12th September 2015

nigeria’s most informative newspaper

no 1,116

Saturday, 12 september, 2015

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

n150

Nigerian Tribune

87 killed, 180 injured in Mecca mosque tragedy

pg4

Tension as govs sit on bailout pg3

Bailout is for workers’ salary —Presidency We’ll shut down states that refuse to pay —NLC Osun workers reject half salary for March, warn govt on bailout Benue PDP alleges inflation of wage bill by gov

I don’t believe in gossip and idle talks

—Rukky Sanda

pgs2 & 30

Soyinka: I’ll put Oyinlola in my book of liars pg4 Oyinlola: He should make himself no. 1 in that book

Disaster: Scene of a crane that crashed through the ceiling of the Grand Mosque of Mecca after the Friday prayer. Inset: An injured man on a makeshift stretcher as a sympathiser holds his drip.

Photos:Daily Mail.

Kogi gov: Deadlock again in PDP

pg4

2

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

klieglight Nollywood actress and producer, Rukky Sanda has joined the league of filmmakers as she recently released her own movie entitled, ‘Dark’.

In this interview JOAN OMIONAWELE, she speaks on her sojourn, her fashion preference, among other issues. Excerpts:

Y

OU started out as an actress but you produced your own films after about two appearances, why didn’t you try to get more experience in acting and why did you go into producing that

fast?

Well, for me, taking that decision was like a business decision for me because obviously, at that time, it wasn’t like actresses were making a lot of money. So, I decided to go into production because I’ve always been a business person and I wanted to invest in the business part of it, which was why I went into movie production.

I think I was the first actress to start producing my own films in 2005 or so. I did my first movie in 2004 and produced my first movie in 2005. It has been about 10 years now.

What was the main motivation then for you to make your own movie; was it because you wanted to be in control to do your own thing?

No, it was a business decision for me. I wanted to invest in it and it was a money-making thing for me. I have always been a business person and I did not want to depend solely on acting for a living. I believe in turnovers, i.e. if you make money, you have to invest in it to make more money.

As you were going on then, were you able to make money from it?

After my first movie, I still have people owing me. There is one of them who is still owing me N800, 000.

Is he a marketer?

He is not a marketer; he is a fellow producer that I gave my master copy to. He was meant to drop it somewhere and he actually dubbed the movie behind my back and he started selling it to television stations and everywhere. He sold it literally to everybody and by the time I took the movie there, they already had it and till today, he has not been able to come up with the money.

How many movies have you produced in all now?

About 17 now.

As a movie producer, what are the things you have been able to learn?

In the beginning, it was more of a business decision. I just wanted to make money from it but now, I have grown into it and I actually have a passion for the art of movie production and I just want to make a difference with my movies. So, for me now, it is very personal and I am very passionate about it unlike before that I just wanted to collect Nollywood’s money. The difference between then and now is that then, I had very little knowledge about movie production. It was basically on how much do you need to produce a movie and then it was like N3 million and I was like oh, if I can do that and raise the money, so I can produce a movie and they said yes and I did. Eventually, maybe I made around that amount but obviously, there was no profit or anything unlike now that I know exactly what I am doing and I know how to market my films and all of that. So, I am a professional now, although I am still learning.

Raising money for movies can be a bit herculean in the sense of getting investors and all that. How easy was it for you?

Before I got into Nollywood, I was already doing business. I had my money to put into it and my mum supported me, which obviously, was a loan. She collected her money back but I had my mum to support me to loan me money for the film and I returned afterwards. Starting out, I wouldn’t say it was easy because by 2005, N3 million was no small money. It is not like it is now, but you know, I had my business money to put into it and my mum supported me. I don’t actually get executive producers. I am my executive producer and maybe my family or my cousin, you know everybody.

Continues on pg30

I don’t believe in gossip and idle talks —Rukky Sanda

3

news

12 September, 2015

Tension as govs sit on bailout

Saturday Tribune

•Bailout is for payment of salaries —Presidency •We ’ll shut down states that refuse to pay —NLC •Osun workers reject half pay for March, insist bailout is for salary • Governors must not be allowed to embezzle bailouts —Afenifere Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja, Oluwole Ige - Osogbo, Johnson Babajide - Makurdi, Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta and Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

T

ension is mounting in states that have collected bailout packaged for them

by President Muhammadu Buhari as outstanding salaries remain unpaid there.

A total of 27 states owing several months of workers salaries applied for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) packaged special soft loan of between N250billion and N300billion. Out of the states that have collected the money, only Kwara has announced using it to settle workers salary arrears.

The mounting tension is against the background of reports that some governors are diverting the bailout money for other purposes outside salary payment which was the stated reason for which the money was made available to the affected states.

The national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress on Friday told Saturday Tribune that workers had been directed to shut down any state that refuses to settle all outstanding salaries after collecting the bailout funds.

Also, the presidency declared on Friday that settlement of unpaid salaries of state workers was the sole reason the president arranged the soft loans for the states.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune on phone, Senior Special Assistant to the VicePresident on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande said “the president made the intervention with the motive and purpose of alleviating the suffering of state workers who were being owed months of unpaid salaries. We don’t want to enter into any argument with any governor on that money ( but) as far as the president is concerned, payment of outstanding salaries is the purpose for which the money is meant.”

The Vice President’s office oversees the administration of the intervention fund.

The CBN had, in separate letters, informed each of the states that have received the bailout money that the funds were released “ under the salaries bailout credit facility” while it added that the loan was to be repaid over a period of 240 months at 9 percent interest rate. The letter, a copy of which was sighted by Saturday Tribune, was signed

by Dr. Mudashiru A. Olaitan, acting director of the apex bank’s Development Finance Department.

A breakdown of the loans is as follows: Abia- N14.152b; Adamawa- N2.378b; BauchiN8.60b; Bayelsa – N1.285b;

Benue – N28.013b; Borno – N7.680b; Cross River – N7.856b; Delta – N10.036b; Ebonyi – N4.063b; Edo – N3.167b; Ekiti – N9.604b; Enugu – 4.207b; Gombe – N16.459b; Imo – N26.806b; Katsina – N3.304b; Kebbi – N0.690b; Kogi – N50.842b; Kwara – N4.320b; Nasarawa – N8.317b; Niger – N4.306b; Ogun – N20.00b; Ondo – N14.686b; Osun – N34.988b; Oyo – N26.606b; Plateau – N5.357b; Sokoto – N10.093b and Zamfara – N10.020b.

The CBN, in announcing that it had approved that banks should lend money to requesting states to pay workers’ salary arrears explained that specific figures were attached to the facilities to be disbursed to the states because “every state is to come up with its specific needs in order to access the facility from the commercial banks.”

The National Executive Council (NEC) had at its June 29, 2015 meeting directed the CBN, “in collaboration with other stakeholders, to appraise and consider ways of liquidating the outstanding staff salaries owed by states and local governments.”

We’ll confront govs, shut down states —NLC The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned state governors not to divert the bailout, saying that the organised labour is now set to take the battle to the doorstep of any state governor who fails to pay his workers after collecting the bailout funds.

To this end, the congress on Friday directed its state councils and workers to completely close down any state that fails to pay the backlog of salaries owed them after the release of the bailout by embarking on stikes and organising protest rallies to demand for accountability and good governance.

Already, the congress said it has directed and put all its state councils on notice that any state government that refuses to pay the salary, or any state that contemplates reducing salary or diverts the bailout from the Federal Government to other use besides paying the salary arrears, should be closed down.

In an exclusive interview with Saturday Tribune in Abuja on Friday, President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, warned state governors who are contemplating not paying the money or diverting it to other use, that the congress would take the battle to their doorstep.

He added that the National Delegates and the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC had since resolved that after the issue of corruption had been dealt it by the congress, the next issue on the agenda to be confronted is the failure of states to pay salaries.

Comrade Wabba described as false the issue being raised by some of the governors that the bailout could be used for other purpose order than the payment of salary arrears, warning that the bailout is basically for the payment of salary arrears and should not be diverted for any other purpose.

“I don’t want to believe that any right thinking governor will raise this issue because a lot of them have confessed to the fact that the primary purpose of the bailout is for them to pay salaries.

“Certainly, I am telling you that we are sending a warning signal and we have said clearly that anywhere salaries are not being paid after this bailout is released, they should not continue to offer service. First, they should withdraw service and also protest and demand for accountability and good governance,” he said.

On the claim of some governors that the bailout was a loan to be used at the discretion of the states, Comrade Wabba said: “At the Council of State meeting where the decision was taken, Mr. President said emphatically that the bailout would be given to states to enable them to pay liability of salaries. So, what we are aware and which some state governors have also comfirmed is to the effect that, that money is meant first to pay the arrears of salaries.

“I am happy to appreciate and recognise some governors who, even when they collected the money engaged our state councils and worked out processes of paying. One of them is Bauchi State, and then Adamawa State; they engaged our state councils in formal meetings where decision was taken on how to disburse the salaries and they also disclosed fully what they have collected.

“To me it is far from the truth; and specifically if we have such states, we will also visit the states and organise a rally to debunk what they have said and we are ready to do that.”

He added: “Already, we have put our states on notice, including Osun, where we are aware the governor has promised now to pay all the five months. That is our next point of call, we have told our people anywhere they don’t pay, or anywhere they contemplate reducing workers salaries, they should close down the place immediately.

“As I am talking to you presently Ebonyi is already on strike, Imo has already addressed the issue because the governor saw how they protested and we told them whatever they need to do, they need to do that, including pensioners. We have told pensioners that we are going to meet them. Some of them

are also ready to protest to whatever length to ensure that this money is not carted away.”

Comrade Wabba stated that many of the governors were very corrupt, hence their claim that because the money was a loan they would not use it to pay salaries, stating that their move to divert it to other use was to give them another opportunity to corruptly enrich their pocket with the money.

He said: “It is also part of corruption we are talking about. In most of the states, why salaries are not being paid is not because of the shortage of funds, it is about their priority. Most of the governors that have paid are also giving us those information, so it is not true.

“They have a responsibility to pay salary, the workers have already earned this salary by our national laws. It is forbidden for a worker to work in excess of 30 days without being paid, it is a law. It is expected that after the end of every 30 days a worker is entitled to his wages, so it is a debt.

“So if workers have worked and government has seen reason to give a bailout, I don’t think people should misplace the priority as to why that decision was taken because it was very clear. Even the CBN has made it very clear. So, if we have specific cases where it is still an issue, it is part of the decision we have taken that after this national rally on corruption, we will confront those governors and deal with the issue.”

Osun workers reject payment of half salary for March, insist bailout is for salary Workers under the aegis of Osun State Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), among others on Friday in Osogbo rejected the plan by Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration to pay them half salary for March 2015 out of about eight months salaries owed civil servants in the state.

Reacting to the statement made by the state Head of Service (HoS), Mr Sunday Owoeye that government had directed that half of March salary be paid to civil servants, the labour unions said there was no basis for such development, after the government had sought and got about N35billion bailout funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay all outstanding salaries.

In a joint letter addressed to the governor, copies of which were also forwarded to the Speaker, House of Assembly, the SSG, Accountant General, Director, Department of State Security (DSS) among others, the labour unions also warned

that the bailout funds received by the state be used to pay their eight months outstanding salaries.

The letter reads in part, “it was on record that bailout funds of N34.988 billion was released to this state on Thursday 3rd of September, 2015, according to the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele and instead of government fulfilling her own side of the deal by carrying out section 3(f) of MoU signed with the labour on the 13th and 29th July respectively, reverse was the case”.

“The information released through the Head of Service on the payment of outstanding salaries on Wednesday was completely opposite the spirit of existing MoU which had generated palpable tension among the workers and all the entire people living in Osun State.

“That government should effect immediate implementation of the MoU signed on Monday 13th July, 2015.

That labour movements in the state reject in its entirety the payment of half salary as announced by the Head of Service on Wednesday, 9th September, 2015 and should not be paid into worker’s individual account”.

It continued, “that all the arrears of salaries and pensions should be paid from the already released bailout funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria which it is meant for. That Mr Governor should direct the Accountant General of the state and Accountant of the Ministry of Local Government not to release half salary into any worker’s individual account”.

Governors must not be allowed to embezzle bailouts —Afenifere In its own reaction, Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere says it is miffed that “some irresponsible governors have refused to pay workers their salaries from the perpetual indebtedness called bailout recently arranged by the Federal Government.”

According to a press release signed by Yinka Odumakin, national publicity secretary of the body and made available to Saturday Tribune, “the callous disposition of such governors has confirmed our fears that the whole idea of the bailout without ascertaining what happened to the monies meant to pay workers salaries in the first place is an encouragement for financial recklessness and waywardness of the governors which led to the quagmire.”

“The governors who are now holding to the funds meant for workers embezzled their past, are denying them their present and putting their children and grandchildren into indebtedness.

“Rapacious governors concerned must not be allowed to get away with this heinous crime against the workers. It would make a joke of the anti-corruption war if they are allowed to do with the bailout what they did with their states allocations meant to pay the salaries now turned into humongous debts.

“The NLC which is marching around against corruption now has specifics on its hand to mobilise against the governors who want to sentence them to perpetual penury,” Afenifere said.

Benue PDP warns Gov Ortom not to use workers’ salaries to siphon state funds THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State on Friday called on Governor Samuel Ortom to stop using the salary arrears of workers in the state to defraud the state.

The publicity secretary of PDP in the state, Honourable Godwin Ayihe at a press briefing said that the salary arrears owed workers in both local governments and the state civil service were a little above N19billion as against the N28billion being claimed by the governor.

Governor Ortom had at a media parley early in the week explained that the Federal Government’s bailout of N28billion to the state was to settle the salary arrears of workers both at the state and local government levels.

Bailout: Ogun to spend N18.9bn on payment of workers deductions Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has said that the sum of N18.9bn obtained by his administration from the Federal Government as bailout would be used to settle 10 months backlog deductions owed workers in the state.

He insisted that any state that cannot pay its workforce is a failed state, saying his administration is struggling to pay workers salaries.

Amosun stated this while addressing members of the Labour Movement comprising the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress at the end of their rally on promotion of good governance in Nigeria, at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Abeokuta.

Niger House approves N6.8billion bailout loan Niger State House of Assembly has formally given the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, the approval to access the N4.3billion bailout fund meant for the state.

The approval was sequel to the letter written to the house by the governor and read by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Hussein Ibrahim.

4

news

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Soyinka: I never opposed creation of

UNESCO centre, I ’ll list Oyinlola in my ‘Republic of Liars’ Soyinka should make himself no.1 liar in his coming book —Oyinlola

Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right), presenting a state plaque to the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Noh Kyu-Duk (left) during a courtesy visit to the governor in his office at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Friday.

87 killed, 180 injured in Mecca mosque tragedy

A

t least 87 people were killed and more than 180 injured when a crane crashed through the ceiling of the Grand Mosque of Mecca amid high winds and thunderstorms on Friday.

Dramatic footage shows the moment the crane toppled in heavy rain, with another video capturing the chaos and confusion inside the building as people run for cover after the impact.

Photos posted on social media shows the polished tiled

floor of the mosque covered in rubble, bodies and pools of blood, and people fleeing the area bleeding and covered in soot.

The tragic incident in Saudi Arabia occurred shortly before the 6:30p.m. Friday evening prayer session — one of the busiest times of the week — causing devastation to what is the largest mosque in the world.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are gathering at the holy site from all over the world for the annual hajj

pilgrimage set to begin later this month.

A massive £14billion project is currently underway to increase the area of the mosque by 4.3million sq ft - so that it can accommodate up to 2.2 million people at once.

The crane belongs to a German crane company operated by the Bin Laden family’s consortium, who are heading the expansion of the Holy Mosque.

Saudi BinLaden Group was founded by Osama’s Bin Laden’s billionaire father Mohammed and the sprawling

construction conglomerate runs a large amount of major building contracts in the Sunni kingdom.

Pictures taken before the disaster show the crane being struck by a bolt of lightning and authorities are in little doubt extreme weather was to blame.

Earlier, the Civil Defense had issued thunderstorm, heavy rain and wind warnings in the area and authorities say search and rescue teams and medical workers from the Saudi Red Crescent are now at the scene.

Bomb blast hits Yola displaced persons camp North, theatre of war, terrorism —Shettima Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna, with Agency Report A bomb has exploded at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Yola, Adamawa State.

The blast occurred on Friday morning at the camp at a school in Malkohi, a suburb of Yola, witnesses said.

It is the first bomb attack on an IDP camp since Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009, with more than two million people displaced and thousand killed.

It came three months after a bomb blast killed 27 people at a market in Yola.

The Adamawa State government confirmed that seven people died and 13 were injured in the explosion that occurred at the Malkohi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp near Yola, Adamawa State on Friday morning.

The state Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmad Sajoh, confirmed the incident to newsmen after a visit to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where the injured persons were receiving treatment.

Sajoh said four officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were among the

injured persons.

He also said that another blast was reported in Madagali, but that the casualty figure was still unknown.

“I just got the report of another blast in Madagali but as I speak to you, I am still trying to get the actual picture of the situation.”

Meanwhile, Borno State governor and chairman, Northern State Governors Forum (NSGF), Alhaji Kashim Shettima has lamented that the bloody activities of Boko Haram as well as the rising social vices in the northern region has turned the region into a theatre of war.

Shettima made the disclosure on Friday in Kaduna during the meeting of the 19 northern governors.

The chairman, who was presenting his address at the maiden meeting of the forum, also took a wipe at the present crop of leaders in the region and concluded that they have disappointed the people since they are doing little or nothing to eradicate the socio-economic problem bedeviling the region.

Apparently sad and angry about negative issues hindering the development of the north, Governor Shet-

tima described the region as a laughing stock among the comity of regions in the country.

To this end, he called on his northern governor-colleagues to work in unity, despite the ethnic and religious diversity to rid northern region of all form of negativity and social vices.

He said: “Regrettably today, our region has become a thriving nest for war, terrorism, deep seated social divisions, senseless violence, mind-boggling intolerance, injustice, destitution, joblessness, and all manners of other social vices, the height of which is the madness called Boko Haram.

“Things have become so bad, so much so that we can say without fear of contradiction that in Nigeria today poverty glaringly wears a bold northern face.

“We have turned our region into a laughing stock, derided by friends and foes alike and not without justification, as having dragged the rest of the country down with us.

“No amount of lamentation will, of course, solve our many problems. We need to act, and fast too. This generation of northern leaders, led

by us the governors, have both a moral and constitutional responsibility as well as a historic opportunity to reverse the negative fortunes of our people.

“We must do everything in our power to restore and entrench the lofty values of unity, understanding, tolerance, mutual respect, empathy, justice and mutual coexistence in the minds of our people and region.

“We must firmly and decisively commit ourselves to fighting poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, terrorism and other forms of violent crimes in the North,” he stressed.

“I dare say that there is no better time to do that than now, when a sequence of events over the last few months is showing that a silver lining is beginning to appear in the dark clouds that have hovered over the North for so long.

“I urge us to take full advantage of this development and dedicate ourselves to, beginning from this meeting and within the shortest possible time, developing a comprehensive blueprint that will take our region and its long suffering people out of the woods.”

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has denied ever opposing the creation of the Osogbo-based Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), a UNESCO affiliated institution.

Former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had on Thursday, reacted to recent media attacks on him by Soyinka over the chairmanship of the centre’s board of trustees, querying the morality in Soyinka who, he said, worked against the approval of the centre by UNESCO in 2008 wanting to preside over it now.

But Soyinka, in a statement issued on Friday in reaction to Oyinlola’s press conference reported in the media on Friday, said he had at no time “in act or spirit” kicked against the centre’s existence.

“How does one begin to slash through this thickening tissue of lies? Prince Oyinlola must be put to the strictest proof to substantiate several outrageous claims in his recent press statement. Failing to do so within one week from today will result in his taking his well- earned place in company of the current inmates of THE REPUBLIC OF LIARS – next in my series of INTERVENTIONS, a public service series published by Bookcraft, due out in the next month.

For now, I categorically deny the following: “That I, Wole Soyinka, at any time, opposed the creation of the CBCIU in Osun State in act or spirit. This is an allegation of mind-blowing impudence, since the very opposite constitutes the truth. That I ever sought, by word or deed, or encouraged, supported, or even discussed the creation of CBCIU on any spot on this continent outside Osun State, Nigeria. That I ever spoke or wrote to the late President Yar’Adua on the subject of the creation of any such centre in Nigeria or anywhere else. My one and only encounter with the late president was on the subject of the MEND insurgency in the Delta region – as part of a group of intercessors, invited by that president.

“Similarly, that I ever discussed the CBCIU, privately or on any forum, with Yar’Adua’s successor, President Jonathan.

On the contrary, Prince Oyinlola wrote a letter to President Jonathan requesting him to “call Wole Soyinka to order” for “meddling” in the affairs of Osun State, having been “caught” visiting Osun shrine. I was shown a copy of that letter.

“That I, in my own person, or the governing board of CBCIU did institute, or has ever initiated legal action involving the CBCIU. That the Board should have been involved in the legal proceeding is obvious and logical. The CBCIU Board, created under the current governor, has always taken its legitimacy for granted according to the laws of Osun State. Thus it had no cause to drag any aggrieved individual to court. The responsibility for responding to any litigation challenging Osun State laws is, I still assume, the primary responsibility of the lawmakers, not the Board’s.”

However, Oyinlola, in his reaction, asked Soyinka whether it would not be proper “to put his ( Soyinka’s) own name on top of his list of liars now that he is writing his Republic of Liars,” adding that “liars hardly acknowledge truth when they see it.”

Kogi:pdpgovernors’trucemeeting deadlocked Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja PEOPLES Democratic Party’s Governor Forum (PDPGF) and immediate past President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan have failed to persuade Governor Idris Wada and Alhaji Jubrin Isah to reach a compromise on the ticket for the November 21 governorship election in Kogi State.

Wada seeks a second term in office as Issah aspires for the same post, a stalemate which may result in a primary on Monday.

At a marathon meeting held at the Ondo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, Saturday Tribune gathered that Jonathan and key members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) opposed the return of Wada but the chairman of the PDPGF, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko stood in favour of Wada.

Issah, it was gathered, was the first person called in and was told by the pro-Wada faction to support the governor for a second term and wait for his turn in four years.

Meanwhile, Issah was given the chance to nominate a deputy and list 10 names as commissioners should Wada eventually retain his seat in the governorship elections.

Saturday Tribune learnt that Issah rejected these overtures.

“He said he had set goals to achieve for the people of Kogi and that nominating a deputy and 10 commissioners would not serve the same objectives,’’ an insider told Saturday Tribune.

5

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

6

news

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Ekiti partners Army to tackle crimes, insecurity EKITI State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has expressed the readiness of the state government to partner with the Nigerian Army to tackle crime and insecurity in the state.

The governor stated this while playing host to the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Laz Chima Ilo, in his office in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

In a statement on Friday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the governor also lauded the military for their discipline and professionalism.

He opined that the virtues by the Nigerian military were second to none.

Fayose noted that withdrawing soldiers from some major roads would have been a disaster, adding that the efforts of soldiers at checking crimes could not be relegated to the background.

The General Officer Commanding, 2 Mechanised Division, Major-General Laz Ilo, presenting a gift to the Ekiti State governor, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose, when General Ilo paid him a visit last Wednesday at the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti, during the familiarisation tour of units and formations under his command.

CBN warns public on fraudulent financial banks Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned members of the public to be mindful of fraudulent financial houses usually referred to as wonder banks.

Speaking at a CBN fair in Kaduna on Friday with the theme “Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Development,” the Director of Corporate Communication of the apex bank, Mallam Ibrahim Mu’azu, said the CBN attaches importance to enlightenement on economic developmental initiatives and programmes so that people can leverage on them.

“Let me use this medium to caution members of the public to be very careful and mindful of the activities of illicit financial houses (wonder banks) so as not to lose your hard-earned

money in the pursuit of ‘mouthwatering’ fictitious returns on investment,” he said.

The director advised that the public should endeavour to verify such offers by prospective finance houses before parting with their money.

“You can always visit the

CBN website or any branch of the CBN nearest to you for such.

“The objective of this sensitisation therefore is to create awareness about the economic development initiatives and programmes of the bank with a view to explaining the opportunities available and how best to

Dishonest leaders threaten Nigeria’s democracy —Don Oluwole Ige - Osogbo THE first Nigerian Bishop Theologian, Professor Dapo Asaju, during the week said Nigeria’s democracy is hanging in the balance, contending that only a religious environment can produce right leaders for the country.

Asaju made the disclosure while delivering a keynote address on the theme ‘Religion and the Democratic Sustainability in Nigeria’ at the

opening session of the 36th annual conference of Nigeria Association for the Study of Religions (NASR), held at Oduduwa Hall of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. He lamented that honest and sincere leaders are hard to come by in the country, warning that this development portends great danger for the nation’s democratic rule.

According to Asaju, the inability of President Mu-

Ogun pensioners protest non-payment of 2 months pension arrears LOCAL government pensioners under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Ogun, on Friday protested non-payment of their pension arrears.

The pensioners assembled at the secretariat of IjebuOde Local Government Council carrying placards with various inscriptions demanding payment of two months pension arrears.

Some of the inscriptions read: “Pay our 2 months arrears,” “Hunger and starvation is killing us,” “Amosun, save our souls,” “Why ow-

leverage on them.

‘The various initiatives are on monetary policy, modernisation of the payment system, development financing programmes and financial literacy have been designed to revamp, reposition and re-enginer vital sectors of the economy,” Mu’azu added.

ing us our meagre entitlements?”

Mr Babatunde Alli, the NUP chairman, Ijebu-Ode Local Government chapter, said his members received between N2,400 and N3,000 monthly which was not enough to cater for their needs.

He said that the state government was owing state and local government pensioners arrears of gratuity since December 2011.

Alli said they were also demanding for 33 per cent increase in their pension

approved by the Federal Government, which had not been implemented by the state government.

He said that the state government had not paid July and August pension allowances to pensioners, adding that the government had reneged on its promises.

Also speaking, a pensioner, Mr Muritala Oseni, said that some of his colleagues had died while some could not afford hospital bills with the meagre remuneration.

hammadu Buhari to form cabinet over three months of coming on board, said to have been caused by the search for people of impeccable character, lent credence to the total neglect of religion as guiding principle in Nigeria’s democracy.

He added: “Since the death of Awolowo, Azikiwe and Ahmadu Bello, have the tribes they represented been able to raise leaders that are generally acceptable to all?

No. The absolute democracy the country imported from America and United Kingdom will spell doom for the country.

“Absolute democracy does not take care of Nigeria’s peculiarities because before government came to being, the rulers of people, the obas, Obis and emirs used to consult the Divine Being before taking decisions.What we have today are rulers that are not of God,” Asaju asserted.

While warning leaders in the country against global rebellion against God, especially among the Western nations, he observed that the world powers were using science and religion to attack religion.

Saraki’s wife canvasses better funding for midwifery education WIFE of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, on Thursday, canvassed for adequate funding of midwifery education in the country to afford nurses and midwives the opportunity for further professional development.

Mrs. Saraki made the plea while addressing stakeholders in the health sector at the 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Confederation of Midwives, (ICM), in the Hague, Netherlands.

According to her, there is the need to invest more in midwifery education in Nigeria to be able to robustly address challenges in maternal and child delivery services across the country.

She stressed that practitioners in the health sector need conducive working environments to help in delivering their expert skills and experiences to patients.

Petroleum tankers not restricted

by Lagos govt —NUPENG THE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Friday said that petroleum tankers were not affected by the Lagos State government’s daytime operational restriction.

Mr Tokunbo Korodo, the Southwest chairman of the union, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that “the ban had nothing to do with petroleum tankers.”

Korodo, who said that petroleum tankers were not captured by the law, added that they could deliver products to any destination any time.

“We are aware of this directive by the LASG but the law did not restrict our trucks.

“Tanker drivers can move at any time to deliver its products; we are not affected by the traffic law.

“You can see that our tankers are working all round the clock to lift petroleum products and deliver at designated filling stations nationwide,” he said.

