2nd July 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 1,158

SATURDAY, 2 JULY, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

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Bus kills twin school kids, injures brother in Ogun pg8

Olofa stool

Oba Gbadamosi wins at Supreme Court pg4

Terrorists plot bomb attacks pg4 on Sallah day SSS calls for vigilance, arrests Niger Delta Avengers, kidnappers

Yoruba, Ijaw leaders meet, condemn Lagos/Ogun killings pg7 Why celebrity marriages end pg3 in divorce —Angela Okorie

Mbu, 20 other AIGs retired pg5 Abia: I’ll pursue this matter to Supreme Court —Ikpeazu pg6

Weekend Lagos

Under Lagos bridges, occupants get ID cards, ‘landlords’ collect rent, issue receipts pgs19,20&21

Lagos slams N90,000 fine, six-month jail term on street hawkers, buyers

pg5

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Why celebrity

marriages

end in divorce

—Angela Okorie

Angela Okorie is an accomplished actress and movie producer. The actress, from Ebonyi State, born in Cotonou, Benin Republic, shot into limelight as a model for major detergent brand, Delta soap, a job she did for eight years. Angela later found a career path in the movie industry in 2011 and is prominent for her tomboy roles.

She talks to NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA in this interview about her marriages, scandals and how the make-believe world found her, among other things.

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HY did you decide to relocate to Nigeria?

I gained admission to study Public Administration at the Lagos State University [LASU] when I was 17. I wanted to study in Nigeria. And no sooner had I settled to study than I began to model for Delta soap. I modelled for eight years.

And having earned a degree in LASU, why did you study Theatre Arts at the University of Lagos [Unilag]?

At the level I was then, it was important to acquire more knowledge about acting. I had started acting at the time. I wanted also to boost my status.

Now, how did your journey into the movie industry begin?

Initially, I didn’t know I would become an actor. I followed a friend to a movie location just for sightseeing. It was her turn to audition and she left only for her to return minutes later with one of the producers. He needed a fine girl to play a particular role. And since I didn’t know a thing about acting, I told him I wouldn’t do it. But he persuaded me until I agree to give it a try. I was given the script. After I read it and after thinking about the prospect of acting, I accepted to do it. The movie was directed by Ifeanyi Ogbonna. It featured Nonso Diobi, Oge Okoye, Yemi Blaq, Ruth Kadiri and some other actors. I read the story. I understood it. When I came on set, I shot it.

Were there no teething problems?

Honestly, acting is very stressful. At some point, I said, “Is this what you guys go through?” I told them I would not continue after that shoot. But the producer kept urging me on.

What year was it?

It was in 2011.

And since then you have been acting?

Yes. What in particular kept you going?

Acting began to put food on my table from the first work – till now. I tell myself that whatever provides daily bread must be taken seriously. I decided to drop my initial levity. When I started I didn’t know how to act. It was not my thing. Modelling was. In modelling, you are very conscious of your face, body and gait. But for acting, you are not only conscious of these things, you also had to tailor them to the character you are playing and make it appear as real and believable as possible. You need to create an illusion of reality. I realised I didn’t have these qualities in the beginning. What I did was to get the requisite knowledge about acting so that I can become a professional. That was why I studied Theatre Arts at the university. Consequently, I have met a lot of people through acting. It has opened doors for me. It has become my career. But I have not stopped modelling. Companies still want me to work for them. It is needless to say now that I am a brand.

You implied that you got your first job because of your beauty, is that your only selling point?

Yes. In the beginning it was. In fact, it was the only consideration for some

roles. I have overheard producers murmur about my bad acting, but later called me for the job. If you wanted to call me for shoot then, you would say, “That Delta soap girl, she no sabi act o, but if you put am for film, the movie go sell anyhow”. That was actually what producers were saying back then. Personally, I had to up my game. I had to know what the best knew. My beauty was paying them, that was why they kept calling me.

Tell us how did you transform beauty to excellent skill?

Here are the guiding principles I discovered with time: acting is make-believe and practice can make you better.

It was a phase in life, I must say. But I realised that even the best actors practise all the time. I practised on my own, in my room, before a mirror. And with time it became a part of me. Role playing became much easier.

Did you mirror any actor or actress while you were building yourself?

Yes. I admired everyone who was good at it. Producers were very helpful. Companies like Magic Movies, D Cross,

Coruma Productions were very supportive.

You are popular for your tomboy roles, how did it come to you?

Yes. I have played a lot of tomboy roles. I am an actor and I am expected to play any role. I think it was my fourth film, ‘The Maiden’, that I was given that role. I played a young girl fighting for the widows in the community. That was the film that shot me into limelight. That film and ‘Holy Serpent’ shot me into prominence.

Which of your movies would you consider most challenging?

A movie I played a vampire.The character brought out the best in me.

How challenging was it?

I was really, really demonic. At night I would come out to look for blood to drink. Though it was make-believe I wanted to make it as real as possible. There was a scene Continues on pg27

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Terrorists plot to attack worshippers on sallah day

SSS calls for vigilance, arrests Niger Delta Avengers, kidnappers Chris Agbambu and Jacob Segun Olatunji – Abuja

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HE State Security Service (SSS) on Friday warned members of the public to be alert during the sallah celebrations as terrorists are planning to wreak havoc on parks and worship centres across the country.

It specifically asked Nigerians to be “wary of suspicious packages and persons” during the celebrations.

It also announced that it had arrested two key members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) while plotting to kill an army officer and blow up more pipelines.

A statement signed by Tony Opuiyo, on behalf of the Service also announced a long list of arrests of kidnappers and other suspected criminals made across the country.

“This Service wishes to alert the general public to be wary of suspicious packages and persons, as celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr approaches. The Service is availed of intelligence which indicates threat by extremist elements to attack selected locations across the federation, particularly parks and congregations of worshippers, in order to further their cause,” the SSS warned without giving further details.

It, however, assured Nigerians that it would continue to provide adequate security for lives and properties of all law abiding citizens in accordance with its mandate.

According to the SSS, one of the arrested members of the NDA is one Christian Oluba, aka Sensor, who “was arrested while perfecting plans to carry out explosive attacks on critical oil and gas pipelines, including critical storage points.”

It added that “in a bid to stem the activities of vandals in the Niger Delta,” it arrested another suspected militant, one Selky Kile Torughedi, on 17 June, 2016, in Calabar, Cross River State. “ Torughedi is an ex-militant and suspected member of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), and was arrested for planning to assassinate one M.B. Yahaya, a serving military officer. Torughedi, who is a close associate of Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), had already conducted surveillance at the residence of Yahaya in Kaduna, preparatory to his plot when he was intercepted. He is also fingered as a sponsor of pipeline vandalism in some states in the South-South region. Suspect is currently assisting the Service, with critical leads,” the statement disclosed.

The statement reads: “The general public is aware that in recent days, some states of the Federa-

tion have witnessed spate of kidnapping incidents perpetrated by criminal elements in a bid to further their selfish pecuniary and/or criminal interests. In furtherance of security measures initiated to checkmate this trend, series of special tactical operations were carried out by this Service, where successful arrests of masterminds of these criminal gangs were made by the Service, while their hideouts were decimated.

“On 7th June, 2016, one Kabiru Shuaibu, the ringleader of a kidnap gang, comprising his accomplices, namely Haruna Saleh, Tukur Shuaibu and Abdulmumuni Adamuna, were arrested by the Service along Murtala Muhammad

Bridge, along Lokoja-Abuja highway, in Lokoja, Kogi State.

The suspects were part of a criminal gang which has been terrorising innocent citizens in the northern region of the federation. During their arrest, a locally-made pistol, seven (7) cartridges, fourteen (14) mobile phones and six hundred and fifteen thousand naira (N615,000) were recovered on them.

“On 8th June, 2016, one Reuben Akinbehinje, aka chairman, the ringleader of a notorious kidnap syndicate, was arrested by this Service in Akure, Ondo State, along with five (5) other members of his gang, namely John Imoleayo Uche, Seun Lajuwon, Seun Iseoluwa Akintayo, Lateef

Fayemi Hammed and Saheed Oyewo. The Akinbehinje gang has been the brain behind the kidnap of two Catholic nuns in the state and other criminalities such as armed robbery, hijack and diversion of fuel tankers and cult-related activities in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Lagos and Kwara states.

“Similarly, on 12th June, 2016, this Service arrested one Ifeanyi Michael Onyike, a suspected kidnap kingpin at D-line, Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

Onyike was involved in the kidnap of Ebere Chinda, wife to Igo Chinda, the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.

“Further to this tactical offensive, on 25h June, 2016, in one of the North-Western

Sunday Ejike – Abuja and Biola Azeez -Ilorin

law and authority that can ascend to the throne of the Oloffa.

“This court also found as a fact that there is no rotational policy in existence as far as the stool of the Olofa of Ofa is concerned and, therefore, the claim of the Olugbense family has no historical backing and, therefore, the claim of the appellant, through a counter claim on the issue, succeed and is hereby affirmed,” the court held.

The court also held that the ascension to the throne is by election and not by rotation as claimed by the Olugbense family.

The Olugbense family had, through Alhaji Saka Adeyemo, Prince Abdulrauf Adegboyega Keji and Prince Saka Keji, challenged the appointment of Oba Gbadamosi on the grounds that it was done in contravention of Section 3(3) of Kwara State Government Edict on Appointment of and Deposition Chief’s Law of 1970, which they claimed made provision for rotation between their family and the Anilelerin family.

In their originating summons argued on their behalf

by Mr John Olusola Baiyashea (SAN), the plaintiffs claimed that it was their turn to produce the Oloffa in line with the principle of rotation.

However, the judgements secured by the plaintiffs at the Kwara State High Court and the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, were set aside by the Supreme Court on the grounds that they had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Meanwhile the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has congratulated Oba Gbadamosi on his victory at the apex court.

Governor Ahmed, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, said the victory should strengthen the traditional ruler’s passion for the development of Offa and, indeed, the state.

Governor Ahmed advised Oba Gbadamosi to be mag-

nanimous and extend a hand of fellowship to all the parties to the dispute.

“I urge the aggrieved members of the royal family to regard the Olofa’s victory as a victory for all by coming together to solidify the royal knot and develop the community,” the governor said.

In a related development, men of the state police command had a hectic time on Friday getting joyful supporters of Oba Gbadamosi, who took to major roads in the ancient town, to contain their emotions.

There was anxiety in the town before the judgement on Friday as people discussed the matter in hush tones.

At a point before the judgement was pronounced, members of the Olugbense family made frantic phone calls among themselves, just as members of the family moved in large numbers to the family compound.

The development, it was gathered, led some people to believe that a judgement had been made in favour of the Olugbense family.

The eventual pronouncement of the court affirming Oba Gbadamosi’s kingship ended all sorts of speculations that had initially pervaded the air.

Supporters of the traditional ruler promptly rallied on the streets and major roads to celebrate the victory.

Police personnel, in patrol vehicles, were on hand to forestall mayhem by preventing the celebration from being hijacked by hoodlums.

It will be recalled that after the predecessor of Oba Gbadamosi passed on in 2012, the Olugbense ruling house cited the rotational policy of the government, as gazetted by the government in 1969.

But the majority of the kingmakers aligned with the position of the Anilelerin ruling house that there must be a contest between candidates

States, one Sani Abdullahi, and his three accomplices, namely Rufai Tukur Abdullahi, Najeeb Abubakar and Abdullahi Ahmed, were apprehended by this Service.

The group has concluded arrangements to embark on serial kidnap of high-value targets in Katsina State, before their arrest. This gang has hitherto been terrorising the North-Western states of Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara.

“In a bid to stem the activities of vandals in the Niger Delta, this Service effected the arrest of Selky Kile Torughedi, on 17th June, 2016, in Calabar, Cross River State. Torughedi is an ex-militant and suspected member of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), and was

Supreme Court affirms Oba Gbadamosi as Olofa of Offa •Jubilation in Offa, Gov Ahmed reacts THE Supreme Court, on Friday, affirmed the appointment of Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II as the Olofa of Offa, in Kwara State.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgement delivered

by Justice Samuel Walter Onnoghen, held that the appointment of the traditional ruler by the state government was in line with the custom and tradition of the people of Offa.

Justice Onnoghen, who read the judgement, agreed with Oba Gbadamosi’s claim that Anilelerin is the only authentic ruling house that can ascend to the throne of the Olofa.

The apex court voided the claim of Olugbense as a ruling house in Ofa on the grounds that there is no history to that effect.

The court also dismissed the claim of the Olugbense family as regards a purported principle of rotation between Anilelerin and Olugbense ruling houses, adding that if there was rotation as claimed by the Olugbense family, the principle of rotation would have taken effect before the ascension of the immediate past Olofa, Oba Mustapha Olawore Olanipekun.

Besides, the court faulted and prohibited the Kwara State government gazette of 1970 which recognised Olugbense as a ruling house.

Justice Onnoghen said the gazette is null and void because it was contrary to the custom and tradition of the people of Ofa. The court barred Olugbense from being recognised as a ruling house by either the Kwara State government or the kingmakers.

“From the history, custom and tradition of the people of Offa, it is clear that the only ruling house, Anilelerin, being a male line, is the authentic and only ruling house backed by native

of the ruling houses to fill the vacuum created by the late Oba Mustapha Olanipekun, who was from the Anilelerin ruling house.

One Oba Esuwoye of the Anilelerin ruling house was said to have been deposed, prompting the enthronement of Alhaji Mustapha Keji as the Oloffa in 1969.

But when the late Oba Olanipekun wanted to succeed the deposed king, the Olugbense ruling house was said to have opposed it on the grounds that the Anilelerin ruling house, with the deposition of Oba Isiwoye, had forfeited its turn.

The ensuing crisis at the time, which was described as threatening the continued survival of Ofa as a town, was said to have prompted government’s intervention, leading to alleged official documents on rotational policy over the throne of the Olofa “since 1969.”

The government, after the choice of Gbadamosi by the kingmakers, presented him with the staff of office at a ceremony in Ofa despite complaints by the opposing ruling house.

Displeased with the government’s decision, the Olugbense ruling house filed a suit at the state High Court, Ofa, seeking, among other things, the declaration of the enthronement of Oba Gbadamosi as “illegal, and, therefore, null and void.”

The court agreed that the two ruling houses exist in Offa but, in its judgement of July 2012, declared the non-existence of “rotational policy” as alleged by the Olugbense ruling house.

The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, upturned the judgement of the lower court, saying it was the turn of the Olugbense ruling house to present the next Olofa.

The Anilelerin consequently headed to the Supreme Court, which reserved its judgement on the matter until yesterday (Friday).

arrested for planning to assassinate one MB. Yahaya, a serving military officer. Torughedi, who is a close associate of Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), had already conducted surveillance at the residence of Yahaya in Kaduna, preparatory to his plot when he was intercepted. He is also fingered as a sponsor of pipeline vandalism in some states in the South-South region. Suspect is currently assisting the Service, with critical leads.

“In a related operation, this Service arrested one Christian Oluba, aka Sensor, another suspected militant with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

Sensor was arrested while perfecting plans to carry out explosive attacks on critical oil and gas pipelines, including critical storage points.

“Meanwhile, sequel to increasing threat posed to public peace by the activities of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), this Service arrested one Chidiebere Onwudiwe, a graduate of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering and known member of IPOB, on 22nd June, 2016. Onwudiwe and his associates within and outside the country, were planning to carry out coordinated attacks against religious bodies/ edifices, police check points and the computer village in Ikeja, Lagos State, with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS). The suspect was apprehended while making logistics supplies for their nefarious plan.

“In another development, on 19th June, 2016, at Langtang North LGA in Plateau State, this Service, in liaison with the military and police, arrested one Nanpon Sambs (aka Yabam), an illegal arms dealer. Sambs is a member of a notorious black market arms syndicate, led by one Peter Nehemia (aka Adagyo) which operates in the state.

A Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher and circuit charger were recovered from a Toyota Highlander SUV belonging to the suspect.

“Also, this Service wishes to alert the general public to be wary of suspicious packages and persons, as celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr approaches.

The Service is availed of intelligence which indicates threat by extremist elements to attack selected locations across the federation, particularly parks and congregations of worshippers, in order to further their cause.

“The Service wishes to state that it will continue to deploy every window within its constituted mandate to ensure the security and safety of all law-abiding residents and citizens wherever they reside. We, therefore, call on the general public to be security-conscious and to report any suspicious persons/groups or activities to relevant security agencies.”

5 news

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Sierra Leonean envoy kidnapped in Kaduna Kidnappers demand N44m ransom Leon Usigbe - Abuja and Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

Traders still on the street moments after the Lagos State government announced the enforcement of the law against street trading and hawking, on Friday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Lagos slams N90,000 fine, six-month jail term on street hawkers, buyers

By Bola Badmus and -Akin Adewakun - Lagos

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AGOS State government on Friday said it had commenced a total enforcement of the law against street trading and street hawking, saying that the law would take its full course to punish both the sellers and the buyers.

The state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who spoke on Friday at a live interview session on Television Continental (TVC), said that the renewed enforcement was in line with Section One of the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which restricts street trading and hawking in the metropolis.

He said henceforth, the buyer and the seller are both liable to a fine of N90,000 or a six-month jail term if caught based on the existing law in the state.

He sympathised with the family of a street hawker who was knocked down by an articulated truck while trying to evade arrest from officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) on Maryland Bus stop on Wednesday, regretting that the situation led to the destruction of public assets.

“It is not in our DNA to allow someone to just die by road accident or the way it happened in respect of the incident. But beyond the fact that we lost one person while crossing the road as a result of evading arrest by KAI officials, I need to tell Lagosians that over 49 buses were actually destroyed and it is costing us like almost N139 million to put those buses back on the road,” he said.

Ambode said the State Executive Council had consequently resolved to enforce the law, which, according to him, makes both the hawker and the buyer liable of the offence.

“The issue is we need to enforce our laws because we

already have a law in respect of that and then there is a clause in it which says the buyer and the seller are both liable and that we are going to fine them either N90, 000 or a six-month jail term.

“What we are doing on traffic is that we are introducing new strategies to eliminate traffic, but Lagos being a cosmopolitan city, you cannot totally eliminate it but now this is the case, in the next few days, you will see on the street of Lagos signs that will be warning you that buyers and hawkers should be aware that there are consequences,” Governor Ambode said.

He said his administration had also concluded plans to roll out a massive campaign which would warn both motorists and hawkers of the restrictions and the penalty for defaulters.

“We will be watching out for buyers and sellers and all we need is just scapegoat. Don’t buy plantain chips or any other item in traffic from July 1, buyers beware,” Governor Ambode warned.

He said aside the environmental hazards associated with the activities of street traders and hawkers alike, they also pose great security and health risks.

“A whole lot of people who are hawkers, when you check them, I understand from intelligence that there is a cartel.

Some people buy fake products and then bring the products in and then give these boys to sell on the street and come back to make returns in the night.

“So, what I want to advise Lagosians is that most times when you think you are buying something of quality on the road, be rest assured that those things are fake products,” Governor Ambode said.

He, however, said that much as the state government intended to be civil in enforcing the law, some recalcitrant persons tried to subvert the process, hence the need to ensure total compliance with

the law.

Asked what plans the government had for unemployed graduates who had taken to street hawking, Governor Ambode said that his administration had launched a N25billion Employment Trust Fund, urging them to access the fund.

Ambode, while answering questions on future plans of his administration, assured that greater attention would be given to the health and education sectors, saying empowerment of the youth and the elderly would also get the needed attention.

“In the last eight years, while the immediate past governor actually did a lot to improve on health, you will also see that what he provided was not even enough to cater for all the people coming into Lagos.

“Now, this second year, I can tell you freely that we are facing majorly the health sector, education sector, the issue of elderly people and then the youths. We believe that in the next twelve months which we are starting now, you will see a major escalation of the quality of the facilities we are going to provide in our hospitals,” Governor Ambode said.

Lagos street hawkers defy Ambode It was business as usual on Friday, on the Iyana Ipaja –Abule Egba axis, in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos on Friday as street hawkers defied the Lagos State government’s directive, banning hawking on Lagos roads as from yesterday, July 1.

For instance, on Agege Motor Road, before the overhead bridge in Iyana Ipaja, hawkers of various items like sachet water, gala and biscuits were seen running after prospective customers, despite the ban on their activities.

While no official of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) was around to enforce the ban, some of the hawkers who spoke with Saturday Tribune claimed ignorance

of such laws, while wondering what would probably turn out to be their fate if such laws were enforced.

“I no dey aware of the ban, where we wan go now?’ was Martins’ response to Saturday Tribune, when asked what he was still doing on the streets in spite of the ban.

Though Tawa, who hawks sachet water in Abule Egba, was also not aware of the development, she, however, argued that there was no time the law allowed street trading.

“We are only doing all these at our own risk. Why do you think we always run each time we see the KAI officials?

So I’m not really surprised,” she stated.

Task Force, KAI commence full enforcement today — Source Following the declaration made by Governor Ambode that the state government would commence full enforcement of law against street trading and hawkers as from Friday July 1, 2016, enforcement agencies said it would be all out on Saturday (today) to carry out the directives and give daily accounts of their activities.

The agencies in charge of the exercise include the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).

A source close to the agencies disclosed this to Saturday Tribune, saying that the directive of the governor was clear as he spoke on the television.

The source said that it was certain that the full enforcement of the law would start on Saturday (today).

“We didn’t go out today [Friday], but I can assure you we are going out tomorrow [today] to commence full compliance on the part of the traders, hawkers and buyers.

“But we shall always be giving you the update of the arrest of those involved,” the source said.

SIERRA Leone’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Major General Nelson Williams, has apparently been kidnapped in Kaduna.

He was thought to have been seized by assailants on Friday in the city where he had gone to attend a military graduation ceremony.

Sources informed the Saturday Tribune that his kidnappers have contacted the Sierra Leonian high commission in Abuja and have demanded for a ransom of N44million (about $150,000) for his release.

He was not alone at the time but the whereabouts of his driver and others in the traveling party are unknown.

Details of how the incident happened were still sketchy at the time of this report but it was gathered that the Nigerian Army, the Police and other intelligent agencies have already swung into action to unravel the mystery.

The embassy is said to be worried because of the unknown condition of the envoy in captivity.

It was learnt that the kidnappers called the accountant at embassy at about 4a.m on Friday and placed the victim on the line to identify himself before they retrieved the phone from him.

Saturday Tribune spoke to a source close to the Sierra Leonian embassy who would not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

The source narrated: “At 4am this morning, the embassy accountant received a strange phone call. It was the kidnappers.

