the awareness and prevention project, to protect the lose of communities, employees, families, organizations and the Nigerian society from this pandemic. For this year’s event, the organization brought advanced HIV/AIDS screening machine for testing, for the inhabitants and donated a comprehensive set of high tech. Screening machines to the General Hospital Ubiaja in Esan South East Local government area of the state. This, according to Engineer Koleade Adegunle, General Manager, Total Nigeria Plc who represented the Managing Directors of the up and downstreams sectors said would go a long way to ensure accessing advanced HIV/AIDS screening at low cost for the state’s residence. The Total HIV/AIDS
The TOTAL Example
awareness campaign was first lunched in Lagos in 2006. Leveraging on its extensive distribution network of over 500 stations nationwide, the campaign has now reached 17 states of the federation including Edo state. The modalities adopted in the deployment of this initiative, the company GM disclosed are in full compliance with the United Nations recommended standards which involves interaction with the communities, addressing specific issues of concern and capacity building for peer educators. These were achieved through the company’s technical partnership with Nigeria Business condition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA), the voice of the private sector response to HIV/AIDS. In consonance with international best practices, a comprehensive health care delivery approach was adopted through the inclusion of critical HIV/ AIDS – related illnesses, like Tuberculoses, Hepatitis –B and malaria into the programme. For the past two weeks, peer Educators who were presented to the public during the event held last Thursday in Benin City were trained in this regard while equipment worth millions of naira was provided and
By FRIDAY OBANOR
handed over to Ubiaja General hospital to ensure maximum impact, so that it benefits those in dire-need for the support. Seeing the youths as the most important component of our future as a nation, Total Nigeria Plc then saw the need to re-dedicate itself toward equipping them with the appropriate knowledge and support they need to stay safe from or manage HIV/ AIDS. During the two weeks training programme, a total of 879 persons were tested in the free HIV/Aids screening counseling and testing in different designated centres (Total Petrol Service Stations) in the Benin metropolis. Out of this number, 655 persons were male, 224 females while 10 persons tested positive for HIV/ AIDS. The response by the general public has however shown that the awareness is there as far as voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS is concerned and hope by the next survey; Edo state prevalence rate will be much less than 5.3 percent which is the current prevalence rate, according to 2010 survey. Total Plc and their Technical Partners were able
to achieve this feat because the comrade Governor of Edo state has provided an enabling environment for public private partnership. Speaking at the ceremony, the wife of the Deputy Governor Deaconess (Mrs.)
Odubu is not just a disease commonly associated with poverty; some experts posit that it is also a cause of poverty and a major hindrance to economic development. Experts also report that the average per capita GDP adjusted for parity of
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Health Minister Endurance Odubu said the training programme was not only to create awareness in the public about HIV/AIDS and related illness but very significant and the choice of illness is quite challenging at this point of our socioeconomic development; mostly when viewed from the point that Nigeria is reported to have the second largest number of persons living with HIV/AIDS, with a prevalence rate among adults 15-49years put at 0.9percent and one of the highest mother to child transmission rate. Malaria according to Mrs.
purchasing power, between countries with malaria and countries without malaria, gives a five fold difference – 1,526 dollars to 8,268 dollars, while Tuberculosis as we are all aware has been a scourge in the African continent. Against this backdrop therefore, the initiative of TOTAL group in this regard will tremendously stem the increasing rate of infection among the public. It is even more gratifying to note that this project which commenced in 2006 has so far been taken to sixteen states of the federation and
wished the company can increase the pace of implementation for total coverage of the country. Here in Edo state, the comrade Adams Oshiomole led administration has consistently put in place, strategies for the improvement of the health and welfare of the people, hence in November 2009, the state government transformed the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) into an Agency to co-ordinate the eighteen local government action committees. Only in June 2013, the second phase of the implementation of activities geared towards the HIV/ AIDS impact mitigation was launched and the state strategic plan for HIV/AIDs 2010-2015 was presented. While health care services are seen as essentially government’s responsibility, it must be stated that public health must be everyone’s concern, and we all need to place priority on personal safety and health. We must keep our environment clean, maintain personal hygiene and avoid those things that will endanger our health. Government Health care efforts need to be complemented by all and sundry Just as we need to appreciate TOTAL Nigeria Plc and Total E & P Nigeria Limited for the corporate initiative tagged “2013 HIV/ AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria preventive Education project” most especially for donating a set of comprehensive hi-tech HIV/AIDS equipment to the General Hospital Ubiaja. This undoubtedly, will bring HIV/AIDS advanced screening services to the less-privileged in this community and its environs at no cost even as Edolites are also encouraged by the proposed continuity in the counseling and testing programme.
“While health care services are seen as essentially government’s responsibility, it must be stated that public health must be everyone’s concern, and we all need to place priority on personal safety and health. We must keep our environment clean, maintain personal hygiene and avoid those things that will endanger our health.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
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CORRUPTION according Collier ’s Dictionary is an act of deviation from honesty influenced by bribery etc. Corruption can be said to be a deviation from acceptable norms in any given society for personal benefit. In many societies including Nigeria acts of
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
nation to bring corruption down in Nigeria, it is not just blaming the government or blaming the police. But all individuals must frown at people who have what they are not supposed to
Politics And With HAMEED BRAIMAH
Celebration Of Corruption
President Jonathan, blames all for pavasive corruption
corruption is a crime punishable under the statutes. Persons involved in this criminal behavior of appropriating what did not belong to them in times past were treated with ignominy and made to atone for their misadventures by imprisonment or ostracism. All of this was adopted to serve as deterrents to others who might wish to engage in the shameful act. But what do we have these days, a society that does not only eat corruption and depravity, a society that condemns efforts at fighting against corruption. This indeed necessitated President Jonathan outburst against what he called “reward for corruption”. The President who was speaking recently at the 54th annual conference of the Nigeria Economic Society in Abuja advised Nigerians to have a change of attitude towards ill gotten wealth. According to the President “for us as a
transparent ways of managing corrupt practices, he did not however touch on the critical areas of leakages in government finances viz: over invoicing and inflation of contract sums
have; those who live in houses where they are not supposed to live in, those who drive cars they are not supposed to drive and wear suits more expensive than they can afford”. The president noted further, “until Nigerians are able to do this, the nation’s journey to greatness would be hampered. Invariably, we are all rewarding corruption, and until we stop that, I don’t think we will get to where we want to go”. The president was indeed right in his pontification on morality and its essence in nation building. But not many will agree with his resort to romanticism when he should be moving decisively against the canker worm which has destroyed the very fabrics of the Nigeria’s path to socio-economic growth. Although the president said his administration has repositioned the leadership of the EFCC and ICPC to ensure more effective, efficient and
which is a common feature among public servants these days. Every Nigerian knows that corruption in government is at the core of the socio-economic disfunctionalities in the country since governments at all levels are drivers of the economy, because most business concerns depend on them for survival. Therefore, Nigerians are not wrong in blaming the government and the police for the pervasive culture of corruption in the land because it is the responsibility of government to show actual leadership. A leadership that abhors corrupt practices, a leadership that punishes corrupt behaviours amongst its citizens irrespective of their status in society, or to whom they are connected. The police on the other hand have a shared duty to prosecute erring persons. They should be blamed when they show apparent indifference in that regard. Every human being have innate inclination to commit crime including acts of corruption, but the ability of the state to punish offenders to deter others who might wish to commit similar offences is what makes the difference. Like the president rightly observed, we celebrate corruption individually or collectively when we fail to do the needful against those guilty of corrupt practices. And following from the president’s template, the federal and state governments who invariably created a dual criminal justice system,
one for the poor and weak and the other for the rich and powerful can be said to celebrate corruption. What would one say of a government that promotes a skewed economic system that emasculates the labourer and rewards the bourquises who throw about their ill gotten wealth to taunt the poor in the society who in turn struggles to break into the class of the affluent by hook or crook. It has become a vicious circle as the rich engages in dubieties to sustain their statuses conscious of the harrowing consequences of a slip into the class of the poor. What else would one expect when the government which ought to bridge the gap between these two contending classes of people by providing needed social infrastructures that could improve the quality of life of the average citizen irrespective of class is either clay footed or lacked the capacity to deliver on their responsibilities and by so doing encourage corruption. The president was right when he enjoined all to frown at acts of
Nigerian Masses
corruption; but I dare to ask, how far can an impoverished father or mother go in admonishing his or her ward against corrupt practices when what the reality offers is a direct opposite. In fact, the parents run the risk of being dubbed failures and anacronists who are blind to reality, a reason that can
be easily adduced for their poor state of economy which their upcoming children wouldn’t dare to experience. In his pontification, the president said we should frown at people who live in houses and drive cars they ought not to drive in. If we are sincere with our
selves, governm ineffec unequ behavio to bu unimag as to no of incom This positio senate
“Therefore, Nigerians are not wro government and the police for the p corruption in the land because it is t government to show actual leadership abhors corrupt practices, a leadership th behaviours amongst its citizens irrespe in society, or to whom they are connect
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Issues
imposition of a heavy tax policy on empty property in Abuja as a way of forcing their owners to give them out at affordable rates. He was reacting to the
problems would not hesitate to do so even if it has to require their engaging in acts of corruption because the adverse consequence of not having a roof over
privately owned powerbikes to operate. The answer is a direct one. He gets the joke rightly that the state only makes laws to protect the affluent and powerful but pays lip-
school fees in a private institution because he can not get the expected standard from the government institution. He looks around, he has no access to public water
n: Who Are The Culprits?
, is it not the same ment that through its tive regulations and itable economic ours allowed persons uild houses with ginable taste and cost ow suspect the source me of their occupants. brings to mind the on of the chairman committee on FCT,
Sen. Smart Adeyemi on the menace of emptly buildings in the Federal Capital Territory in a country where millions of citizens have no places to lay their heads. Senator Adeyemi, a former National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) had advocated the
ng in blaming the pervasive culture of the responsibility of p. A leadership that hat punishes corrupt ective of their status ted.”
ugly scenario in the FCT where over eighty to ninety percent of workers in the city centre live in the satellite towns and villages outside Abuja owing to their inability to afford exorbitant rents charged on the empty property most of which he contended were acquired through dubious means. Speaking seriously, who do you blame when an average civil servant is unable to afford the rent payable in his work environment that he has to travel several kilometers daily to his workplace owing to the prevalence of a housing regime that does not protect his interest? Another snag in the president’s pontification was his dwelling on what ought not to be than what should be the norm, especially when he failed to speak about the standard an average Nigerian mustn’t fall below in terms of his basic needs of food, shelter, clothing and means of transportation. It is a known fact that many Nigerians are homeless with the government policies in that sector not made to function in their favour. Did I hear you say that the mortgage programme of the government won’t be able to capture those in the informal sector of the economy? If so, how much of those in the formal sector especially the civil servants have been able to key into the National Housing Fund due to policy somersaults which have left many in quandary. Those who have the opportunity to ‘help’ themselves as a way out of their housing
Smart Adeyemi, wants housing equilibrum
one’s head upon retirement from the service is better imagined than experienced. For this class of people the president said the fight against corruption is not just about granting independence to EFCC and other anti corruption agencies, it extends to developing affordable finance for housing, car and develop among others as we believed that taking measures to help realize aspirations to own their homes and find those things that make life easier can also aid the fight against corruption. I agree with the president that most affluent Nigerians acquire property(s) including buildings and cars they do not need. But what are the options open to a man who worked hard to purchase a motor bike for his private use only for the government through an executive fiat bars him from using the same motor cycle after he had duly registered same and paid money to the same government which allows
service to the welfare of the poor. He is then fired up through crook or hook means to acquire either a vehicle or a power bike to be able to move around. He knows that if he doesn’t do so, he would have to walk long distances on long and muddy paths to his government forsaken area of abode with no amenities available to suit his traumatized nerves. He reflects on the ever increasing financial burden of paying his children
supply but had to save enough to sink a water bore hole before he can have water for his domestic needs. He needs to buy a power generating plant to have electricity. He has a retinue of jobless dependants he had to support from time to time and he knows that he does not earn enough to meet all these demands. What do all these social dislocations portend? They all celebrate and reward corruption.
• IG Abubakar, can he re-direct the force on anti corruption war?
