Weekend observer 17 08 2013 by Nigerian Observer

THE WEEKEND

Weekend

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

PUBLISHED SINCE OCTOBER 6, 1990 • Vol.XI NO.3,197• SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013 • N100.00

ENCOUNTER Armed Robbers, Kidnappers Need Window Of Repentance - Pages 10-11

Tribunal Dismisses Petition Against Edo LG Boss

THE Edo State Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City has dismissed the petition filed by Kingsley Mustapher Momoh of the Labour Party challenging the election of Prince Hassan Kadiri of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as Chairman, Etsako West Local Government Council. Delivering evidence of the judgment, Justice petitions witnesses Daniel Iyobosa were not sufficient to Okungbowa, leading cancel the election Justice Stephen won by Prince Hassan Omonua and A. Kadiri. Ovbiagele of the The tribunal tribunal held that the

consequently dismissed the petition for lack of merit and therefore declared that Prince Kadiri was validly elected. The tribunal has since concluded its sittings.

Resident Doctors protest kidnap of colleague By OSE EHEBHA RESIDENT Doctors of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State yesterday took to the streets of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, to protest the alleged kidnap of their colleague, Dr. Edeawe Osahogie. The protest took the doctors through major streets of the university town, during which they equally visited palace of monarch of Ekpoma, Ekpoma Police Divisional Headquarters, Esan West Council secretariat, amongst others. The WEEKEND

OBSERVER gathered that the kidnapped doctor was abducted during the week in Ekpoma, while returning home from work. The Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), ISTH chapter, Dr. Emmanuel Ighodalo who led the protest appealed to the kidnappers to release their colleague unhurt and unconditionally. The protesting doctors similarly appealed to the police to play it role to secure the release of the doctor, just as they appealed to members of the public not to withhold useful information from the security agents. “We are out to protest the kidnap of our

colleague. It has being a harrowing experience since he was kidnapped Monday. It is disheartening that we that are in the business of saving lives would constantly be targets of kidnappers. “We want to make a passionate appeal to the individuals who have abducted him to please let him go. It is distressing for anybody to be kidnapped, and I even dare to say more so those who are saving lives”, he said. The Ekpoma Divisional Police Officer, CSP Okpako Omuohowo, assured the protesting doctors that his men were on top of the Continued on page 4

DINNER: L-R: First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; President Goodluck Jonathan and the President, National Council of Women Societies, Mrs. Nkechi Mba at a dinner in honour of committed promoters of Women Empowerment in Abuja recently.

PERSPECTIVE Is There A Darkness Over The North?

- Pages 16-17

MOMENTS OF SCRUTINY

Lessons We Fail To Learn Page 5

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

N ws

CRIME

Court Jails Man For 11 Months

Attempted Rape:

Suspects in the murder of four University of Port Harcourt students coming out of the High Court in Port Harcourt recently.

AN Abuja Grade 2 Area Court, Kado, FCT has sentenced one Shaguri Isa to 11 months imprisonment for criminal trespass, causing hurt and attempting to commit rape. The convict was however given an option of N8, 000 fine. The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Simeon Ibrahim, told the court that, one Philomena, of Eden Garden, Utako, Abuja, on August13, reported a case of attempted rape to the Utako police station. Ibrahim said the convict, a labourer, in the early hours of August 12, criminally formed a common intention, and trespassed into her room at the above address. The prosecutor said the complainant reported that the

Court Remands Wife For House Breaking, Theft A GRADE 2 Area Court in Kado, Abuja, remanded a house-wife, Zainab DanMusa, for alleged housebreaking and theft. The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Ahmed Ado, ordered that Dan-Musa, 39, of No. 11, Ebitu Ukiwe St., Jabi, Abuja, should be remanded in prison until October 9. Ado gave the order when the accused failed to meet the bail conditions

given by the court. The judge had granted the accused bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum. He ordered that one of the sureties must be owner of a landed property in Wuse Zone 2, Maitama, Asokoro or Jabi with the Certificate of Occupancy. Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr. Simon Ibrahim, told the court

Man, 48, Bags 2 Weeks For Attempting Stealing MAGISTRATE Rosemary Kanyip of a Kubwa Magistrates’ Court sentenced 48-year-old Lawal Abdullahi to two weeks in prison for attempting to steal clothes. Kanyip, who passed the sentence after the convict pleaded guilty to the offence, however, gave him an option of N200 fine. In his guilty plea, the convict explained that he was only admiring the clothes with the intention of purchasing similar materials. The magistrate, however, warned him to desist from such questionable behaviour in future. Abdullahi stood trial for attempting to steal the clothes belonging to Mohammed Abdulazeez. The police prosecutor, P.C. Arziki Kaura, had told the court that Abdullazeez reported the case at the Kubwa Police Station, Abuja, on July 22. Kaura said that on that day the convict dipped his

hands into the complainant’s car, parked at Dutse Market, and attempted to steal the clothes kept inside the car.

that, Mrs. Anabel Okuonghae, of No 11, Ebitu Ukiwe St., Jabi, Abuja, reported the matter to the Utako police station on July 7. Ibrahim said that while the complainant was away, some unknown persons forced her door opened and stole some of her valuables. He said the valuables included: three international passports, shoes, a bag containing 12 different fragrances, clothes, iPad, three different cheque books, costume, jewellery, pendants and a gold chain. The prosecutor also said, during investigation,

other things valued at N768, 440 were discovered to have been stolen, while part of the items were allegedly recovered from the accused. He said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 287 and 349 of the Penal Code. Section 287 states that, whosoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to five years or be fined or both. Section 349 stipulates that, whoever commits house breaking shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to one

Police Arraign Trader, 50, For Criminal THE police have Trespass, Mischief arraigned a 50-year-old trader, Sunday Ikeanyi, in a Kubwa Magistrates’ Court for criminal trespass and mischief. The police prosecutor, Cpl Egwusigo Charles, told the court that the case was reported at Kubwa Police Area Command on August 5 by Christy Ezeji of Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja. Charles said that on July 30, the accused, a resident of Suleja, Niger, allegedly trespassed into Ezeji’s land in Dankiwa, Abuja. “While trying to lay claim to the land in question, the accused destroyed the fence valued at N200, 000,’’ Charles said. The prosecutor said the

offences contravened sections 348 and 327 of the Penal Code. Section 327 stipulates that whoever commits mischief shall be punished with imprisonment or with fine or with both. The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Charles applied for an adjournment to enable him assemble witnesses. The presiding magistrate, Mrs. Elizabeth Jones-Wonnu, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two responsible sureties in like sum. Jonnes-Wonnu ordered that the surety must have

a fixed address in the FCT and must show evidence of payment of utility bills. The magistrate adjourned the case to September18 for hearing.

year or with fine, which may extend to N100, 00 or with both. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, and as a result, the judge adjourned the case to Oct. 9 for further hearing.

convict started struggling with her with the intention to forcefully have canal knowledge of her. In the process, Ibrahim said the complainant reported that she sustained injuries as a result of biting from the convict. The police prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of section 342, 246 and 95 of the Penal Code. When confronted with the charges, the convict accepted liability. The Presiding Officer, Mr. Ahmed Ado, sentenced the convict to four months imprisonment or a fine of N3, 000 for the first charge of criminal trespass. On the second count charge of causing hurt, the presiding officer sentenced Mohammed to five months imprisonment or a fine of N4, 000. The presiding officer also sentenced the convict to two months imprisonment or a fine of N1, 000 for the third count charge of attempt to commit an offence. Ado ordered the sum of N3, 000 to be paid to the nominal complainant for medication.

Court Convicts Man For Theft

AN Abuja Grade 2 Area Court in Kado, FCT, sentenced Hassan Mohammed, 26, to five months imprisonment for stealing from a mechanic’s workshop. The convict was however given an option of N4, 000 fine. The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Simeon Ibrahim, told the court that, Mr. Abasi Akinpeli, of Bwari Area Council, Abuja, on August 8, reported a case of stealing to the Utako police station. Ibrahim said the convict, who was a security man at Jabi Motor Park, had, on the same day, formed criminal intention and stole from a mechanic workshop located within the park. The properties stolen, according to the prosecutor

include a Mercedes Benz’s gear box, a pathfinder ’s shock-absorber, regulator, springs and three motor batteries, all valued at N200, 000. The prosecutor said the convict confessed to the crime and the exhibits were recovered in his possession. He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 288 of the Penal Code and carried a five-year maximum sentence or with fine, or both. Mohammed pleaded guilty to the offence. The Presiding Officer, Mr. Ahmed Ado, sentenced him to five months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N4, 000. Ado ordered a compensation of N50, 000 to be paid to the nominal complainant.

Police Arraign 4 For Causing Public THE police in Abuja have He said the offence arraigned four men in a Wuse Nuisance contravened section 183 of Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly causing public nuisance. The police prosecutor, Sgt. Francis Tanko, gave the names of the four accused as Matthew Ehis, Suleman Idris, Aminu Haruna and Abdullahi Ibrahim, all of no fixed address. Tanko told the court that the accused were arrested by a team of police officers led by DSP. Mercy Essienekak

attached to Wuse Divisional Headquarters on August 5. He said the accused were arrested at Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent Wuse II, Abuja while constituting nuisance and causing annoyance to members of the public. The prosecutor said the accused could not give satisfactory account for their actions when they were questioned by the police.

the Penal Code. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The magistrate, Mrs. Nafsat Ibrahim, granted the accused bail in the sum of N5, 000 with a surety each in like sum. Mrs. Ibrahim said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case to September 30 for hearing.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

N ws Edo Approves Constitution Of State SUBEB

By QUEENNETH A. OROBEDO EDO State Government has approved the constitution of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). According to a statement signed by the secretary to the state government, Prof. Julius Ihovbere, Chief Stephen Alao will serve as a full-time chairman of the board, while Dr. Ann Aisosa Amadasun, Mallam Sule Ali

and Mr. Dove E. Momodu will equally serve as full time members. Also to serve on the board as part-time members are Mr. Patrick Egboboarhe Ikosomi, representing the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Charles Osasuyi Faluyi, representing Academic Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), and Mrs. Dorothy Igbinovia representing Parents Teachers Association (PTA). The appointments take immediate effect.

NDLEA Seizes Drugs

THE Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Dr Ahmadu Giade, has said that the agency seized drugs worth N62 billion in the last two years. Giade announced this in a keynote address at a symposium, with the theme: “Enhancing Capacity for Substance Abuse, Research and Interventions,” in Uyo. Represented by Mrs. Josephine Obi, the NDLEA Commander in Akwa Ibom, Giade said that 1,500 drug offenders were convicted by the agency annually. He said that between the year 2000 and 2012, the agency intercepted 3.4 million kilogrammes of narcotics. “This includes 2.8 million kg of cannabis, 178,120kg of

cocaine, 195,283kg of heroin and 233,699kg of psychotropic substance,” he said. The chairman suggested that the best way to prevent addiction was not to take drug at all, adding that parents should prevent their wards from drug abuse. Every family has a role to play because every addict belongs to a family. “Parents must effectively communicate with their children, listen to them, strengthen the bond between them and live exemplary lifestyles for them to emulate,’’ he said. Giade said that efforts were ongoing to address problems

Prince Tony Momoh used the occasion to appeal to the federal government to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of Auchi people over the devastating condition of the Auchi gully erosion. Prince Tony Momoh who lamented the threat the erosion problem has posed to the entire Auchi kingdom however opted that it is only in Auchi that erosion has divided two clans in Nigeria adding that this development has made Auchi that was naturally binded together by God to be divided by gully erosion menace. According to him, “Anybody

who want to be in government must first come to Auchi to see the devastating nature of the gully erosion or else Auchi people will not give their vote if such a person fail to visit the place.” He therefore urged believers irrespective of their faith and denominational background to thrive more harders to always seek the face of God in anything they are doing stressing that it is God alone that can rescue the nation from its present predicament. High point of the occasion was a Koran recitation by the two celebrants that were turbane as Imam of the Araf Mosque Auchi.

Otaru Turbans Two Islamic Scholars

By FRIDAY OBANOR

THE Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh (Ikelebe III), has turbaned two Islamic Scholars of the kingdom who had distinguished themselves in the services of Allah as Imam of the Araf Mosque, Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Performing the turbaning ceremony in a well attended function at his palace last weekend, the Otaru said the two Islamic Scholars, Sheik Murtala Sadiq and Sheik Monic Momoh have being so dedicated to the promotion and propagation of the Islamic faith

within and outside the Auchi Kingdom. The Otaru who noted that the ceremony was specially designed for spiritual cleansing of the kingdom, Edo State and Nigeria in general however stated that the social aspect of the one – day meet which was originally designed to honour five distinguished sons of Auchi kingdom who have excel in their various field of chosen career has been deferred to another date. Also speaking, the former minister of Information and presently National Chairman of the recently defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC),

of inadequate funding, logistics and manpower faced by the agency to sustain their superiority over drug trafficking cartels in the country. Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse, Prof. Isidore Obot, said that substance abuse was not just a problem of individual, but a societal one. Obot said that 70 per cent of those involved in drug abuse in the country were youth and advised them to stay off drugs. He said that parents, guardians and employers should be involved in the issue of drug control in the

country. In her goodwill message, the state Director of National Orientation Agency, Mrs. Catherine Ekpo, said that drug abuse was on the increase in the country. Ekpo called on the participants to proffer solutions on the way of controlling drug abuse in the country. She said the agency would continue to enlighten the public on the dangers of drug abuse to discourage the public from abusing drugs. Reports say that the symposium was organised by the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse in collaboration with NDLEA and NOA.

YEEI Apologised To By WINIFRED OSASOBO EDSG THE Youth

Empowerment Education Initiative (YEEI) has apologized to the Edo State Government and the Universal Basic Education for the embarrassment the sale of teacher corps scratch card must have caused them in the state. In a letter signed by the Executive Director of YEEI, Christopher Edewor said, YEEI is responsible for the sale of the scratch card as part of the administrative

charges for the teacher corps programmes in Edo State. The letter further directed the Access Bank at Akpakpava Branch to stop the sale of the card pending when the controversy is resolved and however apologized to the state and the commissioner for Universal Basic Education for the embarrassment the scratch card issues may have caused them.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

N ws Genuine Love Will Heal The Church - Snr Apostle Unuefe By RICHARD EWEKA

DIRECTOR of Administration/1 st Vice Chairman Church Council of Christ’s Chosen Church of God International (CCCG) SNR. Apostle (Dr.) David Unuefe-Ikhuiwu has admonished Christian’s world over to display genuine love towards one another if they want the Church to be healed. He gave the admonition yesterday while delivering a sermon titled “Healing the

Association Of Resident Doctor Call Off Strike In UBTH

THE three day strike action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors, UBTH Branch has been called off with immediate effect. The Secretary-General of the Association, Dr. Okata Nkemakola in a release said the strike was called of after an emergency meeting with her members yesterday. He however added that the action was taken on the ground that the Management of the Hospital has responded positively to the demands of the association. Activities have since resumed in full swing since yesterday in the Hospital, the statement added.

Late Iyere’s Burial Ceremony Postponed By VICTOR OMOALU

THE burial ceremony of late Mr Thomas Iyere, a retired staff of the Central Hospital, Benin City, scheduled to hold between Friday August 9 and 10, 2013 in Unemen, Ugboha in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State has been postponed indefinitely. Speaking with Journalists on behalf of the deceased family, Mr. Fidelis Iyere said the decision for the postponement became necessary due to some circumstances that trailed the earlier scheduled burial arrangements. He stated that a later day will be announced soon.

Resident Doctors protest kidnapp of colleague

Continued from page 1 situation, as they were making frantic efforts to accomplish the doctor ’s release, and also bring the perpetrators to book.

-Ikhuiwu Church through love” at the 2013 International convention held in Benin City. Apostle Unuefe-Ikhuiwu took his admonition from John 3:16 were he encouraged the congregation to love God and their neighbours sincerely as this is the greatest commandment given by God to mankind. He said, “The reason why Churches are sick is because there is no genuine love. What we see today in our Churches is eye service not genuine love. A Church where there is no genuine love will not survive the test of time and will not grow. God wants to heal/makes the Church healthy again and the instrument he wants to use is you and I. Speaking further he highlighted the benefits of love sighting Joseph, his brethren, David and Saul as a case study. He said no matter how gifted, generous, knowledgeable a Christian is without love; he/she will amount to nothing (1Cor 13:1-13).

From (right) Snr. Rev. Dr. (Mrs) Grace Osasuyi, Co-ordinator-General, Chosen Women International, Mathidar Unuefe (centre) 1st Deputy and Easther Onaghise (left), 2nd Deputy Co-ordiator-General, Chosen Women Fellowship International Convention. Photo: MOSES OBOH.

German Envoy Visits Omo-Ojo By THOMPSON ERHOMONSELE

THE diplomatic ties between Nigeria, particularly Edo State and Germany was further

The World Needs Love To Atoe Be Peacefulnation- Apostle there will be peace By RICHARD EWEKA

THE Secretary, Benin Metropolitan Division Apostle (Dr.) Nosa Atoe has called on members and non-members alike to increase their love for their neighbours, the church, state and the nation at large. He made the call while delivering a welcome address to the congregation at the 2013 international convention of Christ’s Chosen Church of God International (CCCG) in Benin City the Edo State capital. Apostle Atoe said it is clear that if we love ourselves as a

everywhere in the country and the world at large. The world today is passing through trying times because we don’t love ourselves; this has brought disunity amongst us. There is no love amongst us that is why we take up alms to kill one another at the slightest provocation. He called on all to join hands together with the spiritual leader of the church to ensure love reign in the state, nation and world at large. “Let us avoid bickering, quarrelling and truly love as brethren,” he concluded.

Esan Progressive Union In Italy Presents Gift Items To Orphanage

GIFT items worth several thousand of Naira have been presented to two Orphanage homes in Ekpoma, Edo State by the leadership of Esan Progressive Union in Padova, Italy. The two orphanages include Courage Orphanage and Catholic Orphanage Homes both in Ekpoma. The items include Toiletries and foodstuffs. Presenting the items on behalf of the union, the Secretary General, Esan. Progressive Union, Padova, Italy, Mr. Samuel Aihebhoria Ehigiator said, the Union is worried with the plight of the lessprivileged in the area and decided to support them. Mr. Ehigiator stated that Esan Progressive Union in Padova, Italy is the umbrella body of all Esan sons and daughters in that

city and promised to consider their welfare at all times. He said the Union will work out plans to support Esan children at home with basic educational materials. Mr. Ehigiator urged other clubs, Unions and Association abroad to design programmes that will improve on the wellbeing of those living in the rural areas in Edo State. He lauded Esan indigenes living abroad for their peaceful conduct and sued for its sustenance. Receiving the items, spokespersons for the two orphanage home lauded the leadership of Esan Progressive Union, Padova, Italy, for the donation. They promised to use the items judiciously.

strengthened as the Chairman and Deputy Head of Mission in the Germany Embassy, Abuja, Mr. Clemense Monkeys paid a visit to Edo State Commissioner for Special Duties, Oil and Gas, Ambassador Orobosa OmoOjo (JP). This is Mr. Monkeys first visit from Abuja to any other part of Nigeria and he was accompanied by the President and Founder of a Social-Cultural Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Edo Benin Cultural Arts, Music and Tourism Forum, Chief Arala of Benin Kingdom, Prince Omolawal Osula and other officials of the organisation. Receiving the German Diplomat, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Oil and Gas acquainted him with a brief history of Benin Kingdom and its rich cultural heritage as well as the agricultural, solid mineral, oil and gas natural resources in Edo State. He explained that these natural endowment couple

with Edo State occupying a vintage location in Nigeria and being a very peaceful environment have made it a safe haven attracting investors from within and outside Nigeria pointing out that Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is providing social infrastructure in all sectors of the economy across the state as added advantages. The commissioner encouraged Mr. Monkeys to ensure that Germany comes to invest in agriculture, solid minerals and oil and gas in Edo State particularly in the production and utilization of gas in order to reduce gas flaring in the country in general and Edo State in particular. He commended Chief Arala of Benin Kingdom for projecting Benin cultural heritage with his NGO. Earlier, the Chairman and Deputy Head of Mission in the German Embassy in Abuja, Mr. Clemense Monkeys hinted that Germany was looking at Nigeria as the biggest

country in African and expressed the need for bilateral collaboration and friendship between both countries with emphasis on things of mutual benefits and interest to both of them with Edo State also in focus. While disclosing that he was keen to know much about Benin City, Edo State and Nigeria, the Deputy Head of Mission said though Germany was not into oil and gas industry, the country would be interested in agriculture as well as gas production and utitisation. In his introductory remarks, the President and Founder of Edo Benin Cultural Arts, Music and Tourism Forum, Chief Arala of Benin Kingdom Prince Omolawal Osula said the visit was to explore areas of cooperation between Edo State and Germany based on bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Germany. Highpoint of the diplomatic call was the exchange of souvenir between the Commissioner and his visitors.