“They placed Nelson Williams on the line and after he identified himself to the accountant, the kidnappers came back on the line and informed he was in their custody and they had kidnapped him and wanted a ransom demand of around 44 million naira (about $150,000).

“The kidnappers have now called the embassy twice this [Friday] morning threatening unsavory outcome if their ransom demand is not met. According to sources, one of the calls had Nelson Williams sounding very low and frightened.

“The whereabouts of his driver (and those he was supposed to be with on the said trip), is presently unknown.

“The exact details of how the kidnap happened are currently unknown. The Nigerian Police, Intelligence Service and Foreign Office in Nigeria are now working with the Sierra Leone Embassy in Abuja to investigate the matter.

“The Nigerian military has also been informed. Nelson Williams was a former Head of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation of Sierra Leone confirmed the report in a statement it released in Freetown on Friday.

Mbu, 20 other AIGs retired Chris Agbambu and Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja TWENTY-ONE Assistant Inspectors General of Police were retired on Friday by the Police Service Commission. One of them is Joseph Mbu. According to a statement by the spokesman for the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, the senior police officers were retired because they are senior in standing to the recently appointed Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

The statement said: “The Police Service Commission has approved the retirement of 21 Assistant Inspectors General of Police who were senior to the new acting Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, before his appointment.”

The Chairman of the PSC, Mike Okiro, in the statement, wished the affected officers well in their future endeavours.

The affected officers are: Bala A. Hassan,Yahaya Garba Ardo, Irmiya F. Yarima, Danladi Y. Mshebwala, Tambari Y. Mohammed, Bala Magaji Nasarawa, Musa Abdulsalam, Adisa Bolanta, Mohammed J Gana, Umaru Abubakar Manko, Lawal Tanko, Olufemi A. Adenike, Johnson A. Ogunsakin, Adenrele T. Shinaba, James O. Caulcrick, Olufemi David Ogunbayode, Edgar T. Nanakumo, Kalafite H. Adeyemi, Patrick D. Dokumor, Mbu Joseph Mbu and Sabo Ibrahim Ringim.

Ramadan message O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow - and fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.

Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise. The companions of Paradise - they are the attainers [of success].

—Surat Al-Hashr verses 18-20

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Lalong blames Jang on grazing reserves protest Leon Usigbe - Abuja

Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (middle) addressing a press conference at the Government House, Umuahia, on Friday. With him on the right are his deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu and Cosmos Ndukwe, Deputy Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly.

Abia: I will pursue this matter to Supreme Court —Ikpeazu

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OVERNOR Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State said on Friday that he would challenge the Federal High Court judgement that sacked him up to the Supreme Court.

Ikpeazu said this at the Government House, Umuahia, while reacting to Thursday’s issuance of certificate of return by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Dr Uchechukwu Ogah.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja had in his judgement on Monday ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Ogah and also ordered Ikpeazu to vacate office.

The development caused tension in the state on Thursday, following an alleged attempt by Ogah to get the state Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, to swear him in as the governor.

Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Ikpeazu said this would not

stand, saying that there was an injunction restraining Ogah from being sworn in.

He said: “I am still the governor of Abia, so, I appeal to our people to remain calm until the final verdict of the Supreme Court.

“This illegality will not stand. I will test the judg-

ment in the Appeal Court up to the Supreme Court.

“Even if it was a death sentence, I don’t think that I would be executed without right of appeal.

“That right is fundamental, that right is undeniable and a denial of that right is a denial of my fundamental

IGP deploys more security personnel to Ogun troubled communities Chris Agbambu - Abuja and Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed additional police personnel to complement the effort of those already detailed for special operations in troubled communities in Ogun State.

A statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, explained that the step of the police chief was to strengthen the security

structures in the state, so as to confront the activities of armed men suspected to be militants.

This development was coming on the heels of a passionate appeal made by the state government over security challenge confronting the state and part of Lagos state in recent times.

Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police, said those deployed include men from Police Mobile Force and Counter Terrorism Unit from the Force Headquarters.

Evangelist in NDLEA net over narcotics Shola Adekola - Lagos Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are interrogating a South African-based evangelist over 165kgs of narcotics drugs seized at Apapa Seaport, Lagos, with an estimated street value put at N1.4 billion.

Officers traced the illicit consignment to a 52year old man, John Vincent Arinze, who claimed to be an evangelist and was arrested in his hotel room in Lagos.

The 92kgs of methamphetamine and 73kgs of ephedrine were detected inside two containers of foodstuff meant for export to South Africa.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA,

right,” he said.

The governor said that he was resolute in his determination to defend the mandate given to him and assured the people that the mandate was still intact.

“What is on trial in Abia is democracy and not me as a person,” he said.

Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) said that the seizure had significant influence on the campaign against narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

He said: “This is a product of careful planning and meticulous tracking of narcotic drugs movement. The consignments were closely monitored by our undercover agents and intercepted at Apapa Seaport, Lagos, following the detection of narcotics by NDLEA sniffer dogs during screening operation. This will definitely have a positive influence on Nigeria’s drug control efforts”.

The drugs were hidden inside packs of melon concealed in foodstuff and cosmetics such as gari (cassava flakes), noodles, Knorr and Maggi food seasoning, yam powder, Malt drinks,

pepper, milk, herbal hair cream and Golden Morn cereals. Other items in the container are Damatol hair cream, bags of melon, kegs of palm oil, beans, biscuits, sardine and cartons of Orijin bitters.

During examination of the containers marked MSKU 388274-1 and MSKU 424717-0, anti-narcotic officials detected 20kg of Methamphetamine and 50kg of Ephedrine inside the first container and 72Kg of Methamphetamine and 23Kg of Ephedrine in the second container. The total weight of the drugs is 165kgs.

The suspect who hails from Ara village, Nise in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State and had lived in South Africa for over a decade, accepted ownership of the illicit shipment.

The men were received by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Bello Makwashi, on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali. Those deployed would be sent to Igbo-Olomu, Imuti, Imushin, Arepo, Elepete, Simawa/Redemption Road and Ajegunle communities.

The PPRO added that the DCP would lead some senior officers, Divisional Police Officers and Heads of Departments to the riverine communities because of the dangerous terrain of the affected communities for their safety.

The Command appealed to the fleeing residents of the affected communities to return to their communities, saying normalcy had since returned and that all the affected areas are secure with the presence of policemen and other security operatives.

Meanwhile, the Command has dispelled the rumour that some armed men or militants in military uniform have taken over the Ogere end of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway,dispossessing motorists of their valuables.

He said cases relating to crime on the highway in recent times were untrue, insisting that there was no report of such case before it.

The statement added that the Command had since deployed 20 patrol vans with armed policemen on the highway for adequate security of lives and properties.

PLATEAU State governor, Mr. Solomon Lalong, on Friday alleged that protests against the creation of grazing reserves in the state were instigated by his predecessor, Senator Jonah Jang.

He told State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja that the reserves had been planned to end the incessant farmers and Fulani herdsmen’s clashes in the state.

However, he noted that those engaged in the protests were wasting their time because relevant stakeholders had already agreed on their establishment in the state.

“What they are protesting is grazing reserve but we are not talking about grazing reserves. What we are talking about is ranches. So, those who attended the workshop knew what was done.

“This is the Presidency. Let me say it and I am going to publish it. The man who introduced and is causing that confusion is Jonah Jang who incidentally was the one who introduced grazing reserves on the Plateau with a gazette in 2009. That is the gazette I am going to publish.”

The future of Nigeria belongs to Nigerians —US Envoy THE outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. James Entwistle, on Thursday night said that it was important for Nigerians to know that the future of their country belonged to them all.

Entwistle, who made the observation at the celebration of the 240th Independence Anniversary of the U.S. in Lagos, said that the future of Nigeria depended on brave men and women to change the world.

“The United States has maintained a robust engagement with Nigeria for many years and our partnership with Nigeria runs deep.

“The future of Nigeria belongs to the people of Nigeria.

More specifically, it belongs to Nigerian heroes, who are brave enough to believe they can change the world,” he said.

FG, China firm, sign MoU on Lagos/ Calabar Rail project Tyavzua Saanyol - Abuja THE Federal Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar rail project.

Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi who signed the agreement on Friday in Abuja on behalf of the Federal Government, said the first segment of the project is from Calabar to Port Harcourt and it will be completed in two years.

Amechi stated that, the second segment of the rail project is from Lagos to Ibadan and the project would also be completed in two years.

According to the minister, “the contract was awarded by the Goodluck Jonathan administration for $11.974 billion, however the present administration reviewed the contract and the price was reduced to $11.174 billion.”

He promised that the Federal Government would fulfill its own side of the agreement and make available its counterpart funds in good time.

Court grants ex Adamawa gov, Fintiri, bail Sunday Ejike - Abuja A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted former governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, bail in the sum of N500 million and two sureties in like sum.

Fintiri is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of corruption and money laundering.

Trial judge, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed, in a ruling on the bail application said the prosecution failed to show reasonable cause why the defendant should not be granted bail.

On the claim by the prosecution, led by Mr. Peters Aso that the former governor would jump bail if granted, Justice Ramat said such claim could not be sustained because the defendant did not jump the administrative bail granted him by the anti-graft agency.

Part of the conditions for the bail of the former governor are that his sureties must be owners of properties worth N500 million, being the bail sum.

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Saturday Tribune

I will stop the activities of Omo Oniles in my domain —Deji of Akure

From left, Mr Imoh Etuk, Corps Public Education Officer; Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and Mr Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy at a press conference in Abuja on Sallah, lifting of suspension on speed limiter and tyre campaign, on Friday. PHOTO: FRSC.

Yoruba, Ijaw leaders condemn Lagos/Ogun killings, call for restructuring of Nigeria Bola Badmus And Kasali Qudus OluwasegunLagos

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oruba and Ijaw leaders met in Lagos on Friday condemning the recent killings by purported ‘militants’ in Ikorodu area of Lagos State and challenged the police to release the identities of the perpetrators, including their names.

They also restated their call for the restructuring of the country and the establishment of state police.

The leaders met against the background of recent killings in Lagos and Ogun communities, which police authorities attributed to Ijaw ‘militants’.

In a communique jointly

signed by Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Yoruba delegation and Chief Albert K. Horsfall, leader of the Ijaw delegation, the leaders said the Ikorodu incident “underlines the urgent need for state police, the restructuring of Nigeria and the need for the review and adoption of all past national conferences, including but not limited to the relevant sections of the reports of the 2014 National Conference reports.”

The leaders, in the communique, which was read by Chief Horsfall, further said that “informed by the need for peaceful co-existence and sustainable development of Ijaw and Yoruba nations, the meeting was

initiated by elders from both nations to address issues of mutual interest for peace and well-being of the two great civilisations.”

They recalled that there had been some developments in the past few months, which were of utmost concern to the two nationalities, saying some of these issues included but not limited to “recent spate of violence in some Yoruba territories, the social and economic state of the Nigerian nation and the future of the people of the two nationalities in the context of the emerging trends in the country.”

“That the recent cases of militant attacks in Ikorodu and other places linked by

Edo 2016: APC, PDP on the warpath over

use of stadium Banji Aluko - Benin City

Ahead of the September 10 Edo State governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are now on the warpath over the use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium following allegation by the latter that the ruling party stopped the usage of the stadium for the flagging off of its governorship campaign billed for Monday.

At a media briefing held at the Edo State secretariat of the PDP, state chairman, Dan Orbih, said after receiving approval from the state Ministry of Sports for the usage of the stadium for the Monday flag-off, they received words that the approval had been cancelled.

Orbih, who was flanked by the governorship candidate of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said following the development, the party has found a new venue at the Baptist Convention ground in Benin, adding that “hundreds of Oshiomhole cannot stop the flag-

ging off on Monday.”

He added that the party had earlier informed Edo people about the venue and the event, while adequate arrangement and advertorials had been put across informing people of the event before they were denied usage of the stadium.

On the leadership crisis affecting the PDP, Orbih said with the various judgements delivered on the matter so far, it was clear for everyone to see that Senator Ahmed Makarfi was the constitutionaly recognised caretaker chairman of the PDP. He accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of sponsoring Thursday’s factional PDP primary election held in Edo State, describing the event as “a gathering of APC members, who voted for a suspended PDP member.”

Also speaking, Ize-Iyamu, who regretted the action of the Edo State government, said opinion poll has shown that the PDP will win the September 10 governor-

ship election resoundingly, adding that 20,000 seats would be moved to the new venue of the flag off.

However, Edo State Commissioner for Sports, Priestley Ediagbonya, refuted PDP’s claim that the state government denied the party use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, adding that he only received PDP’s letter dated June 28, 2016, for the use of the stadium on Friday.

Ediagbonya, who said the letter got to the registry of the Ministry of Sports on June 28, said he could not look into requests made to his ministry on Thursday as he spent the good part of the day attending a party’s function.

He showed the last request by the PDP for the use of the stadium dated June 7, 2016, and approved June 8, 2016, to defend his claim that his Ministry has never declined the PDP approval to use the stadium.

He was, however, silent if the PDP’s request will be eventually granted.

the police to the militants of Ijaw extradition are quite unfortunate.

“The meeting rejects the Ogun State police commissioner’s account and, therefore, requests the police to furnish the public with convincing details of the people that carried out the attacks, including their names. This issue should not, however, be allowed to fuel discord and communal violence between the Yoruba and Ijaw nations,” they warned.

The leaders, however, enjoined the two ethnic groups not to fall into the antics of being used against each other. “It is in the interest of both nations, who have lived together in their territories for over 6000 years, long before Nigeria as a country was established, to work together, explore areas of cooperation for the race and well being of the two nationalities.

“It is not a meeting between two nations at war or in conflict. Us a meeting of people of people who have lived together for several years as brothers. That the peace and development of the two nationalities can best be achieved in an atmosphere of trust, confidence and mutual trust.

That the meeting condemns violence in any form and that the recent killings in Ikorodu are extremely in bad taste,” the communique said.

The meeting, which said the violence was “carried out by criminal elements who sadly had links with security agencies,” pointed out that the meeting strongly condemned the violence.

In attendance also were Chief Thompson Okorotie; chairman, Bayelsa Elders Forum; Chief Francis Doakpola, Justice Tabai, General Alani Akinrinade (retd), Comrade Joseph Evah, Mr Wale Oshun, Mr Yinka Odumakin, Prof Banji Akintoye among others.

The Deji and the paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi Odundun II, has vowed to curb the activities of land grabbers popularly known as Omo Oniles in Akure metropolis.

The monarch stated this during his visit to the Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery brigade, Brigadier General C. Ofoshe in his office in Akure on Friday.

He said that the activities of the Omo Oniles are fast becoming a menace to the society and a dent on the image of the city.

“We cannot fold our arms and allow these hoodlums turn our land into a lawless society where crimes thrive.”

“I am aware that they now move round the town extorting money from unsuspecting individuals and even threatening land owners with dangerous weapons on their sites. They have now turned this into a daily routine and a robust source of income for them. We must put an end to it,” the Deji said.

Oba Aladetoyinbo said he was therefore seeking the assistance of the military in ensuring that these hoodlums are flushed out of the society.

While responding to the Deji’s request, Brigadier Ofoche thanked the monarch for his visit and the good working relationship between the Military and the traditional ruler, stating that this had contributed immensely to the relative peace which Akure had been enjoying.

I will not be tired of verification exercise —Dickson Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa Against the backdrop of payroll fraud that resulted in the overbloated wage bill in the state, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has said that the government would not be tired of verifying workers before salaries are paid, in order to discourage unsubstantiated the N4 billion wage bill for civil servants, which is a fraud because it is unrealistic.

Speaking with newsmen at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, Dickson averred that the verification has revealed mind facts that the wage bill was manipulated by a cabal in order to enrich their pockets at the expense of the people.

Wike wants FG’s approval to host African-Caribbean Economic Forum Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has declared that his administration will host the forthcoming African Caribbean Economic Forum only if the Federal Government gives a written approval.

He said this when Ambassador Justin Duru, president of the African-Caribbean Network Foundation, paid him a visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday.

Duru, whose Foundation are organisers of the forum, had said the Federal Government had approved Rivers State as the host of the biennial inter-continental business summit.

The governor, however, said he was not sure whether the Federal Government would allow an international business summit to be hosted in Rivers State, noting that politics had been elevated to disheartening heights under the present dispensation.

“I don’t think the Federal Government will allow international businessmen, diplomats and heads of government to converge on Port Harcourt for the promotion of the positive development strides,” he said.

Armed robbers raid NAN Anambra office, matchet security man Suzy Oruya - Onitsha Gunmen, at about 2.30am on Friday raided the Anambra office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) located near Government House, Awka, the state capital.

The robbers were said to have beaten up the security man, Kenneth Udeh, while valuables of the agency were carted away.

The bandits who allegedly scaled the perimeter fence gained entry into the building by cutting two burglarproofs.

Narrating the incident, the NAN security man on duty, Mr Kenneth Edeh said the suspects attacked the office at about 2.30 am with guns and machetes.

Edeh said he only saw three members of the gang, while others laid ambush around.

“When they came in through the fence, they demanded the keys to the office and I told them they were not with me.

“They wanted to shoot me but one of them said they should machete me.

“So, they started macheting me until I could no longer resist before they started breaking the protector and wall to gain entry and remove valuables,” he said.

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Saturday Tribune

Pharmacists’ council seals off 234 drug outlets in Oyo

By Sade Oguntola

From left, the Kogunan Sakwatto, Mallam Danladi Bako, who represented the Sultan of Sokoto (left), commiserating with the elder brother of the deceased, Chief Okechukwu Maduekwe (second right), while former Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Professor Jerry Gana (second left) and Dr. Placid Njokwu (right) look on during a condolence visit to the family of the late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, at the Ministers’ Quarters, Maitama, Abuja on Friday.

Bus kills twins, injures sibling in Ogun Olayinka Olukoya with Agency report WO children of the same parents were on Friday crushed to death on their way to school by a commercial bus in Ita Oshin area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported.

The accident, according to a witness, occurred at

T

about 8.00 a.m. when the children were on their way to school.

It was gathered that the bus lost control and ran over the students, killing two of the children who were twins, Adijat and Mutmainat Edunjobi, and injuring the third, an elder brother.

The witness, a mechanic, said he and other sympathisers took the corpses

of the eight-year-old twins and their injured 14-yearold brother to the NeuroPyschiatric Hospital, Aro. “We heard a sound and we quickly rushed down before we realised that a vehicle had knocked down some pupils in school uniform.

“We immediately stopped a taxi and took the children to the hospital and the nurses tried their best.

Forgery case: Presidency not assembling witnesses against Saraki, Ekweremadu —Enang Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja THE Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, on Friday, declared that no presidency officials have been assembled to testify against the presiding officers and top two National Assembly management officials currently standing trial over alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules 2011.

Enang, who briefed journalists at the Senate, denied that some top presidency officials, including himself, have been listed as prosecution witnesses.

The Special Adviser to the Vice-President on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi Ojudu is also among the 14 prominent Nigerians said to have been lined up as prosecution witnesses in the case.

Enang stated that the clarification became imperative in view of “false publications and insinuations” that presidential aides have been lined up to testify against the presiding officers of the Senate and others in the case.

Enang insisted that his listing as a witness was solely based on his position as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business in the seventh Senate.

“I was the chairman of the Rules and Business Committee of the 7th Senate which ended plenary on June 4, 2015 and the 8th Senate was inaugurated on June 9, 2015.

“Upon a written petition to the police on the subject of alleged forgery of the Standing Orders by some distinguished Senators of the 8th Senate, the Inspector General of Po-

lice, through one DIG Dan Azumi J. Doma, wrote to the Clerk to the National Assembly vide his letter dated July 1, 2015,” he said.

The presidential aide disclosed that the police requested the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikashuwa, to inform some key officials of the seventh Senate to have an audience with Doma on or before 6 July, 2015.

“But they later confirmed that the girls were dead while their brother is responding to treatment,” he said.

Mr Adegoke Adetunji, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ogun State who confirmed the accident, said it was a lone accident in which the driver ran over the children.

Adetunji blamed the driver for dangerous driving, saying that he lost control and ran over them.

“We got the report of the accident which happened around 8.00a.m., at Ita Oshin area of Abeokuta.

“We gathered that the Toyota Picnic bus with registration number KTU 175 DZ was coming from Sango,” he said.

He said that the driver of the vehicle, who tried to escape, had been arrested by the police and taken to Lafenwa police station in Abeokuta.

Unpaid salaries: Ondo workers suspend

four weeks strike Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE organised labour in Ondo State has reached an agreement to suspend its 30-day strike after a four-day negotiation with the representatives of the state government in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The state workers had strike for the past four weeks to press home their message.

The chairman of the State Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Sunday Adeleye, who announced the suspension of the industrial action said the state government has agreed to pay all outstanding arrears of salaries and pensions after an agreement was signed between the two parties to end the crisis.

He said: “It was resolved

that all outstanding arrears of salaries and pensions shall be offset as a matter of priority from the refunds and reimbursement enbloc “That subsequent salaries should be met as number one priority from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Statutory Allocations, budget support loans, refund reimbursement and other sources.

“That government should step up efforts towards increasing its IGR to complement its dwindling allocations from the federation accounts as a way of meeting its financial obligations, especially in prompt salary payment,” Adeleye stated.

The JNC chairman also explained that the two parties agreed that none of the state worker would be

victimized, retrenched or retired on account of the strike and “that government should progressively interface with the organised labour regarding the implementation of this agreement and other matters incidental thereto.”

The organised labour was represented at the negotiation meeting by the chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mrs Bosede Daramola, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Soladoye Ekundayo and JNC, Mr Sunday Adeleye, while the Head of Service, Mr Tony Akinkuotu, Commissioner for Finance, Mr Yele Ogundipe and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), represented the state government at the meeting.

THE Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off 234 drug stores in Oyo State for allegedly selling medicines above the approved list for Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) and non-registration with the council.

The seal off came after the inspection and enforcement exercise was carried out by the council in keeping with its responsibility of regulating and controlling the practice of pharmacy in Nigeria.

The PCN Director and Head of Department, Inspection and Monitoring, Anthonia Aruya, at a media briefing on the visit of the PCN enforcement team to the state, said 269 facilities were visited in Ibadan town, Iseyin, Oyo, Saki and the Eruwa/Igboora axis during the week.

Aruya said that 222 of the sealed drug stores were run by PPMVs and 12 by pharmacists, adding that 11 facilities were given compliance directives.