NLC decries dislocation in Nigeria’s remuneration policy THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said serious dislocation in the country’s remuneration policy is responsible for the disparity in the salary structures of the public and private sectors.

The President of the congress, Dr Ayuba Wabba, said this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, the way out is the application of a general principle in the basic salary of all civil servants and that special allowances should compensate those in critical sectors.

“So, usually, across the world this is certainly a principle that is being applied.

“In our case, I think while doing that we will be advocating that there should be a general principle, especially the basic salary, I think should not be of much difference.

“What can make the difference is specialised allowances and I think that is what we have in the health sector, where we have specialised allowances because it is true that there are some specialities that are very rare especially in the sectors of health and education,” he said.

7

news

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

NULGE congratulates Buhari, tasks him on autonomy of LGs THE Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Southwest zone, has sent a congratulatory message to President Muhammadu Buhari on his 100 days in office.

The association said the body language of the president has been a controlling measure in shaping things in all sectors of the economy, adding that it has a lot of confidence in the president.

In a release issued and signed by Comrade Famoofo Oludare Razaaq, the Southwest zonal chairman and national vice chairman, Southwest zone, the association said it shares in the concern of the president on the local government funds as contained in his inaugural speech.

It stated further that the union is constrained to point out that the body language of President Buhari has not reflected in the way the governors are handling the local government joint accounts.

Synagogue honours building collapse victims Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin- Lagos

From left, Mr Vincent Umoh, Account Manager, Brandlife Limited; Mrs Chinyere Aholu, winner of the Community Wash-a-thon; Mina Georgewill, Brand Manager, Morning Fresh and Mr George Agwulonu, Territory Sales Manager, Morning Fresh, in Port Harcourt, during the prize presentation to winner of the Morning Fresh Community Wash-a-thon Competition in Elekahia area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently.

Lagos Assembly set to end de-accreditation of LASU Law programme Chukwuma Okparaocha - Lagos

T

HE Lagos State House of Assembly Adhoc-Committee on Education has met with representatives of parents of Part one Law Students of the Lagos State University (LASU) and management of the school with a view to ending the de-accreditation of law programme of the school by the National University Commission (NUC) which was done a few years ago.

The committee, headed

by Honourable Gbolahan Yishawu, met with the parents of the students, and the management of the institution, led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Obafunwa, during the week at the Lateef Jakande Hall in the assembly premises over a petition written to the Assembly by the parents of the affected students.

In the petition entitled: “Petition on The Plight of Part 1 (one) Law Students of The Lagos State University” and dated 17 August, the parents wanted the assembly to speak to the authority of the school to determine whether students admitted into LASU for the 2014/2015 academic session to read law were bonafide students of the university.

They said further in the petition, co-signed by Dr. Lekan Aderibigbe, Mr. Ganiu Alokun and Mrs. Osibodu among others, that there should be a

determination”Whether the denial of these students to partake in the matriculation of the new students conducted on Wednesday February 11th, 2015 was proper and in order.”

The parents alleged in the petition that the university places advertisement for admission into its law faculty of law through JAMB brochure for 2014/2015 admissions.

“Based on students scores in JAMB UTME and in furtherance of item 3.1 above, LASU placed further advertisement in some selected

daily newspapers for prospective candidates to apply for courses of their choice in the University. Copy of The Nation Newspaper of Wednesday July 9, 2014 is hereto attached as exhibit 2,” they said in the petition.

The parents added that prospective students of the school were duly cleared individually and severally to undertake the study of course (s) of their choice including law students for 2014/2015.

“Consequently, students were allowed to make mandatory payment of school

fees to the University. It is important to note however, that not all prospective students made the screening exercise, some were disqualified,” they said.

According to the parents, the students successfully participated in all the admission processes highlighted in the petition, adding that they were taken aback when on Wednesday 11, February they were all excluded from the matriculation exercise conducted by the University for the new students.

Hajj: 17 pilgrims left behind in Jigawa Adamu Amadu- Dutse

AS a result of problems with their traveling documents, 17 intending pilgrims from Jigawa State were not airlifted to the holy land for this year’s pilgrimage..

This was disclosed by the executive secretary to the state’s Pilgrims Welfare

Board, Alhaji Muhammed Sani Alhassa, while speaking to newsmen at Dutse International Airport shortly before boarding the last fight for state pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

He said that the 17 people left behind out of the 2, 374 hajj seats allocated to the state comprised seven wom-

en and 10 men.

Alhaji Alhassa said the 17 pilgrims had problems either with their passports or visa.

According to him, “we still have hope that they will join us. We have made all arrangements and have left three board officials, including the director in-charge of visas, to clear everything.”

Nurse slumps on duty in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

A nurse has slumped while on duty at the Accident and Emergency (A and E) unit of the Ughelli Central Hospital, Delta State.

She was said to be attending to a patient when she suddenly slumped and lost consciousness.

The nurse, identified as Mrs. Stella Riabelle, is said to be the head of the unit.

Saturday Tribune

gathered that she slumped as a result of fatigue, as few hands attend to a large number of patients at the A and E unit.

By 1:40p.m on Friday, medical personnel, including the Delta State chapter chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Mr. Egbedi Ejiro, were still battling to resuscitate the woman.

One of the nurse’s colleagues said she had earlier com-

plained of fatigue.

A medical source said the workload at the A and E ward has become unbearable, as patients continue to flood the unit.

This, the source said, was due to shortage of staff members at the unit of the hospital.

According to her, “owing to the inadequate staffing at the unit and the workload, she closes by 6:00p.m. from Monday to Friday, instead of 4:00p.m.”

PROPHET T.B. Joshua and The Synagogue Church of All Nations on Friday held a memorial service for the victims of the September 12, 2014 building collapse on the Ikotun, Lagos premises of the church.

The service was also held in South Africa and a delegation was sent from Nigeria to take part in activities leading to the memorial.

Prophet T.B. Joshua has maintained that the deceased, mostly South Africans, were on an appointment with God when they met their death and therefore believes that they did not die in vain.

Also speaking at the memorial, a combatant captain and blasts specialist, Michael Oyediran, said that he was alarmed at the September 12 incident and how government inquest handled the matter.

APC hails Nigerian workers, civil society bodies for standing up against corruption THE All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday lauded Nigerian workers and civil society organisations for standing up against corruption, describing their open demonstration of support for the Federal Government’s battle against corruption as a major boost to the antigraft fight.

The party gave the commendation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, saying Nigerian workers’ unambiguous stand against corruption was a clear repudiation of all those who had attempted to politicise the battle, either by insinuating selectivity or saying the government should face governance instead of dwelling on the fight against corruption.

The APC said the nationwide demonstrations held on Thursday by Nigerian workers and the civil society in support of the anti-corruption battle was the clearest indication yet that corruption was now seen for what it was - a vice to be condemned and punished rather than something to be venerated and celebrated.

Ambode appoints new heads of LASIMRA, Water Regulatory Board, others Bola Badmus- Lagos

LAGOS State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has appointed new heads of agencies, including Lagos State Safety Commission, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Authority (LASIMRA) and the Water Regulatory Board.

The appointments were contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello and made available to newsmen covering the Governor’s Office.

According to the statement, spokesman for Lagos chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Joe Igbokwe, who until now was the General Manager of LASIMRA, was appointed by the governor as the Chairman of Wharf Landing Fee Collecting Authority.

Mr. Fouad Alade Oki is the new Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, the agency saddled with the responsibility of safety regulations and enforcement in the state.

8

news

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

OYOWMA warns PSPs on waste collection

By Taibat Alimi THE Oyo State government has said it is ready to dispense with the services of any Private Sector Participant (PSP) which fails in its duty to live up to its responsibility of waste collection and disposal in the state.

General Manager, Oyo State Solid Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA), Engineer Alabi Joseph, told Saturday Tribune that missing dump trunks and scattered wastes have been reported in the state but that if or when there are instances of perceived lapses, OYOWMA would not hesitate in axing the erring firm.

“We have over 360 PSPs on waste management zoned to different areas of the state, so there is no excuse of not having waste collectors in any area.

“The government will definitely intervene when there are lapses in their performance and in case the operator cannot continue, we will make available, a competent hand that can provide the service,’’ he said.

From left, Leader of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila; United Nations AIDS (UNAISD) country director, Mr Bilali Camara and a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Karimi Sunday, during a courtesy visit by UNAIDS delegation to the leader, at the National Assembly, Abuja, on Friday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO.

Soldiers shoot pregnant woman, arrest her suckling baby Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

S

oldiers attached to Koko Military Base have allegedly shot a pregnant woman and arrested her suckling baby and a man living with disability in Delta.

The incident, as gathered, took place on August 28, 2015 at about 7.00 a.m when soldiers invaded Yukugbene community to rid it of criminals.

The pregnant woman was identified as Madam Loveth Odibo, the baby, Saviour and the man with disability, Friday Gbangbara.

They were said to have been dragged into a waiting gunboat by the soldiers while Madam Odibo continued to bleed.

She was said to be at Yukugbene community to seek herbal remedy for sick Saviour when she was nabbed by the soldiers and accused of being an associate of a criminal suspect under military watch.

The soldiers were said to have committed the act when they invaded Yukugbene community in Warri North Local Government Area to rid it of criminals.

The trio are said to have been unlawfully detained in Koko military facilities for two weeks before being transferred to the Benin Brigade Command recently.

National coordinator of the Conference for the Actualisation of Human Rights, Omes Ogedegbe, has petitioned the Chief of

Army Staff demanding the immediate release of the woman, her toddler and the crippled.

Ogedegbe frowned upon a situation where the pregnant Odibo, Saviour and Gbangbaran were unlawfully arrested, detained and denied visits from family members and medical attention.

Meanwhile, the Commanding Officer of Koko Military Base, LieutenantColonel Aminu Umar, could not be reached by phone,

THE Lagos State government has threatened to sanction erring house owners who build on drainage alignment.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Yinka Bankole-Bawa, Director of Public Affairs and Research, Ministry of Envi-

ronment, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The statement said the threat became necessary after the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Toyin Onisarotu, undertook a one-day tour of drainage sites in Ikoyi, Victoria Is-

Lagos govt to sanction house owners with buildings on drainage alignment

Union Baptist Church marks 70th anniversary Union Baptist Church, Ekotedo, Ibadan, will celebrate its 70th anniversary from September 13 to 20, 2015. The church, which was established in 1945, will commence week-long activities with ANNIVERSARY REVIVAL from Sunday, 13 to Wednesday, 16 September 2015. The guest speaker and revivalist is Reverend E.A. Falade.

Free medical test for all will come up at the church auditorium on Tuesday, September 15, between 3pm and 5pm. The church will pay a visit to orphanages in Ibadan at 10am on Thursday, September 17, 2015. This will be

but a military source said the gunshots suffered by Madam Odibo was a result of an accidental discharge.

The source said the detainees were arrested because they were presumed to be family members of one of the criminal suspects in the wanted list of the soldiers.

The military source also alleged that a rifle was discovered in the home of the suspects at the community when soldiers went to rid the community of criminals.

followed by music cantata by combined choir of the church and guest artistes by 3pm.

Other activities that are mapped out for the anniversary include drama ministrations/documentary coming up on Friday, September 18, by 4pm. This will be followed up by Youth/ Baptist Students Fellowship reunion and an alumni vigil at the church auditorium starting at 10pm.

The anniversary celebration activities will come up on Saturday, September 19. The activities for the day include fund raising for church development and

launching of history book/ presentation of awards by 10am. The weeklong activities will be rounded off with anniversary thanksgiving on Sunday, September 20 by 10am. To preside at the occasion is Reverend (Dr) Supo Ayokunle, President, Nigeria Baptist Convention.

This will be followed by inauguration of Goodwill Baptist Church at Akuru, Ibadan, by Reverend Jonathan Babalola, the Senior Pastor, Union Baptist Church, Ekotedo, Ibadan, by 4pm. The theme for the 70th anniversary is Anniversary of God’s goodness and mercy.

land and Lekki axis.

According to the statement, the permanent secretary had ordered the ministry’s Department of Drainage Enforcement and Compliance to mark all the structures built on walls extended to drainage alignment.

“The buildings that contravened other state’s drainage and planning laws will also be marked. ‘’This should be followed with served notices to the owners of the contravening structures. ‘’Such owners should present their building document to the ministry,’’ it said.

The statement added that the ministry would not hesitate to apply necessary sanctions on any land owner who flouted the state law on drainage channels.

It appealed to those who had the intent to build on drainage alignment or divert drainage channels to desist from such act.

11 die, 86, 710 hectares of farmland destroyed by flood in Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara —NEMA NO fewer than 11 persons have been killed by flood in Sokoto and Zamfara states in 2015, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has said.

Mr Thickman Tanimu, Deputy Head, Sokoto Zonal Operations Office of NEMA, said 10 of the victims died in Zamfara, while a seven-year old boy died at Kuchi village in Kebbe Local Government area of Sokoto State.

Tanimu said on Friday in Sokoto, while giving update of damage caused by flood in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara that more than 86,710 hectares valued N1.58 billion were destroyed in the three states.

According to him, a total of 20,477 homes were also affected, rendering about 50,000 people homeless.

1 million Africans to catch malaria from dam mosquitoes in 2015 —Study A study published in Malaria Journal, has predicted that one million Africans would catch malaria in 2015, because they live near a large dam.

Solomon Kibret of Australia’s University of New England, the paper’s lead author, said in a statement on Friday that over 80 major new dams were due to be built in sub-Saharan Africa over the next few years.

He said in Nairobi that the construction would lead to an additional 56,000 malaria cases a year.

“While dams clearly bring many benefits contributing to economic growth, poverty alleviation and food security , adverse malaria impacts need to be addressed or they will undermine the sustainability of Africa’s drive for development.

“Efforts must be made to protect people from the killer disease,” he said.

9

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

newsmaker

Aregbesola: Quintessential man in the news

By Blessing Ekum

I

f awards were to be given to “Governor Most in the News,” it arguably may be given to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State. In a twist of events, he seems to have snagged that position from a certain South-West governor whose radicalism portrays him as one whose survival depends on attention and weekly media mentions.

Since the beginning of his second term in office, Aregbesola’s journey has been marked by one battle after the other, week in, week out.

As if vitriol fired from the expected political opponents and frenemies are not enough, he incurred the wrath and regret of the workers of Osun and rage of other workers who vicariously share in the pain of their Osun counterparts. Recently, he seems to have added more salt to the injury.

The world over is bending under the weight of economic downturns and Nigeria is not exempt to this sting. In a country of over 174 million people with 122 million living in desperate poverty (based on the acceptable extreme poverty line of $1.25 a day), one cannot begin to imagine the situation of workers who are not paid after investing their time, energy and other resources into work. It would be flogging a dead horse if one were to recant the sufferings in the past months of these workers, some of whom have lost their lives and those of their family to lack of money.

But just when respite is in sight (thanks to the benevolence of the Federal Government to bail out Osun and Benue states who were worst hit by the ‘hurricane all work and no pay’), the hopes of some of these workers appear being threatened.

Though some other states in the federation were also hit by lack of funds to pay workers and had got soft loans from the Federal Government, the situation in Osun State took a dramatic turn this week when the state government directed workers to produce their primary school certificates or risk nonpayment of their backlog of salary arrears.

This move, it’s gathered, is an effort by the government to block leakages in all sectors of the state. According to the state government, ongoing investigations from the ‘operation show your certificates screening and verification exercise’ revealed that scores of ghost workers lurk in the local government, civil service and teaching service in the state.

While there is a category of faceless workers (Category A) who draw salaries from the coffers of the state, another category (Category B) are those who get salaries from the purse of the state but actually live in other

court&crime

I caught her on 3 different occasions with different men —Husband ‘I’m a responsible woman’

Pp18 &31

states and do not work. The ‘operation show your certificates and verification screening exercise’ was reached between the labour movement and the state when the issue of the number of workers drawing salaries from the state government came up for scrutiny. On the surface, this move may seem laudable ,though belatedly proactive.

Governor Aregbesola has always been perceived as unusual, howbeit with a passion and enthusiasm for making an impact. This is evident in his idealised reformation agenda, especially during his first term in office.

The areas of infrastructure, empowerment and education witnessed a difference in modus operandi and he was generally hailed home and abroad despite observed gaps and hitches in the execution of some of the projects. But the start-off of his second term, especially as regard the welfare of workers leaves a bitter-sweet taste in the mouth and some of his actions breed questions that beg for answers.

If some workers are unable to produce the said primary school leaving certificate, how then did they get employed without it in the first place? For it to be required for verification, it follows that it should have been part of the initial employment requirement. How did they get employment letters without completing the requirement process? Indeed, how did they get their employments confirmed? Who then is to blame if they cannot produce it now?

If the motive for the ‘operation show your certificates screening and verification exercise’ is actually about checking ghost workers in the civil service, why the insistence on primary school leaving certificate? How would he differentiate those who legitimately do not possess the said certificate and those who are actually Category B ghost workers?

What stops them from just showing up with their certificates, get verified and return to business as usual? The governor, one believes, must have thought hard about the policy to check the leech and money-sucking ghosts of Osun State, who reap where they sowed not, hence the policy aimed at weeding them out.

But with the ‘operation no certificate no salary decision,’ another vista of opportunity opened for Aregbesola’s bashers, chief among whom is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Osun State chapter, who recently accused Aregbesola of fixing the N34.988bn bailout received from the Central Bank of Nigeria for two months with a commercial bank in order to attract interest. The PDP had stressed that a verification exercise had ended last week and it makes one wonder if there is no other criterion to authenticate workers rather than insist on their primary school certificates. Or could the primary school certificate issue be a delay tactic for the maturation of the alleged fixed deposit?

Or else, why didn’t this verification exercise take place before the bail out? Analysts ask, what happens after the presentation of the primary school certificate

exercise? Would he further ask for verification of the certificates and probably check to see if the schools actually existed and the headmasters really issued the said certificates? Would he also demand the headmasters’ own certificates be verified to be sure they were actually qualified to issue primary school certificates? For how long will excuses crop up to deprive those who have worked from receiving their pay which has been due them for eight months?

Trust politicians, they see opportunity in the other party’s travails. The PDP called on the governor to practise what he preaches by also presenting his primary, secondary, polytechnic education and professional certificates. Won’t it be safe to add that while the governor is at it, he might also do well to ask for his few appointees and legislators to lead by example by presenting their first school leaving certificates? When would the suffering and hardship of Osun workers end? When will the drums that beat for Aregbesola’s macabre dance stop?

It’s true that no great advance has ever been made whether in science, religion or politics without controversy, but it is hoped that Aregbesola would tap into his humanity and remember that the prime purpose of humans in life is to help others and if we cannot help them, we should at least not hurt them or hurt them further.

But the man who proudly calls himself “unusual governor” runing an “unusual government” may have a point in demanding the primary six certificate.

The easiest way to know a civil servants’s true age is to find out when he left primary school.

Although he has beaten a retreat on this demand, analysts contend that the coming days will determine whether the “unusual governor” has truly drawn the curtain on the salary saga in that state and will rest a little from being always in the news.

feature

entertainment

politics

Uncertainties trail ex Gov Fashola’s dream project

John Fashanu finds love again

How PDP survived APC’s tsunami in Taraba —Nyame

Pp22&27

P34

Pp37&40

10

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

With Toluwani Olamitoke 08050498504 toluwaniforever@yahoo.com

Ask her and she will tell you she has no regretss dumping her career as an editor of a publishing company and walking out of her lucrative banking job to settle down in a field where she’s most comfortable–helping the underprivileged. Mrs Febisola Okonkwo is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Help Initiative, a non governmental organisation (NGO) which renders services to vulnerable children in Oyo State, a passion which has earned her recognition and awards locally and internationally. She speaks with TOLUWANI OLAMITOKE on her activities, the challenges and her marriage.

Y

OU are a Yoruba woman married to an Igbo man, what’s was the attraction?

I didn’t really see him as an Igbo man really. He has been in the South West since 1970. He had his secondary and university education here.

Members of his family are also here.

His parents were teachers and so had interacted with people from the South West.

The first time you met did you ever have an inkling you were going to get married to him?

Not at all. We met at the University Press Plc, a publishing company where I did my National Youth Corps Service.

He was a staff there. We were just friends, we were fond of chatting and laughing together.

spurred your interest in this NGO? First, I will say I am from a background where we were taught not to close our eyes to those who are in need around us. In my family we lived a communal lifestyle; we learnt to share whatever we had with others.

Help Initiative developed out of my personal conviction and strong belief that with support and commitment from the community, orphans and vulnerable children can live a better and more fulfilled life. I actually went back to the University of Ibadan to obtain a master degree in Social Work.

This was necessary due to my passion to be of help to people, especially the underprivileged and vulnerable and these especially children and youths. I started Help Initiative as a self support project and a hobby which later developed into a structured Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in 2006.

Help Initiative works in collaboration with orphanages and related welfare institutions in Oyo State to alleviate the sufferings of OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children).

‘At first, my parents resisted my plan to marry an Igbo man’

And when he proposed?

Well, as time went by I realised we had many things in common. But even then I wasn’t thinking of marriage. When he proposed, I sat down, thought over the issue and committed it to prayer. Thank God 25 years after I can say I have no regrets.

How did your parents react to your decision to marry a non Yoruba person?

I initially met with great resistance. They just didn’t buy the idea even their first meeting with him wasn’t actually a pleasant one. But as they gradually got to know him, they relaxed and took him in as theirs. Again, there was a relative who knew his parents and family and they were well spoken of. At the end of the day he won their hearts.

What challenges did the different languages, food and traditions among others pose in your marriage?

We didn’t really encounter much problem. He was good in Yoruba Language having lived here for long. And you know as a linguist, it was easy to have a grasp of what is being said in Igbo Language. You will also agree with me that Igbo people when in the middle of a discussion, gesticulate a lot so you can’t but have an idea of what they are saying. I actually picked some words and expressions in his language.

And food?

We eat food from both areas but I learnt to cook dishes from his place. I love ofe oha the best. My husband’s best food is yam and stew or egg.

As a communication specialist one would have expected that you would be working in a media industry or as a public relations practitioner. What

In what ways has this organisation been able to reach out to its targets?

We achieve our goals and objectives by organising projects and programmes for our target audience and these include women empowerment programmes, shelter for orphans and vulnerable children (Tabitha Home), kids club, capacity building for young people, yearly clothe drive, event among others.

Let’s talk about Tabitha Home.

It’s a care and transitional home for vulnerable children and it’s being operated by Help Initiative. The focus is to rehabilitate, transform and integrate the children. It’s a network–we have friends and families who believe in what we are doing and share in our vision, these give their support also.

What is the age range of children in this home?

They are from age four to 18 years and we have 18 of them there at present. I will also add that these belong to the category of those who don’t have parents, whose parents are vulnerable because of poverty, or are physically or emotionally challenged. Ignoring this group of children means leaving them on the streets to be influenced by drug addicts or hardened criminals while the female ones among them may take to prostitution. Tabitha Home is not taking the place of parents, family members or the government, but it is rather helping the community to make the best come out of them. We call it a home because we believe we need something deeper than an orphanage or motherless home which are derogatory terms. Therefore as formal as it is, we are trying to make it informal by giving the children a sense of belonging. We carry out this through Kid’s

Club activities which encourage the children to be expressive through songs, play, choreography, teachings and play.

They are given social and educative opportunities and I must confess these kids are doing well.

Looking through the years do you feel fulfilled carrying out these activities?

I have received local and international awards, but that is not the issue. I feel fulfilled and motivated to do more when I see these children doing well and being transformed. Some of them are on scholarship at Rochas School and as we you know, scholarship is given on merit.

Can you recall a memorable day on the job?

It’s the day one of our beneficiaries who is deaf and dumb graduated from the Christian Mission for the Deaf.

He passed out in flying colours. He was the only deaf and dumb student at Moniya Rehabilitation Centre (a centre for special need students) that year. His parents were poor but he had read up to primary three. Through the sign language, he told me his desire was to further his education, I therefore enrolled him in Christian Mission for the Deaf which was a private school with high school fees. He was 17 years old while in JSS1. His teachers were so much impressed with his performance that they made him the senior prefect in SSS1. He won many prizes the day he graduated. He’s now in Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo and has been employed as a housemaster by the school.

What do you consider as the challenges of running such an organisation?

Ignorance. Many people still don’t understand what we are doing but we are determined the job must continue because we are adding value to lives everyday and we see positive results. In the past we had a communal set up where everyone was his brother’s keeper. Now with the advent of civilisation and embrace of the Western world lifestyle, many now live individualistic lifestyle but they have forgotten that the Western world has a structure which provides for the jobless, sick and the like. Here we have nothing of such. Again, looking at the economy, there is obviously a downturn. But if you wait until you have before you give, you will never give. We have many needs steering us in the face, but as we go through the days, weeks and months we get by. It has been God. Right now a compelling need is a school bus for children in Tabitha Home. With this, we can convey them to school and bring them home with ease. There is also the bias against NGO as money making organisation. Just as we have many NGOs seeking to impact on lives and improve the lots of people in the society, I agree that there are also bad eggs. But this is not peculiar to NGOs alone, It’s a common feature in the society.

In what ways has your spouse been supportive?

He shares the same vision with me in this regard. I must confess, without God, I wouldn’t have been able to do this much or be able to come this far. My husband has been of support financially, gives me ideas and advice and through him some have responded to Help Initiative positively. I can’t count the number of times we visited Oru Camp where Nigerians deported from Liberia were rehabilitated. He enjoys working with the underprivileged.

What will be your reaction if any of your children decides to marry a northerner?

I think the person’s personality is more important than where he or she comes from. Above all, prayer in making the right decision masters most.

How do you relax?

I love to listen to music-it could be country, jazz or gospel music, but the lyrics must be decent.

What attire are you most comfortable in?

I love jeans most and sometimes skirt and blouse.

If going out, what do you consider a must-use?

My earrings and wristwatch.

11

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

food&drink I don’t regret dumping my

masters degree

for baking Mrs Funmi Olusanya is a baker and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Honey B Multi Services Limited. In this interview with OLUWABUNMI AJAYI, she speaks on the business of cake making and how new entrants can succeed.

H

ow did you discover your passion for cake making?

My mother used to bake cakes when I was young and I was always watching and assisting her. That was where I developed the interest and by the time she passed on I was already into the cake business. I also went to different schools to acquire knowledge in it. I went to Lagos Cake School, I learnt from some of my senior colleagues and I did my finishing at Cake and Candid in Lagos. There is no end to training; I still learn from different people and the internet.

How long have you been in this line of business?

I started professionally in November 1997 after my degrees. I didn’t do anything after my studies; I just went straight into cake designs and decoration.

What did you study at the university?

I read Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan where I had my bachelors and master’s degrees.

Why didn’t you work with your degrees?

Immediately after my master’s degree programme, I was thinking of applying for a job but my strong passion for cake making and decorations didn’t allow it. So, I felt I could set up something from this passion. Why I really went for it is that I love doing what my mind and spirit go for, and I thank God I am not regretting that decision today.

Can you recall your first experience with baking and decorating a cake?

It was during one of my relative’s wedding and the experience was worthwhile. I didn’t really believe people would appreciate the texture and the cake decoration. To say the fact, the first contract opened doors for me.

People were just coming to me to get my contact because of the cake finishing and the reception decoration.

You just had a cake exhibition, what brought about that decision?

What really prompted me to have the exhibition was that I noticed that in Ibadan, we don’t have a forum where cake makers can come together under one umbrella to deliberate on issues pertaining to the business. So, I decided to organise this exhibition to bring cake makers together, including those from outside Ibadan. At

the exhibition, we taught people the latest development and styles in cake making and decorations.

What changes have you observed in the cake industry in the past five years?

This is a business that evolves; what is in vogue today will not be in vogue tomorrow.

Therefore, cake makers have really gone far in perfecting their skills. That is why I am also learning every day. If one stops learning, then one will not go far in the business.

This is not only in the cake and decorative business. Fashion designers and other businesses also need to find new ways of doing things, or else they will be left behind by creative people.

What is the most challenging aspect of cake making?

The most challenging aspect is decorating. It is easy for everybody to bake a cake but when it comes to pasting and designing, that’s when you use your skills and creativity.

