9th September 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,586 FRIDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER, 2016

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TODAY'S SPECIAL

Making millions from maggots

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju CRAWLY and slimy, maggot, the soft-bodied larvae of the housefly, is not something most people want to touch with a barge pole. A maggot found in a living room is regarded as a disgrace to the family. If it is found in the kitchen, it would be a disaster. And if any maggot should find its way into the bedroom, it would precipitate a nightmare. This is because not only is maggot not a sight to behold ordinarily, it is also

repulsive consequent upon its affinity for materials that are in varying stages of decomposition. So, maggot is seen as a symbol of degeneration and deterioration as well as a harbinger of sicknesses and diseases.

But that is where its downside ends. Maggot breeding is a very veritable avenue for money making because the larvae comes handy in the production of animal feeds.

Continues pg11

FG to borrow from W/Bank, Japan, China

—P12

Edo poll now to hold Sept 28

•Postponement illegal, a coup —PDP —P4 •APC ready for election but... —Oyegun

Change not only about economic progress —Buhari

•Launches national orientation campaign —P6

Police arraign Audu's son for robbery —P11

President Muhammadu Buhari presenting the new national re-orientation campaign emblem, “Change Begins With Me,” to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

Power generation hits 3,810mw —P12

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First memorial lecture in honour of Late Kolawole Durosaro in the United Kingdom and Nigeria by KD Bykond Foundation

Mr Ikenna Onwura (left), Mrs Bisi Durosaro (second right) and Mr and Mrs Kunle Aderibigbe.

Oreofeoluwa (middle) with dignitaries at the seminar in the United Kingdom.

Late Kolawole Durosaro

Some participants at the lecture in the United Kingdom.

Dr Folaju Oyebola, Oreofeoluwa and the palliative team at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta.

The team and some of the participants at the lecture that took place in Ibadan.

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Edo election now to hold September 28 Banji Aluko -Benin City

T

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has eventually postponed the Edo State governorship elections earlier stated for tomorrow to Wednesday, September 28.

The commission made the U-turn on Thursday night, during a threeminute press briefing, few hours after it had said it would go ahead with the election against the advice of security agencies.

The Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) had, on Wednesday, advised INEC to postpone the governorship election scheduled for tomorrow, citing security threats.

INEC National Commissioner, Solomon Soyebi, who addressed journalists at the Edo State headquarters of the electoral body, in Benin City, on Thursday night, said the move became imperative, following communication received from the police and the DSS that there were security threats in Edo and some other states of the federation.

He recalled that at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting held on Wednesday and attended by relevant security agencies, including the representatives of the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS, the Director-General of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), civil society organisations and other critical stakeholders, INEC affirmed its preparedness to conduct the election.

Soyebi said the commission resolved to proceed with the election, even when news filtered in through the social media before the end of the stakeholders’ meeting that the police and the DSS were advising INEC to postpone it on security grounds, since there was no official communication to the effect.

“However, at about 6.00 p.m. today (Thursday), the commission received official communication from the police and the DSS, drawing its attention to the need to postpone the election.

“Such a postponement, the communication indicates, is necessary in view of threats of terrorist activities in Edo and other states of the federation during the election and over the Sallah period.

“The deployment of security personnel countrywide to secure lives and property would overstretch their capacity to, at the same time, provide adequate security for the election.

“Consequently, the commission notes the request

of the security agencies and, considering the security implications of proceeding with the election, the safety of eligible voters, electoral officials, including ad hoc staff and other stakeholders, it has decided to reschedule the Edo governorship election to Wednesday, September 28,” he said.

How Oba’s coronation

ceremony made INEC to fix Sept 28

There are indications that INEC resolved to reschedule the governorship election to Wednesday and not a Saturday, due to the coronation of the Oba of Benin fixed for Monday, September 26.

It was gathered that INEC had earlier earmarked Saturday, September 24, for the election, but had to change the date when it was

realised that the date was too close to the coronation ceremony.

When news filtered into town that the governorship election might have been shifted to September 24, many in Benin quickly pointed out that holding the election on that day could jeopardise arrangement being put in place for the coronation.

The situation was said to

be responsible for the delay in the start of the press briefing organised to inform journalists of the new date for the election.

The press briefing which was billed to start by 6.00 p.m. did not start until about 7.50 p.m.

Speaking on Channels Television Thursday night, before the announcement for the new date was made, Edo State governor, Adams

Oshiomhole, suggested that the election should not hold at about the time set aside for the coronation of the Oba. “We have a big event in Edo on September 26, which is the Oba’s coronation. Before that day, there are other events that must be done. It will not be proper to hold election during that period,” he was quoted to have said.

Election postponement Illegal, a coup —PDP Leon Usigbe and Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national caretaker committee has rejected the reversal of the earlier decision of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to go ahead with the Edo gubernatorial election.

While insisting on the conduct of the election tomorrow as earlier scheduled, the national leadership of the party, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in a statement on Thursday, said tomorrow was sacrosanct, while it accused the security agencies of working with the ruling All Pro-

gressives Congress (APC) to scuttle the exercise.

Signed by its national publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the statement said “sequel to the INEC decision this afternoon to go ahead with the Edo gubernatorial election as scheduled; and the immediate reversal of that

patriotic stance, the leadership of the PDP led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has reiterated its earlier position that the Saturday September 10, election date should remain sacrosanct, since there is no tangible reason(s) evident to tamper with the election.

“The call for the post-

Adeniran condemns postponement

By Kunle Oderemi

A founding father of the PDP, Professor Tunde Adeniran, has criticised the postponement of the Edo

governorship poll.

In a statement issued last night, he said whoever flew the kite of postponement should be mindful of its implications.

“Any postponement amounted to an indictment of the Buhari-led administration, whose capacity for effective governance and service delivery to the

Postponement, bad signal for democracy —Fayose EKITI State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Thursday, described the postponement of the Edo governorship election by INEC as a very bad signal and beginning of the end for democracy in Nigeria.

“It is obvious that the All Progressives Congress (APC) feared that it can’t win the election and is ready to employ whatever crude means to subvert the wish of the people,” he said.

The governor, in a statement on Thursday, signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications

and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said INEC knew that it was not going to conduct the election on Saturday as scheduled, but opted to deceive Nigerians.

“Apart from the security agencies that they instructed not to provide security for the election, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was under instruction since yesterday (Wednesday) not to release electoral materials to INEC. “It was just a game by the APC-led Federal Government to frustrate the people of Edo State but they should

realise that the power of the people will always be greater than the power of those in power.

“How can you postpone an election less than 48 hours to the scheduled date? What manner of security concern could prevent an election in just one state when elections were held in North-East states that are confronted by Boko Haram insurgents?

“Obviously, this is a sign of what to come in 2019 and Nigerians should not be amazed if, by 2019, they tell us that elections cannot be conducted,” Fayose said.

APC ready for election but... —Oyegun Banji Aluko -Benin City

NATIONAL chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John OdigieOyegun, on Thursday, said the party is ready for the governorship election in Edo State.

He, however, urged security agents to put modalities in place in order to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was prevented from perpetrating violence during the election.

“I must confess that I am stunned, surprised, suspicious and even beginning to

wonder if the security concerns expressed by security agents is not beginning to play itself out.

“But whatever happens, we have to prepare ourselves. INEC is the final arbiter on this issue. I have to make two appeals. Security agents must do everything humanly possible to make sure that the security threats that they perceived, some of which some of us as party leaders have come across, are contained.

“I think in the interest of the nation, they will do everything they possibly can to make sure that the fear that

has been expressed do not materialise, because we take their views seriously.

“Secondly, (my) appeal will be to the voters of Edo State not to be distracted by the seeming contradictions and confusions by fears of insecurity.

“We have been ready for the elections, even though we heard rumours of threats, but as civilians, we did not know it was as grave as this.

“As APC, we are ready, we are very confident of victory.

We have a wise electorate who will vote for performance and continuity of that performance,” he said.

Nigerian people is being questioned from various quarters.

“It would also confirm the speculations of those who felt that our security agencies have really not risen to the required level of professionalism and nonpartisan in the discharge of their responsibilities premised on constitutional imperatives and patriotic considerations.

“For some months, INEC has made its plans to conduct governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States available to the public. It has monitored the relevant primaries of the political parties and, for the Edo election, put in place an arrangement that is convincing, regarding its readiness to conduct a free and fair election.

“The PDP is fully prepared, able, ready and willing to face the contest next Saturday. It is also the expectation of the public that the All Progressives Congress (APC), in spite of its apparent shortcomings, should be ready to face the inevitable challenges,” he said.

ponement of the election by top hierarchy of the security agencies predicated on alleged security threat was a less than ingenious attempt to buy time for the APC, which is clearly heading for a major electoral catastrophe on Saturday.

“It is shameful and, indeed, a major constitutional breach for the security agencies to act in concert with the APC to truncate an election that had been planned for months.

“Nigerians were not deceived by the obvious concoctions of the security agencies whose performances during elections have been less than average since the advent of the Buhari administration. Indeed, they have become instruments in the hands of the ruling party to harass, intimidate and punish opponents.”

The statement added that “the time may be ripe now for President Buhari and the National Assembly to conduct a non-partisan holistic review and investigation of the national security apparatus to save our fledging democracy.”

The postponement of the election by INEC, according to the party, was illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the peoples’ trust in the commission and the security agencies, adding that “it is a coup against the people of Edo State in particular and Nigerians in general.”

The PDP called on all stakeholders, including the media, civil society organisations, all political parties and indeed all Nigerians and the international community to rise to defend the democracy.

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Change not about economic progress alone —Buhari Leon Usigbe and Christian Okeke -Abuja

P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, officially launched the national re-orientation campaign, tagged “Change begins with me” with a declaration that it will not just be about economic and social progress, but change in terms of personal behaviour.

Performing the ceremony at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he said the campaign was party of the ruling All Progressives Congress’ (APC) effort to carry Nigerians along in the journey to create a better country.

He said: “The campaign we are about to launch today is all about the need for us to see change, not merely in terms of our economic, social progress, but in terms of our personal behaviour on how we conduct ourselves, engage our neigbhours, friends and generally how we relate with the larger society in a positive and definitive way and manner that promotes our common good and common destiny, change at home, change in the work place, change at traffic junction, change at traffic lights, among others.

“This campaign is part of the determination of our party to seek to carry all Nigerians along on the journey to a better and greater society that we all can be proud of.

“There is no doubt that our value system has been badly eroded over the years.

The long-cherished and time honoured, time-tested virtues of honesty, integrity, hard work, punctuality, good neighbourliness, abhorrence of corruption and patriotism, have given way in the main to dishonesty, indolence, unbridled corruption and widespread impunity.

“The resultant effect of this derailment in our value system is being felt in the social, political and economic sphere. It is the reason that some youths will take to cultism and brigandage, instead of studying hard or engaging in decent living; it is the reason that some elements will break pipelines and other oil facilities, thus robbing the nation of muchneeded resources; it is the reason that money belonging to our commonwealth will be brazenly stolen by the same public officials to whom they were entrusted; it is the reason motorist drive through red traffic lights, it is the reason that many will engage in thuggery and vote-stealing during elections; it is part of

what has driven our economy into deep problem out of which we are now working hard to extricate ourselves.

“Everyone of us must have a change from our old ways of doing things, we cannot fold our arms and allow

things to continue the old way.

“We must resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship, pettiness and immaturity that have poisoned our country for so long.”

Buhari counselled Nigerians to summon a new spirit of responsibility, spirit of service, of patriotism and sacrifice and resolve to pitch in and work hard and look after, not only themselves, but one another.

According to him, “what the current problem has taught us is that we cannot have a thriving army of rent seekers and vested interests, while the majority suffers.”

The president added: “Rather than sit back and

From left, Vice Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Professor Debo Adeyewa; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who is also the chairman, Board of Trustees of Redeemer’s University; a graduand with a Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology, Imisioluwa Ibikunle and the Chancellor of the University, General Theophilus Danjuma, at the eighth convocation ceremony of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN.

Nigeria’s economic recession won’t last —Osinbajo Oluwole Ige -Osogbo

VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, allayed the fear of Nigerians over the current economic recession in the country, saying it would not last.

He stated that the Federal Government had already put in place mechanism that would tackle the economic recession, which he said would soon fizzle out, thereby puting an end to financial hardship being faced by the people.

Osinbajo gave this assurance at the convocation ceremony of the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.

He observed that there was no way the nation could have escaped economic recession, having lost 60 per cent of its revenue in February to the activities of saboteurs in Niger Delta, who he said destroyed oil pipelines and installations.

While also attributing past mistakes of Nigerian leaders to the economic woes, Osinbajo tasked the youths to engage in multitask, with a view to break even against the backdrop of the global economic dynamism.

He stressed the need for universities’ graduates to be diligent, by exploring various international trading platforms to improve their economic status.

In a lecture entitled: “Nation Building and Nigeria’s economic challenges,” a glob-

al economic analyst, Mr Dick Kramer, said the country was in recession because it had failed to build a strong private economy over the years and also failed to create an economy based on industries.

He observed that the

global economy had been relatively weak in the last 18 years, he contended that Nigeria needs a new longterm economic plan which must entail fostering an effective public-private partnership.

Speaking at the convoca-

tion ceremony, former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma, called for serious investment in the education system, in view of its impact on socioeconomic development of the country.

Insurgency: Yobe needs N20bn to reconstruct damaged infrastructure —Gov Leon Usigbe -Abuja

YOBE State will need up to N20 billion to reconstruct infrastructure damage by the activities of Boko Haram terrorists in the state.

The state governor, Ibrahim Geidam, who made this disclosure after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

He is hoping that the Federal Government will make the money available for the job.

The governor also said there were about 3,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) still in various camps and waiting to be resettled in the state.

He said he was at the Presidential Villa to advise the president on how to deal with the issue as far as the state was concerned.

While noting that all three local government areas previously controlled by Boko Haram in Yobe had been liberated, he said life had gradually returned to normality in

the state.

Fielding questions from corespondents, he stated: “Yobe State experienced the negative effects of insurgency for about two or three years.

There were times when the Boko Haram terrorists occupied two of our local government areas of Gulani and Gujiba before they were liberated.

“As I speak, we have about 3,000 IDPs who are still in our camp.

“By our estimates, actually if the Federal Government spends anything from N10 billion to N20 billion, the whole area which was destroyed by Boko Haram will be reconstructed and people will go back to their homes and resume their normal lives.

“All the other people, except these 3000 have returned to their homes, that is part of the reason I came here to advise Mr President on how best these people could be resettled.

“Because they need a kind of rehabilitation of their de-

stroyed homes by Boko Haram, some need outright reconstruction of their homes especially those which were completely destroyed by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“So, I came here to give Mr President with firsthand information of things on ground there.

“I briefed him of how much we were able to do to resettle those who have gone back home and then what the Federal Government can do to the remaining ones so that they can go back and settle fully in their homes and resume their normal business activities.”

On the president’s response to his request for support, Geidam said Buhari was quite positive.

Also at the Presidential Villa to see the president on Thursday was Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, who assured that peace had returned to the state.

He attributed it to the attitude of the new leadership, which he said encouraged change in the people.

complain endlessly, we have decided to act pragmatically, with the launch of this National Re-orientation Campaign.

“The campaign will not be a sprint, but a marathon that will run the course of our tenure. We are under no illusion that the changes we seek will happen overnight, but we have no doubt that the campaign will help restore our value system and rekindle our nationalistic fervor.”

He further observed: “It is safe to say today that honesty, hard work, Godliness have given way to all kinds of manifestations of lawlessness and degeneration in our national life.

“This is why we have among our cardinal objectives ‘change’, which implies the need for a change of attitude and mindset in our everyday life.

“I need not mention the serious effort we have engaged in since the inception of this administration on the fight against corruption in our public life.

“With the progress we have so far made in that regard, we feel the need to ensure that we put in place the necessary sustainable framework for action and measures that will help to entrench and consolidate the progress achieved so far.

“This we believe can best be maintained through attitudinal change, and the change of our mindset in private and public life.”

While appealing to Nigerians to be part of the campaign, Buhari noted that citizens must realise that the change they want to see began with them and that personal and social reforms were not theoretic exercise.

He argued: “If you have not seen the change in you, you cannot see it in others or even the larger society. In other words, before you ask ‘where is the change they promised us’, you must first ask how far have I changed my ways ‘what have I done to be part of the change for the greater good of society’.”

He said while the government would drive the “Change begins with me” campaign, it must be strongly supported by all concerned individually.

“In this regard, the private sector is a major stakeholder. Indeed, when the campaign succeeds, it will impact heavily on the private sector,” he added.

He further said: “A punctual, diligent and hardworking staff can only be of benefit of not just himself or herself or the organisation they work for but to various governments whether at local, state or federal level.”

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Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

20 policemen arrested for misconduct Olalekan Olabulo

Ogun river that was recently covered with water hyacinth now being used to provide water for rams, as Eid-el-Kabir approaches, at Kara Market.

PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Man dupes cancer patient N4m

Olalekan Olabulo N acclaimed Indiantrained dentist, who allegedly duped a family friend, a cancer patient of about N4 million, has been arrested by the police.

The 38-year-old suspect, Charles Nze, was, on Thursday, paraded alongside other criminals arrested in the state by the state police boss, Fatai Owoseni.

The police boss urged residents of the state to be careful of the people they related with, while advising that they should always go to registered medical centres and experts for consultation.

Nze, who claimed to have been trained as a dentist at the Calcutta State University in India, reportedly collected the money under the guise of helping the patient to get drugs.

The suspect, while speaking with Lagos Metro said: “The cancer patient is a family friend. I decided to assist by bringing the patient from another hospital treating her as an outpatient."

The suspect continued: "When I commenced treatment on the patient, she was getting better.

But, suddenly, the family discovered I was a dentist and said I over-charged them.”

“After they discovered that I am a dentist, they requested that I refund them N2 million out of the money they gave me for the treatment,” he added.

The suspect also added that, “when I could not return the N2 million, the matter was reported to the military police at Obalende."

Nze also insisted that the patient was getting better within just three weeks of attending to the patient.

A

He claimed that “Before I started treating, she was weighing 33 kilogrammes and could not walk, but now she can walk and now weigh 47kg.”

The family member of the victim, however, stated that

Nze never told them that he was a dentist and that he lied to them that he was a medical doctor.

A family member, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with Lagos Metro, said “When we

first met, he said he was an Oncologist at 9, Brigade at Maryland and that he studied in India and London, but then my sister had been sick for some years. He promised to come and see her.”

Bola Badmus

on Thursday, led an allmale match against sexual and gender-based violence in the state, calling on

security agencies to come with evidences against at least 11 highly-placed individuals in the state to

TWENTY policemen have been arrested for offences ranging from extortion to other misconducts by the police.

The state police commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, confirmed this on Thursday, while speaking with newsmen on the activities of the command in the last one month.

Owoseni also paraded suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, rapist and a murderer.

The Lagos police boss, who stated that the policemen were arrested in different parts of the state, attributed

the arrest to the directive of the Inspector General of Police to all police commissioners and AIGs to sanitise the force.

He added that the arrested policemen would be made to face the necessary disciplinary action.

The police boss also stated that the timely intervention of men of the state police command foiled an attempt to kidnap a construction expatriate in Ajah area of the state.

According to the police boss, the command was able to save an Indian construction expatriate, Ajay Bisit, at a construction site in Ajah.

Ambode leads campaign against sexual harassment LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode,

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (middle); Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem (second left); Members, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adedamola Kasunmu (left); Mr Gbolahan Yishawu (second right) and the commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Olufemi Odubiyi, during the all men walk against sexual and gender-based violence, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

be used as scapegoats to curb the menace.

Ambode had earlier received those that participated in the match at the Lagos House, Ikeja, before leading them in a procession within the State House.

They all brandished placards such as, "LAS GIDI Men say no to abuse, violence against women," "Women are not object, respect and treat them right," "Stop rape and abuse," among others.

Governor Ambode said using highly-placed individuals perpetrating the act as scapegoats would act as deterrence to others.

Police rescue kidnapped Indian, 2 Chinese nationals THE police have foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued an Indian national from suspected kidnappers in Ikorodu.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Fatai Owoseni, confirmed this on Thursday, to newsmen at his weekly news briefing.

Owoseni said the Indian was working at a construction site when the incident happened.

According to him, the suspected kidnappers were leading him (victim) to their boat in the creeks when they engaged a team of policemen in a gun battle.

“Our men were able to rescue the Indian national before the kidnappers could take him into the creeks. The suspects, however, escaped in their boat,’’ he said.

Owoseni, however, said five robbery and one kidnap suspects were arrested in the last one week in different parts of the state.

He said four guns, five cars and other items were recovered from them.

Meanwhile, the police in Ogun said they had rescued two Chinese nationals kidnapped on September 1, at Odeda in Odeda Local Government Area of the

state.

The Acting Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, made this known when he addressed newsmen in Abeokuta on Thursday.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Oyeyemi told newsmen that the expatriates, Shen Ximing and Wei Futang, were rescued on Wednesday.

He explained that Ximing and Futang were abducted by some gunmen while working at a quarry.

Oyeyemi said a police team comprising men of

the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad had been on the trail of the abductors since the incident happened.

He said the police, however, caught up with the criminals who abandoned their victims and ran away when they were engaged in a heated gun battle at their hideout.

Oyeyemi said the two foreigners, who were rescued unhurt, have been handed over to the managers of the quarry, adding that they were recuperating at an undisclosed hospital.

According to Ambode, "It is time we take the 'bull by the horn' in tackling this menace of sexual and gender-based violence in our society," saying, "research and countless reports have indicated clearly that women are significantly more prone to being victims of these crimes."

"There is also an evident trend of suppressing the voice of these victims due to the fact that these acts are perpetrated largely by men.

"We should not take for granted the potential exponential effect of having emotionally and psychologically damaged women in a society as the effect could transcend to their children who grow up in an environment, thinking this is the norm.

"Whilst several programmes, ranging from the provision of legal aid to shelter and psychological counseling services, have been designed to assist these women, the state government has realised that while these are essential to eradicate sexual and gender-based violence, we must address the violent behaviour of men when it comes to rape, domestic violence and child abuse," Governor Ambode added.

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Ambode donates land to German firm investing $75m in Lagos economy Bola Badmus-Lagos

L

AGOS State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday demonstrated his commitment to attract foreign investors into the state as he approved land for the establishment of a $75 million building/construction tools manufacturing factory in Lagos.

The factory, to be owned by the Knauf Group, which

is a German firm and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of modern insulation materials, dry lining systems, plasters and accessories, thermal insulation composite systems, paints, floor screed, floor systems, and construction equipment and tools, will train architects, civil engineers and craftsmen on modern trends and technologies in the construction sector.

The firm, upon comple-

Conoil proposes 200% increase in dividend Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

CONOIL has announced a 176 per cent increase over its last financial year profit despite the turbulence that rocked the nation’s economy and indeed, the downstream sector of the petroleum industry in 2015.

Following this impressive performance, the oil marketing firm has proposed a 200 per cent increase in dividend payout to its teeming shareholders.

The bumper dividend of N2.08 billion is expected to be ratified by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting.

If approved, shareholders will get N3 on every 50kobo ordinary share, compared to N1 paid last year.