Aruya, flanked at the meeting by South West Zonal Head of Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), South West, Mrs Yeyide Oseni and the Deputy Director, Enforcement, PCN, Mr. Stephen Esumobi, said the ongoing national inspection and enforcement exercise had been to 10 other states, including Kwara, Ekiti, Rivers, Cross River and Taraba.

She said that the activities of the unapproved drug sales outlets in the country constitute serious danger to the health of the nation.

According to her, “the situation on the ground is that a good number of these PPMVs do not want to submit to regulation, neither do they appreciate the delicate nature of the critical services rendered by them that directly affects life.”

She also called on members of the public to be mindful of where they buy drugs and the condition of the medicines, urging that the public should only visit PCN-registered outlets for their drug needs.

According to Aruya, “they are to look out for licences issued by the PCN. Individuals have the right to ask for pharmacists on duty or holders of the PPMV licence when they get into any drug outlet.”

Ojo Maduekwe was a loyal party man —Anenih FORMER chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, has described the late Secretary of the BoT, Chief Ojo Maduekwe as a loyal party man who remained committed and steadfast to the PDP till the end.

In a statement released on Friday in Abuja, Chief Tony Anenih, who spoke on behalf of himself and his family, said “the sudden death of Chief Ojo Maduekwe was shocking and heartbreaking to us and the PDP, which we, along with other leaders, laboured very hard, since 1998, to build into a strong party that governed the Federal Republic of Nigeria for sixteen years.

“Chief Ojo Maduekwe carried out all his assignments as minister in charge of three different portfolios, National Secretary of the PDP, Ambassador and, until his death, Secretary of the BoT, with distinction.

“Our nation and the PDP, in particular, will sorely miss Chief Ojo Maduekwe’s brilliant perspectives on major issues of national interest as well as his service to humanity.

“Our hearts go to his wife and the rest of the family as we join them in prayers to God to grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss of such a great nationalist, wonderful husband and father.”

news 12 killed in Bauchi road accident 9

Isaac Shobayo-Jos

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O fewer than 12 persons lost their lives, on Thursday, in an accident on the Bauchi-Kano Road at Kafin Lima village in Bauchi State A Toyota Hilux conveying the victims, who were personnel of a private security outfit known as “Danga Vigilante Group” had had a head-on coalition with a fuel tanker at about 5.00 p.m.

A witness, who, incidentally, is the commandant of the Bauchi State-based security outfit, Alhaji Yusuf Hassan, said he was in a car tailing the Hilux vehicle and watched as the accident, which killed all the occupants of the vehicle, occurred.

“Nobody thought that this kind of incident would happen.

We were returning from Ningi to Bauchi. I was in my car but the bus conveying my personnel had an accident a few kilometers after taking off.

“The tanker had lost control and rammed into the bus, killing my men, all 11 of them, and the driver of the truck on the spot.

“I had never seen deaths of this nature in my life, even during my military days.

“They received janaza prayers at Gwallaga mosque on Friday and were buried afterwards at the Bauchi central cemetery along Gombe Road,” he said When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bauchi State, Rilwanu Sulaiman Birnin Kebbi, confirmed the accident and the casualty figure.

He gave the registration number of the petrol tanker as GML-534-XA. Birnin Kebbi said that the identity of the tanker driver had yet to be known but a survivor of the accident was responding to treatment at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Supporters dump PDP for APC in Nasarawa Godwin Agwam- Lafia NO fewer than 10,000 supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State.

The defectors were led by a three-term member of the House of Representatives for Toto/Nasarawa Federal Constituency of the state, Samuel Egye.

Speaking with journalists, on Friday, at the APC state secretariat in Lafia, Egye said the defection to the APC was informed by the impressive performance of the party in the state and at the national level.

According to him, his decision to leave the PDP, which pulled out 10,000 of his supporters from the PDP, was taken after consultations with members of his constituency and other stakeholders.

Reddington Hospital wins Best Healthcare Provider award ONE of Nigeria’s foremost private independent hospitals, Reddington Hospital has won the “Private Healthcare Provider of the Year award for the third time in succession at the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA) ceremony held at at the Eko Hotels in Lagos.

The annual awards ceremony, sometimes referred to as the Medical Oscars, was designed to celebrate and recognise the best individuals and organisations that have contributed in a remarkable manner to the improvement of the Nigerian healthcare sector Speaking after receiving the award, Chief Operating Officer of the Reddington Hospital Group, Mr Emmanuel Matthews, stated that “winning this award for the third time in a row gives us confidence that we are moving towards achieving our ambition to make quality healthcare available which could compare favourably to the very best international standards.”

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulamajid Ali (right), being assisted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Celestine Okoye, to decorate the state command’s Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, with his new rank of Superintendent of Police, recently.

‘Planned privatisation of airports dangerous for Nigeria’ SHOLA ADEKOLA-Lagos

THE planned privatisation of the four most viable airports in the country by the Federal Government has been described as a selfish move to support capitalism to the detriment of Nigerians.

Addressing a media conference at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch, accused the government of planning to concession the airports to its cronies under the guise of privatisation.

Speaking on behalf of the pensioners, the national chairman, Rasaki Ope and the administrative secretary, Emeka Njoku, referred to the wisdom of the immediate past administration to exempt the airports from privatisation for security reasons.

“How can a right-thinking Nigerian stop our national heritage to operate, thereby undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty, losing sight of security implications, which is supposed to be paramount in every sphere of any nation or country.”

While insisting that handing over of the airports to individuals under the

guise of privatisation portends danger, the union declared: “The person or company contracted to handle these international airports could be hired or compromised to allow weapons into the country, including those who can use the laxity to flock into the country and foment trouble, which could lead to a barrage of deaths of citizens or unrest.

“Nigeria is still battling with Boko Haram, agitation for state of Biafra and militancy, therefore, we should not open more ways for trouble in the name of wanting our airports to be more viable or compensate our political friends and put Nigerians in danger.”

The union cited what it called the failed privatisation of PHCN, Ajaokuta Steel, NITEL and Nigeria Airways

which, it claimed, did Nigeria no good.

“Our candid opinion is, FAAN should be allowed to operate without interference by asking for money and gifts to favour either the minister, National Assembly and presidency as being practiced in the past.

We strongly oppose to whatever guise to give away these four viable airports to individuals to operate.”

Cadet Inspectors lament delayed promotions Biola Azeez-Ilorin

CADET Inspectors in the Nigeria Police Force have called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the authorities concerned to intervene in their delayed promotions, seven years after they were recommended by the Police Service Commission.

The affected police officers said they were to be promoted from the rank of Cadet Inspector to ASP. Some of the officers who spoke with Sat u r d a y Tribune in Ilorin, Kwara State, on the condition of anoymity because of the possible implication of their action, claimed that

they were being victimised.

Describing their alleged treatment as “a threat to national security,” the police officers said that, “when a man is frustrated, he will be confused, depressed, destabilised, less productive and criminally minded.”

The policemen, who also blamed their misfortune on the quota system being used for the promotion exercise, said the process had denied them their promotions while their contemporaries had theirs in January and in June.

The police personnel, who alleged that some of thsoe recently promoted paid between N300, 000 and

N500, 000, said, “that is the set of people whose names appeared in the list for the substantive rank of ASP but names in the Signal either paid the money or collected letters from their godfathers.

“How come majority of our course mates from the North who are more than us in number got promoted, while none from Edo, Delta, Kogi, Benue, Ondo, Enugu, Cross River and Akwa Ibom are promoted?”

In a reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State command, Ajayi Okasanmi, ASP, said he was not in a position to comment on the development.

Aisha Buhari donates food items to underprivileged in Niger Adelowo Oladipo -Minna

WIFE of the president, Hajia Aisha Buhari, on Friday, donated food items to underprivileged people in Niger State.

Mrs Buhari, while making the donation in Minna, said the gesture was intended to cushion the effects of the current socio- economic situation in the country.

The president’s wife, who was represented by the Niger State governor’s wife, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello, distributed 1,000 bags of rice, 1,000 gallons of vegetable oil, 1,000 cartons of tomato paste, 1,000 cartons of specially packaged garri and 1,000 cartons of custard.

According to her, “this gesture is to the underprivileged people, those living with disabilities, widows and the vulnerable in the 25 local government areas of the state.”

She urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their support for the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, especially in the fight against corruption.

Presidency responds to MSF report on malnutrition in Bama Bodunrin Kayode -Maiduguri

THE presidency has sent a short-term response to the lack of drugs and food situation which “doctors without borders,” MSF, recently reported had caused the deaths of several children in Borno State’s second largest town, Bama.

The reported malnutrition at the Bama internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp, according to Governor Kashim Shettima, has been largely exaggerated because it has not reached the desperate level as we had in Southern Sudan, in which mothers sometimes had to boil green grass as food which made the situation of their kids worse.

The MSF report, which angered Shettima, alleged that over 200 kids were killed by malnutrition in a month at the camp located in the abandoned general hospital in the centre of the town.

10

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

style How to wear mustard yellow in style

31

08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

with Kate Ani

Tinuola Ayanniyi tayanniyi@yahoo.com 08055069379

Do-It-Yourself:

Statement hat

Tools Stella Jadore

Cynthia Etsy

Toun AJ

Mamba Thiango

Aderonke Lawal

Marylin Johnson

Directions

I wear make-up almost all the time

O

NE of the biggest colour trends this summer is something slightly unexpected — mustard yellow colour. Unexpected because it isn’t a color that you typically see everyone wearing. The mustard yellow is the darker shade of the usual bright yellow colour. This colour trend is bright, loud, and it’s not something you wear if you’re trying to play it safe.

If you are not bold enough to rock this

—SA media mogul, Bonang Matheba in-your-face colour clothing, you can still rock it as an accessory like pumps, bags and scarves but the rules is that you must restrict the rest of your outfit to subtle colours.

You can also colour block this mustard yellow colour by paring it with white, black or grey other pieces of clothing. Be sure to keep it simple and don’t be afraid to mix it up.

As a popular South African radio DJ, television presenter and host of various high profiled awards shows, Bonang Matheba is a force to reckon with and a source of beauty inspiration for many South African women. She shares her beauty tips and secret in this interview with MARIE CLAIRE magazine.

WHAT make-up trend are you following now and why?

The graphic, less defined subtle smokey eye.

What are your dos and don’ts when it comes to eyebrows?

Eyebrows are like the frame of your face, I probably spend most of my time getting the perfect brow. My biggest do is not to ignore their natural arch. When you are plucking your eyebrows, your aim should be to define their natural shape.

Which do you prefer, Kojal or liquid liner and why?

I like them both as I use them for different reasons. For my everyday makeup, I use kojal as it is not messy; but for winged eyes, I use liquid eyeliners.

What is your night skin regime?

With my line of job, I wear make-up almost all the time. So it is vital for me to take care of my skin. I wash my face at least three times when removing make-up, then I tone sparingly and avoid scrubbing my skin harshly.

11 newsfeature

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Are U.S. efforts successfully countering terrorism in Africa? tistes. Yet despite years of cooperation, when Malian forces deployed to confront Tuareg separatist groups key component of the U.S. and terrorist organizations in the strategy to counter terrorNorth, the mission failed. The troops ism (CT) focuses on working lacked food, water, fuel, and muniwith weak states to combat tions to sustain their effort. Military violent extremist threats. While U.S. training and equipment alone does efforts are well intentioned and may not create a professional security be necessary, this approach toward sector; institutional infrastructure weak states fails to address pre-existto support military action is mission ing root causes of poor development, critical. governance, and security. Instead a Even the government doesn’t know U.S. budget imbalance, heavily skewed the impact and effectiveness of U.S. toward defense spending, dedicates far security assistance. Neither the State more resources to building partners’ Department nor DOD use consistent security capacity, specifically military metrics to systematically measure and law enforcement assistance, than progress or evaluate results. What to addressing what drives people to bedata collection exists often focuses come radicalized or building competent on outputs not outcomes such as governance institutions. However, it is measuring the number of trainees as these exact structural and policy weakone of several measures of success. nesses that enable extremist groups to “The lack of comprehensive assessexpand their reach across borders and ment criteria and analysis poses share tactics, training, and weapons challenges not only for conducting with other like-minded groups. The U.S. President Barack Obama (left) puts his arm around Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta as they depart after their joint news qualitative assessments, but also for US approach is lopsided. It further conference after their meeting at the State House in Nairobi, July 25, 2015. PHOTO: JONATHAN ERNST. the government’s decision-making destabilizes vulnerable nations and use of it.” A former senior Department of Defense (DOD) on future programming and resource augments global instability.

CT official agrees. “Most of the countries [in Africa] we allocation, and for congressional oversight” testified Since 9/11, the U.S. has launched two CT partner- help are dysfunctional with large swaths of ungoverned Lauren Blanchard, an African Affairs Specialist ships in Africa, one to counter the effects of al-Qaeda in territory,” he says adding that, since the programs focus with the Congressional Research Service before the the Islamic Maghreb and Boko Haram in the Maghreb on building ‘quick fix’ tactical military capacity that often Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Sahel, and one to counter al-Shabab in East Africa. includes equipment and arms—provided to chaotic and in June 2015.

The pace of U.S. military involvement is accelerating. unreliable militaries—“it’s almost throwing money away.”

On a continent that has a poor history of military While three years ago, there were four Africa-based Part of the problem is that terrorism is not always a top coups, rebellions, civil wars, poor governance, illegroups designated by the State Department as foreign priority for countries that have other more pressing prob- gitimate elections, and extreme poverty, a principally terrorist organizations, today, there are twelve. lems. When African nations accept U.S. CT assistance they security-related CT approach may not only fail to But many of these nations lack effective, account- are not willing to reform their security institutions to en- deter terrorists, it may increase instability. able security sectors that uphold the rule of law and able them to put the assistance to proper use. Furthermore, Cheryl is an adjunct professor at Columbia protect their borders, providing opportunities that precious local resources are often not devoted to sustaining Business School. Andrea is a researcher fobad actors can, and have, exploited. A recent study U.S. investment in infrastructure and equipment. cusing on security sector reform and a PhD conducted by the Rand Corporation states African For example, post 9/11 Mali was the U.S.’s leading candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and “countries that are most in need of [security] assist- Sahelian military CT partner, receiving CT training for an Diplomacy at Tufts University, United States. ance are usually the ones least able to make positive elite unit, the 33rd Regiment des Commandos Parachu- Source:cfr.org.

By Cheryl Strauss Einhorn and Andrea Walther-Puri

A

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Ibadan Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08077227269; 08034135733 Lagos Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08055333067; 08033013177 South South Regional Office: No. 50 Ikwerre Rd., Mile 1, Diobu, P/Harcourt, Rivers State

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12 feature

By Oluwatoyin Malik

B

EFORE the arrest of 29-year-old Lekan Ismail Adewale, a.k.a.

Asumo, on May 28, 2016 in Ibadan, Oyo State, he rode in the crime world like a king, but when he was arrested, he wore a calm look that could make someone who had not listened to his confession to think that his arrest was a mistake.

Before his arrest, Asumo and his gang members were reported to have terrorised Nigerian citizens in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade had told Saturday Tribune that during a press briefing recently that Asumo’s gang had engaged in series of armed robbery operations at different areas of Ibadan, and had since been on the wanted list of the command.

Oyebade said that the suspect’s arrest was made possible by the information received by his command at about 9:00p.m on May 28 that Asumo was sighted along Idi-Ape Iwo Road area of Ibadan. It will be recalled that the story of the arrest of one of his gang members, Saheed Mohammed, was reported in the May 1, 2016 edition of Saturday Tribune. Also arrested with Saheed was a native doctor, called Rasheed Adifala, who was allegedly providing charms to fortify the suspects.

Their mode of operation, Saturday Tribune learnt, was to target ATM users at night, bundle them into their operational vehicle and take round the city to withdraw money from their accounts till the early hours of the morning, before they are released.

Aside this, the gang also specialised in snatching cars from their owners at gunpoint, it was further gathered. Though Asumo was arrested in Ibadan, he was said to have been transferred to the Ogun State Police Command for further investigations into his criminal activities in the state.

Saturday Tribune held a comprehensive interview with the suspect. Below are the excerpts: Background I am from Ayetoro in Ogun State but I live in Abeokuta. I trained as an electrical/electronic technician. Due to lack of fund, I was picking scraps to get money to rent a shop. That was how I met Austin, Abayomi, Dele and Danladi who introduced me into robbery. I noticed that they were never broke while I always struggled to survive after selling the scraps we were picking.

One day, they told me that I was not smart. They promised to take me to an outing. I followed them on a day and they entered a shop and robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight. One of us was caught during my second outing with the gang and he was used to trace me. That was how I landed in Oba Prison, Abeokuta in March 2013. I left prison in December 2015 and the case was still going on before my recent arrest.

While in prison, I met one Tosin and he assisted me in perfecting my bail condition. When I came out, I linked up with him because he gave me his number when he was leaving. I asked him what we could do to make money and he said we would go into car snatching. Both of us travelled to Cotonou, Republic of Benin to buy two guns.

Three others – Sina, Michael and Saheed joined to make a five-member gang.

We started car snatching. We operated in

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

King of crime world sings: •We bought our guns in Benin Republic •How we robbed in Oyo, Ogun, Abuja

•I was planning to travel to South Africa when I was arrested

Lekan Ismail Adewale, a.k.a Asumo. Inset are his gang members, Saheed (left) and the gang’s native doctor, Rasheed.

Lekki area of Lagos State. We snatched a Nissan Almera at Iyana Mortuary at Abeokuta in Ogun State. That was what led to Sina’s arrest by SARS operatives in Abeokuta.

We also operated at Challenge (Hyundai Elantra), Ring Road (Toyota Camry) and Iwo Road (Honda CRV) areas of Ibadan, Oyo State, as well as Abuja. It was Tosin who took us to Ibadan because he is an indigene. Sina has been charged to court and is currently in Ibara prison. Saheed was arrested with the Hyundai car on Iseyin Road by SARS operatives in Oyo town while he was coming from his Iseyin hometown.

My role in the gang I used to be one of those that would ‘arrest’ our victims after we must have blocked them with our operational vehicle and drawn our guns. Saheed, Michael and I used to handle the guns. Our operational vehicles were also snatched from owners.

The Toyota Camry 2007 model that we snatched at gunpoint at Lekki was sold for N280,000 and I got N60,000. I bought a Toyota Rav4 with robbery proceeds.

We live in different states but we used to call one another to come together whenever we had any work to do. I live in Abeo-

That was how I met Austin, Abayomi, Dele and Danladi who introduced me into robbery. I noticed that they were never broke while I always struggled to survive after selling the scraps we were picking.

kuta, Tosin in Abuja, Saheed in Iseyin, Michael in Lagos and Sina in Abeokuta.

Tosin was the one keeping the guns and he usually brought them whenever there was work to do.

How I was arrested I was in Ibadan where a travel agent had helped me in securing a South African visa. I wanted to withdraw some money from an ATM to pay for my ticket because the visa will lapse in July. I decided to travel out to hustle because I know that the robbery I engaged in was not good. I am still amazed how police got to know I was there and arrested me.

Why I chose robbery I wanted to gather money to travel out of Nigeria. It was not as if I loved what I was doing.

My family I had a wife who bore two children for me but she left when I was arrested in 2013, leaving my two kids with my mother. My mother lives alone in Abeokuta but my father is married to another woman. My mother has four of us and I am the first child and son. My mother is a pepper miller. I never wish my children to take after me.

Gang members’ fate Other gang members have also met their Waterloo as they are either in police net or are in prison awaiting trial. They are Michael who is in Ikoyi prison; Sina in Ibara Prison; Saheed detained at SARS Oyo and Tosin who has been arrested in Abuja.

13

2 July, 2016

BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

food&drink Seafood okra soup: Best for the rains With a passion for catering, Mrs Adebimpe Olaoye, who owns Bimples Hotel, gives a peep into the food and hospitality industry and shares with BLESSING EKUM the recipe for her all-time signature dish.

C

AN you share your experience so far in the food and hospitality industry?

It’s been fun all the way though there are some challenges as expected. The exciting aspect is meeting new people and having the opportunity to serve good food.

What has changed about your perception of the food and hospitality business since you started?

I’ve come to realise that some individuals can be very difficult to impress no matter how much you try and their dissatisfaction may not be the fault of the owners of the business. I also know now that you have to be very tolerant and patient with customers because you are dealing with different kinds of people.

Given the electricity challenges, how do you manage food preservation?

It’s the most challenging part of running a food business. Since power supply is barely existent, we rely on diesel-powered generating sets that run the whole day. However, we prepare most dishes on demand, so the issue of wastage doesn’t really arise.

Considering that we are in the rainy season, what kinds of foods are trending?

Hot foods. Most people want whatever is ordered to be served piping hot — whether amala, pounded yam or tea. Also, because there are more vegetables, quite a number of people also prefer vegetable soups.

What are some of the vegetables that are available now?

I am from Ibadan, Oyo State and based there. Some of such vegetable are efo, ewedu, okra.

Do you have a favourite continental dish?

That’s Chinese fried rice and curried chicken.

In your years in the culinary world, what’s the weirdest cuisine you’ve encountered?

Snakes. I know of someone who serves it in her restaurant and people knowingly eat it. I find eating snakes very weird.

How do you define good food?

Food with nice presentation. The presentation of food is what whets the appetite.

Is the art of proper food presentation a learned skill or a natural gifting?

It’s a combination of both. I am trained in that aspect and coupled with the flair I have for cooking, fresh ideas keep coming in.

What’s your signature dish?

It’s seafood. As this is the rainy season,

seafood is in abundance. I love to add it to every possible food—edikang ikong soup, ogbono soup, grilled fish and the likes. My current preference is seafood okra soup.

Can you share the recipe for this?

The ingredients needed are seafood of all sorts — fresh shrimps, stock fish, crayfish, lobsters, crabs —, okra, ogbono, palm oil, scotch bonnet pepper (rodo), iru (locust beans), salt, seasoning cubes.

Clean the preferred seafood and keep aside. Blend pepper. Chop okra if you want it chunky with no elasticity or you can blend if you don’t want any chunks of okra in the soup. Bring water to boil and add palm oil.

Add seasoning cubes, salt, pepper, iru and seafood. Pour in ground ogbono and okra and leave to cook for about three minutes.

Allow to simmer. Serve. It goes well with any form of swallow.

Jamaican carrot juice

Ingredients: 2 pounds carrots, chopped 4 or more cups water 1 can condensed milk ½ teaspoons nutmeg/ cinnamon adjust to taste 1-teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon fresh ginger

Directions: • Add coconut milk and sugar in a medium saucepan.