Do you have a signature cake?

I love doing lace works on cakes.

What is the future of the cake designs and decorative industry?

I believe in the next few years, the cake industry will become more innovative. We will be seeing designs that were before now not possible.

What are the three most important things a cake maker must have in mind to make a good cake?

The cake quality must be good, finishing design and price. Don’t make cake for people because of money; your cake must be good and suitable with the price.

What are the major pitfalls learners make in cake making and in running successful businesses?

I will just advise them to go back and learn.

They need basic knowledge of what they are doing. Gaining knowledge is the first step to success in whatever one is doing, or wants to do.

12

12 September, 2015

08055001741 (sms only)

Saturday Tribune

yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

Is there any drug to lower libido?

Dear Yemisi, am 31 years old. As I am writing you, I don’t have any girl friend.

I have noticed overtime that I get turned on all the time and I have been trying not to embarrass myself in the presence of any lady anytime I feel the urge to have sex.

I have always loved to remain a virgin till I am married.

Please, is there any drug that you can prescribe for me that will lower my urge?

Worried Young Man.

I

Dear Worried Young Man, Your decision not to have yourself embarrassed because of your thirst for sex is commendable.

But the question is, for how long are you going to be suppressing this desire of yours if what you are claiming to be is right?

Sustaining this resolve of yours is not an easy one, but with a little more

of discipline you can make it happen as you have vowed.

My brother, you are not too young to get married at your age provided you have all it takes to raise a family of your own. It will be a sheer waste of time, if you are thinking of just sowing the seed anyhow without thinking of its implication at the end of the day in your attempt to satisfy your appetite for sex. It is equally not a good decision if you take to sleeping with free girls, because this is done at a cost.

You start your search for a life partner and pray for your godsend wife and not just any lady but one who will understand and complement your efforts.

I cannot emphatically prescribe you any drug because I don’t know of any even if it exists. As long as you still want to stand by your decision you will have to find ways round your predicament by ensuring that you

take your mind off sex through engagements in other meaningful activities in your local community.

The thought actually seats in your subconscious and I believe you can

control your emotions. Instead of searching endlessly for a non existing drug, you need to see a sex therapist for advice.

Take care.

For Him Ishaq, 29, 5.9feet tall, slim, dark-skinned, graduate, based in Minna, Niger State, needs a woman aged 33 or above for a relationship. Contact 08089002110.

Oluwasegunfunmi, 27, unemployed graduate, dark-complexioned, good looking, humble, needs a mature, pretty, honest lady for a relationship. Contact 08160928481 .

Moses, 32, graduate, from Lagos, needs a caring, working class/business, Muslim or Christian from any tribe aged between 25 and 31 for a relationship. Call 08127782433.

Prince Nosa, 41, from Bini royal family, graduate, needs a tall, dark-skinned, medical doctor, lawyer as wife. Contact 08092538756.

Toluwani, 52, minister of God, Abeokutabased, with kids, needs a mature, working class, humble, caring, born again woman aged between 37 and 42, five feet tall, darkskinned, pretty, averagely built, single mother as wife. Call or text 08180994920.

Olusola, 55, Ibadan-based, needs a caring, supportive, Christian lady as a companion.

Call 08176484440.

Olumide, 34, graduate, working class, seeks a working class, educated, Christian lady aged between 24 and 29 for marriage. Call 08061156062.

Olu, 48, financial analyst in a reputable bank based in Lagos, needs a God fearing, attractive financially independent woman, preferably a lecturer, senior teacher/ civil servant, aged between 45 and 55 years, for a relationship. Call 08101952433.

ND, 55, successful lawyer based in Abuja with children, needs a born again, financially independent lady aged 48 as wife

and companion. Call 07056634996.

Ibrahim, 44, 5.7feet tall, graduate, darkskinned, from Oyo State, based in Ota, Ogun State, needs a caring, good looking, mature, God-fearing Muslim lady aged between 28 and 35 from any background for an affair. Call 08098555639.

Kola, 40, needs a fat lady from any part of the world for marriage. Call 08060439348.

Yusuf Yunus, from Badagry, needs a Muslim lady aged between 25 and 28 for a relationship. Contact 08050443375.

For Her Tolani, 28, Christian, from Ekiti State, needs a man aged between 33 and 47 for a relationship. Call 07038249065.

Yetunde, 37, Christian, graduate, single parent, wants an educated, humble, caring, loving, God-fearing man aged between 40 and 50 for marriage. Call 08184968437.

Temitope, 27, from Kogi State, single, wants a man aged between 33 and 46 for a relationship. Call 08148823880.

Abibola, 40, needs a caring elderly man for a relationship. Call 08088760456.

Abimbola, 30, fair-skinned, good-looking needs a mature man aged between 38 and 55 for a relationship. Call 08165563995.

Abimbola, 50, widow, needs a loving, caring, elderly man for a relationship. Call 07054977757.

Omolayo, needs a caring man for a relationship. Call 09082664997.

‘I prefer another man to a transplant’ Dear Yemisi, Please, I need your advice. My marriage is 10 years old and childless. My husband and I have visited many hospitals.

After the two of us went through series of tests sometime ago, my husband was diagnosed with low sperm count. I have stood by him all this while and at the end of the day, we have now decided that we should adopt a child.

Last week, he told me that he would marry another wife. Now, my question is, what is my gain under his roof?

Should I think of having another date? Or what do you think I should do since he has been going about saying

that he is thinking of getting married to another woman.

I have suggested to him on a number of times that we should consider a transplant, he is yet to give his word on the issue of a transplant.

Dear Yemisi, I think I will prefer to have another man rather than opt for a transplant.

I need your advice and readers’.

Anonymous.

Dear readers, what do you think this writer can do to retain her sanity? Kindly send your pieces of advice to 08055001741 or mail yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com.

13

12 September, 2015

intimacy

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Is there anything like too much sex in marriage?

T

he question of how often couples should have sex is one that is often asked in marriage conferences and seminars, and this is one question even experts in this field find difficult to take a stand on. It is often agreed that married couples should have sex as many times as possible in a week but to come out and say this number of times is most healthy for the marriage is something experts in this field shy away from. This is because no two marriages are the same. The individuals involved differ from marriage to marriage and their prevailing situations differ as well.

I consider it necessary to address this question of frequency of sexual intercourse in marriage because it is one issue that can cause disharmony if care is not taken.

Based on the body mechanism of a man, he tends to always feel he is not getting enough sex from his wife. Because his gonads are continually producing sperm, which are stored in the seminal vesicles along with seminal fluid, the moment these seminal vesicles are full, there is a physical push for release which he seeks to do through sex. Sometimes, his seminal vesicle can be full more than once a day and at each of these instances, he desires to have sex with his wife. A woman on the other hand desires sex for a different reason entirely.

She neither produces sperm nor has seminal vesicles that can get full. She is only moved to have sex with the man she loves when and only when she feels loved by him. So, if she does not feel loved, she does not want to have sex with him despite the fact that she loves him. Even after they have had a great sexual experience in the morning, she cannot understand why he is calling for her in the evening. And sometimes, she wonders why he seems to want it today since they had a great time the night before. As far as she is concerned, he should still be having a hangover from the last one, unknown to her that the moment he empties his seminal vesicles, another process begins which explains the reason he wants to have it.

As social beings, we relate with people outside our marriage and we tend to compare notes. When a man discovers that his friend often has sex with his spouse about four times in a week, he wonders why he should not enjoy same with his wife. And if he places such demand on his wife and she seems not to cooperate,

he naturally picks up a fight or becomes cold and withdraws. But the truth is, in determining how often you should have sex with your wife, many complex factors such as listed below must be considered: Your wife’s schedule Many men leave their wives to do all the work in the house: cleaning the house, taking care of the children, doing all the cooking, and attending to the school assignments of the children. This is apart from attending to either her business or paid job. With this situation, the wife becomes tired and already fagged out and sex becomes the last thing on her mind. Thus, the frequency of having sex with her husband will be badly affected.

In fact, in cases like these, the best these women can do is to just lie down like a log of wood, while the husband is moaning with pleasure all through the sexual intercourse, at the end of which she feels a piece of object only to be used for his satisfaction. In some other cases, it becomes an issue of wives being raped by their husbands, since they were too tired to willingly submit to the sexual advances of their husbands. You can rarely expect a great sexual performance from such wives due to tiredness, which is a major factor affecting sexual frequency of couples.

The home atmosphere The atmosphere in a home goes a long way in determining how often the couple will have sex. When a couple allows a

loving, romantic and caring atmosphere in their home, sex is something that will mostly happen without them planning for it, and it will be more fun than when it comes mechanically. This is because sex involves the emotions of people, and where there is holding of hands, cracking of jokes, exchange of love notes, pecking and hugging, and verbal appreciation of one another, sex will flow naturally and frequently.

Level of privacy Apart from the above, the level of privacy being enjoyed by couples also determines their sexual frequency. In a situation where other parties such as children, siblings, and mothers-in-law, live within the same apartment with the couples, sexual frequency is hampered. In such situations, couples have to steal time to be with one another. This becomes terrible in situations where the apartment is a room setting accommodating the couples and the children, otherwise the couples may be creating a free show for their children, and the negative effects could be destructive to the families involved.

Level of sexual satisfaction The level of sexual satisfaction of the couples also determines the frequency of sexual intercourse between each couple.

When each partner enjoys great sexual moments, expectation for another session is always high. In most cases, such couples

Don’t judge your sex frequency by the rates of others. As long as both of you are comfortable with what you are enjoying, other couples’ experiences and opinion should not get looking for what is not lost in your marriage.

will stop at nothing to get together again and again for sexual enjoyment. That is why couples must attain a high level sexual satisfaction, which is a function of many factors. Some of these factors have been considered in previous editions in this column. It will do us a lot of good if we can go over such again, or on request, you can have them sent into your email box. I am aware of cases in which wives shy away from sex due to lack of satisfaction from past sexual intercourse with their husbands.

However, let me emphasise it here that the wife is the one more affected by the level of sexual satisfaction. She is the one who feels the pains, while the husband, in most cases, is easily relieved of sexual tensions, once he can rise and sink inside her. According to Beverly and Tim Lahaye in their book, The Act of Marriage, “...the man who is too selfish to learn the art of lovemaking and uses his wife to relieve his sexual tensions will never create desire in her for the relationship,” So, husbands must ensure that they learn the art of lovemaking to keep the fire for sex burning in their wives. Otherwise, they have to learn to cope with feigned pains, headaches, and stomach upsets frequently from their wives.

On a final note, how frequently couples should have sex should not be legislated upon. Rather each couple, with personal experience, knowledge of their temperaments and health condition, should determine how often they should have sex.

Tim and Beverly Lahaye counselled in their book The Act of Marriage, that “... whatever rate of frequency brings enjoyment and fulfilment to the two of you is ‘’average’’ for you.” So, don’t judge your sex frequency by the rates of others. As long as both of you are comfortable with what you are enjoying, other couples’ experiences and opinion should not get looking for what is not lost in your marriage.

In response to my readers’ request, I have packaged some of my previous articles into a book with the title: ENJOYING GREAT SEXLIFE. You can call 08112658560 details.

14 interview

12 September, 2015

Why I refused to be Edo governor —Ex SSG, Femi Garuba

Saturday Tribune

Mr Olufemi Garuba, from Uneme Nekhua, Akoko Edo Local Government Area Edo State, retired from the Edo State Civil Service in 1998 as Head of Service and Secretary to the State Government (SSG). In this interview with BANJI ALUKO, he explains why he let an opportunity to become Edo State governor slipped by, reasons for the disconnect between the people and the rulers, the problems in the local government and other issues. looking as tidy as we were then.

So, he pulled us from the village. By the time he removed us, the harm was almost done. Luckily for us, the idea was quickly aborted and my younger ones did not suffer such experience.

ONE will expect that someone like you who retired from the civil service as Head of Service and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) just before democracy took roots in the country in 1999, were in pole position to fill political offices. Did it ever cross your mind to vie for any office?

It is very true. As a matter of fact, some few friends who were quite prominent people called me to say that I should run for the office of the governor. I looked at them and I laughed because holding a public office anywhere in the world is not an easy job. With my stint as SSG and what I passed through with people and all that, I couldn’t see myself being able to weather the storm of holding political office of that kind of magnitude again. What do you want to talk about? Is it the intrigues of human beings? Is it the workload or the thankless way the whole thing ended? So, I decided I would not do it again. I felt the little God has done for me was enough and that it was time to draw the line.

As someone who served as a local government administrator, what do you really think is responsible for the underdevelopment of our local governments?

I was sole administrator of the old Orhiomwon Local Government now consisting of Orhiomwon and Uhumwonde councils for two years. As a sole administrator, I was fully in charge of the local government. All questions concerning the council were directed at the administrators. We were fully in charge. We were made to feel like the governors in the local governments. The only control was that our expenditures were pegged for us. Any amount exceeding that must be cleared at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. They also had an inspectorate division consisting of officers who were going from council to council to ensure that the administrators were conducting their affairs along with the provisions of the law. I don’t think those things still exist.

So, you practically chickened out?

No, I didn’t chicken out as such, it was just that I felt fulfilled and satisfied with what God had done for me and any other goals beyond that could be such that I would dent whatever legacy I had left behind. When I left as SSG, I became the Head of the Civil Service Commission for five years. At that level, I felt I had served enough and other people should come in and play their parts.

You talked about certain things you kind of disliked about political offices, what exactly are these things?

The very first one is that because of the position one occupies as a highly placed public servant, one hardly hears the truth; everyone who comes to you usually comes with the feeling of taking something off you. What they want to take from you is something that will be beneficial to them and not to you or the system. In this case, they will say things to impress you so that you will do what they want you to do.

These are some of the intrigues. Meanwhile, any powerful public office you hold that makes others jealous of you, you can be sure that other people want that position as well. To that extent, they want to bring you down because they want it. Human beings are quite ambitious, so intrigues constitute part of the system. What is left is for an individual to know where to draw the line. When you keep struggling to remain there or seek higher positions, then you are creating more problems for yourself.

That is what is partly responsible for the problems we have in our political system. I didn’t see how I could operate in that kind of system. By nature, I run away from things that are not tailored towards serving humanity. I don’t like to get entangled in any web of controversy. What struck me most during my time in government was that our leaders are good people; they come with good intentions, focused and with good policies. However, people come to confuse them because of their own personal needs. These people don’t think about the man on the seat; they are only concerned about themselves. So, the followers have a big role to play in making sure that leaders remain focused. For me, the way to go about it is to start from home. The indiscipline in our society is just too much. Sometimes, people’s conscience stops them but they are not interested in listening to their conscience. So, discipline is what we need.

How did you rise to become the Head of Service and Secretary to the Edo State Government during the military era by the age of 52?

I attended the University of Ibadan and graduated in 1969.

I did the examination into the administrative class and special departments as they used to call it then and I passed. I went into the civil service after series of interviews and examinations that followed. I started as an administrative officer in grade 7. I kept moving from one post to another and after 16 years of service I was made a permanent secretary.

Those were rosy days, unlike now when things are rather tough. I spent another six years as the permanent secretary, when I was appointed secretary to the state government by the then military administrator of Edo State, Lt Col Mohammed Onuka. Most of my service was during the military era.

I served about nine military administrators and just two civilian governors. As SSG, I served three military administrators.

What I’m saying is that the stranglehold of the states on the local government that exists today did not exist then. Yes, it was better then only that everything was over-centralised in one person. Of course, the problem was that some of the administrators could be weak and may not be able to make good judgement. The present stranglehold of the council’s by the state is not in the best interest of the state. For instance, the states dish out instructions to the chairmen on the certain things that may not be very important in the local government. By the time such projects are done, the people will term it misplaced priorities.

Human beings are quite ambitious, so intrigues constitute part of the system. What is left is for an individual to know where to draw the line. When you keep struggling to remain there or seek higher positions, then you are creating more problems for yourself.

What can you say about the civil service of then and now?

Since I’m not involved in the service at the moment, it will be quite difficult for me to talk about what is happening now. However, from what we see and hear, it appears the civil service we served was stronger than the one they have now. The reason is that it appears there is so much deference to party’s interests and the need for appointment of people as special advisers, special assistants and so on. That alone is almost like having a parallel civil service because they advise on the same thing the civil service was created for. One begins to wonder the point of nexus between these two bodies.

What was growing up like for you?

It was very interesting. My father left home early because of pursuit of education and settled in Benin. After his education, he again settled in Benin and got married. As he was being transferred from one place to another, he built a house in Benin so that his family would not be following him everywhere they took him to. So, growing up was quite good, I must say. It was not harsh. At about the age of 10 or 11, my father removed us from our comfort zone in Benin and took us to the village around Benin to grow up with some people.

The experience was really, really bad. He felt it was a way of toughening his children since he was raised that way. He felt life was rather too easy for us because he had a good job and we were being driven to school at that time. At the village, our academic performance dropped, our general outlook to life dropped, even our looks dropped as we were no longer

On the issue of joint account, that is a constitutional provision that the council should have an account with the state government where the money is disbursed. Perhaps the constitution did not anticipate that state would be removing parts of the money. In any case, if you read the Nigerian Constitution, you will see that there is no much provision for the local government as such. I’m not surprised that the state assemblies largely rejected the move to make local government financially autonomous. The local government and the assemblies are already tied to the state executive, so I did t see how the move would have been successful. Quite frankly, there is nothing wrong with the state governments controlling the local governments. The only problem is that sometimes the control does follow the pattern they are supposed to follow.

What do you make of the present administration fight against corruption in the country?

It is a task for everyone; it must not be left with one person because one person cannot do it alone. The truth is that every average Nigerian is corrupt in one way or the other starting with the petrol attendant who will not give the driver the correct balance, to the gateman who will not open the gate until you tip him. These are all forms of corruption. The only way to go about it is to go back and start from the home and the schools. Fire brigade approach of setting up bodies to fight corruption, WAI or harassing motorists means nothing. Fighting corruption has to be concretised. It should be by the way of training people on the proper things to do.

People’s entitlements should also be paid as and when due to dissuade them from corrupt practices.

Today, my pension as a retired head of service is N87,000 per month.Meanwhile, those who held that position and left some years ago are earning God- knows -how-much. We hear that they collect their last salary before retirement. It means that someone who retired some few years ago could earn as much as N500,000 but somebody like me who retired about 15 years ago earn N87,000. Sometimes they don’t even pay this money as and when due. The thing is that the body saddled with the responsibility of fixing salaries, RAMFAC, does it without reference to the Wages and Salary Commission and the people in charge of pension in the office of the head of service. There is no synergy among the bodies that are supposed to work together.

15

12 September, 2015

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune Blessing Ekum

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

Protect yourself from food poisoning

By Blessing Ekum

W

hether we want to admit it to ourselves or not, we all love food and in recent times, there have been campaigns for healthier and more wholesome feeding. While this has gradually been embraced with more people being conscious about high fat, high cholesterol and generally unhealthy food, the fact remains that our concern shouldn’t only stop there. Inasmuch as we are advised to eat more fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry, there is also the issue of the safety of these foods because sometimes they may contain dangerous substances like microbes and chemicals.

According to Mrs Yemisi Solanke-Lawal, a nutritionist, “the greatest health risk today from food is contamination from bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella, Listeria, virus like hepatitis A, rotavirus and parasites like tape worm, amoebiasis (a type of dysentery caused by amoeba). These microbes can all cause food-borne illness.

Food-borne illness generally presents no real long-term health risk for the average person, but for many it can be serious. However, when food-borne illness is coupled with some previous health conditions, it can lead to food allergies, seizures, blood poisoning, etc.”

The category of individuals for whom food illness could spell a serious health issue include infants and children, the elderly (because of poor eyesight or reduced sense of smell and taste to spot spoiled food or dirty utensils as well as weakened immune system), those with diabetes, HIV infection (and AIDS) and liver disease, cancer patients and pregnant women.

Most times, food-borne illnesses are as a result of unsafe practices in the handling of food. As always, prevention is far better than cure. Mrs Solanke-Lawal said, “We each bear some responsibility for preventing food-borne illnesses. This is because microbes that cause food-borne illness commonly enter food through cross-contamination, that is, from one source to another, and grow in temperatures favourable to them. Potential sources of cross-contamination are dirty kitchen towels and sponges. It’s essential to practise safe food handling procedures when preparing any food.”

The World Health Organisation’s states its golden

rules for safe food preparation to include cooking food thoroughly, eating cooked foods immediately, storing cooked foods carefully, reheating cooked foods thoroughly, avoiding contact between raw and cooked foods, washing hands repeatedly, keeping all kitchen surfaces meticulously clean, protecting foods from insects, rodents and other animals and using pure water both for cooking and drinking.

“Generally, there are some basic guidelines one should have at the back of their minds when it comes to preventing food borne illness. You can greatly reduce the risk of foodborne illness by following these very important rules. It’s a long list because many risky habits need to be addressed but they are quite easy to adhere to,” Mrs Solanke-Lawal said. They are In purchasing food: •Put raw meat, poultry, and fish in a separate plastic bag so that dripping does not contaminate other food.

•Don’t buy food that have broken or dented containers •Purchase only the amount of fresh food needed for a week because the longer you keep fruits and vegetables,

The greatest health risk today from food is contamination from bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella, Listeria, virus like hepatitis A, rotavirus and parasites like tape worm, amoebiasis (a type of dysentery caused by amoeba). These microbes can all cause food-borne illness.

the more time available for bacteria to grow on it.

In preparing food: •Thoroughly wash hands with warm soapy water before and after handling food especially when handling raw meat, fish, poultry, or eggs.

•Make sure cooking utensils like pots, chopping boards, plates, spoons are thoroughly cleaned and rinsed before use.

•Avoid coughing and sneezing over foods, even when you are healthy. Cover injuries with plaster or bandages. This helps Staphylococcus from entering food •Carefully wash fresh fruit and vegetables under running water to remove dirt, sand, and any bacteria clinging to the surface.

In cooking food: •Cook food thoroughly, especially beef, fish, goat meat, lamb, pork, poultry and eggs. Cooking destroys most foodborne bacteria whereas freezing only halts their growth.

•Once food is cooked, consume right away or cool within 8 Degree Fahrenheit within one hour and be careful not to re-contaminate cooked food by contact with raw meat or juices from hands, or dirty utensils.

•Serve food on clean plate - never the same plate that has been used to hold the raw product.

For storing and reheating cooked food: •Keep hot foods hot and cold food cold.

•Reheat leftovers to 74 degrees Centigrade.

Though we may be able to practise some of these safety habits when we prepare our own meals, it is usually difficult to determine if they are followed when we have to eat out. The key is in being extra observant. Watch out for the neatness of the person cooking/serving, the water used in cooking and washing dishes, how the person gets rid of sweat and if the hair is covered or not (especially for female cooks/servers). We should also ensure that food is not served with bare hands because we can’t ascertain if such hands are clean. Also, foods displayed without cover should be avoided as they are a good environment for micro-organisms to thrive. Generally, we shouldn’t sacrifice food safety practices on the altar of delicious food.

16

healthandfitness

12 September, 2015

Stomach pains after sex Please help me. I always feel stomach pains after sex. I am 24 years old.

Regina (by SMS) There are many causes of abdominal pains after sex. One of this is a clumsy partner who will not allow enough foreplay for his partner to be adequately wet before sex. The pain could also be due to a tight vagina that goes into spasms during sex (vaginismus) or some abdominal ailments such as Ovarian Cyst and Pelvic.

Infection among others can also cause the pain.

There are also some women who are allergic to their partner’s sperm with a re-

You most likely have what is known in medical parlance as ‘Incompetent Cervix’. This means that your cervix (the entrance to your womb) which is supposed to be closed until you are ready to deliver, is weak and allows your pregnancy to come down before time.

The solution is for you to book your next pregnancy with a specialist or teaching hospital so that at a certain stage in your pregnancy,

Dr. Wale Okediran waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

08055069356 (sms only)

Is this depression?

sultant abdominal pain.

In the case of the vaginismus and clumsiness, your partner will need to devote more time to foreplay in order to allow you to get wet enough for a painless sex.

To know if you are allergic

to your man’s sperm, you will need to use a condom.

If the pain abates with a condom then it is an allergy to sperm. A visit to a gynaecologist for a proper examination will help confirm the real cause of your condition.

Three pregnancies, three miscarriages Once my pregnancy is five months, it will come down. This is the third time it will happen. I don’t have any issues yet and I am already 34 years old.

Please help me.

Chioma (by SMS)

Saturday Tribune

your cervix will be tied with a special suture until you are ready to deliver. The

procedure may also entail a long period of hospital admission.

I have noticed that my 16 year old daughter has been withdrawn for some time now. She doesn’t go out again as before. All she does is to lock herself up in her room after returning from school. A normally fashionable girl, all she wears now are some old clothes without her usual makeup. When I asked her what the problem is, all she said was that she has a cold and will soon get over it. I am worried in case she is depressed.

Kindly help.

Hajia Salamatu (by SMS)

Yes, it appears that your daughter is depressed.

Luckily, when tackled early enough, depression is easily reversible. It is important for you to talk to some of your daughter’s close

Addicted to indian hemp I have been smoking Indian hemp for the past five years and it is now affecting my health. Because of this, I will like to stop the habit.

Unfortunately, each time I try to do so, I always go back into it because of my friends who continue to push me into it. I am 25 years old and a job seeker.

Kindly help me to know how to stop the habit.

Babatunde (by SMS)

the kind of infection you have is to see a doctor who will send a sample of your penile discharge for laboratory analysis. Apart from knowing the kind of infection you have, the analysis

will also confirm the kind of antibiotics to be used to clear the infection. It is equally important for your wife to also be treated in order to avoid a re infection.

You should be congratulated for taking this very bold and important decision in your life. Having said this, you have to realise that at 25 years of age, you are old enough to decide

Is this gonorrhoea?

I recently observed that any time I want to urinate, I always feel some pains. In addition, to this, some pus usually comes out of my penis. One of my friends says it is gonorrhoea but

I disagreed since I am a married man who does not engage in extramarital relationships.

Marcus (by SMS) The best way to know

C

offee drink generates more controversies than any other drinks in the world today. While many studies tout for the health benefits of coffee, especially on heart and other parts of the body, emerging studies linking coffee to deleterious clinical condition cannot be ignored. Excessive consumption of coffee has been linked with glaucoma while latest findings are in support of increase cardiovascular events when this drink is taken in excess. I have not come across any study that says coffee has no benefit but there are some people that may not have to indulge the use of coffee because of their primary health conditions. Please watch out!

Coffee is a drink containing caffeine with a mildly stimulating effect that is made from the ground or processed seeds of a tropical tree. Most A.M coffee drinkers don’t realise it, but their morning cups of coffee set their bodies up for a rollercoaster day of highs and lows, only to bottom out at the point of exhaustion. Just a few hours after consumption, when the artificial high dies down, many people may reach for more coffee or something sugary to get another lift, leading to daily fluctuations in energy and alertness, and possibly to eventual chronic adrenal exhaustion. Its consumption may result in physiological and psychological symptoms whenever consumption drops below levels your body has been conditioned to expect.

After all, one cannot have too much caffeine without feeling its side effects at least two hours after the intake.

It is common knowledge that drinking too much coffee can lead to experiencing the jitters, as well as insomnia. But these two are not the only side effects that you can encounter when having too much caffeine in your system. Caffeine is good because it gives you a popping burst of energy and can keep you on your toes – at least for a couple of hours. That is because caffeine blocks adenosine, which is a chemical in the body that tells it to shut down when tired. However, keeping the adenosine in the body continuously blocked is not something to be desired. After the initial caffeine high, the bad things that caffeine is known for sets in.

Caffeine keeps us up because it triggers the fight-or-

friends in order to know what actually triggered her depression. It is also important to talk to her teachers in case the problem has to do with her school work.

If your daughter does not want to open up about her health, you may need to seek some professional help from your doctor, her school’s counsellor or religious leaders. More than anything else, it is very important for you to establish a good rapport with your daughter so that she can be free to communicate her feelings to you.

for yourself and desist from any habit that will jeopardise your life and that of your family.

