10th September 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 1,168

SATURDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER, 2016 www.tribuneonlineng.com

Shiites barricade roads in ‘Occupy Kaduna’ campaign pg5

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SPECIAL TREAT Excess intake of vegetable oil increases risk of cancer, heart diseases, others —Experts

3 Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

pg5

pg4

SALLAH:

Security beefed up nationwide IG orders AIGs, CPs to take firm charge

I am scared of marriage

—Princess Chineke Weekend Lagos

pg4

pg3 pgs19,20,21&22

Seated from left, Managing Director, PZ-Wilmar, Santosh Pillai; chairman, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Chief Kola Jamodu and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, signing an MOU between the Nigeria Institute for Oil-Palm Research (NIFOR) and PZ-Wilmar on oil-palm research and development in Abuja, on Friday. Standing are the Chief Executive Officer, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Mr Christos Giannopoulos (left) and the Executive Director of NIFOR, Dr Omorefe Asemota.

PHOTO: NAN

Ijora Badia: “Life is terrible, Even leaders are affected by recession very terrible...” pg5 —Saraki

Children, grandchildren of pgs28&29 corrupt politicians will pay for their parents’ sins —Sunday Mbang

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

words that day. I ended up sleeping on set the next day. When I got back to the hotel, I had my bath, laid down on the bed. She said she wanted my space. She called the Project Manager telling him to throw me out, that I was not supposed to be in the project and the hotel. I told her I came just the same way she came. We started exchanging words. She insulted my family.

I told her she had no right to decide when I should leave a job since it wasn’t her father’s.

In seconds, she bounced on my thigh with her teeth. She hit me, but before I could hit back some men came in to separate us. She said, “Check your leg.

See what I did to you.” I didn’t feel the pain until I went to pee. I saw that she had ripped my washed pants in the bathroom. I pulled the pyjamas I was wearing and that was when I saw a chunk of my flesh falling off. I showed it to everyone who ran into the room. The management took me to another hotel, then to the hospital.

I am scared of

marrisasge —Prince Chineke

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hat has been happening to you since the bite incident?

I took a break from acting to take care of myself. I have fully recovered and I am ready to have my groove back. Princess is back and back for good. I’m 100 percent all right. I am healed emotionally, mentally and otherwise.

We hear the case is in court, do you still want to pursue it?

To me, I would have left it for God to handle. I believe it was not ordinary. In my whole life, I have never heard that someone was bitten like that. It was scary. The police took the case to court. I’m merely appearing as a victim.

Princess Chineke is one of Nollywood’s fast-rising role interpreters.

A graduate of Computer Science from the University of Benin, Princess won the Miss Uniben beauty pageant while in school, after which she modelled for Samsung, Federal Palace Hotel, Maggi, Bachus wine and Mouka Foam. In February this year, Princess made headlines after a colleague bit off a chunk of flesh from her thigh during a fight at a movie location. NEWTONRAY UKWUOMA met Princess at the 2016 City People Awards and brings the conversation he had with her and a colleague.

The case is not in my hands anymore.

Can you recollect what happened that fateful day?

I came in late to the movie location. The hotel rooms were fully booked so I was asked to share a room with her (Chrystabel Goddy). Few nights she stayed in, she was always making midnight calls. So I asked her to go out of the room or make the calls in the toilet with the doors locked. The other night she made calls at 1.00am putting the caller on loudspeaker. Hearing a male voice from sleep, I woke up thinking a guy was in the room only to discover it was her caller. I complained to the management. They said they will get me another room the next day. I told her she was disturbing, she insulted me. We exchanged

Was the location in Lagos here?

Yes. We were shooting in Iyana Ipaja on a movie project titled Behind the Smile (working title). The incident happened at 11:30pm on a Friday.

How did you pull through the pain and healing period?

[Opens her laps] You can see the scar. It was such a huge scar. I never believed such a thing could happen to me. I went through a lot, but that was in February. I have fully recovered and moving on. I was in church all through that period. Friends, family, colleagues were all there for me.

What has that taught you about life?

This whole drama drew me closer to God in a special way.

Now, I don’t get close to people anymore. I just learn to keep my distance. Whenever I meet someone for the first time, I don’t dare come close. I can only wave at them from afar. I am smarter, more careful and sensitive now.

Has Chrystabel reached out to you? How do you relate with her now?

I don’t have anything to do with her. I didn’t know her from anywhere before [then]. I don’t expect to relate with her in any way.

What if you come on another set and meet her there, what would you do?

[Laughs] Honestly, I don’t look forward to that. Not at all.

How has this year been for you?

This year isn’t exactly how I planned it. But whenever there seems to be a problem, there is always a blessing around the corner. I believe God is still working His wonders in my life. I believe that the coming months would be a lot better.

You are a very pretty lady, is Mr. Right around the corner?

[Thinks for a while]. No! How come it took you a while to arrive at that answer?

Of course, I know it would lead to other personal questions. So to be on the safe side, let me just say No to save us the stress.

How do you cope as a single lady?

Continues on pg26

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Sallah: Security beefed up nationwide

10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

IG orders AIGs, CPs to take firm charge Chris Agbambu - Abuja, Oluwatoyin Malik and Bola Badmus - Lagos

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HE Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has given directives for adequate security of lives and properties during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Towards this end, Assistant Inspectors General of Police in charge of zonal commands and all the commissioners of police in the state commands have been directed to deploy adequate personnel to cover all the Eid-el-Kabir praying grounds, recreation centres and public places.

Others are public infrastructures and utilities, and other points and venues where celebration will take place.

Similarly, the police commanders, according to a press release signed by DCP Don Awunah, Force Public Relations Officer and made available to Saturday Tribune, have been directed to collaborate with sister agencies, cultivate intelligence, interface with community leaders to monitor the activities of undesirable elements in the society who may take undue advantage of the public holidays to cause mischief and disturb public peace.

The Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Units, Explosive Ordinance Department and personnel of Criminal Investigation and

Intelligence Department will also be deployed to all the aforementioned locations.

Sustained surveillance and special attention will be paid to flash or vulnerable points and other identifiable hot spots to prevent criminalities during the sallah celebration and beyond, the statement added.

The IGP said Nigeria Police Force was confident that the operational strategies being executed for the Sallah festivities would guarantee a peaceful and hitch free Eid-El-Kabir celebration.

The IGP also urged Muslim faithful and all Nigerians to be vigilant and continue to support the police to prevent crimes in their localities.

He commended the dedication and commitment of officers in ensuring that security and peace prevail throughout the country despite the enormous challenges.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State government on Friday said that adequate preparations have been put in place towards ensuring a hitch-free Eid-elKabir celebration, disclosing that security personnel have been mobilised to be at strategic places such as praying grounds, amusement parks, malls, among others.

The government gave the assurrance shortly after rising from the monthly Security Council meeting, chaired by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and attended by heads

of all security agencies in the state.

The government said security agencies have been alerted to be in strategic places before, during and after the celebration to nip any potential threat to security in the bud.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, while briefing Government House correspondents at the end of the meeting, said the Council appraised the security strategies already put in place for the celebration and members were satisfied with the solid arrangement towards a successful celebration.

Owoseni said “We looked at all the strategies that have been put in place by all the security agencies and the support that the state government is giving us. We are satisfied that we are well prepared to ensure that residents of Lagos have hitchfree holiday period and that the Muslim brothers and sisters also have a successful and hitchfree Eid-el-Kabir holiday.

“Security agencies will be at all the strategic places, including the Eid-el-Kabir praying ground, amusement parks and the malls so that by the time we are ending the holiday and the Sallah is finished, everybody will be happy to say that it is another successful holiday and it is another successful Eid-el-Kabir celebration.”

Besides, Owoseni debunked conflicting media reports on

the casualties at the mayhem between Hausa and Fulani communities in Agege Abattoir area of the state, saying that only one person was unfortunately killed during the crisis.

He said security agencies responded swiftly to douse the tension, adding that the mayhem was purely an issue of miscreants and criminal elements wanting to make life more difficult for the people.

Also, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Sam Adegbuyi has assured residents of Oyo State of adequate security during the sallah celebration, as he says he has deployed officers and men of different units, squads and departments to every nook and cranny of the state to ensure the safety of lives and properties.

Disclosing this on Friday through the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, a Superintendent of Police, Mr Adegbuyi listed the squads, units and departments from which police officers were massively deployed to include the Spe-

cial Anti-Robbery Squad, the Counter Terrorism Unit, Swift Response Squad, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Safer Highway Patrol, Police Mobile Force and Explosive Ordinance Department, as well as regular policemen, with the order that they should embark on intensive and extensive patrol of the state.

The police commissioner added that while this was being done, plain clothes detectives had also been deployed to various vulnerable public places such as banks, places of worship, eateries and recreation centres, where people normally flock during festivities to provide security.

He warned criminals against violating laws of the land, saying that anyone who contravene such laws would be made to bear the consequences.

He enjoined law-abiding citizens to go about their lawful duties, saying that his men were on the ground to protect them.

Adegbuyi also appealed to members of the public not

3 Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia, as Arafat holds on Sunday THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has confirmed the death of three out of the 76,000 pilgrims from Nigeria in Saudi Arabia for the 2016 Hajj ex-

ercise.

The head of the medical team, Dr Ibrahim Kana, confirmed this to all stakeholders during a pre Arafat meeting held at Makkah.

Kana, who disclosed that two of the pilgrims died in Madi-

He said as a governor, he had no power to stop the security operatives from performing their duties of protecting the lives and properties of the people of the state.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, said the governor never ordered the arrest of Mohammed.

He said, “It is unfair to connect the arrest of Mohammed Audu to Lugard House. Since his inauguration, the present administration has accorded respect to the late political icon. The state-owned university was named after the late Prince Abubakar Audu and the state government also gave him a posthumous award for his contributions to the development of the state.

“The arrest of Mohammed Audu was an affair of the late politician’s family. We would not want to comment heavily on what is before the court because the administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello holds the judiciary in high esteem.

“However, we must begin to separate criminality from politics. The fruitless attempt by our opponents to use the arrest to score cheap political

scores has failed woefully because the people knew the facts of the matter.

“Yahaya Audu, younger brother to the late Prince Abubakar Audu was allegedly attacked and he mentioned the people behind the attack.

It has nothing to do with the governor.

“We are laying down the gauntlet in Kogi State that nobody is above the law.

Even the governor is not above the law. The law is no respecter of anybody, therefore, anyone caught breaking the law must be made to dance to the music.

“Kogi State government will continue to ensure the protection of lives and properties.

The Governor was elected to ensure security.

“Governor Yahaya Bello will not be found interfering with the duties of security agencies.

“Kogi State belongs to all and the governor is working hard to make the state achieve its potential.

“We urge political opponents to embrace the spirit of a new Kogi State under the new direction, which frowns upon criminality and ethnic chauvinism. We are one people, united by destiny for prosperity and posterity.”

Saheed Salawu in Makkah

Bello, Audu’s family rift deepens Our son’s arrest, political persecution —Audu’s family It is unfair to connect me with Mohammed’s arrest —Bello Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja THE crisis generated by the arrest of the first son of a former governor of Kogi State, Mohammed Audu, continued on Friday as the Audu family and the state government traded blame over the development.

The Audu Oyidi Royal Family of Ogbonicha, Ofu Local Government area of the state, described the arrest and the arraignment as “political persecution of the highest order”.

The family accused the state government of masterminding the arrest for political purposes.

In a statement signed on behalf of the family by the Oregoh Attah of Igalaland, the paramount ruler of Ogbonicha, the family lamented the media frenzy that attended the arrest and arraignment of their son on trumped up charges that are politically motivated and affirmed their implicit confidence in his unimpeachable integrity.

It will be recalled that Mohammed, son of the late Prince Abubakar Audu, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 21, 2015 governorship elections in the state was arrested and ar-

raigned before the Chief Magistrates Court in Lokoja on Thursday for armed robbery, conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide.

The statement reads: “We are surprised with the news of the arrest and arraignment of the son of our late patriarch, Mohammed, on trumped up charges of armed robbery, conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide.

“We believe that Mohammed is a responsible man from a respectable background who would do no such thing as to bring disrepute to the name of our family. The story by his uncle, Yahaya, that he was attacked and beaten up and that the attack was masterminded

by Mohammed is purely a family matter that should not have been politicised to this extent.

“Since the matter is already before a law court, we shall refrain from further comments for now but suffice to express our utter condemnation of the apparently coordinated media frenzy that attended the arrest and arraignment,” the family stated.

Also, stakeholders of the APC from the three senatorial districts of the state on Friday rose from an emergency meet-

ing in Lokoja and condemned the arrest and arraignment of Mohammed.

According to Hon Kehinde Afolabi, who spoke on behalf of the group, it was unfortunate that members of the late Prince Audu’s family were being hounded and persecuted despite the political nightmare the family is going through.

“Why would people not allow the soul of the dead to rest well. Prince Abubakar Audu lived and did his best for Kogi State as governor. The least the authorities should do is not to persecute his family members but to encourage them.

“We hereby condemn in totality the show of shame where Mohammed was arranged on what we believe are pure trumped up charges aimed at scoring cheap political points. Kogi is currently passing through some difficult times politically and we are of the view that all hands must be on deck by the various stakeholders to keep the peace and not to disrupt it,” the statement said.

But the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has again dissociated himself from the ordeal of the first son of the former governor.

to hesitate to give the police information that could help in foiling any attempt by miscreants to foment trouble.

In a related development, the Oyo State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Commandant Jao Adewoye has deployed 1,500 officers to all the 33 local government areas of the state in respect of the holiday for the Eid-el Kabir celebration.

Adewoye made this known while addressing officers and men of the Command on the mode of operation during this year’s Eid-el Kabir celebration at the Command Headquarters, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

The state Public Relations Officer, Mr Oluwole Olusegun, in a statement signed by him, said that the commadant the 38 divisional officers to be more active throughout the celebration by positioning the officers at all the sensitive areas such as playgrounds, parks, recreation centres and all Federal Government infrastructures, including NNPC right of way.

nah and one in Makkah, said one of the affected pilgrims died in his sleep and his team was still working to know the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two others.

Kana said the medical personnel had been distributed to all Nigerian camps to ensure prompt response to the medical needs of Nigerians.

To this end, he said NAHCON had procured three new ambulances and sufficient drugs to take care of Nigerian pilgrims during the Arafat period, in addition to the provision already made by the Saudi authorities.

He warned pilgrims not to wander about on sunny afternoon because of heat stroke in Makkah and Madinah due to hot temperature.

In his briefing, a national commissioner in charge of policy, Alhaji Adebayo Yusuf, said no accident was recorded during the stay of over 61,000 pilgrims in Madinah before they were moved to Makkah.

Yusuf added that NAHCON was able to transport 61,903 pilgrims to Madinah in record time in 151 flights.

The meeting was attended by the leader of the 2016 Hajj from Nigeria, Alhaji Yahya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe; representatives of the Senate and House of Representatives committees on foreign affairs, the Charge de Affairs in Saudi Arabia and members of states’ pilgrims welfare boards and tour operators.

Over three million pilgrims will perform this year’s Hajj which starts with movement to Muna today, Arafat and Muzdalifa on Sunday and throwing stones at the devil (Jamrah) on Monday.

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Saturday Tribune

Economic recession: Even leaders are affected —Saraki Leon Usigbe - Abuja

From left, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Chairman, Development Policy Centre, Professor Bimpe Aboyade; Professor Bolanle Awe and General Alani Akinrinade, during the 2016 Founder’s Day celebration of Development Policy Centre, Ibadan, on Friday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

Shiites barricade Kaduna roads

Demand releasepolice of their leader are ready to ensure Commandant of the Nigeria Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

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EMBERS of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shiites have started what they call ‘Occupy Kaduna’ by blocking major highways in Kaduna metropolis.

Findings by the Saturday Tribune showed that the members of the Movement besieged the popular Leventis that links the town and other parts of the metropolis on Friday demanding the unconditional release of their spiritual leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

It was learnt that members from all the 23 local government was mobilised to the metropolis to ‘Occupy Kaduna’ as part of strategy to demand for the release of their leader.

The time of filing this report, members of the Movement, it was gathered, observed Friday’s congregational prayer at the roundabout thereby creating traffic gridlock and bringing business activities to a halt.

Commuters who had earlier boarded buses and some who were riding tricycle, otherwise known as ‘Keke NAPEP’ to Kawo, Abakpa, Unguwar Sarki, Unguwar shanu, Unguwar Timi among others had to disembark and trekked to their destinations.

A spokesperson for the sect, Abdullahi Giwa, remarked shortly after the Juma’a prayers that the ‘Occupy Kaduna’ campaign will last for the next 24 hours.

‘We are going to be peaceful in our conduct and we don’t intend to be violent because we are a peaceful people. However, we want the authorities to release our leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, with immediate effect as his health, we learnt, is deteriorating.”

Meanwhile, police and other security agencies later deployed their officers and men to the scene in order to keep watch of happenings.

Speaking in an interview, the police Image maker, ASP Aliyu Usman said the

that the lives and property of the people are adequately protected.

In the same vein, Acting

Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kaduna Command, DCC Ilelaboye Waidi, has equally maintained

the readiness of the command to maintain peace by providing tight security now and during the forthcoming Eidel-Kabir celebration.

SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, has assured that just like most ordinary Nigerians are going through hard times because of the economic recession, leaders too are feeling the pains.

Saraki, who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja mosque to observe Jumat prayers with President Muhammadu Buhari, told correspondents that the cooperation and support of everyone was required for the country to overcome the challenge.

He therefore urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for the success of the government as he wished Nigerians, especially the Muslim faithful, a happy Sallah celebration.

He said: “With prayer, Insha Allahu, we will overcome it (economic recession). The most important thing is for us to stay together and give the President support and continue to believe in this great country that we all have and be rest assured that we will all weather the storm and scale through together.

“Once again, as a country in this period, we will continue to pray.

“On Sunday, the day of Arafat, we offer prayer for our leaders and President so that we can do what is right, because we feel the pain; we know what the country is going through. Because there is no Nigerian with blood flowing through that will not know that things are difficult now and we pray that with God’s guidance, He will see us through.”

The Senate President said the National Assembly “will continue to play our own role to ensure that things get better.”

Special Treat Excess intake of vegetable oil increases risk of cancer, heart diseases, reproductive problems —Experts

By Blessing Gbarada and Newton-Ray Ukwuoma VEGETABLE oils are a staple in most Nigerian kitchens, but in recent times, there have been raised concerns about their health effects. Though several conflicting opinions and research findings abound among experts, the consensus remains that modern-day vegetable oils may not be as healthy as once thought and could pose a risk factor for various diseases.

Where vegetable oils originate from According to Dr. Abiodun Adeoye, Lecturer/Consultant Cardiologist, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, “vegetable oils are not synonymous with vegetables. Vegetable oils are oils that have been extracted from various seeds. The most common include rapeseed (canola oil), soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, peanut, etc.”

Vegetable oils: The good Being derived from nature, vegetable oils are indeed of benefit to the body. Mrs. Nike Shoremekun, a Lagos State health worker stated that “As a group of fat and oil, vegetable oil is good for the body when used sparingly and in the right quantity. It supplies the right oil and fat to the body.”

Dr Adeoye adds that “Fat is important for the regular function of the body. Saturated and monounsaturated fat constitutes 9 per cent with 3 per cent left for two types of fatty acids that are termed “essential” because the body can’t produce them. These are the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. However, these should be in right proportions.” …the bad While vegetable oils are rich in essential fatty acids —Ome-

ga-3 and Omega-6—responsible for proper body function, sometimes a disproportionate balance in these acids could be a health concern. Dr Adeoye said, “Vegetable oils contain a very high concentration of Omega-6 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats, which cause an imbalance in the body.

Overindulgence in this type of oil predisposes one to the risk of cancer, heart diseases, reproductive problems, just to mention a few.

“While Omega-3 protects the body with its anti-inflammatory function, Omega-6 increases the risk of cancers and heart attacks through its pro-inflammation functions. In the blood vessels, these mutations cause inflammation that can clog arteries and may cause heart diseases. When these fats are incorporated into skin cells, their mutation causes skin cancer.”

As with every other situation, moderation is key to reaping optimum benefits. In fact, experts have stated that daily consumption of vegetable oils may be detrimental to health.

“The problem is some people make vegetable oils a daily cooking item. This is harmful to the body because excess oil settles along the tubes of the heart, blocking blood supply.

This can lead to high cholesterol, hypertension and obesity,” Mrs Shoremekun said.

Why vegetable oil is now a source of concern Although vegetable oils have been around for a while, the increasing cause for concern is not unconnected to modern means of extraction and preservation. “Unlike coconut oil or olive oil that can be extracted by pressing, these new oils have to be extracted

in very unnatural ways. It’s the unnatural form of these oils that raise some concerns about the effect on our health.

Also, the production processes entail the addition of chemical solvents, industrial steaming, de-waxing, bleaching, and deodorising which make the oil purely unnatural,” Dr Adeoye said.

Mrs Shoremekun identified “cuddled” oil, which has increasingly pervaded most vegetable oil stalls, as dangerous and should be avoided. She attributed this state of vegetable oil to a pitfall of poor processing. Speaking, she said, “The quality of some of these oils cannot be vouched for, even for most recommended vegetable oils.

This is because the method of processing vegetable quality oil is often violated. Today, every processed oil is a potential health hazard. Some of the cooking oil displayed at most open markets are often already cuddled. This is as a result of bad processing. This type of oil is not beneficial to the body.”

She also called for more attention to be paid to the preservatives used in vegetable oil. “These chemical preservatives may not be friendly with our body. To worsen the case, the way we use the oil in cooking calls for concern. These oils are further bleached by overheating and in some case we still use and overheated leftovers,” she said.

Scientists have discovered that heating up vegetable oils led to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses, including cancer, heart disease and dementia.

Professor John Stein, Oxford University’s emeritus profes-

sor of neuroscience, said that partly as a result of corn and sunflower oils, “the human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be.” He pointed out that vegetable oils contain high Omega-6 acids which contribute to a reduction in critical Omega-3 fatty acids in the brain by replacing them.

“If you eat too much corn oil or sunflower oil, the brain is absorbing too much Omega-6, and that effectively forces out Omega-3,” said Prof Stein.

“The lack of omega 3 is a powerful contributory factor to such problems as increasing mental health issues and other problems such as dyslexia.”

A better alternative To steer clear of the risks in vegetable oil consumption, Shoremekun advises that “people should not depend on fried food. It should be avoided or reduced to the barest minimum.”

When it comes to heating oil, experts agree that heating up butter, olive oil and lard produced much lower levels of aldehydes. In fact, olive oil was shown to be especially high in monounsaturated fats and is a great source of squalene and a host of other heart-friendly nutrients. Coconut oil was found to produce the lowest levels of the harmful chemical, aldehydes, and is far less damaged by heat than olive oil.

The palm oil point-ofview Palm oil has always been a part of the African/Nigerian diet and is usually used as an alternative to vegetable oils.

