19th March 2016

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no 1,143

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Saturday, 19 March, 2016

Saraki to Conduct Tribunal:

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Treat me as you treated Tinubu

Nigerian Tribune

n150

Tinubu was freed in error —CCB pg4

Rivers: Army

Rukky Sandra

lashes out at impostors

on red alert

Tells Nigerians to ‘wait and see’ g3 p Another security agent killed

•Says I have never taken anything from any fan

pg32

Human eye sells for N10,000 in Kaduna pg9 Kidnap kingpin killed in Lagos

pg3

419 bag First Class at pg43 Imo varsity

Police armoured personnel carrier in front of inec office in Port Harcourt, on Friday, ahead of the rerun legislative elections in Rivers today. photo: nan

JAMB official offered N6m bribe in Lagos —Ojerinde

pg4 Says exams won’t be cancelled Scammers charge candidates N15,000 to upgrade scores pg3

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Marriage will not stop me from my normal roles Susan Peters is a popular Nollywood actress and producer.

In this interview with JOAN OMIONAWELE the actress who got married a few months ago talks about married life, her career, among other issues.

W

HAT are you currently working on?

I’m actually doing a job with Rock Studios and we should start after the AMVCAs and also another one with Emem Isong.

So what does 2016 hold for you?

It started slow. The economy is affecting everybody, but we are hoping that the change has come to stay. We pray it will get better. We are in the third month of the year, so we are hoping that things will get better, as times goes on, we hope that things will turn around.

You got married last year... how does married life feel?

It’s sweet and also sour. You tend not to do things that you used to do anymore because there is a check button on everything you do.

What are those things that you used to do back then?

Well, those normal things you do as a single lady, but you cannot do anymore because you know that people will talk, so you tend to be cautious when you are doing anything at all.

What has marriage changed about you?

I’m just adding weight, I don’t understand.

Or is a baby on the way?

Why are you asking? Hian, What’s your own? You will see it when it gets bigger.

Do you patronize Nigerian designers Yes, I do, the dress I am currently putting on was designed by Agatha Moreno.

As an actress, what do you think should change about Nollywood?

Honestly, I’m going to give Nollywood credit, because even before I joined Nol-

lywood, we look up to the actors that came before us and now, as the day goes by, we keep growing. We are no longer in it for

the money, but for the recognition.You feel delighted when your movie is nominated and when you win an award.

I’ve never acted nude and I’ve never been in support of acting nude. Of course one can take off some clothes, but not totally nude.

Even if you don’t win, the fact that you get nominated is a win for me. My movie, ‘Don’t cry for me’ was nominated for the best lead actress award, so for me,I give Nollwood credit. Although there are still some lapses, we need not cut corners... for instance, if you have a low budget movie and you don’t have money to shoot it, then don’t shoot it, instead of taking people on set and putting people into slavery.

Continues on pg33

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19 March, 2016

Army on red alert as Rivers votes today

.We’re going ahead with election with or without soldiers —INEC .Another security agent killed by unknown gunmen —Army PRO DapoFalade-PortHarcourt

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HERE are strong indications that the Nigerian Army has placed its personnel on red alert and may deploy its officers and men to monitor the conduct of the legislative rerun elections in Rivers State today.

This is just as the Independent National Electoral Commission has declared that it would go ahead with the exercise with or without the deployment of soldiers by the military.

Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 2nd Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Captain Eli Lazarus, simply told Saturday Tribune that Nigerians should watch events as they unfold today.

“No comment. Let’s wait for tomorrow and see what it will bring,” the Army Deputy Public Relations Officer, stated in an SMS sent to Saturday Tribune on Friday afternoon.

It was his response to Saturday Tribune’s inquiry on the state of preparedness of the army for today’s elections.

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice George Omereji, had on Wednesday given an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from using soldiers for the conduct of the election.

Also affected by the court order were the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff and Brigadier General Steve Olabanji, Brigade Commander, 2nd Amphibious Brigade, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt.

This followed a suit filed by the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Felix Obuah and the party, seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights in respect of the election.

Joined as respondents in the suit were former Governor Rotimi Amaechi (first), Chief of Defence Staff (second), Chief of Army Staff (third), Brigadier General Steve Olabanji, Brigade Commander, 2nd Amphibious Brigade, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt (fourth), INEC (fifth), REC, Rivers State (sixth), the Governor of Rivers State (seventh) and the Government of Nigeria (eighth).

A survey by Saturday Tribune round the Port Harcourt metropolis on Friday evening pointed

to the fact that soldiers would be visibly present during the election, even as Governor Nyesom Wike appeared to have come to terms with such a reality.

The governor, while hosting the Consul-General of the Embassy of the United States of America in Nigeria, Mr John Bray, had called on INEC and security agencies to work within the law in order to avoid violence during and after the election.

Although there was no visible presence of the military on the eve of the election, several patrol vans were seen moving round the state capital.

Also, while the military authorities kept mum on the issue of the court order, a source told Saturday Tribune that soldiers would be on the ground to checkmate possible outbreak of crisis during the rerun election.

This source hinged his conviction on the killing of two soldiers, including an army major by unidentified gunmen at the waterfront in Abonemma in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state, on Thursday.

“Military authorities may not be forthcoming in respect of deploying soldiers for the election, in view of the court injunction. But I can authoritatively tell you that soldiers would be on the field tomorrow (today).

“Governor Nyesom Wike may have meant well by vehemently opposing the redeployment of soldiers

for the election but the present realities in the state call for their assistance and presence during the rerun.

“It is a good thing for our institutions and constituted authorities to obey the rule of law but what we have in the state at the moment required a pragmatic approach.

“How do you explain the fact that in the build-up to the election, several lives were lost in several communities in the state with the police appearing helpless?

“These people who have been going about senselessly and mindlessly killing and beheading some of their victims are still around and they appeared emboldened each passing day.

“However, I am sure the soldiers would be all out to protect lives and properties during the exercise. This is more apparent as they are still hurting from the killing of two of their colleagues on Thursday.

“Undoubtedly, the presence of the soldiers would instil some fear in those who were planning to cause crisis and ignite violence during the election. However, the military should be urged to be fair in discharging their duty and responsibility,” the source said.

However, INEC made it clear that it would go ahead with the rerun election, as scheduled, noting that the court injunction would not in any way affect it in discharging its duties in respect of the exercise.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the electoral body in Rivers State, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, made this known in response to whether or not the commission would comply with the court order.

“INEC does not deploy security for any exercise.

Protection of lives and properties is the exclusive duty of the state,” Ikoiwak said in another SMS. Another security agent was killed, on Friday, by some unknown gunmen during an attack on a joint security team consisting of the army, police and DSS, which was conducting patrol at Egi in Omoku community of Ogba/ Ndoni/Egbema Local Government Area.

The Army Assistant Director of Public Relations, Captain Eli Lazarus, who made this known in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said the criminals engaged the security team for several hours before they were eventually dislodged.

“Sadly, a security agent lost his life in the unfortunate incident.

Reinforcement has been sent to beef up security in the area and normalcy has been restored.

“The general public is hereby advised to remain calm and be law-abiding throughout the election period and beyond as security agents will continue to work assiduously to ensure security of lives and property,” he said.

Robbery, kidnap kingpin, 2 others die after gun duel with police OlalekanOlabulo-Lagos WANTED leader of a gang responsible for highprofile cases of kidnapping, bank and other organised robberies and pipeline vandalism in many parts of Nigeria, Tokiwe Joseph, popularly known as TK, has died in police custody.

Joseph, who led a gang of about 17 heavily armed robbers, was injured in a gun duel between the gang and a Nigeria/Benin Republic border patrol unit at Seme border on Thursday afternoon.

Two other members of his gang, who were injured in the gun duel, died between Thursday evening and early Friday when they were being moved from the Seme border to the headquarters of the Lagos State police command in Ikeja.

Eleven members of the

gang have so far lost their lives to the gun battle between them and security personnel during a foiled robbery operation.

Two operational boats used by the gang and a cache of arms and ammunition were recovered by the security unit and the local vigilante who joined in the search for the runaway robbers.

The Lagos State Commissioner of State, Fatai Owoseni, while speaking on the foiled robbery operation, said: “A series of intelligence reports have been shared by the office of the Inspector-General of Police with the Lagos State Police Command and border patrol unit of the force, alerting of the likelihood of massive and violent attacks on banks and bureaux de change in Lagos and Republic of

Benin border at Seme.”

“The report indicated that the attack would be led by a notorious armed robber/kidnapper by the name Tokiwe Joseph, popularly known as TK. TK can be likened to a Field Marshal who commands different armed gangs that engaged in all forms of criminalities such as kidnapping, high-profile bank robberies, vandalism, piracy and cultism. TK has his signature on almost all violent crimes in Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Ogun, Edo and Benin Republic “Intelligence had revealed that TK at a time led a gang to hijack a vessel on the waterways of Ghana. Intelligence had also revealed that he has his base in a creek situated somewhere in Ijagemoin Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.”

Saturday Tribune

Scammers charge candidates N15,000 for JAMB score upgrade

By Laolu Harolds The uproar trailing the conduct (and results) of the 2016 Computer-Based UTME has given birth to a new form of ‘business’. Scammers now cash in on candidates’ disenchantment to dupe unsuspecting ones and their sponsors.

Saturday Tribune gleaned a series of messages on the social media where candidates who purportedly scored low marks in the much vilified computer-based test had their low marks ‘upgraded’ through self-help.

One of such messages, purportedly by a ‘satisfied’ candidate reads: “Hello, my name is Loveth. I was among those that wrote this recent JAMB; my score was 130. I met a man on this Google page by name Mr James.

“This man really helped me with my score upgrade. He upgraded it for me to 240, so I really want you to please help me appreciate this man. He is indeed a God-fearing man, so if you are in such problem, I will advise you to contact him on his direct number 08108439977.”

When Saturday Tribune called ‘Mr James’ on his line, the following conversation took place: Mr James: “Hello.”

ST: “Good afternoon.”

Mr James: “Good afternoon.”

ST: (sounding really helpless) “Am I on to Mr James?”

Mr James: “Yes, this is Mr James. Who is on the line?”

ST: “My name is David. I’m calling from Ibadan.”

Mr James: “Ok. How can I help you?”

ST: “Somebody gave me your number; somebody you helped with JAMB upgrade. I have a sister who has a problem. I don’t know if you can help.”

Mr James: “What was your score?

ST: “Not me; it’s my little sister. She scored 130.”

James: “She scored 130; so she wants to upgrade to how many (sic!)?

ST: “She needs to score 250. Can you help?”

Mr James: “No problem. What you need to do is to send me your name, registration number and the subjects you wrote. Ok?” ST: “Name, registration number…”

Mr James: “But I hope you know you’re paying for the service before the upgrade?”

ST: “How much would that be, please?”

Mr James: “It’s N15,000.”

ST: “How do I pay?”

Mr James: “When are you ready for the operation?”

ST: “The point is that I don’t have the details now; when she comes back, I’ll collect the details and call you back.”

Mr James: “What you will do now is that when she arrive (sic!), collect all the informations (sic!) from him. Are you hearing me?”

ST: “Okay.”

Mr James: “You give that to me so I can send the account number to you tomorrow so you can pay in your money. Okay?”

ST: “Thank you very much.”

Another ‘grateful’ candidate also posted a message under the name Joyce Benson. She claimed one ‘Professor Adeyemi’ helped upgrade her 174 UTME score to 235 which she “can now use in any university. I’m so happy that a man like him exist and also have had some many other people saying good things about him. God bless this man. You can also reach him with all your JAMB issues now. His number is 08073673757.”

Yet another ‘testimony’ reads: “My brothers and sisters, please do not fall into the hands of chiefs (sic!) who claim that they can upgrade your JAMB scores and send you answers. I was scammed twice until I met Mr Godspower. I just gave him a trial and added 47 marks to my scores. I am sharing this testimony because I do not want you guys to go through my past experience. Please be careful. You can decide to call him on his number 08054422651 or 08142681151.”

Many other ‘expert’ UTME score upgraders mentioned with full GSM numbers include Mr Victor Okoro, 08160589286; Mr Donald, 07032813418.

All were credited with the feat of having upgraded UTME scores as low as 132 to 253 and 177 to 243 respectively.

It is unclear if indeed these scammers are able to hack into JAMB system/database and pull off these stunts or they are simply cashing in on the controversy trailing the results and duping unsuspected people.

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Buhari, Osinbajo, governors, others bid Ocholi farewell YinkaOladoyinbo-Lokoja

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resident Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, governors, ministers and other dignitaries on Friday gathered in Abocho, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State for the funeral of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi, his wife, Blessing and son, Joshua.

The funeral service was held on the field of LGA Primary School was laden with emotion as the three corpses were brought into the arena by pallbearers.

The service, which commenced at about 10.15 am, saw people, including immediate family members, government and church members rendering tributes in honour of the departed souls.

The only passage for the service taken from Revelations, chapter 20, verse 11 to 15 was taken by one of the children of the deceased, Uyo. Delivering his sermon titled “The invitation you could not resist”, the Kogi State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop John Ibenu, descibed death as an incident that man has no control over.

He said death is an irresistible invitation that man

had no opportunity to resist, saying the moment God calls any human being, the person must answer.

The clergy, however, said what is paramount is how prepared human beings are for the invitation from God, asking the people to always remember the day of judgement.

Osinbajo, who repre-

sented the president in his tribute, noted that with the death of Ocholi, the country had lost a patriot that was respected, not only for his personal integrity, but also for his humility.

He said, “His contributions to bringing about what today is the Federal Government of Nigeria was truly significant and so

was his zeal for service as a minister these few months.

He was someone I held in very high esteem.

“I know that his legacy, his life speaks for itself and we are all enriched and enobled by the fact that we met him, shared our common hopes for our nation with him and served with him”.

The Kogi State governor,

Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said the only way to keep the legacy that Ocholi believed in and lived for was to ensure the unity of the state.

According to him, one thing was of paramount importance to Ocholi, SAN was the greatness and unity of Kogi State, assuring that he would continue to nurture the principle.

Treat me as you treated Tinubu, Saraki asks tribunal

Tinubu was freed in error —CCB Sunday Ejike -Abuja SENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal to give him the same treatment it gave former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was freed of allegations of misconduct by the tribunal in the year 2011.

Saraki’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), made the plea on Friday during the tribunal’s hearing of an application brought by his client seeking to quash a 13-count charge bordering on false assets declaration preferred against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Agabi prayed the tribunal to apply the wisdom it employed in dismissing the charges against Tinubu to

the current case involving his client because the facts of the two cases were the same.

But in a swift reaction, counsel for the CCB, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), countered Agabi’s submission, arguing that Tinubu was discharged in error for the sins the Bureau had deemed the former governor to have committed when he held sway in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.

Agabi had argued that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the charges on the grounds that the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice lacked the powers to file charges before the tribunal.

Agabi also argued that the failure of the CCB to invite Saraki to confront him with the alleged breaches in his

assets declaration form was fatal to the validity of the charges preferred against him.

He premised his argument on preliminary objection to the charge on the grounds that the conditions precedent for the arraignment of Saraki by the CCB was not fulfilled.

Agabi told the tribunal that up till now, Saraki, as a defendant, had not made any statement to the Bureau upon which he could be effectively put on trial.

He said the AGF was wrong in law to initiate the charge against Saraki because the Code of Conduct Bureau Act vested power in the Bureau to accept asset declaration form, investigate assets form and prosecute any offender and not on any external force like

the AGF or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“CCB is a peculiar institution; it has the duty to accept, to examine, to keep custody of assets declaration forms submitted to it and also has the power to accept complaints from the public on the discrepancies that may arise from any form submitted to it.

“In the instant case, there is no petition or complaint before the CCB and the power of the CCB to refer any offender to the CCT for trial cannot be delegated to the AGF,” Kanu argued.

Agabi then cited the trial of Senator Tinubu who was accused but was set free by the tribunal because of, according to him, the failure of the CCB to fulfil a necessary condition of inviting him first

UTME: How JAMB official rejected N6 million bribe in Lagos •We won’t cancel computer-based Test —JAMB Registrar •Says Lagos protest sponsored, conduct of exams in Nigeria is war Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde, has faulted calls for cancellation of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, saying this will not be in the interest of the candidates, parents and government.

He said the protest in Lagos, a few days ago allegedly by UTME candidates demanding for cancellation of the results of the examination was sponsored to discredit the good work the Board is doing in the efforts to strengthen the quality of tertiary education in the country.

Ojerinde, who briefed newsmen on Friday in Abuja on the conduct of the 2016 UTME, said conduct of public examination in Nigeria has become a war.

He disclosed that the organiser of the protest who incidentally was an owner of a centre designated for the examination was aggrieved because he was not allowed by the JAMB officials at the centre to perpetrate exami-

Some other dignitaries that attended the programme included the Benue State governor, Sam Ortom; the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and Senator Dino Melaye.

nation malpractice.

Ojerinde explained how a JAMB official at the Lagos centre was threatened after rejecting a N6 million bribe offer, saying this prompted the relocation of the candidates at the centre to Moro in Osun State.

Over 1,592,44 candidates registered for the 2016 UTME nationwide and in seven foreign countries.

He added that the owner of the centre, in the effort to justify money he collected illegally from parents and candidates, organised the protest in Lagos.

It was also gathered that a lady who was arrested at the centre for impersonation, confessed that she and others were paid N25,000 each to do the job.

Ojerinde said the actual number of candidates that sat for the examination was 1,546,633, representing 97.12 per cent, while a total of 23,577 candidates absented from the examination, representing 1.48 per cent of the total number of candidates that registered for 2016 UTME. He disclosed that a total of 145,704, representing 9.1 per cent of candidates had

the issue of multiple results, which the Board has tried to sort out.