•Cook on medium heat for about 35 or more minutes, stir often with a whisk. You may have to reduce the heat if necessary to

Saturday Tribune

prevent burns. Do not step away from the saucepan.

When it has thickened remove and let cool before using. Proceed with carrots and replace the condensed milk with this.

•Blend carrot in a blender with about 3-4 cups of water.

•Sieve carrot mixture using cheesecloth, fine cheese or clean kitchen towel. Squeeze really tight to extract carrot juice. Save carrot juice and discard the rest.

•Rinse the blender with water to remove any leftover carrots.

•Then place carrot juice in blender together with all the other ingredients. Pulse for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients have combined.

•Chill until ready to drink.

14

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

intimacy STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Nothing kills marriage faster than...

L

IFE is meant to be exciting. Boredom is something man is willing to pay whatever price to do away with. One of the reasons we get married in the first instance is for companionship and one major thing we seek companionship for is to make life exciting, to make life fun, to make life interesting. But excitement is still lacking when in the marriage, people easily fall prey of getting it where they shouldn’t even without being conscious of it or face boredom for the rest of their life. Many men and even some women, got into adultery not because they planned for it but in their quest for excitement. They went into marriage full of expectations but only to become disappointed a few years into it because their expectation did not march

with the reality. Life became more of a routine than fun, and no one enjoys life as a routine, not even those who are confined to boredom by marriage or any other thing.

Couples must make their marriage fun. Your home must be an exciting place to be for you and your spouse, and even for your children.

Your spouse must see you as fun to be with. Life should not be too serious. There are couples who don’t sit down together cracking jokes with one another. They frown around the house. They live life as if life is a disaster. Even when things are not the way you desire them to be, you don’t have to allow them to rob you of your happiness. Together with your spouse, you must learn to enjoy where you are on the way to where you are going. Don’t live your life as if you are the one carrying the problem of the whole world on your head. What informs who you are is not your circumstances but you decision. That anyone is happy and full of life around you is not because life has been favourable to him, it is only because he has chosen to be happy and full of life. He has learnt to put his challenges and problems aside and enjoy life. Everyone has enough reason to keep them sad and touchy, even those we think life has

been fair to.

For your marriage to be fun, sex must become fun for you and your spouse. Many couples approach sex as a thing they must do because they are married to each other. Sex must become what you and your spouse want to have because you enjoy having it with each other. It must not be a routine. That is why I don’t advocate couples having “set-aside days” of the week to have sex. Sex should flow out of our relating with each other. That is why Dr. Kevin Leman advocates that great Sex Begins in the Kitchen. As she is doing the cooking and you are passing the salt, she puts a piece of meat in your mouth, you use your teeth to cut it into two, you spit one half into her mouth while you chew the second half, one thing keeps leading to another and right there on the kitchen table, you are having fun. That is what it is meant to be “fun.” Thank God the children have gone on holiday.

Sex with your spouse should be fun time. It is not just about you climbing your wife and “doing it,” neither is it just about you lying down there like a log of wood, waiting for him to finish whatever he is doing. You should make it as interesting as possible. You should be inventive about it.

Try several methods. Create excitement. Change location. It doesn’t have to be on your bed and in your bedroom all the time. Every ground is a holy land as long as it is only the two of you that are there. From experience I can say that sex out of the usual place is very exciting and interesting.

08055001741 (sms only)

conversewithyemisi Re: I am frustrated, unhappy

I

Dear Yemisi, ’m a 22-year-old lady. I have a boyfriend who is 27. We have been together for the past two years.

I am getting really tired of my boyfriend’s attitude towards me. He speaks very rudely to me, hardly calls me because he says he doesn’t have money and pretty much just does whatever he likes. He doesn’t listen to me anymore and when I complain, he turns it into a fight. I really don’t enjoy talking to him anymore because he would always find something negative to say.

For about two months now, he hasn’t called me, we sometimes chat via Whatsapp. I call him as often as I can without complaining as I understood that he was really broke. It got so bad that he said he doesn’t have money to eat. I only support Him with prayers as I am not working yet.

A few days ago, I called and he told me he was asked to pay N20,000.00 for something. I was concerned about where he would get the money. To my surprise, he told me he had money to pay and I should never ask him where he gets money from that I was trying to ridicule him by suggesting that he doesn’t have money in his bank account. I was speechless. I later found out that he had been paid two months salary the very week he told me that he didn’t have money.

We have been apart for about a year. He had to move to another state. This might be the reason for the change in attitude because it wasn’t this bad when we were staying in the same state.

I am getting frustrated and unhappy.

What can I do ma?

Seun, (Not real name).

Seun, since the relationship has lasted for over two years, coupled with the distance between you, it is evident the guy’s affection is waning gradually. If

you really love this guy, you should endeavour to see him and bare your mind. Then, from your conversation, you should be able to deduce whether the guy is still interested in the relationship. —Ayobami, 08138029332.

Seun, I really thank God for your age. What you are passing through is not easy but it is one of life’s issues that you must learn how to manage. But I want you to think deeply. Even if you have offended him, go and apologise. A Yoruba adage says an eye that will function till the end of life will not give trouble early in life. You said you are getting tired of him, he doesn’t have money to call you but he got N20,000. Please, be sincere and honest with yourself. Don’t force yourself on him. If this man is not destined to be your husband please allow him to be.

God will bring the real one. —Pastor Caleb Adeleye, 08108592910.

Seun, your message is well digested. For your information, the two of you are not compatible and that is the basic truth. —Ope Ijaopo <ijaopo@yahoo.com> Seun, you don’t have to be fooled by his attitude that he does not have money. This guy, if the truth must be told, is not interested in having you as his lover. He is a pretender and he will do anything to keep you in suspense. From your description of him, I doubt if he is in for anything serious with you.

To me, where he is staying is not an issue that you should lose your sleep over. Even if you are in the same city he will still do what pleases him at will. He is not to be trusted with your future. He will contin-

yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

ue to lie to you. —Abeke, Lagos.

Seun, this boyfriend of yours is behaving as a macho man who has no respect for you. After all you have not changed your name to his and he has been showing you his true colour for him to have told you why you should not know where he got his bailout from. If he could be hiding under the pretext of being owed salary whereas he had been paid is enough to tell you that he is an impostor. You don’ t have to waste your time and emotions on this man. He is not likely to be responsible for any of his actions in the future. —Sikira, Alagbado, Lagos.

For Him

Joy 24, slim, fair-skinned, needs a caring man, aged between 30 and 35 for a relationship. Call 08099482357.

Adeola, 31, fair-skinned, Christian, from Lagos State, needs a man, aged between 37 and 49, for marriage.

Call 09026605102.

Anu, 42, single mother with a child, needs a reliable man for altar bound relationship. Call 08109737561.

For Her

Femi, 42, businessman for Ibadan, Oyo State, 6.7 feet tall, needs a gentle lady aged between 40 and 42 for a relationship. 08151026576.

Ben, 29, fair-skinned, businessman, seeks a darkskinned, graduate, skilled lady aged between 22 and 26 for a relationship. Call 08106088202.

Damola, 49, engineer, Lagos-based, needs a Godfearing lady aged between 30 and 48 for a relationship.

Contact 08164557898.

15

2 July, 2016

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

By Blessing Ekum

W

ITH the increased awareness and publicity about the dangers of obesity, many, in recent years, have taken conscious care to watch their weight. Obesity has been linked to various diseases and conditions ranging from bone problems to heart diseases. As a result, lots of researches have gone into determining the cause and possible cure to an increased waistline.

As our diet is the major culprit in the accumulation of body weight, it became widespread that a diet containing fat, especially a high-fat one, was largely responsible for one getting fat. Certain schools of thoughts suggested that one did away with fat if one wanted to lose weight.

Mrs Opeyemi Akinola, a nutritionist and dietician says, “It’s wrong for one to believe and act on the notion that fat is bad. The truth is our bodies need fat from food because it is a major source of energy. Fat works in various ways in the body. Some of its functions include helping in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, building cell membranes which are the important exterior of each cell and the sheaths surrounding nerves as well as assisting in blood clotting and muscle movement. The key is to decipher good and bad fat and take the ones that are beneficial to the body. Good fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (these come mainly from nuts, seeds, vegetables and fish). Bad ones include industrial-made trans fats (on product labels, this is typically as “partially hydrogenated oil” and several researches have shown that for every two per cent of calories from trans fat consumed daily, the risk of heart disease rises by 23 per cent). To completely cut out fat from one’s diet, especially without expert advice/recommendation can spell more trouble for the person.”

Of late, new studies have also countered the notion that fat should be completely eliminated from diet to lose weight and have in fact stated that eating more of certain types of fats may help one lose weight and maintain a healthy waistline.

In the study published in the June 2016 edition of the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, men and women who followed a high-fat, Mediterranean diet that was rich in either olive oil or nuts lost more weight and reduced their waist circumference more than the people in the study who were simply instructed to reduce their fat intake, according to the study.

The Mediterranean diet, rich in healthy fats and plant proteins, has been linked in previous studies to a wide range of health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes — two conditions that are also linked to obesity.

But despite such benefits, “obese people [have] continued to be reluctant to eat vegetable fats such as extra-virgin olive oil and nuts, because they believe these foods lead to weight gain,” said Dr. Ramon Estruch, an internal medicine physician at the University of Barcelona in Spain and the lead author of the study.

The findings of the new study show, on the other hand, that a diet rich in dietary fats and vegetables, such as the Mediterranean diet, does not promote weight gain, Estruch said.

In the study, the researchers looked at data on people who had participated in the PREDIMED trial, a five-year study in Spain that looked at the effects of the Mediterranean diet on heart health. There

Why eating fat may not make you fat

were nearly 7,500 older adults in the study, the majority of whom were overweight or obese and all of whom had either type 2 diabetes or at least three risk factors for heart disease.

The people in the study were asked to follow one of three diets: a Mediterranean diet with at least four tablespoons of extra-

The truth is our bodies need fat from food because it is a major source of energy...

The key is to decipher good and bad fat and take the ones that are beneficial to the body.

virgin olive oil each day, a Mediterranean diet with at least three servings of nuts each week or a control diet, where the participants were advised to generally avoid fat in their diet.

Both olive oil and nuts contain relatively high amounts of fat, but the fat in them is primarily monounsaturated fat, which is thought to be better for health than the saturated fat found in animal-based foods such as meat and cheese.

The researchers found that after five years, the people in the olive oil group had lost a small but statistically significant amount of weight, compared to the control group: The people in the olive oil group lost about 1 lb. (0.4 kilograms) more, on average, than those in the control group.

The people in the nut group also lost a small amount of weight as well, compared to the control group. However, the difference between the olive oil group and the nut group was not statistically significant (meaning it could have been due to chance).

In addition, both the olive oil and nut groups experienced slight reductions in their waist circumferences compared to the control group, according to the study.

The key finding is that neither diet, although rich in fats, led to weight gain or

increases in waist circumference, Estruch told Live Science.

The researchers noted that although the participants in the olive oil and nut groups were not instructed to limit their calorie intake, the people in both groups did end up consuming fewer calories on average than they had consumed before the study started.

This may have been due to the filling effects of fat, the researchers wrote in their study.

Maintaining a certain body weight requires balancing the calories you consume versus the calories you burn, but it seems that calories from vegetable fats have different effects on weight than calories from animal fats, Estruch said.

Though the participants in the study were overweight or obese older adults, Estruch said that he believes that the benefits of the Mediterranean diet on weight and waist circumference could extend to people of any age and weight, including young men and women.

This is not the first study to suggest that eating more plant-based fats does not lead to a larger waistline. The results of this study are consistent with a range of observational studies suggesting that eating more plant-based fat is not linked to a change in people’s weights.

16 healthandfitness

2 July, 2016

Is sex safe during pregnancy?

I am carrying my first pregnancy which is now five months old. Since the onset of the pregnancy, my husband has been pestering me for sex but I have always refused out of fear of losing the pregnancy. My friends say sex is safe during pregnancy.

Is this so? Kindly advise me.

Salome (by SMS) Most women who are having a normal pregnancy may continue to have sex right up until their wa-

Dr. Wale Okediran 08055069356 (sms only)

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

My severe backache ter breaks or they go into labour. There are some circumstances, though, in which you may need to modify your activity or abstain from sex altogether for part or all of your pregnancy. These conditions in-

clude history of bleeding in the early part of the pregnancy, high Blood Pressure as well as premature labour pains. Once you don’t have any of these complaints, you can continue to have sex during pregnancy.

I feel sleepy after breaking my fast

SINCE the beginning of the Ramadan fasting, I notice that I always feel sleepy after breaking my fast. This does not allow me to do my work. Why is this so and what can I do to avoid it?

Musiliu (by SMS) Apart from the brain, intestines require a lot of blood to help digest food.

So after a long day of fasting, the sudden surge of food kicks our digestion system into overdrive.

Here the brain channels a large amount of red blood cells to our intestines. This rush to red blood cells to the intestines leaves the rest of the body, especially your brain, with reduced

Saturday Tribune

I started experiencing back-aches about seven months ago but thought that being just 22 years old, the pains will go away.

Unfortunately, it has been getting worse. My parents and friends think it’s due to my high sugar intake which I fear is irreversible.

I hope I am wrong.

Ayodele (by SMS) Your backache could be due to many reasons such as your occupation, family history of backaches, the kind of shoes you wear as well as the state of your bed.

Excessively high shoes as

well as strenuous manual jobs could affect your posture as well as your back.

Equally too, if your bed has loose springs and a sagging mattress, this could also be responsible. For now, you will need to reduce your

sugar intake, take some painkillers and sleep on a hard background, preferably, a thin mattress placed on the floor. If after this the situation has not improved, then you will need to see a doctor.

Bed-weting at 16 blood flow. This will make you feel sleepy. In addition, all that food will, of course, increase blood sugar levels – which then results in an increase in insulin. Insulin reacts with a protein in the brain called “tryptophan”, creating a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is re-

sponsible to tell your brain to go to sleep. Hence you feel sleepy, especially if you break your fast with lots of simple carbohydrates like rice, dates, fruits etc. You can only reduce the magnitude of the sleepy feeling by not rushing your meal but to eat slowly and lightly.

MY name is Evelyn. I am 16 years old. I need your help on an issue. I bed wet every day and I don’t know the cause. Kindly help me.

Evelyn (by SMS) The medical name for wetting the bed is enuresis. Bed wetting is fairly common among ordinary, mature and healthy teenagers with one in every 100 wetting the bed at some stage. It can

be embarrassing and difficult to talk about, even to your family or best friends.

Teenage bed-wetting doesn’t mean there is something abnormal about you.

Something can be done to help you, even if you think you have tried everything.

There are new solutions and treatments available. While doctors and other health professionals are not always sure why bed-wetting

occurs, certain conditions may cause the problem. Often, bed-wetting has been a problem since childhood. It happens to boys more than girls. Luckily, most outgrow the problem with time and/ or treatment. However, at 16, it will be a good idea to see a specialist doctor (urologist) at the nearest specialist or teaching hospital to you for a proper evaluation and management.

Butter may not be bad for your heart

T

HE study found no link between consuming butter and an increased risk of heart disease or stroke, instead finding that butter might actually be slightly protective against type 2 diabetes.

And although consuming butter was linked with an increased risk of early death, the increase in risk was extremely small, the researchers said.

“Overall, our results suggest that butter should neither be demonized nor considered ‘back’ as a route to good health,” study co-author Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, said in a statement.

The findings “do not support a need for major emphasis in dietary guidelines on either increasing or decreasing butter consumption,” the researchers wrote in their study.

Butter is relatively high in saturated fat, which is generally considered a “bad” fat. But, increasingly, researchers are looking at the overall effects of eating certain foods, rather than focusing on specific nutrients by themselves, the researchers said. That’s because the combination of nutrients in a food, like butter, may have a different effect on people’s health than any single nutrient alone.

In the new study, the researchers analyzed information from nine earlier studies that together included more than 636,000 people in 15 countries who were followed for 10 to 23 years, on average. During that time, 28,271 people died; 9,783 were diagnosed with heart disease; and 23,954 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The average amount of butter that the people in the studies consumed ranged from one-third of a tablespoon daily to 3 tablespoons daily.

A daily serving of butter (14 grams or about 1 tablespoon) was linked with a 1 percent higher risk of death during the study period. On the other hand, a daily serving of butter was linked with a 4 percent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

There was no relationship found between eating butter

and being diagnosed with heart disease, the researchers said.

The findings suggested butter may be a “middle-of-theroad” food, said study co-author Laura Pimpin, also of Tufts University. For example, butter may be healthier for you than foods high in sugar or starch, which have been linked with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, Pimpin said.

However, butter may be a worse for you than other spreads and cooking oils that are richer in “healthy fats,” she said.

These alternatives include soybean, canola, flaxseed and extra-virgin olive oil, along with some types of margarine.

Such spreads and oils contain more unsaturated fats, which are generally considered healthier than saturated fats.

More research is needed to understand why consuming

butter is linked with a slightly lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Mozaffarian said. Some previous studies have also found a link between consuming dairy fat from yogurt and cheese and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

The new study looked only at the association between people’s butter consumption and their risk of heart disease, early death and types 2 diabetes, so it cannot prove for certain that butter does or does not cause these conditions. There may be factors that the study did not take into account, such as people’s physical activity levels or their genetic risk factors, which could affect the results, the researchers said.

The study was published June 29 in the journal PLOS ONE. Courtesy:www.livescience.com.

17

2 July, 2016

Divorce

Court & Crime

He denied paternity of my son ’cos I chatted with a male friend —Wife

My mother-in-law beat, stripped me naked on two occasions —Wife Dissolve the marriage since she doesn’t want me again —Husband

A

Lagos Island customary court has dissolved the 15-year-old marriage between one Dapo Ashorobi and his wife, Titilayo, over constant abuse and assault by the latter’s mother-in-law.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), president of the court, Mr Awos Awosola, ordered the dissolution of the marriage after concluding that the union had broken down irretrievably.

“The marriage between the two parties has broken beyond redemption. The marriage between the two is hereby dissolved with effect from today,” Awosola ruled.

He also granted the custody of the three children to their mother.

The petitioner, Titilayo, had earlier informed the court that she could no longer stay in the marriage because of the constant ab-

use and assault of her mother-in-law.

The 32-year-old trader said that her mother-in-law had turned her husband into a ‘simpleton’ and was the one controlling their home.

“My husband and I have been married for 15 years and we are still staying in his family house where his mother also lives.

“There has been constant trouble because of my mother-in-law’s presence in our home.

“My husband takes directives from his mother about how to manage his home.

inside

End this marriage before devil uses me to commit murder —Husband Iraincursesonhim‘cosheoftenbeat metopulp —Wife

Saturday Tribune

“On several occasions, my husband would not eat the food I prepare just because his mother said he should not.

“My mother-in-law has beaten and stripped me naked on two occasions and my husband did not say or do anything about it.

“I can no longer bear the emotional and physical abuse as well as maltreatment,” she said.

The mother of three, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve the marriage.

The husband, Dapo, who did not deny the allegations, also prayed the court to dissolve the marriage as requested by his wife.

He told the court that his wife had refused to accept his pleas and had rejected all efforts towards reconciliation.

‘I lost a pregnancy in a fight I picked with one of his concubines’ See pages 18 & 23

A trader, Mrs Olaide Ojikutu, has urged an Igando customary court in Lagos State to dissolve her five-year marriage because her husband allegedly denied the paternity of their second son.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ojikutu, 29, told the court that her husband, Olufemi, with whom she had her two sons, said he was not the father of their second son.

“When I was pregnant with my second son, my husband saw me chatting with my male school mate friend on Facebook and accused me of dating him.

“He told me that he will not accept the baby because he believed that the man I was chatting with impregnated me.

“My husband refused to accept the baby, so my family took up the responsibility of the child.

“The baby is now two years and my husband still has refused to pay for his feeding and school fees,” she said.

Olaide said her husband was envious of men being around her and prevented her from working so that other men would not go after her.

“I got a job at a bank but my husband did not allow me to work. I also got jobs in other places but he still would not allow me to work.

“He is always monitoring my movement; if I go out and do not come home before 4 p.m., he will lock me out,” she said.

She alleged that her husband has always been unfaithful and whenever she tries to caution him he beats her.

“My husband is a womaniser and an alcoholic who dates women irrespective of their size or colour and anytime I try to query him he beats me,” she said.

She begged the court to dissolve the marriage as she was no longer interested in the union.

The respondent, however did not appear in court after being served with the summon.

President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, ordered the bailiff to reserve the respondent notice of hearing before the next adjourned date.

Omilola adjourned the case till July 12 for further hearing.

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

23

courtandcrime

End this marriage before devil uses me to commit murder —Husband

I rain curses on him ’cos he often beats me to pulp —Wife

TWO teenagers caught making love at a cemetery have been arraigned at the Upper Sharia Court, Tudun Nupawa, Kaduna State.

But the teenagers, Abulmalik and 16-year-old Hadiza said it was the devil that pushed them into committing the act.

The prosecutor told the court that he caught them at the Tudun wada cemetery when he was

passing by.

“I heard some disturbing noise inside the cemetery and I waited for a while to be very sure of what I heard only to see the two of them making love.”

He said he quietly went to arrest the two lovebirds and subsequently decided to charge them to court for committing an offence.

The prosecutor added that they committed an offence

contrary the state Sharia law which is in force in the state.

On interrogation, the duo pleaded guilty to the offence levelled against them, saying it was the devil that pushed them.

In his ruling, the presiding Sharia court judge, Mallam Muhammad Lawal Saulawa adjourned the case till 7 July for judgement.

Court jails man 12 months for stealing employer’s N3.2m

Stories by Ayomide Owonibi-Odekanyin and Biola Azeez, Muhammad Sabiu, with Agency reports

A

clearing agent, Emmanuel Adedeji, has pleaded with an Igando customary court in Lagos State to dissolve his 16-year-old marriage because his wife has defamed his character in public.

He further pleaded with the court to end the marriage before the devil uses him to commit murder.

“My wife accused me of using my physically challenged son for money ritual. It is God that blessed me with wealth, I never used my son.

“Funmilayo beat me up in public and tore my clothes to rags. She is always raining curses me very early in the morning and those curses are now coming to pass in my life,” he said.

Adedeji pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage, that he was no longer in love and does not want to commit murder.

“Please, dissolve the marriage before the devil uses me,” he begged the court.

Funmilayo, 49, a food vendor, owned up to the allegation of raining curses on her husband.