Presentation of items to orphanage homes by Esan Progressive Union, Padova, Italy

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

“Generally and widely speaking, the black man’s idea of God or of the creator is still largely primitive, primordial and childish, hence he thinks that he can eat his cake and have it and can get away with murder by praying for forgiveness.” RECENTLY, I read a piece titled “just me… being self righteous” in a column “reality bite” by Olaitunji Ololade in The Nation. As I read the piece, I began to wonder how many of our people, particularly the rich and powerful and also the poor and the lowly ones would try to understand and acknowledge what the intuitive writer has brought to humanity, and of what impact the truth contained therein would have on our conscience, if ever we have any. By my humble disposition, I have on numerous occasions written such ideas to the people of the world, particularly to the Blackman whose inordinate desire for material things surpasses everything else he/she may aspire towards. Curiously enough, the Blackman is careless about the idea of existence, of God’s plan and the underlying purpose behind creation. Realistically, the Blackman has little or no understanding of that great being or that entity which we call God, nor does he have any real and lasting knowledge of the Supreme Being. The Blackman by nature only tries to mimic religious theories and practices, without actually having had any religious experience as such. The folly of the Blackman is his love for thing earthly, tangible, ephemeral, that which he can feel physically, touch physically and see physically. He can neither idealize nor conceptualize the “unseen” “the unknown”

Lessons We Fail To Learn

President Goodluck Jonathan

Senator David Mark

“the recondite”. Generally and widely speaking, the black man’s idea of God or of the creator is still largely primitive, primordial and childish, hence he thinks that he can eat his cake and have it and can get away with murder by praying for forgiveness. The Blackman forgets that what the sow that he shall reap. And this is an undisputed truth. Permit me to quote from Mr. Ololade’s piece so that the reader my grasp that which he sought to bring to our leaders in particular and the generality of the people. According to him: “Death will be that undiscovered country that we shall all visit. In that country, everybody shall be stripped of titles and accumulated wealth. Nobody shall be referred to as “your excellency” “OON, CON, GCON” “Africa’s richest billionnaire” and

event of their demise in a ghastly accident or assassination. Immediately they pass on, they shall begin to pay for their handiwork like the rest of us. They shall not escape the trial of the grave. No Priest, high faulting ceremony of absolution from original sin, redemption and so on shall ennoble the Christians among us with the “infinite grace” of Almighty God if they remain evil at heart. If they like, let them build as many gigantic churches and temples as they like, let their offerings and tithe tower beyond the rafter and sky-high, it shall never

so on… Those of us the billionaires who send socalled “prayer fully powerful” Alfas on holy pilgrimage to Mecca to for Allah’s forgiveness and infinite mercies on their behalf shall realize that they had simply been foolish. No amount of prayer-by-proxy, sacrifices and so on shall move almighty Allah to forgive them and grant them eternal peace and paradise if their handiwork is tantamount to evil. They shall all die eventually. It wouldn’t matter if they are buried in Victoria court cemetery or Atan cemetery; it wouldn’t matter if their remains are unrecoverable in the

make them pious before God. May it not make them pious before God. No priest or Alfa can intercede with God on our behalf. We shall all die: President, governor, first lady, special advisers, ministers, accountant, journalist, activist, dibias, babalawos and so on. And even our tiniest depravity shall be summoned to witness against us. Those who profess to be godly like they answer to some blind, stupid and partial God. Almighty Allah is not stupid, silly or blind. Jehovah is neither partial nor handicapped by greed, houses, outlandish sacrifices

and exaggerated humility. Chineke, Olodumare is surely no perverted wimp that we could corrupt by wile and insincere tokens of sacrifice and worship. May he judge us all according to our handiwork. In the face of such imminent reality, it’s amusing me to see the ruling class administer our lives like they are answerable to no one. It is even more bizarre to see many of us, the youth particularly, lend themselves as willing tools to the antics and design of the ruling class. Many a self-styled professor of truth and champion of the masses’, right have turned into a junk yard dogs and dung dogs for the same ruling class they used to critize… Besides a few good men and real heroes who have staked their lives and personal comfort to protest the gross ineptitude and bestiality of the ruling class and the society at large most of us have accepted to remain acquiescent…” What more can I add to these engrossing words coming directly from an intuitive source. Surely Nigerians, Africans have a lot to learn from the wisdom being given out freely here. The struggle to truly serve humanity by the few inspired souls continues…

“No Priest, high faulting ceremony of absolution from original sin, redemption and so on shall ennoble the Christians among us with the “infinite grace” of Almighty God if they remain evil at heart.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

oPresident Goodluck Jonathan Before

P litics

The Appointment Of A New NDDC Board AS the people of the Niger Delta await the constitution of a new board for Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, we stakeholders in Nigeria Delta Region call on President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint persons with good track record, technocrats not political nominees and are committed to the development of the longneglected region. This call becomes necessary following intense lobbying for appointment into the board of the commission. All previous boards have not lived up to expectation except the short-lived board under Pastor P. Z. Aginighan, a technocrat par excellence. A sound NDDC board is strategic to the proper management of human and material resources which would translate to the development of the region. President Jonathan should therefore shun lobbyists and political considerations to avoid the mistakes of the past which robbed the nation of the needed development. Less than two months to the dissolution of the current board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a heightened but discrete lobby for top jobs in the interventionist agency has commenced among stakeholders. Already, some governors in the oilrich region who enjoy robust relationship with the presidency are engaged in what a source described as “zero-sum game” over juicy slots in the NDDC. But lobbying stakeholders may have to contend with a hurdle. President Goodluck Jonathan, who is said to be “sniffing for a fresh team” has vowed that the next NDDC board and management will be manned by only competent and qualified persons, just as he has insisted on insulating the interventionist agency from partisan politics. The governing board of the commission was reconstituted in November 2011 by President Jonathan following the exit of the Mr Chibuzor Ugwuoha-led management team, which was sacked as a result of

irreconcilable differences among the top management shots, on September 13, 2011. Sacked alongside the erstwhile board was Air Vice-Marshall Larry Koinyan, who was chairman, as well as most state representatives. In place of the previous board, Dr Tarilah Tebepah from Bayelsa State was appointed as new chairman of the commission. Others are Dr Christian Oboh (Rivers, Managing Director), Mr L. E. J. Konboye (Delta, Executive Director, Finance and Administration), Mr Edikan Eshett (Akwa Ibom, Executive Director, projects), Mr Edward Orubo (Bayelsa, member), Dr Ibitamuno Aminigo (Rivers, member), Chief Solomon Ogba (Delta, member), and Ima Obong Johnson (Akwa Ibom, member). The list also includes Mr Peter Ezeobi (Imo, member), Dominic Edem (Cross River, member), Mr. Aloy Nwagboso (Abia, member), Mr. Omogbemi Oladele (Ondo, member) and Mr. Osahon Imaru (Edo, member). Other members of the commission who are from the non-oil mineral producing states are Senator Garba Lado (NorthWest, member), Rima Kwewum (North-East, member), and Senator Tunde Ogbeha (NorthCentral, member). Joe Jakpa also made the list as a nominee by the oil majors to represent their collective interest in the commission. The appointments of the current team are subject to renewal by Jonathan, even though the initial mandate was to complete the fouryear tenure of the Ugwuoha-led management, which expires in September. By this, and barring any unforeseen circumstance, Cross River State is expected to fill the position of the NDDC chairman from September this year. For the position of the MD, Akwa Ibom appears set to clinch the position, going by production quota of the oilproducing states, except Rivers which is about running out its term through Oboh. But the most contentious positions are those of the executive director (projects) and

By DR. LEWIS AKPOGENA executive director (finance and administration) currently occupied by Akwa Ibom and Delta respectively. Current ED (F&A) Konboye from Delta, who was nominated by a serving minister, is struggling to retain his job. In the ensuing intrigues, the fates of certain state representatives on the governing board of the NDDC are uncertain. The NDDC appointments are usually made by the president in accordance with Section 2(1) of the NDDC Act of 2000, which provides for the establishment of the

governing board, comprising a chairman, one person each from the Niger Delta member states, three persons to represent the non-mineral producing states, one representative of the oil-producing companies in the Niger Delta nominated by the oil producing companies, one person each to represent the federal ministries of finance and environment, the managing director of the commission, and two executive directors. If the Board is dissolve as expected in September 2013 we call on the Federal Government to take

• President Goodluck Jonathan

• David Mark, Senate President

precaution in the choice of new appointees, if the commission is to succeed. “We implore Mr. President to carry out serious search for capable and credible persons who will put the interest of the people of the region first in all their considerations. We are of the belief that there will transformation of the region’s economy and societies, if this is done without any form of politics”. It is regrettable that Niger Deltans saddled with the responsibility of improving the social and environmental conditions of the region and alleviation of poverty chose to aggravate the scourge for the ordinary

Niger Delta people. We suggested that anyone wishing to be appointed as the new managing director or member of the board of the commission should come up with and defend a proposal to that effect. This, it stated would ensure that a person who displays competence is given the shot. Reasons being the regular controversy in Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has no doubt remained a matter of concern to those who have the interest of the Niger Delta region at heart. We the indigenes of the region feel that the only visible development or agent of transformation that the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo bequeathed to the people of an area that produces no less than 84 percent of the nation’s accumulated wealth is the NDDC. The composition of the commission having representatives from the west, the north, federal parastatal and non oil producing areas besides those from the region, was an idea contrived to die at birth. Many Niger Delta critics particularly those who are NDDC apologists have always argued that the commission is often starved of funds. Some however argue that even with the “little” that has been released to the commission, the necessary impact has not been felt many years after it was established. Back in 1958 when the colonial government after several efforts to salvage the impoverished Niger Delta region, set up the Henry Willinks Commission, it passionately appealed to the conscience of the local authorities to give the region a “special development attention”. The response of the Nigerian government had come years after the submission of Willinks Commission report in the form of Niger Delta Development Board, River Basin Development Board Authority, Presidential Task Force on Niger Delta, and of late, Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Authority, OMPADEC. All of these were monumental failures. Continues on pg. 7

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

P litics President Goodluck Jonathan Before A New NDDC Board Continues from pg. 6

• Namadi Sambo

In what appeared as an act of appreciation for the overwhelming vote he garnered from the southsouth in 1999 and 2003, Obasanjo set up the NDDC to complement the federal and state governments’ efforts to reposition the region. The vision of the new Commission was simple: “to offer a lasting solution to the socioeconomic difficulties of the Niger Delta region”. And the mission was to “facilitate the rapid, even and sustainable development...” of that part of the country. More than a decade after its establishment, NDDC is still grappling with indecision. Seemingly, the commission does not know what or deliberately not having the political will to do what it ought to do. The problem of the NDDC has always been blamed on lack of regional masterplan, poor funding, project abandonment, internal leadership tussle and most potently, political interference. The pioneer board of the NDDC led by Onyema Ugochukwu as the chairman set up the path for the interventionist agency to thrive on its journey to making the region an ElDorado. After that board, what later came up were boards that were torn apart by leadership crisis and corrupt practices. In the history of the Commission, stakeholders are of the view

that it was only in Timi Alaibe’s tenure as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, that the NDDC devised an agenda for regional i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l development. Alaibe’s leadership quality while he held sway in the Commission created no room for any form of internal squabbles and rancor as being witnessed in recent times. The Niger Delta catchment areas enjoyed almost equal dispensation of infrastructure baring any political interference in a given state. Things turned out worse in the Commission when Chibuzor Ugwuoha became the next MD of the Commission. He was a Rivers State candidate for the post. There were allegations of fraud under his management. The brief tenure was also riddled with serious power tussle. Expectations were that Ugwuoha would make good use of the master-plan that was drawn up by the Alaibe’s board to develop the region but that was not to be. Consequently, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the dissolution of the board and a new one was constituted headed by Dr. Christian Oboh as the new MD. Oboh, also a Rivers choice is to complete the state’s slot of Ugwuoha’s tenure. Many recall the order that was handed the new NDDC

board by the Senate President, Senator David Mark, when he charged it to perform within the first six months of its inauguration or face severe sanction from the Parliament. There have been mixed reactions on whether NDDC under the current leadership has satisfied the mandate given to it by the nation’s senate. There is however insinuations of contract sums being inflated and projects awarded to the cronies of the top officials in the system. Some contractors who may not want their names to be mentioned in print alleged that things have gone so bad in the Commission that “jobs are awarded according to man know man”. They further allege that relations of the top officials of the Commission are busy executing mega projects awarded them by their brothers. Only last March, the Presidential Monitoring Committee on the NDDC, severely indicted the Commission of some shoddy deals to the expense of the people of the Niger Delta. Chairman of that committee, Chief Isaac Jemide, said mismanagement of funds, abandonment of projects and poor execution of contracts featured prominently in the operations of the commission. Jemide further stated that out of 609

projects monitored by the committee, 285 were abandoned at various levels, 222 were completed, while 102 were on-going. The committee while presenting the report to President Jonathan in Abuja disclosed that the NDDC management refused to give concrete explanation on why some projects were abandoned and had not provided evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate government agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC). He said the NDDC also failed to complete all Civic Centres, University Hostel Projects and all shoreline protection over an operational period of 12 years. The Jemide committee accused commission of engaging in unjustifiable introduction of astronomical variations on the contracts sums of most projects awarded by it over short periods of time, saying that some of the variations were effected prior to project commencement. Another grave concern raised by the committee was on the refusal of the commission to sanction incompetent contractors such as Messrs Fountain Construction Company Ltd

handling the Eket-Ibeno road in Akwa Ibom state. The Committee suggested that the federal government considers the implementation of the report, which it said, would assist in repositioning the commission to ensure the meaningful development in the region. What many Nigerians and indeed the Niger Deltans are more worried about is why the anti-graft agencies have decided to turn their searchlight the other way when the commission stinks of corruption and brazen embezzlement of funds. Nevertheless, stakeholders have suggested that the major way of either reducing or ending financial fraud in the system is when the NDDC is brought back to the office of the President as it was the case before now. It would be recalled that it was during the brief period of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua that the NDDC was taken to the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, (SFG). It was observed that the then SFG, Alhaji Yayele Ahmed could not give sufficient supervision to the activities of the commission hence it started to stink. “NDDC Act must strictly be followed when it comes to the appointment of the board of management”, said Dr. Lewis Akpogena. He continued that “NDDC

• Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Reps

should be brought back to the Presidency as it used to be in the Obasanjo years for effective monitoring”. A critic who pleaded anonymity had earlier insinuated that NDDC was one of the major sources of funds for the prosecution of every presidential campaign in Nigeria. It has thus been recommended that if President Jonathan is serious about the development of the Niger Delta, he should pay more attention to the activities of the Niger Delta Ministry and the NDDC. With the Ministry and the Commission synergy, it is believed that the problem of the East/West Road should have been adequately tackled long ago, given that the two institutions should be capable of handling the project with relative ease. As an interventionist agency that has seen more funds than all the past agencies put together, NDDC has no business crying for lack of funds as it does all the times, analysts insist. It is when competent technocrats are appointed to hold the management positions of Managing Director, Executive Directors (Finance & Administration and Projects) that are insulated from the politics of political godfathers/parties that nominated them that real development is born in Niger Delta Region.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

P litics

2015: Between The Devil

And The Deep Blue Sea

IN the days of yore, when schools were still schools, this would have made an interesting topic for a debate or impromptu speech competition of any school’s annual literary and debating day. But then, just like many good things that have depreciated in our land, schools are no longer what they used to be, and it is “debatable” if there are still days set aside for literary and debating events competitions. The literary giant, Chinualumogu Achebe asserted as far back as 1983 that, “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility; to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.” Some however argue that followership is rather the problem that the past and present leaders definitely emerged from the crop of bad followers and therefore, the leaders were products of a dysfunctional followership. Only a terrible followership could have consistently produced disappointing leaders that Nigeria has been bedevilled with. Something is therefore fundamentally wrong, one may conclude, with this system, which continually produces bad leaders. 2015 is just around the corner and the war drums have started to be beaten. The gladiators are the ruling party and the newly registered leading opposition party. We have started hearing the electoral jargons - capture, defect, decamp etc. according to Mr. Fix-It, while on a visit to a former President, the ruling party will continue to win, using its time-tested formula. Is your guess as good as mine? Before the euphoria of the APC’S recent registration dies down, it is imperative to warn fellow Nigerians that “it is not yet Uhuru (freedom)”, even though the son of the

late Kenyan President, Jomo Kenyatta, who coined the expression, is the current Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta. Without much ado, the difference between APC and PDP is like between six and half a dozen. it is like the proverbial choice between

By DIPO DOSUMU

a Ph.d holder and a medical doctor, both from an area that first got in contact with the missionaries western education in the country, is probably beyond redemption.

• Chief Bisi Akande

the devil and the deep blue sea. Let’s face it, there are very good people in APC, and so are there some very controversial people. So much just like PDP. There is no vice that you will find in PDP that is not inherent in APC. You will find in APC people who are Spartan, and waged war against indiscipline and corruption, just as there are those whose source of stupendous wealth is shrouded in mystery. Some of their leading lights have not discharged themselves equitably in their business and personal dealings but want to be trusted with the national treasury. One of their prominent leaders even used religion to justify his marriage to an under-aged girl of exotic species. Another was even an accidental public servant while yet another was the famed anti-corruption czar. Talking of the ruling PDP, most rational people have long given up on the party. A party that could make barking, raving dogs out of

would attract so much goodwill, prayers and best wishes like the Madiba, Nelson Mandela, has done in his current fight against lung infection. I dare say most, if not all would rather

in Kano. This was also repeated in 1999, where the son-of-the soil similarly lost in his polling booth in Abeokuta. When we get the electoral process right, where true winners are declared, that will be the very first step towards Nigeria’s re-discovery. This

• Bamanga Tukur

So what choice is there then between the devil and the deep blue sea? Some would readily assert that the “the devil you know is better than the angel you do not know”. My own take is that from all their antecedents, perhaps the lesser evil should be experimented with for now. It could be likened to two students, one with a score of 39% and another of 25%, which are both failures in undergraduate courses but clearly the former had outperformed the other by one-and-a-half times. Change is said to be the only permanent thing, so it is imperative we use our voting powers to change our leaders from the worst set to the worse, so as to send the right signals to our current lameduck leaders that they can be dispensed with, and further encourage good materials to come out and eventually change our situation to the bad, then the good, then the better, then eventually the best. I wonder if any of our living past and present leaders

attract curses or at best indifference while on sick beds. And I am certain that they would not be admitted to hospitals in Nigeria. That is a food for thought. I really have neither admiration nor respect for leaders who could not say “amen” to anti-corruption prayers, or who do not give a damn about being open about their self-worth (they must have something to hide if same was publicly declared four years earlier what has changed?), it is such disdain for ordinary citizens that have made average performances of the likes of governor Babatunde Fashola and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal the talk-of-the-town, rather than one-eyed kings in the land of the blind which they truly are. When elections become truly free and fair, most of the charlatans in the corridor of power will not get there in the first place. Nigerian voters showed their sophistication on June 12 1993, where the son-of-the soil lost in his polling booth

puts a lie to the zoning mentality. To choose a leader based on accident of birth is the greatest error any society could make. No one has ever had a choice as to where he would be born or to whom he was born. I have not seen anyone in need of the attention of a surgeon or a medical specialist insisting that only the ones from his tribal enclave must be the best. Similarly, I have not seen any air passenger who chooses flights based on the ethnic origin of the pilot. A leader Nigeria needs now can be likened to a pilot or a surgeon. An error in choice could be fatal. Competence, rather than ethnic background, should be the selection yardstick. I believe the average Nigerian voter would vote for competence over tribal affinity. Perhaps if the USA and France had adopted zoning, Obama, Sarkozy and Rawlings, whose fathers were of different nationalities, would never have had presidency zoned to them. The next steps for the next administration will be

creation of an enabling environment for jobcreation, starting with fixing of electricity, which has defied all solutions up till now. There must also be reforms in the educational system, police, law enforcement / judicial administration and transparency in governance. There must also be emphasis on enhancing the productive base of the economy, especially agriculture. The quick wins will be the drastic reduction in, and curtailment of the very high recurrent expenditure, which arose via the ridiculous and embarrassing legislative and executive jumbo salaries and allowances, as well as abolition of security votes. As we march towards 2015, the opposition should be reminded that those who have held the nation captive would not let go easily and willingly. Just as Mugabe has defied all machinations to leave the scene long after the ovation was loudest, the Nigerian pharaohs have deeply entrenched themselves for the past 14 years, so no one should be deceived that they will leave on their own terms. The leading opposition group must therefore come up with a fool-proof strategy to win voters’ endorsement and also counter rigging. The other fringe opposition groups like Labour Party and ideology-based parties like Gani Fawehinmifounded national conscience party need to make deliberate efforts to start wooing the youths and the disillusioned in order to become the new future opposition and perhaps another government-inwaiting in years to come. I wish to remind our present crop of leaders of the quotable quote by Dele Giwa, the celebrated journalist, editor and founder of Newswatch Magazine, who was killed by a mail bomb in his home on 19th October 1986 - “no evil deed can go unpunished. Any evil done by man to man will be redressed. If not now, then certainly later. If not by man, then by god, for the victory of evil over good can only be temporary.” naija o ni baje o.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

P litics

Lamido, Obasanjo’s Beautiful Bride

THE horse-trading ahead of the 2015 elections barely two years away took centre stage on Democracy Day as exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo decided to show up else where instead of the Eagles Square he was invited alongside other former heads of state to commemorate May 29. We all saw the screaming headlines that inundated the print and electronic media thereafter. The headlines of his speech at the Jigawa State Economic Summit almost overshadowed President Goodluck Jonathan’s midterm scorecard that also dominated national discourse albeit for the wrong reasons in the days that ensued. Pundits insinuated that the later part of Obasanjo’s remark that;“You can only help someone to get a job, you cannot help him to do the job, if SOMEBODY (emphasis mine) cannot do the job we have Sule Lamido who is competent to do the job” may have been directed at President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he hand-picked as Vice President to late Yar’adua and later installed as President in 2011. “It was Obasanjo that convinced us to support Jonathan,” said a PDP founding member. “He convincingly sold Jonathan to us that we had no choice but to support Jonathan. If he sold Jonathan to us and he is now disagreeing with him, he should call us and tell us his reasons.” He queried. Obasanjo told the gathering at the Economic Summit; “…Once again, I congratulate you and I congratulate myself; because if you can say, yes, Obasanjo forced this one (Governor Lamido) on us, it is a good forcing.” He made good use of the podium in Dutse to sing Lamido’s praise to high heavens. He paralled the road from Kano to Jigawa as better than the deplorable condition of the National malaise the Lagos-Ibadan expressway has become, forgetting that it was his protégé, Wale Babalakin who stalled work on the project before the contract was revoked by the Jonathan government.