Therefore, it is no excuse for you to say that your friends are the ones pushing you into the bad habit.

Since getting rid of a longstanding addiction is not easy, you may need some professional assistance.

These you can find in any specialist or teaching hospital nearest to you. In addition, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has counselling centres in many state capitals in the country and they will be ready to help you.

Dr. Abiodun Adeoye adeoyemoshood@yahoo.com

08056564360, 08072000017 (sms only)

Health benefits of coffee: Moderation is the key! flight mechanism in our bodies. But after heavy doses of caffeine and after many hours of it being in our system, the fight-or-flight instinct gets reduced to panic attacks.

Your hands become shaky, your skin sweaty, and you always expect bad things to happen to you. Caffeine is addictive. Once we get into the habit of getting our caffeine fix, our body begins to crave the boost that we get from it. If we fail to get the dose of caffeine that our body has adapted to, we become irritable, tired, and even depressed. One would think that since coffee is liquid, it can hydrate you. Actually, the caffeine in coffee and any other foodstuffs are linked with dehydration. That is mainly because of caffeine’s diuretic properties.

Women who drink a lot of coffee and eat a lot of chocolates tend to experience pre-menstrual syndrome more acutely than women who do not. The headaches, the bloated feeling and the belly cramps become keener with the added consumption of caffeine. Caffeine wakes up the body, but what it fails to do is to tell the body when to stop moving and simply rest. The body needs rest and when the body does not get it, it can lead to not just physical tiredness but also emotional fatigue.

Drinking a few cups of coffee per day is considered moderate intake. If you drink 10 or more than eight cups of coffee each day, you are likely to suffer from a series of side effects. Dehydration, nausea, rapid heartbeat, shaking and difficulty sleeping are just some of the side effects of drinking too much coffee.

If you drink moderate amounts of coffee each day, you will likely not suffer from extreme symptoms. If you have

a heart condition, an ulcer or are pregnant, your medical practitioner might recommend that you limit or eliminate coffee from your diet. Also, if you have a pre-existing heart condition, caffeine consumption can cause more damage from heart palpitations and increased heart rate.

Blood pressure can increase with caffeine use, so if you already suffer from high blood pressure, be cautious. The caffeine in coffee may also have negative interactions with any medications you may be taking. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure you will not experience any problems.

Caffeine is good for the body, but it is also bad if the intake is too much. Too much is defined as more than 300mg of caffeine every day. In order to measure and monitor the amount of caffeine you are taking daily and to reduce the negative side effects of caffeine, do some caffeine testing with your food.

If you drink a few cups of coffee a day, the result is harmless. Drinking 10 cups of coffee per day, however, is considered extreme and is a habit that is better avoided.

It’s important to recognise the symptoms of excessive coffee drinking, as well as to develop an awareness of the withdrawal symptoms you might experience as you work to reduce your caffeine intake.

On the whole, a few cups of coffee each day will not harm you. Be sure, however, check with a medical professional if you feel any unusual symptoms. Lastly if you have glaucoma or family history, it may be advisable you avoid use of coffee!

Have a blissful weekend!

17

12 September, 2015

mediascope

Saturday Tribune WITH AKIN ADEWAKUN

akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk 08054683584

Operating in a male-dominated outdoor ad industry can be tough —Maureen Umanah

Besides publishing an outdoor advertising journal, Billboard World, Maureen Umanah is also the chief executive of an outdoor advertising firm, Executive Options. In this interview with AKIN ADEWAKUN, the wife of a former commissioner for information in Akwa Ibom State, Aniekan Umanah, talks about the state of outdoor advertising business in Nigeria, the challenges of competing in this male-dominated industry and other sundry issues.

vant quarters?

In all honesty the association has been fighting and I can say that it is that fight that has even enabled some of us to still be operating.

How does it feel operating in a maledominated industry?

Expectedly, it is tough. There is a lot of bias because when they see you, the first thing they say is ‘Oh! She is a lady she can’t do it’. But it now depends on you to fight and show such people that you can do it. For you to succeed, as a woman in this industry, you have to work three times harder than your male counterparts.

H

OW would you assess the outdoor advertising sector in the last twelve months?

Honestly, I’m of the strong belief that the outdoor industry is growing at an astronomical rate. Interestingly, it is when you travel out that you will really notice that we are doing very well here. There is a significant improvement in the structures in terms of what we see outdoors now. Our streetscapes are a lot better now. Of course, you know five, six years ago there was that cleansing carried out by some state signage agencies, and I can tell you that this has changed the entire industry. The truth is that everybody has come to see that we actually needed that type of environment to work in; because it also enhances our structures. Besides, we have very high tech boards springing up here and there everyday. I think the industry is really doing well.

But how financially rewarding have all these been to the practitioners or operators?

In terms of revenue it hasn’t really been good, especially when you consider happenings from the clients’ end of late.

For instance, corporate organisations are cutting down the budgets every year, and in such case, there is definitely no way we can begin to talk of enhanced revenue for practitioners. It is so bad that sometimes they call us in the middle of the year for meetings and renegotiations, where decisions to cut down an already agreed rate are taken. Sometimes, despite the fact that there is an existing contract, some clients still insist they want further discount, and sometimes you are left with no choice but to accede to some of these requests, not because they are good, but just because you want to survive. So that is what we have been experiencing, we have a lot of revenue cut in terms of overall budget and rates.

Will this not confirm the fear, in some quarters, that billboards are becoming increasingly expensive, and that operators may soon price themselves out of the market?

We cannot really say that. In this market, we have a lot of factors militating against us, especially when you are an entrepreneur. For instance, we don’t enjoy enough support from government. Most of the time, the people that oversee the affairs of these government agencies don’t know anything about the business. That is why when they come on board they will just kill the business. We need people who have the knowledge of the business and the industry, people who know how payments are done, among other things.

Another reason why I’m saying we are not getting enough encouragement from government is that even after you have put up your structure there should be some form of waivers. For instance, if I’m paying you N4million on a board and I have not had business on that board for some period and you are insisting I should come with the N4million, you are not encouraging me to survive. And I believe we are having this issue because those at the helm of these government agencies do not really understand the industry and how it works.

Does this now confirm the argument in some quarters that some of these government-driven regulations are only interested in revenue genera-

tion rather than building the industry?

You are right. That is the exact picture I’ve just painted, they are interested in environment which is good because we need a sustainable environment. They are also interested in revenue generation, but they are not really keen on creating an enabling environment in terms of business to help the practitioners grow.

And what does this portend for the industry?

It portends doom. But we are praying and craving that that time will come when government will appoint practitioners that will genuinely want to work for the growth of the industry.

But how come your association, Outdoor Advertisers Association of Nigeria (OAAN), has not been able to articulate some of these issues at the rele-

For you to succeed, as a woman in this industry, you have to work three times harder than your male counterparts.

Despite the initial reluctance of your constituency to recognise the Brand As King Award which your publication organises, the award has suddenly taken a life of its own, with a fantastic outing in Accra, Ghana, two years ago, what has kept the award going?

It’s just passion. It can be likened to a child that is trying to walk. The child will make attempts to walk and sometimes ends up hurting himself, but that does not still stop him from attempting? In anything you do that is the kind of passion you need, nothing should stop you, there should be no obstacles. Luckily, for me, I see challenges as what will rather promote me, so if anyone is throwing challenges at me inwardly I feel very happy because I know I will need those challenges to get to where I’m going.

Besides, I have a husband who has been very supportive, that is why you will always see him whenever we are holding the award, in spite of his very tight schedule.

The award has come to stay. You know when you have a new idea you should expect attacks because people don’t know your intentions. But other stakeholders are gradually buying in. The last one we had in Accra, Ghana, was even attended by the then Secretary and President of OAAN. I think it is highly acceptable to the industry now because it has come to be understood that we are not really fighting the OAAN awards, we are just trying to get the industry working and make it viable.

We are also looking at other people we thought needed commendation in the industry. But you can see that OAAN Award has also grown. I was thrilled at the last one because it was such a beautiful environment. OAAN is like a father and you don’t want to see your father not well dressed and OAAN being our father we would like to see the association looking good. We really thank the excos and other members of OAAN for their acceptance because that is what we have yearned for all the while, for us to work as a team.

What does it take to build all these big billboards we are seeing in our environments today, and how will you define the level of innovation in the outdoor industry?

I think there has been a lot of innovation, and this is not unexpected. When you have tribulations and trials like we presently have in the outdoor industry, you cannot but think deeper and wider. That is why you are seeing a lot of creativity coming in to play because we don’t want our boards to be continuously cut down.

But in terms of number, I tell you the boards have drastically reduced. If you had about twenty billboards before, you may need to collapse them to do two or three locations, that is how it is now. And, of course, it costs a lot of money, I know a lot of my colleagues that use bank loans to fund some of these things.

18

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

crimeandcourt

I caught her on 3 different occasions with different men —Husband

I’m a responsible woman —Wife Stories by Ayomide Owonibi and Tunde Adegbola with Agency Reports

A

n Ado-Ekiti customary court in Ekiti State during the week dissolved the 26-year-old marriage between Mr Kayode Oguntuase and his wife, Felicia.

Oguntuase had approached the court for the dissolution on the grounds of threats to life, being impervious to corrections, adultery, stubbornness, theft and lack of care for him.

The plaintiff, 75, and resident of No. 99, Igirigiri, OdoAdo, Ado-Ekiti, told the court that he caught his wife on three different occasions with different men.

The father of six said that his wife did not take care of him and always starved him of sex.

According to him, he fell sick sometime ago and his wife refused to take care of him.

He said that his wife always stole his money, adding that, there was a time he sent her out of his house, but that her family intervened and he took her back.

He, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve the marriage.

But the respondent, Felicia, 53, denied all the allegations levelled against her.

Felicia said that they had been living together for many years and that she performed her responsibilities as wife at home, and also satisfies him in bed.

She said her husband had never sent her out of the house and could not have done so because they built the house together.

President of the court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, observed

that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved the marriage.

He ruled that the custody of their three younger children, who were 18, 15 and 12 years of age, be awarded to the husband.

Ogunsemi also ruled that the three older ones, aged 25, 23 and 21, should be left to decide where to stay.

He ordered that the husband should be responsible for the children’s education.

Ogunsemi also ordered that the husband should get his wife a suitable accommodation and pay two-year rent for her.

The, court, however, granted access to the wife to see her children without fomenting trouble.

She’s shameless, sleeps around to make money —Husband She has written to accept divorce —Court

A middle-aged man, Ariyo Sule, during the week, secured a divorce from his wife, Mope Sule, whom he accused of infidelity and lack of care.

Sule had taken his complaint to a Grade “C” Customary Court, sitting in Iseyin, Oyo State.

The complainant, who told the court that he married Mope four years ago, said that the union had produced two children.

He alleged that his estranged wife had been cheating on him since he lost his job and incapable of taking care of the family.

“She sleeps around to make money; she has no shame or respect for her marital status at all.

“I have been forced to send her out of our matrimonial home and the children are still with me as we speak; I will ensure that I take good care of them.

“I want to appeal to this court to do justice by pronouncing us divorced legally, “ he pleaded.

The estranged wife did not appear in court during the proceedings.

Ruling on the prayer, president of the court, Mr Raimi Oyegbenle, said that the defendant had written to the court to consent to the dissolution of the marriage.

He regretted that all efforts of the court, through families of the couple to settle the matter, did not yield any positive result.

Oyegbenle, thereafter, dissolved the marriage accordingly and granted the custody of the children to the complainant.

Saturday Tribune

She’s married to another man with a child, husband tells court

He knew I bore a child before he married me —Wife Mr Lawrence Bamidele, 49, has appealed to an Ado-Ekiti customary court in Ekiti State to dissolve his 14-year-old marriage to his wife, Toyin, for allegedly deserting him.

Bamidele, a resident of No 14, Onala Street, Ado-Ekiti, is seeking dissolution on the grounds of desertion by his wife.

He alleged that the wife absconded with one of their three children to an unknown destination.

He told the court that his wife had left home for six years with his 11-year-old son, Idowu Bamidele.

Bamidele said that the two female children, Opeyemi, 13 and Taiwo, 11, are with him.

He told the court that he released money to his wife on three occasions to rent shop for her fashion designing business.

According to him, whenever the rent expired, she would not renew the rent and attempts to inquire what she does with her money always end in crisis.

“I was responsible for the feeding of the house. I was paying the children school fees, and paid for her shop rent until recently when I stopped,” he said.

The father of three told the court that his wife keeps bad company, saying that his wife might not come home for a week.

Bamidele said that there was a day he came back from work and discovered his wife had packed out of the house with the children.

He explained that he reported the development to his in-law, who condemned her action, but appealed to him to take things easy and give them time to talk to her.

Bamidele also recalled another day when the two parents came to settle their differ-

ences, but they did not agree, and since then, his wife had left the house.

He said that his wife has got married to another man with a child, while he has also married another wife.

The petitioner said he wanted the divorce on the advice of the counselling unit in their church, to enable him to make restitution.

He, therefore, prayed the court to award him the custody of the male child.

But the respondent, Toyin, 37, told the court that her husband knew that she had a child before he married her.

“I told him that whoever will marry me will accept my child,” she said.

She said that her husband told him before they got married that he had problem with women, and had impregnated three different women.

The respondent said that her husband told her that all the women suddenly disappeared and on inquiry from their families, he was told that they had remarried.

She said that her husband’s parents came to abuse her and shortly after that her husband sent her out with the children.

“But to my surprise, my husband went to pick the female children from school, without my consent, “she said.

The respondent claimed that she was not happy that the two children were living with him, alleging that they were not properly taken care of.

She, therefore, prayed the court to award her the custody of the three children.

President of the court, Joseph Ogunsemi, after hearing from both parties adjourned the case till October 12 for judgement.

She started behaving strangely 11 months after our wedding —Husband

She’s wayward, goes around with other men —Husband They are friends I met on social media —Wife A mild drama took place at an Ado-Ekiti customary court Ekiti State, during the week, as 40-year-old wife, Mrs Owolabi Tinuke burst into tears during cross-examination in the divorce suit instituted by her husband, Olumuyiwa.

Tinuke, who could not hold back her tears, cried like a baby, pleading with the court not to dissolve her 11-year-old marriage to her husband.

She pleaded with the court that she was ready to make amends wherever she might have made mistakes Olumuyiwa Owolabi, 43, of No. 14, Fashanu Crescent, Similoluwa AdoEkiti, filed the divorce suit at an Ado-Ekiti customary court to his wife, Tinuke.

Olumuyiwa is seeking the dissolution on the grounds of alleged adultery by his wife, saying that he had caught his wife on several occasions with different men.

It is recalled that during the first hearing on August 18, the respondent, Tinuke, 40, denied all the allegations levelled against her by her husband.

She said that all the men that her husband suspected she was having affairs with were either his family members or childhood friends, whom she reconnected with on social media.

Tinuke said that her husband was in the habit of beating her and did not provide food for the family, but pays the school fees of the children.

At the resumption of the case during the week, counsel for the petitioner, Mr B.T. Oluwole cross-examined the wife.

But instead of the wife to respond to the questions posed to her by the counsel, she burst into tears and pleaded with the court not to dissolve her marriage.

She said it was shameful that the home she successfully built for 11 years was about to hit the rock, calling on her husband to give her another chance.

After the wife had been cross-examined by the counsel due to the intervention of the president of the court, Joseph Ogunsemi, the case was adjourned till September 19 for judgement.

31

She buried charms in front of my house —Husband It’s a lie, I am not fetish —Wife A 56-year-old civil servant, Adeolu Olatoye, has told an Igando customary court in Lagos State that his wife, Adebola was fetish and once buried charms in front of his house.

Olatoye, who testified in divorce proceedings, said that his 40-year-old wife was always advising him to seek black powers.

“I caught my wife digging a hole in front of my house as she buried many charms.

“She had on two occasions, unknown to me, taken me to spiritualists for black powers, which I refused,’’ he said.

Olatoye said that his wife was always controlled by her mother and only listened to her mother’s instructions.

“My wife is being controlled by her mother on how to run my house. She used to tell me that her mother is her priority, that I am secondary in her life,’’ the petitioner said.

Olatoye further told the court his wife was ungrateful to him despite the fact that he established her by renting a shop and stocked it with electronics and computer gadgets.

He said that his wife did not open the shop until the rent expired two years after.

He said Adebola was always demanding money from him and whenever he gave her the money, she would take it to her mother and asked him for more.

“My wife forcibly collected money from me, took it to her mother and also transferred the foodstuffs I bought to her.

“There was a time she collected N50, 000 loan on my behalf without my consent for her mother. I paid N75, 000 back to the people she loaned the money from.

“I refunded money I knew nothing about.”

Olatoye pleaded with the court to dissolve his five-yearold marriage because he was tired and was no longer in love.

However, Adebola denied all the allegations saying that she did not bury anything in her husband’s compound, neither did she take her husband to any spiritualist.

“I did not bury anything in front of my husband’s compound, I am not a fetish person,’’ Adebola said.

The mother of two said that she did not forcibly took any loan for her mother nor transfer any foodstuff to her.

Adebola begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish because she was still in love with him.

The court adjourned the case till September 16 for judgement.

His attitude at home is nothing to write home about —Wife

She’s only giving birth to girls and I want a son —Husband

A man, Adedola Odetola, has dragged his wife, Regina, before an Igando customary court in Lagos State, seeking the dissolution of their five-year-old union.

Odetola, a businessman, said 11 months after they got married, his wife started acting strange.

He also described her as ungrateful, adding that he opened a business centre for her but she didn’t operate it for two years.

“She does whatever her mother and sister want, saying they are her priority to the extent of taking foodstuffs from out home to them.

At times, she violently collects money from me and gives to her mother and sister,” he said.

Odetola accused his wife of being fetish, saying there was a day he saw a strange candle in their bathroom.

“The day I caught her burying some object in the front of our flat, was the day the love between us went sour,” he said.

He said he was shocked when she dropped their second child with him last Sunday, claiming she had no place to stay. Odetola said he was tired of her, adding that he no longer wants her.

A carpenter, Mr Olaoye Adigun has pleaded with an Igando customary court, Lagos State, to dissolve his marriage to Fathia, his wife of ten years, because of her inability to bear him male children.

According to him, his wife only gave birth to female children.

“Please separate us. I want a male child. I am really bothered about my wife’s attitude. She once told me that when her daughters grow up I will be left alone and no one will take care of me.

“I don’t want that to happen. She is really an irresponsible woman who thinks only about herself. She is lazy and dirty,” Adigun told the court.

In her response, Fathia debunked the allegations, saying that her husband already had twin boys out of wedlock.

“My lord, everything my husband is saying is a lie. He has twin boys who I gathered are three years old. He now finds fault in everything I do. He does not take care of me and my daughters anymore,” she said.

The marriage is blessed with three girls.

President of the court, Hakeem Oyekan ordered the couple to keep the peace and come with members of their family for possible mediation. He adjourned the matter till October 5.

In her defence, Mrs Odetola decried her husband’s attitude at home, saying she learnt from his brother that her husband hasn’t been happy with her for three years.

“I once heard him on phone, saying I wanted to poison his food and since then, he has stopped eating from me but I still wash his clothes,” she said.

The respondent said her husband gives her N1,000 daily, adding that he expects her to cloth their children out of the money.

She said: “My husband doesn’t like cold food.

So, I prepare his food when he is close to our house but he complains whenever the food is still cooking and won’t eat from it. It is true he got me a shop but he didn’t stock it. Even when he gave me N20,000 to stock the shop, I used the money to buy clothes for myself and our children. His attitude is somehow strange. My mother has only visited our house three times.

I just want him to rent an apartment for me because he was the one who asked me not to work.”

President of the court, Mr. Hakeem Oyekan, ordered the couple to keep the peace. He adjourned the matter till September 30.

He already has 3yr-old twin boys somewhere —Wife

19 vox pop Ditching a partner is like driving a dagger through the heart of the victim. The pain could be short-lived for those who wear the thick skin but the wound remains permanent for the emotional, especially if the deed was done at the killing time. MARIAM KABBA asks Nigerians what they could do if after the first bed encounter with their partner, they were flashed the red card.

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

How would you react if your lover breaks up with you

shortly after first sexual experience?

Ali Babangida

As a guy, if a lady breaks up with me after sex for the first time, there are a number of things involved. Probably we might have been having some issues and she decided to end it right after that act. Again, I would go on the factor of performance; she might see me as a weak guy that cannot satisfy her sexually or maybe because she saw a better offer which is preferable to mine.

Peace Ajike

I would try to know the reason why he behaved as such. Since it was our first time, he may not like the sexual experience. It would be very annoying but I cannot do anything to him. I can’t kill myself for any guy, I won’t beg him. I would just forget him and move on with my life.

Temitope

There is nothing I could do about it, I would feel bad but then, life goes on. I don’t know about any other lady but for me, I would let him go, but of course, it would really hurt me because I won’t do anything to him, I would just move on with of my life .

Miss Temiloluwa Ajayi

Ewatomilola

I would call or text him to find out why he dumped me after sleeping with me. If he doesn’t respond to any of those, I would meet his friend whom I can trust and explain to him and if he still insists on our having to go our different ways, I would accept that and move on.

I would not accept that from any guy in my life. I would be very angry to the extent that I might kill him. God forbid bad thing. It can never happen to me because my boyfriend respects me because I am not cheap. No sex!

I don’t really know how I would react but I won’t take it easy with him. I might lay a curse on him that could affect him for the rest of his life.

Olawumi Adebayo

Olaleye

That would mean that she is only after my money and having sex with me as well. I don’t believe it can happen to me but then, ladies of nowadays are capable of anything.

I respect ladies a lot and I always bow for them because they are capable of doing anything to get what they want.

What can I do? Nothing! I would not do anything to him, I believe somehow ,somewhere, we were not made for each other and that is just it.

I would take it as my portion. He is not mine so I would let him go, life goes on. At the end, I would find someone much better than him.

Ibrahim

I do not see any reason for her to end it right after our first sex which we have never had before. I would text or call her to ask her what went wrong. Perhaps, it could be that I am not good in bed or that she did not expect what she got from me. I would want to find out so as to avoid such next time I am into any relationship.

Uche

I won’t be able to stand the humiliation. To be honest, I don’t really know how I would react but I won’t take it easy with him. I might lay a curse on him that could affect him for the rest of his life. From my experience, it means he never loved me but was just after my body. After having me, he thinks he could dump me? Never oh my sister, I would teach him the lesson of his life which he would forever remember me by.

Sani Ali

It is okay by me, I would try to find out why it happened and make amends, in case of next time. I might have done something wrong before that and she used the opportunity to get at me.

20

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

2

1

4

3

5 NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

13 SEPTEMBER, 2015

www.tribuneonlineng.com

N200

feature

For money, fame…

Story of children of the night 6 The Plateau Governor’s interview 1. From left, Chief Taiye Ayorinde, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Justice Bola Babalakin, author of the book, Mr Victor Olu Taiwo and the chairman of the occasion, Chief Areoye Oyebola, during the launch of African Time: Black Man’s Tragedy, by New Generation Foundation, held at Jogor Centre, Liberty Road, Ibadan. Photo: Yemi Funso Oke. 2. Former Ambassador to Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi (left)exchanging pleasantries with former Ambassador to Vienna and Australia, Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni, at the maiden symposium in honour of the two of ambassadors, organised by the Advance Media and Communications Academy, held at Conference Centre, University of Ibadan. Photo: Alolade Ganiyu. thepolity 3. From left, Chief Lekan Alabi; representative of Oyo State governor, Dr Gbade Ojo; Chief Lateef Olatunji and the host, Honourable Oladiran Alabi, at the presentation of certificates to graduates of the Oladiran Alabi Skill Acquisition Programme, held at Celestial High School, Joyce B Road, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE. 4. Dr Rolayo Williams embracing her mother, Mrs Funke Williams, after her induction into the medical profession, in Ibadan, recently.

5. From left, Mrs Abidemi Taiwo, Mrs Funmiola Taiwo (widows), Mr Seyi Taiwo, Mrs Bukola Akinosun, Miss Oluwatobi Taiwo and Miss Oluyinka Taiwo and others, at the burial ceremony of their father, Pa Emmanuel Folorunsho Taiwo.

6. Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya and Tuface Plus news, sports, fashion... and more!

Idibia presenting a cheque for N500,000 and a trophy to the winBook your copy ners of AIRTEL RISING STARS held at Yaba Tech, Lagos, on Saturday.

For bookings, contact ’Laolu Afolabi on 08116954645 or Tommy Adegbite on 08116954631

‘We’re taking our cue from Mr President’

KOGI

Can PDP, Wada escape the APC battle axe?

glitz

Why D’Banj’s songs can’t make my playlist

—DJ Mekzy

glamour

The men I can never kiss —Gbemisola Adu

21 feature

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Boosting Nigerian higher education via ICT

BY Chijioke Okoronkwo (NAN)

T

HE National Universities Commission (NUC) and the American University of Nigeria (AUN) recently organised a stakeholders’ conference in Abuja to showcase the importance of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to teaching and learning.

At the two-day conference with the theme “Conference on Technology-Assisted Learning in Nigerian Higher Education,’’ stakeholders stressed the need for including trendy models of teaching and learning in Nigeria’s higher education.

In a keynote address, Professor Peter Okebukola, the former Executive Secretary, NUC, raised concern about low ICT competence among principals, vice chancellors, teachers and school administrators.

“If you do not build capacity of teachers and administrators, even if you flood institutions with computers, you will not achieve much.

“NUC should initiate and sustain ICT capacity building for vice chancellors and teachers, especially for teachers in the faculties of education,’’ he said.

He urged NUC to institute a reward and punishment scheme where universities that did very well in ICT would be rewarded while the list of those that performed poorly should be published.

“NUC should assess universities in their level of use of ICT for learning and research; get the top three and reward and publish the names of the bottom three,’’ he suggested.

However, Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary, NUC, said that the Federal Government had done a lot over the years to meet the ICT needs of universities.

He, nonetheless, admitted that there was need to equip students with the knowledge of ICT to facilitate learning and increase students’ ICT drive.

He observed that the Nigerian Education Research Network (NgREN) had boosted internet connectivity for Nigerian universities and enhanced knowledge sharing via ICT. “NgREN is an ICT interface for Nigerian universities committed to harmonising knowledge within the tertiary sector to drive productive research, collaboration and knowledge dissemination for the development of Nigeria.

“In the next three years, every Nigerian university will be ICT-complaint via NgREN,’’ he said.

Also speaking at the conference, Hajia Hindatu Abbullahi, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, said the conference was another significant step in the quest for repositioning the education sector.

According to her, Nigeria needs to chart a new course and adopt global best practices in teaching and learning.

“Our vice chancellors should key into ICT and make use of shared viewpoints to bring ICT learning in our schools.

“By so doing, we can meet the labour market demand for skilled manpower; we cannot continue to lag behind in the use of ICT for teaching and learning,’’ she said.

In his view, Prof. Michael Faborode, the Secretary-General, Committee of Vice Chancellors, expressed optimism that the discussion at the conference would promote the use ICT in teaching and learning in Nigerian universities.

Stressing the need to use ICT in teaching and learning in Nigerian universities, Dr Margee Ensign, the Vice Chancellor of American University of Nigeria, Yola, said: “We believe technology is an important part of the answer to quality education.

“We thought it was right to partner with NUC to bring all the vice chancellors together to see how we can map out strategies and tackle the problem.’’

Ensign said that Computer Science students of the institution had written a computer application for teaching Hausa and Fulfulde languages.

The vice chancellor also said that AUN deployed ICT massively and would soon connect Yola with fibre optics to boost access to ICT. “We have a programme where all our students are teaching vulnerable people how to read.

“Our Computer Science students have written applications for teaching Hausa and Fulfulde because people want to learn in their mother tongues.

“We will sign an agreement with the U.S. government to extend the programme to other parts of north-eastern part of Nigeria.

“We are training vulnerable children to access ICT technology free and we hope to bring fibre optics to Yola so that the whole community will have access to ICT,’’ she said.

