THE WEEKEND
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Weekend
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013
PUBLISHED SINCE OCTOBER 6, 1990 • Vol. XI NO.3,204• SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013 • N100.00
ENCOUNTER
I Am A Grassroots Man - Hon Okoduwa
- Page 6
Edo Lawmakers Back National Confab By INNOCENT OMOAKA
LAWMAKERS in the Edo State House of Assembly have supported the Presidential call for a national dialogue aimed at repositioning the country, 53 years after Independence. The law makers gave the indications during the week while speaking with THE WEEKEND OBSERVER on Nigeria’s 53rd Independence Day anniversary. According to Hon. Peter Aliu representing Etsako East Constituency, the p r e s i d e n t i a l Independence Day anniversary call for a national conference
which is long overdue is imperative and expedient. He added that the national dialogue would give Nigerians the opportunity to discuss and find solutions to the problems threatening the social existence of the country. Hon. Aliu stressed that the national dialogue would provide a platform to examine the problems
besieging the existence of the country and plans for the country’s future. Similarly, Hon. Okoduwa, the State House of Assembly Minority Leader representing Esan North East constituency II scribed the presidential call for national dialogue as the way forward for the country. He however cautioned on the need for effective representation of all interest group in Nigeria during the national conference. Hon. Okoduwa stressed that the national confab would provide a
platform for Nigerians to cross ventilate their anger on the aspects which the country has failed in its 53 years of Independence. He also called on the
13-man conference committee to consider the heterogeneous nature of the country while proposing the modality for representation for the
conference to give room to all shades of interests. Also reacting to the Independence Day broadcast of the president, Hon. Patrick O s a y i m w e n
commended the p r e s i d e n t acknowledgment of politicians whose interest are only on electoral polls while paying little or Continued on page 4
GOGI Awards Scholarship By INNOCENT To 20 Students OMOAKA BENIN CITY - The St Maria Goretti Old Girls International (GOGI) has awarded 4,000 U.S dollars worth of scholarship to 20 students of St Maria Goretti Girls Secondary School Benin City. Presenting the scholarship award to the deserving students, Eng. (Mrs.) Bose Ogbeifun Oviasu representing the president of GOGI, Dr. (Mrs.) Josephine Ebomoyi reiterated the commitment of the old Girls in ensuring that the young girls currently attending the school got better and qualitative
education. Engr. (Mrs.) OgbeifunOviasu also commended the efforts of the Comrade Governor in restructuring some of the decayed facilities in the school. According to her, the efforts of the Comrade Governor in repositioning the education sector in the state provided the needed platform for GOGI to contribute its quota to developing the school. She called for further collaboration from other stakeholders in assisting the government to improve the standard of
education in a secured, conducive learning environment. She added that there were ongoing plans by GOGI to carry out other projects in the school to include, expanding the existing computer laboratory with full internet access to accommodate more computers donated by the group and also provide the school with functioning home economics laboratory for the school. Speaking at the event, the Edo State Commissioner for Education, Barr. Continues on page 4
MEETING:Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Chairman BRACED Governor’s Council, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State at the 1st Ordinary meeting of the BRACED Governors’ Council in Benin City, yesterday. Photo: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE.
MOTORING
Biometric Rape? - Page 15
Engr. (Mrs.) Bose Ogbeifun Oviasu, presenting an award to one of St. Maria Goretti students during the scholarship award by Goretti Old Girls International (GOGI) in Benin City yesterday. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.
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CRIME
Court Dissolves 4 Year-Old Marriage Over Troublesome Wife AN Ilorin Area Court on Thursday dissolved the four-year-old marriage between Usman and Ganiyat Saheed, over the latter ’s troublesome nature. Usman, 37, a resident of Ganmo Area, Ilorin, had prayed the court to dissolve his marriage to Ganiyat, due to her troublesome nature. The plaintiff told the court that his wife got provoked at a very slightest provocation and fond of causing conflict with everybody in the neighbourhood. “My wife, through her troublesome nature has fought every member of our neighbourhood and has scared them of coming to our house for visit,” he said. He told the court that his
wife had poor manners and had no regard for anybody. According to him, their marriage was contracted in 2009 and had produced one male child, Kabiru. “My Lord, I want an end to this marriage, I cannot continue to endure with a woman that find solace in trouble and also lacks ethics of respect,” said the plaintiff. The defendant did not object to the prayer of her husband, saying she was fed-up with her husband complaint every time. Ganiyat prayed the court to grant the prayer of her husband without any claim. The presiding Judge, Mr Ibrahim Abdulquadri, dissolved the marriage and issued a certificate of divorce to the plaintiff.
L-R: Commander, Airforce Detachment, Ibadan, Air C o m m a n d e r Olisegan Idowu, Nigerian Army Chief of Administration, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Abubakar and GOC, 2 Division, Maj.-Gen. Ahmed Jibrin, during officers Training Week in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Driver, Assistant Charged With Theft Of Employer’s N10m Property
A 28-YEAR-OLD company driver and his assistant, who allegedly stole 120 plasma television sets valued at N10 million, on Thursday appeared before an
Court Remands Carpenter For Stealing Car A 35-YEAR-OLD she said. Battery
carpenter, Fatai Bashiru, was on Thursday remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons, Apapa, by an Abule-Egba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for stealing a car battery valued at N16, 000. The Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, ordered that Bashiru be remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons, after the accused confessed to the offence of stealing a car battery and pleaded guilty, as charged. Elias ordered that the accused be detained in the prisons and adjourned the case till Oct 16, for facts and sentencing.
Bashiru of Railway line, Abule-Egba, was brought to court on a one-count charge of stealing. The prosecutor, Insp. Racheal Williams, told the court that the offence was committed on Oct. 1 at Omoniyi St., off Balogun, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos. According to her, the accused was on the streets and he saw a car that was parked. He went to the car and removed the battery. “The accused was sighted by a man passing by, who raised an alarm and attracted the neighbours,”
Williams said that the car belonged to one Mr Amos Idowu, adding that the value of the battery was N16, 000. The offence according to the prosecutor, contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Code, Law of Lagos State, 2011, The accused pleaded guilty to the charge against him.
Pharmaceutical Stores, along Idiroko Road, Ota. She said that the accused, who was a Supervisor at the Gilban Pharmaceutical Stores, stole the sum of N1.7 million from his employer. Rosemary said that the offences were punishable under Sections 390 (4) and 423 of the Criminal Code (Revised), Law of Ogun, 2006. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Both Raji and Salami denied the charges. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, granted them bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum. She said the sureties should
husband had abandoned her one year into their marriage, has dragged him before the
The Magistrate, Mr Adenariwo Soneye, granted him bail in the sum of N1 million, with two responsible sureties in like sum. Soneye said that one of the sureties must be a civil servant in the employment of Ogun State; who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and show evidence of tax payment. The case was adjourned till November 6, for mention.
Magajin gari Sharia Court II, Kaduna, seeking for divorce. According to her, the husband, Sani Yunusa, was in the habit of beating, failing to provide food or accommodation to her. Auwal told the court on Thursday that since they got married a year ago, he had only provided food to the family for two months and was unable to pay house rent. The situation, she said, had forced her to live with her parents in the last four months, with no effort made by Yunusa to address the problems. Auwal therefore asked the court to terminate the marriage as her husband had
show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions. Reports say that the accused may be sentenced to three years imprisonment if convicted. The case has been adjourned to October 7 for mention.
Man, 34, Docked Over Alleged Theft Of N9.6m Seasoning Cubes A 34-YEAR-OLD DHL worker, Ibrahim Jimoh, was on Thursday arraigned on an alleged three-count charge of forgery, conspiracy and stealing. The Prosecutor, Insp.
House Wife Seeks Divorce A Year A HOUSE wife, Zainab Into Marriage Auwal, who claims her
Man, 32, Arraigned Over Alleged THE Police in Ogun on N1.7m Theft Thursday arraigned a 32year-old Supervisor, Faboro Babatunde, who allegedly stole N1.7 million belonging to his employer. Babatunde, who lives at No. 10, Oduleye St., Ifo, near Sango Ota, Ogun, is standing trial on a twocount charge of stealing and conspiracy, before an Ota Magistrates’ Court. The prosecutor, Cpl. Brown Rosemary, told the court that Babatunde committed the offences in August 2012 at the Gilban
Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. The driver, Maliki Raji, and the 21-year-old assistant, Azeez Salami, are facing a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy. According to the prosecution, the duo stole the television sets belonging to their employer. Insp. Soji Ojaokomo told the court that the accused stole the television sets from the store of Bollore African Logistics located at Kirikiri Town, Lagos. He said the offences which were committed on August 30 at 9.20 p.m. contravened
failed to discharge his m a t r i m o n i a l responsibilities. The accused, denied the allegation and accused the wife of waywardness. He however agreed that the woman now lives with her parents due to his inability to pay house rent. Yunusa appealed to the court to prevail on the wife and her parents to give him one month grace to secure a new accommodation, claiming that he still loves his wife. The Presiding Officer, Khadi Ibrahim Mohammed directed the couple to come along with their parents on Oct. 10, for continuation of hearing.
Racheal Williams told the Abule Egba Magistrates’ court, Lagos, that Jimoh, of No. 3, Mowowale St., off Ilaja Road, Bariga, Lagos, committed the offences on June 21 at DHL Warehouse, Abule-Egba. Williams said that the accused and one other, now at large, forged the security gate pass and goods received stamp of DHL Excel chain supply and stole some goods. “The accused stole 2,090 cartons of Knorr beef Maggi, valued at N9.6 million. “He was caught at the point of selling the goods and was handed over to the police,’’ Williams said. The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened sections 285, 363 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, granted him N1 million bail, with two sureties in like sum. He then adjourned the case till November 11 for mention.
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N ws Agagu: Plane Crash, Deaths Shocking - Oshiomhole
Engr. (Mrs.) Bose Oviasu, presenting an award to one of St. Maria Goretti students during the Scholarship Award by Goretti Old Girls International (GOGI) in Benin City yesterday. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.
GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says news of the plane crash which claimed the lives of the Ondo State Commissioner for Tourism and other prominent people of the state came to him as a rude shock. The Governor in a statement in Benin City yesterday said: “News of the crash came to me as a rude shock especially as the people of Ondo state were still in mourning following the recent death of the former Governor of the State, Dr Olusegun Agagu.
Dr Ize-Omoregie Extols Oshiomhole, Odubu
A CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressive Congress APC Dr. Odaro Ize-Omoregie has called on Nigerians to emulate the leadership qualities of Oshiomhole, Odubu administration in Edo State. Dr. Ize-Omoregie made the statement while congratulating Nigerians on the 53rd Independence Day Celebration in Benin City recently. He applauded the cordial working relationship between the Executive Governor of Edo State Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his able Lieutenant, Rt. Hon. Dr. Pius Odubu which he enthused has led to the unprecedented and landmark development across all spectrums of life in
Edo State. He noted that their leadership qualities has brought peace, love and unquantifiable unity and togetherness in Edo State. He disclosed that it is this lack of cordiality that has led to fighting, hatred and conflicts between governors and their deputies and intraparty squabbles in most states in the federation noting that such development only breeds further underdevelopment in the country, due to lack of unity of purpose. The multi disciplinary luminary maintained that all Nigerians should unite in their thought, actions and deeds so that real progress may be made in the nation
The Ogbe born politician explained that there is no doubt that a house full of evil will breed no good fruit, stressing that the sustainable development effort of Oshiomhole and Odubu is hinged on their sincerity, integrity and genuine commitment to the growth and progress of Edo People. He also used the occasion to eulogise His Royal Highness Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa for his effort in ensuring that peace and prosperity has continued to reign in the land. Ogbenagidi as he is fondly called further said that the choice of Oshiomhole and Odubu as governor and deputy governor has truly
BATRACO ’79 Tames Retirement IN what appears like daring rest of their lives happily Fears to achieve an unprecedented together as brothers and feat, the 1979 set of the defunct Baptist College, Ede, will converge on the NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo, at the weekend (Saturday), to renew strategies for empowering the old classmates to overcome problems associated with post retirement life. A statement issued by the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Adeyemi Brown, said most members of the 1979 set comprising over 200 old students who graduated from the Baptist College, Ede 34 years ago will be retiring from the Federal/ State Civil Service next year, in line with the mandatory
length of service retirement age. The statement further said that having watched with empathy the plight of most retirees in coping with the socio-economic challenges plaguing the society, some members of the group initiated the move to pool resources and strategize for a productive, healthy and happy post retirement life. According to the statement, several measures have been outlined to usefully engage every member of the 1979 set who identifies with the recently inaugurated Batraco ’79 group with a view to ensuring that they enjoy the
sisters loving, sharing and caring for one another in old age. A former lecturer of the College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta and teacher of the old Baptist Training College, Dr. Bade Adeyemo, is expected to deliver a goodwill message on the occasion. The statement also enjoined all members of the 1979 set of the Baptist College, Ede, to take advantage of the meeting which begins at 10am and empower themselves in the bid to tame the dreaded post retirement fears.
“The death of the State Commissioner for Tourism and some other senior government officials; family members and close associates of the late Governor in the Plane Crash is an unfortunate double tragedy which saddens all of us. “Our hearts are with you and the good people of Ondo State in this hour of grief and we pray the good Lord will console you. “I offer my personal commiseration as well as the condolence of the good people and Government of Edo State over this painful incident. “We join you to pray for the repose of the soul of the late Governor and the souls of all who lost their lives in the plane crash. We also pray our Heavenly Father to strengthen you and the people of Ondo State in this trying period.”
paid off at this time of our political history as their leadership can be said to be nothing but a divine blessing to the people of Edo State in particular and Nigeria in
general. He enthused that Oshiomhole’s wisdom can be sought all over the world and in Nigeria at this critical time in her history.
By JOSES SEDE
the nation. “This comes as a rude shock, and it is indeed a double tragedy, not only for the late Chief Olusegun Agagu’s family, the government and good people of Ondo State, but for the nation as a whole. I feel most saddened over this unfortunate incident, and send my heartfelt condolences to all
the affected families and pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of all those who lost their lives”, he further noted. The Deputy President of the Senate however, called on all Nigerians to pray for the nation, noting that Nigeria needs divine intervention in addition to the government’s efforts to mitigate such occurrences.
By KESTER OGIESEWU
innocent people especially those who have nothing to do with criminal activities. He stated that, the time has come for musicians to come together and ensure that there is rapid transformation in the entertainment industry. According to him, stakeholders in the entertainment industry should be ready to play a vital role in ensuring that the entertainment industry is kept alive. Chief Osula also disclosed that the launching of the album which is scheduled to hold in December 2013 will coincide with his late father ’s memorial anniversary.
Plane Crash: Death, Too Cruel - Mark ...as Ekweremadu calls for Prayers ABUJA - Senate President David Mark and his Deputy, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu have bemoaned yesterday crash of Associated Airline in Lagos while conveying the remains of late Chief Olusegun Agagu, his bereaved family members and some friends to Ondo State for burial. “This is more than double tragedy. It is sad. It is disheartening. This is death too cruel; this is one tragedy that a man is tempted to question the essence of human existence. But as ordinary mortals, we lack the locus-standi to question our creator. In all circumstances, we give thanks to the Almighty. May God’s wish be done,” an obviously depressed Senate President state mourned. He however, prayed that God gives the nation especially the immediate families of the deceased the fortitude to bear this painful loss just as he prayed that the souls of the departed rest in peace. On his part, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu described the crash as a double tragedy, regretting that the event came as a rude shock given the progress made in repositioning the nation’s aviation sector, including the tremendous improvements in aviation safety in recent times, called on all well meaning Nigerians to pray for
Obo-Osa To Be Launched December
BENIN CITY – Music dynamo and one of Africa’s entertainment guru, Chief Omo Lawal Osula and his royal music messengers of Africa have released another album, titled, “ObaOsa”. The new album which has three tracks, Oba Nosa, character and Osula gospel, speaks of the importance of man in the life of human being which he created on earth. Chief Omo Lawal Osula who is the Arala of Benin Kingdom stated in an interview in Benin City recently that he decided to give thanks to God for protecting the lives of
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N ws Edo Lawmakers Back National Confab
Continued from page 1 no attention on the development of the society. Hon. Osayimwen however, called for sincerity on the part of president Goodluck Jonathan and other political office holders in focusing on development of the society and the electorate.
He stressed that instead of paying greater attentions to the 2015 polls, political office holders should intensify efforts to affecting the lives of
the citizens who they represent. Hon. Abdulrazak Momoh, representing Etsako West Constituency II said that the modeled after the United States where each region control its own resources. He added that any national confab without a sovereign power to individuals and groups would amount to nothing. He said, an arrangement should be made with each
region controlling its own resources and contributing its part to the Federal Government. Similarly, he condemned the actions of some northern political leaders who paid greater attentions to power returning to the north. Hon. Momoh however, called on the northern political leaders to make efforts in developing the region they had neglected for so long.
GOGI Awards US 4,000 Scholarship To 20 Students
Continued from page 1 Washington Osifo reiterated the commitment of the state Governor in transforming the human capital resource of the state through repositioning of the education sector. He however, called on all stakeholders in the sector to cooperate with the state government in its drive to reposition education and better the lives of the people. In a related development, the Edo State Head of Service, Princess Ekiuwa Inneh, and old students of the
school, recalled how her education in St Maria Goretti had contributed to her present role as Head of Service. She charged the students to be focus-minded and avoid acts that would jeopardize their vision for the future. Highlight of the event was the presentation of a book titled “Help! I Have An Alien in my House! Girls Let’s Talk,” written by the special adviser to the Minster of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Evelyn Otaigbe, also an old students
Plane Crash: Hon Igbe Mourns By GIFT ONAGHAMA
THE speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbe , member and staff of the house have commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the ill-fated Associated Airline, which crashed in Lagos on Thursday 3 rd October,
2013. In a condolence message signed by RT. Hon. Igbe who received the news with great shock, lamented the unfortunate incident and prayed God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest, their families and the Ondo state government the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Edo Police Command Renews Efforts To Combat Crime By MORRISON HAYBLE
EDO State Police Command has again renewed its plan to the people of the state for a collaborative effort with securities operative aimed at combating crime in the State. The Commissioner of Police , Founso Adebanjo made the appeal Wednesday at Auchi during meeting with stake holders in Edo North secretarial district involving Traditional Rulers, Council Chairmen, members of the Police Community Relation Committee, PCRC, Vigilante groups as well as opinion leaders. CP Adebanjo told the gathering that the meeting became expedient in order to seek collaborative approach to the worrisome problem of insecurity adding that the police alone could not succeed in this regard. The Police Commissioner noted that crime was an evil affecting everyone without
exemption and appealed for understanding amongst the people to achieve positive result. He noted that the meeting became necessary in the face of the security situation in the country and urged the stake holders to sensitize their subjects with a view to minimizing criminalities. Police Area Commander Edo North, ACP David jiniwan had assured the commissioner of Police that his command would be undeterred to fighting the crime wave in the area in spite of the challenges, adding that the people were aware of the current security challenges. The commissioner of Police also paid a courtesy visit to the Otaru of Auchi, HRH Alhaji A.H. Momoh to seek his cooperation. The Otaru said that as custodian of the people there was much the Traditional Rulers could do towards assisting the police in fighting crime and called for collaboration between the police and the people to ensure a peaceful society
of St. Maria Goretti. Those affected are Rita Odigie; Elizabeth Osaro, Rita Nduka, Becky Yama, Cynthia Igbinigie, all in SS1. Those in SS2, include Blessing Ogbhiyeghobu, Eghosa Igbinomwanhia, Agunu Kudiratu, Tedeye Utseoritselaju, Loveth Segun, Irene Okoro, Juliet Osakpolor, Chamaka Ezeh. Others are Precious Edoror, Omotola Oyetunde, Ohoda Bagmama, Onaiwu Ofumwengbe, Jennifer Otiku, Lydia Eguasa and Imorgan Orhen.
THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised state governments to set up permanent humanitarian camps for disaster victims. Mr Iyiola Akande, the SouthWest Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, gave the advice on Thursday in his address at an interactive session held with stakeholders in Ibadan. Reports say that the workshop had as theme: “Humanitarian Camp Set-up, Administration and Coordination.” The forum was organised by NEMA to review the level of humanitarian preparedness toward disasters. “Disaster can occur at any time, but we should be prepared to have a camp where survivors can be accommodated with all sense of dignity before they are reintegrated into the society. “The global humanitarian principles dictate that humanitarian workers should take their services to the distressed and internally displaced persons in a conducive camp environment. “This is in order for the distressed people to feel safe, secure and comfortable in a place where their rights to human dignity are guaranteed,” he said. Akande said for camps to provide the necessary atmosphere for assistance
NEMA Seeks Permanent Camps For Disaster Victims and protection of displaced persons, they needed to be properly established. “These humanitarian camps must be well managed and adequately secured. “These agencies must know the requirement for the proper administration and management of the camp; including the protocol for its proper closure or winding down,” he said. Where humanitarian assistance and protection in camps were not well organised, coordinated and monitored, he said the vulnerability of the camp population was bound to increase. He, however, commended the proactive contributions of some state governments within the South-West Zone in mitigating disasters. “The dredging of rivers, streams and canals embarked upon by state executives has helped to prevent disaster that could have resulted from the high volume of rainfall so far experienced in the zone. “True to the prediction of rainfall pattern for this year, some cities and villages have been experiencing thunderous rainfall, albeit, without major incident that could have overwhelmed their capacities to cope,” he
Strike: FG Sets Up Committee To Look THE Federal Government has set up a committee to look into the demands of the National Union of Post and Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Employees (NUPTE). The members of the committee, which is to report back to the Minister of Labour and productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, within two months, are representatives of the NUPTE and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity. This is contained a communique issued in Abuja on Thursday and made available to newsmen. Reports say that the decision was reached at a meeting attended by Wogu, Mr Henry Akpan, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communication T e c h n o l o g y ; representatives of NIPOST management and the union. The communique said the meeting resolved to anchor the contents of agreement between the union and NIPOST management on a valid Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) as there was no valid CBA in existence between NIPOST and NUPTE before now. It said the meeting also resolved that the agreement should be anchored on derivable Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by NIPOST to facilitate
Into Nupte’s Demands implementation. “Item No. 1 should be properly phased out in terms of rate and quantum of payment for each year based on projected and sustainable IGR. “That, in view of the fact that rent enhancement was currently enjoyed by personnel of NIPOST from GL 14 and above, same benefits may be extended to the lower cadre but should be equally anchored on realisable and sustainable IGR “Based on the above, a committee driven by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication Technology shall work out the financial details and implications. “In consideration of the above, the three-day warning strike is hereby formally suspended,’’ it said. The communique said the meeting also agreed that proper phasing of payments pertaining to items one and two of the Communique be worked out and reverted to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity within two months. Present at the meeting were Mr Sunday Alhassan, the NUPTE National President; Mr Ibrahim Mori, Post Master General; Mr Henry Akpan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology and Mrs
Chinedu Dike, Ministry of Labour and Productivity. It will be recalled that NIPOST workers began the three-day warning strike on Wednesday.
said. He listed such towns to include Akure, Osogbo, Ilesa, Ago-Iwoye, Ondo and Owo in the South-West Zone. In his paper entitled, “Education in Emergencies,’’ Mr Kolawole Hamzat of the Centre for Disaster Risk and Crisis Reduction (CDRCR), stressed the need for special education curriculum in humanitarian camps. “The effects of emergencies are more felt by women and children who do not have enough capacity to help themselves. “Schools, which should be havens, are also affected during emergencies. “The school calendar is disrupted, school buildings are often destroyed and in most cases, the students are afraid of going back to school. “The camps should, therefore, not just offer food and beddings as usually the case, but they should provide psycho-social educational curriculum to manage the trauma of these refugees. “You may not offer them the normal school curriculum, but please provide them with education that will help to restore their pride and launch them back into the society,” he said. Reports say that the forum was attended by General Managers of State Emergency Management Agencies from Ekiti, Osun and Ogun. Others included representatives of the Federal Road Safety Commission , Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NonGovernmental Organisations as well as civil and faithbased organisations.