For the better part of the eight-years of his civilian administration, he imposed his wish on Nigerians. He almost single-handedly, picked his successor and now, President Jonathan as the PDP’s presidential flag bearers of the ruling party. What makes him believe without him the country will not get it right is still a mystery to many. If Sule Lamido and the embattled Rivers state Governor, Rotimi

By THEOPHILUS ILEVBARE

abound across the country. After late President Yar ’adua became somewhat overwhelmed by the task of running Nigeria on a daily basis, former president Obasanjo sold Jonathan to us. But it is surprising that Baba has jumped in front of the

• Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Amaechi’s posters that has strategically surfaced at different time in Jigawa, Abuja, Ogun and Rivers States in recent months are anything to go by, the two governors whom many adjudged to have shown strong leadership models, can give the incumbent a run for his money in a free and fair primaries. Undoubtedly, Lamido has got the credentials and experience to contest for any political office in the land. But as Yar’adua and Jonathan have shown, the plum job requires more than that. In the past, Obasanjo’s choices have been calamitous for the country. Today, the leadership atrophy of the PDP which is tearing the party apart can be attributed to his dictatorial tendencies that successive governments imbibed. The aftermath of his succession choice

queue ahead of those he convinced to endorse Jonathan’s candidature to begin the long process of pushing him out of office in 2015. Looking back at how he has dealt with Yar’adua and now Jonathan when he was sidelined from party politics, we can surmise that Obasanjo is always ‘building to destroy.’ Is Governor Sule Lamido aware of this? For months, he has been trotting the country campaigning against same Jonathan he once convinced party bigwigs to support for the presidency in 2011. “Was he not the one who endorsed Jonathan in 2011 like he did Yar’Adua in 2007?” Asked a bemused party member. Certainly, Nigerians and indeed Lamido cannot afford to risk the country’s future on the whims and caprices of an erratic Obasanjo. As President, Obasanjo

flagrantly disregarded the rule of law,dismembering whatever was left of the internal democracy of the PDP. His wish predominated over that of the people. He’s was government by himself for the people. States like Jigawa saw his own candidate, Lamido, imposed on them. The ignominious reputation Prof Maurice Iwu earned still taints him till this day as he connived with his “Oga at the top” to conduct the most flawed elections in the history of the country. The former military ruler described elections as a “do or die” affair. He is still an advocate of that brand of politics. Perceived political enemies went through untold humiliation by Obasanjo and his acolytes. The fault lines of the present crisis rocking the PDP can be traced to the former president. He always used the word ‘capture’ to imply PDP will win states under control of the opposition and to show his rigging prowess. Capture denotes force, coercion or imposition which has unmistakably, been the trademark of Obasanjo. The Ota farmer, strutted with a deported mindset of an imperial president who gutted any pretence to respect for democratic mores within his party. To him unctuous servility was everything

• Sule Lamido, Jigawa State

that mattered before holding or aspiring to any political office in the PDP. He treated almost everyone around him as his vassals and minions, there to take the emperor’s bidding. He settled for a Yar’adua and Jonathan ticket in spite of other candidates who many thought could have done a better job. For him, it has always been

over his government. His alter ego cannot bear being shut out. Lamido must take time out to research for himself why Obasanjo is always kept at arms length months after his protégés clinch power. Katsina State of the former President Yar’adua bear geographic and economic semblance to Jigawa. Both receive very meagre allocation from the federation purse. The

“Undoubtedly, Lamido has got the credentials and experience to contest for any political office in the land. But as Yar’adua and Jonathan have shown, the plum job requires more than that.” malleability over suitability, obsequiousness over competence. That Mr Yar’adua was sympathetic to his third term agenda put them in good stead as The Former Minister of FCT, Mallam Nasir El-rufai’s memoir, The Accidental Public Servant revealed. But Obasanjo got a shocker when he was shut out by the late President barely months after taking over. Same with President Jonathan after winning the 2011 elections. Today, he is everywhere campaigning for Sule Lamido with various shades of innuendos at the incumbent. His Gangnam dance steps would have been different if President Jonathan had given him the latitude to run the rule

rhetoric by Obasanjo at the Jigawa state summit that the developmental strides of Sule Lamido across all sectors of the economy and uncommon transformation of the state as one of the poorest in the country to the investors preferred destination can be translated at the federal level might not hold water. After all, same was said of late President Umaru Yar’adua. Obasanjo is advertently strengthening the tug line of the well publicized feud between President Jonathan and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi. There is none pushing that ticket other than the former president. How far can he go in subverting the peoples’ will yet again in 2015, time will tell.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

E counter

Armed Robbers, Kidnappers Need Window Of Repentance

SIR Solomon Ejase-Tobrise Udele, a retired police officer who had his security training and experiences across the country is the Delta Central Senatorial electioneering aspirant under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming senatorial election in Delta State following the demise of the Deputy Senate President, late Pius Ewherido. While fielding questions from journalists in Benin City recently, Udele gives account of how best the issues of kidnapping, armed robbery and other acts of insecurity in the country can be solved. In an encounter with OSAZUWA AKONEDO, he dwells more on the challenges facing Urhobo people and how the challenges can be brought to an end. Excerpts:Tell us about yourself? I am a Christian of the Anglican Communion. I’m a knight of Saint Christopher. I was born on the 16th of March 1967 in Ogharefe in Delta Central senatorial district. I attended primary school in Ogharefe and my secondary school was then Federal Government College, Ugwolawo, then Benue State and now Kogi State. That’s for my O’ level. I proceeded to Federal Government College, Odogbolu in Ogun State for my A level. After that, I joined the Nigeria Police Force on the 15th of March 1988 as an Inspector and I was trained at the Nigerian Police Academy, Kano. I was the first set that was trained by that institution. My training took place in Kano and Guoza in Borno State and also in Sokoto State. Later I was also trained in Jos. And when I completed my training in

the Police Force and the Police Academy; I was deployed to a police station in Delta State, then Bendel State. Later I was sent to Warri Division. While at the Warri Division, I had an urge to go to the University. I enrolled and I was admitted by the University of Benin to read Industrial mathematics. Therefore I was now transferred to Edo State where I worked in the Criminal Intelligence Bureau and I was seconded to the University of Benin as the OC Intelligence. There at the University of Benin, my political activism started. I was the president of the National Association of Mathematics Students of Nigeria, University of Benin Chapter. I was also a leader of Student Christian Movement while in Benin. During my A level at Odogbolu, I was the president of the Nigerian student Christians

- Ex-CSO

movement. When I finished from the University of Benin, I was deployed to Ekpoma. I was the OC CIB in Edo Central which comprises of all the local governments in Edo Central. From there I was deployed to Delta State again. This time I worked in the Operations Department. And I was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police and thereafter I was deployed to the Delta State Government House where I worked as the Chief Security Officer to the then Delta State Governor, James Ibori. Later I was Aid-de-Camp. When I finished serving Delta State, I was deployed to Presidential Villa as one of the guard commanders. From there, I was deployed to be in charge of the security of the National Assembly. From there I was deployed to Anambra State, I was in charge of Records and later I was in charge of Discipline. At Anambra State, haven put in 20 years and six months in the Police Force, approximately about 21 years, I decided to retire voluntarily from the Police Force. And after my retirement, I went to set up my own business, a security company- head office in Abuja. While still in Edo State then, I met my wife and got married to her and the marriage is blessed with

four children. Two girls and two boys. May we know why you want to become a senator? I have served my people; that is, the entire country in the various capacity. And I have looked at my people, the Urhobo people, in the last few years; there have been a lacuna in the service to my people. If you check from 2011 till now at the federal level, there is no Urhobo man. At the state level, we are really not there. And if you look at Urhobo land, it is like we were drifting. Unlike when you have the likes of Felix Ibru when he was governor, James Ibori when he was governor, then the Urhobo people were in forefront of everything but suddenly there was a disappearance of Urhobo people from the comity in this nation and we are the fifth largest ethnic group in this country but on the scheme of things we are nowhere. And some of us sat down together and said we needed a change irrespective of party affiliation, we needed a true Urhobo person to take care of our people. So when Pius Ewherido came out to contest for senate, we had our preference and said look, Pius Ewherido is a person that can take care of Urhobo people. And when Pius left, he died prematurely; he had serious programmes that could help bring up Urhobo people to go back

“By grace of God, my relationship with people cut across every group in Delta State. They have seen my antecedent that I am not discriminating. Any issue that has to do with Urhobo, it’s something I do with a passion.”

• Sir Solomon Ejese-Tobrise Udele

to learning their language, scholarship programme, programme to unite Urhobo people irrespective of your party affiliation, it could cut across board. I’m a PDP man but we could relate with him as Urhobo son. He never discriminates despite the fact that he contested against PDP in the last election and defeated PDP. Immediately after he won the election he brought people together and said let talk about Urhobo land now. So when he died we said look we need somebody who could work across party line, meaning, irrespective of our political differences, the person could relate with everybody. And I see myself as that person. By grace of God, my relationship with people cut across every group in Delta State. They have seen my antecedent that I am not discriminating. Any issue that has to do with Urhobo, it’s something I do with a passion. My going to the senate is not to go there to go run personal agenda. I can’t go there and shut down on the people. I see myself as a uniting factor. I can bring together Urhobo people. Aside these issues you

raised sir, are there other things you think the people of Delta Central are lacking in terms of government present? Yes! There are lots. This issue of unemployment is everywhere. But it is very; very acute in Urhobo land. You see my people that are graduates, ridding Okada. The issue of unemployment of my people is very, very high. So, what I am going to do when I get into office is to set up employment generation system. There is a group we work with right now, it is called Urhobo Forum. What we do, we are trying to train our people, to open a space for them, to show them available opportunities both nationally and locally. You know it is not only government that can employ. We have to let people know that there are other various avenues of employment. One great thing I will do when I get to office is to show my people how to get employment outside government. I want to start a process that people when they leave school, they don’t have to go met government looking for job. Another area where we Cont’d on pg. 11

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

n ‘. . . Kidnappers Need Window Of Repentance’

E counter Cont’d from pg. 10

lack is infrastructure. If you look at the breadth and length of Urhobo land, the federal government present is not commensurate with what the government is getting from our land. We have the Otorogu Gas Plant in Urhobo land, then, you ask what it’s the level of electricity the people are enjoying, so what I intend to do when I get into office is to lobby, strong lobby to ensure that federal government present in Urhobo land is enhanced. Also, I will ensure that the education of our people is paramount. In the forties, the Urhobo Progressive Union set up Urhobo College. Before that, there was a move to set up a scholarship scheme for our people and this has been watered down. It has not been put in the front burner. The

Late Senator Ewherido came up with a new system of awarding scholarship to people and he had over 200 people on scholarship. When I get into office I will improve on that. Another thing I want to do is that there are a lot of crime going on, if you go to Delta State today, there are a lot of kidnapping going on. Of recent, my friend was kidnapped but has been released. From the discussion had with him, a lot of those kidnappers are graduates. Some of them are graduates who are into kidnapping because of no work. While in the police I came across a lot of graduates who are armed robbers who ordinarily wouldn’t do this thing because irrespective of the money they are

making from it, they know the day they are arrested by the police; is death. And they are young people who do not want to die. So, I want to start a scheme that would take these people out of crime. A good number of them are ready to live out of crime if they have an assurance of a better life outside. So what I want to start is a process that is likened to amnesty, get a gun out of their hands and give them something to do, that is, give them opportunity to start making a living for themselves. The scheme will encourage people to leave crime. It is a kind of giving an armed robber, a kidnapper a window of repentance. I believe government should do something so that people who want to genuinely come out of crime can quit crime.

If you get the senatorial ticket from PDP, looking at the likes of Festus Kenyamo who are also interested in the senatorial seat, what are your chances of winning the election? Very bright. Very, very bright. Like I said earlier, during my work, I had friends that cut across Urhobo land. I have done a lot of consultation and I have actually being overwhelmed by the responses I got from a lot of people. When I went to Ughilli, the responses I got shows that the time of money politics, the time of politics of just talk is gone. Last election the people of Delta Central voted for DPP Candidate against PDP, this time around why do you think the people would vote PDP, like you also confirmed the late senator didn’t disappoint the people?

The last election was won on the basis of individual person and not party. Pius won the election not because he was a DPP candidate. He won the election because he was Pius. Pius was a Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly and was also Acting Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly under PDP. So, Pius was a PDP man. And when he was a Deputy Speaker, he was generally liked by a good number of people in PDP. And when he came out to contest the election, a lot of people voted for him not because he was a DPP man, but, they saw in him an Urhobo son who is open minded. This time around, PDP will have a right candidate which is my humble self and we are going to come out victorious.

When did you start politics officially? I started politics officially with PDP when I left Nigerian Police Force in 2009. Looking at Nigerian Politicians behaviour in an election based on your experiences as a retired police officer, what are your chances of winning? Very bright. I have been in a very vintage position. Vintage position; that means; I have been able to work with politicians even though I was not officially a politician. There is hardly a politician today in Delta State in any of the political parties, name it; that don’t know me. If there is any one I don’t have personal relationship with, maybe 15, 20 percent. So, any politician from 1999 till date knows me. If you talk about the ways politicians behave, I know all those tricks.

International News

As Crisis Deepens, Egypt Braces For More Violence EGYPT is bracing for more violence after the Muslim Brotherhood called for nationwide marches after Friday prayers and a “day of rage” to denounce this week’s unprecedented bloodshed in the security forces’ assault on the supporters of the country’s ousted Islamist president that left more than 600 dead. The government has authorized the use of deadly force against protesters targeting police and state institutions while the international community has urged both sides to show restraint and end the turmoil engulfing the nation. At least 638 people were confirmed killed and nearly 4,000 wounded in Wednesday’s violence, sparked when riot police backed by armored vehicles, snipers and bulldozers smashed the two sit-ins in Cairo where ousted President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters had been camped out for six weeks to demand his reinstatement. It was the deadliest day by far since the 2011 popular uprising that overthrew autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak and plunged the country into more than two years of instability. The Health Ministry said that 288 of those killed were in the largest protest camp in

Cairo’s Nasr City district, while 90 others were slain in a smaller encampment in Giza, near Cairo University. Others died in clashes that broke out between Morsi’s supporters and security forces or anti-Morsi protesters elsewhere in the Egyptian capital and other cities. View gallery.” A man sifts through debris at the burnt Rabaah alAdawiya … A man sifts through debris at the burnt Rabaah alAdawiya mosque in Cairo’s Nasr City, Egypt, Thursd … Violence spread on Thursday, with government buildings set afire, policemen gunned down and scores of Christian churches attacked. An angry crowd stormed the governor’s office in Giza, the city next to Cairo that is home to the pyramids. State TV blamed Morsi’s supporters for the arson and broadcast footage showing firefighters evacuating employees from the larger building of Giza’s government offices. As turmoil spread, the Interior Ministry authorized the use of deadly force against protesters targeting police and state institutions. Egypt’s military-backed government also pledged to confront “terrorist actions and sabotage” allegedly carried out by Muslim Brotherhood

members. The Brotherhood, trying to regroup after the assault on its encampments and the arrest of many of its leaders, called for a mass rally Friday in a challenge to the government’s declaration of a monthlong state of emergency and a dusk-todawn curfew. Also, the U.N. Security Council urged both the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood to exercise “maximum restraint” and work toward national reconciliation. In Cairo, weeping relatives filled the mosque-turnedmorgue near the gutted proMorsi protest camp in Nasr City, spilled into the courtyard and the streets. Inside, the names of the dead were scribbled on white sheets covering the bodies, some of them charred, and a list with 265 names was plastered on the wall. Heat made the stench from the corpses almost unbearable as the ice brought in to chill the bodies melted and household fans offered little relief. View gallery.” Egyptian firefighters battle flames at the Giza governorate … Egyptian firefighters battle

flames at the Giza governorate building that was stormed and torched by … Many people complained that authorities were preventing them from obtaining permits to bury their dead, although the Muslim Brotherhood announced that several funerals had been held Thursday. A woman cradled the head of a slain man in her lap, fanning it with a paper fan. Nearby, an anguished man shouted, “God take revenge on you el-Sissi!” a reference to the powerful military chief, Gen. Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi. Slumped over the body of his brother, Ihab el-Sayyed said the 24-year-old was getting ready for his wedding next week. “Last time I heard his voice was an hour or two before I heard of his death,” he said, choking back tears. Elsewhere on Thursday, a mass funeral was held in Cairo for some of the 43 security troops authorities said were killed in Wednesday’s clashes. Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, who is in charge of the police, led the mourners. A police band played solemn music as fire engines bore the coffins draped in white,

red and black Egyptian flags in a funeral procession. Egyptian relatives and colleagues of policemen who … Egyptian relatives and colleagues of policemen who were killed during Wednesday’s clashes carry coff … President Barack Obama canceled joint U.S.-Egypt military exercises scheduled for next month, although he gave no indication that the U.S. planned to cut off its $1.3 billion in annual military aid to the country. The U.S. administration has avoided declaring Morsi’s ouster a coup, which would force it to suspend the military aid. “While we want to sustain our relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets and rights are being rolled back,” Obama said, speaking from his weeklong vacation in Massachusetts. Egypt’s interim government issued a late night statement saying the country is facing “terrorist actions targeting government and vital institutions” by “violent militant groups.” The statement expressed “sadness” for the killings of Egyptians and pledged to work on restoring law and order.

The statement also warned that Obama’s position “while it’s not based on facts can empower the violent militant groups and encourage them in its antistability discourse.” The biennial Bright Star maneuvers, long a centerpiece of the deep ties between the U.S. and Egyptian militaries, have not been held since 2009, as Egypt grappled with the fallout from the revolution that ousted Mubarak. Morsi, a member of the Brotherhood, was elected president in 2012 during Egypt’s first democratic elections. View gallery.” People try to identify bodies of supporters of ousted … People try to identify bodies of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi at the El-Iman mosque … Attackers also set fire to churches and police stations across the country for a second day Thursday. In the country’s secondlargest city of Alexandria, Islamist protesters exchanged gunfire with an anti-Morsi rally, leaving scores injured, witnesses and security officials said. Attempts to storm police stations in the southern city of Assiut and northern Sinai city of el-Arish left at least six policemen dead and others injured.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

E ucation

2013 - 2017 Strategic Plan For Auchi Polytechnic

IT is said that no organization or institution can thrive simply by reacting to each new development as it occurs. Taking adhoc initiatives will only result in inconsistent acti™ons and uncontrolled expenditure, having the organization or institution behind the more forward planning competitors. Any organization or institution that fails may not have planned to fail, but failed to plan. This is why a strategic plan will no doubt enable any organization or institution to create the enabling environments for realizing its articulated vision, mission and set objectives within a time frame. A strategic plan is a document that outlines the major actions that the organization or institution proposes to take in response to developments in the external and internal environments within a specific plan period. Strategic planning is therefore the process of examining the external environment to identify the major threat and opportunities and the internal environment to establish the weakness and strength of an organization or institution so as to determine the key issues that would affect its future. It would enable the organization or institution to focus on its distinctive capabilities and thereafter craft strategies to create the enabling environment for meeting the articulated vision, mission and set objectives. Thus, Auchi polytechnic, Auchi have planned a 5 year strategic plan of (2013-2017) as a follow up to the 2009-2012 plan which captured the vision of the various organs of the polytechnic and its stakeholders, thus giving the plan a broad-based ownership. It also takes into cognizance the infrastructural and human capacity developments achieved within the 20092012 plan period. Some of the achievements under the first strategic plan of 2009-2012 to include the establishment of Philipa Idogho campus which is

second to the exiting one, progressive extension of a perimeter wall to cover the land area of the polytechnic to avoid any e n c r o a c h m e n t , construction of a storey building housing six large classrooms, construction of two block of three lecture halls each, provision of a step-down transformer in Philipa Idogho campus, construction of a bakery at the department of food technology. In fact, these projects are too numerous to mention. It is also the first time lecturers are being sponsored for overseas courses in different parts of the world. During the 2009-2012 strategic plan period which coincided with the first term of Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho led administration, Auchi polytechnic witnessed an unprecedented human capacity and infrastructural development resulting in identifiable landmark achievements in educational service delivery and innovativeness. The polytechnic has earned for itself national and international recognition as evidenced by the recent Webmetric ranking of educational institutions in the world, wherein Auchi polytechnic was ranked as the best polytechnic in Nigeria. Little wonder therefore that the first tenure of madam Rector recorded a tremendous achievement that are too numerous to mention in both human and infrastructural development as a result of the 2009-2012 strategic plan which serve as a working document for improvement. The polytechnic’s strengths, challenges, opportunities, threats, vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives and the relevant action plans were identified during the series of sensitization workshops and meetings involving all segments of the polytechnic community. The preparation of the 2013-2017 strategic plan was initiated by the Rector as a follow up to the successful completion and execution of the 2009-2012 strategic plan. This saw the appointment of a

By LAMAI CASSIUS committee headed by the deputy Rector academic and other team of resource persons with proven academic experience as members. This strategic plan is

has promised to make the Auchi Polytechnic 20132017 strategic plan a reference document for continuing developing the polytechnic into a model institution for enhanced

Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho, Rector, Auchi Polytechnic therefore a veritable testimony of the management collective vision, mission and strategies designed to turn the institution around within the tenure of the present administration into a modern educational institution comparable with the best in Africa. This has been the Rector’s dream and on account of this, she

educational service delivery and technological development of Nigeria. The 2013-2017 strategic plans cover the second term of Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho’s administration and she intend to use it to continuing both human and infrastructural development of the polytechnic to a model tertiary institution in Africa. The shared vision

and collective mission are to transform Auchi polytechnic to a world class tertiary institution and organized to develop its products to be creative, innovative, research oriented and imbued with entrepreneurial and ICT skills so that they can contribute positively in driving the much needed economic and technology development of Nigeria. The current strategic plan provides the road map to achieving Auchi Polytechnic vision and mission as it specifies the critical decisions to be taken about the future of the polytechnic against the backdrop of a dynamic environment as well as giving allowance for the prioritization of its activities for optimum relevance and performance. According to the strategic plan document, by 2017, the polytechnic would be awarding Bachelor degrees and Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in programmes being run at Higher National Diploma (HND) levels under affiliation arrangement with a proximate university. As a result of this, the polytechnic have adequate and quality staff, strong and clearly focused leadership backed with an effective and efficient administration and professional programmes. This is why; the school is highly favoured by students seeking admission into the school because of its frontline position as the best in the country and its high reputation due to the fully accredited academic programmes with qualified staff. The school is however faced with some challenges such as dwindling public funding, rapid expansion of students

population, disruption in academic calendar due to strikes and security challenges prevalent in the country, inconsistent government policies and poor state of public utilities and infrastructure like electricity, good roads and reliable mode of mass transportation among others. Having said this however, the Rector’s vision for the school is to see a polytechnic with modern architectural structures, effectively spread out in three campuses in a serene clean and secured environment and where functional utilities like good road networks, reliable electricity, water supply, transport and waste disposal system prevail. A polytechnic that is fully ICT complaint and staff and students exchange information on-line and with well established staff development scheme where hard-work, dedication and commitment are rewarded. Most especially a polytechnic that produces graduates relevant to the social, economic and technological development of the country and where staffs are known for their dedication to duty, and whose publication and works are of international standard finally, a polytechnic that collaborate with other higher international and national institutions of repute and at peace with its immediate community. What else can be said about the Rector, Dr. (Mrs.) P.O. Idogho whose personal interest and concern is to leave a lasting legacy in the school that children yet unborn would see and appreciate her own efforts in making the school among the best in the country

“The shared vision and collective mission are to transform Auchi polytechnic to a world class tertiary institution and organized to develop its products to be creative, innovative, research oriented and imbued with entrepreneurial and ICT skills so that they can contribute positively in driving the much needed economic and technology development of Nigeria.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

P rspective

Achieving A Sustainable Agriculture Through Research THE quest for a s u s t a i n a b l e agricultural system is becoming a major concern of agricultural researchers and policy makers in both developed and developing countries in recent times. Agricultural research and technological improvements are and will continue to be prerequisite for increasing agricultural productivity. It plays a tremendous role in the developing of agriculture in the world today. Agriculture research is a study undertaken to discover facts or principles; an excellent source of information and guidance in improving and perfecting agricultural methods. In agriculture, research concentrates on finding solutions to farmers’ problems through systematic experimental procedures. Research in agriculture is divided into 2 main classesstrictly agricultural research and scientific research. Strictly agricultural research is concerned primarily with actual methods of growing and utilizing crops plants and animal production e.t.c. The strictly agricultural research

By UTI ANIEKAN UDOH takes agricultural methods developed empirically and subjects them to c r i t i c a l experimentation. It also utilizes precepts developed in sciences, or rather tests their availability for the use in actual practice by trying them out in the field. The scientific research deals with research in sciences which have a direct bearing and are helpful to the development of agriculture and agricultural methods. These sciences are principally chemistry including physiological chemistry, physics, and soil physics e.t.c. Other branches such as the science of zoology, science of entomology and botany have also contributed to agricultural research in recent times. In the world today, many industrial countries have benefitted greatly from agricultural research and development. Over the last decades, governments of these industrial countries have encouraged increased participation by the private sectors in agricultural research and development. There have even been various

organisations that promote agricultural research in the world. Such organisation is the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an informed association of 52 public and private sector members that supports a network of 16 international agricultural research centres. CGIAR contributes to research that promote sustainable agriculture for food security in developing countries in Africa. CGIAR is cosponsored by the World Bank, the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the Unite Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations E n v i r o n m e n t Programme (UNEP). As of today, Nigeria has various agencies that conduct agricultural research which are under the Aegis of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN). These agencies are; National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Nigeria Institute for Oil- Palm Research (NIFOR), Rubber Research

Adewumi, Minister for Agriculture

Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) among others. From the research activities of these institutes over the years, new and improved varieties of a number of crops have been developed. Better and more economic ways of cultivation have been introduced, and better yields and qualities of animals evolved by selection and cross breeding. These agricultural researches provide necessary information for policy makers and funding agencies. It provides transfer of

research- induced technology to farmers which are the only way to measure research benefits to societies. It also provides feedback to scientists on which technologies are successful at farm levels. However, for research to be meaningful the farmers must be involved and it must be relevant to the farmers. The farmers must be allowed to participate fully in the identification of their problem, from the planning stage of the research. This can be achieved through

“In the world today, many industrial countries have benefitted greatly from agricultural research and development. Over the last decades, governments of these industrial countries have encouraged increased participation by the private sectors in agricultural research and development.”

close contact between the farmers and the research team. This is referred to as “Up Stream” research. All findings of the research should be disseminated to the farmers through the extension officers. These findings assist the farmers in their agricultural practice. The findings may be new ideas, methods, practices or techniques, which may help in achieving sustained increase in farm productivity and income. Government all over the world and mostly in developing countries are therefore urged to give greater attention to agricultural research. Agricultural research is the seed that must be planted and harvested globally, and all efforts must be made to fully fund

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

T e Nation

Jungle Justice In Nigeria

JUNGLE justice is justice that respects no law. It is also a form of extra judicial killing where a suspect is condemned on the street to death either by beating or burning. It is a mob form of justice. In some cases, some are not even caught in the act but suspected to have participated in the crime. It is now a common phenomenon in Nigeria. It is a situation that needs to be addressed urgently. Almost on a daily basis, there are cases of killings and abuse of alleged criminals. People, who may have been accused wrongly, end up getting lynched by angry mobs before the police arrive. This is very uncivilized, barbaric and disgusting. Nobody is guilty of a crime until proven guilty by a competent court of law. This monster in Nigeria is a very weird way of administering justice. It is very worrisome that the government has done nothing to rid this evil known as jungle justice. In recent times, there have been video recorded clips of Nigerians being beaten to death on the streets. It is very common for onlookers to upload videos on the internet for Nigerians to view. How can one stand and film such

By ODINUAKEZE NNENNA

brutality melted out on another human being? One baffling aspect is that the mob always has a free hand while administering this barbaric justice. The police never show up on time until the deed has been done. Often times, many people who have met their untimely and gruesome deaths under this system, may have been innocent victims who were never allowed to narrate their sides of the story. They are c o n d e m n e d immediately the allegations are made. This mob is always made up of market women and juvenile youths. Jungle justice is very barbaric and crude Though, illiteracy and ignorance may be the cause of this ruthless way of administering justice, but it cannot justify the ruthless manner in which justice is melted out. The practice of jungle justice has since flourished for sometime in Nigeria that mere shout of “ole ole” may put the life of a victim to an end. Nigeria claims to be a decent country, yet jungle justice still strives. If people are allowed to take the law into their hands, innocent people will end dead and also mischievous

individuals may see it as an avenue to settle personal issues. Additionally, some of these victims are guilty, they are brutal, rob, kill and maim. Nigeria is a country where crime strives. Citizens are

these to murder them in such a way. Yes, it is murder. Crime cannot be fought by acting like criminals. Furthermore, it is very important to pass a law on jungle justice because hoodlums

theft whereas, they were later found to be innocent. Anyone who participates in jungle justice should be persecuted and charged with manslaughter in fact murder. Gone are the

terrorized and robbed as if there is no institution on ground to combat crime. The people are then forced to fight back with jungle justice. Mobsters have taken it upon themselves to capture and execute suspected robbers and kidnappers and to also destroy their properties. But there is no justification in all

have often times used this to continue their evil works. Jungle justice has become a major killer of Nigerians. The people take things into their own hands. The most practiced form of jungle justice here in Nigeria, is burning people. Sometime back, four university students were burnt alive on allegation of

days when people committed a crime and were taken before a court, now, Nigerians on the street administer justice without fairness in the jungle way. Most Nigerians, try to justify this action because of the rot in the judicial system. When criminals are handed over to the police, there would not

be a thorough investigation and the criminals sometimes bribe their way out of this. They also feel the criminals are not been adequately punished. This is true to an extent but does not justify the idea of brutally murdering a fellow

human being. It is a situation that needs to be curbed. Nigerians on the streets, who see Jungle justice as the only way of justice, should be educated to know that it is not a means to an end and that it can never serve as a deterrent to criminals. Everyone deserves a second chance.