“Yes, I always rained curses on him because he used to beat me. On two occasions, he had beaten me to pulp and I ended up in hospital.”

Funmilayo said that her husband had been starving her of sex for the past 12 years.

“My husband has refused to sleep with me for 12 years now for no just cause,” Funmilayo said.

The mother of two said that she accused her husband of using their son for money ritual because his money started booming immediately the baby was born.

“My husband’s wealth came after the birth of our baby. Our son is now 14 years old but neither walks nor talks.”

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s request, saying she still loves him.

President of the court, Mr. Adegboyega Omilola, after listening to the couple, adjourned the case for further hearing.

‘I lost a pregnancy in a fight I picked with one of his concubines’ As it appears, every indication is pointing towards a seeming collapse of love between Ayanfunke and her husband, Henry, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Ayanfunke had accussed her husband of betrayal of love that existed between them as married couple.

Ayanfunke had dragged her husband before magistrate Ibrahim Abdulkadir of the customary court sitting at Ojagboro in Ilorin.

Ayanfunke said she had decided to come before the court to seek divorce from her husband because she no longer loves her husband.

She accused Henry of giving her and their three children a paltry N100 every day as feeding allowance, saying the amount of money was too meagre to be sufficient for their daily welfare/upkeep.

The woman explained before the court that many instances of inadequate love and care had become source of sadness and

Teenagers making love in cemetery arraigned

worry to her.

She also told the court that another way of life that had recently been embraced by Henry is that of adultery.

Funke established the allegation of adultery against her husband before the court as she narrated how secrets of Henry’s escapade were revealed to her.

She said a few years ago, she told her husband that she was travelling to Offa in Kwara State to attend a social function, but later decided to cancel the trip, but on returning home, she found her husband in bed with another woman.

It was in her narration before the magistrate that she said that, “the ensued fight between me and the adulterous woman led to the loss of my pregnancy that I was carrying then. Concubines visit my husband at our home at will to the extent that many of them beat me up in my matrimonial home.”

She also lamented her bitterness and sadness before the magistrate over drunkenness habit of her husband, saying he was in the habit of buying assorted alcoholic drinks home for consumption.

She said her husband usually drank in the presence of their children, saying she would not want their children to emulate the habit.

“My lord, it’s because of these behaviours of Henry that I am no longer interested in this relationship. I want to divorce Henry,” she said.

The court magistrate, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, then adjourned further hearing till July 27, 2016 to enable her husband to defend allegations made against him by his wife before the court.

The counsel for the EFCC, Mr A.A Adebayo, said that the claimant petitioned the anti-graft agency over the theft.

“We received a petition from Mr Edo-Ehigie Eloghosa who traded under his company name, El-Forte Limited.

“He said that N3.2million, which was entrusted to Idenebheme for buying and selling diesel, was diverted to his personal use.

“While in EFCC custody, he said he used some of the money to help out a friend of his and he gave the rest to one Tony.

“He, however, could not give us the address or phone num-

A man, Usman Idenebheme, was during the week jailed for 12 months by an Ikeja High Court in Lagos State, for stealing N3.2million from his employer.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Idenebheme of No. 45, Igando Road, Ikotun, Lagos, was sentenced following a guilty plea to a one-count charge of stealing.

The convict had entered a plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in which he had promised to refund the stolen money to his employer, Edo-Ehigie Eloghosa.

Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya, while sentencing Idenebheme, said the prosecution was able to prove the ingredients of the crime.

“The court is satisfied that the prosecution has been able to prove the ingredients of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.

“The defendant is sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with effect from Jan. 11, 2016, ‘’ Ogunsanya said.

Earlier, counsel for Idenebheme, Mr S.O Oghele, in his allocutus, pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convict.

“The defendant is a young man and the complainant was his boss with whom he enjoyed a father and son relationship.

“He has offered restitution, I plead for leniency on his behalf,” Oghele said.

Woman disrupts husband’s engagement to another woman after he refused divorce

70-year-old man docked over alleged forgery

Couple got married in the evening, divorced in the morning

A 70-year-old man, Obasola Adebowale, who allegedly forged a power of attorney was during the week docked before an Igbosere magistrates’ court, Lagos State.

Adebowale, whose address was not given, is standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on forgery, fraud, assault and breach of peace.

The prosecutor, Inspector Steven Molo, told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in 1982 in Lagos.

Molo said that after the death of the accused’s father, Josiah Adebowale; the accused fraudulently converted his father’s property into his personal use without his siblings’ consent.

He said that the accused forged a letter of power of attorney purportedly signed by his father.

He also told the court that on December 23, 1995 at about 8:00a.m., the accused assaulted one of his siblings, Olabisi Akinbowale,? by punching her on the face, causing her to lose some teeth in the process.

The prosecutor further said that the accused conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by depriving his siblings access to their late father’s properties.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 363, 285, 171 and 166 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate, Mrs O. M. Ajayi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

The case was adjourned till July 18 for mention.

A woman in Ghana interrupted her husband’s secret engagement to another woman after he refused to divorce her.

The woman, a school cook in the southern Ashanti region, demanded an end to her four-year marriage after she caught her husband having an affair with “her best friend,” GhanaWeb reported.

But he refused to agree to the divorce, insisting that she could not separate what God had joined. She moved out of the former matrimonial home, claiming the marriage was abusive.

Not long afterwards, the wife discovered that her hus-

AFTER relatives of the bride at a wedding in India realised that a large sum of money and ornaments had been stolen from their safe, they held an entire baraat (wedding procession), including the groom, captive. They alleged that a relative of the groom had stolen the money.

The baraat could only be freed by the morning, when the police had to intervene. Once free, the enraged groom in no time divorced the bride.

The incident occurred in Karonda Pachdu village of the Bijnor district during the week. According to villagers, soon after the baraat of Kaari Imran arrived from the neighbouring Chandpuron village, an altercation began between the two sides. Nasir Ahmed, the father of bride, alleged that the groom’s nephew, Akib, and a woman had stolen Rs 1.45 lakh and some ornaments kept inside a safe at the venue.

The groom’s kin denied the charges and alleged that the bride’s relatives misbehaved with them and held the

ber of the Tony,’’ Adebayo said.

The EFCC counsel added that the complainant had waived N1.2million of the stolen money and that till date the convict had only been able to refund N220,000.

“He has promised to make monthly instalmental payments of N50,000 to the complainant.

“He has so far only paid N220,000 out of the N2million sum,” he said.

Adebayo said the offence contravened Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

band had started a relationship with a third woman and planned to become engaged to her despite still being married.

The wife told GhanaWeb: “[My husband] has refused to take care of our children, instead he is using the money on other women. Most of our children who have completed Senior High School are still at home and [he is] somewhere wedding another woman.”

She burst into her husband’s engagement ceremony in the small town of Nkawie to accuse him of being irresponsible and has promised to take him “to the highest court of the land.”

baraat including the groom and his father, captive for the entire night. Only after someone informed cops in the morning and they rushed to the spot, the hostages could be freed.

As soon as the groom was freed, he took no time in divorcing the woman he married a few hours earlier.

Imran told Times of India that he felt humiliated and enraged. “I was not ready for a talaq, but was compelled to divorce the girl,” he said.

Till the time of filing this report, both parties were at the kotwali police station where they were being questioned by cops. Sub-inspector Shiv Kumar Gaur said, “We are probing the matter. Both parties are at the police station. But no one has given us any complaint yet.”

Confirming the incident, village head, Rashid Qureshi, said, “Efforts are going on from both sides to reach a compromise.”

50-year-old woman docked for alleged forgery A 50-year-old woman, Dasola Akinrinola, was docked at an Iyaganku chief magistrates’ court in Ibadan, Oyo State, for alleged forgery, false pretences and stealing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the accused, whose address was not disclosed, is standing trial on a four-count charge.

The prosecutor, Inspector Adewale Amos, said that the accused and one other now at large, had on September 6, 2015 at Ogunpa Market, Ibadan, forged a document with the intention to defraud.

The forged document was said to have belonged to Lovak Centre Investment Nigeria Limited.

In addition, Amos alleged that the accused, with another

now at large, also obtained N31,700 from one Bukky Ajiboye person on the pretext that they would grant her a loan facility from Lovak Centre Investment Nigeria Limited.

The prosecutor said that the offences committed by the accused contravened Sections 390(9), 419, 467 and 516 of the Criminal Code Cap Vol. II Laws of Oyo State 2000.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The chief magistrate, Mrs Kehinde Durosaro-Tijani, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with one reliable surety in like sum.

She, thereafter, adjourned the case till August 8 for mention.

19

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Lagos courts and ‘justice in darkness’

constituents Eko Akete Legislators, and Ramadan

21

Weekend Lagos Editor Lanre Adewole m: 0811 695 4637

e: olanreade@yahoo.

‘Tenants’ under the Iganmu Bridge. PHOTOS: ELLIOT OVADJE

Under Lagos bridges, occupants get ID card, receipt for rent AKIN ADEWAKUN , SHOLA ADEKOLA , CHIMA NWOKOJI and OLALEKAN OLABULO investigated what seemed a ridiculous claim only to find out an incredible truth that can only be Lagos-compliant.

I

inside

N a carvedout section of the popular Oshodi bus stop (name withheld), a popular union chieftain (popular cognomen withheld) holds sway. His TERRITORY stretches to nearly every space identifiable in the said area. He has trusted allies, seeing to the wellbeing of his fiefdom. Two of them (popular cognomen withheld) stand out in their duties.

The three popular street-wise could pass for pious adherents of the Christianity faith.

Even in their rugged lifestyle and living, they still remember the Holy commandment of “remember the Sabbath day and

make it holy”. The modern-day Sabbath day is Sunday and they are faithfully keeping the injunction by not engaging in any form of “unholy” deed of collecting rent from their tenants on the Lord’s day.

Yes, the boss is a landlord in Lagos without laying any foundation, putting any moulded block of any shape on another or spending a dime to put any structure in place. He is the landlord to homeless Lagosians who pass the night under the popular Oshodi bridge.

His fiefdom has been extended to the under-the-bridge, with his two trusted “boys” serving as the caretakers.

Apapa: A visit to Lagos Port City of chaos

The space isn’t free for the tenants but the payment pattern is easy.

Every night, Saturday Tribune findings showed the two “caretakers” pay a visit to the tenants to collect their daily rent of N50 and woe betides anyone who fails to pay up.

Oshodi under-bridge isn’t the only “converted” accommodation in Lagos, where rent is being paid, Saturday Tribune’s searches also discovered other places like Iganmu, Iddo, Apapa, Obalende, Apongbon, CMS under-bridge, and like Oshodi’s landlord and his caretakers, the other “ac-

commodations” too have their landlords, caretakers and a whole lot of their tenants.

Apart from the under-bridge accommodation, nearly all other open places like car garages, collapsed and uncompleted buildings as well as motor parks, findings revealed, also attract nightly rent.

The Oshodi landlord is a very popular street urchin, not just in Oshodi, but all over Lagos and neighbouring states. The various raids by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad and the Special Task Continues on pgs20 & 21

We are storming Obalende, other areas —Task Force

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos

Continued from pg19

Force on the Environment and Other Offences have not stopped him and his boys from collecting rents from their tenants.

One of the tenants who spoke with Saturday Tribune said that over 500 people pay N50 between Mondays and Fridays as rent to the landlords who, according to him, come late in the night to collect the rent.

He narrated that “they come late in the night when people must have been sleeping. They move around Moyosore Shopping Complex, the open space around Bolade and the Railway line, to collect the rent on a daily basis. They allow us to sleep for free only on Sundays.”

Saturday Tribune checked the Sunday free offer with associates of the caretakers. They said it was the generosity side to the landlord, in agreement with the “caretakers,” it is called “bonus.”

Saturday Tribune accosted another street urchin in Oshodi, who preferred to be called simply as Kasim.

While many looked forward to good times at home, he sat gloomy on the pedestrian bridge, his right hand by his cheek. Kasim was waiting for shop owners to close so that he could lay his bed. It was gathered that the Oshodi bridge has been home to many urchins like him.

Despite these urchins being evacuated in 2009 by the Lagos State government for constituting nuisance through extortion and robbery, it seems to be business-as-usual again under the bridge as the urchins, popularly known as ‘area boys’, are back to the area and flourishing.

Chatting with Kasim, Saturday Tribune discovered that a few had problems with their guardians and parents and ran away from home. There are those who are orphans and have resigned to living under the bridge. The urchins were seen on the rail line, popularly called Oju-Irin, under the Oshodi bridge, chatting and gambling. These, it was learnt, are their pastimes under the flyover.

“I became used to sleeping under the bridge that is why I don’t complain to anybody. Living here also gives me freedom. I can do what I like anytime. But now, I don’t like to sleep under the bridge any more. I sleep in front of any shop I like. When we sleep in front of shops, we act as security. In the morning, we go out to look for money.

“But when I started sleeping under the bridge, the boys who were there before me first harassed me. That is what they do. If they harass you and see that you are too afraid, they collect money but if you say you don’t have money, they would leave you. So when you sleep two or three times, they will see that you are not troublesome and leave you alone. “ According to Kasim, sleeping under the bridge is not good, so he expects nobody to collect money everyday from him for sleeping under the bridge. I did not pay anybody before I started sleeping in that shop,” he said.

STRANGE PAYMENT Kasim is only one of the few lucky ones. But he isn’t completely sleeping for free as he runs different errands for the Oshodi landlord. Others who work to make their money pay even without being harassed.

Under Lagos bridges, occupants get ID card, ‘landlords’ collect rent, issue receipt

Tunji Bello, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment About two months ago, the Oshodi landlord moved a step forward by producing identity card for all his tenants to ascertain genuine and rent-paying tenants and fish out newcomers who may want to mingle with the regulars and dodge payment.

Saturday Tribune discovered that each tenant paid N1,000 for the ID card. One of the tenants who wanted his identity hidden for obvious reasons claimed the sub-standard ID card didn’t last two months. “It is bad (damaged) now. Nobody carries it again since you can’t identify anyone using it”.

About 500 tenants paid, with the landlord raking almost half a million from the project, outside of the nightly income of N2,500, making a monthly rent of about N75,000.

The tenant however disclosed that even without the ID card, new faces are still easily fished out since nearly everyone knows his “flatmate”. “New persons are simply asked to pay or leave. These people (tenants) are tough and rough fighting is nothing to them. They can handle anyone.”

The good news, however, is that the accommodation

‘Tenants’ under the Iganmu Bridge. is possibly the best-secure area anyone can live in Lagos.

“Nobody can steal here o. They will kill the person. There is nothing you leave behind in the morning that you won’t meet when you return at night.”

Funny enough, many of the tenants steal to make a living.

Until last Monday, a man simply identified as Foreigner was the landlord for the over 150 people, mostly from the northern part of Nigeria and neighbouring African countries. Now he is a co-landlord as the local council in the area has contracted collection of levies in the area to a company.

The company has, however, decided to carry Foreigner along in the collection of the rent.

Raymond, a resident of one of the communities around the Iganmu bridge said “the fact is that they sleep under that bridge. If you get there late in the night, you will find them and they will also be there early in the morning. They are mainly people from the North, who ride motorcycles for a living and do other menial jobs. They don’t have houses.

They come there in the night and sleep.”

Hamidu, a commercial motorcyclist told Saturday Tribune that he and some of his colleagues sleep around the

We are storming Obalende, other areas —Task Force LAGOS State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation has vowed to storm Obalende and other places in Lagos to rid them of menace of miscreants and hoodlums, including those sleeping under the bridges.

Chairman of the Agency, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, made the vow on Thursday while speaking on phone with the Saturday Tribune, saying the Agency had identified Obalende and other places for its next operations, with Obalende being the first that would be addressed.

According to him, “We will soon be at Obalende and we have mapped out other areas in Lagos where we will carry out operations. I won’t tell you the other areas that we have mapped out for our operations.”

Asked to say when the operations at Obalende would take place, the Task Force boss simply said, “We don’t want to tell you when we are going to storm the place. But when we are going there, we will call on you. You will see what will happen in Obalende,” he boasted.

bridge and that they pay to boys who are working for Foreigner .

He, however, pointed out that many of them have a way of not paying regularly. He also added that the rent has increased from N50 to N100 as a company is now in charge .

Hamidu said, “At times we pay N50 but at times we would go there late and find somewhere to sleep. We used to pay to Foreigner but since Monday, they now give tickets and the money has increased to one hundred naira.

Investigations by Saturday Tribune revealed that the contract by the local government was not actually for those who sleep under the bridge but for those who sell under the bridge. However, those, who sleep under the bridge hide under the umbrella of those who sell under the bridge and they all pay to sleep under the bridge.

Until the administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola beautified the Iganmu Underbridge, Base (a very popular Area Boy) was the landlord. He was responsible for giving space to those who had resigned to sleeping under the bridge. Apart from collecting money from the area boys, who were sleeping under the bridge, the fellow was also the landlord for tanker drivers who preferred to sleep under the bridge to lodging in a decent hotel.

Though such derelicts living under the bridge for a fee were almost non-existent, along the Iyana-Ipaja Abule Egba axis, in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of the state, similarities of such examples abound.

A WIDOW’S NARRATIVE For instance, while Madam Shakirat’s case might be a bit different, it still remains one of those cases that confirm the fact that there are no free accommodations in Lagos.

Since losing her husband few years ago, the mother of five has been living in an uncompleted building in Aboru, a community in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area, but this time not with the permission of the owner of the property who lives in Texas, United States of America.

Nobody can steal here o. They will kill the person. There is nothing you leave behind in the morning that you won’t meet when you return at night.

After getting close to more than six months of grace from her former landlord due to her husband’s untimely death in one of his trips outside Lagos, Shakirat, fondly called ‘Mama Tao’ in the neighbourhood, was introduced to Baba Ruka, the contractor handling the four-storey building she is currently occupying.

Though without the necessary facilities such as doors, windows, toilet, well-furnished kitchen and other gadgets that would have made the building worth living, ‘Mama Tao’ has been surviving in one of the apartments in the building for the past two years now, paying between N500 and N1,000 per month as a rent to the contractor, albeit without the landlord’s knowledge.

“It depends on what I can afford for the month, because this can not be described as accommodation in the true sense of the word,’ she stated.

“I see little difference between the woman and those living under the bridge in terms of accommodation. This is an uncompleted building which some people will not even agree to live in free of charge, yet she is still made to pay some token as rent,” stated Mrs Monisola Ayanda, a neighbour.

While Madam Shakirat has to make do with an uncompleted building, Sheriff, whose full identity is still shrouded in mystery to the people of Agbado Oke Odo Local Development Area, sleeps in one of the stalls at Ile Epo Market.

Sheriff, who works in the market as a loader, according to a resident of the area, is always allowed access to the market at nights despite the ban on such act after some money must have exchanged hands between him and his supposed ‘landlord’, the security men, watching over the market. “‘Sheriff has been sleeping in this market for some time now despite government’s ban on such act. But the fact remains that he tips those security men before he is allowed to do this. That is Lagos for you, a city where there is no free accommodation, even in uncompleted buildings,” stated this resident, who would not want his name in print, for fear of being traced.

There is also said to be a novelty introduction at one of such accommodations on Lagos Island where receipt is issued to the tenants. They mostly pay on weekly basis.

Landlords vs Caretakers To gain control of rent collection, battles are said to always be tough among those who want to be landlords with the toughness of the recruited caretakers in street fight said to be the deciding factor almost always.

Saturday Tribune also stumbled on the story of how leading area boys have shared the bridges in Lagos among themselves to manage as landlords, to ensure peace and spirit of landlordship. It could not be confirmed if landlord association meetings do hold but it was gathered that everyone knows the other person’s property.

According to information gathered from Tope Amusa who hawks satchet water under the bridge at Dopemu, “if you don’t have the permission of the most senior area boy under that bridge, you dare not attempt to loiter around there once it is 11:00pm.”

For him, he hawks between four and six bags of satchet water depending on the weather, till 10:30pm, after this, he goes to look for food to buy and eat before going to sleep.

Before you can be allowed to sleep there, you need to pay N30 per night to the ‘Olorioko’ as he is fondly called.

Amusa disagreed with the notion that majority of those who sleep under the bridge are destitute.

Some of them, he said, are forced to take solace there in view of the economic hardship which made it impossible for them to rent a proper accommodation.

When asked how they manage to sleep there during rainy season, he pointed at a half torn umbrella which he claimed he uses under such a situation.

Who says there isn’t a way out of any life situation?

Reacting, the chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on the Environment, Honourable Saka Fafunmi said “The development is a reflection of the pathetic situation we have found ourselves in, not just in Lagos State, but Nigeria as a whole. It is also a reflection of years of decadence of the society. The problem also shows what happens when people who have no business in Lagos keep trouping to Lagos as if the streets and roads in Lagos are paved with gold.

“We need to ask ourselves where street hawkers who daily troop to Lagos sleep. I have seen okada riders, particularly those from the North, sleeping in their wheelbarrows and on their okadas.

“However, what the government can do to correct this anomaly is to take a strong stance on the issue by ensuring that only those who should be in Lagos remain there; anyone who has no business in Lagos should be shown the way out.

“Yes, in doing this, the rights of the people must be respected, but the rights of the state must also be respected, because apart from sleeping under the bridges, this is the same set of people who defecate in wrong places, and end up engaging in all manners of criminal activities, therefore, the state government should set motion in place to rid the state of anyone who has no business there”.

21

Eko Akete

Legislators, constituents and Ramadan

EVERY season brings a certain novelty to the atmosphere. However, this year’s Ramadan season has been somewhat affected by the general financial crunch. But Lagos always takes care of its own. During the week Eko Akete learnt of how the Lagos State House of Assembly observes the Holy Fast.

Checks reveal that the Assembly complex now wears different looks depending on the time you visit.

During the day, the State House of Assembly is a model of itself, a house of meetings and deliberations. At this time, the legislators in corporate or native attire drive in and out of the massive complex in no particular mood to exchange greetings seemingly burdened by state problems.

But as the sun begins to set, the complex’s mood begins to brighten.

And just before Ashamu (prayer after the fast) the atmosphere around the complex becomes animated. A crowd begins to form around the complex premises, people from diverse districts of Lagos waiting for food – free food. They eye searchingly for their favourite legislator.

Once located, another queue is formed behind him and to the office where the delicacies are cooling off. This way most legislators retire to their private offices, each with his own crowd. The feasting begins from then and continues till Ashamu.

It has been learnt that even people from Agege convene at the State Assembly Complex to break their fast.

Lagos courts and ‘justice in darkness’

IT is not because of the unavailability of court cases to preside over.