Influx Of Illegal Aliens, Small Arms, Hinder Efforts To Combat Terrorism - Military THE military says the influx of illegal aliens, arms, ammunition and Improvised Explosive Device(IED) materials into Nigeria through porous borders is a challenge to the efforts to combat terrorism. It also identifies the use of animals like camels, donkeys and cows to traffic small, light and collapsible arms into the country as another challenge. This is contained in the current special edition of the “Nigerian Defence Magazine’’, a publication of the Defence Headquarters. The magazine said that the arms were being brought into the nation through some of its porous borders. It said that most of such arms came to the Boko Haram insurgents through Libyan and Malian rebels, desperate to exchange arms for money. “This has added to the overwhelming challenge of the influx of illegal aliens, arms, ammunition and sophisticated IED materials into the country, and efficient and effective fight against terrorism,’’ it said. It also said that the waterways and sea ports in the South provided another means through which those arms were trafficked to the country via the ships, speed boats and canoes through the creeks. It described as “disheartening and unfortunate’’ the means by which “merchants of death” (insurgents) trafficked small
weapons, to beat security agencies at the borders. “The fact that the weapons are small, light and collapsible makes them easy to be concealed and moved on camels and donkeys’ back in specially crafted skin or thatched bags,’’ it said. It said that some merchants of cows and grains in the region hid the arms and ammunition in empty fuel tankers, under vehicle engines and bags of grains and smuggled them in. “The grains are transported in large number via trucks, trailers, lorries and old model pick up vans and jeeps with little attention given to them by security agents. “The use of tricycles (Keke NAPEP), camels, donkeys and cows moving in flocks to deceive, hide and conveniently traffic arms in some parts of the North are ways hitherto unknown,’’ it said. It, however, said that the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the region had since uncovered those means and had taken measures to contain them. The magazine called for adequate deployment of personnel and technology in the borders to man, monitor and check the movement of illegal persons, goods and arms into the country. “Security agencies at the borders and seaports have complained of the porosity of the nation’s border and water ways.
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“In actual fact there is nothing like dividend of democracy in Nigeria at the center because you can only have a dividend when your investment begin to yield and truly yield a profit. Thus it is rare to have a dividend were one has not invested. So what can the ruling power, or party say it has invested on Nigeria and Nigerians?”
Nigeria: 14 Years Of Anomie HOW many Nigerians had wished for the return of democracy when the country was held bound by military rule. In fact many Nigerians actually sacrificed their personal comfort and lives to ensure that democracy returned to the bereaved nation. Many Nigerians had also fought tooth and nail, agitated and struggled seizelessly for the return of democracy. In the same vein many Nigerian patriots and comrades from all stratras of society also lost their lives, while others went into forced exiles to escape from the strong grips of tyranny and despotism that had taken over the country during those dark days. After enduring continued period of darkness and suffocation, eventually God Almighty restored democracy to Nigeria miraculously when the people lest expected it. On May 29, 1999, after almost twenty years of military interregnum, began another era of democracy in Nigeria. The Peoples Democratic Party PDP under the leadership of General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) won the general election and was sworn-in on that suspicious day May 29, 1999 to the satisfaction
of everyone. Thus Nigerians had heaved a sign of relief, and with great expectation looked forward to a life of peace, growth, development and progress. But 14
the greed of PDP leaders who choose to serve themselves rather than fulfill their obligation to Nigerians. This is not just the views of a critique of PDP’s inept
• Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
years into our d e m o c r a t i c dispensation, there is virtually nothing on ground to console us of our sad fate and destiny. The bitter filling UP of misfortunes, pain and suffering as a result of PDP’s misrule, misgovernance, maladministration and its failure to fight the mighty corruption has plunged Nigeria into the depth of socio-economic quagmire leaving it hanging by the precipice. According to Jude Oluwajuyitan in a recent write up in the nation of Thursday August 29, 2013”… they remain intractable because of
on the faces of the masses those who have been voting for them. It is a shame indeed that the PDP has failed to deliver the so-called “dividend of democracy”
PDP’s investment on Nigeria and on Nigerians is corruption, looting of public treasury and dissention. And sadly what is the dividend of its investment on Nigeria
• President Goodluck Jonathan
management of the nations affairs, it is also that of the various probe bodies set up by the government itself as well as that of the judiciary that at different periods indicted nearly all the past PDP chairmen, past senate presidents, past speakers of the Lower House, ex-governors some of whom have served jail terms at home for financial malfeasance or abroad for money laundering”. It is therefore regrettable, shameful and scornful that of the 14 years of PDP’s misrule, that the ruling party cannot put smiles
a phrase coined by the media to Nigerians. In actual fact there is nothing like dividend of democracy in Nigeria at the center because you can only have a dividend when your investment begin to yield and truly yield a profit. Thus it is rare to have a dividend were one has not invested. So what can the ruling power, or party say it has invested on Nigeria and Nigerians? What kind of investment has the ruling power invested in Nigerians that is supposed to attract the appropriate dividends? From what is on ground everywhere
and Nigerians is perhaps, nothing but misery and sorrow. Apart from these, PDP’s dividend of democracy to Nigerians in the past 14 years are so many that there is no space to enumerate them all here, but only to mention just a few (which has already made this writer sick) these includes, terrorism, insurgency, bitter ethnic rivalry and conflicts, religious bigotry, (leading to mass killings), mass murder, r e l i g i o u s fundamentalism, human trafficking, poverty, mass unemployment, epileptic
power supply, skyrocketing inflation, food insecurity, insecurity of life and property, program, genocide, socio-economic failure, failed infrastructures failed educational standard, failed water supply, dangerous roads, failed medical care, failed critical infrastructures and so on and so forth. In truth, Nigerians are worst off today than where they where 14 years ago. Today, most Nigerians have become traumatized as if they were living under war conditions. Most parts of Nigeria have become war zones due to the nauseating poverty and wretchedness. Thus the PDP as the so-called largest party in Africa in the last 14 years has plagued the Nigerian soul with darkness, wickedness, lies, and hatred. The PDP has led Nigeria with failed promises, with intrigues and uncertainty. The PDP has thus performed abysmally, abnormally, poorly and nonchalantly. The PDP has led Nigeria to the path of p r e d i c t i o n , retrogression, hostility, conflict, separatism, even as the state of anomie rules the land.
“The bitter filling UP of misfortunes, pain and suffering as a result of PDP’s misrule, misgovernance, maladministration and its failure to fight the mighty corruption has plunged Nigeria into the depth of socio-economic quagmire leaving it hanging by the precipice.”
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I Am A Grassroots Man
HON. Pharm Emma Okoduwa is the Minority Leader in the Edo State House of Assembly. He represents Esan North East II Constituency comprising of Uromi and Uzea. He was born into the family of Okoduwa in Ifadon, Uromi. He had his primary education in his home town in Uromi before proceeding to St. John Bosco College in Ubiaja where he had his secondary education. He had a one year HSC programme at Edo College from where he bagged a Bachelors Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Benin. Before his youth service in Ondo State after graduation, he under went a mandatory internship programme at the former Specialist Hospital now Central Hospital Benin. After his one year of youth service he began his practice as a pharmacist in his home town until 2007 when he was elected to represent his constituency at the State House of Assembly. In this interview with THE WEEKEND OBSERVER he bares his mind on his representation of his constituency and the 53rd Independence Day Anniversary. EXCERPT. renovation of my community How has it been in your town hall. I also open up my representation of your community which before constituency from 2007 till then was land logged with date? roads constructed. The I thank God for it, community is now enjoying though it has been quite the benefit of those actions challenging but also quite which had made it the fastest rewarding. At least between growing community in the periods I have been able Uromi. People are now to impact very positively on coming into the community my constituency. As to develop and do business legislators we don’t have there. Land with no much powers to execute projects. value before then has now What we do more is to great value with many land nominate project for owners proud and creating execution by the executives. wealth through proceeds We also lobby the executives from the land sold and to see to the execution of the developed. Opening up my projects we have nominated. community for me is one of In that capacity I have been the greatest acts I have made able to influence some with many of my community projects executed in my people happy about it. We constituency between the six now have even non natives years period of my developing lands there and representation at the State doing legitimate business. I House of Assembly. Among also challenged others by the projects executed are five having my own house in my primary school blocks in community, which had made different communities which others to also come to have are hundred percent theirs too. completed. I have also been What has been the able to influence the motivating factor for your completion of three achievement? electricity projects in three I give God the glory for different communities, with it all. My background also poles and transformers fully contributed to it. I had come installed. In this year’s from a humble background constituency project I have and one of my greatest also nominated other projects interests is community which are ongoing. On a service. Even during my personal level I was able to university days I had build a gigantic borehole, a organized summer classes Millennium Development during holidays for students Goals (MDG) model. That in secondary schools in my was built in my own village, since I didn’t have the community. I also did the
opportunity to travel around places during my holidays from the university. Those free classes had a great impact on my community back then. On a personal level I had loved the teaching profession. If not for my brother who had ventured into lecturing, lecturing at the College of Education in Agbor. I didn’t venture into it so as my family won’t be seeing as a family of lecturers. Outside what I do is teaching, I love impacting knowledge and I have been
- Hon Okoduwa afford a fifty naira to buy drugs running to you for assistance with no other choice on my part other than to assist. People always come to me for assistance. I was the secretary of my community association. The first electricity project in my community, the Ifadon electricity project, I was nominated to represent the community to serve as an intermediary between the
obligated and duty bound to care for the need of the people that elected you to represent their interest. There is no much difference between the two because care is care, either pharmaceutical care or care for your constituency. One must have care, concern and empathy for the people you represent. That is also a similar orientation and
community and the government. So you see when you are in such a community where you are giving much responsibility it becomes to whom much is giving much is expected. When I was contesting for the seat in the State Assembly I received massive supports such that the leadership of my party had no option than to allow me run for it. Infact I am a grassroots man. How has your practice as a pharmacist influenced your role as a Representative? The profession of a pharmacist offers pharmaceutical care for the people. As a representative in the assembly gives one the opportunity to offer care and concern to the generality of your people and not just the patients that visited your pharmacy. As their representative you are
training you are also given as a professional pharmacist. What is your reaction to the President Independence Day broadcast. The national dialogue is the way forward as it gives people the opportunity to ventilate their anger and speak about what truly affect them. It gives them the opportunity to cross ventilate. Let us wait for the recommendations of the constituted national confab committee before we begin to speculate if the voice of the ordinary man on the street would be represented. It would be from the suggestions of the committee’s modality to know what they truly have in mind. By and large I think the country would be better for it after such a national dialogue is held. My advise to the committee is to ensure
Hon. Pharm Emma Okoduwa
pleased seening young people coming around to greet me and telling me I once taught them back then when we had those free classes. Some of the persons are excelling in their chosen career. My practice as a pharmacist in my own quarter in the village is another motivating factor because practicing as a pharmacist in the village where people who are sick and poor that could not
“I thank God for it, though it has been quite challenging but also quite rewarding. At least between the periods I have been able to impact very positively on my constituency.”
that the greatest numbers of interests are represented. The elites and the ordinary man on the street, the communities, youths, women, men, communities, tribes, and every interest should be accommodated and equally represented. Since Nigeria is a heterogeneous society, very large and diverse, all interest group should be giving equal representation. I also think that it would be better if we remain one as Nigerian. With your life experience as a man who had lived all his life in the village, how would you access the impact of the 53 years of independence on the ordinary Nigerian in the rural areas? I would say the country has been better for it. We might also argue that we could have done better. But with the kind of the challenges we had and the too many interventions we had, we could have done more in these 53 years after independence. The national conference is coming at the right time for us to discus on the way to move forward and consolidate what we have lost along the years. But on the long run the country has recorded some tremendous development regardless of the challenges. At least I can speak from my own constituency as an example. Before independence we didn’t have electricity and hospital in my own community, today we have electricity and hospital, are these not achievements? We know how the school was before independence, now the status of the schools is better. Then nothing like the Benin by-pass, today we have it. There are so many roads that have been constructed between these years after the independence. These roads were not there before but today we have them. So it is not all about condemnations and lamentation or apportioning blames. We need to sit down and appreciate where we have done well and how we go about complementing such gains in other areas where we have failed to do well. That is what will truly help us as a country. We know the country has not done perfectly well but that is not saying we have no achievements. We should keep faith in the country and be very hopeful that tomorrow will be better than today. Nigeria would get better and be great in the future to come.
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Nigeria Is One Of The Most Blessed Nations - Hon. Osayimwen
HON. Patrick Osayimwen is a member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Oredo East Constituency. In this ENCOUNTER with THE WEEKEND OBSERVER he bares his mind on the state of the nation, 53 years after independence. EXCERPT. government including What is your assessment of myself as an honorable Nigeria’s celebration of its member, we all as a people 53 rd Independence Day still do not understand why anniversary after period of God has kept us together till this day. It is only hope that colonial imperialism? First of all we thank God for having kept us alive to this day to celebrate the so called Nigeria’s Independence anniversary. There are countries like Syria at war with themselves, with death toll rising each day into hundreds of thousands. Country like Egypt is not at peace, so God has blessed us. Despite the crisis from the Niger Delta militancy to the evils perpetuated by Boko Haram in the north. God has kept us still together. I think that is how far Nigeria has come. The leadership of Nigeria from independence has been a disaster. Nigeria is one of the most blessed countries on the surface of the earth, one of the largest oil producing countries in the world. Nigeria is also blessed with different agricultural product like the rubber and others. It is a country endowed with so many good natural resources. We have one of the most fertile soil the surface of the earth. But all we have done is to allow petroleum to lead us astray. It is becoming even Hon. Patrick Osayimwen more evident that Nigerians the leadership of the country are not sure if the petroleum will know that this wealth is has been more of a curse than a collective estate and that it blessings to us. That even in is meant for all Nigerians and the midst of plenty, there is not for a selected few. What still much poverty. The we have now in Nigerians are middle class has completely paper millionaires all by been eclipsed from our system. connected by giving a piece The rich are getting rich and of paper that is later translated fewer by the day, while the to oil wells and are now poor are getting poorer and celebrated as millionaires. lager by the numbers. People trusted with Unfortunately, the leadership government resources have of this country right from the decided to turn it in into their top, from the federal to the own private estate. These are state and to the local
the class of millionaires and billionaires been created by Nigeria. But at the end of the day no matter how rich or successful you are, there is so much money that a man can get that the money becomes irrelevant. Unfortunately, even when we as Nigerians get to that level, the appetite for greed is still insatiable. So our prayer is for God to really help us by touching the hearts
due to bad roads and where we have good roads, one is scared to drive them around because we know all these are at the expense of the masses. So, the cars are left parked for exhibition. If you go around now most big men in Nigeria have cars for day and cars for evening out of fear. When the larger percentage of the people is not comfortable, you would
of our leaders. The only way we can truly succeed collectively as people is to allow these resources go round. Today, you have Nigerians who buy the latest cars that comes out in the world that are not even been driven by those who produce the cars. Unfortunately, we bring these cars into the country and they become more of exhibition in our parking lots because we are not comfortable driving them
find it difficult to enjoy the comfort you think you have. That is where we find ourselves today. Even as all these happen, I still believe that the promise God has for Nigeria is still beyond our widest imagination. Like what I have always said which are well documented, the money that the country would make from the huge gas deposit is more than that which we are getting from the
“The middle class has completely eclipsed from our system. The rich are getting rich and fewer by the day, while the poor are getting poorer and lager by the numbers. Unfortunately, the leadership of this country right from the top, from the federal to the state and to the local government including myself as an honorable member, we all as a people still do not understand why God has kept us together till this day.”
crude oil today. The time we will begin to fully tap from the gas resource we would make more money than what we are making from petroleum today. So, if we decide to start from a clean slate Nigeria still has the potential and ability to be one of the most successive countries in the world. We all knew how country like Malaysia started. It is just for us to do the good and choose to do the right thing. Like some people have suggested that what we need in Nigeria is evolution and not revolution. We must begin to re-orientate ourselves towards building a value culture in our system because today a young man that is 16 years of age want to drive a 504, by the time he is 20 he would want to drive a Honda, by 23 he would want a jeep and if he is not careful by 25 he would want to fly a jet. By 27 he is already into drugs and fed up with life. By the time he is 30 he is talking about obituary because everything among Nigerians is about money. If you don’t have money you are not respected. If you have money have chieftaincy titles around the world, you can have all the honorable PhDs in the world. Everything revolves around money. Those coming behind us now see that the only way for you to get there is to get rich or die trying. That is the society we find ourselves today. But I still believe that better days await us ahead as a country. The promises are not completely lost. We have more at stake to remain as one because those that have never been to war before do not know the consequences of war. One can never predict the outcome of war. You don’t know how many millions of persons would suffer. In any case, those who would be the first victims the poorest of the poor because the rich can easily fly out of the country and those that would remain to salvage the whole scenario would be the poor who will be left behind. That alone would make them even poorer by then. So, I believe as a country we would get it right. Our only prayer is for it to happen during ones life time. What is your reaction to the President Independence Day broadcast message?
I think for the first time we are having the president saying such a thing about the attitude of politicians in the country. I for once I liked how he said it. He made a remark about how some Nigerians are more interested in the next elections after voted into power instead of focusing on how to develop the country. I think that is a welcome idea. There is need for us to do things different. I believe it is a welcome idea if political office holders would be more interested in development that would affect the lives of the people instead of focusing on the elections. My only hope now is that the president is sincere about it all. It is unfortunate that all what most Nigeria’s politicians bother about is the next election in 2015 and 2016, while those issues that truly affect the people are steering on us. Nigeria as a country has not been able to get it right with the power sector. We are hearing of privatization, it is our hope that it works well. Our refinery is still not working. Pure and clean water is still eluding us as a people. These are issues that needed to be addressed. We are still grappling with having an effective railway and transportation system in the country. Millions of Nigerians are dying daily while we have the largest numbers of private jets owners in the world and private owned airlines more than even the advanced countries of the globe. Our spiritual leaders are also not helping the issues as they are also joining in the race of owning private jets instead of using such wealth to improve on the quality of life of their congregation. We are all trapped in the system which is more of a vicious cycle. What is the way forward? The way forward is very simple. It is spelt out in the bible, loving our neighbours as ourselves. We must begin to touch lives no matter how small it is. Touching lives is not necessarily by giving them money but putting smiles on their face by providing opportunities for them and like it or not God has put us together for one reason. He has placed us in one of the most peaceful areas of the world with little or no natural disaster. He shall not forsake us but see us through every step of the way.
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Nigeria Has Made Progress
Hon. Aliu Peter is the Edo State Assembly member representing Estako East constituency. In this interview with THE WEEKEND OBSERVER, he shares his views on the country’s 53 rd independence anniversary celebrations. EXCERPT. Sir, what is your assessment of the journey of independence from 1960 to date? So fars so good, 1960 to 2013 is 53 years. It is not a small trip. But you know that Nigeria itself has developed from what it was at independence in 1960, we are moving. Comparing ourselves with countries with 200 years of independence is not the best way to go, we are just 53 years. 53 years in the life of a nation state is not much. It is not much in terms of development. You can’t compare us with American that is over 200 years old Comparing us with American and Britain which our colonial master is not the best. Mind you, we are not even completely free as the independence granted us would suggest. We are still relying on the west on certain things. I believe we have still made more progress and will continue to make more progress. For one thing, we have no other country
other than this. This is the only country we have. Sir, is the suggestion for a National Confab the solution to Nigeria’s problem?
no harm in sitting down to discuss. I think that the president had decided in his independence a n n i v e r s a r y broadcast, that it is good to discuss, when people discuss you know the problems, you will be able to solve some of your little problems. I believe that it is better
- Hon. Peter Aliu in the past? People have to be responsible for organizing the confab, so the people in the committee need to tell us the modalities for representation and the blue print on how would the confab hold. Whether these
Hon. Peter Aliu
There is nothing wrong having people sitting down to discus their future. The confab is not what Nigeria is going to be now but what she is going to be in the future because the present is gone. It is the future that we are looking up to. There is
for us to discuss than to do war. How would you react to the opinions of some critics who said those who constituted the National confab committee are the same individuals who were parts of the similar process
persons in the constituted committee have been there in the past, talking or not, they are Nigerians who have the right to be nominated. Whether these persons are part of similar process in the past, it really doesn’t
matter. What matter most is that the government has decided that it is time to for us to talk? Let us talk and be frank with ourselves. Should Nigerians expect any positive outcome from the entire process of the proposed national dialogue? Do you know if it confab that has made us to still be together since 1970 after the civil war without any war since we have been discussing? The last civil war was as a result of the failure among us to talk. If we have been talking, let us continue to talk. If there is avenue to talk we have peace. If there is no peace, let us discuss it. Once people keep talking there is hope. It is because we don’t even discus with ourselves at the individual level that we end up becoming the two hands that end up fighting for the same issue for the same reasons. All we need in Nigeria is peace. What ever we do to get peace is for our own benefit. I don’t see anything wrong for people talking. What is your vision for Nigeria? The vision is very bright. If the British knew we would get to
this point there would not have granted us independence at that time in 1960. If they had knew that we will have oil and to the amount that made us among the largest oil producers in the world, they would have done all what it takes to keep us under colonial rule. I believe that as a country the sky is our limit. We will get there. It would only take some time but we have done well and would continue to do well. Take Edo State for example, it was in a comatose stage. It took the will power of somebody who came and now there is a big difference in the Edo of 2007 and the Edo we have in 2013. Likewise, somebody some where some day would come and salvage the country. What is your independence message for the state and country? Nigerians should be hopeful and be hopeful. The future is bright. The generation coming after us would get a better country than what we have now or we met. At least those who left before us have gone and we are still here. So we believe that there is hope for the future for the country.