The company’s 2015 financial results obtained from The Nigerian Stock Exchange website showed an increase in profit after tax from N834 million in 2014 to N2.3 billion in 2015. Its profit before tax increased from N1.5 billion to N3.4 billion representing an increase of 125 per cent.

The Company’s earnings per share also rose sharply by 177 per cent to 333 kobo in 2015 from 120 kobo in 2014.

tion, would create 25,000 direct employment, while at least 800 Nigerians will be trained annually in the first phase.

Ambode, who gave the approval when he received a delegation from The Knauf Group, said the approval for the land became imperative in view of the need to encourage investors to continue to invest in Lagos.

The delegation was led by a member of the Management Committee of the firm, Isabel Knauf and Consular General of German Embassy in Lagos, Ingo Herbert.

“I must commend the German government and The Knauf Group for showing something important to all Nigerians. This is a great pointer to the fact that you believe in the Lagos economy and also believe in the future of Nigeria and I like to encourage other investors to emulate what your firm and government is doing in Lagos and as they show interest, we will not hesitate to give them the necessary support,” he said.

Earlier, Isabel Knauf said the team was at the Lagos House to brief the governor on the progress made so far since the project started in September 2015.

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Making millions from breeding maggots Continued from front page

Many people have become millionaires by culturing maggots for fish farmers as well as other farmers. Maggot is said to be rich in protein, amino acids and minerals which are essential to building up the muscles of livestock animals.

Maggot breeding, as a business, has to be taken seriously because it is critical to fish and animal production in the face of an ever-growing human population in dire need of animal protein. As observed by David Drew, Managing Director of AgriProtein Technologies, a South Africa based company that specializes in breeding maggots and recently built a $10million maggot culturing facility, “By 2050, at the current rates

that we are using fishmeal, we will need two more planets’ oceans to feed ourselves. The world’s population is also expanding exponentially, with India and China helping drive poultry, beef and pork consumption.”

So, it is maggots to the rescue.

Maggot as animal feed When maggot is defatted, dried and ground, it becomes a very nutritious meal for animals because of its rich protein content. In this form, it is an irresistible repast for fish, fowls and pigs. Aside being a standalone meal, dried and ground maggot can also be mixed with other animal feeds to enhance their nutrients.

Maggot as oil Oil extracted from maggot does magic on

animals; it keeps them healthy and wellnourished. It is usually mixed with different types of animal feeds to bring out its best.

Maggot as manure Maggot is also used as manure for improving land fertility because of its richness in nitrogen and other minerals.

Breeding maggots Maggot is bred using organic wastes. It neither requires much space nor huge energy to produce. Breeding maggots can be done both on large and small scale. The starting point is to get an enclosed space, which could be a farmland or a plastic container to keep organic waste that may be gotten from animal or man. The next thing

Police arraign Audu’s son for robbery Yinka Oladoyinbo -Lokoja

T

HE Kogi State police command, on Thursday, arraigned the first son of late Prince Abubakar Audu, a former governor of the state, Mohammed, for alleged robbery and attempted culpable homicide.

Apart from this, he was also charged with criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief, contrary to sections 97(1), 248, 327, 298 and 229 of the Penal Code Law. Mohammed, who was arraigned at the Chief Magistrates Court II, Lokoja, following his arrest Wednesday night.

He was said to have been detained after honouring the invitation of the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at the ‘A’ Division Police Headquarters in Lokoja.

The prosecuting police officer, Gabriel Otowu, told the court that the late politician’s son allegedly committed the offence against his uncle, Prince Yahaya Audu, on August 30, at the family house at Ogbonicha, Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) read by the Otowu, the uncle alleged that he was in the family compound in Ogbonicha with Ibrahim Imam for the eighth days fidau of late Dauda Audu when the alleged offence took place.

He alleged that hoodlums who were armed with guns, cutlasses and axe criminally conspired, invaded his compound and demanded for “something no matter how small.”

He, however, added that the people thereafter shot sporadically into the air and attacked him with matchete, as he attempted to give them money, adding that they inflicted bodi-

ly injuries on him.

He added that the people vandalised his Hummer Jeep and escaped into the bush after he pretended to be dead.

The complainant, who alleged that the accused had

threatened to deal with him prior to the attack, said that he and Imman sustained bullet wounds and were later rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for treatment.

However, counsel for

the accused, Okechukwu Ayewu, who led seven other lawyers, prayed the court to grant him bail in line with provisions of 36(5) of the constitution and sections 341(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code

is to get a stock of common house flies, black soldier flies and blowflies into where the waste is. As the flies feast on the organic waste and mate, the female ones lay eggs.

Some of them lay as many as 2,500 eggs.

Shortly after this, the eggs are incubated before metamorphosing into maggots. After about two weeks, the maggots are ready for harvesting.

The maggots can either be processed into other finished products such as animal feeds and oil or sold to end users locally or internationally.

Pricing A container of 200 maggots goes for $10 at the international market.

(CPC).

Chief Magistrate Alhassan Husaini, in his ruling, said “though I find on the face of the originating process, a barrage of allegations, it appears that both counsels are on the same

page.

“Accordingly, the accused person herein is admitted to bail in the sum of N100,000 and a surety in like sum, as he adjourned the matter to September 29 for further mention.

W/Bank earmarks $500m for basic education in Nigeria THE World Bank has set aside 500 million dollars as grant to fund basic education in five states for five years, Mrs Helen Okoro, the Information Officer, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has said.

Okoro, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, credited Dr Olatunde Adekola, Head, World Bank International Reconstruction and Development team, as giving the information.

She said Adekola explained that the fund was for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), established to improve access to quality education at the basic level in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto and Katsina states.

“Five hundred million dollars has been set aside

as Global Partnership for Education (GPE)/ Nigerian Partnership for Education Project (NIPEP) to fund education in the five beneficiary states of Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto,’’ she said.

Okoro said Adekola commended the Federal Government for the NIPEP project and added that it was the first time government was focusing on strategies aimed at moving the basic education sub-

A group of human rights solicitors, led by Ugochukwu Osuagwu, has described as faulty and fallacious, a letter written by the United States congressman, Tony Marino to the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, dated September 1, adding that virtually all the issues raised were faulty.

The lawyers further stated that the letter was highly divisive, seditious and an attempt to cause public unrest in Nigeria, challenging him to a public debate to present his position on the facts of the alleged bias by President Muhammadu Buhari in fed-

tions.

Okoro also quoted Dr Hamid Bobboyi, Executive Secretary of UBEC, as assuring the team of the agency’s commitment to reposition basic education delivery in Nigeria.

Lasun makes fresh input to presidential, guber elections Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja DEPUTY Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Yusuf, has began moves to make fresh input into the elections into the offices of the president and governor of a state, with a ceiling that whoever act as a president or governor for a period of two years would only be eligible to contest another four-year term instead of two terms of four years.

Honourable Yusuf is the chairman of the special Ad hoc Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution in the House.

The move, if scaled through, could bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from taking another shot at the Presidency, which he tried to do in the last 2015 elections.

There was heated argument in the polity over the eligibility of former President Jonathan to run for 2015 election when it was

Tony Marino’s view on Nigeria fallacious —Lawyers

By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

sector forward.

She said the 2.5 billion dollars credit that the Federal Government requested from the World Bank to finance the 2016 budget could only be released after fulfilling certain condi-

eral appointments.

According to Osuagwu, the president complied with federal character on federal appointments, contrary to the views of the congressman and appointments were not factored on region, but on states.

“North has 19 states as against 17 states of the South. Every state is represented in the Federal Executive Council as ministers and ministers of states.

Even if you are to go by regional arrangements, the North in appointments has 142, while the South has 131 appointees. Where is the Northern domination here?

In terms of number of states

and population, North has more in number than the south.”

He added that Marino had many issues to contend with than interferring in the issue in Nigeria, adding that his request to state department to stop sale of warplanes and military equipment to the Nigeria military was selfish.

“Even without sale of war planes to Nigeria by US, the Buratai-led Nigerian Army was able to subdue Boko Haram and reclaim all territories previously held from Boko Haram, remaining only the Chibok girls and other abducted persons,” he said.

argued that he completed the joint mandate of his former boss, late President Umar Yar’Adua.

As part of the 1999 Constitutional review process, Honourable Yusuf, according to his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Wole Oladimeji, was sponsoring a Bill which provided that “no person who had held office of president or governor of a state or acting as president or governor of a state for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president or governor, shall be elected to the office of president or governor of a state more than once.”

The new bill, which he said

had scaled the first reading on the floor of the House was to give constitutional protection to the two terms tradition.

According to the statement, “by virtue of the combine provisions of sections 137(1)(b) and 182(1)(b) of the constitution, the president of Nigeria and governor of a state shall serve in those capacities for a maximum period of eight years.

“However, the constitution equally envisaged circumstances where a person can be chosen to act as president or governor. These include when the president or a governor resign dies or is impeached,”the statement noted.

Bishop counsels royal fathers on idol worshipping THE Bishop of Cathedral of St James African Church, IdiApe, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Bishop Kunle Akinremi, has called on traditional rulers in the country to give their lives to Jesus Christ and do away with anything that has to do with worshipping of idols.

Bishop Akinremi gave the advice during the church service marking the 60th birthday of Olori Yetunde Tejuoso, wife of the Osinle Oke ona of Egbaland, Oba

(Dr) Adedapo Tejuoso.

The cleric commended the Christian virtue of Oba Tejuoso whom, he said, remained the only royal father who openely denied worshipping deity and destroyed the deities to embrace God. He called on other monarchs to emulate him in order to also see and enjoy blessings of God,which radiates in Tejuoso and his household.

12

businessnews

Friday, 9 September, 2016

FG to borrow from World Bank, AfDB, China, Japan Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

T

HE Federal Government of Nigeria has approved an external borrowing plan after the cashstrapped African economy plunged into official recession.

“Low cost, long-term loans (1.25 per cent interest, 20yr tenor)” would be sought from the World Bank, African Development Bank, China’s Exim Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, it announced.

Bloomberg quoted President Muhammadu Buhari’s office as having said in a series of tweets that a Eurobond would also be offered “in due course” and parliament has still to sign off on the plan, Recession in Nigeria was confirmed last month, when official data showed output in the three months to the end of June fell 2.1 percent — the second successive quarter of negative growth.

That followed months of turmoil including a failing currency, rising doubledigit inflation, and foreign exchange shortages that have hit business, especially imports and investment.

The decline has laid bare OPEC-member Nigeria’s over-reliance on oil revenue and the lack of economic diversity, after global oil prices began free falling from mid-2014.

Nigeria’s government is dependent on oil export sales for 70 percent of its revenue. Militant attacks on facilities in the Niger delta have compounded the effects of the worldwide slump in crude prices.

Buhari has also blamed

the economic troubles on his predecessors, saying he inherited a treasury that was “virtually empty” and that “mind-boggling” sums of public cash had been looted.

He has vowed to recover

the money, prosecute corrupt officials and streamline government, cutting waste and improving efficiency, as well as diversify the economy, particularly agriculture.

The government said the

Power generation hits 3,810 megawatts, electricity supply improves THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has transmitted about 3,810 megawatts of electricity generated on Sept.8 by the generation companies to the 11 distribution companies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Electricity System Operator (SO) announced this on its website on Thursday.

According to its operational report for Sept. 8, the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in-

dicates that the power sector hit a peak generation of 3,810.5 megawatts and lowest peak generation of 2,834.40 megawatts.

NESI said the power sector recorded highest system frequency of 51.55Hz; lowest system frequency of 48.78 Hz, highest voltage recorded was 372KV, while lowest voltage recorded on the same day was 300KV. It will be recalled that the TCN on Aug. 31 sent 2,766 megawatts to the distribution companies.

•As Sokoto Cement declared N1.2bn PAT CHAIRMAN of BUA Group of Companies, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu on Thursday lamented the dominance of government in the debt market saying the situation has driven interest rates to minimum of 22 percent for private businesses.

Abdulsamad who spoke at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja during the annual general meeting of Sokoto Cement, which is a member of the BUA Group said that the company had a turnover of N13.037 billion during the 2015 financial year.

He lamented that government is currently borrowing at 16 percent and this has made it difficult for the private sector which cannot compete with government and businesses are

year’s federal budget to try to stimulate growth.

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde visited Nigeria in January but said at the time that no programme was needed.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Halogen Security Company Limited, Wale Olaoye (third from left), flanked from left by Commander Peter Oridofa of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps in Ogun state; an official of the Federal Road Safety Commission, M.T Odunmbaku and Supritendent Idowu Adesola of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, during the opening ceremony of the new regional office of Halogen Security at Otta, Ogun State, recently.

Govt crowding businesses out of debt market Sanya Adejokun-Abuja

external loans would be used mainly in the agriculture, power, mining development and healthcare sectors A record 6.1-trillion-naira ($19.4-billion) spending plan was announced in this

not forced to borrow at 22 percent.

While commending efforts of Central Bank of Nigeria for mandating that at least 60 percent of foreign exchange must be allocated to manufacturing sector, Abdulsamad however, said since there is limited availability of foreign exchange, whatever was available would still have to be prorated.

The company declared a profit after tax of N1, 201,108,049 during the year under consideration as against N1,918,361,854 in 2014.

He also announced an increase in the company’s power plant to 16 megawatts completed in December 2015.

“What we are doing is struggle to continue in business and make some

profit”, he noted while also saying that the location of Sokoto Cement was an advantage because it was far from other competitors even when its products are first class.

The lowest energy generation on the day under review was 2,520 megawatts while highest generation was 3,502 megawatts.

NAN reports that the nation’s electricity generation has been stable in the last two months, while generation has increased above 3,000 megawatts.

The downturn in power supply was exacerbated in May by the several attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta.

This made the generation plunged to a new low of 1,400 megawatts on May 17, according to the TCN. The nation’s power grid recorded 21 collapses in the first half of the year; 16 total and five partial collapses.

The latest system partial collapse was recorded on July 10, according to data from the National Control Centre.

More than half of the nation’s power plants are currently facing gas shortage, with unutilised electricity generation capacity due to gas constraints put at 3,988.3MW as at August.

The country generates the bulk of its electricity from gas-fired power plants, while output from hydro-power plants makes up about 30 per cent of the total generation.

In what was a big blow to electricity generation in the country, Shell’s Forcados export terminal was hit in February, forcing the oil major to “declare force majeure’’ on the exports of the crude oil grade.

Professor Barth Nnaji, former Minister of Power and Chief Executive, Geometric Power Limited, said in Lagos recently that the country should diversify its sources of power generation to ensure sustainable fuel supply.

Halogen opens regional office in Ogun State By ’Wale Olapade

HALOGEN Security Company Limited, an integrated security solutions provider in Nigeria has opened its new regional office in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.

According to the company, the opening of the new regional office is in line with the company’s constant drive to deliver outstanding customer service at every touch point and will provide capacity for

increased customer support and services and an opportunity to understand the security challenges and concerns that are prevalent in the Ota community.

Present at the commissioning were top security officials from the Nigerian Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Also present at the event were Senior Management

Staff of the Company, and several others.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director Physical Security Solutions, Halogen Security, Bosun Sosanya said, “as a security solutions provider, it is important that we understand the inherent risk that exists within the community, and that we proffer products and solutions that will mitigate that risk, thereby providing our customers with real and psychological comfort.”

Nigerian Tribune

10 countries implements ECOWAS common tariff

ECOWAS Director of Trade, Mr Gbenga Obideyi has said that 10 member states have so far implemented the Common External Tariff (CET), which came into effect in Jan. 2015.

Obideyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that eight countries within the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA), including Nigeria and Ghana had implemented the CET. Others he said include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

He said member states were expected to implement the common tariff within five years, adding that the remaining five countries would begin implementation of the CET soon.

“The CET came into force in January 2016; coming into force means all our member states are expected to implement it. However, in the CET like every other policy, there must be some transition period; if you consider the fact that we have a five-year transition all of the countries are still within the five years.

The UEMOA countries already had a CET so when ECOWAS CET came on board, it was very easy for them because they were already practicing it and they took off immediately.

NSE ASI up 0.19% Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

THE Nigerian equities market continued on a positive note today after rebounding by 0.07% on Wednesday. The Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index (NSE ASI) thus appreciated by 0.19 percent to close at 27,574.09 basis points compared to 0.07 percent gained on Wednesday to close at 27,522.62 basis points.

Investors gained N17.7 billion as Market Capitalisation closed at N9.472 trillion compared to N6.5 billion gained previously when Market Capitalisation closed at N9.454 trillion. Year to Date losses stands at -3.73 percent.

Investors’ sentiment turned positive as market breadth settled at 23 gainers against 11 losers.

Topping the gainers chart for the day were Conoil Plc on account of an impressive 2015 financial year result released today, announcing a 300 kobo dividend declared to investors.

13

editorial Ayade’s 1,100 political appointees

Friday, 9 September, 2016

P

ROFESSOR Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River State, has increased the number of political appointees from 800 to 1,100, and still counting. The appointees include 28 commissioners and numerous special assistants and a host of others. At a news conference, the governor explained that the expansion of government was “a deliberate policy to find a way to release whatever government has to every home, so that there is food on the table for every house.

If it is not directly to you, it is to your uncle or to your niece.”

He added that the alternative means of employment other than government were very limited, “so government must recognise that the welfare of the people is key. If I save money to construct a bridge and I don’t have people to go through that bridge, what happens? I believe that God will always give me the means to pay. The less educated in the mind could mistake that as a jamboree. No.” The state government currently has a workforce of about 22,000 earning over N4.5 billion. This comprises local government wage bill of about N2.1 billion and state public service wage bill of about N2.4 billion. The state runs on a monthly deficit of about N2 billion. It is reported that some of those who were so appointed about three months ago roam government offices for lack of office accommodation, or fight one another over usurpation of duties. The governor was reported to have told the newly appointed commissioners and other appointees that they would have to collect stipends because he needed to enlarge his government considerably in order to get down to the remotest parts of the state.

The logic behind the governor’s action is implausible and the situation is clearly unsustainable. The governor has expressed dependence on God to continue to pay salaries.

But the national and global economies are humanly devised to manage material life. Sound economic policy and effective and efficient management of public affairs derive from human reason, knowledge, technology, hard work and commitment.

These are capacities that God has endowed humanity with.

Taking poor or emotional decisions and trusting that God would somehow cause them to work is a curious form of fundamentalism.

Political leadership is about taking responsibility for solving problems. It involves using human and material resources and taking advantage of the opportunities at the global and local levels to deal with economic challenges. The people of Cross Rivers would hold Ayade responsible for economic failures and would not blame God for them. He should rise up to the challenges of revenue generation and sound economic

Nigerian Tribune

management.

Cross Rivers has a population of over three million. To spend virtually all the state’s revenue on the payment of salaries of less than 10 per cent of the population is inequitable. Indeed, the ideal situation is to pay the salary of civil servants from internally generated revenue. The inability to achieve this in many states accounts for their failure to meet their financial obligations to workers. It is therefore curious that Ayade’s government is focused on spending the meagre resources of the state on sinecures. The world over, what responsible political leaders do is to find ways and means of attracting investment so that people can be gainfully and effectively employed.

In what ways will the payment for sinecures regenerate the economy of Cross River State?

Governor Ayade is right in stating that salaries must come first. A labourer deserves his or her wages. But to make payments to people who are virtually redundant is to throw money away and promote dependency. Resources must be channelled into productive activities and capacity building so that beneficiaries can contribute to the economy and thereby participate in lifting it out of the doldrums. In many countries, the business environment is made attractive to both local and foreign investors so that they can reflate the economy.

In some developed countries, anyone who invests a certain amount of money in the economy is offered automatic residency permit. Over-populating the public sector is not the way to go. It will crowd out resources to support and promote private initiative, creativity and innovation. Ultimately, it will end up in greater government failures. It will lead to inefficiency and waste. Instructively, two politicians who rejected the governor’s appointment offer have suggested that the policy is poorly thought out. Apparently, the governor has not targeted the very poor. Elsewhere, a benevolent governor would target the poorest of the poor through conditional cash transfers that will enable them to break out of the vicious circle of poverty. This has been effective in promoting school enrolment, vaccination, health and human development in many parts of the world.

Right now in Cross River, government offices are overcrowded. Jobs are duplicated and, for many, salaries have either been cut down or unpaid. Government should ensure that public sector workers are in the right number and with the appropriate skills to shore up revenue, provide the enabling environment for investment to thrive, and steer the economy out of dependence on the Federation Account.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Friday, 9 September, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo.com or by sms to 08054005323. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

How to save our economy

I

N just a year, the naira has fallen from being N150 against the United States dollars, to about N420 at the moment. No one ever imag-

ined the naira could suffer such huge loss in a spate of one year.

It is high time the Nigerian government called a national conference to

discuss how to save our economy. We don’t want a situation whereby our currency will be as useless as the Zimbabwean currency.

While not hoping to see

overnight changes in government policies, we can start by curbing our overdependence on imported goods. This is the pressure that is making the naira to

fall against major currencies of the world.

Fuel importation is one of the areas the government should focus on. We spend a huge percentage

Forex shortages, food importation partly to blame THERE is no doubt that our nation’s overdependence on food importation in feeding her citizens despite the availability of large cultivable expanse of fertile land spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has not only punctured the genuiness of our country’s sovereignty as a truly independent

state, but the situation has further put a big question mark on the claim of Nigeria being the giant of Africa. In addition, the continued importation of rice has been putting unchecked pressure on the nation’s foreign reserves, but it is high time the people faced the reality that a nation that is unable to feed her citizens is not worth existing in the first place.

At this juncture, the question we should be asking ourselves as a sovereign nation is: Don’t we have all it takes to stop the unnecessary wastage of foreign reserves on food imports in the face of the present era of economic recession in our country, and can’t we sufficiently feed ourselves without dependence on food importation? To be sincere to

ourselves, we can. Nigeria, as revealed in a television programme on agriculture recently, is blessed with 98,000 hectares of cultivable fertile lands, but out of this figure, the entire cultivated land is around 30,000 hectares, leaving a balance of a whopping 68,000 hectares lying fallow.

Without mincing words, the ongoing serious atten-

Economy: In defence of President Buhari “I believe we also need prayers in this country.

Why is it now that we have a president who is committed to good governance and accountability that we are confronted with paucity of cash? Why has the price of oil chosen this momentous time to plummet to this level? Even if the new government achieves complete diversification of the economy, will it fructify overnight, in one, two or three years? Why should it be at this time that we have a highly conscientious and honest central government that we should have this kind of financial situation as a country? So we need prayers in this country.”

The above extract is from my piece, “Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: The Amosun Intervention”, published in the papers in November, 2015.

Today, the Nigerian economy has now become a football match in which every compatriot usually assumes the role of a coach. Suddenly, every Tom, Dick and Harry has become an economist, taking to the guillotine the Buhari administration.

These trying times are actually the best period for political opportunists to engage in mobilisation of mass hysteria on poverty in the land, as if privation suddenly dropped from Mars or Jupiter to Nigeria.

Was it President Buhari who forced oil prices to crash in the international market? Is it Buhari that is sponsoring the militants blowing up oil and gas pipelines such that production plunged from 2.2 million barrels per day to 1.6 million, worse at the time oil rose to some $50 per barrel? Prices crashed, yet you had little or nothing to sell, and when prices began to rise, you still had little or nothing to sell.

What magic will then bring money to your pocket?