She said that the school had established a strong internet presence which earned it a visit two years ago from Google -- an American multinational technology company.

She explained that Google visited AUN because the institution used some parts of Google technology which reflected on its worldwide usage map.

“We are using e-books everywhere; every student and staff uses computer, laptop or high grade phone.

“So, we have access to world knowledge; our jobs as faculty members and teachers are to train people on how to access technology and how to evaluate it.

“We have 22 programmes focused on science technology engineering and mathematics in the secondary schools.

“Also, the American Library Association recently ranked universities on ICT applications and AUN was one of the top three in the world after Oxford and Cambridge,’’ she said.

Ensign said that AUN took into cognisance the security challenge in the north-eastern region of the country with a conviction that technology could be used in tackling such challenge.

Giving more reason why higher institutions should promote ICT in learning, Dr Ismail Seki of Ege University in Turkey insists that ICT sector contributes to rapid technological progress and productivity growth of any nation.

He observes that since firms use ICTs to organise transnational networks in response to international competition and the increasing need for strategic interaction, students and teachers in higher institutions are expected to be ICT-compliant.

AFRICAN NEWSPAPERS OF NIGERIA PLC Founder: CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO

GCFR, SAN (1909 - 1987)

Co-Founder/Chairman Chief (Dr) H.I.D Awolowo (CON) Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Edward Dickson Controller (Business Development) Fola Oke Chief Accountant Oluremi Olufisayo, ACA

Ibadan Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08077227269; 08034135733 Lagos Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08055333067; 08033013177

Abuja Office: Suites G2. 05-07, PEB04 Plaza, Plot 2027, Dalaba Street, Beside NAPTIP Headquarters, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja Advert Hot Lines: 08033199716; 08078891797

South South Regional Office: No. 50 Ikwerre Rd., Mile 1, Diobu, P/Harcourt, Rivers State

Kaduna Office: AN 20, Lagos Street, by Keffi Rd., Kaduna.

Ikeja Marketing Office.

Block C, First Floor, Motorways centre, Opp., 7up Alausa, Ikeja.

(01) 8196930

Snr. Manager (Advertisements) Kayode Titiloye Sales Manager Omotayo Lewis, Ph.D Consultant/Director Segun Olatunji, Ph.D

GOT NEWS?

Contact: saturdaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com or call:07030004233

22

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

newsfeature

3 months after exiting office, uncertainties trail Fashola’s dream project

One of the LagosHOMS estates at Ojokoro

ILUBIRIN Scheme

Chukwuma Okparaocha - Lagos

L

ess than three months after Mr Babatunde Fashola left office as the Lagos State governor, one the most laudable achievements of his administration the Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LAGOSHOMS) - is being trailed with uncertainties.

So far, the state government has invested billions of naira of state funds constructing some 10,000 housing units in various areas in Lagos State and Fashola had famously announced that the entire project was expected to become selfsustaining in seven years if all beneficiaries of the scheme paid up their mortgages promptly. However, recent indications suggest that this may not be after all, because less than two years from when the first set of house winners emerged under the scheme, the euphoria that greeted the project at the outset, coupled with the monthly draws that were producing an average of 40 winners, have suddenly run dry.

According to former Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Bosun Jeje, while speaking at a press conference, only about 603 people who won houses during the monthly draws have received keys to their houses and are currently living comfortably in their homes.

The 603 persons were among the 1348 pre-qualified applicants that have so far become home owners since March 2014 when the first draws were held.

Season of asking for refunds

Sadly, many who had made initial deposit for the houses have been asking for refunds due to their inability to pay for the houses. According to Jeje, the ministry received 21 applications for refund of deposits on money paid for the purchase of houses in the LAGOSHOMS. He said that 46 petitions were processed with five applications approved.

He said many people were asking for refunds because they were not able to meet up with the financial requirements.

Three schemes, similar results

Saturday Tribune went round parts of the state where some of the houses built under the LAGOSHOMS scheme are located, where a close observation of some of the houses was made.

Ilubirin Housing Estate project

Located along the Osborne shore waterfront area in Ikoyi, the estate is made up of 2 and 3 bedroom apartment of 1, 254 flats and they are all on eight floors.

Perhaps the scheme that best captures the current state of the entire scheme is the Ilubirin Scheme which was one of the last projects handled by the Fashola administration before the erstwhile governor exited office.

Despite the massive controversy that trailed the construction of the Ilubirin Scheme which saw the Federal Government deploy soldiers to stop work at the site, the project continued to grow in leaps and bounds. Thus, in just a few monthsgiant blocks of flat had sprung up at a place once occupied by dredged lagoon sand.

However, the Ilubirin project now seems to be a shadow of its former self, and the ecstasy and excitement that greeted its kick-off seem to have been lost. The giant machinery as well as human personnel that doted the scheme’s construction site only a few months ago are currently nowhere to be found. In other words, the site which was once a beehive of activities now appears to have been totally deserted and its partially constructed blocks of flat abandoned.

Mushin scheme

Facts have also emerged that many other schemes have also remained largely deserted, one of which is the Mushin Scheme which is reportedly gradually being overgrown with weeds. There, no fewer than 60 residents have lamented that they are yet to take possession of the apartments allotted to them more than 10 months ago after paying.

Media reports show that the residents are under pressure from their landlords to leave the flats they are currently residing, especially since they had made their intention to

pack out known to their landlords after they emerged winners in the draw last year.

The Ogba scheme

At the Ogba housing scheme, which has since been christened Anthony Enahoro Scheme, Saturday Tribune counted no fewer than 20 blocks of empty flats all sited on a large expanse of land which is well fenced and seemed to possess every bit of amenity required in any estate.

But the flats which all appeared set and ready for use are still unoccupied without a single sign of life or human activity in them.

Experts foresaw it

Some housing experts and general critics of the scheme have revealed that while many people appeared lost in the euphoria of the project months ago, they had taken a critical

However, recent indications suggest that this may not be after all, because less than two years from when the first set of house winners emerged under the scheme, the euphoria that greeted the project at the outset, coupled with the monthly draws that were producing an average of 40 winners, have suddenly run dry.

look at the entire scheme with the prediction that it might hit troubled waters later in the future. They were able to identify the major obstacle to the LAGOSHOMS project as the highly ‘prohibitive’ costs of the apartments.

The LAGOSHOMS’ prices range from N4.2 million for a room and parlour bedroom and N4.10 million to N9.08 million for one bedroom flat, depending on the area; two bedroom flat ranged from N6.22 million to N18.61 million in Gbagada, while three bedroom flat is sold from N9.96 million at Hon Shotomiwa Estate, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, to N32.53 million the highest in Gbagada Phase II, among others. These have so far, according to reports, proved too expensive for many people to meet.

A Lagos-based property consultant, Dr Biyi Adegoke, told Saturday Tribune that what is happening now is an indication that a government-owned project cannot be given to the public at the same rate as that made by private investors.

Adegoke said: “Many of us were not overtly carried away when the scheme was unveiled at the beginning. This was not because we didn’t like the idea, which remains a noble one, but the grouse I have always had with the project is the rate [cost] at which it is made available to the public.

“We are told the scheme is meant for the working class with a steady source of income, but how many salary earners can afford to pay for a mini-flat flat that goes for N4m? Again, at double digit the mortgage, rate also proves to be too high for a lot of people to afford,” he added.

Another expert, Samuel Omoniyi, when speaking with the media recently said: “They are even more expensive than houses put up by private developers who are basically in business to make money unlike government. How government that has free land and would build several flats on one plot of land sells houses at a rate more expensive than detached flats sold by private developers.”

They are, therefore, calling on the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to take another look at the ‘prohibitive’ cost of the LAGOSHOMS and review them downward in the interest of the Lagos tax payers to avoid a situation where they will only become inhabited by reptiles, rodents and plants.

Ambide’s seeming non-interest

As the Fashola administration wounded up, he famously dangled the LAGOSHOMS project as one of the achievements of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Lagos State, thus making it one of the things used to canvass for votes for the party in the general election which was eventually won by the incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

Since Ambode was the party’s apparent anointed candidate at the elections, hope was rife that the accomplished accountant-turned politician would keep up with the traditions of the LAGOSHOMS project.

However, about 100 days after he was sworn in as the governor of the state, Ambode is yet to look in the direction of the scheme, thus in three months, the governor has not visited any of the scheme, and no single draw has been made yet, despite the fact that Fashola promised that the draw would be a monthly affair. All these have begun to fuel argument in certain quarters that he (Ambode) may not be a firm believer or supporter of the housing scheme.

Saturday Tribune made effort to speak with one of the proponents of the scheme in the last administration, who insisted that the scheme remained one of the best things to have happened in Lagos in terms of housing in the last three decades.

The high ranking public officer who spoke under a condition of anonymity said he believed that Governor Ambode would soon pick up from where Fashola left off as soon as he set up his full cabinet which would also entail a functional Ministry of Housing.

“We are talking about a multi-billion naira project here.

No government, even from the opposition, would allow such an expensive project to rot away under any guise.

Therefore, I believe that soon, the governor, who is an astute manager, will reawaken the idea and possibly even make it better that his immediate predecessor did,” he said.

Saturday Tribune

27

Freedom brings stigma and fresh fears for Boko Haram ‘wives’

By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz (IRIN News Agency) For hundreds of women and girls kidnapped by Boko Haram militants, their ordeal did not end when they escaped or when Nigerian soldiers rescued them and reunited them with their families.

Instead of being admired for their bravery, many have become outcasts in their communities, stigmatised due to their perceived association with Boko Haram. Others, who became pregnant after being raped by their captors, have been shamed and are now accused of spawning or seeking to spawn future Boko Haram fighters.

“Their experience was horrifying, but… Boko Haram is so despised that anyone identified with the group shares some of that label, the slur,” Mausi Segun, a researcher with Human Rights Watch who has interviewed many of the women, told IRIN. There are no exact figures, but the government has said that “an alarming” percentage of kidnapped girls who returned from Boko Haram are pregnant.

Pregnant and rejected Lami, who was 19 years old when she was abducted from Gulak, the administrative headquarters of Madagali, recalled the day she was captured.

“They launched an attack on our village, burning houses and churches, so we decided to run away, leaving our aged parents,” she told IRIN. “We were fleeing in the bush when they [Boko Haram] chased us on their bikes, threatening to kill us if anyone dared to resist.”

Her first few months in captivity were enough to break anyone’s spirit. Lami said she and the others were forced to watch men, women and children being “slaughtered.”

Many girls were forced into marriage and required to wait on “husbands” they didn’t know.

After several failed attempts at escape, Lami said she virtually lost hope of ever going home.

But then the guards’ vigilance began to slip and, one day, she was able to sneak out. She made her way back to her village, only to be told her father had been killed

by Boko Haram.

She soon also discovered that she was pregnant with her “husband’s” child.

Now eight months pregnant, Lami said she is constantly threatened because of her growing belly.

Local men have let it be known that they will not tolerate children of Boko Haram.

“People in this village are rejecting me because of this pregnancy,” she said. “I know some will be happy to have me dead. Many people are even saying I should still go for an abortion. They have threatened to kill me and the baby.”

Vigilante ‘justice’ A number of local men in northeastern Nigeria, who have taken up arms to protect their communities from Boko Haram, have also begun to see it as their responsibility to enforce Islamic law, which views pregnancy outside marriage as illegitimate, unless the mother can prove it was against her will.

Unfortunately, most community members don’t believe that these kidnapped girls were forced into marriage, and they continue to view them and their unborn children with suspicion.

“If any woman is found to be pregnant, in our tradition, the pregnancy is considered haram [unlawful],” a vigilante leader who identified himself as Mallam Ahmadu told IRIN. “Hence, we cannot accept them wholeheartedly because they can be like baby snakes.”

Asabe, aged 20, for example, who was held captive for five months after being kidnapped during a Boko Ha-

Many of the women and girls who escaped Boko Haram thought their ordeal was over, but they continue to suffer.

ram raid while attending Sunday church services, said no one believes she married her captor to save her life.

“They abducted us to their base in Bita and later took us to Gwoza,” she said. “It was in Gwoza that they forcefully married us after threatening to kill us. They killed whoever resisted their demands. I was attached to one of their leaders they call an Emir.”

Asabe said she prayed each day to “get out of their dens.” Eventually, there was a military raid on the Boko Haram hideout she was in. Asabe was able to run away during the ensuing chaos. Like Lami, she expected a warm welcome back home.

Instead, she faced stigma and resentment.

“They backbite [gossip about me],” she said. “Some even accused me of being a Boko Haram wife. Now I am in a dilemma [pregnant] and I don’t understand why.

These are my people, rejecting me for no reason.”

Attempts at support In collaboration with other local and foreign agencies, the Nigerian government is now providing freed women and girls with counselling and medical care to help with their pregnancies. It is also encouraging communities to allow the girls to return in peace.

“The most important thing is to restore their dignity, especially when you have been in captivity against your will,” Bello said. “Only God knows what they [Boko Haram captors] have done to them, but some of them will have been violated, some raped. Many are now food insecure. So the government needs to take them [in], work with them and bring them back to the reality of their lives.”

Some local authorities, however, still continue to perpetuate the stigma, including the governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, who has publicly warned that these pregnant women and girls could breed a new generation of terrorists.

“They [the unborn children] could indeed inherit their father’s ideology somehow,” Shettima has told government officials.

He is now advocating for a special mentoring programme for these mothers-to-be to ensure they don’t give birth to “future insurgents.”

23

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

views.com

An open letter to President Muhammad Buhari (GCFR)

By Olagunju Wasiu

Y

OUR Excellency, it is imperative that I acknowledge your achievement since you have been sworn in as the democratically elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. People have seen the achievements of your administration, even when you have just clocked 100 days in office. Indeed, you are giving us the true change we desire at this time and proving to us that Nigeria is not a cursed country but a truly blessed one. From appreciable improvement in power supply in various parts of the country, to bailout package and a ready-to-diversify economy, waging a “non-negotiable” war against corruption, renewed vigour in the war against Boko Haram, cleanup of the messy NNPC, improved international reputation and relations, reducing the size and cost of governance and many more. Congratulations and more of it sir.

My interest, Mr President sir, there were many ugly events that unfolded during your trial period, that is, the electioneering period, in a way to at all cost stop you from becoming the president of this country, the one I want to reference and peculiar to this letter theme was the verbal and written attack on your personality that you were too old to lead a heterogeneous country like Nigeria, that you would be overwhelmed with directing the affairs of a country with about 200 million people, that you wore diaper to catch excrement and many more like that.

In defiance of the above attack on your personality, majority of Nigerians still went ahead to cast their vote for you, not because we had no other alternative then, as there were Martin Onovo of NCP, Oluremi Sonaiya of Kowa Party, Ganiyu Galadima of ACPN, and host of others, but because your track record as regards detesting corruption spoke volume. I remember your popular saying during campaign that “If Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill

President Buhari

Nigeria”. You were not corrupt and did not condone it during your time as military head of state and honestly, majority of Nigerians wanted to put an end to era of a president that stealing public fund did not mean anything to, and thereby saying “stealing is not a corruption.”

My point, Mr President sir, conditions placed on recruitment exercise into government and private jobs advertisement in Nigeria in terms of age limit have times without number denied many able and brilliant Nigerians that golden opportunity of getting jobs they desired and as a result, have contributed to high rate of unemployment and also encouraged corruption with many youths had engaging themselves in age falsification in order to be considered for job placement.

Mr President sir, I want you to know that you too would have been denied this golden opportunity of ruling Nigeria again, perhaps after your first attempt in 2003, not to talk of having a chance to contest up to this level, which happened to be your fourth attempt in 2015, had the Nigeria constitution stated that the person that can aspire to be the president of Nigeria must be of certain lesser age.

Re: Ogun and the axed civil servants

By Taiwo Adeoluwa I find the piece, Ogun and the axed civil servants, published in the Nigerian Tribune of August 20, 2015 intriguing. Unfortunately, we cannot change the rule in the middle of the game.

The conduct of civil servants is guided by the Public Service Rules. And to the extent that these rules do not conflict with the constitution, they have become time-tested. Nevertheless, since human progress is evolutionary, it is possible that some of these rules may be reviewed in the future.

The governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is of the school of thought of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Therefore, it is no surprising that he made profound declarations on education, reproduced hereunder, during his inauguration for the first term in office on May 29, 2011.

“It appears that our public schools were deliberately destroyed so as to justify government’s abdication of its responsibility to educate the citizens, feigning inability to shoulder the attendant financial requirements as the basis. My belief is that education is a social service which in the end serves the public good. Nowhere in the world is education treated as purely a profit-making venture. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of blessed memory, will turn in his grave if he hears that due to inability to pay school fees many pupils and students are dropping out of school in his state of birth. Or that as a result of ill-conceived policies, many of them are excluded from going to the school of their choice.”

Amosun went further to make the following pronouncements: “(i) Education is now free in both primary and secondary schools. (ii) All illegal fees and levies in both primary and secondary schools are hereby abolished. (iii) The government will also be responsible for the payment of the final examination fees for primary and secondary school leavers in Ogun State. (iv) Tuition fees will be drastically reduced in all the state’s tertiary institutions. (v) The bursary and scholarship scheme for students in tertiary institutions will be reinvigorated. (vi) Allocation of at least 20 per cent of our annual budget to education with emphasis placed on improving the quality and capacity of staff through training and re-training, improved welfare packages and provision of teaching and research facilities. (vii) Three state-of-the-art and well-stocked public libraries will be established, with one in each senatorial district. (viii) Immediate commencement of construction, rehabilitation and expansion of physical facilities in the sector with a target to achieve a ratio of 30 students per class in our primary and secondary schools. (ix) and Reinvigoration of the

inspectorate division of the Ministry of Education.”

Today, we can say with complete satisfaction that the governor has achieved about 90% of these promises. I am sure the writer will agree with me that if only our politicians had fulfilled even up to 40% of their electioneering promises, our country would have been better than it is today. Indeed, I daresay that by the time the model schools being constructed by the Amosun administration begin to admit students, the governor would have surpassed the promise (vii) and Goal (viii).

We may wish to remind the writer that the last time our people enjoyed free education was during the administration of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, over three decades ago. When you consider the fact that an average family in Ogun State has children at the four levels of education at the same time (nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary) then you can appreciate the huge financial burden that has been lifted off the shoulders of these parents by the Amosun administration. These model schools are currently the source of worry and envy for private school owners. I invite the writer to take a trip to the Model Secondary School, Ogijo in order to appreciate what public education may look like in the state in the years to come. Although the governor had initially envisaged 30 students per class, the style of the modern construction indicates more could be accommodated with maximum results...

Contrary to the impression being created, it is the constitutional duty of the Civil Service Commission of every state in the federation to “(a) appoint persons to offices in the State civil service; and (b) dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding such offices.” Therefore, the governor is not in a position to axe any civil servant. The governor is a stickler for due process. He has not and will not interfere in the statutory duties of an autonomous body or agency of government.

Accusing the governor of sacking workers is like accusing the president of sacking judges! The process of sacking a civil servant is not as easy as the writer conveyed in the article. It is apposite to state that under the Amosun administration, primary school teachers receive salaries before all other workers. It was never the case in the history of the state. The thousands of teachers due for promotion several years before Amosun came into government were promoted. Those whose careers stagnated since 2008 as a result of non-regularisation of their certificates got relief under the Amosun government. The current administration does not only devote over 20% of its yearly budget to education but pays N18,250 as Minimum Wage.

The wage is implemented across board, and up to local government level, thus making Ogun the only state in Nigeria to

My request, Mr President sir, there is this popular saying that, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander; since there is no age limit placed on who can contest for the presidency, the President, I urge you to use the position you currently occupy to let no age limit be placed on any job advertisement as from now on.

Mr President sir, on behalf of all poor Nigerians who are job seekers and ready to serve their fatherland, I will appeal to you to stand by us, as this is our own trial period the way we stood by you during your trial period so as to make our chance of getting job opportunity brighter and at the same turn our back against corruption of age falsification and direct all ministries, agencies, commissions, military, paramilitary, other government places of work, embassies, banks and all other private companies to sincerely, as a matter of urgency, put a stop to placing age limit in any advertisement from now henceforth, starting with the coming Nigerian Police and Immigration recruitment exercises.

It is very important to remind Your Excellency that this age limit condition which is nowhere to be found anywhere in the Nigerian constitution have denied many able and brilliant Nigerians chances to serve their fatherland and at the same time make ends meet. This has contributed a great deal to the level of unemployment and corruption. This is simply unconstitutional and at the same time inhuman, I therefore and implore Your Excellency to stand by us now in a way to replicate our kind gesture to you as many able and brilliant Nigerians have been denied access to job opportunities.

Your Excellency, I pray Almighty God elongate your life, take you to higher heights in life and before Him guide all your affairs right, increase you in faith, health, wisdom, knowledge, wealth and everything good in this life and makes paradise your final abode in the hereafter, Amen.

OLAGUNJU Wasiu Abiodun is of the Daodu Olagunju’s Compound, Ede, Osun State.

do so. Notwithstanding the current financial challenges which have affected every state and worker - indeed everyone - across the country, this is an iconic example of the worker-friendly nature of the Amosun government.

It is a known fact that the central government found it almost impossible to devote up to two digits of its budget to education despite collecting 52% from the Federation Account. Yet Ogun, which collects about 0.4% from the same Federation Account, has consistently devoted over 20% of its budget to education. It is somewhat ironic that about 80% of that yearly budget to education in Ogun goes into payment salaries and allowances!

Within two years of introduction of free education by the Amosun government, enrolment figure for JSS rose from 174,820 to 214,837. The figure increased from 146,737 to 162,536 at the SSS level. Due to improvement in our technical education, some children now move from JSS to such schools while the majority proceed to SSS, which is a big plus for our drive in vocational/technical education. Expectedly, performance of our children in WASSSE has improved tremendously.

The many new structures in our primary schools including those with the inscription, ‘SUBEB 2008/2009’ were built under the Amosun administration. It was Amosun that paid the outstanding state’s counterpart funds for those years. Four years before the current government was inaugurated, our children in the nursery schools got no furniture from government. But in less than three years of the Amosun government, they were provided with 3,200 chairs, 800 tables, 17,043 two-seater desks and 10,900 two-seater desks with shutters.

Seven thousand one hundred and forty-eight (7,148) tables and 14,296 chairs were equally provided for their teachers.

Recently, the newspapers were awash with the news of the state-owned university, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) emerging the best state varsity in Nigeria, according to the ranking by the National Universities Commission (NUC). This was an institution that was not even considered at all for ranking by the regulatory body prior to the Amosun government as a result of the magnitude of the rot in the institution. If this is not a testament to the commitment of Governor Amosun to restoring the glory of the education sector, then we need another definition of commitment.

Through prudent husbandry of the scarce resources of the state, our government will continue to reposition the sector for excellent service delivery.

Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa is Secretary to the Ogun State Government.

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

style

Saturday Tribune

25

With Kate Ani 08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

Pussy bow blouse: The purrrfect sophistication

#EyeBrowOnFleek# Welcome to the bizarre world of eyebrow extensions YES, you read it right, eyebrow extensions! Maybe you have naturally thin brows or you lost them by over-tweezing or your brows are full and gorgeous but you want them to fleek to the fleekiest fleek? Welcome to the wondrous world of brow extensions! To get extensions, brow experts use tweezers to dip tiny synthetic hairs into skin glue. It’s basically single hair strands that are taking out and placed strategically on the eyebrow either to fill in thin and light spaces or to create entirely new brows. Would you try it? So far the eyebrow extension is a personal choice and it comes in various shapes and sizes.

Margaret Thatcher

T

HE resurgence of pussy bow blouses—women’s shirts with big, floppy bows at the collar — is more than just another example of retro fashion.

Since pussy bows were invented to be a sort of “girlie tie”, it would appear that the name actually refers to the euphemism for female genitalia, as a colleague commented.

Bows have been worn around the neck for centuries, but the term ‘pussy bow’ first came into effect in the 1930s. Popular throughout the decades ever since, the neckline is perhaps best recalled as 1970s work wear with Margaret Thatcher championing the look during her tenure at Downing Street. No longer reserved for politicians, today, pussy bow necklines are firmly back on the high-fashion radar.

ADVERTISE YOUR FASHION PRODUCTS ON THIS PAGE @ THESE AFFORDABLE RATES COLOUR: 34,475 6X3: B/WHITE: 27,230 COLOUR: 22,750 6X2: B/WHITE: 18,200 COLOUR: 18,900 5X2: B/WHITE: 14,875 COLOUR: 15,155 4X2: B/WHITE: 11,900

PROMO

24

2X2: 3X2: 2X1: 1X1:

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:

Bracelet

26

12 September, 2015

outofthisworld

Saturday Tribune With femi osinusi

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

Nigeria’s traffic jams are child’s play compared to these!

T

raffic jams are becoming a regular phenomenon in virtually every country to the extent that in some countries, they have really become a very serious issue that the governments seem to have given up on.

It’s true that many people spend between four and five hours in traffic in Nigeria, especially in Lagos. But what happens in our country is really a child’s play compared to the situation in other countries where people spend 24 hours on the road or where the traffic stretches to about 180 kilometres.

How do we explain a 26-lane traffic jam that happened this week in a city of India?

It was also once reported that the traffic jams in Indonesia are so serious that motorists and commuters actually sleep on the roads many times.

Below are some of the out-of-this-world traffic jams.

Situation in Seoul, South Korea

An uneding jam on a bridge in Beijing, China

180km-long traffic in Sao Paulo, Brazil

A 26-lane traffic jam in New Delhi, India

Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 24-hour traffic jam in Jakarta, Indonesia

28

12 September, 2015

businessextra

E

very day, a bank customer must complain about what bankers call dispense error - a situation where the ATM debits a customer’s account without giving out cash. In such situations, lucky customers get immediate refund but not all do. Those who are not as fortunate go through humiliating experiences.

ATMs are terminals which are installed by banks to make cash withdrawal, fund transfer, balance check for customers easy and fast. The machine allows the account holder to have transactions with their own accounts without the opportunity to access the entire bank’s database. The benefits of using this machine are numerous but customers insist that no advantage is valid enough to justify the loose of account holders’ money to unknown individuals.

The original ATM system utilises Personal Identification Number (PIN) and cards to authenticate users when making the transactions. In fact, with the mushrooming of Automated Teller Machines on every road, economic frauds through them are getting more complicated day by day.

There is also an increase in the risk level of ATM fraud in banking operations.

For example, in May, the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) ePayment Fraud Landscape Report stated that there was 85 per cent success in fraud attempts. It also noted that automated teller machines (ATMs) had most fraudulent transactions while Internet banking fraud loss was put at N3.2 billion within the last one year.

Also, most customers today prefer to return to over-the-counter withdrawals and pay commensurate fees rather than risk dispense error.

Emeka Dike, a customer with Guaranty Trust Bank, told Saturday Tribune that he attempted a withdrawal at the Iyana Ejigbo branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA). The ATM debited him for N20,000

but did not dispense cash. He quickly ran to GTBank and made his complaint. He was asked to go home and wait for a refund.

According to Dike, when he waited all through that day and there was no alert, he went back the next morning and was asked to fill a form. On the third day, Dike said he got the following message: “Your POS ATM or Web dispense error request with STAN ‘908997 and amount N20,000 has been logged by GTBank and is pending with the acquiring bank.”

According to him, “the first time I had this type of experience, it took three weeks of regular visit to the bank before it was reversed. In fact, if I had not continued to disturb them every two days, my money would have gone.”

Some other customers that spoke to Saturday Tribune said they never got their money back. This raises the question, why does it still take up to two to three weeks for banks to reverse most ATM dispense errors, despite several directives from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the contrary?

A top bank executive who did not want to be named explained to Saturday Tribune that the period between the day a transaction was initiated and the day it was resolved was usually an investigative period and because bankers are always busy, they seem to delay such exercise.

“We have to cross-check with the acquiring bank to be sure such transaction took place. They also have to confirm same and be sure that their cash is actually in excess of that particular amount,” the banker said.

In view of this development and its negative effect on customers’ confidence in the use of ATM the CBN directed banks to set up systems that will enable the automatic refund of money to customers in which ATM dispense shortchange bank customers.