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
WE often use the word ‘peace’. People in Old Testament times used the Hebrew word shalom. Today in Israel and among people in other countries this word is used as a greeting. When they meet they say, Shalom. Shalom in the Old Testament has a basic meaning of wholeness or completeness. It can also mean finish. As it is used with reference to personal feelings, it means the absence of trouble. We learn the meaning of any word by how it is used in the language. Shalom is first used as a greeting when the brothers of Joseph had come to Egypt to buy more food, and Joseph tested them by putting their money back into their sacks. When they came the second time to purchase grain, they
Peace With God And Fellowmen were very much afraid. The steward wanted to quiet their fears, so he said, “peace be to you, fear not”. (Genesis 43:23) here is a beautiful picture of peace, the absence of fear. Solomon in Proverbs 3:17 made reference to wisdom as a person. “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace”. The man who finds wisdom is happy because she is able to bring to him pleasantness and peace, the absence of fear and dread. Wholeness and completeness come to the one who follows wisdom. In the Psalm even though David knew so much trouble, he also knew a great deal
about peace. “The Lord will give strength unto His people, the Lord will bless His people with peace”. Psalm 29 gives a beautiful description of the power of God. How the voice of the Lord can thunder and how powerful the Lord is that He gives strength to His people and bless His people with peace. In the presence of this great power of God, there is
tranquility, quietness. In Psalm 37:37,38, there is a marked contrast between the ends of the wicked and the righteous. “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off”. Certainly the one who truly walks with the Lord can be confident
R
eflections
With MOSES EVBUOMWAN
that his end will be without trouble. It will be peaceful. Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them”. This is a wonderful consolation. He who loves the law of God has a sense of quietness, a great feeling of peace, which the world knows nothing about. As we hold to the divine word of God
nothing should trouble us. This promise is good to use against worry and fear. Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 26:3 says, “thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusted in thee”. Perfect peace, total quietness, in rest, without trouble, without difficulty. How we praise the Lord for this great promise.
“Certainly the one who truly walks with the Lord can be confident that his end will be without trouble. It will be peaceful.”
When The King Is Wise, unday Diet And Intelligent
S
With ERNEST IKHUREIGBE
THE only way we are confident about power and authority is when we know that the one who exercises the power and authority is regulated by wisdom and intellect. Our God is intelligent. He is infinitely intellectual, wise beyond human measure. Psalm 147:5 states, “Great is our Lord, and of great power, his understanding is infinite”. No wonder the great and the mighty acknowledge Him as the Alpha and Omega. It is most unfortunate that men, who found themselves at the helm of affairs have abdicated their responsibilities for frivolities, and for the fear of the unknown. It is further said that when
advice is proffered, they prefer to disregard and cling to foolish one that would put them out of relevance and terminate their God’s divine scheme in their lives. God’s promise for His own is to attain a level of excellence that would be a reference point whenever it is replayed. The bible is replete with men that exercised God’s given intelligence; ‘some asked of the Lord and they were richly blessed, while others, acquired theirs as a result of the lessons from those who failed on their course of life. It is most unfortunate that man fails to realize that whatever position he is, is just for a moment.
He fails to know that, even his life is subject to time and he has no control when the one, who gave it decides to withdraw it as His own will. There are so many people today that you and I thought should still be alive but they are no more. If it were actually possible for them to come back, to tell us their stories of life, we would strive to be wise in all our doings. Our God is a strategist and He has His own master plan laid out before the foundation of the world. For everyone
He created! He created us to dominate and it is not possible to have such feat without wisdom and Intelligence. It is, however, important to note that power vested in the wrong hands is dangerous. Whoever is vested with power and authority, and exercise it willfully and wickedly would not only reap his punishment but will have himself to blame at the end. Beloved, our God is the source of wisdom. He
gives it liberally to those that ask and deserve it. James 1:5 it is important to note that the execution of actions with uttermost wisdom is the key to wealth and fame. King Solomon did ask for God’s wisdom to rule Israel in 1Kings 3:9. God was pleased with his request. He was endowed with the wisdom, that no king ever exhibited wisdom as did Solomon. There was none like thee (Solomon) before thee neither after thee
“For everyone He created! He created us to dominate and it is not possible to have such feat without wisdom and Intelligence.”
shall any arise like unto thee. (in wisdom). A test case was the two harlots, that one of them lost her child through carelessness and she wickedly transferred the other woman’s child to herself. But God’s wisdom in Solomon proved and revealed the true owner of the child. 1kings 3:16-28 Beloved, when a king or a leader is wise and intelligent, it speaks volumes. Progress would be evident and God’s name would be glorified. But when a leader without the leadership traits is on the Saddle; pains and retrogression set in and peace will be elusive. May God grant our leaders the wisdom they deserve to excel in Jesus name.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Hair Decorations The hair, they say is a woman’s glory. It is for this reason many woman do all within their power to ensure they look good in terms of taking care of their hair. But there always comes a day in a woman’s life, when she has a bad hair day or she doesn’t have the time to go to the saloon to style her hair. Do you find yourself in this fix? Not to worry; with the help of some beautiful and unique hair accessories,
you can transform that ordinary hair of yours into something striking and elegant enough to wear to a party, office or that special outting of yours. When it comes to hair accessories, there are varieties to choose from especially those ones that have been specially decorated and spiced up. The following hair accessories can suffice when you find yourself in a fix as to what to do
with your hair that is unmade. Hair elastics: Decorative hair elastics are stretch elastic bands that have been decorated with ornaments, ribbon, beads or other forms of decorations. They are usually great for evening wear and also good to wear during the day. Hair combs: Hair combs can be used to hold hair in an elegant
French twist or hold hair away from face. The hair comb can make stunning fashion statement especially if they are decorated with crystals that can add a glitzy dimension to your
Fashion & Style choose a pretty decorative barrette to hold your hair back stylishly. For a party or an evening out, you can look for those ones that are covered with sequins or crystals.
“With the help of some beautiful and unique hair accessories, you can transform that ordinary hair of yours into something striking and elegant enough to wear to a party, office or that special outting of yours.” dressing. Floral hair barrette: Barrettes are found in a variety of sizes and can be used to pull hair off your face. You can
Hair sticks: These are an extremely cute hair accessories that can be used to fix your hair into a bun or French twist. On a day that you don’t
With ROSE ORHIBHABOR
feel like styling your hair, you can use your hair stick to find a rhythm for your hair. Hair bands: These too, can be used to hold hair away from your face while adding a flattering decorative element. Now that you are acquainted with how to make your hair look good even when you’re unable to visit the saloon, why not go ahead and flatter your hair with the above mentioned hair accessories. You’ll certainly have heads turning your way at that outing.
Amazing Home Made Beauty Tips For Hair (2) Damaged Hair – Honey and Olive oil Sun rays can be really harmful for your hair and can damage it badly. To get rid of this problem. Massage 1/2 cup of honey and 2 table spoon olive oil into clean damp hair Rinse off after 20 minutes P.S Olive oil conditions while honey has both antibacterial and conditioning properties 6 volume boosters-Beer and Egg
By QUEEN OBIEKWNUE
This is the perfect remedy to add body to limp or flat hair. Mix 1 /2 cup flat, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 egg Leave on for 15 minutes Rinse with tepid water Dandruff – Brown sugar One of the most common hair problems is dandruff. You can treat it effectively by mixing 2 parts of brown sugar to one part of your hair conditioner.
Rub lightly on your scalp Rinse off thoroughly after 15 mins I hope these tips helps you in getting and maintaining your hair, so it can be the healthiest hair you can have. Also remember, it is important to hydrate from the inside out so make sure you drink lots of water and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as it makes your hair look more healthy and lustrous.
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s h o W b i z
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Music
Movies
Monalisa Chinda Visits Kirikiri Prisons MONALISA Chinda to your life than On Her Birthday more seems to have put your present state and, behind her break from former lover Lanre Nzeribe. She was at the female wing of Kirikiri maximum prison, Lagos to celebrate her birthday. She was there on Sunday last week. The Nollywood superstar lit up the hearts of female in an exhilarating charity visit which lasted several hours. Aside making an unannounced donation with various items including food stuff, clothes, under wears,
toiletries, perfumes, provisions and the likes through her foundation, Arise Monalisa Foundation, the multiple award-winning actress took her time to interact and encourage the prison inmates who were overjoyed to receive her. “Though we may not be in control of what happens to us in life, we are absolutely responsible for our reactions to what happens to us. And it is
our reaction that ultimately determines the results and quality of our lives. On getting here today, I was told some inmates were recently released by strange interventions, so this can’t be the end for you.” she said while giving her words of advice to them. Some of the prison inmates could not help their teardrops as she continued. “I want you to know that there is
no matter what anyone has said to you, there is hope for you.” She also shared a word of prayer as she bonded with the beaming inmates who could not contain their joy and excitement. Though the inmates were not allowed be photographed, they all had a great time bonding with Monalisa who made a commitment to regularly visit and send items to them from henceforth.
Annie Tweets Hubby, 2face Idibia ANNIE Macaulay is referred to as the “father 1975, he dumped his so elated that her hubby, At 38 former music group, of all nations”. 2Face, who she dated
to be false.” Mbunabo pleaded not guilty to the charges read to him. He was granted bail by the Magistrate, Mrs S.K Matepo, in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum. The matter was adjourned till October 7, 2013.
my King I love u baby. @2faceidibia what a way 2 spend your birthday, spreading d word of PEACE away from ur loved ones n friends! God Will continue 2 bless U,so selfless Thank u dear Jesus For a day like this... Our joy is beyond words can even explain! #Faithful God”, she wrote. Multiple awards winning music star, 2Face and father of six from three different mothers is one of the most respected music stars in Africa. He is a source of inspiration to many up and coming artistes as well as other superstar artistes in Nigeria. Born in Jos, the Plateau State capital, in
Council Inaugurated It was the gathering of the ‘oldies’ in the Benin music genre when the likes of Evangelist Prince Muchico Bay, (as chairman) General Micky Jaga, (vice-chairman); Dr Ugbo Ekhator (committee chairman), commandant J.B Omoregie (Ag. Secretary General), came together to launch Orhionmwon Musicians Elders Council in Benin during the week. Other members are Mr. Richard Ugiagbe, Dr Fabomo Itendo, Mr. Suehidon Imafidon and Mr.
Aghasagbon Edobor. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Evangelist Muchico Bay, said that the body was set up to regulate musicians and their activities; stressing the body was ready to assist and work with younger musicians to ensure the success of the body. He noted that the body was set up after taking a holistic look at the music industry in the area. On his part, the patron, Dr. Sunday Onairia, commended Governor Adams Oshiomole’s
several years before finally taking in as house wife has clocked 38. To show appreciation to God, she tweeted on Wednesday, Sept. 18 “Heart so innocent I can’t even understand, he’s d BEST man I know ,a King @ Heart, heart made of Gold! A Rare Being! HBD to
• Monalisa Chinda
Actress Drags Producer To Court Over N1.7m Fraud
A NOLLYWOOD producer has been dragged to court by an actress on allegation bordering on stealing and fraud. The filmmaker, Uchenna Mbunabo allegedly collected N1.7million from one Maryjane Okoye under the pretence of shooting a film for her but failed to deliver Mbunabo was said to have been given the money since January 2012 at Victoria Garden
• Maryjane Okoye
City, Lagos. Charge sheet beforet the Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, reads, “that you, Uchenna Mbunabo, sometimes in January, 2012, at Victoria Garden City, Ajah, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did with intent to defraud, unlawfully obtain the cash sum of one million seven hundred thousand Naira (N1,700,000) from one Maryjane Okoye, under the pretence that you will produce her movie, a presentation you knew
• Uchenna Mbunabo
Plantashun Boiz, in early 2000, which had Blackface and Faze as members. In 2004, he released his first solo album entitled Grace 2 Grass. He has three other albums to his credits. 2Face is jokingly
•Annie Idibia
•2face Idibia
Orhionmwon Musician Elders’ Council The body noted that it is O r h i o n m w o n Inaugurated ready to partner with Musicians Elders development strides in Orhionmwon and for making their son, Dr. Pius Odubu his deputy.
government, individuals and organizations to bring development to the local government
Members of the Orhionmwon musicians Elders Council in a group photograph with the patron of the Council, Dr. Sunday Onairhia
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Theatre
Concert
With FELIX OMOH-ASUN GSM: 07060576600
GLOBAL BUZZ Angelina Jolie Scared Of Dying Early
Some of the contestants on parade during the auditioning
Mrs Edo Beauty Pageant Holds October 6
COME October 6, 2013, Benin City will be agog as all roads lead to the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre on Airport Road for the grand finale of the Edo Beauty Pageant 2013.