The JAMB Registrar further disclosed that results of Uromi approved UTME Centre in Edo State were being withheld as a result of massive irregularities and invasion of the centre by armed hoodlums.

A JAMB official in charge of the centre was said to have rejected an offer of N1 million “cooperation fee” (bribe), allegedly by the owner of the centre in collaboration with some parents and candidates to allow them perpetrate examination malpractices.

He disclosed that the armed invaders were over 20 persons, adding that the timely intervention of the military saved the day and that the candidates for the centre were relocated to Auchi, where the remaining examinations were held with the supervision of soldiers.

Ojerinde, however, admitted that there were some challenges on the first and second days of the examination leading to relocation of a total of 59,000 candidates to new centres and 16 states of the Federation.

He promised that special arrangement would be made for those who were genuinely affected by the relocation to sit for the examination at a rescheduled date to be announced to them.

He said: “I want to say it here that conducting examination is becoming a war; it is already a war. You should have seen us in the control room of the examination.

When the exam was going on, I was in the war front; I was not able to leave the control room.

“The invaders were more than 20 well-armed men.

The Nigerian Army had to mobilise their men to make it possible for us to conduct examinations in Auchi, because the mercenaries in Uromi were determined to frustrate us, but, of course, they frustrated them in return.

“The organisers of the protest did not do it in the interest of the candidates but [it was] done as a result of their frustration due to their inability to perpetrate their planned acts of irregularities. Majority of these people who were frustrated collected huge sums of money from the candidates, they

were the organisers of the protest, we have adequate information to prove it.

“There was an episode in Kaduna where an owner of a centre decided to perpetrate malpractice, as a result he was arrested and quickly handed over to the police.

“Overall, there were about 145,000 of them. Immediately we noted this we refused to continue to release the results until the system error was corrected. When it was corrected all other people who sat for the examination from that time up till yesterday had no problem and now even some of them that were affected are asking for extra marks.

“In our quest to have adequate and effective centres for the 2016 exercise, we approved over 500 centres.

Unfortunately some of the centre operators were not sincere in providing us with the true position of their facility.

“They hired equipment and other necessary apparatus and on the examination day they were found wanting. This led to relocation or rescheduling of candidates from some of them to more suitable centres.”

to make statement on the alleged discrepancies before referring him for trial.

According to him, such measure should also apply to Saraki because he was not first invited by CCB to make statement of denial or confirmation of discrepancies in his assets declaration form.

He, therefore, urged the tribunal to dismiss the charge against his client for being “incompetent, baseless” and having been filed without observing the due process of the law.

However, in his submission, the prosecution counsel, Jacobs, told the tribunal that the Ministry of Justice referred the trial of Saraki to the CCB on the strength of a joint investigation carried out by the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in which the defendant was found to have procured assets that were not declared in his form.

He further told the tribunal that the CCB did not need to invite the defendant to make any clarification on the discrepancies in his assets because Section 3, Part One of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution had removed such conditions.

The prosecution counsel also stated that CCB did not need to obtain any statement from Saraki before referring him to the tribunal for trial because the defendant had already made a statement on oath while declaring his assets.

On the claim that the trial was initiated 13 years after Saraki had left office as governor of Kwara State, Jacobs said that there was no time limit for the prosecution to investigate or charge anybody to court.

He then urged the tribunal to dismiss the motion for being “spurious, unfounded and baseless.”

On the issue of Tinubu being set free by the tribunal on the grounds of a failure on the part of the CCB, Jacobs argued that the tribunal arrived at the decision in error.

After listening to the arguments of the two parties, the Danladi Umar-led tribunal fixed March 24 (Thursday next week) to deliver ruling on the application.

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Alleged corruption: Kalu must face EFCC trial —Supreme Court

I’m ready —Ex-gov Sunday Ejike-Abuja And Shola Adekola - Lagos

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he Supreme Court on Friday gave the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the nod to prosecute a former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, on a 107-count charge bordering on corruption.

The charges preferred against the former governor border on alleged money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds of about N5.6 billion, belonging to the Abia State government.

Kalu was alleged to have perpetrated the fraud between 1999 and 2007 when he held sway as the governor of the state.

The anti-graft agency had brought Kalu before a Federal High Court in Abuja on July 27, 2007, but Kalu had challenged the competence of the charge against him, as well as the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear and determine the charges against him.

After the trial court refused to quash the charges, Kalu took the case before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

The appellate court, in a unanimous judgement, upheld the competence of the charges preferred against the former governor, stressing that the Federal High Court had the power to exercise jurisdiction on the trial, a ruling that Kalu was not satisfied with and approached the Supreme Court, requesting it to set aside the concurrent verdicts of the two lower courts.

The former governor, through his lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN), pleaded with the five-man panel of justices of the apex court, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, to quash the criminal charges against him. contended that, He “EFCC failed to establish a prima facie, linking him to the ingredients of the offence contained in the charge and that the proof of evidence that the antigraft agency presented against him did not nail him to the commission of any crime”.

But in a unanimous judgement on Friday the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, asking the EFCC to carry on with the case.

Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Suleiman Galadima upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision, saying

Prospective university students with placards during their protest against JAMB results, in front of the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan, on Friday. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE that the apex court was satisfied that the former governor had a case to answer pertaining to the allegations that were levelled against him by the EFCC. Meanwhile, Kalu has said that the Supreme Court verdict is a welcome development, pointing

out that there is nothing unusual about the order.

Dr. Kalu, who made this known from London on Friday where he is delivering a convocation lecture, declared that he was ready and highly disposed to the trial, saying: “This is another opportunity to prove my

innocence. I have all the records and facts of the case. I am willing to submit myself for the rule of law to take its course. That has always been my passionate advocacy right from the lower courts where the case emanated.”

Speaking through a release signed by his

media adviser, Mr. Ebere Wabara, Kalu stated: “This clarification has become imperative lest oppositional forces mischievously misinterpret the ruling and mislead the public by injecting their jaundiced opinions into the routine directive as had always been with similar

cases where the apex court intervened. There is nothing novel about the latest manifestation in the ongoing litigation — it was the next thing to expect.

“I assure the EFCC of my continued support and profound cooperation in any further investigation into this allegation. Let me reaffirm that all the defence documents relating to the case are at my disposal and I am willing, when the time comes, to make them available to the agency.

“There is nothing surprising about this stage of the case. Having exhausted the lower court processes, the next level is where we have arrived and as I have always insisted I will be vindicated at the end of it all. I have nothing to fear as there is no skeleton in my cupboard, hence my robust commitment to the rule of law in this and other issues involving me.

“This is part of the price I have to pay for opposing the third term agenda fiasco of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. My happiness is that Nigerians are aware of all my travails for standing against evil in the country in whatever form,” Dr. Kalu said.

Why we announced ‘death’ of detained lawmaker —Ekiti govt •Says DSS claim on detained Akanni ‘ridiculous’ Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti The Ekiti State government on Friday said it announced the death of Mr Afolabi Akanni, the member representing Efon Constituency in the state’s House of Assembly based on “information available to us.”

In a press conference on Friday, the state government also lamented the explanation by the Department of State Services (DSS), which has Akanni in its custody, that it detained him “for committing security breach.”

The government which spoke through the Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, also decried the denial by the DSS that they hadn’t seen a court order for Akanni’s release, saying the explanation was “ridiculous, height of executive rascality and open display of contempt for the rule of law.”

Olayinka, who had the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, in tow, said the DSS should tell Nigerians “when Akanni committed those offences amounting to breach of security”

and added “did Akanni plot coup or is he leading insurgents to warrant his detention without trial?”

On why the government announced the lawmaker’s death, Olayinka said: “We wish to reiterate that the state government addressed the press based on the information available to it and since the DSS was not talking to anyone concerning the status of Hon Afolabi Akanni and others in its custody, the government had no option but to bring the disturbing information to the public domain and also call for calm among residents of the state.”

He added that “from the pictures of Akanni that we saw on television and published in the newspapers, it is without doubt that he is terribly sick and in need of urgent medical attention, and the disturbing information about his death could have been informed by his critical state of health. Akanni even told journalists that he slumped twice yesterday (Thursday) and that he was refused access to medication.”

Faulting the DSS on the court order that the detained lawmaker be

released or charged to court, which the security agency said it didn’t receive, Olayinka said after the DSS refused to take the court order on March 14, 2016, “the plaintiffs went back to court and secured an order of the court that the DSS be served through newspaper publication.

“Curiously enough, the DSS claimed that it was yet to see the Federal High Court order directing the immediate release of Akanni. This is the height of executive rascality and open display of contempt for the rule of law. The court order was taken to the Ado-Ekiti office of the DSS on March 14 by the court bailiff, Araromi Ademola, but it was not received.”

He also said, “according to the bailiff, the DSS officers said they were acting on order from above.

On March 16, the Federal High Court ordered that the DSS be served through newspaper publication.

Can the DSS claim it did not see that the order was published on pages 36-41 of Thursday’s Tribune newspaper?

“Anyway, since the DSS said it was not aware of any court order that it should release Akanni, Hon.

we are displaying the court order and we hope the service, which is no doubt turning itself to an arm of the APC, will now respect our court and stop behaving as if it is above the laws of Nigeria.”

He said it was curious “why it took the DSS nearly two weeks to come out and say it was holding Akanni.”

Whlie lamenting the development, the government said “evidently and as even reported in newspapers, the Hon. Akanni paraded before the press by the DSS was very sick. If truly the DSS has facts and evidences that Akanni committed offence of security breach, why not charge him to court and prosecute him with the facts and evidences before the service?”

He said “For clarity (the Commissioner for Finance), Chief Toyin Ojo, was asked by the DSS investigators how much was refunded to Ekiti State by the Federal Government on federal roads constructed/ rehabilitated by the state government and how ecological fund released to the state was spent.

“He was also asked how Governor Ayodele Fayose election was funded. How

are these issues related to the security of Nigeria?

What is the business of the DSS with the finances of Ekiti State?

“Also, former Special Assistant to the Governor on Internally General Revenue, Ropo Ogunjobi is being kept in the DSS custody since March 4.

“Did he also commit ‘serious security breach’ or he is just being held to extract information as to the finances of Ekiti State in furtherance to the mandate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gladiators in the state, who are working on what they call the “2006 Template”?”

“Did Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Dupe Alade; Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo; AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kola Kolade; Commissioner for Works, Kayode Osho; Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Demola Bello and other officials of the state government already listed for arrest and indefinite detention also commit ‘serious security breach’?”

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Saturday Tribune

Ibori leaves prison June or July —Emami Chides Clark for being quiet over Tompolo Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

From right, Sir Professor Tola Atinmo, Lay President, Methodist Church of Nigeria; The Right Reverend Isaac Bola Osunjuyigbe, the Diocesan Bishop and the Synod Secretary, The Very Reverend Amos O. Olalere, during the 21st Annual Synod, held at Awa Methodist Church, Awa-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Friday. PHOTO: D’TOYIN

I am happy I lost 2015 gov election —Alao-Akala Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

F

ORMER governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala, on Friday said that he pitied the present crop of state governors in the country over the state of the economy.

The former governor, who said that he was happy that he lost the 2015 governorship election, noted that with the current state of economy, he would have lost sleep.

The former governor spoke with newsmen in Abuja when he visited the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that he is now a member of the APC. The former governor, who contested the last governorship election on the platform of the Labour

Party said that, “I pity the governors because of what they are going through now.

I wouldn’t have been able to sleep with these dwindling monthly allocations. That was the reason why I said that. I don’t know how I would have coped. It doesn’t go beyond that.”

Chief Alao-Akala, however, said that, “I’m at the national headquarters of my party, maybe, you don’t know that I’m in the APC.

This is just to tell you that I’m a member of the APC. So, I have come to the national headquarters of my party to have a tete-a-tete with my leaders and the national chairman of the party, including my leaders from the South-West in the party structure. That is what I have come here to do.”

To this end, he urged Nigerians to believe in the current leadership of the

Rivers rerun: INEC, security agencies must work within the law —Wike Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt AS the people of Rivers State file out to vote in the legislative rerun election, Governor Nyesom Wike has called on the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to work within the law in order to avoid violence.

He also alleged that result sheets for some wards, ahead the rerun exercise

N2.6b debt: Ganduje to stop students sponsorship abroad Leon Usigbe - Abuja KANO State governor, Umar Ganduje, has hinted that the state may have to put an end to sponsorship of its students in foreign universities due to prevailing poor economic situation.

The state is already indebted to the tune of N2.6 billion arising from sending some of its students to study in universities abroad.

Ganduje told State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday that the state government was now contemplating a re-evaluation of the programme.

He said even if students

APC, saying, there may be challenges initially but there are better days ahead.

According to him, “the change agenda has already started. It has not been business as usual. Things have started changing. I know it’s purely for good purpose by the grace of God. When you are just coming on board, you will have challenges here and there. But sooner or later, you will get over it.”

had to be sent abroad, it must be determined by manpower requirement of the state.

The governor noted that the state had also been warned that some of the institutions Kano students were being sent to were inferior but more expensive than Nigerian universities.

He said: “To be frank with you, it is a system that we have to evaluate because right now, we have a liability of over N2.6 billion.

What we have discovered is that some of the courses that are being undertaken abroad are not necessary because such courses exist here in Nigeria with lower costs.

“We are reforming the whole system so that we will

make it more realistic. It is one thing to send those students abroad, it is another thing to get optimum benefit from what we are doing.

“I assure you that our foreign scholarship will extremely depend on the demand of manpower.

“We will send people abroad for only highly skilled courses, otherwise we do not need to send students abroad for conventional courses like International Relations, Geography and History.

“We also have two universities that we have not yet developed. Our internal students are also suffering because our money goes to foreign universities. Some of these foreign universities are even sub-standard.”

were missing, noting that the vigilance of agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) revealed the untoward situation.

The governor, while stating the commitment of Rivers people to peaceful and credible polls, also condemned the killing of two soldiers on Thursday, pointing out that the unfortunate incident had nothing to do with the rerun election.

He made this known when he granted audience to the Consul-General of the Embassy of the United States of America in Nigeria, Mr John Bray in his office on Friday.

The governor explained that the PDP had continued to raise alarm because of its commitment to credible and peaceful poll, adding that the people of Rivers State believe that officials of INEC and security agencies must not take actions that may engender violence during and after the election.

“Rivers State is key to this country. Let nobody think that anything can happen to Rivers State,” the governor said.

ITSEKIRI youth leader and Akulagba of Warri kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami, has hinted that former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, may be out of London prisons in June or July, all things being equal.

Emami gave the hint while addressing journalists on Friday in Warri, Delta State.

He said the 13-year prison term of the former governor in London, the United Kingdom, will soon elapse and that his return to Nigeria is imminent, but was not sure if Ibori will defect from his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when he is eventually left off the hook.

Emami, who is an adopted godson of the former governor, also chided an Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, for keeping sealed lips in the face of damming corruption allegations against his kinsman and former militant, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said, having led the then Delta State Elders and Stakeholders to petition the EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu on corruption allegations against Ibori, Emami wondered why the same Clark would today look the other way when his kinsman, Tompolo, is facing similar corrupt charges.

“The likes of E.K Clark, under the aegis of Delta State Elders and Stateholders Forum, through petitions went after Ibori in his days. So, you’ll know that Ibori’s case was very very political.

“Now, you’ve seen somebody who diverted money for some other things and was invited by the EFCC and the court and refused to go and went as far as vandalising pipelines and they’ve not even made any comment on it,” he said.

Editor’s Note

Re: Prof Mabogunje’s lecture

Due to a production hitch, there were mix-ups on Friday in the publication of the text of Professor Akin Mabogunje’s Guest Lecture delivered at the launch of the endowment fund for the Oba Sikiru Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye, Ogun State. We apologise for the error and promise to re-run the text as from Monday, 21st March, 2016.

—Editor

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feature

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Eye plucking: It’s N10,000 for an eye in Kaduna Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

T

wo months ago, the story of little Sadik Usman of Dushi area of Zaria city in Kaduna State dominated the airwaves, newspaper as well as the social media. His situation showed the cruel nature of man against a fellow human being. What has he done to deserve this dastardly act? An innocent three-year old boy who was full of life and enjoying his sight only for him to lose those precious eyes to suspected ritualists who are still at large. Despite the assurance by the Kaduna State Police Command, through its spokesperson, DSP Zubairu Abubakar that the culprits would be arrested, the perpetrators of the wicked act are yet to be apprehended. Sadik could have lost his wife in the process but for the quick intervention of passersby who gave him a hand while he was groaning in pains. Sadik is alive but his eyes are gone.

His father, Usman Auta, told a non governmental organisation (NGO) when members came to visit him that he has put the incident behind him and prayed God will spare the life of his son to become a very responsible citizen.

Since the ugly incident, Saturday Tribune findings revealed that the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris has promised to take care of the boy’s upkeep. Similarly, the Kaduna State government has pledged that the state will be responsible for his education up to the university level.

Findings showed that two months since the incident, sympathisers still throng to the family house to sympathise with the parents of Sadik. According to his father, Mallam Usman Auta, “people from all walks of life come here to see the little boy. They come to pray for him, some offer him gifts and some donate money for his upkeep.”

However, just when it appeared the story of little Sadik was gradually dying down, another eye plucking incident in Kaduna was reported and this, again, sent the people of Kaduna and its environs panicking. About two weeks ago, residents of Unguwar Bulus near Sabon Tasha in Chikun Local Government area of the state found the lifeless body of one Mary Obadiah with one of her eyes plucked. The people of Unguwar Bulus expressed shock and disbelief at this bizarre act. A female resident of the area who wouldn’t like her name to appear in print told Saturday Tribune that since this incident, the entire people of the area have been vigilant as visitors are now carefully monitored until they leave the area.