However, caution has also been called for in its use. According to researcher, David Okon Edem of the Depart-

ment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the benefits of palm oil to health include reduction in risk of arterial thrombosis and atherosclerosis, inhibition of endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis, platelet aggregation, and reduction in blood pressure.

By virtue of its B-carotene content, it also protects against vitamin A deficiency and certain forms of cancer.

He adds that “red or refined palm oil at moderate levels in the diet of experimental animals promotes efficient utilisation of nutrients, favourable body weight gains, induction of hepatic drug metabolising enzymes, adequate hemoglobinization of red cells and improvement of immune function.”

However, these benefits are best derived when consumed in its fresh state. In his study published in the journal, Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, he stated that “Palm oil can be used in the fresh state and/or at various levels of oxidation.

Oxidation is a result of processing the oil for various culinary purposes. However, a considerable amount of the commonly used palm oil is in the oxidised state, which poses potential dangers to the biochemical and physiological functions of the body. Unlike fresh palm oil, oxidized palm oil induces an adverse lipid profile, reproductive toxicity and toxicity of the kidney, lung, liver, and heart. This may be as a result of the generation of toxicants brought on by oxidation.”

The consensus is that however safe palm oil might be, it is important to take it in its natural state and not bleached or reused.

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

NLC suspends 2-month-old strike in Nasarawa Godwin Agwam - Lafia

THE organised labour in Nasarawa State, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has suspended its two months old strike embarked upon by the union to seek a reversal of the state government’s decision on 50 per cent salary cut.

This was contained in a statement, signed and made available to newsmen by the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Abdullahi Adeka and the TUC chairman, Comrade Sabo Namo, in Lafia on Friday.

According to the statement, “this was in consideration of the intervention by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who instructed the government to revert back to status quo ante while a tripartite committee reworks a new salary scale.”

Court okays Oba Akadiri as Olokinni of Okinni Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a chat with the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, after the Jumat prayers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday. With them is the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and others.

Twitter users tackle presidency over committee on aircraft Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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OME users of Twitter have taken the presidency to task over a committee it raised to determine the fate of some aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).

Twitter storm was triggered by a popular blogger, JJ Omojuwa, following the launch of the new National Re-Orientation campaign by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday.

Tagged, “Change Begins With Me,” Buhari had launched it with a declaration that it will not just be about economic and social progress but change in terms of personal behaviour.

He said the campaign was part of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC’s) effort

to carry Nigerians along in the journey to create a better country.

The president had 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, etc.”

However, writing on his personal Twitter handle, the blogger had suggested that the change which the

campaign seeks to engender should start from the presidency by the sale of presidential jets.

“Change begins with selling the presidential jets.

Only a genuinely rich country should think of having up to 3. We have about 10 jets,” he had said.

But in an apparent attempt to reassure the public, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, responded by revealing that there was already a committee working to reduce the number of presidential jets.

“There is a government committee already in place, working to reduce the number of aircraft in the presidential fleet,” Garba stated but his response drew a fiery reaction from some angry

Flooding on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: FG

directs more palliatives by contractor

By Dapo Falade

The Federal Government has directed the contractor handling the flooded portion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to provide more palliatives to ameliorate the difficulties caused to motorists by the development.

This is as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, explained that the flooding was caused by structures built on water channels by some companies along the road.

The explanation was given by the minister in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser (Communications), Mr Hakeem Bello and made available to Saturday Tribune.

Mostly affected by the flooding was the portion of the road opposite the Mountain Top University (MFM) in Ogun State where construction is currently ongoing.

The minister said the structures blocking the channels included those built by HiImpact Hotel and Parks and Buildwell Plants and Equipment Company as well as

various warehouses operating along the area.

He said the flooding at the portion became severe because the various structures built along the road had blocked the water channels through which runoffs were to flow away from the road, adding that the water

retention spot of the whole area had been blocked off by building on the wet zones.

Fashola, in the statement, further said, “these locations which are now built up, were the drainage basins where surface runoff was directed when the road was built about 40 years ago.”

Twitter users who wondered whether it was necessary to have such a committee.

Oyindamola Olofinlua wrote: “When should we expect the reduction? Deadlines are important, sir?”

Ademola said: “Why should there be a committee on that one again. Sell off or OLX it. Lobatan.”

Mazi agreed with Omojuwa, saying: “Omojuwa I sincerely feel that we don’t need a c’tee to dispose those jets. Just OLX it, sir. It’s been more than 16 months.”

Awe Olajide added: “Omojuwa, why do we need a committee to do that?”

Boason Omofaye wrote: “A (committee working) to reduce the number of aircrafts? What’s AMCON doing or Finance Ministry?”

Raymond Enaholo said: “They might even need a referendum to know if to do away with the aircrafts. It’s just a joke to be honest.”

Wale Adetona said: “A committee really? Sounds like a familiar line we were once used to.”

Adetutu Balogun asked: “We need committee to reduce presidential aircraft?

Wow! this government is more extravagant! #ChangeBeginsWithBuharI.”

Efcc arrests own driver, others for impersonation, conspiracy Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja HAVING spent only one and a half years with the commission, a driver with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nasiru Isa, has been nabbed by operatives of the anti-corruption commission alongside with others.

Isa, according to the EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement made available on Friday to the Saturday Tribune, was arrested for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust, attempted theft, conspiracy and impersonation.

The driver is said to be a member of a criminal syn-

dicate, which attempted to break into a property located at a choice area of Garki in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, which was sealed by the commission, with the intent of carting away goods suspected to be proceeds of money laundering.

According to the statement, members of the syndicate included a mobile police officer, Corporal Aliyu Ismaila; Abubakar Jibrin, Abdulsalam Ado, Ibrahim Babangida; Reuben Dauda, Hassan Aliyu, Sani Yusuf and Murtala Mohammed.

The said property, Uwujaren stated, was currently under investigation by the agency and a subject of in-

terest in the aftermath of findings into the N3.9 billion fraud case involving a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd). The property was also linked to the wife of the former CDS. The statement added that investigations conducted by operatives of the anti-graft commission revealed that shortly after the property was sealed, some individuals moved about 12 bags believed to contain items linked to money laundering offence into the property.

“On August 30, 2016 operatives of the EFCC, as part of monitoring activities on the sealed property, had gone to site to execute a search.

The age long chieftaincy tussle on the Olokinni stool has been laid to rest as a High Court, sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, authenticated the enthronement of Oba Okanola Akadiri as the Olokinni of Okinni in Egbedore Local Government Area of the state.

The legal battle began on July 15, 1991 before Osun State was created out of Oyo State), when Oba Akadiri was appointed and installed by the then Oludo of Ido-Osun, Oba Jimoh Oyeyemi, who was the prescribed authority to the Okinni stool.

Since his installation, a number of litigation have been instituted against Oba Akadiri by one Prince Aminu Olawale who is also laying claim to the stool.

The monarch had in 2008 dragged Prince Olawale before a chief magistrates’ court sitting in Osogbo for parading himself as the traditional ruler of the town.

The then Magistrate S. O. Falola had on the 18 of January, 2008 made an order on the motion ex parte filed by the monarch and restrained Olawale from parading himself as the Olokini of Okinni until all the pending cases on the stool were resolved in court.

Election postponement: INEC, FG can’t truncate

will of God, Edo people —Ekiti Speaker

The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable (Pastor) Kola Oluwawole, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government have no power to stall the will of God and the people of Edo State by postponing the governorship election originally billed to hold in the state today (Saturday).

In a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, Oluwawole, who spoke on a local radio Broadcasting Service of Ekiti (BSES) live programme, Spotlight, on Friday, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, noted that the ruling party took the step as it was afraid of defeat in the election.

He also gave an extensive explanation of the recentlypassed Ekiti State Grazing Bill.

“The righteous is as bold as a lion, but the unrighteous runs while no one is pursuing him. Nigeria is right now in a regime of inconclusive everything. There have been a lot of inconclusive elections since the APC took over the mantle of rulership.”

Monarch highlights problem of tourism development

By Tunde Busari The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi has attributed sacrifice acts at tourist sites as an obstacle to the development of the tourism sector in Nigeria.

Oba Akanbi argued that no development would be achieved if the practice is not stopped and potential tourists would not show interest in visiting the sites.

He said in advanced countries of the world where tourism is allowed to drive their economy, religion or any fetish objects have no place at the sites, thereby making the sites naturally attractive to the generality of people, regardless of their religious belief.

Drawing from his experience, the traditional ruler

said tourism sites such as the North Western Territory and Miagra Falls in Canada attracts tourists from different parts of the world because they are managed without religious attachment thereby making it a must visit to all.

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Cheap rams, low sales in Akure Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure about 48 hours to this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival, ram sellers in Akure the Ondo State capital, are lamenting low sales, despite reduction in the prices of the rams.

A visit to the major markets where rams are being sold indicated that the price of the rams has dropped drastically compared to the prices of the goats and rams last week.

One of the ram sellers at the market along the Ilesha garage, Morufu Hassan attributed the low sales to the low population of Muslims in Akure but said the ram markets in Ikare, Owo and Ondo recorded great sales.

However, one of the buyers who visited the market, Aliu Balogun said price of the rams was still affordable, saying “a good ram is sold between N25,000 and N60,000. I think this is better to what we experienced few weeks ago.

The rams are cheap now but there’s no cash to buy it.”

Buyers complain price hike in Nasarawa Godwin Agwam - Lafia From left, Head, Division of Environmental Policies and Regulation, ECOWAS Commission, Mr Bougonou Djeri-Alassani; Regional Adviser for Africa, Green Climate Fund, Alpha Oumar Kaloga and the Project Co-ordinator, Climate Change, Environment Directorate, ECOWAS Commission, Mr Raoul Kouame, at the closing ceremony of the regional training workshop for ECOWAS member states to access the Green Climate Fund in Abuja, on Friday. PHOTO: NAN.

Eid-El-Kabir: Miyetti Allah laments low ram sales Biola Azeez, Oluwole Ige and Jude Ossai nvestigations at ram markets in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital and neighbouring towns like Ajase Ipo and Offa showed many rams on sale with few buyers, just 48 hours to this year’s Eid-elKabir celebration.

At ram markets located at GSS, Oke Ose, Sango, and Mandate markets in Ilorin and Ajase Ipo in Irepodun Local Government area of the state, ram sellers said they recorded drop in sales.

Chairman of Fulani cattle breeders association, Miyetti Allah, which is the umbrella body of cattle breeders associations, Alhaji Usman Adamu, while speaking with Saturday Tribune, lamented low sales and patronage this year.

He said the smallest ram was N40,000 this year, adding that a ram obtained for N50,000 last year could only be got at not less than N100, 000 this year.

In Osogbo, capital of Osun State, ram sellers at the

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popular Powerline ram market were complaining about low patronage as Muslims prepare for Eidel-Kabir celebration.

One of the ram sellers, Alhaji Ibrahim Ajibade, said few people that were coming had not been buying rams.

“They prefer to buy hegoats, which are cheaper than ram. But, we are hopeful that sales may improve by tomorrow (today) or Sunday.”

One of the buyers, Mr Kazeem Ojuolape, who spoke to Saturday Tribune lamented that prices of rams were exorbitant. “Look at this one and the size that I bought for N45,000. I would have preferred to buy something bigger, but where do I get the money?

Things are very hard.”

In Enugu, the cost of ram has gone up by 100 percent. A visit to old and new artisan markets, Enugu on

Buyers desert ram markets in Warri Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri The price of ram and other commodities have increased in recent times due to the harsh economic situation in Nigeria.

Findings on Friday showed that prices of ram at Igbudu and Ugbuwangue markets in Warri have increased.

This is just as it seems buyers have collectively decided to boycott the ram markets due to their high

cost.

According to Alhaji Mode, a ram seller, “Market dey fine, everything dey go well for here, the biggest size we sell N80,000, N90,000, medium N65,000 and N70,000.”

At Ugbuwangue market, also in Warri, traders complained of low patronage.

Alhaji Abubakar Mahmud, one of the traders from the north, while bemoaning the lull, said: “The price high, yes, the

Lesson of Sallah must not be lost —Babalola Muslims have been urged not to only celebrate Sallah without imbibing the lesson of total submission to the will of Allah that the festival preaches.

This was contained in a sallah message of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Elder Peter Babalola, issued in Osogbo.

Babalola posited that in celebrating Eid-el-Kabir, people should be modest

Friday showed that there was low demand for ram as Muslim festivals are mostly celebrated in the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army barracks as well as some parts of Igboeze North and Igboeze South Local Government areas of the state.

Malam Musa Kabiru, who said a big ram was sold at N25,000.00 as against the old price of N15,000.00, lamented the poor sales of ram in the market.

and use the period of the festival to seek Allah’s mercies for the country, saying this year’s Sallah should also be used to further tighten bond of unity between Christianity and Islam, saying since both worship same God, all adherents must continue to show love to one and another.

The statement reads: “We have to celebrate this year’s Sallah in unity regardless the fate we profess and ensure

we remain law-abiding and committed to our continued peaceful coexistence as people of common destiny.

“Economic realities of the present moment means all must celebrate within the available means. Despite that however, we must not allow the lesson of the celebration to be lost. Total submission to the will of Allah is necessary for Nigeria to survive this present crises,” he concluded.

thing cost, I go buy for North carry reach Warri, people no dey price well; the price I buy for North them go price am low pass for here, no market much.

“Yesterday, I sell only two rams, you see everything cost, the big one na N90,000, some N65,000, N40,000; goat self price don high,” he noted.

Another ram seller at Ugbuwangue market, Usman Muazu, also said in pidgin, “market no dey because wen them come like this, them go follow you price them no go buy, everything don increase before the one of 50 now 60 to 70 thousand, everything cost, and market no dey come plenty.”

Meanwhile, the lull in patronage was evident at both Igbudu and Ugbuwangue ram markets as Saturday Tribune could not sight a single buyer for comments on the disturbing cost of rams ahead the sallah celebration.

In Nasarawa State, buyers have the raised alarm over the price hike of rams in the market.

Saturday Tribune’s visit to Makurdi Road Market, revealed that there was a 100 percent increase in the prices of ram compared to the previous sallah celebration.

Malam Salihu Mai Rabo, a trader who sells rams at the market, said “ as it is now, the biggest ram goes for N70,000 against the former price of N30, 000.”

He blamed the price hike on the economic downturn in the country, saying it had greatly affected patronage.

However, one of the prospective buyers, Hajiya Hajara Sabo, who spoke to Saturday Tribune said, “ we cannot afford to buy a ram that we were buying at N30,000 before for N70,000 even as our salaries have not been paid,” She called on the government to address the issue of economic hardship in order to avoid issues of death relating to hunger.

Low ram patronage in Kogi Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja Investigation by Saturday Tribune in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital revealed a sharp reduction in the quantity of rams bought by Muslims for the Eid-el- Kabir.

A visit to the main ram market in Banda, along the Lokoja-Abuja road revealed that there was low patronage as sellers complained of lack of sales.

Also in Ganaja village, along the Lokoja-Ajaokuta road, the story was the same as the usual hustling and bustling associated with ram selling few days to the festival were not there.

A ram seller in the market, Alhaji Shuaibu Jimoh, said many of the rams might be returned to the northern part of the country as they have been recording low sales in the past two weeks that they have been around.

He said the present situation in the country has made the prices of the ram to go up, lamenting that this might be responsible for the low patronage they has been recording in the market.

LASEMA tasks residents on safety Gbemi Solaja - Lagos The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has advised Lagos residents to be safety and security conscious while celebrating the eld-el-Kabir.

General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Michael Akindele, while making a public declaration, advised residents to be vigilant by monitoring persons and activities around them so as to secure lives and properties.

In addition, he warned that overspeeding, drunkdriving and violation of traffic rules and regulations during festive periods which most often lead to road accidents, would not be tolerated.

Akindele maintained that traffic offenders would be prosecuted by the appropriate authorities.

He also explained that negative reports about the ember months (September to December), mostly characterised by major auto crashes, fire outbreaks and other tragedies leading to various emergencies and disasters could be averted if people take necessary precautions as these months are just like every other months of the year.

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Saturday Tribune

I pitied my boss after stabbing her, so I put on the air conditioner to cool off her body —VGC murder suspect

Tanko Abdullateef.

By Oluwatoyin Malik

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HE maxim that one can only run but not hide forever was brought to bear on 22-year-old Tanko Abdullateef, a security guard, who allegedly killed his female boss, Ms Mabel Okafor, whom he was employed to protect, when he was arrested in Taraba State, far away from Lagos State where he carried out the act.

The arrest was made by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos, after the challenge of the task of arresting the suspected murderer was thrown at the Commander of the RRS, ACP Tunji Disu by the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni and the state government.

In August, the Nigerian media was awash with the story of how the suspect was reported to have stabbed his 50-year-old boss, Mabel Okafor, in her apartment at No J68B, Close 9, Victoria Garden City in the Lekki-Ajah area on August 17, 2016, after which he ran to his village, Bali Community in Jalingo Local Government Area of Taraba State.

He had barely spent two weeks at his job when he killed his boss.

The body of the woman was said to have been discovered after she was not seen at a meeting she was to have with some top government functionaries. Calls put through to her phone lines were also not connecting.

This was said to have made some people to go to her house to find out what was

happening. On getting there, they were said to have noticed that water was dropping from the air conditioning panel outside. The people were said to have peeped through an opening they noticed, only to see her body lying on the floor of her living room.

A source told the Saturday Tribune that Abdullateef was suspected to have put on the air conditioner to preserve the remains of the deceased woman so that it would not quickly decompose and stink afterwards. This it was believed would give him the opportunity to have gone out of reach before the body would be discovered.

But the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, who started working on Abdullateef after he committed the crime, tracked him to his village where they spent about three days before his arrest on Saturday, August 27.

In an interview with Saturday

My kinsmen were very angry when they heard the story and they started raining insults and curses on me.

Tribune, Abdullateef narrated how the murder was carried out sequentially.

According to the 22-year-old man, “I was in Lagos State in 2014 and worked as a security man but went back to my state.

I returned to Lagos during Ramadan this year.

“I got a job with the deceased when her former security guard left. One of our kinsmen learnt about the madam’s search for another security guard and informed me. The former security man wanted to present me to her but had to give me her phone number when she did not return home in time on the day he was leaving.

“Eventually, I was able to secure the job.

She placed me on a salary of N18,000 monthly and gave me a room to live in.

I had worked less than two weeks by the time I killed her. I had yet to receive salary but she once gave me N1000 to eat.

“I can say that as this thing (killing) happened, it was the devil that got into me, because I never believed that I could kill a human being. On the day it happened, my boss returned home at almost 8.30p.m.

She went to her room and later called me.

“She had earlier broken some branches of overgrown flowers within the premises.

She asked me whether I did not allow DISCO officials to enter her compound when they had no means of identification and I replied her that I did not. She then asked me to go and trim the flower branches.

“At the time she called me, I had a knife

in my hand to cut onions and pepper to prepare my dinner, and as she opened her door and gave the instruction, I just felt a spirit passed through my body. The next was that I stabbed her and I found her on the floor.

“I stabbed her two times but I don’t really know I did it. As she fell, she looked at me and called my name repeatedly: ‘Abdul, Abdul.” I said ‘sorry Ma.’ I lifted her legs and straightened them on the floor by the three-sitter in the sitting room. I noticed blood stained her dress and the knife I used.

“I pitied her as she called my name so I went to put on the air conditioner so that it would blow directly at her body. I left for her room which I ransacked to pick some trinkets and clothes. I went back to the living room to pick her phones and N10,000 from her purse which was there.

“One of the security men close by heard her when she screamed in pain after I stabbed her, so he came to knock on the gate to enquire what was wrong. But I dismissed him by telling him not to mind my boss, as she was only scared by the sight of a cockroach.

“I went to the boy’s quarters to talk to a man (name withheld) living at the Boy’s Quarters. When I got to him, I saw that he was busy watching football and when I noticed that he was not aware of what happened in the sitting room, I turned back and went to my room.

“I started putting my things together with the plan to run away the following morning. I threw the knife I used over the fence on to an undeveloped plot of land beside my madam’s house. I have taken police to the place.

“I left the house at about 5a.m. the following morning for Taraba State. My people did not ask me questions about my return since I had once gone and returned. I sold the trinkets to two people at N3,000 each and kept the rest for myself. I kept some of the clothes and gave others to my friend. I told them I bought the dresses for sale. I sold her phone for N20,000.”

Speaking on his arrest, Abdullateef said he was in his room in his village when RRS operatives came to arrest him. “They had earlier arrested my sister and she led them to my room. My kinsmen were very angry when they heard the story and they started raining insults and curses on me,” he said.

When asked of the offence of his boss that made him kill her, the suspect replied: “Walahi, my boss didn’t offend me; it was the devil that pushed me into such action.”

He however pleaded for pardon, saying that he would never do such again.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune on the suspect, the Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, confirmed the recovery of some of the deceased’s belongings taken away by the suspect. He stated further that the suspect had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for investigations which had yielded more revelations. He added that the suspect would be arraigned in court after the completion of investigations into the case.

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Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

style

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08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

with Kate Ani

SA celebs and their thirst for scandalous styles New hair trend: Brazilian wool braids

Tinuola Ayanniyi tayanniyi@yahoo.com 08055069379

Do-It-Yourself: Statement ring

Materials

1. Jewelry Pliers 2. Thin gold ring 3. Thin gold midi ring 4. Thin chain 5. Rhinestow connector 6. 4 small jump rings 7. Measuring tape

Dineo Mooketsi

Kunene Ntando

Lorna Maskeo

Altovise Lawrence

Pearl Modiadie

Adeyeye Olamide

Steps

Stephanie Okoro

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Nadia Nakai

Khanyi Mbau

Boity Thulo

EFORE now, South African celebrities were known to be conservative with their choice of fashion at important events. They mostly favoured their traditional attires to showcase their rich cultural heritage.

Of late, probably in a bid to compete with their Nigerian counterparts, South African female celebs are now pulling out all the stops and taking fashion to a whole new daring level, especially at red carpet events.

During the recent annual South African Music Awards (SAMAs) and the SAFTA, their female celebrities mostly consisted of musicians and actresses literally set the red carpet on

fire with their jaw-dropping outfits. Bonang Matheba, South African media personality who was rumored to have had a fling with D’Banj and video jockey, Boitumelo “Boity” Thulo, are two leading South African celebrities that people watch out for at red carpets, as their style choices are always eye popping.

From extreme cleavage-revealing dresses to slits almost reaching the navel, leaving nothing to the imagination, for them, it seems red carpet shows is the battle for who will be the most daring.

This red carpet fashion has become something to look forward to every year because of the celebrities fashion prowess or lack of it.

By Olivia Agwuloun

YARN braid extensions have recently become one of the favourite hairstyles for ladies in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

Also known as Brazilian wool, this newest hair trend is the new version of the thread-like braids extensions. Unlike the regular wool; the Brazilian wool is

silky, soft in texture and lightweight.

Even though the prices of imported weaves and hair extensions are on the increase, Brazilian wool is quite affordable. With just N500, you can buy three bundles of different colours.

