Weekend observer 19 04 2014

N ews

Weekend

PUBLISHED SINCE OCTOBER 6, 1990 • Vol. XI NO. 3,231 • SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2014 • N 100.00

POLITICS

ISSUES The Menance Of Fulani Herdsmen

2015

The Search For Political Saint (1) - Page 6

Pages 15-17

Abduction Of School Girls

Setback For Girl-Child Education

THE Foundation for the Victims of Child Abuse, (VCAF), has warned that the abduction of school girls could discourage parents from embracing girl-child education.

The Foundation stated the abduction, as this yesterday through inhuman and a sad the acting chairman of its development.

Board of Trustees, Dr ‘The idea of invading Tajudeen Akanji, in schools and causing reaction to the abduction havoc on the lives of of students of promising Nigerian Government Girls leaders of tomorrow is Secondary School, outrightly one of the Chibok in Borno. many ways of violating In a statement it i n t e r n a t i o n a l issued in Ilorin, the humanitarian law.

Foundation described “Such brutal act of

violence is unacceptable.

Attacks on schools deny children their right to learn in a safe environment.

“It is our belief that schools are exceptionally different from every other public place and must be provided with adequate security so as to remain safe for learning and building a promising future for the nation “This act is capable of discouraging girls-child education in the country,” it warned.

It then urged government at all levels, to provide adequate protection to avert recurrence of such unfortunate incident.

The Foundation also commiserated with those who lost their loved ones to the recent

- Foundation

bomb blast in Nyanya, urging the authorities to fish out those responsible for the act.

It advised delegates to the National Conference,

to critically discuss issues that would protect and promote the interests of Nigerian children, especially victims of child abuse.

VCAF was founded

by the former Chief of Army Staff, General Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd), to protect and promote the rights and well-being of victims of child abuse.

Group Urges Security Operatives To Look Out For Conflict Indicators THE Chairman, Christians-Muslims Peace Movement, Aminu Sidi, has called on security agencies to be on the watch out for conflict indicator for earlier detection of crimes in the country.

Sidi, a retired Immigration officer, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi yesterday.

The chairman, who spoke on crimes prevention in the country, stressed the need for security agencies to be on watch out for conflict indicators to enable them nip it on

the bud.

He called on the Federal Government to be proactive and not to wait for incident to occur before trying to take action.

“We are in the world of technology where new technologies could be used to track down perpetrators of crimes,” he said.

Sidi urged the political class to reunite in time of conflict to find lasting solution to such problems and stop blaming individuals or groups for being responsible for such ugly trend.

He observed that no rightful thinking person either in the ruling class or in the opposition would like to see the country he was ruling or hoping to rule in future in total ruin.

Sidi, therefore, call on Nigerians both within the country and in the Diaspora to seek for ways that could lead to the peaceful coexistence of the country.

He observed that the country was undergoing a trial period, especially with the security challenges that had bedevilled the country.

The chairman urged

Continued on page 4

MOMENT OF SCRUTINY

Magic Figures - Page 5

GOOD FRIDAY: Members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Zarmaganda, Jos, dramatising the passion of Christ to mark ‘Good Friday’ in Jos yesterday.

RELATIONSHIP Can You Carry Another Woman’s Baby?

- Page

PERSPECTIVE Adams Oshiomhole Has Changed Politics In Edo State - Patrick Eholor - Page 11

NEWS

CRIME 3 Traders Docked Over Alleged Theft Of N2.5m Goods In Lagos

A vehicle loading passengers travelling for Easter celebration at Zuba Park in Abuja yesterday.

THREE employees including a woman, who allegedly stole goods worth N2.5 million, were charged before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The accused — Waheed Rahman, 33; Ayobami Kazeem, 31; and the woman, Ramota Rasheed, 34 — are facing a sixcount charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Francisca Okere, told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 6 at 7, Ijaiye St., Idumota on Lagos Island.

She alleged that Rahman and Kazeem sold their employers’ goods valued at N2.5 million to

Court Orders Arrest Of Alleged Land Speculator A Senior Magistrates’ Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, has issued a warrant for the arrest of an alleged land speculator, Daniel Bawa.

Bawa, 55, alongside another man, Ali Luka, 65, are charged with breach of trust and cheating.

The Presiding Officer,

Mr Habila Abundaga, ordered the bench warrant when Bawa failed to appear in court for his trial.

“I can see that only one accused is in court for trial. The first accused is not here nor their counsel.

“The counsel has not deemed it fit to send to the court the reason why he

and his client are not here,” he said.

Abundaga ordered the police to arrest and remand Bawa in Lafia Prison until May 16 for continuation of hearing.

A businessman, Peter Ishaya, through his counsel, Mr. Simon Gimba, instituted direct criminal proceedings

Court Remands 3 For Alleged Murder

AN Uhunmwode Magistrates’ Court, Benin, has remanded three men in prison custody for allegedly killing a 38-year-old man, Osarobo Iyare, with a gun.

The accused, Emmanuel Osakue, Sylvester Irogue, and Abraham Idahosa are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Emmanuel Obadan, told the court that on April 30, 2013 the accused, both residing in Iguosagie, conspired to commit felony.

Obadan alleged that the accused unlawfully killed Orobosa Iyare by shooting him with a gun.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened the Criminal Code.

If convicted, the accused are liable to 14 year’s jail each or be sentenced to death.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The presiding Magistrate,

Mrs. Caroline Oghuma, ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody.

She also directed that the

case file should be duplicated for the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and adjourned the case until April 25.

against Bawa and Luka.

In the suit, Ishaya alleged that on March 7, Luka took him to the first accused person (Bawa) to buy a piece of land.

He said that he paid N220,000 for the land.

Ishaya said after paying for the land, the accused drew up an agreement transferring the tittles to him.

He said that on March 21, he sent his contractor to check out the land and discovered that the accused persons had sold it to other persons.

The complainant said

Musician, 23, Arraigned For Allegedly Stealing Musical Equipment From Church A 23-year-old musician, Izuchukwu Chukwudozie, was arraigned before a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly stealing musical equipment from a church.

The accused who resides at Trade More Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, is standing trial on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and theft.

The police prosecutor, Cpl. Paul Anigbo, said that on October 10, 2013 Pastor Roy Onwuatun of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, FHA Lugbe, reported the accused at the Lugbe Police Station.

Anigbo told the court that Onwuatun had reported that

sometime in June 2013, the accused and two others now at large were expelled from the church because of their shortcomings.

He said that the accused and his accomplices conspired among themselves, broke into the church and stole some musical equipment.

According to him, the stolen musical equipment included an electrical mixer, valued at N120,000, and an electrical drum pedal valued at N100,000.

He said that during police investigation, the accused could not give a satisfactory

account of himself.

Anigbo said the offences contravened Sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The accused, if found guilty, could face five years jail term, a fined, or both.

The accused pleaded not guilty.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr. Chukwuemeka Ubani, granted the accused bail in the sum of N120,000 with one surety in like sum.

Ubani said the surety must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the court and should be a civil servant of any grade level.

He adjourned the case till May 6 for hearing.

all efforts to recover his money failed, as the accused persons stopped answering his phone calls, until they were arrested by the police.

The charges are contrary to sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

If found guilty, they are liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than eight years each.

Ramota.

“The complainant, Funke Adams, while passing under the bridge of EbuteEro where Ramota sells some goods, saw her goods on display and confronted Ramota where she got them from.

“Her salesmen (Rahman and Kazeem) confessed to Adams that they stole the goods and sold them to Ramota,’’ Okere said.

The offences, she noted, contravened Sections 285, 312, 326 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Tokunbo Omoyele, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned to May 7 for mention.

CHANGE OF NAME EBBAH - I formerly called Miss Patricia Ediri Ebbah is now known and called Mrs. Patricia Ediri Erediauwa. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public please take note.

Tenant In Court Over Alleged Lock-Up Of Co-tenant’s Room A 26-year-old tenant, Sanjo Awope, was charged before an Apapa Senior Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly locking-up a co-tenant’s room with a padlock.

Awope, who lives at 3, Michael Ebahor, Alaba Oro, Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos, is standing trial on a one-count charge of breach of the peace.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Friday Inedu, said the accused committed the offence on March 18 at 9:00 p.m. at the same address.

According to him, the accused caused the breach of the peace by locking-up one Mr Saka Alabi’s room, thus denying him access to it and provoking him.

“Alabi reported the matter to the police, who later

arrested the accused.’’

Inedu said the offence contravened Section 166 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Awope, however, denied the charge preferred against him.

Section 166 (d) prescribes three months’ imprisonment for every person who, in any public place, conducts himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Adeyemi Amos, ruling on the bail application of the accused, granted him bail in the sum of N70, 000 with one surety in like sum.

He also ordered the surety to show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government, as part of the bail conditions.

The court adjourned further hearing on the case till April 30.

NEWS Ugbineh Community Installs Odionwere UGBINEH Community in Oduna ward, Ovia North East Local Government Area will tomorrow install Pa Eniwindomwanto John Osayande, aka Ogiomen as the 15 th Odionwere of the ancient and legendary community.

This was disclosed in a press release signed on behalf of the elders council of Ugbineh community by Mr. Robinson Osatamwen.

It will be recalled that Ugbineh community in Benin history is

significant in the sense that the serve British soldiers were killed by Benin Chiefs at the said community and their graves are still there at Ugbineh till this day.

Similarly the spot in which Oba Ovoranmwen stripped down at Ugbineh on his way to Calabar is also now a spot of historical importance.

Meanwhile, sons and daughters of Ugbineh extraction are expected to grace the occasion tomorrow, just as many side attractions have been line up to make the occasion lively.

THE National Conference has finally adopted its Work Plan, which states the conference activities and time-frame attached to such activities.

Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), who spoke at plenary shortly before adjourning indefinitely,

however, said the document was adopted subject any alteration “based on necessity”.

The Work Plan obtained by the newsmen indicates that committee work begins on Tuesday, April 22 and ends on Wednesday, April 30.

Reports state that some

(FRSC) has appealed to motorists to always obey road traffic rules during and after the Easter celebration.

A statement by the FRSC in Asaba quoted the Zonal Commanding Officer RS5, Mr Charles Akpabio, as making the appeal while briefing officers in Asaba on the zonal operation of the corps tagged “Operation Easter 2014’’.

Akpabio said that officers and Special Marshals in the zone had been strategically deployed to monitor all critical corridors with the zone.

“Roads to be monitored include Asaba-Benin, BeninAuchi, Benin-Ore, Benin-Warri and Onitsha-Enugu, to ensure free flow of traffic.

“This Easter patrol focuses on offences such as over-speeding, dangerous driving, dangerous overtaking, over-loading and the use of phone while driving.

“Motorists and other road users are advised in their own interest to be cautious and exhibit decency while on the road.

“They should equally

By RAYMOND OSOGBE

Trafffic jam on Zuba-Abuja outer Northern Expressway in Abuja yesterday.

Confab Adopts Work Plan For Its Activities delegates protested the short time allotted to committee work pointing out that they were expected to do an exhaustive and thorough job.

Kutigi, however, appealed

FRSC Urges Road Users To Obey THE Federal Road Traffic Rules Safety Commission obey traffic laws and use the road with extra caution as anyone caught will be made to face the consequence,’’ he said.

The statement said that all commands had been directed to intensify public enlightenment and prompt removal of obstructions as a way of reducing road accidents during the celebration.

to them to get down to work first and if there was a need for extension, the necessary representation could be made to the appropriate quarters.

He said the Work Plan was drawn based on the time allotted to the conference by the Federal Government.

The chairman said that any attempt at arbitrary adjustment could be misunderstood even by the general public.

He assured that everything would be done to ensure that lack of time did not hinder the justification of the conference.

The chairman urged delegates to properly articulate their points at the committee level and be opened to suggestions from others.

Reports state that the

Court Remands 3 For Alleged Murder

MR Shem Obafaiye, the Oyo State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC has urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s efforts to curb insurgency.

Obafaiye made the call in Ibadan in a statement issued by Mr Oluwole Olusegun, the command’s Public Relations Officer.

He called on all Nigerians, irrespective of religious, ethnic and

political affinity, to partner government in the fight against insurgency.

“The people of Oyo State and Nigerians in general should always collaborate with security agencies in the fight against crime and insurgency in our nation by giving relevant information.

“Parents should also watch over their children

and the friends they keep because of the present security challenges we have in the country.

“The spate of kidnapping, rape, ritual killing and other vices calls for sober reflection,” he said.

The NSCDC boss also advised Christians to celebrate the Easter by reflecting on the passion and love of Jesus Christ for mankind.

work plan also indicated that the conference would receive reports from committees and commence deliberations on May 5 and May 6.

It will go on break from May 7 to May 9 to enable members participate in the World Economic Forum which would hold in Abuja.

Deliberation on the various committee reports will resume on May 12 and last till May 15 when deliberations are expected to be completed.

From May 19 to 29, the conference’s secretariat, working with the Report Drafting Committee, will put the reports together and present such to the conference in plenary.

Consideration and adoption of the draft reports by the conference in plenary will start on June 2 and end on June 12.

According to the work plan the final report will be produced and signed between June 16 and June 19.

DR. Kolawole Wahab, a Consultant Neurologist at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), says 15 million people suffer from stroke worldwide annually.

Wahab stated this in Ilorin at a health talk organised by the Islamic Welfare Foundation (IWF).

In his lecture entitled, “Stroke and its Prevention ” the consultant said that stroke occurs in man when the blood circulation to the brain fails.

“Five million out of the 15 million that suffer from stroke die, another five million live with it while the remaining five million get treated,” he said.

According to him, the two major causes of the disease are blockage of blood flow into the brain and blood bleeding into the brain.

Wahab, who said that hypertension accounts for between 65 and 85 percent of stroke cases in Nigeria, described this as the most common factor worldwide.

The expert described the brain as the most complex and delicate part of the human body with billions of cells controlling all other human parts.

He estimated that by 2030, 80 percent of the cases of stroke would be recorded in the low income and middle income nations of the world.

Wahab called for measures to reduce stroke and encourage its prevention among the people.

“Alcoholic drinks increase the risk of both ischemic and haemorrhagic kinds of stroke and the ailment is common among the black race,” he said.

He advised that people should always engage themselves in daily body exercise, quit smoking and check their blood pressure regularly.

Other measures, he said, include taking drugs regularly if one was a hypertensive patient and keeping body weight in check.

15m Suffer From Stroke Yearly - Expert

e

N ws Group Urges Security Operatives To Look Continued from page 1 Out For Conflict Indicators

Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political inclinations to pray for the country.

He called on Christians to use the Easter period to pray for peaceful coexistence of the country and harmonious living of the people.

“I also want to urge the people, especially youths who are the vanguard of the sociality to be tolerance and

eschew all sort of violence as panacea to any meaning development.

The Secretary, Youth Federation for World Peace, Jos, Mr Paul Samuel, in a separate interview, expressed regrets over the security situation in the Northern Part of the country.

Samuel said while they were building bridges of peace, some selfish

individuals were busy thwarting the efforts of youth associations in the country.

He observed that the happenings in the Northern part of the country were handworks of some personalities who did not wish the region well.

He pledged that the youth would use various lawful ways to stem such ugly trends.

Etsako Central Ward 2 Chairman Lauds of the security

By FAITH ISIKHUEMEN APC Leaders presence operatives, while certificates THE newly elected All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman in ward two, Etsako Central Local government Fugar, Mr. Austin Iyevhobo Lamai has commended the leadership of the party in the ward for the peaceful conduct of the just concluded ward and local government congress in the state.

The ward 2 chairman made the commendation while reacting to the outcome of the congress in the local government saying Etsako Central was one of the local governments where the executives were elected through consensus and harmonization.

The chairman, while thanking the leadership of the party in the ward for finding him worthy for the position in the ward, however appealed to other party faithful to embrace peace as he has promised to carry everybody

along as one family in the party and not to betray the confidence reposed in him.

Reacting to the call for the cancellation of the congress in the local government by some people, for what they called irregularity in the conduct of the congress, the chairman said there was no iota of truth, saying such people are insincere with themselves over the conduct of the congresses as everything was done in a peaceful manner in the

of returns have been issued to the winners and wondered why such people should be calling for the cancellation of the congress by now.

He thanked the party leaders and the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for providing enabling environment for the peaceful conduct of the congress adding that the party is ready more than ever before to win at all levels in the forth coming 2015 general elections in the state.

Eric Launches Aimionmwanayagiosa IT will be a gathering of Eagles as Eric Musical Album Tomorrow Erhunmwonmase and His Urho Nisen Stars of Benin launch their latest musical album tomorrow, Sunday April 20,2014.

The event which promises to be exciting and memorable, is billed to hold at the popular Rialto Hotel

and Resorts, Eyaean, Benin City, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Joseph Odiase, Chairman, Idunmwungha Community and Managing Director, Unity Motors.

He will be supported by

Pension is gratifying and assured that the state government will consider them.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Sam Inyang Managing Director and Chief Ex. Officer Oaks Pensions congratulated Mr. lgbaekemen Jerry Obazele on his appointment as Head of Service, Edo State.

Mr. Sam Inyang stated that the pension scheme is to encourage workers to save towards the future.

He maintained that their products will help to eliminate the bottlenecks associated with pension fund administration Oaks he said was to partner with Edo State government. He told the Head of Service that his organization is already

working with some states and promised to build on the experience so far.

Similarly, the Head of Service, Mr. lgbaekemen Jerry Obazele also assured, GTB Am Pensions Limited that the state government will look into their proposal with a view of engaging them.

Earlier, Mr. Azu Okokwo of GTB Am Pensions solicited the assistance of the state government to handle the Pensions of its work force.

With the Head of Service were the Permanent Secretary Directorate of Establishment Mr. Onorogbe Olaye, Permanent Secretary Directorate of Administration, Mr. E.T Idahosa, Mr. Mike Abu Secretary, Pensions Board, Directors and officers.

THE chairman of the Congress Committee in the recently conducted congress in Ugbeka ward Orhionmwon Local Government Area Mr. Mohammed Faruk says the exercise was conducted in line with the process.

The congress committee chairman in Ugbeka ward spoke to newsmen shortly after the ward congress was held at Evbueghae Primary School, Evbueghae.

Mr. Mohammed Faruk who described the exercise as free and fair said the APC Congress took place after voters were duly accredited in the presence of the agents and leaders of both

contestants.

He maintained that at the end of the congress which took place at Evbueghae Primary School Evbueghae, contestant David Ekhator emerged as chairman with 745 votes while his opponent Mr. Osaro Aghahowa polled 585 votes.

Similarly in Igbanke west ward 2 the APC ward congress took place at Igbontor primary school, Igbanke after all the voters were duly accredited with an indelible ink on their thumbs.

Mr. Frederick Ikonomwan emerged as ward chairman with 560 votes as against Mr. Nester Ebon who got 452 votes.

Enduring Structures Will Drive State Govt Programmes - Obazele

THE Edo State Head of Service Mr. Igbaekemen Jerry Obazele has assured that only enduring structures will be set up to drive the state government programmes to obtain maximum benefits.

Mr. Igbaekemen Jerry Obazete made this disclosure when he received members of Oaks Pensions Scheme who paid a courtesy call on him in government House.

The Head of Service stated that before now the Government borne all the risks of its ‘ workers by paying pensions and gratuities, he added that the society is becoming more and more sophisticated and the commitment of government is also becoming complex hence the need to look for alternative ways to meet the challenges.

Mr. Jerry Obazele stated further that the Edo State Government though desirous of implementing the Pension scheme must be very careful to ensure that the implementation is beneficial to the state Government and more especially to the civil servants.

The government he pointed out has resolved to integrate the civil servants in the negating process with pension scheme administrators, and appended that the administrators bear with the state government in this regards.

He posited that the safety valve put in place by management of Oaks

AS part of the determined efforts to rebrand the civil service, the Edo State Government has once again organized a one day seminar for senior and middle level officers.

Declaring the seminar opened the Edo State Head of Service Mr. lgbaekemen Jerry Obazele stated that the organization of the seminar was borne out of the need to equip the officers with necessary leadership skills which will enable them to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.

The Head of Service, Mr. Jerry Obazele disclosed that the topic for the seminar “High Potential Leadership Skills” was carefully chosen to meet the challenges the officers were likely to face because they are saddled with enormous responsibilities.

Mr. Jerry Obazele who was represented by the Permanent secretary, Establishments Mr. Alfred Omorogbe Olaye urged the participants to live up to expectation.

