10th October 2015

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

NO 1,120

SATURDAY, 10 OCTOBER, 2015

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Iyalode of Lagos, others extol HID Awolowo’s virtues pg7

Minister-nominees beg godfathers, govs Fashola, Lai Mohammed, Shittu face opposition pg5 Buhari okays Senate’s conditions

NSE-IKPE ETIM:

Why I’m shooting refugee film in S/Africa pg33

Tribunal sacks Buruji Kashamu

pg4

‘I will appeal verdict’, he vows

From left, former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran and the Iyalode of Lagos, Chief (Mrs) Bintu Fatima Tinubu, at the Ikenne residence of the Awolowos, on Friday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Refund Rivers’ N98bn or face prosecution, Wike tells Amaechi, others We’ll meet in court —APC pg7

Chibok girl escapes with horror tales

pg5

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10 October, 2015

CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915 - 2015)

Saturday Tribune PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE

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(1) From left, Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran and the Alakene of Ikenne, Oba Adeyinka Onakade.

(2) From left, Dr Awolowo Dosumu; the Iyalode of Lagos, Chief (Mrs) Bintu Fatima Tinubu and a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

(3) Members of the Board of Directors of Peak International School, Ikenne, with Dr Awolowo Dosumu and Reverend Oyediran.

(4) From left, Mrs Damilola Akinwale, Dr Awolowo Dosumu and Reverend Oyediran.

(5) From left, Mrs Orelope-Adefulire, Dr Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend Oyediran, Chief Tinubu and Mrs Iyabo Omisore.

(6) Dr Awolowo Dosumu and Chief Tinubu.

(7) From left, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, Reverend Oyediran, Chief (Mrs) Iyabo Apampa and Professor Titi Elegbede Filani.

(8) Members of the Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, with Reverend Oyediran.

(9) Members of the Education Sub-committee, Ikenne Development Association, with Dr Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend Oyediran, Mrs Orelope-Adefulire and Chief Tinubu.

(10) Members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Ogun State, with Reverend Oyediran and Dr Awolowo Dosumu

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

klieglight Y

our stage name, Mr. Latin is popular than your original name, how and where did you get the nickname?

When I started acting, we had had Baba Suwe; Baba Sala, Baba Aluwe,so I decided to add a little innovation.

So, I would speak a little bit of French and Latin and would translate it into another meaning in English. That was when people started saying that this man speaks Latin and that was how I got the name.

When has been your happiest day?

I am not dead, so I can’t just tell you today is my happiest day because we still have so many happy days to come. I am happy every day, so whenever any situation comes, either good or bad, would determine how the day would be for me.

If it is a good development, I would be happy, tomorrow may be another better situation, I would be happy again, so at my age, I can’t tell you this is my happiest day in life.

What is the hardest role you have every played?

Mr. President. This is because I had to mimic former President Olusegun Obasanjo and I studied him for about six months before I could perform that role. Another was one of my other films in which I played three roles, a lawyer, a police officer and an armed robber.

Do you find the process of working with other ‘collabos’ difficult or essential?

No, it’s not difficult because acting is how you can interpret your role, and that makes you either a very good or very bad actor, so working with lots of readymade actors is challenging, it makes me to work harder.

The hardest roles I have played —Mr Latin

Have you ever been embarrassed by any of your Bolaji Amusan (Mr Latin) is a household name in the fans or have Yoruba sector of Nollywood as he has featured in many you had any cause to be home videos. The Gbongan, Osun State-born actor embarrassed speaks on the movie industry and his personal life in this publicly? interview with OLUWATOBILOBA OYESOLA. Excerpts: Definitely. You know we have a lot of fans in Nigeria, some are rude and some are decent; some will just talk to you because they are your fans. Some will even block your way saying, Ogbeni, ki wa now (This man, greet us now). Some will molest you; some will drag you aside asking you to give them money. So, a lot of things do happen, but it is part of the price one is paying for being a star.

Does this role you play have any negative impact on your home?

No. If no, does the comedian role you play on set continue in your normal activities while out of set?

You have been here for the past one hour or so, and as you can see, would you say I am a comedian when ‘am working or when I am not working? What I am saying is that I am my real self when I am not working, because that is the only job I do to feed my family and I’ll be wasting it if I am to talk everywhere and people begin to laugh, it only means I am wasting my resources. It’s like asking Okocha, Kanu or Mikel Obi, to be playing football anyhow because they are footballers, that is not possible and the same thing applies to me.

How many movies do you have personally to your credit presently?

Over forty-five.

Can you mention some of them?

I produced Wedding Gift, Faworaja, Obajobalo, Talo n Gbemu, Egun Mogaji, Mr President, Talakoni,Omo Ode De, Lagos to Benin, Ete Obinrin, Double Double and many more.

What are the major challenges in the industry?

Piracy, that is the only challenge we have, we work tirelessly today and only to see the work being pirated tomorrow.

So, how do you think piracy can be tackled?

The only solution is that government should assist us by helping us talk to the National Assembly members to come up with a very strong law with a huge penalty for piracy and this is going to reduce piracy drastically.

It is the belief of most Nigerians that up and coming female actresses have to sacrifice ‘something’ to get ‘something’, what is your take on this?

Since lecturers don’t sleep with students before giving them admission and also doctors don’t sleep with nurses before giving them jobs, and policemen don’t sleep with senior officers before getting jobs, so ours is not an exception. It was just the belief of everybody and they are not there to see what is happening, you can’t drive a car from the back seat, you have to be there to know what is happening there.

It is only because we are popular that is why people are insinuating so many things. Go to the motor parks, you see women selling things and dating bus conductors, drivers. It happens everywhere and it has never been heard anywhere that an actress was raped; it’s a mutual thing, because if I asked you out and you said no, there is nothing that could be done about that. Any gathering where there are males and females, there must be feelings, it’s now up to you to say yes or no.

Is any of your children in the industry?

Like I always say, my children must go to school first so as not to be distracted by acting.

We watched a jingle in which you and Odunlade Adekola endorsed the present governor of Ogun State while he was campaigning for second term, is it true you did it because of money?

Is governor Amosun not performing? So, if somebody is performing, what do you expect us to do other than to support him? He has changed the face of Ogun State. He has changed the face of Abeokuta, if I were to be seen campaigning for like four to five governors, that is when you say I am campaigning because of money. I campaigned for Governor Amosun alone because I knew he has done so well, and the only thing we can do is to support him to do more. We did it with our own personal money; Odunlade paid for the camera, the editing and even the costume.

He composed the whole of the script and paid for all expenses.

What is your Mr Latin Foundation all about sir?

The Foundation was inaugurated five years ago. I started in 2011 to help and empower the under privileged, we are presently empowering over 100 widows; we give them foodstuffs and other things to start their life all over again. We also do enlightenment campaigns on health related issues.

The Foundation is created on the basis of giving back to the society that made me.

But, we do learn of policemen arrest people selling at Alaba market and so on, so what happens to them Since when have you been thinking about the Founafter the arrest?

If policemen arrest them because it is a bailable offence, the dation before it became a reality?

I have been thinking about it for over 15 years, because I next day, they are out. Sometimes, they probably charge them to court but five years, ten years, the case is still on, and the came from a very poor background and I know what it means deed would have been done. But if it were to be like 10 years to be poor. imprisonment without any option of fine, it will reduce.

Who are the people that helped you while trying to start the Foundation?

What has ever been your regret?

I am using my celebrity status and my influence to solicit I never had any regret being an actor, I thank God, acting has been so good to me, it has been able to put food on my table support and funds from well-to-do individuals and my hardearned money to put smiles on the faces of the people. and I have travelled throughout the world through acting.

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10 October, 2015

Tribunal upholds APC Rep’s election in Kaduna

Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema (left), presenting a gong to the Director-General, National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, during the closing gong ceremony, at the Exchange, in Lagos, on Friday. PHOTO:NAN.

Election tribunal sacks Buruji, orders rerun I’ll appeal judgement —Buruji Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

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HE National Assembly and State House of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday, nullified the election of the senator representing Ogun East district, Prince Buruji Kashamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It also set aside the election of a member representing Ijebu North/Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Adesegun Adekoya, also of the PDP. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun, had challenged Kashamu’s victory in the March 28 National Assembly election.

Abiodun, in his petition, claimed that the victory of Kashamu failed to comply with the 2010 Electoral Act and that the election was marred with irregularities and malpractices.

The Justice Tobi Eboweiled three-man panel delivered 12 judgments amid heavy security.

The panel ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in 110 polling units where irregularities were proved within 90 days.

It said it was comfortable to nullify the election in the senatorial district when 146,533 votes were valid against 37,008 unlawful votes.

On the annulment of Adekoya’s victory, which was challenged by the candidate of the APC, Mr Biyi Ismail, the tribunal ordered INEC to conduct election in 222 polling units in the federal constituency in the

Saturday Tribune

next 90 days.

Also, the tribunal cancelled the election of Honourable Wale Alausa of the PDP representing Ijebu Ode State Constituency in the House of Assembly, in a petition filed by a former deputy speaker of the Assembly, Tola Banjo.

It ordered that fresh election be conducted in 14 polling units in wards 6 and 7.

On the petition filed against the victory of Honourable Adejuwon Oyenuga of the PDP by the APC candidate, Bola Badejo, the tribunal equally ordered fresh elections in seven units in the constituency.

The panel also ordered fresh election in 38 units in Ipokia State Constituency, which Honourable Vinwanu Ojo of the PDP is representing in the Assembly. Ojo’s victory in the election was challenged by Sewanu Felicia Towakennu-Olatunde.

It noted that the irregularities observed in the affected areas were enough to cancel the entire election results in the state constituency, but ordered rerun within 90 days.

However, the tribunal had a spilt judgment in a petition filed by Adebayo Adebola of the APC against the victory of Honourable Bowala Solaja of the PDP representing Ijebu North 1 in the House of Assembly.

A member of the panel said he found no merit in Adebola’s petition and, therefore, upheld Solaja’s victory.

But the other members of the panel are of the view that INEC should conduct a rerun in 67 polling units where irregularities were proved.

The tribunal upheld the victory of Honourable Olu-

jimi Otukoya of the PDP against a petition brought before it by the candidate of the APC, Abayomi Fasua in Ijebu North-East.

Justice Ebowei said, “It is our view that for any petition to succeed for non-compliance, it must not be on the document but the lead.

“The law is settled on this case and we are of the view that there is no link between the document and the evidence of the witnesses.

“The petition is hereby dismissed and the return of the winner is upheld,” Justice Ebowei said.

I’ll challenge tribunal’s judgement —Kashamu Meanwhile, Kashamu, in a statement by his media aide, Austin Oniyokor, says he will challenge the verdict of the tribunal which ordered rerun in 110 polling units in the senatorial district at the Court of Appeal “Certainly, we are going to test the veracity of the tribunal’s verdict at the Court of Appeal. The tribunal has given its judgment, but it is not the end of the road. That is the beauty of the judicial process.

“Although the tribunal has said the full judgment will be made available on Monday, it could not be said to have sacked Kashamu because after the removal of voided votes, Kashamu is still leading with 5,179 votes.

“According to the tribunal’s findings, Kashamu has 75,856 votes against Dapo Abiodun’s 70,677 votes. So, how can the person leading be said to have been ‘sacked’? For whom?

The losing candidate? We think not.

“Besides, the rerun was

ordered in 110 out of over 1,135 polling units in the senatorial district,” Oniyokor said.

THE National Assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State, has affirmed the election of Mohammed Soba representing Soba Federal Constituency.

The tribunal sitting held at the Kawo Federal High Court under the leadership of Justice Abdulhamid Yakubu affirmed the election of Soba of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The judgement, read by Justice Paul Uhuo, dismissed the petition against Soba and upheld his election on grounds that the petition lacked merit.

The order of the judgement reads, “All things considered, this issue is resolved against the petitioner.

“The first respondent eminently qualified to contest the election of 28th March, 2015 for Soba Federal Constituency.

“The petition to this tribunal to order for nullification and conduct of fresh election for Soba Federal Constituency is hereby refused.

“Declaration of Barrister Mohammed Soba by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the said election and duly elected is hereby affirmed.

“That the petition lacks merit and hereby dismissed and we make no order as to cost.”

Soba’s election was challenged by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Khalid Mustapha, at the National Assembly election petition tribunal.

In the suit, Mustapha alleged that Soba gave false information to INEC. He alleged that Soba did not resign his employment with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) before contesting the election.

Mustapha, therefore, prayed the tribunal to nullify the election and order a re-run.

Anambra: Tribunal okays Umeh’s petition against Ekwunife’s election Suzy Oruya - Onitsha THE election tribunal sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has dismissed the petition filed by a former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the party’s candidate in the Anambra Central Senatorial election, Chief Victor Umeh, against the election of Honourable Uche Lillian Ekwunife.

In the judgement that took the chairman, Justice Nayai Aganaba, about two and a half hours to deliver, the tribunal upheld the declaration of Honourable Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election.

It upheld one of the figures of 93,863 votes awarded to Ekwunife as against 85, 898 awarded to Umeh at the March 28, 2015 senatorial election.

The tribunal flawed Umeh’s petition, saying that it was not able to defend any of the issues it raised in the petition and, therefore, could not grant any of the reliefs sought.

It said Umeh gave three conflicting figures as total votes he obtained in the election without pleading any particular figure he wants the tribunal to ascribe to him.

On the issue that Ekwunife was not properly elected in the PDP primary to run for the Senate, the tribunal said the primary is an internal affair of political parties and the tribunal cannot be drawn into that.

The tribunal added that the issue of party primary constitutes pre-election matter.

Also, it held that Umeh was not able to prove that the results were manipulated because his agents signed and collected election result sheets forms EC 8A1.

According to the tribunal, cancellation on election result sheets does not invalidate the result.

Tribunal upholds Gbajabiamila’s election THE National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Friday, upheld the victory of the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

The tribunal held that Gbajabiamila of the All Progressives Congress (APC) validly won the March 28 election for Surulere Federal Constituency I in Lagos State.

The three-man tribunal led by Justice C. U. Anwuka resolved all issues raised in favour of the respondent.

The tribunal consequently dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Tony Ashikodi, for failing to prove the allegations of electoral fraud.

Ashikodi had petitioned

the tribunal challenging the outcome of the election.

He claimed to have observed some irregularities during the election which, he said, contravened the provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s approved guidelines.

He urged the court to void the election and order INEC to conduct a fresh one.

The petitioner alleged that “the final figures in Form EC 8 C (i) were cancelled and altered with a view to declaring Gbajabiamila the winner of the election.”

He claimed that the 14,351 votes received by the APC candidate were “whimsically changed” to 21,715 while 16,079 earlier recorded for the petitioner was changed to 14,550.

However, in the judgement, the tribunal said Ashikodi failed to substantiate his allegations that ballot boxes were snatched and result sheets falsified by INEC. The judges noted that the petitioner failed to call a single witness to substantiate his claims.

They said Ashikodi, in his evidence-in-chief, admitted that he was not present at the collation centre and did not tender any document to back his allegations of multiple irregularities.

The tribunal also faulted the claim of the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Kalu Onuah, that the election did not comply with Section 139 of the Electoral Act and, therefore, dismissed the petition.

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Minister-nominees beg godfathers, govs

Presidency backs Senate’s screening conditions Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja and Lanre Adewole - Lagos

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HE presidency has agreed with the criteria set for the screening and confirmation of the ministernominees by the Senate, which is set to begin on Tuesday next week.

And as the presidency backs the Senate on the conditions, minister-nominees with estranged godfathers have intensified efforts at pacifying them to get the endorsement of senators from their home states.

The minister-nominees are in last-minute wheelingdealing to facilitate smooth clearance at the Senate next week, Saturday Tribune has reliably learnt.

Those expected to be ensnared by the screening conditions put forward by the upper chamber are reportedly leaving no stone unturned in getting the ground softened, including eating the humble pie of begging their political enemies who now hold the aces.

Apart from meeting with the senators, godfathers and governors are said to be the main focus of the ‘endangered’ nominees as the oracles that must be pacified.

Making the godfathers and governors the targets is reportedly predicated on the notorious fact that senators hardly operate independent of their governors and major political leaders, except senators who are former governors and having sitting governors as protégés.

Among the nominees expected to have a rough time at the screening are former Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed from Kwara State; former Rivers State governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Hajia Amina Mohammed from Kaduna, Adebayo Shittu from Oyo State, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma from Akwa Ibom State and Hajia Aisha Alhasan from Taraba State.

The listed nominees are either not in the good book of their governors and godfathers or are having opposition party senators representing their states in the Senate.

Among the conditions listed for the screening is the endorsement of nominees by at least two senators.

Assets are also to be declared and petitions against them, thoroughly investigated.

One fortunate nominee, however, is former Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, whose state is represented by senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but having the lobbying for the senators’

endorsement spearheaded by the opposition governor in his state and successorin-office, Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Fayose publicly directed Ekiti PDP senators to endorse Fayemi for clearance.

Saturday Tribune has also authoritatively learnt that Lai Mohammed has held a peace meeting with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The meeting with Saraki was on Monday.

Mohammed also flew in Governor Ahmed’s aircraft after attending the burial of Samuel Adedoyin’s mother a few days ago.

Despite belonging to same APC, Mohammed had been stoutly against Saraki’s emergence as senate president, in deference to the position of his leader, Senator Bola Tinubu.

It could not be confirmed if Tinubu endorsed the rapprochement between Mohammed and the gladiators in Kwara who could stop him as a minister.

Bukola is the ultimate leader of the party in the state.

Despite belonging to APC, Fashola has been having a running battle with Tinubu who calls the shots over the senators from Lagos including his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu as well as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The rough edges of their relations are reportedly being smoothened by common friends and associates, culminating in Fashola joining Tinubu at Eid praying ground during Sallah prayers.

International sources were said to have confirmed to Fashola the intention of President Muhammadu Buhari to make him minister, compelling the immediate past Lagos helmsman to seek rapprochement.

Though both camps still reportedly share misgivings and suspicion, Saturday T ribu ne has reliably gathered that senators from the state may not directly oppose Fashola’s nomination.

However, there is suspicion of a proxy battle with the petition submitted to the senate by the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) seeking to void Fashola’s nomination on the ground of alleged corruption.

There has been sustained suspicion of CACOL leader, Debo Adeniran, being sponsored by Tinubu.

He denied it in a chat with our correspondent.

Rivers government and PDP senators have already made their objection to Amaechi’s nomination public. With the ice not thawing between him and his traducers, two options are reportedly being explored to push his nomination through.

One is lobbying Saraki

to overrule objecting PDP senators like former Senate President David Mark did for former Minister of Defence (state), Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his Police Affairs counterpart, Jelili Adesiyan who were opposed by APC Lagos and Osun senators during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The other is getting APC senators supporting him to throw the chamber into loud protestation and force the leadership to screen him.

It was learnt that if Saraki decides to go strictly with the screening conditions, the senate leadership may not invite Amaechi for screening at all and just communicate Buhari the reason for not so doing.

Amina Mohammed from Kaduna may also suffer Amaechi’s fate of not being invited if the Kaduna senators sustain their opposition to her. Governor Nasir el-Rufai has been having a runningbattle with Senator Shehu Sani while the governor’s relations with others also said not to be too chummy.

With Oyo State APC and by extension, Governor Abiola Ajimobi openly rejecting the nomination of Shittu, the senators from the state are understandably not excited by his nomination.

However a clannish politics is reportedly playing out that could count in his favour.

Lobbying is also said to be on to get Ajimobi soften his stance. Leaders of thought in the state are also said to be weighing-in for Shittu.

He is expected to face stiff opposition but no outright rejection by the senators.

Udoma acrimoniously left PDP and his state is now being ruled by the PDP. Former Governor Godswill Akpabio, senate minority leader, who controls the PDP structure in the state including the governor, is reportedly not as antagonistic as expected.

So far, there has been no dissenting voice from Akwa Ibom State.

Speaking through the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Senator Ita Enang on Friday, the presidency disclosed that the criteria set falls within the constitutional powers of the senate on screening and approval of ministerial nominees forwarded to it by the President.

E na ng t o l d N a t i o n a l Aasembly reporters that “our own is to make sure that we work with the respective senators and the nominees and ensure that senators are satisfied and agree with the nomination, we will not dispute with the senate what they want because it absolutely lies in the heart and mind of the respective and distinguished senators to determine what questions

to ask. The senators are free to ask questions likewise the nominees are equally free to answer them. The senators are within their rights to request for what they want. “ On the meeting between National Assembly leadership and the president, Enang insisted that the grains of the meeting “are as stated by the president of the Senate in his briefing of the media after the meeting. I am sure you can begin to feel the political temperature that peace had descended in the minds and psyche of Nigerians and that the relationship between the executive and the legislature which was thought to be on heat, had been fully, perfectly, effectively cemented and the public is now aware.”

He added “that the conjectures as they were, of a rift between the executive and the legislature was actually and definitely, I am speaking on honestly, a conjecture, there wasn’t any rift. The meeting between the president and the National Assembly leadership, as it were as stated by the senate president, really proved that there was no rift. The senate president said those small talks were talken by the public to mean that there was a crisis and division and I think that has laid it to rest.

If you interview Nigerians on the street, you will know that there is a perfect relationship between the executive and the legislature.”

The presidential aide informed that the executive maintains its powers under the constitution, believing that it is the legislature that would approve your measures, your budget, ministerial nominees, meaning that the legislature has been conferred with certain powers.

In view of this he disclosed that president Buhari constantly says that he would respect the functions of each arms of government and the leadership and membership of each arm of government to do their jobs believing that “It is impossible, impracticable for any administration, knowing the powers of the other over its own to want to deprive her of it. That is why, in everything we will do, we will do it to the greatest respect to the National Assembly, with the greatest respect to their powers, and greatest respect to the membership and leadership of the National Assembly because they are, an arm of government.”

According to him “we will do everything to make sure that, that respect is sustained as it is and everybody does its job well.

The president has always maintained that he would not interfere in the affairs of other arms of government and there will be respect for other arms of government.”

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Chibok girl escapes with horror tales Chris Agbambu - Abuja MILLITARY authorities are in possession of fresh intelligence on the locations and conditions of the over 200 Chibok girls that were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in April 2104.

The latest information, it was gathered at the defence headquarters, on Friday, followed the escape of one of the girls from the terrorists during the week.

The unnamed escapee, who is being debriefed by security forces at a military facility in Borno State, it was learnt, revealed that the camps where the Chibok girls are now being kept by the terrorists are in Kangoora, Mallam Fatori, Damasak, Tunbun Kaka and Tumbum Gira - all in the North-East.

A security source privy to the debriefing of the girl told Saturday Tribune that she told her interviewers that because she was found to be suffering from Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF) after recently having a baby for one of the terrorists, to whom she was married, she was asked to go to one of the clinics in the bush for treatment and in the process, she managed to escape.

According to the source, the girl said it was while she was wandering in the bush that a Fulani herdsman saw her and questioned her on her mission in the bush. Her sorry story, the source said, made the herdsman take her to soldiers in that particular area in Borno State who took her into protective custody.

The source added that while narrating her ordeal, the escapee Chibok girl told the security agents how she and the other girls were moved out of the Sambisa forest following the heavy bombardment of the area by the Nigerian Air Force.

“The girl narrated to the troops how they were kept in groups of not more than 60 in different camps and were scattered. She said now that she had escaped, there would be 59 left in her own group. All of them have been forced into marriage to the terrorists while a few of them who resisted the forced marriage are feared killed while quite a number of them have delivered babies,” the security source said.

According to the source, “the girls were always moved from place to place in the Sambisa forest, but when the heat was too much there following bombardment, they were all moved out of the forest.”

It was reliably gathered by the security agents from the escapee that the Boko Haram terrorists have been weakened and are now constantly moving from place to place.

While the officer who spoke with Saturday Tribune confirmed that the girl was still in security custody, no one in the security forces was willing to be quoted officially on the development because of the sensitivity of the issue.

On April 14, 2015, the Boko Haram fighters arrived in Chibok at 11.30 p.m. Residents fled into the scrublands surrounding the town.

The gunmen, dressed in military uniforms and carrying AK47s and rocket-propelled grenades, made their way to the school about a mile outside the town, where they tricked the schoolgirls, saying they were soldiers protecting them from Boko Haram.

Lydia Powu, 16, recalled the moment she realised the men who coaxed her out of bed were not soldiers: “They started burning the school, and surrounding us. They grabbed me and my sister and walked us out of the school to another village, where they loaded us into trucks.

“So, I asked my elder sister, ‘What are we going to do now?’ We looked at each other and we knew. We jumped out of the truck. I hit my back as I fell but I forgot the pain and we ran and ran.”

In the hours after the attack, no government or military officials arrived to carry out an investigation, residents of Chibok said. “Government security people only came to ask us questions three days later, that is how much they care for us and our children,” Mphur, Chairman of the School’s Parents Teachers Association (PTA) told Reuters last year.

In Chibok, the reasons for the abductions take second place to the loss. At her parents’ house in the town, 13-year-old Happy Yakub still hopes her sister, one of those abducted, may return.

“I will never go back to school until my sister comes back home,” said Yakub. “I miss her. She used to plait my hair and we played together. Now there is nobody to play with.”

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

NIS not recruiting —Immigration boss Chris Agbambu - Abuja

From left, Promotion Manager, Kate Akeju; General Manager Marketing, Brajesh Kumar; Brand Manager, Black Mystique Whisky, Jacob Akaade; Business Development Manager, Adekunle Rosiji and Media and Market Research Manager, Linda Temienor, all of Grand Oak Limited during the launching of Black Mystique whisky to the bar at Quilox, Lagos recently.

Recruitment of 10,000 policemen to begin soon —Arase Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

T

HE InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, has said that the recruitment of 10,000 personnel into the Nigeria Police Force as recently ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari will commence very soon,

adding that the exercise would be thorough and transparent.

He stated this on Thursday while speaking through the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 7, Abuja, Mr. Bala M. Nassarawa, during a tour of the Niger State Command of the Force, warning that any

member of the Force or the civil populace caught trying to use money to influence the recruitment exercise in favour of any candidate would be thoroughly dealt with.