Coming from the stable of Purely Events Entertainment/Modeling Agency, the final auditioning of the contestants took place last Friday at the TIPS bar,
Ekenwan Road, Benin City with the contestants setting the arena on fire with their gay dressing. There was a huge presence of fans, stakeholders and practitioners at the final
Ras Kimono Gets Baby 5 From RUBBER Dub giving the reggae star. 3 Women beThe Master Ras Kimono has ‘Under Pressure’ got baby number 5, ShowBiz can authoritatively reveal. Information reaching us indicates that veteran
Nigerian musician; Ras Kimono has welcomed his fifth child from his wife named Efe. This is the third child Efe would
Ini Edo: My Marriage Has Inspired My Colleagues CONTROVERSIAL Nollywood actress, Ini Edo has said that her marriage to her husband, Phillip Ehiagwina inspired her colleagues in the make-believe industry in Nigeria. According to the graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State, she is very thankful to God for inspiring her colleagues. Although she did not
state how her colleagues were inspired by her marriage, she noted that, “I set the pace, I set the trend” The multi-award winning actress got married in 2008. The two recently jetted out of the country for a second honeymoon. She has had to live with some controversies. She started acting in 2008 and has several films to her credits.
AGAIN Nollywood is in the news for the bad reason. Bad news has become a daily affair for the entertainment industry. Recently it was the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN), it is now the turn of the Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP). The gist is that, the President of Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Zik Zulu and his counterpart in the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Andy
Amenechi have dragged President of ANCOP, Alex Eyengho to court over Gov. Akpabio largess. Media during the week was awash with the story that Zulu and Andy are slamming a libel suit of N150million on Eyengho, through their lawyer (s). The claimants said Eyengho damaged their reputation over an alleged embezzlement of governor Akpabio’s N50million grant to Nollywood. But Eyegho disclosed
crooner also has two other children from two other women. Ras Kimono is said to be very ecstatic about the development. Efe used to be the singer’s manager. She is now in the United States of America practising nursing.
auditioning. The arrival of the various contestants on the podium set the arena aglow. As soon as their presence was announced by the event manager, Adanma Nwokorie, all their fans in the house screamed and strained their neck to catch a glimpse of the ravishingly beautiful pageants. According to the CEO of the Purely Events Entertainment and Modeling Agency, Mr. Bluebone, the event is designed to discover the most beautiful girl in the state. Bluebone noted that
the event is also aimed at discovering raw talents that are abound in the state and provide a platform for them to break through. He asserted that entertainment was growing by the day in Nigeria and vowed that he would use his capacity to exploit the industry to the benefit of entertainment seekers. According to him, the winner of the beauty pageant event is expected to grab N500,000 while the first and second runner up will take home N250,000 and N150,000 each.
Iyanya, P-Square Nominated For 2013 Soul Train Awards P-SQUARE and MTN Project Fame Winner, Iyanya have both been nominated for this year Soul Train Awards. For P-Square, this is coming on the
heels of another nomination for the 2013 MTV EMA. The group is nominated alongside Iyanya for the ‘Best International Performance’ category.
• Ras Kimono
Nollywood Boils Again he is yet to be served with any law suit indicating he has been sued. Speaking with reporters, Eyengho revealed that he is yet to be officially notified of the lawsuit. He however said he is not shaken by the threat. “Well, I have not received any court papers from Zik (Zulu)”, he said of the threat. Recall, Nollywood has not known peace since some set of movie producers collected the N50million grant from the Akwa-Ibom State governor.
ANGELINA Jolie is worried she has as little as three years to live. According to America’s Globe Magazine, the actress has secretly drawn up a “bucket list” of goals to achieve before she dies. Jolie, 38, recently underwent a preventive double mastectomy to minimize her risk of breast cancer and plans to have an additional surgery due to an elevated risk of ovarian cancer-but she is still convinced she does not
have long left, according to a source.
Timberland is set to join Jay-z on his magna carter world tour when it rolls into Dublin’s 02 on October 6. It was a sight music fans never thought they would see again; Jay-z and Timberland on the same
stage, after a petty disagreement in 2009 led them to fall out of favour with each other. However, the pair-who worked closely together for over ten years cemented their friendship once again when they teamed up for the track BBC on Jay-z’s latest album after settling their differences. Speaking previously Timberland said “Jay and I fell out. I missed his 40th birthday. It was over petty stuff. It was more personal stuff and disagreements. It was not industry-related. It was personal, and I was wrong”.
• Angelina Jolie
Timberland to Join Jay-Z On Tour
• Timberland
Halle Berry Enjoying Last Maternity Days HALLE Berry is clearly enjoying the last days of her maternity as she danced the night away at the Earth, Wind and Fire concert as the Hollywood Bowl. Showing off her growing belly, the actress wore a clingy grey top that accentuated her pregnancy curves. The 47 year old was joined for the packed
show by her beau Oliver
Martinez as they swayed in unison to the R & B tunes.
• Halle Berry & lover
Jay-Z, Nas War Was Because Of NAS former girlfriend Woman • Peter Okoye
• Iyanya
• Alex Eyengho
• Zik Zulu
and baby mama, Carmen Bryan did a question’ and answer session with her fans on twitter recently and spilled everything. She claimed the feud between Jay-z and Nas started after she dated and got pregnant for Jay-z. She said she later
• Jay-Z, Carmen & Nas
lost the pregnancy. The feud between Jay-z and Nas was one of the most followed feuds in hip-hop history. Carmen also claimed Nas’ ex-wife, Kelis is bisexual and they once asked her for a threesome.
Compiled By OKOGBA EMMANUEL O.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Interview
Project Charilove Is God Inspired -Chris Omusi
THE task of caring for the neglected, disabled, needy in the society have always been an issue of hot debate as individuals, government and organizations have paid deaf ears to the plight of these abandoned lot, very few organizations in our country today have taken up the duty of caring for them. One of such organizations is project charilove founded by Mr. Chris Omusi in BeninCity Edo state. SUNDAY OBSERVER interns: Ukiri Clementina and Salami Blessing had a rare interview with Mr. Chris Omusi on the Organization ‘Project Charilove, its aim, vision, achievements so far, the challenges facing it and other sundry issues. They are presented here for your reading pleasure. Excerpt How and when did you set up this body? Charilove as you see today was founded in 1990, in response to the dire need of people with special need and those ostracized because they are children of those with critical disabilities like those at Project charilove. We noticed the entire need of this people and we saw that they are totally neglected because of their situation by the society, but those who have the where withal to support them and even the government then, were not serious and we saw the gap and we decided to do something. No matter how little the effort we want to put, we still had to do something. This body is known for caring for the physically challenged, what informed your interest in disabled people? Like I told you, there were those who were in Ossiomo and in the city, people saw them as a group of nothing and that the only thing they
were good for was begging and by my profession and philosophy, I was very convinced that given the minimum required amount of attention, these people can be transformed, instead of being the liability as the society has made them to be, because of the neglect they suffer, they can become contributors to the socio-political and economic factors of the country, society or the community, if they are given the minimum required attention and I also don’t believe in wastage. In the developed world, they are doing recycling materials, these raw materials are transformed into wealth, why not human beings that are the most precious of all creation that exist, why not pay attention to them and I also believe our country can not develop or progress if we don’t pay attention to the needs of our brothers and sisters, those we call the weakest link. If we don’t strengthen and enlighten them, there is no
way the societal change can be strong. How do you sustain this organization being an NGO? We have been sustaining it by sheer perseverance. We want to make a difference and we try to reflect that difference we want to bring about. We are trying our best to make sure that our effort and vision are sustained. We have funds from savings but they are unable to assimilate over the years because of working. Those who were our friends, relations who were interested in what we were doing who believed in us also came to support us, till today, those friends and family still like what we are doing and still supporting us. That’s how we get on, people see what we are doing, they are so happy and they say oh! By the special grace of God, I want to be part of this and they also bring in little quota and all those little things are put together and are judiciously used in sustaining the progress. Often time, people say some NGO’s are set up to exploit the government and the populace with the pretence of rendering humanitarian service, what do you have to say? Well, if they say that about others, well those people who are doing that, leave them to their conscience, if their consciences is working if they have conscience, leave them to be judged by
God. As far as project Charilove is concerned, take me for example if I wanted to pursue money, if money was my desire, I have had opportunities that even the richest of Nigerians, most of
to take up that appointment. Authorities of NNPC were not happy. I had the best of opportunities than anybody, that even Americans couldn’t get to be among the top ranking social elites of
Chris Omusi them don’t even have, I have been able to make money. First I started my working life in shell, as a Shell staff and Shell also contributed to part of my training my education, If I wanted to make a lifetime contract with Shell, I would have been able to hit real money, I left Shell to join the government, federal Civil Servant. I was, in an enviable position, I held enviable positions, juicy positions as some people will call it. If I want to make money, I will make my million right when the naira was naira. I left that and NNPC gave me a job that people saw as a goldmine, because people were so excited about the job, because of the money it may going to bring in, I refused
the US, but God told me that, there are your people way back in Nigeria they are suffering, you will be much useful to your people than you can ever be in the US. If you remain here in the US, you will be enjoying what other people have labored for. God gave me that as an instruction. Go back and see what you can do to your needy people. So if I wanted to make money this will be the last place in heaven and earth to think of. What are your challenges in the course of running this body? My challenges are many, first and foremost, we are operating in the most difficult environment but I have tried to examine the whole things. If I had put in one tenth of the effort I put
in here in Nigeria in the US today, charilove would have become a renowned global organization environment. Is discouraging the people, even part of the authorities and also some of the handicaps, I don’t blame them so much, they are like the society, nothing influences the people except the environment, even the way some of them behave can be discouraging. What advice do you have for other people who share the same passion with you? To do this type of job, is the most difficult work you can ever think of in a society like Benin City and Nigeria. Because people don’t understand what we are doing, its just because of ignorance and some because they can’t do what you are doing, they want to be heard, they want to destroy those that are ahead of them they will use it to make millions, so they go around to try to blackmail you, they try to bring you to their own level, they see according to their minds and disposition. If you really want, serve focus your reasoning and those of us who are doing it because God asked us to do it, we look up to God and that’s the reason for our perseverance and anybody who really want to do it, let God be his guide, go to God, God is the ultimate choice and not the people, not even the authorities not even government, even the chief judge of the state or wherever the person who judges the authorities and the chief judge is God who can destroy the body and soul with fire, why would you care about what people are saying? Look up to God and persevere. How do you assess the O s h i o m o l e ’ s administration? Oshiomole has done well generally. He has done a lot, but I expect him to do more in relation to our course. He is doing his best at his level.