He pointed out that the choice of senior and middle level officers were anchored on the critical positions they occupy in the service.

Congress Chairman Satisfied With Exercise

By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR

Mrs. Princess Ogiefa as Chairlady, Mr. Lucky Uwadia as Vice-Chairman and Princess Mary Ekhator as Vice-Chairlady.

The roll-call also include His Royal Highnesses, Osazuwa A. Iduriase JP, (Enogie of Eyaen), Nosakhare Ohenzuwa (Enogie of Orhior Osemwende) and O s a k p a n m w a n Osemwengie (Enogie of Orhior Ozolua) who have been designated as the Royal Fathers of the Day. The Chief Launchers are Mr. Steve Imafidon (MD, Reliance Hotel), Mr. Wesley Asoro (MD, Wesley Hotel) and the Pool magnate, Barr.

Osinubi Adewole Otunba (MD, Wesco Pool).

Comrade Osamuyi Osahon, Sunny Osayande, Amb. Friday Ehimwinose, O s a r u m w e n s e Edogiawerie, Osas Adah, Feke Brown, Osayarhion Igho and Chinedu Okoye, including the “Masses Chairman” Adviser Nowangbe and a host of other personalities are also expected to grace the launch.

The musical album titled: “Aimionmwanagiosa” is a six-track CD with all the songs composed by Eric Erhunmwonmase and produced by Mr. Sabato Imadonyi.

Aimionmwanayagiosa is marketed nationwide by Iredia Music Production.

Eric Erhunmwonmase in the studio

Edo Organises One Day Seminar For Senior, Middle Level Officers

The Head of Service revealed that the seminar will motivate the psychological and moral of the officers and sharpened their skills to attain set objectives.

Mr. Jerry Obazele expressed his profound gratitude to the Edo state government under the able and dynamic leadership of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole for making funds available for the seminar as well as his commitment to training and retraining of all categories of officers in Edo State Public Service with a view to enhancing their productivity and the workers for the peaceful industrial harmony that is existing in the state and appeal for its sustenance.

The Head of Service enjoined the participants to pay adequate attention to the lectures that will be delivered by the resource persons, pointing out that this was the only way the financial commitment of the state government on the training

project could be justified.

Mr. Jerry Obazele reminded the participants that the Strategic Advanced Business Innovation Company was chosen to handle the seminar in conjunction with his office was based on the pedigree of the company.

Delivering his lecture, the chief consultant, of Strategic Advanced Business innovation Company Mr. Edward lyamah defined leadership as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

Mr. Edward lyamah emphasized the need for participants to show determination and drive, self confidence, integrity and sociability in meeting their set objectives. He thanked state government for the opportunity given to his organization to handle the training.

Participants were drawn from all Ministries and Parastartals

Afashio Community Benefits Free Medical Service For The Aged

By TUNDE EIGBIREMOLEN TOWARDS enhancing community health development and uplifting the lives of indigenes of Afashio, a suburb community in Estako West local council Area of Edo state, a group in Diaspora, Ashio worldwide forum, based in the United States of America(USA), at the weekend came to the rescue of over one hundred persons in the community particularly the aged men and women in dire need of medical attention providing free medical examination and counselling for Hypertension and Diabetes patients.

The Ashio Worldwide free medical examination/ Counselling Initiator and programme Coordinator, Mr. Claudius Idaewor, at the Afashio Civil Centre, venue of the exercise in AfashioUzairue said the need to give back to the society especially the elderly lacking quality medical care prompted him to come to the aid of his community.

Idaewor said “I grew up here in Afashio, Estako West local council Area and I saw the poor health condition of my community men and women especially the elderly suffering either from hypertension or diabetes.

Their plight prompted me to see how well I can in my own little effort effect a change by bringing free medical healthcare service to my community.”

The free medical exercise headed by a team of medical expert led by Dr. Markus Eruaga the Medical Director, Sanomens Medical centre, Lagos, which is a one week exercise is amongst others to provide rural dwellers residing in Afashio community and its environ the opportunity to avail themselves for free medical examination and treatment in the most prevalent cases of Hypertension and Diabetes which is commonest in the area and is fast ravaging the lives of aged males and females in Afashio community.

Egbeazien Family Congratulate His Royal Highness THE entire family of Egbeazien in Eguare Quarters, Ubiaja hereby congratulate His Royal Highness the Onojie of Ubiaja Eidenogie 1. on his coronation.

A statement signed

by Mr. John Peace Egbeazien on behalf of the family wish HRH

Iredia Curtis Eidenojie 1 a successful coronation as he ascend the throne of his forefathers.

John Peace Egbeazien of the Ministry of Agriculture, Benin City prayed for the development of Ubiaja during the reign of His Royal Highness Iredia Curtis Eidenojie 1.

“Curiously, however, many Nigerian economy experts are asking questions as to how the emerging economic trend would impact or have impacted on their living standard, or on the average Nigerians on the street.”

RECENTLY, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, announced to an on looking world that Nigeria has “reversed’ its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which now placed it above that of South Africa, erstwhile the largest economy on the Africa

Magic Figures actual fact reflects nothing but magic figures that has been manipulated cooked and canned by the Bureau of statistic to present a make believe scenario that really

• Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

continent.

Following the “rebasing” Nigeria has now emerged as the 26th largest economy in the world. This by all standards is no mean feat.

Curiously, however, many Nigerian economy experts are asking questions as to how the emerging economic trend would impact or have impacted on their living standard, or on the average Nigerians on the street.

According to Nigeria statistician general, Dr. Yemi Kale, Nigeria is close to being in the league of the top 20 economies by the year 2020. He said that it took the Bureau of statistic several yeas to complete the rebasing process.

By and large, the statistical figures announced to the world in

problems that has tied Nigeria to the apron strings of underdevelopment, arrested development and stunted growth. It doesn’t

tomorrow because of that announcement. It doesn’t put more money in the bank, more food in the stomach. It changes nothing” strangely,

• Yemi Kale

do not exist.

Despite being the 26th largest economy in the world, Nigerians have nothing to smile about, nor congratulate themselves about. There are still myriads of socio-economic

remove the fact that Nigeria is largely a third world economy bye and bye.

In reaction to the magic figures being banded about, some economist have pointed out that “the Nigeria population is not better off

through, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, while reacting to the figures which she announced herself sounded a note of warning in relation to the “rebasing” that “we live worse than before.

Those who want to think that we need large “Gross Domestic Product to live well is not true because, by this ratio, it doesn’t look so good”.

Is this not double speak?

Is this not deception? What is double speak if it is not this? Obviously, what she is referring to is the “rebased figures of the Gross Domestic Product.

If the rebased figures were nothing but contraption, ordinarily, it ought to make life better for the average Nigerians on the street.

According Mr. Okechukwu Unegba, the rebasing is supposed to make Nigerians proud, but the nature of the economy and standard of living for the common man have made it only a matter of figures. He noted that comparing Nigeria with South Africa is not feasible, adding that the latter surpasses Nigeria in all ramifications. He said that the living standard in South Africa is higher than Nigeria, while there is also a higher level of corruption in Nigeria than in south Africa”… “Honestly, we should be proud but it is a matter of figures. There is higher standard of living in South Africa than in Nigeria.

“Is this not double speak? Is this not deception? What is double speak if it is not this? Obviously, what she is referring to is the “rebased” figures of the Gross Domestic Product. If the rebased figures were nothing but contraption, ordinarily, it ought to make life better for the average Nigerians on the street.”

I don’t see how the newly released Gross Domestic product can impact on the common man. He pointed out that the other 25 countries before Nigeria have good economy with productive private sector, emphasizing that the quality of service in the telecom sector is still poor, while consumers cannot access credit for household goods, and mortgage financing is almost unavailable in Nigeria. He said that government should address social and economic imbalance in the country adding that the figures are just political gimmicks.

What are we big figures for?

It does not translate to quality of life” unegbu reflected.

With the rebased Gross Domestic Product Nigerians are still assailed by very poor power supply, inadequate water supply, poor medicare, high level inflation, sky rocketing unemployment figures, general lack of adequate infrastructures, bad road that are death traps, lower standard of education, and general insecurity.

At this point in time government effort ought to be directed toward the reduction of poverty and inequality in the country rather than relying on magic figures to convince itself that all is well. In reality nothing is ever well, or rather nothing has ever been well in Nigeria in the past four decades.

Today, most Nigerians are still living below the poverty line, living on less than one dollar a day. Is this indicative of a higher Gross Domestic Product?

According to an analyst, we are tired of government giving us improved economic indicators, without it positively affecting our standard of living. In the final analysis, the rebased figures are nothing but illusions that are meant to mislead the poor masses.

o

P litics 2015: The Search For Political Saint (1) “A good government remains the greatest of human blessings, and no nation has ever enjoyed it” (Williams R. Inge). As 2015 draws near the political terrain is being heated up by the maneuvering of those seeking to be elected representative as Governors, Legislators, President, Chairmen or Councilors. Where does Christians in politics stand? Which type of elected representative do we want? God’s word say or describe the kind of leader we want “The person who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God” (2 Sam. 23:3, NLB).

The do or die politicking of elected representatives should not border Christians in politics or the Christian community. This is because the scheming or politicking of secular people or politicians does not determine what will be. It is God that the Christian serves that determines what will be in response to the united prayers of Christians (see Mt. 18: 18-20). The Christians cannot complain anymore in 2015 that wrong people are voted into power since through elective democracy, the Christians being in the majority in this nation can like Christians did in America, voted enmasse for President George Bush re-election, do the same here in Nigeria.

The issue now is who are the Christians in politics that qualifies to be elected to represent us at every level of government? This is where the search for a political saint begins. It will be most interesting in future elections to see how religious leaders of celebrity status are coaxed to run for political office. To some Christians it is a consummation devoutly to be wished.

The transference from religious authority might be quite natural for some Christians. The normative way to effect representation is to send a leader instead of the whole company.

Yet there is a broader issue here. How could a significant number of Nigeria people be serious about a candidate whose credentials are concentrated in religious leadership? Part of the answer lies in several cultural developments that may open the door for a “Christian ticket” in subsequent elections. Let us look now at those cultural factors, then at religious factors that would contribute to such a possibility.

The president or elected representatives we elect are the important people in our political lives. Their personalities reflect our current needs. They, in turn, make an impression on us. They set a precedent in our perception of what is acceptable in a candidate and what needs to be avoided in a candidate.

Our reactions to past presidents or elected representatives have much to do with who we elect in the future.

The recurring trait we can see in our Nigerian family album is our love – hate relationship with authority. We alternately seek it and rebel against it. We build security under it; then we desire freedom that security always threatens to stifle. From our beginning as a nation we desire freedom from the control of our colonial master Great Britain, so we fought for independence. Then we had, in the place of the mother country, Great Britain a loosely confederated group of regional governments.

Then we had a union of states with states’ rights.

Then we had a union with a balance of federal and state powers. Then we had surprise – another

By DR. LEWIS AKPOGENA strong federal government but unitary system in practice under military governments. But we love that strong federal government, don’t we?

can rather easily trace the development of this mentality. What is it?

Looking back at the kind of leaders we have had from the first republic post

republic or civil governance or Nast democracy. Our photo album of what we have of leaders at these times was that of dictatorship, nepotism, corruption and ethnic bigotry.

Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representative Yes and no. We love the security it offers and hate its control over our lives.

There may have been a time in our history when the president and the federal government were seen as one source of authority. If there ever was, it is gone, and our affection for each is much diminished. In recent years we have begin to deal with love-hate relationship with authority by dividing our affection between the person of the president in whom we hope and the big government we resent. We

independence leaders, like Ahamadu Bello at the Northern region, Obafemi Awolowo at the West and Dr. Michael Okpara at the East with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe at the centre. The subsequent military intervention in our political landscape and governance produced a mixture of imperfect government that left us without ideal representative government or leadership. In between years of military rule were 2nd and 3rd republics before the present 4th

With President Goodluck Jonathan we have become accustomed to religion in Aso Rock. We are able to connect competence and popularity with the support of evangelical issues in spite of religious upheaval from Islamic adherents.

Nigerians who want to elevate morality to higher level than they are themselves committed to living will naturally entertain the idea of a religious leader ticket. In 1999 in Rivers State the issue of religion decided the Governorship election

“The issue now is who are the Christians in politics that qualifies to be elected to represent us at every level of government?

This is where the search for a political saint begins. It will be most interesting in future elections to see how religious leaders of celebrity status are coaxed to run for political office. To some Christians it is a consummation devoutly to be wished.”

in favour of Governor Peter Odili. Yet in 1993 presidential ticket, the issue of religion was not considered but the competence of the candidates was he issue hence Abiola and Kingibe being Muslim-Muslim ticket won in a multi ethnic and multi-religious state like Nigeria. And there is more.

We have yet to see the full potential of the most powerful cultural aid to a candidate or elected representative.

It is not television or media exposure.

According to a 1995 Gallup survey of the public’s perception of “honesty and ethnic standards” in professions, clergy rank first of the twenty five occupations listed, Senators, congressmen, local political office holders, and state political office holders all rank in the lower half of the survey. All of this evidence helps us answer the question of how “in the world” a religious leader could be considered a viable candidate. Perhaps what we see on television is a projection of who he really is and what he really means. Or perhaps he just has a smarter image consultant. In any case, we need to listen for his ideals and strategy and not just watch a staged event that relays an image.

Searching for a political saint come 2015 for elective office, Christian’s political decisions should be made on an informed, thoughtful basis, yet a sense of unity with the personage can be an added benefit to us all.

Christians constitute a special interest group – with money. This comes as no surprise. Religion has always been the major benefactor of benevolent giving in this country. And Christians will see supporting a religious candidate as an aspect of practical Christianity. It is indeed. The search for political saint continues come 2015. Not done yet, read next issue. You are blessed for life. Have question, you may call: 08033399821 or write: akpogena@yahoo.com.

Stay blessed.

o

P litics

Fashola’s Theory Of Leadership I was stunned when I read the various headlines about the comments made by Governor Raji Fashola regarding the President and his habit of worshipping at a church every Sunday. There were various headlines, but the one by one newspaper best captures the sentiments expressed by Fashola. It ran thus ‘Jonathan is Busy Going to Church Instead of Leading the Country-Fashola’.

The governor was further quoted as saying “I know that we have employed somebody for the top job in this country but when we asked him about his qualifications and experience, he said he had no shoes. You must decide whether you want someone who spends most of his time in church or mosque, or the man who is ready to spend his time on the job”.

I cannot really understand the governor’s rationale for making such a comment given that the President attends regular church services in fulfillment of his own personal convictions as a Christian especially as The Holy Bible says “let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25).

It is also a fact that regular Friday mosque attendance is obligatory in Islam. Qur’an, Sura 62, ayat 9 says “O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu’ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew”.

President Goodluck Jonathan did not just pick up the habit of regular Sunday worship in church with other believers. This has been a life time habit for him and many others and I have a hard time understanding why this should attract criticism from the governor of a metropolitan state like Lagos who was voted in by both Christians and Muslims.

Is governor Fashola saying that the administration of Nigeria suffers just because the President attends a 90 minute service every Sunday and short devotions every morning before work?

I am sure that governor Fashola is conversant with the life and times of American Presidents including Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. Both of these men led America during the

Second World War and both attended services during the pendency of the war.

John F. Kennedy was also a U.S. President who led America during the heady days of the Cold War when America almost went into nuclear conflict with the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR, as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

It is on record that Kennedy never missed any church service during his presidency. According to a CNN biography on his life, President Kennedy “faithfully attended Mass once a week, wherever he happened to be.”

The current President, Barrack Obama not only attends church services, but he also has devotionals at the White House. In fact, once when he was attending church service at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington DC on the 27th of October 2013, he refused to answer a question about governance stating to the reporters present “come on guys, I am going to church”.

In England, both the Head of State, Queen Elizabeth the Second, and the Prime Minister, David Cameron, attend church services every Sunday, yet no one has used this against them or accused them of abandoning the ship of state.

It is also on record that the Presidents of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, and The Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Yudhoyono, the two largest Muslim nations in the world regularly attend mosque services on Friday as well as perform daily prayers and are seen to be better leaders because of these actions by their own people and the world at large.

A leader must identify with his people. This is why President Jonathan

By RENO OMOKRI when the Body of Christ is fasting. He does not publicize this, but it shows that he has a connection with the people that he leads.

If a person does not have

celebrates when Nigerians are celebrating and mourns when they are mourning.

Every year, the President fasts when the Islamic Ummah is fasting as well as

failure to lead. If the travel time between Lagos to Benin has reduced from eight hours in 2009 to three hours today, I do not think that is a sign that the nation is not under a good leader.

If Almajiris are now going to school in one of the 125

• Governor Babatunde Fashola

a moral core which can only come by an attachment to a faith which promotes virtues, I do not see how such a person can even begin to be a good leader.

The problem of Nigerians in 2014 are not whether or not a leader attends church or mosque services. Their issue is that they want leaders who can improve on their Standard of Living and who can facilitate the education of their children and who can ensure that

they have hope for the future and can independently pursue their own happiness.

These have been the focus of President Jonathan and that focus is sharpened rather than diverted by the little time he spends attending weekly church services and regular daily devotion at home.

If the Per Capita Income of the average Nigerian has increased from $1091 in 2007 to $1721 in 2014, I do not think that is a sign of

“Is governor Fashola saying that the administration of Nigeria suffers just because the President attends a 90 minute service every Sunday and short devotions every morning before work?”

Almajiri Model Schools built by the Jonathan administration, I don’t think they would complain that he attends church every Sunday.

I am sure many Lagosians and indeed Nigerians have demanding jobs that require leadership skills. I do not think that this critical mass of highly effective and employed Nigerians would choose to stop going to regular church or mosque services because of the leadership expected of them at their jobs.

In fact, if I am to hazard an educated guess, I would wager that it is precisely because of the demands of their jobs that they would attend regular services at their mosques and church because some leadership challenges require divine intervention.

Many world leaders have written biographies after their times in office and have in those works suggested that it is difficult if not impossible to have any sense of

personal accomplishment, successful personal and inter personal relationships, peace of mind and hope for the future without a regular habit of faith.

Perhaps this is why leaders are either sworn into office on The Holy Bible or Qur’an. This action at the beginning of the tenure suggests that the framers of the Constitution and the people who elected them expect them to draw inspiration from their faith which in most cases would flow from The Holy Bible or Qur ’an, both of which require that believers attend regular worship services. In fact, how can such inspiration come if you do not perform one of the core expectations of the faith which is to fellowship regularly with other believers?

I understand that some governors and other elected officials regularly go to their leader’s house even more than they go to their places of worship. While this may be the practice of some, it is the practice of others to worship God either at the mosque or the church. I encourage those who prefer the latter to allow those who prefer the former to worship as they please. After all Nigeria’s Constitution allows for freedom of religion.

Finally, let me say to governor Fashola and others who may not understand why it is necessary to obey the dictates of one’s professed faith. Reason is for your intellect, while faith is for your spirit.

Attempting to use your intellect to lead without sharpening it with your spirit inspired by your faith is like attempting to cut down a tree with a blunt knife. It is better to stop and have that knife sharpened than to keep cutting with a dull knife.

This is the difference between those who work hard and those who work smart.

It takes a lot of hard work to lead a state like Lagos, but I am sure that that hard work will go further if smart work is added to it.

God has given too much to Governor Fashola for him to have made the comments he made. Fortunately for him God gives and forgives, but unfortunately for Lagosians, men get and forget!

s ProtectingAso Rock From Terrorist Bombs I sues

AS Christians mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection it is sad to note that there is palpable fear of insecurity in Nigeria, even though those whose responsibility it is to provide such security inform us that such fears are ephemeral.

But the truth must be told, can we continue to live in a nation that anyone can be the next victim of unprovoked aggression from terrorists. The answer to this question can either be yes or no depending on our sentiment.

If you have never been a victim of an incident, let us say a fatal road accident, you cannot fathom how bad it is to lose a loved one in an accident someday.

So it is with losing a loved one whom you cannot explain their where about in a bomb attack that has become prevalent in the country.

A loving father expecting the wife and two kids to join him in Lagos from Abuja for the Easter holiday waited and they were yet to show up even though he was reliably informed that they left for the motor park that early morning.

How would such a father react when he hears that the terrorists had bombed the Nyanya bus terminus in Abuja, killing more than one hundred innocent Nigerians with most of the dead bodies burnt beyond recognition.