“In recent times, there have been video recorded clips of Nigerians being beaten to death on the streets. It is very common for onlookers to upload videos on the internet for Nigerians to view. How can one stand and film such brutality melted out on another human being? One baffling aspect is that the mob always has a free hand while administering this barbaric justice. The police never show up on time until the deed has been done.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

I sues

Lagos Deportation And Crisis Of Citizenship THE debate over Lagos State’s deportation of some Igbo elements to Anambra State has done two things at once. One, it has underlined the shakiness of the idea of one Nigeria. Then, two, in focusing too narrowly on an ethnic explanation, the debate has obfuscated what is a much broader, and fundamental issue. Initial reports suggested that 70 or more Igbo were herded in one bus or several, driven across the Niger Bridge, and dumped in Onitsha. Late last week, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos stated that only 14 persons were removed. He also echoed other defenders of the policy by disclosing that the “deportees” were vagrants, some of them with varying degrees of mental problems. The governor’s was not an excellent argument. For one thing, poverty does not – should not – vitiate citizenship. Nigerians who are psychiatric cases are still deserving of the same basic rights and privileges of citizenship, unless they pose a threat to others. If Nigeria translates as a nation, then its citizens, including indigent – even homeless – ones ought to be free to reside wherever they choose within the 36 states and the federal capital territory. A policy that forcibly removes “undesirable” citizens from their state of residency to their state of origin does grave violence to the concept

of national unity, to say nothing of the grave violation of the affected citizens’ right of movement. In that light, one is appalled by the deportations. And it doesn’t matter if only one person was shucked off, as opposed to, say, 100. Having made that point of principle, it is meet to offer a corrective to the

By OKEY NDIBE

most deeply embody the national spirit. Besides, they have shed more blood than any other ethnic group in the name of maintaining the

Gov. Fashola, Lagos State

ethnic reading of the Lagos policy. It has since emerged that Lagos State had sent other ostensible undesirables “home,” to a number of northern as well as southwest states. If the “deportation” policy is at odds with the idea of one Nigeria – and I suggest it is – then Lagos State would be an equalopportunity abuser of the rights of Nigerians, not just those from Anambra or Igboland. If the particular removal of Igbo has generated the kind of heat not witnessed in the past, it is, in part, because Igbo – by their pattern of dispersal within Nigeria –

That problem is an identity crisis, the emptiness of Nigeria as a nation – and, especially, with regard to the question of what it

wrong.” There are Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Efik, Ijaw, and so on who vehemently abhor embezzlement of public funds – unless the embezzler happens to

Gov. Peter Obi, Anambra -State

unrealized, farfetched dream of a Nigerian nation. Therefore, any time it appears that the Igbo are being handed a red card in any part of Nigeria, the act of rejection reverberates, reminding us all that we occupy a space that falsely accuses itself of being a coherent, cohesive community. It all brings me round to a point that begs to be made with regard to Lagos State’s shocking policy. That point is this: that we are shouting ourselves hoarse at an action that is a mere symptom, even as we fail to address the core of the problem.

means to call oneself a Nigerian citizen. We have spent more than fifty years in the game of pretending to belong the same nation. In fact, our ethnic identities remain dominant. Our ethnic ties easily trump any consideration of a national identity. It’s not as if ethnicity, as a rule, is incompatible with national cohesion. But Nigerians – at any rate, too many – have made an idol out of their ethnicity. For too many Nigerians, ethnicity is not merely a virtue, it is the sole virtue. It is a case of – to adapt a popular idea in political ideology – “My ethnic group, right or

“Nigerians who are psychiatric cases are still deserving of the same basic rights and privileges of citizenship, unless they pose a threat to others. If Nigeria translates as a nation, then its citizens, including indigent – even homeless – ones ought to be free to reside wherever they choose within the 36 states and the federal capital territory.”

part of their (ethnic) number, in which case graft becomes absolutely excusable, if not heroic. Besides, to read comments on any website frequented by Nigerians is to witness the savage verbal bricks that Nigerians – many of them holders of advanced degrees – hurl at each other across ethnic lines. Name any unprintable name, and you’d find that Nigerians use it against their fellows from other ethnic groups in daily verbal warfare. I fear that, should the occasion arise in Nigeria – God forbid! – many Nigerians would be quite ready to butcher members of the ethnic “other” with a genocidal glee that surpasses the horrors the world witnessed in Rwanda. Again, it’s all proof of a country whose fault lines are numerous and turning into a maze of chasms, a deeply riven,

fragmented patchwork of a nation. In today’s Nigeria, an Igbo who is born in Sokoto and lives all her life there would still be expected – indeed, required – to enter her father’s Igbo state as her “state of origin.” The same rules would apply to a Fulani man born in Onitsha. Nigerians must face up to their failure to found a nation within their shared space. If the foregoing leaves an impression of ethnic solidarity, that impression is – on closer examination – a mirage. One or two Igbo governors have ventured outside their states to hire one or two aides. But you need only juxtapose that kind of tokenism against Abia State’s mass purge of civil servants from the other Igbo states – and the portrait of intra-ethnic resentment is writ large. There’s some irony in the fact that Governor Fashola has done far more than most Igbo governors in recruiting people from other states, including Igbo, to work in his government. But that does not justify his government’s policy of seizing Nigerians in Lagos and deporting them to their states of origin. To insist on the point does not mean that one dismisses the profound challenge of running a state whose dramatically exploding population is a strain on resources. If Nigeria is to be achieved as a nation, then the likes of Fasholas ought to respect the right of Nigerians to reside wherever they wish. Even so, some of Mr. Fashola’s critics must also decide whether they wish to commit themselves to build Nigeria into the semblance of a real community – or merely postpone the day when we would all need visas to visit each other ’s ethnic enclave.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

P rspective

Is There A Darkness O

IN the news another young northern man is claiming to be the new boss of Boko Haram. Mohammed Marwana bragged that to prove he was the new don, he had promised ahead of time of the Kano bombings at Sabon Gari that claimed over a dozen innocent lives. Marwana’s claim to the title of leadership over this death

largely abandoned and offered no amnesty. I saw a dark cloud hovering over the north of beautiful Nigeria. And as I ruminated on how to meaningfully convey this pressing rendition, I saw two articles from fellow northerners I strongly respect. Authors and speakers who are never shy to say it as it is, both describing the same

• President Goodluck Jonathan

• Alhaji Namadi Sambo seeking, senseless cult comes shortly after a group of four other youth in a video, claimed they had shot and deposed of Shekau—that other mad guy—and that they including one Abu Zamira, were the new dons of Boko Haram. I guess to prove who is the new don, these two and the ‘shot’ Shekau are going to compete in who can prove his ownership of murder and mayhem. The reward for being the proprietor of the death cult is very promising from our government who love to reward terror, but hate and ignore good—like the Civilian JTF heroes, who are

predicament. Sheikh Gumi, known for his fearlessness and clear condemnation of terror and evil, in a Ramadan sermon, monitored and published by SaharaReporters, said: “I am not surprised of how Nigerian Muslims are dominated and suffering; it is because of our iniquities... God has placed people who don’t like us because of our atrocities and complete drifting from teachings of God. It is not about population but serving God truthfully.” Ibrahim Waziri’s whose recent article, “The Northern Knot,” which investigated and explained the Christian origin

By DR. PEREGRINO BRIMAH

of the Northern Arewa insignia, was simply bewildering, in a rejoinder article published yesterday in his Kaduna Voice editorial, opposed Adamu Adamu’s classification of the “HausaFulani” north. Waziri said of the so-called Hausa-Fulani group: “There is no group in the real sense, but a set of confused individuals. The Hausa Fulani are in truth helpless and wandering in the most uncooperative wilderness of history. They are an object of pity and in need of most help.” It is the truth. There has been a lie. The Hausa-Fulani has lived and supported that lie and now as Gumi said, there is darkness overshadowing the land. Is the lie true? We will never know, because the silence out of the north has been taken to mean complacence. The lack of self definition from the north has made it accept the definitions from those who choose to define it. The north and Islam has allowed itself to be spectacle. While crimes in the south escape as being mere crimes, in the north, we accept them all to be labeled Hausa-Fulani and Muslim crimes. The lie has come to life. Boko Haram terrorism is not the problem in the north; Boko Haram is a mere presentation of the underlying problem. In medical terms, we will call that a symptom of the disease. The disease is the lie that has been lived and the darkness that has engulfed the north of Nigeria. That deadly quiet ‘Muslim leader,’ the Sultan of Sokoto even voiced similar alarm, that there was some “plot to plunge the North.” Plot by whom, if I may humbly ask? Waziri presented the fact that there exists no HausaFulani body, yet people throw all forms of accusations at this so-called body, and in keeping with the lie, those within the so-called body, never seriously fend off the accusations or reference to such diverse peoples and many a times, to non HausaFulani altogether, hence making the accusations stick. The elite have used this lie for their power and wealth purposes, and the poor have lived with it for far too long, simply selling their tomato and rearing their cattle till the desert encroached and tomato business went south, and till the farmers took the

land from the cows and left hunger and poverty and frustration in the land, the raw materials for evil and more lies to grow. Let’s look at the lie that has brought on the evil. They say Hausa’s ruled Nigeria longest and plundered the country. How true is this? Nobody’s fault, they allowed it to stick. Abacha with all his Kanuri marks, big and strong ethnic marks ripping across his entire face, a man clearly from Borno or perhaps Chad, came in, claimed Kano (a town like Lagos that accepts foreigners) and is branded as one of those Hausa-Fulani’s who ruled. The Hausa-Fulani either tolerated this lie or allowed it to pass, because they cared less and the elite used it for some business advantage. To me it does not really matter where who is from, but it does to those who claim power must go here or not go there. The HausaFulani are clearly a welcoming people, not known for ethnocentrism, but sometimes, especially when some among you misuse your openness and others from without, destroy you by it, facts must be laid bare. One day Nigeria will mature past the colonial implanted tribalism, but that day yet to come. Another lie is in the 9 years tenure of that Muslim HausaFulani Yakubu Gowon. Of course we know Yakubu Gowon actually hails from Jos and is a Christian. The history of how the HausaFulani prompted him, a Middle belt Christian, purposefully as a consensus candidate is something some of us are familiar with. But to most, he is another pure Hausa-Fulani destroyer. The northern-ness of the Middle belt is another lie, but that’s for another day. And then we have that Hausa-Fulani Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida man, who is Nupe actually from Niger state and not HausaFulani, and his 7 years rule. Little wonder he did not maintain the railway system to rescue the landlocked north. Niger state and neighboring Abuja FCT were the limits to his sights. Even quite interestingly, Murtala Ramat Mohammed is only as Hausa-Fulani as his mother, Ramat from Kano is. He is the son of Pam Azatus Iyok, who was a Christian from Dogon-Gaba, near Vom in Plateau state. But who is going to tell us this real history of Nigeria and of

the northern rule? Not the Hausa-Fulani because as we have seen, some are busy selling tomato, some rear cows and the elite enjoy these things which help them manufacture and sell cement, while leaving the poor masses of the north and indeed the south, living lies and fighting over ownership of Boko Haram. There is yet another great piece in line with this problem that I read recently, from another prolific, though controversial northern writer, who is on self-exile and now writes out of Dubai. Ahmad Saldika, the former Boko Haram mouth piece, wrote “In search of role models,” last week, in which he

the truth as I saw it, a brother, in 2000 wrote about the assassination being done to the future of Nigerians by surprisingly not the military or other government bodies, but the media. Under his popular pen name, The African Slave, of blessed memory, he wrote: “Some may blame the military for bringing Nigeria to its sorry state of affairs today. When the sad obituary for Nigeria gets written, if ever, I fail to see how the media would not be equally to blame for the past, present and future bloodshed of innocent Nigerians. On any given day, an examination of articles published by much of our media, shows how accurate

recognized the problems of the north and by extension Nigeria, in finding the right role models for the new generation of youth. Saldika acknowledged that there simply were none. And with the lack of northern role models, the scarcity of northern activists and truthful historians, the famine of northern writers, the bankruptcy of true religious leaders and the predominance only of a wicked and selfish elite, the north is left with living a lie and having its history and future written of, by fanatic southern authors who write war and publish holocausts. No, the media is not helping, far from it; they create all forms of calumnious stories to write away what is left of the north and further propagate the northern lie. Someone who taught me to write from my heart and only

news-reporting has long since been replaced by discord sowing, hatred spewing, malicious, fictitious junk journalism. Journalism that is totally irrelevant to, nor does it even come close to reflecting the plight and aspirations of the rural common man and woman in Nigeria. If positive change is ever to succeed in Nigeria, it would also have to happen in the media. Just as the ‘old brigade’ must be cleansed from the military and from Govt, our media is in dire need for a sanitary purge, if Nigeria is ever to meet the challenges of a new millennium and become a responsible, civilized organised nation/group of nations. On any given day here is what you get from our media: NigeriaWeb.Com is just one from many, casually chosen for today’s example: all extracts from write-ups posted Feb 29, 2000...”

He we all from which denud discord quoted Fulani: “Araba “unity, done” a does althoug eggs. alcoho share revenue need althou manuf “educa The sa journali north a

of the norther women Other s on to d ‘incorr ‘magic author ahead t plan in nation i “The let the Pre support of its m help, a assist if that: “It inform placed the Ar Counc suppor Arab norther Christi they wi an Isla next ye which

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

P rspective

Over The North?

ent on to post 5 stories m that date’s report in Hausa-Fulani were ed and seeds of d sewn. One author he wrote of the Hausa“Spoilt child shouts a” at one time and a task that must be at another. Spoilt child not like chickens gh he must eat their He does not like l, although he must in alcohol sales e. Spoilt child sees no to go to school, gh he must acture his own ational certificates.” me we read today as ists declare the entire as pedophile by virtue

fact that 80% of rn marriages are to n younger than 18. stories he quoted went describe the north as igible’s,’ others as cal dreamers.’ One that fateful day, went to describe a northern n place to divide the n 1989. He published: tter further alleged that toria regime agreed to t the plan to use some military equipment to and Libya offered to f need be. It concluded t is worthy of note to you that all highly Muslim members of med Forces Ruling il of Nigeria are in rt of these plans by and OIC backed rn Muslims to destroy anity in Nigeria, as sh to formally declare amic Republic early ear [1989] [a course to they are irrevocably

committed.” Today I still see these preposterous conspiracies and lies in our top dailies. But I am in no way blaming these journalists and non northern editors. They say it is his-story (history). If the north wished its own story be told, we should write it ourselves. We have no one to blame for the blood on our hands, but ourselves. We held the dagger and we poked it. They only narrated that we killed twenty, when we killed one. And we did not deny it. For too long, we have been silent as our so-called leaders, traditional and religious and our so-called elite, claimed us and our commitment to them in

quests they pursued for the benefit of their pockets and pockets alone. How did Kanuri Abacha reward us for giving him indigenship of Kano and accepting insults to his regime, thrown against all of us Hausa-Fulani’s? Other than the PTF roads and the strategic oil refinery, what does the north have? Do we have some ultra modern stadia? Do we have super-standard international airports in all northern states? Were even our indigenous industries, textile and farming, supported to thrive while we were ruled by Yakubu Gowon, the soclaimed consensus candidate or by Obasanjo, who we aided the selection of? Only Dangote got rich under Obasanjo. The north east and north west are some of the poorest places in the entire planet, comparing to Eritrea and Chad, as former CBN governor Soludo said.

Poverty levels in Jigawa (95.0%), Kebbi (89.7%) and Kogi (88.6%) and an average for the north of 70% puts us in the north worse off than neighboring Mali and other arid Muslim predominant nations around us. Thanks to the leaders and the lies. While in the South you have states as rich as South Korea and China as he said, with poverty levels of just 20% in Bayelsa, Anambra (20.1%) and Abia (22.3%). So what reward have we masses gotten from our silence and living the lies? Suffering and terror. But I will not stop at blaming the elite for the woes and the darkness that has eloped the north. I blame our parents who have failed beyond limit. I recently wrote an article, ‘the nuclear alms race,’ in which I relayed the almajiri problem of northern Nigeria and how the level of male child abandonment was a platform for terror. Many of these kids we see claiming to be the don of Boko Haram. They have no parents. Literally, they do not. In Kano, there are documented to be 1 million almajiri children. That is one tenth of the population of Kano’s abandoned male children. That right there is a curse. Terror is the wrath of God for our sins. The prophet of Islam said, “Whoso opened unto himself the door of begging, God will open unto him the door of poverty.” Islam is 100% against abandoning children, so where did our parents get such an insane culture from? 5, 6 year old boys are heaped on a malam’s head and sent forth into a life of begging, to never know their parents again. What insanity? If we estimate for the north, perhaps 20-30% of the population are almajiri’s, 60% of whom according to statistics no longer know their parents. Who will pay their dowry? Who will marry them off and who will marry them? Then you see youth falling over each other to claim leadership of Boko Haram, selling drugs, criminal gangs, and you wonder what brought on this plague? Only in Nigeria! That brings us to the female child abandonment, not much different from the almajiri situation. Now, I am pro-choice, that is the choice of any mature young man or women to choose if they wish to marry. That is clear. No Child No Bride for me. And certainly Islam is totally against forced marriages and selling children out of poverty. I recently read a press

release by a Muslim against terror organisation in which they called such forced marriages and selling daughters, ‘terror.’ I agree. The prophet has been quoted in an instance when a maiden who was set up for a forcedarrangement wedding, was brought to him, to have sent for her husbandto-be and then told him to be on his way, “wedding is over!” He then told the maiden to go on her way and choose who ever she wished. The narration goes that she actually agreed to the marriage but as she said, she simply sought his reaction because she wanted us (today) to know that forced marriages are not allowed. When boys are discarded and girls sold, you have successfully planted seeds that will reap only poverty and terror. Children are our future. Almajiri boys have always been easy recruits for northern riots. These parentless boys are let out in packs after their Mualim is given a few coins, and it is they who riot and burn sanctuaries, etc. Boys without families, home training in the sense of the term and with no ties to anything physical or blood related on the entire planet. Now, do not get me wrong, darkness is not only limited to the north. There is much and perhaps more darkness in the south, but the job of every activist, public educator and/or editor is to choose his battles in succession and deal with them as he decides. The north has been at times selected to be the best states to do business in Nigeria. The north and so-called HausaFulani Muslim northern parts of Nigeria have great prospects and great resources; however a radical change is necessary to reconstruct it with consideration of its cultural peculiarities. Divide Nigeria, I care not; all I write for is to save any and every life, today and tomorrow. Who to rule Nigeria next? I do not care, be he from the north, south, east or west, or even imported; and it is time the tomato selling and cattle rearing masses seek their own future and are quick to denounce their elite who have sold them for personal oil wells, manufacturing companies and positions of power. It is not just about not being involved; it is about speaking up to denounce lies and manipulations from socalled elite and leaders who have betrayed us masses. It

• Kashim Shettima, Borno State

• Aliu Wammako, Sokoto State

• Ibrahim Geidam, Yobe State is time a new youth elite emerges in the north, who will sit down and chart a new destiny. It is time Friday Khutbah’s deliver firm messages that elevate the community. The Greeks invented the word, ‘idiot.’ Idiot, which comes from the word, ‘idiotes,’ actually means, someone who does not involve himself in governing decisions and the politics and even economic decisions

that define and determine his life. According to the Greeks, an idiot is a private citizen, one who does not involve himself in things of government and public affairs, a citizen who neglected his civic duties in the ‘polis’ by not attending assemblies, not voting, not serving in juries or the military and not a historian or journalist forging his own story and history. Shall we northerners not stop being idiots?