Lagos courts have stream of cases every day. But judges of the Ikeja High Court now vacate the court premises not later than 3.00pm every day because of poor electricity supply. Eko Akete gathered that the court has not had power supply for weeks, resorting to using generating sets to light the courtrooms, an alternative which serves the court until 3.00pm.

Once darkness descends on the courtrooms, the judges vacate the premises. On a certain day Eko Akete checked in, a judge who couldn’t bear the heat in the court room stormed out of a proceeding after parting with the statement, “Gentlemen and ladies of the court, we may have to adjourn seeing that no justice can be ascertained in darkness”.

22

By Naza Okoli

I

T was past midday, on Wednesday. Traffic was light at the seaport town of Apapa.

Indeed many parts of the town appeared somewhat deserted. Several passengers in a vehicle which arrived at the town less than 30 minutes after leaving Victoria Island expressed surprise.

But Apapa had not always been this way. According to residents and workers in the area, Thursdays and to a limited extent, Fridays are the peak traffic days.

“I would ordinarily have parked my car at home if today was Thursday,” said Mr Augustine Eleweke who works at a media firm close to Liverpool Street. “Traffic has become a lot better these days. But it’s still bad. It’s mainly the bad roads. Many of the trucks which used to cause gridlock along the roads have been removed.”

Under the bridge at the end of Liverpool Street, a small food market was on. Beside the market and across the road, the lagoon extended far into the distance. Speedboats conveyed passengers to the island community of Igbologun, popularly known as Snake Island.

A man who stood at the bridge and watched as the afternoon wind played gently on the water surface told Saturday Tribune that the speedboat was the only means of entry to community.

“I have a relative there,” he said. “So I visit them from time to time. All the houses there are new, but accommodation is cheap. You can get a flat for N100, 000, or a one-room apartment (self-contained) with N60, 000.”

2 July, 2016

Apapa: A visit to Lagos Port City of chaos

First Gate Further down the stretch, at Tincan First Gate, many people sat under the bridge, forming a large semi circle; it was as though they were in a meeting. But they were not; they were merely taking a break. A burly newspaper vendor, meanwhile, stood behind his table, completely concealed by a large army of readers.

But it is at this point that the roads became far more intolerable. Commercial motorcycles (okada) are the major source of transportation here. They charge as much as N150 to Warehouse or Coconut.

One of the riders who identified himself as Jali said if the roads were better, the fares could go as low as N50 or N100.

“I have been operating around this area for two years now,” he said. “It is the bad road that is the problem here. It is worse than it used to.

You can see that it is difficult for buses and cars.

It damages the motorcycles too. So it is bad for everybody.”

Both sides of the dual carriageway had deep gullies at several points, all of them completely filled with dirty flood from the rain of the previous night. There was no room for pedestrians.

A heavy commotion had erupted ahead, in the middle of the flooded road. A motorcycle had fallen, leaving both the rider and the passenger wet and dirty. Other motorbikes, meanwhile, rode silently past them as the passenger, a young man, continued to bawl at the okada rider.

“Did I not tell you to take it easy, eh? Answer me! Did I not?”

Jali

A Reporter’s Diary

Saturday Tribune

Perennial problems When the governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode visited Apapa in the middle of May, he was said to have directed relevant government agencies to immediately provide “palliative measures” to address the deplorable state of the roads. However, officials from the state Ministry of Works and the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) have since said that not much progress could be made until after the rains.

The trucks at Apapa have not yet disappeared.

According to residents, sometimes, it appeared they had thinned out; other times it looked as though they had multiplied.

When Saturday Tribune visited the area on Wednesday, both lanes were almost completely taken over by parked trucks. What looked like the beginning of a heavy gridlock had started from one side of the carriageway at Warehouse, as hundreds of vehicles queued behind some trucks.

Meanwhile, business owners and workers along Warehouse on Wednesday said the trucks prevent people from visiting their offices.

“We are located along the road for a reason,” a middle-aged man who works at a bank told Saturday Tribune. “But many people would come here and they would not see us. It is not good for business.”

For Mr Paul Odey, the General Manager of Apapa Government Reserved Area (AGRA), it is a failure of government at all levels.

“Apapa has not experienced any change at all.

The access roads are getting worse because you can only access Apapa through Apapa and Coconut bridges. The current Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, is familiar with our plight because he frequented Apapa while he was the governor of Lagos, though he could only come on Sundays because of the traffic situation.

“If one part of the body is bad, it would affect the other parts of the body. The access roads are in a terrible state, therefore the other infrastructure are collapsing. Why in the world would public money be spent to fix roads only for individuals to damage them? Are we running a country where you cannot even designate where trucks would park?”

Taiye Kolawole, a student who lives at Mustapha Street, close to Coconut, said unless a large parking space is provided for the trucks, the problem would continue to linger.

“What I want the government [both the federal and the state governments] to do is to create a parking space for all these trucks that carry fuel, goods, and other things. These are private firms, so why can’t they be controlled by the government?”

Looking ahead Apapa is not a place for waiting. Everyone appears always to be in a hurry, always anxious to leave the town as quickly as possible. Even at Coconut, buses do not wait long for passengers. As the buses move in the direction of Mile 2, with the traffic and the turmoil far behind them, they do this with such great speed that it often seems as though they are afraid that Apapa may resurface somewhere ahead of them, if they do not drive fast enough.

Still, a weapon of obstruction?

By Elliot Ovadje SOMETIMES, you just want to forget that you are in Nigeria, and that you are free to do whatever you want. But photojournalists are an endangered species. Nobody remembers them.

In fact, one of the brightest minds in Africa recently called them wielders of “weapons of mass obstruction.” Perhaps he was being mild - using “obstruction” instead of “destruction”. Out there, everyone is scared of the journalist’s camera. It’s a different kind of fear, though. For instance, nobody runs away from the camera out of fear. But many would most certainly attack a

photographer because they are afraid of what the photographer might do with the picture.

It was a beautiful morning. The walk began from Tolulope Street at Hilltop Estate, Ikorodu, all the way to the estate’s entrance. Vehicles suddenly began to turn back, right into the estate.

Something had happened! Yes, that’s how photojournalists think. It may well be time to capture that picture of the century! It was an accident, it seemed. A truck from a brewery across the road had lost control, and run into the opposite compound, bringing down the fence. Big company, big scandal! In cases like this, a phone camera is better: less attention.

Phone in mid-motion, and suddenly ten boys appeared from the brewery! Ten or more able-bodied men! Ah, bad day! It wasn’t a battle one person could win. They quickly seized the phone, and, after searching through the files, decided to format it! The entire memory was gone!

“Why are you looking at us like that?” one of them asked. “If we choose to, we can destroy the phone itself, and you won’t do anything.”

It was a sad walk back to Tolulope Street. The formatted phone didn’t look much like a weapon, let alone one of mass destruction – or obstruction. It was a weapon of formatted efforts.

24 feature

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

It’s hell here in Imushin

•How 9 landlords were killed by militants •Victims of militant attacks cry out

By Olayinka Olukoya

T

HE scenario playing out in five communities in Ogun State in the last few weeks could best be described as a war situation.

The situation is better imagined than experienced as there is no life in areas under the siege of militants who have attacked and killed scores, both young and old.

The peace once enjoyed in those communities has eluded the residents, as many have fled from their homes for safety, while those still around live in fear.

Business activities have been shut down completely as schools, market places, religious and medical centres are now under lock and key, pending when normalcy will return to the communities.

The most affected communities are Igbo-Olomu, Elebute, Imushin, Imagbon and Imuti, all in Sagamu Local Government Area of the state and Ebute-Ibafo in Obafemi Owode council area.

Worried by this unwholesome development, the state government, on Monday paid an on-the-spot assessment to the troubled communities, to ascertain the level of damage and to assure residents of their safety.

The delegation was led by the deputy governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa; service chiefs including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Bello Makwashi; the state Director of the Security Service, Kabiru Sanni and the Brigade Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Muhammed Danwalis.

The first port of call was Imushin, which houses no fewer than 27 villages under it, with the whole community looking like a ghost town. Everywhere was extremely quiet and calm. There was presence of police in strategic points.

The team was conducted round the town by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ogijo, Mohammed Tijani, who explained that the genesis of the crisis was as a result of the killings of two people suspected to be vandals at Topkatts Hotel by the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), following a tip-off.

Tijani said the development angered other members of the group as they launched attack on innocent members of the public.

At Imuti, officers of SARS were fully on the ground to forestall any breakdown of law and order while few residents around were peeping through the windows, begging government to fortify security measures in their locality.

Also, armoured personnel carriers were positioned at Igbo-Olomu, Ebute-Ibafo road, while the deputy governor who expressed shock at the development passionately appealed to residents to return to their homes and resume their normal daily living.

Addressing the visitation team, the

traditional rulers and village heads from the troubled communities had in a “Save-Our-Soul” meeting with the SSG which had in attendance all security service chiefs and other stakeholders... said that the crisis had cost them fortune.

Olu of Imushin, Oba Taiwo Bamgbose, said government needed to redouble its effort and called for more reinforcement of security personnel to confront the militants.

Earlier the same day, traditional rulers and village heads from the troubled communities had in a “Save-Our-Soul” meeting with the SSG which had in attendance all security service chiefs and other stakeholders held in Abeokuta, said that the crisis had cost them fortune.

Speaking at the meeting, Alhaji Azeez Ariyo, a landlord at Imagbon, explained that all villages under Imushin, about 27 in all, had been under attack of the militants.

He said the militants who had been attacking them were armed with sophisticated weapons, adding that about nine

landlords had fallen victims at the hands of the hoodlums.

He said: “The issue started ?started on Friday night. A lot of people were killed.

They confronted people that were returning from work. We have seen hell since this started.”

Ariyo narrated how the criminals invaded Imagbon community while landlords in the area were keeping vigil to ensure their safety in the hands of miscreants said to be in the habit of looting business places when others have gone to sleep.

He said that the militants, on the said day unleashed terror on the landlords and killed nine of them, while a man from the northern part of the country said to be breaking fast was shot in the stomach several times.

Also speaking, the Baale of Ebute-Ibafo, Chief Folorunso Balogun, said only military presence could checkmate the menace of the hoodlums. He equally told the meeting that residents of the community have fled their home because of fear of being attacked.

In his own submission, Oba Gisanrin, the traditional ruler of Isonyindo community blamed the security agencies for not being proactive enough to address the excesses of the hoodlums.

He commended the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni for visiting the troubled community that shares border with the “City of Aquatic Splendor”.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Bello Makwashi, however, countered the submission of Oba Gisanrin that the police had been

on the ground since trouble started at Ibafo area.

The police boss explained that an APC, two teams of police mobile force were deployed to the area. He said that the police overpowered the suspected militants, hence, the exodus to Ogijo axis.

Makwashi noted that there were certain challenges confronting the police but allayed fears and added that they were on top of the situation.

The police boss said, “We have units of PMF and SARS operatives fully on the ground. There are certain challenges we have to take care of. We want to assure you that the activities of the hoodlums would be checkmated.

“We are collaborating with the state government and other security agencies. We can only appeal through you that residents should return home.

Our presence is heavy to confront the criminals.”

Describing the fatal incident, the SSG said the attack on some of the Ogun communities which border Lagos State, was nothing but a major onslaught.

Adeoluwa said that the Federal Government had been contacted on the issue while appreciating the effort of all the security agencies in the state.

He owned up that the police only cannot confront the criminals, maintaining that if the security agencies had not put up their best, the situation would have been worse.

The SSG said the development was a serious concern and called on the government at the centre to provide the state with a joint military task force like it had in the Niger-Delta area.

25

2 July, 2016

ntertainment Society Gist

News

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Omionawele

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newtray2002@yahoo.com 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

W y k n a B t s n i a g a t u cries o e r u s s e r p d e i r r a to get m Pg30

Celebrity couple, Osas and Gbenro Ajibade, blessed with baby girl Page 26

Falz, Black Coffee others clinch BET Awards Page 26

26 entertainment

e l g n i s g n i e b e n fi m Ia —Banky W

Stories By Joan Omionawele

P

OPULAR RnB musician, Bankole Wellington, also known as Banky W has spoken against those who are putting him under intense pressure to vacate the league of bachelors.

According to him, he is not in a hurry to get married, stating that the people who are mounting pressure on him are those who do not give much attention to marriage but the ceremony. He further stated that his dream wife need not know how to cook.

Featuring on Urban96FM during the week, Banky W said, “I am fine with being single and not in a hurry to walk down the aisle. “I think people don’t give much attention to marriage but the ceremony and I am not going to let that push me until I am ready. My kind of woman must be beautiful, she has to be beautiful because that is what will first attract me to her and she must be God-fearing, she must have a sense of humour and be independent.

“She must love music, she need not know how to cook because I enjoy cooking myself, she should be ambitious and have a career and have her money, no one wants a lazy woman.”

Earlier on his Instagram page, the musician voiced out his frustration, saying, “These days, even if I write good morning, people will answer me with, ‘why are you not married yet? I’m tired,” he said.

Black Coffee was greeted with a standing ovation from fellow nominees Cassper Nyovest, as his name was announced.

The legendary artiste also performed at the celebration of the honourees at the Grammy Museum the night prior to the awards ceremony.

Commenting on the award show, Alex Okosi, Senior Vice-President & Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks, operator of

Saturday Tribune

Osas and Gbenro Ajibade blessed with baby girl POPULAR Tinsel acts, Gbenro and Osas Ajibade have been blessed with a baby girl. The couple who revealed this during week earlier spoke with Genevieve magazine on their expectations from parenthood.

Osas Ighodaro talked about her pregnancy, saying: “This is my first child and I do not want people’s opinions or judgement at this time.

I want to take back that power from the public and enjoy my pregnancy with all its challenges. Unfortunately, I am aware that this is the industry I signed up for and people will always judge.”

She added “It is a very sensitive period for us, especially with my older sister passing away from malaria when she was with child. My mum is really protective and she is on board with my keeping this pregnancy a secret.”

Suspense as The Voice Nigeria holds first live episode

Falz , Black Coffee others clinch BET Awards DURING the week, millions of entertainment enthusiasts were treated to the 2016 edition of the BET Awards as it was revealed that legendary South African artiste, Black Coffee, became the first South African artiste to win the Best International Act: Africa at the BET Awards, while Nigerian rapper, Falz, clinched the Viewer’s Choice in the Best New Act category.

The international presentation, which took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, was hosted

by American actress and model Eva Marcille and Nigerian-American recording artiste Jidenna, who co-presented the awards for Best International Act: Africa, and Viewer’s Choice: “Best New International Act”.

The event also featured the presentation of the Global Good Award to this year’s honoree, global humanitarian and musical icon Akon, while rapper and MC SKEPTA took home the honour for Best International UK performer.

Ground-breaking DJ

2 July, 2016

BET in Africa, disclosed: “There will be celebrations in South Africa and Nigeria after this landmark win for African music talent. For two such outstanding and exciting artistes – both established and emerging – to have their talent showcased to the world at a prestigious ceremony like the BET Awards is incredibly gratifying and humbling, and exceeds even our wildest dreams.”

As previously announced, hip-hop superstar and global humanitarian Akon was named the 2016 “BET Awards” Global Good Award honouree. The second annual Global Good Award honours individuals championing endeavors which positively impact change and heighten awareness in different parts of the world.

The Grammy and BET Award-nominated, twotime multi-platinum musical artiste, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Akon holds a place in industry history as one of music’s most influential voices and is this year’s 2016 Global Good Award honoree.

IT was a gripping and suspense-filled experience as thousands of subscribers, hundreds of live viewers gathered for the viewing of MNET’s latest reality TV competition, The Voice Nigeria, during the week.

The star-studded event had a host of celebrities in attendance, including OC Ukeje, Linda Ejiofor, Muna Abii, Sarah Ofili, Akpororo and Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju as popular television personality Sika Ossei hosted the on-ground event which coincided with the live show being broadcast .

The live show featured four members of each team

performing, with the coach choosing to save one contestant and the three remaining contestants put up for public voting. One lucky contestant who amasses the most votes ends up being saved.

Speaking at the opening of the event, the Director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu said: “We are excited to bring the live editions of The Voice Nigeria to our fans across the country and indeed the continent. As we can expect, the live shows are uncut, unedited and we get to see the coaches and contestants in their element.

The shows are spontaneous, raw and emotional and

I would like to thank our sponsors, Airtel, Coca-Cola and Unilever for supporting us in bringing this amazing show to Africa.”

The red carpet kicked off at 5pm local time, and guests were seated by 7pm as the live show began. #TeamWaje got the show rolling as the contestants took to the stage one after another. Khemmie performed Pharell William’s Happy, whilst Promise sang Flavour’s Golibe. Shammar thrilled with Etta James’ I’d rather go blind and Michael sang Luther Vandross’ Never too much to Waje’s admiration as she chose to save him. #TeamTimiDakolo was up

Basketmouth and Cynthia Bailey announced as AFRIMMA hosts

ORGANISERS of the African Muzik Magazine Awards, AFRIMMA 2016, have officially announced the host and co-host of this year’s award showpiece in Dallas.

According to information

by the CEO of Big A Entertainment, Anderson Obiagwu, popular comedian, Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, would be hosting the biggest African music awards in the diaspora for

the third year running and he would be joined by the delectable Cynthia Bailey, American reality television sweetheart.

Cynthia Bailey, a star of Real Housewives of Atlanta is also a supermodel who has rocked American TV screens with her incredible rise. It promises to be a beautiful night of the best of both worlds as she takes her place along the multi-talented Basketmouth come October 15.

Organisers have invited all to get tickets now and join the countdown to the third edition of the Biggest African Music Awards in the diaspora.

AFRIMMA is put together by Dallas, Texas, United States-based music promoter, CEO of Big A Entertainment and publisher of African Muzik Magazine, Anderson Obiagwu.

27 klieglight

Saturday Tribune

2 July, 2016 Continues from pg2

we shot, I was supposed to eat the intestine of an animal, but they brought pepper soup stained with make-up blood. I didn’t feel the taste, so I asked if we could get the real intestine. The producer of the film asked, “Are you serious?” I told him I wanted to get it. It was brought with real blood. The difference was clear.

The scene became more real to me.

Did you eat it?

I ate it a little. I didn’t swallow it though. When I am on set, I like to put everything in me to make the shoot real. I do not want people to feel like they are watching a movie. I want them to see life in every scene. That vampire role was very scary. When we were shooting the movie, the vampire teeth I was given wasn’t real. I wasn’t convinced to shoot with what the make-up artiste brought. I had to go to a dentist, who designed two pairs of vampire teeth using my dentition. It was carved in such a way that they could be removed and fixed at will. I did it for the love of filmmaking, not for the producer. When I want to shoot, I try to give it everything.

These roles, do they affect you after shooting?

No. They don’t affect me. It is my job.There are times we shoot at night and midnights. But before I play such roles I pray. One that affects me and perhaps other actors, is shooting two movies at the same time. Left to me, actors should not be allowed to shoot two films at the same time because there is a huge possibility that you might switch roles when you play two characters at the same time. I don’t think it is professional.

Do you have any particular experience?

Yes. I have shot two films on the same location. I remember I missed the roles. I didn’t know when the character of the last film started manifesting in the new one. I had to break off the shooting and apologise. Ever since that time, I stopped shooting two movies at the same time.

Why do actors take up these roles?

We have a problem in the industry, producers are often in a hurry to shoot films. There are times when a producer might want to use an actor who is already shooting. Instead of waiting for him to finish the movie, he would insist that he begins immediately, especially if he wants to use the same location for the new movie. This sometimes traumatises the actors. It kills you as an actor.

You are one of the accomplished actors in Nigeria, what would it take to get you into a movie now?

It takes a lot. I don’t just collect money because I want to work.

I would return the money if the script isn’t good. I don’t jump into any script now. I did a lot of bad stories I shouldn’t have done when I was coming up. But not now. The entire production must be worth it: the script, the director and the equipment would have to be tight.

Why are you selective of directors?

I will not allow a director who is not a professional or a member of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) to direct me. It will be a professional hazard if I do. There are laws that guide members of DGN. If my prospective director is not a member and knowing it I decide to work with him, I would have to take responsibility for whatever treatment he metes out to me.

The leadership of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has

Day I ate raw intestine —Okorie

been unstable for years now. What would you say to them?

They should pursue peace. A meeting should be convened and an election date fixed so that whoever emerges as winner will lead the association. So that there will be peace.

You are among the group of celebrities whose marriage has endured trying times.

Yes. We have survived because we have learnt to keep our marriage away from the media. So, I don’t like to talk about my marriage.

How do you mean?

The more you talk about your marriage in the media, the more you open yourself to potential danger. So, the best thing for everyone is to keep their personal life away from the media. No one needs a third party to run their homes. Most of the failed marriages crash because celebrities take them to the media.

When these stories are out, side chicks, or angry friends or people who hate the marriage use the information to plant an apple of discord between the couple. In the end, a peaceful family would begin to have issues. People think celebrity marriages don’t last. But the truth is their marriages do not only face what every other marriage faces, but also the additional burden of too much publicity. The reason people feel celebrity marriages don’t last is because they are always in the news. Marriages fail almost every minute of the day.

How long have you been married?

We have been married for nine years.

Your marriage has not been badly reported in spite of the challenges, what do you have to say about that?

It is because the challenges were handled within. I say that maturity is not by age. It is about understanding. When couples have issues they should settle them with their significant other — don’t bring the world into it. If he doesn’t want to settle, you can quietly get a divorce. It is not a do-or-die affair. Marriage is about taking shit from your partner. No one is perfect. But most men don’t understand. They always want to reduce a woman to a housekeeper. My opinion is that only two friends should enter into marriage. You should marry someone you can tell anything. Not someone who suspects your moves, not someone who thinks that any man you talk to has slept with you, not someone who thinks all actresses sleep around, not someone who keeps talking about how unfaithful women are. The truth is that when a man keeps saying these things to a woman, it increases the chances of her abandoning him for those other people. Because she meets different people everyday, people who appreciate who she is. I tell you, a lot of women, even celebrities, are dying in silence.

Why? They don’t want to speak out because they fear the media. They

think that if they leave their marriage the media would blame them. Forget about what celebrities post on social media, celebrity marriage, and marriage in general, is not as easy as everyone thinks.

If you go into some of the celebrity homes, you will not believe what you will hear.

But it will become much easier when the partners are friends.

Are you among the celebrities who have been keeping silent?

I said I don’t want to talk about my marriage.