“There is nothing wrong having people sitting down to discus their future. The confab is not what Nigeria is going to be now but what she is going to be in the future because the present is gone. It is the future that we are looking up to. There is no harm in sitting down to discuss.”
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E counter Nigerians Have Lost Touch With Their Culture MR. Theophilus Umogbai is the Curator of the National museum, Benin. In this interview with WEEKEND EDITOR, HENRY BALOGUN, ODINUKAEZE NNENNA and UTI UDOH, he reflects on his career as a Curator for over 25years and his experiences and challenges running the national museum in Benin. Excerpt:Benin is one of the
Can we meet you sir? My name is Theophilus Umogbai. I am the curator, National Museum Benin. I hail from Fugar in Edo State. Umogbai means large and that has reflected in the expansion of the family. What is the national museum all a b o u t ? The national museum, Benin City is one out of the 37 other national museums located in the 6 geo-political zones in the country. Our headquarter is at Abuja. The national museum is under the national commission for museums and monuments (NCMM). How long have you been in Benin as a curator? I was posted to the national museum, Benin from the national museum Owo, where I was a curator for a couple of years. I assumed duty here in March, 2012. How has it been since then? The national museum here in
grade. A museums. There are grade A, B, and C museums. Without being derogatory, the idea of grading is not a deliberate policy. It has to do with the staff strength, facilities and the availability of an exhibit gallery. Any museum without an exhibit gallery is not a full-fledged museum. There are also other grade A museums like those in Jos, Enugu and so on. Where I was posted from was not as big as this, so when I was posted here, friends considered it a promotion and I agreed. In this short period I have been here, I have gained much experience that has made my past e x p e r i e n c e s insignificant. I am very much prepared because my experience of over 25years has already prepared me for any tacky job ahead. What service does the museum render to the public? The museum is open to the public. It acquires material culture and nonmaterial culture of the
- Umogbai
people. Material culture constitutes of the aspects of our culture that are fertile and can be seen like arts and crafts. They
purposes and does not contain facts. The history of the people is viewed through these artworks and
culture, research into them and exhibit them to the public for enlightenment and entertainment. Majority of Nigerians have lost touch with
messages are also conveyed through them. Our duties in the Museum are to conserve material
their culture and origin. What are the challenges you have encountered since coming into
• MR. Theophilus Umogbai
are also called artefacts; ‘arts’ backed by ‘facts.’ A contemporary artwork is usually used for aesthetic
office? Funding is one major challenge, though the federal government is trying, but because of the number of Museums and their sizes, funding is difficult. We also lack cooperation amongst stakeholders in the state. Edo people own the artefacts here, we only manage. There should be total involvement of the people. What are your achievements? Well, saying one’s achievement sounds like blowing one’s horn. When a routine job is done and paid for, it is not considered as an achievement. There has been some turbulence before I came into office but I have tried to stabilize them. I am hoping however that a synergy between us and the Edo state government will be established and stabilised. What is your vision for the national museum? My vision for the National Museum Benin city is that the vision of the NCMM which is to make sure culture remains at the fore-front of the Nigerian drive towards nationhood is actualised.
“Our duties in the Museum are to conserve material culture, research into them and exhibit them to the public for enlightenment and entertainment. Majority of Nigerians have lost touch with their culture and origin.”
THE WEEKEND
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013
EDO STATE GOVERNMENT INVITATION TO TENDER
The Edo State Government in continuation of the transformation of Educational Institutions in the State invites competent and reputable contractors to submit pre-qualification bid documents and if qualified, to Tender for the underlisted projects. AKOKO-EDO S/No NAME OF SCHOOL 1. Umar Primary School, Imoga 2. Ojah Primary School, Ibillo 3. Ibillo Primary School, Ibillo 4. Ekor Primary School, Ekor 5. Ereshia Primary School, Makeke 6. Ojah Comm. High School, Ojah 7. Oloma Primary School, Oloma 8. Ogbalishe Primary School 9. Anyara Primary School, Anyara 10. Aspisa Primary School, Ogbe 11. Egbetua Primary School, Ososo 12. Okhe Primary School, Ososo 13. Ososo Primary School, Ososo EGOR 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Evbuotubu Secondary School, Evbuotubu Evbuotubu Primary School, Evbuotubu Aruosa Primary School, Evbuotubu Urumwon Primary School, Evbuotubu Use Secondary School, Use Eweka Primary School, Use Uselu Secondary School, Uselu Benin Technical College, Ugbowo Eweka Grammar School, Ugbowo Ohonre Grammar School, Ugbowo; Okhoro Primary School Edaiken Primary School, Uselu Amegor Primary School, Umelu Uwelu S/S, Uwelu Evbareke Grammar School, Evbareke
ESAN CENTRAL 1. Ibore Primary School, Ibore 2. Atuagbo Primary School, Atuagbo 3. Unogbo Primary School, Unogbo 4. Afuda Primary School, Afuda 5. Idumoza Primary School, Idumoza 6. Ohe Primary School, Ohe 7. Eko-Iyobhebhe Pry School, Eko-Iyobhebhe 8. Udowo Primary School, Udowo 9. Usugbenu Primary School, Usugbenu 10. Idumebo Primary School, Idumebo 11. Eko Primary School, Eko-Ewu 12. Opoji Grammar School, Opoji 13. Oghagbo Primary School, Oghagbo-Opoji 14. Ikiewanlen Primary School, Opoji 15. Ikekogbe Primary School, Ikekogbe 16. Umelen Primary School, Umelen 17. Ukpughele Primary School, 18. Ebudin Primary School, Ebudin ESAN NORTH EAST 1. Utako Primary School, Uromi 2. Arue Primary School, Uromi 3. Olinlin Primary School, Uzea 4. Onewa Primary School, Uromi 5. Ikeken Primary School, Uromi 6. Ebiremonlen Primary School, Uwalor 7. Agba Grammar School, Uromi 8. Ebhoiyi Secondary School, Uromi 9. Ukoni Primary School, Ukoni ESAN SOUTH EAST 1. Idumijie Primary School, Ewohimi 2. Idumagbor Primary School, Ewohimi 3. Uzebu Primary School, Ewohimi 4. Okaigben Secondary School, Ewohimi 5. Owu Primary School, Ewohimi 6. Agadagba Secondary School, Ewohimi 7. Eguare Primary School, Ewatto 8. Uhomebho Primary School, Ewatto 9. Ologua Primary School, Ohordua 10. Uokhuen Primary School, Ohordua 11. Eguare Primary School, Emu 12. Ibhiadan Primary School, Emu 13. Ikeken Primary School, Okhuesan 14. Inyenlen Primary School, Inyenlen 15. Orowa Primary School, Orowa 16. Central Primary School, Ubiaja 17. Sacred Heart Dem. Primary School, Ubiaja 18. Ahia Primary School, Ubiaja 19. Eko-Obekor Primary School, Ubiaja 20. Eko-Oghenyen Primary School, Ubiaja 21. Udakpa Primary School, Ubiaja 22. Ukhuanlen Primary School, Ubiaja 23. Ukpaja Primary School, Ubiaja 24. Onogholo Primary School, Onogholo 25. Uroh Primary School, Uroh 26. Island Primary School, Ifeku 27. Emaudo Primary School, Ugboha 28. Otokhimhin Primary School, Ugboha 29. Uzogbon Primary School, Ugboha 30 Okhuesan Primary School, Okhuesan
ESAN WEST 1. Ukpogo Primary School, Ogwa 2. Izogen Primary School, Ogwa 3. Ujiogba Primary School, Ujioba 4. Eguare Primary School, Ujiogba 5. Iruekpen Grammar School, Iruekpen 6. Iruekpen Girls’ Grammar School, Iruekpen 7. Ebutte Primary School, Ujiogba 8. Idoa Primary School, Idoa 9. Ukhun Primary School, Ukhun 10. Farmsettlement Primary School, Ekpoma 11. Egoro-Naoko Primary School 12. Eguare Primary School, Egoro 13. Egoro-Amede Primary School, Egoro 14. Ore Ede-Ole Primary School, Egoro 15. Emiala Primary School, Ekpoma 16. Ukpughele Primary School, Ekpoma 17. Emaudo Primary School, Ekpoma 18. Idumebo Primary School, Idumebo 19. Ogbomoide Primary School, Iruekpen 20. Igor Primary School, Igor 21. Udo-Eki Primary School, Emuhi 22. Ukpenu Primary School, Ukpenu 23. Urohi Primary School, Urohi 24. Ohogho Primary School, Urohi 25. Eko-Omigie Primary School, Urohi 26. Okenowa Primary School, Urohi 27. Eguare Primary School, Urohi 28. Ebhoakuale Primary School 29. Uhiele Grammar School 30. Uhiele Primary School, Ebhodiza 31. Ehalen Primary School, Uhiele 32. Idumigun Primary School, Uhiele 33. Illeh Primary School, Illeh 34. Imue Primary School, Illeh 35. Ukpoke Primary School, Uhiele ETSAKO CENTRAL 1. Ebidi Primary School, Iviukasa 2. Fugar Mixed Secondary School, Iruru 3. Fugar Mixed Secondary School, Ivakpa 4. Ikhanoba Primary School, Ivianake 5. Ikhanoba Primary School, Ivionime 6. Azukhala Primary School, Azukhala 7. Azukhala Primary School, Ivianime 8. Azukala Primary School, Iviapele 9. Nomadic Primary School, Okpanaede 10. Aneruar Primary School, Ogochi 12. Nomadic Primary School, Otsukolo 13. Eshiebor Primary School, Ofukpo/Ogwisi 15. Akugbe Primary School, Osomhegbe 16. Akugbe Primary School, Ozibolo 17. Akugbe Primary School, Apokame 18. Eshiebor Primary School, Annex, Agbazi 19. Osesiame Primary School, Udochi 20. Ejona Primary School, Ifeku 21. Migrant Fisherman Primary School, Ake 22. Imiava Primary School, Imiava ETSAKO 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.
EAST Ogwozima/Ofukpo Primary School, Agenebode Egbadu (Osimile) Primary School, Agenebode Egbepui Primary School, Iviegbepui Ebua Primary School, Iviebua Otse Primary School, Egori-Waterside Atekha Primary School, Iviukwe Oghomhe Primary School, Ivioghomhe Anagwa Primary School, Anagwa Igiele Primary School, Uzanu Othame Primary School, Othame Ari Primary School, Agiere Utayokhe Primary School, Okpella Ugbedogun Primary School, Ogute Ofuokha Primary School, Ofuokha Ufuokha Primary School, Iyurogbe Ugbedogun Primary School Okokpetu Udiongiegie Primary School, Imienegwe Ogodor Primary School, Ogiriga Rhinocem Primary School, Okpella Iddo Primary School, Iddo Old Site Azamanodu Primary School, Imiekuri Atekhekha Primary School, Itsukwi Azamanodu Primary School 1, Annex Oduba Primary School, Ebelle-Town Edokha Primary School, Ukhomedokha Edokha Primary School, Ukhomedokha Iddo 2 Primary School, Sabo
ETSAKO WEST 1. Uchi Primary School, Auchi 2. Ekhaibhele Primary School 3. Oshiozakhai Primary School 4. Igebo Primary School 5. Ugieda Primary School 6. Omoaka Primary School 7. Izuagie Primary School
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
Iyakala Primary School Afashio Primary School, Afashio Akpenamho-Ivosi-Sule Primary School Imeke Primary School, Imeke Enialigie Primary School Ebesemobo Primary School Imiokon-Agben Primary School Imogia Agben Primary School Egono Primary School Ughiole Primary School Iyoke Primary School, Eware Ogiemudu Primary School, Ewora Ibhioba Primary School, Ibhioba Ighuku Primary School, Amah Ogio Primary School Iyorah Primary School Olukhu Primary School Okpodu Primary School Odeire Primary School, Irekpai
IGUEBEN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.
Ewekhan Primary School, Ekewhen Egbiki Primary School, Egbiki Eguare Primary School, Idigun Eguare Primary School, Idumebo Afuda Primary School, Igueben Idumuoka Primary School Idumuogo Utantan Primary School Idumeke Primary School Eguare Primary School, Udo Udoneria Primary School, Udoneria Ologhe Primary School, Okuta Eguare Primary School, Eguare-Ebelle Amahor Primary School, Eguare Ugun Secondary School, Ugun Ugun Primary School, Eguare Ewossa Primary School, Eguare Ujielu Primary School, Ewossa Old L.A. School, Ekpon Eko Primary School, Ekpon
OREDO 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25 26. 27. 28. 29 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
Obaseki Primary School, Ogbe Ezoti Primary School, Ogbe St. Paul’s Primary School, Ogbe Idah Primary School, Ogbe Ogbe-Ibuya Primary School, Uzebu Uyiosa Primary School Ekae Primary School, Ekae Anglican Girls’ Grammar School Ighiwiyisi Primary School, Ogba Akenzua Primary School, Ogba Odia Primary School, Odia Eweka Primary School, Odia Umegbe Primary School, Odia Okunbor Primary School, Ogba Ebo Primary School, Ogba Ogiso Primary School, Ogba Obaizamomwan Primary School Ovbo Primary School, Ogba Akpale Primary School, Ogba Evbuoruhun Primary School, Ogba Oroma Primary School, Ogba Irhuenowina Primary School, Ogba Owina Primary School, Uzebu Ezomo Primary School, Uzebu Ewuare Primary School, Oliha Fabiyi Akpata Primary School Ivbiore Primary School, Ihogbe Iyoba Primary School, Ihogbe School for the Blind, Ihogbe Victory Primary School Usi Primary School, Ikpoba Eyaenugie Primary School, Okedo Uvbi Primary School, Unueru Arinze Primary School, Ogbelaka Iguodala Primary School
ORHIONMWON 1. Esigie College, Abudu 2. Uwemuwe Primary School, Uwemuwe 3. Lucy Primary School, Ossiomo 4. Ewuare Primary School, Ogan 5. Evbohen Primary School, Evbohen 6. Iguehenza Primary School, Iguehenza 7. Oza Primary School, Oza 8. Otobaye Primary School, Otobaye 9. Idunmwogo Primary School, Idunmwogo 10. Oheze Primary School, Ute-Oheze 11. Adolo Primary School, Oheze-Naka 12. Evbomedo Primary School, Evbomedo 13. Uson Primary School, Uson 14. Obagie Primary School, Obagie 15. Evbobemwen Pry School, Evbobemwen 16. Evbokabua Primary School, Evbokabua 17. Ugbokhirima Primary School 18. Egbokor Primary School, Egbokor Continues on pg. 11
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Continued from pg. 10 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.
Ugbukuen Primary School, Ugo Ugboko Primary School, Ugbiko-Niro Obozogbe-Niro Pry Sch., Ugboko-Niro Ugbighele Primary School Iguodala Primary School Eso Primary School, Idumebo Iguere Primary School, Iguere Avbiugo Primary School, Avbiugo Idumwowina Primary School, Idumwowina Evbuosa Primary School, Evbuosa Aideyanba Primary School, Sakponba Edion Primary School, Urhonigbe Idale Primary School, Idale Okaro Primary School, Urhonigbe Edogun Primary School, Urhonigbe Orogho Girls School, Orogho Obanakhoro Primary School, Obanakhoro Obagie Primary School, Obagie Igbontor Primary School, Igbontor Central Primary School, Igbanke Enogie Primary School, Omolua Onuyi Primary School, Onuyi Obazagbon-Nugu Primary School Ogba-Nugu Primary School, Ogban Umoghun Zuagbor Primary School Ake Primary School, Ake Igbanke Igbanke Grammar School, Igbanke Obiogba Primary School, Ake Wire-Ake Primary School, Wire-Ake Enogie Primary School, Oligie Benin Baptist School, Oligie Osafile Primary School, Ottah Iru Grammar School, Iru Omolua Primary School, Igbanke Omolua Secondary School, Igbanke Igbekhue Primary School, Igbekhue Orogho Grammar School, Orogho
OVIA NORTH-EAST 1. Ovonranmen Primary School, Iguomo 2. Ugbokun Primary School, Ugbokun 3. Enikaro Primary School, Iyanomo 4. Oboh Primary School, Iguoboh 5. Ehiaghe Primary School, Isiuwa 6. Eghianruwa Primary School, Ugbuwe 7. Edaiken Primary School, Ogbesse 8. Ose Primary School, Olumoye 9. Obanohuan Primary School, Isiukhukhu 10. Ezomo College, Ora-Ifon 11. Ezowarha Primary School, Iyowa 12. Elukoton Primary School, Eko Abetu 13. Ohenhen Primary School, Iguosagie 14. ACS, Isiohor 15. Odaro Primary School, Obarenren 16. Imadiyi Primary School, Osasinmwin-Oba 17. Osaro Primary School, Igbekhue 18. Ehi Primary School, Odiguetue 19. Ikpesira Primary School, Uhiere 20. Isiuwa Primary School, Nifor 21. Akugbe Primary School, Nifor 22. Payne Primary School, Evboneka 23. Enobore Pry. Sch. Eko-Nobore 24. Esigie Primary School, Ozoguo 25. Ugboke Primary School, Ugboke 26. Ogho Primary School, Iguogho 27. Odiase Primary School, Agekpanu 28. Iguogie Primary School, Iguogie 29. Ogun Primary School, Orovie 30. Adolor Primary School, Evboro 31. Nikaro Primary School, Igbobi 32. Army Childrens’ School, Ekenwan Barracks 33. Edeghe Primary School,Iguihie 34. Ikaladerhan Primary School, Urhuokhokho 35. Aken Primary School, Ugbineh 36. Iguosodin Pry School, Iguosodin-Nebudin 37. Obakpolor Primary School, Obayantor 38. Osodin Pry School, Igusodin-Nigbemabe 39. Osayande Primary School, Iguesogban 40. Ekosodin Primary School, Ekosodin 41. Obazuwa Primary School, Obazuwa 2 42. Uzama Primary School, Iguzama 43. Esigie Primary School, Unvamen 44. Eresoyen Primary School, Uhuogua 45. Eweka Primary School, Obagie 46. Aruigie Primary School, Utoka 47. Imose Primary School, Agiyoba OVIA SOUTH WEST 1. Estate Primary School, Iguobazuwa 2. Osa Primary School, Iguatapa 3. Okunzuwa Primary School, Iguatapa 4. Okua Primary School, Ojumu 5. Ugbokua Primary School, Ugbokua 6. Obobaifo Primary School, Obobaifo 7. Orobosa Primary School, Aba Egba 8. Iguosa Primary School, Iguosa 9. Migrant F/M Primary School, Aibieyi 10. Siluko Primary School, Siluko 11. Oha Primary School, Aiguobasinmwin 12. Oha Primary School, Evbareke 13. Sayo Primary School, Sayo 14. Migrant Primary School, Agbado 15. Oha Primary School, Safarogbo 16. Gbelebu Primary School, Gbelebu 17. Omozaye Primary School, Madagbayo 18. Izide Noke Primary School, Izide Noke 19. Udo Primary School, Udo 20. Ogboe Primary School, Urhezen 21. Ovoranmen Primary School, Iguafole
22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58.
Amiengheomwan Pry. Sch. Amiengheomwan Eghosa Primary School, Ikoka Etete Osse River Primary School, Ose Udo Akugbe Primary School, Ikpoba/Igukolo Osaseyi Primary School, Usen Atamabale Primary School, Usen Okoro Primary School, Okoro I Omozogie Primary School, Ogunmwenyi Obakpolor Primary School, Ulorin Ofunmwengbe Pry. Sch. Ofunmwengbe Akenzuwa Primary School, Agbonbayemwen Ulah Primary School, Ugbogui Migrant Primary School, Ajegunle Esigie Primary School, Ikoka II (Adebayo) Obazuwa Primary School, Iguobazuwa Uba Primary School, Uba Estate Primary School, Ose-Udo Dauyoma Primary School, Ejide Water Side Migrant F/M Primary School, Madoti Obaretin Primary School, Obaretin Aden Primary School, Aden Efeobasota Primary School, Efeobasota Makporo Primary School, Makporo Okponha Primary School, Okponha Gbelukanga Primary School, Gbelukanga Migrant Primary School, Gbelukanga Zion Itangbene Primary School, Itagbene Gbeoba Primary School, Gbeoba Gbolowosho Primary School, Gbolowosho Abere Primary School, Abere Ajakurama Primary School, Ajakurama Tolofa Primary School, Tolofa Bindodogho Primary School, Bindodogho Ovia Primary School, Ugbo Migrant F/M Primary School, Ajefie Igbinoba Primary School, Asamara Ogondi Primary School, Giamade
OWAN EAST 1. Emai Primary School, Afuze 2. Ownu Primary School, Ovbiomu 3. Obada Primary School, Evbiamen 4. Eteye Primary School, Eteye 5. Ekhueye Primary School, Ekhueye 6. Ogben Primary School, Ogben 7. Eweka Primary School, Uokha 8. Anana Primary School, Igue-Oke 9. Eweya Primary School, Igue-Sule 10. Igbifun Primary School, Ohanmi 11. Agugbodo Primary School, Otuo 12. Erah Grammar School, Erah 13. Oamen Primary School, Erah 14. Eswriri Primary School, Erah 15. Ekeke Primary School, Erah 16. Ese Primary School, Ivbiaro 17. Usun Primary School, Ivbiaro OWAN WEST 1. Orhuen Primary School, Ozalla 2. Okpo Primary School, Uhunmora 3. Odeije Primary School, Eme-Ora 4. Owato Primary School, Oke-Old 5. Atoturu Camp. Pry. Sch., Ugbuedo 6. Umende Primary School, Avbiosi 7. Obi Camp. Primary School, Avbiosi 8. Eteaseme Primary School, Ukhuse 9. Ozalla Primary School, Ozalla 10. Owato Primary School, Oke-New 11. Eteaseme Pry. Sch., Okagbare Ohia Ukhuse 12. Aweku Primary School, Ukhuse 13. Owara Primary School, Ukhuse 14. Oseze Primary School, Eruere 15. Oleke Primary School, Ikpayan I 16. Eguaoje Primary School, Avbiola 17. Olejuama Primary School, Uzebba 18. St. Stephen’s Primary School, Sobe 19. St. Eugene Primary School, Sobe 20. U.P.E. Primary School Farm settlement, Sobe UHUNMWONDE 1.. Ugiamen Primary School, Ugiamen 2. Ugiamen Secondary School, Ugiamen 3. Akugbe Primary School, Ukpogo 4. Ikhinda Primary School, Ugbiyokho 5. Eguada Primary School, Ehor 6. Ogbe Primary School, Ehor 7. Abumere Primary School, Abumere 8. Okemuen Primary School, Okemuen 9. Osazuwa Primary School, Ugbiyaya 10. Esigie Primary School, Ugieghudu 11. Idia Primary School, Ugieghudu 12. Edokpayi Primary School, Obazagbon 13. Baptist Primary School, Uhi 14. Idunmwogo Primary School, Uhi 15. Erhiborhibo Primary School, Erhiohibo 16. Odogbo Primary School, Igieduma 17. Ogiso Primary School, Erua 18. Erua primary School, Erua 19. Uteni Primary School, Uteni 20. Ere Primary School, Ere 21. Orhuaghide Primary School, Orhua 22. Osakpanmwan Primary School, Orhua 23. Idia Primary School, Oke 24. Old R.C.M. Primary School, Orhua 25. Osaro Primary School, Irhue 26. Umokpe Primary School, Umokpe 27. Ebuelu Primary School, Ekpan 28. Aruosa Primary School, Azagba 29. Igue-Uwangbe Pry School, Igueuwangbe
30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69.