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

A iation The Killing And Raising Of FAAN BATTERED and bruised by negative impacts inflicted on it by past maladministration, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, struggles back to balance under its current leadership and in the process matching some toes. Like a dead elephant, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), had played feast to all sorts of government in the past. It is a ready agency for compensation to loyalists, cronies and lackeys of government who saw the entity as sea, that never run dry. Little wonder, therefore, that between 1999 and 2007, during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, FAAN played host to no less than five Managing Directors, each coming with varying agenda, skewed to get a fair share of the juicy parts of the strangled parastatal. To make the deal easy, the government of that time came up with a brilliant idea to refocus the aviation agency to concern itself with aeronautical revenue generation while the nonaeronautical aspect were given out on concession to private hands in the drive towards Public Private Partnership, PPP. But rather than growing the FAAN through the PPP agenda, the once gigantic agency was humbled from its lofty height to the dusty carpet of insignificance. Contractors handling projects on behalf of the agency turned to pests. Those at the helms of affairs from the ministry down to the agency connived with contractors to milk FAAN dry. When the milk dried, they

continued to suck blood from the sagging breast of the once fledgling agency in an attempt to snuff life out of it permanently. According to the General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, Yakubu Datti, about 300 revenue points of the agency were contracted out. Out of this array of revenue points, the juicy ones were targets for the thieving officials who, like locusts descended on the aviation sector and headed straight for its jugular in utter desperation to acquire enough to satisfy their greed as a result of the instability that was the hallmark of appointments into the sector at that time. In the attempt to restore sanity into the sector, AIC Nigeria Limited, owned by politician and business mogul, Harry Akande, Fagbemi’s Maevis Nigeria Ltd, Bi-Courtney, owned by Wale Babalakin, a senior advocate of Nigeria and Pan Express Limited, owned by Peter Pan Okezie had the agreement they entered with government at various points altered or out rightly revoked as the case may be. Of the four concessioners, Pan Express seems to be the only one that its case may receive the attention of government after a review of the earlier terms as no strong accusation of sharp practices has been established against it by authorities in FAAN. Investigation into the terms of some of the contracts reveals that while some of the concession agreements were palpably designed to rob Nigerians of their heritage; other conditions in some of the deal are tailored in such a way that it would

By GBOYEGA ADEOYE

muzzle development as well as put the commonwealth destiny under the control of some privileged few. According to Datti who said FAAN has over 300 concessioners manning revenue points for the agency in the twenty one airports scattered across Nigeria; “the fact that we have issues to clear with about four of them doesn’t count.” Stressing the financial hiccups being experienced by the agency before the management decided to arrest the situation, not minding whose ox is gored, the FAAN spokesman says; “we found ourselves in a situation where we cannot expand any longer simply because lands that have been earmarked for the expansion of airports have been taken over by some individuals. If we can’t expand, for instance, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMA), in the next two years, the airport is dead as a result of the tremendous growth in passengers’ traffic. And here we are talking of 15 hectares of land being given out to Chief Harry Akande’s AIC just few meters away from the terminal building of the MMA. Because of overriding interests, we have to revoke it. What is the essence of having a hotel which should be to help the airport when it has become obvious that its presence would kill the airport? This is one of the questionable concessions that have to go. In the case of Bi-Courtney, Datti, who acts as head of public affairs for the aviation agencies said the agreement with the

company was riddled with distortions, consciously smuggled into the deal, ostensibly to gag the agency as well as stagnate development in Lagos State. “This is an agreement that a terminal should be built and run for 12 years and suddenly they came up with another paper that it shall be run for 38 years, and that no form of airport development can take place in Lagos in the next 38 years except by Bi-Courtney. When an airport was to be cited in Lekki, the company went to court to challenge the approval. Their position was that, going by the agreement they have secured, no airport should be built in Lagos, except by them. “And considering the fact that Jigawa State whose population is less than that of two local government councils in Lagos is planning to have its own airport, it is difficult to make anything out of such agreement. We consider this to be anti people and development. “On the issue of the hotel and the conference centre, Bi-Courtney was given 18 months to complete the project. Now we are running to 16 years and it is still under construction. Something has to be done. That is why we terminated the agreement because there is a clause in the agreement that if you don’t operate by the agreement, we terminate. What we also discovered is that many of the contracts were put together as conduit pipe to siphon government money.” Maevis, according to him, was a complete package of fraud. “Maevis for instance became a government by itself where money meant for FAAN goes into its account and they decide what goes to the agency which is at variance with best practices. So, we are challenging issues that have to do with our survival. You will recall that cases like these led to the death of the national carrier, Nigeria Airways. Today we have a lot of young and experienced people out of job and wasting away.” Commenting on the implication of the anomalies if allowed to continue, he has this to say; “The situation became so terrible because the companies in question have people in government at various times of signing the contract. But if people should continue to behave the way they have done, there will be

no legacy to leave behind for the incoming generation. “Because you have people in power does not mean you should deprive other Nigerians to enrich yourself. In other clime, if you rise to the position of a senior advocate, you use your status to develop the society. But here, people use it to defraud the common people. FAAN must not go the way

bringing comfort and security into the nation gateways, FAAN is leaving no stone unturned. This can be seen through the remodeling work going on in the nation’s major airports coupled with the recent improvement on passengers’ right by the fledgling sector. Before this time, it was gathered that workers in FAAN used to have their salaries unpaid for months

• Mrs. Stella Oduah, Aviation Minjster

of the Nigeria Airways. Wes have resolved to right the past wrongs and we are going ahead to do what we are doing to save our future. If we don’t wake up now to protect what belongs to you and I, one day, our children will ask us what we have done when what supposed to be their inheritance is being taken away by a privileged few. So, this is why even though some of these things are very painful, we try to operate within the confines of the law. “There are some former ministers who are parading themselves today that are supposed to be in jail because it was under their tutelage that some of these agreements were entered into. In fact there was a court seating where those who claimed to represent FAAN were not even from FAAN. And they sat down and entered into agreement on its behalf. It was based on situations like this that they got some of their rulings in the past. What we are saying now is that those judgments were faulty because the papers presented in court that were claimed to have been signed by FAAN were faked.” Things really appear to be looking up for the once crippled agency. The bemonstered FAAN is gradually donning a human face. In the drive to catch up with the rest of the world in the forward match to

while passengers undergo untold hardship whenever there is flight cancellations most of which are not fault of theirs. “Today salaries are being paid on or before the 26of every month because we are now overcoming the challenges of sharp practices by some of our concessioners. So much is being done to ensure that passengers’ rights are respected. Seven passengers that were denied boarding in Abuja on July 14 this year were paid 250 pounds each,” says Datti. To Saliu Abdul Buba who flew on Ethiopia Airline on February 2012, hope had lost on the amount he paid for oxygen which he eventually did not use on the trip. Reprieve however came recently as a refund of One hundred and twenty nine thousand naira (N129,000.00), was awarded him under the incumbent management of FAAN. And according to Datti, “operators have to sit up since the move we make shall cut across both domestic and foreign airlines. The protection of passengers’ rights is very important and we are bringing in the operators to ensuring this. We have already hit the ground running. We have to evolve laws that will keep us at par with what is obtainable in developed world,” he stressed.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

O inion

Professionalising The Art Of Lawmaking In Nigeria

THE major problem of modern lawmaking in Nigeria is not the appendage of lawmakers to the executive arms that operate at federal and State levels per se. Rather, it is about parliamentary quackery, profligacy and tendency to see lawmaking duty as a business enterprise. In organized sociopolitical climes, lawmaking is highly professionalized and revered. Parliamentary rascality, which routinely occurs in Nigeria, must not be mixed with the doctrine of parliamentary independence. Impeaching the president or the governor or issuance of threats of impeachment is too far from parliamentary independence. In Nigeria, legislative parochialism, quackery and mercantilism have remained the stock in trade of the lawmaking process. In a standard lawmaking chambers, there exists competition among lawmakers. Such competition arises from demonstration of l e g i s l a t i v e professionalism and intellectualism. Unfortunately, what we have in Nigeria is competition arising from mercantilism and materialism, especially in the area of legislative oversight enquiries. Though, legislative oversight enquiries are purely civil and nonbinding, but the target agencies and firms usually part with huge sums in the context of “corporate bribery” so as to be extricated. This area is now a gold mine for Nigerian lawmakers. An average

internationally rated lawmaker operates a world class legislative library and laboratory, which serves not only

By EMEKA UMEAGBALASI

Human Rights, and so on. But in Nigeria, through consistently

of the annual fiscal accruals for the servicing of infinitesimal public office holders

• Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Reps

• Senate President David Mark

as a rich resource for private and public oriented civil and criminal inquiries, but also center for formulation and sustenance of national interest, public security and safety as well as foreign policy and diplomacy. Art of modern lawmaking requires being a thinker, a virile agent of social change and a graduate of legislative studentship. The floor of a u n i v e r s a l l y standardized legislative chambers must also composed of “Amicus Curiae” or a team of experts renowned in natural and social science disciplines including gurus in the Bench, Bar, Juridical, Criminology, Security Expertise, Medicine, Pharmacy, Sociology, Theology, Politics, D i p l o m a c y , Environmental Safety,

country is steadily put in huge indebtedness and high costs of public

• Governor Babatunde Fashola, Lagos State

unchecked executivelegislative-organized labour conspiracy, the

governance with shocking and crude allocation of over 70%

numbering 17,500 and their daily office attendants, leaving other 170 million Nigerians with paltry 30%. This is why there is consistent death of basic necessities of life including critical infrastructures. . This further explains why our country is monumentally backward and strifeprone. Nigeria legislative doors must be shut against socially downward and upward quarks. This includes professional quarks and compound quarks. That is to say those who are

educated illiterates and uneducated illiterates. There should be established graduate and post graduate level Institute in the country to train prospective Nigerian lawmakers. Nobody will qualify to become a lawmaker be it at State or Federal level unless he or she possesses the Institute’s certificate. This should be incorporated into the INEC’s legislative eligibility provisions. To curb the perennial menace of high costs of public governance in the country, all the allowances of Nigerian lawmakers and executive officials both at Federal and State levels should be cut by 60% so as to unclothe them of their present international pariah toga or status of “world’s highest paid lawmakers” and recover funds traditionally meant for development and empowerment of Nigerians including those the likes of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State christened “destituteNigerians” . Also allowances paid annually to the country’s 12,788 top LGA officials, which is N550 Billion, should be cut by 60% and N330 Billion saved, channeled into development and sustenance of the country’s critical social sectors.

“. . . what we have in Nigeria is competition arising from mercantilism and materialism, especially in the area of legislative oversight enquiries. Though, legislative oversight enquiries are purely civil and non-binding, but the target agencies and firms usually part with huge sums in the context of “corporate bribery” so as to be extricated. This area is now a gold mine for Nigerian lawmakers.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

W eKEND ENTERTAINMENT Nollywood Actresses Nearly Stopped My Marriage Celebrated Nollywood director and producer, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, is one man you cannot but admire for his professional exploits. He got married to his lovely wife, Osas, some six years ago, at the age of 36 years. The marriage is blessed with three kids. Lancelot says his initial dream was to get married at the age of 27. The couple takes us through their matrimonial journey. After six years of marriage, the journey has been exciting and memorable. “I and my wife are getting to know more about each other. Though marriage comes with its challenges, we thank God we have come this far and it’s getting really exciting. It’s not an easy thing for a woman to marry somebody in our business because of the nature of the job. This is my 18th year in Nollywood and 32 years as an artiste. So, my wife understands the nature of the job I’m doing to earn a living.’ Late wedding! I married at the age of 36. But if you ask me what my regret in life is, I would tell you I have one or two. I wanted to pursue my academic program up to the Ph.D level. But that never happened. Again, I thought I would marry at the age of 27. At 26, I was already contemplating settling down. But because of the extended family system that is peculiar with Africans, I couldn’t actualize that dream. I have always envisaged a small but united immediate family for myself. So, I wanted to see how much I could be of assistance to my extended family members before setting out to build my own nuclear family. For me, late marriage comes with its own price. I was into a relationship for seven years that did not work out. The ex-lover walked out of the relationship without any cause. It was so devastating for me. I never believed I could r e m a i n a bachelor beyond the age of 29 or 30. But it wasn’t so. The important thing is not how far, rather it is how well .For six years now, I have been married with three kids. My wife is a treasure to me .Over the years, I have watched her perfect the art of understanding the kind of man she got married to. Each time she sees me, she’s very happy and I try as much as possible to play my role as a husband to her. Finding a wife in Nollywood! There was no way I could have married an actress

because I’m somebody that is greatly misunderstood. I cherish my wife so much because if she had listened to what my female colleagues told her about me, perhaps, I wouldn’t have been married by now. However, it was after our wedding that I got to know how much some actresses tried to discourage my wife from marrying me. I was shocked when one of them came to my house after our white wedding to apologize to me. I didn’t know she was my wife’s friend. She visited us in the house; while my wife was in the kitchen, she approached me to confess some of the negative things she told her about me that were not true. The opposite sex would admire more from a distance, but they thought I was too strict to be called somebody’s husband. I suffered that fate because of the movie industry. So, any woman that creates time to be with me could not understand that I’m a man that has taken time to create a dichotomy between my private life and my job. It was only very few of them who understood my position. As a matter of fact, my disposition to the job was to get to where I am today; to make a name for myself and the industry. My insistence on professionalism robbed me of the opportunity to be romantically linked to my female colleagues in the industry. In fact, any woman I approached then would tactically avoid having anything to do with me. But today, time is proving all that wrong. I have been able to create that demarcation. When we are on location, all those professional ethics must be observed; I don’t allow sentiment to come between my job and love life, because if I’m emotionally attached to you ,I wouldn’t want to get you on the same production that I’m involved in .That’s me, and a lot of actresses did not understand my position. In fact, when I was getting married, they told my wife I was married with kids because, at the time I met my wife, I had travelled to over 20 countries. And during that period, people thought I had a family of my own. But they didn’t understand the important of the saying that you must lay your bed the way you want to lie on it. That has been my guiding principle. Tempted to quit I was of marriageable age

before I got married. I didn’t dabble into marriage. I was ready mentally, psychologically and emotionally. That’s not to say we have not had our issues. But I’m never too proud to say, ‘honey I’m sorry,’ whenever I gaffe. And, on her own,

about him. More so, a couple of other people had told me a lot of negative things about him. But despite that, I took my time to understudy him. Basically, he’s a nice person, very down to earth .He does not like anything to bother him and he’s a sincere person at heart.

Lancelot Imasuen She never feels too proud to say, ‘daddy, I’m sorry,’ whenever I’m able to prove that she has offended me. That has worked for us. My wife is lovely, peaceful and extremely loyal to me. She loves what I do for a living and she’s my number one fan and critic. I’m always inquisitive to hear her comment on my new productions. Most times, I believe that marriages to celebrities are always for the wrong reasons. I did a thorough research to come up with a title of a film, “In Between the Lines”, which is a promotional film I did for the Federal Inland Revenue Service. The film is a love story on how and why most celebrity marriages don’t last. There is always a misunderstanding, especially when men who are not Nollywood practitioners, marry female celebrities. They watch a love scene, or see their wives kiss in a film, they tend to misinterpret her role in that film and real life situation. For us in the industry, it’s always the problem of never being around home. We are jumping from one movie location to another. It takes the grace of God and discipline for your spouse to understand your predicament. Our relationship had so many detractors — wife Attraction Lancelot is somebody that is very different from the way he looks. When I first met him, I had my impression

How I met him I met him at a bus station in Benin-City. I was on my way to Lagos, just like he was. I sat beside him, somehow, we got talking and, along the line, we exchanged phone numbers. The rest is history. Familiar with his name! Yes, I think I was particularly interested in him and his works. This is because of where he comes

from (Benin). In fact, before I met my husband, I wasn’t a big fan of Nigerian movies. But whenever I saw any movie directed by him, I wanted to watch that movie because I knew it would be a good movie. Moreover, my sister, who used to be a very big fan of Nollywood movies encouraged me to watch movies directed by Lancelot. That’s how I really got to know him and his works on screen. My reaction at the bus station Actually, I sighted him from a distance. I had seen him a couple of times on television. I just said in my mind, ‘oh! This is Lancelot’. Then, I walked pass him and acted as if nothing happened. Fortunately, I was privileged to sit beside him in the bus. I didn’t allow the joy of sitting beside a superstar overwhelm me. Proposal Initially, I rejected his proposal. But much later, I accepted him. What happened was that, at first, I really didn’t know much about his person. Again, because he was already a superstar, I had to seek advice from friends and well- wishers, who tried to discourage me from marrying him. Somehow, I was confused but, on second thought, I said to myself, ‘let me get to know more about this man that everybody is trying to castigate’. And when I did, I discovered that he wasn’t that

-Lancelot Imasuen kind of person many people thought he was. When I found out he was much more different and a nice person, I accepted his marriage proposal. But even during our introduction, some detractors told me he was married with kids, but I was not bothered. What it takes to be his wife It takes someone who is peaceful, kind and who will always be there for him. What I don’t like about him I used to complain that he’s always busy and that he throws his clothes around in the house. Missing him In the early stage of our marriage, his not always around bothered me a lot, but, with time, the understanding is getting better. Sometimes, it can be lonely, but with the kids around, coupled with working on my project, which is fashion designing; I’m busy and less bothered. I don’t feel it any more. Chance it’s been awesome. I give God the glory. If I have the chance to do it all over again, I will do it with him. Yes, there are challenges but I think it’s just a learning process. When you have issues in marriage and you have someone who tells you the truth about what goes on, you are bound to retrace your steps. I thank God we have come this far, and I know that we are going to be together forever.

Zack Orji Condemns Nollywood Female Satrs Indecent Dressing A VETERAN Nollywood actor and former Chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Mr. Zack Orji, have condemned the level of indecent dressing among actresses in the country. Mr. Orji, a pastor in the Power Life Assembly Ministry, Owerri, made the statement in Owerri. He noted that movies which were originally meant to promote the people’s cultural heritage and discipline were being basterdised in the name of civilisation. “Most movies shown in recent times are capable of destroying the moral background of children as they have become the most popular movie audience. “Film production must be properly checkmated before circulation because it is wrong for an actor or actress to expose his or her body to the world in the disguise of acting,” he said. Mr. Orji said that some ac-

tresses were suspended during his regime as the chairman of the AGN and advised actors and actresses to leave life worthy of emulation.

Zack Orji

He said that in spite of ministerial work, he was still active in the industry but could only accept scripts that promote morality.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

W eKEND ENTERTAINMENT Message For I Got Pregnant At 17- Clarion Chukwuka D’Banj Upcoming Artists

NOLLYWOOD actress, Clarion Chukwura in a recent interview shares her acting and growing up experience. I lost my father when I was 11 years and one week old;

it was only my mother that I can say reacted when I started acting. But she was never against it. I actually began acting in the university community. My mother spoke

• Clarion Chukwuka

with Bayo Oduleye (then a lecturer at the University of Ibadan. She also spoke with Yomi Shohunde. My mother being an educated woman did not have problem when I began acting, though she thought I would study law. The fact that I became a star early did not let me have the problem my pals were having. I became a star at 15. When I got pregnant, there was a crack between me and my mother – which any mother would react to. At that time, I was 17, and an undergraduate. She felt it was her fault, having lost her husband; she had the responsibility to look after us so that she would not lose any of us. I started acting (stage and television) in 1979 when I was 15 years old and I joined the Nigerian film industry in 1982 with Ola Balogun’s

Money Power. But if you want to talk about home video, I joined the home video industry in 1994. I was the lead female character in the first attempt at home video production in Nigeria by Jimi Odumosu, Fiery Force in 1986.

Stories By EDIONHON UYI THOMPSON

NIGERIAN hip-hop star, Dapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj recently in Abuja advice upcoming artistes to promote Nigeria’s image through their music.

• D’banj

Chika Ike Opens Up; ‘I Was A Victime Of Domestic Violence’ ACTRESS Chike Ike pens an open letter to her fans; opening up about the physical abuse she suffered in the hands of the man she called her husband for five years. She said, the three years has been a very emotional period for me, I focused my energy on work and to build back my self esteem. It’s been really hard for me to come out straight and talk about this because sometimes I pinch myself to wake up and not believe that I was a victim of domestic violence. I have been through a lot in my life, faced a lot of challenges but this is one topic I have tried so hard to avoid and have been waiting for the right time but I have come to a resolve that there’s really no right time because every second of the day, lives are being lost due to domestic violence. I was a victim of domestic violence in my marriage and that was the singular reason I left my marriage, aside other reasons. Growing up as a girl, I was always known as the sweetest kid on the block before I got married, I have been through some relationships and for once no man had ever laid a finger on me. The first time it happened in my marriage I didn’t understand it because I am not the type of woman a man beats but I guess there are no types. It just happens and no

woman deserves it. As a young girl I thought it was love or his way of expressing his emotions, after every beating he pleads, cries and says it won’t happen again, once again I thought it was love and made excuses for him. Over the years when it kept happening consistently I started looking for other definitions for it. I started loosing my self pride, self esteem, self worth and most painfully, I lost a pregnancy (Miscarriage) I almost lost my life in the process then I realized how serious and abnormal it really was. I have heard and read a lot of accusations from ignorant people who don’t know my story, I guess that’s why they are ignorant, I was 20 years old and very

naïve to the world when I got married. “They said I married for money”. I was married to a corporate guy who had a 9-5 job in a bank, lives in a rented 2 bedroom apartment at Egbe… So do the maths! I married for love. I did a traditional wedding, a white wedding and a court wedding. So that’s how much I wanted to be married forever. For five years I hoped, prayed and wished that one day it will all change. But the last straw that broke the carmels back was during a heated argument he threw a glass jug to my face and I dogged it and it shattered on the wall. I saw death flesh before me and I made a decision to save my life. I left my marriage. Am not saying this to draw

pity from anyone because we are entitled to our opinions and believes. I am not also saying this to discourage people from falling in love because it’s a

beautiful feeling and I still believe in it. I am saying this to educate, share and talk about my experience as a victim of domestic violence because it is real.

I Was Battered By My Ex-Lover - Beverly Osu BEVERLY Osu, who we

will all agree is kind of talking too much in the Big Brother Africa (BBA) House, claimed recently that she was battered to the extreme by an ex-boyfriend (rapper) and even pulled up her shirt to show a scar she got from one of his numerous beating… to prove she wasn’t lying about the abuse, (Women usually don’t lie about being abused. If anything, they try to hid it). She said one time while he was beating her she ran into the bathroom to escape him, but instead of leaving her alone, he broke down the bathroom door and continued beating her. Beverly didn’t mention names… she said rapper boyfriend… and some of us

know she once dated 2Shotz who is a rapper. She may have been referring to 2Shotz or another rapper she dated…. I really don’t know but some blogs believed Beverly was referring to 2Shotz and called him out.

When speaking, he described music as a veritable tool for the propagation of the country’s rich tourism, economic and entertainment potentialities. The musician also said the wrong perception of the way of life of Nigerians must be corrected. There has been a lot of wrong perception about how we are and from the life style of Nigerian citizens. But I believe spending a whole full day in Nigeria, you will understand from the food to the culture to the weather a lot of people look for this kind of weather around the world. Then the music, the field that I am from, I think that right now music is very universal and a lot of people globally are even listening to African music. So I believe late Fela Anikolapo Kuti even said it that afro beat the original sound has a life. Music is very spiritual so I want everyone to come and see how great Nigeria is, let us not focus only on the oil we have, yes we have plenty of oil and it will not finish in the next 100 to 200 years. But people need to understand what we have from textiles like ‘Adira’ to the entertainment industry from Nollywood to other areas, we will get to see a lot. D’banj also described the entertainment industry as an employer of labour, adding that it was capable of keeping the youths economically engaged and out of social vices. He said there was also the need for the public and private sector to boost the Nigerian music industry.