CBN Director, Banking and Payments System Department, ’Dipo Fatokun, said the apex bank directed banks to issue

Edited by Sulaimon Olanrewaju

lanresulaimon123@gmail.com 08055001708

devices. The information collected is then used to commit fraud against those customers later.

“Most of us (banks) are aware of the development and we are very vigilant now.

What some of us have done is to get a patrol team of security men to start combing the affected areas and the ATMs from time to time. We will get those guys soon.”

While some of the cardholders’ information collected by fraudsters are being used to commit online-related frauds locally, a large number is used to clone ATM cards and used to shop in malls abroad, especially in the United States of America, the banker noted.

The Vice-Chairman, Committee of eBanking Industry Heads, Mr. Dele Adeyinka, earlier confirmed the fraudsters’ activities.

He, however, said that following the banks’ compliance with the CBN directive asking them to install anti-skimming devices on their ATMs, it would be difficult for the fraudsters’ devices to work.

He said: “Yes, it is true that hackers are carrying out those activities. It is not only on the Victoria Island axis; they are doing it everywhere. But all the banks have complied with the CBN directive on anti-fraud tools. So, it will be difficult for those fraud devices to work.”

Rising cases of electronic frauds, especially ATM-related scams, which have made Nigerian banks and in most cases customers to lose billions of naira in recent times have forced some lenders to prevent their payments cards from working in the US, China and a few other countries.

A number of the ATMs According to the Central Bank of Nigeria statistics, the banks lost N40billion to have been compromised electronic frauds in 2013 alone. by hackers. Some of these On January 19, 2015, the CBN ordered banks in the country to prevent payment fraudsters visit those ATMs cards (debit and credit) issued by them very late in the night or from working in fraud-prone countries, including the US, South Africa and China. very early in the morning A lot of banks have been trying to install fraud prevention technology platforms to to fix some fraud devices help banks in investigating ATM-related on them, which are capable cases and other fraudulent activities. For instance. Inlaks Computers, in support of collecting cardholders’ of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) information, including their financial inclusion programme, introduced Hyosung Finger Print Biometric passwords. They come Automatic Teller Machines to the Nigerian local market. back later to remove those Mr. Femi Adeoti, Managing Director and devices. The information Chief Executive Officer, Africa Operations of Inlaks, said the fingerprint biometric collected is then used to ATMs do not only provide convenience and commit fraud against those security to the diverse customer segments in Nigeria but also align with the financial customers later. inclusion strategy of the CBN to address the unbanked population using ATMs. In a statement, he said, “This is a great feat for Inlaks, especially at this period when fraud prevention and building cusguidelines for card issuance and usage tomer confidence on the use of electronic meant to provide minimum standards channels are key to customer acquisition and requirements for the issuance and us- and the retention strategies of the financial institutions.” age of payment cards in the country.

He explained further that the ongoing Another banker, Miss Oluwatoyin Kasim, who works in one of the new generation Biometric Verification Number project banks, said: “A number of the ATMs on by the banks and the Nigeria Inter-Bank the Victoria Island and Lekki axis have Settlement System, which was meant to been compromised by hackers. Some of address the safety of customers’ funds and these fraudsters visit those ATMs very late eliminate loss of funds through comproin the night or very early in the morning to mise of account Personal Identification fix some fraud devices on them, which are Number, would be seamlessly integrated capable of collecting cardholders’ informa- with Hyosung’s fingerprint ATMs already being deployed in some commercial banks tion, including their passwords.

“They come back later to remove those in Nigeria.

ATM : Automatic refund still by luck Chima Nwokoji - Lagos

Saturday Tribune

29

12 September, 2015

ntertainment News

Society Gist

—P32

—P32

Wizkid’s honour for Ojuelegba car crash victims thrills fans

Spinlet supports Nigerian Entertainment Awards in NYC

—P33

Saturday Tribune

J

with oan

Omionawele

jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08054682201

Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

newtray2002@yahoo.com 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

Jay Z and Beyonce to quit LA mansion

—P33

Roberson preaches transparency, accountability in new song

Jimi Solanke returns to TV folktale with ‘Once Upon a Time’ —P33

30

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘I won’t venture into what will not fetch me money’ Continued from pg2

Do you write your own scripts and produce your own movies?

Yes, I do.

How are you able to manage all of these together?

I think I am just a really different person at different times, which is more like split personality issues, but it is not an issue, it is a blessing. I love writing, I love listening to stories and I love being involved in every aspect of my movie. I can edit, I learnt all these things. I don’t like being ignorant about issues, I want to know everything, even if I am not going to be the one to sit down and do it, you are not going to tell me how it is meant to be done. I know how it is meant to be done, I like to be learned about issues and be involved.

Have you had any formal training?

Yes. I took a directorial course in Houston, United States and I learn every day. I took a visual effect course as well, so we are doing little experiments like we did in ‘Dark’.

Can you tell us how you came about your name, Rukky Sanda?

It is my family name. I am Rukayat Sanda, so Rukky is short for Rukayat.

We read some time ago that you are half Nigerian, half Ghanaian.

No, I am not. I am a full Nigerian. I am from Lagos; a full blooded Nigerian.

You have done 17 movies so far, how have you been able to do 17 movies in a space of 10 years?

Is that a lot? It is not a lot. I should have done more but it is just exhausting some times. It is just hard work and determination actually and staying focused. Basically, that is just it and I have a good team.

Are you recouping your money?

Yes of course. If I am not making money, I am not going to be here.

How financially rewarding has it been?

Well, it has been a blessing, it has been amazing. Lately, it is not so much, but in the past couple of years, yes. Like this year, we have had serious issues with piracy and all of that. It wasn’t like that before. This year, I actually said I am not doing movies anymore and I have been focusing on my interior design jobs but at the end of the day, I have scripts I have written and I want to produce them all. It is fun anyway and I don’t think I can quit producing movies.

I love to do it. It is stressful, but I love to do it.

Even if you don’t make money from it?

I would not do something I would not make money from. I am a business woman first and the money is very important. You just have to know the kind of movie you want to do. Nowadays, it is not really about what you want.

I think you should focus on what you can make your money back from and what the people want.

Now, let us talk a bit about ‘Dark’, what gave birth to that idea in the first place?

As I said, I was actually writing ‘Walls Within’ which was a romantic comedy and all of a sudden, it was not just coming to my head anymore and I think I was in my room and it was dark and I think that was how I came up with the title. When I finished writing, I could barely see what I had written as it was just scribbles and everything.

It took me about another whole day to try and figure out my own handwriting. Basically for ‘Dark’, I think in the house that we used, we had this thing at the back like a foundation that is not completed and when I saw it, it seemed really dangerous and it could cause an accident for a child and that was where it all came from. I actually wanted to do something different. It is actually a thriller and not like our regular Nollywood movies. It is extremely and completely different.

The movie talks about child mortality and we have a lot of that in Nigeria, have you ever

experienced anything like that or is it happening to someone close to you or something? Why did you decide to talk about that theme?

As I said, I wanted to do something different, something emotional. There is a lot of betrayal in it. I just wanted to do something different and something really deep and that was why I did it. It also shows that the people closest to you could be the set of people to hurt you, so, you should always be at alert.

Can you give us a rough estimate of how much it cost you to make this movie?

Millions.

What would you say fashion means to you?

It just means expressing yourself the way you want and being comfortable in your own skin, being comfortable and happy with yourself.

What fashion item can you never be caught wearing?

Anything that doesn’t look good on me, you would not catch me in it outside.

On the contrary, what fashion item can’t you leave home without, that you must always have on you whenever you are going out?

My sunglasses.

Are sunglasses what you

I would not do something I would not make money from. I am a business woman first and the money is very important.

can spend the most on in your wardrobe?

Bags are the most expensive things in the world apart from wristwatches and I love buying them

How daring can you go in a movie?

Nowadays, I write the daring parts for others to play and I believe you have to do it; don’t tell me you cannot do it because I paid you for it and you have to do it.

Talking about you, how daring can you go?

I can go all the way but you know you have to have a degree of dignity and self-esteem for yourself.

What is the most daring thing you have ever done on a movie set?

I stay easy; I don’t really do any of those daring things.

What is your ideal kind of man?

An amazing person with a good heart.

Apart from that, what are those things that turn you on?

Just being funny and nice because when I am happy, everybody is happy.

Can you recollect the worst thing you have done in a fit of anger?

I don’t get angry like that and when I get angry, I keep quiet and I walk away because there is no point in shouting and yelling. I am not a violent person so I don’t get to that point with anybody. It’s better to walk away than to do things you would eventually regret.

Are wedding bells going to ring for you anytime soon?

Yes now, very soon by God’s grace.

32 entertainment

Spinlet supports Nigerian Entertainment Awards in NYC

S

pinlet, the largest provider of quality music on the go in Africa has supported the Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA), by hosting an exclusive gala for stakeholders in the diaspora. The Spinlet and NEA exclusive gala, which took place at the NYU Skirball Centre for Performing Arts in Manhattan, United States, celebrated the best and brightest that Nigerian and African music has to offer.

The gala, which also brought together over 60 US-based African entertainment promoters, media, influencers and other entertainment business executives, provided an opportunity to welcome guests to the awards, networking opportunities for entertainment executives and increase conversation on the evolution of the African music industry.

Chief Executive Officer of Spinlet, Nkiru Balonwu, said that Spinlet’s support of the NEA is another intervention to expand its scope and outlook whilst catering for the international

By Joan Omionawele

Tim Reid, amongst other A-list actors from Nigeria, have been cast in certain roles for the movie.

93 days is definitely a movie to look out for.

community and bringing a diverse catalogue of music from Africa and the rest of the world to the United States.

“Spinlet’s catalogue of African and international music is proving popular on a global basis. Digital distribution has made it easier for international audiences to discover and enjoy music from anywhere in the world. We are seeing increasing interest for artistes and albums outside of the mainstream, and are very proud to be helping audiences to discover new musical experiences,” said Balonwu.

She added: “The future of music is mobile and also global as we continue to see consumers increasingly pull in tracks from artistes based all around the world. It’s time to support the continent.”

According to Tope Esan, NEA‘s Executive Producer, the gala affirms the organ-

isation’s mission of creating awareness for African entertainment and promoting Nigerian artistes on the international stage.

Stakeholders commended the partnership and encouraged the companies to continue to drive similar efforts on a larger scale to provide an easy link to Africa through music. Other entertainment personalities who were in attendance at the upscale event included Yinka Adegoke, Editor of Quartz Africa, Africa McClain, Live Events Coordinator of Times Inc., Toyosi Phillips of Sahara Reporters; Mr. Fred Allison of Grafton Entertainment, Mr. Musi Oridami of Big Moose Entertainment.

Spinlet, through its web and mobile app platform, continues to innovate to provide cutting edge music services and seek opportunities to partner with organisations that encourage music from Africa.

Wizkid’s honour for Ojuelegba car crash victims thrills fans Ayo Balogun alias Wizkid, has been trending on Twitter for his exemplary gesture to the families of the Ojuelegba car crash.

Wizkid who stopped his performance at the Glo Lafta Fest held last Sunday at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island to observe a minute silence for the souls of the victims that died in last week’s fatal accident at Ojuelegba, has been the praise of fans ever since.

“It is not by your might that you are here today,” the Ojuelegba crooner had said in the middle of ‘In My Bed’ performance. “It is by

Saturday Tribune

Kevin Hart picks wedding date with Parish

Stories by Newton-Ray Ukwuoma NEA Awards co-founder and producer, DJ Zimo; Chief Executive Officer, Spinlet, Nkiru Balonwu; Beat FM OAP, Jimmie Akinsola; Sahara Reporters OAP, Toyosi Phillips; Executive Producer, NEA Awards, Tope Esan and Spinlet General Counsel/Head, Business Development, Rotimi Fawole, at the Spinlet NEA Gala which took place at the Pranna Restaurant, New York City, United States, recently.

Hollywood star, Danny Glover arrives Nigeria to play lead role in Ebola movie, ‘93 days’ Award-winning Hollywood actor, Danny Glover has arrived in Nigeria to play a lead role in the upcoming movie, 93 days.

‘93 days’ is a movie based on Ebola in Nigeria. The movie tells the true story of men and women who risked their lives and made sacrifices to save the nation from all the consequences of the outbreak of the highly dreaded Ebola virus.

Veteran Hollywood star,

12 September, 2015

the grace of God. So, I want everybody right now to bow their heads for a minute silence for the victims of the Ojuelegba crash.”

The fans turned to their Twitter handles to make remarks on the 25-year-old multiple award winner and Ojuelegba-bred singer for his thoughtfulness.

Meanwhile, as the performer took of his white hat to observe the silence, a fan who had been eying the precious item went for it.

But the Ojuelegba in Wizkid came to the fore and he shot the thief a weakening bullet of words: “We dey talk

about prayer, u wan do something” and the hat was returned.

Here are some of the tweets: Reuben Osyreigns @ osyreigns Sep 6 “@ wizkidayo Moment of silence for the victims in Ojuelegba. U are the best” Tee-A the Comedian @TymeoutwithTeeA Sep 6 Nice one on the respect given to the Ojuelegba incident victims aburo. God bless @wizkidayo @iBlaisePaddy @ iBlaisePaddy Sep 6 Nice one @wizkidayo! One minute silence for the victims #Ojuelegba.

American comedian, actor, writer and producer, Kevin Hart, has announced the date for his wedding with model and actress, Eniko Parish.

Hart told Entertainment Tonight in an interview that he will be wedding on the 8 August 2016 Hart and Perish have been together since August 2014.

According to the thespian, “we’re gonna go August 8, next year man. That’s right ladies. I’ve got to put this chocolate in the freezer. So if you wanted a piece, you better take that want and put it in your pocket, because you ain’t gonna get it, because it’s happening, August 8th. I’m going to lock this love up in a box”.

It was easy to get the wedding date out of Hart, but for the rest of the wedding planning, the award-winning actor and groom-to-be said he had no clue as he is leaving it all to Parish, his wife-to-be, of course.

“To be honest with you, I don’t know what the hell is going on. I told her, ‘Do what you want to do, and just come back to me with a finished product,’” he said.

We look forward to your campaign slogan, White House tells Kanye West Kanye West’s latest joke’s declaration to run for president of the United States in 2020 has got him a response from the White House.

Billboard reports that Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, has released an official statement on Kanye’s decision to run for the presidency.

“We look forward to seeing what slogan he chooses to embroider on his campaign hat,” was the response from the White House Press Secretary.

Kanye West, on 30 August, said he would be running for president come 2020.

The award winner and rapper made the statement in an acceptance speech at the 2015 MTV Video and Music Awards (VMA) held on the Microsoft Theatre, Los Angeles, California, United States.

There are reports that he may not have been in the best emotional and rational conditions at the time he made the declaration, but responses from different

quarters revealed that some people did take him seriously.

For instance, the official Twitter account of the Democratic Party as confirmed by CNN welcomed Kanye to the race.

“Last night @kanyewest declared his candidacy for president in 2020. Welcome to the race, Mr. West. Glad to have you.”

Perhaps, his fans should be ready for him too.

33 entertainment Roberson preaches transparency, accountability in new song

President of the Nigerian Women in Clergy and Gospel Artist, Prophetess Nonnie Roberson, has stressed the need for transparency and accountability by Nigerians holding public offices.

Roberson, who spoke with reporters on the sideline of her newly released song entitled, ‘Zion take your place,’ urged youths to always hold leaders accountable.

She said that the era of keeping silence over happenings in government was over, saying that righteous persons, especially Christians, must take interest in governance.

Roberson, who referred to the new generation of believers as Zion in her song, said that they must make haste to take their place both on earth and in heaven.

According to the gospel singer, the kingdom of God suffers violence and only the violent take it by force, hence the need for believers to take active interest in the wellbeing of the nation.

She said that the song which was produced by Joseph Fabs, was mastered and mixed by the popular director, Zeeno Foster, also known as magic fingers.

Roberson said that the song was embedded in metaphor and called for the radicalisation of the gospel of Christ.

“I do not believe that church must hold only on Sundays, other aspects of ministration could be done via music and that is what I am doing with this song.

“I am propelling Nigerian and African youths as well as potential leaders to take their place in governance.

“The song also tends to re-awaken the consciousness of an average believer, who may have given up on himself, his family, his career and his country.

“They need to wake up from the present slumber and be proactive in their actions.”

Roberson said that the song upholds positive thinking, as against melancholic and nostalgic feelings.

Jay Z & Beyonce to quit their L.A. mansion

About eight months after moving into their 16,000 square foot Holmby Hills Estate in Los Angeles, United States, The Carters are having to pack their bags again, and not under their own will.

According to TMZ, the Holmby Hills estate that Jay Z & Beyonce rent for a light $150,000 a month has just been sold, and the Carters have 60 days to get everything out.

Jay Z could’ve bought the mansion for around $35 million, which is what the new buyer paid, but apparently he wasn’t interested.

Not to worry though, TMZ has learned that The Carters are already on the hunt for a new pad in the Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and Holmby Hills area. All for the benefit of their daughter Blue Ivy, who was enrolled in a private $15,000 toddler programme.

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Zack Orji encourages northern Christians to hold on to their faith

Veteran actor, Zack Orji, has enjoined Christians from northeastern Nigeria to hold on to their faith, stressing that the end of the insurgency in Nigeria is near.

According to Oshodi, an online platform, the Nollywood actor and evangelist made the statement last Sunday during the first thanksgiving service of The Stream of Grace Church, Ikotun, Lagos, in the light of the incessant terrorist attacks on the northeastern Nigeria by insurgent group known as Boko Haram.

The Church, among other establishments, has been the target of many attacks by the group in the North in recent times, as many Nigerians, especially Christians, have lost their lives, relatives and properties.

While the Federal Government is battling to contain the situation, Orji admonished Christians in the north to depend on God and to eschew bitterness.

“I implore northern Christians not to lose faith in God, though trials and tribulations will come. The Bible says many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him from them all. Definitely the end of insurgency in Nigeria is fast approaching and whatever northern Christians are going through is just a phase that will not last forever. God will surely bring it to an end. They should keep on depending on God who is the ruler over the affairs of men, governor of all nations and keeper of Nigeria,” he said.

Jimi Solanke returns to TV folktale with ‘Once Upon a Time’ Stories by Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

‘Once Upon a Time’, a folktale television show will be starring legendary storyteller, Jimi Solanke as anchor. The CNN-acclaimed master storyteller told Saturday Tribune in a press briefing organised by Glass House Entertainment in his honour that he was pleased to return to TV again, stating that he was even more delighted by the objective of the initiative.

The former Storyline anchor on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) described his return to television as a “resurgence”. He also mentioned that he never stopped storytelling as he on occasion visits schools and children gatherings to narrate “educational fairy tales”.

“I have not stopped storytelling. I still go to schools in Ile Ife. I accept every invitation to tell educational fairy tales. I didn’t, however, think that Glass House Entertainment will bring me back to television. It is like a resurgence. I don’t know how they found me.

But I must say that the initiative to reintroduce storytelling into modern lifestyle is a huge gain for our culture and tradition.

I was driven by this vision. I see a lot of energy from the producer and that excites me. I want to help to remind our children the roots of our rich culture,” he said.

Solanke, 73, who was honoured as one of Nigeria’s living legends early this year, stated that he was not retiring just yet as he had more plans for arts and the entertainment industry.

“I am setting up a ten-acre village for arts in my home town.

Work is going on there as we speak. This is where I am retiring

into. There will be a lot of plantain to take home for those of you that will visit. I also want to go back to acting.

I really want to, he said.

Nevertheless, the 30-minute African storytelling Television show will be aired on pay channels from October. The producer and CEO, Glass House Entertainment (GHE), Ayo Alaba Idowu, said the organisation is set to revamp the entertain-

Rick Ross releases new album, Black Dollar By dropping his newest mixtape Black Dollar, Rick Ross has added another great addition to his line of releases, album and mixtapes alike. It always seems to be that mixtapes hit harder than albums (remember Rich Forever?), but let’s divert our attention back to Ross’s albums for a minute.

Over the past ten years, Rick Ross has released seven studio albums, and that’s not even counting his ‘Self Made’ compilations or numerous mixtapes. Every album has hit the top 10 overall, with five of the seven hitting #1 overall. Pretty impressive stuff.

Ross has now sold millions of records, and it’s for good reason. Each record is a unique step forward in the boss’s brand of luxurious gangster rap. It’s tough to rank the records, but we got down to the bottom of it.

ment industry.

“We are going the extra mile. We are ready for the African/Nigerian entertainment industry,” he said.

Wiz Khalifa confirms collaboration with The Weekend Wiz Khalifa dropped off a new collaboration on his birthday recently, No Social Media, featuring Snoop Dogg. The rapper has been slowly prepping his next album, the title of which has been out for a minute, Rolling Papers 2. No Social Media was itself preceded by another collab, a single with Rae Sremmurd, “Burn Slow.”

Apparently, all these releases have fans wondering what other collaborations we’ll get on Rolling Papers 2. One fan hopped on twitter to demand a Weeknd x Wiz collab, and Wiz indulged him with a confirmation. “def on this new album,” he replied to the fan.

The two have worked together in the past, on Wiz’s “Remember You” off O.N.I.F.C.

34

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

John Fashanu finds love again JOHN Fashanu must have shrugged off the recent scandal that trailed his marriage break-up with Abigail Igwe as he has reportedly found himself a new partner.

The ex-footballer was recently in the news when a foreign tabloid broke the news of his divorce with his wife of three years, Abigail, who filed for divorce.

Fashanu, who once laced his boots for Wimbledon FC in England, has put all the odds behind and has moved on.

The Abuja-based businessman is reportedly engaged in a new romance which he guards well.

Those in the know say that his new affair is destined for something big with details that the lady, Rachel, shares a similar fate with Fashanu as she was also a victim of a failed union.

The lovers have been sighted together in Abuja with Fashanu regaling his friends with wonder tales of how he has been getting the happiness that was missing in his previous marriage.

Mo Abudu is over the moon M

OSUNMOLA Abudu, the Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife TV, is aiming high as one of her projects has become the talk of movie buffs.

The presenter’s new project ‘Fifty’ is making waves as it was shortlisted at the British Film Institute’s programme under the ‘Love Category’.

The film, which is directed by Biyi Bandele and produced by Mo Abudu, stars headliners like Ireti Doyle, Dakore Akande, Omoni Oboli and Nse Ikpe-Etim, in a movie that pushes boundaries to uncover the lives of Lagos contemporary and glamorous upper class with the story of the four women as they rise above adversity to stand and represent African women of substance and immense values.

The London premiere of the movie has been fixed for screening on October 17 at the Vue 7 Cinema, London, United Kingdom, while the Nigerian premiere is slated for December 13 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Mo Abudu, who has won a number of international awards, has contributed a lot to the society and touched lives through her Ebonylife TV which has the largest African viewers.

Mariam Afolabi leads with Style Cafe MARIAM Afolabi may be proving that she posseses her father’s Midas touch.

The young lady, who is the daughter of the chairman of Sifax Group, Taiwo Afolabi, has exhibited the business skills she learnt from her father few months to the opening of her fashion store, Style Cafe, in Lagos.

Mariam, a student at the Nigerian Law School, surely knows what time it is as one of the labels under her outfit, Mademoiselle Aglaia, has become the favourite of Lagos social class and women of style.

Armed with an influential background that presents her to a large number of clientele, Mariam is said not to be resting on her oars, as she develops communication and marketing skills to push her business above other competitors in the trade.

Oba Idowu Oniru hosts 70th birthday for wife THE palace of the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Idowu Oniru, recently witnessed a large assembly of party people who converged to celebrate the 70th birthday of the monarch’s first wife, Olori Aramide Oniru.

The birthday ceremony of the woman, started with a thanksgiving service at the St John’s Church, Lagos Island, followed with a reception at the Oniru’s palace, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The party, which had all the trappings of royalty, attracted top politicians, government officials, celebrities and many others who are subjects of the respected monarch.

Ifeanyi Ubah celebrates 44th birthday quietly THE form of this year’s celebration of the birthday of the chairman of Capital Oil, Ifeanyi Ubah, baffles a lot of people.

Ubah’s birthday is what a lot of people in the social circle look forward to as it’s always a ground for merriment. His 40th birthday party remains a benchmark for all social events both in the past and future in the country.

To all those that expected a repeat of the same tradition, Ubah stunned many when he opted for a celebration devoid of the noise and birthday hooray.

The businessman, whose devotion now lies in sports and philanthropy, hosted a strictly-friends gathering and sent a short message that reads: “Life has its trying moments; for your trust and loyalty, I say thank you. I express my profound gratitude for the birthday wishes’ to others that were on his list of well-wishers.

35

12 September, 2015

achievers Tayyib Oladoja, in an online chat with RONKE SANYA, shares his story as a first class graduate of University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom, how he emerged the most the enterprising student of his faculty and his many other exploits.

L

How does it feel being a first class graduate from a prestigious UK university as a Nigerian?

The world sees Nigerians as subpar and not amounting to anything, however, I am proud to be one of the Nigerians who have proved to the world that we can plunge through bricks without bruises because “Impossible is Nothing”.

Getting a first class is not as daunting as it seems, although nothing good ever comes easy but I got stuck with the mindset that, as long as I am alive and well, I too can do it.

My success didn’t arrive by simply attending classes and passing my exams, hence it was not smooth. It involved taking on extra activities, rough rides and making good use of the opportunities that surrounded me. A

With Ronke Sanya & Oyeyemi Okunlade 07036050161, 08056834515 sanyaaderonke@gmail.com ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

I studied alongside students from over 100 countries

—Tayyib Oladoja, first class graduate, University of Greenwich, London.

ET’S have a peep into your background.

I am 22 years of age, born and raised in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Most people, when they hear Kaduna, they think I am Hausa, but I am originally from Kwara State, so I speak both Hausa and Yoruba fluently.

I first attended Albarka Nursery and Primary School, Kaduna and progressed to Destiny College and Adeyemo College of Arts and Science, Kaduna, for my secondary school education. I actually was studying Law at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto until there was a very long strike which prompted my parents to send me to London in the United Kingdom to study.

I was fortunate to get into University of Greenwich to study Law before I made an interesting and somewhat unusual decision at that time to study Information and Communication Technology.

What did schooling abroad expose you to compared to when you were in Nigeria?.

Studying abroad is an eye-opener for the serious-minded individual. Lecturers, students, and professionals I came across were always on the move to greatness.

Additionally, I studied alongside students from over 100 countries, which in turn vastly increased my cultural awareness, aggressively moved me to be independent, improved my language skills, improved my expertise all round and enhanced my professionalism. The upgraded version of me that these exposures brought about gave me the opportunity of meeting and working alongside CEOs and top officials of global organisations such as Barclays, SPM Lithographic and i2i Group.

This huge transformation took just three years which is way more than I would have achieved if I was in Nigeria. It is an opportunity that I genuinely wish was at the fingertips of all Nigerians, without the need of crossing borders.

Saturday Tribune

Oladoja with family members and friends during his graduation ceremony at Greenwich, London, UK.

Oladoja few extra activities I took on were a technology internship in my second year and a web developer role in my final year. On the mission of solving real life problems, I gained extra knowledge, skill, experience and independence which I used as “top-up” to my university tasks.

You were awarded the most enterprising student award of your faculty, that must have meant so much to you. How did you make it happen?

I have grown my entrepreneurial skill from making lamps from clay sand and I

recycled batteries as a nine-yearold kid, to developing enterprise level web applications and systems.

I remember being involved in a group work in my second year and the lack of an effective communication channel was a huge challenge. I then thought to myself that “there should be a better way of communicating with members of my group.” After juggling my mind for hours, I decided to develop a project management system which is today called SMARTGuroo.com.

I also developed PANGITO.com, a free classified ad marketplace on the web for student. It offers a unique and effective way of buying and selling items. After a successful trial with students at Greenwich, I am currently rebranding PANGITO.com for establishment in Nigeria by February 2016 with the aim of enabling individuals and small businesses with little or no marketing budgets, match techniques utilised by larger organisations.