Iguomo Primary School, Iguomo Adagbafi Primary School, Irighon Ehioze Primary School, Ihiozevbaru Aibueku Primary School, Iguovbiamen Obasogie Primary School, Iguovbiobo Akenzua Primary School, Ahor Ewedo Primary School, Ekose Owegie Primary School, Orior Aguebor Primary School, Egba Evbuyamu Town Hall Obanosa Primary School, Iguosula Eyaen Primary School, Eyaen Uzala Primary School, Uzala Ase Primary School, Idunmwumgha Adolor Primary School, Ayen Obanisi Primary School, Obanisi Uvbenisi Primary School, Uvbenisi Ogbhu Primary School, Ogbhu Ugbeze Primary School, Ugbeze Alaghodaro Primary School, Izikhiri Ilobi Primary School, Ilobi Okhuohuo Town Hall Eghosa Primary School, Evbowe Ewan Town Hall Iguagban Primary School, Iguagban Evbozegbo Primary School, Evbozegbe Ebueneki Primary School, Ebueneki Obadan Mixed Secondary Schl, Obadan Idibo Primary School, Idibo Evbohuan Primary School, Evbohuan Adesagbon Primary School, Adesagbon Udeni Primary School, Udeni Okeze Primary School, Okhuaihe Aduhanhan Primary School, Aduhanhan Ekhornuwawa Open Space Aruosa Primary School, Ekhrniguokuen Ayobahan Primary School, Ugonoba Uvbe Primary School, Uvbe Osula Primary School, Igbogiri Ugieghudu G/S, Ugieghudu
IKPOBA OKHA S/NO 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
NAME OF SCHOOL Army Children’s School, Ikpoba Hill Uteh Secondary School, Uteh Ogbeni Primary School, Oregbeni Aduwawa Secondary Schl, Aduwawa Aregbuda Primary School, Urora Ivbiyeneva Primary School Umelu Secondary School, Umelu Oguola College, Benin City Itohan Girl’s Gramm School, Benin City Enikaro Primary School Akugbe Primary School, Idogbo Ozolua Primary School, Idogbo Adolor primary School, Idogbo Elaisubi Primary School, Ikpe Osemwede Pry Schl, Obagie Nokporo Obazagbon Primary School, Idogbo Ulegun Primary School, Ulegun Ozolua Primary School, Ologbo Abila-Oketia Pry Schoolo, Abila-Oketia Odigie Primary School Obayantor Obasuyi College Obayantor Iyi-Ewuare Primary School, Obayantor Edoh Primary School, Ekiuwa Oregbeni Primary School, oregbeni Avbiana-Ogiana Primary School Ugbeku Primary School, Akugbe primary School, idogbo Osemwende primary School, idogbo Aighemua Primary School Obayantor Iyenorho Primary School, Obayantor Osemwende Pry School, Obayantor Edo primary School, Obayantor Ewuare Primary School, Obayantor Ohon Primary School, Ologbo Ologbo Primary School, Ologbo Buwa Primary School, Ologbo
Conditions for Pre-qualification and Tendering Interested companies should submit applications for pre-qualification with the underlisted requirements to the Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Secondary, Technical and Tertiary Education Iyaro, Benin City not later than four weeks from the date of this publication: i) Evidence of Registration with Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) ii) Evidence of Registration with the Edo State iii) Ministry of Works iv) Current three(3) years tax clearance v) Company Profile vi) Variable evidence of previous work done vii) Company’s financial capability and Bankers reference 2.
3. Only pre-qualified Companies would be allowed to submit Tenders for the projects.
Signed: Barr. Washington Osa Osifo Honourable Commissioner
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I sues
The Need To Improve Teachers’ Welfare
“I HAVE come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit”- John Steinbeck Teaching is the mother of profession; a profession that teaches all the other profession. Arguably without the teaching profession, there would be no other profession. Teachers play a significant and valuable role in the society and as such the prosperity of our nation relies on a viable educational sector propelled by motivated teachers. They are one of the main pillars of a sound and progressive society, the architect of the future generation, a source of inspiration and a model of faith. As Albert Einstein puts it, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge”. Teachers are the ones who groom the youths of the society, the leaders of the future. In other words, they are the people who educates, enlightens, enrich our young ones to be better leaders, so that the future can be a better, safe and secure place for we to live in. A teacher can be your friend to lean in times of trouble, a parent when you need support and a critic when you are doing the wrong thing or going the wrong way. There have been many great people in the history of the world, who owe their teachers the credits for the directions of their lives took. Great men like Plato, Aristotle, Albert Einstein, Dr Chinua
Achebe, Professor Wole Soyinka and many others all pass through the tutelage of teachers. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk once noted that, “A good teacher is a like a candle. It consumes itself to light the way for others.”
By UTI ANIEKAN UDOH
So bad is the social standing of teachers that no graduate today aspires to be a teacher or a lecturer. Those that enter the profession take it as a stop-gap measure. Back in the
• President Goodluck Jonathan
That is why I find it very pitiful and discouraging how teachers are treated in Nigeria. Teachers in the country are left to rot as the government pay lip service to their welfare. Imagine a teacher with various degrees collecting peanut for salary. The only teachers in the country who earn reasonable amounts are the ones who teach in private schools and institutions. It annoys me a great deal when I see people sitting in expensive offices doing nothing and are paid very huge sum of money while the teachers, lecturers, and professors who sweat their heads out to make the future bright, to make the country a better place, earn little. Even the allowances of the senators and honourables surpass the amount given to professors. Can you imagine that!
days, teaching was a dream profession for many youths. Imagine a young man leaving his job to become a teacher just because of his love for the job. That kind of career switch is what no youth today in his right senses will ever contemplate, let alone make. On June 1, learning in 11 states was paralyzed as primary and secondary school teachers embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of the 27.5 percent salary increment due to them. Also ASUP (Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics) went on a nine weeks strike over improved conditions of service, and now it is ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities). Obviously, the state of affairs portends danger for the country’s educational system. It is easy to criticize ASUU’s insensitivity on
the future of the young people who have been left to sit at home for so long, but however their demands are realistic. Thirty thousands staff members over 37 federal universities are
universities in the country, you will understand what I’m talking about. Hostels, classrooms, and offices are in dire state.
• Fagge, ASUU President
asking for N87 billion promised to them. Their total annual salary stands at N199 billion, compare to the National Assembly’s N150 with just 469 members. Though many students may believe that, ASUU is fighting for their welfare and not the welfare of the students. I could remember a 400 level student of University of Benin, telling me that he doesn’t approve of the strike because it will delay his graduation. What most students think of is the delay, they don’t care whether their lecturers eat or are paid well, they don’t think about the future of education, and the future of their next generation. Moreover, ASUU is also fighting for the provision of infrastructural facilities in universities in the country. If you have been to most federal
Teaching facilities has become outdated and in need of replacement, and most rooms in the hostels are overpopulated. ASUU is calling for modern facilities, building of good classrooms and offices and hostels rebranded in a self contain fashion. I visited the University of Cotonou, Abomey Calavi in 2008, and I can tell you that I was impressed with their structures, and their hostel facilities. If a small country like Benin Republic could provide such amenities for their university, what stops the giant of Africa from doing more? You know, our problem in Nigeria is change, we don’t want change, we don’t want to fight for change, and we don’t embrace change. A student once told me that ASUU strike cannot change anything, Nigeria cannot
change, and so we should just flow with it, make the money and live our lives. Just imagine if a youth who is the object of change could talk like that, what would be the future of the country? It may be strange because I’m a student, but I support change, I support NUT, I support ASUU. Without sacrifices, there cannot be real change and that is what we need in the educational sector of Nigeria. The sector needs to be re-branded for a better future. And most of all, the ones who make it happen, our teachers and lecturers, they need to be motivated, they need to be paid well, they need to be given the necessary respect and accolade they deserve. If you are to ask me, I would say teachers and lecturers are those who should earn the most because teachers are the pillars of the society. The fact is, a nation that does not cater for the welfare of their teachers is a nation at risk, because teachers play a cardinal role in the building up of the character of the next generation. As Theresa Grimm clearly stated, “Without teacher appreciation, there can’t be any student progress.” Not catering for teacher’s welfare is like biting the finger that feeds us. A nation cannot rise above the calibre of its teachers. If we don’t have motivated, good, knowledgeable and contented teachers, then we cannot have a knowledgeable and productive work force.
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i Proliferation Of Churches And Increase V ewpoint
RECENTLY, I was listening to a radio programme on vibes FM 97.1 Benin City and the talk on ground was about, the nexus between the proliferation of churches and the increase in crime rate. In a nutshell, the matter was that the churches are increasing everyday and we are not seeing a commensurate impact of the growing church. This pushed me into thoughts, which has resulted into the expression of my view on the matter on ground. First of all, I want to assert that the church is supposed to be the restraining power of evil i.e. a body with the authority and faith to reduce the increase of evil in any place. The church is the light of the world, the salt of the earth (preserving and sweetening seasoning of the world) and those against whom the gate of hell shall not prevail. The importance of a church in any society cannot be overemphasised, as over the year’s development in various places have been heralded by the coming of the gospel, from Africa to America and even in the Asia Minor of the bible times. But isn’t the increase in churches supposed to affect the environment in which they are in? The disciples behaved so like Jesus that when the people saw them, they realised that this guys could have been with Jesus and called them Christian. Hence, on the large scale, it is a safe assumption that the increase in the amount of churches should mean increase in the number of Christians around; and the effect of this should be found in the environment in which they are in. Furthermore, it is important that we get to define what a church is: I see a church to be a gathering of people who believe in Jesus (and have accepted him as their lord and personal saviour) and are being edified by his words to function like him on earth in preparation for his coming. Simply put, a church is a gathering of people who believe and have the mind of Christ, which is expressed in the
way they live their lives. It can be deduced from my definitions above, that my focus was more on the people than the buildings and places of worship. However, the place of worship is also part of what makes up a church. Calvin John defined the church to be, “ Wherever we find the word of God surely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ, there, it is not to be doubted, is a church of God”. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a church to be a building for public especially worship. It also refers to a specified Christian denomination. In a country like Nigeria, where there is freedom of worship, worship places are packed full, evidence of religious favour all over the place, many people are cashing in on the situation and establishing different churches and religious organisations. I was around a place one, day and some group of people were jesting with the fact that, if you get to Lagos and continue to throw stones, it will always drop around a church. There have been instances of picture on Facebook where about 3- 4 churches are seen in the same place. In a statement made by Ogidi, he categorically asserts that, “Nigeria is a country with easily the largest number of churches per capital in the world.”(Ogidi 1997:11). Fayomi also described Nigeria as “a fertile soil for the growth of independent churches.”(Fayomi 1993; 32). Proliferation of churches itself is considered to be a problem to a section of the observers but that is not the focus of this work. We look at the proliferation of
In Crime Rate
By OLUGBEMIRO OPEYEMI MICHAEL
churches and why it is seemingly not having impact of the moral decadence of the society. The question in the mouth of some people is that, why is there still increase in corruption, or the increase in the bombing and terrorism, prostitution, stealing and other forms of social vices that have been on the increase. Isn’t the church supposed to be around to curb their excesses? An increase in churches should cause a reduction, since the function of the church is to be light in the society, exposing all forms of darkness and lightening the way for people to follow. It is important to point out that so many people go into the business of opening churches for different reasons. Ibiyinka Olusola Adesanya , (Phd) mentioned some of the factors that cause proliferation of churches ““Several factors have been found to be responsible for this church
proliferation. They include economic recession, rapid evangelization, beliefs and practices, unhealthy rivalry, genuine thirst for spiritual nourishment, theological issues, fanaticism, leadership tussle and the likes”. And hence, not every place called “A church” is really into the business of gathering saints and encouraging each other in the business of being bride of Christ. Hence to an extent, the proliferation of churches may not directly have an influence on the crime rate in the society or nation, as some churches have not been founded with Jesus as the foundation. And it is a pretty obvious fact that, any building with a faulty foundation will have a distorted end product that may not last the test of times. Apart from that, one of the other reasons why the impact of the church has not been fully felt is the change of focus from Christ to so many other
things. The bible explains that we should seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and every other thing shall be added unto us (Matt 6: 33), but for some this scripture has been turned upside down, and other things have taken the place of Jesus. Only the Gospel (Good news about Christ love and the payment he got for us through his death and resurrection) has the capacity to change a life and keep the life properly changed. For some the focus has become m o n e y, which to an extent can be the root of evil, when it is loved more than Christ (1 timothy 6: 10- 11). And because of this love for m o n e y, some have wandered away from the faith and still come to church to feel among, being among the brethren but with a heart away from the brethren. And sometimes, the recent competition and over emphasis on money in the churches have even been part of the firewood in the fuel of the increase in crime rate. Having been in many churches and heard people’s experiences, the focus of a reasonable majority of churches has been taken away from Christ, and until the focus is taken back to Christ, matters will continue to increase. The bible says looking up to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God; hence the more you focus on Jesus, the more you become like him. And when a whole congregation is like Jesus, the society will be generally be affected. However, we cannot categorically say that the proliferation of churches have not affected the crime rate in Nigeria positively.
Who knows maybe things would have been worse than this, if not for the widespread of churches around to occupy people and at least instil the reverence and love of God in their hearts. Even though we have some that have overtime distorted the truth, used the church as a business venture to improve their pockets, we still have people that are sincere and have preached the truth. We still have congregations that preach the love of Christ, the richness of the grace of God to keep us from failing or falling, and our responsibilities to the wider world as agents of the ministry of reconciliation. Although, we still do not have any excuse, because the church has a huge responsibility as light bearers in the groaning world. Little wonder the bible says that we should let our light so shine before men that they might see our good works and glorify our father who is in heaven. This goes a long way to emphasise that our light is instrumental to bringing people to the knowledge of God and hence affecting the way they do things. Light brings clarity in sight, heat in times of God and a ray of hope in dark situations, and if we allow God to function through us in this regard, more impact of the many churches will be felt in this regard. As the world continues to look unto us to make things better, let us respond by showing them the ever gracious Christ, who is ready to change every life. It is funny but encouraging that people are asking this question (i.e. why is the proliferation of churches not affecting the increase in crime rate?). This goes a long way to emphasise that the people still expect the church to be the conscience of the society and an agent of behavioural regulation. With this in view the church should rise up to her responsibility and affect the society positively. This should not be seen as a slight as people have intended it to be, but should be seen as a call to duty.
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M toring THE announcement by the Nigeria Police that it would soon commence a new vehicle registration scheme requiring collection of biometric information of vehicle owners appears to be one swindle too many. Coming on the heels – or perhaps as an imitation – of the new driver ’s licence scheme of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the police version is touted as an anti-crime innovation. But motorists who have always been at the receiving end of various government-sponsored hare-brained schemes which end up ripping the people off, are convinced that the police force is just trying to create its own avenue for separating Nigerians from their hard-earned cash. This must be the only country in the world outside the perennial war zones of the Middle-East and North Africa where police officers, road safety marshals, Vehicle Inspection Officers, Customs personnel, and sundry uniformed bribeseekers routinely block the highways demanding various fancy documents. Nigerian motorists carry the highest number of documents in the world. And we are not under a general state of emergency. Apart from the driver’s licence, vehicle licence and insurance papers, a motorist is also required to carry a “Proof of Ownership certificate” (obtainable after undergoing a bribe-laced exercise at the VIO’s office); a “Tinted Glass Permit” from the Police H e a d q u a r t e r s (advertised as free but in actual fact sold for N10,000); and now, a
Biometric Rape? By WOLE OLAOYE
police biometric vehicle plate number! All over the nation, enforcement agencies that have anything to do with transportation mount surprise checks for a cocktail of vehicle particulars, causing
Every government agency on our roads operates in an island of its own. You would be forgiven if you thought they were not serving the same government. If the police were interested in data collection and easy
costing billions of naira which generated massive database into which the police and other security agencies routinely tap. Why subject Nigerians to another so-called biometric exercise after those of the gsm service
access to biometric data, then we clearly don’t need a new biometric scheme. Considering that less than five percent of Nigerians have access to motor vehicles, wouldn’t it have made better sense for the police to go into partnership with the gsm service providers so that they can use the databank of about 120 million subscribers in the telecommunications system? We have only just concluded a nation-wide sim registration exercise
providers and the FRSC? The announcement of the police plan coincided with the sentencing to death of the four rapists in the celebrated Indian rape case. A court presided over by Judge Yogesh Khanna convicted Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta in the December attack on the 23-year-old woman who eventually died of internal injuries two weeks after the attack. The judge described the crime as one that “shocked the
I.G.P Mahammed Abubakar
untold traffic snarl. In Abuja they specialise in mounting their checks between 8am and 10am when honest people are on their way to the office or business. If you thought that the reason that government created those agencies was to ensure smooth flow of traffic, these uniformed characters convince you otherwise as they seem to believe that the barometer of measuring their efficiency is the extent of disruption they can cause in people’s lives.
collective conscience” of India and that the case belonged in the “rarest of rare category and warrants the exemplary punishment of death,” It took less than nine months for the case to be tried and verdict secured. This is not the forum to discuss the various arguments on the propriety or otherwise of death penalty. We leave those for another day. While the Indians are apprehending rapists, diligently prosecuting them and obtaining death sentences for the crime, our own celebrated rape case involving some students in Abia State (which was filmed and posted on the internet) during the tenure of Hafiz Rigim as Inspector General of Police, has all but been swept under the carpet. In my column at the time, I said: “From my amateur analysis, the young lady knew her captors. She kept begging one Uchenna to please prevail on the others to let her go. Her pleas of “biko, biko …” (“please, please…”) were heart-rending. It takes strong will to watch the horror to the end …. Such pre-historic barbarism; such u n s p e a k a b l e debasement! We are living in one big zoo. It is Abia State today. Who knows where next this kind of thing will happen next? … Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim had better cracked this one. Otherwise, he should simply retire to his village and leave us to our own devices.” The civil society groups
who tried to intervene and force were frustrated as it was clear that the poor girl’s family had been intimidated to discourage their intervention. The police have not only failed to tackle crimes like rape in the society, they are compounding their image problem by embarking on this new biometric scheme that can only be described as economic rape of the citizens. While the rich may shrug off the new development, the common man will bear the brunt because it will also lead to increase in fares. Is Nigeria angling to be named the most unfriendly country to motorists in the world? It has become necessary for government to regulate the level of swindle in the system. How can the hapless citizen be taxed three times for the same item? What is in the proposed police biometric system that is not in the FRSC’s? It’s all part of the rot that has eaten deep into the system and provides more armour for the various gangs of police bribe-takers on our various highways. If they don’t catch you for tinted glass permit, they will hold you for biometric licence plates. What a country! Effective policing ought not to be about making life unbearable for lawabiding citizens. It shouldn’t be about changing uniforms or recycling well-worn clichés. Nor should it be about duplicating efforts. I’m waiting to see how the people’s representatives in the National Assembly will react to this planned biometric rape of Nigerians.
“This must be the only country in the world outside the perennial war zones of the MiddleEast and North Africa where police officers, road safety marshals, Vehicle Inspection Officers, Customs personnel, and sundry uniformed bribe-seekers routinely block the highways demanding various fancy documents. Nigerian motorists carry the highest number of documents in the world. And we are not under a general state of emergency.”