• Beverly Osu (right) and 2shotz

Jokes: Akpo In Job Interview

• Chika Ike

OFFICER EAZY: What is your name, AKPOS: M.P Sir, OFFICER EAZY: Tell me properly, AKPOS: Michael Peter Sir, OFFICER EAZY: Your father’s name, AKPOS: M.P Sir, OFFICER EAZY: What does that mean, AKPOS: Moses Peter Sir, OFFICER EAZY: Your native place, AKPOS: M.P Sir, OFFICER EAZY: Is it Makurdi Purum, AKPOS: No. Minna Port Sir, OFFICER EAZY: What is your qualification, AKPOS: M.P Sir, OFFICER EAZY: (angry) what is it?!, AKPOS: Metric Pass, OFFICER EAZY: So why do you need a job? AKPOS: M.P Sir, OFFICER EAZY: Meaning? AKPOS: Money Problem Sir, OFFICER EAZY: What is your personality? AKPOS: M.P Sir, OFFICER EAZY: Would you explain yourself and stop wasting my time, AKPOS: Monacrotic Personality, OFFICER EAZY: I see… I will get back to you, AKPOS: Sir, how’s my M.P?, OFFICER EAZY: And what’s that again? AKPOS: My Performance, OFFICER EAZY: M.P!, AKPOS: Meaning?, OFFICER EAZY: Mental Problem!

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

C unselling Historical Foundation Of Counselling In Developing Countries

THE write-up traces the historical foundations of counseling in developing countries and to examine particularly the words, phrases and aphorisms used, the climate set and the personality of the professional in the practice. Furthermore, since studies now show that the training and method of indigenous practitioners are sound and that their philosophy and practice have much in common with western approaches, the write-up attempts to encourage indigenous skills to fuse with western mental health practice. Guidance counselling existed in developing countries before the introduction of western education. The role of traditional African practitioner in preventing for example suicide attempts and in counseling for change of behaviour. Besides, the perpetuation and creation of the extended family atmosphere to relieve feelings of loneliness and helplessness, the use of psychological checks and balances, the use of African poetry, music and dance and religious therapy, will be emphasized. Therefore, guidance and counseling for individuals have always formed part of the African strategy for combating suicide attempts and other personality problems. Indigenous Counseling Practitioners To date, the following indigenous counseling practitioners have been identified, “Uzenakpo” (those who help people out of problems) among the Ibibio, “dibia”, “Bokaye” and “Ogbafa” among the Igbo, “Omufunmu” among the Bugisu-Uganda, “Nganga” in Tanzania, “sikidy” in Malagasy, Babalawo among the Yoruba and Obazi among the Igala – Tiv, just as the babalawo is the poetry. Laureate of ancient wisdom of the Yoruba, so

are his counterparts all over Africa (Makinde, 1990). The writer uses the word babalawo for all indigenous practitioners. Wherever they are located, because, the word is a generic name for those operating in counseling psychotherapy and traditional medicine. A typical African, like the western counterpart, believes that counseling is an art as well as a science. It is very much knowledge – based and full of activities in search of the meaning of life. It believes in the wroth of an individual and in the awareness of the concepts of growth and development, physical, mental,

counseling as in all other helping professions, social work and psycho-analysis is for a change in behaviour that is self initiated when alternatives are provided by the professionals. The majority of Africans who live both in the village community setting (not rural) and in urban areas as well regard them highly in the performance of counseling services. They sometimes call them demigods and they believe wholeheartedly in their practice and therapy. Even students who are now exposed to modern counseling and guidance in

community practitioner for help and information. He was told to go back to the farm and find the treasure that his father buried under a palm tree before he died. Indirectly, he was being told to change his attitude to work. To cultivate the land, to rise up early in the morning to his farm, to work hard day and night and that he would soon get rich, we could explain the counseling of a typical indigenous practitioner from his practice of wishing to achieve a desired effect on all matters for everybody at all times (Mankinde, 1990). The only potential

intellectual, emotional, moral and social. Counsel believes in helping others to develop not only in the physical and developmental sense, but also, to develop philosophical and questioning minds through the provision for a favourable or conducive climate. The all-pervading objective of guidance and

a few high schools, colleges and universities will close up at such sessions, while they are ‘opened’ before these traditional helpers (Makinde, 1973). In traditional Nigerian communities; these ‘demigods according to Mankinde, (1976) can help a great deal. A client who wanted to become wealthy quickly went to the

confusion we have about him is that he is not only a community counselor but also, someone who possesses ‘supernatural’ knowledge of the universe, which is far beyond the ken of ordinary humans. He enters the apprenticeship of the profession through family connections, supernatural calling or through his own or parental

“To date, the following indigenous counseling practitioners have been identified, “Uzenakpo” (those who help people out of problems) among the Ibibio, “dibia”, “Bokaye” and “Ogbafa” among the Igbo, “Omufunmu” among the Bugisu-Uganda, “Nganga” in Tanzania, “sikidy” in Malagasy, Babalawo among the Yoruba and Obazi among the Igala – Tiv, just as the babalawo is the poetry. Laureate of ancient wisdom of the Yoruba, so are his counterparts all over Africa (Makinde, 1990).”

With

O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 interest. According to Mankinde (1990) the ‘; babalawo’ is able to help clients awaken to consciousness with the use of esoteric devices, incantations and ‘wonder’ words, knowing fully well that certain sounds are linked with creative principles of nature, he learns and uses these sounds and words effectively. The “unwritten Bible” he recites from

according to Mankinde (1990) is called ‘Odu Ifa’, which has sixteen volumes and 256 chapters. These comprise a vast compendium of knowledge. In this, Mankinde says is the deepest wisdom and philosophy of the Yoruba ethnic group found. To explain a typical babalawo further, we must explain Ifa whose legendary and factual histories Mankinde assets support the evidence of counseling in the inception of African culture. Wisdom Mankinde says is known as Ifa. Knowledge is the other name for Opele Ifa. It is because, we are bound to have problems. To be informed about something we are ignorant of, that Ifa exists to help us. Mankinde gave an example from the Ifa, that the wise does not

install himself on the throne of power, unless, on the advice of the elders. It is pertinent to know that the babalawo in each community or extended family is a man with faith and confidence, a faith in his client’s potential for growth, a belief that problems can be solved and a belief that changes are possible primarily if the clients makes an effort coupled with guidance from the practitioner ’s wealth of knowledge and experience. Therefore, quite a part from their divinatory functions the babalawo also, practices counseling. As Mankind (1990) puts it: ‘To learn Ifa is to learn how to understand the problems of men and how Ifa could help to guide men into the solution of such problems. The babalawo often combines counselling with divination and telepathy. He is likened to the African teacher who for years has combined teaching with counseling, school administration and discipline. The typical babalawo has been studied by researchers like Clarke (1939), Bascom (1969), Abimbola (1969) and others in the areas of divination and telepathy, not in the area of counseling. It was their counseling functions such as information – giving, consultation and careful diagnosis of problems that have led them to the more intricate and sophisticated modes associated with divination and hyper aesthesia. Of course, hyperaesthesia – which means a sense of perception and feeling of sensations, cannot be divorced from counseling. If modern counselors are to be credited for using psychological tests to predict the future performance of students in colleges or elsewhere, then we cannot completely rebuke the traditional practitioner for engaging in divination, which is a form of prediction without scientific testing.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

F cus

Non-Payment Discourages Writers In Nigeria

LIKE a marriage celebrated in heaven, that was how I felt when I saw the report on the Internet: “Farafina Trust holds its 2011 creative writing workshop in Lagos, from June 23 to July 2 2011.” I was so elated when I saw that it was organized by award-winning writer and creative director of Farafina Trust, Chimamanda Adichie. Adichie, who quotes in her novel, Half of a Yellow Sun: “Death would be a complete knowingness, but what frightened him was this: not knowing beforehand what it was he would know”, “This was love: a string of coincidences that gathered significance and became miracles”, “There are some things that are so unforgivable that they make other things easily forgivable”, and on and on. The workshop sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc., guest writers included the Caine Prize winning Kenyan writer, Binyavanga Wainaina, would co-teach the workshop alongside Adichie. The aim of the workshop was to improve the craft of Nigerian writers and to encourage published and unpublished writers by bringing different perspectives to the art of storytelling. Participation was limited only to those whose applications were accepted. Going to take the form of a class, the workshop participants would be assigned a wide range of reading exercises and daily writing exercises. My brain became like a writer’s notebook that he or she writes many things after consummating the above information. I had the requirements already in my Inbox, so I didn’t waste any time reading protocol than copy and paste all the entry requirements in the body of the e-mail. Pasting the entry was one of the rules to qualify for the contest. “Please Do NOT include any attachments in your e-mail. Applications with attachments will be automatically disqualified,” one of the entry rules read. I was about pressing my mouse to send my entry when Brother walked into the cyber cafe. I was agape. A rare and powerful energy locks in Brother when it comes to writing. I called him Brother and he called me Mr. Prose, because we worship on the altar of writing. We are countrymen whom writing became their first religion. He had seen what I was working on, needless to acquaint him. “Deadline for submissions is April 27 2011. Only those accepted to the workshop will be notified by June 15 2011.

Accommodation in Lagos will be provided for all accepted applicants who are able to attend the ten-day duration workshop. A literary evening of readings, open to the public, will be held at the end of the workshop on July 2, 2011,” Brother read loud on a different web page and drew the attention of other cyber café users. “Forget sending this!” he warned, and didn’t tell me reason, even as I seriously enquired to know. I was aghast. I suspended sending; now ruminating on what prompted his coming to the café by this time of the morning. Fifteen years Brother worked as food engineer in London before he returned to Nigeria five years ago; he never missed to write on topical issues concerning Nigeria. His write-ups have been published in the local and international newspapers and in the Internet. But I am much headburied to my prose works than I am head-buried to newspaper works, because it is not easy surviving as a freelance Journalist in Nigeria. But Brother contributes to the newspapers and editors call his works in any website they see them and publish without seeking his permission and without a dime for him. Brother is never worried about that because this is the system that plays in Nigeria. So, every Opinion writer knows this. “In London, anything that a freelancer contributed that was published in the newspapers would at least place a plate of food on the table of the freelancer,” Brother told me. But the excuse he gives as the reason he did not contribute articles in London newspapers, is hinged on the attendant joy he said that he derives from writing about Nigeria. And I wonder most times why he writes. At this point, when he saw that I was not curious to send the composed mail, he said: “Would the workshop warrant the publishing of your manuscripts?” This is a million question! It will not. “What is the need acquiring skill that will not give the person succour?” Brother writes more than Chinua Achebe but less popular than Achebe: Brother began to tell me that he writes virtually on a daily basis, because Nigeria is news in every minute. “Cement price will soon go down”, “Don’t rig for me, no election worth the life of any Nigerian”, among other things, were headlines that graced many Nigerian

newspapers he had commented on in the recent past. He told me that he is writing, not because he is outstanding in writing, but because of the fulfillment he derives from it. Not minding that he is very much

physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace. Helon Habila is the winner of the 2001 Caine Prize. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction

International Playwrights at the Royal Court, travelled throughout Nigeria. So, I believe that I would be discovered by Elyse one day,” he said, with laugh, because we were no longer “Young Talents”. The problem with Nigerian writing: Newspapers, political and religious literature constituted the load of publishing activity in Nigeria when the first printing outfit was

insignificant in the world of Nigerian writers compared to writers like Professor Chinua Achebe, Helon Habila, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Professor Wole Soyinka, and the rest, who have not only dominated the Nigerian intellectual scene but world of intellectuals; these big names do not deter him. The writers mentioned, however, occupy the three genres of literature – Drama, Poetry and Prose – and occasionally write articles for newspapers. Upon that the named writers contribute to newspapers occasionally, yet they are widely known than Brother. Chinua Achebe has made a name with his novel, Things Fall Apart, Helon Habila has made a name with his Waiting For An Angel, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has made a name with her Purple Hibiscus, and Wole Soyinka has made a name by winning the Nobel Prize for Literature. Things Fall Apart has been translated into more than fifty foreign languages. In 2008, its fiftieth establishment was celebrated. Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. The Nobel Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. He is among the recipients of the outstanding prestigious prize established since 1901, which has been awarding prizes for achievements in

in 2007. Brother has not won any prize, but he has kept on writing. Brother’s consolation for writing: Brother quotes a lot from Mark Twain letter to George Bainton, 1888, (Thanks, Andrew & Barbara), variation of Josh Billings, whenever he was compared with those famous Nigerian writers as a weakling: “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – it’s the difference between the lightening bug and the lightening. Don’t mistake vivacity for wit, thare iz about az much difference az thare iz between lightening and a lightening bug.” He also says this to me whenever I am worried that he writes too much without any material gains. I was overzealous on his tireless habit for writing that does not pay, he told me of how a rare and powerful meeting took place at the Royal Court between young theatre writers from Nigeria and British actors and directors in 26th October 2009. He told me that in May 2006, the Royal Court began working with young, talented playwrights in Nigeria with the support of both the Genesis Foundation and the British Council. “Considerable talents were discovered in Lagos, Jos, Ibadan and Abuja, when Elyse Dodgson, Head of the

established in Calabar, the capital of the present day Cross River State in 1846. Over a century from that year, Brother had wondered that Nigeria has got over one thousand publishers, with not more than one hundred registered member-firms in the Nigerian Publishers Association, yet the expectation that they would serve writers in Nigeria better was betrayed. For instance, I have not had any of my manuscripts published by the Nigerian mainstream publishers. I published my two books via vanity publishing. Vanity publishing became a form of art and culture among Nigerian writers. Very essential, and many people are into it. “There are many writers who do not earn a living from writing like me, they write for the fun and here you are preparing for workshop,” he started to laugh again. “While Nigeria is replete with writers and publishers, the burden of being a writer in the country is ruminated with crestfallen, because of misgivings on Nigerian writers by the environment they found themselves.” Brother was correct after all, formal Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, once said in the newspapers that he ran away from writing because of his fear of being poor. Or better said, he would have been like Nobel Laureate Professor Wole

By ODUMEGWO ONWUMERE

Soyinka in writing, but for the fear of being poor, he joined politics. Many Nigerians who could have found talent in writing ran away from practicing because of what I call povertyphobia like Governor Sylva did. Difference between the young Nigerian writers and the old ones: Unlike us writing for fun, Brother told me, the first and second generation of Nigerian writers benefitted much from writing because organisations and government paid heed to intellect in the 50s and 60s, by developing intellectuals’ artistic talents. They benefited from grants and talent hunts, but here we are attending writing workshops. We are “throwaway”. These early Nigerian writers had their books published for free and were paid royalties. Many of the publishing outfits then were European owned. Today, an author writes, do the editing, proofread and critique his or her work, yet there is no notable publishing outfit in Nigeria that will publish the writer. Paying of royalties is a tall dream. “The debacles of writers in the country today are not sugarcoated story,” Brother said. “Sometimes I pity you, Mr. Prose. Was it this difficult with Nigerian writers in those days and Chinua Achebe had his Things Fall Apart published by the Heinemann Alan Hill’s African Writers Series (AWS), the Heinemann Publishers in 1958? Today, artistic and literary creations depend mostly and solely on the individual initiatives and hardly with any federal, state or local government support.” “I paid heavily to get my two published works out. Even the mainstream publishing outfits, many are just good at smiling to the bank with the money of their accepted writers who are mainly based overseas. Many of the publishing outfits operate without an editorial team. One of my friends overseas, John, has to edit his work elsewhere and even designed the cover, because of that, yet his work was accepted,” I said. We have noticed that hardly do Nigerian art and culture ministry offer assistance to younger writers in the provision of fellowships, study grants for travels and purchase of the needed materials. I asked of when writers in this country could be helped so that they can stop depending on European cultural industries that are directly involved in influencing artistic and literary creation of Nigerians.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

S ciety

The Thing About Demanding Partner

IS there anything wrong with an over demanding partner? Some may say, there is nothing wrong with an over demanding partner, while others will definitely say the opposite. When this very topic crossed my mind, I started to wonder and ponder about what is wrong with such partners? The answer that runs into my wondering mind is ‘‘everything is wrong with

demanding. Like the Holy Bible says, one shall pursue a thousand, while two shall pursue ten thousand. Anything that must be achieved well and peacefully in a relationship/marriage would be one via cooperation and not coercion. Some marriages have no doubt lost it sweet taste because of

an over demanding partner.’’ It could be the manner the help is being asked for, either the tone (in a commanding manner), or body language, it could be the frequency of such request or the time the request is made. One thing every spouse should know is that, in relation, both partners compliment each other, they rely on each other to achieve a goal because we are human beings, and humans by nature, sometimes get weak, angry, frustrated, tired, sensitive to words, and most importantly, humans are emotional. In getting a job done, it is important to consider all these before

demands. Demand for sex, money, food, time and many other things that have torn families apart. The issue with demand is that, it comes from one direction to the other partner and it sounds authoritative and pushy. We were born with instincts to help us survive the trials and travails of life. Some instincts are very helpful and others are controlling and abusive. One of the most controlling and abusive instincts, especially in marriage, is making demanding. If we make a request for something we want or need, and the request is turned down, our instincts will encourage us to take

By EGHWRUDJE PRAISE

more forceful steps. And the first thing that comes to mind is demand. Demands carry a threat of punishment, it’s like saying; ‘‘if you refuse me, you would regret it.’’ In other words, you may dislike what I want, but if you don’t do it, I will see to it that you suffer even

his/her threat. But who has power in marriage? Ideally, there is shared power, the husband and wife working together to accomplish mutual objectives. But when one spouse starts making demands, along with threats that are at least implied, it’s a power play. The threatened

greater pain. People who make demands don’t seem to care how others feel. They think only of their own needs. A demand depends on power. Demands don’t work unless the demanding one has the power to make good on

spouse often strikes back, fighting fire with fire, power with power. Suddenly, it’s a test of power; who will win the other? If the demanding partner does not have enough power to follow through with the threat, he/she often receives punishment, at least, in a

form of ridicule. But if power is fairly equal between a husband and wife, a battle ranges until one or the other surrenders. In the end, the one meeting the demand feels deep resentment and less likely to meet the need in future. When the demands are not met, both spouse, feel resentment. It is important for each spouse to get from each other what he/she needs the most in the marriage. You should meet each other’s emotional needs and be there for each other when you need help. Spouse should take into cognisance the fact that demands will not get the job done. When you ask your spouse to do something for you, he/she may agree cheerfully to it, or may express reluctance. This reluctance may be due to any number of things, it could be their needs, comfort level, or sense of what is wise or fair. When you push your spouse making a demand, what are you doing? You are trying to override your partner’s reluctance. You are declaring your wishes more important than his/ her own feelings. And you are threatening to cause him/her some distress if they don’t do what you want. At a point, you are putting your partner in a tied corner with only two choices to choose from; either to accept the punishment that comes with not carrying out the demand, in-order to do whatever made him/her reluctant, or he/she may ultimately carry out the

demand, but would not be happy about it. And will most certainly feel used. Some spouse feels if they don’t make demand, things would always be working in favour of the other partner, while they are at the suffering end. This is enough reason, spouses need to find an effective ways to motivate each other to meet their needs. Demands are nothing short of abuse; in a real sense, it is usually the first stage of verbal abuse that ultimately leads to fights in marriages. If you make demands of your spouse and expect obedience, you are being controlling and manipulative. Your spouse would definitely try to escape your abuse, and instead of becoming responsive to your needs, he/she will have as little to do with you as possible. Demands and other forms of manipulation do not build compatibility in relationship or marriage; they build resentment. And nobody wants a relationship that started with love to end in resentment. There is an alternative to selfish demands, and that is thoughtful requests. This approach to getting what you need from each other begins by simply explaining what you would like and asking your spouse how he or she would feel fulfilling your request. If he or she indicates that the request would be unpleasant to fulfil, discuss alternative ways your spouse could help you that would not be unpleasant.

“We were born with instincts to help us survive the trials and travails of life. Some instincts are very helpful and others are controlling and abusive. One of the most controlling and abusive instincts, especially in marriage, is making demanding.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

e Handling Bad Breath

H alth BAD breath, also called halitosis, can be an embarrassing problem. Halitosis is the medical name for bad breath, which is a result of poor dental health habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Occasionally, bad breath is the result of an infection or illness, or taking some kinds of medication. Bad breath can also be made worse by the types of foods you eat and other

people don’t smell at all. How does what you eat effect breath? Basically, all the food eaten begins to be broken down in your mouth. As food are digested and absorbed into the blood stream, they are eventually carried to your lungs and given off in your breath. If you eat food with strong odours (such as garlic or onions), brushing and flossing, even mouth wash, merely covers up

unhealthy life style habits. Mouth odour refers to the condition of the mouth oozing out unpleasant smell. The cause of some cases of bad breath is bacteria that live in the deepest pockets of the tongue and gums, so mouth wash and tooth brushing does not always get to them. The bacteria produces volatile sulphur compounds, and if there is enough build up of these sulphur compounds, the result can be bad breath. Some other causes of mouth odour include: smoking, diseases, dry mouth, food, poor hygiene, dental problem. Most people’s mouth does not smell fresh when they wake up from bed. This is normal. If you brush your teeth before going to bed, the early morning smelly mouth will not be too bad in fact some

the odour temporarily. The odour will not go away completely until the foods have passed through your body. Top causes of mouth odour: According to Dr. Richard H. Price spokesman for American Dental Association, ‘‘ninety percent of mouth odours come from mouth itself, either from the food you eat or bacteria that is already there.’’ Mouth odour is like any other body odour, which is the result of microbes living in the body giving off byproducts in the mouth. This means that bacteria that normally live in the mouth interact with food particles, blood, tissue, etc., to create volatile (i.e., stinky) sulphur compounds. If you don’t clean properly, the bacteria build up, and next

By EGHWRUDJE PRAISE

thing you know, bad breath starts out. A mouth out of balance: Certain mouth conditions exacerbate bacterial growth and odour, such as gum disease and dry mouth. Gum disease causes bloody gums, causing more elements for pesky bacterial to putrefy. But it is a dry mouth that is more common cause of

products enter your bloodstream so you are actually breathing the odours out via your lungs three to four hours later,’’ Jeanie Moloo, a registered Dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Not Enough Carbohydrate: high-

bad breath. Saliva help flush out the mouth, keeping bacterials moving, so they don’t settle down and multiply, while drier mouth is a breeding ground for Bacteria. Stinky foods: if it stinks going in, chances are it’s going to stink coming out. The obvious offenders are onions, garlic, alcohol and tobacco. And foods don’t only create a stench in the mouth. ‘‘plant oils are absorbed and the by-

protein, low-carbohydrate diets causes your body to burn stored fats for fuel instead of carbohydrates and can lead to a condition called ketosis (a condition characterised by raised levels of ketone bodies in the body, associated with abnormal fat metabolism and diabetes mellitus). As fat burns, ketones build up in the body and some are released through breath, explains Moloo. ‘‘unfortunately ketones

don’t smell particularly good.’’ Illness: occasionally, bad breath can be a sign of a more serious illness. The most common systemic causes of bad breath are diabetes or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease). Diabetes can also cause ketosis, and the resulting bad breath is sometimes one of first symptoms that lead to diagnosis. GERD is a backflow of acid from the stomach to the esophagus. Less common but possible are liver or kidney disease; when toxins from these organs are excreted through the lungs, causing bad breath. Why do poor habits cause bad breath? If you don’t brush and floss teeth daily, food particles can remain in your mouth, which promotes bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This causes bad breath. Antibacterial mouth rinses can also help reduce bacterias. In addition, odour-causing bacteria and food particles can cause bad breath if dentures are not properly cleaned. Smoking and chewing tobacco-based products can also cause bad breath, stain teeth, reduce your ability to taste foods and irritates the gums. The most effective treatment for bad breath starts with a trip to the dentist. A simple way test you can do yourself is to lick the inside of your wrist and wait for the saliva to dry. If the area you licked smells unpleasant, it is likely that your breath does too. You can get a very good friend to be absolute honest, but do make sure they are a

true friend. Bad breath treatment (self care at home) People who suffer from bad breath want to know how to get rid of bad breath. Some examples of measures an individual can do to prevent or get rid of bad breath include: The practice of good oral hygiene which include, brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste; brush the teeth after meals, brush the tongue, replace your tooth brush every two months. Use dental floss regularly, dentures should be removed at night and cleaned thoroughly before being placed in your mouth (this is actually for those using artificial teeth/ tooth). It is very important to see your dentist at least twice a year. Your dentist can advise you on how to improve your oral health and can refer you for further investigation if they think there may be another cause for your bad breath. It is also advisable for smokers to quit smoking and chewing tobacco based product. Keep your mouth moist by drinking water and chewing sugarless gum or hard candy to stimulate the production of saliva. Avoid foods such as onions or garlic which may cause bad breath. For natural remedy, honey and lime juice mixed together, then wash your mouth with the mixture, two times daily (morning and night always). Mouth wash provides a temporary way to mask bad breath odours, but it may not treat the underlying cause. Natural bad breath remedies include chewing on mint or parsley.