Recently a young actor put up some compromising pictures of you on social media, alleging you have been intimate with him, how would you respond to this?

It’s you people [journalists] now. I have seen the stories. I don’t know this guy beyond the fact that we were involved in a new project. He is new in the industry by the way. Just as anyone takes or wants to take picture with me. He has been taking pictures with me.

One other scandal that almost rocked your career and marriage was the one that involved a South African rapper, how did you manage that?

My husband knows and understands me very well. That was why it didn’t hurt me much. Personally, I forgive people. I forgave Prince Ekeh and Prosper, but I don’t forget. The reason is that I don’t want to be fooled a second time. Someone that can say bad things against you when you have done nothing to them, out of envy and greed, can do it again. They all came to beg me.

There are people you should not offend in life. I know that my temper is bad, but I easily forget things once I have voiced it out.

But what Prince Ekeh did to me, lying and stabbing me in the back in a foreign land, extorting money from me cannot be forgotten easily. They did a lot of things to me. I have forgiven him so that I can move on with my life, but it can’t leave my memory.

A lot of people believed their version. I had a telephone conversation with the guy in South Africa during the crisis. He told me you were in his house the day the money was missing; that the camera picked it.

Listen. Those people did a lot to damage me. But I would not run them down here, especially Prince Ekeh. It will not do me any good. I am God’s own. I wouldn’t want to offend some people and God. They came to beg and I have forgiven them.

I am a prayerful person. People think I am crazy, but I have a personal love for God. Because I know how I started and how God has helped me to where I am today. I don’t joke with God. That is why I don’t miss church services, though I go to club a night before. Anywhere I am, even when I am shooting, I go to church on Sundays. And frankly, I didn’t do all the things they said I did in South Africa.

What is written on your tattoo?

In God Almighty I trust.

Regina Askia-Williams laments plight of Nigerian nurses

By Newton Ray Ukwuoma

FORMER Nollywood actress and model, Regina Askia-Williams, has lamented the plight of nurses in Nigeria, describing their working condition as embarrassing and a poor reflection of the glowing recognition of Nigerian nurses in foreign lands.

Regina, who relocated to the US where she is practising as a registered nurse, was the convener of nurses’ summit organised

by Inspired Nurses Network, Africa (INNA) at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, on Thursday.

Appealing to the Federal Government and the nursing unions to improve upon the working environment of the nation’s nurses, the ‘Most Wanted’ actor stated that empowering and equipping the nurses will optimise service delivery in the health sector.

The 1989 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, who broke down in tears while addressing the nurses said, “When I came here, I was very impressed by the high spirits and passion displayed by the student-nurses. They sang the nursing anthem with so much pride and passion. And I felt so embarrassed knowing their working conditions. I felt so sad that nothing is done to help them render excellent healthcare services to their patients. And I hope to see a time when more will be done to empower the nurses.

“I have a comfortable life as a nurse in the US. I have all the equipment and incentives to perform optimally as a registered nurse. But when I look at the Nigerian nurses I feel so sad. How can you expect someone to bring out their best when they are demoralised, overworked, underpaid, disrespected, unappreciated and sometimes sexually abused? And because I have the visibility and the voice, I am going to lend it to this cause, to fight this battle and to ensure that you earn what you deserve as a nurse,” she said.

Regina, while enjoining the nurses to conduct themselves with dignity and highest professionalism, also charged filmmakers

to portray nurses in stellar lights in their movies as nurses are not only gossip or tray carriers.

Speaking to Saturday Tribune about why she left the make-believe industry, the ‘High Way to the Grave’ actor said she has lost the passion for showbiz.

She said, “The entertainment industry found me and I loved it for a while. When that love was lost, I moved on.”

Lucky Dube’s lead singer to release new album, ‘I Got A Roof’ LEAD singer of the Lucky Dube band and Nigerian-born South African-based reggae maestro, Ben Priest, is billed to release the maiden album of the band after the demise of the legendary reggae musician, Lucky Dube.

The 10 tracker album titled “I Got A Roof” was recorded in Namibia with the Lucky Dube band and featuring Namibian reggae star, Ras Shehama.

The album has songs such

as I Got A Roof, Freeman, Burning Down the Bridge, Strangers, among others in its collection.

Ben Priest, who started singing in a small club in Abuja before relocating to South Africa to lead the Lucky Dube band in 2013, told Saturday Tribune that he desires to return to Nigeria to promote the album as well as “to get reggae music back to its former glory in Nigeria”.

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

Nazir Ado Ibrahim plans comeback PRINCE of Ebiraland, Nasir Ado Ibrahim, has a mission to revive his interest in the nightclub business.

The man about town, who used to own the popular Club Towers, which was managed by late socialite, Akeem Shodeinde, is planning to re-enter the nightclub business based on his experience and understanding of the terrain.

Benny Obaze back on the beat BENNY Obaze, the boss of Bevista, must have decided to revive his old ways.

The dandy, for sometime, took a break from social outings.

Friends of many, Benny, who

Where is Francis Ogboro?

MANY friends and associates of polo buff and former captain of the Lagos Polo Club, Francis Ogboro, are longing to find an answer to the poser concerning his whereabouts.

The Edo-born businessman, who many mistake for a northerner based on his dressing, culture and choice of friends, is said to have become absent from his regular places prompting friends to ask what he is up to.

The polo enthusiast, who devotes a major part of his life to the game was said to have been spotted a long time ago when he attended an event where he represented his mentor and friend, General Ibrahim Babangida.

People close to him say that the businessman has decided to keep his life private, while he shuttles between his office in Victoria Island, Lagos and his home.

serves as the official wardrobe consultant to many stylish men in Lagos, was a VIP guest at a recent soiree thrown by the Polo boss, John Obayuwana, for his daughter, Jennifer.

Obaze remained his old self, spotting a dinner wear and his signature trilby hat.

He had a good time at the Sky Lounge, penthouse of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, where people like Folly Coker, HRH Wuraola Ogunwusi, Elohor Aisien, Agbani Darego and a host of other celebrities were also in attendance.

Those in the know claim that the prince has embarked on the renovation of his property which used to house the Movida Nightclub for this purpose.

The businessman is said to be making daily consultation with friends on how to run the hangout and also have the best management to drive his concept.

Mudi Enajemo celebrates 24 years of fashion WITH outlets in Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, clients in different parts of the world and 24 years existence in the fashion industry, Mudi Creations is a brand to beat, thus explaining why the owner, Mudi Enajemo, is celebrating the milestone of his business.

The designer, a car freak, whose garage boasts of different wonder on wheels, is dedicating the success of his enterprise to friends and old clients who shared his dreams and encouraged him to the point of success.

Mudi’s Maryland office was the

Abimbola Fashola’s second love I

T is no longer a secret; it is known within her circle of friends, admirers and even her husband that wife of the former governor of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola is a lover of good music and youth events.

That is why she happily attends any function themed on music and comedy.

Her last outing was a testament of her choice of music when fourtime Grammy Award-winning singer, India Arie, came to Lagos for the fifth edition of Mike Aremu’s sax appeal.

The woman of substance was filled with joy as she listened to tunes and also beheld the classic act of Isaac Geralds.

The star-studded event featured an array of celebrities and corporate bigwigs like Emeka Okonkwo, Lola Cardoso, Omotola Oyebanjo, Ibidun Ighodalo, Seyi Sodimu, Nikky Laoye, Kemi Akindoju and many other revellers, who were thrilled to an endless night of music and comedy.

theatre of celebration recently where the clothmaker had a good moment with his dedicated staffers and a handful of customers who accidentally ran into the unusual activity.

Gbadamosi’s philanthropic side

NOTABLE philanthropist and the Balogun of Ilisan Remo, High Chief Ambaliu Adewoga Gbadamosi, in furtherance of his phiolanthropic gestures, is set to donate well-equipped three bedroom flats, complete with modern facilities to the Ogun State government for the use of medical doctors.

The Remo High Chief who is concerned about rising cases of maternal mortality which he attributes to unavailability of doctors during emergency period says he is donating the project as his contribution to saving lives and reducing cases of maternal mortality.

High Chief Gbadamosi is also said to have told his close friends that he embarked on the project to serve as an example to others who, he says, should all rise up to assist government in areas of need for the development of the state.

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2 July, 2016

outofthisworld

WITH FEMI OSINUSI

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

Bizarre story of

woman who divorced sick husband,

married his best friend so that they can take care of him together

The wife attending to ex-husband with new husband watched.

I

N what is considered as the strangest stories about marriage and love, a woman in China has divorced her paralysed husband, married his best friend and together, they are now taking care of the sick man.

Xu Xihan and Xie Xiping, from the Chinese city of Ankang, in China’s Shanxi Province, got married in 1996, and had a daughter the very next year. Their life was happy one, and a few years later, Xieping gave birth to a healthy baby boy who brought them even more joy.

But tragedy struck in 2002, according to China’s People’s Daily, when Xu Xihan was involved in a terrible accident which left him paralysed from the waist down. He received 40,000 yuan ($6,000) in compensation, but lost his ability to walk and procreate forever. The man remembered their neighbours kept telling him that his wife was going to leave him in just three months, but Xieping proved them all wrong, as years went by and she and the kids remained by his side.

However, Xu wanted his wife to be happy and started pressuring her into divorcing him and finding another man who could take care of her properly. The woman wouldn’t hear of it and kept refusing his request for years.

In 2009, Xieping finally gave in to her husband’s plea to divorce him and married his colleague and best friend, Liu

Zongkui. In 2012, she gave birth to Liu’s son, but she never abandoned her ex-husband. Instead, she and Liu began caring for her divorced husband and the kids together.

The six of them (ex-husband, new husband, wife and the three children) now live under the same roof in a bizarre but happy arrangement. Xu is happy his ex-wife found an able, loving husband, and gets to see his children grow, while Xieping gets to take care of her ex without him constantly pressuring her to leave him.

The new husband helping the old husband.

The paralysed former husband with one of their children.

Old husband, new husband, wife and a child having breakfast.

The new husband, the wife and their own child.

Saturday Tribune

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2 July, 2016

weekend

FUNOLOGY

POLITICO

cartoons

Saturday Tribune

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

Just a Laffing Mata Ove r s y l l a b u s

A primary 3 teacher, Mrs Book, was having trouble with one of her pupils called Segeluulu, and so she asked, ‘Segeluulu, what’s your problem?’

“I’m too smart for primary 3. My sister is in primary 4 and I’m smarter than her! I think I should be in primary 4 too!” Segeluulu answered.

Mrs Book had had enough, and so she took Segeluulu to the headmaster’s office.

While Segeluulu waited in the outer office, the teacher explained to the headmaster what the situation was. The headmaster told Mrs. Book that he would give the boy a test, and that if he failed to answer any of his questions, he would send him back to primary 1. She agreed.

Segeluulu was brought in and the conditions were explained to him, and he agreed to take the test.

Headmaster: What is 3 x 3?

Segeluulu: 9.

Headmaster: What is 6 x 6?

Segeluulu: 36.

And so it went with every question the headmaster thought a primary 3 pupil should know.

The headmaster looked straight into Mrs Book’s eyes and said, ‘I think Segeluulu can go to the primary 4.

But Mrs Book insisted that she would ask Segeluulu more questions, and both the headmaster and Segeluulu agreed.

Mrs Book asked: A cow has four things, but I have two of those, what are they?

Segeluulu: (After a moment): Legs.

Mrs Book: What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?

The headmaster wondered why she would ask such a question.

Segeluulu smartly replied: Pockets.

The headmaster sat forward with his mouth hanging open.

Mrs Book: What goes in hard, then comes out soft?

The headmaster’s eyes opened really wide and before he could stop the answer, Segeluulu replied, ‘Bubble gum.’

Mrs Book: What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs? The headmaster was trembling.

Segeluulu: Shake hands.

The headmaster heaved a sigh of relief and told the teacher, ‘Put Segeluulu in primary 5, abeg!’

Popular Yoruba actor to Nigerians: Celebrate your people while they are alive not when they’re gone.

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

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politics&policy

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune With Saheed Salawu

0811 695 4643

yinkadejavu@yahoo.com

Ondo 2016: Will Akure people have their way this time?

Amid heightened clamour by the people of Akure for the office of the governor of Ondo State, HAKEEM GBADAMOSI looks at the chances of this extraction of the state ahead of the November election.

O

N February 23, 2017, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State will cease to be the landlord of the Alagbaka Government House and the process for the emergence of the next landlord is already set in motion.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 26, 2016 for the electorate to decide the governor’s replacement and aspirants to this number one political seat have already mounted campaigns ahead of the primaries of their parties, which have been scheduled for August.

One striking feature of the governorship race this time, however, is the sectional claims to the seat of the governor of the state. All the three senatorial districts are claiming the right to produce Mimiko’s successor, the argument being that the three zones have already had a taste of the exalted position and as such, it can easily now be the turn of any of them.

The North, which comprises the four Akoko local government areas, plus Owo and Ose, has produced the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Adebayo Adefarati as governor of the state. The South has produced the late Dr Olusegun Agagu. The zone is made up of Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo, Odigbo, Irele, Okitipupa, Ilaje and Ese-odo local government areas.

The incumbent, Dr Mimiko, is from the Central, made up of Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore, Idanre, Ondo East and Ondo West local government areas.

There have also been claims to the seat by the ethnic minorities. Akoko, Owo, Akure and Ilaje are poised to produce the next governor. But Akure people have the most strident agitation to produce the next occupier of the government house. Their argument is that of all the five divisions that make up the old Ondo province, only Akure has yet to produce the state governor.

They believe that if Ajasin had come from Owo division, Adefarati from Akoko, Agagu from Okitipupa and Mimiko from Ondo, fairness and equity dictate that Akure division has one of its own calling the shots in the state from February 23, 2017.

Since the creation of the old Ondo State in 1976, no indigene of Akure division has been democratically elected to rule the state. The only time anybody from the division had been the chief executive was when the late Michael Bamidele Otiko was appointed the military administrator of the state. He held the position for about a year.

But watchers of political events in the state are of the view that before any indigene can realise the age-long governorship aspiration of the division, they must be acceptable to every section of the state. Appealing to sentiment, they say, is not enough to get the seat.

Some Akure indigenes have thrown their hats in the ring. They are in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as other fringe political parties. In the PDP, there are Dr Dare Bada and Mr Eyitayo Jegede. Those who are seeking the ticket of the APC include Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, Mr Dele Alade, Mr Akinwale Akingbade, Mr Tunji Light Ariyomo, Prince Abiodun Adesida, Mr Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Mr Olaoluwa Adeyeye.

However, analysts have zeroed in on two of the aspirants as having the brightest chances to occupy the seat. According to them, Jegede, who is the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, is capable of succeeding in his bid should he get the nomination of the PDP. Although he is not viewed as a grass-roots politician with his aspiration also seen as tall order, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria is a leading governorship aspirant in his party.

Jegede came into the political limelight in 2009 when Governor Mimiko made him a member of his cabinet.

He was not known to have interest in the governorship seat until early this year when speculations emerged to the effect that Mimiko had anointed him as his successor.

The senator representing Ondo Central District in the National Assembly, Tayo Alasoadura, is also being touted in several quarters as the next governor. The lawmaker is one of the aspirants seeking to represent the APC in the November election. Alasoadura, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), has been nursing the governorship ambition for some time now. The Iju-born politician, who stepped down for Agagu in 2007, also sought the

I have a strong conviction that there are qualified sons and daughters of Akure who can continue the good work of this present administration and bring their experiences to bear in making the state even better than the present administration is going to leave it. ticket of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2012.

Alasoadura is a familiar face on the political terrain of Ondo State. He is a grass-roots politician who came into the consciousness of the people of the state in 1992 when he was appointed a member of the revenue generation

committee set up by a former governor of the old Ondo State, Bamidele Olumilua. His contributions in the course of that assignment are deemed to have painted him as a man given to probity.

A recent interview granted by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, could also be taken to situate the importance of this Akure political project. The traditional ruler, who did not show bias for any political party, said his disposition to the Akure-indigene-for-governor clamour was borne out of the need to institutionalise fairness, equity and oneness in the state.

“We are not hell-bent on the issue of Akure division for governor but I also believe that it is not out of place for the Akure division to aspire to the number one position in the state, just as every other zone has equal right to contest. We are not saying we should get this on a silver platter; we will work for it, we will consult, we will reach out and dialogue with other zones on the need to support us in this quest.

“If any of the major political party picks an Akure man, I am duty-bound to support him. I have a strong conviction that there are qualified sons and daughters of Akure who can continue the good work of this present administration and bring their experiences to bear in making the state even better than the present administration is going to leave it,” Oba Aladelusi said.

Will Akure enjoy a sense of fruition in this political clamour? The answer lies primarily in the belly of August, when political parties, particularly the PDP and the APC, will be choosing their governorship candidates.

35 feature

2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Here, oil money goes into wrong hands Oil clean-up pledge divides Niger Deltans

The Nigerian government has launched an unprecedented $1bn (£750m) operation to clean up the environmental damage caused by the oil industry, and it will be paid for by the polluters. But will it work? The BBC’s STEPHANIE HEGARTY reports from the Niger Delta.

T

HE mangroves that used to stretch across the creeks of Kegbara Dere, Ogoniland, are now dead - their naked, rotten trunks stick out of the water, like skeletons coated in a layer of black.

This is the price that has been paid for the discovery of oil.

Erabanabari Kobah, an environmental campaigner who grew up on these creeks, used to fish here during his school holidays to make a little money to pay for his school books.

But he says children cannot do that anymore.

“This used to be a very flourishing mangrove forest full of diversity but as a result of the continuous oil spills the fish are all dead,” he says, as he navigates a creek in a small wooden canoe.

“People can no longer do their fishing here.

It’s sad to see it like this.”

Kogbara Dere was a fishing village in which life revolved around the creek.

Oil was discovered here in the 1950s but by the 1990s the wider Ogoniland community pushed the oil company operating in the area, Shell, out of the creek.

For many years afterwards the abandoned oil wells leaked until they were capped in 2010, but by then the damage was done.

In 2011, the Nigerian government called on the UN Environment Programme to do an independent report on the damage in Ogoniland.

Researchers found that oil had penetrated far deeper into the soil than anyone expected and said the clean-up could take up to 30 years.

They said the people of Ogoniland were exposed to extreme health hazards from air and water pollution.

In some cases, cancer-causing compounds in crude oil - like benzene - could be found in drinking water at more than 900 times the safe level.

Despite the damage some communities are opposed to a clean-up fearing that the money spent on it could end up in the wrong hands.

The experience of what has happened in Bodo, just down the coast from Kogbara Dere, may shed some light on the difficulties ahead.

It was once a quiet fishing town but became famous last year when Shell paid out almost $80m in compensation for two major oil spills.

That money was split between 15,600 loc al p eop le, with each getting about $3,000, and the rest was earmarked for the community as a whole, but that has also now been distributed to individuals.

It was a huge windfall for people who were until then living hand to mouth.

The money physically transformed the town with concrete houses popping up everywhere replacing mud and corrugated tin huts.

It also bitterly divided the community.

Part of the 2015 deal said Shell must clean up the mess, but that surprisingly is not what many people want.

Fisherman Siitu Emmanuel was one of the beneficiaries of the pay-out and spent it building houses for his children.

He says he is not in support of Shell doing the clean-up - instead he wants the money that was going to pay for it to be split amongst the community.

“I believe the money earmarked is for the clean-up. This is for [the benefit of] the community therefore money should be paid to them,” he says.

And most people in Bodo agree with him, they would rather have money in their pockets than see the environmental problems sorted out.

The damage to the creeks has been so profound that many cannot even imagine returning to the life they had as fishermen before.

How clean is clean?

Clean-ups in places like Kogbara Dere have been attempted in the past but according to

They said they were cleaning the soil, I saw tippers coming in to dump new soil on top,” she says. “But it’s not clean, we still can’t farm the land. some residents they have not worked.

Comfort Gbode’s farm is beside a pipeline which spilled oil in 2012 destroying much of her land.

Mrs Gbode and her husband still farm the land but the crops are stunted.

A clean-up was done but had little effect.

“They said they were cleaning the soil, I saw tippers coming in to dump new soil on top,” she says. “But it’s not clean, we still can’t farm the land.”

A core of activists is still arguing for the clean-up to happen. One of them, Sylvester Kogbara, had his home attacked by local

youths opposed to it.

The conflict got so violent that in February four people were killed in clashes.

Father Abel Agbulu, Bodo’s Catholic priest, was called in to stop the violence and understands better than most why it happened.

“They don’t really trust any kind of negotiations or negotiators from the community,” he says.

This is the land that has made many Nigerians super rich and yet he says many of his parishioners are surviving on one meal a day.

People here are used to seeing oil money go into the wrong hands.

Likewise, they believe the money spent by Shell to sort out the environmental damage will end up with corrupt local politicians and contractors.

For its part Shell is committed to undertake a clean-up operation but says it is too dangerous to begin work until the Bodo people are ready to welcome them.

They have been in talks with various groups for three years to get the work started.

But those talks have stalled repeatedly.

Dutch ambassador John Groffen acts as a mediator and explains why the process has been so difficult.

“We wanted to make sure that it wasn’t happening in the old ways where contracts were being given out to contractors in an underhanded way,” he says.

“In the end some parties, some contractors, some youths felt they were left out of the process and there was a push back from those groups.”

Until the allocation of those contracts is sorted out, the creeks continue to rot.

Bodo is just one community, there are thousands like it in the Niger Delta.

The task of cleaning up is mammoth.

But the Nigerian government says it is determined that its own plans will work.

Environment Minister Amina Mohamed is aware of the murky local politics at play.

“A lot of the [issues involve] transparency,” she says.

“It’s not about sharing money. It’s about contracting people to do work that needs to be done to clean up the Niger Delta.”

But even if this does happen, it could be 30 years before these creeks are clean again.

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Post-UTME: Extant or Extinct?

By: Tunde Olofintila

T

HE last may not have been heard on the current status of post-UTME: whether it remains extant or extinct as the babel of words on the contentious, foggy and purported cancellation of that important part of the qualifying procedure for admission into Nigerian Universities introduced in 2003 by the Committee of Pro Chancellors of Nigerian Universities under the Chairmanship of the frontline legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, continues unabated.

That this may remain the position, at least for some time to come, came to the fore again, when Babalola called on the Governing Councils, Pro Chancellors and Senate of Nigerian Universities to rise up in unison to challenge the much touted cancellation of the post-UTME in the overall interest of quality of education in the country.