Is life no more of value anymore and why the senseless attacks on innocent people. These and many more are the questions on the mind of Nigerians as they ruminate over the dastardly act this Easter season.

The massacre of innocent people including children have become so worrisome and they continue their killing spree without any resistance from the law enforcement agencies.

When the terrorists attack on Nigerians began at the inception of the President Goodluck Jonathanís administration people thought it would end very soon but instead the rebels who call themselves Boko Haram have been succeeding in their atrocities against the nation.

We are now living in fear because anything can happen any moment. You can be alive this moment and find yourself dead the next. Are we really one country when a section of the country does not want the peace and unity of the nation.

Let us not deceive ourselves any longer that the Boko Haram terrorists have only restricted their activities to the north. They have shown that they are desperate and capable of making the nation ungovernable just as some northern leaders have boasted.

It should no longer be news to anybody that some powerful persons in the north do not like Nigeria because to them the leadership of the country by a president from the south is an aberration.

The effrontery displayed at the scenes of the several bomb attacks by terrorists should give President Goodluck Jonathan and his kitchen cabinet sleepless nights especially with the successive attacks in the past one week which calls for drastic actions.

By EUBALDUS ENAHORO

There is no doubt that the terrorists are succeeding and it is the views of some persons that their target are not the innocent people they are killing but Mr. President and they are

relax except they are dealt with once and for all.

With 2015 just around the corner, with the desperation of some politicians to become President if the north donít get what

involved in any of the terrorists attacks you do not know the pains that is being inflicted on the nation so far because Several children have become orphans, wives become widows, lives of infants cut short in their prime and

• President Goodluck Jonathan

mapping out strategies so cleverly moving closer to their target.

It should not be a surprise to Nigerians when they hear that Aso rock has been attacked, and if it becomes difficult for them to get to the seat of power it is obvious that they will not

they want, the terrorists can go to any extent, including attempting to eliminate Mr. President and that will obviously plunge the nation into another protracted crisis.

If you are not a victim or your close relations are not

“It should no longer be news to anybody that some powerful persons in the north do not like Nigeria because to them the leadership of the country by a president from the south is an aberration.”

properties worth several millions of Naira destroyed.

Though there have been no signs of Boko Haram presence in the South and Western part of the country, that is not to suggest that there are no plans to overrun the country by this sect who condemn western education with the wanton killing of the nations human capital.

But they seem to forget that nobody can Islamize Nigeria because if Allah had wanted it He would have made everybody Muslims so also with Christianity, God would have made everybody Christians if He wanted.

A lot of appeals have been made to the rebels to stop this senseless mis-

sion and set aside ethnoreligious sentiments but such appeals have gone unheeded and they have intensified their attacks ferociously.

President Jonathan has always maintained that everything is being done to track the financiers and perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity even as they continue to unleash more attacks that confound the world in the history of terrorism.

The early morning twin bomb blast in Abuja is another reminder that one day we will all wake up and discover that Aso Rock and our military formations have been overrun by this bandits.

There is no doubt that the insecurity that had pervaded many parts of the nation, especially the North East by the Boko Haram insurgents is a wakeup call for government or those in leadership positions to do what is right.

Both the Quran and the Holy Bible preach peaceful coexistence amongst the people. The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (Allahís peace and blessings be upon him) said : ìHe whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil, shall not enter Jannah(Paradise.) Sahih Muslim, chapter 16 Number 33.

In Luke 6: 27-29, ìBut I say to you who hear : Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you,î With this injunctions, both Christians and Muslims should have no reason to resort to this kind of violence and wasting precious lives in the name of religious fanaticism.

If the law enforcement agents are not pro active enough to curb this incessant killing of innocent Nigerians, it is our prayer that they donít get so sophisticated to acquire jet bombers which they will use next to bomb their targets .

s

I sues IT’S been happening for months, for years actually; at least as far back as 2012. About 100 so-called Fulani herdsmen dressed in army uniforms, riding motorcycles or driving in convoys and ravaging towns across Nigeria; killing all in sight and setting the towns ablaze; sometimes aided by helicopters.

In 2012, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ibiang Mbaseki described them thus: “a large group

of Fulani militants putting on police and military uniform had invaded New Gboko in Takum Local Council of Taraba State…

They succeeded in killing one police corporal. They were armed with more sophisticated riffles, including AK47 and they were all dressed in military and mobile policemen uniform.” (Guardian, 20th March, 2012) Again, in June 2012, another episode was relayed as a clash between locals. An eyewitness at the Benue border where the event occurred described: “farmers of AiNedu community had gone to carry out their routine farming activities when they ran into an ambush of over 100 men who marched through Ogilolo community dressed in military camouflage and armed with sophisticated weapons.” (Thisday) A similar massacre in October of the same year occurred which was assumed to be a revenge attack: “It was a pre-dawn raid,” he said. “The

The 100 Military Uniform Clad ‘Fulani Herdsmen’ Assassin Convoy attackers…, some of them dressed in police uniform, came into the village. They killed eight worshippers in the mosque and killed 13 other residents in the village.” (Vanguard) There were many more cases in 2013. Here’s an

early hours of the day and started setting houses ablaze as they shot sporadically at the people.

Some of the victims were said to have died instantly while many others escaped with bullet wounds.”

uniforms and heavily armed with sophisticated weapons ranging from AK47 guns, sub-machine guns and explosives, shot sporadically as they were strategically positioned round the village to ensure that all inhabitants of the

account of two cases in Benue from the Guardian, in July: “Barely three days after gunmen suspected to be Fulani marauders, dressed in military uniform, invaded some villages in Guma Local Council of Benue State and killed 20 residents, another village in the area, Akuloko, was attacked during which no fewer than 12 persons were feared killed.

The Guardian investigation revealed that the marauders, dressed in military uniform, drove into the village in convoy in the

Another among many, this one from Nasarawa in June of 2013: “Mustapha Danladi Ayaga, who was part of the team that conducted the delegation round the community… said the gunmen, dressed in riot police uniform and armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK47 and explosives, also abducted two members of the community. 35 houses and four cars belonging to the Agatu people of the area were also torched.

“Over 500 militants dressed in riot police

locality were consumed.”

March 6th this year, George Okoh wrote in Thisday: “Over 30 persons have been reportedly killed in Kwande, Katsina - Ala and Logo local government areas of Benue state after suspected Fulani herdsmen dressed in military uniforms sacked six villages in the three council areas.

According to an eyewitness, the herdsmen also burnt down farmlands, house and huts in the affected communities.”

Who are the marauding gunmen?

Are they angry or insane cattle herders, perhaps with mad cow’s disease? Are they even Fulani…were they ever Fulani cattle herders?

How are they able to operate with military uniforms in the full light of day?

Are these events across several northern states related?

In February, Vanguard reported in Kaduna: ‘An army of Fulani herdsmen reportedly invaded some communities sharing boundary with the western part of Plateau State and Kaura Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

Speaking on the issue, Bulus Gwaza, a resident of Zankan, said the gunmen numbering about 100 invaded the three communities and started shooting indiscriminately in the night. “Right now, we have buried over 30 dead bodies and still looking for more.”’

March 14th, Thisday reports in Katsina: “Eyewitnesses told THISDAY that the gang of bandits numbering about 90, were said to be riding 30 motorcycles when they raided Kurar Mota and Marabar Kindo villages in Faskari and Sabuwa respectively. According to eyewitness accounts, the armed men shot sporadically into the air to scare away the residents.

However, the Chief Imam of Maigora village in Faskari confirmed that the bandits came in different attire, stating that some were dressed in army uniforms, while others wore Fulani clothing.”

Over 200 were killed in Zamfara this April as reported by SaharaReporters: “Gunmen were seen dressed in Nigerian Military uniforms, and riding about 50 motorcycles. The gunmen encircled the agrarian villages, and began shooting sporadically.”

And then there was the South Kaduna incident too.

In most of these cases, Fulani have been accused as the culprits, allegedly clad in military fatigue, sometimes with some dressed in so-called Fulani attire—which of course could also be uniforms.

The reality about this mess is; there has not been any concrete release by the state security services on what is really happening and who is actually involved. Have they ever arrested one of these uniformed assailants and properly identified him and interrogated him on his mission and affiliations?

What have the nation’s security services done about this most deadly travesty that has plagued Nigeria for so many years?

In the most recent case in Unguwar Galadima, Zamfara where over 215 were killed, it was described that the attackers even had intel. of

the vigilante meeting going on and came specifically for that purpose. The attack lasted for an entire three hours without any intervention from any security forces; till the entire town was burned down to the assailants’ satisfaction. One wonders how these unknown gunmen can have proper and accurate intelligence of when to attack, yet our security services with the wealth of the nation and the official office to protect Nigeria never has intelligence on where and when these unknown gunmen are meeting or attacking to likewise ambush, apprehend or eliminate them.

Without further ado, the Office of National Security (ONSA) is hereby urgently subpoenaed to provide the Nigerian people a full briefing on the state of security of the nation and the true details of the threat Nigeria is under. We also require the ONSA to inform us on their progress, commitment and ability to contain this threat.

Who are the marauding gunmen?

Are they angry or insane cattle herders, perhaps with mad cow’s disease?

Are they even Fulani…were they ever Fulani cattle herders?

How are they able to operate with military uniforms in the full light of day?

Are these events across several northern states related?

Are these ‘unknown soldier’ assassin related to Boko Haram or part of the same Boko Haram larger mission?

Are they mercenaries?

How are they able to fly helicopters ‘undetected’ in Nigeria’s fully monitored air space?

Are their helicopters the same or related to those Boko Haram also have been spotted using since 2012?

Have any of them been arrested? If so, what is their identity and mission?

Does Nigeria have a plan to arrest this terror?

Is the current administration capable of arresting this situation?

What do the people need to know as regards their safety and security?

Nigeria is currently the most terrorized nation in the world, with the most deaths between January and April this year, of any nation not in active war.

Nigerians need to know who is exterminating us and what our risk or hope is.

e

R flection

Death Of Jesus Christ

Saving Lives With His Blood

THE day Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden: that was the day God foretold that a Messiah (Christ) would appear one day and fight Satan, take the glory that Satan stole from them and restore it to believers (the church) again. Gen 3:15b.

This is Jesus who is also Christ the Messiah King of kings and Lord of lords. Who created the heaven and earth by the breath of his mouth by himself and for himself whose ten thousand angels were waiting and watching for a command to destroy the world. But who would not, lose focus of His redeeming mission to the world.

The crowd at the foot of the cross whose sin and iniquity the Son of God was languishing on the cross from these same people came mockery and dishonor to the only begotten Son of God. Some said; - If you are the son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe you.

- You save others, you cannot save yourself - You who could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days come down from the

By DEACON IKHILE BENSON U.

cross. Looking at the magnitude of their impending punishment, he had a heartfelt compassion on them and said: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

His mission to earth was “to seek and to save that which was lost”.

The messiah King of kings and Lord of lords was right there on the cross happily fulfilling that purpose for which He came.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up”.

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

“For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”.

Jn 3:14-17. ‘And I, if I be lifted from the earth will draw all men unto me”. Jn. 12:32, There, Jesus Christ was as the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world. Every drop of blood that came

out from Christ’s vein was replaced by sin and curses of the world.

The son of God who knew no sin was being made sin for us; and his body that knew no curse was being made curse for us, untill his body became an embodiment of sin and curses of the world.

The Father turned his face from beholding his

Father are one”. “Know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him” Jn 10:30, 37, 38.

This time around-the hour of darkness, the intimacy and oneness with the Father was distorted; the mammouth spectators were unanimous in making jest and laughing at Him to scorn.

The Lamb of God

The spectators heard this and felt that he was calling Elijah to deliver him and watched more keenly to see if Elijah would come to do so.

Jesus cried again with a loud voice and gave up the GHOST. Once, for-all perfect and perfecting sacrifice that satisfied the demand of the Father for the remission of sin had been offered.

As the perfect spirit

only begotten son and there was total darkness in the whole land for a time period of three hours. Jesus who confidently say to his accusers that ‘I and my

faced it alone for sinners It was at this juncture that he said “My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me” Mt. 27:46.

was parting from the then sin-ladden body, the following events occurred to mark the on-set of the covenant of GRACE; The earth quaked (as

the final whistle for first round and starting whistle for second round) - The veil of the temple was turn from top to bottom.

- The rock split Graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept arose and came out of the grave after the resurrection of Jesus and went to the city and appeared to many.

- When the soldier who was standing by the cross saw how Jesus gave up the ghost, he believed and confessed “truly this man was the son of God” (Mt. 27:54).

“Abba father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou will” Christ has willingly taken the cup of suffering and death while you and I were yet sinners. The latter (the sinner) can now be reconciled to God. “Be ye reconciled to God. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold...; But with precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”. 1 Pt. 1:18, 19.

“The son of God who knew no sin was being made sin for us; and his body that knew no curse was being made curse for us, untill his body became an embodiment of sin and curses of the world.”

I

nterview

Adams Oshiomhole Has Changed Politics In Edo State - Patrick Eholor

Chief Patrick Eholor, aka ‘Ultimate Equal’ is a human right activist cum politician and the founder of ‘one love foundation.’ In this interview with Correspondent, JULIUS OSAHON, Eholor, who is also the deputy chairman of the Edo state chapter of the Labour Party speaks on many issues including the just concluded APC ward congress in Edo state, the national confab, labour party, the nonappointment of NDDC commissioner for Edo, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and many more. you look at my recent letter to Excerpts.

Question—what is your the president published in the say on the conduct of the last Nation and Vanguard APC WardCongress as a newspapers, I made it clear and I do not want to believe stakeholder in Edo state?

Answer—-Well, this is that Ehigie Uzamere is behind going to be very funny this non-appointment of because one day I went on an NDDC Commissioner for Edo It is the noninspection tour with Governor state.

Adams Oshiomhole and a lot responsiveness of the of people were sending me president. We have 36 states text, telling me they were and we have NDDC in every disappointed that I am now of the states, why should Edo romancing with the governor. state be different? Why I said well I will not blame should they politicize it? This them because it is to the thing is not about politics, it is extent of what they know for about the welfare of the a man can do more than his people. We have the issue of best. I went with governor on those who want to nominate an inspection tour and the those to the commissioner, governor graciously show me you have the PDP state what he has done and what chairman, Dan Orbih, who he intend to do in the future. I wants Chris Nehikhare to be am not a praise singer, I have the commissioner, we have been around and God has Senator Ugbesia coming up blessed me immensely. I want with Barrister Osahon as his to thank the governor again person, you have Senator for inviting me to that Uzamere coming out with Mr. inspection tour and I also told White as his person and the him my observations during incumbent person (Barrister the tour. Let me go back to Okourobo) who is the your question, whether you governor’s nominee. It might want to believe it or not, interest you to know that Adams Oshiomhole has when the former President change politic in Edo state. was presiding over the Before his time there was no country, he made it clear that protest of this and that today the commissioner of the now if my wife offends me I NDDC should be chosen by can carry a placard and that the incumbent governor of the is something good for us. state. For example in Edo Adams is not a perfect state, the comrade governor, person, I am not and you are Adams Oshiomhole need to not but Adams has been able appoint the commissioner so to tell the people that anybody that he works can be can be governor, anybody complimented and the can make mistake and the dividend of democracy get to mistakes can also be ratified. the people of the state and Adams has done well in those that what led to the circumstances. They did their emergence of Barrister congress and there were Okourobo, which tenure has some element of fraud and since expired. So I felt that if malpractices and again he the tenure of Okourobo has came out as a governor to say expire, the power should still people are aggrieved, so let fell on the comrade governor do it again. He has a choice to appoint the commissioner as the governor to say we and not what we heard now cannot do it again and that is is that Senator Uzamere has something positive. I know been promised by the many people will say; this Presidency to appoint the The man having been fighting the commissioner. governor before but he is now Presidency cannot tell us who be our NDDC praising him, I want to say to will the them that two wrongs cannot commissioner, make a right and that there is commission here is for us as no way we can ever resolve a state and not for an our differences if we don’t individual. So therefore I want have that talent of a civilized to appeal to the President not confrontation. Men would to play politics with our life have win war if not that men because the people of Edo have not gotten that God state are suffering, he should giving talent to confront do what is right as he has situations. When a man has done in other states.

Question—With what you the ability to confront situations, it means that the have analyse now it shows man has the Wisdom of that that the President is showing insensitive to the Solomon.

Question—There are a lots plight of the Edo people even of agitations in many quarters though he is planning coming over the non-appointment of to the state soon on a substantive chairman for the campaign?

Answer—I don’t think he is Edo Niger Delta Development Commission, what do you say going to get a good reception when he comes here because to this to?

Answer—it is very clear to for me as a person if he is me that we are not ready as coming to my state I will not a country and when say we have any reason to welcome are not ready, we are not him. Like I said in my open ready as country because if letter to him, my connection with President Jonathan is

because I am a Nigerian and when he was denied swearing-in as President when we lost President Yar’Adua, I went to court to seek for order of misdemeanour and I am aware that most of the newspapers carried that story and most other people did that and that what led to him being sworn-in. The issue is that President Goodluck Jonathan has become very unpopular because he has not really treated the issue of

section in the law which gives the federal road safety the power to arrest anyone who covers their number plates other than the office of the President, the vice president and some security agents. To be specific, it means the commissioner of police, the Director of SSS, even the traditional ruler have no right to cover their plates but if they so desire they can crest their names on their vehicles number plates but not to cover their plates. We also

Mr. Patrick Eholor corruption very seriously. For example, we talked about Femi Otedola, who bribed the House of Representative member, Hon. Lawal Farouk and it was well documented and it was this same man the President took to China to solicit for investors and investment to Nigeria and that is somebody who said he was determined to fight corruption in Nigeria. The same President Jonathan also traveled with Farouk to South Africa also to seek investors, so you can see he is surrounded by people with questionable character and this is a man who want us to trust him and that he is fighting corruption. I therefore challenged him on these allegations at any time but if he is coming to Edo state to meet with his PDP people, he has the right as the president of the country but to me as a person he is not welcome.

Question—You also raised some fundamental issues in your open letter to the President on government officials who cover their vehicle number plates and go about with impunity while the Federal Road Safety look the other way, can you explain more on this sir?

Answer—Like I said, it is unlawful, it is illegal and it is criminal to cover your plate number. I think there is

see members of the state houses of assembly, the federal house all covering their number plates, all this is wrong; they are suppose to be lawmakers but they are lawbreakers. There is what they call the power of citizen arrest and if they failed to arrest this ugly situation I will have no choice but to arrest those who cover their number plates. There is a section in the law that empowers the citizen to do that but you can’t detain or use arms or violence but you can use your physical power to restrain and arrest.

As the Observer-General I am going to give the Presidency some time and if nothing is done about it I, Ultimate Equal will arrest them.

Question—In watching the national confab, it means different things to different people, to you what is your impression?

Answer—My perception has not changed, the confab is a scheme to prepare President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office but they will fail because there was no need for it. We celebrated centenary and spent about N7 billion and before that celebration about 58 children was slaughtered in their sleep precisely two days before, I am very sure that if the children of one of these top government officials who has bankrupt us, who

has no feeling for the poor and not sensitive to Nigeria problem were there I am very sure they would have postponed the centenary celebration. Having said that, if we are serious about what we are doing; we are unable to pay N18, 000 minimum wage, we are unable to pay journalist wages that commiserate with their job and you are going to pay somebody N4 million a month. You are going to pay N12 million for three month to a man who say he is going to impact on nation building? I am using my money to do most of the things I do, does anyone pay me? What Nigerians needed was a referendum because we already have people whether selected or voted for to represent us at both the state and the national assemblies and those people were sent to represent us there, they should be able to do the job they are sent there to do. So if they say they needed a conference, why did they not use the state and national assemblies because we elected them to represent us there? So I never believe in the confab but because I am a democrat; if there is a public poll and 70 percent of Nigerians say they wanted a confab I don’t have a choice but let them do what they want to do, time will tell.

Question—-Sir, there is this school of thought who believe that the national conference currently going on might to give us the right answers to our national problem because the confab is made up of men and women who are old and have been in and out of government for long to the detriment of the youth, what is you say on this?

Answer—I am not going to rubbish the old men there because I want to be old, I have seen that there are men who are very intelligent, who are very literate and well respected but the issue I have is that most of them there has been there before and have done nothing, most of them there have live their live and probably living the lives of their children and their children’s children so they have no business in the confab. They are suppose to be elder statesmen who should choose their children to go there and speak for themselves and tell the nation what we need because we are in the digital era. I have no problem with old people but I have problem with those old people that were selected, some of them are morally bankrupt, some of them and not all and they know themselves.