Findings by Saturday Tribune also revealed that Mary’s case brought to four the number of eye plucking incidents known to the security agencies in Kaduna.

The other incidents, according to investigation, happened on 6 March when a boy of about seven years was saved at Makera area of Kaduna South from a 30-year old man who had poked his hands into the boy’s eyes with the aim of plucking the boy’s eyes.

The suspect whose name was given as Maniru, was arrested by some members of the public and handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

Similarly, at about 11.00 a.m on the same day, another suspect was arrested around Nairayi roundabout on Kachia Road in Kaduna when he almost pulled out the eyes of a boy.

Three days earlier, an attempt had been made to pluck the eyes of a six-year-old girl, Kaisar Hussaini, at Ungwan Sanusi.

Another attempt, according to Saturday Tribune’s investigations involved one Hussaina who was returning from school and was approached and dragged by the suspect to an isolated place where a powdered substance was blown into her eyes thereby causing injury to the eyes.

The lucky Hussaina whose eyes could have been plucked screamed when the suspect made frantic efforts to remove the eyes, thereby attracting passersby who rescued her.

While condemning the recent upsurge of eye plucking incident in the state, the commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kaduna State, Modu Bunu, cautioned parents and guardians to take care of their children and wards. He noted that the warning became necessary to save the children from falling victims to the antics of these evil men.

For instance, he disclosed that one of the suspects that were caught told him that he was asked to bring an eye for a paltry sum of N10,000.

Sadik Usman When asked what could have been the motive behind this heinous crime, the NSCDC boss remarked that “it is an indication that ritualists and cultists are still very much around our society.”

He noted that security agencies cannot “fight or bring to an end this menace alone,” adding, “the people must be involved in this campaign.”

“It is advisable for people to avoid isolated places and to be mindful of people around them because increased vigilance can reduce vulnerability,” he stressed.

Also speaking in the same vein, the General Overseer of the Intercessory Christian Ministry, Sabo Tasha, Pastor Yohanna Buru remarks that the urge for quick money and get appointment into a “juicy positions” could be responsible for the increasing incidence of eye plucking in the state.

“We all know that elections are over, but people are busy

trying to see how they will get contracts and get this or that position.”

For an Islamic cleric, Ustaz Ibrahim Dahiru, the eye plucking incidence is assuming a dangerous dimension in the state.

He maintains that this social ill must be fought from the home front, asserting that “charity begins at home.”

Dahiru laments the collapse of moral values and blames parents for not living up to their responsibilities. According to him, this negative attitude or nonchalant attitude by parents must stop.

“We must monitor the types of friends our children keep,” he added.

However, a civil rights activist who pleaded for anonymity attributed the rising cases of this menace to the inability of government at various levels to provide jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

He says many young graduates are roaming the streets doing nothing while they are pressed to get a job, marry, and own a house.

A source told Saturday Tribune that once some people are not engaged, they indulge in all sorts of crime for a meagre amount just to survive.

For instance, he disclosed that one of the suspects that were caught told him that he was asked to bring an eye for a paltry sum of N10,000.

Be that as it may, the police have insisted that they will not rest until the culprits of these dastardly acts are arrested.

Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police command, DSP Zubairu Abubakar remarked that the police and other security agencies are on top of the situation. He advised the general public to be vigilant in their respective domain sand report suspicious movements to the police, assuring that such information will be treated with utmost confidelity.

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Toluwani Olamitoke 08050498504 toluwaniforever@yahoo.com

The University of Lagos Women’s Society (ULWS) on Tuesday recognised women who have “broken the ceiling in male-dominated professions” as participants at the event agreed that Nigeria can achieve gender equality much sooner than 2030. NAZA OKOLI reports.

A

female police traffic warden, Inspector Josephine Okere, who is known for her warm smiles and elaborate body movements, while controlling traffic in Lagos, stole the show on Tuesday last week at an award ceremony and lecture organised by the University of Lagos Women’s Society (ULWS) to mark the 2016 International Women’s Day. Okere walked into Afe Babalola Hall, venue of the event, around noon, amid thunderous applause. She would be called to the stage later to demonstrate some of her popular moves.

She was one of the three women honoured by the Society for excelling in “professions otherwise dominated by men.” The other women were: Mrs O. A. Ejiwunmi, an architect who had, at various times, served as Permanent Secretary in three different ministries in Lagos State (Housing, Transportation, and Physical Planning / Urban Development); and Dr Modupe Omirin, a registered estate surveyor and an Associate Professor in the Department of Estate Management at the University of Lagos.

The president of the Society and wife of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Mrs Monunat Bello said: “In spite of the challenges faced by women all over the world, many have reached the top of their careers in the corporate world and are at par with men, many have contributed significantly to the growth and development of the nation, and many have become very relevant and outstanding in their different chosen fields. But then there are still many who need to be encouraged and assisted to move up and that is why the society has carefully selected some women who have made it in professions otherwise dominated by men to commend and showcase them as models to the younger ones here, that they too can make it with hard work and determination.”

Planet 50-50 by 2030 The theme for the 2016 International Women’s Day is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up For Gender Equality.” The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, in his message for the Day, said the year 2030 would be the “deadline” for achieving gender equality.

“I remain outraged by the denial of rights to women and girls – but I take heart from the people everywhere who act on the secure knowledge that women’s empowerment leads to society’s advancement…

Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world. There is no greater investment in our common future.

“The year 2030 is the deadline for the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which include targets on achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls…”

For Chioma Kanu Agomo, a professor of Law at the University of Lagos, and Theme Campaigner at the ULWS event, Nigeria is in a good position to achieve gender equality by 2030 because there are almost

Popular traffic policewoman, others, honoured as UNILAG women’s society marks Women’s Day Chairperson, Organising Committee, Mrs Stella Adeyeye (left), Inspector Josephine Okere, (middle) and the President, ULWS, Mrs Monunat Bello.

as many women as there are men in the country.

“The male-female ratio of the current estimated population of Nigeria is about 50.6 per cent to 49.4 per cent,” she said.

“This makes the 2016 Theme ‘Planet 50-50 by 2030 Step It Up for Gender Equality’ a

realistic call for action.”

Pledge for parity There were only a handful of men at Afe Babalola Auditorium on Tuesday – perhaps not more than ten. But the hall was filled to capacity. It was understandable: it was

As I go about my work, what goes on in my mind every day is to make an impact, and to show women like me that they are not to be pushed aside

the International Women’s Day. Indeed, according to the Guest Speaker, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), the message of gender equality concerns everybody.

“Every woman, girl or even boy or man, employer or employee, at his or her own level, must agree here today to make a contribution that will affect the society so that the goal of attaining a 50-50 gender equity earlier than the projected 2030 can be achieved,” she said.

It was soon time to take a number of solemn pledges. Urging the audience to stand on their feet and to say after her, OlatunjiBello read out: “I pledge to help women and girls achieve their ambitions… I pledge to challenge conscious and unconscious bias… I pledge to call for gender-balanced leadership. I pledge to value women’s and men’s contributions equally. I pledge to create inclusive, flexible culture.”

Simple but better Inspector Josephine Okere who spoke to journalists after receiving her award said she draws her strength from the passion she has for her job.

“As I go about my work, what goes on in my mind every day is to make an impact, and to show women like me that they are not to be pushed aside,” she said. “I advise young girls to emulate me; to be diligent and passionate about their work.”

ULWS President, Mrs Bello, who also spoke to journalists, called on the government to empower security agencies so that the incidence of kidnapping (especially of young girls) would be reduced.

“We shouldn’t have a situation where girls are kidnapped from their boarding schools,” she said. “We also need to begin to implement relevant policies like Child’s Rights, especially the girl-child.”

Asked if she thought the time was ripe for the University of Lagos to appoint a female vice chancellor, the Vice Chancellor’s wife nodded: “Yes, very soon. Within this university, there are so many female professors. And we have a female Provost at the College of Medicine for the first time.”

Earlier, the chairman of the occasion and immediate-past Commissioner for Education in Lagos State, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye urged girls and younger women to work harder than men.

“For me, I advocate equality, not necessarily because I want women to be treated the same but because I want the individuality of women to be recognised, because I want women to be heard and respected.

“So I urge all the women and young girls here today to work even harder than their male counterparts… I urge you today to pick up the pen as your weapon to battle the plague that is gender inequality. I urge you today to stand up with your head held high. I urge you today to use your strength which only a woman has to fight for your dreams and to break free of social, political and financial inequality. I urge you to be simple but better.”

A dance drama staged by students from the Department of Creative Arts spoke to the need for women to be more actively involved in politics.

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

food&drink Kunun zaki

Tsamiya

Pito Burukutu

Refreshing

local brews Zoborodo

Fura de nunu

K

UNUN Zaki: With millet as the main ingredient, this nonalcoholic beverage is a unique blend of spices such as ginger, cloves, red and black pepper to make a refreshing drink. Rich in protein and fibre, to prepare, you will need four cups de-hulled millet; one medium-sized sweet potato, peeled (optional); one teaspoon each of ginger, cloves, black pepper; sugar (to taste). Place millet in large bowl and cover with water. Leave for 24 hours, remembering to change the water every eight hours. Discard water and wash the millet thoroughly. Blend millet, sweet potato and spices until very smooth. Add some water to the pureed mixture and sieve. Allow the slurry to settle for five to seven hours and decant. Divide the settled, thick paste into two parts. Pour boiling hot water over the content of bowl 1 and stir (as if you are preparing pap). Add the content of bowl 2 into bowl 1 and stir some more. At this stage, add as much water as needed. Sweeten with sugar, Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Kunun Aya: This rich, creamy drink has tiger nuts as its main ingredient. Other ingredients needed are dates, coconut, sugar

Palm wine

you should try

Not only is our great country Nigeria blessed with variety of foods, there are also local brews loaded, which are not only nutritional and medicinal, but equally thirst-quenching and mouth-watering. These brews which contain natural ingredients provide numerous health benefits ranging from reducing high blood pressure, aiding digestion and detoxification.

BLESSING EKUM shares some recipes for the uniquely tasty and aromatic beverages that can be found in this part of the world. and preferred spices. To prepare, fresh or dried tiger nuts are best soaked in water for at least six hours prior to making the drink to ‘soften’ and also to reduce the level of unwanted anti-nutrients such as tannins, alkaloids and polyphenols. After the soaking, wash nuts thoroughly and sort out the bad ones. Blend with coconut, dates, sugar, ginger and other flavours of your choice and blend together. After blending, use a chiffon cloth or muslin to extract the drink.

Serve chilled.

Zoborodo: Commonly known as zobo, this tangy, tasty mauve-coloured drink is a delicious delight any day. Whether served chilled or tepid, this drink is guaranteed to be refreshing. To prepare, you would need one cup zobo leaves, half a small pineapple, pineapple peel (thoroughly cleaned), orange/lemon peel, water, cloves, alligator pepper, grated ginger and /or garlic, sugar or honey. Wash the dry zobo leaves repeatedly in cold water. Zobo leaves are usually very dusty so make sure you wash off all the dust. Put washed zobo leaves into a deep pot. Add pineapples and pour enough water to cover the contents of the pot. Start cooking at medium to high heat and let it

boil for five minutes. Add grated ginger and garlic and keep boiling for at least 30 minutes till zobo leaves are soft and pineapples tender. Turn off heat and set aside to cool.

When cool, sieve juice and add any sugar or artificial flavours of your choice. Stir and refrigerate. Serve.

Tsamiya: Tsamiya is a popular drink in the northern part of Nigeria and is made mainly with tamarind. To prepare this drink, you will need tsamiya (tamarind), water and sugar or honey to taste. First, place tamarind in a pot, add water and boil for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then work into the pulp with your hand to separate seeds from the pulp.

Strain to obtain juice. Dilute the juice with more water and add sugar or honey to taste. Refrigerate and serve chilled. To achieve different taste, spice with vanilla, ginger or cinnamon.

Pito: Popular in the northern part of Nigeria, especially Plateau State, this fermented alcoholic drink has close ties to Bururkutu as both are produced mainly from the grains of guinea corn. However, Pito is a sweetened variant and by-prod-

Kunun aya uct of Burukutu as it is usually filtered off from the top, and Burukutu is the sediment that settles at the base of the brew mix and is usually heavier in concentration. It is highly intoxicating, but relatively cheap and can be consumed anytime of the day-morning, afternoon and night.

Fura de nunu: It’s simply a combination of fermented cow milk (locally prepared yogurt) with ground millet mixed with a host of other ingredients and spices. You would need 1/2 cup soya bean meal; 1/2 cup millet or Guinea corn meal; 1 tsp dried pepper, ground; 1/2 tsp cloves, ground; 1 tsp. dried ginger root, ground; one tbsp. corn flour; two litres water; one litre fresh cow milk yogurt (nunu) or normal yogurt; granulated sugar to taste. To prepare, in a medium sized bowl, mix dry flour ingredients and spices together. Make a well in the center and add a little water just enough to act as a binding agent for the dry ingredients. Mold into medium sized balls. In a pot, heat water for about seven minutes and when it starts to boil, drop moulded balls into water and leave to boil for about 20 minutes. Transfer boiled balls from pot into a mortar and pound thoroughly.

Re-mould once more into small balls and sprinkle with corn flour to keep balls moist.

To serve, pour nunu into a bowl, add balls (mashed) and sugar to taste. Eat with a spoon.

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19 March, 2016

conversewithyemisi

D

EAR Yemisi, I sincerely appreciate what you are doing through this column.

I am 25 years old, a graduate in social sciences. I had the mandatory national service year one and a half years ago and currently looking for a job.

As I'm looking for a job, so am I desperately searching for true love. I have been engaged severally but all the relationships ended up in disappointment because all the guys that have been in my life at every point in time have one thing in common — they are all cheats. They cheated on me even to my face without apology.

I have been on break for sometime now, and as I am contemplating calling it off, a new guy has been on my neck in the last couple of weeks. He has been so persistent despite my nonchalant disposition towards him.

He has displayed so much affection, but I am so skeptical and wary of getting committed based on my past experience and I have not been able to demonstrate my feelings. He is so loving.

What do I do so that my past will not rob me of my future? I am not getting younger. Each time I make that move of giving him my love, I get reminded of those I had fallen in love with with nothing to show for it.

Jummie.

Dear Jummie, As long as you desire a new lease of life, you must try all you can, God helping you, to put your past behind you so that you can start afresh.

There is no human being without a past; whether enviable or sordid.

But as long as you allow the experiences of the past to dictate your now, then you are not likely to go far in having a lasting and fulfilling affair with the opposite sex.

Do not forget that we are endowed with different attributes even identical twins are not bound to behave the same way. You have to know that the guys who offended you in the past are quite different from the one asking for your attention now. You don't have to visit the sins of others on him. Who knows he might be the one to wipe away your tears.

Giving him attention is the safest and easiest way to forget the past.

Let him prove himself. Don't shut him out. You should open up to him as you discuss your fears with him.

As you progress in the new affair there are some things you must consciously do so as not to keep sulking in the past memories. One of such is that you must never again compare past experience with the present time. No relationship is ever the same. With time, you will begin to notice some traits in your new guy that might be different from what you saw in your former boyfriends.

What do I do so as not to be robbed of my future?

Saturday Tribune

08055001741 (sms only) yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

For Him Femi, petroleum marketer, based in Oyo State, needs a pretty, educated lady for a relationship. Call 09096010303.

Maxwell, 35, from Ogun State, needs a responsible Yoruba lady, aged between 26 and 30, for a relationship.

Call 07033615104.

Gbenga, graduate, needs a pretty, humble lady aged from 25 to 33 for an affair. Call 08038400984.

John, 40, civil servant, needs a Godfearing, caring lady from any Nigerian tribe, aged 29 or above for marriage.

Contact 08114629360.

Alex, 35, Lagos-based, working class, needs a lady for a relationship. Call 09033846673.

Francis, 42, gainfully employed, needs a woman aged 30 or above for marriage. Call 08168005147.

At no point in time must you talk about your former relationships, neither must you start to fantasise nor daydream of the good times you had even with the cheats.

You must avoid all temptations that will make you go online to probe into your ex-lovers’ privacy as the world has become a global village. Stop online research through Facebook, Twitter feeds WhatsApp and other sites to monitor their activities. If you embark

on this, it means you need special help.

Efforts must be made by you not to think of your sex life experience with your ex if you want this new start to be meaningful and not to be seen to be driving your mind further away from your new lover.

Be convinced that you are in for a serious business and must be handled as such as you equally forgive yourself so as to move on.

She loves her job more than me!

Dear Yemisi, I am a 38-year-old man. I am married to the love of my life and our eight-yearold marriage is blessed with two beautiful children.

I am a chemical engineer still looking for a better job in a reputable oil company. My present employment is just on the fringe as I am not getting the satisfaction I have dreamt of.

I waited for almost two years before I got this and all along my wife has been very supportive of the family. As a government medical officer, she earns better than I do.

She equally engages in private practice.

At the early days of our affair before we got married, we had the intention of settling down in Lagos, but this was not to be due to non-availability of good paying jobs. We finally settled for Osun State where she works. We are more of weekend couple kind of as I shuttle between Lagos and Osun states.

Now that the coast is being cleared for me to secure a job I have for long craved for, I have been sounding my wife out on the need for her to think of the impending relocation of the family to Lagos.

But I have noticed in her reaction since I suggested this that my suggestion did not go down well with her as she is too full of herself as she has seen herself as the all in

all just because she earns better than I do.

I suggested that if transferring her job to Lagos will not be easy she should resign in the hope of securing a better one once she joins me, but she has been so cocky and would not see eye to eye with me. I am beginning to doubt her sincerity because it appears she loves her career more than me and the family.