“We have been sustaining it by sheer perseverance. We want to make a difference and we try to reflect that difference we want to bring about. We are trying our best to make sure that our effort and vision are sustained.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Encounter
Youths Need To Be Sensitized Against crimes
KIDNAPPING has become pastime for desperate youths who are out for easy way to make money. So engrossed with the intent of living on the fast lane, though not ready to work for it, they forget that crimes lasts but for a short time. Often than not, the thought of living an easy life, lures them into criminal activities. However, many people have postulated reasons for this rise in kidnapping activities among youths, especially in Edo State, and possible remedies. But a philanthropist and president of One Love Foundation, Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor, believes the mobilization of youths against the phenomenon will make them have a rethink. He emphasized that for youths to aspire to leadership position; they should be sensitized and made to come to the right frame of mind to shun criminal intents. Also known as “Ultimate Equals”, Chief Eholor traced youths’ involvement in criminal acts to the irresponsibility of the ruling elite, who have buried their integrity and sanity in the pool of corruption. He called on other individuals to join him in this crusade of sensitization to which his Foundation has bought buses to go round the 18 local government areas of the state preaching this gospel. “For instance in my little way, I have bought 17 buses, now trying to buy the 18th one for all the local government areas of the state to sensitize youths that they do not need guns, that their guns are their voters cards and that their voters cards are their rights” He bemoaned the current rate of kidnapping, describing it as alarming. ”Insecurity in Nigeria today is very alarming and worrisome. I want to factor it on the irresponsibility of government whether federal, state or local government. First of all we do not have recreational centres, no parks or libraries. We do not have things that bring comfort to the citizens. Remember we are living in digital age”, he asserted. He disagreed with the fact that availability of
employment may not curtain kidnapping. Although he agreed that there are criminals in every place, but stressed “while kidnapping exist in every place but it should not be that alarming as it is in the country now. When there is employment, kidnapping will be for those who are
By FELIX OMOH-ASUN
tackled seriously the America prediction of doomsday is awaiting Nigeria.” According to him,
equipped. Remember criminals have gone digital and the police is still in analogue. Security men do not have enough materials to work with, no walkie talkie. When a car is
security vote should be accounted for, otherwise it becomes oppressive. “That is the nepotism we have to check because if you have to budget money for certain reason, it has to be noticeable in the midst of your people. That is where insincerity comes in. I question the rationale behind it. So, I want to advise that security vote should be abolished now.” If there is the abolition of security vote what do you think will take its place? “If we are to live in a truly federal state, the police should be properly
snatched, there is no radio system to inform other stations about it. So a lot of money needs to be put in there. The system should be corruption free. For instance we have people stealing police pension fund, which is too bad. Let us tackle corruption because it is the problem of Nigeria. When this is done, the country will take its time and grace to become great”, Eholor opined. He noted that beside equipment, the police lack personnel, and fall short of the United Nations requirement. For example,
leaders but looters. He queried the rationale behind billions of naira voted for security every year by the three tiers of
Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor (a.k.a Ultimate equals) born with criminal tendencies only. In America, China, Mexico, we hear of kidnapping, it is not as it is in this country now that it has become an enterprise. We have more than 250 thousand graduates every year without employment. What will they do? Some go into crime to survive. They want to ride cars, want to build houses; there is no job, nothing to do. I am not saying they should go into crime to do this but it is the reality starring at us in the face. Anyway, some of them are so short sighted to realize too that when you live by the gun you die by the gun.” He noted that it will be a bad omen to say all our leaders are corrupt. Yes, there are some who are very bad and terrible. They steal only not even from this generation but also from the next generation. That is why some people copy them. But his advice is that those copying them should have a rethink. Such elders shoulder not be described as
government when the security is still a scarce commodity. “It will interest you that billions of naira is budgeted by the federal government, state and local governments as security vote to secure lives and property, yet no security. The question you will probably ask is, are we secured? The answer is no! Another question is why do federal, state or local governments have security votes which are not accounted for? I want a public discourse on this, because Nigeria belongs to all of us. If this issue is not
the United Nations recommendation is one policeman to 400 citizens. The police we have in this country are not up to 2 million. At that with about 160 million in population, we have not met the UN recommendation, he explained. “Yet we have police for sale. We have police who are sold to land speculators, men of God (pastors), and political leaders, among others. Indeed we have issues in this country. The police are met to police the people and not to guard few individuals. Therefore we should not be selling policemen to those who can buy them as personal body guards. This should be abolished; even the Inspector General of Police once spoke against it. It is illegal. Policemen ought not to be attached to members of the National or State Houses of Assembly or local government chairmen”, he stressed. He predicted national rebirth when the nation is prepared to tackle corruption. “For instance, recently we saw Femi Otedola who bribed a member of the House of Representatives on the same flight with the President of the nation to China. What was the President trying to teach or tell the people? If the President says he means to fight corruption, he should stay away from corrupt people, because by their fruits you shall know them. Let us be sincere. We do not need 7 - point or 8point agenda, we only need one point agenda which is to fight corruption. When we are ready to stop corruption, Nigeria would have a rebirth.”
“For youths to aspire to leadership position; they should be sensitized and made to come to the right frame of mind to shun criminal intents.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
AND the medicine would then make the king go to the Juju man, who would tell him that it was his son who had
Story Time
found that they were no match for him. The boy was very strong indeed, beautifully made
The Woman With Two Skins (2)
made him sick, as he wanted to reign instead of his father. The Juju man would also tell the king that if he wanted to recover he must throw his son away into the water. And the king, when he had taken the medicine, went to the Juju man, who told him everything as had been arranged with the head wife. But at first the king did not want to destroy his son. Then his chief subjects begged him to throw his son away, and said that perhaps in a year’s time he might get another son. So the king at last agreed, and threw his son into the river, at which the mother grieved and cried bitterly. Then the head wife went again to the Juju man and got more medicine, which made the king forgot Adiaha for three years, during which time she was in mourning for her son. She then returned to her father, and he got some more medicine from his JuJu man, which Adiaha gave to the king. And the king knew her and called her to him again, and she lived with him as before. Now the JuJu who had helped Adiaha’s father, the spider, was a Water JuJu, and he was ready when the king threw his son into the water, and saved his life and took him home and kept him alive. And the boy grew up very strong. After a time Adiaha gave birth to a daughter, and the jealous wife also persuaded the king to throw her away. It took a longer time to persuade him, but at last he agreed, and threw his daughter into the water too, and forgot Adiaha again. But the Water JuJu was ready again, and when he had saved the little girl, he thought the time had arrived to punish the action of the- jealous wife; so he went
By UKIRI CLEMENTINA
about amongst the head young men and persuaded them to hold a wrestling match in the market-place every week. This was done, and the Water JuJu
told the king’s son, who had become very strong, and was very like his father in appearance, that he should go and wrestle, and that no one would be able to stand up before him. It was then arranged that there should be a grand wrestling match, to which all the strongest men in the country were invited, and the king promised to attend with his head wife. On the day of the match the
Eduation The Greatest Legacy Education, the pathway to knowledge. The light that dispels darkness It is a treasure to be treasured by all Let’s make education a must for all Let’s educate children To make Nigeria a great Nation
Wisdom By wisdom a home is built By understanding it is established By knowledge the room is filled with all precious and pleasant things If you want to be great you must learn how to accommodate criticism.
Water JuJu told the king’s son that he need not be in the least afraid, and that his JuJu was so powerful, that even the strongest and best wrestlers in the country
would not be able to stand up against him for even a few minutes. All the people of the country came to see the great contest, to the winner of which the king had promised to present prizes of cloth and money, and all the strongest men came. When they saw the king’s son, whom nobody knew, they laughed and said, “Who is this small boy? He can have no chance against us.” But when they came to wrestle, they soon
and good to look upon, and all the people were surprised to see how alike he was to the king. After wrestling for the greater part of the day the king’s son was declared the winner, having thrown every one who had stood up against him; in fact, some of his opponents had been badly hurt, and had their arms or ribs broken owing to the tremendous strength of the boy. After the match was over, the king presented him with cloth and money, and invited him to dine with him in the evening. The boy gladly accepted his father’s invitation; and after he had a good wash in the river, put on his cloth and went up to the palace, where he found the best chiefs of the country and some of the king’s most favoured wives. They then sat down to their meal, and the king had his own son, whom he did not know, sitting next to him. On the other side of the boy sat the jealous wife, who had been the cause of all the trouble. All through the dinner this woman did her best to make friends with the boy, with whom she had fallen violently in love on account of his handsome appearance, his strength, and his being the best wrestler in the country. The woman thought to herself, If I can have this boy as my husband, as my husband is now an old man and will surely die soon.” The boy, however, who was as wise as he was strong, was quite aware of everything the jealous woman had done, and although he pretended to be very flattered at the advances of the king’s head wife, he did not respond very readily, and went home as soon as he could. To be continued. Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria, by ElphinstoneDayrell, [1910], at sacred-texts.co
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Poems
The Greatet Thing You Must Know
The greatest thought is God The greatest thing is love The greatest power is prayer The greatest asset is good health The greatest mistake is to give up The greatest fault is fear The greatest need is common sense The greatest evil is hatred The greatest achievement is peace The greatest fall is pride The greatest waste is war The greatest day is today The greatest creature is I
C
hildren’s World
With UKIRI CLEMENTINA 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890
Riddles
By BINITE ROSELINE I am an object I have many legs but I cannot move from where I am. what am 1? A tree I am a towel that never dry, what am I? Tongue I am an object I swallow thousand of people and bring them out alive. What am I? Train. I am a fruit, when my first four letter is removed, I become another sweet fruit. What am I? Pineapple I am a fruit, when my first letter is removed, I am a crime. If my first letter is put back am a fruit. What am I? Grape I am a good servant but a bad master. What am I? Fire I am an object when I am going to Lagos I face Lagos when I am returning from Lagos I face Lagos. What am I? Talking drum.
A Woman’s Worth By BLESSING SALAMI
A woman is fragile, yet strong She is many things to different people She is a daughter first and foremost to her folks She is a sister to her siblings She is a friend to her colleagues She is a mother to her children But is that all? No way! She is a cradle She is the one who encourages her spouse To be better and that, he can do it if he believes
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
RELIGION
Stand Firmly For God (4) SOME born-again christians cling selfishly to their earthly possessions. Some Pastors tell their members to pay tithe but they themselves do not pay tithe, if one naira is missing from the offering plate, they will hold the church Usher on the throat. They want to keep all the money to themselves. Some Pastors don’t know how to help the poor, the widow, the needy in their midst. Not one in twenty whose names are registered in church books has their names in heaven’s book. They profess to serve God, but they are serving mammon. Half-and-half work is a denial of Christ. The labour of man profiteth nothing. Put away human methods because when God comes, He will cancel it (Matt 6:30-34). People are now using their wealth to measure their relationship with God e.g. they are told if you sow a seed of N5,000, you are going to be favoured by God, God will buy you a car or get you a job. You can get anything you are looking for in life if you stand firmly for God, not by any Pastor telling you to come and sow a seed before you get the thing. You can get a good job, build a house, get a good wife or husband if you stand firmly for God. God does not ask for money before doing good for a person. If He asks for money, nobody will be able to pay and none will receive any good thing. After God has done something for you, you can show Him appreciation. A man was inside a taxi cab telling another passenger in the cab that he had a “Ghana-must-go” bag inside the booth of the cab containing millions of Naira. He told the passenger that he required N5,000 to be paid to a native doctor to open the key to the bag. If the money was paid, both the passenger and himself were going to share the millions in the bag. Because of greed, the passenger believed that he could suddenly become rich and he rushed home to get the money. It turned out to be a scam after the greedy man has succeeded in collecting N5,000 from the greedy passenger who wanted to turn a millionaire within a day. A Pastor telling his member to sow a seed of N5,000 to buy a car and the man that tricked the passenger to pay N5,000 to make him a millionaire are in the same shoe. Both the
Pastor and the man are involved in a scam. The church member did not pay the money out of his own volition or freewill. The difference between the two people is that while one is using spiritual method, the other is deceptive. Internet fraudsters engaged in scamming are not more guilty than the scammed because they are both greedy people. The scammer is asking the scammed through E-mails to send him N100 that he will turn it to one million naira. Because of greed, the scammed believes that he is actually going to get the one million naira and he sends the N100 to the scammer.
does not promise the businessman great material successes in his vacation (though this may take place), but rather Christ brings the inner security• which one seeks through great material successesand having found this, the burden of succeeding is discovered in the day by day relationship with him. If each man is to discover his own place and his unique position in the world, he would have to join a group with lasting continuity in his own community in which he could learn to walk through the tragedies, changes and
the light of the world. The value of our light is illumination, a revelation of how life ought to be lived. Our exemplary Christian life is one of the greatest forces that can be exercised towards the conversion of another person. We are not called upon to save men and women, we are called upon to shine, revealing the truth of God’s word by the life that we live. We are to live in loyalty to Christ and by so doing; we will light up the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father in
the person with a spirit of consuming fire. In this world of darkness, the church should be as a shining beacon on a hill, towering over the wrecks of time, a place where people may come who desire to worship God and be saved. The church is the place where we should go to exalt or encourage one another, to bear the cross of Christ, to love one another; where we should go to fellowship with the brethren, to bear one another’s burden, to win the lost, to share with the needy, to destroy the works of the devil, also to fast and pray and build up ourselves; where we should go to praise, worship and thank
The scammer succeeds in collecting N100 from the scammed who wants to become a millionaire without doing anything. Is there any investment that can turn N100 into one million naira? In the same way, the Pastor and the church member, the man and the passenger in the cab are greedy people. Christ
inevitable human encounters in life. We have two groups of people in the church. One group is always giving their life to Christ and feeling safe from the awful and sinful world, the second group is always doing good works and helping others. We are the light of the world, a City set on a hill cannot be hidden. Shine as
Heaven. You are the light unto all that are in your home and surroundings. You give light to them as you live the life of Christ, an example to the children and other members in your household.. The light is a consuming fire. Darkness does not exist wherever there is light. The plans of the devil are overcome by
the Lord, pay tithe and give our offering, learn of Christ, serve people and minister to each other. Unfortunately, the church has lost much of its power, instead of beaming its light and shining, instead of challenging the world, the world is challenging the church. Because of the church neglect to the work
By PRINCE BAYO OKUO
“You can get anything you are looking for in life if you stand firmly for God, not by any Pastor telling you to come and sow a seed before you get the thing. You can get a good job, build a house, get a good wife or husband if you stand firmly for God. God does not ask for money before doing good for a person.”