These innovations unexpectedly landed me the award of the Most Enterprising Student of my faculty.

You must have faced some challenges along the line how were you able to overcome them? What kept you going? What inspires you?

Challenges are inevitable in life, but ev-

I am proud to be one of the Nigerians who have prove to the world that we can plunge through bricks without bruises...

ery challenge is an opportunity to exploit.

Remaining calm and positive in the face of adversity has allowed me to turn challenges into the crystal that sparks new opportunities.

In some cases, what it took to move from failure to success was confidence; confidence to take a particular action, confidence to take a particular risk and confidence to believe in myself.

I noticed that quite a number of Nigerian students studying abroad usually top their class and do exceptionally well, you are a good example. What do you think is responsible for this?

The big answer is opportunity which is a child of good governance. It results in resources put in place for success to thrive.

We Nigerians have the urge and the will to explore opportunities and be successful, but there is a huge barricade due to the lack of opportunities in the country.

I do hope that our leaders can learn from me and other successful Nigerian students that what is in place in these countries which makes us successful can be implemented in Nigeria to make millions of students successful right at home.

When you introduce yourself as a Nigerian, what kind of reaction do you usually get?

I always have the aim of forward movement which involves meeting new people. I hardly notice it when I receive negative reactions from some people because I do not want to be let down. In some cases, I sense them saying “oh, another dodgy Nigerian” but I move on to the next one.

My word of advice to anyone reading this is, everyone is a successful person as long as you believe in yourself and work relentlessly for it. Do not follow the flock. Create a flock of your own for people to follow.”

36

12 September, 2015

weekend cartoons

Saturday Tribune

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

Just a Laffing Mata G r ey h ai r

FUNOLOGY

POLITICO

ONE day, Segeluulu came back home from school crying to his mother and complained that he had stomach ache. She told him: “It is because your belly is empty. Come and have some food.” Segeluulu obeyed. The next day, his mother had a severe headache. Segeluulu tried to console her, saying innocently, “Mom, it is because your head is empty!”

On another occasion, curious Segeluulu asked his mother, “Mom, why are some of your hairs turning grey?” Seeing it as an opportunity to ‘reform’ her son, she said: “It is because of you, dear. Every bad action of yours turns one of my hairs grey!” Segeluulu laughed loud and said, “Good, now I know why your mother has only grey hairs on her head.”

Test palava

SHARKITIBOBO and Segeluulu were sitting outside a clinic. Sharkitibobo was crying very loudly. “Why are you crying?” Segeluulu asked.

“I came here for a blood test,” sobbed Sharkitibobo. “So, are you afraid?” “No. For the blood test, they cut my finger.” As Segeluulu heard this, he began crying profusely. Astonished, Shakitibobo stopped crying and asked Segeluulu why he was crying too. Segeluulu replied, “I came for urine test!”

Wr on g bu s

A drunkard boards a bus. A preacher in the bus looks at him and tells him: “You’re going straight to hell.” The drunkard struggles to get up and says, “My God, I’m on the wrong bus.”

NOLLYWOOD STAR FIRES MAN OF GOD... #BringBackMyWife

37 interview

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

How PDP survived APC’s tsunami in Taraba —Jolly Nyame Reverend Jolly Nyame is unarguably the political leader of Taraba State and a top political figure in the country. He served three times as the state governor and leaves indelible marks. In this interview with VIASHIMA SYLVANUS, he talks about critical national issues, the reasons behind PDP’s failure at the last election, non-payment of his entitlement nine years after leaving office, the rise of opposition in Taraba State and the politics therein, and other issues of great interest.

W

HAT is your assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari 100 days in office?

Buhari has so far demonstrated that he is a leader. So far, I will say that Buhari has brought the needed change. The mere announcement of Buhari as the president sent jitters to the minds of the people. It was like a wake-up call to everyone that a new sheriff is in town. His name alone informed some of the changes were are witnessing in the country now.

Look at the power sector, for instance.

The last administration supposedly committed a lot of resources to the power sector without corresponding results. Just within the hundred days of this regime, there is relative stability in the sector now. This is not because more funds are committed but because the right thing is done. We are getting results because everybody involved know that there is an eagle eye watching from somewhere.

Other sectors are also picking up just because of the fear Buhari.

What is your take on the wind of probes coursing the country now?

Let me first of all remind you that I am still under probe almost a decade after leaving office, so I must say probing is not a new thing. If it was right for [Chief Olusegun] Obasanjo to probe me and Goodluck [Jonathan] had no issues sustaining the probe, there is nothing wrong with Buhari also probing the past officials and indeed anyone found wanting.

The good thing about probe is that, until the probe is completed, you cannot decide if the person were a thief or not. Even during Obasanjo’s time, not everybody was probed. Just a few of us. I’m about the only person that has been consistently going to court for the past nine years now.

That is why I would prefer a situation where the probe is holistic and objective, such that anybody who deserves to be probed is probed irrespective of political, religious, regional or tribal background.

What is your position on the zoning of the PDP national chairmanship?

I think party matters should be allowed to be handled by the party leadership. The National Working Committee reserves the right to come up with a decision that will be binding on all, so some of us can only give personal opinions.

The Northeast is ideally supposed to continue with the party national chairmanship since the slot is already theirs and the tenure is not expired yet. If something went wrong along the line, I think the right thing to do is to correct it and move on.

We have a lot of strong party loyalists who are committed to the party completely and who can competently reposition the party for the future. Let me even go further to say that since Taraba State is the only state that was able to deliver at the last election in the region, the slot should be given to the state specifically.

So are you considering vying for the position yourself?

For now, I won’t say no or yes since it has not been thrown

open for contest. When that happens, I may decide to also give it a shot.

What are the chances of your party regaining

When you do not allow the people that matter to contest, you don’t allow party primaries to hold transparently and impose candidates on the people instead, then you get it wrong. The people will likely revolt.

power at the federal level and most states where they lost?

What is needed is just a change of attitude and leadership.

We got it wrong as a party when we denied active internal democracy a chance to flourish. When you do not allow the people that matter to contest, you don’t allow party primaries to hold transparently and impose candidates on the people instead, then you get it wrong. The people will likely revolt and go the other way during elections. That is what happened.

Some of us are victims. I was asked not to contest so as to give a soft landing for the gubernatorial candidate. I obliged. How that went down with the voters is a different story altogether. All I know is that, internal democracy was not allowed a chance. So I can tell you that as soon as we can allow internal democracy to prevail, we would have commenced the process of retaking over power and that is the same for any other party.

Continues pg40

38

politics&policy

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune With Saheed Salawu

0811 695 4643

yinkadejavu@yahoo.com

Let us give Buhari opportunity to govern us —Sen. Ogunlewe Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe was Minister of Works during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Ogunlewe, who served as senator of the Federal Republic between 1999 and 2003, bares his mind on current national issues in this interview with BOLA BADMUS.

Taiwo Adisa, Group Politics Editor

S

IR, we would like you to assess the situation in the country currently under Buhari.

Well, General Buhari has been the person I have admired for a very long time and this also has been buttressed by the comments of international leadership, America and the European Union eulogising his integrity and his incorruptible attitude. And on that basis, I think I would admire him and I wish him all the best of luck. He is the best person for Nigeria at this time, he is godsend and God will lead him through.

Some of the steps taken by Buhari have been commended by people and even the international community, but other steps too, some are saying are not good enough.

Like what?

For instance, in the papers, it was said that Buhari made some appointments which were seen as lopsided in favour of the North and therefore, against federal character?

You know the appointments he has made are not constitutional, these are discretional appointments. There are two types of appointments; discretional appointments and constitutional appointments. These ones are the people that he believes he can work with and it is at his discretion.

If the man fails, everybody that is talking now will not remember that they were the ones that gave all these people.

He would have assessed them, he would have known their qualities, their transparency because everybody in Nigeria

who has been corrupt, he has their list, he has petitions.

So, he wants to bring people who are not tainted at all on board. All those other people, who we are imagining that he should pick, you don’t know the level of information that he has. He is one of the most powerful presidents in the world.

He would have a lot of data on everybody and he would not like to be ridiculed after picking somebody and people start writing petitions; he is this, he is that, is it not going to affect his integrity? So, let us leave him, he has taken the responsibility, we have voted him in. Whatever he wants to do now and four years, let there be peace in the country, let there be progress and development, that is all.

People believe we have men of integrity all over Nigeria, but with this recent exercise which has not taken care of Federal Character, are you saying that it is only in the North that we have men of integrity and the rest?

He has picked the people he thinks can work with him and it is at his discretion, anybody that is talking about federal character does not like this country at this time.

The persons you are looking at that he could pick under the guise of federal character may be the most corrupt persons in the system. It is now when he picks him that you would now say ah, why did he pick this kind of person?

Let them fault the character of the persons he has picked, which is my own. If you have any fault, leave any ethnic basis out, that one is mundane.

Pick them individually now, and what is the quality of the people he has picked? They are Nigerians. Let us talk about

their quality and let us see what they can offer, that is my own.

Wherever you come from does not matter to me, it is what we can offer to the nation at this period that matters to me because things are not good for this country at this time. We need exceptional people, people that know what to do to handle affairs now.

Please react to criticisms about Buhari being slow; now it is about three months since he was sworn in as president and people say things are not moving and it is like there is no government in place yet and that he is running a sole administration.

No, he has already broken the ice now, he has told us it is September.

But he has shifted appointment of ministers to September.

No, whatever. The people we are looking at as possible ministers may be deficient one way or the other, according to information he has. He is a president and the buck stops on his table, just let us give him the opportunity to run this country.

You know my fear. Policy formulation is not usual in Nigeria, we don’t have a national master plan, we don’t have a national plan yet that is known to everybody.

I think we have, but it is not implemented.

But we have it in sketches. You know if we have it, this problem would not be there. Where do you think our educational Continues pg39

39 interview

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘Why Buhari should probe public officers from 1999’ Continued from pg38

system should be? What is the priority of government in education? Is it primary education, is it secondary education, or is it tertiary?

Government cannot handle all the three tiers of education; which one does it believe is most deficient and it must handle?

What about our economic policy? Look, he has said that he is not going to prepare the budget based on the past indices, he wants to look at other indices and prepare his budget. I believe he has a mission for this country and we should allow him to do so. That is my belief. Buhari is somebody that wants to get things done properly; he is not in a hurry.

He is an elderly person and he hasn’t got too much time to reward people that are incompetent, he is not a young person that can say ‘I want to make mistakes and come back again’.

He has told us that he is a one-term president, for God’s sake, let Nigerians allow him to do his work.

But much of his efforts Nigerians say have been focused on probes and people are saying that he can do this probe alongside running his government so that the country can move forward, so what do you see to that?

On corruption, I think he has established a committee now.

What he needs to do is to get a very, very strong lawyer as the Attorney- General because that is the person that can drive the anti- corruption crusade for him and the minister of finance, who is going to be a liaison between the Central Bank and the banks. This is because if you steal money, you keep it in banks and he doesn’t have a minister of finance that has credibility, the tendency is for the minister to be corrupted because there is no way you can be corrupted without the participation of the banks, maybe Central Bank or the banks because you can’t keep the money at home.

Much of this corruption is perfected and it passes through banks. So, you need a very strong Attorney-General that is integrity-proven. Then he needs a minister of finance that also knows what he is looking for and he must pick people with credibility.

Do you have anybody in mind?

I don’t have, he has information that is unknown to us about everybody. If we believe he doesn’t have information, we are wasting our time. On a daily basis, he has information about individuals and I can assure you he will never make a mistake in any appointment because he would have seen them.

On corruption, my own take is simple; the constitution as it is presently constituted and amended is enough to fight corruption.

In what way sir?

There is the Code of Conduct and that is what everybody is running away from and they are creating EFCC, they are creating ICPC. They are leaving the main thrust of anti-corruption, which is our constitution. The Code of Conduct for public officers is there, that is one.

You must declare your assets before you assume office. At the end of your tenure, you must also declare your assets, has that been done? If there is a difference between the one you filed before and what you have acquired now, you have to explain where you got them from and the Code of Conduct tribunal is there. That is where he must work on to make sure that he acts strictly. He does not need to go to the National Assembly and pass new law. What he has to do is to strengthen the Code of Conduct tribunal with the best judges and have them as many as possible in each state. Everybody that has been in public office should be given a Code of Conduct form to fill now and let it be made public.

If I can understand you sir, what you are saying is

But if he says he is going to probe Jonathan, I think to my mind, it is going to be deficient because he would focus only on one person. What of those that have stolen before? It must cover the period from 1999 till now, that is everybody must fill a form now, it doesn’t take time.

that we have structures of government in place, including the constitution which can fight corruption. Why is it that every time we open pages of newspapers, we read Buhari wants this probed, Buhari sacks this or that, instead of allowing the structures to work?

That is because that is what Nigerians want to hear. As far as I am concerned, it doesn’t help us as a nation because in some other countries, they don’t blow their ills on the pages of newspapers like that.

Foreign investors would be afraid to come and invest in the country. The institutions are there to fight corruption, let him use those institutions now, it doesn’t take time.

Forfeiture of property is there, conviction is already there in the constitution. If you clear those ones out first, then other people would know what to do.

Buhari initially indicated his intention not to probe former President Jonathan but later changed his mind. But people are saying he should extend his probe to include those who had served before Jonathan, what do you have to say to this?

From 1999, every public officer under that constitution should declare his or her assets. So, it is a constitutional matter. But if he says he is going to probe Jonathan, I think to my mind, it is going to be deficient because he would focus only on one person. What of those that have stolen before? It must cover the period from 1999 till now, that is everybody must fill a form now, it doesn’t take time.

Are you referring to those who are serving now?

I am saying including those who had served before. The definition of public officer is in the constitution. It talks about public officer; it doesn’t say that public officer that serves in this regime. No, you will be going against the spirit of the constitution. It is every public officer, every public officer that has served from 1999 must be able to declare their assets and defend them, that is all, including past presidents. Before you became president, what did you have? After leaving office, what do you have? Explain the source of the differences.

If you are saying this and you know the PDP has been in power since 1999, don’t you see the PDP as being very, very corrupt?

No, there is no PDP government, PDP headed just the presidential government, what about the states? What about the states? Were they all PDP? What about the National Assembly? What about the local governments? We are talking about public officers, it doesn’t mention political parties.

Those who work in universities and in colleges of education are public officers. People that work in ministry of aviation are public officers.

Everybody that is still serving as civil servants are public officers. So, it has nothing to do with party. The majority of people that have stolen government money are not politicians, where did they get it from? So, if politicians steal, it means you are excluding the civil servants. It is everybody, retired or serving. You must declare your assets, go to court and let it be stamped. If you make the mistake, you go to jail, and then everybody would be afraid of stealing.

You go to banks; you ask all banks, give me the profile of anybody that has this level of amount in his bank account, where did he get it from? If it is overseas, it is a criminal offence for you to own foreign account. It is there in Schedule 25 sub-section 3, public officers are not supposed to open or maintain foreign account. If you insist, people will start to beg. It is Jonathan’s fault, he caught some people that they have foreign accounts, they went to beg him, he left them,

are they not chasing him now?

You are a chieftain of the PDP and the party was defeated in the last elections, what, in your own view, accounted for that?

It is zoning which was the basis or the platform the PDP started with, that there must be zoning. They created the six geopolitical zones and say there must be rotation of presidency. They even put it in the constitution, in Section 14.

At the appropriate time, the northerners believed that they were being shortchanged. It didn’t start now. It started when Yar’Adua died. They believed the unfinished tenure of the late Yar’Adua must be run by a northerner which was the platform on which the PDP was formed. And the PDP messed the thing up by not allowing the rotation principle to operate and we faced the consequence and we saw the defeat.

But you knew about this before the elections?

Of course.

What step did you take to draw their attention?

No, there are people who believed we can win. Even in 2011, if you read the results, this Buhari from North alone, got 12million votes. You can see and at that time too, I was a member of the Presidential Campaign Council, the northerners were edgy and were afraid to even go out and campaign because all the people made up their minds that they were going to win that election with Buhari and you could see the aftermath of Jonathan’s victory in 2011- the number of people they killed, the number of houses they burnt in Kano and Bauchi was unbelievable because they felt cheated. They felt it was another opportunity for them to now take over, and I don’t blame them because they believe in rotation and it was their turn.

If they didn’t even concede to the South West under Obasanjo, how would it have been possible for Obasanjo to be president of Nigeria? They conceded and they voted and we didn’t even vote for him. But they are good people honestly because they believe in survival of sharing things and they shared it and they stood by us in the South West to the extent that even when Obasanjo wanted to go for the second term and our people from the North said no, they stood their ground that the man must be there for two terms. I was part of the team, I was there, I know what I am talking about.

40 interview

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Govs after me have refused to pay my entitlements since 2007 —Nyame up four years later. That informed my policies, my decisions and everything. That way, I prepared the ground for my second tenure without pressure.

The mistake most politicians make, and I think the administration after me made, is to wait until a few days to election before commencing campaign and politicking. The pressure to fill the gap created by four years of negligence is much.

So, I think the opposition grew in the state to what it has become because a lacuna has been created. Then opposition was from state Assembly seats mostly and local government chairmanship and when they won, I allowed it to fly without tampering with it.

How will you assess the performance of the new administration in your state Taraba for the first Hundred days?

I’m sure the people in leadership will give the rundown of their achievements at the appropriate time. For now, I know that the government paid about 74 Million Naira to offset some Bills that the government was owing the Yola Electricity Distribution Company. That is an achievement.

Continued from pg37

As a founding father, what is your assessment of Taraba State as it turns 24?

So far, so good, I would not want to compare us with other states that were also created alongside Taraba, considering that our income and circumstances may not be the same.

I think the potentialities we have in the state are so enormous that this administration will have to tap on these to take the state to the next level. I don’t want to draw comparisons but after setting the pace, I had expected the next regime to build on that but whether that was done or otherwise is left to be judged by the people.

So will you say the state is flying, running walking or crawling?

I will be belittling the subsequent administrations that came after me if I say we are crawling. So no, we are not crawling. We are walking and obviously the challenges are enormous.

I don’t know if the problem is that of insufficient resources, management of these great resources that came in, but I must say this current subsequent administrations will have the task of properly managing resources so as to put more blocks on the foundation that I laid.

Which areas of the state’s economy do you need special attention to make the state more viable?

There are three major areas that I think need serious attention. The first is agriculture because the state is agrarian. If we are able to explore our agricultural potential, Taraba will have enough to boost the state’s economy. The farmers will be in a position to fend for themselves. Taraba State can comfortably feed the nation and even have enough for exports.

Another area is solid minerals. It is so sad that the state is so rich and yet so poor. Right now, I’m aware that somebody is sitting on a gold mine in the state and I have seen the samples. This person is not in a position to get funding or co-investors.

Besides gold, we have the best barite in this country, stretching from Ibi to Lau to Karim Lamido. You also have limestone, and other precious stones like sapphire in Sardauna, among others. We are sitting on untold wealth. All that is needed is to attract investors and that is where the government comes to play. The government has to entice them by creating the enabling and conducive environment.

The last area is that of education. If one is educated, you will know what to do with your life. If the opposite is the case, idleness will set in and criminal tendencies will manifest.

Unfortunately, like every other state, the natural resources of this country are largely untapped. All attention is fixed on crude oil. Each state has some resources but the Federal Government needs to get interested in the resources aside the crude oil. Now that there is a more serious person at the helm, we hope for a better change.

For the first time in the history of the state, the PDP faced very stiff opposition at the last election, what would you say is responsible for this?

Let me say we now have a very strong opposition. During my time as governor, we were able to curtail opposition by our policies and disposition towards the opposition. We carried everybody along and this was reflected even in the kinds of appointments we made.

In politics, you just can’t afford to give a break. As soon as I was sworn in, in 1999, I started working towards the victory of the party in the next election that was to come up four years later.

On several occasions when I had to travel to see the then President Obasanjo, I would go with some people who were registered members of the opposition parties and even the president was surprised at first but I told him we were one big family in Taraba.

So even though the opposing political parties were there, it was more of mere formality than to actually give the leading PDP a run for its money..

Unfortunately, subsequent administrations failed in that regards. They were not able to handle opposition parties well. By letting the opposition loose, they allowed it to grow stronger to the extent that they could not control them.

That is why in the last election, for instance, they took the opposition for granted until the last moment when they realised that they had made a mistake that almost cost them the victory, leading to the subsequent rerun.

In politics, you just can’t afford to give a break. As soon as I was sworn in, in 1999, I started working towards the victory of the party in the next election that was to come

How has non-payment of your entitlements affected your support for the party in the state?

It is unfortunate that my entitlements have not been paid almost ten years after leaving office. I don’t know why but the governments after me have not seen reasons to do that. This, however does not affect my support for the party in anyway whatsoever. I believe God’s time is the best so I don’t bother so much.

As far as I’m concerned, what Danbaba (Suntai) and his team did in the last eight years, what Darius (Ishaku ) is doing with respect to my entitlement is inconsequential.

If they pay, fine, otherwise, God is still sustaining me so I will just move on.

You are reputed to have a notoriety for moving from moving one political party to the other.

Which political party are you in now?

As far as I’m concerned, I’m still in PDP. I may not be able to give you a detailed analysis why that reputation.

My performance at the last election is not under dispute.

When you get to my position in life, you would expect all kinds of things and comments about you.

What do you have to say about your alleged romance with the APC. This is coming up because of my visit to the President shortly after election alongside other people who are in the APC. What they don’t know is that, the visit was of Taraba Elders and not APC leaders. I had received the President earlier in Adamawa at the instance of my political mentor Atiku Abubakar.

That doesn’t mean I was in the APC. Today, that visit is beginning to pay off because one of the issues we tabled was the Mambila Hydro Power Project. When the Chinese Companies came to visit the President, that was top on the burner. If it works, the visit would have paid off well.

So I can’t say because I’m in the APC, I will now avoid people in the opposition as if they were plagues. That is not healthy politics and I cannot be a part of it.

41

travelogue

12 September, 2015

Adaeze International cultural Troupe,Enugu performing.

By Joan Omionawele

T

Gulder’s

here were a few side attractions to keep us entertained on our journey. On our way out of Enugu, we sighted a signboard which read ‘this is Udi, the home of Sullivan” a few miles away from it were some buildings in between bushes with small huts, roofed with palm fronds. The huts had small bulbs to illuminate the rooms.

Passing through the serene paths of the Delta-Ore roads, acres of land with freshly grown cash crops planted on both sides of the road. No doubt, farmers were set for a bountiful harvest this year as the sales of the agricultural products will boost greatly the economy of the country.

As we drove through Delta State, beautiful housing estates situated along well tarred roads, and as we continued the journey, a tall white building named “Casket Plaza” was located few miles away from an NNPC filling station. The building was adorned with attractive white and gold plated caskets. A colleague behind me whispered: “it looks as if these people expect people to look into the transparent glasses of the plaza and anticipate our death in order to be buried in their beautifully packaged caskets from this “plaza”.

Obviously,, there were beautiful buildings in Enugu State but in-between these buildings was a secondary school in Umuabi community. It had no description and was just a roofed edifice with four iron pillars to support it. It was an empty school building which suggested that children were on holidays.

The journey was peaceful until we came across a military checkpoint on the road. About 18 soldiers lined up, while their bosses questioned some owners of a trailer which carried about 20 cows. The tires of the lorry were removed while the mallams who owned the cows had depression written all over their faces.

Just as we got to one of the joints, we sighted at Ijebu-Ode, behind us, a small bungalow with wooden walls. It had no windows, chairs or doors, but had an inscription which read “welcome to barbing saloon” I wondered where the chairs or even the “barber” or the “barbees” were. Opposite the road, were three other buildings were ogogoro, soft drinks as well as energy drinks were sold. A drink that caught my attention was a bottle named “wafeku lale yii bitters” which means (You will almost die this night) in Yoruba. It sparked off laughter as few male journalists bought other drinks and avoided it like a plague, despite the tales the seller told them about the drink. Were they just pretending?

From left,Mrs Clementine Vervelde,Managing Director,Nigerian Breweries,Mr Nicolaas Vervelde ,the winner of Gulder Ultimate NCP 2015 ,Sir Chuka Nnabuife receiving a honda saloon car key from the representatives of Enugu State Governor,Commissioner for Conmerce and Industry,Sam Nwabodo while Sale Director NB,Mr Hubert Eze and Corporate Affairs Adviver,Mr Kufre Ekannem during Gulder Ultima Promo held at Micheal Opara Square,Enugu State,on 24/8/2015.

journey of a thousand laughs, discoveries

Smooth cruise through rocky path

It had been more than a decade since I travelled to the eastern part of Nigeria, thus, when Nigerian Breweries Plc. decided to treat journalists to a special version of the popular Gulder Ultimate Search, I felt elated to visit Enugu, the coal city.

About 100 journalists, including editors, converged on the MediaCraft Office in Maryland as early as 7am for the trip.

It was one of those few trips that took me out of bed in the wee hours of the day, such that even on a Sunday, I still got hit by the hustling and bustling of Lagos. At about 5:30am when most people in my Ibadan part of Nigeria still ‘curse the cockcrow at dawn’, Lagos, at 4:30am, is already enveloped by traffic noise and sometimes ridiculous hooting by commercial motorists.

As we began our journey to the east, it was discovered that the once ‘notorious’ Benin-Ore road which was seen as a deathtrap for travellers had been transformed drastically.

Commuters zoomed to and fro on the once distressing road, covering the distance in hours lesser that it used to be, and with little or no fear of armed robbery attacks.

Soon, we passed through Ogun, Ondo, Delta states and got to Anambra State where Awka, the state capital was ignited with glitz from various fun joints. But as we moved further, we discovered that some of the buildings were being threatened by erosion.

Few meters away from Amansa, the Federal Housing

Saturday Tribune

A cross section of journalists gearing up for the game

Gulder ambassadors, Yemi Blaq, ILLrymz, and Ebuka Obi Uchendu at the event.

community, Awka, men, dressed in faded danshiki were seen selling suya (beef barbeque) under tattered sheds, with their feet and tables buried in muddy earth. They fanned the fire that roasted the suya furiously and grinned weirdly at passengers, calling for patronage.

The weather deemed as we went further, a few journalists began to watch as the driver treated us to a film entitled ‘30 days in Atlanta’ by comedian, Ayo Makun, while others were curiously inquiring from one another about the event we were about to attend, an enthusiastic Dupe Ayinla, a journalist said she was ready to maximise her short stay in Enugu and looked forward to winning the Ultimate Prize of a Hyundai Elantra Car meant for the eventual winner.

We got to Enugu at about 8:30pm. It was a calm city with cars moving slowly on the wet grounds. Traders were seen selling fresh fruits, vegetables and other groceries in their respective sheds, while a man who was sleeping in a wheelbarrow, on sighting our gigantic bus, quickened to his feet as though from a trance. Navigating at a roundabout, I noticed signboards of four churches standing against each other; another colleague of mine suggested that one was at liberty to choose any of the churches according to the size of their problem.

How Ultimate Gulder promo rewarded journalists,consumers The next morning, we were taken to the Okpara Square, a very large stadium, where over 100 journalists were accredited and briefed about the ‘Ultimate Search’ as doctors from the Enugu State Teaching Hospital, carried out medical tests to ascertain contestants’ level of fitness.

Representing Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Barrisar Sam Nwobodo welcomed the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Nicholas Vervelde to the state and lauded Nigerian Breweries for bringing its business deals to the state thereby making Enugu State the hub of business deals in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

The crowd present was thrilled with the cultural troupe

of Enugu, a combination of male and female dancers with colourful traditional attire and jigida. Their captivating performance gave the audience an Eldorado of satisfaction after which Nigerian Breweries unveiled the largest poster which was said to be about 5300metres wide.

As they ended their performance, the master of ceremony signaled journalists to form lines for the ultimate search and informed us on no-go areas. Both young and old journalists were seen exercising in preparation for the race of the ultimate price of a Hyundai car.