“The Commander-inChief’s instruction for recruitment will soon commence in Police formations across the country and the

One in seven Nigerians at risk of mental disorder —Don

By Sade Oguntola DIRECTOR, World Health Organisation (WHO) collaborating Centre for Research and Training, Professor Oye Gureje, has decried increasing cases of mental health problems in Nigeria, warning that about one in seven adult Nigerians will have one form of mental disorder or the other in their lifetime.

Gureje spoke at a media chat by Mental Health Awareness Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria to mark the 2015 World Mental Health Day, on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State, at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre.

The expert remarked that it should not be surprising that cases of mental disorders were on the increase in many Nigerian communities because of poverty, conflicts, insurgences and disasters.

Gureje, who stated that neuropsychiatric disorders were common and were among the most disabling health conditions, declared that its burden outweighs that from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis or diabetes.

According to him, studies

have found that between 0.5 per cent and 0.7 per cent of Nigerians have psychoses while depression is experienced by about 10 per cent of Nigerians.

He, however, decried limited access to treatment of mental conditions, saying less than 20 per cent of persons with mental disorders receive any effective treatment in Nigeria due to insufficient resources and manpower.

According to him, “It is not that we have lesser cases of mental health problems in

places like Europe and North America, the difference is just in resources to offer care. While the ratio of psychiatrists to the population is 1 to 10,000 in Europe and North America, it is less than 1 to one million people in sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria.”

He urged that mental health and mental disorders be accorded equal importance as physical health, considering that those affected are targets of physical and emotional abuse, stigma and discrimination.

issue of everyone, especially policemen and women, asking us to recruit his or her brother or sister and such persons approaching the officers in charge of the recruitment exercise with money should not arise.

Please do not get yourselves involved in an unholy activity.

“We are going to conduct a very transparent recruitment and anyone caught using money to influence our decision would be dealt with.

Nigerian public should also beware because this time, it is going to be tough, so they should not try that,” said the Police boss.

The IGP, however, commended officers and men of the Niger State Police Command in their efforts in reducing crimes to the barest minimum in parts of the state, especially with regards to the issues of cattle rustling, commercial kidnapping, armed robbery and other sundry criminal activities within the Command.

Kwara APC members protest Lai Mohammed’s ministerial nomination Biola Azeez - Ilorin THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has said that the party was not consulted before the nomination of the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as minister.

Speaking when members of the party in Kwara South senatorial zone, under the aegis of Coalition Groups of APC Members took their protest to the party’s state secretariat in Ilorin on Friday, the

state chairman of APC, Alhaji Isola Balogun Fulani, said the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, was neither consulted.

The APC youth, who had earlier taken their protest against the nomination of Alhaji Mohammed to the party’s secretariat at Ajase Ipo before bringing the protest letter to the state secretariat, requested that national headquarters of the party intervene .

According to the spokesperson of the people, Yinka

Dallas, Alhaji Mohammed’s membership of APC is in Lagos state, adding that all his interest, political associations and associates are all Lagosians.

“Confirming Alhaji Mohammed as representing Kwara State in the ministerial position is denying Kwara State the chance of being represented at the national level. It will be justice denied and a promotion of unfairness and political exclusion of the state in the affairs of our country,” he said.

THE Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Martins Kure Abeshi, has said that contrary to claims by some individuals, the NIS has not commenced any recruitment exercise into the service.

He said this was no doubt the purported recruitment was the handiwork of those who would stop at nothing to defraud unsuspecting job seekers.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Service Public Relations Officer, Ekpedeme King, the NIS warned the public against falling prey into the hands of fraudsters.

He said the NIS would duly advertise any recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service in line with extant laws.

“It has therefore, become imperative to state categorically that the Nigeria Immigration Service is not engaged in any recruitment exercise.”

‘Same uniform has taken away pride of identification in Osun’

By Victor Ogunyinka THE president of Old Student Association, Ife Girls High School, Ranti Ajayi, has described as unfortunate, the decision by the Osun State government to introduce same uniform to all schools in the state, stating that it has taken away the pride of identification.

She made this known while speaking recently on the essence of identifying with one’s alma mater at a briefing, stressing that the school uniform, among other things is what brings fond memories.

“The change of uniforms, which everybody has complained about, is not commendable. We have travelled across the globe and seen that every school has its own peculiarity. When you see students roaming about the street, you can ascertain the school the students are from but this is not so anymore because they wear the same uniform. This is not just right. We want our school uniforms back,” she said.

Meanwhile, the General President of the Old Student Association, Abimbola Wright, stated that the group is set to give back to their alma mater to show appreciation to the institution that made them.

Brief

Convention

THE second Pentecost convention of the ‘Partners with Jesus Revival Movement a.k.a Testimonial Praise and Power Outreach (COGIC)’ will commence tomorrow by 9:00am and end on 18 October, 2015.

The organisers of the programme stated that the evening service will hold from Monday to Thursday by 5.00pm daily, while a prophetic night of wonders will hold on 16 October by 10:00pm. The convention thanksgiving service will come up on 18 October by 1:00pm at the church auditorium located at Partners with Jesus Revival Movement, behind Bepo Institute, Queen Elizabeth Road, Dandaru via Asunle Bus Stop, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The theme of the convention entitled “Heaven on Earth” will feature ministers that include Pastor Testimony N. Testimonies (Host), Apostle Ohaji Augustine, Apostle Faith Agbor and Bishop Henry Praise.

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news

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Refund Rivers’ N98bn or face prosecution, Wike tells Amaechi, others

White Paper a non-issue —APC Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt

Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki (second left) and Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Sam Amadi with Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Power, Senator Kyari Abubakar (first left) and Senator Mau Ohuabunwa, after the commission visited the Senate President in Abuja.

Ex-Lagos deputy gov, Iyalode of Lagos, others pay glowing tributes to HID Awolowo Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta

M

ore eminent Nigerians have paid glowing tributes in honour of the Yeye Oodua, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, whom they described as a leader and a mother of all mothers.

Among those who paid condolence visit to the home of the Awolowos were the former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire; the Iyalode of Lagos, Chief (Mrs) Bintu Fatima Tinubu; former chairman of Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Chief (Mrs) Iyabode Apampa, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo and Professor (Mrs) Titi Elegbede Filani.

Orelope-Adefulire, in her tribute, said the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty impacted positively on the lives of many people, urging Nigerian women to imbibe her spirit of godliness and humilty.

The former deputy governor said Mama Awolowo lived a fulfilled life which was worth celebrating.

For Chief (Mrs) Tinubu, HID was a great woman, a mentor, a community and church leader, and appealed to the womenfolk to emulate all her virtues.

In her own tribute, Senator Anisulowo said Mama was “indescribable”.

She said Mama Awolowo affected many lives positively while alive, saying she was a successful woman of note.

“Do you want to talk about

her industry, her being helpful to her husband and family, good virtues, faith, strength, intelligence and the ability that God endowed her with to be able to remember things to the end.”

Anisulowo who was in company of Apampa and Filani under the umbrella of Ogun West Women, all extolled Mama’s virtues.

The Board of Directors of Peak International School, Ikenne-Remo, under the

FG, UCTH dispel rumours of Ebola in Nigeria Soji Eze-Fagbemi and Ubong Anthony - Calabar THE Federal Government confirmed on Friday that the country is Ebola free, describing the widespread report on Thursday of possible Ebola disease in Calabar, Cross River State as false.

“The FMOH hereby confirms that there is no Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria, and thus Nigeria remains Ebola free. The general public is, however, advised to continue to observe good hygienic behavior that in-

cludes hand washing, hand sanitisation and general environmental cleanliness,” the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute, said on Friday at a press conference to clarify the issue.

Also, the management of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has also described as false and misleading the rumours making the rounds that there is an existence of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in the hospital.

It said though the test re-

Ekiti govt defends airport project Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti THE Ekiti State government has reiterated that its plan to build an airport in the state is not a misplaced priority.

The state government said it would work towards having the project included in the 2016 budget of the Federal Government.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Modupe Alade, who doubles as the chairman of the planning committee of Governor Ayo Fayose’s adminis-

chairmanship of Professor Adebowale Okusanya and the proprietor, Pastor Olusesan Adebajo also paid a condolence visit to the family members of the Awolowo.

Members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, the Education Committee of Ikenne Development Association were also in Ikenne on condolence visit.

tration’s first anniversary, stated this on Friday while addressing journalists on the activities lined up for the celebration.

Dr Alade, while reacting to questions on the need for the airport when some other projects were pending, said Governor Fayose held a wide consultation before embarking on the project, adding that the airport “was approved by [the late] President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration in 2008.”

She maintained that Gov-

ernor Fayose would not breach the constitution in the execution of the airport project and the government would work hard to secure budgeted funds for the construction of the airport because “it is a Federal Government project.”

Alade, who scored Fayose’s government high in terms of performance in the last 12 months, also said “the airport would affect the economy of the state positively through job creation.”

sult of the dead victim was still being awaited, the victim died of haemorrhagic fever and not EVD as speculated.

The dead victim, who was identified as Eyamba, was a 200-level student of the Department of Political Science in the University of Calabar.

The Nigerian Tribune however gathered on Friday that Eyamba’s sister, whose name could not be ascertained, was also said to have contacted the same ailment and is recuperating in their family’s resident in the Calabar-South area of the Cross River State capital.

Speaking during a sensitisation workshop for workers of UCTH and other health agencies in the state, the Chairman of Medical Advisory Committee of the institution, Dr. Queeneth Kalu, said the information on the EVD existence in the hospital was false.

She said, however, that a temporary out-patient accident and emergency ward had been opened in the community medicine unit of the hospital to cater for emergency cases.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has advised his predecessor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and some others to refund about N98 billion, being the proceeds from alleged sales of the state’s assets and amount spent on some contracts that were not executed but paid for by the last administration.

The advice was contained in a White Paper issued by the state government on the report and recommendations made by the Justice George Omereji Judicial Commission of Inquiry, set up by the Wike administration to investigate the alleged sales of the valued assets of the state by the Amaechi administration.

Also, the governor ordered the suspension of permanent secretaries and other top civil servants indicted by the report.

The judicial commission of inquiry had submitted its report, which indicted Amaechi and made recommendations to the governor on Wednesday, advising the government to take a quick step and act on the recommendations.

Addressing newsmen on the White Paper after the state exco meeting, on Friday, the Commissioner for Housing, Mr Emma Okah, said Amaechi, two of his commissioners and a former military administrator of the state, Brigadier Anthony Ukpo, should refund the alleged looted funds.

He said the state government, after the exco meeting, accepted all the recommendations as contained in the report and was already taking steps to act on them.

He also disclosed that the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Emma Aguma, had been directed to immediately commence the process of prosecuting Amaechi and the three other persons for alleged illegal sales of the state’s assets without due process.

Okah specifically said Amaechi would be prosecuted along with the former state Commissioner for Finance, Dr Chamberlain Peterside and his counterpart in the Ministry of Power, Sir Augustine Nwokocha.

He said the state government had also ordered the Attorney-General to commence the recovery of funds realised from the sale of the four gas turbines from the former governor and Nwokocha.

“You will agree with me that the Omereji commission had several terms of references and we will be taking them one after the other.

“The first term of reference is to ascertain the sale of the Omoku 150 megawatts gas turbine; Afam 360 megawatts gas turbine; Trans-Amadi 136 megawatts gas turbine and the Eleme 75 megawatts gas turbine by the administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

“The commission finds, as a matter of fact, that the sale of 70 per cent equity from the first Independent Power Limited in Omoku, Trans-Amadi gas turbine, Afam Phase I gas turbine and Eleme gas turbine, have been very difficult to justify.

“They have, therefore, recommended the review of sale of the power assets and the government of Rivers State has accepted that recommendation,” he said.

Okah said the state government is asking for refund of the sale proceeds from Amaechi, Peterside and Nwokocha, adding, “In furtherance of this findings that the sale of the four gas turbines was unjustifiable and against the interest of the government and people of Rivers State.

“The commission recommends that the former governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, along with his former commissioners for Finance and Power, Dr Chamberlain Peterside and Augustine Nwokocha, respectively, should be held to account for their roles in the sales of the power generation assets of First Independent Power Limited and the disbursement of the proceeds there from.”

The loan, meant for farmers in the state, was said to have been diverted to credit scheme for some cooperative societies by the former agriculture commissioner.

Reacting to the development, the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Davies Ikanya, dismissed the White Paper issued against Amaechi as a non-issue.

Ikanya, speaking through the secretary, Rivers APC Media and Publicity Secretary, Mr Godstime Orlukwu, said the former governor would be available to defend himself in the court.

“It (White Paper) is a non-issue. Let them begin the prosecution. There is no problem; we will meet them in court,” he said.

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

newsmaker Audu Ogbeh: Man for all seasons

By Tunde Busari

O

ne name that stood out among the 21 ministerial nominees read by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki on Tuesday is that of Chief Audu Innocent Ogbeh.

This is derived from Ogbeh’s history having passed through the same process during the aborted second republic, when he made the list of ministerial nominees submitted to the Senate by the then President Shehu Shagari.

He was eventually assigned substantive minister of communication and later minister of steel development portfolios. Consequently, he was one of the cabinet members of Shagari thrown into prison by the same Muhammadu Buhari then as the head of the military regime that sacked Shagari’s government on December 31, 1983.

Ogbeh was also a member of the late General Sani Abacha Constitutional Conference in 1995, a member of Manifesto drafting committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), chairman of the party from 2001 to 2005 and chairman of the manifesto committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

His romance with successive administrations have not gone unnoticed and has since become a subject of public discourse dismissing President Buhari as a promoter of gerontocracy in a country not lacking in more qualified, young men and women.

Ogbeh at 68 is the oldest on the nominees list and should have, according to some political commentators, been assigned a role in strengthening the party rather than being offered appointment he last held 32 years ago.

This, the analysts contend, could have bestowed on President Buhari’s federal executive council an all energetic team because majority on the list are in their 50s.

If there is truism in an adage that old wine tastes better, however, Ogbeh’s experience at high level of governance from the second republic till date is not only an asset but also the back-up President Buhari needs to meet the expectations of the electorate who, at the March 28 polls, saw in him one who would take them to the promised land.

As a former academic, his fertile, analytical mind cannot be ignored, hence the respect he has, over the years earned, at least among his political soul mates, for usually hitting the nail on the head, not minding whose ox is gored.

It is on record that as chairman of the

entertainment

The hardest roles I have played —Mr Latin

PDP, he took on former President Olusegun Obasanjo and bore his mind on what he perceived as Obasanjo’s subtle support for Chris Uba, who allegedly abducted Governor Chris Ngige during the Anambra State political conflagration that almost razed the state.

In his December 6, 2004 letter to Obasanjo, he looked the president straight in the eye and told him the home truth what he did not want to hear which apparently no previous PDP chairman had ever told him. Although Obasanjo, in his usual combative manner, threw a counter-punch in his reply, Ogbeh showed he could enter the lion’s den and return home safely.

But, in August 2005, Obasanjo had the last laugh when Ogbeh was unceremoniously booted out of office and was replaced with Barnabas Gemade, a development which set the stage for his eventual exit from the party he, alongside other political allies, helped to form in 1998 soon after General Abdulsalam Abubakar declared his intention to conduct general elections and return the nation to a civilian administration in 1999.

Ogbeh is, no doubt, a strong proponent of true federalism in which each region is allowed some reasonable autonomy to develop its potential as operated in the pre-military Nigeria. This position he has, at different political for a, brilliantly articulated as a panacea to the regular apprehension generated by the allegation that

Northern Nigeria is eternally programmed to dominate the rest of the country.

He clarified that former military head of state, General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, a Southerner promulgated decree 34 which proscribed the former regions and concentrated the authority at the centre to give the nation the current heavily corrupt federalism.

To those who know him closely, his ability to dodge controversy is phenomenal for a politician of his pedigree.

But this attribute never makes a dumb of him when he is convinced the public needs his voice to call a failing government to order.

In 2013, at a meeting in his home Benue State, he stripped former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration naked accusing him of shielding from justice a former public servant indicted of corrupt practices.

He backed up his allegation with a revelation that the accused was going about with 20 policemen on the streets of the Federal Capital Territory while Jonathan administration sold a lie to the nation that the man had escaped.

Some analysts, thus, see Ogbeh’s depth as well as his understanding of Nigeria’s socio-political system as a value-adding attribute that makes his choice appropriate.

Having been a star politician, which Northern Nigeria is proud of; having also played a key role in the formation of APC and having been a prominent member of Abubakar Atiku’s camp, a camp, which

court&crime

entertainment

politics

What successful musicians need to know about fame —MI Abaga

My first term performance will determine my re-election —Gov Wada

P3 Pp30&32

produced the Senate president, Ogbeh’s name should have a smooth passage during the Senate screening of the nominees.

However, because politics, like war could, to a large extent, be unpredictable, Ogbeh may still have some hurdles to scale at the Senate, especially from those sympathetic to Obasanjo during his fierce engagement with Ogbeh in 2004.

And going by what Obasanjo wrote about him in his updated autobiography titled MY WATCH, Ogbeh undoubtedly has competence test to face. Obasanjo paints him in the colour of a vulnerable PDP chairman who did not assert his independence enough and was a tool freely used by influential members of the party.

Already he has since become an object of mockery in the social media. No sooner had his name was announced by the Senate president than uncomplimentary remarks were thrown at him, deriding him as one who passed through the screening of the Senate President’s late father and still going to bow before the son 33 years after.

The Ochagwu of Idomaland started his political career in 1979 as deputy speaker of Benue State House of Assembly after he had quit his job at Murtala College of Art, Science and Technology. He was earlier a lecturer at the Institute of Education at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he had his first degree. He bagged his Master’s degree at Toulouse University, France between 1972 and 1973.

He owns Efigo Farm in Makurdi, a venture that has created jobs for a good number of Benue youths.

Nigerians are awaiting the screening of the nominees, especially with the revelation that petitions have flooded the upper chamber against some of the nominees. Where Ogbeh will stand here is a matter of time.

Pp38&39

She doesn’t know the man who impregnated her —Husband

I sought help from other men when he abandoned me —Wife Pp18&31

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

With Toluwani Olamitoke 08050498504 toluwaniforever@yahoo.com

C

AN you give us insight into your family background?

My parents are Elder Enoch Olaleye Dare and Mrs Sabainah Abike Dare. My father is a retired school principal and my mum, a retired midwife and owner of Anu-Olu Specialist Hospital in Ede, Osun State. My parents are godly couple. They live what they preach. I grew up in a loving Christian home with my five siblings and many relatives.

How was parenting like in your childhood days and now?

Unfortunately, what obtains now is different from what was happening when I was a little girl. The usual challenges of parenting has been complicated by declining moral values in the society at large.

The age of accelerating access to pop culture and social media also requires parents to upgrade their digital skills to guide their wards safely through the maze. My husband got on social media early, initially to be able to monitor our children’s usage. And sure enough, there were many teachable moments that arose - the idea isn’t to prohibit the young people from participating, the approach is to be involved with them so you can continue to influence them.

What do you love most about your parents?

They are loving but firm, God fearing and affectionate disciplinarians. When I was growing up, we used to have two family meetings in a year. My parents wanted us their children to have a forum whereby we could let them know their faults or what we would want them to do differently. Their love for us was real and unconditional. They had no favourites, all of us felt loved.

In choosing your life partner, as a young lady ripe for marriage, what was your first priority, looks or qualities?

Qualities of course.

How did you meet your spouse?

We met at our church’s youth camp in August 1982. He asked me out seven times and I said no. He asked me out the eighth time, it was about to rain and he told me he was not going to take a ‘no’ for an answer. I said ‘yes’ the eighth time.

Can you introduce him?

In the area of finances, we’ve always kept a joint family budget in the almost 27 years of our marriage.

My husband is Mr. Fix it, we never have to call anyone to come and fix anything. He’s been a wonderful dad. He changed diapers and fed the kids when they were young.

‘I rejected my husband’s love advances until his

eighth attempt’

Ask Dr (Mrs) Bolanle Oyerinde and she will tell you she was brought up in a home where children were not only loved but had a say.

This, with good discipline, impacted positively on her and today, she is a success story. A lecturer and Assistant Dean, Students’ Care Services, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Oyerinde speaks with TOLUWANI OLAMITOKE on life as a child, her work experience and marriage.

He’s Elder Dapo Oyerinde, my best friend. He is an architect by training and in recent years has been in public service.

He was member, Caretaker Committee in Egbeda Local Government in Oyo State in the last administration. He is the most intelligent person I know personally.

Men have different ways of proposing, can you tell us how he proposed to you?

After we had been courting for five years, he sent me a beautiful engagement ring in the mail. We got married a year later.

How long did it take you to say yes?

I said’ yes’ immediately after I received the engagement ring in the mail. I had no doubts that he was God’s choice for me.

Some couples call each other by their pet names. Do you?

Yes. We call ourselves ‘Honey’.

What do you consider the advantages of this practice?

I believe it fosters intimacy and prevents undue familiarity that might make spouses take each other for granted. It’s endearing for couples to call each other pet names, I think.

These days marriages are contracted on the online platform (especially Facebook). What’s your take on it?

I honestly don’t see anything wrong with it. I mean the online platform could be a good place to meet someone. But after the initial meeting, the courtship ought to proceed normally as if they met any where else. This is where they would now meet and interact in person and with each other’s family, friends and colleagues.

The anonymity of the internet will now give way to allow proper observation of each other’s character and personality in the real world.

What do you

and your spouse have in common and where do you differ?

Our philosophy of life is very similar, that is loving and helping people in tangible ways. One of his favourite sayings in this regard is “He who would do good, will do it in minute particulars.” Again, we share the same view on our approach to parenting while our religious beliefs are also the same. Overall, I’m more conservative and he’s more liberal. I’m organised and I plan ahead, my husband is more spontaneous and very adventurous!

What marital policies have you employed to make your marriage successful in the area of finance and responsibilities in the home?

Well, in the area of finances, we’ve always kept a joint family budget in the almost 27 years of our marriage. There have been times when

he handled the finances and there have been times when I handled it. Concerning the domestic responsibilities, I’ve been the cook, cleaner, and house keeper.

My husband is Mr. Fix it, we never have to call anyone to come and fix anything.

He’s been a wonderful dad. He changed diapers and fed the kids when they were young. Both of us are professionals and we’ve both always worked.

You are the Assistant Dean, Students’ Care Services. Can you share your experience on the job?

My experience has been fulfilling, satisfying, and rewarding. I have always loved to work with young people and it’s indeed a privilege for me to do that in this capacity.

Would you say it has been easy working with students?

I’m not sure if “easy” would have been my choice of word, because working with students is never really easy. In fact it’s a daunting task. By the grace of God, I have an open door policy with my students, I’m approachable, they all have access to me, they all have my phone number and BB pin and I always have a listening ear. When I counsel them especially on their personal issues, I’m as transparent and as authentic as I can be. As a result, I believe I’ve earned their trust (most of them) and that makes my work easier and rewarding.

Cultism is prevalent among university students, but your university has not been in the news in this regard. What has the university been doing to curb the activities of cultism?

We are a faith-based institution, and we have absolutely zero tolerance for cultism.

Our Chief Security Officer and his team are very vigilant. Any suspicious activities are immediately investigated. We also talk about it often and encourage our students not to get involved in such vices. God has been good to us and we have not had that problem here.

How do you handle character building in students?

We preach it, teach it and live it. We lead them by example. There are several programmes and activities that are part of their curricula that intentionally address character issues. Programmes such as Students’ Life Seminars, Wisdom Square, Open Mic, Wednesday and Saturday chapel services.

As you know, our motto at Adeleke University is “ Education Excellence Character “.

How do you make your weekend different from week days?

We believe in attending church every sabbath (on Saturdays).When the kids were young, we joined our church outreach ministries in feeding the homeless on Sundays.

We watched classic family movies together on Saturday nights until our kids out-grew that and had their own plans for Saturday night with friends.

What are your beauty tips?

I use light foundation and powder. I wear light make up.

What fashion item do you cherish most and why?

Hand bags. Because it accentuates my dressing and can add flair to any outfit.

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

food&drink

‘Why some well-decorated cakes are tasteless’

Morenike Akinwande is the Chief Executive Officer, Wandy Cakes ‘N’ More. She speaks with BLESSING EKUM about the intricacies in the cake world and gives tips for those who would want to develop their flair for making cakes.

What attracted you to catering? ’VE always loved cooking right from when I was a child. As I grew older, I realised I derived pleasure from seeing people enjoy my delicacies. So, I decided to follow that passion irrespective of my training in Computer Science.

I

Why do you like it?

I prefer it because it allows creativity and gives me the chance to express myself well.

Some cakes are lovely decorated but don’t taste nice in the inside.

What could have gone wrong?

It’s not enough to have a well decorated cake without good taste. It could be as a result of the ingredients used and improper mixing. When the right ingredients are used in the right measurements and the cake batter is properly mixed, the cake would definitely turn out sweet and fluffy.

Do you have any formal training in cake-making?

Yes. I trained at a reputable confectionery company after which I served as an apprentice for about five years. Those times gave me the opportunity to learn and perfect my skills in baking cakes for birthdays and other occasions.

What do you think is needed to be a good cake maker?

The first thing is to be well trained. Again, you must be highly creative to make unique designs and mix colours. Also, continuous practice, improved training through attending seminars and exhibitions will help. It’s not always about having expensive equipment but developing skills to make lovely cakes that would be acceptable anywhere.

What are the challenges a new cakemaker might face when starting business?

When you are starting a cake business, since people don’t know you, they might find it difficult to believe in your abilities. So, it’s a challenge trying to convince customers which could make you sacrifice profit sometimes. Also, ometimes, low profit discourages some beginners.

But I’d say those who are venturing into the business should exercise patience and be willing to work hard. This way, they would gather the needed experience.

What is the longest hours you have spent on a cake?

I’ve spent about 11 hours at a stretch on one cake. It was a fruit cake and this stay longer in the oven than other cakes because of the ingredients used.

For those who can’t afford a gas oven, can you share some other ways they can still bake?