in Christ’s lines, the condition of things in the church have eclipsed the high and low interests of the work of God. A spirit of criticism and bitterness has come into the church, and the spiritual discernment of many has been dimmed. The course of people backsliding, pride, covetousness, and love of the world; grievous and presumptuous sins have made them to be in want of spiritual power. It is not the lack of knowledge of the Way, the Truth, and the Life that will condemn many but the neglect of the light and truth will condemn them. Those who never had the light to reject will not be in condemnation. Light, precious light, shines upon God’s people; but it will not save them, unless they consent to be saved by it, fully live up to and transmit it to others in darkness. If you meet some people on the street, the first thing that you hear is a long list of all their difficulties and trials. You can even see defeat written across their faces and by their attitudes, it would appear as if God is not living. They fail to claim that Jesus paid the price for their inheritance. When we are born again, the mighty God of this universe becomes our heavenly father. We become heirs of God’s kingdom. If a man inherited one million naira from his father and he kept the money in the bank and refuse to withdraw one kobo from the account, the man will allow all those resources to remain dormant in the bank. You will see defeat, despair and hunger on his face. His clothes are torn and faded and he continues to live in a hovel. Even though the man was rich in his own right but he lived a poverty-stricken life because he was not drawing on the account that was rightfully his. Most born again Christians are like that man. Because they refuse to claim that which was theirs as God’s sons, they remained poor. If you are a born again Christian, do you see yourself as one of the king’s children and an heir of God? Do you act like a child of the king? Do you talk the way His heir should talk? Do you see life as challenging, positive or beautiful? Send your reaction on this message to E m a i l pbo1O30(äyahoo.com or 07055599615.
THE SUNDAY
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
THE SUNDAY
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
INSIGHT
Campus Fellowship: A Platform For THE University is an academic environment for the moulding of future generations into excellent beings balanced in character and learning. For me, formal education is not complete until you have seen the fore walls of the University, either in your undergraduate or post – graduate education. Little wonder the words of Theodore Roosevelt “A man who has never gone to school might steal from a freight car; but if he has a University education, he may steal the whole rail road”. These words I believe are based on the various forms of experiences that a University education provides. Students are socially, mentally, academically, psychologically and religiously equipped to perfectly function in the society through knowledge and adaptation skills. Although we still have to add that the readiness of the person involved learning the ropes in the process, is what differentiates Mr. A from Mr. B in the process. According to the Wikipedia Online Encyclopaedia, A university (Latin: “Universitas”, a whole) is an institution of higher education and research which grants academic degrees in variety of subjects and provides both undergraduate education and post graduate education. Furthermore, I am fortunate to be a student of one of the best universities in Nigeria, an example of what a federal university should be and a spiritual stronghold as regards developing of future leaders of the church. Only one university in Nigeria fits such a description and that is the University of Benin. The University of Benin was founded in 1970. It started as an Institute of Technology and was accorded the status of a full-fledged University by National Universities Commission (NUC) on 1st July, 1971. In his Budget Speech in April 1972, the then Military Governor of MidWestern State, Col. S. O. Ogbemudia (then also Visitor to the University) formally announced the change of the name of the Institute of Technology to the University of Benin. On 1st April, 1975 the University at the request of the State Government, was taken over by the Federal Government and became a Federal Government and became a Federal University. Today, the University has continued to grow from strength to strength with a number of Faculties, Departments, Institutes and Units. So much have been written about this great Institution as regards her educational and social prowess, but my focus will be on the religious strength of this school and how it has affected me positively. Coming into school, there were so many misconceptions and confusions
about UNIBEN; majority of the people at home that I told the name of the school I was going into feared for me and gave me different versions of the stories about this great school. The stories ranged from killings, arrows, prostitution, sorting, intimidation and the rest, and extra care was taken as I took my first steps into the university environment for my clearance. But I was fortunate enough to meet sincere Christians during the period of clearance who were doing “Catch Them Young”, they explained the real things on ground and gave me proper orientation of the processes of the school. I was encouraged to make the right choice and join any bible believing fellowship and make the most of my time in school as nothing mattered more than God and that God was interested in my excellent performance in the classroom. Although, due to the fact that I had a fellow student from my secondary school around to help in my online clearance, so many of my friends were helped in doing their online clearance for free. And this helped them from falling into the hands of scammers or dupes, who were readily available to feed on the ignorance of the “Freshers – New students”. Also, for some of my friends, they got free files to package their documents and some other freebies to aid their comfort in the stressful online clearance. Fellowships provided accommodation for stranded students from far places who came around to do their clearance and had no place to stay. All these were financed by the fellowships doing CTY; some even got financial assistance without strings attached to help complete the process. The period of integration into the system for
University Excellence By OPEYEMI MICHAEL
me and my friends was made excellent and wonderful by the campus fellowships we were caught into. My joy as a UNIBEN student is incomplete without mentioning the inputs of the Christian Union – Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical students( CUNIFES), and this is the same testimony for many people in the fellowships they have found
brought to my life by virtue of the activities of CU- NIFES with the help of the almighty God has been breathtaking (it is still taking me time to grasp the dimensions). I will not labour my readers with details on the spiritual part, since some of them might not be christians, but logical and cogent points will be touched on how important this semi society is.
themselves in. Examples of the nice ones that readily come to mind are CFI ( Christian Fellowship International), Christ Ambassadors Student Outreach( CASOR), Redeemed Christian Fellowship ( RCF), Light of Christ Campus Fellowship ( LCC) , to mention a few. I could mention some of the ones I mentioned above because I could see, feel and touch their impact on the lives of my friends and classmates in school. Moreover, I will like to share on the importance of the campus fellowships to the proper and effective running of the university, with little use of my experience to drive home the points. The transformation
The CU-NIFES is about 43 Years old, with the present deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, UNIBEN, Prof. Okhuoya among the early members. And since then it has produced very excellent minds that visit the fellowship at different intervals to encourage the younger generation that being in fellowship is not an excuse for mediocrity. Examples of these people include the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, Prof, Ogboghodo; Provost of Medicine; Dr. Iyawe, former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Admin, Prof Onibere; Dr. Omokhoua Adeleye, Prof Aisien, Dr Omadeli Boyo, Venerable
“Campus fellowships have helped in making sure some students remain in school by providing financial assistance to students who are having difficulty financially.”
Makun of the ALL saints Chapel, Dr and Mrs Kingsley Akhigbe, Dr. Festus Akhime, Dr. Clint Uwadie, Engineer Hope Onwah, Dr. Braimoh Bello etc the names I have mentioned above are just a tiny particle of the large chunk of excellent people that I have had the opportunity to come across based on my membership of this great house; but for the sake of time and space, I just have to mention a few.
In addition, their presence in services had made us understand the fact that fellowship activities are not excuses for us not to be excellent in our field of study, because some of them are at the top echelon of their disciplines. Without doubt, this has helped in promoting hard work amongst the younger generation, of which I am a part.. Fellowships on campus have staff advisers to put their members through, when they have difficulties and the fact that these students have a common ground with the staff advisers, it is easier for them to approach them for help when there are academic challenges. Campus fellowships organise academic seminars to power up the engines of their student members to make them focus on their studies. One of such I will never forget was when Dr. Braimoh Bello (Beyond Tomorrow), a renowned motivational speaker, educationist, consultants for WHO, UNESCO and some other International organisations came in from South Africa for an Academic Seminar hosted by the CUNIFES. It is a seminar that is still reaping its dividends in the life of so many students that attended, as the participants cut
across members of other fellowships. And hence, the campus fellowships fully aware that the university is an academic environment, has continued to put effort to bring up excellent students in learning and character, moulded by the love of Jesus Christ. I am aware of a number of students who would have dropped out if not for encouragement by their fellowship leaders and friends, who later went on to become “A” students. Also, the campus fellowships have helped in making sure some students remain in school by providing financial assistance to students who are having difficulty financially. Some fellowships even provide welfare packages for orphans and students from financially troubled homes, so as to make them comfortable and focus on their academics. This is one of the reasons why we have welfare secretaries among the executive committee offices in fellowships. Also, the love and family living, built in the environment of the fellowships help to strengthen developmental bond that cannot be built in any other environment except the fellowship. Besides, leadership positions given to the various students in their various fellowships help develop leadership capacities of great impact. An example can be seen in the tenure of Kingsley Oboh, who became the Student Union Government (SUG) President after serving in the executive committee of the CU-NIFES as BSS (Bible Study Secretary). His achievements during his tenure are there to speak for him: new hostel, student shuttle services etc. Although, personal development and attitude played a big role in his success, but the role of the fellowship in building some aspects of his leadership skills cannot be overemphasised. In addition, speaking with a fellow student who has also enjoyed his stay in school through the fellowship, he had this to say: “I do not want to talk about the spiritual values of fellowship because it cannot be overemphasized, if I try it, it will be the biggest book ever. Campus fellowship is the security and peace of d campus, their activities curb cultism, prostitution, and many other social vices, and they ensure this through CTY (Catch Them Young) evangelism and Prayers. Campus fellowships are values and human capacity builders.
THE SUNDAY
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Bale Set For Real Madrid Bernabeu Bow
Roma Icon Totti Pens New Deal To 2016 FRANCESCO Totti has signed a contract extension with Roma that will keep him at the Stadio Olimpico until he is at least 39. Totti, who has spent his entire career at Roma — scoring 228 goals in 538 games for the club — will continue in the capital through until the end of the 2015-16 season. The former Italy international’s previous contract was going to expire at the end of the current campaign but, despite hinting in the summer that this season may be his last, Totti has put pen to paper on a new deal. “I want to thank the president [of Roma, James Pallotta] for this contract,’’ Totti said in a news conference on Friday. “In the end, this is what we all wanted, the club and I. “I want to thank him [Pallotta] because this new deal gives me the opportunity to continue to wear the only jersey that I have loved and been a fan of. “I have two more years of responsibility and I know that in these two years we will be able to do great things.’’ Totti is believed to have accepted a 30 percent pay cut to stay on at Roma, for whom he made his Serie A debut in 1993 at the age of 16. He has gone on to become a Giallorossi legend and, should he continue to feature regularly for the first team, could potentially move to within touching distance of Paolo Maldini’s all-time Serie A appearance record of 648 games. “I am honoured that Francesco will remain with us,’’ Roma chief Pallotta said “I want to raise our glasses for Totti and for Roma, for a radiant future.’’