Immediately the whistle was blown, some journalists had vanished to the finish line which was about 100metres, in just two minutes we were amazed to find out that there were over 100 boxes, as we thought we would be tasked to find just one box. Each person was asked to carry the box to the centre of the stadium, we were then told that whoever found just one scroll in their boxes were automatically disqualified while those with two scrolls would proceed to the second phase. To our dismay, hundreds of journalists were disqualified but rewarded with various gifts such as rechargeable fans, electricity generating sets, electric kettles and Samsung mobile phones.

The last men standing were given other tasks and a winner emerged in Sir Chuka Nnabuife, who was decorated with the royal diadem of being the ultimate man. He thanked the management of Nigerian Breweries for rewarding him after covering the activities of the company for the past 27 years.

“I want to thank the management of Nigerian Breweries for using this exercise to reward journalists and will want them to keep this exercise up and take it to other states in the country. This is a day I will never forget,” he told newsmen.

It was an opportunity to meet with new people with diverse opinions on issues, while it was heartwarming to be welcomed by strangers who were happy to show us around town, as we later decided to take a drop of N300 naira to a food joint where we were served eba and oha soup. The keke driver asked us what we had come to do in Enugu and told us to ‘remember’ him when we were leaving.

42

feature

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

‘Oluchi, third UNILAG student to die in her class this year’

Naza Okoli - Lagos

O

N the night of Tuesday, September 8, between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., Oluchi Anekwe, a 300-level Accounting student at the University of Lagos, was walking towards her hostel at New Hall when an electric cable fell on her.

New Hall is the university’s busiest area, especially in the evenings, being home to three female hostels (Makama Bida, Madam Tinubu, and Fagunwa) and two male hostels (Shodeinde and Eni Njoku). The school’s main shopping complex is directly opposite, while the worship centres – the mosque and the two chapels – are only a few metres away.

Anekwe’s tragedy was witnessed by many students, some of them her close friends and classmates. At the students’ protest on Wednesday, one of her friends who identified herself as Damilola said she was part of the team that took her to the Medical Centre.

“She died in my arms,” she said visibly agitated. “I don’t know what to say. This is so unfair. Something has to be done. We cannot take this. She could have been saved; they were asking us for her ID card at the Medical Centre.

How could they be asking for her ID card when they saw it was an emergency? They were delaying us, asking us to go and get her ID card. Five minutes is enough to save a life; if she was not a UNILAG student, would we all have gathered there? And even if she was not a UNILAG student, is it not human life we are talking about?”

However, officials at the Medical Centre who spoke with Saturday Tribune on Thursday denied that they requested Anekwe’s identity card.

“I don’t see any truth in what they are saying,” Mohammed Rasaq Adeola, a Principal Radiographer at the Medical Centre, said. “There is no way we could have asked for her identity card before attending to her, because there is the National Health Insurance Scheme that is designed to take care of such emergencies. Again, whenever it comes to emergencies, we consider the person’s life first.”

A high-flying student At a corner of the main gate, during the protest on Wednesday, a group of female students who said they were all Anekwe’s classmates stood together. They took turns to share their thoughts.

“Many of us did not know until past midnight,” one of them told Saturday Tribune. “It was about 2.am. You know… we, students, don’t go to bed early. On the group chat for our class, known as Impact Class, we got a message from a classmate who is vying for the position of ULSU

Sports Secretary. He said that the person that the cable fell on was our classmate, and we said ‘No, it can’t be.’

That was when we began to run around asking questions, and we soon confirmed that it was truly Oluchi Anekwe.”

Another student said she and Oluchi were admitted through the University of Lagos Foundation Programme: “Oluchi was my friend; we both came in through Diploma (Foundation Programme); and you know Diploma is not easy. We had to pay almost N700, 000 in all; if you add other things it will be close to N1 million. She was one of the best students in our class both at diploma and now.

She had ICAN ATS III exams scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday next week. She was indoors all day; she only left the hostel when her sister came to see her from Idi-Araba campus; she planned afterwards to go to Amphitheatre opposite the chapel for her Fellowship. She doesn’t really live on campus; she comes to the hostel often just to read and then spend a few days. In this particular case, she came because we were supposed to have an early morning class today (Wednesday). Now, look at all of us here… there is no class.”

However, a large part of their ire was directed toward their Course Adviser (300-Level, Accounting) who allegedly told them that the death of Anekwe was not “enough reason” for them to protest or boycott lectures.

“When we got to the faculty this morning (Wednesday), we told our Course Adviser that our classmate was dead, and that we could not have our lectures today. He said it was not ‘enough reason’, because when someone is dead, it is the end, and life should continue. That was what made us very angry. We felt like beating him up. This is the third time this session that someone has died in our class; but

That was what made us very angry.

We felt like beating him up. This is the third time this session that someone has died in our class; but the other two died outside the school.

the other two died outside the school.”

Attempts made to speak with the Course Adviser and the Head of Department of Accounting did not bear fruit. A woman at the Secretary’s office told Saturday Tribune that it was “too early” for them to attend to journalists.

“The girl just died yesterday, and you are already here,” she said. “We need time to meet as a department; the HOD has not yet met with the lecturers about it.”

PHCN vs. UNILAG Even though the protesting students blamed the school authorities for what they saw as a failure of leadership and little regard for human life, the management of the university has stressed that the cable belonged to “PHCN”.

According to a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar (Information), Mr Olagoke Oke, the cable did not even supply power to the university.

A part of the statement read: “A PHCN overhead cable coming from the PHCN substation Akoka and supplying power to Onike, which passes overhead at New Hall, snapped. Unfortunately, a female student of the University was passing through the gate and was hit by the falling cable.

“The PHCN overhead cable does not supply power to nor belong to the University. The University alerted PHCN to de-energize the cable immediately to prevent further loss of life.”

However, the leadership of the University of Lagos Students’ Union (ULSU) disagreed.

“The management has said it belongs to PHCN; we have not heard from PHCN,” ULSU President, Mr Abiodun Martin, told Saturday Tribune. “What we are saying is that it happened on this campus, and this campus belongs to the University of Lagos.”

43

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

57TH GRADUATING SET OF DOCTORATE DEGREE HOLDERS AND COLLEGE PROVOST OF UNITED MISSIONARY CHURCH OF AFRICA THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE, ILORIN, (UMCATC) KWARA STATE

44

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Usman claims 3 medals in weightlifting Nigeria’s Mariam Usman made it to the podium at the ongoing Brazzaville 2015 as she won three silver medals in the 75kg women’s weightlifting.

The reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist lifted 116kg to pick the medals in snatch, clean and jerk behind Egyptian Khalid who lifted 123kg to pick gold medal.

Speaking with Tribunesport after the medal presentation, the United States-based lifter though not happy with the result but believes the result was destined to be.

“I will have to put in more efforts to better my performance because of the world championship later in the year. I am grateful to God for this though I had hoped for gold but this is a game, anything can happen,” said Usman who won the gold in the same category at Glasgow 2014.

D’Tigers beat Mali Nigeria’s national basketball men’s team, D’Tigers at Makelele Sports complex outdunked its counterpart from Mali 7669 points at the ongoing 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.

The reigning African champions will now take on Mozambique today at the same venue.

Olumide Oyedeji while speaking with Tribunesport commended the effort of his team-mates and assured that the team will go far at the Games.

Meanwhile, Team Nigeria has qualified for the quarter-final of the table tennis event of the Brazzaville 2015 at the Revolution Sports Complex.

Both Nigeria’s male and female teams defeated Tunisia and Botswana 3-0 having earlier defeated Namibia, while the female team also defeated Mauritius by the same margin to grabthe quarter-final ticket.

Brazzaville 2015: Falcons, Dream Team

face Ivory Coast, Senegal today

T

he Super Falcons and the Nigeria U-23 side, Dream Team will battle with fellow West Africans Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal at the 11th All-Africa Games in Brazzaville today in mere formality matches.

Having secured six maximum points in their previous two matches against host Congo and Tanzania, with a seven-goal advantage, the Super Falcons take on Cote d’Ivoire in a relaxed mind knowing they are already in the semi finals.

Like the Falcons, the

Dream Team have benefitted from the withdrawal of Egypt, which means they are already in the semi finals after just one match an impressive 2-0 win over Ghana’s Black Meteors on Wednesday.

Today, the Falcons will take on the Ivorian girls at the Stade l’Unite 3 in Brazzaville - the same venue where the Dream Team spanked the Black Meteors mid-week 2-0.

On their part, Siasia’s U-23 boys need only afford defeat against Senegal to finish top of group B of

11th ALL AFRICA GAMES SEPT. 4 - 19, 2015

Niyi Alebiosu

reporting

the men’s tournament, the Senegalese having drawn 0-0 with eliminated Ghana in their first match last weekend.

Meanwhile, Dream Team skipper Azubuike Okechukwu has assured Nigerians that the target of the team is to go all out against Senegal so as to come out tops in the group.

Speaking after the team’s training session on Thursday, the Dream Team captain who is based in Turkey said for now, based on the form displayed by the team against the Black Meteors,

the initial anxiety is now over and they have finally settled down to the objective of doing the nation proud.

“Having qualified for the semi finals we are going all out to top the group, so we have to avoid defeat against the Senegalese.”

On his expectations in the semi finals, Okechukwu said the team’s intention is to take each game as it comes.

He stated that the gold medal is the ultimate as he didn’t come all the way from Turkey to take anything short of gold.

45

12 September, 2015

Saturday Tribune With Dipo Ogunsola 081 169 54 641

outofplay Mourinho takes braless daughter to awards

Neguesha (left) and Kouyate

W

ITH his Chelsea team collecting just four points from their opening four Premier League fixtures, Jose Mourinho is entitled to not be in the best of moods with his reigning league champion stars.

And the 52-year-old looked suitably surly as he attended the GQ Men of the Year Awards with his teenage daughter Matilde, 18, at London’s Royal Opera House last Tuesday night; the Portuguese picked up the Editor’s Special Award at the ceremony hosted by legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson.

The self-dubbed ‘Special One’ the Daily Mail reports was joined at the glitzy event by a host of household sporting names including British Formula One superstar Lewis Hamilton, Ashes hero Stuart Broad and England legend-turned Match of the Day presenter, Gary Lineker.

Kouyate, girlfriend at Italian restaurant

Mourinho (left) and daughter

Gerrard’s family visits STEVEN Gerrard may have been denied the fairy tale end to his Liverpool career, but the LA Galaxy midfielder was keen to make the dreams of his family come true at least on a recent outing reported by The Sun. Gerrard was a picture of happiness alongside his wife Alex Curran and the couple’s three daughters at Disneyland, as the former England captain continued to adjust to his new life Stateside.

While the Three Lions secured Euro 2016 qualification with a 6-0 demolition of San Marino, the 35-year-old was taking advantage of the international break to rekindle his childhood at the enchanted palace.

WEST Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has been enjoying more time with Mario Balotelli’s ex-fiancée Fanny Neguesha as he makes the most of his spare time away from football.

Striker Balotelli, 25, broke up with Neguesha last September. She has since spent time with Senegal international Kouyate after meeting the midfielder while in London for a photoshoot.

The pair have been sharing public displays of affection in recent weeks - fuelling speculation that the duo are dating.

Cheikhou Kouyate has been enjoying more dates with Mario And Kouyate looked in high spirits as he and the glamorous Belgian model enjoyed a day out together in the Italian city of Milan - where Balotelli currently plays his club football.

West Ham star Kouyate and Neguesha were photographed by The Sun shopping before they enjoyed a date at Italian restaurant Fresco & Cimmino.

Balotelli’s former girlfriend took a break from their meal to take a selfie with the onlooking Kouyate eagerly awaiting the result.

Depay escapes parking fine MEMPHIS Depay enjoyed a spot of shopping in Manchester town centre - and parked his Mercedes GLA 45 AMG in a loading bay

outside Harvey Nichols.

Depay has had no problem settling into life in England and the new boy looked in high spirits as he made a

Depay (right)

visit to the British department store.

The winger has enjoyed a bright start to his Red Devils career and notched two stunning goals in his side’s first-leg Champions League qualifier victory against Club Bruges.

Depay was seen by The Daily Star taking his matte black car - worth around £120,000 - for a spin around town and parked in a loading bay for three hours while he and two friends went shopping.

Fortunately for the winger, a parking warden didn’t notice the car and the 21-yearold returned home with his goods - and no fine.

Hamilton’s new set of wheels Gerrand and family

FORMULA One stars don’t often do things by half and Lewis Hamilton is contemplating celebrating his latest win by splashing out on a new set of wheels - six of them to be precise.

Hamilton romped to his seventh win of the season at Monza in the Italian Grand Prix last

Sunday and the very next day the reigning champion was pictured by FI.com alongside a Mercedes G63 AMG. The six-wheeler off-road pickup truck, which has a military version currently in use by the Australian army, will set you back an eye-watering £370,000.

Hamilton and his six-wheeler

46 sport

12 September, 2015

G lfline Tima Animasahun, vicepresident (South-West) of Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), is passionate about the sport. The chartered accountant in this interview with OLAWALE OLANIYAN revealed how she was lured into golf among others sundry issues. Excerpts:

With Olawale Olaniyan 081 7077 2333 olaniyankay@yahoo.com

My husband, children lured me into playing golf —Tima Animasahun

W

HAT are your plans to improve the game of golf in the

addicted to it because you want to play and improve your game on a daily basis.

For instance, we have a programme every weekend for the young ones starting from age three to encourage them to play golf, at that age, that is what we refer to as catch-them-young, they come and practise.

Recently, a Nigerian girl won a world golf competition. It is a thing of pride and she is from Ikoyi Golf Club likewise her parents and grand parents, all of them play golf. If we encourage our children to play golf, it would help raise the standard of the game in this country.

People look at the game as if it is very expensive and meant for the rich but it is a wrong notion which we are trying to change. There are some children who are playing golf that are not rich but what we do is to take up such children and attach them to somebody that will mentor them and nuture them to be good golfers.

country?

Normally, the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria is the umbrella body for all lady golfers in Nigeria.

It’s an affiliate of Golf Union of St. Andrews, that is the body that regulates golf for ladies all over the world. We have so many golf clubs in the country, in the west we have no fewer than 15 clubs but not all of them are big. We are trying to encourage young ladies to embrace the game because you must have the interest just like any other sport, some people go into it by accident, just like me. My husband, my children are all playing golf.

They lured me into the game.

Are you saying you were forced to play the game?

When they introduced golf to me, I had no other option but to join them. Initially, I was wondering that what was happening here?

But now, I have learned all the rudiments of the game and I can say the game is very interesting. Once you start playing golf you will get

Tima Animasahun

For every association, there are rules and guidelines which everybody should follow. If you look at most ladies when they are coming to play, they put on the normal attire and their belt on. That is part of our dress code, you can not just dress shabbily and expose all your body, there are rules because if you are wearing a skirt, the skirt must not be more than four inches above your knees, that is the rule.

As a member of Ikoyi Golf Club, what distinguished the club among its peers?

I will say it is the strategic location of the club and it has been around for a very long time. The golf section has been on ground before the club came into being, you hear Ikoyi Club 1938 and if you say 1938 that is a very long time. Again, Lagos has so many companies. We have members that are in all aspect of the economy, in banking, oil and gas, law and even in government that are sponsoring golf.

It is through this sponsorship that one can plan a Is this programme basically meant for tournament and make it a successful one as far as I am concerned. south-west or across the federation?

We have various clubs in the country, recently they had a Junior Open in Ibadan, from that competition Will you say, the game has added value to they discovered the children that represented Nige- your wellbeing? ria in Kenya. In a place like Otukpo area of Benue Yes, golf is a sport that you play no matter your age.

State, there are so many children who are talented in We have people who are over 80yrs old in Ikoyi Club that are still playing better. This is a game you can golf and ours is to encourage them. play in the morning and in the night, it keeps you fit What is the mode of dressing for lady golf- because it requires a lot of walk. Since I started playing golf, I don’t have any regret . ers?

With Olawale Olaniyan olaniyankay@yahoo.com 08055165128

Globacompremier leaguefocus I’ll end my career with Lobi Stars —Tenger

L

OBI Stars chief coach, Justin Tenger, has revealed he will only end his career with Lobi Stars saying he is not ready to pitch his tent with any other club in the Globacom Premier League.

Tenger who flayed his retirement rumour said he has not granted any interview to any journalist on whether he wants to retire from football after the FA Cup final

Tenger

Saturday Tribune

against Akwa United billed for Lagos later in the year.

The former Niger Tornadoes coach was in the news lately and was quoted as saying he will quit as coach of Lobi Stars at the end of the season.

Tenger said he still have a lot to contribute to the coaching profession as long as he remains fit and

healthy.

“I never told anybody about my retirement, now I have come to stay with Lobi Stars, I don’t think I am ready to leave anytime soon except they ask me to go. What I said was that I’m not going to contact any club outside Lobi except in a very exceptional circumstance if not I will not move

out of here,” Tenger said.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game against Wikki Tourists, The former Gombe United handler said “We are hoping things will work out so well for us against Wikki because they are a very good side this season. That doesn’t mean they will not be dealt with here on our home soil.”

IfeanyiUbah has lifted my career —Meshack FORMER Enyimba FC of Aba striker, Meshack Chukwubuikem, has expressed joy over his move to FC IfeanyiUbah, just as he revealed that not having enough playing time forced him out of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan.

The former Enugu Rangers forward stated that he now enjoys his football again after a difficult time with the Oluyole Warriors.

Meshack, who only fea-

tured for 3SC four times during his stay this season said he was not happy watching his colleagues from the bench, adding that his move to FC IfeanyiUbah has given his career a new lease of life.

So far, he has netted two goals for the Nnewi team and he is still aiming at scoring more goals before the season ends.

“I thank God for my performance here at FC IfeanyiUbah. I have played four games and scored twice.

There is no secret behind it but hard work and focus.

“I am enjoying football under coach Daniel Amokachi, he has been wonderful.

We have lots of experienced hands here coupled with good players. I had a nottoo-good time at 3SC, I played just four games but here, it is a different story.

“My aim is to score as many goals as I can to help my team get a continental slot at the end of the season,” Meshack said.

FIXTURES

WEEK 29 NPFL FIXTURES, SEPTEMBER 13

Sharks Taraba Enyimba Bayelsa Lobi Akwa Utd Rangers Sunshine Warri Wolves Kano Pillars

Team Enyimba Warri Wolves Sunshine Stars Wikki Tourists Giwa FC Heartland FC Abia Warriors IfeanyiUbah 3SC

Kano Pillars Nasarawa Utd Rangers El-Kanemi Lobi Stars Kwara United Dolphins FC Akwa United Sharks FC Taraba FC Bayelsa Utd

P 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28

vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs

TABLE W 14 14 14 13 12 13 13 12 12 12 11 10 10 8 9 7 8 6 6 4

Ifeanyiubah Giwa FC Dolphins El-Kanemi Wikki Tourists Heartland FC 3SC Nasarawa Utd Kwara Utd Abia Warriors

D 10 6 5 8 10 4 4 5 5 4 7 7 6 10 5 10 7 12 8 11

L 4 8 9 7 6 11 11 11 11 12 10 11 12 10 14 11 13 10 14 13

Pts 52 48 47 47 46 43 43 41 41 40 40 37 36 34 32 31 31 30 26 23

47 Sport Adesoji Aderemi, the current head coach of the Team Nigeria para-athlete who during his days athletes held sway in 100 and 200m in class T12 with Commonwealth and African records to his credit.

The Nigeria Immigration Service staff spoke with Tribunesport’s NIYI ALEBIOSU at the athletes games village on the readiness of his team to excel at Brazzaville 2015, among other sundry issues.

Excerpts:

12 September, 2015

Nigerian para-athletes will deliver 8 medals in Congo— Adesoji

H

OW prepared are your athletes for the All Africa Games?

We are fully prepared having gone through serious training before now. We are hundred per cent fit and I am assuring the country of eight to 10 medals from my athletes. Nigeria will be participating in T11 female and male, T11 in 200m, T12 for 200 and 400m for male and female.

As I said earlier we are fully ready because the current Director General of the National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut, is capable because for once Nigeria has the right person in the right position. Before we came here, he gave us all that we needed.

He knew much about sport so for that alone nothing should stand on our way from winning medals for Nigeria.

It was alleged in some quarters that you were forced into retirement after the Beijing 2008 Paralympics in China, can you please clear the air on this?

Was there a point in your career you regretted representing the country?

Sincerely speaking, after the Manchester 2002 when I set the world record, Virgin Island approached me to nationalise but I turned down the offer though lucrative and it was for two reasons: first, my family lives in the United Kingdom and second I work with the Nigeria Immigration Services. I cannot abandon my family and also fatherland for an Island where I know nobody.

So by the time I represented Virgin Island, win medals for them, they will dump me after they must have used me to achieve a lot, so it is better I stay with my country and give back to the country of which I benefitted from. I have never for once regretted, representing my country.

Cuts in, despite the controversy?

Yes of course, why should I? Nigeria is my country and we must all project its image very well. Despite the controversies I still remain committed to representing the country at any given time.

How did you get involved in athletics?

I was born and brought up in a sports family, my dad was a swimmer for Nigeria police oh sorry, a diver for the Police while my mum was a handball player at the same time a nurse. I started with sack race at age six, so when I started knowing what they are calling a race was when I started watching Ben Johnson on tv..,that was when I developed keen interest in athletics.

Will you compare athletics now to when you were an athlete?

Yeah, I will say that compared to own our time this is the first time I will be having different kits to train with, as I speak with you I have up to 10 different Nigerian jerseys and kits unlike before when you will be struggling to get four. Now we have different colours but the same design to change which is good and kudos to Nigeria on this. This hardly happened then.

Let’s take you back the memory lane, how do you feel then as an athlete and now as a coach?

Hmmm, then as an athlete, what was certain for me was that I believed I will be on the track and run and as well win because I believed in my capabilities. But as a coach it is a different ball game because you have to train the athletes, worry about their state of mind, you don’t know if they have any injuries or not feeling fine or if they have psychological problems. It is a big challenge to be a coach but whenever I say my early morning prayers, I always prayed against injuries during competitions and also for my athletes to win because I do not want to be a loser.

Saturday Tribune

Adesoji

I was never forced into retirement at all. I retired in 2008 with silver medal and if you participated in such a championship and won a medal, one should be hap-

For now in Nigeria or Africa I have not seen anyone who can surpass my record, so if I choose to compete, nobody can stop me .

py because it was not just an ordinary competition. I give thanks to God as I am still fit and if I decided to run and compete again, I can, because I am still fit. For now in Nigeria or Africa I have not seen anyone who can surpass my record. So if I choose to compete, nobody can stop me but in my own policy I believe in giving the younger ones the opportunity to exhibit their talents. It is good for you to step down when the ovation is loudest and if you do not at the time you suppose to, then one young athlete will come and disgrace you, so voluntarily, I stepped down for someone else to step into my shoes.

Nigeria still parade some old athletes, what’s your take on developmental programme?

Well, for me it is a good thing to do, because in para-athletics now, it is the mixture of old and young athletes. The old athletes we have are just about 30 per cent, the rest are young generation. The old ones are getting older by the day but I still believe in the old athletes because the old athletes are expected to put the upcoming athletes on the right path to follow.

But Adewale Deborah is still in your team having been around for long and you want to give the younger ones opportunity?

Well, she is still in the team and it is because she still has a lot to offer and probably the best around.

She would deliver two gold medals in 100 and 400 meters.

At a point dump he Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, they were doubting the extent of your sight problem, what was going on in your mind?

Well, you are right they were doubting the range of how worse my sight was either to put me in class T12 or T13. And at Manchester 2002, we only had class T12, but T 12 can run T13. Higher class can run lower class, sorry, lower class can go to higher class to compete. They were contemplating which class they will put me.

Along the line, they flew in a doctor from France to conduct a test on my sight and after the test they were convinced that myself or the country were not trying to a play dirty game. So till the last day I ran for the country I was competing in class T12. What was going through my mind then was that if I was not classified it would have been a distress for me, people will see me a liar or somebody that should not be trusted, somebody trying to claim what he is not, trying to forge. But up till this moment I still have the course to glorify God that I still have the record and was proven clean of any cheats. I had 10.75 in 100 meters which was broken now 10.64seconds but still keep my Commonwealth Games record which is 10.75 seconds, also African record of 10.75seconds, in 200meters its 21.77 seconds and 48.48 in 400meters.

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES

Saturday September 12

NO 1,116

N150

SATURDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Everton Arsenal C/Palace Norwich Watford West Brom Man Utd

vs vs vs vs vs vs vs

Chelsea 12:45pm Stoke

3:00pm Man City 3:00pm Bournemouth 3:00pm Swansea 3:00pm Southampton 3:00pm Liverpool 5:30pm

Why Chelsea sent Moses on loan —Emenalo F

By Dipo Ogunsola

ORMER Nigerian international, Michael Emenalo, says Victor Moses needs to play a catch-up to fit in into the Super Eagles and Chelsea main team following bouts with niggling injuries.

Emenalo is the technical director of Chelsea and has been roundly queried by club fans of stocking the team with top players like Moses, Mohammed Salah and Juan Cuadrado only to loan them out to West Ham, Fiorentina and Juventus respectively.

In fact, Chelsea has 33 players on loan among whom are Nigeria defender, Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa) and David Solanke (Vitesse).

On Moses, Emenalo explains the player will be quite ready for Nigeria and Chelsea if he gets decent playing time with West Ham as a loanee.

“Moses is very, very talented and experienced but it is not always smooth for him. He had been hit by injuries,” Emenalo told Chelsea tv.

“We are a big team and he is one of the players we want to keep in our squad. He was at the World

Sunday, September 13 Sunderland Leicester

vs Tottenham 1:30pm vs Aston Villa 4:00pm

Monday, September 14 West Ham

vs Newcastle

8:00pm

Moses Cup but maybe he needs to play more football to get to the level we think he can get to.”

He also recalled that Cuadrado joined the team at a wrong time and failed to pick up since the 5-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last season.

“It was not his fault that we lost but that result meant that we needed to re-strategise against the plan that we had before we brought him in.”

Emenalo stated that the fact that Sallah scored nine goals for Fiorentina last season attests to the quality of Chelsea players on loan.

BRAZZAVILLE 2015: Emenalo

Ighalo extends Watford stay till 2020

By Ganiyu Salman NIGERIAN international, Odion Ighalo has extended his stay at Watford FC after signing a fresh five-year contract which will keep him in the team till 2020.

Ighalo, a former Lyn Oslo of Norway forward was instrumental in the Hornets’ promotion to the English Premier League after

Ighalo

scoring 20 goals.

The Edo State-born player scored on his debut in the English Premier League as a second half substitute to put Watford ahead, before Everton rallied to an equaliser through Ivorian forward, Arouna Kone to end the game in a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

Ighalo with three senior international caps so far after his debut in Nigeria’s 1-0 defeat to Uganda in March 2015, scored his first international goal in the 2-0 win over Les Sao of Chad during the Eagles’ first 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Kaduna in June this year.

The former Udinese loanee however, was left out of the AFCON qualifier last weekend, under new coach Sunday Oliseh where the Eagles settled for a goalless draw in Dar es Salaam against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania.

Meanwhile, Ighalo will be looking forward to appearing on the scoresheet again today, as his team welcomes Swansea at Vicarage Road, in the fifth game of the season.

Okagbare guns for relay gold BLESSING Okagbare may take part in the track and field events at the ongoing All Africa Games in CongoBrazzaville to quell speculations of purported ban on the athlete from the 2016 Olympics.

However, he will only be limited to taking part in the relay at the games due to the hamstring injury the 27 year old athlete is still nursing.

“I will be doing just the relay. Right now the only thing the hamstring can handle right now is just one or two races; just the semis and final in the relays. I am pretty sure I can take a risk and handle that.

Okagbare said she was delighted to compete.

“The African Games is not what happens every month or year, it’s just like the Olympics. That’s when you get to see every African contingent together. So it’s fun because people you’ve heard about but haven’t seen you have the opportunity to see t h e m and chat w i t h them.”

Okagbare

11th ALL AFRICA GAMES SEPT. 4 - 19, 2015

Niyi Alebiosu

reporting

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. 12/9/2015.