Question—You just said plan to impose Jonathan on us for a second term will fail but I learnt that the Labour Party (LP) which you are a chieftain has said they have adopted Jonathan as their candidate for next election, how true is this sir?

Answer—We have never said that, Inwuayanwu who has been our national leaders in Labour Party is a gambler.

A gambler is somebody who is never sure of his bet.

Inwuayanwu; quote me, is somebody who at a time say Abacha is going to rule forever, he has not done anything better in his life.

Inwuyanwu is a stooge, he cannot speak for us because his tenure as a national leader has expired; he is only there because of Mimiko and Mimiko put him on his pay roll and he has no right because by the time election begins, Inwuyanwu would have been shown the way out of the office. He knows me and he knows I am very vocal and that is why I was almost frustrated before I was elected as the deputy Chairman of the party. There was gang up, there were false allegation and at a time I was even arrested but I am not worried about that because by their shoes we shall know them.

Question—Are you saying that, the labour party will not adopt a candidate as the elections draw near?

Answer—I cannot say that, what I am saying that there are procedures, we have not done any consultation so when that comes we will cross the bridge.

Question—The labour party in Edo state seems to be in doldrums for now, how prepared are you as the election draws nearer?

Answer—We are very prepared, we are coming out with some jingles, the labour in Edo state is the journalist, the artisans, the mechanic, the shoemaker, the customs, the police, market women, the farmers. They are the real person who feels the pinch of this economy. The reason why labour has not gained momentum let us be realistic, election today is money, even in America today, as civilized as they are, and they still need money for election. If not for the whole world that rally round Obama, he wouldn’t be there.

So you need money for election and that have been our disadvantage. So we are going to throw it open and task people that in order for us to move this county forward they should come and do some voluntary work for us. Those who cannot give money can do some work for us voluntarily and gives us their kindness. I am very sure that if I take labour I will take it to its heights because I am successful and I am somebody who see reason before I act, I don’t act on impulse. You have followed me a long time and you know who I am. A lot of people don’t like my style and I don’t blame them. The PDP, APC, LP, we are all Nigerians, we all brothers, we all want something, what you want is what I want, it is just that we are asking for the differently. When a white man sees us he does not look us as Afemai or Ishan or Edo, the white man sees us as brothers but we do not see ourselves as brothers. We should not play politics of bitterness, we should all play the politic that is civilized and can take the state to the next level.

Education EXAMINATION malpractice have become a common thing in our educational sector today. This cankerworm has eaten deep in all levels of educational system ranging from primary, secondary school down to tertiary institution.

The recent cancellation of the result of over 27,000 candidates out of the one million five hundred candidates who sat to the last Unified Tertiary Exam by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) shows the rate of examination malpractice in the country which has dogged the nations examination system for long.

Today, it takes a high degree of courage and deep sense of patriotism for any one to bother his or herself talking or discussing about it because nearly every citizen of this great country are involve din one way or the other.

Examination malpractice is an illegal behaviour by a candidate before, during or after the examination so that he or she can attain success easily and cheaply, hence the rules of examination is violated. It can also be seen as a deliberate wrong doing contrary to official unfair advantage or disadvantage.

It comes in different form like the leakage of examination papers before the exams, impersonation, writing on piece of paper.

Board and dictation of examination answers for candidate, candidate using mobile phones, writing on piece of paper, palm among others. Lack of

Menace Of Examination Malpractice In Nigeria Educational System

self confidence, laziness of student, i n a d e q u a t e preparation for exam, unserious ness corrupt i n v i g i l a t o r s , supervisors, parents are the root causes of e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice.

Every year,

By OROBOR IMUETINYAN themselves without e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice of any kind failed. This prompt the question whether all the student are dunces? I leave the answer for the

sustainability of good quality education.

Creativity and resourcefulness are hampered. It has also created great havoc on the social, religious, economic and political

examination bodies to answer.

The effect of e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice in our country today cannot be over emphasized and it has impose a great threat to the survival and

lives of Nigerians.

Therefore we have: incompetent and corrupt workforce ranging from quack doctors who know little or nothing about the human body ailment and it remedies; lawyers who put their

Jonathan

thousands of SSCE students leave their states to other states in search for miracle centers, where they can pass their exam easily and cheaply.

Sometimes, it happens that 90% of student who wrote SSCE exam

“The effect of examination malpractice in our country today cannot be over emphasized and it has impose a great threat to the survival and sustainability of good quality education. Creativity and resourcefulness are hampered. It has also created great havoc on the social, religious, economic and political lives of Nigerians.”

intelligence to the use of criminals engineers who are not better than road side technician as evidence in collapsing buildings, poorly constructed roads etc; teachers that cannot teach but simply aid and abet exam malpractices among others.

“Gone are those days when students relined only on their brains to pass exams”. This old saying can come to plain again if e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice is eradicated.

To eradicated this malaria parasite ravaging our educational sector, all hands must be joined together, because a tree cannot make a forest.

Students should take their studies serious; they should developed the spirit of hardworking and self confidence.

However, parents should have genuine reason for every penny spent on their child’s education. They should know that they are the embodiment of good morals therefore, they should show good example to their children. Also they should try to monitor their child’s education no matter how tight their schedules is and stop pushing their children from one class to the other when they know that they are not academically sound.

Lecturers, teachers should also play their part to eradicate this disease by covering the school syllabus and also encourage the student to have self confidence by stressing the

importance of reading and hardwork.

The examination bodies such as JAMB, WAEC, NECO, etc should be sanitized and employ officials of unquestionable character.

Finger prints, photographs should be used as part of security for the exam.

The government is not left out; they should pay more attention to education because intellectual capital is the brain behind economic and sociopolitical growth in a country. Lecturers, teachers allowance should be increase and paid timely. The government should not allow those caught in e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice to go scot free to serve as deterrent for those who might be nursing the intention.

Concrete device should be employed by the government to eradicate this practice by introducing effective penalties against those who carry out exam malpractice so that Nigeria will have graduate who really merited its result and of good character.

Nigeria will never have quality education and the war against corruption will remain impossible, if e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice is not eradicated. Measures taken down will go a long way to determine the future of our country.

Let join hands together now to sanitize our educational system, so that we can have a better Nigeria.

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R lationship ACCORDING to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Surrogacy is “the process of giving birth to a baby for another woman who is unable, either medically or physically to have babies herself.

Surrogate according to the above dictionary is “used to describe a person or thing that takes the place of or is used of somebody/ something else”. A surrogate mother is a “woman who gives birth to a baby for another woman who is unable to have babies of her own.

Over the years, surrogacy has entered the western culture and it is very common over there while it is gradually creeping into the Africa culture, though none talks about it but is being practice secretly. Abroad it is legal but here, I doubt it. Most women that couldn’t get pregnant due to infertility, several miscarriages or career have tend to embrace using surrogate mothers to have family of their

Can You Carry Another Woman’s Baby? own.

Though, it is a method of achieving motherhood through someone, it helps to fight infertility and put smiles on women’s face, yet it remains one of the least talked about tools in infertility especially in

By CHELSON

Africa.

Come to think of it, how would you feel carrying someone else baby? Maybe,

your sister, friend, cousin, niece, sisterin-law, daughter or even a stranger?

How would you feel

knowing that another man’s sperm and another woman eggs is growing in your womb, which means you are letting out

your womb for 9months, enduring all the hormone changes, shot, the morning sickness and other changes like in figure, in the firs t to third trimester.

Then at the end of it all you part with the child. There are lots of sacrifices a surrogate mother makes, her own family reaction, work though some women take it as a job. There might be some unsuccessful embryo transfer and the fact that she can’t travel during the pregnancy period, the painful shots, also the e m o t i o n a l attachment to the child, dis-attached from the child at the time of handling over the child to the real parents, which is the hardest part of being a surrogate mother.

Women who do it for money usually do it for gay couples mostly, for the activism, or for financial benefit.

While some do it for favour or fascination of having the satisfaction of helping other women, seeing the smiles on the intended parents.

“Most women that couldn’t get pregnant due to infertility, several miscarriages or career have tend to embrace using surrogate mothers to have family of their own. Though, it is a method of achieving motherhood through someone, it helps to fight infertility and put smiles on women’s face, yet it remains one of the least talked about tools in infertility especially in Africa.”

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A riculture

Cultivating Bio-Fortified Crops For Improved Health HARVEST Plus is an international agriculture organisation which specialises in funding researches resulting in bio-fortification of crops, especially in countries with limited access to nutritious diet.

When Dr Howart Bouis, Director-General of Harvest Plus International visited Nigeria in 2012, he said the country was the first in Africa to have access to fortified Vitamin A. Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) lowers immunity and impairs vision especially among children, and can lead to blindness and even death.

Available records show that in Nigeria, Vitamin A Deficiency afflicts about 30 per cent of children under five years, almost 20 per cent of pregnant women, and 13 per cent of nursing mothers.

The organisation funded the research carried out by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, which used bio-fortification process to produce the Vitamin A cassava, also known as “yellow cassava” because of its colour.

Bouis who visited a pilot Vitamin A cassava farm at Lagaye community, Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, said the breeding of the variety was the outcome of many years of research.

Bouis said he was delighted to be in Nigeria on inspection visit to see the result of the

By RAZAK OWOLABI organisation’s global initiative.

The head of the community, Chief Peter Adeyemo said the task of developing rural communities should not be perceived by the developed countries as a burden. Adeyemo said it should be seen as “an exciting experience to share in the wealth, knowledge and skill with those who also have, but have not discovered themselves.” Adeyemo thanked Harvest Plus for providing effective and. inspiring leadership which encouraged the “rich to share with the poor, experts to share with the ignorant.”

Adeyemo, a former Senator, urged Nigerian legislators to propagate the cultivation of yellow cassava in their various constituencies.

The organisation also funded the fortification of Vitamin A maize in the country. Mr. Paul Ilona, Country Manager of Harvest Plus, said about 1.8 million Nigerian households would have access to fortified Vitamin A by 2016. Ilona said that the maize fortification programme targeted 25,000 households in the first year. He said that the plan was to multiply intensively the biofortified maize crop so that by 2014, as many households as possible would be reached.

“Before the end of Phase I of our bio-fortification programme which will continue till 2018, we

want to reach out to about eight million Nigerians who should be planting bio-fortified

progress had been made. ‘For cassava, we have about 500 hectares planted now. Starting from March 2013, we shall be disseminating planting materials to about 100,000 households in Nigeria.”

The Vitamin A fortified

they were a product of nearly a decade of breeding for enhanced levels of pro-vitamin A. “The hybrids outperformed local varieties with yields ranging from six to nine tonnes per hectare, compared with two

Adesina, Minister of Agriculture

crops. “For now, our areas of focus in Nigeria are cassava and maize, but in the near future, we will bring fortified millet,” Ilona said.

He said the fortified Vitamin A maize in Nigeria would greatly complement the nutrients in the diet of the rural poor. On the level of penetration in the distribution of fortified cassava, Ilona said great

maize hybrids were released on July 4, 2012 by the National Variety Release Committee of Nigeria as Ife maizehyb 3 and lfe maizehyb 4.

They are also recognized as IITA hybrids A0905-28 and A0905-32. Speaking on the bio-the titled maize, a maize breeder at JITA. Dr Ahebe Menkir who led the development of the new maize hybrids, said

“For now, our areas of focus in Nigeria are cassava and maize, but in the near future, we will bring fortified millet.”

tonnes per hectare recorded on local variety.

Researchers said the hybrids could supply enhanced levels of Vitamin A in the diets.

According to Menkir, maize is the most frequently consumed staple in Nigeria, with about 20 per cent of households consuming it at different times within a week. “These hybrids will provide not only increased amounts of pro-vitamin A but also improve productivity in farming communities”.

Mr. Samuel Olakoju, another maize breeder, said areas where maize consumption was high was targeted to “help address the problem of

Vitamin A Deficiency in Nigeria.” To achieve maximum level of acceptance of biofortified crops, Ilona suggested that biofortification should be built into the national health policy.

The Harvest Plus country manager said there was the need to communicate both the health and nutritional benefits of Vitamin A cassava to adopters for easy acceptance.

He urged disseminators to focus more on youths engaged in agriculture, as they are the ones who usually embrace newly improved crop varieties than the “old conservative farmers.” Ilona said the farmers should be convinced that adopting fortified Vitamin A crops would provide not only food for their households, but income for sustenance as well.

The researcher said past studies had shown that whenever an improved variety was introduced, its adoption usually suffered setback even when given free to farmers. Commenting on Harvest Plus and its biofortification projects in Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Elegbede, Oyo State Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said the organisation’s effort would assist the government greatly in achieving its target in food security and a g r i c u l t u r a l transformation.

He appealed to Harvest Plus not to relent in its effort in Nigeria and other developing countries.

Experts and stakeholders want Harvest Plus to sustain its activities in Nigeria and other developing countries.

They want the government to sensitize the people to the importance of embracing bio-fortified crops not only to enhance their health but to also to boost their income.

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Sambo, Vice President of Nigeria

Abubakar, IGP

The Menance Of Fulani Herdsmen

TROUBLING times are here in Nigeria. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina announced on Wednesday, March 25, 2014 a decision of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo: “Due to incessant clashes between nomadic Fulani cattle herders and farmers, the Federal Government of Nigeria has decided to set up a committee to work out modalities for establishing grazing reserves across Nigeria.” Let me state

By LEONARD KARSHIMA SHILGBA

here what the Minister cited as advantages of the grazing reserves; I would add my commentary to each “advantage” cited: He said that grazing reserves would help to check the smuggling of

arms and ammunition across Nigerian borders by foreigners who come into the country disguised as cattle grazers.

COMMENTARY: It makes no sense to think that a purely

immigration problem can be solved by an internal creation of grazing reserves. In comparative narrative, I see no rational nexus

between stopping smuggling in of cocaine and creation of internal cocaine colonies across the country. Don’t you think establishment of

“Setting up of grazing reserves “across the country” is certainly not the solution for arms and ammunition smuggling across our borders; it is securing of our borders that will do. If the leadership of immigration and other relevant security agencies has failed to stop smuggling and illegal entrance across our borders then the President should consider a change”

such cocaine colonies would rather instigate more smuggling of the substance?

This comparison pointedly illustrates what the government is trying to do. Setting up of grazing reserves “across the country” is certainly not the solution for arms and ammunition smuggling across our borders; it is securing of our borders that will do.

If the leadership of immigration and other relevant security Continue on pages 16 & 17

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agencies has failed to stop smuggling and illegal entrance across our borders then the President should consider a change of leadership. It is outright stupidity to consider removing a rash on the hand by cutting off the hand.

The establishment of grazing reserves, which would require taking away of land from i n d i g e n o u s communities, would create more bloody baths across Nigeria.

Any government that has failed to secure the borders of a sovereign nation it is mandated to defend is irresponsible.

President Jonathan’s government has established a familiar pattern of handling problems—running away from the obvious solution. For example, it considers complete removal of fuel subsidy as the solution to the abuse of fuel subsidy funds. The government lacks the courage to punish offenders that it refers to as a “cabal”, and has instead decided to punish hapless Nigerians because, in its estimation, they cannot bite. I must warn though, that we the Tiv people will bite. We will not allow grazing reserves for Fulani cattle herders on any inch of Tiv land. Our forebears got us this land as far back as the 18th century AD when there was no Nigeria.

And no Nigerian government will take it from us. Section 25 of the Nigerian Constitution provides that a Nigerian by birth must belong to a

community indigenous to Nigeria, even though timelines for such inclusivity of c o m m u n i t i e s “indigenous” to Nigeria have not been given (1900, 1914, or 1960?).

Accordingly, every Fulani cattle herder who claims to be a Nigerian by birth (and not Chadian, Nigerien, Cameroonian, Senegalese, etc.) must find land in their state of origin (as all Nigerians by birth have them) and establish a grazing reserve there. In fact, their state governments can help them to do so.

When some governors in Nigeria established “Sharia law” in their states, they claimed that was what their people wanted, and that it would be restricted to those states. In the same way, if their Fulani herdsmen need grazing reserves they should establish for them within their states and not “across Nigeria.” The federal government cannot afford throwing up crises by this foolish policy. It is historically evident that nomadic Fulanis are not indigenous to Tiv land. A Kongo proverbs says: “Your area of influence should only affect the things that concern you, for they say, ‘The community solves community problems.’

“A word is enough for the living!

One of their Emirs, the Lamido of Adamawa, said on Thursday, March 26, 2014, on the floor of the on-going National Conference that his kingdom “extends to Cameroon”, and that he could be easily “assimilated” if he decided to go and reside there. What is the point?

The Menance Of

By FEMI FANI-KAYODE

The Fulani people in Nigeria see nothing wrong in bringing in cattle herders from other African countries such as Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Senegal, etc., to graze in Nigeria.

Establishing grazing reserves across Nigeria for Fulani cattle herders will mean the gradual take-over of land from indigenous communities in Nigeria!

Dr. Adesina is reported to have said that “issues such as increasing population of cattle, coupled with influx of foreign cattle from Nigeria’s neighboring countries as well as urbanization, resource degradation, were behind the need for the new government policy.” He said, “We have a rising population of livestock, not only in Nigeria but also from our neighboring countries. A lot of animals are coming in from Chad and several other places leading to a large population that our current capacity cannot cope with.”

COMMENTARY: This statement is one of the most unimaginable statements by a government official on the issue so far. So, Nigeria has decided to make herself the grazing reserves for cattle from other African countries because we are the “Big brother”?

This statement is a clear evidence that government is not interested in controlling our borders, at least the northern borders, which

have been left porous without security. Tiv people are opposed to their land being used as grazing reserves for Fulani cattle.

We are traditionally farmers. We used to move from place-toplace to farm. But the realities of population increase and competition for land have forced us to adopt modern ways of farming.

Should Tiv people also insist that the federal government provide “farming reserves” for Tiv farmers “across Nigeria” in order to stop Tiv people slaughtering and butchering the natives who resist us?

Should the Ijaw nomadic fisherman also be provided, through government executive or administrative action, “fishing ground reserves” “across Nigeria” so that they can practice their traditional business of fishing?

Should the Igbo trader be provided by the Nigerian government “shopping reserves” “across Nigeria” so that they will do their business? There is always a bigger problem that is created by a “solution” that is not thought through.

The Inspector General of Police, himself a Fulani man, spoke in a highly provocative manner few days ago about the slaughter of the Tiv people on their ancestral land by his Fulani brethren. He also said there must be grazing reserves and revival of “grazing

routes” for his brethren’s cattle before the attacks on Tiv people and other Nigerian natives would end. In fact, he is so proud of “providing

to call this man to order.

Tiv people have lost confidence in his ability to help secure Tivland even as the Nigerian Constitution does not

trad the who and will with

security” for the Tiv people in “their huts and bush houses” that he is relaxed about my people being butchered in spite in those “huts and bush houses” that he “has provided security” for since when the attacks started “ten days ago.” I ask President Jonathan

allow us to establish our state or community police even though we have the ability and resources to.

We the Tiv people are concerned that the Inspector General of Police, Minister of Defense and National Security Adviser are all

that dow Ben of Po man Tiv p is go dem the Com shou

“I must warn though, that bite. We will not allow grazi cattle herders on any in forebears got us this land a century AD when there wa Nigerian government will

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f Fulani Herdsmen

ditionally linked to e Fulani herdsmen o attack Tiv people d other Nigerians at while they stand by h pretentious efforts

t have not calmed wn the situation. The nue Commissioner olice is also a Fulani n; and the murder of people on their land oing on unabated. I mand, for a start, that Benue State mmissioner of police uld be replaced with

a Benue State citizen. We need to be realistic about issues of policing such as community policing, and at least the Commissioner of Police in every state

should be an indigene of such states. Here is the emerging scenario: Fulani herdsmen attack host communities in Nigeria on their ancestral home, dislodging whole communities, and then the Inspector General of Police lends his voice in support of establishing

we the Tiv people will ing reserves for Fulani nch of Tiv land. Our as far back as the 18th as no Nigeria. And no take it from us.”

grazing reserves across Nigeria. Not long after, the National Economic Council under the leadership of the Vice President, also of the same cultural affinity with the aggressors, sets up a committee to work out modalities for establishing grazing reserves “across Nigeria” through an executive action that would be unconstitutional.