GARETH Bale will get his first taste of action at the Santiago Bernabeu as a Real Madrid player on Sunday when Los Blancos host struggling Getafe. The Welshman started and scored in his debut away to Villarreal last weekend, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Madrid dropping their first points of the season in a 2-2 draw. Bale then started from the bench as Carlo Ancelotti’s men destroyed Galatasaray 61 in their Champions League opener in midweek, thanks in large part to a 23rd career hattrick from Cristiano Ronaldo. And whilst he is still someway off being fully match fit after missing the majority of pre-season, Bale believes his fitness is improving all the time. “It was great to play a
Franck Ribery
Ribery A Serious Ballon d’Or Contender - Platini
THE former France and Juventus star thinks his compatriot could dethrone Lionel Messi and win this year’s award Uefa president Michel Platini believes Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery has a good chance of winning the Ballon d’Or. The France international recently won Uefa’s Best Player in Europe award and is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or as well, with La Liga stars Cristiano
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as Ribery’s biggest rivals for the prestigious individual award. “He is a very serious candidate to win the Ballon d’Or,” Platini told gathered press when asked about his compatriot’s chances of
to bring in James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Geoffrey Kondogbia, while captain Eric Abidal was picked up on a free from Barcelona. Both teams are off to unbeaten starts although Monaco come into the match one point clear of Saint-Etienne while PSG are two points back but starting to change gears after an eyecatching 4-1 win over Olympiakos in midweek gave their Champions League quest a dream start. “Obviously we are getting stronger and physically we have taken it to a higher level now,” said Blanc, the former Bordeaux and France coach. “We are going to prepare meticulously for this match against a very good team in very good form,” added the 47-yearold Thiago Motta, who scored twice in Athens, feels the team is still a work in progress despite winning their first French title since 1994 last season. “We have everything we
winning the award. “He was already voted the best player in Europe in August. Admittedly, that was a different election, though.” Messi has won the Fifa
Ballon d’Or three consecutive times since the introduction of the award in 2010 after previously scooping up the Ballon d’Or and Fifa World Player of the Year trophies in 2009
Boxing: Haye Pulls Out Of Fury Bout
FORMER world heavyweight champion David Haye has had to postpone a September 28 bout with fellow-Briton Tyson Fury in Manchester
France Awaits Battle Of Billionaires THE first clash of two of Europe’s newest financial heavyweights is set to indicate who has the early edge in France when champions Paris SaintGermain host Monaco at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. Both teams spent heavily in the off-season with Qataribacked PSG going cheque-book to cheque-book against the Russian-backed Principality outfit in a billionaires’ battle for the game’s most coveted players. PSG coach Laurent Blanc welcomed Uruguayan Edinson Cavani from Napoli where he was Italy’s top scorer last season, in the sixth highest transfer deal of all time at some 64 million euros. While Monaco stunned the European football world when they captured the highly-rated Colombian Radamel Falcao for 60 million euros from Atletico Madrid. Falcao was not the only recruit brought in by Italian coach Claudio Ranieri who also splashed out on big money deals
little bit on Tuesday to improve my physical condition,” he said. “I haven’t had a preseason so that hasn’t helped me as I couldn’t play at all during the summer. Now I am trying to be in the best shape as soon as possible. I need to keep working hard in training and in the matches.” There has been much conjecture as to how compatible Bale and Ronaldo will be in the same side, but Getafe defender Sergio Escudero has admitted that should they play to their potential, there is almost no way to stop the dynamic duo. “We know that they are two of the best players in the world,” he told Madrid sports daily AS. “Therefore, we have to be very concentrated and aware of their movements. If they have a good day, as they
need to be better and we have the players. It only depends on us now,” explained the Brazilian. League Cup holders SaintEtienne may profit from their Europa League elimination as they try to keep pace with the favoured giants when they open the weekend slate at home against second-from-bottom Toulouse on Friday. Last season’s runners-up Marseille are also waiting in the wings and feeling the effects of not having the same financial clout as their rivals, but go into their away match against Bastia lying fourth and only three points off the pace. Elsewhere, in a battle of former multiple champions, Lyon will try to get their campaign back on track at home to Nantes with both sides marooned in mid-table. Seven-time title winners Lyon are still reeling from their Champions League elimination and have already lost twice in five league outings as they await the promoted ‘Canaries’ at the Stade Gerland.
Due To Cut
after suffering a cut over his left eyebrow in training. Haye, who lost his WBA belt in July 2011 to Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, was sparring with Croatian Filip Hrgovic on Friday when he suffered the wound that needed six stitches. Promoters Hayemaker Boxing said in a statement that the stitches would have to remain in place for between five and seven days. No date was set for any rescheduled fight. “Even when everything
David Haye
seems to be right on track, sometimes life throws you a curveball,” said the 32-yearold Haye. “I will somehow have to try and make the best of this horrible situation. But, right now, I’m in bits about what has happened.” Haye’s previous planned fight, against Germany’s Manuel Charr, was cancelled in June when the Briton suffered a hand injury. He has not fought since July 2012, when he beat compatriot Dereck Chisora. Fury is a former British and Commonwealth champion.
Gareth Bale
usually do, there is no plan that will stop them. “The most important thing for us is to start well. At any moment they can hurt you so we have to be alert, run a lot and stop them in whatever we can.” Ancelotti may be able to name Fabio Coentrao at leftback for the first time this season as the Portuguese international has recovered from a slight muscle injury so Alvaro Arbeloa is expected to move across to right-back. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas could also take his place on the bench after scans showed the rib injury he suffered against Galatasaray was no more than a bruise. Barcelona have the chance to open up a fivepoint gap on Madrid for at least 24 hours when they travel to face Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Vallecas has been a happy hunting ground for the Catalans in the past two seasons with 7-0 victory in 2011/12 followed by a 5-0 win last year. It is not yet known whether Barca boss Gerardo Martino will be back in Spain in time to take charge of the side after he flew to his native Argentina after Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Ajax in the Champions League to attend his father’s funeral. And the Spanish champions have their own injury problems in defence as Gerard Pique had to be withdrawn towards the end of the Ajax game with an adductor injury. Carles Puyol has returned to training but is still very short of match practice, whilst Jordi Alba remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Atletico Madrid also have the chance to build on a win in their opening Champions League game on Wednesday by maintaining their 100 percent league record on Saturday when they travel to Valladolid. Diego Simeone’s men will have Diego Costa available again after he was suspended for the 3-1 win over Zenit St Petersburg in midweek and have been given an extra boost with the news that Arda Turan has extended his contract until 2017.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
We Are Title Contenders
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger believes his side are emerging as genuine title contenders this season, but he admits they need to improve their home form if they are to have any chance of landing the Premier League crown. The Gunners’ 2-1 win against here,” Wenger said. “He never Marseille in the Champions made a statement and just League on Wednesday night played. For me that is the best gave them a tenth successive answer you can give as a victory away from home, yet football player. Don’t talk too their form at the Emirates much and show how good you Stadium has been less are. That is the core of our job. consistent. “He has improved And Wenger accepts the need technically in his link-up play to address that flaw when they and he has a huge physical welcome Stoke City to North presence. He is the type of London this afternoon. striker who is very difficult to “If you look at the numbers, fight against. I’m sure he will away from home we have been have a great season. remarkably consistent. At “He has a belief and a home we want to create the positive mentality that comes same consistency,” Wenger out, a good self-esteem that is said. a very positive quality when “I believe we have a chance you are a striker because you [to challenge for the title] and have to deal with a lot of what is most important is that pressure. It doesn’t affect him my full energy is to make sure too much when he does score. we grab that chance. It is too He has a good mentality.” early to say who will be in the Meanwhile, Wenger said that fight, who will not be in the record signing Mesut Ozil has fight. settled in well since his £42.4 “You are a bit cautious million move from Real because these days you are Madrid at the start of the very quickly in a crisis. One month, but insists there is more bad result and everyone to come from the Germany questions your potential to be international. in there, so let’s be consistent. He has integrated well, he We know the four or five teams was well accepted. I think he who will fight for the title, we is not at the top physically, but know the names.” he needs time to adjust to the Wenger went on to praise vigorous body challenges he Olivier Giroud, as he suggested will face in the Premier a summer of speculation League,” Wenger said, before linking Arsenal with strikers hitting back at the claims made such as Luis Suarez and by Real Madrid president Gonzalo Higuain has inspired Florentino Perez that Ozil the France international to start struggled to cope with pressure the season in fine scoring form. of playing for a top club. “Every day when he opened “He is 24 years old, has over the newspaper [in the summer], 50 caps in Germany. When you he saw another striker coming play for Germany you are
- Wenger
under a lot of pressure. He won the championship with Real Madrid. There is a lot of pressure in that, but I don’t detect that,” he said.
Mesut Ozil
Wayne Rooney
club director Alex Ferguson, praising his work on Thursday. Moyes, who oversaw the start of Rooney’s professional career when Everton manager, was coy about the forward’s future, saying Friday ahead of Sunday’s derby against Manchester City: “I think we just go step by step. “If he could score another two goals at the weekend that would be the next step forward wouldn’t it? “He’s played really well and we want him to maintain that. If anything I’m asking him to step up again. I want him to keep getting better.” Moyes added: “Wayne was in great shape just before he damaged his hamstring in Thailand. I told you (the media) that but I don’t know if you all believed me. “We thought (his hamstring) was going to be okay, but it wasn’t,” the Scottish manager explained. “We kept him working really hard and he was in really good shape. “I was really impressed with the condition he was in and the
Pellegrini Says City Have Better Mentality MANUEL Pellegrini has insisted that Manchester City have more of a winning mentality than Manchester United. The local rivals meet in today’s derby at the Etihad Stadium and are level in the Premier League, having both taken seven points from their first four matches, as well as winning their opening Champions League fixtures. United are the defending league champions, having won 13 of the last 21 titles, and are often credited with possessing the best winning mentality in English football, but City manager Pellegrini disagrees. “I know that our mentality at the moment is very strong,” he said. “More strong than Manchester United.” Whereas United have already faced Chelsea and Liverpool this season, City have not taken on any other title rivals, but Pellegrini believes his players have shown their winning
... Wenger Vexed By Perez’s Ozil Jibe
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger says he does not understand Real Madrid president Florentino Perez’s criticisms of his former player Mesut Ozil. Ozil left Madrid for Arsenal in a surprise move on transfer deadline day, after falling down the pecking order at the Bernabeu following the
Moyes Expects More From In-form forward a contract extension Rooney work he did in pre-season. with former manager turned
MANCHESTER United manager David Moyes reckons Wayne Rooney had still to find his best form despite his impressive recent displays for the English champions. The England striker returned from a severe gash to the head by scoring three goals in a week including two in Tuesday’s Champions League victory against Bayer Leverkusen, a double that saw him become only the fourth United player to reach a tally of 200 goals for the club. Rooney’s recent goal-spree had led to speculation United may offer the 27-year-old
Elsewhere, Wenger may have Mikel Arteta available for the Stoke game on Sunday, after he returned to full training with his team-mates on Friday. The Gunners boss reported no fresh injuries following his side’s Champions League exploits in Marseille.
“He is getting the fruits of that. He’s worked hard and is showing everyone exactly what he can do.”
close-season arrivals of Isco and Gareth Bale. Perez subsequently claimed the Germany star had personally asked to leave because “he couldn’t handle the pressure at Madrid”, but Wenger says that that was not the case. “Real Madrid made a choice they had to let one player go. In the end it was Ozil, but I think he chose us for many reasons,” said the Frenchman. “One of them was he had the choice to come here before he went to Real Madrid (in 2010), and I had a contact with him from that
moment, so maybe it was fate. It was between Madrid and us (then), and this time it was us.” Wenger added: “I know him (Perez) well and I am surprised by this statement. Honestly, I didn’t read what Florentino said. “I spoke to Ozil about it and he was surprised as well. He said he is not sure that Perez said that completely.” Ozil, who signed for a reported club-record fee of £42.4 million ($66 million, 50 million euros), is expected to make his home debut for Arsenal against Stoke City in the Premier League today.
assists and to have clever passes; fantastic actions because he has great talent. “Another thing is to adapt to the way we want to play. In this moment, Oscar is my number 10 and, if somebody tells me that Oscar is not Chelsea’s best player since the beginning of the season, I’d have to disagree. “I want to build with Oscar as my number 10. I want the other two players, from the sides, to adapt to that reality and to learn how to do things that they were not ready to do before.” Mourinho refused to elaborate on his reasons for omitting Mata but suggested he was dissatisfied with his displays in last weekend’s 10 defeat at Everton and the shock 2-1 loss at home to Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday. “There are things I cannot speak with you about,” said
the Chelsea coach, whose side have gone four games without victory. “But he played against Everton from the beginning and you can analyse his performance. “And he played against Basel — not like (Demba) Ba or (John Obi) Mikel, coming in to rescue the game, but he came on when the team was winning 1-0 and when he had specific tasks to do.”