As things are now, she has an option to make; whether to quit her job to join me or forget about me. I am getting fed up with having to cope with two homes. What do you suggest I do? I am of the opinion that her home should be paramount to her as I have been on this for almost two years.

I want to believe she is not cheating on me. Or how do I explain her insistence on staying in Osun?

Dear Yemisi, kindly throw this open to your readers for suggestions as I believe there is wisdom in the multitude of counselling.

Horlawaley.

Dear Readers, Horlawaley needs your counsel on how to go about resolving this knotty issue threatening his peace. Kindly send your intervention to 08055001741 or yemiaofolaju @yahoo.com

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13

19 March, 2016

intimacy

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Why couples have problems with sex

T

he difference between man and woman is not only in their looks, but also in their sexual composition.

These differences are majorly responsible for the lack of sexual satisfaction between many husbands and wives. The extent to which a couple have been able to master these sexual differences will determine the extent to which they will be able to satisfy each other sexually and this will, to a great extent, determine the health of their marriage. A point I will like to stress once again is the fact that sexual satisfaction is not automatic. That you are husband and wife does not mean you will satisfy one another sexually. Every man who is sexually satisfied by his wife, and who has successfully gotten his wife to the point of looking forward to another act with him, has been able to master male and female sexual differences and is using them to their advantage. And the same goes with the woman. Sexual differences often become stumbling blocks to sexual satisfaction between couples when they are not mastered.

In his book, Covenant Marriage, Gary D. Chapman, shared some truth about sexual differences in man and woman, which I will like to share with you. According to him, man and woman sexual differences are in three major ways: sexual need, arousal patterns and sexual responses.

What they need sexually Man and woman differ in the nature of their sexual need, according to Chapman. Man’s sexual need is physically based. His gonads are continually producing sperm, which are stored in the seminal vesicles along with seminal fluid.

When the seminal vesicles are full, there is a physical push for release. And this is done through sexual intercourse.

His emotion does not come in. Whether or not things are right emotionally between himself and his wife, once his seminal vesicles are full, he feels press and he seeks for means of releasing the sperms he has stored up. That is why he can make sexual advances to his wife despite the fact that things are not right between them emotionally.

On the other hand, the sexual need of a woman tends to be more rooted in her emotion and desire to feel loved. If she feels love, she wants to make love with the husband who loves her. Once she does not feel love, she has no interest in sex. Her sexual desire is tempered by her hormonal cycle, which is influenced by her emotional and intellectual relationship with her husband.

This difference explains why many times the husband may want to have sex and the wife doesn’t, and also why husbands may desire to have sex more often than his wife.

However, Chapman advices that a man “…must place much more emphasis on nonsexual love; that is, he must communicate his love and care for his wife in ways that are more meaningful to her…Without much emotional intimacy, he cannot expect her to be as responsive sexually

interested in sexual intercourse as he is when he has been stimulated by sight. He must take his time and use kind words, tender touch, and other ways to help her feel loved in order to bring her to the same level of interest he has reached simply by sight stimulation.”

This difference is also what makes it possible for a man to be sexually aroused by watching a female figure on the television or by driving past a lady on the street.

as he may be.”

The pattern of their arousal This is another area in which a man differs from a woman.

Men tend to be sexually stimulated by what they see while women are more stimulated by tender touch, kind words, acts of service or quality time spend with their husbands.

This difference explains the reason a man can be “set on fire” just by watching his wife undress while the wife, on the other hand, may watch him undress and the thought of sex may never cross her mind. Chapman however suggests that a man “…must not expect his wife to be as

If she feels love, she wants to make love with the husband who loves her.

Once she does not feel love, she has no interest in sex. Her sexual desire is tempered by her hormonal cycle

The way they respond Men are also different from women in the area of sexual response. Men’s physical and emotional response tends to be fast and explosive, while that of women tends to be slow and lasting. This is what is responsible for early or premature ejaculation during sexual intercourse. Early or premature ejaculation is a situation where the man reaches orgasm very fast and returns back to his usual state while his wife is still gathering momentum. It connotes a situation where the wife is just beginning while the husband has finished. In this case, the wife is often aroused and left unsatisfied while the husband has had a field day.

A woman once described it to me. She said, “He takes me to an island and leaves me there to sort myself out.” Another woman said, “he takes me on a trip to the mountain top and drops me all of a sudden to fall to the ground.” The problem of premature ejaculation is responsible for the sexual dissatisfaction many women are experiencing with their husbands. And to solve this problem, Tim and Beverly LaHaye, in their best-selling book “The Act of Marriage” suggest that the man should learn to delay his entrance into his wife until she is well lubricated and her labia minora (vaginal lips) are enlarged two to three times their normal size. They also suggest that the man should remain motionless for one or two minutes after entering into his wife in other to gain control of himself.

While doing this, he should be using his finger to stimulate his wife’s clitoris in other to set her on the verge of climax before he starts thrusting.

Men and women are not the same; that is why they are called the opposite sex. Understanding these sexual differences and cooperating with them will help to deepen your sexual intimacy with your spouse.

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 me on 08112658560 for the book. Couples Day Out with Bosede Ola-Samuel comes up in Ibadan on Saturday, 26th March, 2016. You can call me for details.

14

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

with aunty yemi 08056834515 ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

T

The silver well

story

here once lived a cunning and crafty man in a small village. He always made money through deceit. “Why should I work when I have the ability to deceive others?” he would think.

One day, the man went to a foolish farmer and said, “I have a huge property that I am not able to take care of. I want to sell some of my land. Would you like to buy it?”

The farmer was in need of land, so he said, “Yes, but first I would like to see the land.”

“Sure!” said the cunning man, and led the farmer to a huge field.

At one end of the field there was a hut and a well. “The hut and the well are also for sale,” said the cunning man. “But the well is the most expensive of all.”

The farmer was surprised and asked, “What is so special about this well?” “It’s called ‘silver well,’” was the reply from the cunning man. “There is a lot of silver down there.”

Then he took the farmer to the well and pulled out a bucketful of silver, which he had arranged for beforehand. “See...” he said, “every time you pull out the bucket, you will get silver! That’s why this well is the most expensive.”

The farmer was thrilled. “If I buy this well, all my financial problems will be solved forever,” he thought.

Then he asked, “How much will it cost?” “The original price is 100 gold coins, but I shall reduce it 75, just for you, friend.” The foolish farmer felt it wasn’t a bad bargain and decided to buy the well. He went home to get the money. The cunning man followed him and waited outside his house.

The farmer’s wife was an intelligent woman, “I doubt this story of the ‘silver well,’” she said to the farmer. “Before giving away our entire savings, we must seek advice from some wise men of the village.”

The farmer agreed. He went to the cunning man and said politely, “Please give me a day to arrange for the money. You can come tomorrow morning; I shall keep it ready.”

Feeling happy that the farmer was trapped, the cunning man went away. Then, the farmer went to a wise man and asked for his opinion. “Silver Well!” the wise man exclaimed. “Tomorrow when the man comes to your house, ask him to give it to you in writing that the

Poem

get inspired

Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

—Brian Dyson

silver well belongs to him and that he is selling it to you for 75 gold coins. If he refuses to write the receipt then tell him that you will pay only 10 gold coins. If he is a genuine seller, he will give you the receipt. If he is a crook, he will agree to sell the well for 10 gold coins.” Taking the tips from the wise man, the farmer returned home.

The next morning when the cunning man arrived, the farmer said, “I am ready to buy the silver well, but you must write on a piece of paper that it belongs to you, that it produces silver, and that you are selling it to me for 75 gold coins.”

Hearing this, the cunning man was alarmed “Err... hhh....I am giving you my word, dear friend. Isn’t that enough?” he said. “All right, if you can’t give to me in writing then I shall pay you only 10 gold coins. Will that be fine?” asked the farmer. “Oh....ah...why yes...sure.” said the cunning man, still happy that he will get at least 10 gold coins.

Now the farmer was sure that the man was trying to deceive him. He caught the cunning man and handed him over to the strong men of the village.

The cunning man got a thrashing and was chased out of the village. Never again did he dare to deceive anyone. www.kidsgen.com

y a hd Birt

OluwaDARASIMI ADEDIMEJI

cloked 1 recently.

Many happy returns of the day

etiquette class

Don’t eavesdrop Ea v e s d r oppin g is bad. It’s a form of stealing because anyone who engage in the act listens or and gets information that does belong to them. This habit reduces or lowers your value when you are caught.

Children, you must stop if you have this habit and if not, help your friend who eavesdrops to stop.

Know that if you don’t stop this bad habit, it will lead to other bad habits such as backbiting. Be a good child.

Tongue Twister

15

19 March, 2016

health&fitness

Do energy-saving bulbs really cause cancer, poisoning?

By Blessing Ekum

I

n recent times, a certain picture went viral on social media showing a man’s feet that was severely infected because of a cut from a broken energy-saving bulb.

The caption stated that mercury contained in the bulb was responsible for the decayed, unhealing wound. Some came out to say that once an energy-saving bulb breaks, the mercury is released to the atmosphere and can cause severe repercussions when inhaled. Others posited that the fact that these bulbs contain mercury means their use, whether broken or otherwise, is dangerous. Generally, there have been controversies surrounding the use of energy-saving bulbs with it being linked to health problems ranging from headaches and mercury poisoning to cancer.

When the electric incandescent light bulbs, commonly known in this part of the world as “yellow bulb”, or “ordinary bulb” because of the common yellowish colour of the light rays from the bulbs, hit our market, it came to become one of the everyday conveniences that most affected our lives.

Practically every home and public place had these bulbs which boasted of a wide range of light output and voltage ratings, spanning 1.5 volts to about 300 volts. They were low cost and could easily be incorporated into electrical systems.

However with time, they became a source of environmental concern. Researchers discovered that they are not energy efficient as only about five per cent of total energy used by an incandescent bulb is converted to light energy, while the remaining 95 per cent is converted to heat energy meaning waste of energy. Principal EHS and Pollution Consultant, Gimet Safety Inc, Mr Temiloluwa Gbarada, adds that “incandescent bulbs consume huge amount of electricity and emit green house gases which have been implicated in global climate change.” As a result, countries across the globe, including Nigeria, began the phasing out of these bulbs and introduced Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) commonly called energy-saving bulbs.

Energy-saving bulbs were said to have about 9000 hours lifespan or more while incandescent lamps were said to have about 1000 hours. In fact, it was estimated that the change from the conventional incandescent light bulbs, to the energy saving fluorescent bulbs would result in a reduction of 376kw/hr of electricity during the lifetime of each bulb, and a 75 per cent decrease in the emission of greenhouse gases. According to Dr Best Ordinioha of the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, “the use of the energy saving bulbs are promoted, especially in Nigeria, as one of the ways of solving the country’s energy deficit, as the electricity consumed by the usual 60 watts incandescent

bulb is enough to light up at least four energy saving bulbs of the same illumination. They are also efficient and have the capacity to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.”

So, it became a global campaign for the use of CFLs. However, with the rising controversies surrounding its use, researchers have been saddled with the responsibility of providing clarifications. In a study entitled “The Effects of UV Emission from CFL Exposure on Human Dermal Fibroblasts and Keratinocytes in Vitro,” published in the June 2012 issue of the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, the researchers, led by Miriam Rafailovich, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and the Director of the Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces at Stony Brook University, USA, collected CFLs purchased from different locations, and then measured the amount of Ultra Violet (UV) emissions. The results revealed significant levels of UVC and UVA, which appeared to originate from cracks in the phosphor coatings, present in all CFL bulbs studied. The team took the same bulbs and studied the effects of exposure on healthy human skin tissue cells. The findings showed that “the response of healthy skin cells to UV emitted from CFL bulbs is consistent with damage from ultraviolet radiation.” Experts say UV radiation could initiate cell death and cause skin cancer in its deadliest form.

However, professor of Radiation and Health Physics and Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Farai, states that though CFLs produce UV radiation, they don’t produce at hazardous amounts and in

If CFL bulbs are destroyed like normal waste in dump sites, there is a risk of accumulation of mercury in dump sites over a long period of time. This can sip into ground water and may eventually be taken up by plant from soil. Accumulation of mercury over time may pose significant danger to health

Saturday Tribune Blessing Ekum

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

fact, produce at less than the amount produced by natural sunlight. “Radiations that can be injurious to health are in those in the category of ionising radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays from radioactive materials. The energy in this radiation is so high that they can disrupt cell functions when the body becomes overwhelmed by exposure.

Radiation from CFLs poses no health effect because it is in the class of non-ionising radiation. In fact, there is no amount of radiation from these bulbs that can compare with what the sun emits. Radiation from CFLs while in use is completely harmless. Radiation from CFLs also doesn’t cause cancer. Where the risk of cancer may lie is in the accumulation of mercury in the soil and consequently food chain when CFLs are improperly disposed of.”

Mr Gbarada says, “The phosphor coating inside the glass (which makes the glass of the bulb appear milky white in colour) is meant to trap the UV light emitted. However, research has shown that at a distance of 11 inches and more from the CFL bulbs, there is very low risk of problems arising from UV radiation.”

As for the viral picture alleging the danger of broken CFLs because of their mercury content, Mr Gbarada says “I disagree with the fact that the amount of mercury contained in one CFL bulb poses grave danger to home inhabitants. CFLs do not emit mercury as they operate.

The mercury in these bulbs is only released if the bulb is broken. However, if proper clean up procedures are followed, there is no cause for alarm.”

Regarding alleged complications from wounds inflicted

by CFLs, Dr Farai says, “any broken piece of glass that pierces the flesh exposes the skin to infections. It is very unlikely that the decay of the wound was caused by mercury. It’s most likely a result of the wound not properly cared for. Mercury, by itself, does not cause infections.”

Though these bulbs indeed contain mercury, experts say where concern about its mercury content should lie is in how the bulbs are disposed. The call for proper disposal of energy saving bulbs comes to light in the face of environmental pollution which could inadvertently affect one’s health. Dr Ordinioha says, “Burnout and broken light bulbs are commonly disposed in the various unofficial dumpsites in Nigeria where they can easily contaminate ground water.

The disposal of the bulbs in the riverine communities of Nigeria is into the surface water bodies that often serve as a source of drinking water to members of the communities.

This exposes members of these communities to mercury and provides the opportunity for the bio-accumulation of mercury in fish and other aquatic organisms in the surface water.

Fish and shell fish are known to bio-accumulate mercury to several times the concentration of the water in which they live, and is often enough to cause widespread poisoning.”

According to Mr Gbarada, “You cannot just sweep a CFL bulb with broom and vacuum cleaner, you may contaminate the environment. Care should also be taken during disposal of CFL bulbs; they should not be disposed with normal waste. If CFL bulbs are destroyed like normal waste in dump sites, there is a risk of accumulation of mercury in dump sites over a long period of time, this can sip into ground water and may eventually be taken up by plant from soil. Accumulation of mercury over time may pose significant danger to health.” Mercury is a neuro-toxin, but damages have also been reported in the kidney, skin and the cardiovascular system. Blood levels of mercury in foetuses have been associated with small decrease in IQ in low exposures and delayed developmental milestones, brain damage with mental retardation, in-coordination, and inability to move, in higher exposures.

Professor Farai adds that “waste has to be properly managed to protect the environment. The problem with CFLs arises when they are not properly disposed of. There should be a formal way of managing and disposing wastes else we would overburden our environment.”

Experts say consumers should exercise caution regarding where and how they install CFLs in their homes; they should avoid putting them in lamps likely to be sent crashing to the floor by someone knocking them from a side table or tripping over electrical cords. They also call for proper recycling procedure which should be developed by the Nigerian government or adapted from used procedures in advanced nations.

In spite of the potential dangers associated with CFLs, the good news is that CFLs are not the only energy-efficient bulbs out there. There are also light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are mercury-free.

16 healthandfitness My difficulty with sex I am 29-year-old. I got married last year. I noticed that anytime my husband is making love to me, I don’t get stimulated so it is hard for him to penetrate. What should I do?

Pelumi (by SMS)

If this does not work, you may need the further intervention of your family

Dr. Wale Okediran

doctor or a respected elderly relative in this very important issue.

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

08055069356 (sms only)

Should they get married?

It appears that your husband needs to engage in more foreplay in order to further arouse you and get you ready for the real sex.

There is so much literature, including videos in the market on how to go about an enjoyable sexual relationship in a marriage.

Raped and now pregnant My 18-year-old sister was the victim of a rape incident which has left her with a three-month-old pregnancy. The family is planning to abort the pregnancy but we are worried by the health implications.

The question is whether or not it is safe to abort the pregnancy?

Gilbert (by SMS)

situation with a combination of moral, ethical

This is another difficult

and religious dimensions.

Here, the law supports the evacuation of any pregnancy that may be of emotional or physical injury to the mother once two doctors can give the approval for its termination.

A pregnancy from a rape incident clearly falls into this category and its evacuation is quite safe if handled by competent medical hands.

My 23-year-old daughter just announced that she will be getting married by the end of this year. The problem is that she and her fiancée have the AS genotype. Although the couple don’t see anything wrong with the idea of the marriage, the family is very worried that they may go on to produce sicklers. Kindly advise.

Ndanusa (by SMS)

have a very high chance of giving birth to children with the SS genotype. This is why our young ones are usually advised to know their genotypes before they

A

Aunty Kate (by SMS) Apart from a generous daily intake of vegetables and fruits, regular physical exercise which will activate your bowels is also important for a good bowel movement. In addition, a table spoon of Liquid Paraffin or

lcohol use is on the rise and it has become a global burden. It causes harm far beyond the physical and psychological health of the drinker, including the harm to the well-being and health of people around the drinker. Alcohol is associated with many serious social and developmental issues, including violence, child neglect and abuse, absenteeism in the workplace. This is affecting different families today. How do you explain giving a job to someone with money paid and job not done and you still receive insult from the craftsman. It can only happen under alcohol influence; in fact the craftsman is alcoholics! This is one out of many examples of social deficits in the life of the alcoholics.

Harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.5 million people annually, causes illness and injury to millions more, and increasingly affects younger generations and drinkers in developing countries. Harmful alcohol use is one of four common risk factors, along with tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity, for the four main groups of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes. Alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease burden; it is the leading risk factor in the Western Pacific and the Americas and the second largest in Europe. This burden is huge! Please plan to step down on alcohol use.

Deaths from alcohol use are under-reported. Information on the adverse effect of alcohol use is not conspicuous but those of benefit on moderate alcohol use liters everywhere.

It has been very difficult convincing people with heart diseases to limit or totally stop the use of alcohol; rather they quote what they read on the internet about the benefit of alcohol to the heart. Nigeria and Cameroon rank high after Russian federation on the use of alcohol. If we are to limit cardiovascular diseases, disability and death the rate at which we take alcohol must drop!

Red wine, a “French paradox “is a form of alcohol that has been shown to have some beneficial effects on the heart. The low rate of coronary artery disease in French community was said to have probably resulted from high

Castor Oil at bedtime will also encourage a smooth bowel movement. If the above does not help, you may need to see a doctor for a proper examination as constipation in the elderly may sometimes indicate some problems with the large intestine.

get too committed. As it is now, it may be very difficult to convince your daughter not to marry her fiancée but you should still try and make them see reason.

Ideally, it is not advisable for any couple with the AS genotype to get married for the simple reason that they

Can I marry an hiv positive man?

I am always constipated I am a 55-year-old civil servant. I recently observed that I am always constipated despite eating a lot of vegetables and fruits.

Kindly let me know what else I should do to tackle my constant constipation which has always been giving me a lot of concern.

Saturday Tribune

19 March, 2016

I have been in a relationship with a 30-year-old man who has been very good to me. Just a month ago, I discovered that he is HIV positive. Despite this, the man still wants

us to get married, unfortunately I am afraid of contracting the HIV virus but I still love the man.

What should I do?

Grace (by SMS)

Please go ahead and marry him. Medical advances have made it possible for HIV positive people to get married and even go on to have healthy babies. However, before you marry this gentleman, you will need to seek proper counselling from an HIV Centre at the nearest specialist or teaching hospital to you.

There, you and your man will be taught on the rudiments of a success marriage to a HIV positive person.

Dr. Abiodun Adeoye adeoyemoshood@yahoo.com

08056564360, 08072000017 (sms only)

Alcohol use and effect on health

consumptions of red wine hence the name French Paradox.

Research studies on benefit of red wine to the heart over other alcohol have been conflicting, while some rated red wine higher, others showed there was no difference. Those that support red wine suggest it contains antioxidant called polyphenols which are divided into two main forms: flavonoids and non-flavonoids.

Some believe the key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces “bad“ cholesterol and prevents blood clots is resveratrol. While others felt most researches on this ingredient were carried out on animals (mice) and for similar effect on man, he or she would have to consume 100 to 1000 bottles of red wine a day to get quantity of resveratrol used on the mice.

In comparing red wine with beer, researchers proved that the heart benefits are the same and that even people that take red wine tend to have higher systolic blood pressure and heart rate than those that use beer. The facts about use of alcohol to protect heart are not as straightforward as being marketed by lovers of alcohol. Let us be very careful.

Worldwide, many learned fellows argue against the use of alcohol as cardio protective measures. One of them said and I quote “alcohol, even if effective, is still a dangerous substance. To society at large, alcohol is clearly a major health hazard, and the line between drinking “just enough “alcohol and “too much” alcohol is hard to define and is probably different for everybody”. Despite the known beneficial effects and coupled with the cardiovascular risks associated with heavy drinking of alcohol, the American Heart Association cautions

people NOT to start drinking if they do not already drink alcohol. The reasons are not farfetched and are explained below.

Alcohol, especially red wine as stated above, is said to have substances that help increase HDL, a good cholesterol in the body which is protective on the heart. For an adult it is advocated that HDL should be more than 45mg/dl. The increase in HDL recorded with the use of alcohol is just marginal and regular physical activities are better ways of increasing HDL. Niacin, a form of vitamin can be added as supplement to increase the HDL further. Also, alcohol beverages contain some substances such as “resveratrol” which prevent the platelets (blood cells that aid blood clot formation) in the blood from sticking together thereby making blood thinner and free flowing. Are we ready to consume 100 bottles of red wine a day to have these effects?

This effect is better achieved with the use of junior Aspirin which is widely acceptable with minimal side effects. The effect of blood thinning by the alcohol can lead to bleeding into some organs in the body like brain causing stroke if the level of alcohol consumption is not well controlled.

Red wine contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that help in reducing cardiac risk. Antioxidants are substances that prevent damages to the heart by bad chemical by- products called free radicals. If this is why we want to start drinking alcohol, these same substances are found in many foods such as grapes or red grape juice. Diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits contains more of these anti-oxidants which are cheaper and more beneficial in cardiac protection than alcohol in any form.

To be continued.

17

19 March, 2016

mediascope Dr. Phil Osagie, Chief Executive Officer of the JSP Communications recently breezed into the country from his base in Canada, where he is busy pursuing his agenda of making the PR firm the first Nigerian multinational PR agency. In this interview with Akin Adewakun, the former President of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), talks about global trends in marketing communications and why the nation’s PR practitioners should be abreast of developments. Excerpts:

How would you assess Public Relations practice in Nigeria?

PR is growing, hut advertising will always be bigger than PR because that is the way it is structured. And PR competing with advertising in terms of marketing spend is just no use because they are strategic partners. One helps the other, advertising, marketing, PR, they are all like sisters. There are some campaigns that advertising would drive, there are some campaigns that PR would drive. For me what is more important is about how you build relationship with your key constituency. PR is about providing excellent service and how you deal with the media matters. It is about how do I provide intelligent service to my client. For me PR is very much alive. The definition of PR itself is supposed to be an unpaid for communication. That’s what makes it credible. When it’s paid for, it dilutes its credibility. It becomes advertising. The international client has created a distinction between PR and advertising. If you want to pay for space, then it becomes a media buying and you call it so. I do know some times there could be hospitality. We must move away from the transaction-based relationship to transformational relationship. I think PR will grow, but I see the market shrinking. Those who are able to provide outstanding services will be getting fewer and fewer as competition increases, as pressure increases, some may succumb to the pressure and do things the way it’s not appropriate. But the companies that will be market-driven will be getting fewer and fewer.

WITH AKIN ADEWAKUN akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk 0805 468 3584

PR agency owners must be ahead of their game —Phil Osagie, CEO, JSP Communications not involved in, but which we can still be involved in.

H

ow will the change being experienced in the market place all over the globe today affect the practice of Public Relations in Nigeria?

The level of change that we are seeing right now is almost unprecedented, and this is happening at the various levels — economic, social and individual. So let us first look at what is happening globally. First, the world is changing in the area of technology. Of course that is obvious, because in the area of technology it has become a completely transformed place. Besides, the world is also changing in the way the consumers see things. In the West, there is a concept that is called the Revolution of the Rising Consumer Expectation.

That revolution is coming to Nigeria soon. It has not come yet because we are still in a fairly monopolistic situation, whereby demands still exceed supply. So demand is strong, the competition is still not that strong. So the Revolution of Rising Consumer Expectation means that consumers increasingly want more. Customer service in developed market is now becoming the way of life. If you offer good service, it’s no big deal, you have to now offer a legendary service.

Every client is valuable, nobody wants to lose a client and you keep them well. So these are concepts happening in the West that will come here eventually. We have no choice. It is important for us to prepare. I’m not sure how prepared the companies are, because the dynamics of that marketplace are different. But companies that do well are those that have global standards. One thing at the global market place is that the competition right now that we are seeing is that Western economies are not growing at the rate they were growing before. So growth is now happening more in what they call emerging market like Nigeria, Brazil, India and all others. So this is an opportunity for Nigeria, because the countries want to export to us. The challenge for Nigeria is that as long as those countries want to export to us, we also must be an export market. Until we get to that stage whereby we become a more export-oriented market, growth is going to be limited. We will not actualise our full potential and we will be struggling. Our export character is limited only to oil, why can’t we begin to export manpower? If we are just selling to ourselves, we will never be rich. That is why at JSP, we want to be Nigeria’s first global PR brand, we want to be Nigeria’s first multinationals. We want to export PR to other countries. How can we produce things that can fit into global marketing space? How can our service fit into what is required globally. It is only when we do that that Nigeria has a chance of actualising its potential.

Saturday Tribune

A lot of practitioners still have their reservations against affiliations among agencies globally, what is your thought on this topical issue?

We still have a lot of merger and acquisitions globally.

Abroad, the biggest agencies are still commanding the biggest market share and more and more companies tend to give their businesses to the biggest agencies. So in Nigeria there is a lot of talk on whether the PR industry is dying or not. I can not speak for the industry. But as a man thinketh so is the man. The industry absolutely has some major challenges. And I keep saying that the role of PR agency owners is to ensure that their agencies outlive them, they must also ensure that they are doing things that put them five years ahead of their game. They also have to ensure that they are improving the skill set of their companies. For instance, once this set goes away what will happen to the next set?

Those things must be addressed more aggressively for PR to have robust face. There is no point arguing in the papers whether PR is alive or dead. It is a debate for me that is fruitless. You prove you are alive by what you do and your performance in the market place. As PR agencies, we should strive more and more to be of strategic importance to clients. We should go beyond being a media relations provider.

We should be a strategic partner, providing strategic advice about marketing, about the global economies, about what is happening. That is the strategic role that PR must play. the way it is right now, everybody is out to eat the other person’s lunch, and businesses and clients will naturally gravitate to where their needs will be met. And if we as an agency, are not meeting the client’s needs, the client is going to move, to somewhere else where his needs will be met. The challenge is for us as PR practitioners to make sure that we are anticipating our clients’ needs and satisfying them, and then move to the state of exceeding them. I think the industry has massive potential. There is a lot of businesses that we are

There is no point arguing in the papers whether PR is alive or dead. It is a debate for me that is fruitless. You prove you are alive by what you do and your performance in the market place.

What implications would these forex fluctuations have over businesses, especially PR, in the country?

It will always affect business because Nigeria is an exportdependent economy. Even when we look inwards, we still have the mindset of going for foreign goods and services, because of the way the dollar is structured, it has both tangible effects and also psychological effects. What is important is that you should have fundamentals in place, once those fundamentals are in place you can be rest assured of your survival. The challenge for a lot of companies, especially PR agencies in Nigeria is that how can we start generating dollars? So how can we get businesses direct from overseas, instead of waiting for them to come here. When I get businesses from there, I give them an idea and I charge international rate. Abroad, PR agencies charge like lawyers and ad agencies around there. They charge per hour. For us as agencies, we’ve got to find businesses like that. We should provide international services, though we are local. Your service should be like a loaf of bread, where every slice is the same. The only slices that are different are the top and lowest slices, because they are supposed to be cover. I feel that PR practice should be like a loaf of bread, so the PR practice in Nigeria and the PR agency in London or New York should be the same. That is why what I charge should be almost the same thing that a top PR practitioner would charge in New York.

Why is it difficult for PR agencies in Nigeria not to have a standard billing system?

The answer is two-fold. Beauty is defined in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes you have to use your wisdom and your emotional intelligence. Unfortunately for some service providers in Nigeria, not just PR, they are too conscious of their clients that they don’t have a billing standard. They believe it depends on what the client can pay and you can blame them for this. The way you can have standardised rates is if you have global benchmark. Fortunately for us 80 percent of our clients are multinational clients, so our billings are based on global standard, global benchmarks. Sometimes they come in here, pay you the equivalent the amount they pay out there in the local currency, but when the naira appreciates, they still pay you that amount and you may lose out. But the way out is to have standard billings. Also the way you can also have standard billing is for you to define your own space. Say this is the minimum I can go.

But how do we effect this in the industry?

It’s hard to do standardised billing. For instance, if you say no agency should take below N1million for retainership, another agency would go behind and take N200,000, and you can’t blame them for it.

But can’t it be achieved through legislation?

In my view, the less you legislate the better. That’s my personal view, about legislation. I personally do not subscribe to legislation. It is defeatist and not sustainable.

Market forces always prevail. It’s like water, which will always find its level. If, for example, PR legislates that no agency must charge less than N1million, how can they enforce it? What stops a PR agency accepting a particular fee? The other way agencies can improve their billing is to improve the services. The better your service, the higher you are able to bill. The more respected you are, the bigger your fees. Let me give you an example. I talked to a client this morning and gave him an invoice, and he asked for a breakdown. I told him it’s a small campaign and why would the client ask for a breakdown. He now said sorry and accepted the bill. I could stand up to the client, I could talk to him that way, not to the level of insulting him. So the more your services improve, the more you are able to command a premium. We must improve our ability to command a premium, and until we do that we will always be playing a catch-up. We will always be apologizing. We must position ourselves. The best form of billing is to have an hourly rate, so that even if you give a discount, there is a basis for it.

18

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

crimeandcourt

She always starves me of sex, 77-year-old man tells court He’s a womaniser, jobless, loves to party —Wife

A

77-year-old retired engineer has pleaded with an Agboyi-Ketu customary court in Lagos state, to dissolve his 23-year-old marriage, alleging that his wife often starved him of sex.

The septuagenarian, Mr Kola Fagbule, whose address was not disclosed, told the court that his 51-year-old wife, Beatrice, always denied him sex anytime he demanded for it.

“She always starves me of sex whenever I am in the mood and I don’t want to have prostate cancer.

“At my age, I am supposed to be enjoying sex now and not when I am gone; I don’t want to die before my time,” he told the court.

Fagbule also accused Beatrice, principal of a school, of not caring for his welfare, adding that there was no more love between them.

“I am tired of her and I don’t love her anymore,” he said.

He pleaded that the court should dissolve the estranged union, saying that he could no longer tolerate Beatrice’s conduct.

The respondent, Beatrice, did not deny the allegations, but told the court that her husband was a womaniser, `party-type’ and jobless.

She also asked the court to dissolve the union which had produced a child, a university undergraduate.

President of the court, Mr O. T. Williams, adjourned the case till April 4 for ‘review of facts of the matter’.

AN Osogbo customary court in Osun State has dissolved an the eight-year-old marriage between Suliyat Adedeji and her husband, Teslim, over complaint of battering by the defendant.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Suliyat, a petty trader, also accused her husband, a shoemaker, of lack of proper care for her and their two children.

“My husband is fond of beating me. I have reported him to his parents several times but they always tell me they are less concerned.

“His parents usually say we should sort ourselves out since we agreed to marry each other from the beginning,” Suliyat told the court.

Teslim, in his defence, denied the allegation by his wife, but agreed that the marriage be dissolved.

“I was doing well and living comfortably in Lagos before she made me lose my job due to her constant trouble and turned me into a shoemaker.

“I am now just managing myself, but things are hard, I even find it hard to eat sometimes,” Teslim said.

After listening to both parties, the president of the court, Mr Gabriel Oparanti, dissolved the marriage.

Oparanti, however, implored the husband to take the welfare of his children seriously despite the divorce.

She once poured hot soup on me —Husband He beats me till I lost my hearing —Wife

leave their house. Right now, I can hear but I can’t speak, “ she said.

She, however, told the court that she loves her husband and does not subscribe to the dissolution of the marriage. “I am saying this because I don’t want to leave my child in the hands of a criminal, because I don’t have the means to take care of him.”

She urged the court to ask Fatai to return her to her healthy state. “I have done tests at hospital and I have been assured that I will talk again if I go through minor operations,” she said.

President of the court, Mr T.S Awosola adjourned the matter for a possible mediation between the couple.

‘She is disrespectful to my mother and starves me of sex’ I am not as bad as he portrays me —Wife AN Igando customary court in Lagos State has dissolved the eight-year-old marriage between a couple, over irreconcilable differences.

The complainant, Abiodun Ajao, had approached the court seeking a divorce from his wife, Abosede, over allegation of being disrespectful.

“She does not have any respect for my mother to the extent that she beats her whenever they have a misunderstanding.

“She also does not allow me to have sex with her. She is always going out and never giving an explanation of where she is going,” adding that she spends most of her time in church

despite the fact that she is a muslim.

“I give her N1000 daily for the upkeep of our child but she spends it on other things.”

He urged the court to dissolve the marriage and grant him custody of the child.

In her response, Abosede claimed that she still loves her husband and does not want to divorce him. “I am not as bad as he portrays me. Please, help me beg him.

President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola however dissolved the union and gave custody of the child to the mother, adding that Biodun should pay N15,000 monthly for the upkeep of the child.

Help me beg her, I still love her —Husband

I only told him to rent another place for me —Wife A 40-year-old businessman, Modibo Surajo, has pleaded with a Grade 1 Area Court, Gudu, Abuja, to compel his wife, Mariam, to refund N486, 000 expenses he incurred during their wedding ceremony.

Surajo told the court that he had to make the demand because his wife had refused to stay in her matrimonial home.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the petitioner, a resident of Durumi in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), accused his wife of frequently leaving their matrimonial home since they got mar-

I lost my job over her troublesome nature —Husband

A man, Fatai Ajiboye, has dragged his wife, Berverly Ajiboye, who is partially dumb before a Lagos Island customary court in Lagos State, on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

Fifty-one-year-old Fatai told the court that they both have a child who is five years old, adding that Beverly is a wicked woman, who is bent on destroying him.