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The Enemies
FOR a while now, as an observer of the Nigerian process and the challenges of those in power (the leaders) at all levels, be it in the economic, social, political or whatever and the subjects (the followers), I have come to the option as a public affairs analyst to bring up an article or opinion as much to point out to the public, the possible problems and practically, the enemies of the people and indirectly, the enemies of the nation called Nigeria, if we indeed are to progress and move forward as we all want. I have felt this is important
explicit look at the Nigeria setting and to be critical of the Nigerian problems and enemies, I have five groups as the enemies of this nation, and with good examples, I pray to be permitted to give examples of each occurrences, where these groups could have brought an end to the Nigerian system and also how far they have negatively affected our societal sustenance. Much as I don’t disagree with the fact that the leaders and the followers culminate into the woes befalling the nation, but I am of the opinion that the major enemies of the
• Late President Musa Yar’Adua because every day, we point accusing fingers to all of us, but we fail to accept that we all have roles and faults in the course of our National developments. I have come up with five (5) categories of people who I preach as the enemies of the people and the Nation as a whole. It is of no doubt outrightly that this is to my opinion and as such, I shouldn’t be critically attacked when I make my opinions public, but at the same time, I also expect reactions and counter reactions if indeed we want the best of our national progress. A lot of scholars have come with two major classes as the problems of this nation, the group which are rightly accepted as the Leaders and the Followers. In a broader sense, there are no groups whatsoever that could be of categorization outside of these groups, but taking an
Nigerian Nation are the Priests, the Public/Private Office Administrators, the Press, the Politicians, the Public Courts of Law. These five classes of people if critically understudied could integrally or collectively aid in the sustenance of our democracy and ensure that we don’t have a collapsed politically at the end. I wouldn’t want to bore my reader with rhetoric at the same time I would also want the public to agree with me on conviction that some agents of the state whom we pour attacks on aren’t the major problems we have, such agents such as the Security who have now become so corrupt, the INEC who has failed us, the academic institutions among others, but the principal issue is that we have a systemic problem, the systemic problem I think could have culminated from the Priests
By ADEOLU OYEBODE
and Clerics, the Politicians, the Press, the Public Courts of Law and the Public Office Administrators. Let’s take navigation into my perspective and I think you will agree with me that these 5 Ps are the problems and enemies of our nation and maybe this group could be of help in having a turn aside just to help our nation from her present woes. You would also accept with me that President Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President of this Nation Nigeria, had had course to identify these groups at different instances as the enemies this nation has to develop. Firstly, my reasons for identifying the Priests as the first and major problems we are facing are this nation are not far-fetched. The priests in question are not only the catholic priests or Christian priests of the protestant churches or the new generational churches, the priests in references, entails the Clergies from the Islam, African Traditional Religions and the from the Christendom. I have take a cursory look at all those who have in one way or the other administered the Nation and also brought to disrepute the integrity of the nation, none, I mean not even one of them, is untraceable to one particular religion or the other and the saddest part of it is that these sets of people have spiritual godfathers. I want to cite two different instances to support my opinionate view, I will love to cite the incidence of the Late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua (May his soul RIP), when the clerics had different views. I won’t mince to say that if the Priests have spoken very close to the truth or have alarmed the nation as at when brought into the film of Yar’Adua’s illness, Nigerians would have had cause to raise up their hands in prayers to support the course of the Late President. Segun Adeniyi gave an expose in his book ‘Power Politics and Death” an account of the life and times of President Yar’Adua and in his view, very similar to the contradiction of the peoples’ clerics, he gave an account of how the Islamic chiefs had a different observation of sight to that of the people and their Christian brothers. “The chief imam of the
Abuja National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed, told his congregation that Yar ’Adua would resume duties soon, as ‘he has improved remarkably.’ In a lavishly publicized statement, the cleric gave a graphic description of the posture of the president while they were with him, including the fact that he was dressed in a jumper and trousers with a cap to match. Besides, the Islamic leader, who confirmed that he had met with the president alongside Dr. Datti Ibrahim Ahmed, president of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria, and one Sheik Musa Pantami, explained that they sought permission from the president’s family for the audience and not that they were invited to see him. The fact that these visitors were Muslims and northerners was not missed, especially when the acting president was not allowed to see him. According to the chief imam, they met the president sitting down with his wife while his ADC stood behind him. “Although we could not hear what he said, from where we sat, we could see his mouth saying amen together with us when we prayed for him. In fact, contrary to rumours that he was seriously ill, we saw that he had improved tremendously, and we believe he [will] be able to resume work any moment from now.” Dr. Datti Ahmed gave his own version of events to the media, that: “We met the president around 5:00 p.m. late in the afternoon. Contrary to what some people have been saying, the president is not in a situation where he is almost dead; he is only sick. He was sitting down on a dining chair when we came in and met him. He was not being supported by anybody but himself, he was sitting down calmly. He did not look like someone who is almost dead. When we entered, we were not sure of what we were going to meet. So we entered and stood at a respectable distance and greeted him. He extended his hand to us and we shook it one by one. This is contrary to the view of those who keep saying he doesn’t know where he is. After that, we prayed for his
health. He joined us in the prayers, raising his hands the way we raised our own; his lips were moving. When we finished, we told him we only came to greet him. He shook hands with us. We did not wait as such after that. However, we told him that we just wanted to see him to know the truth from the lies that they have been telling us that he is dead, no longer able to recognize anyone, and all the lies that you and I have heard before. Obviously, he has lost some weight, and he is a bit weak, but he was sitting down calmly. He shook our hands on arrival, and when
thanksgiving was organized on his goodwill that he was appreciating God for the opportunity given to him. I tend to wonder that where lies our Spiritual fathers’ morality? I stand to be corrected, there is no corrupt politician, even the fetish ones who don’t have a spiritual father of whatsoever, why don’t they tell them the truth and nothing but the truth! It is only absurd to my understanding that our spiritual priests would always tell even a failed politician that God said he has chosen them for Governor, President and political offices even when those persons cannot
• President Goodluck Jonathan we prayed with him for his quick recovery, he again shook hands with us.” This is typical of Nigerian clerics, when the person in question couldn’t even talk again as at that time and also required the services of speech experts from Northern African countries but all efforts in futility. Our religious leaders have negatively affected the system to the extent that they organize special prayers for our corrupt political office holders who were just been released from jail and prisons and electoral robbers. I remembered an incident in my home State, Ekiti State, when Engr. Segun Oni, an ousted Governor, who was legally sacked from occupying the seat of governance in a popular debacle of electoral robbery, he came back gloriously to his home church and a special service of
win a democratic elections within their family members. I have got the opportunity to meet a lot of politicians during interviews as a political journalist in Ekiti State, and most times when I ask about their conviction of victory, the next thing is “God Said I am Governor and the Governor was just counting days”, I even met one recently who said “God told him to contest and he doesn’t even know how it would happen but the incumbent would leave”. This is what I still don’t appreciate about our clerics. The spiritual leaders culminate a larger percentage of our political dilemma. Let’s ask them, how many times have they (priests) discuss discipline on the altar, how many times, have they directly informed their brethren of the feelings of the public? It is unfortunate that even imams and pastors today are busy chasing
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Of Nigeria
contracts and appointments in the political power towers. You need to see how political robbers and enemies of the Nation storm some prayer conferences and centres and the priests best message was to say “Let’s pray for our Leaders” “Respect Constituted Authorities” “God is with You” among those usual rationalizing messages on the altar. The second example I want to shed would affect some of my fanatical brothers who believed that religious issues should be best reserved to the church, forgetting that the society and the church are interwoven. The damage in the church destabilize the society and therefore is inimical to the development of the society. No wonder, Jesus Christ used canes in the temple! It is as regards the high tech discrimination in the church and the abuse of the doctrine as dictated by our Lord Jesus Christ in the taking care of your brothers and the poor. I think Jesus all through his life and time was concerned about the poor and the egalitarian society, no wonder he said a physician need not medicine and that he has come for the poor and the less privileged, but the Nigerian situation is extremely difficult. The catholic and missionary brought Christianity into Nigeria through education, affordable and qualitative ones for all. But today, the Universities of our Churches today is exploitative and not only that, a clear divergent from the principles of Jesus Christ. I am saying this because I know we will all give account of our activities when we get to God and at least I have pointed out what would not help in the proclamation of the Gospel as said by Jesus Christ. I glanced through the fees payable in some of our Christian Universities these days and I keep to wonder that, are these fees for the poor brethren, children of the poor or for some reserved wards. It is now capitalism and strategic outsourcing for funds in the house of God. I will be specific here and I am doing this like I said, so that these people would have a rethink before it draws the wrath of God on the society. BOWEN University is a Christian University owned by the popular Baptist Church, it charges N650, 000 as its tuition fees per session. That is outside the non-tuition
fees anyway. Covenant University established by Winners Chapel of Bishop Oyedepo is second with a tuition of N432, 000 to N640, 000 as its tuition fees, BENSON IDAHOSA University charges N500, 000 as tuition fees per session, BABCOCK University established by the Seventh Day Adventist Church charges N500, 000 to N2million as tuition per session. In BABCOCK your meal and hostel defines your fee, as the pay is a factor of the room you accommodate, some have two and some three daily meal regime. REDEEMERS University owned by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) charges N500,000 to N650,000 AJAYI CROWTHER University established by the Supra Diocesan board of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) charges N500,000 to N550,000. MADONNA University is a catholic University and it charges N350, 000. Caleb University charges between N505, 000 to N555, 000. Joseph Ayodele Babalola University (JABU) established by the Christ Apostolic Church charges between N397, 000 to N436,000 as tuition fees, CRAWFORD University is owned by the Apostolic Faith Mission and the fees also range from N400,000 to N600,000 among others. If I am not so certain of anything, I am sure that these universities were built with the offerings and sweats of the church members, who in the long run cannot even afford to send their wards to the place for study. This is a reflection of how the system has infiltrated the church as a result of the negligence of the church to bring sanity and sanctity to the society. The second class that is an enemy of the Nigerian Nation is the Press. My colleagues from the fourth estate of the realm might not like this, because it is as if I want to bring our organization into the theatre of public criticism, but that isn’t the issue here. The press has also culminated to the derailment of the society to the extent that we tend to be more strategic to opinions and articles that bring money into our pocket and the sense of independent minded journalism has gone into oblivion.
• Malam Garuba, NUJ President
• Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN President When I was growing up, I have always thought that I would be a journalist, that I am doing today, I have always believed that all the articles that draws me into writing were independent, not until I grew up to know that some of these lengthy words are paid for and there are lot of issues and articles that could develop the system that are better ignored either because there is no relationship between the author and the media outfit or it is against the interest of the paymaster. I cannot but appreciate some independent minded media outfits like the Oluyele Sowore’s Saharareporters and some developing blogs this days who are ensuring that the voice of the people are heard. I learnt at the later
stage of my life that some of the articles are sponsored and are products of media hype. It would have been the joy of the Nation and to the development of the system if the press could stand to say the truth at all times, outside what is contained in the brown envelope. It would have been to the credit of the system if our leaders were well flogged on the pages of tabloids and on air if they have done wrong and not pitching tent with the enemies of the Nation because wealth smiles to some. It is only in this part of the world that the media league of editors are on the payroll of State Governors and corrupt public office holders and all news are edited to the finish before
been published and as soon as the government fails to do their bidding, the media results to a battle to finish therefore bringing to the rubbles the effort of such governors and governments. Information media independence is lacking and this is one of the major blog in the development of the Nigerian Nation. Am sorry, our media is not independent! The third group that has culminated into the systemic failure rocking the Nation is the Courts of the Public Law. This group is made primarily of two subclasses, which are the Bar and the bench-The lawyers and the judges. We keep hearing and reading everyday that the law is an axe and that the only place where the people can have true justice is the court of law but unfortunately, the system has been collapsed that even the so-called lawyers would know the truth but on the point of technicality and “it’s my work things” to disallow justice to be properly discharged. This is not even to the point that the bench also has problems and hardly do we have landmark judgments today that doesn’t have political colorations and infiltrations. The Salami, Naron tribunal among others are instances that portends the public to still have doubts in the judiciary, irrespective of the fact that not all the benchers are corrupt and very few are saints. Don’t quote me in the opposite please, am not saying that Justice Salami PCA was corrupt as alleged but it is a pointer that people don’t give optimum respect to the judiciary anylonger. And not until the society restores the confidence in the judiciary or the judiciary makes the public see her independence, the systemic crisis will still deepen. Today, a lot of people and lawyers are strategic in the court that ears their cases. I have keenly observed that some lawyers are typical to some specific judges whenever matters of interlocutory injunctions arise. I would have loved to mention names here but I hope I would be forgiven for not mentionin them. It is only in this nation that our popular human rights activists will be handling cases for criminals and corrupt individuals on the name of abuse of fundamental human rights,
when we know our right without any need to call Nostradamus, the man who sees the future, or a crystal ball to adjudicate the right from the wrong. The enmity to the societal development caused by the Court is imminently catastrophic and all these are against the growth of the Nigerian State. Another group that is a crisis to the nation is the Civil Servants and the Politicians. The public put all the faults on the politicians which I don’t hold any brief for, but the major evil servants are the civil servants and public administrators of all cadres. They are the ones who teach the political class the rudiments of executive robbery. They are the ones who tells them that they should invite contractors and the letter headed paper to use, they are the ones who shares the percentage and full the due process directorates. The civil servants are the ones who leak sensitive documents for the public in attempts to ridicule the efforts of the public servants. I am passionate about the dangers and the evils that this class has done to the systemic collapse of this nation. The Political Class is also criminal because we all have million reasons to nail them. My own reasons before you speak of the million reasons are typically two. One-No Political Party Manifesto which the major cause of our political crisis and the second is Lack of Individual Roadmap. Very few political office holders today have an action plan before getting into political offices and worst still is that we cannot even clinically define the manifesto of our ruling political parties at all levels. Thank God for the newly constituted APC, how about the PDP and other fragmented political parties? I have only felt I share this so that it doesn’t affect my belly and that those concerned could change for better. Our civic and information departments should help in the rectifying of the system before these pointed classes collapse it completely. Speaking for myself and the lovers of the better Nigerian System. Thanks for taking your time to read the piece!
THE WEEKEND
i Negotiating Reasonable Bride-Price
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V ewpoint Today, as in bible times, some cultures require that a bride – price be paid before a man can marry a woman. Jacob in ancient times, said to his future father in-law, Laban , “I am willing to serve you seven years for Rachael, your younger daughter,’’ Because of Jacob’s love for Rachael, he offered a high price: The equivalent of seven years wages, Laban accepted the offer but tricked Jacob into first marrying his older daughter, Leah. Laban’s subsequent dealing with Jacob continued to be devious. The emphasis that Laban place on material gain caused his daughter‘s to lose respect for him, because they felt their father considered them as foreigners to him, since he sold them. Sadly, in today’s materialistic world, many parents are like Laban and some are worse, marriages are negotiated “simply for the sake of profiteering, by greedy fathers”. Another factor is economic pressure that tempts some parents into seeing their daughters as means of earning financial windfall. Some parents hold their daughter back from marriage, waiting for the highest bidder. This can cause serious problems. No wonder, “young people choose to elope to escape excessive diaries demand by tenacious in-laws, why some young men manage to buy a wife but, are left in debt”. For instance, in some part of Nigeria, in Igbo culture, bride price is on the high side. In Abia state, Ngozi from Ngodo Isochi, 28 years old, said her parents are demanding a lot from her fiancé for their traditional marriage. Her fiancé could not meet up because of the high bride-price and shifted their marriage to the other year, since she don’t have to support her
fiancé, as she just finished her N.Y.S.C and still looking for job. Now her fear is that, if he doesn’t have the money by next year and doesn’t get a job, the marriage will still be shifted. Another girl, said, she
simply slept with men, (sleeping with 5 to 6 men), which was not enough for her to get the money required by her family. she then increased it to 10 to 14 men every night, to enable her get the money for their marriage, since is a big thing, a woman that her bride price have not been paid, don’t talk or speak confidently in the present of other women. Also, Victor Akpos, a young man earning 70 thousand naira as salary a month, had his traditional marriage list amounting to about 800 thousand naira, church / court wedding, this will take him some years to save or alternatively, he has to borrow, feeding his parents who struggled to train him in higher institution, and younger ones. So, he said, “as for me I will tell my father in-law to
please let me know if am buying the lady off from them, If so , none of them will have access to my house and nothing will be forwarded to them in the future”.
marriage negotiation, the parent might be making manifest that he is not a good example. Men with responsible positions are to be reasonable; not lovers of
community for important marriage negotiations to be left to relatives of the family head. And these relatives lay claim to a share of the bride-price. This places a test on Christian household. In the name of custom, some family heads allow
However, the rate in which parents dupe the young men, all in the name of marrying their female child is alarming. “Parents should be reasonable”, urged a South African social worker. They should not demand high amounts because the newly couple need to live. Whether parents decide to negotiate for a bride price or not, it’s a personal decision. If they choose to do so such negotiations, should be conducted in harmony with God’s law , which says, “ let your manner of life be free of the love of money”. If this principle is not evident in
money or greedy of dishonest game. Because of the problems caused by this, some governments have enacted laws that set a ceiling on the bride- price. A law in the West African country of Togo States that the bride-price “can be paid in kind, in cash, or in both ways’’. It then adds “in no case should the amount exceed the sum of 10 thousand F CFA ( U S $ 20.00)’’. In some cultures, the way the bride-price is negotiated may clash with another important principle. However, it may be common in the
relatives to pay a high bride-price, thereby creating problem for the son in-law to be. To avoid such sad consequence, parents should follow the example of mature ones, and should consider unselfish example when entering into bride-price negotiations. In some communities, a bride and her parents are looked down upon if the brideprice is low. Thus, pride and a desire to flaunt a family’s status are sometimes motive for negotiating a high price. A family in Lagos, in Nigeria, provides a refreshing contrast, their son in-law,
By BIJOR CELESTINA OMOJEVWE
Dele explains: “my wife’s family relieved me of many of the expenses that go with the traditional bride-price ceremony, such as buying expensive clothing. Even when my family presented the bride-price to them, their spokesperson ask: Do you want to take this girl as a wife or as a daughter? Together my family replied: “we want to take her as a daughter? After all, the bride-price was returned to us in the same envelope. Up till today, I appreciated my in-laws handling of our wedding. It made me have a high regard for them. Their excellent spiritual outlook makes me see them as very close relative. It also have a tremendous in effect on how I view my wife. I have developed a deep appreciation for her because of the way I was treated by her family. When we have disagreement I do not allow it to become a problem. Once I remember the family from which she comes, the disagreement is minimized. My family and hers have become cemented in bonds of friendship, even now, two years after our wedding, my father still send gift and food stuffs to my wife’s family. So, during bride-price negotiation, parents should try to assist their children by accepting whatever they could afford. Show your children that you love and care for them, and you will do all in your power to help them. Yes being reasonable in bride-price negotiations contributes to family happiness.
“Sadly, in today’s materialistic world, many parents are like Laban and some are worse, marriages are negotiated “simply for the sake of profiteering, by greedy fathers”.
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Beautiful Things About A Smile
A SMILE is a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth. Smile can also be found around the eyes. Among humans it is an expression denoting pleasure, joy, happiness, or amusement. Smiling
when one is feeling down, and you try putting on a smile, there is a good chance your mood will change for the better. It can trick the body into helping to know that smiling is contagious. When someone is smiling, they lighten up
is something that is understood by everyone irrespective of culture, race, or religion. Cross-cultural studies have shown that smiling is a means of communicating emotions globally. Even animals smile. In life, beautiful things make us smile, because life is a beautiful thing. There is so much to smile about. From experience, people with brown or green eyes are hyper and love to laugh. They tend to be quiet at first, but once you get to know them they never shut up and make amazing friends. Smiling is also a great way to make yourself standout while helping your body to function better. Smile to improve your health, stress level, and attractiveness. It is just one function way to live longer. And we are drawn to people who smile, the person who does not smile pushes people away; but smile draws them in. Also, smiling change our mood, for instance,
the room, change the mood of others and make them happier. However, putting on smiling face can really show up our faces, and it helps to prevent us from looking stressed out, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile, the stress will reduce and you will be better to take action. Furthermore, smiling boosts our immune system. It helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, your immune system improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling, it lowers your blood pressure and there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. While not give it a try, if you have a blood pressure monitor at home, sit for a few minutes, take a reading, then smile for a minutes and takes a reading, then smile for a minutes and still smiling, the difference will be noted. Moreover, serotonin
By BIJOR CELESTINA OMOJEVWE studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and make you look younger. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear more
confident, and more likely to be approached. It equally helps you to stay positive, try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It is because our body sends people message that “life is good”. Stay away from depression, stress, and worry by smiling, that will make
the pain to go away. Similarly, smiling happen without much thought. When you watch a friend do something silly or embarrassing, you smirk. When a police
officer lets you off without a ticket, you grin. And when you recognized for your top performance in academics or at work, you beam. Smiling is a very natural response that shares our happiness with others. Smiling also triggers activity in your brain. There is a serious mind-
body connection there, in your left frontal cortex to be exact, which is not surprisingly, the area of your registers happiness. How often do you smile in a day? Do you smile when you meet new people? When you see your friends?
Remember that mid-day connection we were just talking about? Well, it turns out that the simple act of smiling sends a message to your brain that you are happy. And when happy, your body pumps out all kinds of fuel-good endorphins.
Around your coworkers? How about your significant others? Your face has 44 muscles in it that allow you make more than 5,000 different types of expressions, many of which are smiles. In addition, smiling can make you happy even when you are not.
This reaction has being studied since 1980s and has been proven a number of times. And when people mimic different emotional expressions, their bodies’ produces p h y s i o l o g i c a l expressions, changes that reflect the emotion too, such as changes in the heart and breathing rate. So the next time you feel sad or upset, try smiling. It just might make your body and therefore you feel better. Ever been around someone who just had something fantastic happen to him or her? Is it not almost impossible not to feel good, too? Studies show that something as simple as seeing a friend smile can activate the muscles in your face to make that same expression, without even being aware that you are doing it. Smiling is not only a very powerful way of expression, but also a natural therapy for stress and hustles of life.
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e “I’m A Son Of God, Not A Man Of God W eKEND ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC legend, King Sunny Ade says he sees himself as a son of God and not a man of God. As most people think he is. In a recent interview, he said “you can’t just call yourself a man of God. There must be a very strong covenant between you and God before you can claim that you are a man of God”. I don’t see myself like that, but if people call me a man of God, it means I have to be very careful because I have not heard from God; all I know is that I am a son of God. “I have always been a spiritual person and I have been surviving as a spiritual person since I was born”. On his relationship with God, he said “There is a touch of spirituality about my existence that I can’t even
explain, even as I speak, I still can’t explain it. The fact is that I did’t study music, nobody taught me music. Nobody taught me how to play the guitar. But
I know it has been God all along. Nothing else could have sustained me till now and surely no one has, except God. I think people are still
• King Sunny Ade
Getting Beyonce To Date Me Was Not Jay-Z says he worked Easy - Jay-Z ‘Holy Grail’ hit-maker also played down hard to convince Beyonce to date him because she was not impressed by his rap status. The 43-year old rapper has recalled his early attempts at trying to romance the ‘Halo’ singer when they first began dating and revealed he had to ‘wine and dine’ her to get to know her better. Speaking of the moment they shared the cover of Vanity fairs 2001 music issue, he told the Magazine; ‘we were just beginning to try to date each other. Well you know, you’ve got to try first. You got to dazzle…wine and dine. The couple who are proud parents to 20months old daughter Blu Ivy- have enjoy hug individual success and are able to live a lavish lifestyle since marrying in secret in April 2008, but Roc Nation boss is confident Beyonce would still have dated him if he wasn’t famous as long as he was still cool. He mused! ‘If I’m as cool as I am, yes. But
she‘s a charming southern girl, you know, she’s not impressed….But I would have definitely had to be this cool. Good girl image starting when she was a member Destiny Child has been influence by his lifestyle, insisting ‘she gangster now’. The
claims made by forbes magazine that net worth of $500million, insisting he would rather stay silent on his fortune he said; I’m not motivated by that…… I don’t sit around with my friends and talk about money, ever. On a record, that’s different.’
With EFEMWENKIEKIE OSAS KELVIN
looking at me with the impression they had in those days, when I was still looking for fame. Those days, I sang all
- Sunny Ade
sorts of songs because I wanted to be famous, especially in Ondo town where they worship Ogun, every year, we worshipped
Ogun songs people would not accept me; buy my album. But it does not mean that I am worshipping Ogun or anything.”
Why I’m Still Single - Kate Henshaw 42-YEAR-OLD beautiful actress who separated from her husband in 2011 has spoken on why she is still single and focusing on her carrier for now. According to the mother of one; I just decided that, ok, it didn’t work. Next, I had to move on. There is no need holding on to the past- no need holding on to something if it’s not working any more. There is no need flogging a dead horse since it is already lifeless. And when you decide to bury the horse would you not leave the grave site afterwards. Anything that happens to you now, that sun would still set, another day would still come so, it’s your choice to either be part of the living or be in the grave yard. And I choose to be alive, enjoy my life and smile at everything that is happening-good or bad.
As long as God is with you, things would always be fine with you. I’m not thinking about anything. At the moment, I’m facing my carrier. If it comes, fine. If it doesn’t come, that’s okey. It’s not
the end of the world because I’m convinced that God loves me. Loves has given me more than enough. I have the most gorgeous daughter in the whole world. That’s enough for me.
• Kate Henshaw
Ice Prince Announces Own Clothing A PROMINENT Line Nigeria hip-hop Artist and BET Awards 2013 winner Panshak Zamani aka Ice Prince, decided to follow his US colleagues and set up his own clothing line. Many artists have
positive experience in this field, for example, Jay-Z with Rocawear, Lil Wayne with Trukfit, Kanye West with DW, Beyonce with House of Dereon and etc.