Section 42 (1) (b) of the Nigerian Constitution states that: “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person— Be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.”

If Nigeria is a country of laws; if there is any reason in the corridors of power; and if the Nigerian government does not want to be an accomplish in the pogrom of inestimable proportion that will certainly result from its irrational knee-jerk approach to solving the Fulani aggression and assault on innocent Nigerians, then, the committee that has

been set up by government to consider “modalities for establishing grazing reserves across Nigeria” should be quietly stepped down.

Such a contemplation is contrary to the constitutional provision cited above. Any executive or administrative action that gives any privilege or advantage to the Fulani cattle herders that is not given to the Tiv farmer, Ijaw fisherman, Igbo trader, etc., is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect, and shall be resisted and opposed by the Tiv people and other Nigerian who feel the same about it.

There would be no peace and it cannot be enforced.

It seems to me that the only way to get attention and some form of “compensation” from Nigeria is to show some capacity for violence. The Fulani herdsmen and their government officials such as the Inspector General of Police do not have the monopoly of violence. I must also warn the governor of Nasarawa state, Almakura that he must not work against but rather work toward the return of Tiv people to their ancestral lands in Awe, Doma, and Keana local governments. It is his responsibility to facilitate the peace and security of citizens of his state whom Tiv people of Nasarawa state are part of. We request adequate compensation from the federal government to rebuild their destroyed settlements and other destroyed settlements in towns and villages of Benue State that have

been destroyed by the Fulani invaders. I should think that the federal government should be considering re-building

Gbajimba; and the federal government is only talking of seizing lands in Nigeria, including Tivland, to establish grazing reserves for the aggressors? Are we being taught now that violence pays? Can the

Adesina

the destroyed homes of Tiv people, returning and securing them on their farmlands and homes, and adequate financial compensation for their losses on their ancestral homes, and not to be considering establishing grazing reserves “across Nigeria.”

The aggression of the Fulanis has left thousands of Tiv people as refugees in their country. What is the federal government doing? Even a serving Tiv federal minister is technically a refugee since his ancestral home in Guma local government area has been destroyed, including the headquarters of his local government area,

federal government cope with the emergence of another militia group that senses injustice?

We the Tiv people will fight injustice with all we have got, especially, the type that threatens the extinction of our race.

We have no other choice. The only thing that gives me an academic claim to the Nigerian nationality is my ethnic group (according to section 25 of the Nigerian Constitution).

All Tiv congress- men and -women at both state and federal levels and delegates at the National Conference must understand that their claim to Nigeria will end with the demise of their Tiv nation. This is a call to duty!

s

I sues AGRICULTURE is not glamourous. It suffers from entrenched negative perceptions. In the minds of many African youths, a farmer is someone like their parents, doing backbreaking labour in the fields and getting little to show for it.

N o n e t h e l e s s , agriculture is the engine driving of many African economies. If it were to get the same political

Denting Youth Unemployment

and weather-beaten farmers puts off many young people. Having seen their aging parents go through the traumatic experience of farming using basic equipment, these young people opt to settle in urban areas in search of employment. “Young people have second thoughts about

By BUSANI BAFANA force, according to the Africa Economic Outlook Report 2013, published jointly by the African Development Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the UN Development

statistics, the sector has huge potential. The World Bank estimates that African agriculture and agribusiness could be worth $1 trillion by 2030. For that to happen, there must be improvements in electricity and irrigation,

many jobs.

Fast-growing economies that can cut poverty and create meaningful jobs, particularly for youths, require political will from leaders and huge injections of investment in agriculture, according to Professor Mandivamba Rukuni, a

Mahama

Jonathan support and financial investment as the mining sector, agriculture would be capable of providing more decent jobs and filling millions more stomachs with nutritious meals.

Francisca Ansah, an extension officer with expertise in agriculture and rural services, works with farmers in the upper west regions of Ghana. At a farmers’ conference in Ghana last year, she said the image of poor, ragged

agriculture as the source for jobs,” said Ms. Ansah.

Despite the negative perceptions, the agricultural sector employs as much as 60% of Africa’s labour

Programme.

Yet because of low productivity, the sector accounts for only 25% of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Despite such grim

slower rate,” he says, adding that the continent has been the slowest region in its efforts to eradicate poverty. He emphasizes the need for governments to focus on adding value to agriculture and to form partnerships with the private sector and set joint targets. On how governments and the

coupled with smart business and trade policies.

An agribusiness private sector working alongside government could link farmers with consumers and create

“Fast-growing economies that can cut poverty and create meaningful jobs, particularly for youths, require political will from leaders and huge injections of investment in agriculture, according to Professor Mandivamba Rukuni, a Zimbabwean researcher and land policy analyst.”

Zimbabwean researcher and land policy analyst.

“Africa is still on average 60% rural in population.

The African Union has defined the immediate future around agriculture as the main force in social and economic transformation of the continent,” says professor Rukuni, who has published widely on African agriculture.

“Africa’s economies have been growing sustainably since 1999; agriculture has also been growing, but at a

private sector could work together, Professor Rukuni says, “Look at China, India and Brazil: there is no distinction between government and private sector.”

Africa’s lack of competitiveness in agriculture is a drag on efforts to boost employment in this sector. Professor Rukuni d e s c r i b e s competitiveness as involving “what the government is prepared to do to support its producers to gain access

s

I sues

Through Agriculture In Africa to their markets.” His solutions include boosting rural development through a chain of activities that add value to agricultural products, providing necessary infrastructure to stem urban migration and empowering women and youths to run small businesses.

Marco Wopereis, deputy director general at the Cotonou-based Africa Rice Centre in Benin, says innovations in agriculture could unlock vast employment opportunities. The rice sector alone has the potential to employ many of the 17 million young people who enter the job market in subSaharan Africa each year. With financial support and training programmes, young rice farmers could boost rice production and add value to it, said Mr. Wopereis in an interview with Africa Renewal. “With so many people without a job, the rice sector in Africa is a golden opportunity to provide jobs.”

Many experts have expressed alarm over Africa’s growing youth unemployment. Ibrahim Mayaki, chief executive officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the African Union’s development agency, calls youth

unemployment a “time bomb.” Sub-Saharan Africa’s youth population is increasing rapidly, with the 15- to 24-year-old age group at 200 million, a figure that is expected to double by 2045, according to population experts. But agriculture could potentially provide enough food and jobs.

In a 2013 report, Agriculture as a Sector of Opportunity for Young People in Africa, the World Bank added its voice to data by other organizations showing that agriculture is Africa’s largest employer and has the potential to absorb millions of new job seekers. According to the report, increased focus on agriculture could enhance productivity, reduce food prices, increase incomes and create employment. Young people’s involvement in this process is crucial.

“Although farming is now often done by the elderly, the profession’s requirements for energy, innovation, and physical strength make it ideally suited for those in the 15 to 34 year-old age range; that is, ‘the mature young,’” notes the Bank.

The consensus among experts is that for agriculture to create high employment, young people must get involved.

Strive

Masiyiwa, vice-chair of the board of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a continental body involved in assisting small-scale farmers across Africa, says it is possible for agriculture to be both more productive and hip

prices of their produce.”

Agriculture has to be dynamic and profitable to attract youths, he adds.

To support this vision, AGRA is mobilising 450 farmers’ organisations in 14 countries to give smallholder farmers market access and

Eileen Sirleaf enough to attract young farmers. “My vision is that the smallholder farmer may still work the land… they will be using new seeds, fertilizers, modern methods; they will be young, they will be skilled and have cars outside their houses and market information on

“In a 2013 report, Agriculture as a Sector of Opportunity for Young People in Africa, the World Bank added its voice to data by other organizations showing that agriculture is Africa’s largest employer and has the potential to absorb millions of new job seekers.”

scale up their activities, thousands of the unemployed will find jobs.

Over the years Africa’s agriculture has travelled a bumpy road. Obstacles have included the global economic crisis, food price spikes, climate change, poor harvests,

national budgets to agriculture and rural development.

Of Africa’s 54 countries, only eight (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Cape Verde, Mali, Chad, Ethiopia, Niger and Guinea) have to date invested 10% of their national budgets in agriculture. But Africa has huge agriculture potential. The World Bank estimates that the

Paul Kagame bargaining power for their produce.

Thousands of such farmers in African countries where AGRA operates already have easy access to improved seeds of staple crops, fertilizers, markets, finance and are reaping the benefits of improved soil and water management. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, for example, 295,000 farmers have been trained in fertilizer microdosing (the process of applying small doses of fertilizer on crops) and ways to improve the soil and the yield of food staples such as sorghum. The hope is that as these farmers

and poor storage facilities during times of plenty. The result has been the failure of agriculture to generate high job numbers and make a big dent in poverty.

The African agricultural plan known as the Comprehensive African Agricultural D e v e l o p m e n t Programme (CAADP) is intended to bring about jobs, large economic gains, a reduction in hunger and, through increased productivity, a reduction in food imports. Under CAADP, which was adopted in 2003, African leaders committed to allocate at least 10% of their

region has more than 50% of the world’s fertile and unused land. SubSaharan Africa alone has some 24% of the world’s land with rain-fed crop production potential.

Besides, foreign direct investment in African agriculture is forecast to grow from less than $10 billion in 2010 to more than $45 billion in 2020.

A robust agricultural sector is necessary for sustained economic growth and high-paying jobs in Africa, according to the International Labour Organization.

Making it a reality is a major task for the next 10 to 20 years.

V ew Point

iIn Nigeria Everything Is Upside Down

By BENJAMIN OBIAJULU ADUBA

Vice President Sambo THE alleged rift in the Nigerian security team follows the “normal Nigerian situation”: insubordination, ignorance, lack of

NIGERIA is undoubtedly a country with great promise. on account of her favourable weather conditions and rich supply of natural resources, Nigeria was once described by my good friend, Olanike Omolehin, as a country situated in the heart of God; and I agree with her.

However, in the same piece, she laments the woes of Africa’s second largest economy calling it, among other things, “My sweet country where NOTHING works”. And that’s where the dilemma is.

As much as we cannot deny Nigeria’s potential to become one of the most desirable nations to live in, we also cannot shy away from our pervasive challenges.

integrity, lack of protocol, unpatriotic action, bloated egos leading to confrontation, and lack of respect.

The truth will eventually emerge and the public will know why the defense minister has resigned or threatened to resign.

The president has the opportunity to clarify anything that has not been understood among the security team. The command structure in a p r e s i d e n t i a l arrangement runs from the president and commander in Chief through the Minister of Defense to the Chief of Staff Defense Headquarters and down the service chiefs.

The National Security Adviser is not in the command structure directly.

His responsibility is akin to that of a coordinating

secretary to the security apparatus. He brokers agreements, with departments; informs the president on a daily basis what the security situation of the country is, based on information from the service chiefs and other people in the national security team which includes the police. He also adds information from Minister of Foreign Affairs with regards to foreign threats. There should be no confusion whatsoever about the command structure and anybody who does not understand this ought not to be in the team for security demands strict adherence to the rules or prompt action/ reaction during threats would be too much compromised.

It is important to note that what one was in the service in a prior life is of no consequence. If one was a 4-star general and the other was a mere sergeant and if the sergeant is the CIC or the minister of defense, he/she must COMMAND the 4-star general. This is how it goes in a civilian government as opposed to what obtains in Military government. In a civilian administration the civilian commands the military, and takes salute from the highest military officer.

A military/security man who does not like this arrangement should resign or be fired. If in doubt go and read about President Truman and his generals and commanders.

I think that the problem Nigeria is experiencing is due to our presidential constitution which we copied from the United States without proper training.

It might be a good idea during the proposed National Conference to consider returning the country to the parliamentary system which we grew up in. It is much easier to operate.

Mr. Jonathan should look into what happened and call somebody to order now or the country could be in trouble later. If indeed some ex this and ex that are messing with Nigerian security they too need to be shown the inside of a detention center and after due process.

The world would not end.

Nigeria: The Dilemma Of Nation

By PHILIP AMIOLA

One problem that has especially bothered me over time is our value system which seems to have little respect for human dignity and the sanctity of human life.

Needless loss of lives does not seem to bother us anymore.

When we’re not talking about the destruction being wreaked by Boko Haram, we’re discussing the havoc being inflicted by Fulani herdsmen.

That is not to mention police brutality, illegal d e t e n t i o n , dehumanising condition of our prisons and various acts of subjugation. In

November 2013, at least twenty-five people lost their lives while apparently trying to invoke the beggarly generosity of a politician. Now, some folks are capitalising on the challenge of unemployment to waste our youths and the youths themselves are too blind to see.

While the Nigerian Immigrations service has been in the spotlight as a result of the tragedy that attended its ill— advised recruitment test recently, a cursory inspection will reveal that many other government agencies and privately-owned firms are equally

culpable.

When are we going to develop value for human life in this nation? When are we going to stop treating people with indignity? When are the “masses” going to stop running after every foolish scheme like hungry dogs scrambling for dry bones? When are we going to ditch the lie that we are ‘the masses” and wake up to the reality of our true identity as plenipotentiaries of the Most High God? We have wallowed in the mud of greed, selfishness and corruption for too long; and this has robbed us of our collective power as a people. As

Senate David Mark

a nation, we have allowed a few bad eggs to spoil our omelette. We are not going to tolerate this anymore. Now is the time to stop playing

the fool and start living out our true identity as the great nation that we are, change is imminent. A revolution is underway. We cannot avoid it.

n

I terview

• Senator (Dr.) Domingo Obende

relationship with God and our people that voted us in the first instance.

Well, all that I have said has to do with the fact that to whom much is given, much is also expected and one good turn deserves another.

I have given all that I think I can in this my first tenure, to making people understand that aggressively, I am representing them and delivery the message well.

Am I interested in going back? Of course, I am interested in going back to the senate in 2015 to consolidate on those achievements that I have made so far.

Sir, one of the allegations that had been leveled against you is that your desperation to get to the senate in 2011, truncated the existing arrangement where one of the three axis in the Edo North must have a second term, thus depriving Owan axis the benefit of that arrangement. What is your take on this?

Well, I want the general public, especially, my immediate constituency to understand this. Nigeria is not running a one-partysystem and if Nigeria is not running a one-party-system,

Would you agree that your leaving the PDP then to the A.C.N, was an act of desperation?

If I wanted to be desperate in 2007, I was invited by AC to come join them and I would be given the ticket and I said NO! I had just joined PDP, I joined PDP in December 2002. I said no, and I have only taken part in the conduct of one election which was in 2003. So I needed to actually understand what politics is all about. If I was desperate in 2007, I would have pulled out. But you will agree with me that I never did. But what made me to leave has to do with the fact that this is a government that is doing well and what do we expect. And this man is from Edo North – that is the governor and he is doing very well and everybody is appraising him in a very high form. So I felt that we can join hands together and work together.

Had I not gotten the ticket in 2011, I would still have been in A.C.N. I am not a desperate person, I have my second address; I have my business. So I have never been desperate and of course, when am done with my second tenure, people will know whether I am desperate or not.

every arrangement that has been put in place, had naturally been put in place by those political parties.

In 1999, Oyofo represented Edo North for two tenures under the umbrella of the PDP. Also in 2007, Yisa Braimah represented Edo North under the umbrella of PDP and in 2011, Yisa Braimah was equally fielded

by PDP which means, the PDP gave him the second tenure.

But here comes another political party, the A.C.N. They started their own arrangement and what is the arrangement?

The arrangement is Edo North Senatorial seat should go to Akoko Edo and I happened to be the lucky man that picked the ticket and I have won. It is also the same arrangement – two tenure.

This is my first tenure. It is only cogent that my second tenure under APC should be assured, and by the arrangement on ground, am going for a second tenure.

When I leave, it goes to wherever it is zoned to, and peradventure, like most of the people were aggrieved and said Yisa Bramah cannot go for the second tenure and they fielded me. If anybody is aggrieved the person can go and join another political party and let him be fielded and let us see if the people would appreciate him better or appreciate me better.

What is your response to those who are saying that Senator Obende cannot go back for a second tenure because he truncated the arrangement?

Well, I have never truncated any arrangement.

The political party fielded me, that believed that it is the turn of Akoko-Edo, bearing in mind the governor is from Etsako and the SSG also from Owan, and they felt that Akoko-Edo should field the Senatorial candidate and I did.

If I had lost the election what would they had said?

Obviously, it would have gone to Owan and Owan would have been assured to have done their second term.

And for even the ticket being given to Owan alone, that is a clear confirmation that every arrangement that every political party puts on ground, is being agreed upon and nobody is truncating anything. I have not truncated any arrangement because I am not part of any arrangement. It is the political leaders that sit in government.

What do we expect from Senator Obende as the Senate progresses in the years?

Well, I have always tagged myself along with God, and God has always directed me in wisdom in everything that I have to do. I am going to

I Did Not Tuncate Any Political Arrangement – Senator Obende SENATOR (DR.) Domingo Obende is one man who does not mince words when he speaks.

He is frank, bold and honest to a fault.

In this interviews, the Senator Representing Edo North Senatorial District speaks of life in the Senate, his achievements and quest for a second term.

He disagrees with his critics that his election in 2011 was a desperate political move which truncated the zoning arrangement in Edo North Senatorial District.

Senator pointed that he has a date with destiny and was diligently keeping faith with his creator.

Senator Obende spoke with our man, MATTHEW OKAGHA. Excerpts:Good day Senator. How will you describe life in the senate?

Well, life is the senate is getting more interesting. As you know very well, when we got there in 2011, we settled down very quickly and we have been doing the job we needed to do, and the result in on ground. If you saw my report card that had just been released, you will see all my achievements that I have been able to consolidate. And I think life in the senate is good, very interesting, very co-operating but of course, we are getting to the more interesting aspect of the senate where the opposition is taking a stand on what opposition should really be.

So, I think we have more interesting life ahead of this period.

What specific areas would you say that Edo North people have benefited from your

representation?

Edo North clearly has benefited a lot, I will tell you that this time that am in the senate, everybody can testify that there is a voice in the senate that is representing the good people of Edo North, and by implication, Edo State and Nigeria in general.

And of course, with my recent bill on prohibition against same sex marriage which had been passed into law, that is Edo North in the Guinness book of Record for you. What is more, I have 13 other bills going through various stages of completion for now. And in human capacity development, I have been able to encourage a lot of projects in areas of construction, street lights, boreholes, classrooms, health centres and Town Hall.

Those are capacity building for the communities. Don’t

forget that my slogan is “one people, one community.” So whatever we are doing, we make sure that we carry the people along. And last year, I empowered more than 600 people in my empowerment programme that took place in Auchi and for now, I am still empowering the people.

How will you describe the level of politicking against the backdrop of some media campaign against your representation?

Well, generally, politics in Edo North is usually very interesting. When I was in the PDP, we had all these fights and of course, in ACN the same game. When in 2010, I joined the ACN, it was huge, huge blackmail all over but to the glory of God, God gave me the ticket and am so cock sure that God has also said that, I am going to get the ticket come 2015. If am going to get it, well I wouldn’t mind whatever anybody is saying.

The important thing is that we should not cross the line because I don’t accuse anybody. When I write or my people write, fact are stated.

We don’t go into fallacies. We are going to be focused and in being focused, we engage ourselves unto God who will make all things possible because I believe that whatever that is practically seen in the physical, must have been decided in the spiritual. Our own is to have

give my all that I have always known how to give. I am not going to rest knowing that this is an election year.

This is the time we should come out in full force to represent our people and galvanise those things that will make Edo North develop.

Edo North should be rest assured that they have a representative in me.

Senator, you have consistently advocated for a review of the budgetary system in Nigeria. What in your view are the defects in the budgetary system?

I see a serious defect in our budgetary system. I have always said something that everybody at the centre has a village, and if we are coming from a village, it presupposes that we have a local government, if we have a local government and we have state why can’t we use the Indian model of budgetary system where the system of budgetary will start from the local government both in its area of design, procurement. Let it start from the local government to the state and from the state to the centre.

Unless we look at it that way, it will be difficult to get our budgetary system right.

Because look at it, somebody is in Abuja and he doesn’t even know Igarra, he has never been to Igarra before and he doesn’t know the topography, he doesn’t know what is there and what is not there. He sits down at Abuja and designs something for us. How can it work. The locals must be part of the design system, party the procurement and construction, part of the commissioning system and part of the maintenance.

Because when you involved the locals in the budgetary systems, every project that comes, they will see it as “our own, not the government own” and the moment they see it as theirs, they will protect such projects and of course, this vandalism you see everywhere will be eliminated.