For crotchet braids, yarn twists or Bob Marley braids, Brazilian wool is the answer!

Sarah Igbinosa

Toke Morgan

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10 September, 2016

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WO major infamous incidents made the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Muhammadu Buhari slide terribly in this writer’s estimation in the past two weeks. One was the president’s statement in Osun State last week while on a one-day visit to the state. The second was the announcement of the needless postponement of the Edo State gubernatorial election slated for today till September 28, 2016.

The Independent National Electoral Communication (INEC), working in cahoots with the DSS and the Police, had claimed during the tail end of the week that threat of insurgency in Edo necessitated this postponement. This is no doubt one of the strangest fictions we have heard in recent times. Insurgency in Edo? How come no insurgent threat had hitherto been heard in Adams Oshiomhole’s state? Why is the apparently disingenuous clique that manufactured this ostensible untruth dragging in the mud the residue of respect that the Buhari government is left with? It does appear to a wide spectrum of Nigerians that this gambit is to cover an impending Waterloo.

Giving this issue wider space than this would be a spatial toleration of this APC lie.

During the Osun visit, the President had spoken about the intense hunger in the land and the difficulties Nigerians face living under his government.

He feels our pains, he said matter-of-factly and in consoling the people, he promised that despite the various challenges, Nigeria would be great again under his watch. “I thank you for your prayers for the nation. God will help us to secure Nigeria and efficiently manage it. Please continue to pray for us.

I can assure you that Nigeria will be great again,” the president had told Muslim leaders in the state, shortly after joining them in the Zuhr prayer held inside the State Government House.

If President Buhari reads the barometer of his ratings by Nigerians, there is no doubt that he would be terribly afraid, both for himself and his government. It goes to show the uncertainty of public adulation. For a government that came into office last year under the gale of unprecedented public encomium, this relapse of esteem is worthy of a study. Many fans and supporters of the government have suddenly gone apostate of their beliefs in the Daura-born ex-military head of state.

His anti-corruption adornment, perhaps the only jewel that recommended him for office at a time when the Nigerian economy had become a bazaar in the hands of Goodluck Jonathan, has suddenly lost its glitters. Those who were ready to swear by the name of their dead parents that in the hands of

Saturday Tribune

Saturday With

ayinla mukaiba ayinlamukaiba@yahoo.com

Edo fiction and Buhari’s voodoo economy

Buhari, Nigeria would be great again suddenly waxed cold and shamefacedly walk languidly out of discourses on how government’s rating daily kisses the canvas.

The Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, has emphatically declared that Nigeria is in recession. Before her declaration, Nigerians knew that things were at the edge of their tethers. Two weeks ago, this newspaper reported that Nigerians were dying in droves due to the unaffordable forex crisis. Feeding has become an excruciating business and the number of depressed Nigerians is multiplying. The rate at which Nigerians take their own lives has quadrupled and hopelessness stalks the land like a pestilence. Only at a time of war should a people be allowed to live this dangerously. But indeed, there is war, fought on all flanks by hunger, with armaments of extreme and corrosive powers.

Government hasn’t done well in the management of the nation’s economy. Many knowledgeable people would still tell you that only Mother Luck rescued this nation from the affliction that would have befallen her had Jonathan won last year’s presidential election and continued in office. What would have happened was that an economy that was surviving by a whisker would have been papered over by government while the rot underneath continued.

By the time Nigerians would know the real state of affairs, Nigeria would have been just a kilometer to Zimbabwe and Venezuela. Oh my, but we are there!

Anyway, so Buhari is seeking our understanding. What angers this writer most is the penchant of Nigerian leaders to drag God into the fray when they are wholly complicit in this drama.

Why is Buhari implicating God in this miasma of regression? What else can God give to any sane people that He hasn’t given Nigeria? Are there no persons with adequate mental endowment to theorize us out of this economic bind? Are there no earthly national resources to kick-start our flight out of this pain and agony? But it is apparent that those who can rescue us out of this morass don’t fit into President Buhari’s already made-up profiling. They probably are not HausaFulani and chant ‘chain’ instead of ‘change’. So they are permanently kept out of the loop.

What is more worrisome is that this government is not communicating hope of a greater immediate tomorrow to Nigerians. In saner countries that are unfortunately besieged by this kind of economic blight, government gives statistical indices at every juncture of how and when this pall would be lifted off the face of the nation. No, this government doesn’t understand that. The other day, Audu Ogbeh, its Minister of Agriculture, at an Abuja town hall meeting, said that the dollar would soon exchange for N1000 unless we curbed our rapacious thirst for foreign goods. Methinks saner governments are the ones who curb unfavourable tendencies through their policies, not the people.

What is more excruciating in this season of anomie is that Nigerians are blind and are being led by self-blindfolded people. When our blindfolded leaders say there is light at the end of the tunnel, we laugh, in spite of our frail lips. What we need is hope communicated scientifically, not this type that is obviously from a babalawo who has just looked into his crystal ball.

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

With Aunty Yemi 08056834515 ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

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s old ullahi, 14 yr Hassan Abd inea brocade gu e bought m y m um m y M Kabir celebraw for Eid-elso to l ia er at m eid Ansar-Udlike to visit ld es ou w I . on ti part of activiti of Nigeria. As sit vi to h is w Deen Society I y, up for the da h I have lined Shoprite. I wis d an nt ra au st re I e t. om ea D with m Koko and fried rice ce ri d f an llo t jo si t to ea ine a vi a friend of m have promised e of the Sallah. us e ak e, I will m ac gr ’s od G by

al, 12 yrs old Barakat Law to visit Agodi I would like e praying On Ileya day, turn from th re I n he w Ado central Gardens so go to Oke al ill w I . ground re I witness . I will ensu ay pr to e qu ation in our mos ram for celebr of ng for ri te gh slau a special day ugh it will be d ho lt an A up e. so us i ho a with egus al am t ea dto us, I wish make my gran ld also like to ponmo. I wou sit. paying her a vi ma happy by

s n o i t a t c e p Our ex r i b a K l e d i E at

1 , 13 yrs old lo o d w ro A lim ab

by Mus s an Ajoke Zain day celebrated h ge it w hu n a w is go ir a white Eid-el-Kab already have I y. e. da at at br th le ce on t I’m eager to ch I will pu pair shoes whi ation day, nce it’s celebr a pair of silver Si . m ra g bi 7 a kill . My mum is My family will yrs old pounded yam , 11 od i, fo to as e have not it er lw ur u ov favo gos because I the office diyah Abd La in aa s R in I will eat my ue ch ag ea B lle with stew e Bar vite her co picture of rice an to go see th a pl ng I planning to in vi ha . y er ad th use to up. I’m hap. I’m alre a get-toge y in cinema ho m with egusi so en there before ya our house for da be d e de th un of po y. rt l-Kabir. that da end pa ram or I will also sp s another Eid-e om the Sallah ing forward to fr es ok itn lo w m to I’ e . ie lif st mov are my watch the late py God will sp 8 ld have osu, 13 yrs o em d A celebrate and at k Ris my family to h pray it w to t e ou lik g ld rk. I wou pa I will be goin t en em us at celebr ion an one am lebration. The ce fun at more th e th r fo nd Shawama, eid grou ving a taste of at a different ha ut ho it w e mplet we eat during e usual meat will not be co th e id as n, ke chic fried rice and . od ri this pe o

Aminat Jaiyeola Olabode, 12 yrs old I have started preparing for this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, thanks to my parents. They have bought my clothes, shoes, bag, jewelleryand more importantly ,the ram that would be slaughtered on that day.

I wish to go and have fun at amusement park. I wish I could travel to Dubai to meet my foster daddy.

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Muhammed Olabode, 16 yrs old God has provided Eid-el-Kabir wears for me. I appreciate God for keeping my family safe and sound to see another Sallah which will be celebrated in a few days.

I won’t miss all the necessary things we do during the period such as killing of ram, attending Eid prayer and the dining and wining with my family and friends.

BIRT HDA Y

yoade Aderint dewale And A O at ay uk R by Compiled

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Abdulbasit Abdulwasu, 14 yrs I told my dad that I want to sew lace or ankara fabric and eventually he bought me lace.

The lace has been sewn and well designed. I will put on the attire with my black palm slippers and a cap on Eid-el-Kabir celebration. I wish to go to Onireke for prayers because they usually pray fast and early as 7:30am for me to meet my meal.

I wish to meet my friend at Oluyole in the evening and will visit the museum at Aleshinloye on that day. I wish to eat pounded yam with egusi soup served with drinks.

6

Abdul-Azeez Olugbeja, 14 yrs old I have already told my daddy that I will like to put on an ankara attire on that day. I would like to pray at Ansar-UdDeen central mosque. I will do some shopping in Shoprite later in the day and I believe mum will not deny me fried rice and chicken with soft drink.

C VICTOR OLUSOLA BABALOLA

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10 September, 2016

BLESSING GBARADA ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

food&drink Asun with fries

Asun and plantain calabash

Tweak

asun

By Blessing Gbarada

P

EPPERED meat is one dish that is guaranteed to always excite the taste buds and the nostrils.

This is why asun (which is simply grilled/barbecued meat with lots of pepper) takes the day wherever it’s found.

Although it can be enjoyed by itself as a snack or full meal, it can also be deliciously combined with other foods; infusing life to even the blandest of dishes.

This Sallah, up your asun cooking skills a notch by serving these sumptuous combo.

To prepare asun, you will need: • Ram meat, or protein of your choice • Scotch Bonnet peppers (rodo) • Onions, chopped largely • Bouillon cubes • Salt to taste • Cooking oil • Water Procedure: • Blitz pepper and onions to coarse consistency.

Set aside.

Wash meat and combine with bouillon cubes, salt and other preferred spices for marinating meat. Marinate for about one hour.

• Place pot on fire, add a quartered chunk of onions and cook meat till slightly soft.

Asun with coleslaw

for a spicy, finger-licking Sallah

Asun kebab

You should cook on low heat without adding water. Monitor closely to prevent it from getting burnt. Add water if needed.

• When slightly cooked, drain off any excess liquid and cut meat into bite size pieces.

• Place pot on high heat and add a little bit of oil. Add in meat pieces and fry till light brown.

• Drain oil and reboil meat for a few minutes.

• Drain water and fry a second time.

(The traditional method is grilling/ barbecuing meat rather than fry.)

• Heat a little oil and add blitzed pepper paste. Combine with meat for a few minutes.

• Serve.

Saturday Tribune

Asun and pasta

Asun and cold beer Asun with Garri

14

10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

intimacy STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Regular sex reduces prostate cancer risk Frequent ejaculations, especially in 20-somethingyear-old men, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer later in life, Australian researchers reported in the British Journal of Urology International. When they followed men diagnosed with prostate cancer and those without, they found no association of prostate cancer with the number of sexual partners as the men reached their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

But they found men who had five or more ejaculations weekly while in their 20s reduced their risk of getting prostate cancer later by a third. Another study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that frequent ejaculations, 21 or more a month, were linked to lower prostate cancer risk in older men, as well compared with less frequent ejaculations of four to seven monthly.

Sex as elixir for pain, insomnia, others Regular sex improves intimacy AVING sex and orgasms increases the level of the hormone oxytocin, the love hormone, which helps us bond and build trust. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina evaluated 59 premenopausal women before and after warm contact with their husbands and partners ending with hugs. They found that the more contact, the higher the oxytocin levels. “Oxytocin allows us to feel the urge to nurture and to bond,” Britton says.

Higher oxytocin has also been linked with a feeling of generosity. So, if you’re suddenly feeling more generous toward your partner than usual, credit the love hormone.

H

Regular sex reduces pain As the hormone oxytocin surges, endorphins increase, and pain declines. So, if your headache, arthritis pain, or PMS symptoms seem to improve after sex, you can thank those higher oxytocin levels. In a study published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 48 volunteers who inhaled oxytocin

Regular sex strengthens pelvic floor muscles For women, doing a few pelvic floor muscle exercises known as Kegels during sex offers a couple of benefits. You will enjoy more pleasure, and you’ll also strengthen the area and help to minimise the risk of incontinence later in life. To do a basic Kegel exercise, tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor, as if you’re trying to stop the flow of urine. Count to three, then release.

vapour and then had their fingers pricked lowered their pain threshold by more than half.

Regular sex helps you sleep better The oxytocin released during orgasm also promotes sleep, according to research. And getting enough sleep has been linked with a host of other good things, such as maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure.

This is something to think about especially if you’ve been wondering why your guy can be active one minute and snoring the next.

08055001741 (sms only)

conversewithyemisi How do I get access to my children?

I yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

Dear Yemisi, am 43 years old while the mother of my two children aged 14 and seven respectively, is 40.

It is exactly six years now that she left me together with the children and all I have done to get her and the children have been unsuccesful.

It happened that I discovered that she was not sincere with me and I took her up based on my observation. She works as a school administrator while I am a production manager in Port Harcourt. I observed, overtime that whenever we were together, a man usually called her and I asked her who was always calling.

Upon interrogation, she told me that her caller was her brother and at another time she told me the caller was her church member, which I knew was a lie. Anytime we sat to discuss, this guy would call and she would run out to pick the call.

We were staying in Ibadan together before I relocated to Port Harcourt, leaving her with the children. When I continued to challenge her, she did not even give me any inkling that she was not comfortable with my wanting to know who exactly her callers were.

Though, our coming together was not in any way formalised as we could not have the traditional engagement due to her daddy’s disappearance. All my efforts to find

For Him

Adeyemi Ojo, 38, contractor, needs a God-fearing lady, aged 37, for a relationship. Call 08142794240.

Ola Adebola, needs a God-fearing, reliable, responsible, Christian/Muslim lady, aged between 22 and 36 as a date. Call 08097753123.

Adelanwa, 63, Christian, divorced, accountant, based in Ile-Ife, Osun State, needs a beautiful, divorced, working class lady in Osun State, aged between 40 and 50 for a relationship. Call 07030700728.

truce have failed as all her family members who I have contacted over this issue have continued to plead with me to tread softly and be patient with her.

I have waited patiently all these six years without seeing my children as she told me point blank that I cannot have access to my children. I initially wanted the children in my custody, but she resisted this attempt.

I am getting tired of the whole scenario as I don’t know what to do to have my children back. Though I learnt that she is still single, I would not mind having her back because I don’t want to have two wives, but if she is no longer keen on having me as her husband, it is a welcome development. I have waited this long hoping that she would have a change of heart, but opposite is the case.

I will rather continue my life with another woman if she remains incommunicado.

We are both indigenes of Ogun State Nigeria.

What do you think I can do to have my children?

Segun.

Dear Segun, The way out is to seek audience with the mother of your children because you have written

For Her

Kike, 29, from Ogun State, single, romantic, needs a caring, loving, honest man, aged between 36 and 47, for a relationship. Call 08149698213.

Ola, 27, needs a God-fearing man aged between 35 and 40 for marriage. Call 08066414509.

Temi, 36, single mother based in Lagos, needs a good looking, working class, single father aged between 45 and 55 based in Lagos for marriage. Call 08092782789.

that you did not have the opportunity of formalising your living together as husband and wife.

To my understanding, you cannot claim to be her husband because the woman’s parents never blessed your coming together. Hence, no member of that family will listen to you against their own daughter. To them, you might have treated her badly and the only thing they can tell you is to exercise patience with her until you run out of patience.

With the unfolding scenario, you need to intimate the police of your plight, so that you will not take laws into your hands. Another option is for you to go to the social welfare to register your protest. Doing this will put you in a better stead to pursue your case to a logical conclusion. There are statutory laws on who should be in charge of children from a union that is on the brink of collapse. As long as you are not legally married to this woman, stop referring to her as your wife.

If she were to be your wife, she would not have treated you the way she did. I am not holding brief for her. You have demonstrated that she could no longer be trusted as having you as the only man in her life. Your unspoken words say much.

As long as you are suspicious of her dealings with other men and your disbelief in her response to your queries, I think it is better you let her be and let her realise that you are only interested in the welfare of your children.

You must not delay your action any further.

Time to call a spade its name is now.

15

10 September, 2016

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune BLESSING GBARADA ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

How to prevent poisoning this Sallah

By Blessing Gbarada

W

ITH the festivities going on, there is usually a lot of eating and drinking. As is common in this season, meat is in bountiful abundance, mostly in the form of ram but also including goat, poultry and beef. While these are tasty and provide our protein needs, they can also be a source of infection and sometimes fatal illness if not properly handled.

The chief constituents of meat (beef, pork and poultry) are water, protein and fat, phosphorus, iron and vitamins and though it is a huge source of protein, nutrition experts have pointed out their potential to serve as incubators for diseasecausing micro-organisms.

In a study on The Bacteriological Quality of Fresh Meats Sold in Some Nigerian Markets, published in the Electronic Journal of Environmental, Agricultural And Food Chemistry, it was noted that organisms such as K. pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp, C. freundii, Ps. aeruginosa, E. coli, Salmonella spp, S. marcescens, Pseudomonas spp and Pr. vulgaris are some of the micro-organisms found in meat in some of our markets.

Meat has been said to be the most perishable of all important foods and it contains sufficient nutrient needed to support the growth of micro-organisms. Its low acidity and high moisture content also provide a conducive environment for micro-organisms to breed. The presence of these organisms in fresh meats is also as a result of the deplorable state of poor hygienic and sanitary practices employed in the slaughtering, processing and packaging of fresh meats.

These micro-organisms, according to Mrs Serah Abagai, of the Dietetics Department, National Hospital, Abuja, can have grave effects. “The effect of bacteria in the body is food poison. It could cause diarrhoea, vomiting or stomach cramps. It could be serious food poisoning, especially if it has to do with meat. Some food poisoning could lead to death. For instance, food poisoning from Clostridium perfringens could lead to death,” she says.

Medical experts have also stated that in the developing world, food-borne infection leads to the death of many children and the resulting diarrheal disease can have long-term effects on children’s growth as well as on their physical and cognitive development.

Meat, like any food which supports or allows the growth of pathogenic microor-

•

avoiding cross-contam-

ination

ganisms, needs to be handled with special care in order to be kept safe for consumption.

In a study of the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in food samples in some areas of south eastern Nigeria carried out by the Department of Applied Biology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, it was discovered that to a large extent, raw meat is usually contaminated with S. aureus as a result of unhygienic handling.

The research also cited symptoms of poisoning as rapid in many cases but dependent on the individual’s susceptibility to the toxin, the amount of contaminated food eaten, the amount of toxin in food ingested and the general health of the victim.

These symptoms, according to the study, range from nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramping, weakness, diarrhoea to transient change in blood pressure.

Because of the gastrointestinal symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea, there is usually a significant loss of body fluids. In severe cases, people with food poisoning may need to be hospitalised to receive intravenous fluids and other medical treatments. Most times, symptoms surface between 30 minutes to four weeks after eating contaminated meat, but medical experts say they usually show up within 12 to 72 hours.

According to the Food Standards Agency of the United Kingdom, a useful way of preventing food poisoning is to remember the four Cs: • cleaning • cooking • chilling

Cleaning You can prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses by having good personal hygiene and keeping all your work surfaces and utensils clean.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, particularly: • after going to the toilet • after handling raw food • before preparing food • after touching bins • after touching pets Remember never to: • handle food when you are ill with stomach problems, such as diarrhoea or vomiting • touch food if you have sores and cuts (unless they are covered with a waterproof dressing) Cooking It is always important to cook food thoroughly, particularly poultry, pork and beef, as this will kill any harmful bacteria that may be present, such as listeria and salmonella.

Make sure the food is cooked thoroughly and is steaming hot in the middle. You can check that the meat is cooked by inserting a knife into the thickest or deepest part

Medical experts have also stated that in the developing world, food-borne infection leads to the death of many children and the resulting diarrheal disease can have long-term effects on children’s growth

of the meat: if the juices that come out are clear and there is no pink/red meat left, it is fully cooked. If you are reheating food, make sure it is steaming hot all the way through. Do not reheat food more than once.

Chilling It is important to keep certain foods at the correct temperature to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Always check the label on the packaging.

If food has to be refrigerated, set your fridge to between zero and 5°C (32 and 41°F).

If food that needs to be chilled is left standing at room temperature, bacteria can grow and multiply to dangerous levels.

Cooked leftovers should be cooled quickly, ideally within one to two hours, and then put in your fridge or freezer. Putting food in shallow containers and dividing it into smaller amounts will speed up the cooling process.

Cross-contamination Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria are transferred from foods (usually raw foods) to other foods. Contamination can be: • direct, where one food touches or drips onto another food • indirect, where bacteria on your hands, equipment, work surfaces or utensils are spread to food To prevent cross-contamination: • Always wash your hands after handling raw food.

• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate.

• Store raw meat in sealable containers at the bottom of your fridge, so that it cannot drip onto other foods.

• Use a different chopping board for raw food and ready-to-eat food, or wash it thoroughly in between preparing different foods.

• Clean knives and other utensils thoroughly after they have been used with raw food.

• Don’t wash raw meat or poultry: any harmful bacteria will be killed by thorough cooking and washing could splash harmful bacteria around the kitchen.

16 healthandfitness

Is this pregnancy mine?

Dr. Wale Okediran

I recently met a lady when I went for a two weeks course.

Although I used a condom for her, some of the sperm spilled into her vagina when I was removing the condom. I quickly cleaned up the sperm.

A month after my return from the course, the lady called to say that she was pregnant.

Is this possible?

Take away (by SMS) Yes, it is very possible because all that is needed to get a lady pregnant is just a drop of sperm. Since you accepted that some of the sperm was split into the lady,

08055069356 (sms only)

My fat tummy I am a 19-year-old student who enjoys a good meal. My problem is my fat tummy. Kindly tell me the kind of medications to take because my case is very embarrassing.

Paul (by SMS) some of it could have escaped your mopping effort. If you are still in doubt, a paternity

test after the lady must have been delivered would settle the problem.

My spitting problem I am five months pregnant with my first pregnancy. Every other thing is okay with my pregnancy except the spitting which has been on since the pregnancy was two months old.

I have tried everything but the spitting has refused to stop. Kindly help me.

Mariam (by SMS) Excessive salivation and spitting are due to the high level of the hormone of pregnancy which stimulates excessive salivation and spitting in some women.

There are various suggestions on what can reduce the spitting.There may not be much else you can do

about your excessive saliva, although some women report that the following measures are helpful: Brush your teeth and use mouthwash several times a day; Eat frequent, small, well-balanced meals, and avoid excessive amounts of starchy food; Drink plenty

Saturday Tribune

10 September, 2016

of water. Keep a water bottle handy and take frequent small sips; If you can, just swallow any excess saliva you create. However, if swallowing it makes you feel nauseated, you may find that you need to spit it into a tissue, washcloth, or cup. If this is the case, be sure to drink plenty of water so you don’t get dehydrated.

For many women, this annoying and, in extreme cases, downright distressing problem often lessens or disappears as their nausea subsides around the end of the first trimester. However, just like nausea, it lasts throughout pregnancy for a small number of women.