Mourinho Prefers Oscar To Mata JUAN Mata’s status at Chelsea appears increasingly fragile after manager Jose Mourinho declared that Brazilian Oscar was now his number one playmaker. Spanish midfielder Mata was voted Chelsea’s player of the season in his first two campaigns at Stamford Bridge but he has lost his place in the side since Mourinho returned from Real Madrid during the close season. The 25-year-old has made only three appearances so far this season, for a total playing time of 145 minutes, and Mourinho says he must adapt if he wants to force his way back into the team. “It’s part of a process with him,” Mourinho said. “One thing is to play with Ramires and Oscar in the side, them closing (down) each side, and Mata as a number 10 behind a striker, to have clever
Oscar
mentality in other games. He added: “It is not the first important match we have played. I think the players have prepared every day to try to think as a big team and play as a big team.” While Pellegrini is determined to defeat David Moyes’ side, he does not believe Sunday’s clash is a title decider. “We have 38 games to play and two of them are [against] Manchester United,” he said. “For me, it is very important to win against Manchester United but the most important thing is to win the title. It is not the last match of the season.”
... Liverpool Game Bigger Than City - Rooney
MANCHESTER United striker Wayne Rooney believes the bi-annual Premier League battles with Liverpool are still more important to the Old Trafford faithful than the increasingly significant local derbies against neighbours Manchester City. City and United go head-tohead for the first time this season at the Etihad Stadium today in a game being billed as a potential momentum shifter for the rest of the season. However, Liverpool-born Rooney claims the historically significant United-Liverpool battles remain the biggest fixture of them all. “City have had their success recently, but I would probably say that United and Liverpool is still the biggest game,” Rooney told reporters. “They’re all big games, but obviously United and Liverpool has been a massive game over the years. I’d say it’s still the biggest game.” Despite his comments, Rooney accepts the latest instalment of the allManchester tussle will make for compelling viewing this weekend, but is quick to play down suggestions that the result could have a big impact on the fledgling title race. “It’s a massive game between two title contenders,” added Rooney. “It’s not going to define the season, but it’s a big game, a local derby. “The English players are more aware of what it means after the last four or five years. It’s a big game and we’ll be going there hopefully to win. I’ve scored a few goals against City and I’m looking forward to the match.”
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
El Salvador Bans 14 Players For Life EL Salvador’s soccer federation has banned 14 national-team players for life for their role in alleged matchfixing, including games against the United States and Mexico. Among those banned Friday from all soccer activities were goalkeepers Miguel Montes and Dagoberto Portillo, Christian Castillo — a former DC United player — and William Osael Romero, who played for Chivas USA. The bans are connected with suspected match-fixing in four games involving the national team, including a 2-1 loss in an exhibition against the U.S. in 2010 and a 5-0 loss to Mexico in the 2011 Gold Cup.
FIFA Concern Over Forfeited African Games A leading FIFA official expressed concern Friday at the number of 2014 World Cup Africa zone matches forfeited because of ineligible players. Competitions director Mustapha Fahmy, a former CAF secretary-general, said Africa was the only continent experiencing this problem and needed help. “A number of African teams have fallen foul of the rules of the competition, which are clearly spelt out,” Fahmy said during a visit to CAF headquarters in Cairo. “This happened only in Africa — other continents like Europe, South America and Asia did not experience the same problems where disciplinary action had to be taken. “FIFA needs to look into what happened and work on finding solutions and ways to avoid similar occurrences in future,” Fahmy said. Cape Verde Islands, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Togo had victories changed to three-goal defeats after using ineligible footballers.
Last month, 22 players received one-month suspensions while the games were investigated. Banned for life are: Luis Anaya, Osael Romero, Ramón Sánchez, Christian Castillo, Miguel Granadino, Miguel Montes, Dagoberto Portillo, Dennis Alas, Darwin Bonilla, Ramón Flores, Alfredo Pacheco, Mardoqueo Henríquez, Marvin González and Reynaldo Hernández. In addition, Carlos Romeo Monteagudo was banned for 18 months, while Eliseo Quintanilla and Víctor Turcios received sixmonth bans. Yimmy Cuéllar, Alexander Escobar and Christian Sánchez were suspended for 30 days. Four other players are still under investigation, while Carlos Carillo was acquitted.
35 Althletes Train For Shooting Championships In Lagos
Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’Uselu
Egor Queens, Orhionmwon Win Edaiken Cup
. Sports Commissioner Commends the victorious teams at the Enobakhare By Kehinde Osagiede closing ceremony, Girls. EGOR Local Government Council Female Football Club, Egor Queens on Friday at Emotan College, produced an impressive performance to beat their Ikpoba-Okha counterparts in the final match of Edaiken U-17 football championship to lift the trophy. The Hon. Enobakhare Girls pipped Hon. Itohan Girls with a lone goal, scored by Tonye Erica, to break the heart of the hard fighting Ikpoba-Okha
In the male category, O r h i o n m w o n representatives (Orhionmwon Boys) snatched victory by a stroke of luck at the expense of very experienced coach Idahosa tutored Egor side, winning the Gold-Cup for Chief Ibierutomwen. Both teams, having laboured to a goalless situation in the 90 minutes regulation time, went in to penalty shoot out which resulted in 4-3 win in
played at U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar on Saturday, November 16. John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike all return for the clash in Ethiopia. Five players from the local
league also made the 23-man squad. They are Chigozie Agbim, Francis Benjamin, Solomon Kwambe, Azubuike Egwuekwe and Sunday Mba. The squad are expected to train for four days in Abuja before their departure to Addis Ababa on the eve of the game. Nigeria squad: Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille/FRA), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva/ISR), Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers) Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Braga/POR), Francis Benjamin (Heartland), Efe Ambrose (Celtic/SCO), Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars), Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor/TUR), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), James Okwuosa (Chippa United/ RSA) Midfielders: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea/ENG), John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra/POR), Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio/ITA), Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis/SPA), Victor Moses (Liverpool/ENG),
favour of Orhionmwmon Local Government Council. However, there was a consolation prize for Ikpoba-Okha male team as they emerged victorious in the third place match earlier decided in the day before the heavy down pour that almost forced postponement of the rest matches. Meanwhile, the Edo State Sports Commissioner, Hon. Omorede Osifo who presented the Gold Cup to
Nigeria Unchanged For Ethiopia World Clash
NIGERIA has named an unchanged squad from a recent qualifier at home to Malawi for next month’s World Cup play-off in Ethiopia. The African champions will be away to Ethiopia in Addis Ababa on Saturday, October 12, while the return leg will be
Shola Ameobi
Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers), Nnamdi Oduamadi (AC Milan/ ITA) Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United/ENG), Emmanuel Emenike(Fenerbahce/TUR), Obinna Nsofor (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), Uche Nwofor.
commended the host, Hon. Victor Enobakhare, Chairman Egor Local Government Council and the organizers of the championship, Dynamic Youths Sports Development of Nigeria (DYSDON) for their immense contribution to sports development in Edo State.
Obafemi Scoops MLS the New York Red Bulls’ 2-0 Awards victory against Toronto FC.
SEATTLE Sounders striker Obafemi Martins was named player of MLS Week 29 and his goal against Real Salt Lake was picked as goal of the week. The Nigeria striker’s goal was picked ahead of Fabian Espindola’s goal for Week 29’s AT&T Goal of the Week. Martins earned 30.43 percent of the week’s vote for his finish in the Seattle Sounders’ 20 triumph over Real Salt Lake, and that was enough to beat the 30.19 percent that Espindola received for his headed finish in
... Ameobi Major Doubt NEWCASTLE striker Shola Ameobi could well miss out on Nigeria’s World Cup playoff next month in Ethiopia because of injury. Ameobi returned to Newcastle United with a knock after playing for Nigeria against Burkina Faso in a friendly in which he scored his first International goal. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said in his press conference on Friday that the Nigeria striker may be out of action for three weeks. “Shola’s not available
BLESSING Okoh, a Lagos State Shooting Sports coach, on Friday said 35 athletes were putting finishing touches to their training, ahead of the 2nd Quarterly Shooting Sports Championships to begin on Wednesday. Okoh told newsmen in Lagos that the athletes were finalising their preparations for the three-day event, in which they would contest in two categories. “About 35 athletes are currently in camp, training towards the forthcoming programme in which they would compete in two categories, for male and female. “The athletes are training at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Yaba, where the competition will eventually take place in the Specialised Rifle and the Pistol categories,’’ she said. Okoh explained that the competition was the climax of the state’s programmes in shooting sports. She urged corporate sponsors to also support the sport to boost the number of competitions being organised, noting that they were still very few. “Shooting Sports have not been well supported in the past and it is very hard to get the corporate world to back some of our competitions. “It is also a sport that is not so popular among our youths because it is not one that you can just get easily involved with. “The materials such as air gun, pellets and shooting jackets, are not things one can come across easily.
again, and could be out for one to three weeks,” Pardew said. He was said to be nursing a slight knock, but that slight knock has turned into something that will now keep Shola out for up to three weeks or so, and that seems to have happened a lot in Shola’s career. Shola has been injury prone and he rarely plays more than half a season without a major injury. Nigeria are away to Ethiopia on October 12 in a first leg playoff for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Martins was also voted Week 29’s MLS Player of the Week for his one-goal, one-assist performance against Real Salt Lake. The former Inter Milan and Levante forward found the back of the net on a well-worked passing sequence he was heavily involved in during the third minute of the match, firing a onetimed shot before launching himself into his trademark backflip celebration. Final Votes - Week 29 (online poll and text vote): 1. Obafemi Martins (SEA): 30.43% 2. Fabian Espindola (NY): 30.19% 3. Kelyn Rowe (NE): 28.52% 4. Dominic Oduro (CLB): 5.69% 5. Robbie Keane (LA): 5.17%
Obafemi Martins
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Walcott Says Arsenal Braced For Trophy Tilt
Cabaye Hits With Fine ALAN Pardew has confirmed midfielder Yohan Cabaye has been fined by the club after he refused to play at the start of the season. The French international was subject to a bid from Arsenal in the summer, understood to be in the region of £10 million. Instantly rejected by the Magpies and considered derisory by club officials, Cabaye refused to play for the club in a bid to force through a move to the Emirates. However, the Gunners interest in Cabaye quickly cooled and he ultimately ended the window at St James’ Park. Welcomed back into the side as a substitute against Fulham, he earned his first start against Aston Villa last week, with Pardew confirming the issue has now been put to bed as Cabaye looks to get back to full fitness. Speaking to the club’s official website, Pardew said: “He’s also been disciplined for his actions this week and he accepted it in good faith. As far as I’m concerned I think it would be nice this week if our 52,000 give him the support he now deserves for at least apologising for that and taking the punishment that came with it. “Its a signal to players here and players elsewhere that until a contract is signed with another club there is a responsibility with the club you’re at. He’s a fantastic player not just for us but also France and I know he’s going to have a fantastic season. “His performance last week [against Aston Villa] spoke a thousand words. He didn’t really need to do that to win over the fans and i think his endeavour he was our top coverage in running last week and that shows where he was at considering he hasn’t played for a while. Newcastle fans want to see him pull on the shirt and perform. I just want Yohan to perform to the best of his abilities ,trust me he’s a fabulous player and important to us.”