“We are always fighting. One major issue we always fight about is money. She tears my cloth when I refuse to give her money. In order to avoid trouble, I gave her N2000, even when I was on the sickbed,” he said Fatai, who is a retired banker, accused his estranged wife of once pouring hot soup on him during an argument. “My wife’s brother thereafter called the police to arrest me and I spent four months in detention,” he added.

He also told the court that when he wanted to process his child’s travelling documents, he discovered that his name had been changed to Victor. “Please dissolve this marriage and grant me custody of my son,” he pleaded with the court.

Beverly, however, denied the allegations. “I was hale and hearty when I married him. He beat me mercilessly, held my neck and almost suffocated me till I almost lost my hearing.

His brothers were also involved, demanding that I should

31

My husband’s girlfriend took my pants, bra from our home, wife tells court

She asked me to divorce my first wife for her —Husband

By Olumide Gbenga, Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna with Agency Reports

He’s fond of beating me, woman tells court

Saturday Tribune

ried in 2011.

He said his marriage to the respondent produced a son but the respondent recently fled to Kaduna State to stay with her Uncle, Ismaila Alhiru.

According to him, the respondent has never stayed for three whole months in his house without running away since they got married.

He said the respondent insisted that he should get another apartment for her and should divorce his first wife before she could stay married to him, which he said, he would not do.

“You can get married to a woman from the city and she would stay with her husband in

the village peacefully, so if she is no longer interested in the marriage, I want her to refund N140, 000 which I spent on the wedding.

“She should also refund the N20,000 I paid as her dowry, I gave her friends N25,000, gave her a gift of N20,000, transportation to Niger Republic and also from Kaduna to Abuja at N120, 000.

“I hired two cars at N16,000, Aso ebi at N75, 000, I sent two people to her at N30, 000 and gave her father N150, 000 which is a total of N486, 000, I want her to refund all these money,” he said.

In her response, Mariam said she did not ask Surajo to divorce his wife, but only asked

him to get another apartment for her as the petitioner’s wife made the matrimonial home unbearable.

“I did not tell the plaintiff that I am no longer interested in our marriage, I left the house because his wife disturbs me with trouble and I do not know anybody in Abuja, that was why I went to Kaduna State where my uncle resides.

“It is left for the petitioner to choose between getting an apartment for me or me not returning to the house as I am suffering,” she said.

The presiding judge, Alhaji Imam Isah, adjourned the case till April 7 for further hearing.

A 39-year-old food vendor, Adejoke Omotosho, has told an Igando customary court in Lagos State that her husband’s girlfriend stole her underwear from their matrimonial home.

Adejoke, the petitioner, also told the court that her husband, Musiliu Omotosho, was in the habit of bringing his lovers to their oneroom apartment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the couple is blessed with four children.

The petitioner sought for divorce of the union on the grounds of lack of care and infidelity.

She said that she was the one responsible for the education of their children.

“This is the fifth time that he will bring women into our house; on four occasions I have reported him to our families.

“Most times in the past, they begged me to forgive him because of our children, which I did.

“On this fateful day, my neighbours told me that I had a visitor, but I didn’t understand what they meant, only for me to catch my husband again with another woman in our room.

“I told them that if they were not satisfied with the rounds of sex they had, they should go for more rounds,” she said.

The petitioner said that she had run out of patience and wanted the dissolution of her marriage to Musiliu.

“I am running out of patience, I had kept my cool all this while, but I felt I don’t need him again, he has disrespected me enough.

“I discovered after the lady had left our house that she went away with my bra and pants. I allowed her to go with my underwear because I cannot fight over a shameless husband.

“I have checked our lives and I realise that I’m better off without him; I pay our children’s school fees.

“I feed the family and pay the house rent since he had stopped paying. He is of no use to me,” Adejoke said.

The petitioner said that she was scared of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) from her husband due to his unfaithfulness.

“I don’t want to contract any sexually transmitted diseases from him, my children still need me.

“I will be of no use to them if I have HIV or other diseases; I want this marriage dissolved so that I can start my life all over,” she said.

Adejoke also alleged that her husband was fond of in-

timidating her sales girls.

“He goes to my shop and harasses my sales girls to give him money from the proceeds of my sales.

“There was a day he went to my shop and broke the door, because I took my keys away from where he could have had access to them.

“I don’t know how I ended up marrying him,” she said.

Musiliu, in his response, denied all the allegations.

“I usually give her N500 per day”, a claim Adejoke denied. “I pay my bills, but she also assists me as any good wife will do.

“Please, help me beg her because I still love her,” he pleaded with the court.

Musiliu added, “Iya Idaya, the woman my wife said I’m dating is a supplier on our site where I am a bricklayer.

“We were not having sex as my wife claimed, there is nothing between us,” he said.

President of the court, Adegboyega Omilola, ordered Musiliu to tell his alleged lover to return Adejoke’s underwear.

The president ordered both Musiliu and Adejoke to come along with three members of their respective families for an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) on April 17 when the case would come up.

My husband’s family detests me —Wife

She has no respect for me and my family —Husband

A 36-year-old fashion designer, Shakirat Abdulsalam, has pleaded with an Agege customary court in Lagos State to dissolve her 12-year-old marriage over her in-laws’ bad attitude towards her.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Shakirat, who resides at Morounfolu Street, Agege, Lagos, told the court that her husband’s family detests her.

“My husband’s family always accuses me that l don’t allow their son to take care of them. They also said l collected all his money from him and stopped him from having anything to do with them.

“There was a time l was sick for almost eight months due to spiritual attack; they never cared to check on me or know how l was feeling.

“My husband’s siblings have no respect for me and they gossip about me a lot.

“Whenever l go for any of their family gatherings, they treat me as if am not welcome. The hatred towards me is unbearable,” she said.

The mother of three described her husband as irresponsible and said he had been barring her from having access to their children.

Shakirat begged the court to separate them, as she was no longer interested in the union and the love she had for him had faded.

The respondent, Abeeb Abdulsalam, a 42-year-old civil servant, who resides at No. 32 Albari St., Agege, Lagos, denied the allegations.

He said that his wife had no respect for him anymore.

Abeeb said that his wife was arrogant and talked to his parents rudely.

President of the court, Mr Philip Williams, adjourned the case till April 11 for judgement.

19

19 March, 2016

voxpop

Saturday Tribune

With Kate Ani

08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

Is a club girl wife material?

Youths of marriageable age mingle at religious gatherings, social outings and public places. At the end of the day, one thing may lead to the other and a home is made. KATE ANI asks Nigerians if they can dare to take to the altar that rollicking babe ‘caught’ in a bubbly club scene.

Tayo Folarin Why immediate marriage? I can date such a lady but it’s up to me to shine my eyes!

N

Gali Ibrahim INETY-NINE percent of girls I have met at clubs are mostly whorish… they are only good for sex, but not good to bring home to meet one’s parents.

Tayo

Damola Adeoye There are no bad or good places to meet anyone. If you take that as criteria, then you will surely meet brothel regulars in churches waiting to leech on unsuspecting mugus. The Holy Spirit won’t tell you the difference between a hooker and a saint.

Bukunmi

Bukunmi Fadeyi Why not? Going to a club or a party doesn’t mean you are a slut. I go to clubs and sometimes without my boyfriend. He knows and it does not affect our relationship.

Samson

Boboye Ade It’s kinda hard to say but everything depends on how much I love that club lady. I once had a friend that met his dream girl in a club we all went together.

They are married now. For me, if the lady is cool and the type that suits me, then kini big deal?

Ronke Owoseni I don’t think relationship should be determined by such location, it is all about meeting the right person at the right time. Honestly, it really has to do with the gathering of love and happiness.

Boboye

Bolarinwa Emmanuel God forbid! I can’t marry a lady I met at a club o! Most girls who club are prostitutes, you can’t find a decent girl at such illicit gathering.

Joy Joy If you say you can’t marry such a lady, you yourself as a guy, what are you doing in that club exactly?

This is just hypocrisy. By the way, do you think everyone you meet at church is holy? Not all ladies you met at a club are bad; some go there to catch their fun.

Samson Oke Yes I can, if God says she is yours, no one can change that.

Funmi Ade Olaju tide nisinyin o. (The world is more advanced nowadays). Men can get their wives from anywhere. Some believe that all these church girls are just deceivers and pretenders.

Joseph Halleluyah If you marry a lady you met at a club, don’t start complaining when trouble begins to come o! Our elders say that ‘he who brings in ants-ridden woods into his house should not complain.

20

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

From left, Head, ICT, Secondary Education Board, FCT Abuja, Alhaji Jiya Madami; Head, Public Sector Group, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Alhaji Yusufu Modibbo and the Principal, Government Secondary School, Apo, Abuja, Mr. Abdulkadir Mahmud; during the commissioning of a fully-equipped ICT laboratory donated by Stanbic IBTC Bank to Government Secondary School, Apo, in Abuja.

From left, Chairman, Prime Waterview, Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi, Mrs Morola Babalola, Mr Dele Agekameh and the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr Leye Oyebade, during the visit of Prime Waterview manangement team to the police commissioner’s office at Eleyele, Ibadan, recently. Photo: TOMMY ADEGBITE

From left, Mr Edward Carr, Deputy Editor, The Economist; Mr Shola Adekoya, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Konga.com; Mr George Nassar, VP Procter & Gamble Nigeria and Mr Adeola Adetunji, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, at the 2016 Nigeria Economist Conference held in Lagos, recently.

From right, Dean, School of Agriculture and Bio Environmental Engineering, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Mr Dauda Lasisi, Mrs Adebimpe Ajetomobi, with Professor Tajudeen Olayanju, in gown, holding his wife, Tina, and their children, during Professor Olayanju’s inaugural lecture, held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently.

Working for peanuts

feature

The 2016 ChildVille School Cultural Day took place at the school hall in Ogudu GRA, Lagos recently. From left, Mr. Tony Obafemi, PTA chairman; Mrs. Ezinwane Eta, Head Of Secondary School; Mrs. Jola Alokolaro, Head of School; Mrs. Bunmi Bamgboye, Head of Primary School and Mr. Wola Ogundimu, during the occasion.

From left, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Michael Onuoha; Supply Chain Director, Cephas Afebuameh; Guinness Nigeria Plc, Government Services & Alcohol in Society Manager, Nkiru Ogburuche; Ciroc Ambassador, Bankole Wellington and the Corporate Communications Manager, Olayinka Edmond, all of Guinness Nigeria Plc at the DrinkiQ Roundtable for media practitioners held in Lagos.

The sad tales of ‘private school’ teachers

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Many hazards of the swimming pool

I trust too much, get betrayals in return —Monique

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Herdsmen menace: Buhari should act fast, or… —Olajide From left, Prince Rotimi Olagunju, the founder and president Sola Olagunju Foundation (SOF), Chief (Mrs) Sola Olagunju, Mr S.A. Olasunkanmi, one the speakers, Mr Akin Fatunke, Mrs Foluke Ademokun and one of the receipients, Mrs Moji Komolafe, receiving her gift at the seminar and empowerment 2016 organised by Sola Olagunju Foundation (SOF) held at Wallan Hotel, Ibadan recently. Photo: Alolade Ganiyu

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21

opinion

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Still on radical Islamist terrorism in West Africa

By John Campbell (cfr.org)

A

l-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its affiliates launched an attack in Mali in November, one in Burkina Faso in January, and now in Ivory Coast over the past weekend. On March 16, Boko Haram attacked a mosque in Maiduguri, Nigeria, killing at least twenty-two people. The CFR’s Nigeria Security Tracker shows that Boko Haram has been associated with more than 150 deaths since January 1, 2016, but before the March 16 mosque attack.

Even in Senegal, a genuine democracy where the opposition comes to power through elections, there is concern about signs of radical activity.

There is no evidence of AQIM and Boko Haram tactical or strategic coordination; indeed, at least in rhetoric, they are mortal enemies, despite their common rhetoric. AQIM, like the broader al-Qaeda of which it is a part, is international in scope and violently hostile to the West. Its leadership appears to be Algerian.

Boko Haram is focused on the destruction of the Nigerian state rather than war against the West. It appears to be centered in the Kanuri ethnic group, and while its rhetoric is hostile to the west, it has yet to attack western facilities or installations.

Yet there do seem to be commonalities in the current wave of terrorism across West Africa.

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ivory Coast are postcivil war or post-coup states where France has played an important role in ending the most recent round of crises. All three states are internally divided with weak governance and marginalized population groups, despite successful elections (Mali, Ivory Coast) or coup failure (Burkina Faso). Nigeria faces an incipient insurrection in its oil patch, and Boko Haram has been seeking to destroy the secular government

for almost seven years. Leadership certainly matters.

Ivory Coast’s Allasane Ouattara, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, and Senegal’s Macky Sall have vision and are seeking to meet national challenges. But that takes time and resources, and the burden of recent history is

There is no evidence of AQIM and Boko Haram tactical or strategic coordination; indeed, at least in rhetoric, they are mortal enemies, despite their common rhetoric.

heavy. Terrorism drives tourism and government revenue down in Mali, Ivory Coast, likely soon in Senegal. Nigerian government revenue has fallen with the decline in oil prices. Governments have less to work with than in the past, with the exception of Ivory Coast.

AQIM and possibly the self-proclaimed Islamic State seem to be pushing into sub-Saharan Africa from North Africa. Both are under pressure in their North African areas of operation. Algeria, despite its present leadership issues, has a stronger military and better security services than those in West Africa and they have had some success against AQIM. In Libya, the international effort appears to be bringing pressure on the Islamic State. The response of both movements appears to be to push south, and possibly, to resolve some of their internal differences.

Finally, recent terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast and Nigeria are all against soft targets. Beach resorts, hotels, and places of worship are easier to attack than police stations or army barracks, generate extensive carnage, and net international publicity. In those terms, the recent round has been remarkably successful.

John campbell is a former United States’ ambassador to Nigeria

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19 March, 2016

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By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

T

he moment had long been awaited by the people of Lagos State and their kindred from other parts of Yorubaland. Lagos State had been the only state in the South West geopolitical region excluded from the membership of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, a legacy bequeathed to the region by its founding fathers. A lot of argument had been advanced for the necessity of integrating the state into the Group but a number of issues had made its immediate realisation a mirage. However, in spite of its delayed manifestation, the announcement of the admission of Lagos State into the membership of the Odu’a Group at the end of a meeting of the governors of Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states in Ibadan on Tuesday, January 19, this year did not fail to elicit profound elation.

Perhaps the most delighted person was Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode. In his reaction to the development, he had not hidden his excitement at the admission of the state into the Odu’a Group fold even as he noted that it would facilitate the integration of the region.

The governor, who said that joining the Odu’a Group had been a priority of his administration, added that, “With its huge population, its vibrant economic base and its being the centre of economic and business activities in Nigeria, Lagos is uniquely placed to contribute to the development and growth of the Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the investment arm of the group, as well as the integration of the South-West of Nigeria.”

According to chairman of the board of Odu’a Group, Dr. Isaac Akintade, bringing Lagos State into Odu’a Group would be mutually beneficial as both the new member as well as the old ones would reap huge dividends from the decision. He added that the whole region would be the better for it economically, culturally and with respect to strategic partnership.

When Saturday Tribune sought the views of the Group Managing Director of the company, Mr Adewale Raji, on the rationale behind the decision of the owner state governors to widen the ownership base of the conglomerate with the inclusion of Lagos State, he said it was to foster regional economic integration.

He said, “The focus is on accelerated economic development with sustainable impact. For example, consider what the European Union has achieved within the global economy compared with what individual member countries can achieve alone. All these have happened without members losing their identity. We need to start integrating and executing policies that optimise regional impact. Our owners have committed to using Odu’a Group as the engine room for the economic development of the South West.

This is the kind of ambition that we hope we can achieve through our operations.”

The GMD also noted that, “Lagos is the commercial hub of Nigeria and this membership of Odu’a Group allows us to take regional integration as the cornerstone of our strategic thrust. In our strategic planning, the entire South West region and the comparative advantages of its constituent states will be paramount.

Lagos, with her huge population and vibrant economic base, needs support of the entire region in many key areas, particularly adjoining states complimentary infrastructural development on transport, housing, food supply, etc. In essence, there are mutual benefits accruing to Lagos and other Odu’a states with this development.”

Raji added that Lagos should have been part of the group long before now.

His words: “Taking a step back into history, what currently is geographically called Lagos State was all part of Western Region until the creation of states in 1967.

Then, Western Region started from Jibowu, Yaba and included all of what we all know as old Ikeja, Epe and Ikorodu Divisions. In fact the entire Ikeja Industrial Estates around Oba Akran Avenue, Adeniyi Jones and Ogba were creations of the then Western Region government within their geographical jurisdiction. In essence, the rejoining

Lagos, Odu’a and owner states’ interests of Lagos State and accepting them back to Odu’a Group is clearly a repeat of history. What we have seen so far from commentaries across board is that the news has been positively well received indicating that our approach was indeed the right one.”

For Mr Oladipo Famakinwa, Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), a commission set up by the six states in the region to champion collaboration among the states, the admission of Lagos State into the fold of Odu’a conglomerate would not only facilitate the integration of the region but also engender its development.

In an interview with Saturday Tribune, he said “The purpose of DAWN is to foster regional cooperation and integration as a catalyst for development. The South West is an economic bloc, and as such, a regional approach to its development will be cost-effective and economically viable, especially in the areas of infrastructure, industrialisation, commerce, the environment and agriculture. But this cannot be achieved unless all the states in the region belong to the Odu’a conglomerate.”