The fastest way to trim down your fat tummy is for you to reduce your food intake, especially foods with high levels of fatty and oily elements. These kinds of food items are the ones commonly served by the numerous ‘fast food’ outlets which unfortunately are largely patronised by our youths. It is equally

IsthisHIVinfection?

important for you to reduce your consumption of sugary and fizzy drinks which are loaded with unnecessary carbohydrates. Instead, you need to eat fresh balanced food items with plenty of fruits and vegetables. In addition to these efforts, regular physical exercise will also assist the reduction of your fat tummy.

Whitish discharge from my penis

I am a 26 year old man.

Since I had sex with one lady eight months ago, I have been having a whitish discharge from my penis. I need your advice please.

Udenze (by SMS) You most likely have gonorrhea. The way to handle the problem is to see a doctor who will send a sample of the whitish discharge to the laboratory for a confirmatory test as well as the appropriate

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

drugs to be used. Once a diagnosis is made, your doctor will give you the right drugs to use. It is equally important to try and locate the lady so she can also be treated. This way, you can help stop the infection being transmitted around.

I had sex without using condom with a girl I met while on holidays with my grandfather about two months ago. Two days ago, I started coughing and noticed some rashes in the inner parts of my thighs. I am worried in case I have contracted HIV infection from this girl. Please help me.

Sadiq (by SMS) It takes about 12 weeks (3 months) after exposure to the HIV for the virus to show in the blood to provide a highly accurate result. In rare cases, a person could take up to six months to test positive using standard tests. In view of this, it is highly unlikely for you to have got any HIV infection from the girl in question.

However, it is possible for you to have got the infection from previous sexual encounters, if any. For this reason, it is advisable for you to see a doctor for a proper medical examination in order to establish if what you have is HIV infection or any other ailment.

Protect your child’s heart as schools resume

A

S schools resume, it behooves parents to stock up on foods for their lunch packs. While there are a variety of foods to pick from, most of which usually appeal to the child’s sweet tooth, pediatric cardiologists suggest special attention should be taken as to what kiddies really eat as this can have a great impact on their heart.

Pediatric cardiologist at the United States of America’s Dell Children’s, Dr. Stuart Rowe, said, “Heart health in adults begins as good heart health in children.”

He stated that many of the cardiovascular risk factors that develop in childhood will follow into adulthood, and much of that is triggered by a child’s diet and activity level.

“We do see kids with elevated blood pressure, elevated insulin levels and glucose levels, so we know those kids are on their way to hypertension and developing diabetes and I consider it very unfortunate because these are things that can be changed,” he said.

The path to a heart healthy diet starts with somewhat of a Mediterranean diet. That includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low fat or nonfat dairy products.

Poor quality food and lack of cardiovascular activity could add to the rising number of children that are obese.

“If you are obese, it means that you likely have higher blood sugar, higher cholesterol, higher triglycerides, higher blood pressure and so all the risk factors escalate if you are overweight,” says Dr. Rowe.

As kids grow older into adolescence, the obesity rate rises. So, Dr. Rowe said that’s why parents should be role models for heart healthy eating for their kids. Eat whole foods, exercise together, and definitely do things around the home that make it easy for the whole family to eat healthy items.

“There are things that can be done to try to encourage heart healthy eating habits, having the fruit cut up ahead of time and ready for the kids when they come home for snacks after school, having the fruit cut up in animal shapes and things like that that make it fun for the kids,” he said.

You can help your child develop healthy habits early

in life that will bring lifelong benefits. As a parent, you can encourage your kids to evaluate their food choice and physical activity habits. Here are some tips and guidelines to get you started.

1. Be a good role model - You don’t have to be perfect all the time, but if kids see you trying to eat right and getting physically active, they’ll take notice of your efforts.

You’ll send a message that good health is important to your family.

2. Keep things positive - Kid’s don’t like to hear what they can’t do, tell them what they can do instead. Keep it fun and positive. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a good self-image.

3. Get the whole family moving - Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside.

Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.

4. • Be realistic - Setting realistic goals and limits are key to adopting any new behaviour. Small steps and gradual changes can make a big difference in your health over

time, so start small and build up.

5. • Limit TV, video game and computer time - These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Limit screen time to 2 hours per day.

6. • Encourage physical activities that they’ll really enjoy Every child is unique. Let your child experiment with different activities until they find something that they really love doing.

They’ll stick with it longer if they love it.

7. • Pick truly rewarding rewards - Don’t reward children with tv, video games, candy or snacks for a job well done. Find other ways to celebrate good behaviour.

8. • Make dinnertime a family time - When everyone sits down together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the wrong foods or snacking too much.

Get your kids involved in cooking and planning meals.

Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus.

9. • Make a game of reading food labels - The whole family will learn what’s good for their health and be more conscious of what they eat. It’s a habit that helps change behaviour for a lifetime.

10.

• Stay involved - Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your children’s healthcare providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Make your voice heard.

Culled from fox2detriot.com

17

10 September, 2016

Divorce

Saturday Tribune

Court & Crime

My husband wants me to swear over my sexual life, wife tells court

We already have a case at the appeal court —Husband

He used our physically-challenged son for money rituals —Woman

I never used our son, God is my source of blessing —Husband

A

N Igando customary court has dissolved a 16-year-old marriage between Funmilayo Adedeji and Emmanuel Adedeji over a 10-year sex starvation of the wife by the husband.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that delivering his judgement, the president of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, said the petitioner was adamant despite several mediations from the court and family intervention on the issue.

“Since the petitioner insisted on a divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice but to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Emmanuel Adedeji and Funmilayo Adedeji dissolved today; both parties, henceforth, cease to be husband and wife.

“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,” Omilola ruled.

Earlier, Funmilayo had in her response to a suit filed by her husband said that Emmanuel gave no reasons for starving her of sex for a decade.

“My husband refused to make love to me since 2006, I don’t know his reasons.

“I had called members of my family and those of his family to intervene but he re-

fused to change.

“My body yearns for sex but I don’t just want to commit adultery because I want all the children to be fathered by one man,” she said.

The mother of two said that she also accused her husband of using their son for ritual because he started showing signs of prosperity immediately they gave birth to the newborn.

“My husband’s wealth became noticeable and started booming after the birth of our baby. Our son is now 12 years old, but he can neither walk nor talk.

“He wanted to divorce me so that I will no longer persuade him to take the boy to hospital for treatment.

“He had always rejected medical treatment and had refused me approaching a church for deliverance.

“I always cursed him because he used

to beat me; he once beat me to a pulp after which I landed in

inside

the hospital,” she said.

She, however, begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish, saying she was still in love.

The petitioner, Adedeji, a 51-year-old clearing agent, had approached the court seeking to end his 16-year-old marriage over defamation of his character by his wife.

“My wife won’t stop accusing me of using my physically challenged son for money ritual.

“It is God that has blessed me with wealth; I never used my son for any ritual,” he said.

Adedeji said that his wife was also ‘good at fighting,’ claiming she had the habit of beating him in public.

Apart from the beating, Adedeji also claimed that curses from his wife were beginning to affect his life and business negatively.

“My wife always curses me very early in the morning and those curses are now coming to pass in my life,” he said.

He, therefore, pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage, saying he was no longer in love and would not want to commit murder.

“Please, dissolve the marriage before the devil will use me,” the estranged husband said.

Starvation and beatings have been my portion with him —Wife She has no respect for me and that’s why I beat her —Husband

See pages 18 & 23

A woman, Mrs Mary Ike, has told a Jikwoyi customary court, Abuja, that her husband, Augustine Ike, wants her to swear before a deity that she has not had sexual intercourse with another man since they got married.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mary said this when she testified in a divorce petition she filed against her husband during the week.

“My husband wants me to swear that I have never slept with any other man since we got marry.

“My husband and members of his kindred say I must swear to show that I am innocent of the allegation,” she said.

Mary begs the court to dissolve the marriage because she does not want to run mad neither does she want her husband dead.

According to her, “the kinsmen say that if I swear and the deity finds me guilty that I will run mad.

“They also said that if I don’t swear and I continue to make love with my husband, or even give him food or water to drink, that he will die.

“I don’t want to run mad or have my husband dead, I just want to end this marriage,” she said.

She also said that swearing before any deity is against her religion, adding “I cannot swear before any deity.

“If they want me to swear, they should bring me before the alter of God where we wedded,” she said.

Mary begged the court to grant her custody of the children of the marriage.

Ike was also present in court and told newsmen that as far as he was concerned, this case was not going on.

He said, “I did not come to court today for this sitting, I only came to serve this court with our pending motion at the appeal court.

“Untill we are done from the appeal court, I will not say anything in this case,” he said.

The presiding judge, Labaran Gusau, adjourned the case till September 21 for continuation of hearing.

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

23

courtandcrime

Starvation and beatings have been my portion with him —Wife

‘Anytime we had misunderstanding, he would fight me with knive, bottles’ She cheated on me despite my efforts on her —Husband

A

There is no longer peace or love between us —Wife No, she’s lying —Husband

She has no respect for me and that’s why I beat her —Husband

Mapo customary court in Ibadan, Oyo State has dissolved the three-year-old marriage between, Hadijat and her husband, Mutiu Age, for incessant battery and disrespect for her mother.

President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, held that the court ended the union in the interest of peace.

Odunade awarded custody of the threeyear-old child to Hadijat and directed Mutiu to pay N4,000 as monthly upkeep allowance for the child.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that he also said that Mutiu would be responsible for the education and other welfare of the child.

Hadijat had in her petition, alleged that her husband was threatening her life through constant battery and disrespect for her mother.

“You honour, I have had no rest of mind since 2013 when I got married to Mutiu because he keeps beating me at any slightest mistake in the house.

“I have developed psychological and physical depression from the incessant battery on me.”

She said that Mutiu had no single regard for her relatives, especially her mother whom he abuses anyhow.

The petitioner said Mutiu does nothing about her welfare as a wife in his house as starvation has been her portion with him.

“I can no longer stand the hardship, your honour please, separate us,” Hadijat said.

Mutiu, who accepted the divorce suit however, argued that Hadijat lacked any good sense of responsibility and motherly care toward the three-year-old child.

“Hadijat has the character of pride embedded in her. It is that pride that makes her to misbehave to me and that was the reason why I always to beat her up.

“When she left my home, our three-yearold child started falling sick frequently.

“She just doesn’t have what it takes to care for a child, instead, Hadijat gallivants around chasing shadows,” Mutiu said.

A 26-year-old student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Kwara State, Aminat Sodiq, has prayed a Grade ‘C’ customary court sitting at Inalende, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve the seven-year-old marriage between her and her husband, Abeeb Sodiq, 39 years, because she is no longer satisfied with the man’s behaviour.

A 35-year-old housewife, Ngozi Nnaji, has told a Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State, that her husband from the inception of their marriage had never bought pants for her.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Ngozi, of Aso B, Mararaba, had urged the court to dissolve her 14-year-old marriage to her husband, Emeka Ogugua, for alleged lack of care.

She told the court that her husband was not performing his responsibilities as a father to provide and cater for family.

The petitioner said their marriage was blessed with three children, adding that “since the inception of the marriage, the respondent has never bought me pants.”

According to her, he is in the habit of beating her whenever

“My husband married me as a Christian. When my mother died, he did not allow me to attend her funeral service in the church but I did otherwise. When I came back from the service, he told me to pack out.

Meanwhile, he had already packed out my belongings but my neighbours begged him.

“Anytime we had a misunderstanding, he would bring out

they have misunderstanding.

“I built the house we are living in but whenever we have a misunderstanding, he will threaten me and always tear my clothes.

“There is no longer peace or love between us as the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

“I am also pleading with the court to ask my husband to vacate the house I built, pay for my clothes he tore and also pay the sum of N13,500 which he owes me,” she said.

The respondent, Ogugua, denied all the allegations made by his wife.

The presiding judge, Ibrahim Shekaru, adjourned the matter till September 23 for the petitioner to bring her witnesses to court.

He burnt my clothes and he has never bought ordinary pants for me —Wife I bought one for her during my second wife’s naming ceremony —Husband

By Oyeyemi Okunlade

I want divorce to regain my sanity —Husband He is not caring —Wife WORRIED by his wife’s alleged adulterous acts, Mr Azeez Adeshina has approached the Ikorodu customary court in Lagos State to dissolve his 22-year-old marriage.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adeshina, a 40-year-old man, told the court that his wife, Oluwatoyin, was an ‘unrepentant adulterer.’

He asked the court to dissolve the union since the woman stopped liking him since 2007.

“I caught her red-handed committing adultery.

“She incited some people to beat me almost to the point of death and the people confirmed this to me after carrying out her orders.

“I cannot imagine being associated with a person that is not under my roof and still bears my name.

“My estranged wife does not care about her image as a wife; she takes pleasure in living outside my home so that she can continue with her adulterous acts.

“I need to move on in life and regain my sanity and that is why I want to divorce her,” he told the court.

The petitioner also said he wanted to be separated from Oluwatoyin because she had been endangering the lives of their four children.

Adeshina added: “I have always told her that I do not want her to cross highways with my chil-

By Oyeyemi Okunlade

dren where there is a pedestrian bridge but she refused.

“I do not love her again and I do not want her to bear my name any longer.”

Meanwhile, the respondent, Oluwatoyin who is also 40 years old, accused the petitioner of failing to pay her dowry.

“He is not a caring person and he finds it difficult to care for me and the children.

“He abandoned me after an accident I had and asked my father to care of me instead.

“Any claim of his that I kidnapped two of our children and harassed him is false,” she said.

She said she moved out of his house because the husband was making life unbearable for her.

In his ruling, the court’s president, Mrs Abiola Omolara, ordered the couple to keep the peace pending when the case would be disposed off.

“I want the two of you to continue to ensure that the children remain in school because you should not allow your misunderstanding to affect their education.

“I will further urge the two of you to discuss the way forward to resolve this crisis and let the court know your resolutions,” she said.

The case was adjourned till September 18 for continuation of trial.

AFTER several adjournments for a possible settlement, a Grade ‘C’ customary court at Inalende, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State has dissolved the marriage between a 31-year-old fashion designer, Omotola Oyeniyi, and her husband, Olusola, over abandonment and uncaring attitude towards her and their only child. the marriage lasted about 13 years.

According to Omotola, Olusola stopped taking care of her and the children since he married another woman.

“There was a day he sent me to buy recharge card for him at 10p.m but I couldn’t get it. On returning home, he had packed out my belongings, poured petrol on them and set them on fire.

Seeing this, I informed one of his brothers living close by. The man later took us to Lagos to other family members in order to settle issues, but all to no avail. While in Lagos, my second child was hit by a vehicle and died.

“On the night we returned to Ibadan, he told me that he had already married another woman of his choice. Not minding that, I pleaded with him till the following morning but I discovered he had already made up his mind. After the incident, we still lived together for about four months until he decided to move out of the house. All efforts to bring the situation under control were unsuccessful to the extent that he told me to stop calling him.

“When our house rent was due, the landlord called him but he said he had left the house, so he should talk to me. I still spent a year and a half years in the house but he returned to us,” she told the court.

The petitioner told the court that in August 2015, Grace, their child asked after his father and she called him.

“He gave my daughter N2,000 and another day, he also gave her N2,000. Since then, he has stopped taking care of the child. I have tried over time to persuade him to rise up to his responsibilities as a father but he has not changed. His parents are aware of this too, but they have never done anything about it,” she said.

The court asked Omotola what she did when she met her husband burning her belongings, she said: “He said if I came closer, he would kill me.”

In his response, Oyeniyi denied some of the claims by his wife. He told the court that his family advised him to leave his wife since he has married another woman.

“Her belongings which I burnt were the ones I bought during our wedding ceremony. I only threatened her that I could pour battery water on her. I have been taking care of my daughter; I gave her N2,000 and N5,000 respectively against my wife’s claim.

“After the first settlement, I bought part of the clothes I set on fire and I moved out of the house. That is all,” Olusola said.

Omotola cut in while her husband was narrating his own side of the story to the court and asked “did you buy any cloth for me after you burnt all?”

“I bought one for you for the naming ceremony of the second wife’s child,” Oyeniyi claimed.

“You are telling lies before this court,” Omotola confronted him while her husband answered “only during the naming ceremony.”

President of the court, Mr Ramoni Olafenwa, in his ruling said: “Having gone through the evidence of both parties on oath, the court sees that the plaintiff has been denied love. This court cannot do another thing other than to grant the plaintiff’s request. The marriage between both parties is dissolved forthwith. The only child is to be taken care of on education, health, moral and financial grounds by the defendant. The defendant is to pay N4,000 monthly as food allowance. Both parties should keep the peace.”

bottles and knife to threaten me.

“My mother was a food vendor before she died. After her death, my elder sister took over the business and my child was staying with her in the shop. However, my husband said I had dropped his daughter under bridge and he later took custody of her for about three years.

“My husband did not give me access to the child since he took her away from me. I got tired of this unfair attitude and decided to take a court action.”

Aminat, however, told the court that she did not inform Abeeb’s parents of his action and they were not also aware when she moved out of the house. When the court asked her about the steps she took with her sister when her husband took away her child, Aminat said: “I called after a year but he said I should not call him again. My sister [also] called me on phone to inform me since she knew him as the father of the child.”

Abeeb, while responding to all accusations levelled against him by his wife, admitted Aminat said all about their marriage.

He said: “I rented a shop for her but whenever I went there, I would not meet her but my child only. Before she gave birth to the child, she had made an attempt to abort the pregnancy and her complaint then was that I always loved to trouble her.

“About the church service [for Aminat’s late mother], she knew my culture before marrying me but when I was advised by elders, I went to beg her family and I allowed her to go, I even followed her. Aside this, I bought a wall clock for the church as a remembrance of the mother’s death.

“Aminat suddenly packed out of the house and I did could find her. After three weeks, I went to her sister at Mokola Roundabout where I found my daughter. She later came home and I pleaded with her from 1:00am till 4:00am but all to no avail because at dawn, she started packing her belongings. One of my brothers came to beg her. I also called our Alfa to plead with her but she insisted on leaving. She started begging me after two years that she had left my house to allow me see her daughter. I begged her because of the love I had for her to the extent that I knelt down for her. She cheated on me after all I have done for her.”

The court said that it was obvious that the marriage between Abeeb and Aminat had broken down irreparably and that there was no more love between them.

President of the court, Mr Ramoni Olafenwa, then dissolved the marriage contracted about seven years ago. “The defendant is to take care of the child in terms of education, health, moral and financial grounds and the parties are to keep the peace.”

I have lived every minute of my life in fear —Wife

She’s no longer my wife —Husband A trader, Margaret Agwu, has told an Igando customary court in Lagos State that her husband, Onu, sometimes strips her naked and beats her to pulp.

Margaret, who made this known when she testified in a divorce proceedings against Onu, told the court that her husband had turned her into a punching bag “He once punched me in my stomach and I lost my first pregnancy after a fight. I have lived every minute of my life in fear but I cannot go back to my parents because of the bride price,” she said.

Margaret, 45, had urged the court to dissolve her 33-yearold marriage, citing her husband’s duplicity.

“When I was 12 years old, my husband came to my village to ask for my hand in marriage with a promise to my parents that he would send me to school.

“He also lied to my parents that he was a businessman that he owned a provision store and that he lived in a flat.

“My parents told him that they could not release me for marriage because I was too young and besides, I was still schooling.

“Onu told my parents that he would send me to school after the marriage, my parent agreed and he paid the bride price,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Margaret regretted that on getting to the city, she discovered that her husband was not what he made her and her parents believe he was.

“When I got to his house, I discovered that he was staying in one-room apartment, selling popcorn at the roadside.

“He also refused to fulfil his promise of sending me to school,” she said.

The petitioner said that she would not have reminded herself of the husband’s deceit but because he had turned out to be a brute who beats her at the slightest provocation.

Margaret also accused her husband of absconding with all their five children 16 years ago.

“When I called him after he packed out, he just told me that he was no longer interested in the marriage and since then he refused to pick my calls.

“His relations told me he relocated with the children to Port Harcourt. It is 16 years now that I have not seen nor heard from them.

“I heard that my husband gave our first daughter’s hand in marriage without my knowledge and that she has given birth to a son,” she said.

Margaret urged the court to help her to return the N600 bride price paid by her husband and dissolve the marriage, saying “I am no longer in love and I want to move on with my life.”

When an official of the court called Onu on telephone, he said that the petitioner was no longer his wife.

In his judgement, the president of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, said that it was obvious that the marriage had hit the rocks.

“Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court summons, therefore, the court has no other choice but to dissolve the union.

“The marriage between Margaret Agwu and Onu Agwu is hereby dissolved from today, both parties are no longer husband and wife.

“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,” he said.

19

10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos Editor Lanre Adewole m: 0811 695 4637

A Reporter’s Diary

How to wreck a reporter’s Friday Eko Akete

The fearful, fatal road of Ogudu

e: olanreade@yahoo.com

Noise polution: How Lagosians risk deafness, high blood pressure Many Lagos residents may be going deaf without realising it; a few more may not even know they are walking on the precipice of high blood pressure. In this report, Saturday Tribune’s team led by CHUKWUMA OKPARAOCHA, TOLA ADENUBI, TUNDE ALAO and NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA, unravel a most potent health hazard and ways to avoid it.

IN June this year, the Lagos State government shut down 70 churches, 20 mosques and about 11 hotels, club houses and beer parlours.

However, those places were not shut because the state government had suddenly become hostile to religion, neither were they shut because the government had outlawed clubbing, partying and merriment by fun-seeking young people, rather they were sealed as part of moves aimed at reducing noise in the state.

Noise pollution is a problem many are grappling with in Lagos. As a matter of fact, unconfirmed reports have it that Lagos has one of the highest level of noise pollution in Africa. The blaring from music record sellers,

hooting from commercial bus operators and loud music from hawking vans, especially local herbs sellers as well as loud noise from worship centres are some of the pollutants which have given Lagos the “noisy city” tag.

In recent times, phone selling outlets have also joined the fray, as they often employ the services of music people, especially disc jockeys (DJs), who in turn blare loud songs from huge loudspeakers directed towards spots where people are commonly found.

In Lagos, it is not uncommon to see religious institutions in residential places. In some instances, religious worshippers seek God in shops and stores located in buildings, where they share compounds as tenants with

other residents.

Yet, noise emanating from religious houses is far from being the only source of worry for Lagosians; rather, there exists a somewhat unlikely source of noise pollution in the state that prides itself as the “Centre of Excellence.” This is the Lagos traffic, which is widely regarded as one of the highest in Africa.

Thus, apart from reckless driving, Lagos traffic is also notorious for reckless and needless hooting and blaring of horns by different grades of vehicles, including large articulated vehicles whose hooting can be heard metres away.

Continues on pg20

Ijora Badia

“Life is terrible, very terrible...”

By Naza Okoli

S

EVERAL tales have been told about Ijora Badia – a relatively unknown slum not very far from the seaport town of Apapa.

For example, it is said that most of the men in the village have two or more wives, and that they all live in one-room apartments with their numerous children. According to another story, one of the most thriving businesses in the area is prostitution.