Charcoals can be used, but gas oven seems to be better because they give cakes a different texture. For someone who decides to use charcoal for baking, extra care has to be taken because heat must be well regulated to avoid half baked cakes or burnt cakes. Also, one can also use hot sand as alternative. To do this, fill a big pot with sand and place on fire. When the sand is hot, put the cake pan on it and cover tightly.

Do you have a favourite cake?

So far, fondant cakes are my best.

What do you know about baking

Frozen fruit slush Ingredients: 2 cups ice cubes 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit 16 ounces sparkling water Juice from ½ lemon 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or more to taste) Instructions: Pulse ice in blender until pebble-sized.

Add fruit and continue to pulse until it reaches a slushy texture.

Add sparkling water, lemon juice, and maple syrup.

Stir and serve.

today that you wish you had known when you first started baking cakes?

I wish I had learnt more about sugar craft because it beautifies cakes when used for decoration.

12

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

08055001741 (sms only)

conversewithyemisi

yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

He is not making any commitment Dear Yemisi, am a 25 year old nurse. I graduated with a Bsc. Nursing degree two years ago. I have been seeing a guy for 10 months now.

Ever since we started seeing each other, I cannot actually define the union as the guy is still reluctant to say whether we are heading for the altar or we are just friends. He keeps telling me that we are on course, but does not want to rush things.

He is going to be 30 next January. He is working in a telecoms company and he is well paid. So, I don’t seem to understand why he doesn’t want to ‘rush things’.

I am getting frustrated. I am getting fed up with the waiting game. He has never for once given any commitment towards our relationship.

What should I do?

I

Phebean.

Dear Phebean, What you have to work on first is your mindset. If you are doubting this man’s sincerity, you are likely to achieve what you think would happen in the end.

I don’t have any doubt that you are getting anxious about the man you are dating who is not forthcoming on committing his future to you or taking his time.

There is reason for you to get anxious if he has not actually made any commitment and I think you need not think for him.

One cannot completely blame your date for a couple of reasons for not making any commitment. He might be wary of jumping into making any commitment based on his last experience, or that he is having another date secretly looking at who is likely to be his best choice and where he wants

such union to go, cultural differences, the two of you haven’t shared many dates together despite having dated for 10 months or just not ready to commit among other reasons best known to him.

My knowing his reasons doesn’t change what you should do, which I believe you need to see whatever might be going on his mind in positive light and appropriate into what will make your dream relationship better. This is not to say that you should close your eyes to dangerous signals.

You have to find out if he is dating or involved with anyone else.

If the two of you have had sex, are you the only person he’s being intimate with? Have you not thought of the fact that he is keeping something crucial to the success of your union from you?

If the above posers have been posed before, I think the two of you should see eye ball to eye ball to discuss what’s up. You should not for any reason accuse or fight him over anything just address issues relating to your future together because your health and personal well being are at risk. In case your guy decides not to answer or appears vague, you need to seriously consider severing ties.

If however you feel that the only thing missing from your relationship is a commitment let him know that you desire a long term, committed relationship and this must be done once and never dwell on it but bring it up every time you see each other, or even talk about other couples and how they weren’t afraid to get committed while the relationship lasts. Though he

might pretend not to have heard you, yet I am sure he heard you and discuss later with you if or when he’s ready.

If after breaking the ice, he still re-

Am I still young to ask a lady out?

Dear Yemisi, I am a 24- year -old guy. I have found it difficult over time to speak to any lady because I believe I am still young to be asking out a lady.

I am an undergraduate studying Engineering. I want to know the right age for dating and should I ask out my age mate or somebody younger than me. I just want to know if it’s something that could be frowned upon.

I have been an object of ridicule by my friends who have been giving me a hard time about this. I’m not really sure what is right or wrong.

I equally want to know if I can date an age mate or a girl who is four years younger or years older than me?

Clement.

Dear Clement, As long as you are determined to make a success of your outing with any lady of your choice, the question of age is out of it. Age to me is about number and it is in the mind.

Asking a lady out whether she is your age mate or younger than you depends largely on you and how you see the other party in the union. Maturity on your side is very important and crucial in determining who to ask out.

Is she on the same page with you? Has she goals that are similar to yours? Find out if she has ever been in any relationship before meeting with you.

You need to consider her lifestyle in relation to yours. All you need is confidence and the courage to stand up to your decision whether the lady is older or younger than you are.

You don’t have to be bogged by your friends’ comments as there is room for individual differences and time for everything. Who says your friends who have been dating before you will make any success of their outings? All you must ensure you do is to be in charge of your life as no other person can live it for you.

I think it’s more about the person and where she is in life and how she complements you.

For Her Olakanmi, 36, single, needs a God-fearing man aged between 40 and 45 for a relationship. Call 09097184855.

Betty, 43, Christian, divorced, needs a God-fearing man aged between 48 and 50 for marriage. Call 09037694066.

Ayo, 31, needs a caring man for a relationship. Call 08039106923.

Bolatito, 32, needs a caring man for an affair. Call 08184374528.

mains the same and refuses to consider the two of you as exclusively meant for each other, I’ll advise you look for another date.

For Him

Michael, 32, accounts officer, Lagos-based, needs a beautiful lady aged between 23 and 29 for a relationship.

Call 08184300483.

Ayomiposi, 35, AA, tall, working class, needs a busty, working class/business lady aged from 23 to 40 for marriage. Call 07037792116.

Idowu, 32, from Kogi State, needs a girl aged from 22 to 28 for an affair. Contact 08035843283.

Obinna, 39, dark-skinned, from Enugu State, Lagos-based businessman, needs a working class lady aged between 27 and 40 for a relationship. Call 08102885603.

Michael, 32, account officer, based in Lagos, needs a beautiful lady aged between 23 and 29 for a relationship.

Call 08184300483.

Daniel, 40, tall, fair-skinned, godly, responsible, neat a beautiful, responsible lady as wife. Contact 08102515566.

Tunji, 48, Ogun State based employee, needs a woman aged between 32 and 38 from any part of South west for a relationship. Call 08054380150.

Samuel, 47, dark, single, civil servant, needs a lady aged between 26 and 34 for a relationship. Call 09082736544.

13

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

intimacy STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Y

ou don’t know what’s going on in your neighbours’ bedrooms (and, quite frankly, don’t want to). But you’re probably a little curious to know how your sex life stacks up. For example, how often are other couples doing it? And is it weird that you and your partner always do the same things? What would a therapist say about your sex life?

Here are 10 ways to know if your bedroom behaviours are healthy— and what you can do to improve things if they’re not:

How to know you have a healthy sex life

You feel good about your body n a University of Texas study on women ages 18 to 49, those who scored highest on a body image scale were also the most sexually satisfied.

One reason: Dwelling on the size of your thighs or belly distracts you from pleasurable sensations during sex. In turn, that can affect things like lubrication and the ability to have an orgasm. Exercise—regardless of weight loss—has been shown to boost self-esteem and body confidence. Another surprising thing you can do right now? Listen to your heart. Turning “inward” and listening to your body’s signals—like your heartbeat—can bolster your self-image, reveals research in PLOS One. You’re not afraid to ask for what you want (and he isn’t either) “Good sex is all about finding your perfect recipe,” says certified sex therapist Aline Zoldbrod, Ph.D., of SexSmart.com. While you can’t expect your partner to read your mind, he or she should be open to learning about and responding to what you want.

If you find it tough to state your sexual hopes, you may find texting your partner about your fantasies is easier than faceto-face or in-the-moment declarations of desire Sometimes you schedule it A lot of people feel like sex should arise from a spontaneous bout of lust. But that’s not always required. “Unless you’re living a life of leisure and your kids are grown and out of the house, I think scheduling sex is a good idea,” says Zoldbrod.

She suggests planning your night around it. Get the kids dinner and put them to bed. Order in a light meal that won’t leave you stuffed or left with a pile of dishes. Then do something to de-stress—like watching a funny TV show or movie together.

You’ll find it easier to get in the mood after relaxing.

You’re not counting Whether you’re doing it a few times a week or once a month, focusing on a number isn’t a great way to assess your sex life, says Kristin Zeising, Psy.D., a certified sex therapist in San Diego, United States of America. In a study published in the Journal of Economic Behaviour and Organisation, researchers randomly assigned couples to double the number of times they had sex. Compared to a control group that went about their lives as normal, those who did the deed more weren’t any happier. Putting pressure on yourself to have more sex may turn it into another to-do item, which drives down satisfaction, the research indicates. On the other hand, the study authors say travelling to new locales or going on date nights—opening up natural opportunities to have sex more often—may make it more enjoyable.

You like it No matter how many times a week or month you get busy, whether you orgasm or not, and whether someone would char-

acterise your sex life as crazy or vanilla, the most important sign is that you enjoy it. Do you feel closer to your partner afterwards? Are you in a better mood? Those are the questions that really have meaning.

You skip pity sex Zoldbrod calls this “mercy sex.” It’s when you have sex because your partner wants to—even though it’s the last thing you want. Some experts say you shouldn’t turn down your partner. Zoldbrod says mercy sex is acceptable on occasion, but a steady diet of it can tank your libido by training your brain to think of sex as a chore. It’s completely fine to turn down your partner in a nice way if you’re not feeling it, says Zoldbrod. But if you do say no, try to be the one who initiates sex the next time to show your partner you desire him.

You know when to change things up In the real world, it’s hard to fake your way through sex.

If you’re not enjoying it, chances are your partner can tell, according to a 2014 study from the University of Waterloo in the U.K. What does this mean for you? “Most couples find they get stuck in a certain sexual routine, and they may feel less interested in sex if it feels like they’re in a rut,” says Zeising.

Although it requires a little extra effort, switching rooms or

No matter how many times a week or month you get busy, whether you orgasm or not, and whether someone would characterise your sex life as crazy or vanilla, the most important sign is that you enjoy it.

outfits or positions are all simple ways to make sex feel fresh again.

You’re happy together It sounds simple, but there’s a strong link between sexual satisfaction (factors like having interest in sex, feeling good about how often it happens, and infrequent arguments about sex) and happiness in your relationship, shows a study from Social Science Research. Relationship satisfaction fuels attraction, paving the way for better sex, the research suggests. So if you’re into your partner, your sex life is probably in good shape.

You have a racy vocabulary Whether you’re sending a flirty text mid-day or whispering something into your partner’s ear, sexual banter is linked to greater sexual satisfaction for both men and women, per a 2011 study in the Journal of Integrated Social Sciences. “Sex therapists call this ‘simmering’—or little things you do to and for each other that keep you physically and romantically bonded,” says Zoldbrod.

You don’t freak out about the occasional slow stretch “It’s important to have realistic ideas about what a healthy sex life is,” says Zeising. Namely, it won’t always be passionate and intense, and the frequency will ebb and flow throughout your relationship. “If you accept there’s no right or wrong way to be sexual, and you and your partner are open with each other about when you’re feeling it and when you aren’t, then you will have a healthy sex life,” she says.

•Culled from womenshealthmag.com.

14

Saturday Tribune

10 October, 2015

With Aunty Yemi 08056834515 ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

Compiled By Akano Mosunmola

5

4

3

2

Respondents are pupils of

God’s Blessing Group of Schools, Yemetu, Ibadan, Oyo State.

1. Charis John, Pry5, 9yrs old Yes, I will love it if my grand1 parents live with us because granddparents are always loving and caring. My grandmother, for example, is very caring and also corrects me whenever I do anything wrong. She helps me with my homework anytime she is around and always advices me to study hard in order to become a successful person in the future. She is a great cook and helps me with the house chores whenever she is around.

2. Aminat Adeshina, Pry5 I wish my grandparents lived with us because they

lass C e t t e u q i Et

nd wait a k c o n K nute

a mwiays in a hurry

al t, a Are you an apartmen r e t p o er to en fice? Pr the f o r o room ait at r says w ait for a e n n a m dw nock an pen door, k before you o se respon or and go in. the do

Do you wish that your grandparents live with you?

6

will help in doing the house chores and also stop my parents from beating me. They will tell me stories, riddles and jokes and above of all, take care of me.

3. Israel Oluyori, Pry5, 9yrs old I will be happy if my grand parents stayed with us because they teach us morals. They tell us stories and take good care of us. My grand parents also teach us about God and how to walk with Him. They teach us to kneel down and prostrate to elders in greeting.

4. Oluwaseun Olatunbosun, Pry4, 9yrs old I like my grandparents very much and I will love if they live with us. My paternal grandmother helps me to plait my hair, while my maternal grandmother washes my clothes anytime she is around. My grandparents pamper me a lot, they give me money to buy “goody goody “(sweets and chewing gum).

5. Adedeji Kenny, Pry5, 10yrs old Of course, I will like it if my grandparents came to live with us. I always miss them. They will take care of me and my siblings when my parents are not around and if my mummy wants to beat me they will stop them.

They also tell us stories. My parent will be able to take care of them.

7

7. Olaide Lawal, Pry4, 8yrs old Yes, I wish they would. I love them very much. They take care of me like my mummy and daddy do.

They also guide me in the right way.

8

8. Halimat Luqman, Pry 4, 8yrs old I wish my grandparents lived with us because I don’t want them to suffer. My parents will be able to attend to them if they are sick. They are much happier seeing their grandchildren around.

Get Insrpeibreedlongs

The futuwho believe to thosee beauty of in th reams. their d oosevelt R —Eleanor

6. Bakare Suliyat, Pry4, 10yrs old Grandparents teach their grandchildren morals. They are friendly, loving and caring. I want them to live with us.

J Join the dots and paint the picture.

What animal is it?

ke

Mother mouse and a baby mouse were walking along, when all of a sudden, a cat attacked them.

The mother mouse goes, “BARK!” and the cat runs away.

“See?” says the mother mouse to her baby. “Now do you see why it’s important to learn a foreign language”.

Hurray!

Sophie

clocked

2

Dayo-Oke recently.

Many happy returns.

15

10 October, 2015

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

By Blessing Ekum

F

or the average Nigerian worker, more time is spent at the workplace than in the comforts of the home.

Regardless of the sector one works in, there is always the risk of some work-related hazards.

Statistics from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) released during its 17th World Congress on Safety and Health at Work showed that worldwide, one worker dies every 15 seconds; 6,300 die daily and more than two million die annually from work-related accidents and diseases. The report further suggested that more people die at work than at wars and even natural disasters. In 2013, another ILO report, entitled The Prevention of Occupational Diseases issued for the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, said beyond job-related deaths, each year there are about 317 million non-fatal workplace accidents as well as 160 million cases of work-related diseases. These occupational accidents and diseases are also said to result in annual four per cent loss in global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or about $2.8 trillion in direct and indirect cost of injuries and diseases.

Given this statistics, it is imperative that the health of the over 72 million Nigerian workers receive topmost priority so as to ensure optimal productivity as well as boost the socio-economic growth of the nation.

In Nigeria, several bodies have been established to address issues of occupational health and safety and over the years, they have made strides in providing some essential interventions for protecting workers’ health such as offering advice for improving working conditions, detection of occupational diseases and health surveillance of workers.

Saturday Tribune spoke with the National Chairman, Society of Occupational and Environmental Health Physicians of Nigeria (SOEHPON) who is also Country Secretary, International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), Dr Okon Akiba, on issues bordering on the health and safety of the Nigerian worker.

How safe are you at your workplace?

Could you mention some of the emerging issues in occupational health and safety in Nigeria?

Some of the risks and conditions include but are not limited to musculo-skeletal disorders, overweight arising from ergonomic risk of poorly designed workstations and reduced physical activity at work which have arisen because of increased use of Visual Display Unit (Computers) and work automation. The consumption of junk food from fast food restaurants is also a contributor. There are also emerging risks of over exposure to mobile phones irradiation and nanotechnology.

What are some of those issues that are peculiar to the younger workforce (18-35 years)?

The Health and Safety risks of workforce between 18 and 35 years include mainly alcohol and substance abuse, road traffic crashes, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Psychosocial Disorders. Most notorious of the STIs include HIV but Hepatitis B can also be transmitted with very severe health consequence as well.

Work-related stress is one issue the average Nigerian worker faces. How can this be best managed?

Work related risk and stress can be effectively managed by carrying out proactive and serial systematic health risk assessment (HRA) of the work operations and environment and ensuring that adequate mitigation measures are put in place to address physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards of the work place.

There should be deliberate work place policy to address the health and wellness of the workforce with some employee health assistance programmes for those that require it.

Can you mention some of the challenges facing the occupational health and safety sector in Nigeria?

The major challenge of occupational health and safety practice and profession in Nigeria is the dearth of relevant laws, policies, guidelines and standards, made worse by near absence of monitoring and compliance agency.

To what extent can multinational corporations’ efforts to improve working conditions at companies lead to substantial improvements in occupational health?

Today in Nigeria, semblance of ideal occupational health and safety practice is seen in the multinational companies.

This is because they are in compliance with their home country’s Health and Safety laws and policies since they also have in their employment nationals from their home country and other countries in Europe and America in particular where Occupational Health and Safety is taken

World’s superfood now available in satchet THE incorporation of honey, described as one of the world’s superfood, into everyday diet has been encouraged by an expert on beekeeping and honey production, Prince Tunji Falade, as its immense benefits are important for healthy living.

In a chat with Saturday Tribune, Prince Falade, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kingsway Quality Foods Ltd, while unveiling the company’s honey-in-sachet packs, stressed that honey is one of nature’s best gifts to man given its therapeutic, preventive, curative and nutritional properties. He added that it is for the reason of making it more accessible that the product is now being packaged in sachets to enable all classes of consumers to enjoy its benefits.

Prince Tunji Falade said, “Honey is very important to

everyone’s daily life. In today’s fast-paced world and busy lifestyles, honey in sizeable, travel-size sachets makes it easier for individuals to still enjoy its numerous benefits while on the move. It is suitable for everyone and ideal for endurance training and exercise.”

Besides the fact that it is a healthy alternative to refined sugar, experts have pointed out its benefit to include treatment for ulcers, coughs, sore throat and stomach discomfort. It also possesses antiseptic and antibacterial properties, making it useful even in modern medicine for the management of chronic wounds. Honey is also well known for its ability to boost general health and vitality”.

According to nutritional experts, honey is generally safe and the benefits can be completely enjoyed only if it is pure and unadulterated.

Dr. Akiba very seriously.

What the multinational companies are doing, especially the oil and gas companies, is to demonstrate occupational health and safety best practices for the indigenous companies in Nigeria to emulate. They also support professional bodies like the Society of Occupational and Environmental Health Physicians of Nigeria (SOEHPON).

In what ways has SOEHPON contributed to the health and safety of workers in Nigeria?

SOEHPON has made great efforts to promote occupational health practice, learning and profession in Nigeria through advocacy, workplace visits and awareness creation, hosting of training work shop and annual scientific conferences. The society is also committed to the collaboration and synergy of the Occupational Health and Safety practitioners and practice in Nigeria.

To achieve this aim, SOEHPON convened a collaborative occupational health and safety Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), professional and stakeholders meeting in July 2015 in Abuja. The aim was to appraise Occupational Health and Safety practice in Nigeria as compared to global standards, challenges and the way forward.

The SOEHPON also organises an annual programme and this year’s programme will start with a three-day workshop training on the Fundamentals of Occupational Health, followed by another three-day Annual Scientific Conference with work site visit. SOEHPON members in Diaspora and at home are also putting everything in place to ensure a successful full week workshop and conference this year.

16

healthandfitness

10 October, 2015

Is she a virgin?

Dr. Wale Okediran

My friend who claims to be a virgin recently had sex with her boyfriend. She didn’t feel any pain neither did she see any blood. She is very worried because the boyfriend does not believe that she is a virgin as she had claimed.

Kindly help before my friend kills herself with worry.

Cynthia ( by SMS) The matter of virginity has been discussed several times in this column in the past.

The explanation is that the hymen (the thin membrane that covers the entrance of the vagina which must be broken before a woman is deemed to have been deflowered) can be broken through other means apart from sex. These include intensive sporting activities, use of tampons sanitary towel among other forms of trauma.

I have serious eye problem

My problem is that I have a serious eye problem. If I look ahead,I often see something like stars in my view. I will therefore appreciate it if you can prescribe some drugs for me. Thank you.

Goriola (by SMS)

I have sweaty and cold palms I want to congratulate you on the wonderful work you are doing on the pages of the Saturday Tribune. Please keep it up. My problem is very simple. I always sweat on my palms so much so that they feel cold. When I shake people, they complain that my palms are cold. I am a 19 year old female undergraduate. Your assistance will be appreciated.

Simisola (by SMS) Thank you for the compliment. Excessive sweating in the company of fine tremors of the extremities, and palpitations among other symptoms

E

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

08055069356 (sms only)

Additionally, a small percentage of women are not born with the hymen. Therefore, if your friend is sure that she has

may indicate excessive activity of the thyroid gland. This is an important gland that produces a hormone which regulates the metabolism of the body.

In such a situation, the skin is warm and moist. However, if your own sweating is limited only to the palms, it may be due to some drugs or body creams you are using. In order therefore to confirm the actual cause of your complaints, I will advise that you see a doctor for a thorough check up. This check up will include appropriate blood tests which will rule out if you have excessive activity ofthethyroid gland (thyrotoxicosis) or not.

very effort of the world is on how to put resources together in a well-coordinated manner and eliminate avoidable blindness. As suggested by World Sight Day 2015 theme, eye care is truly for all.

World Sight Day 2015 is observed on October 8th of every year and as the name suggests, is a day that is dedicated to pledging perfect vision for every individual on earth.

Have you checked your eyes recently? If no, please visit the ophthalmologist to check the pressure of your eyes to know whether there is glaucoma or not.

Glaucoma is one of the painless causes of blindness which if detected early can be treated. Seize the opportunity of the ongoing eye screening to know the status of your vision.

I can imagine some people saying it does not matter since they have no any eye pain or redness. I want to employ you not to wait for signs of eye disease that may be a cry after the’ head must have been cut off’. Glaucoma is a ‘silent thief of sight’; don’t let it pull you into epidemics of blindness.

Another enemy of the eyes is uncontrolled systemic hypertension. Along with causing heart and kidney problems, untreated high blood pressure can also affect your eye sight and lead to blindness.

The effect of hypertension on the eyes is a complex subject because blood vessels in the eyes are different from other blood vessels.

However, one doesn’t have to be an optometrist or ophthalmologist to appreciate the devastating effect of high blood pressure on the eyes. The retina, or the membrane lining the back and sides of the eyeball, is particularly susceptible to damage from hypertension, a condition called hypertensive retinopathy.

Retina is like a screen board where all the images we see are projected before being transferred to the brain for interpretation. Irrespective of outward beauty of the eyes, once retina is damaged there is no vision. This important

Saturday Tribune

not had sex before her recent experience with her boyfriend, then she has nothing to worry about.

Thank you for your letter.

Unfortunately, as in the case of Khadijat, you did not give me your age or how long you have been experiencing your ailment. It would also have been helpful to know whether or not you normally use glasses.From your complaint it is obvious that you definitely have an eye

I have irregular menses Dear doctor, I am a young lady in my late twenties. I have been experiencing irregular menses for a long time and will need your help in getting over it. I will appreciate your prompt reply.

Khadijat (by sms) You did not tell me for how long you have had this problem neither did you let me know whether or not you are married or have children. It would have also been helpful to know if you are on any family planning methods especially oral or injectable contraceptives.

This information would have made it easy to know how to advise you.

Briefly, irregular menses has many causes ranging from infection to fibroids as well as the use of contraceptives. Hormonal disturbances and abnormal position of your internal organs are other causes.

In view of the complex nature of your problem, it will be advisable for you to seek the advice of your doctor who after taking a proper history from you will subject you to various investigations including blood tests and ul-

problem which could either be minor or severe. Apart from the possibilities of a refractive eye problem which can be corrected with the

use of eye glasses, you could also have high pressure in your eyes (Glaucoma) or ulceration of the main part of your eye called Cornea.

Since eye problems usually reflect the general state of the body and could either be minor or serious, it is always advisable for you to see a doctor who is specialised in eye problems(An Ophthalmologist) who will give you a comprehensive examination and treatment. It is only this kind of doctor who will let you know if your eye ailment can be treated with drugs, eye glasses or a simple surgical operation.

trasonography of your uterus to rule out the presence of abnormal uterine growth.

Based on the findings from the above investigations, it will now be easy for your doctor to tackle your case. For example, if the results of the blood test confirm that you have some hormonal problems, the specific hormone can be administered.

In cases of contraceptive use, you will be advised on the appropriate method to use while cases such as fibroids and other abnormal uterine growths will be surgically corrected.Thegood

news about irregular menses is that most cases do resolve on their own after a while.

Those that do not are easily managed while only a very few percentage end up needing surgical intervention.

Dr. Abiodun Adeoye adeoyemoshood@yahoo.com

08056564360, 08072000017 (sms only)

Regular eye check as pathway to preventing blindness component of the eyes is what is damaged in poorly controlled blood pressure.

What Are the Symptoms of Hypertensive Retinopathy?

There is no clear cut symptom until when extensive damage is done to the retina. The best is to get your eyes examined by an eye specialist who will be able to stage the level of the eyes. However, symptoms might include headaches and vision problems.

Blindness is better appreciated by those using eye glasses especially when the glasses are not there for one reason or the other. It is not a good experience, once you have high blood pressure that is difficult to control please visit your eye specialist. Avoid this preventable cause of blindness.

How Is Hypertensive Retinopathy Diagnosed?

An eye care professional can diagnose hypertensive retinopathy. Using an ophthalmoscope, an instrument that projects light to examine the back of the eyeball, the doctor will look for signs of retinopathy that include: •Narrowing of blood vessels that supply the retina •Fluid oozing from the blood vessels •Spots on the retina known as cotton wool spots and exudates •Swelling of the macula (the central area of the retina) and optic nerve

•Bleeding in the back of the eye How is hypertensive retinopathy treated?

The best way to treat hypertensive retinopathy is to adequately control your blood pressure.

Can Hypertensive Retinopathy Be Prevented?