• Ice Prince
There’s Nothing To Celebrate In Nigeria - Ras Kimono
• Jay-Z
VETERAN reggae musician, Ras Kimono has says there’s nothing to celebrate about Nigeria’s 53rd Independence. The ‘Rub-A-Dub master ’ complained about the poor state of the economy while also wishing the country well. ‘There is nothing to celebrate in Nigeria. What are we celebrating? Underpressure, no food, no jobs for our graduates, poverty everywhere. I don’t see anything to celebrate but I wish Nigeria peace, Love, Unity and all the best; Ras Kimono said.
• Ras Kimono
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e My Mum Never Wanted Me To Go W eKEND ENTERTAINMENT
BUT for his doggedness and determination, and, well, the God factor, the singer, who is popularly known as Flavour Nabania would have missed out being the multimillionaire music star that he is today. The reason is because his mother, Mrs Onyinyechukwu Jane Okorie never wanted her first child to go into music. Rather, she had always dreamt and hoped that he would become a medical doctor since he was doing really well in his sciences. But her son, whose real name is Chinedu Izuchukwu Okorie, had other ambitions. Speaking on her initial opposition to Flavour ’s musical dreams on this weekend’s episode of the Supermom Celebrity
Edition, she said: “Those days, nobody wanted their child to become a musician because they used to drink and they were wayward people. I did not want that for my child. More so, even if he wanted to do music, I said it should not be outside the church but I didn’t reckon with what God had in store for him.” She had genuine reasons for her reservations for musicians. It was an era when homegrown musicians were hard done by the economic situation of the country. It was an era also when these entertainers were no different from the hoi-polloi. Flavour’s mum was a lowlypaid clerk in the Anambra State Board of Internal Revenue and she was encumbered with training and fending for five children.
Most times, as she reveals on the show, she had to go to Onitsha -which was almost two hours away -every morning to return at night. Things were so bad she devised the food code 101 (one in the morning, nothing in the afternoon and one in the evening) and in worse scenarios, it would be code 010. ‘It was hard for her as a civil servant to take care of five of us’ Flavour reveals. She laboured to make sure her kids turn out well. Thus, when her first child started toeing the path of music, she was understandably miffed. Indeed, Flavour’s position in the family thrust many responsibilities on the reedthin young man and the family’s economy was in tatters so much that he had
Stories By EDIONHON UYI THOMPSON
Into Music - Flavour to start selling ‘ice water’ on the streets of Enugu where he is hero-worshipped today. These struggles did not break the resolve of Flavour to make it big in music. What kept him going however was
the fear of failure and what his mother would say if he didn’t succeed. ”I saw my mum as my biggest challenge and I was ready to prove her wrong,” he adds.
• Flavour
Thankfully, he has paid his dues and the dividends are now rolling in. Riding on the huge success that has trailed his second album, Uplifted, which contains hit tracks like Ashawo and Adamma, Flavour is one of the breakout stars of the last five years, and constantly referenced as the revivalist of a dying genre, highlife. Today, Mrs Okorie is proud of her son and the height of success he has attained already. Even if she isn’t referred to as ‘mama Doctor’, she is fulfilled to be called Mama Flavour. “Now, if any of my children wants to go for music, I would give them my full support,” the proud mother says.
Jokes ... Jokes ... Jokes ... Jokes ... Jokes ... Jokes ... Jokes
Examination Time A lecturer walked into the lecture room and announced that there will be an emergency text, and he went straight to the board to write the instructions as: (1) Time is 15 minutes (2) No copy (3) No Cancellation of answer (4) You can open your test book or notebook (5) Once its 15 minutes raise your pen and walk out of your desk. He then told the students to get set and he began to dictate the questions one after the other. Question one: List your favorite foods, immediately, students began to list. Guys were writing: pounded yam, rice, fufu, egusi and eba, while the girls went ahead to list: Hot dog, shawama, pizza etc. The lecturer then announced the number two question: Explain how to prepare/cook your favorite foods that you listed above? OMG! You need to see how the girls started cancelling their previous answers and start changing it to: dodo, ewa, moimoi, garri, puff puff, amala and ewedu.
Akpos And Robbers
Akpos And His Fiancee
Akpos was on his way back home early one morning when he came across robbers. They got hold of him. He struggled and struggled but they over powered him. When they searched him and found only one torn N200 note on him, the following dialogue ensured. Robbers: (Angrily) wait oh, so na dis nonsense tear tear N200 nai make you dey follow us dey struggle before, abi you no dey fear gun way bullet dey? Akpos: No oh, how I nor go fear gun wen bullet dey, I be think say una wan collect the N10,000.00 way I hide inside my stuckins for my right leg shoe.
AKPOS fiancée said to him, “now that we are engaged, we should start calling each othe pet names”. Akpos asked her, “So what do you want to be calling me?” She said, I will be calling you TIGER. Why, Akpos asked. His fiancée: because you are handsome, tall, charming, strong, calculating, smart and very good in BEDmatics. She then asked Akpos what will you be calling me? Akpos said: I will be calling Zebra Akpos fiancée still smiling and laughing and asked Akpos while he choose to be calling her Zabra. Akpos replied and said it is because of the stresh marks that she have all over her body.
Planet ‘G’ Clauxz Rocks World Peace Day Event THE World Peace Day event most have come and gone, but the memories live on, on the minds of those that were present at the event. The event took place in Benin City at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on the 21 day of September 2013 and a lot of dignitaries graced the event like Chief Eduwu Ekhator the Obasogie of Benin Kingdomm Hon. Julius Ihovbere the secretary to Edo State Government and lots of other guest. High points of the event was when Planet ‘G’ Clauxz storm the stage to perform his hit track ‘Go Down Low’ to the audience. The audience were pull to their feets to dance to the hit song. The president of PCR (NOUN) who organize the Benin City event gave a lot of accolades to P.G. Clauxz,
his words: P.G. Clauxz gave all of us here present a nice smile on our faces and got us to our feet to dance, even though the event was a peace event but he brought entertainment into it which makes the event very interesting.
• Planet G
P.G. Clauxz in a chat with Weekend Entertainment said that this is just the beginning of what he intends to give to his fans, that after the shooting of his new video he will come out with another dimension in his musical carrier.
Nollywood Actor Flavian Okojie Shot Dead In Benin City
AN Edo born Nollywood actor, Flavian Okojie has been reportedly shot dead in Benin City by unknown gunmen, three weeks after his wedding.
• Flavian Okojie
Flavian and former EBS but now NTA Benin presenter Omo-Kivie Adeola got married barely three weeks ago. He was also a staff of Edo
State Board of Internal Revenue. His wife shared the information via her facebook page.
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Nature’s Best Antidote
ALFRED Adler, the famous Viennese psychologist, wrote a book entitled: “What life should mean to you”. In that book he says: “It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow men that has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring” interested in people if you want to be successful. One can win the attention and time and cooperation of even the most sought after people by becoming genuinely interested in them. Everybody – worker or clerk or even king likes people who admire him/ her. Take for example, the German Kaiser, at the close of world war he was probably the most savagely and universally despised man on this earth. Even his own nation turned against him when he fled over into Holland to save his neck. The hatred against him was so intense that millions of people would have loved to tear him limb from limb or burn him at stake. In the midst of all this forest fire of fury, one little boy wrote to the Kaiser a simple, sincere letter glowing with kindliness and admiration. This little boy said that no matter what the ones thought, he would always love Wilhelm as his emperor. The Kaiser was deeply touched by this letter and invited the little boy to come and see him. The boy came, so did the mother and the Kaiser married her. That little boy did not need to read books on how to deal with people, he knew how instinctively. So, if you want to make friends, put yourself to do things for other people, things that require time, energy, unselfishness and thoughtfulness. When the Duke of Windsor was Prince of Wales, he was scheduled to tour South America and before he started out on that tour, he
spent months studying Spanish so that, he could make public talks in the language of the country and the South Americans loved him for it. If you want to make friends, greet them with animation and enthusiasm. When somebody calls you on the telephone or G.S.M, use the same psychology say “Hello” in tones, that speak how pleased you are to have the person call.
It radiated sourness and selfishness. She didn’t realize what everyone knows, namely, that the expression one wears on one’s face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one’s back. Charles once said his smile had worth of a million dollars. For such Wab’s personality, his charm, his ability to make people like him, were almost wholly responsible for his extraordinary success and one of the
and sell more effectively and also, raise happy children. There is a far more information in a smile than frown. That’s why encouragement is much more effective teaching device than punishment. According to one renowned employment manager: To here a sales clerk who hadn’t finished grade school, if he or she has a pleasant smile, than to ture a doctor of philosophy with a somber
Many companies train their telephone operators to greet all callers in a tone of voice that radiates interest and enthusiasm. The callers feel the company is concerned about them. Showing genuine interesting to others, not only wins friends for you, but may develop loyalty to your company or business or home. If you want others to develop real friendships, if you want to help others at the same time, as you help yourself, keep this principle in mind. Become genuinely interested in other people. At a dinner party in New York, one of the guests, a woman who had inherited money, was eager to make a pleasing impression on everyone. She had squandered a modest fortune on sables, diamonds and pearls. But she hadn’t done anything whatever about her face.
most delightful factors in his personality was his captivating smile. Actions speak louder than words and smile says, “I like you. You make me happy. I am glad to see you”. That is why dogs make such a hit. They are so glad to see us that they almost jump out of their skins. So, naturally, we are glad to see them. It baby’s smile has the same effect. People who smile according to Professor James, a psychologist tend to manage, teach
face. The effect of smile is so powerful even when it is unseen. Your smile comes through in your voice even while you are phoning. You must have a good time meeting people if you expect them to have a good time meeting you. Now, I ask you to smile at someone every hour of the day for a week and then see the difference. If your smile at your wife or children. It will bring happiness to your home, try it for at least one week
O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 and feed me back. When you greet people with a smile, soon, you will find that everybody will be smiling at you back. So, treat those who come to you either with complaints or grievances in a cheerful manner. Smile as you listen to them, you will find that adjustment will be accomplished much easier. Smiles will bring you money, much money everyday if you are in business or respect and honour if you are not. Make it your new philosophy and see the wonder. You are really human when you smile. Try also, to give appreciation and praise instead of condemnation. Stop talking about what you want, try and see the other person’s viewpoint and these things will literally revolutionize your life. You will be a totally different person, a happy, person, a rich person, richer in friendship and happiness the only things that matter much after all. If you don’t feel like smiling then two things you would do. First, force yourself to smile, if you are alone, force yourself to whistle or him a tune or sing. Act as if you’re already happy and that will tend to make you happy. According to William James – psychologist and philosopher. “Action seems to follow feeling, but really action and feeling go together and by regulating the action, which is under he more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling, which is not.
Thus, the sovereign voluntary path to cheerfulness, if our cheerfulness is lost, is to sit up cheerfully and to act and speak as if cheerfulness were already there. Everybody in the world is seeking happiness and there. Everybody the world is seeking happiness and there is one sure way to find it. That is, by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn’t depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions. It is not what you have or what you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it. For example, two people may be in the same place, doing the same thing, both may have about an equal amount of money and prestige and yet, one may be miserable and the other happy. Why? It is because of a different mental attitude. I have seen just as many happy faces among, the poor peasants toiling with their primititools in the devastating heat of the tropics as I have seen in air conditioned offices. There is nothing, either good or bad said Shakespeare, but thinking makes it so. According to ancient Chinese. A man without a smiling face must not open a shop. Your smile is a good messenger of your good will. It brightens the lives of all who see it. So why not smile. Thanks for reading.
“A man without a smiling face must not open a shop. Your smile is a good messenger of your good will. It brightens the lives of all who see it. So why not smile.”
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When Whole Becomes Lesser Than The Sum Of Its Parts
EARLIER this year we had visited many biosafety level (BSL) III laboratories in India where one of the latest diagnostic tools were available to do drug susceptibility testing (DST) for tuberculosis (TB). One red-coloured sticker on these diagnostic tools caught our attention: UNITAID. This organization not only raises 70% of its core funding by innovative
nineteen Gene Xpert machines working presently but the negotiated lower prices of these machines and its cartridges are available for everyone around the world. “Our priority was that the prices we negotiate are able to be available for everyone
desktop) or USD 17,500 (with laptop). This significant price reduction directly increases utilization of these diagnostic tools for TB and rifampicin drug resistance testing because we get more value for every
since 2006, said Dr Broun. He continued to share that, a litmus test of this innovative financing mechanism was, when other development aid was severely hit by recession, but not UNITAID.
financing mechanisms such as by levying a small fee on airline tickets, but also has made a difference differently when compared with other traditional donors. Dr Denis Broun, Executive Director of UNITAID said at the global launch of largest-ever rollout of Gene Xpert MTB/RIF that one of the priorities is, to get better and innovative products at lowest possible price for everyone (not just UNITAID). For example in Myanmar UNITAID has financed only four out of
everywhere” said Dr Broun. The cost of Gene Xpert machine and cartridges had come down after successful negotiations were held by US Agency for International Development (USAID), US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), UNITAID and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the manufacturer, Cepheid. The cost of cartridges of Gene Xpert came down by nearly 42% to USD 9.98 (from USD 17) and cost of Gene Xpert machine came down to USD 17,000 (with
penny spent globally. “We did not install any machine in South Africa or Brazil but they are getting the same price we negotiated” said Dr Broun. In Brazil, Gene Xpert MTB/RIF machines are being used in prisons to diagnose TB (and multidrug-resistant TB or MDR-TB) accurately within two hours. Innovating financing of UNITAID makes focussing on delivering sustainable and high impact outcomes possible. Eleven countries have set up tax on airtickets to finance UNITAID
Dr Broun shared another success story where UNITAID has made a difference: paediatric drugs for children living with HIV and/or co-infected with TB. It was toughest to convince the manufacturers to produce paediatric fixed dose combinations (FDCs), said Dr Broun. TB is so under-diagnosed and treated in children. “Result has been that half a million children were on treatment and price per child reduced by fourth” said Dr Broun. Progressively financing for
By BOBBY RAMAKANT
paediatric drugs has come through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund), PEPFAR, among others. UNITAID is working closely with Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) to develop new effective anti-TB drugs for children. Similarly UNITAID has been working on reducing prices of Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) to treat malaria and has financed more than three million treatments so far. Myanmar has a policy against the use of monotherapy in treating malaria and fully backs ACT. Dr Min Than Nyunt, Director General, Department of Health, Myanmar said to Citizen News Service – CNS that Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and UNITAID have helped strengthen laboratory capacity in the country. Now, there are two reference laboratories (national TB reference laboratory in Yangon and regional TB reference laboratory in Mandalay) which are fully equipped with BSL III laboratories and latest TB diagnostic tools such as Gene Xpert MTB/ RIF, Line Probe Assays (LPA), liquid and solid culture testing, among others. Dr Erwin Cameroon of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that even the TB funding has increased twenty times over the last few years in Myanmar. Dr Fuad Mirzayev of the WHO Global Tuberculosis Programme said that these [Gene Xpert] tests create an opportunity to provide treatment if systems are in place. 1400 Gene Xpert machines are already put in use in 88 countries. Three million cartridges have been used in these Gene
“Dr Denis Broun, Executive Director of UNITAID said at the global launch of largest-ever rollout of Gene Xpert MTB/RIF that one of the priorities is, to get better and innovative products at lowest possible price for everyone (not just UNITAID). For example in Myanmar UNITAID has financed only four out of nineteen Gene Xpert machines working presently but the negotiated lower prices of these machines and its cartridges are available for everyone around the world. “Our priority was that the prices we negotiate are able to be available for everyone everywhere”
Xpert machines from December 2010 till end of 2012. UNITAID has invested USD 25.9 million to purchase over 220 GeneXpert machines and 1.4 million test cartridges for 21 countries in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. Coordinated by the WHO and the Stop TB Partnership, this project – known as TBXpert – is estimated to save an additional 62,000 lives by helping test 22,000 MDRTB cases and 143,000 TB cases. Dr Thandar Lwin of the national TB programme in Myanmar said that TB mortality rates have halved already but prevalence rates need to go further down to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. About 10% of TB patients are co-infected with HIV.10% of previously treated and 4.2% new TB cases are estimated to have MDR-TB. Dr Lwin shared that Myanmar is aiming to reach 100% case detection rate of MDR-TB among previously treated TB cases and 50% case detection rates among new TB cases by 2018. Myanmar is also moving towards achieving 100% HIV testing of TB patients. Pointing towards continuous need of supplying enough cartridges for Gene Xpert machines in Myanmar to test TB and MDR-TB, Dr Lwin said that 6044 cartridges are needed in 2013, 6688 cartridges will be needed in 2014 and 14,500 cartridges will be required in 2015. Dr Lwin also drew attention to increase domestic funding for TB control and care for sustainability. Diagnosing TB early and accurately is very important part of TB control and care and providing standard quality-assured treatment is another important part, among others. Ensuring uninterrupted supplies and strong logistical support and financial mechanisms are equally important. Finding innovative ways, such as those of UNITAID, to provide more effective, value-added and sustainable solutions is indeed helping in enhancing public health outcomes. (CNS)
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Celebrating Nigeria At 53
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, on his speech on the first Independence Day in 1960 stated that, “This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now we have acquired our rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well- built upon firm foundation.” And 53 years later, the country is on the brick of collapse. Today, Nigeria struggle against terrorism, against militancy, against fetid social conditions and diseases. Today, Nigeria struggle against poverty, unemployment and want. We struggle for the most basic of all basic human wants. The question we need to ask ourselves is, have all the labours of our nationalists and heroes been wasted? On Tuesday, October 1, 2013, Nigeria celebrated her 53 rd independence anniversary. 53 years since Nigerians were freed from the manacles of servitude and oppression, from the bonds of colonialization. Many people may ask, what are we celebrating for? With the menace of Boko haram rocking the country, killings and kidnappings, ASUU strike stalling academic activities in various higher institutions, what is there to celebrate? My beloved Nigerians, I myself do not wish to celebrate the day the British government handed power to men undeserving of power, men that quenched the glorious light of our great nation. I celebrate because despite the coup de’ tats, the civil war, the chaos, the crisis, the tyranny and oppressions, the militancy, the kidnappings, the bombings. Despite various issues of ethnicity or tribalism and mutinies, Nigeria still remain as one, the country has not divided. We have heard of similar issues in other countries that had led to war and division. But our beloved
country still stand; though shakily, but still as one. It is an indication that the glory has not departed fully from us. So I celebrate because Nigeria has survived and will continue to survive. Let me briefly take you down the memory lane of how our beloved country gained her independence from their colonial masters. It all started with the nationalist movement, a desire for self- government, which was founded on the belief that Nigerians of multiple backgrounds in the British colony of Nigeria ought to unite as one in order to be able to resist colonialism. Herbert Macaulay who was the founder of nationalism in Nigeria spearheaded various nationalist attacks on the British colonial government in Nigeria. He aroused political awareness through his newspaper, the Lagos Daily News. In 1923, he founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), the first political party in Nigeria. The NNDP dominated elections in Lagos and won seats in the elections of 1923, 1928 and 1933. Another group known as the Lagos Youth Movement (LYM) was founded in 1934, by H.O Davies, Dr. J.C Vaughan, Dr. Kofo Abayomi, Ernest Okoli, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, and Obafemi Awolowo. The group was later changed to Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) in 1936 with Nnamdi Azikwe as the leader. And with the support from all Nigerians regardless of cultural background, it quickly grew to be a powerful political movement. The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) fell, and this led to the rise of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM). Herskovits (1982) stated that, “The NNDP which was formed to contest the 1923 elections, dominated Lagos politics and Herbert Macaulay’s approach was rather too conservative for comfort, as he attacked only specific isolated policies of the colonial administration and not the colonial system itself. His political goal of a self-governing Nigeria within the British Commonwealth was unattractive to the new breed of more radical
By UTI ANIEKAN UDOH
Nigerians in the 1930s”. The NYM contested the 1938 elections with the NNDP and won the three Lagos seats, and ended the domination of the NNDP in the legislative council. The NYM first used nationalist movement to agitate for the improvements in education. The movement brought to public notice, a long list of future leaders including Nnamdi Azikwe and H.O Davies. By 1938, the NYM was agitating for dominion status within the British Commonwealth of nations, so that Nigeria can have
for the formation of political parties in the country. The resultant parties were the NCNC (National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon) which was later renamed National Convention of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) with Herbert Macaulay as President and Nnamdi Azikwe as its Secretary, the Action Group (AG) which was formed in 1950 by Chief Obafemi Awolowo from the NYM when it disintegrated, and the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) in 1951. Furthermore, after the second war, a new political nationalist era dawned. A
Regulation which declared strikes and lockouts as illegal. The post-war economic strains precipitated the General Strike of 1945, the Burutu Strike of 1947, and the Enugu Colliery Strike which was brutally suppressed by the colonial administration. Nigerian politicians exploited every opportunity offered by these disturbances for effective propaganda against the colonial government, attacking the colonial government on economic and social welfare. The colonial government became increasingly aware that they could not continue to keep the colony under
• Late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
equal status as Canada and Australia. Their promising start was cut short three years later by internal divisions in which ethnic loyalties emerged. Nnamdi Azikwe resigned and left the movement and his Igbo members followed suit. This opened the way
new political consciousness was aroused among Nigerians because of various widespread mass demonstrations, marches e.t.c. Workers’ demand for Cost of Living Allowances (COLA) led to the promulgation in 1942, of the Order General Defence
rule. They were under great pressure because of the United Nations (UN) declaration that everybody has the right to selfdetermination. People in Africa in Africa had the right to be free and independent from colonial rule and colonial governments had
an obligation to co-operate in this. The colonial governments admitted to this, but some were not ready to hand over rule to African people. In countries like Angola, Mozambique, Algeria, and Kenya, they were forced to fight wars to win their independence. But luckily for our blessed country Nigeria, independence was gotten with just a stroke of a pen. In 1953, Chief Anthony Enahoro moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence but his motion was rejected by the parliament, so it failed. Chief S.L Akintola made the second attempt by moving the motion for independence in 1957, and though his motion was passed by the parliament, the British government did not comply with it, and so another motion for independence failed. The successful moving of the motion for Nigeria’s independence did not take place until August 1958 when Chief Remi FaniKayode’s motion was not only passed by the parliament, but the British government complied with it. His motion called for Nigeria to be granted independence on April 2, 1960, but Sir Tafawa Balewa in 1959, moved a fourth motion which called for a slight amendment proposing that the date be moved from April 2 nd to October 1st. The motion was passed by the parliament; and so Nigeria was granted independence by the British government on the first day of October, 1960. And so on the 53 rd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, I therefore wish and pray for a prosperous, safe, and peaceful future for our great nation. GOD BLESS NIGERIA.
“My beloved Nigerians, I myself do not wish to celebrate the day the British government handed power to men undeserving of power, men that quenched the glorious light of our great nation. I celebrate because despite the coup de’ tats, the civil war, the chaos, the crisis, the tyranny and oppressions, the militancy, the kidnappings, the bombings. Despite various issues of ethnicity or tribalism and mutinies, Nigeria still remain as one, the country has not divided.”