Another vacuous claim of political opportunists, some of them in the garb of economists, is that Buhari has no economic team and direction? What direction does a mono-economy need other than diversification? Do we need to import economic experts from Mars or Jupiter before we know that the solution to the current economic difficulties is diversification of the economy?

There are no quick fixes, but we all should give our unalloyed support to the present government and play our part in order to restore the glory of Nigeria.

We must not allow political demagogues, economic revisionists and antidemocratic forces who are wolves in sheep’s clothing to change the narratives, as they have been do-

ing in recent times in the media. We know all those who brought Nigeria to its knees economically. We should direct our anger to them while we encour-

age the new government of President Buhari to take us on the road to recovery.

•Soyombo Opeyemi, densityshow@yahoo. com

tion being paid to agriculture as a means of diversification from the nation’s oil and import-dependent economy remains the panacea for the achievement of a stable and robust economy.

To this end, there is the need to salute a good number of visionary state governors who have taken the development of agriculture with seriousness, all in a bid at ensuring adequate provision of food in the country. Focusing on agriculture is the solution to our economic problems.

•Odunayo Joseph, Mopa, Kogi State.

of our foreign exchange earnings to import fuel when we have refineries.

Although our refineries are moribund, the Federal Government should do everything in its power towards ensuring that they return to full production. The importation of rice is another area that the government should focus on. Rice is a staple food of Nigerians, but unfortunately, we are not growing enough to meet local demand. This is the reason importation of the commodity is booming.

The simple logic here is that we need huge forex to import rice, while we are also providing jobs for Asian rice farmers.

If the Federal Government can reduce the importation of these two commodities, then I believe we are on our way towards overcoming our economic problems.

•Linus Okon, Jabi, Abuja.

opinion Nigerian Army and the right to arrest 15

By Osuagwu Ugochukwu

I

do not need to wait for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) or Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) or State Security Service (SSS) to act swiftly.

The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria Section 217 provides.

(1) There shall be an armed forces for the Federation which shall consist of an army, a navy, an Air Force and such other branches of the armed forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.

(2) The Federation shall, subject to an Act of the National Assembly made in that behalf, equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose of (a) defending Nigeria from external aggression; (b) maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea, or air; (c) suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President, but subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly; and (d) performance such other functions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.

The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) is one of the several law enforcement agencies of the military empowered under Section 40 Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 to prevent acts of terrorism and investigate as well. Others include the NSCDC, NIS, NCS, NAPTIP, among others.

The Nigerian Army is part of the DIA and have full pow-

ers to investigate and prevent terrorism under the TPA 2011. That was why Major General Davies was appointed as acting head of DIA before President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Saliu Usman in July this year as substantive head. According to the Armed Forces Act, the position of Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), which is the apex in the intelligence community, is rotational among the services.

The DIA was tasked with military-related intelligence outside and inside Nigeria, with its pioneer head coming from the Nigerian Army, in the person of Brigadier General A.G. Mohammed (January 1985 – August 1985).

Nigeria’s Defence Intelligence Agency was created when, in 1986, fulfilling one of the promises made in his first national address as president, General Ibrahim Babangida issued Decree Number 19, dissolving the National Security Organisation (NSO) and restructuring the country’s security services into three separate entities under the Office of the Co-ordinator of National Security. The Defence Intelligence Agency works as a secret government agent and are responsible for intelligence gathering. The DIA’s operations are more military styled, unlike the NIA. The agency may also be involved in intelligence sharing with the CIA and MI6, and most of their operations are classified and not publicly published. They operate almost like ‘ghosts’ and they are well respected.

It is submitted that the Nigerian Army has full powers to summon any person and also declare same wanted where it deems fit in pursuance of its mandate both under the Nigerian Constitution and TPA 2011. The powers of the Nigerian Army to declare civilians wanted is unshakeable, recognised by law and unwavering. Any person who thinks other wise should have a re-think and amend his or her ways to respect constituted authorities who seek information from them that will aid the fight against terrorism.

T was Judy Biggert who said: “No one ever said that fighting the war against terrorism and defending our homeland would be easy. So let’s support our troops, law enforcement workers, and our mission to keep our nation and our children safe in the days and years to come.”

My attention has been drawn to an article appearing in several newspapers and online media credited to learned silk, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) with the caption: “Army Lacks Power To Declare Civilians Wanted.” I disagree with this view. The Nigerian military or army has both constitutional and statutory mandate to fight terrorism, and in the course of securing the country from terrorism, have the power to summon any person to assist them with this task. And if, in the course of questioning any person who is suspected to have links with terrorists, the army or Nigerian military, where the facts warrants, may refer the person to appropriate agencies for further investigation and prosecution.

I do not see how any person would suggest that the Nigerian army or military would allow any person they suspect may interfere with war against terrorism to go scot free simply because the person wears civilian garb or is a civilian? Certainly, public safety and national security would not encourage such. Rather than condemn the Nigerian Army for declaring certain persons wanted or summoning any person, we should commend them for their sound intelligence gathering.

On October 28, 2015 the Nigerian Army declared 100 Boko Haram terrorist suspects wanted in Borno State.

There was no write up condemning this declaration, even where the photos of these persons were published. So why would declaring three persons wanted now generate controversy. The Nigerian Army has full powers under Section 217 of the Nigerian Constitution to summon or declare any person wanted in the course of defending Nigeria’s territorial space from terrorists and rebels. They

Friday, 9 September, 2016

•Ugochukwu, a human rights lawyer, is based in Abuja.

Calling life by its rightful name: For Isidore Okpewho (1941-2016)

By Niyi Osundare THE loss is hard to bear, the shock almost impossible to endure.

A great tree has fallen in our forest of letters. Isidore Okpewho has joined the ancestors.

Novelist, poet, folklorist, scholar, and university administrator, Okpewho was a Jack of many trades and master of all, who left his mind-prints on virtually every aspect of African literature and literary studies. With his foundational books, The Epic in Africa and Myth in Africa, Okpewho summoned all his scholarly prowess as a truly First Class Classics scholar and carved outa niche for African oral lore and its inexhaustible possibilities at a time when virtually every claim to high culture and intellectual accomplishment was denied to the ‘Dark Continent.’

And his emphasis was on oral lore as a living, throbbing, incessantly regenerative phenomenon, complex, fluently literate in its orateness — a lore which derives its dynamism and fluidity from relentless narratology and performativity.

The Oral Performance in Africa, a book he edited some three decades ago with a supremely edifying and authoritative introduction, is a study in this direction. So is Blood on the Tides: The Ozidi Saga and Oral Epic Narratology, (facilitated for the University of Rochester Series, by Toyin Falola), his last book which was completed even while he was already ill. In these works, Okpewho’s competence as a Classicist, historian, anthropologist, ethnographer, linguist, literary scholar came to the fore. The result is a series of works enlivened by their author’s astonishing versatility and the irresistible poly valence of their contents. Okpewho gained world acclaim as a foremost scholar of oral lore, and was elected President of the International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA), a position he exercised with characteristic dignity, energy, and efficiency.

Without a speck of doubt, the gems garnered from oral lore enriched Okpewho’s treasury as a creative writer. His three novels, The Last Duty, Tides, and Call Me by My Rightful Name, are characterised – and energised – by the kind of orchestration of memory, narrative style, rhetorical immediacy, and vocal vivacity associated with oral narratives. Call Me by My Rightful Name, the most ambitious of these novels, thrives through the mixed medium of orthodox plot sequencing and epistolary

narrativity.

In this quintessential African Diaspora story, Okpewho astonishes us all with his versatility as historian, anthropologist, musicologist, and the psycho-analyst of race relations and racial selfhood. More than any of his works of fiction, this novel benefitted immeasurably from its author’s calling as scholar/ researcher. I was in a privileged position to know for I watched Okpewho from close quarters as collaborator, Ekiti-Yoruba dialect ‘consultant’, and sounding board while the research which preceded the writing was in progress. He was so mindful of fidelity to detail, correctness of source and story, unalloyed respect for the subjects of his inquiry, appropriateness of names and naming, etc that many times I had to remind him that what he had before him was a work of fiction, yes, fiction, relatively immune from the strictures of crass factuality and academic verifiability. That was the essential Okpewho: hardnosed scholar,finicky researcher of tremendous integrity.

Any wonder then why I have more than a mere professional interest in Call Me by My Rightful Name? For many years I have taught this novel in my African literature/ Literature of the African Diaspora classes at the University of New Orleans, and in every class it has won bright and ardent fans. I used to call Isidore at the end of the semester and regale him with some of the comments (and queries) of my students. And this semester it is again one of the top items on our literary menu. When this afternoon I broke the news of the author’s passing to my class, we had a moment of painful silence – succeeded by a sense of gratitude, sure as we were, that the author of the remarkable book on our reading list can NEVER die.

One area of Okpewho’s many capabilities that may not be widely known is his achievement as academic administrator.

For the three years he was head of the Department of English, University of Ibadan, the department bubbled with life and purpose. It was during his headship that the Department’s annual African Literature Conference attracted world-class scholars

such as Terry Eagleton and Houston Baker. Okpewho insisted on high intellectual attainment and the maintenance of worldclass standard. He had no room for mediocrity, and his own conduct served as exemplum for hard work andprodigious productivity. He knew how to carry colleagues along, even those that might have been intimidated by his sterling achievements.

Nowhere did I see Isidore at his more beatific than in the classroom. The dissemination of knowledge excited him, for he possessed knowledge in admirable abundance, and was passionately eager to share it. He was one of those teachers who just could not resist the celebration of excellence. Many times Isidore came to my office with student scripts in his hand, enthusing; ‘Niyi, just see this. Superb! Isn’t it wonderful that we still have students who can write like this?!’. He invested so much in his students; and the students loved and admired him in return. He pioneered the teaching of Creative Writing (Prose Fiction) in Ibadan University’s English Department, and broadened the Oral Literature curriculum originated by Professor Oyin Ogunba years before Isidore joined the English faculty.

Many of the products of Okpewho’s creative writing classes (Sonala Olumhense, Lekan Oyegoke, Nduka Otiono and others) have become renowned writers themselves, while those who passed through his hands as post-graduate students are now productive professors (JOJ Nwachuku Agbada, Gboyega Kolawole, Chiji Akoma, and many others) in their own right.

And, finally, Isidore Okpewho’s golden gift to the University of Ibadan: the University Anthem. Again, I was witness to the careful birthing of that anthem and Isidore’s intellectual/musical concerns about‘para-rhymes’, ‘half-rhymes’, ‘eye-rhymes’, and the suffocating strictures of metrical verse.

Yes, thank you, Isidore, for giving us somebody to treasure.

Generous, inspiring teacher, perceptive writer, scholar of no mean repute, you enrich us all with your combination of intellect and integrity, acute seriousness and lightness of being, seamless sense of humour and sizzling vivacity, a consistently compassionate temperament and humane disposition. You have called life by its rightful name. Its answer is robustly positive and eternally assuring. Rest well, dear friend; rest well, noble scholar.

•Osundare is a professor of English at the University of New Orleans.

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

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ARRISTER Ishola Filani will turn 70 years in less than two weeks from now. He is a Nigerian political activist who demands adequate tribute being paid on his life and times. Ishola Filani represents a political force that just cannot be ignored.

A product of that famous secondary school, Christ School Ado-Ekiti, Ishola Filani’s achievements in life have justified the great School’s name that he attended.

He journeyed from Christ School to become within his 70 years on earth a political supremo who just must be acknowledged. I call him simply “I SHOW.” He has senior relations who are very close to me. They are Professor Filani of blessed memory and Tunde Ogbomola who has been my friend for over 50 years. Professor Filani was at the University of Ibadan before he answered the supreme call. Tunde Ogbomola is still alive, kicking hard, though we have not seen now for over 30 years.

They all (including Ishola Filani) came from Ikole Ekiti (a well known Ekiti city, very near Aiyeodun) equally called Egbe Oba. In law, Ishola Filani is a respected name. He worked with the irrepressible fighter for the rights of the common people of Nigeria, the late Gani Fawehinmi. Ishola Filani cut his legal teeth from the Gani Fawehinmi chambers in Lagos. He joined Gani’s chambers shortly after his return from Edo State, where he had worked with the Observer group of newspapers. His stay with the Nigerian Observer as legal adviser cum columnist was a success story.

Ishola Filani left the Gani Fawehinmi chambers to establish his own chambers, which equally flourished. It was from this base that he launched his political career.

His first port of call in politics was when he became the National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) – One of the two Ibrahim Babangida-created political parties of the early 1990s. It was as Publicity Secretary of the SDP that he met with Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, the leader of the party. They still remain friends till this day. The other political party created by IBB in those days was the National Republican Convention (NRC), led

by Architect Tom Ikimi. The two parties — SDP and NRC — were ideologically referred to as left and right of centre respectively.

Ishola Filani equally contributed to the success of the SDP as Publicity Secretary that no one could write about the effectiveness of SDP of those days without mentioning the name and contributions of Ishola Filani.

When the PDP was created by elders who mounted opposition against the late Sani Abacha regime, Ishola Filani joined the party and became an active voice of the party in Nigeria. He later rose to become the National Vice-Chairman of the PDP and Chairman of the South-West PDP. He was a frontline member of the National Committee of PDP like minds that supported Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George in his ambition to be the National Chairman of the PDP. Ishola Filani is deeply convinced that the PDP needs an experienced hand like Olabode George to lift the party up from the very tragic situation that the Party now finds itself. The desire and drive to effect an Olabode George leadership has been temporarily put on hold as a result of the activities of some young men who are currently governors from other states and who are championing a political blackout of maturity, age and experience in national politics.

Only God knows how many articles Ishola Filani has written in his political and public life. “I SHOW” does not shy away from controversies. His writings even encourage such controversies. Ishola Filani, however, is a Nigerian who, at anytime, is ready to call a spade, a spade. He never talks with his tongue in his cheek. He will always tell you point black the truth of events. He is a younger Nigerian than me, but who I hold in very high esteem.

Oluwadare Ishola Filani is a Chief of Ikole and Egbeoba Kingdom. He is the Asiwaju of the great Kingdom. I am equally a senior chief of Ikole and it is a great privilege for me to be labeled among the chiefs of the Egbe Oba Kingdom.

A number of activities have been lined up to honour the 70th birthday celebration of Ishola Filani. On Monday September 19, a social party will be held at 10 Decrees Events Centre, Billuas Way, Oregun, La-

With

Ebenezer Babatope

0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE)

Ishola Filani at 70

•Chief Ishola Filani

gos. The Guest Speaker at the event is His Excellency, Dr. ‘Segun Mimiko, the Governor of Ondo State.

By the special grace of God, we will all be at the event to honour our “aburo” Oluwadare Ishola Filani.

A special brochure is being prepared by the Sighton Projects Limited to mark the 70th birthday celebration. It is inside the brochure that all tributes to honour Ishola Filani will be published.

You cannot but like “I SHOW.” He has no room to nurse animosity against anyone. He has the unique ability of laughing off all tribulations. Ishola Filani is well loved by all those who have contacts with him.

I sincerely wish Ishola Filani a happy 70th birthday. I

You cannot but like ‘I SHOW’. He has no room to nurse animosity against anyone.

wish him many more years of service to Nigeria. A very strong Methodist, I wish him greater success in God’s vineyard.

BRAVO FEMI OGBONTIBA On 20, August, 2016, Femi Ogbontiba launched three books at Ibadan. Femi, an alumnus of the University of Lagos, was a former political editor of the Nigerian Tribune.

He has written books on Papa Obafemi Awolowo and the Glory of Yoruba Race, among several others.

Above all, he is a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He has equally written books on the Church of God. They include Sustainable Church Growth in a Competitive Era and Sustaining the Landmarks of Pastor Enoch Adeboye for Church Growth.

Femi Ogbontiba loves Papa Awolowo with passion.

He is an Awoist – very unrepentant Awoist. He believes in all Papa Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo has done on earth. Femi Ogbontiba is ever ready to swear on the name of Awo. May God continue to bless this young man. I wish him success in life. He is a jolly good fellow!

•EBINO TOPSY – 0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE) NEXT WEEK: MAMA HID – ONE YEAR AFTER (BOOK YOUR COPY IN ADVANCE)

17

Friday, 9 September, 2016

eyesof islam

Saheed Salawu yinkadejavu@yahoo.com 0811 695 4643

Gathering on Mount Arafat

M

OUNT Arafat or Mount Arafah (Arabic: transliterated Jabal ‘Arafāt) is a granite hill east of Mecca in the plain of Arafat.

Arafat is a plain about 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Mecca.[1] Mount Arafat reaches about 70 m (230 ft) in height and is also known as the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ar-Rahmah).

According to Islamic tradition, the hill is the place where the Islamic prophet Muhammad stood and delivered the Farewell Sermon to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life.

The Day of Arafah is the day on which Muslim Hajj pilgrims gather on Mount Arafah, pray-

ing and supplicating to their Lord. Crowds of people stand on Mount Arafah, which is meant to remind those standing of the Day of Resurrection, when crowds of people stand waiting for judgment. Standing as a singular community encourages pilgrims to rid themselves of false pride.

On the ninth of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah pilgrims go to Arafat from Mina, for the most important part of the Hajj.

Those who are not on the holy pilgrimage (not in Arafah) are highly recommended by Islamic tradition to fast.

The Khutbah of Hajj is narrated and Zuhr prayer and Asr prayer are prayed together. The pilgrims spend the whole day on the mountain to supplicate to Allah to for-

give their sins and to pray for personal strength in the future.

Arafah rituals end at sunset and pilgrims then move to Muzdalifah for a shortened Maghrib Prayer and Isha prayer and for a short rest.

The level area surrounding the hill is called the Plain of Arafat.

The term Mount Arafah is sometimes applied to this entire area.

It is an important place in Islam because during the Hajj, pilgrims spend the afternoon there on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah.

Failure to be present in the plain of Arafat on the required day invalidates the pilgrimage.

Since late 2010, this place is served by Mecca Metro. On a normal Hajj, it would be around 21 km (13 mi) to walk.

DAY OF ARAFAT FACTS •It is common Muslim belief that the Prophet Muhammad said that fasting on the day of Arafah forgives all the minor sins of the past year and coming year.

•The Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon standing on Mount Arafah. For that reason, it is visited by pilgrims during the Hajj.

•Standing on top of Mount Arafah completes the Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca). It is believed to be the singular most significant act Muslim pilgrims undertake.

•The day of Arafah was declared by Prophet Muhammad as a day of celebration and feasting.

THINGS TO DO •Buy gifts for children. As for him who gives (gifts) and guards against evil and accepts the best, we will facilitate for him the easy end (Quran, 92:5). According to Islamic tradition, those that spend on their children on this day are rewarded by God very generously.

As a result, many Muslim parents buy toys and other gifts for their children on the day of Arafah.

•At Mount Arafah, pilgrims cast stones at a pillar that represents the devil as part of Hajj. According to tradition, at least forty-nine stones need to be cast.

•Although not required by Islamic tradition, many pilgrims spend the night at Mount Arafah and on the surrounding plains keeping vigil and praying for forgiveness.

Source: Islamicity.com

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

Don’t stress yourselves before Hajj rites, pilgrims told AHEAD of the commencement of Hajj rites tomorrow, pilgrims have been advised against subjecting themselves to unnecessary stress that could sap their energy.

Head of the medical team of Med-View Travels Konsult, an arm of Med-View Airline Plc, Dr Naheem Ekemode, gave the advice during a seminar for pilgrims in Makkah.

The medical expert admonished pilgrims to rest very well in preparation for the main rites, noting that some pilgrims usually stress themselves to the extent that they become exhausted and weak to perform the Hajj rites.

The main rites of Hajj begin tomorow with pilgrims relocating from

Saudi health workers cleaning premises for smooth Hajj 2016 operation

Jamarat: Saudi Arabia threatens to

prosecute disobedient pilgrims Stories:Saheed Salawu in Makkah

THE Saudi Arabian government has said that any pilgrim who violates the schedule put in place for the stoning of the devil ritual at Jamarat will be arrested and prosecuted.

The government is taking measures to avoid the kind of stampede that occurred last year at Mina, which led to the death of over 2000 pilgrims.

Abour145 of the victims were confirmed to be Nigerians.

At a meeting with officials of Nigeria and other African countries in Mina on Monday, the Saudi Arabia Hajj Ministry representative, Sheikh Mohammed, said arrangements had been concluded to assign guides who will lead a group of 250 pilgrims at a time to the Jamarat and back.

“Any pilgrim seen alone in Jamarat will be ar-

rested and will face the highest punishment,” the Saudi official said.

He said each group would be led by a Saudi guide and another nominated by a group.

The official, who spoke through an official of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Aliyu Tanko, as interpreter, said the government was adopting the kind of schedule used for airlines at the airport.

“No flight arrives or departs the airport until it’s time is due. We intend to apply the same procedure for Jamarat,” he said.

Mohammed also said apart from the arrest and prosecution of an erring pilgrim, state officials responsible for the pilgrim would also face sanction.

“Take this schedule and timing as seriously as the time for prayers,” he said.

Mohammed said records of all groupings would be taken at the departure from tents and back. He

said guides would be held responsible if they fail to return with the exact

number of pilgrims they took to the Jamarat for the stoning ritual.

He also said pilgrims must only go with their assigned batch and time.

Pilgrims of Med-View Travels Konsult being enlightened by Imam Abdur-Raheem Abdus-Salam, on Monday, in Makkah, ahead of the start of the performance of Hajj rites, on Sunday. PHOTO: SAHEED SALAWU.

Pray for Nigeria in holy land— NASFAT president NATIONAL President of the Nasrullah-l-Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Alhaji Kamil Bolarinwa, has advised Nigerian pilgrims to pray for the country during their stay in the holy land.

He told journalists in Makkah, Saudi Arabia that: “Any pilgrim here

from Nigeria, I expect that anytime they supplicate to Almighty Allah, their first line of prayer should be for Nigeria.

“If you don’t have a good country, we can’t have a good sun. If your country is not prospering, you cannot prosper. If your country is not healthy economically,

you cannot be healthy economically. So, I expect every Nigerian, even those that are here in spirit, to pray first for Nigeria’s economic well-being.”

Also, the National Missioner of NASFAT, Alhaji Abdullahi Akinbode, said Nigeria should return to the path of Allah.

Maximise opportunities of Dhul-Hijjah, Lagos commissioner tells pilgrims AMIRUL Hajj of Lagos State, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, has called on Muslims to take advantage of first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah (the 12th Islamic calendar month) to maximise their rewards through increased good deeds.

The days, he noted, carry special status within the blessed month of pilgrimage, making a reference to an Hadith (saying) of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Hadith spells out the importance of the 10 days in the sight of Allah, with increased reward for all good deeds during the blessed season.

While addressing pilgrims from the state in Makkah, Abdullateef asked them to make the most of the period to pray for themselves, relatives and the entire country.

He made the call at the unveiling of the special arrangement for the movement of pilgrims to Muna, Muzdali-

Makkah to Muna while they proceed from there on Sunday to mount Arafat which is the zenith of the entire Hajj exercise.

Ekemode explained that this period was usually very demanding for pilgrims and they required a lot of energy to successfully undertake all the procedures.

However, he stressed that ample rest while in Makkah would prepare them for the bigger task ahead.