To prevent hypertensive retinopathy, keep your blood pressure under control by changing your diet. Take fruits and vegetables. You need five servings or portions of fruits a day. That’s 400g per day. A medium sized apple is about 80g which means you require about five medium sized apples a day. It can be other fruits that you can afford. Avoid excessive calorie intake Exercise regularly; brisk walk for 30 minutes most days of the week, ensure you burn off excess calories from you system. It does not have to be at gym but if cost is not an issue I advocate you join one and you have exercise well supervised.

Take your blood pressure medication regularly. Faith without work is death, if you don’t have faith in those drugs it may not work for you. Apply faith and take your medicine for it to work for you. Get your blood pressure controlled and avoid blindness.

Finally see your doctor on a regular basis for follow-up care. I wish you a happy weekend.

17

10 October, 2015

mediascope Y

ou launched a new publication, the Happenings Magazine into the newsstand recently, where is the confidence to invest in this topsy-turvy world of the media coming from?

The magazine has been in existence for two years, but mainly as online. When we started we were hopeful that our target audience will march on with what’s happening. At that time the thinking used to be very hot that all print media were going to go down and everybody would be online. But it’s not happening as quickly as you will imagine. It also occurred to me that the development of web media is never going to kill print media. I think they will share the space, reason being that print has its own attraction, no matter how you look at it. This is not about you preferring to read on your i-pad, you just find that in all life ramifications there are things you can do with print and you can’t do online and vice versa. So the advent of online is never going to kill print media. So at a point we decided that we should have a foothold and try to balance the two. That’s why we started the print edition.

Where is the name Happenings coming from?

In those days, when you were among your mates, there were some slang that were popular then. There was a popular slang then to describe somebody that was doing well, you will say the person is a ‘happening’ guy, and that kind of thing. So gradually it dawned on me that happening is an idea that can portray current events because they’ve already told many things out there, and we didn’t want to go into news reporting, we wanted something that people can align with on the go. So that is the idea behind Happening, just to tell what is happening right now. This is where this print edition also serves as a very good back-up for the online edition, because over a month, stories that have been popular, that have generated a lot of excitements, are the ones that will go into the print, so that people in their relaxed time, will have a recollection. Sometimes you find something online, you bookmark and say you are going to look for it only for you to come back the next day and discover it’s gone and no longer available. But with print that is one of the advantages.

With akin adewakun

akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk 08054683584

when you were making love to your wife somewhere. So credibility is an

In this interview with Akin Adewakun, the publisher of the newly-launched Happenings Magazine and chief executive officer of the soon-to-be –aired Happenings Radio in Lagos, Edirin Abamwa, explains motives behind the publication and the internet radio, stating that though the new media is becoming increasingly popular, it can never sound the death knell of the print counterparts. Excerpts-:

How do you intend to make your target readers, the youths, key into this considering the fact that people in that age category always prefer to stay online?

This is going to be a gradual development. If you look back on all our histories when we were young, we were always on the go, but when we started to mature, we begin to look for things that are more enduring, we no longer want things that change so fast. We want things that are concrete that we can hold and feel. So though the target audience is youth, when you grow a brand, it is supposed to be an enduring thing. So it is my personal expectation that a good proportion of those who are always online, when they become mature, they will be looking for a spreadsheet which they can relax with. As we grow, we expect our audience to become better mixed and better matched for the two to co-exist. The point is print is not going to die, in spite of the presence of the new media. So what we are trying to do is to grow the space so that everybody will have their own corners. What growing the space simply means is that people are getting better educated. They have the reading habit, infrastructure is being developed by the government, broadband is readily available, and with this, we can grow the space so that everybody will have their corner to ply.

Saturday Tribune

Despite new media, the print has come to stay —Edirin Abamwa How far do you intend to go with the publication; since we’ve seen publications in the past, whose birth were heralded with pomp only to end up in the dustbin of history?

The current economic situation in the country is not abnormal. The economic cycle is always up and down. I’m not saying we want to start this so that in five years time, I can retire and relax, no, this is really for a long haul. I’m looking 20 years ahead. This may surprise you, but my background is petroleum engineering, we plan things 20 to 50 years ahead. In other words, the project that you are seeing today was already contrived long time ago. There will be in the immediacy, fluctuations of economic cycles, but it shouldn’t be an obstacle. The space is brand new and I’m convinced that once we establish the brand as a trusted one, then we are home and dry. You can wake up tomorrow and somebody is blogging that he was present

You just find that in all life ramifications there are things you can do with print and you can’t do online and vice versa. So the advent of online is never going to kill print media.

issue. But I believe that the future belongs to those who are able to filter information, when you read something you have a set of criteria to judge it against. Once it doesn’t meet those criteria, then delete it.

So we want to set that standard. You want to confirm a story, go to Happenings. So that is the way I look at it.

Happenings is a division of a digital marketing research company. So we have those staff whose duties are to develop digital marketing. So many of the materials being passed on to our writers have strong technical support from our research team. And we are also an internet company, so everything we do is cloud-sourced.

We have affiliations with many international companies, we have a network of between 1,000 and 1,500 consultants worldwide who we can call on on any topic. We started from this research and development arm before we came up with this.

The long-term mission is to be information source for people with a certain mind-set, lifestyle. The theme is branding and the emphasis is on being trusted and being reliable. You want something. Check out in the Happenings. As for our mission, we want to provide opportunity for the nigerian economy for people to associate with a name that can be trusted.

Not unlike if people place a notification in the Economist and the New York Times, you can be sure that that piece is an information that you can work with and rely on. The Economist is more than 150 years old, the way we do things in Nigeria are too ephemeral, people always think short-term, they are in a rush, but this is not enduring. So we want to create something that is enduring, something that people can align with.

Since you have a digital arm, how are you going to leverage on that platform to push both your online and the print?

If you must know, early next month, we are starting a radio station, Happenings Radio, an online radio. The studio is ready, and the equipment is being installed. So that is one area of push. One thing about radio is that it is a media that may not be the primary focus, but it is there at the background, unlike television which you have to stop everything you are doing to listen to, but with radio, you have the messages going on at the background and you are engaged in other activities. We have some interesting artifacts being developed, there are some cameras with this 360 degree view, which we are expecting anytime from now. It is a new technology, being developed by a company in France.

But how are you going to tackle the challenge of poor internet service which can be a big disincentive to smooth transmission of the radio station?

That is where our attitude is a bit different. A lot of people when they are planning, get boxed down by current situation- the internet is not good, this is not reliable. For instance, broadband is still not very good in Nigeria, but I can tell you that it is a lot better now than it was three years ago, and we expect it to continue to get better. Besides, we don’t rely on the everyday internet as such, we are also hooked to the Content Distribution Network (CDN). It is a conglomerate of internet users who subscribe to servers all over the world. And when we are pushing out something, it’s not just coming from our server in Lagos, so that way, you beat the time lag between when you press a button and when you get a response. So we are working with all these.

But, I’m confident, because there is nobody in Nigeria that can afford not to pay attention to broadband development.

18

Saturday Tribune

10 October, 2015

crimeandcourt

She doesn’t know the man she got pregnant for —Husband I sought help from other men when he abandoned me —Wife

A

businessman, Samson Muse, has urged an Ojo customary court in Lagos State, to dissolve his three-year-old marriage over his wife’s wayward life.

Samson told the court that his wife, Tunrayo, was unfaithful, adding that such a woman should not be seen as his wife any more.

“She is too disrespectful, does not take care of our son, I’m no longer in love with her. A woman that sleeps about with different men is not worthy to be a wife, in fact the seven months-old pregnancy she is carrying is from an unknown source.

“I cannot live with a woman who has become promiscuous, sleeps around, in fact, she has become too troublesome and does not have any regard for me,” Muse told the court.

He assured the court that he would abide by the court’s order to pay feeding allowances for their two-year-old son once the divorce is granted.

“I need this court to dissolve our marriage and also grant me permission to be in possession of my son because she cannot take good care of him”, he added.

On her part, Tunrayo denied Samson’s claims, saying that her husband abandoned her and she had to seek help from other men.

“My husband does not take care of me, he has carried out deals of over two million naira in my presence. His sister is the deputy Iyaloja of Okoko Market, yet he cannot even pay my dowry. I cannot say who owns this pregnancy,” she added.

President of the court, Chief Joseph Ogunmola, advised the husband to keep his promise of giving feeding allowance to his son and adjourned the case for judgement.

I caught her and an Alfa red-handed She is a flirt —Husband —Husband He introduced the man to me —Wife

riage.

In her response, Mrs. Jimoh told the court she was also ready for the divorce but that it was the petitioner that made her know who the Alfa was because he always reported her to him in order for the Alfa to advise her.

She also said it was the Alfa who assisted her when her child was ill and the husband was not around.

The respondent also claimed that the petitioner had not been giving the children money for the past two months that he sometimes gave them N1000 or N500, which was not regular.

The petitioner, however, said he used to give them N7, 000 or N8, 000 a month but reduced the amount because he bought foodstuffs, clothes and even slippers for them.

He however agreed to be paying N5000 monthly as well as buying clothes and foodstuff for them.

The President of the court urged both parties to settle their disputes amicably, adding that divorce is usually not the answer to marital problems

She set a trap to kill me —Husband

No, how can I plan to kill my childrens’ father? —Wife A 55-year-old welder, Mr Sarafa Hassan, has pleaded with an Igando Customary Court in Lagos, Lagos State, to end his 30-year-old marriage over threats to his life.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the petitioner told the court that his wife, Waliat, was always threatening to kill him.

“I received the tip-off from a reliable source, warning me not to go home because my wife has set trap for me to paralyse me, a few minutes later my wife called me several times to come home but I refused.

“She always hit me with dangerous weapons, she vowed to terminate my life and because of her threat I ran away from the house I built and started sleeping in my shop.

“I have reported her to her family on several occasions, who always begged me to exercise patience that she will change but she never did.” he said.

Safara told the court that when he could no longer bear the situation, he married another woman to love and care for him.

“Because my wife did not care for me and is always haunting and threatening my life, I had to marry another wife.

“She called my new wife to tell her that she will become a widow soon.”

He accused his wife of infidelity, alleging that she was having an affair with a landlord living on their street.

She is adulterous, I caught her with her ex —Husband He has another wife outside home —Wife

The husband also accused Waliat of stealing from him.

The petitioner therefore begged the court to dissolve the 30-year-old marriage, saying that he was no longer in love with his wife and was not ready to die.

However, Mrs Waliat Hassan, a 49-year-old trader, denied all the allegations.

She said that she had never threatened to kill her husband nor attacked him with any dangerous weapon.

“How will I attempt to kill the father of my children, I can’t do that because it is my children that will suffer.” she said.

The mother of five denied dating the man her husband accused her of having an affair with, saying that she had been faithful to her husband since their marriage.

Waliat also denied threatening to kill the man’s other wife, adding that she only told her husband not to bring the woman to their house.

The woman, however, agreed that she carted away the husband’s television set and DVD player from his shop when she went to collect money to feed herself but couldn’t meet him.

Waliat begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of the marriage, insisting that she still loves him.

President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola adjourned the case till October 21 for counseling.

He’s an irresponsible man, thinks only of boozing —Wife AN Ado-Ekiti customary court in Ekiti State, earlier this week dissolved a 20-year-old marriage between Mrs Odeyemi Joke and her husband, Akintunde.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the marriage was dissolved on grounds of frequent fighting, threats to life as well as lack of care for the wife and children.

Joke, 42, a resident of No. 18, Oke-Ila, Ado-Ekiti, told the court that her husband always beat her whenever she demanded money to buy food items.

She said that they were sent packing by their landlord when they were unable to renew their tenancy which led them to living separately.

According to her, she went to secure another apartment somewhere and was living with the children, while her husband went to stay in his mother’s house.

She told the court that his husband would foment trouble anytime he came to visit them in their house.

31

He beat me and my parents —Wife tells court

AN engineer, Mr. Jamiu Jimoh, has filed a suit at a customary court sitting in Oshodi, Lagos State, seeking the dissolution of his marriage to his wife, Mrs Kafayat Jimoh.

The petitioner of 10, Hassan Street, OgunOloko Oshodi, told the court that he married the respondent under the Native Law and Custom in 1998, duly paid a bride price for the union, which has produced three children, filed the suit on the grounds that his wife usually disobeyed him and constantly fought with him, He also told the court his wife’s brothers beat him up whenever he went to see his children in the respondent’s family house at 4, Oduwusi Street, Oshodi, where his children are staying.

He also said he had warned his wife to stay away from one Alfa who stays in their neighbourhood but he still caught them together in his room, though she denied they were doing anything immoral.

He said there was no more love in the mar-

Stories by Ayomide Owonibi and Taibat Alimi with Agency Reports

A 43-year-old fashion designer, Mr Musiliu Bolaji, had approached an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State to seek dissolution of his 13-year-old marriage to his wife, Memunat, over an alleged act of infidelity.

The petitioner accused his wife of an adulterous act, bad manners and trouble-making.

“I dreamt, on several occasions, that my wife was having extra marital affairs, I confronted her but she denied it. I have also caught her red-handed with her ex-boyfriend.

“She had once confessed of her infidelity, but later denied it, though she didn’t know that I recorded her confession.

“Moreover, she is very rude and troublesome, I warned her to desist from her adulterous manner but she wouldn’t listen.

“I reported to my mother-in-law but she refused to call her daughter to order while my wife did not desist from her adulterous act,’’ he said.

“I am no more interested in the marriage,” Bolaji, a resident of Omobolaji Avenue, in Ikorodu, said.

The 33-year-old Memunat, however, denied all the claims by her husband whom she accused of having another wife.

The trader and mother of three children said, “My husband has another wife which he didn’t tell me about ; but the lady in question, confronted me herself and told me she is the junior wife.

“We have been living in peace until recently when he changed his attitude towards me. I do not want to leave my husband, I pray the court to help us settle our disputes,” Memunat said.

President of the court, Mr Olu Adebiyi, ordered the couple to bring their family members to court for possible reconciliation.

Saturday Tribune

The mother of five said that her husband was not ready to work, thereby making it difficult for him to feed his family.

“There was a day he threatened to kill me with cutlass.

“When I reported him to his aged mother and younger brother; they said that they were fed up with his behaviour,” she told the court.

The petitioner said that her husband just got a security guard job in a private company and that he spends his salary on alcohol.

“He does not bother to take care of me and the children, but it is also not convenient because I am a fruit seller,” she said.

She said that their first child, Sefunmi, 20 years old, had gotten married, while the second child, Kayode is currently staying with her brother.

She told the court that the last three children are staying with her and prayed the court to award her their custody.

But the husband, Akintunde had repeatedly shunned the court proceedings.

This, according to the court, meant that he admitted the allegations against him.

President of the Court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, observed that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved the marriage.

The court also ruled that the last three children should remain under the custody of their mother.

Ogunsemi also ordered that the husband should be paying the sum of N3, 000 on each of the three children as their monthly feeding allowance.

He also ordered that the education of the three children should be a joint responsibility of both parties, while access was granted to the husband to see his children, but without fomenting any trouble.

A housewife,Mujidat Saliman, has asked the Grade C customary court at Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo State to dissolve her 13-yearold marriage to Kabir Saliman on grounds of domestic violence.

Mujidat also accused Kabir of irresponsibility and lack of care for the family “He has not paid my bride price after 13 years of marriage, I now have five kids for him. He did not allow me to work and only gave me N300 to prepare food for the family.

“When he eventually allowed me to open a shop where I sell engine oil , he accused me of going out with different men who are my customers, knowing the nature of the business I do.

“My husband is so troublesome, he beats me mercilessly several times in a week, most times I end up being taken to the hospital. He disrespects my family to the extent of beating my mother and recently did the same to my father.

“He has refused to enroll the kids in school and threatened to kill my mother in order to get me back forcefully. This is the third time I am taking him to court. All police interventions have proven abortive, I want a divorce.”

The defendant however said his wife was wayward and wasteful.

“My daughter once told me she(Mujidat) sent her to an okada man to collect money. I did not react to this until I caught her with a man in front of her shop and I heard an unspeakable conversation between them.

“Her mother supported her when I reported, saying it was the nature of her job that warranted her keeping male companies.

Her mother, I am sure, has kept another husband for her as she took her in the very day she left our home and abandoned the kids.”

“Her brother tried to resolve this issue but her mother aborted all his mediating efforts. My wife connived with her mother to dupe me under the pretense of settling the issue on ground.

“She demanded a sum ofN30,000 to rent a house and a shop.

This has been planned as a scheme to collect all the feeding expenses and marry another man.”

“She had declined to bring the kids to me as the police had earlier instructed. While trying to get the kids, she and her mother beat me and tore my clothes which I have brought as exhibit.”

“I had been asked several times if I wanted a divorce, but I said no because of the kids. This is the third time she had sued me to court . My wife is promiscuous, I want to divorce her so that I can take care of my children,” Saliman said.

Having heard from both the plaintiff and the defendant, the President of the court, Chief Amusa Makinde adjourned the case till October 21 for both parties to have a rethink.

She wants to kill me before she packs out —Husband He’s just lying to the court —Wife

A middle aged man, Sunday Akinkunmi has told an Ibadan North East Grade C Customary Court sitting in Agodi Gate, Ibadan Oyo State, that his ex-wife, Lateefat is bent on making life difficult for him before packing out of his house.

Over a week ago, the court had dissolved the marriage and asked Lateefat to quit Sunday’s house in the next three weeks.

“However, Sunday said in the meantime, Lateefat had been most quarrelsome ‘Since the last eight days, when the court dissolved the marriage, there has been no peace of mind for me. In fact, she has threatened to kill me. The court gave her three weeks within which she should leave me but she has been tormenting me ever since’’ Sunday, therefore, urged the court to order Lateefat to stop harassing him before she leaves his house.

Responding, Lateefat insisted that Sunday told the court a lie.

“He is just lying to the court. I respect the judgement which dissolved the marriage and there is no point fighting him again. It’s just eight days after the dissolution of the marriage and I was given three weeks to pack out of his house. I will do as the court ordered,” she said.

President of the Court, Chief Amusa Makinde asked Lateefat to give the court her mobile phone number and warned that she would be held responsible for any harm done to Sunday, her ex-husband within the three weeks in question.

19

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

20

Saturday Tribune

10 October, 2015

With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

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Dancing with the dead

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6 1. From left, Executive Director, Business Development, New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC), Abass Waziri; Kwara State governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed; Executive Director, Investment, NNDC, Abdullahi Ali Gombe and Managing Director, NNIL Commercial Company, Usman Sarikinyaki, during a courtesy visit to the Government House, Ilorin.

2. Acting Registrar, Olabisi Onabanjo Univesity (OOU), Mrs Omolara Osunganya (centre) discussing with the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Saburi Adesanya (right) and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Okanlawon Sule Odo, at the institution’s convocation ceremony, held at Ago-Iwoye, on Tuesday. Photo: Alolade Ganiyu.

3. From right, Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa; Divisional Head, Large Enterprises, Mr Joseph Babatunde and Managing Director, Arnergy Limited, Mr. Femi Adeyemo, during the inauguration of the Bank of Industry funded low cost off grid 24KW solar powered mini grid to Onibanbu Idi Ita Village, in Modakeke, Osun State.

4. From left, Executive Director, Think Nigeria First Initiative (TNFI), Abubakar Tsanni; Patron, TNFI, Dr. Ahmed Iliyasu Sardaunan Misau; elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and Director, Contact and Mobilisation, TNFI, Hon. Hamza Mohammed, when the TNFI delegation paid a courtesy visit to Chief Clark in Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO. 5. From left, Michael Nwoseh, Specialist Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, flanked by Aliyu Abdullahi, Etisalat Cliqfest first laptop winner (left) and Dina Tanko, Etisalat Cliqfest second laptop winner, with their prizes at the Etisalat Cliqfest Campus tour at Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State.

6. Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), the guest lecturer, receiving an award from the chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Oyo State council, Mrs. Kitan Adeagbo, during the Independence anniversary lecture and award in Ibadan. With them is the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Mr Gbenga Opadotun (right).

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Where have all Africa’s young men gone?

By Mohamed Jallow

I

received a frantic phone call recently from a family member living in New York City.

She was inquiring whether I knew anyone who could help, or any way for, a young seventeen-year-old migrant (her younger brother), stranded in Ecuador to come to the United States. I was lost for words. Do African migrants go to Ecuador? How in the world did he end up there?

This is the reality facing parents in many West African countries. Throngs of young men are heading North, for a chance to make it to Europe, or anywhere else with better economic prospects. Many are fleeing conflicts and political repression, while many more are fleeing poverty and unemployment. The journey to the North, however, is fraught with danger. Thousands have died just this year in the Mediterranean, and the death toll is set to beat the record from last year. All this is if they make it through the Sahara desert alive—-teeming with bandits, and now Islamic militants.

As for the young man who is stranded in Ecuador (I will call him Bangalie), his odyssey started a few months ago when he left the Gambia for the Bahamas, purportedly enroute to the United States without the proper documentation. His family was lured into shelling out about $5,000 of life savings to what I will consider a swindler who promised to help him and five others get into the United States. The journey began in Dakar, Senegal, to Spain and then on to Bahamas where the person leading them disappeared because they could not come up with more money. From the Bahamas, they headed to Quito, Ecuador with hopes of travelling from there to the US through Central America. News of young people moving to the US and seeking asylum had reached them, and they were prepared to try their chances, but the uproar over migrant children in the U.S. has thwarted their plans. As of this posting, he is still in Ecuador, still waiting for a chance to make it to the United States.

This is what is known in the Gambia as “the back way.” That is going to Babylon (Europe, America, or anywhere else out of the continent) through illegal and often dangerous means, risking everything, not least their lives. The Gambia, a tiny sliver of a country in West Africa is one of the most affected by outward migration. Whole

inals. Even the US embassy in the Gambia has recently gotten involved in the effort to deter young men from leaving through the backway.

The embassy sponsored a concert last year with performances in local languages “to sensitize the public” about the dangers facing their children.

As far back as I can remember, the constant ebbs and flows of migrants, flowing with the economic currents to a place a little better than their countries, have shaped this part of the world. In the past, these young men would have gone to the larger urban centers or Adolescent migrants Mustafa (2nd R) from Gambia and Ishmael (R) from Sierra Leone stand in a courtyard at neighboring countries an immigration centre in Caltagirone, Sicily, March 18, 2015. (Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi) for work. However, the towns are being emptied of their young men on their way global economic downto Europe or America. In some communities, there are turn, and the lack of opportunities in these very few young men left to work in the farms. Babylon neighboring countries has shifted the tide seems to be the major pre-occupation. northwards.

Conversely, for a good number of the population, miSo what is being done to stop the flow of migrant remittances from those who manage to make it are grants like the young man in Ecuador? Nothing a mainstay of economic survival. For others, it is a rite of much, at least, nothing with significant impact passage for young men to go out into the world to seek to change minds. West African governments their fortunes. My father and his cohorts were among the have raised alarms, but they cannot offer anyfirst wave of migrants in the 1960s and 1970s that left the thing meaningful for these young men to start Gambia for in Sierra Leone during the diamond boom in a life in their own countries. Regionally, there that country. is no mechanism in place to address this issue The difference this time is that the migrants are as a collective, just as European governments younger, and are headed north, much farther north—– are struggling to come up with a cohesive plan. to Europe. If the Atlantic was narrower, they most cer- Meanwhile, these young people continue to tainly will cross it to the United States. As it turns out, leave, and are willing to do anything, to pay any even the vast Atlantic, as in the case of Bangalie, can- price for a chance to make it to their Babylon. not stop those who are willing to give up everything for Many will make it, and many more will perish a better future. in the Mediterranean, or languish for years in For the parents, there is anguish, and then there are detention centers in Italy and France, or prismixed feeling. While many will certainly benefit from the ons in Libya, and Algeria. In this case, faraway remittances of those who make it, they have no clue of Ecuador. what awaits these young men, or the horrors of a jourMohamed Jallow who works at RTI Inney fraught with uncertainty. As a result, they become ternational in Research Triangle Park, willing participants, often draining their life savings, and North Carolina, United States, contribentrusting their children to people smugglers, and crim- uted this to cfr.org

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newsfeature

Concerns as okada takes over Lagos highways

‘We don’t know where they come from; they are a security threat’ Naza Okoli - Lagos “It is God that saves us in this country,” Gbenga, a 35-yearold shopowner at Cele in Lagos, told Saturday Tribune on Wednesday. He was talking about the increasing number of okada riders along the expressway.

But his worry isn’t really that they are many. It is that they are “foreign”.

“Yes, I think many of them are not Nigerians,” he said.

“They come from some of these neighbouring countries, and nobody knows who they are. You don’t know where they go or what they do at night. Some of them begin to learn Pidgin when they come here. It is really dangerous because this is a very dangerous period.”

Even though the riders are banned from all the expressways, findings show that enforcement has been lax. At Mile 2, for example, a good number of okada riders were seen along the road. There is almost always traffic congestion along the expressway, road users say. The riders often charge large sums which they say are for the risks involved in the venture.

Some of those who chatted with Saturday Tribune said they were particularly concerned because of some of the countries that surround Nigeria were indeed strongholds of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

“People come into Lagos from everywhere,” said Chukwuma Udom who works at a bank at Apapa. “The government should look into the laws again. If you say people are coming into the country from other places, it means that the law allows it; so we have to change all that. It is not just about okada.”

However, Mr Adeyinka Abudu who works for a media organisation also at Apapa said it there was no reason to suspect them: “They haven’t given us any reason to think that they are terrorists,” Abudu said. “I have worked at Apapa for two years now, and there have never been any incident. Many of the okada riders here are Nigerians from the North.”

“Many people pretend to be Hausa”

The Chairman of Council of Arewa Chiefs in Lagos State (who is the leader of the Hausa community in the State), Alhaji Sanni Kabir told Saturday Tribune that his members have always been encouraged to be law-abiding.

“According to the directive from the Governor, all okada riders should stay off the expressway,” he said.