When Saturday Tribune visited the community this week in search of the brothels and the polygamous men, not many resi-

dents appeared ready to talk about them.

“Yes, some people here have two or three wives, but that is their business,” said Prince Mike Nana, the chairman of Badia Central Community Development Association (CDA). “When you talk of marriage, not everybody knows the importance of marriage; unlike the case here where somebody would see a woman and impregnate her, and he sees another girl, he impregnates her, and he calls them wives, like many of the agbero and danfo drivers here. They don’t attach seriousness to any marriage; their wives and children are scattered everywhere. In my

own case, I am married to just one woman.”

On prostitution, he said: “Formerly, It happened around Badia East… around the rail way. There used to be brothels there. But since Oba Ojora demolished the structures in the area due to land dispute, the brothels were destroyed.”

Living with refuse Ijora Badia sits on a massive heap of swampy refuse collected over a long period of time. Every form of drainage around the slum had been blocked and overgrown with wild bush, so that many of the homes were

almost submerged by flood following the recent heavy rains.

Ayobami Olabamiji is a student at Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) who is in Lagos for his Student industrial Work Experience (SIWES). But he grew up in this community. When Saturday Tribune visited the community on Wednesday, Olabamiji sat in a shop overlooking the flooded road.

“I grew up here,” he said. “Life at Ijora Badia is terrible…very terrible. There are many harmful substances around. As you can see, Continues on pg22

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos

Harm noise polution does to Lagosians •We will address issue November —Govt official “Sometimes, even the Islamic/Arabic study centre has programmes on Sundays. Anytime this happens, there is some kind of competition over who controls the atmosphere as they all scream on top of their voices through their megaphones to ensure they are heard far and beyond.”

“It is much more terrible when there is no power supply and we have to open our windows for ventilation. The noise is deafening and sometimes I wish there were other ways to worship God,” the young man further lamented.

Adebola Shabi Continued from pg19

The situation is not helped by some highly ranked government officials, including military and police officers, as well as public office holders, especially politicians, who loudly blare very irritating sounds from their sirens that could be heard several metres away. They usually do this as a way of requesting other road users to make way for them, irrespective of the nature of traffic logjams everybody is faced with.

Quite often, one also sees ambulances belonging to both private and public health organisations “blowing” their sirens and thereby forcing or hoodwinking other vehicles into making way for them. Such ambulances usually turn out not having any case of emergency, thus rendering the use of sirens unnecessary.

It is, therefore, with a view to changing this trend that the Lagos State government has devoted a day, sometime in October, as the “No Horn Day,” when motorists are expected to refrain from hooting or blaring the horns in their vehicles. Former Governor of the state, Mr Babatunde Fashola, whose administration idea the “No Horn Day” initiative, was then known for his refusal to use sirens, as a way of setting an example to all highly ranked public service holders.

But for residents of buildings where religious institutions are neighbours, it is hell living in such environment.

When Saturday Tribune visited Alhaji Yekini Tadeshe Street in Ahmadiya area of Lagos State, there were about three churches located on the street, with all three churches having megaphones that blared ear-deafening noise directed outwards.

Also, a popular Islamic/Arabic learning institution is located just close to the streets.

For Vincent Oladotun, a resident, it is hell coping with the noise when all the religious institutions have programmes going on simultaneously. According to him, “Every Sunday, I always run away from home to my church in Ota. “But I really don’t think it is good to have the kind of noise that comes out of these religious institutions. It’s most deafening when all of them have programmes at the same time. This often happens on Sundays.

Schools worst affected On October 31, 2013, desperate mothers held their hearts in their hands as 22 students of Ogba Junior School fainted after inhaling toxic fumes from a laboratory close to their school.

But toxic fumes may not be the only harmful thing students in public and private schools in Lagos are exposed to, as it is believed in some quarters that thousands of students are daily exposed to noise pollution, which is indirectly taking its toll on students’ lives.

A journey round parts of the Lagos metropolis, as made by Saturday Tribune, showed that many public secondary and primary schools share boundaries with markets, industrial centres, very busy roads, sawmills, among others.

For instance, a public primary school at Kola area of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was found to be not only sharing boundary with the Kola Market, it also had a stagnant and open gutter at its entrance, and perhaps, most importantly, it was observed to be built only metres away from a high-tension power line.

Also at Kola, two schools both of which share the same premises, were found to be located quite close to a section of the Kola Market full of DVD and CD sellers who busied themselves with blasting out of music from their shops.

Many of such traders were found to have large speakers placed directly in front of their shops, while, apparently in a bid to outwit one another, each trader made his speakers’ noise level very high.

One of the students of the earlier mentioned schools at Kola, Ayo Akindele, when asked how it felt learning in a noisy environment, said noise from a grinding machine or from one of the numerous CD shops around had become a menace that often disturbed students while lessons were going on.

“Most times, the noise disturbs us a lot. You can imagine a situation whereby a student is trying to

understand what his teacher is trying to say, only for such a student to be jostled by a loud music close by.

This happens from time to time, and no matter how we try to ignore it, it will always be there,” Akindele noted.

Deafness, high blood pressure may be on the rise According to experts, noise, which is generally known as any unwanted sound, is believed to have a lot of deleterious health effects on the society, especially on young people.

While in extreme cases, noise is said to have the potential of causing hearing impairment and hypertension, it is also known to be a main cause of annoyance and sleep disturbance among all classes of people.

Dr. Olubunmi Omojuowolo, chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State chapter and a physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), revealed the multifaceted effects of excessive noise on human being.

According to him, when noise is louder than normal, the effects can be medical, psychological and social. “Medically,” he said, “it can cause hearing loss or deafness. This may be sudden or gradual, depending on the extent of damage of the eardrums over a period of time.

“Loud noise can also cause insomnia, which can trigger other health conditions such as stress, headache, seizure and inability to concentrate. It has also been associated with highblood pressure, directly and indirectly through stress.”

Omojuowolo also said that excess noise can lower the cognitive development of children. Explaining further he said, “when children are regularly exposed to noise, it may interfere with their speech.

“They may develop speech or reading difficulty because auditory processing functions connected to the brain are compromised.”

Speaking on the effects of noise on the brain on children and adults, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr. Richard Adebayo, explained that excessive noise affects the central nervous system in developing children as well as adults.

“The environment,” he said, “has a role in shaping our psyche, behaviour and productivity. For instance, a child in the womb can perceive sounds and can also respond to them by motor activity and cardiac rate change. When a growing child is exposed to high noise, it may interfere with the development of the central nervous system as well as some of the internal organs.

“And for adults, noise pollution puts the nerves in the brain on edge. This may cause sleep disorder, also known as insomnia and restlessness. In prolonged situation, the brain may try to adapt to the environment and tolerate the noise. However, this does not apply in all cases. Most people who can tolerate noisy environment often induce the brain with drugs. And with time, they

In extreme cases, noise is said to have the potential of causing hearing impairment, and hypertension; it is also known to be a main cause of annoyance, and sleep disturbance among all classes of people.

may become addicted to these medications,” he said.

And speaking about the connection between noise and heart-related problems, he said, “Noise pollution can be linked to cardiovascular crisis and hypertension only indirectly. When a person does not sleep soundly over a long time because of noise, it results in stress. An individual with a history of heart problems or hypertension can be aggravated by stress caused by sleep disorder. Ordinarily noise pollution will not lead to hypertension,” he said.

When commenting on the effect of noise on a learning environment, a psychologist and social behaviour expert, Mrs Feyisara Amos, disclosed that apart from serving as a major source of distraction, noise from markets, moving vehicles, religious centres and other sources, could hamper the ability of students to concentrate in the long run.

“When exposed to noise for a very long time, hyperactive children tend to become more active and even quiet children tend to lose touch with their sen-

sitive nature. Generally, the existence of a noisy environment does not bode well for learning,” she stated.

She further disclosed that aside the mentioned effects, elevated noise levels, especially those associated with loud music and industrial activities, could create stress and stimulate aggression and other antisocial behaviours.

“We are taught that when children learn in noisy classrooms or are made to daily experience noisy situations, they could end up having more difficult time understanding speech than those who learn in quieter environments. Children’s mental development should never be taken for granted because they continue to develop their speech perception abilities until they reach their teens,” she added.

Much of the problem has been blamed on poor regard for land use planning by successive governments. This view was shared by a seasoned town planner and ex-chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Moses Ogunleye.

“There is big challenge with regards to land use planning in Lagos state. Most of what we have are cases of sporadic developments based on one-man decision or one-investor decision, which are basically for business purposes.

“The ideal way to plan is to build in accordance with what is called ‘Complementary Building.’ This describes a situation whereby, for instance, a school complements a library; a market complements a motor park, for effective traffic management. But what we have is a situation whereby it is either industries going to meet schools or schools coming to meet industries,” said Mr Ogunleye.

“If unapproved developments spring up around schools, then questions must be asked from appropriate authorities,” he also stated.

‘All pollution will end by 2020’ At this juncture, it is worth noting that noise pollution, which seems to be the main thrust of this report, is far from being the only source of worry to environmentalists and indeed all Lagos residents.

From time to time, LASEPA shuts down compa-

nies for violating the state’s environmental laws after being deemed to have polluted the environment with toxic effluents emerging from such companies’ waste units.

Recently, a popular and highly-populated church sited on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway was temporarily put under lock and key after it was accused of messing up its surroundings. Again, also recently, a hotel belonging to one of Nigeria’s finest footballers ever was shut and possibly fined for also violating the state’s environmental laws.

Saturday Tribune recalls recently observing a soft drink making company situated very close to the Old Toll Gate area of Lagos releasing a foul-smelling water into the drainage channels around. So pungent was the smell of the water that everyone around the company could be seen covering their nostrils with handkerchiefs, while the entire surroundings appeared so ‘charged’ that it almost forced tears out of people’s eyes, including those of Saturday Tribune reporter who was within the company’s periphery at the time.

21

Thus, reacting to this development, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Mr. Adebola Shabi, said his agency was fully abreast of the whole situation.

According to Shabi, it’s very easier to control neighbourhood — induced noise than ‘neighbour to neighbour’ noise.

While the former connotes noise emanating from say, religious houses, public places, hotels, among others, neighbour induced noise involves people playing records in their rooms.

“In essence, unwanted or valueless type of noise has been a major challenge in Lagos metropolis and I am happy to say that we have achieved at least, 25 percent reduction in the past four years due to our awareness programmes,” Shabi said.

He stated that what the agency is doing now is how to achieve the international best practices in noise control, by maintaining 55 decibel (DB) in the day and 45 DB in the night.

“Whereas in the mixed area, it should be 65 DB in the day and 55 DB in the night, while in the industrial area, the acceptable noise level should be 90 DB in the daytime while it should be 80 DB in the night. I am very sure that with the rate we are going, we will achieve over 50 percent result,” he assured.

The LASEPA boss hinted that close to 92 religious houses that comprised churches and mosques were sanctioned recently, adding that as a result of the agency’s activities, it had achieved between 20 and 25 percent compliance from religious leaders.

According to him, parts of recommendations are that religious houses should not mount external public address system and where it’s allowed, it’s only meant for “a call to prayer” that should not last more than three minutes.

“Additionally, bars or hotels and public places of entertainment are now mandated to install enclosed double glassed windows. We are planning to have a forum with these operators on both noise control and security issues by the first week of November, 2016,” Shabi hinted.

On industrial pollution, he stated that at present, many industries had installed effluent treatment plants, compared to the last four years.

According to him, 168 facilities who are into wet processes (generating waste waters), had put in place effluent treatment plants, while the government is looking at ways the remaining few would get financial assistance.

“We are looking at a way of introducing a communal waste plant by which they can treat their wastes in pool,” he said.

In addition, he stated that government was not oblivious of the pollution associated with petrol stations across the state and the dangers this portends.

“Oil and gas are part of industrial pollution. Underground water pollution is common in the state and the agency is mandated to monitor all filling stations to ensure that monitoring wells are provided.

“This would allow us to detect if there are leakages, or set page.

“We are giving the filling stations between six and 10 months to provide the monitoring wells,” he stated.

Eko Akete

The fearful, fatal road of Ogudu WORD has reached Ek0 Akete that the people of Ogudu, particularly residents of Ori-Oke, are crying desperately to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a pedestrian bridge at the Ogudu bus stop.

Sadly, findings by Eko Akete revealed that not a week goes by without a pedestrian being hit by a speeding vehicle in the bid to cross the ever busy expressway.

The most recent one at the time of this report, was that of a man simply identified as Tunde who had just rented an apartment in the Ori-Oke area but was sadly hit by a speeding vehicle when he tried to cross the expressway.

The father of one died instantly and LASTMA officials rushed to the scene to evacuate his corpse.

A few weeks ago, a trader also lost her life when she tried to

cross the expressway. She was hit by a passenger bus and was rushed to the hospital but sadly died a few minutes later .

The only alternative route that can be used to avoid crossing the expressway is to go under the bridge which many people avoid because of the bad condition of the road and the activities of miscreants who harass innocent people from time to time.

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Saturday Tribune

‘Construction work on our road has always been abandoned’ Continued from pg19

the pathway that leads to my house is messed up, and the reason we haven’t left is because we want to be here. It’s just that we don’t have a choice. Growing up, we were exposed to the bad life, and we were exposed to the good life. So we were forced to choose one.

“This community has produced a number of touts. This place is about the environment; the kind of people you meet, and the kind of people you played with. For me, growing up in Ijora Badia has been one of the worst experiences I have ever had. But I believe very soon, we will get a better place.”

Ayobami’s home, like many others around, was made of wood. It stands only a few inches above the refuse. To move swiftly around the neighbourhood, Ayobami wore long, heavy rain boots. A lot of care nonetheless is required as some parts tend to be very slippery.

Without the heavy boots, a visitor would have a lot more to contend with. For example, since there are hardly any trails on the ground, so that it is difficult to tell what parts of the filth are safe to step on. Human faeces, meanwhile, litter the corners.

Ayobami’s father, Prince Mike Nana (quoted earlier), was in his home – an extensive house that seemed to have many doors and rooms. A long, narrow, corridor in the centre divides the building into two. Through the cracks on the wooden floor, the refuse beneath could be seen. Only a couple of days ago, according to Nana, a heavy rain left a substantial part of the house flooded. As he spoke, his wife arranged household items around the kitchen. She is a retired civil servant, Nana said, proudly.

Four of Nana’s children are university graduates, while the youngest (Ayobami) is a student. He explained that he used to have a good job, and had, in fact, begun to build a house somewhere outside the community; but when a problem at work forced him to retire early, he sold the house and used the money to train his children at school. He, however, expressed the hope that his children would, when they become gainfully employed, buy him a house and and other things.

Ayobami

Prince Kayode Obadia

“I don’t regret it at all,” he said.

“What is the use of a house if your children don’t go to school? I have lived in this community for nearly forty years. I have lived in three different places in this community before I built my own shelter here. I know many of my friends who have gone out of this place to build their own houses. I know some at Ikorodu; some at Mushin, Agege, and even at Ikeja.

They were once in these plank houses. Nobody prays to stay here this long.”

Advocacy A non-profit organisation, “Slum Achievers Foundation”, is currently leading a campaign to encourage members of the community to embrace education.

The President of the Foundation, Mr Abiodun Oni, who was at Ijora Badia on Wednesday, told Saturday Tribune about the Foundation’s work.

“Ijora Badia is not as popular as other slums in Lagos, yet the residents live under one of the worst conditions,” he said. ‘I grew up in a slum, but today I have an MBA. What we want to achieve here is to enlighten the parents, to talk to

Prince Nana

Ijora Badia is not as popular as other slums in Lagos, yet the residents live under one of the worst conditions, he said. ‘I grew up in a slum, but today I have an MBA. them about the importance of education. That is the only way we can eradicate illiteracy from our land.”

Curiously, two enormous buildings in a large compound levelled with concrete floors serve as the community primary school. Residents and visitors have continued to wonder why the government which established the school has not returned to make its presence felt in many other areas. According to Nana, however, even this

school has been going through a rough patch.

“The borehole donated by Guinness has stopped working, and the roof of the second building has been blown off by heavy wind,” he said.

Eyesore Prince Kayode Obadia is generally seen as the leader of the entire community. Indeed the community takes its name from his father who is believed to be the first settler in the area in 1959. Obadia described

the state of affairs at Ijora-Badia (particularly the roads) as an eyesore, and called on the government to quickly come to their rescue.

“The government has not contributed much to the development of this area,” he said. “What you see today is mainly as a result of the Oba’s efforts and the help of some NGOs. The roads are bad. This particular road (Ireti-Giwa) was awarded to contractors three times, and yet it was never completed. Roads are very important.

Without good roads, movement will be difficult; and without movement, business will be stalled, and there can be no development in that kind of situation.”

Ahead Outside the slum, along the road that led to Orile, many young people could be seen playing football on the road. There were several groups, several matches, each with its own set of spectators. A construction project was on, and so vehicles were not allowed on either side of the road. Meanwhile, shops and offices on both sides were open, as people moved in and out, and up and down. It seemed difficult to believe that Ijora Badia was only a few minutes’ walk away.

A Reporter’s Diary How to wreck a reporter’s Friday

By Naza Okoli IT was one of those beautiful Fridays, when, after a busy week, you sit before your television, a glass of wine or malt drink beside you. It was not time to think about work. Well, it’s actually impossible not to think about work -- about the backlog and the new tasks, about the Lagos traffic and the sun and the rain. But it’s particularly helpful to pretend that there is nothing to worry about.

Fridays are not for urgent calls, but it’s OK to keep your phone beside you. Friends might call just to say “Hi”, you know? So, when on this particular Friday afternoon, the phone began to beep endlessly, nothing immediately suggested

it had anything to do with work. Maybe it was just an old friend who had plenty to talk about?

Or a jealous lover who needed to let off steam?

No, it wasn’t actually a phone call; it was just that hideous WhatsApp alert tone. Perhaps, it was best to ignore it; after all, if it was serious, the person would call. But when the sound continued, it became necessary to take a look.

A major higher institution in Lagos had been set ablaze by hoodlums, the message which began the commotion said on a Whatsapp group.

It was difficult not to be worried: the person who posted it was Mr Efe, one of the oldest and most respected members of the group.

“You mean the entire school?” was the first shocked response.

“When exactly did it happen?” another person queried.

To each of the questions Efe responded: “Write the story, first. I’m almost done with mine.

Shebi, I’ve given you the main gist?”

Another person lamented: “I’ve called the PRO; he didn’t pick up. Does anybody live close to the school? My God! And that school is very far.”

“Why did the hoodlums set the school on fire?” another person asked.

“Just write the story first,” Efe said again. “I’m about to post mine online”.

Efe allowed the panic to grow a little longer, and once he was satisfied that he had successfully ruined everybody’s Friday, he posted: “It was just a joke, fellas...”.

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

Gloria Ibru cancels vacation S INGER and daughter of late billionaire, Olorogun Michael Ibru, Gloria is presently in a sober mood as she calls off her annual vacation.

The lady who is known in the entertainment circle as ‘Mama G’ was in Europe on holiday when the news of her father’s death reached her and she had to cancel her vacation and return back to Nigeria.

Michael Ibru, the patriarch of the Ibru dynasty and chairman of Ibru organisation died a few days ago after a protracted illness in Florida, United States.

The news of his death has enveloped the social circle as people understand the activities that trail such passage.

The late Michael Ibru ws a prominent businessman from Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. He heads the Ibru dynasty-one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria.

Ifeanyi Ubah is not celebrating

Friends, family and associates of the chairman of Capital Oil, Ifeanyi Ubah, were hugely disappointed recently when the oil baron refused to celebrate his 45th birthday.

The people who expected the football lover to reignite the party scenes based on what they witnessed when he celebrated his 40th birthday were shocked when he explained his reasons for shunning the celebrations citing recent happenings in the country.

Despite his pleas to observe a quiet day and maintain a sober reflection, while praying for the country, torrents of tributes from friends far and wide poured in for him marking his special day.

Kanu, Okocha, D’banj, others gather for Star’s Landmark partnership Gavaar Olatunbosun picks the crown CELEBRITY disc jockey, Gavpop has won himself another laurel.

At the recent Nigerian Entertainment Awards in New York City, United States, the official DJ of the Splash FM, Ibadan, Oyo State picked the Male Disc Jockey of The Year Award to the delight of his fans and admirers present at the event.

Gavaar, who runs an academy in Ibadan where talents are discovered every year sees the award as yet another reward of his hard work.

The master spinner who won the Best Nigerian DJ at the Nigerian Broadcaster Merits Award some months ago dedicates his new award to God and his fans.

NIGERIA’S most influential sports, media and entertainment figures were present at the Eko Hotels and Suites recently for the partnership agreement of premium drink, Star as the official beer partner to key football organisations.

Spotted at the events were Shehu Dikko, Seyi Akinwumi, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Nduka Irabor, Isaac Danladi, Nicolas Vervelde, Franco Maggi and officials of Real Madrid FC, PSG, Arsenal FC, Manchester City and Juventus who are also partners in the deal.

The event was anchored by Gbenga Adeyinka with electrifying performances by Dbanj, Darey and Kaffy who wowed VIP guests

like Uti Nwachukwu, Fathia Balogun, Olisa Adibua, Patrick Doyle, Remi Oshodi and many others.

Olumide Aderinokun quits bachelorhood THE Chief Executive Officer of Davade Properties, Olumide Aderinokun is bidding farewell to single life.

The young man, a nephew to late GTBank’s Managing Director, Tayo Aderinokun took the first step to a new life by popping the question to his partner, Stephanie Coker, an on-air Per-

sonalty and a former presenter at MTV Base Africa.

The man, who once showed interest in contesting a Federal seat chose a Lagos hangout to propose to his fiancee, a move that generated interest among his friends and teeming fans of his partner who took to social media to congratulate them.

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10 September, 2016

ntertainment News

Society Gist

Saturday Tribune with Joan Omionawele and

Newton-Ray Ukwuoma jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08059793705

Celebrity Interviews

KSA, Asa, Dbanj set for Made-in-Nigeria festival

>>pg26

Perfecta Ekpo set to tour Nigeria >>pg27

t n r a e l I t a h W f o e l o r e h t g n i y a

a l o t n i k A o pl b — Bim h o v e d a d A Dr

26 entertainment Perfecta Ekpo set to tour Nigeria

Stories by Joan Omionawele

FAST-rising Nigerian singer, Mfonma Ekpo aka Perfecta Ekpo, has announced

her intentions to tour thecountry in December.

The lyrical songbird who is gaining massive hits from her latest song, ‘My

darling’, leaves her audiences breathless when she thrills them with her dance steps.

US-based Perfecta, has released various songs such as ‘Hope For Nigeria,’ which was produced

by Young D,’ ‘Topisin’, produced by Fliptyce’ her third song entitled ‘Nyame Nhyira,’ became an anthem among her fans while her latest song, ‘My Darling,’ was produced by Young D, a track which in less than two weeks of its release, has gotten over 45,000 downloads on Notjustok.com.