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What Is Caesarean Birth? A CAESAREANS section according to Wikipedia is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother’s abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterectomy) to deliver one or more babies, or rarely to remove a dead foetus. When there are no complications with one’s pregnancy or labour, a virginal birth is safer than a caesarean birth. It is trusted for present and future pregnancies. A vaginal birth is also better for one’s future fertility. It is imperative to be cognizance of the fact that all operations carry some risk. A caesarean involves major surgery in the woman’s abdomen and pelvic area, and complications and readmissions into hospital afterwards do happen. However a caesarean section, particularly if it is planned, is a common and safe procedure. Sometimes, a caesarean’s birth is needed to save the life of a mother or baby, in which case, it is without question and the safest option. Historically, the first modern caesarean section was performed by Dr. James Barry in Cape Town, South Africa on 25 July, 1826. Initially, caesarean section is performed when a vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother’s life or health at risk. But in recent times, it is performed on request even before a child that could be delivered naturally. In those days, people were scared of it but now people chose to do it and it has popularity. For instance, caesarean section around the world has risen to a high rate. In China, 46 percent is recorded, United States, 33 percent (2011), Italy 40 percent. In Nordic countries, it is only 14 percent, while many Asian, European and Latin American countries are 25 percent and above. This was confirmed in Nigeria by Dr. Enyinnaya Nduka, a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, recently said that more expectant mothers are opting for caesarean session (CS) as the process had become increasingly safer. Sometimes the decision for caesarean is between the woman and her doctor. They weigh up the risks and benefits of having a caesarean and decide what is best for the woman. When deciding for a caesarean, the general health and
lifestyle play a part in the decision. The risk of complications is higher when: the woman is over-weight or obese, when she has had previous caesarean, when the woman already have a medical condition(like heart disease) and when the woman has had induced labour and is still not progressing, she may consider to have a caesarean section. Evidence is mounting that babies delivered by caesarean section miss out on the benefits of the mother’s micro biome. Micheal Pollan described the latest research on the trillions of bacteria and other micro organisms that live in our gut, on our skin, and in other parts of our bodies. Some of the microbes that take up residence in our bodies can cause harm, but the vast majority are helpful and even necessary for bodily functions. The thousands of species of micro organisms that supports, makes us a functioning system. For example, the microbe in the gut determines how efficiently a person processes nutrients, and helps to regulate our metabolism. How pregnancy and labour can affect the establishment of the infant gut micro biome and how the composition of the gut micro biome can impact a baby’s health. In the womb, an infant’s gut is sterile, but it is colonised with bacteria immediately following birth. Most babies acquire their mother’s bacteria in the vaginal canal on their way into the world. Researchers have shown that if a baby is born vaginally, its bacterial community resembles that of the mother’s vagina. If a baby is born by csection; its bacterial community resembles that of the mother’s skin. This is important because microbes passed from a mother’s vagina to an infant’s gut can help an infant face the many challenges of it environment. It has been discovered that during pregnancy, the composition of bacteria in a woman’s vagina changes so that there is a higher concentrate of lactobacillus; a kind of bacteria that aids in the digestion of milk. While he/she might eventually get colonised, a baby born by caesarean section will miss out on immediately acquiring these beneficial bacteria. And mode of delivery has been associated with differences in intestinal microbes even seven years after delivery. Gut colonisation by microbes is delayed in C-
section babies, which may explain in part why these infants have harder time fighting off infections. Immediately after birth, the establishment of gut bacteria can affect the development of
surgery, the woman might experience heavy bleeding, regular bleeding, and smelling discharge or a fever, which are signs of infections. These infections could be informed of redness and
inside of the wall of the tummy. It is evident that about half of women who had a caesarean have adhesions. The method use by a surgeon contributes to it: such as which layers are stitched up afterwards and how. And how many caesareans the woman has had; the rate of adhesions
the immune system. A baby’s gut micro biota can also affect its disposition in the first weeks and months of life. Scientists are starting to draw corrections between the gut bacteria in infants and an increasing number of health problems that are more common in children born by c-section; such as obesity, asthma, allergies C-section, type1 diabetes, food allergies, eczema and celiac disease. Alterations to the gut micro biome might connect these conditions to what some have dubbed “caesarean epidemic” around the globe. Risks Of Having Caesarean Pain- you will feel pain for a while after the operation, and will take longer to recover than if you had, had virginal birth. The pain is as a result of wound and discomfort from the belly and this will last for weeks after the operation. Drugs would be given to reduce the pain but it will affect woman’s day to day activities. Injection- despite a single dose of anti-biotic given to the woman before surgery, infection after the caesarean is very possible. After the
discharge, worsening pain from the wound and separation of the wound as a result of infection in the wound. This may be happening if the woman has diabetes or overweight or obesity. Infection of the lining of the uterus: this is more likely to happen if the water breaks before labour starts, or if the woman had lots of vaginal examinations before the caesarean. Urinary tract infection: the thin tube inserted during the operation to empty the woman’s bladder can cause infection. You may find urinating painful, difficult and causing a burning sensation. Blood Test: any surgery raises your chances of developing a blood clot, and this can be serious depending on where the clot lodges. If the clot lodges in your lungs, it can even be life-threatening. Signs include a cough or shortness of breath, pain and swelling in the calf. Adhesion: A caesarean carries a risk of adhesions as you heal. Adhesions are bands of scar tissue that can make organ in the tummy stick to each other, or to the
increases to 75 percent after two caesareans, and 83 percent after three caesareans. Adhesions can be painful because they limit the movement of the internal organs. They can sometimes lead to problems with bowel obstruction and fertility if they press on or block neighbouring organs. Effect Of Anaesthetic: Most caesareans are carried out with an epidermal or a spinal to numb the tummy, as it’s safer than having a general anaesthetic. Anaesthetic involves small risk such as headache, and nerve damage (this is uncommon and it last for few days). Other complications from caesarean include: admission to intensive care, an emergency operation to remove the uterus, the need for further surgery at a later date, injury to the bladder or bowels and complication can lead to the need for blood transfusion. Effects Of Caesarean On The Baby A baby’s delivered through this process are okay during and after, but some babies have breathing problems. These problems are usually not serious, but sometimes babies
By PRAISE EGHWRUDJE
need to have special care to help them recover. According to findings, breathing problems in babies delivered with this process happens when the child is delivered prematurely. And when the caesarean is performed before the woman starts having labour pains. If there are no complications with your pregnancy or labour, a vaginal birth is safer than a caesarean birth at any given
time. A vaginal birth is said to be better for the future fertility because all operations carry some risk. And a caesarean involves a major surgery in the tummy and pelvic area, and a probability of complications and readmissions into the hospital afterwards should be considered before hopping for it. According to Dr. Nduka, “ideally, CS should have laid down indications because it is an operation on women with issues that will not allow them deliver by themselves. Such absolute indication could be when the expected pelvic, or when the baby is not lying longitudinally.” He further explained that CS is chosen when; where the baby is supposed to come out from is blocked by Fibroid Ovarian Cyst. Dr. Nduka said that women that had their first baby through CS can still deliver subsequent ones virginally, depending on the circumstances. But that women who deliver through CS should limit the number of children they will have, to either three or four for their health and safety.
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H alth HEARTBURN is an uncomfortable warm and burning sensation in the chest, usually just behind the sternum (breast bone) that typically comes in waves. The pain may start in the chest area, and makes its way up to the neck, throat and jaw. The pain usually get worse when the patient lies down or bends over, and it is more common immediately after eating. The condition is medically known as Pyrosis, Cardialgia or Acid Indigestion. The terms dyspepsia or indigestion are often used interchangeably with heartburn, though some source emphasize a distinction. Dyspepsia is said to be a combination of heartburn and epigastric pain, which is from the sternum to just above the umbilicus (navel, belly-bottom). Heartburn is usually associated with regurgitation of gastric acid (gastric reflux) which is the major symptom of Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The word “reflux” comes from the Medieval Latin word refluxus which comes from the Latin word refluere, meaning “to flow back, to recede”. Heartburn is usually linked to gastric reflux; the regurgitation of gastric acid, one of the main symptoms of G E R D (Gastroesophageal Refux Disease).Acid reflux and heartburn are often used interchangeably. Acid reflux is the movement, the action of the stomach acids going up the wrong way, while heartburn refers to the
relaxes, this allows foods and drinks to make their way to the stomach, after which the sphincter closes again.
minutes to several hours. When bending over or lying down the pain gets worse.
consuming three large meals can help improve or take away the symptoms. Evening meals should be taken at least three hours before going to bed. Avoid foods and drinks that triggers heartburn. People with heartburn
If the lower oesophageal sphincter does not closes properly, gastric acids can seep back up into the oesophagus, causing heartburn. When person bends over or lies down the heartburn sensation may be worse, because the lack of gravity encourages more reflux. Although, many of the heartburn symptoms may over lab with those of GERD, this is simply because heartburn is one of the symptoms of GERD. The signs and symptoms of heartburn are: An uncomfortable sensation of warmth or burning in the chest; this tends to occur after eating, or during sleep. It can last from a few
Some people may experience a burning sensation in the throat. Sometimes, there is a chronic cough, sore throat or hoarseness. When swallowing there may be a sensation of food sticking in the middle of the chest or throat. Steps individuals can take to avoid heartburn Even if you must take three square meal; eating small meals each day instead of
should take note of the kinds of foods or drinks that triggers the heartburn and avoid taking them. It is advisable that people who smokes to quit smoking, because smoking irritates the digestion system and can worsen symptoms of heartburn and GERD. Obese or overweight individuals should shed some pound, because weight losing can lessen their experience with
Heart Burn
burning sensation. The word heartburn is a popular lay term that has nothing to do with the heart. According to findings,
it is common for people to have heartburn occasionally, and it is usually nothing to worry about. The discomfort can be managed through some lifestyle changes and through an Over the Canter Medication, without having to seek medical help. But when the heartburn is experienced frequently and causes some affectation on the individual’s daily routine, it is therefore advisable to see a doctor for a check-up. What causes heartburn? Heartburn is the result of acids backing up into the oesophagus. When we swallow, the lower oesophageal sphincter
By PRAISE EGHWRUDJE
heartburn, due to less pressure on the stomach. The head side of the bed should be elevated in order for food not to move up wards in wrong direction. Some foods are safe for heartburn sufferers, while others are major triggers of it. Some notable foods have been found out to trigger heartburn; According to M.D Robynne Chutkan, a Gastroenterologist, oranges, grape fruits and orange juice are classic heartburn foods because they are very acidic. As a result of being so acidic, they are likely to cause heartburn, especially when consumed on an otherwise empty stomach. She also said that although tomatoes might be chockfull of healthy nutrients like lycopene, tomatoes are also highly acidic and likely to cause heartburn in those who are prone to it. Garlic and onion are also triggers of heartburn and so people with heartburn do not, do well with them. Food that is loaded with pepper or other spices can also trigger heartburn, coffee, citrus fruit, pineapple, tea, tomato sauce, ketchup, vinegar, beans, cabbage, fizzy drinks (sodas) and liquors are not left behind; they also cause or triggers heartburn.
“According to findings, it is common for people to have heartburn occasionally, and it is usually nothing to worry about. The discomfort can be managed through some lifestyle changes and through an Over the Canter Medication, without having to seek medical help.”
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Today’s Diet With Pastor E. A. Adeboye
Moses In The Ring
Memorise: Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastics 7:9 Read: Exodus 32:19-20 Bible in one year: Genesis 43-46
IN the game of boxing, there are three major blows — the jab, the hook and the uppercut. Let us look at the life of Moses while in the boxing ring of life. Moses had a weak point — sudden anger. This was revealed to his enemies the day he struck an Egyptian and he died (Exodus 1-12). After the children of Israel had left Egypt, Pharaoh and his men gave them a hot chase to the extent the Israelites rebelled against Moses in Exodus 14:11-12. This was a jab from the devil and Moses dodged it. Similarly, after the Israelites had crossed the Red sea, they got to the bitter waters of Marah and they murmured (Exodus 15:23 25).This was another jab from the devil and Moses dodged it. In Exodus 16:2-3, when they were hungry, they murmured against Moses again. It was another jab that Moses overcame.
However, in Exodus 17:1-2, the next jab that came, Moses could not dodge it. When the devil saw that Moses was becoming weary, he e the hook and it landed successfully in Exodus 32:19Moses was angry. Do you say his anger was a holy anger and therefore justified? Anger is anger holy or not. By the time we get to Numbers 11:4-6 1 0-15, we find Moses blaming God. He almost began to see himself as the provider, as if he had been the one providing for the people all along. He even asked God to kill him. Can you imagine how the devil exploited the weakness of Moses turned him
against the Almighty God? From this point, Moses began to diminish. His anointing was then distributed among 70 elders (Numbers 11:16). Finally the devil uppercut came in Numbers 20:1-4, 712 and Moses experienced defeat. Do you celebrate when you dodge Satan’s jabs? Some people do. He may give you to wear but will surely return with another jab. Satan wants to wear you out, so in all you do, never allow Satan to wear you out. Never allow the devil to turn you against your helper— the Almighty God. If he succeeds in making you believe his lies, then he has really got you. The Lord will give you victory over internal enemies. Commit them to God and ask Him to deal with them.
Key Point: Today, you are in the ring of life, how are you coping? Ask for grace to be victorious.
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Nutrition In Early Life By EFEMWENKIEKIE OSAS KELVIN THE statement “you are what you eat” is significant for the development of optimum mental performance in children as evidence is accumulating to show that nutrition in pre-birth and in early life “programmes” long term health, well being, brain development and mental performance and certain nutrients are important to this process. Researchers from the NUTRIMENTHE project have addressed this in a five-year study involving in hundreds of European families with young children. Researchers looked at the effect of, Bvitamins, folic acids, on the cognitive, emotional and behavioural development of children from before birth to age nine. The study has found that folic acid, which is recommended in some European countries, to be CHANGE OF NAME OTASOWIEI formerly known and addressed as Miss Ehisienmen Misar Otasowie now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ehisienmen Misar Osemeke. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and general public should please take note. RECONCILIATION OF NAME I, SULEIMAN MUHAMMED OSHIAPHI wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Suleiman Muhammed and Sule Momodu as appeared in my various documents. Henceforth, I am properly known and addressed as Suleiman Muhammed Oshiaphi. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities should please take note.
taken by women during the first three months of pregnancy, can reduce the like hood of behavioural problems during early childhood. Eating Oily fish is also very beneficial, not only for the omega-3 fatty acids which are ‘building blocks’
for brain cells, but also for the iodine content which has a positive effect on reading ability in children when measure at age nine. A long-term study was needed as explained by Professor Cristina Campoy, who led the project “short term studies seem unable to detect the real influence of nutrition in early life”, explained Prof Cristina Campoy, “NUTRIMENTHE was designed to be a long term-study, as the brain takes a long-time to mature, and early deficiencies may have farCHANGE OF NAME OKON - I formerly known and addressed as Effiong Francis Okon now wish to be known and addressed as Okon Asuquo Effiong. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.
reaching effects. So, early nutrition is most important”. Many other factors can affect mental performance in children including; the parent’s educational level, socio-economic status of the parents, age of the parents and, as discovered by NUTRIMENTHE, the
genetic background of the mother and child. This can influence how certain nutrients are processed and transferred during pregnancy
and
breastfeeding in turn, affect mental performance. In giving advice to parents, Cristina Compoy explained, “it is important to try to have good nutrition during pregnancy and in the early life of the child and
to
include
breastfeeding if possible, as such ‘good nutrition’ can have a positive effect on mental performance later in childhood.” She went on to explain, area is relatively new
and
will
be
challenging!” The knowledge obtained by NUTRIMENTHE will contribute to the science base
for
dietary
recommendations
for
pregnant women and children for improving mental performance.
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R ligion
ISLAM, as total submission to the will of Allah, is a religion perfected by The Creator Himself. It touches every aspect of human endeavors. That is why it is said that Islam is the true way of life. Like I have said earlier, Islam touches every aspect of human life, be it morally, socially, spiritually and whatever; which means mode of dressing is not left out of the message of Islam. Today, the true mode of Islamic dressing is fading among our female Muslims and little or no serious attention is given to correct this evil. Although, some Islamic scholars are trying their possible best to make corrections through their sermon, Dawah and public lectures, not much changes have been seen as many youths of nowadays prefer listening to music than preaching. This simply implies that the problem of Islamic mode of dressing can better be corrected by Islamic singers especially the females more than the males Muslims. Nowadays, what our Islamic Muslims put on, on stage, does not really pass the true teachings of Islam to our up-coming Muslim wards and the general public. I am of the opinion that Islamic gospel singers are supposed to be role models and their music should be channels through which norms and traditions of our perfect and beautiful religion is communicated to the whole universe. It is obligatory for every Muslim to wear dresses in accordance to the prescription of the Holy Quran and Hadith. A male Muslim is required not to wear women like dresses. They are also enjoined to cover the space between their navels and their knees, at worst. Men are prohibited from using
Say The Truth... By WAHEED SULEYMAN WAHEED
necklace or other jewelries used by women. As for the females, they are required to cover the whole of their bodies with exception of their faces and two hands from
their husbands, fathers ….. or small children who have no sense of shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet
say if they are singing to praise Allah or they just want to acquire fame. Although, some males are not left our; like the other
the wrists. Muslim women are prohibited from wearing men like dresses, transparent and light dresses from which the contours and colours of their bodies may be visible. Allah says: ‘And say to the believing women that they should lower their gazes and guard their modesty; that they should not expose their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to
in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. O you believers, all of you turn together towards God that you may attain bliss. (Q24vs31). Using the above quoted verse as a yardstick to measure our so called Islamic female singers, one will have no doubt that what most of them wear on stage totally contradicts the teaching of Islam. I am particularly emphasizing on our female singers as this affects them of their songs have nothing to do with Islam. One cannot really
time, I was watching an Islamic video (music), I regretted having spent my hard earned money to buy such video, as the men (singers), who also claimed to be missioners of an Islamic society put on necklace on stage. To be candid, most of our female singers are totally off – track. You see them on stage putting on very tight suits and short skirts which show every contour of their bodies. Sometimes, they appear on stage without veil and parts of their hair and some of their ornaments
“It is obligatory for every Muslim to wear dresses in accordance to the prescription of the Holy Quran and Hadith. A male Muslim is required not to wear women like dresses.”
(necklace, earrings), which are supposed to be visible to their husbands only; are shown to the whole world. Interaction between Muslim males and females has limitation according to Islamic Shariah but our singers, hiding under flimsy excuse touch and hug
singers are driving closer to the same atrocities, what is the way out? I think it is high time we told such musicians the bitter truth. No wonder, some Islamic sects are strongly against music, whether gospel or not. Perhaps, music can be used to pass true messages of Islam to the world, if the
each other on stage without limitation. Even husbands and wives in Islam have limitation in their interaction if they are in public because our religion is a religion that teaches and encourages discipline. Sometimes, their dancing steps are in imitation of the unbelievers and this is un – Islamic for God’s sake! I cannot just be silent about these, I have to talk with my pen. I don’t want to mention names but what are such self acclaimed gospel singers teaching our children whom we enjoined to listen and watch only Islamic videos? Many Muslims prohibit their children from watching or listening to any worldly music because of the atrocities they perpetuate in the name of music. Now that some of our gospel
prescriptions of Shariah are strictly adhered to, especially now that music is becoming a thing of passion for the youths. Kudos to the few who still conform with the traditions of Islam and use their songs to teach and enlighten the world about the beauty of Islam (Jazakum Lah Khayran). I am not condemning anybody. My stand is in accordance with the Hadith of our noble prophet (SAW) which says, “If you notice any evil among you, correct it with your tongue, your action or your hand”. Let us shun imitations and innovations which are contrary to our religion in order not to go astray. Islam is perfect and beautiful, our tradition and mode of dressing is unique. Let us show it to the whole world. Mas – Sallam
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013
FIFA To Delay Qatar Vote
Ahead W/Cup
4.5 Million Requested MORE than 4.5 million tickets have already been requested for the World Cup in Brazil, a week before the initial sales period ends, FIFA said Thursday. ?This impressive total so far underlines the extraordinary level of interest in this 20th FIFA World Cup being played next year in the country of the five-time world champions,? FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said in a statement. The opening phase ends October 10 at 1000GMT but “football fans who apply by next Thursday have as good a chance of obtaining tickets as those who have already applied, as all applications made from the beginning to the end of the sales window are collected together and drawn on a lottery basis when the number of requests exceeds the tickets available,” added Weil. FIFA said three quarters of requests were from the host nation — amounting to more than 3.4 million tickets. Fans in Argentina requested 223,686 with 175,122 coming from the United States. Requests came in from more than 200 countries, football’s governing body said. There are three price categories for the showpiece, starting June 12 next year.
FIFA is poised to delay a decision on whether to move the 2022 Qatar World Cup to winter while a task force evaluates the controversial proposal, according to a report. FIFA’s executive meeting, which began in Zurich on Thursday, was expected be the forum for an announcement of the season change for the competition due to hot summer temperatures in Qatar. But London’s Evening Standard newspaper quoted a highly placed FIFA source as saying on Thursday: “It was
Rafael Nadal
Tennis:
Nadal On Brink Of Reclaiming Top Spot
RAFA Nadal staged a wonderful comeback to beat Fabio Fognini 2-6 6-4 6-1 to move into the semi-finals of the China Open. something that already The Spaniard will regain top happened in the past. If that spot if he reaches the final happens again, it will be good, regardless of what current it will be special for me, but number one Novak Djokovic we’ll see. does in Beijing. “I am going to have a very Nadal, who took his Grand tough opponent in front of me. Slam singles haul to 13 this In the end, it’s another match. year by winning the French True, it’s a little bit more special and US Opens, has not been for the circumstances, but ranked one in the world since nothing else. July 2011. “It is not the moment to think Fognini, ranked 19, nearly about number one... it is the put a spanner in the works moment to think about though before Nadal earned Berdych or Isner.” a 2-6 6-4 6-1 victory to reach Fognini was a point away the semis. from taking a 5-1 lead in the “It’s something that doesn’t second set and an upset was create more pressure for me,” well on the cards with Nadal Nadal, who will meet either seemingly troubled by a leftTomas Berdych or John Isner knee injury he suffered in the in the last four, said. “It’s opening minutes of the match.
2022 W/Cup: FIFA To Set Up Commission FIFA is to take the first step towards holding the 2022 World Cup in winter after its executive committee agreed to set up a commission to look into moving the tournament. The meeting in Zurich ended on Friday morning with the world governing
body deciding to set up the commission, FIFA sources have confirmed to Press Association Sport. The commission’s members will be drawn from across the game and will aim to represent all the major stakeholders, but will not make any decision on timing until after next year’s
World Cup. It is understood there was no discussion about who would head the commission or its members, only that FIFA’s administration would draw up a list of suitable candidates. Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is among those expected to be approached.