“So I don’t really know why they are doing that. As for whether some of them are Nigerians, I think it is the work of Nigeria Immigration Service. You know Nigeria is a big country. Many people come in and pretend to be Hausa. We even encourage our members to obtain their National ID cards, and to have the cards with them everywhere they go, so that if there is any case, they can be properly identified. Also we encourage our members to make sure they don’t break the law. We do that across the state. But you see, sometimes, you still have some people that would not listen. And in that case I think it is the fault of the government officials, because they are the ones empowered to enforce the law.”

Okada online However the outcry against the increasing presence of okada along the highways in Lagos has continued, and is now often a topic on social media platforms particularly Twitter.

Bashorun Olaiya whose Twitter handle is @olaiya_john on Tuesday said the Lagos State Government had “[allowed] okada on the highway even @ night; most okada riders misbehave on the highway.”

Also on Tuesday, Mercy Akpan (@mercyemem), after berating some Lagos State agencies, said: “Okada riders

are back everywhere.”

Olanrewaju (@olanrej), addressing Governor Ambode tweeted: “We can’t keep calm when okada riders are back on the expressways riding without helmet.”

Lukman Atunwa (@lkmndby) said: “@AkinwunmiAmbode: okada riders and danfo drivers ply one way without been checked” (sic).

One user, Gbenga Osisanya (@dcoolj23), notably em-

phasised the issue of security, urging the state government to intervene quickly: “LASG should as a matter of urgency check the return of Okada riders on the highway; they might be a security threat…”

Task Force

However, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (also known as Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation) has recently embarked on a massive “clean-up” exercise. Their targets have been mainly okada riders and street traders. According to reports, the office has made nearly two thousand arrests in the last quarter, and has charged offenders to court.

While speaking with Saturday Tribune recently, the Chairman of the Task Force, SP Olubukola Abe, said the tempo would be sustained.

“The clean-up will be sustained and the objective is to keep Oshodi sanitised making it a model business hub within the metropolis,” he said. “All those arrested were thoroughly screened, and those who had cases to answer were charged to competent courts of law. Enforcement is still ongoing.

“The unit is commencing enforcement at Oshodi which is geared towards preventing commuters from staying on the bridge since there is no approved bus stop there.

This will ensure that there is free flow of traffic and also checkmate cases of petty crime around that axis. Anyone arrested there will have questions to answer.”

As if to underscore his commitment to the work of the Task Force, Governor Ambode, had, in a space of two months, appointed two people as head of the Task Force.

Mr Akeem Adedeji who was appointed in June 2015 was in August sacked and replaced with SP Olubukola Abe.

The Traffic Law The Section 3 of the Lagos State Traffic Law of 2012 spells out the restricted areas, as well as the do’s and don’ts of okada riding: “Okada operators must not carry pregnant women, school age children, women with children on their back, all Okada operators must respect and obey all traffic laws and regulations which include: - not riding against traffic or direction prohibited by law, not riding on the kerb, median or road

When Ambode held his first townhall meeting Naza Okoli - Lagos WHITE was the colour of the event. The Abesan Mini-Stadium was painted white. The three massive canopies erected in the middle of the stadium were all white. And the Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, wore white, flowing, agbada.

It was the Lagos State Quarterly Town Hall Meeting. This first edition, held on Tuesday, was dedicated specifically to the people of Lagos West Senatorial District. The choice of Abesan Stadium as venue was quite apt: it was located within the expansive Abesan Low-income Housing Estate, Ipaja, home to thousands of families.

When the Governor arrived at 11: 00 am, he was received by a large crowd – residents, unions, associations, traditional rulers, and many other groups. Many people displayed messages on large banners, while others simply sang and danced and cheered. It was a merry gathering.

The floor is open

Scorecard

For Ambode, it was an opportunity to report the achievements of his administration since May 2 9. For example, he told the cheering crowd that he had saved 12 billion naira in four months after successfully reducing the “cost of governance.” He said 3 billion naira would be saved every month as a result.

“Today, a major landmark of our administration is the reduction in the cost of governance,” he said. “We want a lean government with quality service delivery. Lagos State Government is proud to declare that it has consistently met its obligations, especially prompt payment of workers’ salaries

in our health facilities,” he said.

“What we have done can be described as laying the foundation on which the service and programmes of this government will be built. You cannot run a 4-year marathon at top speed from the onset. Like any other well-bred Chief Executive Officer, I have put in place all the ingredients needed to run a successful race.

We will continue to woo investors to Lagos. We are assisting businesses and creating a conducive environment for these investors to start business and employ our people…

“However, we need your support and cooperation to enable us to deliver on our lofty programmes. I want to assure you that our programmes are well thought out and carefully designed to make life easier and better for all our citizens.”

without seeking any bailout from the Federal Government…

We are presently reviewing our loans with our bankers with a view to restructuring them in order to free up funds for further infrastructural development.”

Ambode’s address was a brief journey through all the major sectors with additional emphases on education, health, power and investment.

“We have also provided additional 26 Transport Ambulances at the cost of N257.4 million deployed across all our General Hospitals. We have created Ambulance points across the State

for easy access to our people. The ambulance service can be reached by dialling the toll-free line 112. Our administration in the last three months has installed 22 power generating sets ranging from 350 – 500 KVA as additional back-up sets across all our General Hospitals at the cost of N270 million to ensure 24-hour power supply. In addition, 26 Mobile X-Ray machines, costing N519.656 million are being installed at all our General Hospitals across the State. Similarly, we have granted approval for the recruitment of more paramedic staff and special medical coordinators to ensure 24-hour service

It was time to entertain questions from the audience. The questions came in their thousands – questions and complaints and requests. The MC announced he had received over two thousand of them, all scribbled on sheets of paper distributed at the beginning of the event. There were concerns about inadequate public schools at some locations; there were complaints about traffic and bad roads. A Muslim leader wanted the law against noise pollution reviewed.

There were bold ones too. Comrade Makinde Fisayo, the Founder of the Handicapped Job Centre of Nigeria posed a direct question to the Governor: “Sir, I want to know how many handicapped persons will be part of your cabinet, either as Commissioners or Special Advisers.”

Honourable Bisi Yusuf, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Alimosho, presented a long list of requests which he ended with a promise of a second-term ticket for the Governor.

“Please help us (Alimosho) increase our presence in government,” he said. “Alimosho gave you 110 per cent support. We

setbacks, obeying all traffic light signals including red light and especially where it concerns Motorcycle operations.

“In addition, motorcycle operators are prohibited from operating on the following routes: Lagos Island and Ikoyithe entire Lagos CBD area, Ozumba Mbadiwe (from Bonny Camp- 1st Roundabout) Awolowo Road Ikoyi, Bourdillon Road, Gerrard Avenue, Alexander Road, Osborne Road and Alfred Rewane Road and CMS (Outer Marina)”.

Also on the list are: “The Third Mainland Bridge-from Toll gate through the entire stretch of Third Mainland Bridge, Badagry Express Road-the entire stretch of Badagry Express Road; Apapa Oshodi Expressway (excluding the service lanes), Ikeja – the entire network of roads around Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Awolowo Road, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Road-Maryland Junction.

“The entire stretch of Funsho Williams Avenue-Eko Bridge, Apongbon, Muritala Mohammed Way from Jibowu to Yaba, Oyingbo, Iddo, Idumota, Ikorodu Express Roadfrom Jibowu to Ikorodu Town Roundabout.

“Others are Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway/Agege Motor Road – the stretch from Moshalashi-Oshodi-Abule Egba-Boundary of Ogun and Lagos State and all Lagos Bridges.” delivered in the general elections. Mr Governor, I can say it without mincing words, we the West Senatorial District will continue to support you. What we are doing here today… if you can go through them for us, your second term in office is assured.”

And the answers were immediate and comprehensive. To a man who had complained about access roads in his community, Governor Ambode said he would direct the Ministry of Works to “look into it immediately.” To a man, identified as Mr Boniface, who had pointed out that there was no public secondary school at Abaranje, the Governor said a school would be built there next year. Another person secured a promise that the Ministry of Agriculture would be asked to explore the possibility of establishing a farm estate in his community.

To Comrade Makinde Fisayo, the Governor said: “I have great plans for the handicapped. I will not forget all of you.

You will be part of that story.” However, on noise pollution, Ambode noted that there was already a law in effect, and encouraged everyone to abide by the law.

Food, music, dance and laughter

The outing ended with the right degree of pomp: food was served in the midst of music and dance. Even though not everybody got a chance to speak with the Governor, it felt as though all the questions had, in fact, been answered.

A resident who identified himself as Olawale Adeyanju stood outside one of the tents. He had a banner in his hands which read: “No to crazy bill; no to darkness; enough is enough; do something; no to epileptic power supply; there is no safety in the dark; give us 24 hours electricity” “I was not able to ask my question,” Adeyanju told Saturday Tribune. “But we have been promised that every complaint will be looked into. So, I am very happy.”

23

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

views.com

Teachers and the society By: Tunde Olofintila

J

ust this Monday,October 5, Nigeria joined its peers all over the world to roll out the drums to celebrate teachers, who to all intents and purpose, constitute the engine room through which society overcomes ignorance and disease, conquer poverty and the environment as well as overcome tribalism and extremism among others.

With the up-beat global celebration of teachers, there is no better time to x-ray the place and import of teachers in the society than now.

The questions then arise as to who is a teacher? There are so many definitions of a teacher: For example, a parent is a teacher to his children because he inculcates the virtues of morality, discipline, industry, humility and respect for constituted authorities in them.

Equally, coaches in different vocations teach their apprentices the nitty-gritty of their trade. This is the same way the clergyman teaches his congregation.

But then, there are good, average and bad teachers.

It is not however everybody that holds a University degree that is ipso facto a good teacher. In the colonial days, teachers were categorised as CD, C, CA and A. Colleges were established for the training of teachers.

Nevertheless, it may still be said that the first factor in the making of a good teacher is a requisite qualification. This is why there are several academic programmes designed towards the production of teachers.

Many Universities in Nigeria today offer degree programmes in Education while some are completely designated as Universities of Education.

However, the making of a teacher does not and cannot end at mere acquisition of academic degrees: constant training and retraining of teachers must of necessity follow. Teachers must constantly acquaint themselves with modern teaching methods so that they don’t dis-

seminate ignorance and half knowledge to their students, thereby producing a bunch of unemployable graduates. A teacher, afterall can only teach what he knows and in a manner in which he knows how best to.

Having said this, who then is a teacher properly so called? He/she is that person trained in the art of teaching, especially in the art of imparting knowledge in students in different schools starting from primary to tertiary institutions. Among those who teach in formal schools today are two categories: those who are gifted, who find teaching interesting and therefore love it and radiate it and those who fortuitously find themselves in teaching because they could not find any other form of employment.

That brings one to the issue of teachers properly so called: teachers properly so called must have quality education, must be masters of the Subject Matter, must be interested in the art of teaching, must not see teaching as means of making ends meet and must also be able to arouse the interest of their students. Other qualities of teachers properly so called are that they must be able to keep students awake during the dura-

tion of their class, keep a Register for attendance, prepare their lesson notes in advance and give advance notice of the Subject Matter to enable their students to prepare ahead and do some research.

They must also be timeous in class, must be firm, fair, frank and friendly, must be able to use modern teaching equipment, including the Interactive Boards and all forms of ICT platforms, must be audible, confident, affectionate and approachable and above all, they must be disciplined.

As was the practice in those days, they must be welldressed and clean, keep records of what they do, be original and innovative, be cooperative and collaborative and move with trends as well as give assignments to their students It is all these parameters put together that qualify teachers to be described as teachers properly so called and above all, it is only by being teachers so properly called that they will be able to stand in their position to change the face of education in Nigeria, entrench quality and functional education and restore the lost glory of education in Nigeria.

For this to happen however, the Federal Government must make deliberate efforts to comply with UNESCO’s recommendation of devoting 26% of the country’s yearly budget allocation to education and put teaching under essential services like the Army, Police, Fire Service and Water Corporation and make it a punishable offence for them to go on strike. Afterall, whenever children are in school, their teachers automatically become in loco parentis. And standing in the position of parents for these children should ordinarily deactivate them from going on strike because no reasonable father/mother goes on strike against his/her own children the same way the shepherd, the clergy, does not abandon his sheep (church) for pecuniary reasons.

Olofintila wrote from Lagos.

Ajibefun: Repeating the good tool

By Debo Ikuesewo-Akinbami Like the Aral and Dead seas, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria, the 21st century University, properly called! and its sister institution, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, formerly Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, share related features. Especially in acclaim for distinctions, the two are in stoutly pronounced; besides proximity, both are of palpable consanguinity too. While the first occupies the senior rung of status, the polytechnic is older in age. The two ivory towers are linked on the grounds of the visitor’s noun, ownership and constituency. Common calls draw both institutions to the table. Both are properties of the Ondo State government. They have shared so much in the past.

Of the said featured shared and those shared unsaid, one was remarkable and phenomenal - the personality of a superlative pedagogue whose sterling leadership and accomplishments adorn him. He is Professor Igbekele Amos Ajibefun.

Ajibefun is a renowned professor of Agricultural Economics, a sterling alumnus of the prestigious Federal University of Agriculture (FUTA), Ondo State, and a former rector of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, whose academic accomplishments as leadership credentials have brought to gallantry and consequence.

His was the creativity that brought the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic out of the base and paged as the best stateowned in Nigeria. He is the modest hero who succeeded Professor Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko, the polymath Professor of Political science, as the vice chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria’s best state university

by US Transparency International Standards in its 2013 coordinated Nigeria Schools survey’s results published in April, 2014.

Of the shapes of accounts preceding his appointment

as AAUA’s fifth substantive vice chancellor, the part often unsaid is the fact that Ajibefun was already at FUTA, settling down to his primary business of pedagogy before the tide turned in his favour, a case suggesting a personal whose case is tailored more by predestination than hustles.

He hardly has settled to work, before that which is immanent with him, the appetite for excellence began to show; a farther proof of a proven leadership lustre. Beyond waving a magical wand, what is more is a hand given to careful and deliberate planning, a rare resolve to merit, attitude of finesse that illuminates and bears luminous signatures. Ahead of him, his distinctions had arrived and shone as sheen. His coming lends credible credence. What he did differently elsewhere, that difference has not left him.

Magical to many, the thrilling enormity of fruition and finery which the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic witnessed while the lanky Prince of Okunmo-Okitipupa held sway as rector. His was not a mere reign of triumph over the flaccid, new grounds were won, the culmination of which was the apex rating of the polytechnic. A savagery of prostrate. A reign which radiates the lustre lavished on the face by the polytechnic by the stout professor, a feat uncommon in these days of pervasive rot.

Ajibefun does not simulate excellence. It is in him, inborn. His leadership pedigree and contributions to learning bear merits as punctuations. The other day, when the visitor, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State received the feedback on the performance of applicants who had jostled for the vice chancellorship office of AAUA, how Prof. Ajibefun edged the rest was not to a surprise many who are in touch with history of distinctions.

The Adekunle Ajasin University’s gate and the Rufus Giwa’s are two gates in play. One leading him out paged with grimaces nearing poignancies. The other flung opened, with receptive, enthusiastic folks, curious,

weirdly expectant visages, army of men waiting to absorb the personality whose leadership wizardry has been heralded, withdrawn from a rung to a stouter. Professor Ajibefun’s appointment proved a huge plus to the former, and the latter winning a near vacuum to fill. In a dramatic turn that can be likened to the heroic reception of a regal that he originally is, Igbekele Amos Ajibefun, landed in the warmly waiting hands of the Adekunle Ajasin University, on the sun-drenched Tuesday afternoon, 6th January, 2015, succeeding one of Nigeria’s outstanding vice chancellors and professors, Nazheem Oluwafemi Mimiko.

In a clime with drought of worthy leadership, Ajibefun is repeatedly demonstrating that he is a worthy incarnation of one. He arrived in the saddle, hitting the ground running and living the said resolved to make the university constituents happy. Within the time spent, Prof.

Igbekele Ajibefun’s exploits and strides speak volume of an unusual headship with a fierce zest to alter the frontiers and take the celebrated university, from its present status of global reckoning, to the next level; a leadership style fast reassuring the academia of a dawning era of exceptional academic prosperity.

In spite of significant differences in their sizes, depths, salinity and other properties, the Aral Sea and the Dead Sea share many features, as illustrated by a comparison of the histories of both water bodies. Fifteenth and early sixteenth century maps, based on the ‘Geography’ of Ptolemy, contain both lakes. Like the Aral and Dead seas situation, the geographical similarity between Adekunle Ajasin University and the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic and other lofty uniformity notwithstanding, the taking of Professor Igbekele Amos Ajibefun from the polytechnic is placing the university far ahead in leadership ranking.

Ikuesewo-Akinbami is a staff of AAUA’s Information, Protocol & P.R Unit.

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

style Men’s fashionable items ladies find sexy!

Saturday Tribune

r e z a l sleeveless b The

Sleeveless blazers are totally having a moment — and we cannot get enough of the trend. It creates such a nice juxtaposition with a slew of looks! You can also layer it over a long-sleeved or 3/4-sleeved dress, but we really love how it looks with a pair of jeans or shorts.

If you’re not a fan of an exposed arm, particularly for the workplace, layer your sleeveless jacket over a crisp white shirt, long-sleeve body top or fitted jumper.

ol

Plims

Stylish time-piece

Mankle

Rolled up sleeve with skinny tie

He n

ley

There are different reasons why men dress the way they do. Men who dress stylishly do so for diverse reasons which are to impress their bosses, ladies or peers. But then, STYLE is not saying you must dress to please others. Here is to what we love most when it comes to men’s fashion. shi

rt

H

enleys- This is a collarless shirt with a buttoning fly in the front. They are not dressy, what you get when you wear a henley is a level of elevated casual that women go crazy for.

Mankle: Back in the day, it was considered “indecent exposure” for a person of either sex to bare an ankle. But now it is heart enduring to ladies. The perfect mankle look to us is one in which trousers aren’t too skinny (or too wide) and the cuffs are only rolled up a little.

Plimsols: Seriously guys, ditch

the converse for plimsols. They are manlier and ‘dude’ looking.

Stylish time piece: We are talking about the real deal here, the likes of Bvlgari Diagono Chronograph, Rolex GMT Master II, Hublot Big Bang, Ferrari King Gold, Pateck Caliber 89, etc. These time-piece sets ladies pulse racing!

Ray Ban super dark sunglasses: Again, the real deal please!

If it’s not the original, kindly tuck it back into its pouch when you move closer to people. But seriously, ladies find men that wear Ray Ban sunglasses sexy.

Button-down shirt + rolled up sleeves + skinny tie: A man that knows how to effortlessly sport a clean button-down shirt with perfectly imperfect rolledup sleeves and a nice tie is gold in our book. A button-down and a tie lends you a sort of “off duty” appearance. “I just got out of a meeting, but I look good.” Yes, you do. You definitely do.

Last, but certainly not least, we really just love men who are comfortable and confident. Who know how to have a signature style and roll with it.

25

With Kate Ani 08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

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PROMO

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Colour: 7,700 B/White: 5,950 Colour: 11,200 B/White: 8,925 Colour: 3,850 B/White: 2.975 Colour: 1,890 B/White: 1,487.5

Tinuola Ayanniyi tayanniyi@yahoo.com 08055069379

Do-it-yourself:

Wire wrapped ring

26

outofthisworld

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune With femi osinusi

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

Which of these is the ‘most wicked’ moustache and beard?

I

t sounds unbelievable but it is real. The world beard and moustache competition was held last Saturday where over 300 men with ‘very wicked’ beards and moustaches competed for the ‘prestigious’ title of the man with the most intimidating beard and moustache At the event held in Leogang, Austria, according to onenewspage. co.uk, men with heavy beards and moustaches from all over the world used the opportunity to showcase the various designs and shapes of their beards and moustaches at the event that was first held in 1990.

So, which of these men with ‘wicked moustaches and beards’ do you think won the competition?

28

10 October, 2015

businessextra

Saturday Tribune

Edited by Sulaimon Olanrewaju

lanresulaimon123@gmail.com 08055001708

How enduring is wealth from lotteries, promos?

Akin Adewakun - Lagos Akeem (not real name) who is a business centre operator engaged his friends in a heated conversation at a bar recently.

The subject matter centred on the deluge of consumer promotions in the nation’s marketing space, the thriving lottery industry and the windfalls interested Nigerians stood to gain.

“If I’m lucky enough to win that N1million this brand is promising as its star prize, I don’t think I would have any cause to be poor again,” he said, while commenting on a recent consumer promotion where lucky winners would have the opportunity of going home with a cash prize of N1million.

When prodded further on what he would do if fate suddenly threw such a whopping amount of money on his laps, he had simply replied, “I would leave my present job and go for a deserved rest.”

Akeem’s line of thinking aptly captures those of many Nigerians today who are increasingly looking for wealth and fortunes, albeit through short cut.

Not a few believe that the country is presently under ‘promo siege’, with lottery businesses suddenly becoming one of the most thriving ventures in the country.

Today, brands are employing every weapon in their arsenal to woo consumers and worm themselves into their hearts, while consumers in the various market segments are also availing themselves of the opportunities provided by such promos to enhance their pockets.

While not many would disagree with the motive of setting up consumer promotions initiatives, since they are designed to enhance the lives of the consumers in different market segments by rewarding their loyalty to such brands, not a few have

disagreed with the way it is being practised in Nigeria.

“It is fast becoming an obsession, and this is rather alarming because sometimes you even see some Nigerians going through the dailies and posters for promos they could leverage on to either make money or enhance their fortune. Unfortunately, the way they are going about this, it is as if their lives depend on it,” said Olusuyi Segun, an accountant with an Ikeja-based retail store.

While Segun does not have anything against consumer promotion or lottery in general, he however expressed reservations about the increasing number of Nigerians waiting for the benevolent promo spirit that would crack their ‘palm kernels’ for them.

Segun is also irked that some Nigerians today are even ready to abandon their decent means of livelihood for promo and lottery pursuit, a development he believes would not in any way enhance such individual’s fortune or that of the nation’s economy.

Adetoyinbo Adekoya, a banker would rather describe this as a quest for wealth through the backdoor. Adekoya, who is also an economist believes that such wealth is not usually enduring because in most cases,

You plan and work for wealth. Experience has shown that acquiring a fortune that does not follow a process never lasts

the individual who suddenly experiences a change in fortune never prepared for it.

“You plan and work for wealth.

Experience has shown that acquiring a fortune that does not follow a process, never lasts.

That is why I will differ from the proponents of this promo to wealth theory,” he stated.

However, Alhaja Mosun, a petty trader would however not agree with the above argument. For instance, her modest threebedroom apartment, somewhere in Sango, Ogun State, she claimed, was built from proceeds from lottery and gambles.

“I believe only an unserious person will come by such things and squander it. It does not have anything to do with how you come across the fortune, but how such fortunes are managed,” she added.

But former Director-General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Peter Igho, believes if well-managed, lottery can go a long way in enhancing the lives of the people.

While insisting that the industry has the potential to contribute significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Igho said that some of the rules guiding the performance of lottery in the country were actually tailored towards enhancing the lives of the common man.

“We have a set of rules guiding the performance of lottery and one of them is that a minimum of 50 per cent of any lottery proceeds must be kept aside as price, while 20 per cent must come to the trust fund. So, if you look at it closely, you will discover that 70 per cent of the proceeds from lottery go back to the people,” he explained.

He however believes what people should concern themselves with is the integrity

of such lottery ventures, since the lottery industry can only rub off positively on the nation’s economy in a situation where there is integrity and transparency.

“In the UK, 75 per cent of the people play lottery every year just because they know that there is integrity and transparency.

They also do this because they know that part of the money is going towards charity and will provide scholarship and support for sportsmen and women. So, what we should be insisting on is that lottery should be used to support good causes, the way it is being done in other climes,” he stated.

Perhaps toeing Igho’s line, a brand manager with a popular soft drinks company, who would not want his name in print, sees nothing ‘strange’ in the increasing popularity of lottery and promos in Nigeria.

According to him, the nation’s business terrain is getting tougher for companies to operate in, so, a large number of brands are resorting to short-term marketing strategies such as consumer promotion to push their brands.

“I believe that is why you see this huge number of reward initiatives in the market space. But I don’t believe it has not impacted on the winners’ lives. It significantly has, because that is the primary reason for organising such promo in the first place,” he stated.

While he agrees that it is possible a good number of winners have not leveraged on these wins, he however argued that a significant number of Nigerians have had their lives turned around through lottery wins.

29

10 October, 2015

ntertainment News

Society Gist

—P32

Nse-Ikpe Etim shoots first refugee role in South Africa

What successful musicians

need to know about fame —MI Abaga —P30

Saturday Tribune J

with oan

Omionawele

jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08054682201

Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

newtray2002@yahoo.com 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

—P33

Yemi Alade diversifies

30 entertainment

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

he looks up to. You know, when you are in the room that has plenty mosquitoes you are a great mosquito killer. But if you have one mosquito in a big room, you can’t become a great mosquito killer. That is what inspiration is like when you are successful. You now have to take your time, have a plan for every song you write.

Are you saying that it is not easy to be inspired when you are successful?

Absolutely.

What successful musicians need to know about fame —MI Abaga Lyric lord, Jude Abaga, better known as M.I, is a Nigerian hip hop recording artist. Born into a missionary home in Jos, Plateau State, MI journeyed to Lagos nine years ago to begin a lofty career in the Nigerian music industry. He has made an indelible mark in the Afro Hip hop music, becoming one of the greatest rap legends of all times in the industry. In this interview with NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA, Mr Incredible holds a magnifying glass to the hip hop music in Nigeria and its practitioners.

S

OME people say that South Africa has a bigger rap culture than Nigeria. Do you agree?

That’s not very true. South Africa has fewtop-notched rappers,namely, Proverbs, HHP, ProKid, Khuli Chana and Cassper Nyovest. None of these rappers is in the class of Modenine, who in my opinion is the greatest rapper of all-times in Nigeria hip hop music.

We also have other great rappers in Nigeria. The truth is the number says that Nigeria should be dominant; and we are dominant not only in number but also in the quality of rappers we have been able to produce for Africa. I would rather say that South Africans are making amazing music, but the country cannot be compared to Nigeria.