THEO Walcott believes Arsenal finally have the stability to launch a serious challenge for trophies this season, urging his side to replicate their strong away form by turning the Emirates Stadium into a fortress. The Gunners’ 2-1 win at Marseille on Wednesday continued a ten-match winning streak on the road, extending to last season’s defeat of Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Although Arsene Wenger’s side have come under criticism for their eight-year trophy drought, things appear to be heading in the right direction, with the north Londoners sitting second in the Premier League. Walcott believes Arsenal have steadied the ship and are poised to end their wait for silverware. “We haven’t got the biggest squad in the world and we’ve got a lot of injuries, which doesn’t help,” Walcott said. “We’ve got to stay fit, which is crucial – we don’t want to lose
• Wayne Rooney
any more players. But as soon as the players come back there is going to be more competition for places and that’s only going to be a good thing for Arsenal. I think we’ll push on and we can definitely challenge [for trophies] this year, for sure.” The 24-year-old has put Arsenal’s successful streak down to confidence, with the next goal to ensure his side remain solid at home, beginning with Sunday’s visit of Stoke City. “We’ve got players who are playing fantastically well,” he
Clarke Defends Anelka WEST Bromwich Albion Purchase head coach Steve Clarke has defended Nicolas Anelka, refusing to blame the French striker for the early-season problems at The Hawthorns. Some critics have singled out Anelka, 34, as one of the main reasons for Albion’s struggle for goals so far, with questions
Rooney Gets Fergie Praise
SIR Alex Ferguson has offered his first public comments on the David Moyes era at Manchester United, and moved to bring an end to his apparent fall-out with Wayne Rooney. A Ferguson-Rooney rift formed at the back end of last season, with the outgoing United boss claiming his striker had asked to leave the club as he tried to force through a move to Chelsea. Yet Rooney remained at Old Trafford, despite a summer of speculation over his future, and now Ferguson seems to be eager to end his battle with the forward after he spoke to MUTV. “He’s got his energy back, his determination and his purpose
to attack players,” said Ferguson, who praised his twogoal display against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night. “It was all very encouraging for me and, being a director, I’m delighted to see that. He’s back to the way we always remember him. “We will have a fantastic chance because in Van Persie and Rooney, you have forwards who can win you games.” Ferguson went on to explain how he feels watching United in his new role, after he opted
to stand down as manager after a 26-year reign last summer. While he delighted in the wins against Swansea, Crystal Palace as Bayer Leverkusen, he admits the 1-0 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield was tough viewing. “I spoke to David Moyes after the Liverpool game,” he revealed. “We’d gone there over the years, 20-odd times over the years, and we’ve played worse than that and won, you know. “I can’t believe the criticism United are getting. I thought that David was right, I thought
Sunday Pools Guide Week 11 Bradford C; Bristol C For “X” SAYS DR. J.K. POOLS DR. J.K. Pools, the indefatigable pools consultant cum analyst has created poological feat by scoring 100% in Week 09 matches played on 14th and 15th, September, 2013. Please pick up your Sunday OBSERVER Published on September 8, 2013, to check the performances. The captioned Headline games were “Fulham; Southampton ”X”. Both drew. That was 100%. In the very week, Fulham was hosting Westbrom at No. 3, while Southampton was also hosting Westham at No.5. Again, I repeat that was 100%. Scanning through the whole fixtures of this week 11 matches to be played on 28th and 29th September 2013, I predict at least a dozen of draws. A visit to the Premiership, the most likely draws are Fulham vs. Cardiff at 2 and Hull vs. Westbrom at 3. This is the best controversial Zone-point(C-Z-P) of this week 11. I wholeheartedly bet an “X” against them. In Championship division one, I Fancy Reading vs. Birmingham at 17 and Sheffwed vs. Doncaster at 18 for a draw at the weekend. In summary, No. 2,3,17 and 18 for two draws.
A visit to English division one, Bradford C vs. Shrewsbury at 20, Bristol C vs. Colchester at 21 for a draw. I only predict a draw between Burton vs. Scuntrope at 32. All those who are pool stalkers and forecasters know my ability for the past 40 years in the defunct Sporting OBSERVER. I am still that DR. JK, the POOLS SURGEON; 07039275802 8 Treble Chances 1. Fulhamvs. Cardiff 0-0 2. Hull vs. Westham 0-0 3. Reading vs. Birmingham 1-1 4. Watford vs. Wigan 1-1 5. Bradford C vs. Shrewsbury 2-2 6. Bristol C vs. Colchester 2-2 7. Burton A vs. Scuntrope 3-3 8. Newport vs. Torquay 3-3 3 HOT. PAIRS (A). 2-3 (B). 20-21 (C). 32-37 Good luck, says Dr. J.K. Pools. Box 34, Irrua, Edo State.
added. “There is so much belief in this team at the moment and I think it’s showing. We just need to push on and make sure we get that home form going now; the away form is absolutely fantastic. “Someone told me in the dressing room it’s 10 successive wins away from home – it’s a record. To be part of a team that has done that, in the amount of years that Arsenal have existed, is a great honour and a great achievement for everyone. It just shows how talented these players are.”
they did play well. Yes, they could have done with a goal, but in the context of my experience of going to Liverpool over there, they hardly got in our box. “So I was a bit frustrated with that game, because I thought they deserved better, I thought they deserved more, but they won well against Crystal Palace.” Ferguson went on to talk about his retirement plans, as he recovers from the hip surgery he underwent during the summer.
raised over Clarke’s decision to give him a Premier League swansong. The striker has failed to score so far and created uncertainty with his recent threat to retire following the death of a close friend. Albion’s solitary goal in four games has come from defender Gareth McAuley, and Clarke has brought in strikers Stephane Sessegnon and Victor Anichebe in an attempt to solve the problem. Both are in contention for the visit of Sunderland on Saturday, but Clarke is not ready to make Anelka the fall guy and believes all his players need to accept more responsibility. “I think Nicolas’ form, by and large, has been good. He’s brought a different dimension to the team,” he said. “I think it is wrong that people single out Nicolas as the name. He’s part of a team that has struggled to create chances. “It’s not just about Nicolas creating chances and scoring goals. It’s about everybody else chipping in.
. . . Striker Credits Moyes With Improved Fitness MANCHESTER United striker Wayne Rooney says that new manager David Moyes’s “intense” training sessions have helped him rediscover his touch on the pitch. Rooney missed almost all of United’s pre-season campaign through injury and was then ruled out of the 1-0 loss to Liverpool prior to the international break with a facial wound. However, he has looked sharp since returning to action, netting a free-kick against Crystal Palace at the weekend before notching his 199th and 200th United goals in Tuesday’s 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen. Having been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea during
the close season, the 27-year-old England forward says he is now just focusing on playing as well as possible. “I’ve put my head down and worked hard and tried to do everything right,” Rooney said, in comments reported by several British newspapers on Thursday. “I’ve tried to show the right attitude. I’ve always felt that’s a really important thing to do. That’s paying off for me on the pitch. I feel fit and ready to do well. “I feel good. I’ve had some good training the last few weeks. It’s been stop-start with the injuries, but I’ve just kept my head down and worked hard and now I’ve played and got some goals.
CMYK
THE SUNDAY
32
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Don’t Be Defered By Challenges, Suswan Tells Judges
THE governor of Benue, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, yesterday appealed to judges not to allow challenges to deter them from discharging their duties. Suswam made the appeal in Makurdi at the commencement of the 2013 Legal Year celebrations. The governor noted that the appeal became important because the judiciary represented the last hope of the common man. He said that his administration would provide an enabling environment for the judiciary to operate. Represented by the state’s Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Alex Adum, the governor promised to provide befitting office accommodation for the judiciary. The governor stated that his administration would continue to support the judiciary to excel in its task of dispensing justice, promising that logistics would be provided for efficient service delivery. He commended the judiciary for offering good and sound judgment, urging stakeholders to sustain the service delivery. Suswam praised the judiciary for remaining steadfast and focused, in spite of the challenges it encountered in the course of discharging its duties. In his comments, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Iorhemen Hwande, urged judges in the state to be diligent and
meticulous in the discharge of their duties. Hwande said that if judges discharged their duties with diligence, the public would have no other option than to stick to it for adjudication. He stressed that if the public was allowed to resort to other means of settling their disputes, the judiciary would lose its glory. The chief judge charged judges to be resolute and to work according to the dictates of the law for the good of the society. He commended the judges for maintaining high judicial standards, noting that the judiciary was thriving in the state because of the support and cooperation it enjoyed from the governor.
THE Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has assured residents in IjeOdodo in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State that electricity supply would be restored to the community. Reports indicate that the community has been without electricity supply since June 1 following destruction of PHCN installation by pipeline vandals. Mr. Gbenga Asha, the Senior Manager, Distribution, Ikotun Business Unit of PHCN, said that electricity supply would have been restored to the area before now, but for some challenges. He said that some poles, which were replaced following the destruction, collapsed while the repair work was going on thereby
causing a setback. Asha blamed the swampy nature of the area and the rains for the delay in early completion of the work. He appealed to the residents to be patient as the unit was working to restore power supply to the affected area. Some residents explained that the power outage had paralysed business activities in the area in the last four months. They said that the problem had been on for too long and wondered why it took the unit so long to restore electricity supply to the community. Mr. Idowu Taofeek, the Chairman, Ije-Ododo Community Development Association, urged PHCN to complete the job by Thursday as promised. Taofeek said that lack of electricity supply had brought
Commandant, Mutairu Odion (left) and Chief Eduwu Ekhator Obasogie, Obasogie of Benin Kingdom at the 2013 International Day of Peace at Samuel Ogbemudial Stadium, Benin City yesterday.
Loans Granted By Atuchi: EFCC,
Utomi Disagree Over Ratification
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has faulted Prof. Pat Utomi’s testimony that Bank PHB’s Board of Directors ratified some loan facilities granted by the bank’s former Managing Director, Francis Atuche. Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), his wife, Elizabeth. The couple is being Counsel to the EFCC, faulted prosecuted alongside a former the claim while cross-examining Chief Financial Officer of the Utomi, a former Executive bank, Ugo Anyanwu, before Director of Bank PHB, before Justice Lateefat Okunnu. an Ikeja High Court on Friday. They were charged to court by Utomi is the first defence witness in the trial of Atuche and the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion belonging to Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank). Utomi had testified that the N100 billion loan facilities granted to some companies were ratified by the board members at a meeting held on July 9, 2008. Cross-examining the witness, Pinheiro argued that another board of directors meeting held
PHCN To Restore Power To Ije Ododo Soon untold hardship to the residents. “For the past four months, the whole community has been in darkness. “We are appealing to PHCN to restore power supply to our community by
Friday so that the community can celebrate the Independence Day with electricity,” he said. The community leader said that hoodlums had capitalised on the blackout to rob residents of the area at will.
AN expert in oil and gas, Mrs. Raqeebah Oloko-Adedimeji, has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to expedite action on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). Oloko-Adedimeji made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos yesterday. She said that it would be impossible for the nation to make significant progress in the oil sector without the passage of the bill.
The PIB has been on the drawing board since 2008. She said that if passed into law, it would help to restructure the petroleum industry and transform some institutions in the sector for effective performance. Oloko-Adedimeji, who is also the coordinator of the Youth in Oil and Gas (YOG), called on stakeholders, especially operators, lawmakers, government officials,
on Aug.25, 2010, indicated that the loans were never ratified. “The same board questioned the facility and denied knowledge of the ratification,’’ he said. Pinheiro said that the purposes for which the loans were obtained were not contained in the minutes of meeting Utomi tendered before the court. He said that the purported ratification was approved by Utomi and other board members because they had obtained loans directly and indirectly from the bank. Pinheiro said that Utomi obtained personal loans of N40 million and N10 million in three separate instances from Bank PHB during Atuche’s tenure. According to him, a company, UT Roads Maintenance Ltd., where Utomi was the Executive Chairman, was granted a N5 million loan facility. He said that Consolidated Business Support Ltd., owned
by another board member, Mr. Ifeanyinwa Osime, was granted almost one billion naira loan. “As a result of the assistance, your independence as a director was impaired’’ Pinheiro claimed. He said that Utomi had not fully repaid some of the loans and had been sued by the bank over the non-payment. Responding, Utomi insisted that the board ratified the loans following the presentation of the bank’s credit committee. He also denied being indebted to the bank, adding that he had filed a counter-suit to that effect. The witness said: “It is my right as a citizen to take facility from any bank. “The records will show that I had paid more than N20 million of the N40 million loan before Bank PHB was stolen. “‘So, I consider it a substantial injustice that you stole over a billion from me and I will now be paying you back.”
community leaders and civil society, to show more interest in the bill. The coordinator said that the nation had lost lots of investments, due to non-passage of the bill, adding that the delay in the enactment of the bill was not good for the economy. Oloko-Adedimeji said that the current situation in the oil and gas industry was not attractive to investors as it was slowing down the implementation of the national gas master plan.
‘’There is an urgent need for the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the is bill before investors move away. ‘’Inability of lawmakers to pass the bill has caused many investors to divest or withhold new investments.’’ She said that Nigeria would continue to import refined petroleum products and award endless turnaround maintenance contracts, until the bill scaled through.
Expert Urges NASS To Expedite Action On Passage Of PIB
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