“According to Dr. Richard H. Price spokesman for American Dental Association, ‘‘ninety percent of mouth odours come from mouth itself, either from the food you eat or bacteria that is already there.’’ Mouth odour is like any other body odour, which is the result of microbes living in the body giving off by-products in the mouth.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

e Donate Blood, Save Lives H alth

BLOOD is the fluid of health which transports disease-fighting substances to the tissue and waste to the kidneys, according to medical experts. Therefore, when the human body loses a lot of blood through sickness, surgery or accidents, the blood has to be replaced via blood transfusion from other people. It is somewhat a statement of fact that “blood is life’’ and this, in essence, means that

need for safe blood and blood products. It is also to commend voluntary blood donors for their life-saving gift of life. In spite of the importance of blood donation, Dr Baba Ahmed, a public health physician, observed that there had been inadequate supply of safe blood and blood services in Nigeria. He said that the challenges facing this area of health care delivery ranged from inability to get enough blood donors to inability

blood donation amounts to a gift of life. Medical experts acknowledge that blood from donors can sustain patients who are suffering from lifethreatening conditions and enable them to live longer, quality lives. The importance of blood to human existence is widely recognised and the myriad benefits of blood donation, perhaps, compelled the United Nations (UN) to fix June 14 as the World Blood Donor Day. The day is to raise public awareness on the

to ensure the quality and safety of donated blood. Ahmed said that adequate blood supply could only be guaranteed via regular donations by voluntary blood donors, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had set a target for all countries to obtain all their blood supplies from voluntary donors by 2020. “The WHO has the mandate to ensure that the people of the world are protected and kept safe in matters relating to health issues. “So every June 14, we

By JACINTA NWACHUKWU

celebrate World Blood Donor Day; bringing to the fore the importance of blood donation and appreciating those people who donate blood,’’ he said. Ahmed stressed that human blood was a medium for the management of critical health situations and the treatment of various illnesses, adding that it had no substitute. “Voluntary blood donation is the most important and most

donors to have free access to medical check-ups. “Medical experts will check your weight, blood pressure; whether or not you have enough blood in your system and check other things you may spend money to know. To me, that is an advantage. “So, it is surprising that many people do not like to donate blood and the same people often find it difficult to pay for regular medical check-ups.

accepted means of getting blood anywhere in the world today,’’ he said. But what has been the attitude of some people to free blood donation? Mr Hyginus Eze, a voluntary blood donor, said that blood donation somewhat enabled the

“Donating blood creates an avenue or opportunity for one to check and ascertain his or her health status or condition; I started voluntary blood donation in 2010 and I have done that nine times so far. “I learnt that it’s good to help humanity and the

only way I can help humanity is to donate blood, which was given to me free by God,’’ he said. However, some people give several reasons for their apathy toward blood donation. Miss Regina Chukwu, an Abuja-based civil servant, said that she could not donate blood because of her thin stature, while Mrs Blessing Ajah, a trader, said that she simply had a phobia for blood donation. The importance of blood to health care delivery notwithstanding, the National Blood Tranfussion Service (NBTS) cautions that incompatible blood transfusion can lead to death. Mr Chukwudi Ubarieke, a microbiologist in NBTS, said: “A person with Blood Group ‘A negative’ should not receive ‘A positive’ blood and if the person should receive from universal donor ‘O’ group, it must be ‘O’ negative’’. “In blood grouping, if you dare transfuse the blood that is not compatible with one’s blood group; there is nothing to counteract it, it is going to lead to death.’’ Ubarieke said that within 24 hours of donating blood, water should be given to the donors to ensure the replenishment of their body fluid because about 55 per cent of blood is water. “It will take about three to four weeks to regain red blood cells after blood donation; and

anybody from 18 years to 65 years old can donate blood. “The body mass of a donor must be above 50 kg, we also check his or her haemoglobin level because blood donation is given from the excess that is in your body,’’ he said. He noted that according to WHO prescriptions, the required haemoglobin or blood level of a donor should be higher than 12 grammes per decilitre, insisting that anything below that level might not be suitable for blood donation. Ubarieke, however, said that a man could donate blood every three months, while a woman could donate blood every four months. He also warned that persons who were taking vaccines or drugs were not free to donate blood because the recipient of the blood might be sensitive to the drugs which the donor was taking. “During menstruation, a woman should not donate blood on the first and second day; however, she can donate from the third day after examining her haemoglobin level,’’ he said. Interestingly, Ubarieke said that periodic blood donation could slow down aging and fight cancer as well as high blood pressure. Analysts, therefore, underscore the need for Nigerians to have proper understanding of blood donation and its benefits, as the world celebrates the Blood Donor Day. (NANFeatures)

“Ahmed said that adequate blood supply could only be guaranteed via regular donations by voluntary blood donors, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had set a target for all countries to obtain all their blood supplies from voluntary donors by 2020.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

JUSTINA Weds SAMMY The solemnization of marriage between former Miss Osariemen Justina Oshodin (A hair stylist) and Mr. Sammy Briggs (based in UK) took place on Thursday 15th August, 2013 at the Oredo Local Government Council Marriage Registry in Benin City. Amongst those present were Mr. Anthony Uwaila, Mr. Paul Omorogbe, Mrs Juliana Aworunse, Mrs. Elizabeth Oshodin, family members, relations, friends and well-wishers. Picture shows the couple at the Registry. Congratulations. Photo: SONNIE .E.

Most Snr. Apostle Dr. Joshua Osasuyi, spiritual leader/Chairman, Church Council, Christ Chosen Church of God preaching during 2013 International convention at central cathedral complex, Benin City. PHOTO: MOSES OBOH.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

EVBOWE – I, formerly called Miss Enorense Juliet Evbowe is now known and called Mrs. Enorense Juliet Ewanseha. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

IMADE – I, formerly called Miss Imade Beauty Omoyemwen is now known and called Mrs. Beauty Omoyemwen Godwin. All former documents remain valid. Local Government Service Commission, Orhionmwon Local Government Council, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

I , O S E M W E K H A EKENAKEMA wish to bring to the information of the general public that I am the same person as Osamweghae Ekenakema. But my name was wrongly spelt in my Primary School Leaving Certificate as Osamweghae Ekenakema. Henceforth, I am now known and addressed as Osemwekha Ekenakema. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION/CHANGE OF NAME I, Mrs. Etinosa Sandra Adenuga wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person called Guobadia Etinosa as appeared in my birth certificate and Guobadia Sandra Etinosa also as appeared in my WAEC certificate and to state that ‘SANDRA’ not in my birth certificate is my adopted English name when I sat for the above mention WAEC in June 2005. However, I am now properly called Mrs. Etinosa Sandra Adenuga as a result of my marriage. All former documents remain valid. West African Examination Council, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

ALICE Weds FRANCIS The Solemnization of marriage between former Miss Sobiecki Gisela Alice (based in Germany) and Mr. Udo Obum Francis (a Trader) took place on Wednesday 14th August, 2013 at the Oredo Local Government Council Marriage Registry in Benin City. Amongst those present were Mrs. Grace Udo, Mr. Chibest Eze, Mr. Obinna Onuorah, Mrs. Marian Onuorah, family members, relations, friends and well wishers. Picture shows the couple a t the Registry. Congratulations. Photo: SONNIE .E.

Isi weds Hope

The Solemnization of marriage between former Miss Isimawmen Aikhuele (A Hair Stylist) and Mr Asemota Hope (based in Italy) took place on Friday 16 th August 2013 at the Oredo Local Government Council marriage Registry in Benin City. Amongst those present were Mr. Uwalia Victor, Mr. Aikhuele Clement, Mr. Greg Asemota, Mr. Frank Omorogieva, family members, relations, friends and well wishers. Picture shows the couple at the Registry. Congratulations. Photo Sonnie. E.

RECONCILIATION OF NAME I, Precious Opu wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Sunday Felicia as appeared in my First School Leaving Certificate. It should be known therefore that I am properly known and addressed as Precious Opu. All former documents remain valid. State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHUKWU – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Eunice Chika Chukwu now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Eunice Chika Itse. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

ADJARHO – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adjarho Iroro now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Osawe Iroro. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

OBASUYI – I, formerly called Miss Obasuyi Itohan Divine is now known and called Mrs. Edobor Itohan Divine. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ETAKIBUEBU – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Martha Etakibuebu now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Martha Oghale Ilevbaoje. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

OHENHEN – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Evelyn Osasere Ohenhen now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Evelyn Osasere Cole. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

EHIAKHAMEN – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ehiakhamen Maria now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Areghan Enoguekhian Maria. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

R flection

From Chinua Achebe To Eternity

CHINUA Achebe died at exactly 11:51pm (US time), that is 4.51am (Nigerian time), on Thursday, March 21 at the Harvard University Teaching Hospital, Massachusetts, USA, aged 82. It was one death that shook the entire world as tributes came pouring in from all the continents of the world, from presidents down to paupers. For some of his admirers, the world stood still, yet for orders events moved at a frenetic pace, culminating to the Thursday, May 23 interment of the icon in his native Ogidi, Anambra State. The one-storey home of Chinua Achebe looks quite modest from the outside but it has a lift inside. The building for me captures the essence of the great progenitor of African literature: the quality of what is within is greater than any showiness outside. The mausoleum constructed to the side of the frontage of the building bears the heavy burden of the memory of Mother Africa in the buried remains of Professor Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, the inimitable author of Things Fall Apart. Achebe was interred at 4.30pm in a marble tomb in his Ikenga village ancestral home of Ogidi town in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. He was given an elaborate Christian funeral service at St. Philips Anglican Church, Ogidi, as opposed to the African mores he championed in his novels. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan made his presence felt in the distinguished company of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State was akin to a chief host and even doubled as the Master of Ceremonies along the line. The politicians actually dominated the scenes, with the writers dwarfed out of sight. The many contenders for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Anambra State, notably Senator Chris Ngige, Dr Andy Uba, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, Dr Obinna Uzoh etc jostled for space with their supporters. President Jonathan sang the praises of Achebe as a philosophical writer whose insight tore through the heart of Nigeria’s national problems. He cited Achebe’s “The Trouble with Nigeria” and “There was a Country” as works that fearlessly held to account the political leadership that sent the country on the backward spiral since independence. He read an excerpt from There was a Country, citing

the considerable improvement in the elections in Nigeria as opposed to the impunity that was the rule before the advent of President Jonathan. According to Jonathan, “It is for us to work very hard so that by the time the little Achebes will write again, they will write that there is a country and not that there was a country.” He highlighted his recognition of Achebe as “one of the greatest writers of his time and indeed all time, an embodiment of high values and a man of principle and deep convictions who took a firm, unequivocal stand on issues, however high the stakes, and regardless of the risk involved.” Ghanaian President Mahama stressed that with the death of Achebe “writers in the African continent and the Diaspora have lost a mentor and literary godfather.” According to President Mahama, “In the same way that Chinua Achebe’s books helped foster the talent of countless writers in Africa’s postcolonial era, they also inspired a number of Africa’s current political leaders. Achebe had such influence on the African political landscape that three years ago he started convening an annual colloquium at Brown University, where he was a professor, that brought together leaders, scholars and artists to discuss ‘strengthening democracy and peace on the African continent’. When I was introduced to Achebe’s writing in the 1970s, during secondary school, there seemed to be no discernible separation in Africa between politics and the arts. We attended demonstrations almost as frequently as we attended discos. The music that we listened to, from Fela Kuti to James Brown, was filled with racial pride and political protest. It was, however, the literature of Achebe, namely his classic novel Things Fall Apart, that provided me with a larger context for the various maladies that were taking place on the continent. Reading that book was like a rite of passage.” He described Achebe as a visionary truth-teller who gave Africans confidence in the world community, stressing that “Achebe will never die having left behind a legacy that will keep his voice alive forever.” South African President Jacob Zuma sent a condolence message read at the funeral. In President Zuma’s words, “Chinua Achebe was indeed Africa’s

By UZOR MAXIM UZOATU

greatest literary export and a legend of African Literature. It was in his famous novel Things Fall Apart that many Africans saw themselves in literature and the arts at a time when most of the writing was about Africans but not by Africans. Africa owes a debt of gratitude to Achebe.” Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, represented the National Assembly, depicting Achebe as “an iroko and ambassador extraordinary whose accomplishments only rank second to former South African President Nelson Mandela.” The Anglican Archbishop of Aba Province, Most Rev Dr Ikechi Nwosu, who delivered the sermon at St Philip’s Anglican Church, Ogidi

people defined it in a way Professor Achebe could not understand.” President Jonathan rose up to make a second speech at the funeral in which he announced that both the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments will completely reconstruct St Philip’s Primary School in Ogidi which Achebe had attended. The church service started at a few minutes after 11am with President Jonathan, President Mahama of Ghana, former Vice-President Dr Alex Ekwueme, former Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Minister of Finance Dr Okonjo-Iweala, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ihedioha, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State,

• Late Chinua Achebe entitled “Professor Chinua Achebe — A Parable to the Nigerian Nation” made the clarion call on Nigerian leaders to emulate the late Achebe’s attachment to the gospel as his foundation in life. He argued that Achebe believed so much in Nigeria such that he did not allow the negative forces in the country to deter him from attaining the status of an accomplished man acknowledged all over the world. He makes the case that Achebe in his last book, There Was A Country, undertook the task of enlightening Nigerians that despite the many forces of retrogression the country can attain any height that it wants. He defended Achebe’s refusal to accept national honours, averring that it was not because he did not like Nigeria. Rev Dr Nwosu said: “Achebe believed thoroughly in Nigeria; the only thing is that we all believe in righteousness but some

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo, host Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, ministers and senators in attendance. Crowd control proved quite difficult for the many security operatives who meted out brutality on the ordinary people. Most Rev Nwosu had to admonish the potentates that it was wrong to punish the people they ought to be protecting. Achebe’s first son Dr Ikechukwu Achebe gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the Achebe family, saluting President Jonathan and President Mahama of Ghana, Nigeria’s National Assembly, governors, the literary community, high chiefs, and the multitudes of admirers of his lionized father for the outstanding burial. The elaborate burial programme for Achebe started on Sunday, May 19, with a day of prayers and religious worship at the National Christian Centre, Abuja. Then the Association

of Nigerian Authors (ANA) which Achebe founded held a symposium on the life and times of the legendary author at the International Conference Centre, Abuja in the morning of Monday, May 20. This was followed with an evening of tributes by the politicos and the literati with many cultural troupes performing. Achebe’s remains arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Tuesday, May 21, draped in the Green-White-Green flag of Nigeria and accompanied by his wife Prof Christie Achebe and children Dr Chinelo Ejeiyutche, Dr Ike Achebe, Dr Chidi Achebe and Prof Nwando Achebe. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation Chief Anyim Pius Anyim was at the airport as the head of the Federal Government delegation. Governor Peter Obi accompanied the Achebe’s family in the flight from Abuja to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where the body was received by the Governors of the Southeast States and leaders of the pan-Igbo organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka where Achebe was Emeritus Professor held a Special Senate Session at its Enugu Campus in honour of the iconic author. In the trademark tradition of University Senate meetings, the University Registrar Ogbueshi Anthony Okonta called out names of members of Senate present. Everyone present answered his name. When he called Emeritus Professor Chinua Achebe there was pin-drop silence. He made another call of the name. There was again no reply. He uttered a final call and still heard only silence. It was after the third and final call that the very personable Vice-Chancellor of UNN Prof Bartho Okolo stated that it was “unusual for Achebe not to answer to his name.” The VC on his own called Achebe, staring at his remains in the casket in the middle of the Main Hall of the institution. As Achebe did not still answer, VC Okolo said: “Truly, this is a solemn confirmation that the earthly sojourn of our revered colleague, Emeritus Professor Chinualumogu Albert Achebe, our compatriot who rose to become a citizen of the world, has come to an end. It is therefore with profound grief and regret that I preside over this special Senate in his honour.” A celebration of life carnival was staged at the Alex Ekwueme Stadium, Awka on

Wednesday, May 22, whilst ANA put up a festival of life. Renowned Jamaican scholar Professor Ekwueme Michael Thelwell had the singular honour of delivering the almost four-hour burial lecture entitled “Ikejemba: He Had In Him The Elements So Mixed”. According to Professor Thelwell: “Language is our father: the father of culture; the creator of collective consciousness within which humanity can unite to raise our voices against all that is evil in this world. This is the power of language, and yet you, Mr. Achebe, grant this power to language. Mr. Achebe, Owner of Words, you are the creator of language.” Shortly after Achebe’s burial, Achebe’s second son Dr Chidi Achebe while directing me to the tent in which dignitaries were feted, said: “My father is not a saint but he indeed lived a remarkable life. Nobody has come here to tell us, for instance, that he had a love child for my father!” For a man of such distinction, Achebe lived a scandal-free life. His legacy is assured, as attested to by The Economist of March 30, “Mr Achebe was widely hailed as the father of African literature; but, smiling over his heavy bifocals, he rejected that. Instead, he repeated his favourite proverb: ‘Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.’ Small though he was, he turned out to be the African lions’ earliest and most important historian.” For Achebe’s distinguished colleague, the Kenyan novelist Ngugi wa Thiong’o: “Achebe bestrides generations and geographies. Every country in Africa claims him as their own.” In Nelson Mandela’s ringing words, Achebe is depicted as “The writer in whose company the prison walls fell down.” Let me reserve the last word to American President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama: “A revolutionary author, educator, and cultural ambassador, Chinua shattered the conventions of literature and shaped the collective identity of Nigerians throughout the world. With a dream of taking on misperceptions of his homeland, he gave voice to perspectives that cultivated understanding and drew our world closer together. His legacy will endure in the hearts of all whose lives he touched with the everlasting power of his art.”

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

Atletico Madrid Set For Late Transfer Business

Roma Fans Force Pablo Osvaldo Out PABLO Daniel Osvaldo has been pushed further out of the Roma door by angry fans who scrawled an insult on the pavement outside his home. The Italy international has lost respect among a vast proportion of Giallorossi supporters, who took exception to his conduct on and off the field last season, and made him a scapegoat for their lack of success. He was confronted by frustrated fans at the start of pre-season training and has been given a frosty reception each time he has played for the Roma this summer, even receiving boos when he played for Italy in the capital on Wednesday night. This latest episode has also angered his girlfriend, who launched a scathing attack on the “louts” who are trying to make their lives a misery in the Eternal City. “Pathetic louts, get a life. Your immaturity and ignorance is pitiful,” Jimena Baron posted on Twitter, before adding, all in her mother tongue: “Go and learn some Spanish, then maybe you will understand this Tweet.” That tweet was followed by another, with a picture of a raised index finger. “I just wanted to say something which is universal for all you louts who are molesting me and my partner.

DIEGO Simeone has admitted that Atletico Madrid could do some business late in the transfer window, while calling Fiorentina’s Adem Ljajic a good player and suggesting Martin Demichelis can leave for Manchester City. Asked about possible business after training on Wednesday, the Argentine said he did not see his squad as finalised yet. “Until the market closes we are open to exits and arrivals,” Simeone was quoted as saying in AS. “That is football. We are used to it.” Reports in Madrid suggest that Atletico are negotiating with Fiorentina for Ljajic, for whom Milan are thought to have had an 8 million Euros bid rejected.

Lionel Messi

Barca Start Season With Tricky Lavente BARCELONA will look to kick off their La Liga title defence on a winning note when they host Levante at the Camp Nou on Sunday night. The Catalans were crowned as Spanish champions with games to spare last season as they finished 15 points clear of their rivals Real Madrid. Levante on the other hand were unable to build on their successful 2011/12 campaign as they finished in 11th place. Barca have not tampered much with their squad during

the transfer window but they did reinforce their strikeforce with the signing of Brazilian rising star Neymar, who will be expected to partner up with Lionel Messi in the new season. However, Messi was forced to pull out of the Argentina squad ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Italy due to a thigh muscle strain and is unlikely to take part in the league opener. The good news for new coach Gerardo Martino is that he is likely to have the duo of Cesc Fabregas and Pedro Rodriguez in his squad when

Robben Hails ‘Top Coach’ Guardiola

ARJEN Robben has praised new Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola, insisting his team-mates are pleased to learn from a coach who made Lionel Messi even stronger. Much to the surprise of many, Robben has so far been one of the key players under Guardiola. The first few weeks of the former Barcelona man’s tenure have been described as a “culture revolution” by some media outlets, but Robben believes that this is not the case. “Every new coach does new things and Pep tries to teach us many great things,” Robben told Bild. “He is a top coach and we are happy and proud that he is with us now. We benefit from him greatly. “[He is] a man who made Barcelona play fantastic football and who made Messi even stronger. You just have to learn something from that man. I had many great coaches, but every day I learn from him, I have a good rapport with him. I feel great trust.” Bayern will take on Chelsea

in the European Supercup in Prague next week. “I want this title on my business card, just like I want the Club World Cup on it,” he added. “The longer the list the better. Those finals are the rewards for our historic last season. We should be thankful and win them.” Robben is also delighted to finally have Mario Gotze on board. “He is a super footballer. It was our strength last year that we did not lose any quality when somebody was sidelined. You should bank on each other and not fear the competition.” When Robben looks back on his career one day, 2013 will most definitely stand out as one of the best and most successful years of his career. The Netherlands winger entered 2013 with major doubts about whether he should continue his injury prone career. In October 2012, he told Dutch TV he had considered ending his career. At that time, Robben

had only played three Bundesliga games in the season In the second half of last season, Robben only played 7 out of 17 Bundesliga games. But that was mainly down to the fact that he was part of the Bayern starting XI that stormed through the Champions League. On that night at Wembley, Robben scored the triumphant winner against Borussia Dortmund, a club he feared playing against the two previous seasons. Not only did he score the last minute winner in the Champions League final but the Netherlands winger’s goal in the DFB Pokal quarter-final in late February erased Dortmund’s chances of repeating their 2012 cup triumph. The season before, Robben had handed the championship trophy to Dortmund when he missed a late penalty in Bayern’s 1-0 defeat at the Westfalenstadion in April. A few weeks later Robben would miss an extra time penalty in Bayern’s Champions League final against Chelsea.

he takes charge of his first La Liga match after both players returned to training on Wednesday. Although Martino joined the team midway through their preseason, he has been able to take charge and his side have continued to score freely. Levante also enjoyed a decent run during preseason, winning six of their eight friendly matches,

and coach Joaquin Caparros is expected to continue with his brand of attacking football. The Granotes have also beefed up their squad with the signing of forward David Barral and Cameroonian striker Ayols Nong, who scored nine goals in the Belgian league last season. The last time the two sides met at the Camp Nou saw Cesc Fabregas scoring late in the game to hand Barcelona a 1-0 win.