Also speaking, the Head of the Enlightenment, Imam Abdur-Raheem AbdusSalam Abdulraheem amplified Ekemode’s remarks, saying pilgrims should not stress themselves after undergoing compulsory Umrah Tawaf (circumambulation of Ka’abah).

He urged them to follow instructions that would be handed to them by officials during the commencement of Hajj rites.

Abdus-Salam, in his lecture, advised pilgrims to pray fervently for Nigeria to surmount the current challenges.

However, he said the prayers would be answered on the condition that each and every Nigerian would resolve to change their attitude and cease contributing to the problem.

“Let us remember Nigeria in our prayers. In 1984 during the first coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, five Riyadh was equal to N1 and N20 was 100 Riyadh. We all know that now one Riyadh is over N100.

“Let us all resolve to change our attitude, our disposition and avoid to be part of the problem.

fah and Arafah for the Hajj rites.

He said: “Just as the last 10 nights of Ramadan are the best nights of the year, the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah remain the best days of the year. They are the most beloved to Allah as they combine all acts of worship, unlike any other time.”

Abdullateef, who is Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, implored pilgrims and, indeed, all Ni-

gerians to use the period of the blessed period to solicit Allah’s favour for Nigeria.

He said: “According to Prophet Muhammad, Hajj is one of the best deeds that could be performed during these 10 days, especially the Day of Arafah keeps one’s face away from the (Hell) fire for a distance covered by a journey of 70 years.

“Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah for those who are not performing Hajj is an

expiation for (the sins of) the previous year and for (the sins of) the coming year.’’

“You (Nigerians) should, therefore, intensify your efforts by praying for the country, the president and those at the helm at all levels of governance.

“After praying, let us work collectively to complement government efforts to ensure sustainable development in the country.”

A National Women Leader of the organisation, Alhaja Nofisat Arogundade urged the government not to relent in its anti-corruption crusade.

She said: “Corruption should be eradicated in Nigeria. There is divine intervention with President Mohammadu Buhari as president and I believe that change will surely come.

“We all know there is always resistance to change.

Those that are used to looting, to doing things their own way, would want to resist but, surely, God will manifest His power in Nigeria. We have enjoined every Muslim, all of us on pilgrimage and all Nigerians, to continue to pray to Allah to give him (Buhari) the necessary guidance and the strength to achieve his aims for the country.”

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

fridaytreat

T

Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636 Instagram: @roy_ige

Artiste of the week

OLULOPE Abraham Adesina, with stage name Tolu, is a singer, songwriter and music producer. Originally from Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Tolu was born and bred in Kaduna State. He started as a chorister in the children’s choir at 11 and his unique vocals stood him apart.

Tolu had auditioned for BET Sunday Best, Set The Stage, Nokia First Chance, West African Idols, One MIC and Star Hunt, six different competitions prior to Project Fame West Africa, all in an attempt to take his talent beyond Kaduna. From one unsuccessful attempt to another, Tolu’s passion and drive never wavered as he refused to take no for an answer.

He eventually auditioned for Project Fame and was selected to represent Kaduna for the finale in Lagos State. In 2010, Tolu appeared on the entertainment radar when he made it to the project fame finals as one of the six winners in Season 3, and his musical journey thus began.

After Project Fame, Tolu decided to travel to Lagos and see where his talent would take him. This was a harsh low point for Tolu as he faced the industry, the elements of living with only friends to lean on, constant trekking to radio stations, interviews and shows to be heard, but these challenges never discouraged him from his goal.

In 2014, Tolu put his pen to paper, signing a record deal with Alyhills Records and had the privilege to associate

Meet Tolu

with Don Jazzy and the Mavin crew. This happened when Tolu met with producer and long time friend, Babyfreshmavin and Mr. Shawn (Alyhills Records’s CEO). Babyfreshmavin and Donjazzy convinced Mr Shawn to start Alyhills Records with its first artiste as Tolu.

Tolu’s debut single ‘My Lover’, produced by Don Jazzy was an instant favourite. Tolu jumped at another privilege to feature Don Jazzy on his most single ‘Ifemi’.

Tolu has recently dropped a body of work an EP to further showcase his worth and versatility as an artiste.

The EP (Extended Play) is titled ‘3SUM’ and it consists of three tracks of different compositions.

With tracks Like ‘Champion’ featuring indigenous Rap Artiste, Cdq, ‘Pretty Mama’ and NewTinz, Tolu continues to push, and this time, harder than he ever did. In His words, “I have a lot to prove and I intend to do so, God helping me…”

COSON requests President Buhari to kick-start creative revolution in Nigeria THE Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has requested President Muhammad Buhari to give marching orders to Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama to kick start an intellectual property and creative revolution in Nigeria.

At the big ‘open house’ event at COSON Headquarters to mark ‘No Music Day’ 2016 on September 1, which event was attended by several artistes and assorted media representatives from the full spectrum of Nigeria’s print, broadcast and social media, COSON said that this period of economic recession in Nigeria should provide important soul searching for the Nigerian nation.

Insisting that the era when the Nigerian economy was almost completely dependent on oil and gas is in the nation’s past and will not come back, Nigeria’s irrepressible copyright collective management organization insisted that Nigeria’s future will have to be built on the creative ingenuity of the Nigerian people.

Delivering the 2016 Official Address on the State of the Nigerian Music Industry, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji said that the creative ingenuity of the Nigerian people can be seen in how wide Nigerian music, movies, literature, fashion, programming, and similar products of the creative endeavour originating from Nigeria are in demand across the world. According to him, this is clearly an area in which Nigeria has significant comparative advantage and what is needed is the spark to light the fire and the result will be confounding.

In the words of Chief Okoroji, “We believe that President Muhammadu Buhari can give a marching order to both his Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who has the training and the intellect to fully grasp the issues and his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, who for several years, was a respected Director at the World intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to create real change in Nigeria. These gentlemen have the ability to kick start an intellectual property and creative revolution in our country which can change the story of Nigeria forever. Then we can inspire our citizens to create and invent things of value with the assurance that every work of creativity and invention will be protected by the nation and every creator and inventor can enjoy the fruits of his or her labour. We will then have taken a major step in assuring domestic and international investors that Nigeria is no longer a nation of ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’ and that we are ready for the knowledge and digital economy”.

Chief Okoroji said that people in the creative industries have continued to request for a proper engagement with the government so as to make the knowledge and creativity driven economic future possible. He expressed the hope that the government would react appropriately to this request so that the important work can begin in earnest.

Bull Fuji Talent Season 4 winner drops album

THE overall winner of Bull Fuji Talent Hunt Season 4, 28 years old Ishola Ade, a.k.a Eriki, has dropped an audio album, titled ‘Bull Fuji Varieties’, a 12 tracks album, released as part of promise made by Intercontinental Distillers Ltd., (IDL) the company that powered the fuji music competition, across the South-Western Nigeria.

Ishola Ade ‘Erila’, a Mass Communication student from Kwara State Polytechnic,

Ilorin, Kwara State, it would be recalled, won the Bull Fuji Talent Hunt Season 4 competition in Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday 3rd June, 2016, at a keenly contested competition among seven Fuji acts.

In the CD, which has ‘Oriki Oti’ (Gin Tribute) Eriki paid tribute to origin of Gin, has been done in Yorubaland to the delight of listeners, he also highlighted Bull Gin News, due to the fact that Bull Dry Gin and

Nigerian Tribune

Bull Dark Rum, the two quality drinks from the stable of IDL spread across North, East, West and South (News) the track is a combination of good lyrics coupled with sonorous voices and heavy percussions.

According to the artiste, ‘Bull Gin Varieties’, is an album which is danceable at any occasion etc. He also sang about the importance of money; that is, the good, the bad and ugly side of having money.

20 Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636 IG: @roy_ige twitter: @fridaytreat

Alexander ‘Lexx’ Ore is an American-based emerging filmmaker, with his works focusing on various social issues. He speaks with DOYIN ADEOYE on what influenced his latest movie, The Dance Movie Project (TDMP) which will be showing in select theatres across Nigeria from today.

T

HE Dance Movie Project has been tagged as Africa’s first Afrobeat dance movie. What inspired it?

Several variables inspired the production of The Dance Movie Project (TDMP). I have a background in dance, so I have always wanted to produce or be a part of a dance film. I love everything dance and I believe that afrobeat is arguably our biggest export right now in the entertainment sector.

Afrobeat dance style is quite fun and entertaining, so TDMP is my platform to share our dance talent with the world.

The movie is also my way of showcasing the richness of Nigeria’s culture, especially to the folks in the diaspora. Africa, at large, is hinged to several stigmas, ranging from digital internet scams to corruption, poverty, lack of access to basic necessities like clean water, among others. So I decided to create a motion picture that celebrates more of the richness of Africa’s culture rather than focus on its struggles.

The movie was shot in Nigeria. What was the experience like for you?

TDMP is my debut film, so the experience was simply magical, regardless of all the challenges I encountered whilst shooting in Nigeria. It was everything I thought it would be and more.

To see a story I put together in my head come to life was quite electrifying.

The director, Idahosa Osagie and his team were really awesome, as they captured my vision through the lens of their cameras. It was a fantastic time and I can’t wait to get back on set to shoot more films.

The New York City premiere was extremely successful as well, so we are elated to be bringing the film to Nigerian cinemas starting from today.

You portrayed dia-

21

Friday, 9 September, 2016

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Promasidor shines as Cowbellpedia TV quiz excites viewers Stories by Rotimi Ige THE on-going Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show has continued to generate big excitement for students, parents and millions of viewers who watch the programme every week on television stations across the country.

The parents and other stakeholders in the education sector have also lauded Promasidor Nigeria Limited for bankrolling the initiative which is aimed at discovering and celebrating young scientists and inventors in the country Last weekend, one of the contestants, Jessica Austine revealed that she draws her inspiration for Mathematics when she dances.

Austine, 13, a student of Federal Government Girls College, Owerri, Imo State explained that she loves dancing whichinspires her to solve Mathematics questions.

‘Why I made Africa’s first Afrobeat

motion picture, TDMP’ betes in the movie as a life threatening disease in Africa, yet many rarely pay attention to it. Would you say the movie did justice in addressing this?

I would say TDMP did an outstanding job highlighting need to know information about diabetes without being too preachy. The film was carefully crafted to not only entertain, but also educate Africans on dangers and complications associated with diabetes.

Personally, I know a few people living with diabetes and I empathise with them on a daily basis. So I decided to do some research about the ailment just for my personal edification until I uncovered how deadly it is, hence, why I decided to include it in TDMP’s storyline. Based on my findings, diabetes kills more Africans than any other ailment in the continent. It is quite disheartening and unfortunate. As an agent of transformation and hope, my goal is to make sure that all the films I produce have strong messages embedded in the storyline.

Dance as a profession is still frowned upon in this part of the world.

Do you think Nigeria and the continent at large is ready to make

careers from dance?

This has been an ongoing dialogue between the African youth and African elders for quite some time now. I understand our elders’ reasoning and why they frown on creative arts as a profession, but I also understand the perspective of the youth due to the fact that I had to overcome this challenge myself.

We need more of initiatives like TDMP to prove to our elders that there are other lines of professions, besides being a doctor or a banker, through which one can earn a good living. I am a big proponent of education because it prepares you for the future and allows you to manoeuvre easier within the society. However, if you desire to become a professional dancer, my advice is that you nurture your art in every way you know plus back it up with education via formal training.

Personally, I believe that you can make a business out of any type of talent. It is all about thinking outside the box. Going to school and dabbling with like-minded people will stir your mind into developing a better business acumen and it will only help monetise your talent.

What did it actually take to put TDMP together?

It took patience, focus, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, commitment, resilience, prayer and above all, the grace of God to produce TDMP. Certainly not easy, but we got it done eventually. The cast includes Lizzy Anjorin, Banky W, Chris Okagbue, CEO Dancers from England, Donflexx, who is PSquare’s chief choreographer, Joelschild, Obi Mikel, Eniola Aboluaje and Korede Edih, among others.

The film industry in Nigeria is quite different from what it is in the United States. How would you rate the country’s audio-visual sector and what do you think still need to be done to improve it?

There is always room for improvement. However, I think that Nollywood is a fast growing industry and I believe that filmmakers in Nigeria are working tirelessly to improve the quality of their work.

One recommendation to filmmakers would be to continue to educate oneself with the nuances of this industry because of the rapid growth and technological development in this space.

This will only help improve the quality of their work. As we all know, learning is a process and one can never really learn enough.

“I love dancing greatly. It is my hobby. When I am not solving mathematics problems, I dance…This helps me greatly whenever I go back to my Mathematics,” she told journalists in Lagos last weekend.

The soft spoken Austine who looks forward to contesting in the finals, expressed her wish to clinch the ultimate prize to honour her parents and her State. “I want to win this competition. It will be great if I do. My parents and my school will be very happy,” she said.

Earlier, Mr Kolawole Bello, a Mathematics teacher at The Ambassador College, Ota, Ogun State advised parents on how to stem the continuous poor performance of students in Mathematics.

Bello who was speaking at the venue of the on-going Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show in Lagos explained that parents have a role to play in sustain-

Lagos glitters at Notting Hill Carnival LAGOS State, last weekend, came live at Notting Hill Carnival, London. Unlike the previous years, Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s biggest street festivity and the world’s second biggest, offered the state a rare platform to showcase its heart of love, oneness and peace it branded One Lagos.

Across the United Kingdom, friends and lovers of the state converged on the Nigerian Corner, Adelaja Street, to celebrate Lagos brand during the 50th edition of the carnival and market what the state has been able to achieve under the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode.

Beyond the glitz that attracted huge enthusiasts to Adelaja Street, the popular Nigerian Corner at Nottinghill Carnival was transformed to Lagos Corner as part of the Lagos branding campaign tagged LoveLagosWeekend, starting on August 27 and ended on August 29.

At Lagos Corner, a cross section of audiences and artistes from Nigeria performed to the amazement of fun-seekers during the three-day campaign, which brought dynamism to the way Notting Hill Carnival had been celebrated in the last 50 years. The artistes in-

clude the Rain Maker, Majek Fashek, May7ven, Shikane, Ade Swagz and Ceeboy.

The campaign was anchored by ace comedian and compere, Gbenga Adeyinka, the First. Also in attendance were DJ Abass, Shope Olajide, Wale Gates and MC Momelo. At the VIP section were Yeni Kuti, Nikki Laoye, Kemi Otegbade, Kaita Okeowo, Seyi Brown, Ayo Shonaiya, Sammy Okposo, Drew Uyi, Mofe Duncan and Timi Adegbite.

Aside the excitement and glamour that erupted at Lagos Corner, the message of ‘LoveLagosWeekend’ was indeed irresistible. The Lagos State Government staged for a grand purpose, according to the Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde. He said it was put together to sell Lagos and unite its friends and lovers in the diaspora.

For Ayorinde, the gains of ‘LoveLagosWeekend’ demonstrate Lagos potentials in arts, entertainment and tourism. He said it was in line with Ambode’s vision to use arts, entertainment and tourism “to promote social cohesion and create employment opportunities.

The carnival offered rare platform to market Lagos globally.”

ing the interest of their children in the subject. He added that as much as teachers are trying these days to encourage students in Mathematics and in the sciences, the support and encouragement from

parents will go a long way to complement the efforts of teachers.

Both intellectual and spiritual weapons had been deployed to help the contestants as the fireworks of 2016

Cowbellpedia Mathematics T.V Quiz Show continued in Lagos.

Not a few parents believe that all efforts to see their ward succeed in the competition will be worth the while

as the ultimate prize for this year is one million naira and an all-expenses paid educational excursion outside the country. The teacher of the winning students will receive N400,000.

‘Ibadan Means Business’ seminar tasks youths on innovation IT was the first edition of ‘Ibadan Means Business’ recently. Networking, ideas and new entrepreneurship narratives saturated the atmosphere at Wennovation Hub, Ibadan where the maiden edition of “Ibadan Means Business” took place recently.

The conference, convened

by Taiwo Adeyemi, WeldoneAfrica’s managing partner, had the mission of debunking the misconcep-

tions about working and living successfully on Ibadan.

The facilitators included the Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on new and digital media, Babajide Fadoju, who addressed pressing issues concerning heavy taxes on business owners and funding support for entrepreneurs and entertainment from the government.

Tinuola Ayanniyi of Nigerian Tribune, Adeola Layade of Exquisito Confectioneries,

Olumide Adeleye of Twim Academy and Ferdinand Adimefe of Imaginarium all reiterated the fact that

one can live, work and be successful in Ibadan without looking for greener pastures in other Nigerian cities.

‘Not in my Country’ debuts on TV Yejide Gbenga - Ogundare AFTER eight years of research and a formal launch in Lagos on May 3, episodes of ‘Not in my Country’, a series of short jingles to fight individual corruption among Nigerians is now on television.

The drama sketch which is approximately a minute per episode and already has over 30 episodes that were financed with no assistance from any quarters by the initiator, Akin Fadeyi, on the platform of his outfit, Bufferzone Ltd studio.

The series is now being streamed on television after an official partnership with TV Continental and up to eight episodes are shown daily.

After breaking down on TVC

Entertainment, it is also being shown on Your View, Journalist Hangout, News agencies and such other outlets.

Members of the ‘Not in my Country’ team include Kazeem Idris Opeyemi, Adun O Martins, Ojo Busuyi Jobus, Okonkwo Ikechi, Abimibola Aina, Gani Olowu, Tina Mba, Mactaiwo Oluyomi, Adetoun Tade, Olawale Shalom Agboibon, Efe Mayford Orhorha, Jude Ufuoma Orhorha, Greg OJ, Kelechi, J Udegbe, Hafis Oyetoro, Orji Camilus Ibe, Dan Dan Chris Ebie, Lucy Glover, Pelumi Wale, Funky Mallam and Bukky Wright, to mention just a few.

After the launch some weeks back, there was a huge media acceptance for the project and

the accolades kept pouring in. the project had been discussed on Gbenga Aruleba’s Focus Nigeria.

Speaking on the project, Dr. Thomas Adeoye, described it as a “well-researched delivery” adding that, “We all knew the truth but this is the first time anyone spoke that truth to our souls.”

The team was hosted by the Ooni of Ife who endorsed and declared his support and was endorsed by Gbenga-X Adebija’s “Businesses in Nigeria”. Emeka Oparah hosted the team in Airtel while Stone Nwaobia did the same at Etisalat and placed immediate calls to his CSR department for possible collaborations.

Renowned journalists, notable individuals and media have also shown their support for the project; Simon Kolawole, Mojeed Jamiu, Mrs. Oyeboade Akinola, Adeyeye Joseph, Ajayi Temitope Carter, Olufunke Phillips, Nigerian Tribune, Punch, Nation, Guardian.

Speaking on the project, Fadeyi said, “It took eight years of research to come out with this Anti corruption campaign project. I recall how I will get into villages dressed like a villager so I can blend and understand what they are doing to undermine the nation and endanger the lives of fellow citizens just to cut corners and increase profit margin.

Hollywood’s finest witness US screening of ‘93 Days’ THE U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were honoured with an exclusive screening of the movie, 93 Days on Friday, 2nd September 2016. in its Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Washington DC In attendance were Hollywood actors, Danny Glover (Played Dr Ohiaeri) and Tim Reid (Played Dr Sam Adeniyi Jones), Kemi DaSilva-Ibru, Associate Producer 93 Days, producers/executive producers of 93 Days, Bolanle Austen-Peters, Dotun Olakunri, Steve Gukas and other dignitaries such as Jimmy Kolker, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs HHS, Dr Benjamin Ohiaeri, Owner First Consultant’s

Hospital, Dr Sam Adeniyi Jones, Director Office of Global Affairs HHS, Dr David Brett-Majors, US Department of Defense and Former WHO expert,

Kent Brantly, American Ebola survivor, Dr Morris Ibeawuchi, Nigerian Ebola survivor, Bockari Stevens, the sierra Leonean Ambassador to the US, Denas Mor-

ris, Center for Disease Control, Elizabeth Sadove, US Food and Drug Administration, Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Amanda Jacobsen, US Department of State.

SINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEETS BU

Meet ‘Kobi Mighty ’ THE man Abobade Idris Olalekan, now popularly known as Kobi Mighty (@kobimighty), was born in the mid-eighties and is presently one of the few record label owners and influencers in the city of Ibadan. He was born into the royal family of Kobiowu in Ibadan and is a business man, widely travelled tourist and a general merchant. He had his primary education at the Unity primary school, Amuwo-Odofin and proceeded to Odofin secondary school. After his secondary education, he enrolled at The Polytechnic Ibadan (Eruwa campus), where he studied Business Administration after which he travelled to the United Kingdom to The London School of Business and Finance for a professional course.

Abobade Olalekan is the founder and CEO of one of the fastest-growing record labels in Nigeria (Kobi Mighty records) which has SheunNatural as his first artiste. The artiste SheunNatural recently released a song titled ‘Leave Story’ under the label as the first official project which is currently enjoying massive airplay all across Nigeria.

Kobi Mighty is an influential personality in Ibadan, Lagos and environs. He is a converted Christian, married with three beautiful children. His hobbies include playing video games, dancing and watching movies.

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

travelpulse&m.i.c.e

’Wale Olapade 08055201323 wale11g3@gmail.com Winner, NMMA, Tourism Reporter Of The Year

Fela’s story resonates as SA Tourism trade delegation came calling

From right: Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Mo Abudu, TV Producer and Veteran Musician, King Sunny Ade, when he met with entertainment and media personalities earlier in the year, in a sensitisation meeting in the build up to the’Change Begins With Me’ project launched on Thursday, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Teamafrica starts search for the 21 Wonders of Africa on the 27th of September Stories by ’wale Olapade

F

INALLY, the pan African travel association Team Africa will be opening up its membership log to accommodate more members as it launches its flagship project the 21 Wonders of Africa on the September 27, 2016.

The Team Leader had explained to the foundation members that membership was kept closed since March this year because the legal registration processes were not complete.

He told the members that finally the legal registration and the trademark processes have been completed so The Team Africa is now a properly registered organization.

New members can now join TeamAfrica on recommendation of any registered member and approved by the founders or through the website www.theteamafrica.org. New members can join from all over Africa and the Diaspora once the person or organisation can provide evidence of interest and involvement in the promotion of Africa as a destination.

The Team Leader Mr Ikechi Uko also said that the 21wonders of Africa which is the flagship project of the group will be launched immediately after registering New members.

He explained that the delay in the takeoff of the project is because of legal issues that needed to be sorted before take off. While waiting for the registration process the association had been busy articulating positions on Pan African issues including a widely used press release on the African Passport. The Pan African Travel Association TheTeam Africa had commended the efforts of the AU leadership to bring about seamless travels within Africa for Africans. The AU leaders launched a new African Passport at its annual General Assembly in Kigali for Diplomats as a way of bringing to the fore the issue of free and easy movement within the continent.

For members of TeamAfrica who discussed the issue exhaustively it was agreed that the launch of the AU document is noteworthy but symbolic as it has no real value as at now.

They pointed out the difficulty of implement-

ing the Yammousokro Decision to open African skies for Aviation which has not been implemented since 1999. According to the AU chairperson Dlamina Zulu this delay in implementing an AU decision since 2003 has cost Africa 40% market share in Aviation on the continent. So the implementation of the African Passport may face similar difficulties.