However, he found his form in the nick of time and the Italian managed just one more game. The stylish Fognini dished out some brilliant groundstrokes in the opening set to break Nadal
W/Cup Qualifier: Ghana To Start Training GHANA’s squad will begin camping on Tuesday in Accra to start preparations for the Brazil 2014 World Cup playoff first leg tie against Egypt at home in a two weeks. Head coach Kwesi Appiah expects all of his foreign-based 25-man squad to arrive by Monday and then start training the next day. The Black Stars will train at the Accra Sports Stadium for just one day before leaving for Kumasi, venue for the match, on Wednesday. Ghana will have one week to trim the rough edges for the crucial assignment on 15 October at Baba Yara Stadium.
Grassroots Sports Dev: Baptist Convention Partners Esan By NICHOLAS EBOIGBE THE Conference president of Edo State Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Frank Ezele has expressed the readiness of his church to partner with Esan Central Local Government Area to develop sports at the grassroots in the state. Rev. Dr. Ezele who was in Irrua in company of Edo state Baptist Convention Sports Festival Committee members to pay a visit on the chairman of the Local Government Council,
Prince Solomon Eromosele, said he decided to involve the council as part of effort to develop and empower young people through sports. Ezele said sports can reduce youth restiveness, thus directing their energies to their destiny by having a good career or become professionals. He explained that the Baptist Convention as a church has discovered that sports is one of the tools that can unite the diverse ethnic nationalities in the state and the country at
Central large. The Baptist Convention Conference president stated that sports is not treated properly as there are cheating, fighting and other forms of negative vices involved hence his church has decided to assist in playing its role to eradicate them. He pointed out that there are several challenges such as finance and others, saying the church can not do it alone and requires the local government council to
three times. He continued his domination in the second set as he built a 4-1 lead but faltered with victory in sight. Nadal blazed back to win the next five games and the 27year-old strolled through the decider to stay on course for an 11th title of an incredible season.
always media hype to expect the executive to come to such a decision this week without looking at all the consequences. The World Cup is nine years away and there is no need to rush to make a decision. “Indeed, the agenda for the meeting merely says we should ‘discuss’ the Qatar World Cup not whether we should move it. Indeed, it is at the moment such low priority that it is item 25 in a 27-point agenda. So it is not even likely to be discussed today.” FIFA spokesman Walter De Gregorio has insisted there is “no doubt” the 2022 World Cup will be played in Qatar as the world governing body meets to discuss growing concerns over the tournament. “No doubt,” he told reporters when asked if it would be played in Qatar.
complement its effort geared towards the betterment of sports and upliftment of the people. The Head of Service, Esan Central Local Government Council, Barrister Macauley Ehonor who represented the chairman lauded Edo State Baptist Convention for showing interest in the welfare of the people, adding that “it is a laudable effort”. He said that the local government council will partner with the church in such issue as sports that would develop the youth.
On Time The four-time African have lost three regulars Jonathan
Mensah, John Boye and Mohammed Rabiu to injuries.
Ethiopia May Face Zambia foreign-based players’ late For Eagles arrival was the main reason
ETHIOPIA may face Zambia in a warm-up match ahead of a 2014 World Cup playoff against Nigeria after they could not secure Ghana or Cameroon. Ethiopia welcome Nigeria on October 13 in the first leg clash for a place at next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) vicechairman Teka Asfaw told a local radio station ShegerSport Radio that Ghana and Cameroon have rejected a warm-up against Ethiopia. He said Ghana and Cameroon told EFF that their
Issa Hayattou
for turning down Ethiopia’s request for a friendly. The only chance remains for friendly match to the Walya’s seems to be with Zambia which the Zambian officials had confirmed their willingness to be in Addis Ababa as soon as their team returned from a similar friendly overseas. Ethiopia had also proposed to Egypt, but the seven-time African champions insisted the game be played in Cairo, which officials turned down as their qualifier against Nigeria is at home.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013
Juve Have Date With History
JUVENTUS’ president Andrea Agnelli has urged his players to clinch a third successive Serie A title for the first time in 80 years, saying this season is “a date with history”. The Bianconeri have not dominated the Italian game to such an extent since the 1930s, and Agnelli appealed to the team not to “let this opportunity get away from us”. In a letter to shareholders and members, published on the club’s website, he wrote: “We must not have any fear, but we need to be alert. History never ends. “I’ve frequently referred to this season as ‘a date with history’. I can reaffirm that. It’s not since the thirties of the last century that Juventus have managed to win three Scudetti in a row. This just goes to show how steep the climb we have just commenced is.” Juve’s resurgence on the pitch has been matched by their success off it, with Agnelli announcing record earnings in 2012-13. And the president wrote: “Three years ago, the current management assumed responsibilities with a dual objective: financial sustainability and a return to total competitiveness on the field. “Both of these components remain essential in my vision of Juventus in future years, so this record for me is only an intermediate stage and not an end result.” But he said others needed to follow his club’s example at the end of a week that saw only two points gained by the three Serie A representatives in the Champions League, Juve drawing 2-2 with Galatasaray. “Juventus have
transformed. We’ve known how to reconstruct a winning culture,” he wrote. Now we need to be effective in lobbying those who govern football for the necessary reforms to ensure Italy returns to being a leader in Europe. “Over the past 12 months, our country has not taken any steps forward in that respect. While other leagues in more evolved countries are increasing their revenues as well as increasing their competitiveness, Italy, or rather the Lega Serie A, remains immobile somewhere in the middle, at risk of being blown away.”
W 7 7 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1
Today’s Matches Elche CF Rayo Vallecano Levante UD FC Barcelona
Atlético Madrid Sevilla FC Getafe CF Athletic Clubv
D 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 1 4 3 2 2 4 3 3 3 3 3 0 0
L 0 0 1 1 3 3 2 3 1 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 4 6 6
GD 19 14 7 5 0 0 1 -1 -5 5 0 0 -2 -2 -3 -3 -4 -7 -8 -16
PTS 21 21 16 14 12 12 11 10 10 9 8 8 7 6 6 6 6 3 3 3
RCD Espanyol Real Sociedad Real Madrid Real Valladolid
v v v V
Celta de Vigo UD Almería Real Betis Valencia CF
Abidal Wants Valdes At Monaco
MONACO’s skipper Eric Abidal has made it clear that he would welcome Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes at the Stade Louis II with open arms. The Blaugrana shotstopper, 31, recently announced his decision to leave Camp Nou when his contract expires at the end of
Iker Casillas
REAL Madrid’s goalkeeper Iker Casillas he is enjoying Champions league action after playing second fiddle to Diego Lopez in La Liga.
The 32-year-old has not featured in a league match since January with the former Sevilla goalkeeper being preferred by former coach Jose Mourinho and new coach Carlo Ancelotti. Casillas lasted just 15 minutes in their Champions League opener against Galatasaray before sustaining a rib injury, but bounced back to start and finish the game as they destroyed Copenhagen 40 on Wednesday. Casillas injured on Real return. Ramos explains Casillas clash. “We all win, I think it is phenomenal. I see it on the positive side,” said Casillas, referring to the competition. “Diego wins, I
v v v v
Tomorrow’s Matches
Casillas To Capitalise On Champions League
Spanish La Liga Table P Barcelona 7 Atletico 7 Real Madrid 7 Villarreal 7 Athletic 7 Valencia 7 Espanyol 7 Getafe 7 Levante 7 Malaga 7 Betis 7 Granada 7 R Sociedad 7 Sevilla 7 Celta Vigo 7 Valladolid 7 Elche 7 Almeria 7 Osasuna 7 Rayo 7
Spanish La Liga
win, Real Madrid win. “We’re talking about a guy (Lopez) who is performing at the highest level. And it makes you
work harder. There are good days and bad days. “I’m not going to hide. If the coach believes that I should continue playing the Champions League
I Work Harder Than Messi, BAYERN Munich’s Ronaldo winger Franck Ribery believes he works harder on the pitch than his main rivals for the Fifa Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The France international played a key role in Bayern’s historic treble win in 2012-13 and has been an impressive form in the opening months of the new season, making him one of the favourites to dethrone the Barcelona star. “Compared to them, I work much harder. I do a lot more defending than Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and provide more assists,” Ribery told Kicker. “It would be fantastic to actually win the Fifa Ballon d’Or when you have a shot at winning it. “I have even more confidence in myself than before and that shows on the pitch. I am on top of my game and score a lot of goals. I am really enjoying myself
on the pitch.” Messi has won the Ballon d’Or three times in a row since the award merged with the Fifa World Player of the Year accolade in 2010.
games, I will try to capitalise on opportunities and make it difficult. “You must remember eight months without playing is a long time. “My idea is to stay here and my idea is to finish my career here.” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has maintained that Casillas will continue being his first choice in the national team despite limited game time at club level.
the season. Consequently, Abidal is hoping that Valdes decides to follow in his footsteps by making the move to the French principality. “Monaco would be a good option for Victor if we play in the Champions League next season,” Abidal told Cadena COPE. The Frenchman, who left Barca for Monaco this summer, then briefly reflected on his time in Catalunya and stressed that he has nothing but fond memories of his spell with the current Spanish champions. “I am not disillusioned with Barcelona,” the centre-half insisted. “I understand the club’s decision to let me go. I have a lot of respect for Barcelona and have never said anything bad about the club. “I am very happy to have been at Barca for six years.” Abidal won four Liga titles during his time at Barcelona, while also lifting the Champions League twice.
Robinho Laments Kaka Absence MILAN’s forward Robinho believes that the absence of team-mate Kaka has contributed to the Serie A side’s stuttering start to the season. Massimiliano Allegri’s men sit ninth in the table after six games, with Kaka having managed just one appearance since arrivng from Real Madrid last
Robinho and Kaka
month. And Robinho believes that Milan could have enjoyed a better start to their campaign had his countryman not picked up a thigh injury immediately following his return to San Siro. “Kaka is a personal friend to me. He’s a great player, I hope he can come back as
soon as possible,” Robinho told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “We miss his quality so much; he is a decisive player.” Milan face champions Juventus on Sunday but will also have to do so without striker Mario Balotelli through suspension, after the forward’s red card in the defeat to Napoli last month.
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31
Pillars, Eyimba To Replay In Lokoja TITLE rivals Kano Pillars and Enyimba have now been ordered to replay their Nigeria league Week 31 match which was not concluded. The replay, which will be the full 90 minutes, will be in Lokoja. The appeals committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made the ruling on Thursday after it heard the appeal of Kano Pillars. The NFF organising and disciplinary committee had earlier ruled that Enyimba be awarded the match. As a result of this decision, Enyimba have dropped to second place on the table on 56 points, meaning Bayelsa are top of the standings on 58 points from 35 matches. Pillars have 54 points. The appeals committee also decided that Warri Wolves be awarded the three points after their match at Kwara United was not finished.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013
NFF’s C’ttee Finds Baribote Guilty Of Contravening Football Laws
A committee set up by the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) in Abuja said Victor Baribote, one of the association’s former vice-chairmen, was guilty of disobedience. leadership of misconduct. It will be recalled that He had sent a petition on Baribote, a former this to world football Chairman of the Nigeria governing body FIFA, with Premier League (NPL) and the Zurich-based body ex-NFA Second Vice- asking the NFA to Chairman, had accused investigate the allegation the association’s instead.
NFCA Lauds Grassroots Soccer Clinic GODWIN Bamigboye, the FCT Chapter Chairman of Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), has commended the organisers of an on-going grassroots football clinic in Abuja. It will be recalled that Staruf Sports Development (SSD), a Lagos-based sports development company, is organising the event for children in the FCT. The company, being managed by former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, is organising it in collaboration with Nestle Plc, makers of the Milo drink. SSD had earlier organised a two-day football coaching seminar from Sept. 30 to October 1 to bring the realities of modern-day coaching to the doorsteps of FCT coaches. The NFCA FCT Chairman extolled the programme as laudable, saying it would go a long way in increasing the association’s productivity.
Sports Commissioner, Hon. Omorede Osifo
The NFA then set up a committee headed by Emeka Inyama, one of its board members and Chairman of its Media and Publicity Committee. Inyama, while presenting the committee’s report to the NFA leadership, said Baribote had contravened various articles in the football statutes which preached fair play. “In Baribote’s letter to FIFA, he claimed that he was still the chairman of the NPL. “We saw from evidence available that, sometime in December 2012, he was impeached by the Congress of Premier League Club Owners in Abuja and those evidences were tendered. “How come six months after, he was writing as if he was still the Chairman of the NPL, whereas the same Baribote submitted himself to the authority of the League Management Company (LMC). “He took the LMC to court, but he participated in their meetings, one of which was a representation to Nigerian football. “Baribote was seated there and we found it
GODWIN Okute, the Edo Director of Sports, has said that the state would feature in all the 19 events at the maiden U-17 National Youth Games (NYG). Reports say that the competition, basically for grassroots athletes, would hold from December 5 to December 15 in Abuja. Okute told newsmen on telephone that the state had “vigorously” begun
training for all round participation in the events, for utmost performance at the games. “We have intensified our training schedule; we have increased our training schedule because the games move closer daily. “We are vigorously preparing because we intend to participate in
most, if not all the events, at the festival,’’ he said. The director added that the state’s technical crews for the events were also ready to produce formidable teams to represent the state. “The athletes are doing wonderfully well; the teams are performing wonderfully too as expected and the
Nigeria Football and other Sports Supporters Club (NFSSC). The minister, who was represented by Mustapha Mohammed, NSC’s Director of Finance and Supply, also promised to assist the club’s members with logistical support. “The support will boost the Eagles as they confront the Walya Antelopes in Addis
Ababa. “The Super Eagles’ match in Ethiopia is a national assignment and no stone will be left unturned in order to ensure the team’s qualification,’’ he was quoted as saying. Earlier, NFSSC Chairman, Rafiu Ladipo, had assured that efforts would be intensified to help ensure that Nigeria’s flag was hoisted in
The statement quoted Ladipo as saying President Goodluck Jonathan had assured of the country’s readiness to support the Super Eagles in every possible ways. “The NSC is our constituency, and our visit is to intimate it of our plea for immense financial support for both the club and the media,’’ it said.
Rumson Victor Baribote. “So, we found this contradicting. “We found out that the letter he sent to FIFA was in bad faith and taste and we referred to articles 2, 4, 7, 10, 12 and 34. “These are relevant articles of the NFA that authorised its chairman to set up this committee to look into this matter,’’ Inyama said The committee chairman said the recommendations of the committee were however being kept secret until the NFA board had seen it and approved it. He said every other relevant stakeholders linked to the matter appeared before the committee, including Aminu Maigari, the NFA chairman, while Baribote failed to appear.
7 Boxers To Represent Nigeria At WBC THE Head Coach of the National Boxing team, Tony Konyewachi, on Friday picked seven boxers to represent the country at the World Boxing Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from October 14 to October 26. Konyewachi told newsmen in Lagos after their training
Edo To Parade Athletes In NYG Events In Abuja
NSC Pledges Logistics Support For Eagles Against Ethiopia Brazil during the 2014 World THE Minister of Sports, In Addis Ababa Cup. Bolaji Abdullahi, has pledged government’s commitment to supporting the Super Eagles to win their 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Ethiopia on Oct. 13. This is contained in a statement by Felicia Mammah, Information Officer at the National Sports Commission (NSC) in Abuja. It said Abdullahi, who is also NSC Chairman, made the pledge during a visit by the
embarrassing and confusing. “He went to court against LMC and NFA, and against the course which he was promoting, collected N10. 5 million from the LMC, being a share of revenue from league sponsorship. “Yet he was in court with the same people, we did not understand that,’’ Inyama claimed. He also said one Mrs Baribote was the true representative of Nembe City FC of Bayelsa, contrary to the makebelief of Victor Baribote that he was in charge. “The authorities of Nembe City FC, as we know by the books, is one Mrs Baribote, and legally Mrs Baribote representing Nembe City is not the same thing as
technical officials are also pulling their weights, “ he said. Okute added that meanwhile, the sports council had continued to organise competition at the local level for selection of outstanding athletes based on merit. “We are not going to be sentimental in the selection of players; rather it is going to be based on individual outstanding performance in grassroots competitions. “Our purpose is to top the medal table and I believe that with hard work and God on our side, we will make the state proud.” He advised the Federal Government and corporate organisations to sponsor competitions like the NYG to discover talents that would represent the country internationally.
that the seven boxers were chosen as a result of their dexterity and precision punches on target. The coach, however, kept the list of the selected boxers under wraps, in order not to create bad blood in the camp. Konyewachi said that the names of the selected boxers would, however, be made available soon. “It will be premature to announce the names, now that the camp is still ongoing. Even the selected boxers have yet to be aware of the list. “But one sure thing is that, they were picked based on their dexterity and ability to score valuable points,’’ Konyewachi said. He expressed optimism about the ability of the seven chosen boxers among the 30 that were called to camp. Konyewachi said that those selected should justify the confidence reposed in them by winning medals at the event.
Aminu Maigari
CMYK
Weekend Sport THE WEEKEND
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013
Anichebe In Race To Be VICTOR Anichebe is Fit battling to be fit to face Arsenal on Sunday after he suffered a groin injury against Manchester United. However, West Brom manager Steve Clarke said he is hopeful Anichebe would be fit to face Arsenal on Sunday. The former Everton striker battled on through the second half of Saturday’s 2-1 win at Manchester United
Wenger Condemns Wilshere For Smoking
despite picking up a groin problem just before half-time and is expected to return to training today(Friday). “Victor tweaked a groin during Saturday’s game. He tried to lay the ball off and felt a sharp pain but finished the game, which is normally a good sign. We are hopeful he’ll be okay for the weekend,” Clarke told club’s official website.
A R S E N A L ’ s manager Arsene Wenger has hit out at Jack Wilshere after the midfielder was photographed smoking a cigarette outside a London nightclub. Wenger was unimpressed with Wilshere’s behaviour and used his latest press conference to give the 21-year-old star a very public dressing down. “I disagree completely with that behaviour,” stated Wenger. “I don’t know what has happened and I will have to have a chat with him about that. When you are a footballer you are an example and also don’t do what damages your health. “You can smoke at home and drink at home and nobody sees it, but when you go out socially, you damage your reputation as well. I have not spoken to him yet and what I say will be between him and me.” Wenger went on to
Spurs May Bank On Adebayor TOTTENHAM Hotspur might be forced into playing Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor to help encourage interest for the unwanted forward according to the Daily Mirror. Adebayor who joined the North London club from Manchester City initially on-loan in August 2011, has fallen out of favour under coach Andre Villas-Boas in recent times with the Portuguese manager preferring to play either Roberto Soldado or Jermain Defoe. Spurs were eager to offload the striker in the summer transfer window, but Adebayor turned down the opportunity to join the likes of Bundelsiga outfit Schalke, Turkish giants Besiktas and Championship side
Queens Park Rangers. As a result Tottenham fear there won’t be any suitors come the next transfer window, especially for the fact that Villas-Boas isn’t playing the 29-year old former Arsenal forward. Adebayor’s massive wage demand is the main reason a move failed to materialise in the transfer window. It is believed that the Togolese hitman is on a £170 000 per week salary, which at the moment is still equally split between Spurs and Manchester City. Consequently, in order to attract any interest Villas-Boas could be forced into playing Adebayor to make the player seem like a more attractive proposition to buy in the New Year.
Wounded City Take Aim At Everton MANCHESTER City will aim to bounce back from back-to-back defeats when they host Everton in a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon. The Citizens went down 3-2 to Aston Villa in their last league outing before suffering a humbling 3-1 loss in the Champions league at the hands of reigning champions Bayern Munich. As a result, Manuel Pellegrini’s side are likely to come out with all guns blazing on Saturday as they look for maximum points to move up from seventh place. Everton on the other hand will head into the clash with high spirits having beaten Newcastle United 3-2 on Monday to move up to
fourth place with 12 points, two more than City. However, Coach Roberto Martinez is aware that his side will have to dig deep against a City side that will be determined to restore their dented pride. “We have to remember that Manchester City are a top, top football club,” he told reporters. “When you are a top football club you know how to move from result to result and competition to competition without carrying any sort of damage with you. “You feel like they will want to respond and get back to winning ways so that’s why we will need to be perfect in many ways.
Emmanuel Adebayor
No Excuse For Poor Start - Giggs
RYAN Giggs has said Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement cannot be used an excuse for Manchester United’s poor start to the season. on what’s happened,” he United have not lost was quoted as saying in three straight Premier the Mirror. “We have just League games for 12 not played as well as we years — but that will can, both individually happen if David Moyes’ and as a team. side are defeated at “Sir Alex was a great Sunderland on manager and a great Saturday. influence on the team And player-coach and the club. You’re Giggs has spoken out as going to miss someone United look to click back like that, but I don’t think into form after losing that’s an excuse when three of their first six individuals aren’t playing league games of the as well as they can. season. “We know the quality in “I can’t put my finger
The Fixtures Today’s Matches Manchester City Cardiff City Liverpool Hull City Fulham Sunderland
v v v v v v
Everton Newcastle United Crystal Palace Aston Villa Stoke City Manchester United
Tomorrow’s Matches Southampton Norwich City West Bromwich Albion Tottenham Hotspur
v v v v
Swansea City Chelsea Arsenal West Ham United
the dressing room. We’re the champions, so we showed that quality last year and we have to show it again. We are not playing well as a team, but we haven’t got injury problems as we have had in the past, so there is no
excuse.” Giggs said there was plenty of time for United to transform their situation, adding: “You would rather be showing this form at the start of the season than at the end.
suggest a change in cultural behaviour is one of the reasons why Wilshere indiscretions cannot be tolerated, as he admits times have changed since his days as a player in France. “I must say the English society is very sensitive to smoking as well,” Wenger said. “It is more shocking here than somewhere like France and you don’t need to convince me that times have changed. “Things are different, in England, especially. I travelled as a footballer player on coaches in France when you didn’t see each other with so much smoke on the coach, everybody smokes. Times have changed. The example, the role model request on players has changed as well.” Wenger went on to insist Wilshere will continue to be a key player in his plans for this weekend’s game at West Bromwich Albion and stressed his omission from Tuesday night’s Champions League game against Napoli was not a sign that he has slipped down the pecking order in his first team. “He is a very important player here,” stated Wenger. “In my plans for the future of the club, they have always built around Jack. We have some setbacks with him, a lot of setbacks, but he is a very important player in my squad.”
English Premier League Table Arsenal Liverpool Tottenham Everton Chelsea Southampton Man City Hull Aston Villa West Brom Cardiff Man Utd Swansea Norwich Stoke Newcastle West Ham Fulham C Palace Sunderland
P 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
W 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0
D 0 1 1 3 2 2 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 1
L 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 5
GD 6 4 4 3 4 3 7 -1 1 1 -1 0 -1 -2 -2 -4 -1 -5 -6 -10
PTS 15 13 13 12 11 11 10 10 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 5 4 3 1
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