Let’s talk about the hip hop culture of the two countries.

Nigerian hip hop is well defined. You can’t convince a Nigerian to do what he doesn’t want to do.When hip hop came to Nigeria it totally submitted to the Nigerian culture.

There are many countries that still rap like Americans, but we have our own rap culture, Afro hip hop. We introduced our own traditional culture, language, essence and style into rap music. And that has worked tremendously for us since the beginning. We domesticate whatever comes to us from abroad. Check our literature, music, language, fashion and even technology. And I think it is a good thing. I think that is what makes our voice so strong. I think that is the power we have in Nigeria. Nevertheless, I like South African hip hop music, but in comparison I think Nigeria is the leader here.

You made rapping seem so easy and relaxed. How did that come to you?

I come from the school of thought that the real power of rap is the words, the words you say. We are a very relaxed people. Back in the days, I could tell that Nigerian parents didn’t like the sound of rap music. It sounded a bit angry and loud. I decided to speak a little more relaxed and slow. But now, we have more versatile rappers because rap music has been well accepted.

What in your opinion inspired the Nigerian hip hop culture?

I was born into an organisation called the Great Commission Movement in Jos. My friends were all white kids. I went to a predominantly white kids’ school in Jos. I was a little bit disadvantaged in understanding Nigerian culture the way everybody understood it. Because of that I became a student

of the Nigerian tradition and culture. It made me discover certain interesting things about our culture. The Nigerian culture for instance has elements of hip hop culture in it. When you read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe you will discover the elegant use of language and the exchange of metaphors.

That for me are the ingredients of rap music today. That was what I tried to bring into rap.

How are you adapting to the change in rap music today?

I come from a more structured kind of rap. Without knowing what I am saying you can follow the flow. But right now, we have guys who rap in multiple flows. They break up the flow, switching flows in several sequences. That is really very brilliant. And a person like MI has to learn to be relevant in that style. It is simply the way that other people had to learn MI’s style when he was dominant. Assuredly, styles change.

For me, I don’t lose my core values about rap. But I also try to adapt to changes in the industry.

Sarkodie featured you in his song. We saw you trying to keep up with his energy. Tell us about it.

I had to practise (smiles). Once you are rapping with Sarkodie you have to really stay on your toes. He and I always talk about it. His language –Twi – is very rhythmic and you have to keep up with it.

What in your opinion is the source of inspiration?

Real life experiences. When I was writing One Naira, there was a girl I had dated. She is dead now.I remembered that we used to take Okada to meet each other. I couldn’t go to her house and she couldn’t come to mine. So we will meet at Mr Biggs. With three hundred naira you will buy mice pie and drink. This is a common experience, but when I wrote the song it had become rare to me. Being with her, a young musician, asking her to wait for me, remained in my heart. As an artiste, I wrote/sang about it. That is real life experience.

But now, if I meet a girl we will drive to my house. I am the only one in my house. We don’t have to hide. You understand, things change and you have to be very careful to allow inspiration to still flow towards you even when you are successful.

How then can a successful artiste stay relevant in his career?

You see, new is meant to be new. Once MI cannot always be MI. That new hot artiste –MI— is supposed to be somebody else. It can never be MI. And MI needs to know that and be okay with that. So he can understand his purpose. And for me the new purpose is making great music and getting others to take the stand. There needed to be someone else to take MI’s place. There needed to be an Iceprince, a Jesse (Jagz) and a Victoria (Kimani). That feeling you had for MI will have to pass down to these people. Somebody else would have to use it and go and another person pick it up and so on. Now, when you understand that it takes off the pressure to continue to be the same artiste you were when you started. Once you are twelve, you can never be twelve again. Once you are the best new artiste you cannot continue to be the best new artiste again. Someone else has to take the stand. I cannot compete with a Patoranking for instance because he is new. He is the thing people are discovering and are excited about. To be a new artiste is easy and it is boring. It is going to happen no matter what. But when you are successful that is where the real work starts. To create something no one has done before. Therefore going forward you have to discover your new purpose. For an artiste, I want to make the best music I can make. I want to be able to run the label I am signed on to the best of my ability. I am not the only CEO, but I am the only CEO signed to the label. I want Jesse (Jagz), Iceprince to be bigger than MI, even though I believe I am the best rapper.

What would you tell successful artistes who are struggle to stay at the top?

Successful musician should understand that fame is something that is given, it is not earned, it is not bought. It is given to you by the fans. When someone gives you something you don’t plan the rest of your life with it. Once you understand that fame is given, it become easy not to know that it can be taken away from you at any moment. Which is why I said artistes should make great music. Once you have a great music, you should not care what people say about it. They can choose not to like it. Your fans sometimes do not understand your level has changed. That is why they would be like, “I used to love your music, until you stopped making good music. Now, I don’t like you”. You are here for them. You might have been the best all along, but someone who is better than you can come and take that status from you. Once you understand that then you can be the best version of yourself.

Most listeners want to hear the personal story of a song. You are one of the rappers through whose rap we have learnt so much about your past, present and future. We have heard less of the story-telling songs from you lately. Do you care to tell us why?

Most Nigerian rappers do that as well. Listen to Vector’s Popular. There is so much story about his life and his label in that song. Nigerian rappers do it better than anyone else.

About my story songs, you know, as I have moved higher in life, though the emotions are the same, I am no more in touch with the real life experiences that inspired my songs back in then. My quotidian life has also changed. I watch TV, big screen TV in my house every day and play Play-station at night. Someone washes my car. I just enter and drive. If anything happens to the car, I call the mechanic. He repairs it. Today, I wake up in the morning and I am told, “These are the people you When I was writing One need to pay”. I pay them. That’s all. My Naira, there was a girl I life has become less of a conduit for real experiences. And I have to be aware of that had dated. She is dead because I don’t smoke and I don’t drink in now.I remembered that the studio. If I smoked and drank, perhaps something I may have forgotten years ago we used to take Okada might flash in. but I don’t do that. So, what to meet each other. I happens is that I pay attention wherever I go. I now love to meet people. I try as much couldn’t go to her house as I can to stop and talk to people. Yester- and she couldn’t come day, I was leaving somewhere. I met a guy, Victor. He came to take pictures with me. to mine.

Then he told me how he had three songs at twenty-three. I spent thirty minutes talking to him. All the cars were waiting for me. Do you know what that did for me? It inspired me. He reminded me of what it means to be in Lagos, at his age and to meet someone

What are the things that come to your mind when deciding to sign an artiste?

If you leave MI alone, I may always sign the wrong artiste. But because I am part of a team, it is less likely for me to pick the wrong people. A lot of times I like to give credit to them.

You came to Lagos and joined the label and now you are the CEO. When are you planning to settle down?

Anybody that tries to ask me this question has never gotten a straight answer because it should really be private. Let’s say I have a girlfriend. And I say I am getting married now. The ripple effect is crazy because for me to make that statement I would have to inform all potential side Continues pg32

32 entertainment

Yemi Alade diversifies Stories by Joan Omionawele and Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

10 October, 2015

Somebody Great: Korede Bello hits milestone with Asa

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ON November 5, award winning afro-pop star YemiAlade and online jewellery retailer, Bland2Glam, will be launching the first ever ‘YemiAlade Collection’ at the Civic Centre in Lagos.

The collection is an exclusive range of exotic costume jewellery inspired by the career and personality of YemiAlade. This was announced at a press briefing which took place at the Plosh Lounge in Gbagada Lagos on the 5th of October, 2015.

“This is a very personal project for me,” explained YemiAlade. “It has been a long year of planning with Bland2Glam and I am very excited that finally we are ready to unveil all the love,

innovation and hardwork that went into every single one of these pieces, I am a multitasker who sees opportunities everywhere and I want the whole of Africa to get a piece of my African style thorough these pieces of jewellery” she added.

Also to be launched on the same platform is the ‘Get Mented’ initiative: An innovative mentorship network for girls and women across Nigeria which aims to provide a platform via which girls andwomen across Nigeria are given theopportunity to give and receive mentorship in vocational/career development, self-improvement, financial intelligence and intellectual development.

NOTHER giant feather has been added to the cap of the Mavin young star, Korede Bello, as the Godwin singer recently recorded a new song titled “Somebody Great” with pop sensation, Asa. Korede clinched the deal ahead of A-list artistes such as Wizkid and Afaglo, who have fantasised a collaboration with the France based Nigerian songstress.

The single, which is currently gaining massive air play and trending on Twitter, was produced by Don Jazzy.

With Asa and Don Jazzy on the beat, Bello told NET that he was paving the way to becoming somebody great in the future.

The African prince also said “I vividly remember listening to Don Jazzy’s beas with some of my friends and be like “Jazzy’s surely one of the greatest producers that Africa has produced. I also remember buying

Asa’s album when it came out – probably the first music CD I ever bought with my money.

“Now, having both Asa

and Don Jazzy on the same song makes me feel like I’m on the right path to becoming #SomebodyGreat someday by God’s grace.”

AFRIFF 2015: Organisers unveil Ice-Prince thrills students in Jos festival programme

By Rotimi Ige IT was home coming for hip hop master, Ice Prince (real name Panshak Zamani) as he delighted the students and staff of Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos with a thrilling performance when the Etisalat Cliqfest train berthed at the campus during the week.

The polytechnic community also got frenzy with live performances by the Nigerian Idol Season 4 winner, Evelle (Evelyn Zibili), second runner-up of the Nigerian Idol Season 5, Nex2 (Ese-Amadasun Imuetiyan), and the GRIP Boiz.

For several hours, the celebrity music acts kept the large community of students and staff of the polytechnic on their feet dancing and singing along popular lyrics as several of them thronged the school’s open field to catch fun and

connect with their friends.

The ‘Oleku’master was everywhere on the stage, and also momentarily surged towards the huge army of fans as he dished them ‘Superstar’, ‘Aboki, ‘Gimme Dat among other songs. Wild jubilation rented his popular songs as he took out time to encourage the students to believe in themselves and their dreams. ‘‘I came out of J town and went places”, he boomed.

“I want to use my story to tell you that if I can make it out of J town and sit with Jay Z, then you can make it. I don’t care about your background or what you have suffered, you too can make it’’. Interlacing his words with Hausa, he urged them to embrace peace in the spirit of the Independence Day celebration saying “Jos is known for swag and carrying bombs or knives is not swag.”

THE organisers of the annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) have unveiled an impressive line-up of festival programme which holds in Lagos, Nigeria from November 8 to 15.

The programme, as announced by the festival’s Artistic Director, Keith Shiri reveals a series of industry sessions, master classes and movie screenings totalling 180 films, out of which 155 are in competition.

This year, AFRIFF returns for its fifth year of cinematic celebration. During the weeklong event, Lagos Island will be illuminated by the wonder and diversity of global cinema, with screenings at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Genesis Duluxe Cinema, Lekki, and City Mall Cinema, Onikan.

Shiri who spoke to journalists from London said AFRIFF 2015 would once again celebrate the best of African and Diaspora films the festival is known for.

According to Shiri, “The selection in this edition is not only celebrating African cinema but demonstrating once more that the cinematic storytelling industry in Africa has become more compelling

and visible.”

He said the official competition for Best Film which recognises distinctive and inspiring filmmaking, will feature a diverse range of films, among them; Red Leaves, a riveting feature debut by Israel-based Ethiopian filmmaker Bazzi Gete.

“The feature film line -up also includes: Jonas Carpignano’s Mediterranea, Akin Omotoso’s Tell

Me Something Sweet, Genevieve Nnaji’s Road To Yesterday,Yared Zeleke’sLamb,as well as Desmond Elliot’s Reflections.

The incisive Sembene, by Samba Gadjigo is a film about the late Ousmane Sembene, a pioneer and colossus figure of African cinema that features in the documentary competition together with Ireti Bakare’s Buhari and the Burden of Expectations and Toni Ayamode’s Unbroken.

While Mpumelelo Mcata offers his first experiment in Black President, an engaging conversation between the debutant director and his friend the artist, about the impact on the young creatives working in today’s African metropolis.

“We are hoping for a busy and exciting time of doing business, networking and celebration of Africa’s new aesthetic experience, a cinema that is in synch with the realities of today. It is always a daunting task to go through all the submitted titles to fit in a programme that runs for a week but I would like to congratulate and thank all the filmmakers for sharing their work with us,” said Shiri.

Saturday Tribune

Abuja film festival announces 2015 nominees THE 12th edition of the Abuja International Film Festival has announced the list of nominees for the Festival, which comes up from October 27th to 30th, 2015, in the federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The nominees were selected after a painstaking two weeks of screening of over 700 films from 39 countries, the screeners made up of industry stakeholders, including filmmakers and film critics expressed appreciation with the improved quality of films, especially from Nigeria.

Films were received in all genres – features, shorts, documentary, animation and experimental films. According to Gbenga Andipe, spokesman for the college of screeners, Winners will be announced at the festival”s glamorous award ceremony scheduled for the Silverbird Cinema Abuja on the 30th of October.

Among the nominated films for the festival include, The Ukrainian – Ukrain, Common Man Nigeria, Dreadlocks – USA Festival of Marriage – India, Happiness Promised Land – France Also, Directors like Lancelot Imasuen, Chic Ejiro, Desmond Elliot and Alexander Hull were nominated, while for the outstanding male actor category, Ik Ogbonna, Seun Akindele and Muyiwa Ademola were nominated. Mercy Aigbe, Hilda Dokubo, Ini Edo and Chidebere Aneke, were nominated in the outstanding female actress category.

Pizzaville names Ice cream recipe after Miss UNILAG ONYINYE is the name of the latest ice cream recipe at Pizzaville, the biggest pizza shop around Akoko, University of Lagos.

The 200 level Marine Science undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Onyinye Emesoba, who last month, won the 2015 Miss Unilag, was last week presented with cash and product prizes by the organisers, Sulcata Entertainment, in the watchful presence of representatives of the Dean of Students’ Affairs of the school and students.

The queen got among other mouth-watering prizes a customised ice cream recipe named “Onyinye” from Pizzaville Ltd for emerging winner of the 2015 edition of the Miss Unilag competition. The new ice cream recipe, according to the CEO of Pizzaville, Mr. Kunle Ogunjobi, was invented from a mixture flavours specifically for the Unilag queen and will continue to be the choice recipe and insignia of other queens after her.

33 entertainment NTA partners ZAFAA 2015 awards in Nigeria THE management of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has announced its partnership with the organisers of the Zulu African film Academy Awards (ZAFAA), this year.

The awards which will be a three-day festival/seminar, will take place in lagos from the 29th of October to the 31st of October at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos State.

According to the Zonal director of the NTA Mr Wale Coker, “The NTA and Zulu African Film Academy Awards have enjoyed good public relations and has promoted Nigeria and African Culture. Thus, Nollywood has done well to bring Zafaa to Nigeria and NTA will partner with Zafaa because Nollywood has put Nigeria film industry on a global map.”

He further added “ZAFAA Awards is doing something to boost African movies and that is what NTA has been doing. NTA has over the years, shown rich Nigerian movies to the delight of Nigerians and it is our duty to be part of anything that will make Africa succeed” Speaking at a press conference with journalists and newsmen, Head of Logistics, ZAFAA Awards, Mr Kenneth Chamberlain explained that Zafaa awards

is a three day event which is set out to appreciate filmmakers by gathering members of film schools, Bank of Industry and business men and ask how move the industry forward. The seminar will take place alongside a training from the British Institute at the altima studio in lekki, while the business seminar takes place at the NTA Office, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In continuum of showcasing the Nigerian film culture to the world, head of Operations of ZAFAA Awards, Mr Chinedu Onyekuru, held that Zafaa, which is part of the cultural calendar in the UK, has a main objective of showcasing the African culture to the world, “which is why the city of London comes alive as Africans are celebrated through directors, filmmakers and celebrate their excellence and rescilience, but we are bringing ZAFAA to Nigeria because Nollywood has done so much as the Nigerian film industry contributes six percent of Nigeria’s GDP, and we are trying to raise people’s awareness to the non oil sector, which is the entertainment sector, thus we are taking the movies in Africa to the outside world”.

Africa Magic holds Inaugural Tinsel Charity Ball

THE Grand Ball Room of the Oriental Hotel in Lagos was the setting for an evening of glamour, celebration and charitable giving as Africa Magic hosted the inaugural Tinsel Charity Ball.

The charity ball was the culmination of a recent charity drive by the cast of Tinsel, Sub-Saharan Africa’s longest running and most successful soap opera, and followed visits by the cast to the Hearts of Gold Hospice and the Shelter for Abused Women and Children (SAWAC), both charity orgnaisations in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Director, M-Net (West Africa), said: “Africa Magic has consistently been at the forefront of developing the

Nigerian entertainment industry, and we have recorded a number of successes, including Tinsel which is the most watched drama series in Nigeria. We however recognise that Tinsel and indeed Africa Magic would not be the successes that they are today without the tremendous support we have received over the years and continue to receive till this day. It is in light of this that the cast of Tinselrecently visited the Hearts of Gold Hospice in Surulere and the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Lekki. This charity ball is the inaugural edition and is in furtherance of these visits, and we believe it is the first of many,” he said.

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Nse-Ikpe Etim shoots first refugee role in South Africa

By Joan Omionawele

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ULTIPLE award-winning Nollywood actress Nse IkpeEtim is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, shooting the film SHUSSH, based on the novel WHIPLASH by Tracey Farren.

Ikpe-Etim plays Madeleine, a refugee who comes to South Africa after suffering horrific war-time in the Congo.

She forms a close bond with Tess, a young sex worker whose life is in turmoil – based by South Africa actress Christia Visser.

“SHUSSH is such a piercing story and it haunted me for days,” said Ikpe-Etim. “A chance to bring Madeleine to life is truly humbling because there is always that one thing which you know has killed your will to die, for death would be far too easy.”

The film is directed by Meg Rickards, who co-directed the award-winning documentary 1994: THE BLOODY MIRACLE. “We are delighted that Nse Ikpe-Etim is going to make her South African debut on SHUSSH,” said Rickards.

“She is an extraordinary artiste, with subtlety and emotional range. I feel privileged to be working with her to tell a story about breaking the silence around the abuse of women and children – en-

demic in so many parts of our continent.”

Nse Ikpe-Etim is one of Nollywood’s most soughtafter actresses, winning the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award for Best Actress in a

Drama in 2014. She splits her time between Nigeria and the UK, where she lives with her husband and regularly appears on the stage.

SHUSSH is her first South African project.

‘What successful musicians need to know about fame’ Continued from pg30

chicks that I am about to get married.

The reason I said side chick, without meaning to be rude, is that you would be surprised someone from nowhere might decide to post a silly comment on social media about how you have been with them a week ago. Also,I may have to call the girl’s father and mother to tell them that I will be making a press statement about marrying their daughter.

The implications are far reaching. Because of all of these things I believe that if you want to have a real family life you definitely have to protect it—no matter how much the media want to know you have to protect it. That being said, when I am ready to get married, the first time I would do is to talk to the media about how to present it. This is because people deserve to know. I believe it can be done tastefully.

You said the girl that inspired One Naira is dead.

How did you take the news?

I felt terrible. She had leukaemia. We were great friends, but we had broken up before she passed on. But I felt terrible when I heard it.

How long were you in the relationship?

A year and a half.

What led to the break up? Was it because of the disease?

No, we broke up way before that time. You know things happen. Distractions, I guess. I was a bit distracted. She had her own thing going on. Things happen.

Were you with her on her dying day?

I wasn’t. This is becoming a totally different interview. You are bringing up old memories.

We would like to have your list of the top most important Nigerian rappers of all times?

Number one and two are Eedris (Abdulkareem) and eLDee. Eedris, because he was so important. He was a superstar. He was definitely 2Pac. He took on establishments. He spoke without fear. Even up today, he is just

an honest soul. Whether for polarising reason or not, he is the most important rapper of all times in Nigerian music. He is followed immediately by eLDee, the don. eLDee has not been appreciated as much as he deserves.

Technically, you can look no further in terms of an artiste, who has created great music that are still relevant twenty years after. He is probably one of the best Hip Hop artistes Nigeria is proud of. Immediately after him, Ruggedman is next. Ruggedman, because he represents an ideal rapper.

He faced a lot of adversities. He smoothened path for rap music. After Ruggedman conquered the adversity in Nigerian Hip Hop, he became the adversity of hip hop such that people changed their music because of Ruggedman. If you wanted to stand out in the rap industry you definitely had to adhere to Ruggedman. When you conquer him, it was easy to excel in music. He was also important for building many careers. The first big stage performance of DBanj was through him. Kaffy, 9ice came through him. A lot of people have their successes attached to him. Another rapper is Modenine. He is the greatest rapper in Nigeria.

But as to the most important rapper he is number four.

After that Freestyle is the fifth most important rapper of all times. This is because of the maturity of his lyrics. This is where it gets tough.

Would you put yourself in the list?

I am not going to put myself in the list. I would put Ice Prince. He raised his game to meet up with pop guys.

Just as you would say of MI, Ice Prince brought the game to the level of repute. Rappers have learnt from Ice Prince. The next is Olamide. I would put Olamide over Dagrin for a reason because it is very tragic when someone you love is taken away from you. But in this business you appreciate those that are alive and in the industry more. Because it is hard to still be successful and relevant. It is so easy to fall off. Next is Phyno.

Phyno brought new energy and life to the rap, but Mr Raw introduced the vibe. He had a song that was the biggest song in Nigeria Obodo. You must remember Lord of Ajasa, Terry the Rap guy, Naeto, Ikechukwu.

There are so many elite rappers in Nigeria.

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

Ifeanyi IfeanyiUbah’s Ubah’snew newventure venture OIL baron, Ifeanyi Ubah, is a man of many parts. The chairman of Capital Oil has just expanded his investments into publishing.

The businessman is said to be the brains behind a new publication, The Authority.

Those in the know said that the oil tycoon’s mission in the media has to do with his love for the profession.

The Authority is said to be a resource-tasking investment that cost the moneybag a fortune judging from the facilities and equipment in the new company.

Good tidings from Sade Alesh LAGOS business woman, Sade Alesh, is a purveyor of good news. The popular woman just got an addition to her family as her daughter-in-law, Joke just put to bed her first grandchild in a hospital in the United States of America.

Sade’s son, Azeez Ogedengbe and Joke married last year in Lagos and the union just witnessed its first fruit which put the grandmother into a fit of celebration.

The new mother, Adejoke, whose mother is also a popular textile merchant in Lagos is expected home where her mother and mother-in-law are planning a party for the child’s christening.

Iara Oshiomole's bright side

e k O f o u k o r Bejer o f p u s r a e Agbo g h s a b y a d h t 90th bir

T Kazeem Nalado back on track

THE Ibadan social scene was once again enlivened a few days ago with the comeback of the Chief Executive Officer of Dependable Homes, Kazeem Nalado, who, with his wife, Bisi, stormed Nigeria to give his mother-in-law, Alhaja Raliat Kilani, a befitting burial ceremony.

Kazeem, a big estate developer in Canada comes from an influential family in Ibadan, Oyo State, where his mother is a politician.

The final fidau of Kazeem's late motherin-law was held at the reputable Mauve 21 Event Centre in Ibadan.

The party had all the trappings of a big event where everything was in surplus.

HE month of October is definitely one to remember for the people of Oke Agbo, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, as the nonagenarian traditional ruler of the community, Alayeluwa, Oba Haruna Olaoye Abass, Beje-roku of Oke Agbo, will be celebrating his 90th birthday.

Activities are currently in top gear as the socialite monarch who has brought dignity and pride to the stool prepares for the big day. Oba Abass is known as a traditional ruler with strength of character and dignity. Already other traditional rulers, captains of industry, otunbas, baales and politicians are also not left out of the preparations for the big upcoming event which is billed to shake Ijebu-Igbo, the memory of which will last for a long time to come.

Yinka Ladoja at 60 MUTIAT Olayinka, wife of the former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, celebrated her 60th birthday a few days ago.

Many of her friends and associates, who had expected her to throw a party to celebrate were disappointed when they learnt she opted for a visit to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

The woman of substance, who during her days as the First Lady of Oyo State, launched the Idera De Foundation, said she has God to thank for keeping her till this special age.

There are indications that some of her friends are planning a surprise party upon her return from the holy land.

MANY who had thought the First Lady of Edo State, Iara Oshiomole, is all about beauty and fashion are in for a surprise with what the young woman has been doing lately as the governor's wife.

The woman recently visited one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Yobe State where she donated hugely to support victims of terrorism.

Those that had come in contact with her said the Edo First Lady is always willing to help people and she has been doing that dutifully; a development that has endeared her to many.

It is common knowledge with the people of the state that she has a big heart and influenced many of her husband's decisions, which makes her the rallying point whenever the governor takes some tough stands.

The fashionista, is planning an NGO which will focus on meeting people's needs and cater for the old and young ones in Edo State.

35

feature

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘We are homeless in our fatherland’ I have been living in this community for many years with my late husband.

I have four children to cater for and now the government that is supposed to alleviate my plight has rendered us homeless. I have been crying because I have nowhere to go with my children. Government should pity us and give us another place to live.

Chukwuma Okparaocha -Lagos

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ESIDENTS of Ijora Badia East community at the Ebute-Metta area of Lagos are yet to recover from the loss of their homes. They have continued to lament the demolition of their shelters by government agencies.

The hapless residents of the community were recently woken by the noise of bulldozers and other heavy-duty equipment at about 4.00 a.m. They were soon ordered to vacate their houses because the government, it is believed, had concluded that there was no going back on the demolition exercise.

When Saturday Tribune visited the community, groups of residents who looked forlorn and lost were seen. Some crowded under shades of stalls while others swarmed under any makeshift structures to protect them from rain and sun.

Men and women had their bath almost in the open, while children ran about among clothes, utensils and other household items littering the entire Badia landscape.

Narrating their ordeal to Saturday Tribune, the residents stated that a team of policemen and other security agents had cordoned off the community and threatened to deal with anyone who resisted the demolition exercise.

Following the threat, residents said they hurriedly moved their belongings out of their wooden houses (largely considered a slum, the Ijora Badia community is full of houses made basically from wooden materials and corrugated iron sheets.