TTA argues that immediate implementation of Visa on Arrival for all Africans is easier to Implement and adopt. Ghana recently joined Rwanda and Seychelles in Implementing VOA for all Africans and it has taken off successfully and Nigeria announcing it will start with VOA in 2017.The Team recommends this route as a faster way of integrating Africa while discussions on the modality of how implementation of the AU Passport is being worked out between Nations.

ECOWAS region was the first to launch free movement protocol among the 15 countries with little or no negative impact despite the huge population within the region. Recently regional blocs in the East and South of Africa have all implemented free movement protocol for regional citizens with no negative fallout. Some regions have even implemented

Joint visa for the regions like the EAC tourism Visa for three countries in East Africa.

The next linkage may be free movement protocol between the regions. ECOWAS and the EAC group can sign an MOU and bring this about long before the targeted date of 2018 for AU Passport launch for citizens.

Visa fees is another issue of interest in Africa.

As Uganda drops visa fees from $100 to $50 which is commendable some Africans still pay close to $200 for visas within Africa and TTA believes that the AU should assist members to establish a uniform fee for visas for African Travellers The TeamAfrica is an association for players in Travel and Tourism business in African. It’s major role is to encourage Travel within Africa for Africans as most Africans do not travel much within African. TTA aims to grow travel within Africa by jointly promoting events within Africa and pressure Governments to adopt policies that encourage intra African Travels.It was formed in Kigali Rwanda last year and has since grown to include practitioners from over 15 countries. Its landmark project is the expected Launch of the search for the 21 wonders of Africa

Ethiopian to launch flights to Moroni, Comoros ETHIOPIAN Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Africa has announced that it has finaliSed preparations to launch flights to Moroni, Comoros with the latest B737800 New Generation with Sky Interior, on October 30, 2016.

Moroni is the largest city, the federal capital and seat of the government of the Union of the Comoros, a sovereign archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean. The flights to Moroni will be operated thrice weekly via Dar es Salaam.

Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “We are thrilled to spread our wings farther to the Comoros Islands.

“We believe our flights to Moroni and

elsewhere in our beloved continent, Africa, contribute positively to the overall development of the continent and serve as a critically essential vehicle for the flow of investment, trade and tourism.

Hence, with the new service, passengers to and from Moroni will find convenient and hassle free connection to destinations in Ethiopian wide route network to 95 cities in five continents with a minimum layover at our main hub, Addis Ababa.”

In the just ended physical year, African cities like Cape Town, Gaborone, Goma, Yaoundé and Durban have joined Ethiopian vast intra-African network. Moroni will be Ethiopian’s 54th African destination.

RECENTLY the Nigerian Tour Operators (NATOP) in collaboration with the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) hosted the South African Tourism trade partners who came for a trade workshop in Nigeria and Ghana to a special outing and tour of Lagos which focused on the life and times of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

The Fela story resonated once again in the international circle as the South African Tourism trade delegation came calling as part of the side attraction for the West African trade workshop and road shows in Nigeria.

The special outing which featured the life and times of Fela kicked off from the Federal Palace hotel on the Island to Surulere Senior Girls secondary School which used to be his abode before he left the place to other locations with his musical band, supporters and his women.

At the Surulere Girls Senior Secondary School, the delegation were met with Lemi Ghariokwu and Abdul Okwechime, two personalities who were part of the Fela’s history.

One after the Other, they took time to explain to the South African Trade delegation, Nigerian Tour operators, travel agencies and others the Fela’s story and struggle with the military administrators and Police.

Lemi Ghariokwu, the graphic artist who worked all through with Fela explained the Fela’s story, brand of music, struggle with the military, constant police raids, his women and view of contemporary and societal issues.

Ghariokwu stated that Fela had a two sides, the musical and the intellectual Fela which began to manifest in the latter part of his life.

Narrating the Fela story also, Okwechime, a Journalist who lived with Fela in Kalakuta Republic disclosed that Fela got the name Kalakuta from his cell mate at Alagbon close who was accused of forging Nigerian currency then and was detained in Alagbon, but the police did not find anything on him as the currency he was said to have forged and the currency outside were the same.

“The police could not find the difference, so to Fela, that was a genius, why keep him in detention. When he came out of detention, he decided to re-christen this place Kalakuta Republic in honour of his cell mate at Kalakuta cell in Alagbon close.

“Even the name area started from here because this whole street was called area, because 24 hours people were selling alcohol and all sorts of things, Police raiding here was a common thing. Even the Alagbon raid here was not the most brutal, there was the expensive shit, that was the title of the record, the expensive shit came after the second police raid where some policemen came into Fela’s house and caught him smoking weed and they took the weed from him and Fela said to them ‘let me see the weed, are you sure this is weed’, he took the weed from the police and swallowed it and that infuriated the police and they took him to the cell and said they will conduct test on him using his faeces to nail him for the weed he swallowed. That day Fela didn’t go to toilet and in the night his mother brought him vegetable soup and all sorts of things that mixed with the weed he has swallowed, and about a day or two later we went to toilet and the police took the sample to the laboratory for test and they did not find anything incriminating and when he came out from cell, he composed that song expensive shit to lampoon the police and the authorities,” Okwechime narrated.

23

Friday, 9 September, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

The make or mar battle in Edo Amidst the intense horse-trading ahead of the governorship election in Edo State, BANJI ALUKO, in this report, focuses on the 18 local government areas in the state, the chances of the two dominant parties, namely the APC and the PDP and other factors that may decide who wins.

Ize-Iyamu

I

T is now time for the 2016 Edo State governorship election. Going by the Electoral Act, all forms of campaign by political parties has end. For the political parties and their candidates, this will bring to end a phase that started many months ago. With the clock ticking, those involved in the election can only plot their games behind the political podiums they had become used to in the last few months. By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, the race will begin and the players can only pray for a good day. For the two major political parties: the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other serious parties in the race, only victory is good enough.

Some analysts also claim that the Edo election is critical to the federal administration. One of the reasons is that it represents another major test of the commitment of the authorities to free, fair and credible election. Coupled with this is that the success or otherwise of the governing APC at the poll will have a far-reaching implications for the party and the federal administration, as they battle to deliver on campaign promises.

Indeed, for APC and PDP, defeat is unthinkable. Defeat for other of the two parties means another four years of patience, hunger, abuses and solitude. These have been the bitter pill committed PDP leaders and members have been forced to swallow in about eight years. With an outspoken governor such as Adams Oshiomhole, many of them may consider relocating outside of Edo should APC win. The governor has repeatedly boasted that he would finally consign PDP in Edo to the dustbin at the poll and if he finally achieves this, some of the PDP leaders can consider taking vacation from politics.

With Edo as the only state in the grip of the ruling APC in the entire South-South zone, this election is a must win if the party does not want a total obliteration from the zone.

With an eye on the 2019 general election, a loss for APC is not good for the party. Victory for PDP and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, will leave APC with just five governors out of 17 in the southern part of the country.

The fear by APC of possible rejection could encourage states such as Ondo, Ekiti and Osun, where elections are due to hold before the general election in 2019 to further reject APC. Ondo, where election is due to hold in November, is where victory or loss for APC could greatly affect the fortunes of the party. In fact, many believe that winning Edo is the tonic APC needs to slug it out with PDP in the

Obaseki state. Conversely, many believe that victory for PDP, will kill whatever impetus APC may have garnered to face PDP in the Sunshine State. For the two parties, nearly cannot be good enough, as there is no prize for the first runner up.

Godwin Obaseki The APC candidate is regarded as the head of the Edo State Economic team. As the national chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun put it, Obaseki is the brain box behind Oshiomhole’s engine, the unseen hand behind the economic policies of the Oshiomhole’s administration. He was among a team of concerned Edo indigenes, who handed the Oshiomhole’s government an economic blueprint before he was invited by the governor to join him more than seven years ago. He is an investment banker, who has garnered experience in the corporate world. He will appeal to many, including those who prefer a non-politician as governor. He has promised to run Edo like a business entity, something many think is needed to move the state forward.

This is his strength and ironically his weakness as many believe that he lacks the understanding of how politics works in Nigeria. Many think that he was dragged into the race by Oshiomhole.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu The politics of Edo since 1999 can never be complete without the mention of the Redeemed Church pastor. He has been directly involved in the politics of the state since then, though he cut his political teeth in 1988, when he was personal assistant to Lucky Igbinedion, when the latter was

Indeed, for APC and the PDP, defeat is unthinkable. Defeat for either of the two parties means another four years of patience, hunger, abuses and solitude.

the chairman of the old Oredo Local Government Area. The same Igbinedion appointed him Chief of Staff, when he became governor in 1999. He was later appointed Secretary to the State Government.

Ize-Iyamu has never contested any election before but he has been deeply involved in many elections. He was instrumental to the emergence of Oshiomhole as governor, as he joined forces with some other politicians to achieve that goal, after being shut out of PDP. He was Oshiomhole’s campaign director in 2012. When he left APC in 2014 for PDP, he was appointed the director of former President Goodluck Jonathan campaign team for the 2015 presidential election.

His defection to PDP then also sparked a revolt in the state House of Assembly.

His biggest challenge is what has been described as his role in the Igbinedion’s administration. Many say that he was more than an SSG in that government, arguing that Igbinedion entrusted him with the governance of the state.

Some of his ardent critic even referred to him as the de facto governor. Such people are quick to blame him for perceived failures of that administration.

Some key facts About 1.925 million people have been registered to participate in the coming governorship election. There are 2,627 polling units scattered across the state. There are three senatorial zones in Edo, namely Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South. There are six local government areas in the Edo North, five in the Edo Central and seven in the Edo South, making 18 in total.

Edo North Natives of the Edo North, who are popularly referred to as Afemai, are largely made of three ethnic groups--Etsako, Owan and Akoko Edo. The Etsakos, who are the largest in the district, have three local government areas: Etsako East, Etsako Central and Etsako West. The Owan ethnic stock controls the Owan East and Owan West local government areas. The Akoko Edo Local Government Area, consisting of the Akoko Edos, is the last local government area in the district. In terms of voters strength, about 24 per cent of registered voters in Edo reside in this district.

The district is generally regarded as the base of APC. This continues pg 24

thefridayedition The gladiators and their foot soldiers

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

continued from pg 23

is largely due to the emergence of Oshiomhole as governor in 2008. Hitherto, the area was predominantly PDP before the coming of Oshiomhole into the politics of the state. The people of the area rallied behind him to make him the first governor from the Edo North district.

Etsako West Oshiomhole is from the local government with its headquarters in Auchi. The council is the largest among the three Etsako councils. It consists of four wards in Oshiomhole’s Uzaire clan, four wards in Auchi; one in South Ibie; one in Jagbe; one in Agbede, and another one in Anwain.

If there is any local government area PDP will admit they cannot win, it is this local government area. Oshiomhole’s parties, be it Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) or APC, have won recent elections in the area.

Votes from the area prevented PDP from springing surprise in the Edo North senatorial election in 2015. Being Oshiomhole’s area, the people are ready to follow the governor wherever he goes.

The area is populated by Muslims with the highly respected respected Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh Ikelebe III, being spiritual leader. The monarch is very close to Oshiomhole and is expected to rally his people for the governor and his party once again. APC can boast of many developmental projects in the area, such as the newly established Edo University, Iyamho; the police barracks in Iyamho and so many road and erosion-control projects. The running mate to the APC governorship candidate, Hon Phillip Shuaibu, is from the local government area. The incumbent lawmaker representing Etsako Federal Constituency is popular in the area as he had won elections twice into the Edo House of Assembly in the past.

PDP is not without its foot soldiers in this area as well.

One of them is the lawmaker representing Etsako West II in the state House of Assembly, Sylvanus Eruaga. That a PDP lawmaker is representing Oshiomhole in the state assembly is a blight on the joy of APC in the area. He got into the assembly after the election that brought in APC candidate and erstwhile lawmaker was faulted by the courts. Eruaga is from the Uzaire clan just like Oshiomhole and Shuaibu.

He is a popular grassroot politician, who has the capacity to mobilise men and resources for his party along. Along with the likes of Abu Maipati, Henry Duke Tenebe, Garba Hussein and Jaret Tenebe.

Etsako East Agenebode, which is the headquarters of the local government and Okpella are the two biggest communities in the area. The two communities have four wards each out of the 10 in the area. Being an Etsako council, APC is expected to have an edge in this area. The people of Okpekpe and Imiegba, for instance, will eternally be grateful to Oshiomhole for constructing road to their hilltop communities.

Hitherto, the communities were practically inaccessible but the road is now used to host the Okpekpe since 2013.

The APC senator representing the Edo North, Francis Alimekhena, is also from this area.

The problem for APC in this area is that PDP has some of the most influential politicians such as Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who is from Agenebode and Hon Abubakar Momoh, who, two weeks ago, collapsed the political structure of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the entire Edo North for the gubernatorial ambition of Ize-Iyamu. The Imiegbaborn engineer cum politician, who had left PDP in 2015, was said to have been coveted by APC before he declared support for Ize-Iyamu. PDP is also said to have a good record of performance in Okpella and an average performance in Agenebode. Political analysts believe either of APC or PDP could win the local government with a small margin.

Etsako Central This is one local governments many think PDP has a realistic hope of wrestling from APC due to some factors.

Parts of the reason PDP is upbeat of winnning is the perception that Oshiomhole has not done much in the area in terms of developmental projects, unlike the other councils in Etsako. PDP leaders are quick to say that apart from the Ekperi--Anegbette road, the governor did not do any other considerable project in the area.

PDP’s task of wrestling the area from the grip of APC will be led by its state chairman, Dan Orbih; former Chief-of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mike Ogiadomhe; who are both from the area. The duo, along with the party’s 2015 Edo North senatorial candidate, Pascal Ugbome are working round the clock to achieve victory. The fact that Ugbome won the area for PDP last year makes the party believe that winning the area is achievable. The defections of the immediate past former chairman of the area, Hon

Anenih

One thing that is clear is that any party that wants to win cannot afford to perform woefully in Oredo as such scenario could create an unassailable gap.

Emma Momoh, to PDP from APC and a two-time former council chairman, Hon Alemoh Akhigbe, from SDP to PDP are some of the reasons for their optimism.

However, being an Etsako council, they will have to battle Oshiomhole’s popularity in the area. One project Oshiomhole flaunts in the area is the Ekperi--Anegbette road. A former member of the Edo State House Assembly, Hon John Oghuma and the incumbent lawmaker representing the area in the Edo State House of Assembly, Damian Lawani, are also on ground here. Like Etsako East, many believe that election in this area is very close between the two parties Owan East and Owan West APC appears stronger in Owan East than Owan West. The most influential politician in the Owan area is the lawmaker representing Owan Federal Constituency, Hon Pally Iriase.

He is from Owan East and the main reason Owan East remains seemingly impenetrable for PDP. He is expected to deliver Owan East to Obaseki. Iriase, who is a former Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), has grown in stature politically, rising from a local government chairman to winning election into the National Assembly twice. He was among the candidate considered as running mate to Obaseki due to his popularity. In Owan West, however, PDP may be looking at springing surprise. Like Owan West and Akoko-Edo, PDP’s selling point in this area was what they described as an alleged neglect of Owan by Oshiomhole’s administration in terms of projects and appointments. PDP used this as their campaign topic in all the areas. The party charged the Owan people to ask why Oshiomhole concentrated projects and appointments in his Etsako area and why an Owan person was not considered good as running mate to Obaseki. No one knows if the PDP’s message has taken root in the heart of the people.

Akoko-Edo Reputed to be the oldest local government in Nigeria that has remained intact since it was created, the scenario here is similar to that of Owan East and West. PDP’s message is that the area has been relegated in favour of the Etsako group, especially the Uzaire clan. PDP is appealing to the people to effect a change. APC, however, has some tested politicians in this area such as the incumbent lawmaker representing Akoko Edo Federal Constituency, Hon Peter

Oyegun Akpatason and Senator Domingo Obende. Akpatason narrowly won election last year defeating PDP’s Oladele Balogun. This local government area is too close to call.

Edo Central The Edo Central district belongs to the Esan nation. Unlike the Edo North, this zone is a monolithic ethnic group.

The five local government areas in this district are Esan North East, Esan South East, Esan Central, Esan West and Igueben. Major towns in this district are Uromi, Ekpoma, Irrua, Ubiaja, Igueben, Ewu, Ewohinmi, Iruekpen and Ilushi. Going by figures published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), about 16 per cent of Edo registered voters reside in this district.

The Edo Central is generally regarded as the base of PDP as the party has never lost National Assembly elections in the area since 1999. Many in the district have consistently complained of marginalisation. PDP made a clean sweep of the area during the National Assembly election last year.

Despite a change in political fortunes occasioned by PDP loss of the presidential election in 2015, the party still managed to win three out of the six state assembly seats in the area.

Esan North East The local government area, with its headquarters in Uromi, is seen as the political capital of the PDP in the state. It is one council Edo APC leaders know they may have a tough time. The area is home to a former chairman PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih. Other PDP strongmen in the area are a former Minister of Works, Architect Mike Onolememen and Hon Friday Itulah. PDP consolidated its stronghold of the area by picking running mate to its governorship candidate, John Yakubu, from there. The former chairman of the council is also popular in the area.

Esan West The household political party in Ekpoma, which is the headquarters of the council, is seen by some observers as PDP. While many believe that APC has been able to make some vital incursions into Esanland, others hold that Esan West cannot fall into the hands of the party. The lawmaker representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency, Joe Edionwele is expected to take care of the Iruekpen axis for the party. APC boasts of former Governor Oserheimen Osunbor in Iruekpen.

Esan Central Like other councils in the area, PDP dominates the political landscape here. The APC chairman in Edo, Anslem Ojezua, is from this council. The APC managed to win the House of Assembly election in the local government last year after Abuja had fallen into the hands of the party. This was due to the inputs of the APC leaders in the area, Francis Inegbeneki. The nomination of an Esan man as running mate to the PDP candidate could influence the poll here.

Esan South East The factors here are the same with other Esan local government areas —alleged marginalisation and the need to support John Yakubu to become deputy governor. While continues pg 26

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

The FG/Marino spat over arms, human rights The release of a critical communication about Nigeria by US Congressman Tim Marino has sparked some concerns among government circles. Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, examines the facts and possible fiction tied to the controversial letter.

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HAT is the motivation behind the critical letter released by United States’ Congressman Tom Marino against Nigeria on September 1? That is the question on the lips of many Nigerian officials in the wake of the publication of the letter, in which he criticised the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, for allegedly sliding into dictatorship.

Thomas Anthony Marino, an American politician and lawyer, is currently serves as the Representative for Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party, who assumed office on January 3, 2011. In his letter to the US Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry, he raised the alarm about what he called some emerging warning signs about the Buhari administration.”

His outburst should jolt many Nigerian officials, going by the level of acceptability the Nigerian President enjoyed among American political class just a year ago.

Ahead of the March 2015 in Nigeria, Buhari was the toast of the Americans. The President upon assumption of office, also acknowledged American support for his election when he claimed “America made me” in a speech on his visit to the United States.

But in his two page letter, Marino asked the US authorities to strip the country of possible military assistance that could help it tackle the menace of Boko Haram insurgents. His proposal was that the US State Department should stop the sale of war planes and other military equipment to Nigeria. Though it would not be the first time a US official would be pushing for arms freeze on Nigeria, it was more than just a push during the wee days of former President Goodluck Jonathan, when the US went frontally against the country’s bid to procure arms to combat the insurgency in the North East. At that time, the US practically frustrated moves to procure arms from other countries, especially South Africa.

But it would be a shock find to see a US Congressman calling for a return to the trenches, barely a year after its favoured candidate had won the Nigerian election.

Marino however appears to be resolute about his convictions. He wrote in the letter to Kerry, who just left the Nigerian shores after a visit that the government in the pace was not being inclusive, and that the acclaimed anti-graft war, which is the hallmark of the administration, was being fought in a selective manner.

The Congressman said that the Nigerian government should “hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes,” while also alleging selective anti-corruption war and the growing hostility among the segments of the country.

The letter read in parts: “Dear Secretary Kerry, I am encouraged by the personal interest you have taken in aiding Nigeria and its administration as it takes on endemic corruption, multiple insurgent movements, and a faltering economy.

However, I believe there are a number of warning signs emerging in the Buhari administration that signal “the man who once led Nigeria as a military dictator might be sliding towards former autocratic tendencies.

“I would urge the U.S. to withhold its se-

Marino curity assistance to the nation until President Buhari demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech. A logical start towards this commitment is for the Nigerian government to hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes.”

The letter also touched on appointments made under the administration. The Congressman wrote: “Of President Buhari’s 122 appointees, 77 are from the North and control many of the key ministries and positions of power. Distrust is already high in Nigeria and favouring Northerners for key appointments has only antagonized the issue. These appointments are also primarily Muslim in the north and Christian in the south, adding a religious aspect to long-held regional biases.

“Of additional concern is President Buhari’s selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on members of the opposition party, overlooking corruption amongst some of Buhari’s closest advisors. Politicizing his anti-corruption efforts has only reinforced hostility among southerners.”

Such comments coming on the heels of the release of a United Nation’s Common Country Analysis, (CCA) reports on Nigeria is sure to catch more than a glimpse of top Nigeria officials. The UN report had indicated that Nigeria was becoming an increasingly “divided country” along ethnic, religious, political and social lines. The report indicated that, “Nigeria is a deeply divided society considering the plurality of ethnic, religious and regional identities that define her political existence. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has struggled to build and sustain national integration.”

The UN report further said: “For decades, different segments of Nigeria’s population had, at different times, expressed feelings of marginalization, of being shortchanged, dominated, oppressed, threat-

Mohammed ened, or even targeted for elimination…”

“Nigeria is one of the poorest and most unequal countries in the world, with over 80 million or 64% of her population living below poverty line. The situation has not changed over the decades, but is increasing. Poverty and hunger have remained high in rural areas, remote communities and among female –headed households and these cut across the six geo-political zones, with prevalence ranging from approximately 46.9 percent in the South West to 74.3 percent in North West and North East.”

Was Congressman Marino speaking the minds of a silent American majority, on the incumbent government? Is he simply a minority voice? These are the questions that pervaded government circles in Abuja during the week.

Reacting to the controversy, a former Senate President, Ameh Ebute, advised the federal government to to file a formal complaint against Marino, saying that assisting Nigeria is in the US’ own strategic interest. In a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geodfrey Onyeama, on Tuesday, Ebute said: “A Nigeria free of terrorism will contribute to a more secured world and the Americans would actually be helping themselves by offering this assistance since that country is the one in the crosshair of terrorists. The era of imperial-

The Boko Haram insurgency that Nigeria has decisively dealt with under President Buhari is not just a Nigerian problem but a regional and international crisis.

ism is over and discussions about mutual cooperation should not be exploited to pass ignorant judgment on Nigeria or any other nation for that matter.”

However, a public affairs commentator, Michael Nwakalor, backed Marino’s comments. Nwakalor said: “Nigeria needs all the help it can get to conquer Boko Haram in such trying economic times. Nevertheless, the words of the congressman, a seemingly objective analyst, should ignite a shift towards more responsible governance.”

But the government is not taking things for granted. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed attempted to rescue the relationship between Washington and Abuja, when he concluded that Marino was speaking for himself. He insisted that the Congressman’s views were outdated and no longer in tune with current realities.