He added that there are two planks for achieving integration in the region which are strategy and process. He went further to say that DAWN is the region’s think tank

that will come up with the strategy for integration while Odu’a will drive the process because of its role as a private sector operator.

“So, unless all the member-states are involved, the integration may not be achieved,” he said.

According to Famakinwa, DAWN seeks to encourage South West states to develop a common set of integrated development strategies which would enable the region and its citizens to experience a well-managed process of development across all spheres of existence.

However, one issue that has been of concern to observers is that of equity holding among the members. Dr Segun Mimiko, Ondo State governor, who announced the admission of Lagos State into the fold after the governors’ meeting in January, did not give any insight into how the inclusion of the state would impact on the equity structure of the conglomerate. He also did not volunteer any information about what Lagos was bringing to the table

To ensure equity, Lagos State must be ready for the take-over of Ibile Holdings by Odu’a Group. Even at that, the assets of Ibile will have to be assessed to determine what percentage of Odu’a equity will be ceded to Lagos.

to justify its inclusion as a partaker in the commonwealth of the South West region.

This has resulted in some people suggesting the acquisition of Ibile Holdings, an investment company owned by Lagos State, by Odu’a Investment as the state’s stake in the Group.

According to Mr Deinde Ogunsinmi, an entrepreneur,

the most appropriate thing would be for Ibile Holding to be taken over by Odu’a Group.

“To ensure equity, Lagos State must be ready for the takeover of Ibile Holdings by Odu’a Group. Even at that, the assets of Ibile will have to be assessed to determine what percentage of Odu’a equity will be ceded to Lagos,” Ogunsinmi said.

Speaking in a similar vein, Mrs Iyabo Sodeke said the issue of what Lagos State would contribute to the Group to merit its inclusion must be publicly discussed to guard against other states being shortchanged.

Mrs Sodeke, who runs a travel agency in Lagos, said, “I would have subscribed to the idea of Odu’a taking over Ibile Holdings, but what is the worth of the company? The worth has to be determined to know what Lagos is bringing to the Group.”

But Mr. Lateef Adisa, a property development consultant, holds a different view. According to him, since other states have their own investments outside of Odu’a Group, it will not be right to deprive Lagos of its right to continue to run Ibile Holdings.

Adisa said, “It is up to the state governors to decide how they want to handle the equity. We should not forget that we have the same history; the assets of Odu’a belong to all Yoruba sons and daughters. In addition, other states have their own investment outfits, so it is not right to say Ibile should merge with Odu’a unless the Lagos State government believes it can no longer run the investment outfit and wants it subsumed in Odu’a.”

Adisa is of the view that other states stand to benefit more from the inclusion of Lagos State in the group than Lagos State itself.

“Other states, especially Ogun, will benefit more from this arrangement. The potential in Lagos is awesome. With this arrangement, there will be an overflow from Lagos to other states. We should not be myopic by being too mindful of small matters of what Lagos is bringing to the group. As I noted earlier, everything owned by Odu’a belongs to all Yoruba people. The question of what Lagos is bringing in will not be relevant unless we are saying that Lagos is not a Yoruba state,” Adisa said.

However, Chief Akintade, while throwing light on the matter of equity, said, “What we are currently doing is to assess all Odu’a’s assets to determine the total value. It will be divided equally with what Lagos is bringing into it, which would be shared equally. Economically, we have so many investments in Lagos, and it is possible to form economic bloc because there are so many things we can do together for joint regional development.”

Odu’a’s GMD, Raji, while speaking on equity acquisition

by Lagos State, said, “The modalities for Lagos acquiring the equity holding will be amicably agreed with all members.”

On what changes the inclusion of Lagos State would engender in the group, he said, “We look forward to tremendous changes with Lagos State joining Odu’a. The scale of synergy that we intend to achieve is geometric rather than arithmetic. Our membership will become six from five and the expectation of the owner states and stakeholders is that we are not looking for an economic and social impact of six but that of 20 and more. Extensive complementarities of the six states are expected. The commercial and financial muscles of Lagos will strengthen Odu’a Group to play optimally on a regional basis and scale. Lagos will bring increased capability and perhaps added vigour and drive to the Group.”

He added, “The governance framework of Odua Group will accommodate Lagos membership on the Board of the holding company, its subsidiaries and associate companies. The institutional structures of meetings of Owner State Governors and Secretaries to State Governments will henceforth include Lagos State. In addition, employment opportunities within Odu’a Group will be extended to indigenes of Lagos State.

Equal ownership will now be by six states from previous five.”

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

How Northern Nigeria’s violent history explains Boko Haram

By John Hare - National Geographic

L

ong before this extremist group arose, other radicals terrorized the region, British former administrator says.

In the northern Nigerian town of Gombe, I became a registered alcoholic at the age of 22.

The year was 1957, and I was starting out as a district officer (the last to be recruited by the British government for service in northern Nigeria) just three years before the country won its independence.

The only way I could enjoy a “drink” in Gombe—a sleepy mud-brick township, laid out by the British in the 1920s, where Islamic laws were in force—was to issue myself an “addict’s license.” That document allowed me to obtain liquor from the “pagan” city of Jos, 175 miles (280 kilometers) away.

In my administrative capacity, I also had the authority to issue addict’s licenses to the 12 other expatriate Europeans who lived in Gombe. I doubt many other towns in the world can claim the distinction of having their entire expatriate community registered as alcoholics.

I lived in a circular, thatched mud house and rode to work on my horse, which I hitched to a rail outside my office.

Gombe was essentially a happy place, presided over by a benign and astute Muslim emir of the Fulani tribe and a team of enlightened councillors. Apart from the odd dispute over a woman or land, there was little violence. Gambling was frowned on, but a blind eye was turned toward the drumming and dancing that in a pre-television age carried on throughout the year, except during the month of Ramadan.

But today Gombe is on the front lines of the obscene and bloody battle waged by Boko Haram to impose an extreme interpretation of Islam on the whole of northern Nigeria.

How has it come to pass that 55 years after Nigeria’s independence, peaceful towns are being terrorized, attracting suicide bombers and an invading army of fundamentalist Islamists?

Boko Haram’s form of violent dissent, which is particularly horrific, has an exact historical precedent 125 years ago in precisely the same part of what is now Nigeria and Cameroon.

In 1893, a renegade Islamic fanatic, Rabih Fadi Allah, invaded the region from Darfur, in western Sudan.

Rabih had fallen out with the Islamic reformer and self-proclaimed al-Mahdi, or holy man, Muhammad Ahmad, whose presence on Earth was thought to presage the end of the world and whose troops in 1885

killed the British general known as Gordon of Khartoum.

Rabih’s horde of Islamic fighters swept in on horseback, beheading, looting, and enslaving in the name of Allah in a manner similar to Boko Haram today.

Nothing has been remembered more faithfully about Rabih than his violent temper, a passion that could be aroused for no apparent reason and not infrequently led to his inflicting savage beatings with his sword or killing people either by slitting their throats or cutting off their heads.

Rabih’s favorite curse was Allah rektar rasak—may God cut off your head.

Abubakar Shekau, the self-proclaimed leader of Boko Haram, is said to be a fearless loner, a complex and paradoxical man, part-theologian, part-gangster.

Since he assumed the insurgency’s leadership in 2009, after the death of Mohammed Yusuf, the movement’s founder, Boko Haram has become more radical.

Abubakar Shekau has carried out even more appalling atrocities than his predecessor.

He achieved savage notoriety in a video clip that showed him laughing as he admitted having abducted more than 200 Christian schoolgirls, mainly of the Kibaku tribe, in April 2014.

“I abducted your girls,” he jeered. “I will sell them in the market, by Allah. I will sell them off and marry them off.”

The two men appear to be similar kinds of fanatical, psychopathic leaders with a shared appetite for enslavement and murder.

One habit of Rabih’s has not as yet been imitated by Abubakar Shekau: Known as “Rabih’s mark,” it was his way of defining ownership of all his slaves, followers, and subject communities. The marks varied—three small cuts on either cheek, three lines at the corner of the mouth, or a notched cross on the face forming an enormous raised scar.

In 1893, Rabih destroyed the Kanuri shehu (emir) of Borno’s capital in Kukawa, killing more than 3,000 people and enslaving 3,800.

Rabih established his capital in Dikwa, 80 miles southeast of Kukawa, where his arbitrary rule was conducted in a sea of blood and horror. The remains of his house can still be seen today.

The parallel with Boko Haram is compelling. Kukawa is only 23 miles (37 kilometers) from Baga and a nearby town, where this year, on January 3, Abubakar Shekau’s followers are alleged to have killed 300 people or more and destroyed 3,000 houses.

Abubakar Shekau established Boko Haram’s Gwoza headquarters a hundred miles (160 kilometers) south

of Dikwa, killing the incumbent emir of Gwoza in the process.

Rabih was finally killed on April 22, 1900, in a battle with the French, and the illustrious Borno Empire was divided among the French, Germans, and British.

Hamman Yaji: A Ruthless Slaver Malam Risku, of the Marghi tribe, was chief of the town of Madagali and a good friend when I was in northern Nigeria. A convert to Christianity, as a boy he’d been carried over the mountains to escape the depredations of an Islamic slave raider, the notorious Fulani tribesman Hamman Yaji.

Hamman Yaji recorded his activities in a diary in Arabic script: 1913, May 12: I sent my soldiers to Sukur, and they destroyed the house of the arnardo [the pagan chieftain] and took a horse and seven slave girls and burned the house.

1917, August 16: I sent Fad-el-Allah with his men to raid Sukur. They captured 80 slaves, of whom I gave away 40. We killed 27 men and women and 17 children.

An eyewitness account relates that “on one raid, Hamman Yaji’s soldiers cut off the heads of the dead pagans in front of the chief of Sukur’s house, threw them into a hole in the ground, set them alight, and cooked their food over the flames.”

The wives of dead Sukur men were reported as being ordered to come forward and collect their husband’s heads in a calabash. Children were said to have had wire hammered through their ears and jaws by the soldiers.

Children were said to have had wire hammered through their ears and jaws by the soldiers.

Another witness described how when Hamman Yaji learned of the deep significance of the burial rights in Sukur, he ordered his soldiers to cut up the bodies of the dead so they couldn’t be given a proper burial.

Boko Haram has ravaged Sukur, a hilltop village I knew well. The village is deserted now, the people’s ancient tribal culture destroyed.

Rabih’s and Hamman Yaji’s descendants (and there are hundreds of them) still live in the area. I wonder how many of them are active in Boko Haram today?

John Hare was a district officer for the British and Nigerian governments and worked for the United Nations Environment Programme. He then established the Wild Camel Protection Foundation to save the critically endangered wild double-humped camel in Central Asia from extinction. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Hare has received numerous awards for his exploratory and conservation activities.

Glo Data Mart TVC enhances subscribers’ value

By Adunni Sowunmi One veritable platform being employed by the next generation network, Globacom, to communicate its brand promise is the television commercial which entails dramatization of information through a robust deployment of a panoply of its iconic brand ambassadors. One after the other, the television commercials alert Nigerians to the mouth watering offerings

by Globacom and the Glo Data Mart TVC is not different as it takes the subscriber through the rich data offers on display at the mart.

With urbane Richard MofeDamijo (RMD) as protagonist, the Glo Mart TVC opens with a shot of an open bar where RMD surrounded by other bystanders is reading a newspaper with a

Globacom print advertisement featuring the lady of songs, Di’ja Blell announcing that with just N1,000 Glo subscribers can get 1.5 GB while N2,000 will fetch them a whopping 4.5 GB!. The commercial starts with a series of rhetorical questions from an overwhelmed persona wondering how a telecommunication network can deliver so great a value with a paltry sum!

How do you explain the unbelievable mega data plans offered by the Glo Mart? asks RMD as he flips through the newspaper.

He then rises from the table and pays for his drink and proceeds to point to another artwork announcing another juicy offer with the picture of Mavin sensation, Reekado Banks promising 6GB for N3,000 and in a geometric incremental value N4,000 earning the user 9 GB!

This fantastic offer leads RMD to posit another question “How do you explain that?” whilst pointing to the poster. He then moves on to another poster offering featuring Korede Bello’s picture and advertising the booster plans which can serve as boosters for the data plans whenever a subscriber runs short without notice. N200 will give the user 500 MB while N500 attracts 1 GB! It does not end there as RMD moves to show the viewer, the Thank God It’s Friday(TGIF) poster with the picture of inimitable Wiz Kid emblazoned and promising a hard-to-believe 3GB for only N500 on weekends and 1GB for just night browsing with N200. He captures this with another rhetorical question “How can Glo offer TGIF of 3GB for only N500?”

Subscribers also have the opportunity to do either a monthly plan or night or weekend or booster plans. The protagonist goes on to adduce reasons for this incredible offers saying “…

Glo submarine cables pour 2.4 terra bites of world class bandwidth to West Africa every second seamlessly connected to Glo’s 20 kilometers fibre optic network offering the best customer services to every individual, every family, institutions and business”. Relevant shots of cited subscribers complement RMD’s narrative and confer the TVC with its grand appeal. RMD then justifies it by positing in this sound bite “…It all suddenly makes sense! Doesn’t it?”.

The opt in code is *777# for all data plans. This is very symbolic as the significance of figure seven in card games is well

acknowledged and it is referred to as ‘ace’ when it is tripled.

An ace is the proverbial game changer that can be used to break logjams and solve problems when one literally has the cards stacked against him or you are in a disadvantageous situation that may prevent you from achieving your goals. The unique thing about the opt in code is that it is monolithic for all the data offerings and it is easily recalled by subscribers.

All said, the next generation network, Globacom is forever reinventing to add more value to its highly esteemed subscribers and the Glo Data Mart TVC is another innovative way of further raising the bar in marketing communications and offering more data for the subscribers’ hard earned money.

24 news The Word Bible Church holds 3-day spiritual programme THE Word Bible Church International, Palace of Healing, 1, Ganiyu Close, Ajelogo Ketu, Lagos, will hold the March 2016 edition of its programme at its multipurpose prayer meeting with the theme “WASH IN THE BLOOD.�

The three-day spiritfilled event will be held between Monday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 23, 2016 and the programme will take place between 8.00am and 1.00 pm each day, at The Word Bible Church International Headquarters.

The presiding Pastor and founder of the church, Prophet Babatunde Kumoluyi and other anointed men of God will minister at the programme.

Prophet Dr. J. B. Kumoluyi

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

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businessextra

Saturday Tribune

Edited by Sulaimon Olanrewaju

lanresulaiman123@gmail.com 0805 500 1708

Why doing business in Nigeria’s seaports/ borders is expensive

The World Bank recently ranked Nigeria 182nd out of 189 countries on the Ease-of-doing-business across international borders. In this report, TOLA ADENUBI examines why doing business in Nigeria’s international border is on the high side.

A

ccording to the United Nations (UN), a Single Window trade platform is a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised information and documents with a single entry point to fulfil all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements. In the words of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Single Window environment is a cross-border, intelligent facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised information, mainly electronic, with a single entry point to fulfil all import, export and transit related regulatory requirements.

In its recent ranking of countries on the Ease-of-doingbusiness, the World Bank rated Denmark as the number one country with a seamless way of handing trade transaction across international borders. The highest ranked African country was Swaziland at number 30 while Nigeria came a distant 182nd out of 189 economies.

According to the World Bank Doing Business-Trading Across Borders Report 2016, Nigeria’s economy is just better than seven economies globally in terms of ease of doing business across trade border.

Parameters used in the latest World Bank report are customs clearance and inspections; inspection by other agencies of government; port or border handling at most widely used port or border of the economy; obtaining, preparing and submitting documents during clearance, inspections and port or border handling amongst others.

A number of reasons below contribute to Nigeria’s slump in the World Bank Ease-of-doing-business at the ports and border stations.

Human-to-human contact It is no surprise that Nigeria came a distant 182nd out of 189 economies due to the poor level of trade facilitation currently being experienced at the nation’s seaports and border stations. The level of human-to-human contact at Nigerian seaports and border stations is relatively very high due to the ever presence of a host of government agencies at the nation’s border stations.

With too much government agency officials at the nation’s border stations which tend to breed corruption at the ports, importers are subjected to undue waste of man hours trying to bring in goods into the country while also having to tip these officials in the forms of bribes to push their goods through.

The World Bank document further revealed that in Nigeria, it will take an importer about 55 days (1,327 hours) to complete all necessary border and documentary compliance certificates to bring in goods into the country, while an exporter will spend 12 days (290 hours) to complete all necessary documents for export.

On the cost to importers in Nigeria, the report stated that it will cost an importer $471 to import goods while an exporter will spend $1036 to export goods.

Obsolete scanners Another reason, importers pay through the nose to do business at the nation’s seaport is due to the state of the scanning machines at the ports. Many of the scanners inherited by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from the Destination Inspection firms are obsolete and beyond repair.

That is why today, 90 per cent of goods that come into Nigeria are subjected to 100 per cent examination by customs officials. This means that every cargo has to be emptied by hand for customs officials to see its content and then after verifying such cargo, its contents are packed back before such cargo is allowed to exit the port or border station.

For the volume of cargoes that berth at Nigeria’s seaports, 100 per cent examination process is a long process as it leads to waste of time and congestion in the ports. This

ultimately leads to incurring of demurrage on such cargoes that are trapped in the long queue waiting for 100 per cent examination.

Despite the fact that it is no fault of the importers that their cargoes are subjected to 100 per cent examination which leads to undue delay of cargoes at the ports and ultimately incur demurrage, most importers are always on the receiving end of such transaction as many are forced to pay demurrage for time wasted at the ports.

Collaboration by other govt agencies Not all government agencies have collaborated with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as regards the Single Window initiative. Recently, while speaking in Accra, Ghana, spokesman for the NCS, Wale Adeniyi, stated that there is need for increased collaboration by other sister government agencies for the Single Window facility to be effective at the seaports.