The Afro-pop singer told the press recently: “Music is my passion and I hope

AFRIMA introduces new category …. Releases full nominees list THE African Union Commission (AUC) and the 13man jury of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), have released the highly anticipated 2016 nominees list for the continental categories of Africa’s leading awards project.

The 2016 AFRIMA Continental Nominees List was released to the public via the media two weeks after the nominees list for the regional categories of the awards were unveiled on Monday, August 22, in Lagos.

The 22 continental nomination categories include different music genres, as well as coveted categories like Artiste of the Year in Africa, Best Video in Africa, Best Producer in Africa, Best Songwriter in Africa and Revelation of the Year in Africa.

This year also saw the introduction of an innovative category by the international jury of AFRIMA, titled “African Fans Favourite,” to recognise African artistes with great songs that propel the artistes to great popularity within and outside their respective countries and regions.

Reiterating the jury’s position on fairness and transparency, Associate Producer, AFRIMA, Ms. Adenrele Niyi, said the gap between when the regional and continental nominees list were released was necessary for the jury to “painstakingly review and grade the qualified entries submitted and carefully and accurately fit them into their appropriate categories” In partnership with the AUC and the official host city, Lagos State, AFRIMA 3.0. calendar of events for November 4-6, 2016 will include the Africa Music Business Summit on Fri-

day, November 4, and the AFRIMA Music Village, an open concert-style festival featuring nominees and other top billed music stars.

The grand awards ceremony holds on Sunday, November 6 with over 6,000 guests expected in Lagos for the various events.

10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

to stay on top of the game and keep my fans entertained with great tunes, as it’s a channel with which I can connect to my fans and convey a message as I plan to be in Nigeria by December this year for, shows and a media tour.

While appreciating all her fans for the show of love so far, Perfecta, who just finished a major project with Timaya, Skales and a big American rapper which will soon be unveiled, stated that she is not competing with anybody in the industry and hopes that her stay in the Nigerian music industry would yield positive results at the end as she is not in for any form of scandals which she believes comes with the craft.

Aside music, the songstress who draws her deep cultural heritage and music inspiration from Mariam Makeba and Onyeka Onwenu, also has plans to embark on charity and humanitarian activities.

What I learnt acting Dr Adadevoh —Bimbo Akintola STAR actress, Bimbo Akintola has revealed the lesson she learnt from playing the role of the iconic Dr Ameyo Adadevoh, who died as a result of the deadly

Ebola disease which she was able to curb its wider spread before she gave up the ghost.

Akintola, who is the lead character of the Ebola

‘My man must support what I do’ Continues from pg3

[Laughs] I sleep with my blanket, that’s all.

For you, what makes an ideal man?

For a good start, I am so scared of marriage. So my ideal man is that very man that can convince me on the reasons I should get married to him. He should be able to tell me why I should spend the rest of my life with him.

You are scared of marriage?

My dear, these days you see people getting married today, they are apart the next morning. I keep asking myself what happened to the love they shared while dating. The worst part of it is that once they break up, they take to social media to air their dirty linens in public, which is very bad. It hurts me a lot.

Do you see yourself marrying an actor to-

morrow?

I have never thought of that, but for now, I don’t think so. The job is hectic.

I wouldn’t want anything that would jeopardise my marriage.

What if he tells you to quit acting?

Then he doesn’t love me, if not why would he tell me to stop acting?

He can’t tell me to stop acting. If he loves me enough, he should be with me, support my job. Well, I can agree to give a break, have kids, raise them and then come back.

We heard you once had an affair with expresident, Olusegun Obasanjo, is that true?

I was in NewYork. I went to do something for the United Nations. The event was graced by different presidents from different countries. The ex-president was there too, so for crying out loud, I had to work with him. We took lots of pic-

tures together, but it wasn’t just me. Some other people took pictures with him too.

I wonder why anyone will

say that. Well, I guess it is part of the showbiz, people would always talk. So, let them keep talking.

movie 93days, which was directed by Nollywood filmmaker, Bolanle Austen-Peters, told Saturday Tribune by phone that it was a great experience learning about the life and times of the late Adadevoh.

According to her, “Playing the character of Dr Adadevoh gave me an insight into her life and work.

There are real life heroes in Nigeria and there is hope for the Nigerian who works hard,” Akintola said.

Describing the movie, Auten-Peters said “what we tried to do was to give people a sense of the true story of what happened at First Consultant Hospital, Obalende.

The movie is based on a true story, though there are some dramatic effects in there.

Bottom line is that we got the story from First Consultant Hospital, from the doctors that survived and from colleagues, families of those who died.“It was a very fascinating and difficult journey even to tell the story. We had to be very sensitive of handling it. The Lagos State government did a tremendous job to support the movie.

They were also celebrated as well as the Federal Government. They are the one who fought with the brave doctors and nurses” Austen Peters said.

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entertainment

10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Professor Johnbull condemns indecent dressing

T

ELEVISION viewers in the country were treated to an evening of fun and laughter on Tuesday when Episode eight of the Glo-sponsored TV comedy drama series, Professor Johnbull, came on air at 8.30 p.m. on NTA Network, NTA International on DStv Channel 251 and NTA on StarTimes.

Titled "Happening Guys," the episode which paraded top comedian Ayo Makun (AY), X–rayed indecent dressing across all ages and sexes with the emeritus Professor, as usual condemning ‘sagging’ of trousers, especially by the

youth.

It all started at Professor Johnbull’s residence when Dudus (Ayo Makun) came in with a travelling box filled with clothes he is selling and was being welcomed by Professor’s daughter, Elizabeth (Queen Nwokoye). Professor Johnbull came in few minutes later and was surprised to meet Dudus in his house. On enquiry, Elizabeth said he came to see Churchill and the Professor tried to chat him up.

Dudus’ response fell short of his expectation.

He corrected him when he noticed that he sagged his trousers, revealing his box-

al iv st fe ia er ig -N in ead M r fo t se nj ba D a, KSA, As

la Osinbajo, Senate President, Dr. Buko Saraki, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, CBN govfiele; Minister ry ernor, Mr Godwin Eme THE Nigerian entertainment histo of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Banbooks are about to be rewritten as orga batunde Fashola, Senator Ben Murraye-inMad t abou lked h-ta isers of the muc , Mr. Ben Akaan Bruce, Ronald Chagoury Nigeria (MaIN) Festival have lined up among others. e Offic get Bud D.G. e en buez impressive list of performers for the maid val is being orFesti on The Made-in-Nigeria boration of edition of the Supremacy Concert to hold colla a p, Grou N MAI ganised by October 1 at the Eko Atlantic, Lagos. ions. Board of Advinisat orga r secto te priva The Supremacy Concert will be the cli- sors of the initiative include Prince Adeseld max of a seven-day event which wou gun Oniru, Mr. Aliko Dangote, Dr. (Mrs.) y, attract dignitaries such as His Excellenc Stella Okoli, Mr. Ronald Chagoury and i Yem .

Prof ria Nige of t the vice-presiden Stories by Joan Omionawele and NewtonRay Ukwuoma

Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The music concert will feature music acts such as the King of World Beats, King gSunny Ade (KSA), internationally reco ter, mas Koko the Asa, s nised songstres Dbanj, African Queen crooner, 2Baba and Star Boy Records CEO, Wizkid.

This will be the first time these enterin tainers would grace the same stage ria Nige in erts conc ic the history of mus and fans are already blown away by the choice of these artistes churning out hits from the same stage.

ers, saying “don’t expose my daughter to indecent acts” and asked him to leave immediately but not without asking him his waist size.

Dudus responded unabashedly: “size 36 but wearing swag 60”. The Professor exclaimed in his usual manner, “Mondieu," dropping his walking stick out of irritation.

The professor subsequently faced Elizabeth who was smiling and said, “What are you smiling at?

Whatever I frown upon, you also frown upon it too.” But she replied that “I frown upon it then, but since he left, something about him and the sagged pants stuck in my head; I guess it is because I am a girl. I am a girl, you are a daddy". The professor retorted: “Thanks for letting me know and for that single reason, I will not let him anywhere near 20 kilometres radius and circumference of this premises.”

Elizabeth then explained that she’s not dating Dudus but her explanations were rebuffed by the professor who condemned Dudus outright, dwelling mostly on his indecent dressing style.

Jidenna leaves classic mark after Hard Rock Café performance

PROJECT FAME 9:

AMERICAN-BORN Nigerian singer, Jidenna Theodore Mobisson, professionally known as Jidenna, left an epic mark at the Hard Rock Café after his performance on Thursday.

The Wondaland recording artiste and classic man crooner, who was in Nigeria for a five-day West African promotional tour rapped up his Lagos visit with a superlative performance at Hard Rock Café.

The event was organised

by Sony Music and TRACE Nigeria and had top artistes such as WizKid, Peter Okoye, Timaya, Burna Boy, DJ Cuppy, BlackMagic, Lynxx, Praiz, Ruby Gyang and other celebrities in attendance.

The RnB artiste thrilled the crowd with a number of songs from his upcoming album “Long live the chief”. He performed some of his hit singles such as Classic Man, Little bit more, Chief don’t run, Long live the chief, amongst others. There was also a surprise performance with Burna Boy. The swank king, who arrived in Lagos on August 30, attended series of events, including a meet and greet party by “Enjoy Lagos” at the Crossroads Restaurant of Eko Hotels & Suites, a “Welcome home” dinner hosted by One Africa, in conjunction with Upfront & Personal and then a tour of his native home in Enugu State.

Emotions as another contestant exits LAST weekend, lovers of MTN Project Fame season 9 bid two contestants goodbye again as the competition got stiffer.

Although the contestants’ beautiful group performance momentarily eased the tension and suspense that is characteristic of Elimination shows, the reality of the dire situation settled on everyone when the moment of truth came for the contestants on probation-

Pere, Yusuph, Oluchi, Winner, Dapo, and Mirabel.

Pere was revealed to have had the highest viewers’ votes hence he was not required to perform again. The rest- Yusuph, Winner, Oluchi, Dapo, & Mirabel had to fight for a lifeline back into the competition with their performances.

One of the contestants, Winner got her lifeline from the Judges, Dapo was saved by

the Faculty, while Mirabel was voted back into the competition by the contestants who were not on probation.

Sadly, Yusuph and Oluchi had to say goodbye.

Yusuph bowed out of the competition singing the late Nomoreloss’ hit track ‘Iyawo asiko’ while Oluchi paid a tribute to the late Keffee as she performed ‘Kokoroko’.

While the sixth nomination night was a beautiful one which saw the contestants paying trib-

ute to music legends who left indelible marks in the sand of time before they went to rest.

The series of tribute performances was opened by the Academy Music Director himself, Ben Ogbeiwi aka Uncle Ben who paid tribute to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti by performing the Afro legend’s song titled ‘Water no get enemy’. His magnificent performance was indeed a delightful surprise to the audience who didn’t see it coming!

93Days: Church agrees to host Ebola movie premiere HOUSE on the Rock, one of Nigeria’s biggest Christian assembly, has consented to host the Nigerian premiere of 93Days, an Ebola virusinspired movie.

The church, in collaboration with the Bolanle Austen-Peters Production, Natives FilmWorks and Michelangelo Production, will be hosting movie buffs, celebrities and other dignitaries at The Rock Cathedral, 4th Roundabout, LekkiEpe Expressway, Lagos, on Tuesday.

Speaking about the movie, the Senior Pastor of House on the Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin said the church was committed to nation building.

He said, “House on the

Rock’s mission is to work together with everyone that is interested in building a transformed nation, a better Nigeria, and this essence ties strongly into the courage displayed by Dr. Stella Adadevoh and her colleagues who brought hope to a nation that was being threatened by devastation, at the expense of their own lives. This is the kind of love and sacrifice that can truly bring transformation to all.”

Starring Bimbo Akintola, Danny Glover, Tim Reid, Somkele Idhalama, Keppy Ekpenyong, Gideon Okeke and other talented actors, 93 Days has been regarded by movie cognoscenti as a must-watch.

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10 September, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Corrupt politicians’ children, grandchildren ’ll suffer for their sins —Prelate Sunday Mbang PRELATE Sunday Mbang does not hold anything back — whether as a cleric, lecturer or social crusader — just because he believes God lives in him. He recently spoke with a group of journalists to mark his 80th birthday. Saturday Tribune brings the excerpts.

Y

OU have come a long way, tell us how it has been so far.

I was born in 1936. At that time, the kind of things we are finding now were not there. There was just one tarred road from Aba to Oron. All these present facilities were not there. Even in my secondary school days, there were only about two or three secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State.

There were also a few universities then like University of Ibadan and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

It was tight and you had to struggle very hard to be one of the best. It was terrible for those us whose parents were poor. My father was a preacher in Qua Iboe Church, he died in 1957, a year after my first school certificate. His last salary which I collected was seven pounds, about N14. He had about nine children. He gave us a condition for going back to school – you must be first or second. So it wasn’t quite easy.

I never wore shoes until I got to secondary school because it was compulsory for every student to put on sandals. I never saw shoes or a pair of trousers all through that time. So things were totally different. We were in a different atmosphere. But one of the good things of that time was that it trained us not to desire too much. It also trained us to obey our parents. Whatsoever they said was gospel to us. It trained us to live a very honest life.

You said your father was a preacher, was that what informed your decision to venture into this ?

Partly! I watched my father die as a very young person.

He was in the hospital, since he was a great preacher in the area, they didn’t want him to die in the hospital. The expatriate doctor who was there asked the family to take him home because he knew was going to die so that he could pass on peacefully at home. He never talked when we took him home despite all our efforts to make him talk. But when it was time for him to die, he called all of us together, shared the grace and then passed on. That kind of atmosphere got stuck in my mind; that my father didn’t finish his job and he needed one of his children to do that.

I forgot everything after his burial but it kept haunting me. I was also a member of the Student Christian Movement.

During one of the movement’s conferences, I wrote a letter to our church that I wanted to be a minister without understanding that I actually wrote it and as God would have it, I broke all protocols of going to the ministry and the ministers approved it.

I discovered that my going to the ministry was ordained because when my father died, some people just showed up to sponsor me through the university seeing that my mother was a petty trader.

I went to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Nigerian civil war broke out in the 1960s and I experienced difficulties to transfer to the University of Ibadan for postgraduate studies but as God would have it, I applied and got admitted to London University but I didn’t have any money to go there.

I showed the document to one professor who presented it before the Senate of the university and I was allowed to proceed to my proper class. I came first throughout my stay in Ibadan. As a result of that, University of Ibadan took me as the university’s scholar and sent me to Hebrew University in Jerusalem for postgraduate study. I stayed there for two years.

I met a Harvard professor in a restaurant. We dialogued and before I knew it, I was admitted to the Harvard University and now I’m a graduate of Harvard University in the United States of America. God planned my way through. I came back to lecture in the University of Ibadan for two years.

Since I was Methodist minister, I was ordained a Bishop from the University of Ibadan and I spent four years as the chaplain.

At 48 years, I was made Head of Methodist Church in Nigeria which I superintended for 22 years. I proceeded to become the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), President of All African Methodist People, and the President of the World Methodist Council. It has been quite interesting as I followed God’s plans.

How fulfilled are you having stepped into your father’s shoes?

Extremely fulfilled because I’m still very relevant in the country. People like former President Olusegun Obasanjo come here to see me and I also visit him. I have a very simple life. I would

the handover during their services on Fridays and the Christians would also do theirs on Sundays. I also advised him to encourage all those elected to attend the services, and that was what happened before Obasanjo took over. Since then, democracy is still on and I believe God has done wonders.

I’m not saying you should not have money to maintain yourself. God will always give you that if you serve Him properly, but when you want a fat bank account, you are on your own. quietly go out and do something and return and no one would know about it. I’m the guest of two popes, Pope John Paul II. I spent a night in the Vatican Guest House and a week with Pope Benedict XVI. Since I’m a very simple fellow, people hardly know this is me.

I was very close to Abdulsalami Abubakar during his tenure as head of state, as well as Buba Marwa as governor of Lagos State. I’ve been an adviser to some presidents of the country and I do it very quietly. I don’t believe in too much publicity. I believe in prayer, because when Abubakar wanted to hand over to Obasanjo, I suggested to him that we should put God first in the handover. I told Abubakar to inform the Muslims to pray over

Behind these success stories, there might have been some challenges. Would you want to share some of the challenges and how you surmounted them?

My first challenge, a very serious one was finance. The means to be able to become a human being. I didn’t have sources of income. Most parents of these children have already deposited money into their accounts for them to make use of. In my own case, I was not even sure of what meal to eat. But God, in His usual wisdom, provided something for me to eat every time I’m there. From the secondary school to the university, he provided somebody to assist me, even during my postgraduate studies at the University of Ibadan.

When I took over Methodist Church, which was divided into two (you can imagine when a church is divided), He was great.

We had no fewer than 30 cases in court, but by the grace of God, we were able to surmount them and bring the church back together. These are challenges I can never forget.

What is your message to the political leaders in the country?

I wouldn’t want to talk about the Muslims. In Christianity, the Bible makes it clear that when you commit a crime, it is to the third and fourth generations. The belief with us is that they have allowed the grace of God in the New Testament to seem to have covered what is in the Old Testament – the wrath and love of God – which is also reflected in the New Testament. If you don’t repent of your sin, the wrath of God will fall upon you. People suffer in this country and what they would do is to explain it scientifically. I said it earlier that I made a prayer and someone died. That death would be explained scientifically and so the main point would be clear to the people.

The fact is that once you commit sin; once you loot public treasury; once you convert money belonging to the people for yourself and family, you will suffer, your children will suffer to the third and fourth generations. When these things happen, people explain them scientifically. Nowadays if anything happens to someone, it would be blamed on either the brother, father or the mother, not knowing that God’s wrath might have fallen on the person. Every sin has punishment.

What I can tell our politicians is that all the sins they have committed – corruption, hatred, killings, kidnapping, false accusations – the wrath of the God will visit them one after the other to the third and fourth generations.

My prayer is that all those seeking political appointments, because the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, God is the owner of the earth. He is not an absentee landlord. He is interested in this world. So when you come and do whatever you feel like, don’t think God does not see it. He sees everything we do and He gives us the grace for what we have done right and punishment, for our wrongs.

My advice to the politicians is for them to remember that whatsoever they sow, they shall reap. If they escape it, their children will not. If they do, their grandchildren will bear the punishment, whether they like it or not. You can go to prayer houses to pray, unless you repent. When Zacchaeus, the tax collector in the Bible wanted to repent, he said he would return ten times all that he had taken unlawfully.

Can any politician do that? If they can do so, God can show mercy because some of them might have ignorantly stolen.

Even if Buhari decides to leave them unpunished, they can’t escape from God. That is my advice to all the Christians who venture into politics. God is watching them and their family every day. Every sin they commit against that person who has gotten food to eat in his house, God will not allow them to go scot-free.

As an elder statesman, what is your view on religious crisis in the country?

When you have two strong religions in a country, it will definitely result in a conflict. We did in my time which unfortunately they are not following up now, based on the advice of Pope John Paul II, we initiated the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) during the Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration, where Christian leaders dialogued with Muslim leaders.

With the advice of John Cardinal Onaiyekan,who was my vice president in CAN, I took the matter to the CAN executives and Continued on pg29

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Saturday Tribune

‘I donated land, houses given to me to the church’

people. They are not the ones who are angry. It is the older people that are angry.

These are areas that government has to look at effectively. Why should outsiders come and own wells here when no one in the Niger Delta owns any? What kind of justification can anyone give for that? Injustice breeds violence. I’m not saying that I want violence, but once you are unjust and you openly show that you are unjust, you bring violence. Most of the security officials are from the north. Once you do that, you send wrong signals to people around the area. Why must there be only northerners in this area? Don’t we have security officers from other parts of the country?

Continued from pg28

they agreed that we should start the dialogue. I mentioned it to the then President Obasanjo and he said he was not going to form it for us, but he would open the way for us. So what he did was to consult the Sultan of Sokoto and the then governor of Sokoto, and then gave us the plane to fly to Sokoto to agree on NIREC. That was how NIREC was formed. I was hoping that this would go on but unfortunately it did not.

In today’s leadership, people are more interested in money and properties. In our time, I never thought of money and properties.

There were times that people were giving [plots of] land and I asked them what I was going to do with them. I gave them back to the church. I was also given houses in Lagos, I in turn gave back to the church. I know they will all call me a foolish fellow, but the truth is that I’m living a comfortable life.

If Christians face their calling, it would go a long way in solving some of the immediate problems. All the churches, whether Pentecostal or orthodox, are guilty. The old and new are all the same, no difference. They all come for money and properties and I wonder what they will do with all these things.

I’m not saying you should not have money to maintain yourself.

God will always give you that if you serve Him properly, but when you want a fat bank account, you are on your own. I find it difficult to sleep when there is too much money in my account with the fear that something could happen to it.

The problem with Christianity is the leaders. I won’t talk about Islam because I don’t know about that. The leaders have killed Christianity. The so-called pastors, prophets, apostles, bishops, etc are the ones to be held responsible for what is happening in Christendom. I don’t mince words when I say it. Most of them don’t like me. We are the problems of Christianity.

Jesus Christ called His disciples and said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men,” permit me to add women and children. But nowadays, they have turned to fishers of money and properties. They don’t care about the women and men, even those with large congregations, private jets. What are you doing with all these? Your members can’t even boast of a bicycle and you are flying in private jets.

All the cars parked in my compound were given to me when I retired. I never bought any. I was using a Peugeot 505 saloon car to travel round the country for 22 years and it never affected me. In fact, I love Peugeot 505. Former governor and now Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, promised a car on my 75th birthday. I had to ask my three male children what kind of car I should receive from him. They told me of some of these flashy cars. When I told Akpabio, he said that he knew too well that I don’t like flashy cars and he gave me a Toyota Camry. That is the car I love most.

The governor of Enugu State gave me Prado. I rarely use it.

Former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State gave me one sophisticated Benz which I’m so angry that he should have given me the money to use for something else. I wanted to sell the car but people didn’t allow me. I only use that car on Sundays when going to church. Most of the clothes I wear were given to me by people.

So, I don’t know why people run for money everywhere both in Pentecostal and the rest. All of us are guilty.

What is your candid advice to the believers?

I’m Old Testament in nature. My area of specialisation is the Old Testament. The prophets and messengers in the Old Testament were called by God. How many of these people are called?

Sometimes people tell me that they dreamt as God called them and gave them the name of the churches to build. All these are nothing but lies, because the Bible says “By their fruits, ye shall know them.” First, they were called and when God calls you, He fills you with the Spirit of God, and that God has a way of changing you into a super-human being. We didn’t find that here. With all these claims of healings, which I don’t take seriously, though sometimes when I pray for people they say they receive healing, I can’t claim that, since I wasn’t the one who healed them.

A pregnant woman came to me with a diagram when I went to Badagry that the head of her unborn child was up, and that the doctors needed me to operate upon her. I put the cross I usually go with on her and said, ‘God, if you want this woman to be delivered, so be it’ and she was delivered normally. It wasn’t me. There was another incident when I went out to preach in a church, somebody ran to deliver a note to me, which was quite unusual. The content of the paper was that one of my members, a police commissioner, was shot by armed robbers and was in coma for about four days. I went to the altar and asked the congregation to pray for the woman to come out of coma. I summarised that God should bring her out of the coma before the end of the service. By the time the members visited the hospital, the woman was awake.