Mohammed released a statement indicating that Marino misplaced facts and figures in his letter to Kerry. The minister asked the US to ignore the call by Marino that the country should stop selling war planes and other military equipment to Nigeria until President Muhammadu Buhari “demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech.”

According to the spokesman of Nigerian government, the US lawmaker “engaged in propaganda of his own imagination and was sadly out of tune with reality.” He insisted that Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get firsthand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before writing his letter. Mohammed noted that by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues.

The Minister said: “The Boko Haram insurgency that Nigeria has decisively dealt with under President Buhari is not just a Nigerian problem but a regional and international crisis. An Administration that operates purely on the basis of respect for the rule of law and a strict adherence to constitutional order is not one to deny the citizens of their constitutionally-guaranteed rights.

“This administration therefore does not need the goading of Congressman Marino or anyone for that matter to do what is right. “Concerning running an inclusive government, had Congressman Marino done his homework before dispatching his letter, he would have realised that no part of the country is left out in the distribution of political appointments, for example, or in the appointment of ministers, which was done in accordance with the Constitution that mandates that the President must appoint at least one minister from each of the 36 states North West (7) and South.”

Though the minister had attacked Marino’s claims frontally with his statistics, it needs to be stated that the Congressman’s letter did not emanate from the cloud. The sentiments he expressed are certainly the reading of some views already emanating from Nigeria which perpetually seek to justify the conclusions in the UN’s CCA report.

The government of the day can most practically address the situation that give rise to such sentiments through inclusive communications and actions that relieve ethno/political tensions.

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T is merely stating the obvious to say that these are not the best of times for Mrs Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Finance. How can she be at ease with the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicating that Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 17.1 per cent in July from 16.5 per cent in June? The CPI, which measured inflation, was 0.6 percent points higher from the points recorded in June.

Even the onset of the harvest season has not started to have a significant impact on food prices. The silver lining behind the cloud though is that, going by the NBS latest report, prices have increased at a slower pace across a few groups within the food sub-index, including milk, cheese and eggs; oils and fats, as well as and fruits.

A day after the NBS report was released, Adesosun found herself confronted with tough questions on the performance of the economy, when she joined other ministers to brief State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which took place that day. There were others ministers there with her, including Lai Mohammed (Information and Culture) whose show the briefing was supposed to be; Audu Ogbeh (Agriculture) and Adamu Adamu (Education), but they were largely ignored because of the exigencies of the moment and Adeosun was kept on the line of fire. Question after question was put to her on the fate of ordinary Nigerians, whose lives are being shattered daily by the perceived poor handling of the economy.

While having the modesty to concede that the economy was in bad shape, as she put it, “times are confusing,” she nonetheless put up a spirited defence of the effort of government to steady the ship. Against the belief in some quarters, she insisted that the Federal Government is not confused about what to do with the worsening economic situation of the country. “It’s the worst possible time for us. Are we confused? Absolutely not,” she said. But she

Friday, 9 September, 2016

inside

aso rock WITH LEON USIGBE 08078891838 leonusigbe@ yahoo. co.uk

Kemi Adeosun in the eye of the storm thinks that Nigerians must bear the pains until the economy gets its act together through the strategy government is putting in place.

Hear her: “I think that we have a long way to go.

We’re not confused and we’re not deceiving ourselves that everything is rosy. It’s not. It’s a difficult time for Nigeria but I think Nigeria is in the right hands.”

The point is that too many people are suffering unbearably in the country as a result of the economic policies of government and the questions must be asked: does the government have the right policies? How much longer will it take for the policies to cause a turnaround in the fortunes of the suffering masses?

The former Ogun State commissioner may not be the only one responsible for the economy, but not surprisingly, she continues to collect the flak because her office initiates and oversees the implementation of the financial policies of government which, in just over a year, has seen the biggest economy in Africa deflated to a deep recession. She is therefore unable to escape blame from her vociferous critics. Also bothered by the situation, we (State House correspondents) could not gloss over the opportunity to take her to task over the problem such that even after the briefing, she spent a

long time standing to offer more explanations to skeptical journalists.

Dino Melaye, ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial district, certainly believes that she is culpable and has consequently 08078891838 Buhari, to relive her of advised President WITH LEON Muhammadu leonusigbe@ yahoo. co.uk the job because she seemingly has no capacity to deal effectively with the problem. She also managed to draw a fiery Twitter storm, when she described recession as just “a word” at a time it has become the most negatively impactful phenomenon on Nigerians. This suggests that she has a nonchalance approach to a very fundamental condition of the country. But her effort at damage control was even messier than the statement as she denied it, caused her Twitter account to be deleted only for a video to emerge of where and how she actually uttered the statement.

Despite that, one cannot but feel sympathy for her in her uphill task because even Adam Smith (1723-1790), the Scottish moral philosopher and pioneer political economist and author of An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of Wealth of Nations (1776), would have had challenges himself proffering quick solutions to the debilitating state of the Nigeria economy.

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aso rock

The contest in the zones ment in the next government.

Runner up to Ize-Iyamu during the PDP primaries, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen ought to be PDP’s biggest asset here as he is very popular, especially among the youth. He is however seeking to be declared as the authentic PDP candidate in the election. Not much has been seen or heard of him lately, but many believe that PDP will benefit a lot if he makes his resources available for the party. Since he can only become governor if PDP wins, some argue that he might just do that.

continues pg 24

PDP cannot boast of the kind of popularity it enjoins in Esan North East here, it is still the party to beat. In Ubiaja, the council’s headquarters, the PDP can count on Senator Odion Ugbesia as a rallying point.

Igueben This is one local government many believe APC is the strongest in Esanland. A political rearrangement in July ensured that the lawmaker representing the area in the state House of Assembly, Justin Okonoboh, emerged Speaker.

PDP can however count on former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, for inspiration here. The Esan agenda, which is to make Yakubu, deputy could also play a role.

Edo South The Edo South is the Benin area consisting of Oredo, Ikpoba Okha, Egor, Orhiomwon, Uhumwonde, Ovia North East and Ovia South West local government areas. With Benin, the state capital, this district has the highest population of voters in the state with about 60 per cent registered voters. The three municipal local government areas: Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Egor, are the key councils. This is where the battle of who becomes the next governor will be lost and won. The candidates of the two parties are both from here, hence the Benins are certain of producing the next governor of the state.

Oredo Oredo, which constitutes the capital city, alone has about 279, 000 voters and 561 polling unit. It is the most cosmopolitan area in the state with people from different parts of the country living there. It is the most sought- after area and the two parties will concentrate a good part of their resources to winning this local government area. Along with Ikpoba Okha and Egor, it is where many of the projects undertaken by the Oshiomhole administration are concentrated. These include road project, flood control projects and city beautification projects. Governor Oshiomhole believes that his achievements will sway votes for the APC here. The governor, no doubt, has many admirers, who applaud his achievements.

There are, however, some factors that could work against the governor and APC. Many in the local government are direct casualties of what has been described as a repressive tax policy of the government. Many shop owners in the highly commercial areas of the metropolis and markets complain of huge amount they pay as tax. The Land Use Charge of the state government is also an issue here.

PDP has assured the affected people of a more friendly tax regime. They have campaigned with this promise. One thing

that is clear is that any party that wants to win cannot afford to perform woefully in Oredo as such scenario could create an unassailable gap. It has often been said that any party that wins Oredo usually wins governorship election in Edo State.

Egor Like Oredo, APC and Oshiomhole can list projects undertaken in the council, including roads and the Storm Water projects designed to tackle flood in the area. APC will, however, be going to the election here with the headache of Egor Local Government Area workers, who are still being owed about 10 months’ salary arrears. Many in the area are also affected by the state government’s tax policy.

APC, nonetheless, some strong politicians in the areas, including the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Henry Idahagbon; the lawmaker representing the area in the state House of Assembly, Crosby Eribo and Gentleman Amegor. These men and many more are expected to shore up APC’s chance. PDP will, however, be banking on the popularity of its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in the area and the entire Edo South to win here. Ize-Iyamu has people working for him: Chief Oni Edigin and Barrister Nosa Adams.

This is one local government area no one can give to a particular party.

Ikpoba Okha This is the third municipal local government area within Benin City. The oil-producing local council has the second largest population in Edo. Looking at the calibre of people paraded by APC here, one could be tempted to give it to the party but there are other factors that may shape the election. Osarodion Ogie, who is the Commissioner for Works and campaign director for Godwin Obaseki, is the leader of APC here. He has a lot to lose if APC loses the election as he has been reportedly penciled in for top appoint-

Ovia North East and Ovia South West These two local government areas located outside the Benin metropolis often vote the same way. The family of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, are PDP’s biggest asset in Ovia North East. Esama’s daughter, Omosede Igbinedion, shocked everyone. When she defeated the APC candidate last year to become the lawmaker representing the two councils in the House of Representatives. Recently, she clashed with some APC strongmen in the area over some developmental projects she said she wanted to embark upon.

Her father, the Esama, and her brother, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion, are some of the closest persons to the PDP candidate. They are expected to deploy their resources for PDP. APC, however, has some top politicians in the area such as the state Commissioner for Sports, Priestly Ediagbonya; a former chairman of the council, Mrs Lucy Omagbon, and some other party leaders in the area to checkmate PDP. In Ovia South West, it is going to be a battle for the two parties. The Igbinedions’ influence is said to extend to this local government as well, while Omosede Igbinedion can still count on the modalities used to win her election last year as a reliable model. In the riverine communities in the council, the two parties are said to have men and materials on ground to match each other.

Orhiomwon This is the local government of the PDP candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu. Many say he is not expected to lose his local government area, though APC is perceived to be strong here. One factor that is said to favour him is the collective will of the people of the area to have one of them as governor. They may see in Ize-Iyamu their only hope of achieving that after the Edo State deputy governor, Pius Odubu, who is from the area, failed to secure the APC’s ticket. Like the other local government areas in the Edo South, it is certain that the two parties will do all within their power to win Orhiomwon, which is another highly populated area.

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Friday, 9 September, 2016

hers

Editor: Yemisi Aofolaju yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com 08055001741

Ileya2016:

Our preparations

we have.

“If you have been buying ram before and you cannot buy this year, it is not the end of the world.

Instead of running about to buy one at all cost, I am of the opinion that making our children happy with the little in our possession is more important.”

By Yemisi Aofolaju and Monica Taiwo

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ITH barely 72 hours to 2016 Idel-kabir festivals, the global economic meltdown that is ravaging all the countries of the world is taking its toll on all irrespective of one’s social standing.

Perhaps, as the rich are also feeling the heat of the unprecedented recession and you want to ask if the rich are crying, then what are the not so affluent going through?

Gone were the days that any celebration in the land would by now be in the air with jingles taking over the airwaves announcing where faithful would be expected to give their family members the treat they deserve for being alive to celebrate another year.

Visits to big markets, malls and warehouses in both Lagos and Ibadan gave no inkling to the fact that any celebration is around the corner as the mad rush for last minute shopping associated with the season has disappeared into the air courtesy recession occasioned by fall in oil price specifically in Nigeria.

As at Wednesday in Ibadan, the ram sellers at the various sale points complained of recording no sales as faithfuls have not been coming to even sample what they have displayed. Mr Abdullahi Asuni, a farmer who also breeds ram said that he has sold only one ram in the last five days.

He said that their customers in previous sallahs always make de-

posits in advance for their choices, but that nobody so far has approached him for such arrangement this year. ‘’Were it before, I would have made two trips to Ilesabaruba in Oke Ogun region of Oyo State to restock my ranch with rams for Ileya as a result of previous high sales recorded. ‘’I’m not offended at all because if Nigerians have money, they don’t joke with this festival. We are even asking our long term customers if they would make deposit for their rams and collect the commodity when the balance is settled, but they have not been forthcoming.

“Though there is not much price difference as the least ram we sold last year for N22,000 is N25,000 today. I believe the margin is insignificant if money were to be in circulation. The biggest ram here sells for between N70,000 and N80,000 against last year’s

N60,000, N65,000.00. ‘‘What we have been experiencing in the last one week is one of a kind as those who have come only came for window shopping.

We are still hopeful as the celebration is 72 hours to go’’, concludes Asuni.

Economic downturn or not, the homemakers are leaving no stone unturned to make this special Ileya a celebration not to be forgotten.

HERS spoke to some women on their preparation so far to ensure that the heat being generated by the recession does not deprive their families of the fun of the festive season.

Aisha Bello. ‘‘All I know for sure is that I have made up my mind that paucity of fund will not rub my children and I of the joy of this season. Having counted the cost of a ram and the pending school fees of my children, I have pleaded with them that if it is a chicken that I can afford, they should take it with joy. I know that the recession is not peculiar to Nigeria and that with time, the economy will be in shape’’, contributed Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja, “We bless God for a time like this in our country as it is just right for us to thank God in all situations.

We are alive and celebrating another Id-El kabir, it is only by God’s grace.

Id-El kabir, is the commemoration of God’s faithfulness to his servant Prophet Mohammed (SAW) and we all look forward to this celebration yearly. We pur-

chase and kill rams as it is one of the tenets of Islam, but being that as it may, it is not written anywhere in the Quran that one should borrow money to buy the ram or make it a do-or-die affair.

“And for those who can afford to buy ram, Islam dictates that we share with those who do not have and those who are less fortunate.

We should be our brothers keeper at all times.

“As things are now, as women we should support our husbands, for those families who have been buying ram before now and for one or more reasons they cannot buy, the woman and mother of the house should support her husband and make sure she looks for alternatives to make her family happy. Slaughtering a ram or even more than one does not bring happiness. Borrowing money to buy one by all means too does not bring peace. God sees the intent of all hearts.”

Alhaja Kehinde Brahimoh, “We thank God that we are celebrating another Id El kabir. Everything is hard now, but we thank God for our lives. Although essential commodities are expensive, we should see our lives as expensive too and thank God for keeping us till now. Let us live within our means and make do with what

Biola Arigbabuwo, “We all know the situation in the country now. It is so funny. As expensive as rams are, people are not buying and sellers cannot reduce the money because they also have to make their money. Not only ram this time around, rice, condiments and even drinks are expensive.

“My take is that we should manage with whatever we have. Happiness comes from within and not what we can purchase. Though, purchasing power is also important, but it shouldn’t be more important than our lives. Things will get better in our country. God bless Nigeria and God bless us all.”

Kudirat Owo, “Our preparation so far is based on what we have on hand physically. There is no point going out of our way to celebrate. As things are, you can boast of rice and what will accompany it. There is no money for ram because as we celebrate, we must remember those in need. We will make do with fish with thanksgiving.”

“The year’s celebration to me as a woman is more of appreciation to God for sparing our lives. It is not about eating and wining.

“Our preparation thus far is to ensure that we make do with what is available. Initially, I have planned to take the children out for a special treat, but as things are now, we have put that on hold.

“When there is life, there is hope,” says a woman who does not want her name in print.

Memunat Jimoh has this to say, “The situation on ground calls for moderation. Our preparation for this Ileya is within the dictate of our purse. When the economy was okay, we had much to share, but as things are, the celebration will be low-keyed.”

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occasion

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Funfair as Egbeda LG PDP, Labour, others decamp to APC

By Seyi Sokoya

I

T was a gathering of funfair and glamour when one of the strong leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Akin Alabi, former deputy governor, Taofeek Arapaja, Honorable Adewale Adejoke and their followers in Egbeda Local Government Area officially decamped and were received by the leadership and members of the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) in the local government area.

The event held last Saturday at the IDC Primary School, Old Gbagi, Ibadan, Oyo State and was witnessed big wigs, serving political holders and party faithful. All the decamped leaders and followers described the development as a welcome one, just as they expressed their readiness to collaborate with the present government in achieving greater goals.

In his remarks, Honourable Taiwo Akintola, representing Egbeda and Ona-Ara Federal Constituency noted that the development was an encour-

From left, Caretaker chairman, Egbeda Local Government, Honourable Ademola Adewuyi; Party chairman, Elder Olu Opawale; Oyo Senatorial Women Leader, Alhaja Zainab Juwon; Honourable Ibrahim Bolomope, Alhaji Fatai Olanrewaju and Honourable Muftau Oyewu at the event.

Elder Opawale addressing the party members while Honourable Taiwo Akintola , representing Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency (third left), Honourable Adewuyi (fifth left); representative of APC state chairman, Prince Adekanye and others looks on.

Representative of Labour Party (Akala camp), Dr Kola Balogun and Chief Ayinde Bamigbade of Akin Alabi Camp, PDP (arrowed), during the official inauguration of the new members into APC.

Egbeda Local Government Party Chairman, Elder Olu Opawale and his executive members at the event.

agement to the President Buhari-led government and that there was a clear indication that his administration has lot of successes yet to be revealed, while he also urged all members

both old and new to embrace unity and be patient with the government because it was making all effort to revive the nation.

Caretaker chairman, Egbeda LGA, Honour-

able Ademola Adewuyi said that the event expressed the fact that APC was a formidable party and would always embrace any other party who wants to come in. He add-

ed that, “By my statistics, it now shows that we have an APC member in every household.

The Egbeda Local Government party chairman, Elder Olu Opawale, de-

scribed the exercise as a unique one, while he assured that the party will ensure fairness, balance and equity, even as they received new members from other political parties.

Spreading the gospel of end-of-life care in Nigeria The issue of death and providing a network of supportive care for the dying and their families is the main advocacy of a foundation established in memory of Late Kolawole Durosaro, to ensure that there is an improved end-of-life care for people in Nigeria. YEJIDE GBENGAOGUNDARE reports IN the traditional African society, the issue of death or dying is usually treated as a taboo: something that should not be talked about and civilization has made no difference in people’s attitude towards addressing issues of their own mortality or that of their family members.

This reticence has not only caused many to die untimely and in discomfort, but has made the issue of end of life care a mirage in many African societies especially in Nigeria. Though death is inevitable, some people have stated that there is a need to ensure that the last days of any individual are spent in as much comfort as humanly possible and with dignity no matter the condition of their health.

The immediate family of Late Kolawole Durosaro, who lived from 1954 to

2014, due to their experience at the time of his death, put up a foundation to orientate the public on the importance of end-of-life care in Nigeria and to put in place a network for families of people facing end-of-life crisis to make life better for them.

The family created a foundation in honour of their father as a vehicle for which this vision will be carried out and the foundation known as Kd Bykond was launched in the United Kingdom in May with a memorial lecture, while the Nigerian version was held in Ibadan, last week as a training for people whose family members are facing end-oflife crisis.

One of the daughters of the Late Kolawole Durasaro, Oreofeoluwa, came up with the vision in order to ensure that other families have a

Members of the Late Kolawoke Durosaro family at the event. more pleasant experience and adequate medical support during the transition process of their loved ones.

The Director of the foundation, Olusola Durosaro, is also a direct descendant of the late Durosaro.

The Kd Bykond foundation which is basically focued on educating, promoting and creating awareness for compassionate care from the nursing and medical personnel and advocates for effective pain management and control in terminally ill patients, has started its work in Nigeria in partnership with Community Hospice and Specialist Clinic in

Ibadan.

The hospice led by a pain and palliative consultant, Dr Folaju Oyebola, will be working hand in hand with other specialists both in UK and Nigeria, late Durosaro’s daughter, Oreofeoluwa, Olusola Durosaro and other descendants of the late Durosaro to pioneer an effective course for end-of-life care in Nigeria.

It is the belief of the Kd Bykond foundation that dying matters should be talked about and given a holistic approach to make the endof-life period not only comfortable for the victim but also easier on family mem-

bers as they support loved ones in the journey towards the end.

The first memorial lecture which was held in the United Kingdom in honour of Late Durosaro brought experts together to talk on issues that would otherwise be brushed under carpet in an interactive manner.

The first topic: “End of life care–A holistic approach,” was taken by Dr Ayo Akinmoluwa, Associate Specialist in General Adult Psychiatry at Oxleas Foundation NHS Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich, London while Mrs Olusola Odubanjo, a Senior Nursing Sister

and the Ward Manager of Osler ward, Basildon and Thurrock University Foundation, NHS Trust, took the topic, Nursing interventions in end of life care.

The opening speech at the lecture was given by a direct descendant of the late Durosaro, Mrs. Celestina Adekoya, while the matriarch of the Durosaro family, Mrs Bisi Durosaro also took a session to talk about her experience when her husband was facing end-of-life crisis and the difficulty involved in getting him adequate medical intervention and mental as well as emotional support from medical officers.

Also, Dr. Gbola Otun, a Consultant Psychiatrist at North Essex Partnership University, NHS Foundation Trust, took a lecture on supporting the needs of the family in an end of life situation (a mental perspective).

An interactive session followed this where people openly expressed their views on the inadequacies of the Nigerian society in putting priority on end of life care and the need for a framework to assist relatives emotionally during the trying period.

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Tribute to late Grace Ajiun Obeisun WHAT can I say unto the Lord’, All I have to say is thank you Lord!, Thank you Lord!!, Thank you Lord!!!. I am writing this tribute for my very dear Mother with mixed feelings. Today, my head is blessed and my blood flows wide because God has given me the grace to survive my mother, contrary to the belief of many detractors that I would not. It is however painful that I have lost a very caring mother, my defender, my prayer warrior and my compatriot. I have no doubt in my mind that my dear mother is happy wherever she is now that her prayer has been answered that I have survived her. It will be impossible to express my deep feeling about my mother in this tribute due to lack of space. However, I can testify without any contradiction that she was the best mother in the world.

My mother was highly dependable, morally upright, transparently honest and, above all, astonishingly beautiful. She radiated elegance with her natural beauty and impacted moral values, illustrating them with the Holy Bible to all her children, grand children and everybody that came across her. Only those who came across this gracious woman can appreciate my immense loss. My consolation is that she has lived a fulfilled life despite the turbulence of her early years of life when she lost her loving husband in 1972 at the age of 46 years. My mother took this death with great fortitude and lived the remaining 44 years of her life, devoting the years to the upbringing of her children according to christian values and never for once abandoned her responsibility either financially or morally in the onerous task of a widow.

I salute you, Yeye Roti, you will forever live in my heart. I have an undiluted love for you but Jesus who is our Redeemer loved you most. You have taught us how to live a pious and honest live, we will not disappoint you. You have shown us the path of righteousness which we shall follow, you have impacted both the christian PROBATE PUBLIC NOTICE We, MR SULAIMAN ROTIMI ADIATU, MRS AMOKE ATANDA (New Adiatu) and MR TAOHEED ADENIRAN ADIATU C/O their Solicitor F. OLATUNDE AJANI Esq of Alhaja Atopo Shopping Complex, OdoOri Market, Iwo, Osun State of Nigeria have applied to the Probate Registry of the Customary Court of Appeal, Osogbo for Letters of Administration to administer the Estate of late SULAIMAN AYINLA ADIATU of Oloya’s Compound, Iwo, Osun State, who died intestate on the 24th day of September, 2014.

Any objection to the application is to be forwarded to the Probate Registry of Customary Court of Appeal, Osogbo within 14 days of this notice.

and moral values in us which we have imbibed. As long as there is another fellowship in heaven, I, Chief Rotimi Obeisun who is your favorite Son and the only eye which you claimed you used for your sight will be joyous to meet you there when I have exceeded your age and fully accomplished all your desires for me on this planet. I promise to continue flying the flag of both your husband and ourself together with God’s grace to do so. We lived together for the past five years of your life and I know your expectations.