You will agree with me that there are a lot of uncompleted projects everywhere and you find the locals vandalizing such projects. Even there are outsiders vandalizing and assuring the locals have a hand in that project, there is no way anybody from outside can come and vandalise such project.

So, am advocating very seriously that our budgetary system, the way it is being procured is wrong. We should change it and let it have a total reflection of the locals, the state before we can talk about federal.

Afterwards, the roads you construct that makes a federal road, belong to locals and they belong to the state.

So why can’t we involve them?

o

C unselling THE realization that counseling psychology is better equipped than any other professional discipline to tackle the mental health problem of industrial workers has been expressed by Leonards (1981). Denga (1993) has added that the mental health of a corporate clientele falls in the province of counselors.

Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists may contribute services, but they work with predominantly abnormal populations such as that will not be found in industrial organization in a great number if at all, they exist.

The counselor on the other hand, handles the normal problems of a normal clientele found in corporate organizations. It is indeed gratifying to note some active and positive trends in many industrial organizations towards providing for the mental health of their workers today.

This is evidence in upsurge of in-house consultancy programmes, which many industries are running to improve both the knowledge and mental health of workers. Quite a few workshops and seminars are being organized. It is realized that a lopsided emphasis on “machine efficiency” even at the expense of the “machine – operator” is blind business (Denga, 2004).

There is a need to treat human muscles with the same concern and alacrity which management usually accords the machine muscles.

The short sightedness exhibited by expenditures which by far favour the machine care compared to human care must be reviewed. Machines and their operators equally count in productivity and profit maximization.

Industrial workers are characterized by the following problems which militate against high productivity: Occupational stress which derives from over exertion plus work demands and overtime hours.

Over indulgence in alcoholic beverage erroneously intended to cure stress and other problems which disturb the worker.

The self-imposed “Coma” from realities of life soon expires and the workers become financially worse than his situation before the organization.

Sickness, accidents, waste of materials reduced productivity, absenteeism and high medical bills which

With

Counseling In Industries

come as a result of stress and abuse of alcohol is high.

Emotional disturbance and anxiety. Some workers are emotionally disturbed and anxious because, they cannot satisfy the expectations of their dependants as well as the extended family. Some (men) are disturbed because the overtime hours which they have to run in order to make extra money tend to keep them too dangerously far away from their spouses for too long.

They imagine a high risk of infidelity from their wives and may easily get involved in some mechanical accident on the job because, their mind is at home, not in the industry.

This is particularly true of men who do not trust their wives or where they have cause to worry. A machine operator confessed he had lost a finger because, his emotional state caused him to miss count and rhythm of the cutting machine. His mind had traveled to his house when he should have removed his finger from the sharp teeth of the machine (Denga, 2004).

Retraining some workers have to be retrained to replace those who have been retrenched for various offenses. Adjustment to the new positions often causes a stir. There is need for a counselor to help in the transition period.

Social Maladjustment.

Some workers have very poor interpersonal skills and cannot interact well with others even when they have a short opportunity to interact.

Workers

O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608

experiencing dysphonic mood cannot maximize their performance. They become vulnerable to stress and other forms of debilitations.

Unrest propensity some workers are unrest – prone.

They are militant and vociferous by nature. Such workers are liable to

technology. The need for industries to explore talents for channeling youths into new specialized areas calls for constant vocational counseling as a dynamic response to new demands.

Personality identification through the use of psychological tests. The

Somebody who has a serious need to meet by expressing himself verbally may probably develop some frustration if deprived of the opportunity to talk to others and vent out all the pent-up urge to talk.

Psycho-social problems of industrial workers. Industrial

retrenchment if they have nobody to assist them to modify their outrageous behaviour which can cost them their job.

Vocational counseling.

Gone are the days, career choice used to denote oncein-a-life time, irreversible choice. The present society has evolved to a point where, there is a vast number of new jobs always coming up with changes in

need to match jobs with relevant worker skills to ensure job satisfaction is obvious. Furthermore, the need to investigate worker personality and relate it to the type of job speaks for itself, workers with peopleoriented personality can probably produce higher if placed in the people oriented personality departments than in machine sections, where there is hardly any opportunity to interact.

workers are normal people with normal problems. Some of these normal problems are only exacerbated by the environmental dictates as can be seen.

Compulsive style of living. Some workers are propelled to compulsive eating (the kind of serious eating that is not related to the physiological hunger or need to eat), smoking and drinking either because they have excess money to waste or they are trying to cover up a problem that makes them anxious and restless such workers engage in other unwholesome activities with the same compulsive tempo.

They certainly need help to stop engaging in those maladaptive and dangerous habits.

The need for preretirement counseling. The inevitability of retirement is akin to the certainty of death.

Some workers in fact, dread retirement for a number of reasons. First retirement, particularly, on the ground of

“Emotional disturbance and anxiety. Some workers are emotionally disturbed and anxious because, they cannot satisfy the expectations of their dependants as well as the extended family. Some (men) are disturbed because the overtime hours which they have to run in order to make extra money tend to keep them too dangerously far away from their spouses for too long.”

old age is next door to death. Denga (2004) states that disengagement from the active working life to senility and the countdown to end of biological life on earth is such a logical construction.

The anxiety of countdown to death cannot be belittled. Second, the payment of retirement benefits in Nigeria is such that a slow and tearful process that when those nearing retirement think of these barbed wires that they will go through, they remain anxious and cheerless.

Thus, the awareness of death is eminent after retirement and the problem anticipated in running up and down to collect one’s legitimate retirement benefits generate psychological crises that argue a case for counseling as a means of inoculation against possible retirement emotional disturbance (Denga, 2004).

The trauma of forced retirement for relatively young people Denga (2004) said is another problem.

Those who are not ready for retirement, view it as a sudden death when it comes. As a result of this, some victims of forced retirement may walk out on their family because of status emaciation or even attempt suicide.

In order to stave off those potential consequences, it is essential for every industry to sponsor a counseling centre where workers can receive pre-retirement counselling before they are due to retirement. It can be added that some workers stop performing maximally even before retirement, because, this bleak future they anticipate, weakens their enthusiasm.

Pre-retirements counseling needs to be run long before workers are on the immediate brink of retirement. If the counselor can work with these nearretiring workers for some time before retirement, there will be enough time to develop alternative interests to be engaged in during the counselling sessions in order to launch such workers with confidence into retirement.

Thanks for reading.

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THRILL seekers that cheat death! You would think that with so many provoked and unprovoked wars, dictators killing their own people, domestic violence, hunger and diseases; humans would not engage in selfdestructive behaviors mimicking Russian roulette. If you do not care about you, how about those that care,

Thrill Seeking behaviors and wars. At fifties or even late forties a man should stop most risky behaviors because of those that may be left behind in case of death.

Others may say that is what insurance is for.

Insurance may provide money, it does not provide touch, caring and

become village egungun, fanty or in kareta. At that age you leave it to the younger ones. Even careful and sensible youths always choose the type of sport and activity that will not

street car racing, riding motor bikes or okada and acrobatic display should be left to youths and younger generation. In these days of AIDS, you wouldn’t dare risk a known prostitute without

love, rely on you and would be left helpless without you?

While young and carefree, we see ourselves as invisible, untouchable and invulnerable to illness and death. As we get older, it gradually dawns on us that we have to be responsible or careful about our choices in life.

In other words we play safe. However, as some of us realize the risk of cheating death, we still seek a thrill out of it. A few of us even chose it as a profession like race car driver, hooliganism and sometimes politics in a dangerous country.

There are usually more boys than girls at birth in most countries, by the time we get to late twenties and thirties, ladies may outnumber men because of risky

loving.

Late forties and fifties are not the ages our sense of balance and dexterity are so sharp. It is the age of the spirit is willing and the body is weak. This is not the age you want to try and jump over that gutter because you think it is not as wide as you are used to or

render them useless.

Easier to lose our sense of balance, many grown men have fallen off the leader. If they are not badly injured, they must thank their stars.

Sometimes if you cannot afford a car, some of us ride a bicycle, motorbikes or okada. Those are cases of circumstances. Illegal

a condom, would you?

Money buys a great deal but it also buys selfdestruction. We have witnessed some youths whose parents have fortunes, drag raced in expensive cars on busy streets killing innocent pedestrians. If they do not care about their own lives and the sadness

By FAROUK MARTINS ARESA

they would cause to their parents when killed, they should rut in jail for killing talikawa or anyone on busy streets. We express disgust and sorrow for the loss of lives.

There was an “accident” some years ago when a young promising boy with three others were speeding in a car that had donut as the fourth wheel. They were all students of one of those prestigious universities. The driver died and the rest sustained grievous injuries. The funeral was full of parents and many of their university students. The father was in his sixties suffering from diabetes. He sat near the open coffin with his wife.

We lined up to see the open casket and bowed.

This writer, was so mad and just wished he could wake him up for a minute and ask him to imagine the agony he had caused his parents and siblings.

He refused to bow. As he got to the parents, he bowed and hugged them.

They were really shaken up as he was their first son. The father had hoped that he would perform great in life for himself and would act as an example for his brothers and sisters.

If that was sad enough, we cannot in good conscience justify a man in his fifties cheating death by choosing dangerous ride, sport or profession knowing full well it can end his life at any time. In consolation, we have heard different rationales.

Some

“Many people had the opportunity and privilege to be that close to someone that has passed away doing what he loved best. You see, it is not about him because he has gone. It is about those he has left behind.

Personal loss, death and illness in a family cannot be understood fully by others. Only those affected know what has hit them since they have to live with it after all the sympathizers are gone, for the rest of their lives.”

claimed, he died happy doing what he loved best.

Others claimed he would not have died any other way. However, those that were close would forever miss his presence, caring and love.

Many people had the opportunity and privilege to be that close to someone that has passed away doing what he loved best. You see, it is not about him because he has gone. It is about those he has left behind.

Personal loss, death and illness in a family cannot be understood fully by others. Only those affected know what has hit them since they have to live with it after all the sympathizers are gone, for the rest of their lives.

The world is dangerous enough without seeking cheap thrill resulting in reckless death. We always say we can get hit by a car crossing the road, it does not justify jumping unto the traffic.

We have religions that rationalize death in any form. They claim it has been written down by God. Others claim we shall meet in paradise where death does not exist. While those kind words may console those left behind, it does not replace the dead.

If you want to choose the way to die find a better choice like at home instead of on the street or by a Rose Royce instead of okada. Hey, Nigerian politicians never die at home, they shop for the best hospital abroad to die in. We have enough loved ones dying in dangerous jobs, accidents, ethnic violence in hostile areas they cannot leave because there is nowhere to go for better offers. The point is why cheat or die recklessly to increase the number of people in agony?

But then, and again, who would tell a grown man what to do or dissuade him form a dangerous hobby, recreation if he claimed that was his only avenue of releasing stress.

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V ewpoint WE beg you dear America with everything you hold dear, please and please, do not repatriate that $458 million seized Abacha assets/loot to Nigeria right now. In case you do not know, though we know you know, there is a hole in the bucket right now. To be more precise, we do not even have a bucket, we have a basket here at present. Bandits are in power. If you give them this money now, I promise you, we will be repatriating this very same $458m again, plus other billions (USD) in another 16 years. Guaranteed!

Something is missing over here so we cannot yet collect that money, please bear with us. Soon it will be repaired and then we will come for it; but for now, kindly keep it well as you have been. The last repatriated funds our leaders’ godfather got back from Switzerland and other of his looted billions of dollars we have been recovering locally, and from the Luxembourg and other stashes, only they know where the money is. The things they said they did with the said funds are nowhere to be seen today. And this lemon—in power currently—did not fall too far from the tree…the $458m will be gone before you can say Jack Robinson; before it even reaches Nigeria. That, sadly, is the way of things these days. We believe you heard about the Berne declaration report and how they steal billions of dollars of our earnings before it ever reaches our shores. This is what we go through. Right now, you can literally see them licking their fingers and fighting over how they will divide the $458m among themselves to buy more private jets and sponsor more terror to test their security in their fortified mansions and bombproof cars.

It is not a problem we cannot and will not handle. We are resolving this slight, dreadful glitch as we speak. It was an unfortunate situation, actually a series of unfortunate coincident incidents that got us here:

Whitehouse: Please Do Not Give Jonathan

The $458 Million Abacha Loot an imprisonment and a death/murder; odd ‘coincidences’ …that got us this Good luck.

God bless you, enh, America, unna do well. To have actually kept the

By FOLASADE FOLARIN transferring such funds which will potentially be utilized to sponsor terror in Nigeria. It has been noted that as billions of dollars

Abacha

Jonathan looted assets intact for 16 years; that is a miracle, the like of which is unheard of in these parts.

Even for few minutes, billions of dollars will not be found over here, talk less 16 years. In our country, while you are looking at the money like this, it will be disappearing. Pension, disappear.

Subsidy, disappear. Oil revenue, disappear. NEITI/gas revenue, gone. Tax, gone!

Road use tax, gone before it is started. Malibu, gone.

NNPC $20-127 billion remittance, gone. The money I had in my pocket just now, gone. In fact, the $458m, check it where you kept it.

The government vipers have heard of it, it may have grown wings already!

As official reason not to remit these funds, please consider the implication of

via transfers from Boko Haram in Nigeria, through AQIM. Please consider that at this time in our history, we

money from any source whatsoever.

Please consider this seriously. As obtains today, most of us live under a dollar a day, while the 1003 cabal and leaders, sorry—rulers

got missing from the nation’s coffers, ‘Boko Haram’ and other deadly menaces in Nigeria happened to simultaneously get stinking rich and able to afford limitless sophisticated weaponry.

We will not want funds released from the US to be used to sponsor al Qaeda and global terror

would benefit immensely if there is a global ban on the purchase of our oil all together. We cause too much ecological pollution for the worth of the oil harvested from our country; and the earnings from the oil—of which most is looted—ends up doing us more harm than good. This is not the right time for us to get any more

who colonize us, live on over a million dollars a day. This is calamitous.

We should not be giving them more dough. If you give them this money now, I promise you, we will be repatriating this very same $458m again, plus other billions (USD) in another 16 years. Guaranteed!

These klepto’s are predictable like desert

“God bless you, enh, America, unna do well. To have actually kept the looted assets intact for 16 years; that is a miracle, the like of which is unheard of in these parts. Even for few minutes, billions of dollars will not be found over here, talk less 16 years.”

encroachment.

Nostradamus spoke of them in the Century II quatrain 62: “Mabus (Abacha), though dead returns. Both man and beast suffer terribly. Then, all of a sudden, vengeance arrives. Much blood, thirst, hunger, when the comet passes.”

Between our Abacha reincarnate leader, sorry—ruler and his second-in-command, the oil minister, the two who we now find are in-laws— long story; you cannot imagine what we go through in our country. At this time we will prefer for our government officials to be strongly sanctioned as they constitute a risk to themselves, to Nigeria and international partners.

You can imagine we have an agent of the president, Wendell Simlin, aka, Reno Omokri who is an open terrorist, on the government payroll. Did you hear about the deadly Immigration scam? Are you aware of the artificial inflicted fuel scarcity—the proposed refinery cabalization?

The colossal man-made flood and what happened to the funds that were allocated to rehabilitate those who lost all? Too much to yarn about, maybe some other time.

Then on a final note, you might not know but our government reveres and gave honorary awards to late Abacha who we (the people and you) recognize was a murderous thief. If this money is returned to the Nigerian government now, even if they do not consume it, they will give it back to the criminal members of his family who have been hoarding our money all this while.

What purpose will your noble action serve then?

We thank you for acting in the best interest of Nigeria. In a little while, we would have cleared up this mess and the money can then be sent to our new era of youth leaders in the new Nigeria.

In God we trust.

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N ture Preserving Medicinal Trees

IN the developed country of Great Britain, there are botanical gardens set up for researchers in medicine of plant conservation. These gardens had help in preserving medicinal trees and plants that could have long gone into extinction. So, the idea of cooking with fire wood does not exist as the towns and country side across England, Whales and Scotland have been provided with gas for cooking and backing of food items.

In Benin and other parts of Nigeria, Kerosine could have been an alternative to British Gas but it is not within the reach of the elite in the urban centers less to talk of people in the rustic environment.

As long as wood is still regarded as kerosene or gas in the villages, the need to explore more wood for this purpose continues to increase on daily bases. In a d d i t i o n , indiscriminate bush burning had adversely affected our trees and local herbs.

No fewer than three hundred indigenous Benin local plants extracts hold value for the treatment of diverse ill health.

According to local

researchers who examined the effectiveness of about 50 plants growing in Edo State concluded that our traditional herbs and roots are as effective for the treatment of diverse ailments.

Trees provide shelter for so many species of wild life.

Despite the harsh environment bush animals find themselves, they have constantly stood the test of time adjusting themselves

By EKAIWE IGINUA OSEMWEKHA

to the different e c o l o g i c a l degradation as a result of tree felling, flooding and bush burning. Another important tree that are very medicinal and providing shelter for

water. In the Bight of Benin about 85% of game fish from nomadic fishermen depend on them.

They create a barrier that protects coastal areas from storm and

so many endangered species of animals, reptiles and birds is called mangroves.

Like their relative trees in the forests they also protect the environment in which it found themselves by faltering polluted

tides.

These trees are highly revered and worshiped by Ijaw migrant fishermen who see them as the best God have given to nature. The trees are easily sighted in

“As long as wood is still regarded as kerosene or gas in the villages, the need to explore more wood for this purpose continues to increase on daily bases. In addition, indiscriminate bush burning had adversely affected our trees and local herbs.�

aggregate of the universal tropical sea shores, mangroves are type of tree or shrubs that include members of several families.

They generally grow in the intertribal areas between land and sea where the water is a

mixture of sea water and fresh water despite the fact that the water is much saltier, most plants can stand mangroves, handle the conditions with ease. The medicinal properties of the tree had been carefully harnessed for the treatment of sores and snake bites.

Throughout the universe many people preferred wood because of its beauty due to the fact that wood is naturally endowed.

Every piece is different.

Each part of wood

removed from a tree or even from one board is not exactly the same. The colour and strength may be similar but not the same pattern of grains.

What rendered many people to wood products is it’s diversity of colour, strength and workability. A tree is not a cheap building materials rather wood that is well treated can provide the shelter that can stand the test of time for our hundred of years.

There is another sea buckthorn tree, a small shrub colourful tree. As a temperate tree it can be found in Russia and the mountainous region of north Western Europe, the Attar mountains of Asia and the northern part of China.

Buckthorn trees was first brought to North America by migrant Russians during the 20th century Amongst the enormous health values of the tree includes, folic acid, fatty acids vitamin C and fluorides. Some modern researchers have attested to the benefits of the sea buckthorn in the treatment of cancer as well as cutting cardiovascular risk factors and also for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal ulcer, liver sickness and disorder of the skin.

Apart from the berry drink being used for diverse ailments it is also very refreshing and taste good.

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E vironment Keeping Our Environment Clean

THE season of fresh corn is around again as a lot of it can be spotted at the Upper Lawani axis of New Benin market.

Many people in the area who could not afford to pay for expensive lunch could be seen on the street munching roasted corn.

About 75% of the garbage around the market environs are constituted by whole sellers and retailers of the product and dexterity is not their business because some of the traders claim to be paying (N40.00) forty naira on daily basis to the local government authority for the purpose of evacuating the refuse.

It is very conspicuous that the environmental organs of the local and state government very often delay in their fiduciary responsibility in the discharge of their duties.

Consequently, the offensive odour that harass the nostries of commuters and pedestrians is a disservice to the good people in our society.

However, fresh corn harvested from our local farms have a very pleasant aroma when roasted or cooked. For a very hungry man, it tastes very palatable and very satisfying even if it is roasted in a polluted environment.

Roasted corn has been the statuesque of celebrating this delicacy as the fastest way of putting paid to hunger.

So, some young girls and women can be spotted in the street roasting or hawking this food item.

Roasted or cooked corn is health food in its natural state if prepared hygienically because it is devoid of additives or perseveres or which scientist have discovered to be detrimental to human health.

Most of the wealthy people out of ignorance take their kids to modern fast food centres to feed them on refined food like ice cream, cake, chocolate, sweets, chicken pie, pork pie

e.t.c. instead of “Ulokaka traditional corn cake, “Akasan” also made from corn… unlike what the people who purchase refined fast food think, these traditional fast food products are well preserved from bacterial and not exposed to flies by careful wrapping with traditional leaf packaging.