There was a time I visited Akwa Ibom State and someone received healing at the mere touch of my cassock. When I returned, a woman was hailing me. I had to request from the minister why the woman hailed me in such a manner and they said the woman had testified in the church that she was healed when she touched my cassock. Another one happened in Ikot

Ekpene when I unconsciously placed my cross on a pregnant woman at the church gate, who was said to have been pregnant for 12 months. She was delivered of a baby boy that same day and named the child ‘Mbang.’ I never performed miracles, but God did them all. I don’t know why people would claim miracles.

What is your take on the ongoing war against corruption in Nigeria?

I sympathise with President Buhari in his war against corruption. The highest rate of corruption is in the civil service. It is the civil servants that educate the ministers to do what they do. If you want to fight corruption, it has to start from the civil service.

It is only Obasanjo who knows some of the things I need in this country. I discovered that there were chaplaincies in the Navy, Air Force and the Army, but not in the Police Force. I urged Obasanjo that we should have chaplaincy in both Muslim and Christian units, and the are now there, though not very strong.

I found out that the lives of the army officers are different from that of the police, because they go to the Bible study.

If I was here, I would have asked them to introduce it to the Customs and Immigration also because these are two deadly areas of Nigeria where you have corruption. In fact, the bank of corruption is in those two areas. The FRSC was free of corruption but it has now joined the trend.

I learnt that Buhari is bringing back his War Against Indiscipline. To me, that is the worst thing that can happen. Buhari’s War Against Indiscipline was one of the worst things to happen in the country. My advice is that, you cannot change old people easily, so no war against indiscipline will change any old man if he doesn’t want to change.

There have been complaints about appointments, are they justified?

I’m not comfortable with Buhari’s appointments. They seem not the kind of things an elder would like to see. Buhari has, in the recent times, been accused of appointing people from his hometown and relatives. What is the need for the Federal Character in the constitution? I expect every appointment to follow Federal Character. Let nobody point finger at you that you are doing something wrong.

My advice to the people is that you have to be careful when you want to elect someone into office. Presently, it is the money that elects people into office, not the person. Whoever pays the bigger amount of money owns the office. And those who take the money don’t know that they are punishing themselves, because they will get back the money when they assume office.

Maybe in the future, I would like the churches and mosques to be involved in the selection of the people who are seeking office. The church would be able to identify the good ones. If the churches and mosques are chosen to identify those running for counsellors, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, governors and presidents, I can assure you, the country would change for good within a short time.

What can you say about agitations in the Niger Delta?

There has been argument that no Niger Delta man has owned any oil well. How would you solve a problem in this area if you don’t need each other? Army cannot solve the problem, I can promise you that. They have to look at what is hurting the people of those areas. Has any government come to talk to people like us so we can talk to them? They won’t come. They go to militants.

What do the militants know? Militants are angry for the whole

As an expert, do you think the school has done enough in religious education?

The introduction of religions in schools where a syllabus comprising Christianity and Islam is prepared is the worst thing that can happen to a religion. Let the Christians teach their religion and Muslims theirs too. If the students are not interested in learning Islam, what you do is to introduce a little in the Social Studies syllabus. If you want people’s lives to change, it has to be through that religion, not mixing it up. Good Bible study and historical stories of the people of old would change the people. I would advise government to allow the church and their experts to teach those children. I don’t support the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). It has outlived its usefulness. What is the result of JAMB? Has Nigeria been brought together? It is a waste of time. Even the NYSC has also outlived its usefulness. Allow the universities to admit their candidates.

What have been your guiding principles?

When I was CAN president during Sani Abacha’s administration, and I was speaking against what he was doing, a friend of mine, Etim Inyang, who was the Inspector-General of Police, sent one commodore to invite me to his house.

When I got to his house, he offered to attach policemen in plain clothes to me but I won’t see them. I told him let me go and think about it, because I didn’t want to insult him that day. I went back to him two weeks later and he was happy, thinking I came to accept the offer. I asked him, when you attach these policemen to me, what will God be doing? Because God is my security.

There was a time I visited Abacha at 10pm and he was so afraid of me. I never believed that such a soldier could be so afraid. I think he was frightened about me because the Spirit of God in me overwhelmed him. I talked to him like a master talking to his houseboy. He was only begging me, and then I said ‘God, you are wonderful’.

When you are filled with Spirit, you can trample upon snakes and scorpions and they will not harm you. If anybody kills me now, he is doing me a favour, because God will just admit me into His presence freely without any ‘soldier’ asking any question.

I’m not saying I’m a saint. I commit sin every day, but there is a way you live your life even when you know you are a sinner.

Nobody is a saint. We sin every day. There is no man that would see a lovely girl and not admire her. If I do that, going by what the Bible says, I’ve committed adultery. I’m not left out. Do me that favour by not bringing a lovely girl around me because I will admire her and thereby commit adultery.

What legacy would you want to be remembered for which we don’t know?

This is an exercise I wouldn’t want to be involved in. Why not allow others to remember me? Let people remember me for what they think I was worth. I don’t want to start dancing around with things. If I go to public places, I sit behind and I will be recognised and brought forward. I keep telling people to stop forcing themselves to be recognised when their names are not written.

I don’t want to talk much about myself. Let people think of me the way they want. I’m sure God knows the little contributions I have made both in the church and the state and Nigeria at large. I believe there is a Book of Life where everything is written. When I go there, I will answer my own queries. But I pray that my good sides will be better than my bad sides because I know there will definitely be the bad sides. People do say that they will enter Heaven. As for me, I don’t know. Only God knows.

If you are given another chance, what would like to be?

I would still be a minister because it is the best job ever depending on how you handle it. The only problem you will have in ministerial job is probably family problem. If you are not careful, the woman you get married to, who may not have good spiritual understanding and the children, may create problems for you. We only pray for God to give us good families.

I’ve never been jealous of anything no matter what you have.

I congratulate you. Whenever I find myself in poverty, I know where to go – God. And when I go to Him, before you know it, He will send people to me.

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weekend cartoons

Saturday Tribune

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

Just a Laffing Mata

Oil company

POLITICO

A young man was called for an interview by ABC oil company based on his performance while working for XYZ oil company.

On the day of the interview, the following conversation ensued between the young man and the interviewer: Interviewer: What is your current pay at XYZ and what are you looking at earning with us here?

The young man: N10 million per annum plus medical and other benefits. Considering the position I’m about to take here, I’ll be looking at N20 to N22 million per annum, a status car, overseas vacation and medicals.

Interviewer: Today is your lucky day! The position comes with N35million per annum salary, 2016 Range Rover Sport as official car, Mercedes Benz S65 AMG as status car, and overseas medical treatment. A fullyfurnished house in Banana Island or Lekki Foreshore, health insurance for your wife and children, 2 houses to be built for you in any town of your choice and in your village, annual overseas vacation for you and your family; fully-paid first class, N2million wardrobe allowance per annum, cook, steward and 2 drivers, country club membership, and you are entitled to keep all that the company gives you if you put in just 3 years of service.

The young man (In bewildered excitement exclaimed): Whaooo! Sir, you must be joking!

Interviewer: Of course, I am joking. Were you not the one that started it?

Carpenter’s coffin FUNOLOGY

A carpenter was travelling to his hometown with a coffin in his car. When his car broke down, he decided to carry the coffin.

As he trudged on, he got to a police checkpoint. The policemen wanted to take a bribe, then the following conversation ensued: Police: Hey young man, why are you carrying a coffin by this time?

Carpenter: Sir, I don’t like where I was buried, so I am relocating.

Immediately, all of them fled!

BADOO’S SON GROWS DREADLOCKS

CANDID SHOT

May God bless my hustle... . PHOTO: ADEREMI DAVIES

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10 September, 2016

outofthisworld Skyscraper I T seems some countries are running out of space for final resting places of their beloved ones.

They have therefore fashioned out ingenious ways of burying the dead by looking at the sky as alternatives.

Therefore, in countries like Brazil, Israel, Japan, China, Norway, among others, according to odditycentral. com, skyscraper cemeteries are being built to take care of the problems of lack of land to bury the dead.

In fact, the tallest skyscraper cemetery in the world, which is in Santos, Brazil, is quite a delight. The 32-storey building boasts of 25,000 tombs, it is 108 metres tall, has a garden and even a chapel on top of the building.

Saturday Tribune WITH FEMI OSINUSI

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

cemeteries

Necropole Ecomenica Cemetery, Santos, Brazil.

Yarkon Cemetery, Tel Aviv, Israel.

A cemetery being built in Oslo, Norway.

Naha cemetery, Okinawa, Japan.

Inside the San Cataldo Cemetery, Modena, Italy.

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Saturday Tribune

achievers Samson Adeyemi:

At 16, became first Nigerian Lewisham Council Youth member

don). I served as a voice for young people and represented a huge amount of Young Londoners who could not speak for themselves.

For my outstanding work with young people in Lewisham Borough, London, United Kingdom, I was given a Star award by the Borough’s Director for children and young people.

In the short time, I have been in Africa, I have paid visits to orphanages to deliver motivational talks and gave gifts to the young people. I plan to create an academic support group to help them consistently with their school-related challenges.

What do you think could put an end to unemployment In Nigeria?

I don’t think we can totally eradicate unemployment. However, I strongly believe that we can reduce it by a whole lot. I will address

United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Samson Adeyemi, is one of the ambassadors projecting Nigeria to the outside world. With his wide experience and exposure, Adeyemi has impacted younger generation across the world through his ‘Positive Change’ campaign. The entrepreneur and investor is also an author of two books: ‘Lessons From My Father’ and ‘Undisputed’.

In this interview by OYEYEMI OKUNLADE, the international motivational speaker talks about life and advises Nigerian youths.

Excerpts:

W

hat’s your background like?

I’m a Nigerian I am the last child of six children.

I was born in Ejigbo, Lagos State. However, I originate from Iyalode Compound, Afijio Local Government Area, Fiditi, Oyo State. I had my primary school education at Binta International School, Ejigbo, Lagos, Nigeria. I continued my secondary school education at De-Ayo International College, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Following this, I continued my education in the United Kingdom where I attended Lewisham College, Lewisham, London. Then I attended Shootershill Campus, Greenwich, London for my A Levels programme and Kingsland College of Business Studies Stratford, London. BSc Business Administration (Major: Banking and Finance). I am currently an entrepreneur and investor, a self-published author (two books so far - ‘Lessons From My Father’ and ‘Undisputed’) and an international motivational speaker.

Could you let us know how your career has shaped your life?

The truth is that my career is not very separated from my life. It revolves around what my life is about - changing lives. Every morning, I don’t wake up just because I hear my alarm go off. I wake up because I have a

purpose to fulfill, I have a need to meet and because I have lives to change. Although the entrepreneurship and investor part of my career is still evolving, my aim is to reach a point in my life where people will tell their success stories and mention my name in the process.

How have you been able to impact lives, especially the younger generation?

I grew into my formative years whilst I was in the United Kingdom. From my teenage years, I have embarked on the journey of making positive impact in the lives of young people. I have led young people in different capacities for over 10 years of my life. I have done this, politically, socially and spiritually too.

At age 16, when I was barely a year in the United Kingdom, I was the first Nigerian to be voted as the Youth Member of Parliament for Lewisham Council in the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP). In my two years in office, I actively represented over 20,000 youths of my constituency at the Houses of Parliament in the UK during UKYP sittings and debates and during other council planning meetings and events. We were the very first set of young people allowed to have a full sitting and debate in the Houses of Parliament. We made history.

I was also appointed as a Youth Advisor for London Youth (a large network of over 400 youth organisations in the UK) and Greater London Authority (led by the Mayor of Lon-

this from the foundational level. I will focus more on what the people can do and not what the government can do. Hence I suggest the following: A change in mindset. This will take a while to accomplish. We need to stop asking our children, ‘what do you want to become?’ or ‘what company would you like to work for?’

Rather, we ought to ask them, ‘what problems do you want to solve?’ Businesses are birthed from the mindset of meeting a need and providing a solution. We need to train our youngsters from primary school to be solution providers and not job seekers!

In our educational institutions from the early stages, we ought to incorporate into our curriculum skills acquisition and entrepreneurial-related modules. Our young people need to become more creative and not just wait for office-based jobs. In many cases, those creative jobs can bring you more income than the office jobs would bring.

A number of young people need to be ‘employable’. Having a first degree or even a master’s degree is not enough. There are numerous skills required on the job that some young people do not possess. Skills such as excellent speaking and listening, basic computer literacy skills, being organised and even how to work in a team setting.

What is your greatest challenge?

I believe that my greatest challenge is having great plans and visions to help others but not possessing the financial prowess to make them happen. Many times this is quite

The truth many don’t realise is that people tend to see you the way you see yourself.

disheartening.

You are resident abroad, how did you attain these successful positions there?

Seriously, I owe a lot of my achievements to God and to the grace of God at work in my life. Yes, I have an ‘I can do it mentality’ and I believe I am a talented young man but many talented young people may not have achieved as much as I have achieved. That’s what God’s grace did for me. It singled me out of many.

More so, for one, I’m not a person who is intimidated by the colour of people’s skin or the country I am in. Yes, it’s a white man’s country, but they breathe the same air like the black man, they have the same red-coloured blood like the black man and could actually easily die like the black man. So please, where lies the difference? The skin is just a colour and to me, that is blatantly insignificant. I remember one event I found myself addressing an audience of many ‘whites’ and I actually didn’t see it as some daunting task or a challenge.

Well, from the comments I have heard from people, people see me as genuine, smart; one who loves to help, selfless, gifted, one who thinks out of the box, one who does not know how to give up and one who can see gold in a stone, i.e I always believe the best of people.

Do you think you would have made a success of your dream if you had stayed back in Nigeria?

I have a personal conviction that success is not all about a place; rather, success is in a person. As they say, a lizard in Nigeria cannot be an alligator in the UK. If I were in Nigeria, I would have made a success of myself as a result of the winning mentality that I have developed over the years. I have been in Nigeria for some time now and plan to be resident here for a while and I am already making successful moves, even within a short time frame. Many Nigerians abroad are not necessarily succeeding either. So for me, it’s not about the geographical location, it’s about the substance I am made of.

Why did you travel out of the country?

Travelling out of the country was actually quite unplanned. When I travelled to the UK, my dad who is now late just came out of a comma after a fire outbreak at his residence in Catford, London. One of his first wishes after his miraculous recovery was to see me (his youngest child) and my mum.

On getting to the UK, after seeing my dad’s poor health state, he requested that my mum and I live with him as him living alone would only make conditions worse. It was a miracle to see my dad alive again after doctors said he might not make it. Agreeing to his wish for me to stay with him in the UK was the least I could do.

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Ondo election: SDP on rescue, rebuilding mission —Olu Agunloye

Dr Olu Agunloye, a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and former federal minister, is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the November governorship election in Ondo State. In this interview by Deputy Editor DAPO FALADE, he speaks on burning national issues, concluding that SDP is out to rescue and rebuild state.

T

We have looked at all of this and we have summarised it in such a way that we have the challenges of crisis or problems of Ondo State and we called it just challenges at the moment. Then, there are big opportunities also in the state and we are combining those two to look for solutions. In looking for solutions, we are concluding that since the problems are economic, the solution must be economic. We must come up with an economic plan that is simple, correct, appropriate and doable. We have divided this into three areas. The first one we call Appropriate Debt Management Programme; second, to revive, rebuild and pump up the local economy and three, Discreet Welfare Programme.

HERE are many parties in Nigeria today, why did you, at this point in time, choose to be with SDP? First, let me say that the political landscape is very fluid in Nigeria. Some attempts by [former military President Ibrahim] Babangida to streamline them failed, somehow. At the moment, we have a situation where there are so many political parties and people go very easily from one party to the other. Even those who had already been elected, they still take the liberty to go from one party to another, not worrying about what happened to those who elected them.

I have studied the political landscape very well and carefully and I have also had what I will call the advantage of being in a couple of them and I have found out that, for us to make a meaningful impact in the development of Ondo State, we will have to look at two things. One, what happens to internal democracy within the party and who owns the party and what are the characteristics of the proprietors of the parties?

I looked at that and I came to the conclusion that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where I was before, would not fly because the interests in the party are not exactly something that is line with the development of Ondo State. The same thing I could say about the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Given the popularity of PDP and APC, how do you think it will be able to compete favourably with the two political parties in the governorship election in Ondo State?

Well, to me, I feel undaunted because the issue is not about popularity; the issue is entirely about the economy and there is no doubt about that in my mind. The popularity of Party A and Party B had not led to us to anywhere. In fact, if you want to say, you can say correctly that there is no difference between PDP and APC. The way they blame each other is the same and the going from one party to the other is the same. Today, they say Mr A is a thief and that EFCC or the police should go and arrest him. The following morning, he leaves PDP and joins APC and you don’t get to hear that (the allegation) again.

Then, whatever it is, however popular they are, how influential that they are, however rich that they are, they had led this country to its boils and the country is about to be held on its knees. So, now we are talking about rescue and building. It is clear that the popular parties are not able to do this because if they are able to do this, why didn’t they do it before now?

What are they going to do new now, having caused these particular problems? The reserves have been spent; even at the federal level, Party A is having fiscal measures that are in conflict with the monetary measures.

So, there are issues and the most important one is the issue of budget; padding of budget is still being done under a party that is supposed to bring sanity into the system. To show you the confusion within the party, even the party itself had tried to submit a budget which is similar to the same one they want to build change upon. So, if we say change, everything must change. I was extremely disappointed to see that the Federal Government came up with one year budget instead of three or five-year budget. That is the kind of situation that we are talking about. They are popular people; they are influential people; they are big politicians but they have ruined the system. We now need statesmen, not politicians, who will come and pull the country out of the ruins and start rebuilding it. The time to come in to do that is now because when you wait a little bit more, the system can become uncontrollable.

Some issues are very fundamental to the average Nigerian, including economy, security and job op-

portunities. How did you intend to tackle all these if you become the governor?

There are three problems. The first one is economy, the second one is economy and the third one is economy; so there is only one issue. It is the absence and the breakdown of the economy that brings about insecurity, that serves to bring about unemployment. In fact, unemployment or absence of job security leads to actual insecurity.

What we believe is that we will need to talk specifically about Ondo State because the level of crisis has become so large in Nigeria and the states. The question is, ‘why am I comfortable and confident that this can be solved in Ondo State?’ This is because it is not the same for other states. Some states, I will not mention them, if you ask me to come and become the governor there now, I may decline.

This is because I may look at it and say that they are not workable. But in Ondo State, it is workable and the reason for this is that Ondo State is the hub of the South-West; it is surrounded by six other states and both the Atlantic and the Lagoon and each one has its own advantages. We also have the longest coastline in Nigeria.

We now need statesmen, not politicians, who will come and pull the country out of the ruins and start rebuilding it. The time to come in to do that is now because when you wait a little bit more, the system can become uncontrollable.

Ondo is known as the Sunshine State, if you become the governor, how soon should the people expect to see the sun shine?

You also made that mistake. I have heard people saying, ‘let the sun shine again so that the sun can shine’ and you too have asked same question. The truth is that the sun has never ceased shining in Ondo State. The problem has always been that the government has never harnessed all the energy from the sun and has never equitably distributed the ones they have taken. That fact we must get right.

Our programme is both short and medium-term and that is why we said, once we get there, we will start to do debt management so that we can start to pay monies that are owed.

It is sinful, it is criminal to have workers work and you don’t pay them and they are not allowed to do any other thing. If you find them doing another thing, they can terminate their appointments. But now that they have put all their lives in their jobs, you are not paying them. The fact that we will go into a programme of two to three years is the revamping of the economy. If we are going to put a light rail, for instance, it will not happen in 10 days.

The primaries of the three major political parties have thrown up three big personalities, made up of yourself, Rotimi Akeredolu of APC and Tayo Jegede of PDP, what do you think you have that will give you an edge over them when you come before the electorate in November?

Well, I reckon that people expect me to say something.

The question here is that we need to go beyond what we have known governance to be. We now need a governor who will be a manager of people; we need a governor who will be a manager of plans and policies; we need a governor who will be a manager of programmes. When you look at that, it put me well ahead of them in the areas of my competence and my training and my experience where I worked; what kind of work I did before.

It puts me ahead of them in terms of my credibility.

I am one person that served as minister in the Ministry of Defence (Navy), minister in the Ministry of Power and Steel and, as of that time, I had no junior minister under me.

I served FRSC for seven years; I served e-Government for seven years. If anybody says there is a blemish there, it is a lie; it is just not there. That is why when you look at it, a guy is saying, ‘I am spending N500million on primary. I have N5billion for my election’, ask him, where did he get this money from? None of them has served in government circle longer than I have served or at a level higher than I have served.

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If APC does not put its act together, we ’ll lose Ondo —Senator Ayo Arise Former Peoples Democratic Party senator, now a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Senator Ayo Arise, in this interview by KATE ANI, shares his opinion on the state of the economy, relationship with Governor Ayodele Fayose and the controversy surrounding the APC primary in Ondo State, ahead the state’s governorship election in November.

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Fayemi had the strong backings of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Otunba Adebayo. Somehow, Fayemi got the ticket, despite me being more popular and having better funding. It then dawned on me that things were a little bit shady in that party and I left to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They did me a whole lot of favour by giving me a seat in the senate because they knew I could deliver during the general election. I was grateful to the fact that PDP gave me the ticket to be a Senator and to contribute my quota in this country. Of course, if you listened to my debate in the Senate, you would not have thought that I was a PDP chieftain because my position had always been a little bit more into the progressives’ line of thought. But having said that, I still would not have left PDP if not for our governor, Ayodele Fayose. You see, I don’t mind the person using whatever weapon he has to win an election, but having won the election, I wouldn’t want to have an agreement with such a person and at the end of the day, the person fails to honour the agreement.

When I discovered that Fayose and I would not be able to get along, it was easy for me to immediately pack my stuff and leave for APC

HY do you think your party has been unable to deliver the promised change to Nigerians ?

Well, without necessarily continuing to make more excuses, we all know that there is hardship in the land and we that are literate enough to understand many of the reasons for this. The fall in oil prices is the major one and the one that is even more compelling is the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers and militants in blowing up oil installations and pipelines which has now reduced our production to about 1.3 million barrels per day. This is less than fifty percent of what we used to produce two years ago. Nigeria is a monocultural production country, our source of generating revenue to shore up our external reserve is through oil, if we are fifty percent of that production or less than that and the population continues to grow, the demand pressure of the declining resources that we have will continue to increase.

Even if we are stagnant, what we have now cannot handle fifty percent of our needs as a nation. The president has asked for special powers, which I support that he should be granted because we are in an emergency.