The setting was the 21st Convocation Lecture of the University of Ado-Ekiti (EKSU), where Babalola, the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), who spoke on “University Administration: The Role of Stakeholders”, set the tone and agenda for the day by saying “the unconstitutional and illegal violation of University Laws by successive governments, Federal and State, Ministers and Officers of Government makes it imperative that we should examine the role of stakeholders in University Administration”.

With a reasonable dose of bile in his duct, Babalola, the Convocation Speaker at EKSU, played back to the combined Policy Meeting of Administrators of Higher Institutions in Nigeria in Abuja on June 2, 2016 on the alleged scrapping of the postUTME when the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, was alleged to have made the pronouncement as to the cancellation of the post-UTME. The Minister was reported to have declared that the Federal Government and other stakeholders had absolute confidence in the examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and to that extent, that there was no need for other examinations to be conducted by universities after JAMB examination.

Adamu was quoted to have stated that: “As far as I am concerned, the nation has confidence in what JAMB is doing, the universities should not be holding another examination and if the universities have any complaint against JAMB, let them bring it and then we address it.”

But the inaudible ovation that greeted the Minister’s pronouncement had hardly settled down when the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, countered that post-UTME has not been scrapped and that the universities would still be free to “screen” prospective students.

Babalola endorsed Ojerinde’s stand on the issue when he said: “This, to me, is the rational thing to do as it is done in other climes.

Otherwise how will a university be able to screen a student who seeks admission without some form of testing? Is the said screening supposed to take the form of oral interviews alone?”

He added: “There is no doubt that the establishment of postUTME examination has rendered the jumbo marks hitherto obtained by unscrupulous student from JAMB useless, adding that I can predict with 100% assurance that its revocation will pave way for the return of the abominable practice that damaged the image of JAMB”.

According to the proponent and protagonist of quality and functional education, the Post UTME screening exercise had afforded the universities in the country the opportunity of identifying students who have been rusticated from other universities, those who forged their JAMB results, those who have been involved in criminal activities such as cultism, rape, stealing, armed robbery, ritual killings, drug and alcohol addictions, kidnapping and other illegal activities and those who do not have the requisite competence to study the courses they applied for as well as those who are not interested in their courses but are pushed into such courses by their parents. “Obviously the above are not matters which JAMB can identify,” he asserted.

Underscoring the place and import of the post- UTME, Babalola had at an earlier forum cited the case during the first Post UTME the University of Lagos conducted in 2003 where a student, with a very impressive JAMB result and had applied to study Law, was asked whether he knew the popular novel “Things Fall Apart” and he answered in the affirmative. When he was asked if he knew the author, the hall was filled with consternation when the young man named the late General Sanni Abacha as the author of Things Fall Apart!

There is no doubt that the establishment of post-UTME examination has rendered the jumbo marks hitherto obtained by some unscrupulous students from JAMB useless, adding that “I can predict with 100% assurance that its revocation will pave way for the return of the abominable practice that damaged the image of JAMB”.

With the above carrots inherent in the post-UTME, he wondered why anyone will be fanning the embers of the scrapping of the otherwise very useful tool in the hand of quality and functional education in the country.

Going into the statute books, Babalola pointed out that the combined effect of Section 5(1), (a) and 5 (1) (c) (ii) of the JAMB Act is that JAMB is statutorily empowered to set and conduct examinations, appoint examiners and other invigilators for the purpose of the examination set by the Board adding that it could also be gleaned from the JAMB Act that the guidelines

approved by the Proprietor of each university are essential factors in the placement of students He then returned a verdict, to wit: “Clearly, the universities are not meant to be mere on-lookers in the admission process”.

He continued: “But the pertinent questions to ask are: Should there be a cancellation of post-UTME and does the pronouncement by the Minister take away the right of individual universities to screen candidates for admission?

“The answers are simple and straight forward. There cannot be a cancellation of post-UTME because no one has asked for it. Assuming, but not conceding, that the Hon. Minister can on his own propose the cancellation of post-UTME, the matter must be fully discussed by all the stakeholders including the Founders of the universities, the Pro-Chancellors, the Council, the Vice Chancellors, the Senate and others.

“Furthermore, their decision must be presented to the Federal Executive Council for consideration as it was done in 2003 before the Post UTME was established. It is beyond the powers of a single individual, no matter how highly placed, to single-handedly set aside the post-UTME particularly in circumstances in which a chorus acclamation was procured.

“In my view, the June 2, 2016 pronouncement by the Minister of Education is at best his personal opinion and not that of the government. A cancellation of the post-UTME will unfairly and illegally obliterate the statutory right of each university to screen the candidates it wants to admit and deal a fatal blow at the quality of education in this country”.

All over the world, every university has the right to screen the candidates it wants to admit. It also has the right to embark on other exercises, whether written or unwritten, to make it and its products stand out. It is for this reason that any student applying to study Law in the University of Oxford is mandatorily required to take the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT), any student applying for Biomedical Sciences must take Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT), any student applying for Chemistry must take Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) while any one applying for Classics must take Classics Admission Test (CAT).

On the strength of the foregoing, he urged the Governing Councils, the Pro-Chancellors, the Vice Chancellors and the Senate of all universities in Nigeria to rise up to challenge the purported cancellation of post-UTME in the interest of quality education in Nigeria.

It is therefore as clear as sunrise that the last may not have been heard about the purported cancellation or otherwise of the postUTME. And concerned stakeholders are waiting for the resolution of the otherwise interesting arguments and counter arguments.

Olofintila, Head, Corporate Affairs, ABUAD, wrote from Ado-Ekiti

The problem with dialogue!

By Abdulrazaq Magaji

T

HE ongoing brigandage in the Niger Delta is to be expected the moment a government shows an inclination towards dialoguing with bandits. The Federal Government of Nigeria, with its back seemingly to the wall and, contrary to all permutations, has been talking of its preparedness to dialogue with bandits and every roughneck in the Niger Delta suddenly has their eye on a piece of the action.

The Federal Government must get its back off and, His Excellency Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will do well not to bring God into this matter.

This is for the simple fact that those the president is begging in the name of God do not believe there is God! No man who believes in God will contemplate the kind of atrocities the bandits are capable of. If government does not get its back off the wall and bare its fangs, the next few weeks will witness the emergence of more terrorist groups.

This is because those with their backs to the wall negotiate from a position of weakness. It is not surprising that many of those who admonish the government to negotiate with bandits were the same set that hoodwinked late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua into instituting an ill-advised multi-billion naira drainpipe otherwise called Niger Delta amnesty programme. By falling for the dialogue stuff, Mallam Yar’Adua created a behemoth that has become a huge distraction for the well-meaning Buhari/Osinbajo administration.

God repose his soul! Were he to be alive today, chances are Mallam Umaru Yar’Adua would admit that the amnesty programme he was wrongly advised to institute as a means of checking restiveness in the Niger Delta region is coun-

terproductive. As we can all see, the scavenging bandits in the Niger Delta and the starry-eyed beer fans in the heart of Igboland have, through their lawlessness, stained the white banner of the visionary Mallam Umaru Yar’Adua.

The ongoing banditry in parts of the South-East and South-South is the direct result of what you get when you dialogue with bandits. It was the dialogue the Yar’adua government had with all manner of criminals that spawned the new set of scavengers in the Niger Delta. It was the same dialogue that emboldened starry-eyed beer fans in the South East to attempt an exhumation of a hatchet that was buried 46 years ago! By extension, it was dialogue that emboldened the lecherous Boko Haram bandits who have elevated mass rape and mass murder to an art.

The only time dialogue becomes relevant is when one of two adversaries has been pummelled to the point of nearcapitulation. No one should delude themselves that that dialogue makes sense without the big stick. It doesn’t! And, mind you, you don’t dangle carrots in the face of an adversary to lure them to the roundtable! No adversary gives second thought to an invitation to dialogue until they have been so battered to the point of seeing an invitation for dialogue as a life- and face-saver! This cardinal rule in war diplomacy had not been met when President Yar’Adua extended a presidential handshake to the Niger Delta bandits.

If in doubt, cast your mind back to the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka who spurned all entreaties until the government in Dhaka realised it had to achieve a decisive military victory which it did convincingly after foreclosing any chance of dialogue. Until the government turned the heat on them, few analysts imagined the Tigers, who hitherto had readymade excuses to reject peace overtures, would meekly subject itself to the democratic process.

Only recently, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colum-

bia (FARC), in a face-saving move, signed the Havana Peace Accord to end its 50-year bush war. Again, the magic was the decision of the government to drop the carrot stuff! The result was that the handwriting became clearer for FARC and, by 2012 the rebel group had to enlist the support of Pope Francis to assist in working out a soft-landing deal with the government in Bogota. Little wonder that the tough-talking Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has promised there will be no carrots in his dealings with Muslim rebels and other terror groups in The Phillipines At the onset, the multi-billion naira amnesty created the façade of peace in the restive Niger Delta region. This is one of the many problems of dialogue: initially, it creates the impression that all is well before you discover that all is far from being well! It is the failure of dialogue that took us to this point where bandits hold the nation by the jugular. If truth be told, all the terror groups emerged because we were either naïve or dishonest to believe that something good can come out in any dialogue of seeming equals!

One mistake the Buhari/Osinbajo government will make is to repeat the mistake of talking to implacable bandits who will always shift the post and continue to make outlandish demands. Especially in the case of the Niger Delta, what all budding scavengers are doing is to strategically position themselves for an imminent feast that will come out of a dialogue. Many of today’s scavengers saw how they lost out when their compatriots became super-rich in the name of amnesty and now believe it is time for them to have a piece of the action. The ongoing hot air is the usual jostling for vintage positions ahead of an imminent feast.

It is about time to employ reasonable force to call the bluff of all manner of scavengers!

Magaji sent this piece from Abuja.

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2 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

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sport

2 July, 2016

Omeruo

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

3 JULY, 2016

Omeruo rejoins Chelsea Monday NIGERIA defender, Kenneth Omeruo will rejoin English Premier League side Chelsea on Monday after holidaying in Nigeria and he has not yet agreed personal terms with Turkish champions, Besiktas.

“Kenneth will rejoin Chelsea for training on Monday,” a source told AfricanFootball.com “His loan move to Besiktas is going well but nothing has been agreed because he has not discussed personal terms with the Turkish club.”

As earlier reported, Besiktas cannot buy the Nigeria international defender outrightly because they will run

foul of the UEFA financial fair play and so the loan deal.

However, they could have the option to buy him from Chelsea at the end of the season-long loan at the Istanbul giants.

Omeruo has so far been loaned out by Chelsea to Dutch club ADO Den Haag, Middlesbrough and Kasimpasa of Turkey.

Omeruo’s last club Kasimpasa have an option to buy him permanently at the end of last season but cannot afford him.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner is on the 35-man provisional squad for the Rio Olympics in August.

Nasarawa dep gov wants FG to immortalise Keshi, Amodu Godwin Agwam- Lafia NASARAWA State deputy governor, Honourable Silas Agara has joined other football stakeholders in the country to call for the immortalisation of the late former Super Eagles coaches, Stephen Keshi and Shuaibu Amodu.

He made the call in Lafia, when he was appointed as the ‘Pillar of Sports in Nasarawa State by the state chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

Agara, explained that the late coaches contributed immensely to the development of football in the country.

According to him, “Keshi has won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the country as a player in 1994 and as a coach in 2013, while Amodu coached Nigeria to qualify for two World Cup finals, 2002 and 2010”.

Agara added that, it may take up to 20 years for the country to fill the vacuum left by the late soccer tacticians.

Earlier, the Chairman of Nasarawa State SWAN, Alhaji Danmusa Mohammed, said the appointment of Agara as the pillar of sports in the state was as a result of his enormous contributions to the development of sports in the state.

Naval Dockyard boat race holds July 6 THIS year’s Naval Dockyard Boat race holds on Wednesday July 6 at the Navy Sailing Club, Ojo, Lagos at 12pm.

The Boat Race is being organised by the Navy Sailing Club in conjunction with Naval Dockyard Limited to mark this year’s Eid El Fitri celebrations.

According to a release by the Club’s Commodore, Tunde Giwa-Daram o l a , Rear Admiral A.L Akintola (Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dock

Saturday Tribune

yard) is expected to be the special guest of honour with many Captains of Industries, senior military officers, Sports administrators and other water sports enthusiasts in attendance.

The annual race will terminate at the Navy Sailing Club, Ojo. The Navy Sailing Club established in 1987, which is the hub of water sports aims to promote and advance the game of water sports in the country.

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Friendly: Dream Team tackles Mexico tonight

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi NIGERIA’S Dream Team will today face the U-23 team of Mexico in a friendly at the Aguascalientes Stadium, the home ground of newlypromoted top tier club, Necaxa FC. The match serves as a build up game for the Samson Siasia men ahead of the Rio Olympics which holds next month in Brazil.

Siasia had during the week arrived in the United States for a training tour with 14 players, while the rest invited players from foreign-based side were expected to join the team in its preparation for Rio 2016.

Siasia has listed 35 players on his provisional list for the quadrennial Games where 23 players will make the final cut including three overage players.

39

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Kayode Olanrewaju

Kayode Olanrewaju THE former junior international was a delight to watch in his debut season with FK Austria Wien. He finished with 13 goals in the Austrian Bundesliga last season.

Olanrewaju, who is eyeing a call-up to the Super Eagles after playing in the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, emerged the second highest scorer in his team behind Alexander Gorgon.

He netted a brace for Austria Wien which finished third on the table.

Olanrewaju, a former Maccabi Netanya of Israel player had 34 appearances in the colours of the Austrian side last season.

However, the exploits of the Marvellous Academy of Ibadan product have not attracted the national team handlers attention for the Super Eagles.

John Ogu OGU inspired Hapoel Beer Sheva to win the Israeli league title last season.

The Nigeria international midfielder though only scored four goals in 34 league appearances, yet was instrumental in the league triumph of Hapoel.

Following his impressive performance, Ogu clinched the best foreign player award in the Israeli league, while he also finished as the third best player of the season.

John Ogu

Nigerian players who impressed in foreign leagues last season

Nigerian players expectedly made huge impact in foreign leagues during the 2015/16 season. Group Sports Editor, GANIYU SALMAN, in this piece, highlights some of the outstanding Nigerian players at the just-ended season in Europe and their exploits.

July 2, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Ahmed Musa

Ahmed Musa MUSA for the third time inspired CSKA Moscow to capture the Russian Premier League title last season.

The Nigerian international who joined CSKA five years ago also emerged the team’s top scorer with 13 goals in 30 league appearances and 18 in all competitions last season.

Following his exploits with the Russian team, a number of offers came the way of the former Kano Pillars star including one from the reigning EPL Premier League champions, Leicester City.

Odion Ighalo

Anthony Nwakaeme

ARGUABLY, Ighalo remains on top of the ladder following his five-star performance with newlypromoted English Premier League sides, Watford.

Ighalo, finished the season among the top scorers in the EPL with 15 goals. This feat made him to become the second Nigerian player to have scored 15 EPL goals in a season after Osaze Odemwingie, while he was short of a goal to equal Yakubu Ayegbeni’s EPL goal record of 16 in a season with Portsmouth.

Save for his goal against Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge which was later recorded as an own goal by Gary Cahill, the Edo State-born Nigerian international would have equalled Ayegbeni’s record in the EPL last season. Ishalo finished with 17 goals in 42 appearances at the end of the season.

His awesome goal scoring instinct in no small way helped the Hornets to stay afloat right from match day one to the end, as offers kept coming for him to leave the Vicarage Road.

Ighalo formed a solid combination with his captain, Troy Deeney to give their manager, Quique Sanchez Flores cause to be restful even before the EPL ended though, Flores contract was not renewed by the team management.

He emerged the best striker in England’s top four leagues at the end of 2015 having scored 30 goals right from the English Championship to the premiership. No wonder, he was crowned the Premier League Player of the Month for December 2015. The former Flying Eagles captain will always be remembered for his famous goal against Arsenal at the Emirates in the quarter-final of the FA Cup which helped Watford to a 2-1 victory.

He also scored a brace on three occasions last season against Newcastle United, West Ham and Liverpool.

At the international level, Ighalo after being first snubbed by the erstwhile Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, regained his shirt and had a goal in the 3-1 drubbing of Luxembourg in a friendly in May this year.

He is listed among the overage players to be considered for the Rio Olympics.

IN his debut season, Nigerian Anthony Nwakaeme was equally instrumental in the triumph of Hapoel Beer Sheva in Israel.

Nwakaeme who had a compatriot, John Ogu as team-mate netted 11 goals in 34 league appearances to emerge the team’s second highest goalscorer behind Elyaniv Barda who had 14 goals.

Odion Ighalo Anthony Nwakaeme

Brown Ideye AFTER an uneventful season with West Brom, Ideye dumped the EPL side for Olympiakos of Greece where he ragained his scoring form which aided his team to capture the league title.

The Edo State-born forward featured in the group stage of the Champions League for the Greek side and finished the season with 10 goals in 24 appearances.

“A big thank you to all who have supported us through

Brown Ideye

this journey. We are champions,” Ideye, a former Dynamo Kiev player had tweeted after his team’s triumph in Greece.

“Great and emotional day for me. The last time I felt this way was at AFCON 2013. So Excited! first league win in my career.”

Ideye, is also set to feature in

the UEFA Champions League next season, as his team has secured automatic spot in the glamorous championship.

Last October, Ideye boosted Olympiakos dream of reaching the UEFA Champions League knockout stages with a 79th minute’s superb goal at Dinamo Zagreb.

Sadiq Umar: The youthful striker hits the headlines with AS Roma last season after joining the Primavera side on loan from Spezia Calcio FC of Italy.

Sadiq, a product of Abuja Football College academy who made his Serie A debut last November against Bologna, has since become a toast of a number of top clubs.

His exploits attracted the EPL giants, Arsenal, which reportedly dangled £12 million before his team, while Bundlesiga side Borussia Dortmund, also showed interest in the Nigerian player among others.

The Kaduna State-born player netted 21 goals in 24 competitive games last season, including two in Serie A for AS Roma and he is on Nigeria’s 35-man provisional squad for the Rio 2016.

To be continued

Sadiq Umar

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SAAC Success has signed a five-year contract with English Premiership side, Watford from La Liga side Granada CF, according to SkySports.

The deal is worth £12.5million (about N4.8 billion).

The former Nigeria U-17 and U-20 star netted six goals in 30 appearances in the league for Granada.

With Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney both set to remain at Vicarage Road, new-signing Success wil be expected to compete for a place in Watford’s starting line up.

His transfer was reportedly secured earlier on in the year but it was agreed

NPFL Match Day 25 fixtures Saturday, July2 Enyimba vs El-Kanemi Warriors Nasarawa United vs Rivers United Abia Warriors vs Plateau United Lobi Stars vs Heartland Akwa United vs Kano Pillars Sunday, July 3 FC IfeanyiUbah vs Sunshine Stars Wikki Tourists vs Rangers Niger Tornadoes vs Warri Wolves MFM, Lagos vs Ikorodu United

Isaac success hits N4.8bn record signing at Watford that there would be no official announcement until the end of the season out of respect for Granada’s relega-

tion battle in La Liga.

After months of speculation the two clubs have now officially confirmed the deal.

The 20-year-old has established himself as one of Europe’s brightest young talents after helping his side eventually avoid the

drop with a series of impressive performances.

He had been linked with a number of European sides, including Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, but Success’ agent, Dominic Egbukwu, insisted last February that the player would be making the switch to Vicarage Road.

In a farewell letter to Granada’s supporters, Success wrote: “Today is a bittersweet day for me, because through this letter, I want to say goodbye to the best fans that you can have, of my colleagues, of all workers in the club who have both supported me since I arrived in Granada, in addition to this city that has

given me everything.”

“Now I begin another professional stage, which would not have been possible without my learning and development in Granada.”

Success has been comfortable playing on either side of a front three or as an out-and-out striker during his time with the La Liga club.

EURO 2016 q/final fixture Italy v Germany

Messi has abandoned us —Ronaldo

WORLD Cup winner and Brazil legend, Ronaldo feels “abandoned” by Lionel Messi and hopes he reneges on his retirement from international football.

The Barcelona forward, 29, lost his third major final with Argentina in as many years last Sunday when Chile won the Copa America Centenario final on penalties.

Messi, having missed a spot kick in the shootout, stunned the world in the aftermath by revealing he would never again play for Argentina, triggering a slew of people - including Diego Maradona and the country’s own president - publicly pleading with him to reconsider.

Ronaldo, who himself lost

Lionel Messi

World Cup and Copa America finals before going on to win both, sympathises with Messi but, like most self-respecting football fans, is praying for a change of heart.

“It is an extremely personal choice for Messi and we have to respect,” Ronaldo told China’s official Xinhua news agency.

“We all feel abandoned by Messi and hope he can change his decision.”

With World Cup 2018 qualification already under way and Argentina far from comfortable in the South American standings, there are fears that a team shorn of Messi could fail to qualify for the finals in Russia.

Isaac Success

25 years after Muda Lawal

The secret meeting we had—Ademola Adesina

By Dipo Ogunsola COME Wednesday July 6, it will be 25 years without Nigeria’s midfield maestro, Mudashiru Babatunde Agboluaje, mostly known as Muda Lawal.

He played for Nigeria between 1976 and 1985 and held the record of five consecutive appearances at the African Cup of Nations matched and surpassed by players like Joseph Yobo, Samuel Eto’o and Rigobert Song in the modern era.

In spite of his silky skills, it is feared that Muda Lawal’s rivals for the same midfield role were almost

always struck by careerending injuries fuelling speculations that there were unseen hands behind Lawal’s longevity and dominance.

Ademola Adesina, who joined Muda Lawal both at the IICC Shooting Stars and the national team has a different opinion. ‘‘When I got to the national team, the late Oto Gloria (Brazilian handler of Nigeria’s Green Eagles between 1979 1982) organised a meeting between Muda Lawal and myself. ‘‘Gloria said, ‘Look at this young man, I have brought him to the team not to

bench you but to understudy you as a mercurial midfielder. You can’t play for Nigeria forever, show this boy the way.’’’

Adesina told Saturday Tribunesport that Muda hid nothing from him as a side-kick. ‘‘Years after he left the national team, I saw myself as another Muda in Eagles shirt,’’ Adesina recalled.

In 2003, the Confederation of African Football, CAF, recognised Muda Lawal with a post-humous award and he has a stadium named after him in Asero, Abeokuta in Ogun State.

Muda Lawal

inside

Dream Team faces Mexico tonight in friendly

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: saturdaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: LASISI OLAGUNJU. All Correspondence to P. O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 2/7/2016.