In some homes or bukateria, the average Benin man stills favoured the instinctively palatable flavour of refreshing wrapped corn meal food of “Akasan” and Goat intestine Pepper Soup.

Preservation of corn meal “Akasan” in its natural state had been done by wrappings in some local leaf. The leaves commonly used for packaging “Akasan” corn meal includes those of thespesia, opulnearmaror and the lantern leaf (musa paradisiacal) as well as the sheath of corn amongst other. To so many fast food retailers these leaves are so in demand, they fetch a tidy sum, perpetuate a micro industry. But it is a different story these days”Akasan” corn meal and pepper soup at New Lagos road describes the phenomenal as an index of a new era in traditional retail fast food. Palm wine consumers always enjoy a plate of pepper soup and “Akasan” and it is a special delicacy for cooling down the negative effect of alcohol.

The prevailing phenomenon of packaging traditional fast

By EKAIWE IGINUA OSEMWEKHA food indicates that cellophane packaging is systematically assuming a wider coverage in terms of popularity. But this is untrue with the packaging of “Akasan” with nylon cellophanes which had been rejected by consumers who insisted on leaf packaging. The decision for consumers to reject

“moin-moimon” at New Benin Market says “cooking with leaves in order to preserve natural food is laborious than cellophane or small plastic cans. She is of the opinion that it does not really boarder on minimizing cost and maximizing profit but essentially a matter of convenience. She went

cellophane was a right decision because it had been asserted by scientists that nylon cellophane is known to contain chemicals which could leach into food.

Mrs. Odion who sells

further to say that although leaves could add more financial imput to the unit price of wrapping “Akasan” corn meal it has no alternative packaging that will be acceptable to

“Food and nutrition experts agree that food wrapped in leaves after cooking generally do not keep very long. They talk about other coins with leaves for food packaging that have to do with handling and transportation, some times the leaves are unhygienically kept in the open with little or no provision for washing before use. Consequently, leaves may be a source of microbial contamination of food.”

consumers.

A contemporary retailer of “Akasan” who will like to remain anonymous said, “Akasan” corn meal could be wrapped in leaves immediately after cooking while still hot but you can not do that easily with nylon or polethene.

Food and nutrition experts agree that food wrapped in leaves after cooking generally do not keep very long. They talk

There are also looses as a result of inadequate storage facilities, transportation and fungus infections.

Despite the fact that corn does not grow in U.K. you can salvour the delicacy of fresh corn all year round. What the British Government does is to purchase fresh corn from the Caribbean and America which they preserve and sold to consumers at subsidize

about other coins with leaves for food packaging that have to do with handling and transportation, some times the leaves are unhygienically kept in the open with little or no provision for washing before use.

Consequently, leaves may be a source of microbial contamination of food.

For so many decades, the Benins have engaged a cultural profile of subsistent farming. This means that they consume the corn produced in the individual farm. Due to inaccessible roads to most rural farms, there is enormous post harvest loss of corn.

rate.

In America with a bifocal agricultural endowment of temperate and tropical climate. One individual farmer can feed the whole country with fresh corn. They are also able to produce Pop corn and 100% corn oil which is one of the best edible oil in the world.

In the light of the above it is very unfortunate that a country with vast area of land that is suitable for the production of corn still import Pop Corn from America. It is high time the federal government embraced mechanize agriculture which is the bedrock of modern civilization.

Today’s Diet With Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Christ Before You “The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes”. Deuteronomy 1:30 Read: Romans 8:13-16 WHEN the Israelites left Egypt for the Promised Land, God chose their route and led them through the wilderness. He did this by the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. In spite of their number, the terrible conditions of the wilderness and the opposition of their enemies including giants, they got to their destination by God’s guidance. Praise God! The term “Christ before you” talks about Christ guiding and leading you. The Bible makes it clear that: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14 Beloved, the world is a wilderness and we are on our way to heaven. There are alternate routes in the form of choices and decisions for moving on in life. As a child of God who has a destination, you cannot afford to move on just by any route. You cannot make choices being led by the flesh, by your sight, by your feelings or even just by your mere senses (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Remember, not all that

glitters is gold. Your adversary, the devil is prowling, seeking a careless and straying child of God to devour (1 Peter 5:8). In Jesus’ Name, you will not fall prey to him. Many young Christian men and women have run into wrong marital relationships because they allowed themselves to be led by other things apart from God, their Father.

Psalm 114:1 -7 reveals that nothing can stand before the presence of our God, be it sea, mountain or hills. With Christ going before you, obstacles will clear out of your way because of the awesome power of His presence. Enemies pitching battles against you also get crushed in the presence of Jehovah, the Man of

War (Deuteronomy 1:30). Now, how do you get Him to lead you? Psalm 25:9 says: “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”

The meek is the one who has the power and ability to fight but refuses to. He is not just gentle, he has all it takes to hit back and to crush, but he refuses to. He is like a tamed horse. The meek is submissive.

Do you want to enjoy divine leading so that God can go before you?

Then, be prepared to be meek.

Prayer Point: Father, please in any area, I have jumped ahead of you to make choices outside of your leading, be merciful and forgive me.

Whatsoever pain such action has brought to my life, remove and make me whole in Jesus’ Name.

“The meek is the one who has the power and ability to fight but refuses to. He is not just gentle, he has all it takes to hit back and to crush, but he refuses to. He is like a tamed horse. The meek is submissive. Do you want to enjoy divine leading so that God can go before you? Then, be prepared to be meek.”

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N ws Extra SpeakerUrges FG To Adopt Modern Approach In Fighting Insurgents SOKOTO- Malam Lawali Zaiyana, Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly has urged the Federal Government to adopt advanced method of security approach in the fight against terrorism.

Zaiyana told newsmen in Sokoto that counter terrorism strategies should be adopted in confronting the current insecurity situation.

He explained that there existed modern ways of fighting terrorism which should be adopted in the country.

He said sophisticated weapons should be provided

for all the security agencies engaged in the fight.

He also called for effective information sharing among the security agencies in confronting the menace of insurgency.

The speaker said: “It is only by so doing that the battle against terrorism can guarantee peace, progress and political development of the country.’’

He urged Nigerians to offer useful intelligence reports to the security agencies, to enable them to effectively confront terrorism in the country.

“Our collective efforts will

enable the security agencies to apprehend those responsible for causing crisis in the country.

“If we want the best to come from them (security agents), we must prepare to assist them in the discharge of their constitutional obligations,” he said.

The speaker also called for improved working condition of all the security officers to bring out the best in them.

“If the nation expects the best from the security officers, decent barrack accommodation, welfare and improved working condition should be the Federal Government’s main priority.’’

NNPC Donates Multimillion Naira Medical Consumables To Abuja Explosion Victims ABUJA- The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) delivered medical consumables worth millions of naira to victims of Abuja bomb blast at Asokoro, Nyanya and National hospitals in Abuja.

It will be recalled that explosions rocked Nyanya in the FCT on Monday claiming many lives and injuring many others The donation include anaesthetic equipment, BP monitor, glucometer, medical thermometer, proctoscopes, medical weighing scales, pulse oximeters, clutches, gloves, surgical hooks, bandages, cleaning supplies and syringes, among others.

NNPC Group Executive Director (Corporate Services), Mr Dan Efebo, who led NNPC delegates to the hospitals, called on Nigerians to join hands to tackle the menace of terrorism in the country.

He said the donation to the victims and hospitals was to assist them to cope with the very difficult situation the dastardly act had brought to the victims and their families Efebo said NNPC and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr Diezani Alison-Madueke, identified with the victims and assured them of their support.

“We share in your pains and travails at this difficult period and join all well meaning Nigerians to condemn the senseless attack on our collective destiny.

“We call on all Nigerians to join hands and work towards ensuring that the activities of terrorist are brought to an end in the country.

“We assure you of our continuous support and pray for speedy recovery for all the victims in hospitals across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” he said.

Efebo prayed that Almighty God would grant the souls of those who lost their lives in the incident eternal rest and their loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.

The Board Chairman of National Hospital, Dr Tony Okam, while receiving the items, commended the minister for finding time to identify with the victims

“We thank God for the spirit of unity the Nigerians put forward during this unfortunate incident.

“The full complement and cooperation of the staff here was responsible for the low level of casualty recorded during this time.

While noting that the response of NNPC is commendable, he requested for the assistance of the corporation to provide more ambulances because the ones available were not enough.

“The hospital is deeply overwhelmed by the support of NNPC and that of the minister and her team.

We commend the NNPC and the minister for ensuring the availability of petroleum products, especially diesel

which the hospital used mainly for its operation”.

Okam said that 47 victims were brought to the hospitals out of which 14 were dead on arrival, while one later died.

He said there were 26 victims remaining and would be discharged as soon as their conditions improved.

The Chief Medical Director of Asokoro Hospital, Dr Abubakar Amodu, commended the NNPC for identifying with the victims and providing the consumables to the hospitals and the victims.

Amodu said all the victims were in stable condition.

He said that out of 26 victims brought to the hospital, three had been discharged, while one was taken to Wuse Hospital.

Cultural Heritage Presentation Can Stop Violent In Nigeria-curator AKURE- Elder Olorunnipa Amos, the Heritage Curator of the National Commission for Museum and Monuments, Akure, has said that preservation of Nigerian cultural heritage is capable of stopping violence in the country.

Amos said this at a ceremony to mark the 2014 International Day for Monument and Sites with the theme “Heritage for Commemoration”.

“If our cultural heritage is well preserved, all these social vices and violence will be put down.

“It allows proper discipline for the children at various homes and the gregarious nature of African society allows an outsider to reprimand any erring person or child.

“But it is a pity that we have relegated it and elevated Western culture over it,” Amos said.

According to him, the day was set aside to encourage local communities and individuals throughout the world to consider the importance of cultural heritage to their lives.

He said that light must be shed on some of the sacred areas in Nigerian history for preservation of information on heritage property and events of its communities.

Mr Lawrence Amimi, the Ondo State Director of Culture, expressed regrets that most Nigerians now see their culture as being crude, fetish and unproductive.

“It is a matter of regret that we were made to believe that our culture is crude, fetish and unproductive.

“This wrong belief marked the beginning of decline in our culture.

“We must wake up for our cultural rejuvenation and preservation of all our heritage sites with a view to exploiting their values for the benefits of our society,” Amimi said.

Similarly, Dr Adebimpe Ogunleye, the guest lecturer, emphasised that culture had to be preserved because it is pertinent to development.

He stressed that children of the present generation had to be taught and re-orientated to embrace their culture, adding that they should not be blindfolded by Western culture.

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L nten Message

A Reflection On Palm Sunday PALM Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. An event mentioned in all the four canonical Gospels.

In many Christian churches, Palm Sunday includes a procession of the a s s e m b l e d worshipers carrying palms, representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem.

The difficulty of procuring palms in some unfavourable climates led to their substitution with branches of native trees including box, willow and olives. The Sunday was often designated by names of these trees as in YEW SUNDAY, or by the general term Branch Sunday.

In the account of the four Gospels, Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem takes place a week before

By W. I. ERESE (KSM)

his resurrection. The symbolism is captured in Zachariah 9:9 “The coming of Zion ‘s King, see your King comes to you, righteous and victorious lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt the foal of donkey” It was perceived that Jesus was declaring he was the king of Israel to the anger of the Sanhedrin.

According to the Gospels, Jesus rod on a donkey into Jerusalem and the celebration of people there laid down their cloaks in front of him and also laid down small branches of trees. The people sang part of Psalm 11.8:25-26.

Blessed is he who comes In the name of the Lord. We bless You from the name of the Lord The symbolism of the’ donkey may refer to the Eastern

tradition that it is an animal of peace versus the horse which is the animal of war. Thus, a king came ridding on a horse when he was bent on war and rode on a donkey when he wanted to point out he was coming in peace.

Jesus entry to Jerusalem would thus symbolize his entry as the Prince of Peace not as a war wagging king.

In Luke 9:41, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, he looks at the city and weeps over it (an event known as FLEVIT SUPER ILLAM in Latin language) foretelling the suffering that awaits the city. In many lands in ancient near East, it was customary to cover in some way the path of someone thought worthy of the highest honour. Both synoptic gospels and Gospel of St. John express that Jesus was honoured by the people.

“In many Christian churches, Palm Sunday includes a procession of the assembled worshipers carrying palms, representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. The difficulty of procuring palms in some unfavourable climates led to their substitution with branches of native trees including box, willow and olives.

The Sunday was often designated by names of these trees as in YEW SUNDAY, or by the general term Branch Sunday.”

Cabaye Unconcerned

By Lack Of Games YOHAN Cabaye is not concerned his lack of playing time at Paris Saint-Germain could cost him his World Cup place and believes France coach Didier Deschamps “is rather happy I don’t play every game”.

Cabaye, 28, joined PSG from Newcastle United in January, changing status from key first-team player to luxury back-up in the process, and has made just five starts in 11 league appearances for the French champions since his switch to the Parc des Princes.

However, the former Lille man told RMC he did not believe Deschamps, who has previously stated players must be involved at club level to be considered for international duty, was too concerned with him spending

Tiago

Simeone And Mourinho Are Alike, Says Tiago

ATLETICO Madrid midfielder Tiago has talked up his side’s chances of success against Chelsea in the Champions League semifinals and drawn comparisons between Diego Simeone and Jose Mourinho in an interview with Marca.

Tiago, 32, believes the we love and will enjoy. We live Blues’ greater experience in these 90 minutes with such Europe does not necessarily excitement that the pressure give them the edge. does not affect us.”

Chelsea won the Tiago spent the 2004-05 competition two years ago, season at Stamford Bridge and are able to call on a under fellow Portuguese number of veterans, including Mourinho, winning the John Terry, Petr Cech and Premier League title and Frank Lampard who have League Cup. He has enjoyed been in the tournament’s final similar success under stages on numerous Simeone at the Estadio occasions.

Vicente Calderon, winning the But La Liga leaders Atletico Europa League in 2012 and are enjoying the season of the Copa del Rey in 2013. their lives and go into the The former Portugal games with confidence high international says the two after knocking out Barcelona managers’ desire to win at all in the quarterfinals. costs marks them out as “I do not believe so,” Tiago among the best at what they said when asked if Chelsea do and has backed Simeone are favourites. “With the spirit to follow in Mourinho’s we bring to every game, we footsteps and go on to even will not be nervous. greater success.

“We are going out to enjoy “Simeone and Mou are alike ourselves, to compete with a in that they only have one great team, something which thing in their head — to win.

They are very competitive, they do not let their team rest, believe that everything is done.

“They are winners, they live the game a lot, and that is why they are elite coaches. I believe [Simeone] will follow the footsteps of Mourinho. We play in a different way than Barcelona, but each team has their own strengths. I enjoy a lot how Atletico play. I watch the team on the TV and I just think of saying that I am so proud of this team.”

Having won league titles with Chelsea and Lyon, Tiago is familiar with what it takes, but even he admits it will be special if Atletico can hold off the threat of Real Madrid and Barcelona to clinch the Primera Division.

“It is hard for me to talk about a possible title win,” he

...Tevez Likens Conte To Ferguson CARLOS Tevez has sung the praises of Juventus coach Antonio Conte, likening him to his manager at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Conte still has a long way to go to match Ferguson’s achievements with the Red Devils, but with Juve on course for a third straight scudetto, Tevez can already see similarities between the pair, and he has predicted a successful future for the 44year-old.

“I think he’s already on the same level [as Ferguson],” Tevez told Sky Sport. “He’s not lacking anything. He shows that in every game and in every competition he’s involved in. He’s a top, top coach.”

Not only could the Bianconeri win a third straight league title for the first time since 1935 this season, they could also crown it all off with

the Europa League title. They face Benfica in the semifinals with Tevez and his strike partner Fernando Llorente both hungry for European glory.

“At the start of the season, I never thought I would be here now playing for the scudetto and the Europa League,”

Carlos Tevez

added Tevez, 30. “But we are Juventus and we play every competition to win it. We fight for everything, and I’m delighted we’re still fighting on two fronts.”

For Llorente, winning the Europa League would feel like revenge after narrowly missing out with Athletic Bilbao two seasons ago. “I lost a Europa League final and it still bugs me,” he told Tuttosport. “I want to win it to erase that negative memory, and also because it’s a difficult title to win. It’s longer than the Champions League, even if it doesn’t enjoy the same level of prestige.

“It gets more consideration in Spain than it does here in Italy, and I think it warrants it.

We could benefit from the final being in Turin, but first we’ve got to beat Benfica, who are a side with great players.”

said. “But if it happens, it will be the most special. But I still do not see it as possible.

“It is true that each week there is less to go, and we are still first in the table, but I still see myself as far from winning this Liga. It would be the most special because I won the others before the final day. We have very difficult games. Barcelona and Madrid remain favourites for all they have.

“Although it is true that we are in a privileged position and depend on ourselves.

“To win this Liga would be a miracle. To win the Copa or another knock out competition is easier. To beat clubs like this in a league is almost impossible. I would say impossible, but with just five games left now it is almost impossible. We are having a spectacular season.

“We deserve a lot of credit,

but now we are coming to the end we just need to finish it well. And that includes beating Elche [on Friday].”

Diego Costa has been linked with a move away from Atletico in the summer, with Chelsea one of the main clubs reportedly interested in his services.

Although Tiago insists it is important to keep him, he adds that it may prove impossible, saying: “He has evolved a lot in games, because he always trained really well. I remember when he competed with [Diego] Forlan and Kun [Aguero] and he was already incredible at training.

“I always motivated him and told him to keep going like this. And he never dropped his arms, he always worked really well and at the end he got his chance.

“Today he is our leading figure and I hope he can end the Liga well. He will also be key for next season that he stays here, although that looks difficult to me as he will have a lot of offers.”

more time on the bench than the pitch as it will keep him fresh for the World Cup. “It’s not a question I’m asking myself. I’m focussing on the positives in Paris. I have less playing time than at Newcastle, but I’m at a very big club, surrounded by great players and I’m playing to win trophies, that’s the most important thing for me,” said Cabaye, who is part of the league-leading PSG squad that will face Lyon in Saturday’s Coupe de la Ligue final.

“I have also heard that Didier Deschamps is rather happy that I don’t play every game. We’ll see afterwards what the coach is going to decide to do with me, but I’ll work to be ready, there’s no problem with that.”

Though restricted to a bitpart role for PSG, Cabaye will almost certainly be central to Deschamps’ plans for Brazil.

He cemented his place in the starting lineup with an inspirational display in France’s 3-0 playoff secondleg triumph over Ukraine, which clinched their World Cup berth in November, and believes he and his teammates can be successful in South America.

“I think we have to be ambitious, even if it’s tough to say that we’ll go to the semis or the final. It’s events on the pitch that will dictate that. The first game will set the tone for many things. The main objective is to get out of the group, and we’ll then do all we can to go as far as possible.”

Yohan Cabaye

Valverde Wary Of Barcelona Backlash ATHLETIC Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde has claimed Barcelona’s poor form will not represent an advantage ahead of his side’s visit to the Camp Nou on Sunday.

Barca have been dumped out of the Champions League

by Atletico Madrid, lost to Granada in La Liga and lost the Copa del Rey final to Real Madrid, but Valverde, whose side are battling to secure fourth place, is wary of a backlash from the Catalan side.

He is reported by AS as telling his prematch news conference: “I do not know if it is better or worse for us, but this week now La Liga is the only trophy Barca can win.

The game is difficult, even if they have lost out on two trophies in a week.

“Maybe now they feel more

pressure to break the bad run after losing three consecutive games, something they are not used to. But for us it is just as difficult.”

Valverde also remains wary of Lionel Messi, whose contribution has been questioned after failing to

Arnesto Valverde

score or inspire Barca during their loss of form. “[Messi’s form] does not affect us,” he said. “We are only interested in him not being very involved against us. He is asked to pull a rabbit out of his hat in every game, while being the player who is most marked of everyone.

“Maybe now he is not the same form as before, but he can tip a game in any instant.

If he is so bad then I would not mind if he does not play.”

Valverde has inspired Bilbao to challenge for Champions League qualification this season, leading to reports that he could be considered to replace Gerardo Martino in the summer.

However, the former Barca striker dismissed the idea, saying: “No, of course not.

The answer is no.”

Rio 2016: Brazilian Officials Unveil N1.8trn In

BRAZILIAN Government officials on Thursday unveiled an infrastructure budget, totaling N1.8 trillion for the Rio 2016 Commonwealth Games.