The economy is almost in a state of coma…

(Cuts in…) sure! I must tell you that even if you bring the best economist to run this economy, it would still fail; it is not about President Buhari, but about the harsh reality that is striking us on the face. The government has seen this and has come up with proposals to diversify the economy. There is no economist that will advise you on anything other than that.

Do you think the minister of finance is overwhelmed by this sudden downward spiral of the economy, can she handle the heat?

I believe the minister and the economy advisers are technocrats and are doing their best. Yes, they may be overwhelmed because the resources to boost the economy are just not there.

The population of Nigeria keeps growing and as such, the demand of Nigerians would keep increasing. We are now more civilised than we were in the past, Nigerians now ask questions, they want good things of life but the resources to keep up with their ceaseless demands are not available. The whole budget of this country is not up to the budget of one corporation in America but we can be assured that Nigerians are managing serious and big corporations close to that. The demand is not fitting the reality that is on the ground in the country.

Talking about budget, as a former senator, what do you make of the budget padding drama at the House of Representatives, especially Jibrin’s claim that he, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and Honourable Leo Ogor have all collected money fraudulently?

It is clear that the capability or the rights of the national assembly to veer money from one point to the other is covered under the constitution. But when they use that privilege for personal gains and enrichment, that is where the issue of illegality sets in. What Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin is saying is that their intention was far from noble and was to corruptly enrich themselves. If that is the case, that is not the kind of experience I knew when I was in the Senate. Again, I was never in the leadership, I was merely chairman of a committee, so I wouldn’t know if that also happened during that time.

Most senators have argued that budget padding is not a criminal act…

I would have looked at padding more when they add a whole lot of money to what the executives submitted, that would certainly qualify for padding. But until the Honourable Jibrin allegations are proven, in my understanding, the national assembly has the power to move money around.

Let’s talk about the controversies surrounding constituency projects, where senators are accused of siphoning money and the debate on whether to abolish it or not…

I still plan to go back to the Senate, hence I am going to speak my mind on this matter. I am of the position that the business of a legislator; when it comes to erecting projects into constituencies, is to lobby the executives so as to include it in their budget. How they are going to fund it is not my business and also, awarding the contract to the executor of the project would not be my concern but I would have influenced the erection of that project for the good of my people.

During my tenure as a senator, I influenced the erection of a

Senator Arise

Anybody can criticise the government, any government that is not criticised is a dictatorial government and I don’t think Nigeria can stand such. federal university in my hometown, I lobbied the president to ensure the project was executed and completed. I didn’t know any of the contractors that executed the constituency projects. The constituency projects I influenced was awarded to the River Basin Company. The first project was to provide generators for the dams in my constituency and senatorial district. The second project was to repair a dried dam in my local government; I donated some money there through the River Basin company as well. If they didn’t execute it, it is their business, they can be probed and it doesn’t concern me because I didn’t know the contractors.

Do you support call for part-time legislation?

We have opted for a presidential system of government, hence there is no room for part-time legislation. If we go by the Westminster type of government, then we can have parttime legislators. These are some of the challenges that can be faced in trying to make anything part-time and besides, the problem is that we are constrained by the fact that the senators and the legislators change and amend laws, which one of them would want to be part-time? Some things are just not possible.

You used to be a PDP chieftain in Ekiti state, why did you defect to APC? When I ran for the position of a governor under Alliance for Democracy (AD) that later metamorphosed into Action Congress of Nigeria (A CN) and now All Progressives Change (APC), then, former governor and now minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi was my biggest competitor. Then, I had just resigned from the corporate sector and fresh in politics; I didn’t know the powers that be in the party.

You have been engaged in war of words with Governor Fayose over his criticisms of President Buhari’s administration, could this be a way of preparing the ground for 2018?

There are two things that my governor got wrong, you see, if he is providing criticism that is legitimate and that people can relate to as fact, fine, as everybody, including agrees that things are tough in Nigeria today. Besides, me, have only spoken against him once in recent time and since then, I have allowed him to continue with whatever he feels is right for him to say.

But why is it that APC can’t accept criticism but was ferocious with former president Goodluck Jonathan during his administration?

I agree with you, APC was constantly keeping the PDP administration on their toes, which is the work of the opposition but not to start creating deliberate lies that does not hold water. Anybody can criticise the government, any government that is not criticised is a dictatorial government and I don’t think Nigeria can stand such.

What do you make of the APC crisis in Ondo State?

One thing I know for sure is that if APC does not get its act together as a party, we will lose Ondo. Yes, that I can say without any fear of contradiction.

You mentioned earlier that you are nursing the ambition of going back to the Senate, have you lost hope of becoming the next Ekiti governor?

(Laughs…) well, by all measures and without sounding immodest, I think I am very qualified to be the next Ekiti State governor but I am still consulting and discussing with my members. We are looking at reaching a consensus on who will be placed there, without necessarily wasting so much money in the primaries. If our calculation goes the way we are planning now, then my best option will be to go back to the Senate. There some options that we are weighing now but that is not to say that I have shelved the idea, if the opportunity comes, I wouldn’t mind. We have suffered public injury from Fayose’s actions and utterances, I think Ekiti people deserves better.

Will you ever be friends with governor Fayose?

We do talk, greet and exchange pleasantries. What we have is not a personal quarrel; he has not taken my wife and I have not taken his. I don’t believe that because you don’t agree with a political opponent, you shouldn’t greet him. It doesn’t show maturity or civilisation and if I am in any party that says I should not talk to Ayo Fayose, I would leave the party! There is nobody that will gag me from talking or being friendly with anybody that I want to be friends with. Of course, I will engage him when his utterances and actions are not okay; it does not mean I shouldn’t be friends with him. He is still the governor of Ekiti. But again, that does not mean that I don’t desire to unseat him or resist for Ekiti people any puppet that he wants to bring in to succeed him. That is the only thing we are working on now because if he succeeds himself, then we are in trouble in Ekiti State.

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We need govt in mechanised farming —Oba Festus Kayode Awogboro

Oba Festus Kayode Awogboro is the Baabokun of Ibokun Jesa. In this interview by Oluwole Ige, he speaks about the developmental challenges of the community, historical facts on Ibokun, among other sundry issues.

Excerpts.

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or how long have you been on the throne of your forefathers?

I have been on the throne for over five years now.

Since you have been on the throne, what has been the socioeconomic developments that have come to your community?

We have really got a lot of things to show that social and economic developments have been visible in Ibokun. When I became the king of my community, there was not anything really as concrete development. But now, there are a lot of developments, especially with the present administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. With the calibre of people working with him, like Hon Bosun Oyintiloye, who is representing our constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, developmental projects have been attracted to our community. We have achieved tremendously in terms of education, roads and health. For instance in education, they are giving our children free food in elementary schools. When I sit down and think about that alone, I can say that the government has really tried. When you talk of road network, Ilahun-Ibokun is a good example of how physical development and infrastructure have come to our community, including Ijebu-Jesa road. On education, the construction of mega school in Ibokun is a thing of joy to us. This shows that we have modern people at the helm at the time we really need them.

We have modern governor and lawmaker in the person of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Hon Bosun Oyintiloye respectively.

But regardless of these achievements, what are the challenges that you face here as a community?

We are contending with a lot of challenges, especially when you think of this community’s name, Ibokun, the originator of Ijesa or what I may describe as the cradle of Ijesaland. If you ask anybody, Ijesa started from Ibokun. When you go into the history of Ajibogun, from which this town was named Ibokun, you will see that this is the cradle of Ijesaland. One of the major challenges we face here is the need to locate an institution of higher learning in Ibokun. If we have a higher institution here, it would change a lot of things from economic perspective and social growth. Another challenge we have here is agriculture. Though, with the support of the government, things are fairly getting better in that regard, but we still need more assistance to our farmers.

In what particular area do you want the state government to assist your community, regarding agriculture?

What we really need is to change from this manual agricultural system to mechanised farming. This would make farming much easier and increase the produce from the farms.

Historically you said Ibokun is the cradle of Ijesaland. Are you not worried that despite that advantage, other communities in Ijesaland, particularly, Ilesa, is far more developed than Ibokun?

If you look at the history of Ibokun, Ajibogun himself brought his brother Baaloro, sent to him from his mother’s side in Ifon, to come and consult the oracle for him before he had a son. After he bore a son, because he was a warrior who fought with many people and won and out of the fear that if the boy dies, he had no other descendant, he decided to take his son to Ilesa. Ibokun had been in existence for at least about 250 years before Ilesa. If you look at Ilesa very well, the boundary between Ibokun and Ilesa was Isokun.

But presently, there is nothing like that again because of civilisation. Ajibogun, who was a warrior took his son to Ilesa due to fear that he might be killed. Following this development, people focused their attention on Ilesa.

If his son had stayed in Ibokun, there is no way Ilesa would have been more developed than Ibokun.

If Obokun Festival is recognised and supported by the government, it would go a long way to help Ibokun economically.

As the traditional ruler of this community, what are the taboos that are forbidden in Ibokun?

I don’t think there are taboos again. But, in the past, people from Ibokun could not marry from Ilare. If you married from Ilare, you would have only one child. If you have 10 children, nine of them would die. In Ibokun, we have some things that you can’t just do, but I cannot disclose them to you.

Do you have tourist attraction centres in Ibokun?

We have. That was why I told you that we have got some challenges. We have tourist attraction centres or events in Ibokun, but yet to be recognised by the state government.

I am referring to Obokun Festival, Igbaomo Festival and Egungun Festival. Obokun Festival is so important that all Ijesa people should come together and celebrate it because this is where all Ijesa people originated from. If Obokun Festival is recognised and supported by the government, it would go a long way to help Ibokun economically.

What efforts are you making personally to prevail on prominent sons and daughters of Ibokun to contribute to the growth of the community?

It’s just that you were a bit late. When I arrived at the palace in the morning, this was the issue we were discussing before you came. We have reached out to prominent indigenes of Ibokun and held meeting with them. They promised to contribute their own quota to the development of the community.

We have got the Ibokun Federal Union and its president, Mr Jide Fadeyibi, who has been collaborating with the palace to contact all eminent indigenes of Ibokun. If you go to Ibokun Town Hall, of which its construction started long time ago, they have started fixing the windows and other facilities, an indication that our prominent sons and daughters have intervened. Gradually, I believe we

would witness more development in the next four or five years.

What role is your lawmaker representing this community playing in ensuring that physical development comes to Ibokun?

The lawmaker representing us in the House of Assembly is Hon Bosun Oyintiloye and I thank God that he became a legislator in my own time. He has been trying relentlessly to assist our community. In December last year, armed robbers attacked Wema Bank branch, situated in Ibokun. The bank left and we wanted them to come back, but they insisted that they need security before they can reopen the branch here. Oyintiloye struggled to assist the community through the state government to get Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed in front of the bank to guarantee security. I was amazed. In terms of development, he renovated Ibokun Central Mosque and Ibokun market. Apart from that, he sunk many boreholes that produce drinkable water for the people of our community.

Oyintiloye has been the man of the people, not only in Ibokun alone, but in the entire Obokun Local Government area. Although, some people may still not be satisfied, as far as I am concerned, he was not a wrong choice when he was elected as a legislator. He has been performing excellently well as far as I am concerned. I would still want to see him above this position in the nearest future. People don’t say the truth here when it comes to politics, but if he decides to seek a second term as a lawmaker, I, as Festus Kayode Awogboro, the Kabiyesi of Ibokun would back him million times. It would interest you to know that this man has been paying the school fees of a lot of students in Ibokun here.

Look at his secretariat, where there are facilities, which have helped to take away many youths, who would have been involved in one crime or the other to be be engaged in some thing meaningful.

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Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Zlatan born for Manchester derby —Thierry Henry If ever a fixture was made for striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it is today’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford, according to his former Barcelona team-mate, Thierry Henry.

A global television audience of 900 million is estimated for the Premier League match that pitches United new manager, Jose Mourinho into renewed battle with City’s Pep Guardiola.

Henry believes the Swede striker who arrived at Old Trafford on a free transfer and has scored four goals in four appearances, is the key in today’s Manchester derby.

“Zlatan was born for

these types of games, he demands these types of games, and he usually performs,” Henry, who played with him in the 2009-10 season at the Nou Camp, told Sky Sports.

“Zlatan obviously has a bit of an edge on him now, he’s not the young player he used to be, but there is something, he usually backs it up when he talks.

“He maybe hasn’t controlled games yet, but it doesn’t matter for Zlatan, he has scored, and that’s the impact you want. That is something I like about him, he brings a winning mentality. He doesn’t like second best, wherever he

went he won the league.”

The France ‘98 World Cup hero also offered insight into how City’s manager Guardiola will be preparing for a match that will surpass even his many Barcelona v Real Madrid ‘clasicos’ in terms of sheer hyperbole.

“He will be very relaxed and sure about what he wants from his players, he usually gives you the perfect plan,” Henry said.

“Then it’s up to the players to execute it. He will have an answer to any problem the other team pose.”

Blatter faces fresh corruption charges Former FIFA president, Sepp Blatter is facing another corruption investigation after the ethics committee of world football’s governing body announced it was opening proceedings against him and key lieu-

tenants, Jerome Valcke and Markus Kattner.

The committee’s investigatory chamber will investigate possible violations of FIFA’s rulebook that relate to bribery, conflicts of interest and general con-

Shooting Stars, Rangers renew rivalry

Sylvanus Ebiaku of 3SC

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi with Agency Reports

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RADITIONAL rivals Shooting Stars of Ibadan and Rangers of Enugu clash today in an all-important Nigeria Premier League fixture slated for the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.

Rangers are on course to break their title jinx since 1984 as they are currently leading the table but will find no enthusiast in the Shooting Stars who have suddenly recovered a devastating home form.

The last time out, the Shooting Stars routed former champions, Kano Pillars 4-0 in Ibadan, a dire warning to Rangers.

However, Rangers too are on a three-match unbeaten run and are bound to count on this current form for survival.

The match is made more intense by the presence of players who in recent seasons have swapped camp between both sides so they both understand what is to come for the game.

Both teams are also handled by seasoned coachesGbenga Ogunbote for Shooting Stars and Imama Amakapabor for Rangers.

Ibrahimovic

Rangers’ Emmanuel Daniel

Meanwhile, 3SC forward, Ifegwu Ojukwu has said Rangers are merely coming to Ibadan for sightseeing.

“Of course, Enugu Rangers are merely coming to Ibadan for sightseeing as we are damn ready to turn them back empty-handed in the NPFL clash.

“Rangers are league leaders and will want to claim the whole three points or point to further boost their chances of winning the league crown but we will not allow them the luxury.

“We need the points more than Rangers to further secure our comfort on the league log.

“Any attempt on our part to drop points in the encounter will certainly spell doom for us.

“So Rangers will certainly try their luck in the clash but we will turn them back empty-handed.

“Of course, I hope to score to up my goal tally but the key for us in the crucial match is the whole three points at stake,” said the former Ikorodu United marksman to Supersport.com.

The Oluyole Warlords are 14th on the table with 41 points.

duct, while Kattner faces a further charge related to a breach of confidentiality.

The case is understood to be based on the huge salaries and bonuses the three men allegedly paid themselves at FIFA, and the alleged leaking of information about new FIFA president, Gianni Infantino to the media.

The 80-year-old Blatter, who ran FIFA from 1998 to 2015, is currently waiting

for the result of his appeal against an existing ban from football for a payment he made to former protege and UEFA president, Michel Platini.

That appeal was heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month and if Platini’s earlier case is a guide, football’s most infamous administrator can expect a reduction in his ban from six years to four.

US Open: Serena’s

conqueror, Pliskova faces Kerber in final Tenth seed Karolina Pliskova sensationally outplayed Serena Williams to reach the US Open final and end the American’s reign as world number one.

The Czech will today face German second seed Angelique Kerber in the final after her historic win over the 22 Grand Slam titles winner.

Williams, 34, doublefaulted on match point to lose 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).

The result guarantees that Kerber will overtake Williams at the top of the rankings after the US Open.

Williams had also hoped to win an Open-era record 23rd major singles title.

She remains tied with Steffi Graf for both Grand Slam titles, and the WTA record of 186 successive weeks as world number one.

It will be recalled, that

Serena was stunned by lowly-rated Italian Roberta Vinci also in the semi-final of the US Open last year.

“Karolina played great today,” said Williams, who revealed she had been hampered by a sore left knee since earlier in the tournament “I think if she had played any less then maybe I would have had a chance.

So I think I wasn’t at 100 per cent, but I also think she played well. She deserved to win today.”

Australian Open champion, Kerber dumped Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 to reach her first US Open final.

“It’s just incredible, it’s a great day,” said Kerber.

“To be here in the final for the first time means a lot and to be number one in the world - it sounds amazing.”

sport La Liga:

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Saturday Tribune

Messi ready for today’s clash

—Enrique

F

C Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique insisted Lionel Messi is fit enough to face Alaves today, but may be protected with a run of seven games in 22 days to come for the Spanish champions.

Messi missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifier with Venezuela in midweek due to a groin problem, while the return of Neymar for the first time this season after winning the Olympic gold

with Brazil increases the temptation for the Barca boss to hand Messi an extended rest.

“Yes,” insisted Enrique when pressed on whether Messi was fit to play (today).

“During the week he was able do part of the training sessions with the team and another part on his own. We will focus on the needs of the team and make sure the player is in the best condition possible.”

Enrique is blessed with

Omeruo set for Alanyaspor debut Chelsea loanee, Kenneth Omeruo is set to debut for new Turkish club, Alanyaspor at Genclerberligi today after he has been named on the match-day squad.

Promoted Alanyaspor beat several other clubs in Turkey and Spain to get the Nigeria international defender on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea.

Alanyaspor is 10th on the Turkish Super Lig with three points from two matches after winning its second game 2-1 at home against Antalyspor.

Last season, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner, Omeruo played at another Turkish club, Kasimpasa on loan.

a series of options up front as Spanish international Paco Alcacer could make his debut after sealing a 30 million euro ($33 million) move from Valencia, while Arda Turan and Denis Suarez have also impressed in Neymar’s absence as the Catalans have made a 100 per cent start to the season.

“There will be incredible players left in the stands or on the bench,” added Enrique.

“I speak with all my players. We know how things are and the things we have to take care of.”

Messi

Troost-Ekong rejoins Gent November Nigeria international, William Troost-Ekong has announced he will return to parent Belgian club, Gent in November at the end of his loan spell with Norwegian club, FK Haugesund.

“In November, at the end of the season in Norway, I will return to Gent, where I have extended my contract,”

disclosed the defender, who has staged a comeback to the Super Eagles after winning bronze medal at the just-ended Rio Olympics.

“It’s the next step in my career development.

“I will be with Moses Simon and Rabiu Ibrahim and we will play in the Europa League.”

The 23-year-old cen-

tral defender was named captain of Haugesund, that is third on the table with 38 points.

Troost-Ekong, who was eligible to play for the Netherlands courtesy of his Dutch mother and having played for that country’s Dutch agegroup teams, has netted two goals in 17 appearances in the league.

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Adesokan

Man Utd vs Man City 12:30pm Arsenal vs Southampton 3:00pm Bournemouth vs West Brom 3:00pm Burnley vs Hull City 3:00pm Middlesbrou vs C/Palace 3:00pm Stoke City vs Tottenham 3:00pm West Ham vs Watford 3:00pm Liverpool vs Leicester 5:30pm

NPFL Match Day 35 fixtures

Saturday, September 10

El-Kanemi Ikorodu Utd Sunshine Stars Shooting Stars Rivers United Nasarawa Utd IfeanyiUbah MFM, Lagos

vs Heartland vs Kano Pillars vs Plateau Utd vs Rangers vs Warri Wolves vs Wikki Tourists vs Akwa United vs Lobi Stars

RIO 2016 PARALYMPICS:

World record holder, Adesokan misses event

By Ganiyu Salman

N

IGERIA’S dream to win first gold medal at the ongoing Rio 2016 Paralympics through world record holder, Yakubu Adesokan was dashed as the lifter missed the men’s -49kg powerlifting event held on Thursday evening.

Adesokan, who spoke with ‘Loripapa on Fresh FM’ a local radio sports programme, said he missed the chance to defend the gold he won four years ago in London, due to his late

arrival at the event’s venue for screening.

He stated that there was a squabble among two of his coaches which delayed their movement from the Games Village to the Riocentro, Pavilion 2.

“It was an unfortunate incident, we arrived late at the venue and I was not allowed to undergo weighing before the event. We tried to explain but they didn’t allow me to take part in the exercise.

“In fact, I was so shellshocked that I almost run into a moving vehicle after I

...Tijani wins Nigeria’s first medal

By Ganiyu Salman POWERLIFTER, Latifat Tijani has won the first medal for Team Nigeria at the ongoing Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Tijani, lifted 106kg to grab a silver medal in the -45kg women’s powerlifting event at the Riocentro, Pavilion 2.

The Nigerian amazon, who lifted 98kg to set new Africa record at 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, in her first attempt lifted 101kg and failed in her attempt to lift 104kg, while she came back stronger to lift 106kg

in her final attempt to take the lead which was later shortlived, as she lost the gold medal to Hu Dandan of China who lifted 107kg in her final attempt.

The Chinese lifter, Dandan went ahead to set the World and Paralympics record in the event when she lifted 108kg.

Tijani, with her feat in Rio has erased the African record in the -45kg women’s powerlifting she set in Congo Brazzaville from 98kg to 106kg.

Great Britain’s Newson Zoe settled for the bronze medal as she lifted 102kg in the event.

was disqualified. It is something unbearable for me because I never imagined this kind of unfortunate incident in my career,” Adesokan was quoted as saying.

The Oyo State-born lifter, who reclaimed his world record title at the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville with a lift of 182.5kg, said he was better prepared for the Rio 2016 even than

London 2012 Paralympics where he first set the world record with a lift of 180kg.

Meanwhile, Adesokan’s world record (182.5kg) remains intact despite his inability to compete at Rio 2016, as the winner of the men’s -49kg event, Le van Cong of Vitenam claimed the gold with a lift of 181kg.

Iheanacho seeks encore against Man U

By Olawale Olaniyan NIGERIAN striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, says it will be heartwarming to put smiles on fans’ faces as his club Man City tackles city rival, Manchester United today at Old Trafford.

The starlet was his country’s match winner against Tanzania in a AFCON 2017 qualifier played last weekend in Uyo, Nigeria, netting in the decider 12 minutes before stoppage time.

Left-footed ace, Iheanacho wishes to raise the roof again.

“It was amazing what I did with my country last weekend. I am here now with my team, the training has been special because we know we are the league leaders, we are not ready to leave where we are,’’ he told The Citizens after Friday’s training.

The Nigerian has scored eight times so far in his Premier League career, at an average of 96 minutes per goal.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Ivorian defender, Eric Bailly is looking to shut out all aggressors.

‘This is my first derby in England and I have to prove myself, ‘’ he said shortly being awarded his Player Of The Month title.

“For me, it is going to be the biggest match and helping the team to keep a clean sheet is the minimum of duty”.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: saturdaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: LASISI OLAGUNJU. All Correspondence to P. O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 10/9/2016.

Iheanacho