Deaconess Grace Iyabode Ajiun Obeisun(Nee Ibitayo) was born on Saturday, 17th April, 1926 to Late Mr. Gabriellbitayo Akinjokun of Odo Eki Compound in Ijebu Jesa and Late Madam Abigael Obodenikun Ibitayo of Odofin Abowoowu family Odo-Oja Ijebu Jesa in Oriade Local Government of Osun State. While her father died very early at the age of 51 in 1939, her mother lived for 100 years and died in 1989. Both of them were of the Apostolic Faith but. Madam Obodenikun later attended Christ Apostolic Church until her daughter, Deaconess Grace Iyabode Ajiun Obeisun, received her miracle of giving birth to a bouncing baby boy in 1958. Our mother, Deaconess Grace Iyabode Ajiun Obeisun was born in Olodo Village, Ibadan, where the parents were trading as “Osomalo”, She was the second child of the 12 children by Late Mr. Gabriel lbitayo who had three wives.

Her late mother, Madam Abigael Obodenikun had four girls, the second wife, Late Mrs. Ige lbitayo, had four boys while the third wife had four girls. All the eleven children had passed unto glory while Deaconess Grace Iyabode Ajiun Obeisun was the last to joint the saints on 13th August, 2016 at the age of 90.

When her father died in 1939, the family had to relocate to Ijebu- Jesa and stayed in Ijebu - Jesa until 1948 when she got married to her loving husband, Late Mr. Gabriel Sunday Abiodun Obeisun a successful trader in

Iseyin, Oyo State.

After her marriage, she followed her husband to Iseyin where both of them joined hands together to trade in textile materials, household goods, bakery and transportation.

Unfortunately, her husband died on September 10, 1972 at age 47, after a very brief illness and was buried on September 11, 1972, leaving four children for his widow to take care of, since 1972, this virtuous and highly enterprising young Lady of 46 years, took the headship of Sunday Obeisun family and successfully trained the four children - Chief Rotimi Obeisun, a successful international business mongul; Mrs Beatrice Modupe Aderibigbe, a senior teacher in the Oyo State Civil Service; Mr. Julius Olusegun Obeisun, a trader and Mrs. Victoria Olufunke Abokede, also a senior teacher in Oyo State Civil Service.

Although our mother lost her husband at a very young age, she took her misfortune with courage and struggled to live for 44 years as a widow without abandoning her faith in Christianity. She was a committed member of Christ Apostolic Church, Oluwole Iseyin and was ordained as a Deaconess in 1980. She contributed morally, spiritually and financially to the growth of that church which later became a district headquarter of Christ Apostolic Church in Iseyin.

She ensured that all her children were trained in the way of God and impacted “Omoluabi” virtues in them.

Before concluding this biography, it is very important to mention the agony she went through from 1948 when she got married to 1958 when she had her first surviving child. Chief Rotimi Olusanya Isola Obeisun. Within 10 years she had three children that died in infancy and Mis-carriages which made her to attend the popular revival of Late Apostle Ayodele Babalola in Oke-Oye lIesa, Osun State. The Late Apostle Ayodele Babalola prayed for her and predicted that she had received a miracle, she would deliver a baby boy that would not die and the children that would follow the predicted child would not die. True to that prediction, a baby boy was born on 6th February 1958 and was named Ebenezer Rotimi Oluwasanya Isola Obeisun. There after, all the children followed. True to that prediction all these children have survived Late Deaconess Grace Iyabode Ajiun Obeisun to God be the Glory.

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news Be proactive, Ajimobi charges NYSC management

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By Olawale Olaniyan

O

YO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has urged the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to be proactive in expanding the frontiers of the service to meet its current and future challenges.

Speaking at the NYSC 2016 ‘Batch B’ pre-mobilisation workshop, with the theme ‘Overcoming challenges of NYSC mobilisation process: The role of stakeholders,’ at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, on Wednesday, the state governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Olalekan Ali, commended the NYSC for holding the workshop in the state.

He said that NYSC had come a long way as a scheme, noting that it has lived up to the expectations of its founding fathers.

“Apart from the fact that it has fostered unity and integration among us as a people, the NYSC has also contributed immensely to the national development through various activities

Friday, 9 September, 2016

of corps members, particularly in their participation in our electoral processes and filling the labour gap in some establishments.

Earlier in his address, The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Sule Zakari Kazaure, said “pre-mobilisation workshop is a forum which provides opportunity for NYSC management and indeed all stakeholders in the mobilisation process to interface and review past activities with a view to finding solutions to the challenges that might have arisen in the previous exercise.”

He said one of the recent initiatives of the scheme was to improve the mobilisation exercise so as to complete computerisation of the process.

“The deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) did not only fast track the process but has also overcome the incidence of wrong mobilisation and other associated problems.”

He commended the Oyo State governor, Senator

Piracy: Olubadan advocates more stringent penalty THE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, has described piracy as an act of economic sabotage and rape on creative business which deserves more stringent penalty than it presently carries.

This, he contended, is capable of preventing the illegal business from thriving in the country.

Oba Adetunji, himself a music promoter and label owner, disclosed this while receiving members of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), led by Chief Tony Okoroji and Aishat Allen to his Popoyemoja, Ibadan palace.

Noting that piracy is a universal phenomenon which cut across borders, the Olubadan regretted that despite the current onslaught on piracy, the illegal business seemingly appeared to be flourishing.

Speaking earlier, Chief Okoroji told the Olubadan that they were in Ibadan for the stakeholders’ meeting.

He solicited the co-operation and support of the Olubadan in his society’s efforts to discover new talents and promote them to stardom at a time when diversification of the nation’s economy has become very necessary.

Ogun West deserves governorship slot in 2019 —Youths A group of youths in Ogun State, under the aegis of Beta Tomorrow, has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to support whoever emerges as the candidate from Ogun West to emerge the party’s flag bearer during the 2019 gubernatorial election.

This was contained in a press statement by the chairman of the group, Alhaji Babatunde Olaoluwa and made available to the Nigerian Tribune.

The release pointed out that the real agenda for 2019 in the state is to produce the state governor from Ogun West, just at it appealed to APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, to support the yearnings of the people of Ogun West to produce the next governor in 2019. ‘“We are children of Ogun State that lay the golden egg. We feed, nourish, enrich and develop the state since its creation at the detriment of our survival.

Abiola Ajimobi for his belief in the continuing relevance of the NYSC and his

assistance to the scheme.

Also, Director, Corps Mobilisation, NYSC, Mr Frank

Ekpunobi, called on the new corps to take full advantage of the workshop

Nigerian Tribune

and get acquainted with the workings of the NYSC integrated system.

Ogun govt distributes 10,000 C of O to homeowners

By Gbenga Olumide OGUN State government has said that over 10,000 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) have been issued to various beneficiaries of the Homeowner’s Charter Programme since its commencement in

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the last three years.

Commissioner for Finance, Mr Adewale Osinowo, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Olufunmilayo Dada, disclosed this while receiving members of the state House of Assembly

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Committee on Finance and Appropriation, led by Honourable Akanbi Bankole, on a budget performance visit to the ministry at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Osinowo noted that the programme had helped a lot of homeowners in serving as

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I, Eweolaru Alabi am the same person bearing Asiata Alabi.

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collateral to obtain loan to finance other concerns.

The commissioner explained that the programme had delivered on its set objective of processing title documents without stress and with huge discounts to beneficiaries.

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World Soul Winning Evangelistic Ministry (WOSEM), Christ Apostolic Church, (CAC)and general public take note.

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I, formerly Sulaiman Rukayat Oluwaseun now ISIJOLA RUKAYAT OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Margaret T. Ihentuge now MRS MARGARET IHENTUGE PAULINUS. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Akibu Adebodun now TAIWO ADEBODUN AKIBU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Oshun Olayinka Nusirat now MRS ADEWALE OLAYINKA NUSIRAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Agboola-Malli Abideen Adekunle am the same person bearing Malli Abideen Adekunle. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as AGBOOLA-MALLI ABIDEEN ADEKUNLE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeyeye Oluwatoyin Bisola now MRS OGUNLEYE OLUWATOYIN BISOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akinloye Adekemi Ruth now MRS JOHNSON ADEKEMI RUTH. All former documents remain valid.

Osun State College of Education, GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME IS N4000 PER BOX

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Olaniyan Mujidat now OLANIYAN MUJIDAT DASOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Shokoya Omolara Omowunmi now MRS ADENUGA OMOLARA OMOWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Maryam Tijjani now MRS MARYAM TIJJANI HAMZA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Kayode Olunike Adeola am the same person bearing Kayode Olunike Adeola Mubo. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as KAYODE OLUNIKE ADEOLA MUBO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Adejor Nuru Jibril Ibrahim am the same person bearing Adejor Nuru Ibrahim and also Adejor Nuru Jibril.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEJOR NURU JIBRIL. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Akintoye Suliyat Temitope now MRS OLORE SULIYAT TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Hamzat Kabiru Olawale now HAMZAT JUBRIL OLASUMBO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Sule A. Sanusi now HASSAN SULIMAN BABATUNDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Moses Eribo now MOSES IGUNBOR. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., Skye Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oladipupo Iyabo now OLADIPUPO MARY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oduntan Mobolanle Omolara now MRS DEPO-FAJUMO MOBOLANLE OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Omotoso Simeon now OWOLABI OLUWASEUN EMMANU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, Adeleke Rabiat Adebimpe, my name was wrongly written as Adeleke Rabiat Omotayo. Henceforth, all documents which bears ADELEKE RABIAT ADEBIMPE and 10/06/1941 as my date of birth are mine and remain valid.

EcoBank Plc, INEC and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME This is to certify that my correct name is DENNIS KYEI AGYEPONG not Dannis Kofi Agyepong.

All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME / DATE OF BIRTH

I, Ogunniyi Opeyemi Seun am the same person bearing Ogunniyi Elizabeth Opeyemi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OGUNNIYI OPEYEMI SEUN and my correct date of birth is 18/08/1988. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Cecilia Iquo Nesabagieyi now MRS PRAISE-JESUS IQUO NESABAGIEYI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Theophilus Hycenth Onogna now EZENYI RALECHUKWU HYCENTH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Boluwa Oritseweyinmi Kelly am the same person as Nelson Semetje. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Shaire Fortune Toritseju now FORTUNE TUONIMI TORITSEJUSHAIRE. All former documents remain valid. FCMB Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Timileyin Peter Oluwabori and Timilehin P. Odufala now ODUFALA TIMILEHIN PETER. All former documents remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeniran Fausat Oluwatosin now MRS AFOLABI FAUSAT OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ogunshina Tobiloba now OGUNSHINA HABEEBLLAI TOBILOBA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr Kayode Ezekiel now MR KAYODE EZEKIEL OLATUBOSUN. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olaoye Abiola now MRS ABDUL AZEEZ ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

Nigeria Police Force and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ogundiran Olubunmi Ayoni now MRS MAKINDE OLUBUNMI AYONI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Oluokun Idowu now MRS ROSE OGHWO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH

My name OGUNLEYE OMOBOLAJI ADEROMOLA was wrongly written in EcoBank as Ogunleye Bolaji Aderomola and my correct date of birth is 27th January, 1980 and not 27th January, 1978. All documents bearing these names remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oguntimehin Rantiola Mercy now MRS ALABI RANTIOLA MERCY OLAITAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olusegun Raphael Ayo now OLUSEGUN RAPHAEL JACOB. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, Gtbank Plc, Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME /DATE OF BIRTH I, Ayara Ajodun Temitope, my name was mistakenly written as Ayara Ajodun Elizabeth Lizzy. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AYARA AJODUN TEMITOPE and my correct date of birth is 29th September, 1990. All documents bearing these names remain valid. FCMB Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Fatunbi Oluwatobi Sina now MRS BADA OLUWATOBI SINA. All former documents remain remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Olajumoke Paramole now MRS OLAJUMOKE OLADIPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Odeyemi Zion Akinsanmi Demilade am the same person as Odeyemi Akinsanmi and Odeyemi Zion Demilade. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ODEYEMI ZION AKINSANMI DEMILADE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Alimi Bolanle Sakirat now MRS AMOO BOLANLE SAKIRAT. My correct date of birth is 12th August, 1968. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Idowu Oluwakemi Shittu now MRS IDOWU OLUWAKEMI ISOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Unah Rose Okoko now MRS AKINYEMI ROSE OKOKO. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeyemo Bukola Bolanle now MRS AJAGBE BUKOLA BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. OgoOluwa Local Government, Ajaawa, Union Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ladejo Janet Bolanle now MRS OLADEJO JANET BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Abiola Bisola am the same person bearing Olabamiji Bisola Yidiat.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLABAMIJI BISOLA YIDIAT. All documents bearing these names remain valid. EcoBank Plc, UBA Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ojo Abimbola Omolade now MRS AKOLADE ABIMBOLA OMOLADE. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Isreal Janet Oluwafisayo now MRS AYANTOLA JANET OLUWAFISAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Okafor Jonathan now OKAFOR JONATHAN OSITA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Idris Ayobami Adeoti am the same person bearing Idris Muibat Ayobami. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as IDRIS MUIBAT AYOBAMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

GTBank Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly Miss Apara Oluwaseyi Elizabeth now MRS OLUWASEYI ELIZABETH OJO. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olayiwola Latifat Omotayo now MRS O L AY I WO L A- BA BA L O L A LATIFAT OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adegoke Olutoyin Oluwemimo now MRS. ADENIJI OLUTOYIN OLUWEMIMO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Yinka Tayo Adewole now FATAI AYOOLA MUSHERIFF. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ayeniyi Adebayo Thomas now OYENIYI ABAYOMI THOMAS. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Oladigbolu Taiwo now OLADIGBOLU SAKIRU TAIWO. All former documents remain valid.

GTBank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Alimi Abiodun now SEKAYO TOSIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Osho Beatrice Funmilola now PASCHAL BEATRICE FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adediran Adepeju Basirat Iyabo now MRS. POPOOLA ADEPEJU BASIRAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Agboola Makinde Mayowa now AGBOOLA ANTHONY MAYOWA. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs Adebayo Oluwatoyin Olaide now MRS. ADEBAYO RISIKAT OLAIDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Akanni Toyosi Mujidat now AKANNI TOYOSI MABEL. All former documents remain valid.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Muftau Rasidat Abeni am the same person as Muftau Rashedat.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MUFTAU RASIDAT ABENI. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Omodogbe Oluwakemi Omonike now MRS OLOJO OLUWAKEMI OMONIKE. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adebayo Oluwatobiloba Olusola now ADEBAYO PAUL O L U WAT O B I L O B A OLUSOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Dada Dhikrullah Abiodun now DADA SIKIRU ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Adeshola Funke Grace now ASHAOLU FUNKE OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Alao Sodqi now ALAO SODIQ AJAO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mufutau Grace Bosede now MRS. BOLAJI GRACE BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public take note.

36 news

Friday, 9 September, 2016

Ondo APC primaries: Boroffice, observers fault process Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

T

HE lawmaker representing Ondo North senatorial district, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, on Thursday, called for the cancellation of the last Saturday’s governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State.

Boroffice, who polled 471 votes to come fourth in the election won by Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, called for the cancellation of the election, saying he was informed that those who were not delegates voted.

The lawmaker stated this in his Oka country home during a reception rally organised for him by the lawmakers representing Akoko South West/South East federal constituency, Babatunde Kolawole who also said the election was characterised with malpractices.

Boroffice, who called for total cancellation of the primaries, urged the Election Appeal Committee put in place by the party to investigate all the allegations.

He said “before the conclusion of the election, I kept hearing the rumour that the delegates, list has been infiltrated and doctored.

“That there are even some people who are not accredited, who are not even delegates, but were given tags and induced to come and vote and this has been substantiated. This is unfortunate.

“I am in support of total cancellation of the election.

The election should be cancelled while a fresh election should take place,” Borrofice said.

He, however, pledged to remain in the party, by working towards ensuring that the party wins the November 26 governorship election, even if the result of the primaries is not cancelled.

“I am not in this party to be a governor. I am in this progressive party to help build Nigeria and if I don’t become governor, another person will be governor, as long as the process is free, fair and

credible.”

Also speaking, Kolawole commended Boroffice for being a party man and assured him that the people of the Ondo North senatorial district will always be ready to support him.

He commended the national leader of APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, for ensur-

ing the party remain united despite the noise and crisis that heralded the party’s primaries.

Meanwhile, the Accredited Observer Group for the last Saturday’s governorship primaries of the APC in Ondo State, on Thursday, said the election process was marred with irregularities.

The group, which stated this in Akure, the state capital, during a press conference, called on the leadership of the APC to give necessary attention to all protests and allegations arising from the primaries.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Richards Adebayo stressed the need for the

According to Adebayo, the group observed that both accreditation and voting exercise were conducted manually but said “the poll officials detected that the accreditation of delegates was hastily done without proper screening and many delegates were given unstamped tags.

“Some of the delegates that came to the voting centre were not accredited by the three major accreditation centres because they were not duly screened in contravention of the rules and regulations of the electoral committee.”

Court orders remand of police inspector for killing okada rider Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

The celebrant, Mr Ademola Babalola (sixth left); his wife, Monsurat; former president, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Lanre Ogundipe (third right); guest speaker, Mr Femi Babalola (second right); Commissioner for Information, Oyo State, Mr Toye Arulogun (third left); former Editor-in-Chief, ANN Plc, Mr Felix Adenaike (fifth left); Vice Chairman, NUJ, Prince Segun Adeyemo and others, during the 40th birthday cerebration of Ademola Babalola, held at the Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Thursday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

LCDAs: Oyo lawmaker leads protest, as speaker advocates understanding

By Wale Akinselure

LAWMAKER representing Oyo East/Oyo West State constituency, Honourable Muideen Olagunju, on Thursday, led a protest, to demand the allocation of more local council development areas (LCDAs) to Oyo zone.

The protesters had gathered at Akesan market, Oyo town, under the “Oyo Global Forum” platform, holding placards that read, “Oyo must not be shortchanged”, “Oyo communities now in Afijio and Oriire”, “Oyo deserves more than 4 LCDAs.” Speaking during the protest, Olagunju argued that the allocation of four LCDAs was inadequate when compared to the allocation to other zones like Ogbomoso.

Olagunju, who premised his clamour on the 1991 census, said allocating four to

Oyo and seven to Ogbomoso zone when Ogbomoso’s population at that time was just over 30,000 was unfair.

Olagunju argued that, in the bill for further amendment of the local government law, 2002, some communities in Oyo zone overlapped into other zones.

He, therefore, held that the latest 2006 population census should be considered before implementing the 2002 law.

Meanwhile, Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo, has urged persons with agitations on the creation of 35 LCDAs to allow the implementation of the 2002 law, rather than ask for the initiation of another process that tampers with the existing law.

He argued that the bill before the house was to amend the law, not the en-

tire structure and processes that led to the allocation of the local councils to zones, in 2002.

“What we are supposed to do is to amend that law, not the structure, because the structure passed through certain processes. The moment you try to remove and add, you tamper with the referendum that made the

of opening up the rural areas through construction of access roads, the governor maintained that the project should be all-inclusive to accommodate the 36 states of the federation in view of the inherent benefits.

Ajimobi said, “I warmly welcome you to the state and let me express my state of happiness about this programme. I should also hint you about my reservation that Oyo State was just being considered to benefit from the project taking into cognizance the number of our rural dwellers.

“Oyo State has the best

arable land in sub-Saharan Africa, with six research institutes not to talk of the population of rural dwellers compared with others. I am pleading that the programme should not be about competition. It should be about ensuring that all states enjoy this facility; it is of right and not about competing for it.

“If you really want to develop the rural areas, all states must be given the opportunity. The Federal Government should extend it to all states without exception.

I’m stating this for emphasis that there should be no

people to decide the allocation of local councils.

“At that time, certain areas said they did not require additional local councils, while some failed to agree on the location of their headquarters. Those who now strongly feel the need for local councils have been asked to forward their memoranda for consideration.”

Ekiti finances: Ex-commissioner sues Assembly over alleged planned arrest Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

A former Commissioner for Finance in Ekiti State, Mr Dapo Kolawole, has filed a suit at the state’s High Court seeking to restrain the House of Assembly from passing any resolution for the purpose of issuing a bench warrant against him.

Kolawole had approached

Ajimobi advocates extension of World Bank assisted rural road projects OYO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has advised the Federal Government against selective implementation of the World Bank assisted Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) among the 36 states of the federation.

The governor, who gave the advice while welcoming the National Coordinator of the project, Mr Ubandoma Ularamu, to his office, on Thursday, said the country’s rural areas, without exception, were in dire need of attention.

Applauding RAMP as a laudable initiative capable

party’s leadership to give immediate attention to all the allegations tabled before the Election Appeal Committee and also to settle internal crisis within the party in the state.

Adebayo noted that most tags of the delegates were not signed and there was no mode of identification of the delegates.

exception; all states should benefit.

The governor commended the Federal Government for revitalising the programme, which, according to him, was the answer to ruralurban drift occasioned by poor access roads and lack of other social amenities in the interiors.

Earlier, the coordinator of the project had told the governor that RAMP was a Federal Government-inspired World Bank-assisted project being used as an implementation strategy for rural dwellers and transportation development policy.

the court following what he alleged was a plan by the state government under Governor Ayodele Fayose to arrest, ridicule and breach his fundamental human rights following his (Kolawole’s) comments during a recent media interview on the management of the state’s treasury.

Kolawole had served as the Ekiti State Commissioner for Finance between October 2010 and October 2014, during the administration of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Kolawole, through his counsel, Rafiu Balogun, in the suit marked HAD/86/2016, is seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the Assembly’s Speaker, Clerk and the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, who are the defendants, from issuing and signing any warrant of arrest to compel his appearance at the House in connection with the said interview he granted a television station.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

A Magistrates’ court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Thursday, ordered the remand of a police inspector, Anthony Nwadike, in Olokuta prison, over the killing of an okada rider in Omifon in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The accused was said to have killed the deceased, Sunday Joseph, after an argument between him and two others who were also shot.

It was gathered that Joseph and two others were riding on a motorcycle when the accused, with some other policemen, stopped them at a checkpoint.

A source narrated that the accused policeman threw a big stick to the deceased on the motorcycle to stop him, making the deceased and his passengers to fall down.

The source explained that an argument ensued between the deceased and the policemen which led to the shooting of the three men by the police officers.

The deceased was said to have died on the spot while the two other victims were taken to the hospital.

It was, however, gathered that the two are still in critical condition at the hospital and could not appear in court.

The charge sheet read, “That you Nwadike Anthony, 54 yrs, on September 4, 2016 about 6:00p.m. at Omifon, Ondo-Ore Road, in Ondo Magisterial District, did killed one Sunday Joseph, age 48, by shooting him with riffle on the stomach which resulted to his death contrary and punishable under section 319, Cap 37, Vol 1 of Ondo Laws, 2006.”

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the offence but his plea was no taken In his ruling, Magistrate V. Bob-Mamuel, ordered that the accused should be remanded in Olokuta Prison and adjourned the case till October 12, 2016.

Friday, 9 September, 2016 37 news Polio FG commissions N5.8bn water project in Otuoke

•Says all viable inherited projects will be completed Adetola Bademosi-Abuja

T

HE Federal Government (FG) on Thursday, commissioned a N5.8billion central Ogbia regional water supply project in Otuoke.