This was contained in the It said that all but three weekly publication of major of the 27 projects had been upcoming games, “Inside fully budgeted with 57 per the Games’’. cent of the overall total to The publication said that be financed through public the budget was made at a funds and the remainder to ceremony attended by the be raised privately.

Mayor of Rio, Eduardo This, however, brings the Paes and Sports Minister, total cost of the Games to Aldo Rebelo, in Brazil. six trillion naira when It said it was aimed at combined with the providing reassurance of Organising Committee and their commitment in the Games related wake of huge criticism of infrastructure budgets, being behind-schedule in which were unveiled the 2016 Commonwealth earlier in January.

Games preparations.

But this announcement The publication stated took place amid a cloud of that 27 projects would be criticism of the role played executed by the by government officials, government, 14 would be following the Sport Accord handled by the Municipal International Convention in Government, 10 by the Turkey on April 8.

State Government and They were accused of three by the Federal “delaying, delaying and Government. delaying”, and producing It said the projects would “words but not money” by cover important areas like Association of Summer t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , Olympic International environment and urban Federations President development and as well Francesco Ricci-Bitti. as various construction It said that the belated projects. unveiling of the budget,

Djokovic Joins Federer And Nadal In Monte Carlo Quarters RAFA Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic demonstrated their superior class on clay as they eased into the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday.

Champion Djokovic dropped just one game as he demolished Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 6-0 6-1 to continue his title defence in the principality.

There was a shock of sorts as Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat fifth seed Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-1. The Spaniard will next face defending champion and second seed Djokovic.

Spaniard Nadal, whose eight-year reign as champion was ended by Djokovic in the final last year, extended his proud record in Monte Carlo to 50-2 with the win on centre court.

The world number one will next meet compatriot and sixth seed David Ferrer in the final eight, who made easy work of Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov by winning 6-4 6-2.

“That is going to be a very tough match,” the eight-times French Open champion told a news conference about the all-Spanish duel with Ferrer.

“David is a tough, tough player on any surface but here on clay, (he is) always a big challenge. I play a lot of matches against him, very tough ones.”

Federer, who has a record 17 Grand Slam titles, will face local favourite Jo-Wilfried

Tsonga in a mouth-watering quarter-final after the French ninth seed shook off a mediocre start to celebrate his 29th birthday with a 5-7 6-3 6-0 victory over Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

“I think Jo played the semis here last year, so he’s played here well in the past,” Federer told a news conference.

“I’ve seen Jo play different kinds of quality matches lately so I’m not quite sure how he’s going to play, how aggressive, how passive.

“I have to make sure I play aggressive myself and not become too passive just because we’re on clay.”

Djokovic, seeded second, can look forward to a titanic semi-final showdown with Federer should they both get past their next opponents.

Swiss third seed Stanislas Wawrinka reached the quarter-finals without hitting a ball on Thursday after his third-round opponent Nicolas Almagro withdrew injured.

“I woke up this morning with a severe pain in my left foot that prevented me from even walking normally,” Almagro said.

“After consulting with the doctor for a long time this morning, we decided together that it was better for me not to play today.”

Australian Open champion Wawrinka advances to meet eighth seed Milos Raonic after the Canadian beat 11thseeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo 6-4 6-3.

Infrastructure Budget

originally due to be announced earlier this year, would go some way to alleviating the concerns over government commitment.

But fears over more specific aspects of preparations undoubtedly remain.

An International Rugby Board chief executive said that they remained

confident of a successful 2016 Commonwealth Games so long as appropriate measures were taken.

“Following a constructive meeting with the other sports in the Deodoro Zone and Rio 2016 at SportAccord last week, Rio has the potential to deliver a vibrant festival and a

great experience for athletes and fans.

“However, for this to be achieved it is important all involved maintain an ongoing and fully collaborative dialogue regarding venue planning, schedule integration, logistics and overall fan experience.

“We will continue to do

what we can to support Rio 2016 and the delivery of a spectacular and memorable debut for rugby sevens at the Games,’’ the spokesman said.

Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have refrained from any public criticism of Rio, they decided to setup three task forces, a special advisor and regular inspections by IOC Executive Director, Gilbert Felli.

Bolt Hails Bale’s Brilliant Winner OLYMPIC champion Usain Bolt has hailed Gareth Bale’s brilliant winner for Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Copa Del Rey’s Cup final against Barcelona, saying it was the kind of goal any sprinter would be proud of.

Wales winger Bale picked up the ball wide on the left on the halfway line five minutes from time and galloped away from Barca centre back Marc Bartra before slipping the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto to secure a 2-1 victory.

“It was a great goal,” the Jamaican was quoted as saying in Spanish sports daily Marca on Friday.

“He showed the fantastic speed he has to leave the defender behind and then incredible calm to put the ball between the keeper’s legs,” added the keen Manchester United supporter who retained the 100 and 200 metre titles at the London Games in 2012.

“It’s the kind of goal any sprinter in the world would want to score one day.”

Gareth Bale

Usain Bolt

Djokovic in action at Monte Carlo

Ronaldo Dreaming Of World Cup Glory

CRISTIANO Ronaldo has told So Foot Junior of his desire to win the World Cup with Portugal this summer — and believes it is possible with hard work.

Ronaldo has won many trophies at club level, claiming the Premier League three times as well as the 2004 FA Cup and 2008 Champions League during his time at Manchester United and, since moving to Real Madrid in 2009, one La Liga title and two Copas del Rey. However, the closest he has come to silverware at international level came a decade ago, when Portugal suffered a shock defeat to Greece in the Euro 2004 final in Lisbon. Having scored the goals that secured qualification for this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, Ronaldo

is hoping to help his country become world champions for the first time.

“That would crown a great career,” Ronaldo told the French magazine. “I know it will be difficult, but everything is possible with work.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo’s manager at United, once claimed he had to “drag Cristiano off the training pitch sometimes because he likes to practice so much,” and the FIFA Ballon d’Or holder says it is precisely because of that dedication that he has been able to set himself apart.

“I have always watched the players who performed the best, and by observing them I understood one thing — what makes the difference between good players and stars is their work,” he said. “I

have played with footballers who had incredible talent, and it’s difficult to say if they were better than me, but where they fell down was in consistency.

“Many players are good for five, 10 or 15 games, but you must play well for 60 games a season.”

For Ronaldo, that means looking after yourself, even away from the field or training pitch.

“To sleep well, to rest well, to eat well,” he said. “The difference between good players and the best player in the world can be in these details.”

Another difference, he said, is the pressure he puts on himself.

“I always want to score, to win, to be the best,” he said.

“I will never change. I put

pressure on myself. If I did not do that, I would not be as good a player.”

Now 29, Ronaldo feels he has learned from incidents that led some to take a negative view of him earlier in his career.

He said: “I have made many mistakes, but I am happy to have done that, because I have become better — as a player and as a human being.

I am calmer now, less impulsive. I make better decisions on the pitch.

“Becoming a father has also helped me to be more coldblooded, and more patient.

Time has done its work. The fans might have had a bad image of me at the start of my career, because of certain gestures or attitudes.”

NPFL: LMC Brings Forward Wolves/ THE League Management Company (LMC) has brought forward the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) week seven matches between Warri Wolves FC and Rangers International FC of Enugu.

Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LMC who confirmed this to newsmen in Abuja Thursday, said the rescheduling was due to live coverage booking.

He however said it was only the Warri Wolves/ Rangers tie that was moved, as every other week seven encounter remained as earlier scheduled.

“The match is going to be live on TV, and the rescheduling was as a result of the satellite slit booked for Saturday,’’ he told newsmen.

Abubakar said the match, which was earlier scheduled to hold on Sunday, April 20, would now take place on Saturday, April 19 in Warri.

Paul Ozor, the General Manager of Rangers International, told newsmen in a telephone interview that the LMC had already contacted the club over the adjustment.

Ozor said that the team would now travel to Warri

Rangers Week 7 Fixture on Friday, instead of the earlier scheduled Saturday, ahead of the encounter since the match had been brought forward.

“It’s better for us, so that we can celebrate Easter at home. The match will be interesting as it will be live on SuperSport on DSTV,’’ Ozor said.

The 2013/2014 NPFL week seven fixtures for Sunday have FC Taraba hosting Giwa FC, while Lobi Stars trade tackles with Nembe City FC in Makurdi.

Other Sunday

encounters will see Kaduna United FC travel to Ogbomoso to engage Crown FC, Gombe United FC host Dolphins of Port Harcourt, while Sunshine Stars visit Abia Warriors in Umuahia.

Elsewhere, El-Kanemi Warriors FC of Maiduguri are guests of Heartland FC at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri.

Bayelsa United FC will engage Enyimba FC of Aba on Friday, while Sharks of Port Harcourt square up against Nasarawa United FC in Port Harcourt today.

Okoh Calls For Corporate Investments In Sports

By MATTHEW OKAGHA A sport enthusiast and former international boxing champion, Hon. Wellington Okoh has renewed his plea to individuals and corporate bodies to invest in the development of sports, particularly boxing and other sports outside football.

Hon. Okoh who is a the exclusive list of Commissioner with government.

EDSOGPADEC, told He pointed out that the OBSERVERSports that paucity of funds in the face gone were the days when of bloated wages and sports development was in decaying infrastructure,

AWC Qualifiers

NFA Optimistic About Super Falcons THE Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has expressed optimism that the Super Falcons would be in better shape when the foreign-based players joined their home-based colleagues.

The Director Competition, NFA, Mohammed Sanusi, told newsmen after the team’s training session that it would be difficult to measure the team’s strength without the foreign-based players.

The team are currently in camp for an international friendly against the Indomitable Lionesses of

Aminu Maigari

Hon. Wellington Okoh

Cameroon in Nigeria on April 29 preparatory to the African Women Championship (AWC) qualifying matches against Rwanda.

“You know that what we have here are purely the home-based players.

“And if you are building up a team you will build team from the team you have on ground so that you try to inject new players that will come up.

“I believe what is likely to happen is that by the time the foreign-based players are around that is the time we will have a clear picture of the team’s strength.

The NFA’s director told newsmen that he was optimistic that the players would blend before the friendly match.

“I have seen skillful players that came from different backgrounds that are trying to blend. I think before the friendly match the team will blend very well.’’

Sanusi, however, said the team would play more friendly matches before their AWC qualifiers against

Rwanda.

The Super Falcons will visit Rwanda for the first leg match between May 23 and May 25 and play the return leg in Nigeria between June 6 and June 8.

makes it increasingly difficult if not near impossible for government alone to develop sports in the country.

Hon. Okoh said corporate bodies and affluent Nigerians could assist to build gyms, swimming pools, basket ball pitches and other sporting facilities and donate such facilities to government, schools and sports clubs.

The one-time Golden Globe boxing champion attributed youth restiveness and the increasing number of youth involvement in criminal activities to the dearth of sporting facilities which would have otherwise catered for their passion and energy in more positive ways.

He reiterated his commitment towards the

revival of amateur boxing in Edo State through the encouragement of young boxers who excel in both national and international tournaments as well the sponsorship of Edo Amateur Boxing Championship

We’re Working On Eagles’ Psyche, Says Ugbade THE Assistant Coach of the Flying Eagles, Nduka Ugbade, has said that the team’s technical crew had begun “work” on the psychology of the players, to shore up their confidence.

Ugbade told newsmen that work on the psyche of the players became necessary after their twoleg friendly match with their

NFA Told To Invest In Grassroots Football

THE Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has been told to invest in grassroots football competitions to discover potential talents who would replace retiring ones.

The President of the National School Sports Federation (NSSF), Ibrahim Mohammed, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Mohammed urged the NFA and the state football associations to take the development of grassroots football more seriously to boost the performance of the national teams.

He noted that maladministration in sports would result in poor

performance of sportsmen, noting that failure to organise more grassroots competitions would worsen Nigeria’s woes, especially in football.

He said that there was need to discover talented footballers early and groom them to be potential players who would be able to wear Nigeria’s national jerseys.

“School sports should be well developed because it is from there we will spot talents that we can use for our national assignments.

“It is necessary that we redirect our energy to

which he began in December last year.

He disclosed that efforts were being made to ensure that the second edition of the championship holds in June this year.

Hon. Okho, a consummate sports enthusiast, philanthropist and promoter, advised young athletes who want to make a success in sports to be more passionate, discipline and dedicated to their training.

school sports for our prosperity.’’

Mohammed also advised governments to employ the services of qualified coaches to train pupils and students.

“Coaches already in our public schools ought to constantly go for refresher courses to keep themselves abreast with new trends in their sport.

“The problem with of these coaches is that they do not upgrade their knowledge on the sport they are training students in.

“Any coach that has not attended a training programme, seminar or refresher course in the last 10 years is out-dated.”

Moroccan counterparts on April 9 and April 11.

He said that the players needed to wake up to their responsibilities and to know the challenges they had in playing at that level of the national team.

“They are no longer U17 players; they have progressed to the next stage, with more responsibilities.

“A whole lot still needs to be done on the players, in order to get the best results out of them.

“Take the friendly matches against Morocco, for instance; we have been able to discover the loopholes in the players and have been addressing it,” he said.

Ugbade, who was the captain of the Golden Eaglets that won the maiden edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1985, said that Manu Garba, the Flying Eagles head coach, was not leaving any stone unturned in the building process.

According to him, Garba keeps emphasising to the players that the game has stepped up from what they used to play in the past.

CMYK

Premier League...Premier League...Premier League...Premier League...

Liverpool Trio Lead PFA Nominations

EPL Table P Liverpool 34 Chelsea 34 Man City 33 Arsenal 34 Everton 34 Tottenham 34 Man Utd 33 Southampton 34 Newcastle 34 Stoke 34 C Palace 34 West Ham 34 Hull 33 Aston Villa 33 Swansea 34 West Brom 33 Norwich 34 Fulham 34 Cardiff 34 Sunderland 33

W 24 23 22 20 19 18 17 13 14 11 12 10 10 9 8 6 8 9 7 6

D 5 6 5 7 9 6 6 9 4 10 4 7 6 7 9 15 8 3 8 8

L 5 5 6 7 6 10 10 12 16 13 18 17 17 17 17 12 18 22 19 19

GD 51 42 54 18 21 0 18 5 -14 -10 -14 -9 -6 -14 -5 -11 -27 -40 -34 -25

PTS 77 75 71 67 66 60 57 48 46 43 40 37 36 34 33 33 32 30 29 26

Match Fixtures TODAY, April 19, 2014 Tottenham Hotspur Aston Villa Cardiff City Newcastle United West Ham United Chelsea

v v v v v v

Fulham Southampton Stoke City Swansea City Crystal Palace Sunderland

Sunday, April 20, 2014 Norwich City Hull City Everton

v v v

Liverpool Arsenal Man. United

Monday, April 21, 2014 Manchester City

v

West Brom. Albion

Wenger Boosted By Mesut Ozil Return MESUT Ozil is set to return for Arsenal against Hull City this Sunday, with Arsene Wenger declaring it could further boost the confidence of a team who are in mentally “better shape” after the anxiety of the last few weeks.

Fourth place is back in Arsenal’s hands after Everton’s 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, and Wenger believes Champions League qualification as well as an FA Cup final would prove that the team have made progress this season.

Ozil could be central to securing that — the German has not played since March 11, when he went off the in 1-1 Champions League draw away to Bayern Munich.

Wenger said: “It’s good to have him back because we had so many offensive players out, that to have some of them back [is good]. We have [Mathieu] Flamini available as well because he was suspended, but it’s good to have Mesut back.

“He gives you always opportunities to score and I have to test him

physically tomorrow and Saturday to see if he can travel.”

Wenger also admitted that the extra exertions of the Premier League had affected Ozil. The Frenchman said: “He had a period where he was tired, because he was not used to playing through the season. Before he got injured he had a period where he was a bit jaded.

“He is a fantastic football player, and I would put him on the list to be player of the season next season.

“It is just good to have him back. He is one of our main players offensively, and we are a team who is used to scoring goals, and recently away from home we haven’t scored so much, so it’s important we get our offensive potential back.”

Mesut Ozil

Juan Mata of Machester United is marshalled by Cheik Ismael Tiote of Newcastle

LIVERPOOL have been given a boost as striker Daniel Sturridge’s hamstring injury is minor and he could play a part in Sunday’s match at Carrow RoadTags: Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard lead the nominations for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and Southampton’s Adam Lallana complete the sixman shortlist.

Meanwhile, Sturridge is also named on the shortlist for the Young Player of the Year alongside teammate Raheem Sterling and Hazard is another to be recognised in a second category.

Chelsea’s Only Hope Is Boring Liverpool To Death IT looks like the title could come down to the clash between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield but don’t expect the type of thrills you got when the Reds faced Manchester City.

Jose Mourinho’s many teams so many Chelsea make hard work problems? I don’t know. of every game because I’m not sure if they can. of the style in which they They have real pace play. and energy that Chelsea Chelsea put don’t have. When you everybody to sleep with look at Chelsea’s back their style. They more four, you would say that than grind a game out. only Gary Cahill has any Chelsea are going to significant pace. have to do something You look at teams that unbelievably boring to have been to Anfield, and win at Liverpool on April then you think of poor old 27.

John Terry.

It is the only way they Terry will have to can win it. If they open defend on the byline or up, they will be overrun behind his own goal

by Brendan Rodgers’ because he will be too side. scared of anyone going Chelsea will visit behind him. He will be so Anfield with a pistol, but deep, he’ll be able to the opposition possess a touch the bottom of the six-shooter.

Mersey.

That is the difference.

But that will suit the Chelsea do not have the plan because Mourinho same level of flair and will have to go there and pace that Liverpool have park the bus. They can’t in their side. try to play Liverpool at How are Chelsea their own game because going to handle pace they don’t have the from a front five or six players to compete trying that has been causing so the alternative.

Mourinho only plays one style. That is all he does.

He will try to use that one about Rodgers working for him at Chelsea.

He’ll play the old friends act as he does with his old players. He comes out with all that stuff about players getting jobs back at Chelsea.

He did it with Didier Drogba before the Champions League tie with Galatasaray. Was Drogba going to get a job back at Chelsea? Only as a spectator.

He used all that with Galatasaray. He’ll be using it with Rodgers.

That is what he does.

It is getting boring, but he’ll use that down the line.

That is how Mourinho will go at that game. He can’t win it with football.

He can only go to Anfield to nullify, park the bus

and play negative. It is the Chelsea way.

Play the Chelsea way by stifling the game. And they will try to nick a goal.

If Liverpool get nervous against Chelsea, Chelsea will take advantage of it.

They have the experience. Chelsea are more clinical than Manchester City in that department.

Those players have got a system that works for them. They rely on one or two players to score goals. That is what works for them to score

a goal.

I think Liverpool will have too much for them, but with Chelsea you never know. They might just bore Liverpool to death.

The four matches standing between Chelsea and Premier League title Sunderland, Stamford Bridge - April 19 Liverpool, Anfield April 27 Norwich, Carrow Road - May 4 Cardiff, Stamford Bridge - May 11

Rodgers Points To City ‘Warning Sign’ Brendan Rodgers has urged his Liverpool players to take notice of the “warning signs” after some shock results in the Premier League this week.

Title-chasing Manchester City were held to a surprise 2-2 against struggling Sunderland, while fifthplaced Everton were beaten 3-2 by Crystal Palace.

Ten league wins in a row have put Liverpool top of the table with four games remaining, but Rodgers is wary of complacency as they prepare for Sunday’s game at Norwich.

“I said to the players this morning before

training that if there is anyone looking at a rival dropping points, then also take it as a warning sign, it is never easy at this stage,” Rodgers said in the Telegraph.

“When you’re so close to the finish line, you can maybe think that the job can be done and is done.

“Teams can think that they are playing teams towards the bottom and that the games might be easy but actually it’s the contrast — they can be even more difficult.

“People are fighting for their livelihoods, fighting for their lives, fighting for their children, for the supporters. They’re fighting to play in the best league in the world.

“Last night was a warning sign for everyone that, at this point of the season with four games to go, there is nothing guaranteed. I have said that all along.

Crystal Palace had an excellent result at Everton, and Sunderland were within minutes of getting a great victory at Man City.

“Yes, one of the rivals might have dropped points but that is irrelevant. You have to do your own job.

“The warning signs are there. We certainly don’t have our hands up in the air. The finishing line is a wee bit out so we just need to focus and keep producing the performances that we have. If we do that, we will hopefully take three points at the weekend.”

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