Temitope Akiniyi, a mother of four, who had lived in the community for over two decades, said she lost all her possessions to the demolition and is now homeless and sleeping in the open with her children.

She said anytime it rained, she and her household had nothing to protect them.

“I have been sleeping outside with my four children. The rains have made life even more difficult. In this country, they treat

us the poor people, like nothing. We have suffered too much,” she said.

Yet, another resident, Bisi Hakeem, said she had been weeping since the demolition started. “I have been living in this community for many years with my late husband.

I have four children to cater for and now the government that is supposed to alleviate my plight has rendered us homeless. I have been crying because I have nowhere to go with my children. Government should pity us and give us another place to live.”

Another resident who identified himself as Jide Onimole said, “We were sleeping at about 3.55 a.m. when we heard noise.

We came out and saw policemen and other security personnel everywhere. They came in vehicles and they told the residents to behave and move out. We were shocked and confused because there was no notice informing us to leave our houses. We hurriedly moved our families out and about 10.00 a.m., the bulldozers started demolishing our houses. They informed

us that the government said we are illegal occupants and our community harbours criminals. We are in the cold as we have nowhere to relocate to.”

In a chat with journalists, the secretary of the Mainland Slum Dwellers Association, and President of the Rural Urban Development Initiative, Mr Agbodimu Musbau, condemned the demolition exercise.

“The residents woke to the noise of bulldozers and other heavy-duty equipment.

They were not informed about the demolition and were not given notices on time to relocate. This is inhuman treatment to the poor. We appeal to the Federal Government to intervene and come to the rescue of the hundreds of stranded residents who have nowhere to go. They have been sleeping in the open with their children and the aged.

This is not the change we voted for. Lagos State government should be called to order.

More than 200 houses have been demolished so far and the residents are sleeping in the open.”

Battle taken to government house The embattled residents, including a number of aged people as well as nursing mothers, a few days ago, stormed the office of the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, in Alausa, to ask him to stop the Ojora family of Lagos from demolishing and forcefully evicting over 15, 000 people from their homes.

The Ojora family have for long been implicated in the demolition exercise, including the one carried out in 2013 that drew the ire of a lot of stakeholders, including the international community.

One of the leaders of the community, Godwin Ilawole, said that vigilance group, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), was part of the team that carried out the demolition.

He said the demolition took them by surprise because the state government had assured them that they would not be evicted until the section demolished in 2013 had been completely developed and they are settled into their new abode.

“The reason we are here to protest is because the former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, promised that the community would not be demolished. Some of us took loans from banks to invest in the community. Now that our houses have been demolished, we don’t know how to pay back the loans. That is why we are appealing to the government to come to our aid and stop the demolition,” a resident of the community said.

But in his reaction, the Oba of Ijoraland and head of the Ojora family, Abdulfatai Aromire, denied that the family illegally evicted the inhabitants of the community.

He said the family was merely executing a court judgement which shows that the land being used by the community belongs to the Ojora family.

“We have gone to court with these people since 2002 and we have the judgement. The judgement was delivered in March 2014 by Justice Alogba. So, we are executing our judgement,” he said.

He also denied that the community was only notified just hours before the demolition began.

“Ask them. Last year, we placed a notice that they should come and regularise their papers, but they didn’t turn up. After a year, we decided to take over our land,” he said.

36

10 October, 2015

weekend cartoons

Saturday Tribune

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

Just a Laffing Mata

Co p y ca t

FUNOLOGY

POLITICO

Segeluulu and Shakitibobo were caught fighting outside the examination hall by a teacher.

Teacher: What is the problem?

Segeluulu: Shakitibobo is a copy cat. He copied me during the examination.

Shakitibobo: It’s a lie, I didn’t copy. In fact, I didn’t even write anything. I submitted a blank sheet.

Segeluulu: Now you see, I submitted a blank sheet too. Now the teacher would think we copied from each other.

In the fore st

A Yoruba man, an Igbo man and a Hausa man were lost in a forest and then captured by cannibals.

The king of the cannibals told the prisoners that they could live if they passed a trial. The first step was to go deep into the forest and get ten pieces of the same kind of fruits.

The three men went their separate ways to gather fruits. The Yoruba man came back and said to the king, “I brought 10 apples.”

Then the king explained the trial to him, “You have to swallow the fruits without any expression on your face or you will be killed. The first apple went in, but on the second one, he winced in pain. So he was killed.

The Igbo man arrived and showed the king ten berries. When the king explained the trial to him, he thought to himself that this should be easy….

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and on the ninth berry, he burst out in laughter and was killed.

The Yoruba man and Igbo man met in heaven and the Yoruba man asked, “Why did you laugh? You almost got away with the trial.” The Igbo man replied, “I couldn’t help it, when I saw the Hausa man coming with watermelons!”

Nollywood actress encourages Nigerian women to join politics

37 commentary

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘I made the first GSM phone call in Nigeria... then corruption chased me out’ Chairman of telecoms giant, Econet Wireless, Mr. Strive Masiyiwa, in this post on his blog — http://www. econetwireless.com/ strive_masiyiwa_blog, tells the story of his first hand nasty experience in the hands of corruption in Nigeria while challenging all to “be the generation that

I

had the privilege of making Nigeria’s first GSM phone call back in 2001 when I called the regulator to say, “We’re live!”

Who would’ve believed then that Nigeria today would have more than 167 million mobile phones?!

It all started out as a very exciting new chapter for enterprise in Africa. Shortly after President Olusegun Obasanjo was elected, the new government announced an incredibly transparent international auction process for three national mobile phone licenses.

To participate in the bid, you not only had to raise money, but there had to be a member of the bidding consortium who was an experienced GSM operator.

Econet Wireless met the requirements because of its experience in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our Nigerian partners, which included state governments, local banks and high net worth individuals, were financial investors.

The largest shareholder had only 10%. That was the written agreement.

I managed to assemble a consortium of 22 investors to put up the money needed to bid. Our shareholders were all Nigerian, mostly institutional investors including leading banks and two state governments, Lagos State and Delta State. The license cost us $285m and was the most expensive license ever issued in Africa at the time. This was 2001.

We considered the investment not only about putting together a network, but also about building a nation. We knew it had the potential to transform Nigeria’s entire business and social architecture.

Most of our investors had between 1-10% shareholding.

Econet Wireless Nigeria had only 5% of the shares, but that was fine because it was 5% ownership of a very big pie.

As the “technical partner and operator,” Econet was the company with the expertise to build and operate such a business. Our financial investors recognised this, and also allowed us to receive 3% of the turnover as our fees. This was standard practice in the industry.

We were one of the winning bidders and they gave us just six months to set up business and get our network operating. We were under a lot of pressure but our network was live two days before the others! Customers were pouring in. We were number one in the market with an estimated 57% market share.

Then came the fateful day when I was told that our company must pay a total of $9m in bribes to senior politicians (in state government) who had facilitated the raising of the money to pay for the license.

I refused to authorise the illegal payments. Meeting after meeting was held to try to get me to agree, but I would not.

The money would not be paid as long as Econet was the

operator and I had signing authority.

James Ibori, the Governor of Delta State, was demanding $4,5m be paid to him in his personal capacity. He was one of the most powerful men in the country and had a reputation for violence. When he heard that I was refusing to approve payment he issued an ultimatum: “Pay or I will chase you and your people out of the country.”

I refused.

The shareholders met and voted Econet Wireless Nigeria out of management. They cancelled our management contract. James Ibori and his colleagues personally attended the meeting to remove us. After the meeting, one of them (a prominent local businessman even today) came up to me and said: “Unfortunately for you, God does not have a vote.”

I had to withdraw all my staff and their families: 200 people in all. We left Nigeria.

Most of our people had to be retrenched. The loss of the contract almost drove us to bankruptcy as a group.

They invited a big international operator to replace us as technical partner and operator. They changed the name of

There’s a saying worth remembering in uncovering the trail of destruction that is corruption: “Follow the money”…

I bided my time… then I wrote a letter to the United States Department of Justice!

the company from Econet to V-Mobile.

Within days of their arrival, the managers of the new operator signed off the payments demanded.

Then what happened?

A few noble Nigerians had both the integrity and courage to carefully collect all the documentation on the movement of the money, and pass it all on to me.

There’s a saying worth remembering in uncovering the trail of destruction that is corruption: “Follow the money”…

I bided my time… then I wrote a letter to the United States Department of Justice!

It was 2003.

Spiritual Reflection I could easily have agreed to pay the bribes and I would have remained in the company earning millions every year.

My shares could have increased and I would have earned billions. It was all there for me. All I needed to do was to accept that the payments be made. After all, the money was not coming from my own pocket I also knew the price I and my company would have to pay: •Lucrative contracts would be lost.

•Our reputation and prestige would be affected as these people would tell lies about the reasons we had to leave. They had powerful friends everywhere including some of the press; •Many people would lose their jobs.

•My company could collapse.

•I faced personal danger.

Knowing all that, I still said NO! In Matthew chapter 4, Satan says to Jesus, “If you bow down to me, I will give you all the kingdoms on earth and their wealth.”

Those who engage in corruption ( or ignore it) have bowed down to Satan. Whenever I see someone who is corrupt, or chooses to be quiet about it, all I see is someone grovelling at the feet of Satan.

Let’s be the generation that fights corruption… and ends it! Will you join me?

38

politics&policy

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune With Saheed Salawu

0811 695 4643

yinkadejavu@yahoo.com

My first-term performance will determine my fate on November 21 —Governor Wada

Governor of Kogi State and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 21 governorship election in the state, Captain Idris Wada, in this interview, speaks on the build-up to the election as well as the challenges posed by the opposition. YINKA OLADOYINBO brings excerpts:

T

HE process that led to your emergence as the candidate of your party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was dogged by controversies. How did you clinch the ticket despite the opposition to your second term ambition within your party?

In everything I do, I put God first and I have a very plain heart. My desire to seek second term is to consolidate the things I have done and those I am still doing in order to put the state on the path of sustainable development. When those challenges came in the course of the primaries, I was not deterred. I was not shaken. I was not under pressure or threat because of my faith in God and my clear agenda for the transformation of our state.

A lot of efforts were made by the national leadership of our party and the elders of our party in the state to broker peace and bring us together and face the challenges of the primaries. In Abuja, several meetings were held to bring all aspirants together for the emergence of a consensus candidate, but when things did not work out, we had to test our popularity with our party’s delegates, who were elected in accordance with the constitution of the PDP. I willingly subjected myself to the process, and by the grace of God and the trust our people have in me, I was able to meet the delegates and tell them what I have done over the last three and a half years and what I intend to do if given another chance. We went for the contest and the rest is now history. I am grateful to God for being victorious. That was what happened and that was how I was able to cope with the challenges of the primaries. But I think the credit goes to the PDP. One of the aspirants that were in the contest is already working closely with me while we are still talking with another. I have set up a reconciliation committee to talk to aggrieved persons because this election is critical to the survival of the PDP as a party. It is about PDP as party and not me as an individual. Governors come, governors go but the party has to remain. This party has manifesto and it believes in its ideology for the development and transformation of our country.

Would you say the PDP is going into this election as a united family?

The party will go into this election as a united family. Of course, in a political party, just like in a family, it is almost impossible to have 100 percent carriage of all people on one platform. There may be some issues that are yet unresolved but we will go into the election as a united, formidable family. Members of the PDP know that the re-election of the PDP in Kogi State is critical to the survival of our party.

What is your impression of your campaign so far and what do you think it portends for you in the November 21 poll?

We started rallies just a few days back. After we completed our campaign timetable, we decided to hold rallies in the three senatorial districts of the state, starting with Anyigba, and the turnout was overwhelming. We never had such a huge crowd in any of our previous events. Even in 2011, I did not attract that kind of popularity. The people waited patiently for my arrival. When I arrived in Anyigba, I went to the university to meet the vice chancellor and I went to see the traditional ruler before coming to the venue, yet, large numbers of people waited for me. I was overwhelmed. It was a great feeling. What that means is that our people are beginning to see that this government has a clear agenda for the development of the state. They can see sincerity of purpose in the leadership style of my administration. Everybody is relaxed in this state now.

Nobody is under tension that the governor is going to victimise him or that officials of the government will victimise

Our efforts need to be recognised.

States that are prudent and show diligence in financial management should not be punished with political shenanigans in this kind of arrangement that is available to our country. But I praise President Buhari for opening this window.

them. There are heightened security arrangements in the state, even though you may not be able to completely rid the society of minor crimes.

We are working on agriculture, health, education, human capital development, infrastructural development

and industrialisation of the state. You can see that we are on the path of sustainable development and transformation of the state. The people are coming out to show their support. They are not rented crowds. We don’t have the money to rent such big crowds; the people came out on their own. They struggled to enter the rally ground. There were many wards and local governments that could not get buses to convey their people. I was highly encouraged by the turnout and that has further boosted my confidence.

Our people are appreciating our efforts and they will support us during the election.

What new thing are you bringing to the table in your second term?

When I came in, I had a think-tank produce a blueprint for the transformation of the state. We have a 10-year transformation plan for the state. I know that the maximum term I have is eight years but I also know that what will have been achieved in those eight years will be enough to put the state on the path of sustainable development. So, it is not about new things but about consolidating what we are doing. In the last three and a half years, we have done a lot in the areas of agriculture, education, human capital development, health and infrastructure, which are critical Continues pg39

39 interview

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘What I want from Buhari in this election’ Continued from pg38

elements of our economic and social agenda for the people.

Could you shed some light on the bailout fund that the state is expecting from the Central Bank of Nigeria?

The true situation of the bailout fund as regards Kogi State is that we were one of the first states to comply with the requirements of the CBN for this bailout. We applied for about N86 billion because this is a rare window in the economy of Nigeria. We saw the loan as an opportunity to aggregate all our financial challenges and move forward amid industrial peace. That is why we applied. When they assessed it, they reduced it to about N50 billion because, they said, they were not dealing with issues of pensions and gratuities now, they were not dealing with issues of bonds now, their first challenge was the restructuring of commercial bank loans. Kogi State had the lowest bank loan in the country. What we owed bank at that stage was N816 million. Some other states owed N200 billion, N80 billion, N300 billion and so on, but this one has just been restructured to soft term loan. The next stage is salaries of workers. I have hesitated to take any step that would lead to the relieving workers of their jobs. I thought whatever we have should cover as many people as possible. I said what we have done is to calculate some of the shortfalls to take this loan to pay the workers.

It is actually one month. We used money from other sources to pay the remaining one month. We are applying for two months to sort ourselves out. We are basically up to date with civil servants but when you add this, civil servants as workers for the state government, local government workers who work for the local governments and then teachers, these are the principal components of our bailout.

There are insinuations that the bailout for the state is being delayed so that it would not shore up your popularity...

Well, that is politics. You can expect that from the opposition. They would do anything so that the PDP does not win the election. If they could stop us at the federal level from accessing the funds, it is a message for our workers.

If we are concerned about them to take up the 20-year loan and sort out their financial affairs, any party that is trying to sabotage that effort is not a party they should vote for.

They should support a party that cares about them.

I have been prudent in the management of the finances of this state by not taking loans anyhow. States that borrowed money anyhow have had their finances restructured.

Those of us who are prudent and have shown diligence in the management of public finances now seem not to benefit from this window [President Muhammadu] Buhari has opened for Nigerians. Workers should recognise this sincerity because our state could not have been approved for this kind of amount if we had overborrowed. Our efforts need to be recognised. States that are prudent and show diligence in financial management should not be punished with political shenanigans in this kind of arrangement that is available to our country. But I praise President Buhari for opening this window.

How are you going to contend with the APC challenge?

We recognise the APC challenge, particularly when they have the Federal Government. My appeal to President Buhari is to create a level playing field for us to test our popularity with the electorate. Let us not have an overwhelming presence of federal influence in this election.

Let it be a state election. It is not a national election. Let us have unbiased security and environment. The challenge is real but with what we have done and what we plan to do over the next four years, I am confident that with the progressive agenda of my government and administration, our people will elect us to remain in charge and continue running the affairs of our state.

Power rotation has become an issue being used as a bait to garner votes by candidates. What is your position on the agitation that power should shift from the central senatorial district of the state to other districts?

We call it power rotation, not power shift, because if it

shifts, it may never return. My position on power rotation has been consistent since I came into office. Within the first 100 days, I made a speech to our stakeholders, even in my vision for this state, it was very clear that I want us to unite for a common purpose of leveraging on human and natural resources of our state for transformation and moving the state to the next level, to make our state among 10 states to be reckoned with in Nigeria. So I started on the platform of the agenda of bringing our people together. I said what has made power rotation a dream rather than a reality is because it always comes into the political agenda when people are running for governorship election. If they are running for the House of Assembly or National Assembly,

We call it power rotation, not power shift, because if it shifts, it may never return. My position on power rotation has been consistent since I came into office... What has made power rotation a dream rather than a reality is because it always comes into the political agenda when people are running for governorship election.

If they are running for the House of Assembly or National Assembly, you don’t hear anything about power rotation.

you don’t hear anything about power rotation. It is only when the governorship election is around the corner, which makes the agitation come up every four years.

So, my position is that we should make it a continuous agenda, a topic for continuous engagement of the stakeholders from all the three zones, including the minority tribes in each of these zones because each of these zones have minority tribes. We are just talking about the Igalas, Ebiras and the Okuns, how about the minorities; we have the Bassas, the Igbiras in Ajaokuta, which is a mixture of Igalas and Igbiras. We have various minorities, we have micro groups within these broad tribes and people that we have in the state. So, we have to look at it deeply.

What are the social implications? What are the political implications? The rotation, should it be clockwise or anticlockwise? Where should it go first, Okun or Ebira? And when does it come back to the Igalas? So, all these details have to be worked out.

At least, there is some kind of framework at the national conference. It has already been discussed nationally. We can borrow from that and use it to guide our own discussion here in Kogi State and my commitment is that I am a leader you can trust because once I take a position, I will do my best as a human being to actualise that position.

So, I am asking our people to let us engage ourselves over the next four years and trust me to provide the environment and framework to have this discussion and arrive at a position that we can actualise power rotation agenda and it will happen by the grace of God and the cooperation of all our citizens. For me, it is a matter of trust, which of the candidates can you trust to deliver on this agenda. The people who are using power rotation as their key issue in voting in the next election should compare me in terms of reliability and consistency against the other candidates to their position whether you can trust them that when they get power, the power would not get into their heads in such a way that they would start saying what is power rotation I beg this is where I am going. That is my own perspective of power rotation. I believe it can be actualised with sincerity of purpose with the leader engaging the stakeholders.

40

feature

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘Police are shielding my son’s killers from justice’

It is not true, investigations still on —Police

By Olalekan Olabulo

T

his is certainly not the best of times for Mutiu Adefuye, whose son was allegedly shot and hacked to death , a few weeks ago in Ijoko area of Ogun State. The father of the deceased has raised the alarm over what he described as the plans of the police in the state to shield the killers of his son from justice.

The police in the state denied shielding the accused person and described the accusation as “ unfair “ while also accusing the father of the deceased boy of being inconsistent with his account of the incident that led to the death of his son .

Adefuye, while speaking with the Saturday Tribune expressed surprise that the police would release the alleged leader of the gang that killed his son, despite the report from a victim of the attack , who narrowly escaped death . He also wondered why a suspect in a case as serious as murder, would be released in less than two days .

The deceased Sunday Adefuye and two other persons, identified as Sunday Ajayi and Lekan Oladitan were on a motorcycle from Ijoko on their way to Sango on August 5, 2015, when a Sports Utility Vehicle allegedly hit the motorcycle from the back.

Occupants of the motorcycles were still writhing in pains, when some gunmen reportedly emerged from the vehicle and allegedly rained gunshots on two of the occupants of the motorcycle, before they zoomed off with the conviction that their targets were dead Sunday Adefuye died before help could come. Lekan Oladitan was lucky as he woke up from unconsciousness after some days at the General Hospital in Onipanu area of the state Oladitan till today still has some of the bullets of the assailants, under one of his eyelids.

The older Adefuye while narrating the incident to the Saturday Tribune stated that the police at Agbado divisional police station had concluded that it was a cult clash, even before they commenced investigations He narrated: “On August 5th 2015 my son, Sunday, called me that he was broke and as well that he wanted to go to his mother in Ijoko to go and eat and collect some money from his mother. I told him to give me a call as soon as he got there, which he did.”

Mutiu Adefuye also added that “When he was leaving Ijoko, he called me and I told him to return straight home, because of the crisis in the town. But surprisingly, a few minutes after that, a private mobile telephone line called me and told me that my son had been shot.”

Adefuye claimed that “ that person who called me told me the people who came out of the vehicle. The caller even told me that one of them poured alcoholic drink on my son and the other boy.”

The fifty one year old man continued: “I called the mother immediately and the police told her that they had taken the two victims to the General Hospital.

When my wife got there, he only saw Lekan , who was unconscious . It was later that they told me that my son had died.”

“To my surprise, when I got to Agbado police station, the police had concluded that it was a cult clash They were even asking me if I knew that my son was a cultist. My son was not a cultist He was killed and the police should bring killers of my son to justice Adefuye stated.

He also stated that “one of them has been boasting around town that he has the police in his pocket He has since been threatening my life and that of the boy who survived the attack .

“The police in Ogun State could not arrest the prime suspect on several occasions but the police at New Oko

The deceased.

If they are insisting that it was a cult clash I have a picture of some suspected cult members with two of the accused persons, pointing a gun on somebody’s head. The boy, who survived the attack has regained his consciousness and the police are throwing his reports away Oba police station got him once and transferred him to the State Criminal Investigative Department in Eleweran.”

He continued: “Each time that the police in Ogun State were trying to arrest him, he always escaped. I suspect that somebody was always telling him to run away from home. The police are shielding him from justice. My son must not die in vain.

The man stated that “ Before he (the prime suspect) was eventually arrested, the police had arrested two members of the gang and one of them had been remanded in prison. That one had confessed and listed the names of other members of the gang but the police are hiding something. They just insist that it was a cult clash.

“If they are insisting that it was a cult clash I have a picture of some suspected cultists with two of the accused persons, pointing a gun on somebody’s head. The boy, who survived the attack has regained his consciousness and the police are throwing his reports away,” the angry father said in an emotion laden voice.

The father of the late Sunday added: “I cannot even imagine the excuse given by the police for releasing the main suspect. Those who were around when my son was killed confirmed that his vehicle was used. Everybody in that area knows him but because the boy, who survived the attack said the assailants used a black Honda CRV instead of blue. They released the suspect, just because of the difference in the colour.”

Lekan Oladitan, while speaking with the Saturday Tribune also insisted that the accused persons attacked him and the deceased Sunday and added that that he identified Muhammed as the person, who poured alcohol drink on them. He expressed his readiness to testify anywhere . He also stated that the gang had been threatening his life over what they described as his plan to send their leader to prison.

In different letters to the Ogun State commissioner of police by Hibatullai Salako from Salako Sako and Co and Julius Ogunmola from Julius Wales Solicitors, both counsels to the father of the deceased boy, there were passionate appeals for the killers of the boy to be brought to justice.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Muyiwa Adejobi , while speaking with the Saturday Tribune denied that the police were shielding the arrested suspect from justice . He added that apart from the fact that the father of the deceased and the victim, who survived the attack were inconsistent with their report, there had not been enough evidence to charge the suspect to court.

He also stated that the police should have arrested the father of the victim and charged him to court for giving false information just to rope the accused person. “It is very unfair for them to say we are shielding the killer of his son.

“Their report is not binding on us to charge the accused person to court. Investigation is still on . If by tomorrow we see additional information, we will charge the person to court but not based on their statement,” Adejobi said.

41

feature

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

13 communities lament loss of ancestral homes to gun-wielding land grabbers

Members of the 13 communities protesting the loss of their homes to Ajagungbales

Chukwuma Okparaocha - Lagos

R

eal estate experts have described land as one of the major economic resources any nation, society, community or even individuals can possess. Yet, if it is not well managed, this piece of natural asset can be a source of pain to anyone.

This seems to be the case in some communities in parts of Igando Orudu town, covering 13 communities in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos, where a group of people have sent an SOS to the Lagos State government and all relevant bodies. They are accusing certain individuals who they have described as ajagungbales (people who forcefully usurp other people’s land) of turning the communities which they had always known as their ancestral home into a field of bloodshed and disorganisation.

Led by their baales (local communal chiefs), members of the communities recently stormed the Lagos State Government House where they cried out against what they called a great injustice meted out to them by a group of ajagungbales, who had driven them off their ancestral properties and resold same to anyone who wished to buy, including the big guns in the society.

The group alleged that the ajagungbales, apart from usurping their land and merchandising it, also committed many other heinous crimes in the communities where they held sway. These, according to them, include murder, illegal possession of arms, which they often use to unleash mayhem on residents.

Speaking to Saturday Tribune on the development recently, the General Secretary of the 13 affected communities, Alhaji Lasami Agbaje, remarked that over eight communities had been sacked by the ajagungbales, adding that the affected communities had been turned into ghost towns.

The communities, according to Agbaje include Ayeleju, Alakun, Folorunsho, Afalamo, Abule Olose, Idi Oyin, Oke Olokun, Oke Irakeji Onidogbo, Ofinran and Aberanje.

“The ugly practice started some years back when the land grabbers and their hoodlums stormed our communities with dangerous weapons. They stormed our communities in about 14 buses to attack us. Since then, we have been subjected to different kinds of attacks which often result in the killing and maiming of residents,” said Agbaje.

He said that after petitions and complaints were lodged at the police stations around the affected communities, nothing had been done to arrest the situation.

Agbaje, who acted as the mouthpiece of all members of

the affected communities, asserted that the ajagungbales, whose kingpin had been fingered in other land grabbing activities in other parts of Lagos and even Ogun State, had no regard for the law. This, according to him, is because the land grabbers have never considered making use of available legal options to pursue their quest, especially since they claim the lands they are forcefully taking are theirs.

Even the Baale of Alakun — one of the communities mostly affected by the development — Chief Taiwo Agbaje, said that he, like other baales, had been virtually chased out of his ancestral palace home.