The project was initiated by the immediate past administration led by President Goodluck Jonathan but completed by the current administration.

Speaking at the commissioning in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, an engineer, reaffirmed commitment of the present administration to completing all viable projects that will improve the lives of Nigerians.

He quickly added that the Federal Government will also not hesitate to jettison policies and programmes which do not resonate with current realities and those that are of no significant benefit to, or are against the overall interest of the country.

“The project that we are commissioning today is among the high priority projects for water supply.

This project commissioning, therefore, further demonstrates that the Buhari administration is committed to completing all viable projects that have positive impact on the lives of our people without any political sentiments.

“Indeed, ours is a responsible and responsive government which recognises the imperative to continue with policies and programmes that are beneficial to the country, “My ministry is therefore poised to commission as many inherited projects as would be possible, during the life of this administration,” he said.

He further expressed hope that with the commission-

ing, the incidence of water borne diseases will reduce while sanitation and personal hygiene is improved.

However, he said the project will be handed over to the Bayelsa State government.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Rabi Jimeta, explained that contract for

From left, Deputy Corps Marshal, Motor Vehicle Administration, Charles Theophillus; Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi; Assistant Corps Marshal, Personnel, Godwin Ogagaoghene and Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, during a press conference on Eid-el-Kabir sallah celebration, at the FRSC headquarters, Abuja, on Thursday.

Prices of ram soar as Eid-el-Kabir draws close •FRSC deploys 20,000 personnel •FCT police boss assures residents of adequate security From Chris Agbambu, Clement Idoko, Biola Azeez with Agency Report

Barely five days to the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, prices of rams have continued to increase in Abuja.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gosa, Lugbe, and Gudu ram markets in Abuja, on Thursday, showed a 40 per cent increase in prices.

Mr Ango Mohammed, a ram seller, said that a medium sized ram which cost N25,000 last year was now being sold at between N35,000 and N40,000.

Mohammed said the

situation had scared customers from buying, adding that many of them had either settled for goats or decided not to slaughter any animal for Sallah.

Some of the customers, who spoke with NAN, said the prices were too high compared to 2015.

A customer, Sani Denja, who was seen bargaining over the price of a medium sized ram at Gosa market, bemoan the high cost of the animals at the market.

In a related development, the Federal Road Safety Corps has deployed 20,000 personnel, 697 patrol vehicles, 283 motor-

bikes, 76 ambulances and 22 tow trucks for special SALLAH patrols.

Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of FRSC, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi said this was in line with the Corps mandate of reducing road traffic crashes, as well as building a robust data base on traffic matters in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, as part of security arrangement to ensure a hitch-free eidel-kabir celebration in the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Mustafa, has ordered the massive deployment of plain-cloth and uni-

Campaign funds: SDP debunks Oshiomhole’s claim Jacob Segun OlatunjiAbuja

The Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Thursday, debunked the statement credited to the Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that its national chairman, Chief Olu Falae, collected the sum of N300 million from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2015 general elections when the two parties entered into electoral alliance for the reelection of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, on Thursday, by its national publicity Secretary, Alhaji Alfa Mohammed, declared that the

the execution of the project was signed with Messrs NAIRDA Company Ltd in August 2011.

statement credited to the governor at the rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Benin, on Tuesday that Chief Falae collected N300 million election funds from the PDP last year and that he was now having a running battle with the EFCC was false.

“It was false,” saying that it was cheap blackmail and an attempt to win Edo and Ondo states governorship elections fraudulently in favour of APC, knowing that the two states belong to the SDP. The party stated that the truth of the matter was that the PDP, based on the electoral alliance between the duo, gave it (SDP) N100 million to support its activities through Chief

Falae, which had been explained to the appropriate investigating agencies and the public several times, how the money was utilised by the party.

It wondered “what a sitting governor like Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s status may be trying to achieve by distorting facts and lying against an elder statesman like Chief Olu Falae, who has served this country meritoriously in several capacities including the positions of the Managing Director of Nigerian Merchant Bank, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Finance Minister.

The party, therefore, demanded “for an unreserved public apology from Comrade Oshiomhole over

this show of shame and black mail within 72 hours, failure which the party will take appropriation legal action against him as soon his tenure ends as he cannot continue to hide under immunity then.”

formed police operatives around praying grounds, shopping malls, gardens, recreational spots, critical infrastructures, motor parks and other areas that will be a beehive of activities while the event is been commemorated.

The arrangement also included the strategic deployment of personnel on foot and motorised patrols along all streets and major roads across FCT. Also, the Kwara State police command has read riot acts to all would be law breakers, miscreants and the likes to shun unruly acts during eid-el Kabir celebration in the state or face severe penalty.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi, the command said that eid el Kabir celebration is not an avenue to ventilate displeasure over any government policy.

NAFDAC organises transparency workshop for North West officials Muhammad Sabiu-Kaduna

The Acting Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Ani, has said the present management would ensure that the agency lives up to its statutory mandate of transparency.

She made her stand

known during a transparency training programme for senior staff of the agency from the North West zone in Kaduna.

According to her, since she took over the mantle of leadership, the current management under her watch had promised to be decisive, firm, courageous, bold and transparent in running the affairs of the agency.

ambassador vows to defeat scourge despite recent outbreak

The Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, Sir Emeka Offor, has vowed to defeat polio, despite the recent discovery of two cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) of Wild Poliovirus Type 1, in Borno State.

Reflecting on years of remarkable public health achievements and recent isolated polio outbreak in Borno State, in Abuja, Offor encouraged all relevant stakeholders to focus on a renewed emphasis on End Polio Now campaign.

According to the National Polio Eradication Operations Centre in Abuja, two children from Gwoza and Jere Local Government Areas of Borno State, have been paralyzed by the disease. They said the only recorded cases of polio in Nigeria since July 2014 within months of being certified free and clear of the disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“It is a disheartening turn of events in our collective efforts to rid the country of the disease,” he said.

“We have wrestled polio together for many years and have enjoyed remarkable success. We shall not relent.

We will now refocus and unite to continue the fight to ensure that all children are safe from the disease.

We will defeat polio.

“The isolated cases of AFP in Borno State are a sobering reminder that no child is safe until every potential virus becomes eradicated worldwide.

“Nigeria should be unreserved in its vigilance, intensify surveillance across borders and continue to drive forward the campaign on national immunisation, particularly, in the move to reach communities of the North East,” he said.

Also commenting on the development, the Rotary International Polio Plus chairman, Michel McGovern, stressed that it was disappointing news for rotarians all over the world and particularly, those in Nigeria, who have been at the forefront of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

“Rotary members remain resilient in the face of challenges,” he said.

“Today, we roll up our sleeves and redouble our efforts to rid the world of this devastating disease. rotary members in Nigeria are already at work to support the outbreak response and our network will also be tapped to protect children quickly in other countries,” he said.

38

news

Nigerian Tribune

Friday, 9 September, 2016

Develop Ekiti, Afe Babalola urges indigenes

T

HE founder of Afe babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Chief Afe Babalola, has called on well-meaning Ekiti sons and daughters, to harness their God-given talents, contacts and connections for the development of Ekiti State, which apart from Gombe State,

receives the least allocation from the monthly Federal Government allocation to states.

Chief Afe Babalola, who chaired the maiden colloquium on the development of Ekiti, organised by the Ekitipanupo, the indigenous think-tank and intellectual round-table, advocating selfless governance

of Ekiti people, in Lagos, on Thursday, said he looks forward to an Ekiti State which will benefit from its educated elite, first rate academics, robust industrialists and military big wigs as well as seasoned administrators as a result of which the state is fondly christened “The fountain of knowledge”.

we should harness such contacts and connections for the development of Ekitiland”.

“Let each of us here bring his/her friend, husband, wife and well-wishers to invest in Ekiti and let’s see if the story will not be different by this time next year. I look forward to seeing an Ekiti State that will

Chief Afe Babalola, who was represented by the Head of Corporate Affairs, ABUAD, Mr Tunde Olofintila, said: “It is a wellknown fact that many of us Ekitis are stars, indeed, some are mega stars, in our various vocations and callings. We have contacts and connections in high places.

My plea here today is that

NCC raids Onitsha GSM plaza, arrests 5 suspects over musical pirate Suzy Oruya - Onitsha THE officials of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), on Thursday, stormed the popular Emeka Offor Plaza, known for GSM in Onitsha Main Market and arrested five suspected Mp3s musical down- loaders, in a war against piracy in the country.

The NCC officials, acting on information, stormed the Plaza and apprehended the five suspects, who they believed to be the control tower for all the MP3 music loaders within the plaza.

The operation was led

by NCC’s Director of Enforcement, Augustine Akewu Amodu and assisted by the Onitsha zonal

director, Emeka Ogbonna as well as a team of security agents However, efforts by NCC officials to arrest more people proved abortive as they quickly jumped into waiting vehicles and returned to their office as soon as they discovered that some of the traders had already started mobilising against them.

Parading the suspects at NCC zonal office in Onitsha, shortly on arrival, Amodu, who identified MP3 player, as a copyright infringement, lamented that the Nigerian music industry had already gone into abyss since the advent of MP3.

Amodu noted that the Director-General of NCC, Mr Afam Ezekude, had

already given a directive that all the pirates who downloaded peoples’ musical and film works into MP3, audio and video plates and sell to customers should be arrested and prosecuted.

He, therefore, warned the general public to stop patronising the MP3 music loaders and movies pirates.

Ambode clarifies N500bn approved by Lagos Assembly Says N60bn accessible for 2016 will be spent on Ajah, Abule Egba, others Bola Badmus - Lagos LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has clarified the N500billion bond programme

Association honours OBJ THE Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Executive Council (NEC) of the national commercial tricycle/ motor cycle owners and riders association (NACTOMORAS),has honoured and appointed the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, with an award of national grand patron.

The event took place at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library auditorium, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, last Friday. The presentation of the award and decoration was made by the national president and BoT’ chairman of the association, Alhaji Sani Hassan and Chief E. O. Oladapo, respectively.

The association lauded Chief Obasanjo for his positive contributions to national development In his remarks, Chief Obasanjo said he was glad to accept the honour and enjoined members of the association, in the state and across the country, to desist from criminality; reckless riding and drug abuse as well as abide with traffic rules.

approved by the state House of Assembly, saying the state can only draw N60billion for the 2016 fiscal year from the total approved and later draw from the remaining fund for subsequent years as approved by the House.

According to the governor, the bond is a pool fund that would span over a period of time and not just for the current appropriation year, adding that the N60billion would be used to accelerate the aggressive infrastructural development ongoing in the state, including the completion of the Ajah Flyover, Abule Egba Flyover, Pen Cinema Flyover as well as the con-

struction of bus parks.

He said it would be used to improve health facilities and the building of more public schools among many other infrastructural projects.

Governor Ambode, who spoke to journalists on Wednesday, said that it was pertinent to clarify the bond programme as it had been technically misrepresented in some section of the media.

The governor, while explaining the modalities of the bond programme, said that the state, since 2007, had had two bond issuance programmes, adding that the one recently approved by the Assembly, was the third and would run for a

Govt has neglected us —Pensioners Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja THE pensioners, under the auspices of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), on Wednesday, gave a gory picture of what is currently befalling their members across the federation and lamented their neglect by the government Besides, in what it termed a world press conference addressed on Thursday, at the Labour House, Abuja, the NUP president, Dr Abel Afolayan, said that the Pension Funds became a cesspool of corruption under the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Speaking on the plights of the pensioners, Afolayan, said the pensioners were the worst hit by the scourge of corruption in the country.

He added with pains that

the pensioners, who have used their youthful age to serve the country meritoriously in various fields of human endeavour, have virtually become endangered species.

The NUP president commended the “determination, commitment and courage” of President Muhammadu Buhari on his war against corruption in Nigeria.

Though, he said that the pensioners were fully in support of the president in this regard but urged him to look at their plights.

“We are not unmindful of the economic down-turn in the nation currently.

We pray that God in his infinite mercy, will bring succour to the Nigerian economic woes so that President Buhari can fulfil his electoral promises to Nigerians.

period of three to five years.

He said the state could only draw N60billion from the pool of N500billion for the current appropriation year and would also draw from the fund for subsequent years as approved by the House.

“Before you can actually even appropriate it in your budget, you need that programme and that programme was what was approved by the House.

But in the appropriation

of 2016, what is in the Appropriation Law for 2016 is just N60billion.

“So, it’s from this programme that we are pulling out this N60billion.

So, for next year’s budget, if the House approves for instance, N80billion as bond, we don’t need to go back to the House again after they have approved that budget, you draw from that issuance programme and take another amount which is approved for 2017 budget.

SATURDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER,

be the clear leader among the comity of states. It is achievable and the time to start that race is now”.

The founder of ABUAD, however, counselled that future editions of the wellthought out colloquium should take place in Ekiti to enable many Ekiti indigenes who have not been home in a long time to have a better feel and appreciation of what has been and what needs to be done to move the state forward.

He stressed that since the colloquium was not meant for the elite alone, hosting it in Ekiti would naturally have enabled many more indigenes of Ekitiland, ranging from traditional rulers, civil servants, artisans and indeed, the generality of Ekitis to be more readily available and present at a colloquium discussing them and their wellbeing as well as their future, adding that in these days of harsh economic reality, many people who otherwise could not afford to come to Lagos would have found it easy and cheap to be present if the colloquium was held in Ekitiland.

Besides, hosting the colloquium in Ekiti would have enabled the crèmede-la-crème of Ekiti people to see the level of development and probable areas of need in the state.

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Ondo election:

I am scared of marriage

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SDP on rescue, rebuilding mission — Olu Agunloye

Corrupt politicans’ children, grandchildren will suffer for their sins

— Former Methodist Prelate, Sunday Mbang

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If APC does not get its act together, we’ll lose Ondo — Senator Arise

39

Friday, 9 September , 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Transfer ban: Real Madrid takes case to CAS

Obaje

I’m not after highest goalscorer’s award —Obaje

W

ikki Tourists striker, Godwin Obaje, admits winning the Nigeria Professional Football League title will be better than winning any individual award.

Obaje has scored a league-leading 18 goals for Wikki this season as they continue their chase for a domestic triumph.

However, the forward’s target remains winning the title rather than breaking Mfon Udoh’s 23goal record for the most number of goals in a campaign.

“I’m not thinking of equalling or even breaking Mfon Udoh’s record but the success of my team is more paramount to me,” Obaje told Goal.

“I know people expect so much and that is what we want to deliver.

“I am an individual player, but we will have to work as a team to deliver the title.

“That is the most important thing to me; the rest are secondary.

“I am better off winning the league title with Wikki Tourists and failing to win the golden boot or any other award.”

Obaje also questioned the officiating in the Nigerian top flight fol-

Rio Olympics: American swimmer banned for claiming fake robbery American Ryan Lochte has been banned from the sport for 10 months after falsely claiming he was robbed at gunpoint during the just-ended Rio Olympic Games.

The six-time Olympic gold medallist said he and three team-mates were held up at a petrol station during a night out.

But police questioned the account after CCTV footage showed the group had vandalised the pet-

I will return against Osasuna —Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he will return for Real Madrid in tomorrow’s Liga clash with Osasuna.

The 31-year-old has been nursing a knee injury that he picked up in the European Championship final, preventing him from playing in the European Super Cup or either of Real Madrid’s La Liga games this season.

Ronaldo suffered medial collateral ligament

lowing their loss to Enyimba.

“It was a great game of soccer displayed by both sides. I wasn’t happy that my team lost.We have to prepare for the next match against Nasarawa United. So we will see what we can get in Makurdi,” he added.

Real Madrid has confirmed it will turn to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have the transfer ban imposed on them by FIFA overturned.

In January, Los Blancos alongside city rivals Atletico Madrid - were banned from registering players for two consecutive transfer windows after being charged with breaching FIFA regulations relating to the protection and transfer of minors.

The bans were delayed pending their appeals to the governing body, but FIFA confirmed on Thursday that the decision is to be upheld, meaning they will not be able to sign any players until 2018.

Responding to the announcement on Thursday, Real confirmed it will continue to appeal the decision by taking their grievances to CAS. A club statement reads: “In light of today’s decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee, Real Madrid C. F. wishes to communicate the following: “The club regrets said decision, understanding it to be deeply unjust and contrary to the fundamental principles of disciplinary law. The club will begin the appropriate appeals procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), requesting that the decision be completely overturned, with absolute confidence that said organisation will come to an en-

damage in his left leg following a challenge from France’s Dimitri Payet, and has only returned to Madrid training this week.

The Portugal captain insists he is ready to return, however, telling reporters at a promotional event: “Yes, I will play [against Osasuna].”

Los Blancos have won both of their Liga games so far this season, beating Real Sociedad and Celta Ronaldo Vigo.

rol station.

USA Swimming and the US Olympic Committee (USOC) have also banned the three other swimmers involved.

Gunnar Bentz, Jimmy Feigen and Jack Conger have each been banned for four months.

The sanctions were handed down for breaches of each organisation’s code of conduct.

“The behaviour of these athletes

was not acceptable,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “It unfairly maligned our hosts and diverted attention away from the historic achievements of Team USA.” Lochte’s punishment means he will not be able to qualify for the 2017 World Championships.

The 32-year-old swimmer admitted he had “over-exaggerated” his original account.

While he returned to the US in the days following the incident, Bentz and Conger were pulled off a US-bound plane by police, though they were subsequently allowed to leave after questioning.

Feigen agreed to pay $11,000 (£8,250) to a Brazilian charity after he was allowed to return home.

Late last month, Brazilian police charged Lochte with making a false statement, though his lawyer later said the swimmer will not respond to the charge.

The crime carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and Lochte can be tried in his absence.

Several sponsors, including clothing manufacturer Speedo, dropped the swimmer in the wake of the revelations.

tirely favourable decision.

“Real Madrid will request that the procedure be undertaken in an urgent manner in order to obtain a decision from the CAS as quickly as possible.”

Zidane

Abia Warriors’ coach laments Abia Warriors head coach, Abdul Usman Biffo has described as huge setback the top-flight draw against oriental neighbours, FC IfeanyiUbah.

The Umuahia Warriors were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Anambra Warriors in Wednesday’s NPFL rescheduled matchday 34 clash at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

Biffo said despite the dropped points in the oriental clash his side still have their destiny to survive the drop right on their palms.

“Of course, the draw against FC IfeanyiUbah was a huge setback on our concerted efforts to beat the drop in the on-going topflight.

“We worked very hard to claim the whole three points but ended up sharing the spoils with the visitors.

“After we fought hard to pick a point on the road only to come back home to forfeit two points that’s not really smiling moment for us.

“However, I can beat my chest and tell whoever that cares to listen that Abia Warriors will certainly beat the drop at the end of the season.

“We have our destiny right there in our hands to make or mar the survival quest in the top-flight.

“We have three home matches to play on the calendar we cannot afford to toy with any of the matches if we must remain in the premier league.”

SIDELINES

N150

FRIDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER, 2016

N0 16,586

Iheanacho wins CNN Goal Award

BY GANIYU SALMAN

N

IGERIAN international, Kelechi Iheanacho’s wonder goal last weekend against Tanzania has earned him the CNN Goal of the Week award.

Iheanacho, last Saturday at the magnificent Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, known as the Nest of Champions had scored the Super Eagles’ goal which dimmed the Taifa Stars of Tanzania, in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

The victory of the 2013 FIFA U-17 Most Valuable Player was announced through the CNN’s official twitter handle, CNN Football Verified account ?@ CNNFC.

“Congratulations to the latest CNN Goal of the Week winner, Kelechi Iheanacho!” it tweeted.

The Manchester City starlet according to the official twitter handle of CNN polled 65 per cent ahead of Jonathan Kodjia of the Elephants of Ivory Coast who polled 17 per cent. Jonathan’s nominated goal was his stunning overhead kick during the AFCON qualifier against Sierra Leone last weekend which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Mariano Diaz of Real Madrid Castilla was third having polled 11 per cent votes.

Fernando Camilo of Botafogo came fourth having polled seven per cent of the total 206 votes cast. His stunning bicycle kick when Botafogo pipped Gremio 2-1 in the

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said the commencement of the use of the speed limiting device across the country remains October 1 this year, as the incidence of loss of lives through road crashes becomes worrisome. If one may ask, has there been enough enlightenment to guide motorists for this policy to achieve the desired results?

Brazilian league last weekend was one the goals voted for.

The Imo State-born forward, Iheanacho succeeds Aduana Stars of Ghana striker, Bright Adjei, who won last week’s edition and also became the first player to win back-to-back CNN Goal of the Week award.

Iheanacho, it will be recalled, last season was ranked among the top 10 emerging talents in the English Premier League last season.

Iheanacho, who also featured at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup also clinched the award of being the player who scored a goal-per-minute ratio in Europe last season at the expense of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema, among others.

Iheanacho celebrates his wonder goal against Tanzania in Uyo.

Rio 2016 Paralympics:

US Open: Serena battles Pliskova for final ticket SERENA Williams was pushed hard by fifth seed, Simona Halep before coming through in three sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open.

The American six-time champion won a gripping contest 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in the Flushing Meadows night session to close in on a 23rd Grand Slam singles title.

Williams, 34, will play Czech 10th seed Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows today.

The game will be followed by another semi-final tie between Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki.

Brazil president booed at opening ceremony

Serena

Williams and Kerber are battling for the world number one ranking, with the American knowing that, to hang on to top spot, she must reach the final.

Should the German second seed line up as her opponent, Williams will have to beat her to stay on top.

It took the best part of two hours for Williams to break free of the tenacious Halep with a succession of heavy returns giving her a 3-1 lead in the final set.

Williams dominated the first set with six aces and three breaks of serve.

But Halep, who became the first woman at this year’s US Open

to break the American’s serve, claimed the second.

The 24-year-old Romanian fought off 12 break points and converted her fifth set point of an epic 10th game to draw level.

A huge shock loomed when she stood at 15-40 early in the second set, but Williams won three straight games to build a lead she would not relinquish.

“I lost my rhythm a little in the second set and Simona kept playing really well, going for her shots,” said Williams.

“But I knew if I wanted to win this I needed to step it up in the third set.”

BRAZILIAN president, Michel Temer was booed as the 2016 Paralympic Games opened late Wednesday night in Rio de Janeiro to a backdrop of colour and music.

Thousands of performers were involved either side of the twohour procession of competing countries at the Maracana.

Competition begins on Thursday, when Great Britain’s Dame Sarah Storey can become the most successful female Paralympian.

Rio 2016 organising committee president, Carlos Nuzman was the first to be booed during his speech, as was President Temer a short while later.

The South American country has been beset by political unrest and, just 24 hours earlier, former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff left her official residence for the last time following her impeachment and re-

moval from office.

Nuzman did manage to finish his speech, which spoke of building a “new world, more accessible to all and with no obstacles”. Temer’s role was brief as he officially opened the Games and handed over to more performers.

Finally the flame was lit in driving rain and in front of a cheering crowd by influential official Marcia Malsar.

The opening ceremony began with American Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham, in a wheelchair, jumping from a massive ramp from the Maracana stands and performing a back flip through a giant ring.

The national anthem of Brazil was played on the piano by Carlos Martin, whose right hand is severely disabled, before the parade of athletes, with the loudest cheer of the night reserved for competitors from the host nation.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 9/9/2016.