...Messi Doubtful For League Opener BARCELONA’s forward Lionel Messi remains doubtful for Sunday’s league opener against Levante due to injury. The Argentine missed Barca’s final match of their Asian tour against a Malaysia XI due to a thigh strain and was also forced to miss the international friendly between Argentina and Italy. The injury is said not to be serious but he is yet to return to full training with the squad and has spent the week working with the club’s physiotherapist. The Catalans will also be

Luiz Gustavo

sweating over the fitness of fullback Dani Alves,who icked up a knock on his ankle during the Switzerland-Brazil friendly on Wednesday, as well as goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who also trained on the side on Thursday. Nonetheless, there are some good news for Gerardo Martino’s side as Pedro Rodriguez and Cesc Fabregas trained with their teammates after shaking off some injuries, while captain Carles Puyol has also started training on the pitch following his knee surgery.

Questioned on reports that a deal could be done to bring the Serbian playmaker to Atletico for about 10 million Euro, Simeone claimed to be just concentrating on Sunday’s La Liga opener at Sevilla, while letting slip that he did rate the player. “I do not talk about people who are not with us,” he said. “I am only concerned with Sevilla. He [Ljajic] is a good player. All the players which big teams are interested in are good players.” Rumours that Argentine defender Demichelis, who joined Atletico from Malaga in July, might be set to leave already to rejoin his former coach Manuel Pellegrini in England, were not rejected out of hand. “I do not talk about speculation, about different versions,” Simeone said. “It is normal that you hear things about an important team like ours until the window is closed.

Diego Simeone

Luiz Gustavo Joins Wolfsburg ARSENAL’s target Luiz Gustavo has signed for Wolfsburg from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of around 20 million Euro. Gustavo, 26, has agreed a five-year deal with Wolfsburg as he looks to secure regular first-team football ahead of next year’s World Cup. The Brazil international had been strongly linked with Arsenal, who are in the market for signings, but he has opted to remain in the Bundesliga. Following the summer arrivals of Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara, Gustavo’s place in the Bayern pecking order had slipped, leading to conjecture over his future. “I need to play, play, play,” Gustavo, who was also linked with Napoli and Barcelona, had said looking ahead to the 2014 World Cup. Gustavo signed for Bayern from Hoffenheim in 2011 and helped the club claim a historic Treble last season.

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

Eneramo Tips Besiktas To Be Champions MICHAEL Eneramo has tipped new club Besiktas to challenge Galatasaray and Fenerbahce for the Turkish league title. The ex-Esperance skipper said Besiktas have a good team to be crowned champions again after their last conquest in the 2008/09 season. We are a good team and we can win the League, cup and even in Europe. We will play to win every match. We have a team of quality players and good coaches who have all it takes to challenge other teams for trophies this season,” Eneramo told MTNFootball.com “I feel at home here, I have been here for over two years with good experience in this beautiful country. I have friends. I am glad to join Besiktas, it is such a great club, I am very happy to be part of a great team.” The former Sivasspor striker also allayed fears over his fitness. “There’s nothing to worry about my fitness.

I will be completely ready for action in a week or two, and will contribute to the team’s success,” he assured. “I played two seasons at Sivasspor, I will fit in into any pattern either using double or a lone striker, I have no problems.” He again restated his quest to surpass the exploits of Daniel Amokachi at the Istanbul club. “Amokachi was a great player for Besiktas. I have been told a lot about his achievement here, I will do my best to make this team great and also make name for myself, I am ready to do more for Besiktas,” Eneramo said.

Balotelli Boost For AC Milan

Michael Eneramo now plays for Besiktas of Turkey

Ogunbote Optimistic Of Sharks FC Improvement

Globacom League:

COACH Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks FC of Port Harcourt yesterday expressed optimism that the club, now out of relegation zone, would end well in the ongoing 2012/2013 Globacom Premier League. in week 25 of the league was Ogunbote told newsmen on encouraging. telephone that the club’s 2-1 The coach said that the victory over city rivals, team’s epileptic start in the Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt, season had not in any way dampened the player ’s morale as they were, instead, striving to improve in every match they played. “The club did not start on a Europe. Emenike, who has bagged good note; that is one of the a four-year deal at Fener, is reasons we are in this current also in line to debut for position. “Before, we occupied the Fenerbahce in league opener on Saturday against last rung of the league table, but now, we are in the 12th Konyaspor. He has looked sharp in position after 25 matches with training since he first worked 33 points. “Our intention is to work out with the rest of the squad harder to improve; and I am on Tuesday.

Emenike Aims To Shoot Down Arsenal FENERBAHCE striker Emmanuel Emenike has told MTNFootball.com he hopes to score against Arsenal in a Champions League play off on Wednesday. Last season’s Turkish league runners-up will host Arsenal in the first leg playoff and the former Spartak Moscow striker has been listed for the game. “I will do my best against Arsenal to help my team Fenerbahce reach the group stage of UEFA Champions League,” Emenike told MTNFootball.com “The Arsenal match is on my mind, it is very important to me, I can’t wait to play the game, score goals to earn victory.” Arsenal’s last visit to Fenerbahce was in the 2008/ 2009 UEFA Champions League group stage and the EPL outfit came out tops 5-2 to end Fenerbahçe’s 15match unbeaten home run in

Emmanuel Emenike

Owolabi, Ogunjobi, Others Hail Eagles THREE players of the defunct Green Eagles on Thursday urged the Super Eagles to look beyond its 2-0 victory over Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the Mandela Challenge. The ex-internationals, Felix Owolabi, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Ajibade Babalade, in reactions to the Eagles’ victory in the match played on Wednesday in Durban, South Africa, said the victory was a pointer to improvement. They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that the international friendly, a build-up to Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Malawi in September, would further boost Eagles’ FIFA ranking. They, however, warned the Eagles against relaxing in the euphoria of the victory, saying preparation for the qualifier should begin immediately. Owolabi said that the victory was a good one for the current African champions, but that the team should not relax until it got the three maximum

points against Malawi in the qualifier. “The victory is a good development for the Super Eagles who have continued to wax stronger, however, the victory is not the most important, but a continuous reconstruction,’’ Owolabi said. Ogunjobi, the Chairman, Prime FC of Osogbo, noted that the team’s victory had further showed that the Eagles were a force to be reckoned with in Africa. “The team’s victory against Bafana Bafana has further confirmed the Eagles’ rating as the African champions,” Ogunjobi who doubles as the Chairman, Osun FA, said. He, however, urged Coach Steven Keshi not to relent in its preparation ahead of the qualifier. The chairman also urged Keshi to continue to give other players in the team the opportunity to contribute their quota to the success of the team.

certain that the team will do better and end in a good position at the end of the league,” he said. Ogunbote, a former coach of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, added that Sharks would do everything within their means to either improve or retain their present position in the league. “I want the club supporters to be at rest that certainly, the

club will not be part of the teams that will be relegated at the end of the season because all hands are on deck. “Our supporters should continue to pray for us and keep tolerating us as they had always done. Definitely, we will not disappoint them,” he said. Reports say that the league has 13 matches to go for the current season.

AC Milan have been boosted after Mario Balotelli came through training unscathed yesterday. Balotelli missed Italy’s 2-1 loss to Argentina during midweek with a knee problem, leading to concerns he could be absent for the start of Milan’s season. But the forward, who scored 12 goals in 13 games for the club following his arrival from Manchester City, looks set to be available for the team’s Champions League meeting with PSV Eindhoven next week. “Mario should be fit,” Milan’s vice-president Adriano Galliani said in the Gazzetta dello Sport. “His knee is responding well and I’ve spoken to (coach Massimiliano) Allgeri and he says he should play. “The team is ready physically and mentally. I saw us play in Germany and the USA and it seems like we’re in good shape, but we’ll just have to see.”

Mario Balotelli

...Dolphins’ Manager Hails Sharks Performance DOLPHINS of Port Harcourt Manager Stanley Eguma has praised city rivals, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, for their 2-1 victory over his side in a midweek Glo Premier League match. “Sharks played well and deserved to win, even though we played at home. Sharks did well and took their chances,” Eguma had told newsmen shortly after the match on Wednesday. “However, my players tried their best in spite of playing with only 10 men for more than 70 minutes. “I have no complaints against the red card given to my player because the referee made the decision,” he said. Dolphins’ midfielder Chidiebere Okolie was issued a red card in the 19th minute after being booked for an earlier offence. Dolphins’ Isiaka Olawale had shot his side ahead when he converted a penalty in the 50th minute. Sharks equalised through Jonah Abutu in the 76th minute while Christian Pyagbara scored the second goal for Sharks in the 90th minute. Ere Dokubo, Sharks coach, said he was not surprised at the victory because his team prepared well for the

encounter. “Our target now is to finish

among the top nine clubs at the end of the season,” he said.

CHANGE OF NAME

IYAMU - I formerly Miss Esther Iyamu, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Esther Iyamu Iliya. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, other concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

IKIENU - I formerly Miss Ikienu Wasilat, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Muhammed Ikienu Wasilat. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, other concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

AUCTION SALES There will be a public auction sales of accidented, abandoned, unclaimed vehicles and motorcycles at the following Police Divisions, Edo State Command. Date of sales is three weeks from this publication. OKHUAIHE DIVISION:- Renault Truck Reg No XW 227 AKD, M/Benz Lorry Reg No. LAGOS XH414 KSF, Urvan Bus Reg No EDO XC 142 DGE, M/Benz 911 Reg No XF 296 NSH, M/Benz 200 Car Reg No AL 55 BEN, VOYAGE –LE Wagon Reg No KANO AQ 354 KMC, J.5 Bus Reg No XA910FKJ, V/Wagen Bus Reg No RUW48XA, and M/cycles EGBA DIVISION:- 2 Audi 80 Cars Reg Nos. BC176USL, DGE 263 AAA, M/Benz V. Boot Reg No AG66URM, Peugeot 306 Car Reg No AW956KSF, Nissan Urvan Bus Reg No. FT 625AA, Toyota Hiace Bus Reg No XV176 APP, Golf Car Reg No CK 951 LSD, Kadett Opel Reg No CE 366 BEN, Hyundai Jeep Reg No SPR 40AA, Toyota Previa Reg No HQ 614 AAA, Nissan Primera Car Reg No DM 360PHC Contact ABU OSODIONAHON Police Auctioneer 08060382828, 08074007067

THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

Cardiff Owner Won’tSave Rule As: Emenike Pg30 (Sat F) Out Changing Club Name

FIFA Fines Brazil FA Over Doping Probe

CARDIFF City’s Malaysian owner Vincent Tan on Thursday admitted he hasn’t Mandela Challenge: ruled out changing the newlypromoted Premier League club’s name. Tan oversaw Cardiff’s controversial change to a red home kit from their traditional blue last year, as well as the introduction of a new badge prominently featuring a red dragon alongside a bluebird. In February, the tycoon had to deny reports he may Britain’s Adam Gemili wins 200m Heat at World Athletics championships in Moscow. seek to further rebrand the club by renaming them as Cardiff Dragons. But Tan, speaking at a press conference for his ‘Thanks a Million’ initiative, which has seen Cardiff donate £1 million (US$1.56m) to local charities, BRITISH sprinter Adam the 19-year-old from London double Olympic champion again broached the subject of Gemili smashed his personal and world record holder in made an impressive start to a name change when asked best to qualify joint-fastest the event, along with the event, clocked an easyabout Hull’s recent from the heats for the 200m going time as he cruised compatriot James Ellington, Two-time defending rebranding as Hull City at the World Championships away from the field. who also won his heat. champion Usain Bolt jogged Tigers. in Moscow. “Maybe I didn’t expect it “I’m not really a morning through his heat to win it in a “I read a bit about Hull Gemili produced the person so I’m just happy to this early but coming into the comfortable time of 20.66. City’s name change. They fastest time from a British 200m I knew I was in shape get through,” Bolt said after Bolt, who took gold in the are back in the Premier athlete in the event since advancing as the 21st-fastest and I just wanted to execute,” 100m on day two of the League and I admire their 2005 as he won his heat in a qualifier. said Gemili, who was championships, pushed owner Assem Allam for what time of 20.17 for the jointfrustrated not to make the “My foot is feeling better. Britain’s Delanno Williams he has done,” Tan said. fastest time of the round along It was sore but we’ve been 100m team. into second. “One thing that I read that with South Africa’s Anaso “I looked across and working on it for four days.” The 26-year-old I liked is he says there are so Jobodwana. thought someone else must Bolt, who set the current Jamaican, who won the 200m many teams with the name The time put him in fifth on world record of 19.19 in have got it but there’s more titles in Berlin in 2009 and city. the UK’s all-time list and Berlin four years ago, is the to come and I just want to hit Daegu in 2011 and is also “There is Hull City, second in the U23 category as it this afternoon.” Leicester City, Cardiff City, ASIA’s football chief has Bristol City - everyone is underlined his support for called City. Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 “Who doesn’t know World Cup after English The timing of the event Cardiff is a city? Who doesn’t officials suggested the event FIFA said Thursday its has become a vexed issue up his tour in Rio to review know Hull is a city? should be moved elsewhere. secretary general Jerome with FIFA and UEFA, the progress in talks with Cup “I think that his strategy is Shaikh Salman bin Valcke will visit Brazil next organizers. good but I’m not saying that world and European Ebrahim Al Khalifa said week to tour host cities for The World Cup will be we are making any similar governing bodies, and next year ’s World Cup, Qatar would “make Asia played in 12 host arenas, six changes. footballers’ union FIFPro all including Sao Paulo. proud” with the tournament, of which were delivered for “I don’t want nasty e-mails calling for it to be held It will be Valcke’s first visit despite ongoing concerns the Confederations Cup in written to me tomorrow but I during the winter. since the Confederations Cup over playing it in the harsh June. always say ‘never say never.’ Greg Dyke, the new in June and he will also Gulf summer. The other six are to be “Businesses need to chairman of England’s inspect host stadiums in the “The AFC is confident completed by late December evolve. If we all stayed the Football Association, said northern city of Manaus and that Qatar will host a under a firm deadline set by same there would be no in Curitiba in the south, the tournament could also magnificent World Cup, FIFA. internet today and we would football’s world governing be moved away from Qatar, under the guidance of FIFA, Tuesday, Rebelo said all be living in caves. body said in a statement. a view endorsed by English and with it only being the work on five of these stadiums “But definitely we are not Monday, Valcke is due in Premier League chief second time that Asia plays must be speeded up. changing anything now.” Sao Paulo to inspect the executive Richard host to a FIFA World Cup,” “We have the conditions The Bluebirds are Itaquera arena that will host Scudamore this week. Shaikh Salman said in a for meeting (FIFA’s December preparing for their first the opening game of the “At the end of the day, deadline, but “this will require season in the top-flight for 51 statement. “We are sure that tournament next June 12. FIFA made a decision a faster pace of work,” he told years and the campaign gets Qatar will make Asia proud.” The stadium is 82 percent which is for none of us to senators. underway with a trip to face completed. comment on,” Scudamore West Ham United at Upton The statement said Valcke said on Thursday. “They Park on Saturday. would be accompanied by decided the World Cup will Tan has backed manager Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo, be in the summer in Qatar. Malky Mackay in the transfer ex-Brazil squad stars “Our view is, if that is market, breaking the club’s Ronaldo and Bebeto, both transfer record three times deemed not possible by members of the Cup’s Local since last season’s promotion FIFA, they need to move Organizing committee (COL), with the acquisitions of the location. We can’t just, and local officials. Andreas Cornelius, Steven on a whim, decide to move Also Monday, Valcke will Caulker and Gary Medel. to the winter.” inspect the Curitiba stadium, And he expects to see a South Korea and Japan which is 71.4 percent return on his investment once co-hosted the 2002 World completed before touring the the season gets under way. Cup in the hot East Asian Manaus arena, which is 76.18 “I thought £25 million percent finished, the next day. summer, the only time the would be a nice number to The FIFA official will wrap region has hosted football’s Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa spend on players,” Tan said. showpiece event.

FIFA has fined the Brazilian Football Confederation around 8,000 Euro after it failed to provide information relating to a doping case. In a statement, FIFA said the fine had been imposed for “not complying with the request from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’’. World football’s governing body said information relating to the case had not been submitted “within the deadline’’. It has not named the player involved.

Moscow 2013

Gemili Fastest To Qualify In 200m, Bolt Cruises Through

FIFA’s Valcke In Brazil Next Week For Stadia Inspection

fastest in the field this season with 19.73 in Paris six weeks ago. He will be joined by all the main favourites in Saturday’s semi-finals, with the final to round off the evening session of day eight of action at the Luzhniki Stadium. Jamaica team-mates Warren Weir, the Olympic bronze medallist from London, Nickel Ashmeade and debutant Jason Livermore all went through.

Asia Football Chief Backs Embattled Qatar World Cup Tiny, oil-wealthy Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 tournament has been controversial since it won hosting rights in 2010 after a bidding process hit by corruption allegations. Shaikh Salman was elected president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in May after the departure of Qatari businessman Mohamed bin Hammam, who is battling corruption claims and was also involved in his home country’s World Cup bid. Shaikh Salman, a member of the royal family in Bahrain, which neighbours Qatar, also raised the prospect of an Asian winner for the Qatar tournament. “Based on the performance and achievements of Asian nations in all FIFA competitions and the recent Olympics in both the male and female categories... we are now world-beaters and worthy contenders for any competition, and why not winning it in 2022 in Asia?” he said.

CMYK

Weekend Sport THE WEEKEND

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

Man Utd Contacts Real Over Ozil, Modric

MANCHESTER United have made contact with Real Madrid about signing one of Luka Modric or Mesut Ozil, Old Trafford sources have told ESPN. The move signals an escalation of United’s attempts to finally complete transfer business in what has been a frustrating summer. ESPN FC has been informed that the club is still intent on making three signings before the transfer window closes on September 2, with an all-round creative midfielder the top priority. It is for this reason that United are now negotiating on a few fronts. David Moyes alluded to what one source has described as the club “keeping several plates spinning” at the Premier

Gareth Bale

Villas-Boas Says Bale No Longer Talk To Anyone At Spurs

TOTTENHAM’s manager Andre Villas-Boas has said he has no idea what Gareth Bale wants because the player is not speaking to anyone at the club. stage. Villas-Boas confirmed “Nobody knows the Welshman will be Gareth’s state of mind sidelined until because he doesn’t September with the foot speak,” Villas-Boas injury that has kept the admitted. Real Madrid target out of “The only thing we see the Premier League is the player arriving in club’s pre-season buildand out of the training up but it remains to be ground. But it’s fine. seen whether he will still Ideally we’d like him to be at the club at that

Luiz Suarez Saga Won’t Ruin Red’s Start LIVERPOOL’s manager Brendan Rodgers expects his side to be more competitive in the Premier League this season. Brendan Rodgers is concerned that the Luis Suarez transfer saga could “sabotage” the club’s start to the season. Sign up for ESPN FC’s free fantasy league game for the Premier League. Pick your 15-man squad and take on your friends and colleagues right now. Play In his press conference on Thursday, Rodgers said he would not be answering any more questions on the matter until after the striker’s ten-match suspension for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic is completed next month.

Before that selfimposed silence on the issue came into effect, however, Rodgers said he was determined that he would not let his preseason preparations be disrupted by the focus on one players’ future. “There’s too much good work gone on here for it to be overtaken by anything else,” he said ahead of Liverpool’s opening fixture of the campaign against Stoke at Anfield on Saturday. “The players have worked so hard, their concentration has been brilliant and we are all very determined this year. I can’t let anything detract from that. “Nothing can sabotage what we are trying to do. I don’t really want to go on about it.

stay here. This is where his future is.” The absence until next month of Wales international Bale,the subject of a world record bid of more than a reported £85 million from Real, means he could have played his last game for Spurs if he joins

Madrid. Villas-Boas said the 24year-old will not be fit until the league game at north London rivals Arsenal which is scheduled to be played the day before the transfer window closes on September 2. Bale will miss Tottenham’s Premier

League opener at promoted Crystal Palace on Sunday, the Europa League playoff first leg

have led many to question whether the move — which the Daily Telegraph believes would cost £200 million in transfer fee and wages — makes sense. Pundits, meanwhile, have wondered where the Wales international would fit in, given the excellent preseason form of Isco, and the success of the possession-based midfield style new coach Carlo Ancelotti has been using. Marca remains convinced the deal will go through, announcing on its cover on Friday morning that Bale had three possible teams for the coming season: Madrid, Madrid or Madrid. However, rival newspaper AS featured a piece from editor Alfredo Relano expressing his growing concerns about the transfer. “As the days pass, it

that there have been lines of dialogue open with Ozil’s representatives since June, the Germany international — whom Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign in the summer of 2010 — is known to be one of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez’s favourite players. At the same time, the Spanish club’s public pursuit of Gareth Bale could radically alter the circumstances. Despite Real’s utter confidence in having the funds to eventually capture the Tottenham Hotspur star this summer, they may seek to ease the financial burden by offloading more players.

Ozil Mesut

Lescott Wants New City Deal JOLEON LESCOTT is determined to earn a new contract at Manchester City as he enters the final season of

...Gareth Pursuit Questioned In Spain QUESTIONS continue to be raised in Spain over the wisdom of Real Madrid’s pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale. It is expected that Bale will make a world-record move to the Bernabeu before the close of the transfer window, with Spurs head coach Andre Villas-Boas revealing that the player is currently giving the club the silent treatment. However, Villas-Boas also said that “ideally” Bale will remain at White Hart Lane, and negotiations over the fee and payment schedule between Madrid president Florentino Perez and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy have been tough. Madrid’s huge debts

League launch in London on Thursday. “I’m confident we’ll have players in before the start,” he said. “We’re involved in several players we’re looking at and that will continue. Will we get them before the deadline? I hope so, but we’re working very hard to do so. It was always going to be a difficult window for me personally. I joined on July 1, which has given me a short period.” As first reported in the Daily Telegraph, the English champions retain an interest in Cesc Fabregas. Although the Barca playmaker appeared to have made his refusal to leave Barcelona unequivocal when he told the media earlier this month that he had “never considered leaving”, United have again been sufficiently encouraged that his omission from any of the side’s August games could change the situation, and that the Catalans may be minded to accept an offer of over £40 million. As it stands, though, United’s best chance would appear to lie with Madrid star Modric. Although it has emerged

seems Bale’s signing for Madrid comes closer and closer in an inexorable way, and each day I hear more doubts,” Relano wrote.

the five-year deal he signed when he joined from Everton in 2009. Although the England international lost his place in the team to Matija Nastasic last season, he is eager to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium. “I’m in the last year of my contract now, so I’ve got to get my head down and try and earn a new one here and remain here,” he told TalkSPORT. “It’s nice to be a part of

this club, and it’s nice to know that I came at the start when the club were in transition and as they started winning things.”

Joleon Lescott

Liverpool Agree Cissokho Deal, Target Willian LIVERPOOL have agreed in principal to sign Valencia defender Aly Cissokho on loan with a view to permanent deal, Press Association Sport understands. Manager Brendan

Aly Cissokho

Rodgers has been looking for reinforcements at leftback as Jose Enrique is his only senior player in that position and has identified the Frenchman as a viable option.

Cissokho is expected to travel to Merseyside in the next week to undergo a medical and agree personal terms, although it is understood Liverpool do not believe that will be an issue. An agreement is in place for the club to sign Cissokho permanently should his season-long stay be successful. Rodgers is keen to add a couple of players to his squad before the end of the transfer window and wants to further strengthen his attacking options.

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