“On that day, they came with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons to drive everyone away, including me.

They said we were living on their land. As I am talking to you, the community has turned into a ghost town of sort.

Since we are lawabiding citizens of this country who would not take law into our own hands, we therefore, call on the government to come to our aid and save us from this set of terrorists,” he lamented.

“The situation is very bad. Everyday there are gunshots.

We can no longer go to our farms, therefore, we want the state government to come to our aid. We know that there are some highly-placed individuals in the society who are buying land from these people, and they are the ones giving the land grabbers the power to be doing what they are doing,” the baale added.

Apart from the estranged Baale, several members of other affected communities also made claims which also indicated that they had been deprived of their properties by the

On that day, they came with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons to drive everyone away including me. They said we were living on their land. As I am talking to you, the community has turned into a ghost town.

Baale of Alakum Community, Chief Taiwo Agbaje

ajagungbales.

One of such people is a man who gave his name as R. A. Kadiri who said that after chasing away the baale of his community, the hoodlums installed their own baale who had been parading himself as the authentic leader of the community.

“We can no longer enter our community, our children cannot go to school and to even feed is even a big problem because our farms where we have our investments have been taken over by the land grabbers,” Kadiri said.

In his remarks, the Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Sanai Agunbiade, assured the affected people who had stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly of the House’s support. He subsequently informed them that the House would carry out a thorough investigation into the matter and come out with a solution that would bring smiles on the faces of the affected communities.

“We have a lot of issues relating to the activities of ajagungbales on our hands. We are aware that they are a mindless group of individuals who are always bent on reaping where they did not sow, but soon we are going to put an end to this. There is already a bill that will help curb their activities awaiting the Governor’s assent. We are going to work to ensure a speedy signing of the bill into law so that ajagungbales, irrespective of the ‘big boys’ they might be working for, no longer have a hiding place in Lagos,” he said.

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Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

DR Congo loss:

I have a very good team —Oliseh

S Oliseh

Oliseh/Enyeama drama: Ejidike

calls for cautions

Following the impasse between the Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh and Nigeria’s first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, the Nigeria Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike has cautioned the two parties to calm frayed nerves and toe the path of peace.

Ejidike in a statement cautioned both parties not to allow their personal ego to affect their patriotism and love for the nation and the national team.

Ejidike who condemned the row praised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for its timely intervention and mediation between the two parties.

He noted that such disagreement that led to the sudden removal of Enyeama as the Super Eagles’ captain and eventual resolution by

him to call it quits with the national team was not a good omen at this crucial stage of rebuilding the Super Eagles.

Ejidike who admonished Enyeama to submit to the authority of the coach and express his grievances through the appropriate authority; moreso, when the leadership of the NFF is a vibrant one that is determined to give the national teams a good direction.

He also advised Oliseh to explore all means to commit the players to national call; even, as a former Super Eagles’ skipper he was once a player and should know how to bring their heads down.

Ejidike who is also the president of the Karate Federation of Nigeria stated that there is the tendency that there will be one

5 more win StarTimes free trip to watch German football Five more lucky winners have emerged in the StarTimes Win a Trip to Germany promo. They will join five others who won the promo in August on a trip to Germany to watch Bundesliga matches and meet German Bundesliga greats and celebrities.

The all-expense paid trip for 10 lucky subscribers has been slated for November, 2015.

The final draw was held at the StarTimes office in Abuja and witnessed

by officials of the Nigerian Lottery Regulation Commission.

Other prizes won, include 200 mobile phones, 100 generators and 50 units of LED StarTimes television sets.

Mr Israel Bolaji, StarTimes Public Relations Manager said the promo was one of the activities lined up by StarTimes to mark its fifth anniversary and the trip was deliberately designed to thrill and create memorable experience for the lucky winners.

or two skirmishes, but the ability to nip it in the bud makes a good administrator and coach.

uper Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh has insisted that even though the team lost 0-2 to the Leopards of DR Congo in a friendly, he believes he has “a very good team”.

Two first-half goals

by DRC in Vise, Belgium, on Thursday night handed Oliseh his first loss in three matches as Super Eagles boss.

However, the coach said he had to play a makeshift team following a visa hitch that caused Turkey-based defender, Godfrey Oboabona and six players from

Elderson Echejile... featured in the 0-2 loss to DR Congo.

the domestic league not to join the squad in Belgium in time.

“We played a makeshift team and we are trying to rebuild. I saw a very good team, we had more possession even though there were shortcomings in certain areas,” Oliseh said.

Oliseh deserves support to manage Eagles —Amiesimaka Former Nigeria international, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka feels that Super Eagles’ handler, Sunday Oliseh has goodwill and should be allowed to take decisions that suit what he wants.

According to the lawyer who was a member of the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winning team, Nigerians should not feel distraught with the decisions of the Eagles’ technical crew as they know what they want to achieve success.

“We have a new man at the helm of affairs of the Super Eagles, and that is Oliseh. He has goodwill – a fact we must come to terms with. He has his own crew and we must not expect

Let’s get Enyeama’s replacement —Onigbinde FORMER Nigeria coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to comb the country for goalkeeping talents following the retirement of Vincent Enyeama.

Enyeama on Thursday announced his retirement from international football through the social media 13 years after making his debut for the Super Eagles.

According to Onigbinde who discovered him and later took him to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Enyeama has served the country very well.

“Enyeama is a grown up man and if he feels he has had enough, we should congratulate him for the services he has rendered and wish him all the best,” Onigbinde told

Goal.

“When I started recruiting for the Super Eagles for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, I went to watch a game between Enyimba and Julius Berger in Abeokuta, he stood out in the game and I invited for to the Super Eagles.

“There were some good goalkeepers’ qualities that I saw in him which most in the Nigerian league do not have, so I made up my mind that he was going to be in my team.”

With fingers pointing at coach Sunday Oliseh who has been held responsible for the former Enyimba’s decision, Onigbinde said Nigeria should stop crying over spilt milk, rather the NFF should start hunting for better goalkeepers for the senior

“We lost but (Alexander) Iwobi came in and showed some good signs, Shehu Abdullahi and some other players made their debut.

“It has been very difficult for us working here. Our aim is to try to qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup.”

national team.

“The incident in Belgium wasn’t Enyeama first trouble with the national team, and I guess this time around, there are some certain things he does not like about the national team set up and decided to quit. If that is the case, I think he has made the right decision,” he continued.

“This is not the time to lament his retirement, instead we should look for how we can look for his replacement and that depends on the NFF. “We don’t have a well-structured football developmental programme in Nigeria, and this gets me angry. If we had one, we wouldn’t have been wailing over one player’s retirement.”

him to carry on with the way things have been before,” Amiesimaka told Goal.

“He knows who he wants and what they should do, so we must not say because Vincent Enyeama was captain under some other coaches then he must continue to be captain under Oliseh, no it does not work like that.”

On the appointment of Ahmed Musa as captain of the team, Adokiye believes Oliseh’s decision was not out of place since Enyeama had been giving signs of his imminent retirement.

“Nigerians should not also forget that even before now, Enyeama has made it clear that he was on the verge of quitting the national team, so one shouldn’t expect that the Eagles’ handler wouldn’t look elsewhere for a captain,” he continued.

“No coach would like to carry on with a leader whose mind was no longer fully on the game.

“There is nothing wrong with Oliseh’s decision to look elsewhere, only that there are certain ways of doing and not doing things.

I wouldn’t like to comment on this further because I do not have the full facts.”

He noted that Enyeama who earned 101 caps for the Super Eagles after 13 years of service deserves a befitting testimonial for his laudable service.

“Vincent Enyeama has served Nigeria meritoriously for so many years, not just as a player but as the captain of the senior national team,” he added.

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10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune With

outofplay

Dipo Ogunsola 081 169 54 641

Elegant Rousey spits fire

T

he UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey geared up for her title defence with an appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’.

Rousey faces Holly Holm in Melbourne in November.

Rousey has busied herself with media apperances in build up to the fight and gave a forthright interview to E! News, in which the 28-year-old mixed martial artist opens up about her forthcoming fight, as well

as the rumours surrounding her personal life.

In E! News interview she declares she is ‘champion for a reason’ and will display what she is ‘really capable of’ “I’m the champion for a reason,” Rousey says.

“I’m the champion because I’m the best in every area. If I haven’t gotten the chance to prove it so much with my other opponents, then Holly is a blessing because I’ll be able to display what I’m really capable of.

“On paper, this actually looks like a terrible fight for me,” she continues.

Rojo (right) and wife

Rojo offers wife burnt toast Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has taken to social media to show off his culinary expertise, or so it seems.

The Argentinean international took to Instagram to post a picture of himself posing with his wife Eugenia Lusardo and her freshly made breakfast.

Rojo treated the lucky lady to breakfast in bed during a day off, but she will need to remember it’s the thought that counts when it comes to eating her burnt toast.

Rousey

Mayweather hires pop star for cash count

Mayweather (left) and Bieber

Despite retiring from professional boxing in September, Floyd Mayweather is unlikely to be hard up for cash any time soon.

In fact, he appears to have so much money he’s recruited the world’s biggest pop star to help him count it.

Mayweather and Justin Bieber are currently enjoying some time away in Bora Bora, as the undefeated 49-0 fighter continues to enjoy his retirement.

The video, which was posted to the ‘Mayweather Unlimited’ Instagram account, shows the pair - who are both wearing snapbacks and chains - counting numerous wads of cash.

The video was followed up by a tweet from Mayweather’s Twitter account, simply stating: “Money doesn’t make me. I make money.”

Hamilton at the catwalk Lewis Hamilton is used to being front row on the grid, but the Formula One star stepped away from his day job to take a seat in the front row at the catwalk last week.

According to The Sun, he will soon head to Russia looking to move a step closer to back-to-back Drivers’ Championships on the track, but for now the 30-year-old is

enjoying time at Paris Fashion Week.

Hamilton always appears to be on top of the latest fashion trends, and he was pictured alongside Janelle Monae and Maria Sharapova as he watched Stella McCartney’s show .

He had bagged himself front-row seats at the sought-after event, later stopping for a photo with McCartney herself.

Hamilton at the catwalk

Bolt (2nd left)

Bolt rocks German party He might not have a race scheduled for the rest of the year, but Usain Bolt showed no signs of slowing down as he partied the night away at Oktoberfest in Munich last Saturday.

The sprint star, who won three gold medals at the World Championships in Beijing last month, announced he would be taking the rest of 2015 off after his success in China.

And with no competitions to prepare for, the Sport Mail reported that the colourful Jamaican made his third successive visit to one of Germany’s most famous annual celebrations.

45 sport

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘Sunshine Stars still good for league title’

S

unshine Stars centre back, Elijah Ogene has said the Akure Gunners

stand a good chance to win the league title.

The Akure outfit is fourth on the 20-team top flight on

53 points five points behind league leaders, Enyimba with six matches to wrap up the season.

Ogene said his side has the potential and quality to outstage current league leaders, Enyimba for the top prize.

“There is quite a possibility for Sunshine Stars to emerge champions of the ongoing league season, I think the hope is brilliantly high.

“That’s why we are work-

ing very hard to amass enough points in the next two, three matches to close up on leaders, Enyimba.

“Right now we consider Enyimba the biggest challenge on our path to becoming league champions,” said the former Abia Warriors player.

Ogene said his side is heading for Kano to confront champions, Pillars for the maximum three points at stake.

We have ourselves to blame –Tambe Sharks FC goalkeeper, Charles Tambe has revealed

he is not surprised the club is in a relegation battle, admitting they have not done enough to avoid the position they found themselves in.

Tambe disclosed this after a 0-2 loss to El-Kanemi Warriors last weekend, where the Garden City lads had a point above the four teams in the relegation zone with just six games left.

He believes his team has not done enough to secure maximum points in games they have controlled, and believes that the remaining matches will be very tough.

“With six games left to the end of the season, battling for survival will be very difficult because we have some tough fixtures ahead. Even at this, we will keep working hard to ensure we escape the drop.

“This is my first season with Sharks and from what I heard on arrival, my team are usually favourites to win the league in past seasons, so sad that we are battling against relegation.

Eunisell boosts Sharks to escape relegation Eunisell Limited, the official shirt sponsors of Sharks FC of Port Harcourt has said it will give out cash gifts to the players for every match they win going forward, in what appears to be move to further encourage the Blue Angels.

In a statement signed and issued by the Communications Manager of the company, Mr Kunmi Balogun, Eunisell disclosed that players will now get cash prizes for every goal scored in the remaining six games in the Globacom Premier League.

“We will handsomely reward each goal scorer and any other team mate that makes the assist with cash prizes.”

46 sport

10 October, 2015

G lfline

With Olawale Olaniyan 081 7077 2333 olaniyankay@yahoo.com

We are three in number but I am the only one who is a professional golfer. Golf is a game we all loved, initially, we do not know we will really go far in the game but some how we fell in love with it and discovered we are doing well. My other brother is a category one golfer, he plays off three handicap and based in Ilorin and play golf once in a while when he is less busy. So, my younger brother, Thomas Adache who plays in Ibadan Golf Club plays category 7 handicap and he is doing well, the point remains that we all have passion for golf.

Tiger Woods made golf popular

How do you all embrace the sports?

It’s through a brother, initially we thought is a game that is only meant for exercise. I started playing golf in 1989.

—Adache

Friday Adache is the Head, Professional Golfers of Ilorin Golf Club, the Marketing graduate, Kwara State Polytechnic shares his experience with OLAWALE OLANIYAN as a golfer and how Tiger Woods has popularised the game of golf. Excerpts:

W

hat is the programme for the year at Ilorin Golf

Club?

As you know that Kwara is a civil servant state, we find it a bit difficult to get sponsors but when former governor, late Mohammed Lawal was in office, we had various tournaments during his tenure. Some of these tournaments were sponsored by the Society General Bank, Trade Bank and we also had CMCL Open sponsored by Otunba Olusola Adekanola. In fact the first edition of CMCL Open was held here in Ilorin Golf Club. Also, Bullettine Construction do sponsor tournaments, but now we have challenges getting sponsors.

Before the year runs out we are hoping to organise some tournaments at least Kwara Open and probably another one.

You said earlier that during Lawal’s administration, you had series of tournaments, do you believe government have influence on getting sponsors for sporting events?

Not really even the present governor too is a golfer and he is also a patron of the club. Once in a while he sometimes come to play but in terms of equipment, the government is doing great, they’ve been assisting the club but we are hoping get assistance from them for the Kwara State Open. We now have 18 holes green, the project was sponsored by the state government.

What brought you into the state and become Head of Pro here at Ilorin Golf Club?

Golf is a lovely game and a lot of people in one way or the other have benefitted from it and the little challenges we are facing

Saturday Tribune

here in Ilorin as most people believe is that the game is for the elite. I must tell you the truth, golf is not meant for only the elite. It is just like cars, you go for the one you can afford. I turned pro in 2001 and I have never regretted turning a professional golfer and since 2007, I played my best score ever in Ibadan Golf Club, I played -25 Seedvest Open sponsored by Otunba Adekanola and also in 2003, I won the Tom Ikimi birthday tournament in Benin. I think I have performed very well. In fact, I will never for one day regret playing golf.

But some people said they regret been golfers due to the fact they didn’t earn what they ought to get?

You know the game of golf is all about life, why some people are saying they regretted playing golf because they didn’t achieve what they ought to have achieved. I

must tell you the truth, in life if you want to achieve anything, you must work hard. As a professional golfer, if you know you want to earn a living from it, you need to practise very well. If possible you can go out of the country to acquire more knowledge and undergo some trainings because those who are making impact in Nigeria in the game these days are those who have travelled out of the country for more training. Today, most of the times top five are those that have travelled to acquire more knowledge about the game. So, those who are complaining of being golfers are some what lazy and have failed to work hard in the professional circle.

Your family name rings bell in the golfing world, what is the secret, How many members of your family play the game?

Between 1989 and now, how can you describe the commitment of people to the game?

I must tell you the population is increasing every day, golf is becoming a popular sport like football. Tiger Woods has really made golf a household sport because those that do not even know the game, but the first they will mention is Tiger Woods. If you ask anybody that has not played the game before that who is the best golfer? Even children will tell you the best golfer ever is Tiger Woods that alone really contributes to the awareness of the game. In Nigeria, the game of golf has attracted many and even people are still coming to play golf. Very soon golf will be like football in Nigeria. Tiger Woods really ruled the golf world for a very long time and since then we have not seen anybody that has come out and even remained as number one for that long. Even as I speak, Mcllroy the world number one, Jordan Spieth dethroned him as number one, for now it will be very difficult for anybody to rule golf the way Tiger Woods ruled the sport, it will be a very difficult task.

When are we going to see Nigeria compete at the International Tour?

Very soon because these days, the younger ones who are coming up are really determined, you can see in those days, you hardly see Nigerians travel for international training but now things have changed, they go out to gain more experience and exposure and I believe very soon, it would happen. It is not going to take a while we will see a Nigerian not only Tiger Woods but ‘Lion’ Woods that would compete internationally.

47

sport

10 October, 2015

Saturday Tribune

that if you have an aggressive blueprint, a framework will come up and if we have that spread across all the nooks and cranies of the country, We would get it better. We have a lot of potential in this country but nobody is tapping them and that is why we have problem. Look at our men in the Nigerian army and the police, they travel outside this country for UN peace keeping mission and all that, they excel even much more better than those who have equipment and facilities.

This is to tell you that if they have all these things within their own environment it means they would perform much better than what they are doing now.

Oliseh can only succeed with home-based players

— Owolabi

Dr Felix Owolabi (MON) was a member of the Green Eagles which won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1980. The Shooting Stars legend in this interview with NURUDEEN ALIMI stressed the need for the Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh to rely more on the players from the domestic league in his bid to achieve the desired results. Excerpts:

D

o you think Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh was fair to the players from the domestic league so far in terms of giving them invitations to the national team?

The philosophy of football has to do with the fact that it’s a team game whether anybody likes it or not. You have to play together, dine together and as well sleep together.

During our days as players, before anybody could get a call up to the national team, it was either you played for a reputable club side that was in the local league. You must have played in competitions that were available at that point in time for assessment. The destiny of every country’s football lies in the local league. Let me now give the wholesome answer to your question, Stephen Keshi succeeded as a coach in Mali and Togo based on the fact that he made use of the majority of the local players.

Maybe we are too much in a hurry, maybe everybody is thinking too

much that Oliseh is going to deliver and so, there will always be a question on any decison he takes and that I’m sure is the more reason you are asking me this question.

I want to tell you that inviting five home-based players is not enough as fas as I’m concerned. I mean an appreciable number of local players must always be in the team if Oliseh wants to make any appreciable impact and moreso when for now, we do not have any team on the ground and the greatest thing to satisfy himself and get result is when you have the majority of these players who have been playing together, not necessarilly in foreign leagues but in the local league where they know one another.

So, coming together within a very short time will be very easy for Oliseh to be able to harness whatever football philosophy he says he has or not. Otherwise, if he has 20 Peles and put them on the pitch, they will begin to do different things entirely.

Oliseh should have an overview of his decision. if he wants the job

to be easy for him, he will have to make sure that he relies more on local league players. Keshi as I said succeeded in Mali and Togo because the greater percentage of the players he worked with were from the local league. And as a matter of fact, who are these foreign-based professionals you are talking about?

Professional players from where?

Are they from Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and so on? Except somebody is deceiving himself and trying to want everybody to believe that all is well. For now, the change must not be too drastic the reason is because for now, Oliseh has nothing on the ground other than to rely solely on players from the domestic league.

Do you think Nigerian football is being run the way it should be?

You and I know that there is no controversy about it, that for now we are still in the dark ages. There is no true professionalism in the game, not only in football now but in various sports in Nigeria.

For example, Blessing Okagbare at the last IAF World Athletics Championship in Beijing, China, could not live up to expectations.

I told my wife before the championship that for me, I appreciate that girl because as an individual nobody is giving her the support she needed. If she has a ‘good’ coach, Okagbare will go places. All other countries prepared their athletes for international competitions early enough. But in our own case, It is fire brigade attitude, we start preparations for competitions two weeks before and the next thing you hear is somebody boasting that ‘We are fully prepared and we are going to win many medals’. At the end of the day there will be nothing to show.

What do you suggest as the way forward for Nigerian football?

We have to go back to the old days. Incidentally, 7 per cent of the population of every country is the youth and you can only get it better and get the best when you begin to nurture them from age five. So what I am saying is that grassroots development is key as the basics, structure and the foundation have to be on the ground. In those days when we used to have the missionary schools as well as the boarding system, we were getting it right because whether you like it or not if you are not organising inter-house sports, inter-schools, inter-collegiate competitions and so on you are not on the right path. I know some of them are still functioning but they are shadow of themselves.

The reason is because the real foundation has been destroyed, the boarding system is not there so where do we get the lads? In the streets? Unfortunately, we are in the global village, media hypes have changed the orientation of the youth. But then one fact remains

When you have a man of about 28 years old as a student of a football academy, what is that?

Can you compare the crop of players we have now to when you were playing?

It is very simple, If you have a structure on the ground that the youth pass through it gives you a football culture. It gives you the system or the pattern you can think about. In our days as players we played fantastic football as we were in Europe, the facilities were not as good as they are today but then, what helped us was because the structures were there. It is like building a house, you have to go through the stage of digging first, the foundation has to be there.

Unfortunately the reverse is the case these days. Yes, we have soccer academies or whatever across the country but what are these academies up to? When you have a man of about 28 years old as a student of a football academy, what is that? My own concept of a soccer academy should be the one that you have a two-year-old as student, even a seven-year-old is old as far as I am concerned. The appropriate age for a student of an academy should be five. The reason being that there will be no fear that the child can have any ailment and that the parent will be ready to give out that child for that programme because at that level, that child is able to identify many things and know what life is all about. Unfortunately we do not have these kinds of soccer academies, so this is the predicament we are facing.

Fire brigade approach is what we are used to and that is what everybody is doing. So if we are having challenges this is the main cause of the problem.

Can you recall one of your memorable events during your playing days?

Very many of them, I can remember when we won the Nations Cup in 1980, I can also recall when the IICC Shooting Stars won the African Cup Winners Cup in 1976 for the first time for Nigeria. I told some people a while ago that I watched a TV programme on which one of the analysts said that Enyimba and one other team which I could not recall now are the best clubs in Nigeria and I said no. I said Shooting Stars as of today is the best club in Nigeria and the reason is because it is only Shooting Stars that has been able to win two different trophies at two different times, that was in 1976 and 1992. No club till today in this country has been able to match this feat except Enyimba and it was even the league title and the CAF Champions league trophy, So I rest my case.

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Mikel impressed me —Oliseh

Enyeama

Enyeama

is a liar—Oliseh

N

igeria’s head coach, Sunday Oliseh has said he has been disappointed with “lies” by goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama over their major falling out in Belgium.

On Tuesday, Oliseh and Enyeama clashed at a team meeting during which it was announced CSKA Moscow forward, Ahmed Musa was now the new captain of the Eagles ahead of the Lille of France goalkeeper, who has been leading the team since Joseph Yobo retired from international football last year.

Oliseh said on a radio interview on Friday the lies were aimed at assassinating his character.

The former Eagles captain maintained he did not call the security to walk out the Lille goalkeeper and neither did he insult the player’s late mother.

“There is a level to how far you can go in character assassination

by Enyeama. This is unheard of,” said Oliseh.

He equally narrated how he drove to France to discuss with Enyeama on his philosophy and ideas after he was appointed the

Super Eagles coach in July.

“I took him to lunch and shared my coaching philosophy with him,” narrated Oliseh.

“He was talking about retirement from the national team, which I didn’t like.”

The coach also recalled that this is not the first time Enyeama has

had a major falling out with a national team coach as he did so in 2008 with Berti Vogts as well as when Samson Siasia was in charge.

“In 2008, he was dropped to second or third goalkeeper because of this and under Sammy (Siasia), he also had problems,” Oliseh said.

Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has praised Mikel Obi for the pivotal role he played in the team’s friendly against the Leopards of DR Congo on Thursday in Belgium.

The 0-2 loss to DR Congo was Mikel’s first game under Oliseh who took over from Stephen Keshi in June this year.

Oliseh said he was really impressed with Mikel’s commanding display as he carried the team well.

“Mikel played very well and I am impressed with his performance in the game,” remarked the former Nigeria captain.

“He carried the team well and dictated the pace. He was mobile and did what I asked him to do, leading others and telling them what to do, that’s what is expected of him. It’s been long I saw him play that way, I hope this continues,” Oliseh added.

Meanwhile, a mild drama ensued during the friendly against DR Congo, as Ahmed Musa who captained the team first handed the capain’s band to Mikel after he was replaced by Alex Iwobi, but the Chelsea star instead took the arm band to Ogenyi Onazi.

Mikel

Amuneke releases U-17 World Cup list NIGERIA’S U-17 team head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke has named his 21-man squad players for the FIFA U-17 World Cup scheduled to start next month in Chile.

The Golden Eaglets would be hoping to defend the world title they won two years ago at the United Arab Emirates and have been drawn against Chile, USA and Croatia in group A. Regulars such as Victor Osimhen, Victor Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze who were part of the Niger 2015 African U-17 Championship made the final list.

It will be recalled that the Amuneke-led team finished fourth at the African championship held early this year to grab

one of the World Cup tickets.

The Golden Eaglets face the United States of America on October 17 at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos.

Full squad: GOALKEEPERS: Akpan Udoh, Amos Benjamin, Chisom Chiaha.

DEFENDERS: Tobechukwu Ibe, Lukman Zakari, Ejike Ikwu, John Lazarus MIDFIELDERS: David Enogela, Kingsley Michael, Samuel Chukwueze, Edidiong Essien, Chukwudi Agor, Joel Osikel, Kelechi Nwakali, Chinedu Madueke.

FORWARD: Funsho Bamgboye, Victor Osimhen, Sunday Alimi, Udochukwu Anumudu, Orji Okwonkwo, Osinachi Ebere.

The Eaglets players preparing for Chile 2015.

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. 10/10/2015.