However, examples have shown that for countries that are leading in the World Bank Ease-of-doing-business

In Nigeria, it will take an importer about 55 days (1,327 hours) to complete all necessary border and documentary compliance certificates to bring in goods into the country, while an exporter will spend 12 days (290 hours) to complete all necessary documents for export...It takes just 24 hours to clear goods at Thailand ports

ranking, collaboration has been crucial.

Speaking to Saturday Tribune, a Single Window expert, Dr Somnuk Keretho, stated that for Nigeria to improve in the World Bank Ease-of-Doing-Business ranking, the nation needs to implement the Single Window facility as a national policy.

Dr Keretho, a senior lecturer at the Institute for Information Technology Innovation in Bangkok, Thailand, spoke exclusively to Saturday Tribune in Akosombo, Ghana, during the Ghana National Single Window Media Trade Facilitation Workshop, sponsored by West Blue Consulting.

According to him, “in Thailand, 36 government agencies and departments are involved in the country’s Single Window facility. I have been working with the Thailand government on the Single Window project for the past 10 years.

“I have been involved in helping my government do the feasibility studies and road map development of the Single Window project. In Thailand, departments like those of agriculture, fisheries, food and drug, transport and many other regulatory agencies of government have keyed into the Single Window project.

“Much of the Thailand clearing process is now in the electronic form. Nigeria can take a cue from this. It takes just 24 hours to clear goods at Thailand ports, that is for customs clearance. We have less than 10 per cent of shipment that go for physical examination.

“I was in Nigeria in 2012 and I noticed that even though the customs process is electronic, there are still many manual forms of cargo clearance. You see people moving from one office to the other with paper documents.

“Nigeria needs to embark on automation of majority of her clearing process. There is need to reduce the amount of physical examination at the Nigerian seaports and border stations. There ought to be better coordination between customs and other regulatory agencies.

“At a point, Thailand was number 10 in the World Bank Ease-of-Doing-Business report. Now we have gone back a little bit because other countries are improving. Nigeria needs to reduce the amount of paper clearance at her border stations and seaport port.

“The Nigerian Customs Service has already introduced the Single Window project, but it won’t work if others don’t key in.”

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19 March, 2016

ntertainment News

Society Gist

RMD is back on screen

Saturday Tribune with Joan Omionawele and

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

Celebrity Interviews

Manslaughter:

Nollywood celebrities plead for Fiberesima

pg32

pg32

Rukky Sanda

lashes out at impostors

•Says I have never taken anything from any fan

>>pg33

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19 March, 2016

I’m ready to support Falz my son— Femi Falana Stories By Newton Ray-Ukwuoma

B

ARRISTER Femi Falana (SAN), father of sensational comic rapper, Folarin Falana, alias Falz, the Bahd Guy, was one of the guests during the pre-

miere of an extended music video titled “Soldier” by Falz and Simi.

The legal luminary, who had been somewhat distant about his son’s musical diversion, finally gave his nod of approval to the chosen career of his only child as well as promis-

Saturday Tribune

ing to support him regardless of his love for the Law profession.

“I thought he would make a fantastic lawyer,” he commenced in a speech after the screening of the musical video. “That was what his mother and I sent him to school to study. But our people say that if a masquerade dances well, he is asked to dance again. You have danced well tonight and I will discuss with your mother on how to support you,” he ended as applause rent the air from the audience.

An excited Falz also listened to his human activist dad review the first ever expanded musical video in Nigeria, commenting on the role of music in checking the spurious activities of the military towards protecting civil right liberty of the girl child.

The Clearance Peter’s directed musical video has been regarded as the first short musical movie to be shot by a Nigerian. Falz, reacting to questions from the audience, renewed his intent to change the game once more.

Banky W and DJ Xclusive thrill guests at Hard Rock Café Launch

A USA-based restaurant known as Hard Rock Café International officially opened its doors in Victoria Island, Lagos with its grand opening celebration held on Friday.

The event witnessed stunning performances by Banky W, superstar DJ Xclusive as well as other star singers and dancers.

Hosted by TV personality, Ozzy Agu, the grand event featured Hard Rock’s famous guitar smash and a host of other superstars such as Seyi shay, Sasha P, Ebuka ObiUchendu, Bryan Okwara, Sound Sultan, Shaydee, Vaavaa Voom, Lisa Folawiyo, Elohor Aisien, Nobel Igwe, Titi and Oscar Oyinsan, Destiny Amaka, Rich Tanksley, Marcy Dolapo oni, DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Zeez, international music video director, Director X and many more celebrities including International VIP guests, who

were present to commemorate the much anticipated opening of Hard Rock Café in Lagos.

Mr Sanjay Mahtani, the Hard Rock Café local partner as well as the Hard Rock International executives from the United States and Europe, including Hamish Dodds (President and CEO), Antonio Bautista (Sr. Vice President, Franchise Operations), Anibal Fernandez (Area Vice President, Franchise Development and Operations - EMEA) were present during the grand opening ceremony in Lagos.

Speaking during the event, Anibal Fernandez, the Vice President of Hard Rock International lauded the booming entertainment industry in Lagos, Nigeria which said contributed to the setting up shop of the company that located in over 59 countries.

He said, “The grand opening of Hard Rock Cafe Lagos marks our third location in Africa, and we could think of no better way to celebrate than with an exclusive, live concert to commemorate this milestone and great addition to the local music and dining scene.

Lagos is such a lively city with a very rich R&B and hip hop music heritage, which aligns perfectly with Hard Rock’s DNA. We congratulate our partners, SJM with whom we have already opened multiple successful cafes in India, for supporting us and welcoming us into the community”.

I came to Nigeria to take over the music industry – US -based Cameroonian singer,

Ashley Stephanie

WHILE the current video of popular singer, Ashley Stephanie, ‘Molo Molo’ is still making waves in Nigeria and other parts of the world, the USA based Cameroonian singer who has an in-depth love for Nigeria has finally relocated to

Yemi Alade opens up on the titling of sophomore album, Mama Africa

EFFYZZIE Music Group first lady, Yemi Alade has revealed the reason behind the titling of her soon-to-be-released album, Mama Africa, following growing interests among her fan base.

The Johnny singer, whose King of Queens debut album released in 2014 had been regarded as a huge commercial success, told a clutch of fans and newsmen during the premiere of her sophomore album at the Ozone Cinemas, Lagos that the title was occasioned on her new awareness in the music industry.

Ms Alade, who said her numerous visits to many African countries performing and reaching out to fans had impressed a much more affection for the continent on her, added that though she was given the name, Mama Africa, because of her Africa travels, she was prepared to foster the cultural heritage of the African continent to the world through her music and attire.

“Between 2014 and 2015 a lot has changed in my personality,” she

said. “I have been influenced by and have influenced so many people.

My idea about music has changed and so the title of my album as well as its body of the work reflects my new outlook about life and music in general.

“I have been travelling a lot especially around Africa. After a really protracted journey across Africa performing and reaching out to many people in Africa, my producer, Fliptyce and so many other people started calling me Mama Africa.

“So, why I was thinking of a title for my album it just made sense to call it Mama Africa. I love Africa. I love my heritage and I am not ashamed of where I come from. That’s probably why my outfit is unique and always African. Sometimes when I travel to Europe or America, white people stop at the walkway to look at me.

That gives me courage to be even more African. And I intend to promote my African heritage through my music,” said the Taking Over Me crooner.

Nigeria to have a close link with her fans.

Giving the reasons behind her return, the sexy, international singer, and electrifiing entertainer squealed that she aims at settling in Nigeria to promote her music career and as well motivate the women in the Nigerian music industry to buckle up and take their position which is currently dominated by their male counterparts.

“Africans in the Diaspora,” she said, “need to come back to their root. We have put a lot in the international music world. We need to bring some of those goodies back home, that’s why I am here. I have been in Calabar carnival for four consecutive years, sharing same stage with some top African music stars, like Psquare, Awilo and co.

“Americans are looking up to Africans because we have good music and fierce dance moves.

However, there is something lacking in the African music: the women. The males in the industry are dominating. I think it’s about time female singers came out of their shells and fought for a position too. We have so much love and respect for our male colleagues, but we also need a better share of the attention.

“Nigeria should expect more from me because I am here to stay.

I have devoted 70 per cent of myself and time to Nigeria while 30 per cent goes to the rest of world,’’ she said.

32 entertainment

We need to remind men how to love again —Akin Shuga

AKIN Shuga, the super talented singer and leader of the popular music band, Shuga Band has released a magic, soulful love medley produced by celebrated producer, Cobhams Asuquo.

The song, aptly titled ‘My Lady’ is a poetic love song directed to ladies in love.

“With a soulful rendition and impressionable lyrics Shuga is bringing his music dexterity and many years of experience to bear on ‘My Lady’.

“We need to remind the men how to love,” he said.

‘Sometimes, the harsh economic realities of Nigeria make men forget how to love a lady. Loving a lady is everything. Loving might be hard, difficult, challenging and many a times demanding but nothing compares to loving a lady. It is worth

CreddyF features Francis Odega, Vector, others in Dashing Out remix

19 March, 2016

RMD returns to Nollywood in new series Stories By Joan Omionawele OPULAR Nollywood act, Richard Mofe-Damijo is officially back on the TV screens.

The actor, who took a break for a political position in Delta State is set to feature in a new and exciting telenovella as Africa Magic premieres ‘Hush’, a tale of fashion, politics and ambition which follows different members of high society as they collide.

The story of ‘Hush’ revolves around Bem and Arinola, power players in fashion and politics respectively. Bem, played

by Richard Mofe-Damijo, is one of Africa’s biggest designers based in Lagos State, Nigeria, and Arinola, played by Thelma Okoduwa, is one of the state’s fastest rising politicians. The intrigue begins when Bem proposes marriage to Arinola, an action that sets in motion a chain

P the while. That is the reason behind the song,” he said.

Akin Shuga caught a lot of attention as the leader of the popular singing band, Shuga Band. He has crisscrossed the globe singing in Paris, UAE, and different countries in Africa for kings and royalties.

For several years, Akin’s band, The Shuga Band, attained the number one status in party and event circle in Nigeria, a position the band still holds on to till date.

Of late, Akin Shuga has released a numbers of singles including ‘My Lagos’, Aloo (a tribute to Abiola), ‘Married Today’, Christmas Medley, and now ‘My Lady’.

of events propelled by the secrets in their respective lives, secrets that run through the backrooms of secret societies, the corridors of the judiciary and on social media.

The Director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi MbaUzoukwu, said: ‘Hush’ is an exciting telen ovella that explores the intriguing relationship between two powerful individuals, and the power tussle between players in fashion, politics, and high society. The storyline is unique even as the acting promises to be exciting, given the calibre of the cast and crew involved. We are excited for our viewers and urge them to tune in to catch ‘Hush’.”

Hush follows in the stead of Africa Magic’s recently concluded and highly popular Nigerian telenovella, ‘Hotel Majestic’, and prom-

Rukky Sanda lashes out at imposters

N

F

AST rising rapper, Cresent Patrick Nwanagu also known as Creddy F has released the remix of his popular track entitled dashing out.

The fresh Prince of Castro music empire featured popular musician, Timaya, Vector tha viper, Alhaji Orezi and Nollywood comic actor and Etisalat ambassador, Francis Odega, aka Mr Gerarahere, in the rather interesting song.

According to CreddyF, “I wanted to add a little spice to the song by introducing Francis Odegha and I am truly grateful for the wonderful experience I had with him and the other amazing artistes, which I worked with’.

The song was produced

by Sean Keyz with a video directed by Matt Max. The fast-rising singer who has featured other popular artistes such as Chidinma and Phyno in his previous songs is set to leave no stone unturned this year as he has promised his fans that he has other things in store for them.

OLLYWOOD actress, Rukky Sanda has attacked imposters who have opened not fewer that 50 fake accounts all over social media in her name.

According to the actress, these imposters were scamming people in her name and duping unsuspecting Nigerians of their hard-earned money.

In an Instagram post, Rukky said “I honestly am so tired of repeating this over and over, I doubt if any artiste will go around asking fans for stuff online, but let me speak for myself, I never have and never will and God in all His goodness and love, will never bring that day.”

An enraged Sanda further added “I went through some of these fake pages and one will be shocked at the time and efforts these people are putting into living this imaginery ‘Rukky’ character, as they communicate with and deceive people.

“I am very certain these people are on my Instagram and are seeing this post right now, because they are so up to date with posting recent pictures

ises to keep viewers entertained with its themes of love, power, high society, betrayal and intrigue. The telenovella explores the precarious and delicate weaving between seemingly disparate worlds which co-exist in Lagos, each possessing its own ecosystem based on interconnecting, seamless interaction, secret alliances and loyalty.

“There’s a co-dependency

of which not all players are aware. Sometimes this is a healthy relationship, oftentimes not. The cast of ‘Hush’ is stellar and the show marks a return to television for a number of renowned actors and actresses. All these factors make for exciting viewing and we can’t wait for our viewers from all over Africa to tune in,” Mba-Uzoukwu added.

Omoni Oboli to premiere ‘Wives On Strike’ on April 3

N which I post here (on Instagram).”

She, however, advised them: “If you actually invest half of the time and energy you put into living this delusional path you have chosen into your life, your image, your person, trust me, you will be somebody right now, because I hail you. I’m wowed at your energy, but no, you have chosen to live a non-existent life which is just so pathetic. #sad #shame on you for wasting your God-given talents.”

Charles Granville plans big for Shabach Night Award-winning Nigerian gospel sensation-cum-actor, Charles Granville has announced plans to stage a night of joyful celebration for music lovers and fun seekers alike.

Tagged ‘Shabach Port Harcourt,’ the forthcoming event is billed to hold on Saturday, March 26 at the prestigious Aztech Arcum Event Centre, Ken Saro Wiwa Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Billed to perform alongside

Saturday Tribune

Granville at the historic event are talented acts such as Tim Godfrey, Asu Ekiye, Chioma Jesus, Joe Praise, Wole Oni, Efe Nathan, Sensational Dele, Precious Emmanuel, Chineke Boy, TB One, and many others.

Guests and other attendees will be treated to rib-cracking jokes by comic act, Omobaba and K.O Baba, while gifted disc jockey, DJ Issy will be on hand to delight attendees with good music.

The show convener, Gran-

ville was recently honoured at the maiden edition of the African Entertainment Awards where he bagged the award for the ‘Fast Rising Actor’ in Nollywood. He was honoured for his evident impact in the development of entertainment in Africa both home and abroad. The multitalented act who is signed under Kingsville Records also scooped the ‘Youth Ambassador of the Year’ at the 2015 edition of the annual Links Achievers Awards.

OLLYWOOD actress, Omoni Oboli is set to premiere her latest flick, ‘Wives on Strike’ on April 3. ‘Wives on Strike’ is a comedy movie starring Julius Agwu, Uche Jombo, Chioma Akpotha, Ufuoma McDermott, Kehinde Bankole, Kalu Ikeagwu, and Kenneth Okonkwo.

The movie which would be debuting in Nigerian cinemas on April 8 is about a group of market women who decide to take matters into their own hands against their husbands in a bid to stir them into standing up for a young girl whom they want to protect from the wishes of her own father.

The women, who hilariously interpret their roles, set a series of events in motion to give the movie many moments of laughter without missing a beat on the reason for everyone to know why they are on strike.

In the last two years,

Omoni’s movies ‘Being Mrs Elliot’ and ‘The First Lady’ have raked in over N50million, and has featured in back to back box office hit such as ‘Fifty’, ‘Anchor Baby’, and ‘Figurine’.

Her records at the cinema has earned her the sobriquet ‘Queen of the box-office’ In the past five years, Omoni’s gross box office earning has risen to about N168, 000, 000 with cumulative figures from ‘Figurine’, ‘Anchor Baby’, ‘Being Mrs Elliot’, ‘The First Lady’ and ‘Fifty’. Her N168 000 even beat Genevieve Nnaji’s box office earnings from ‘Tango With Me’, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’, ‘Ije’, ‘Mirror Boy’ and ‘Road To Yesterday’ which is slightly over N140 million.

Speaking on his expectation, Moses Babatope, the COO of FilmOne, the distribution company in charge of the movie said Omoni might be on the way of her own box office hat trick with three of her self-produced movies.

33

entertainment

Nigerian producers

need to stop owing actors

got sense of humour But don’t people take you for granted?

I’m a happy person, but I could be very blunt, so don’t step on my toes,because I could sting like a scorpion.

What can someone do to step on your toes or piss you off Actually, there is a whole lot o my sister. In this day and time, if you want to go by what people do or say, you will keep hitting your head on the wall every day.So you need to overlook some things, because even in the house, you will have people who will want to get on your nerves, not to talk of outsiders, so you just have to let go.

I saw the movie, wherein you acted as an underprivileged girl. What are you saying to them That must have been sound of poverty. The message says, don’t look down on people because someone who is poor today may be rich tomorrow and if you have friends among your peers, who are not well-to-do, always carry them along and don’t stab them in the back.

Continued from pg2

People should get their budget done and get their movies done properly, because we as workers should get paid, because even in the Bible, it is said that a labourer should get paid his wages.

Are you saying some producers are owing you presently?

No. But I hear about my colleagues who go on set and don’t get paid, and so they have to do some other things to get going, which is not fair, those are the areas I think should be checked.

Does your status influence the kind of roles you take now, Not really, I’m an actress, my husband met me on the job, so he should support the job, the only thing is it has changed a few things about me, as regards those things I used to do as a single lady. But for other things, nothing will change.

But every other things about my job stays as it is. I still take the same roles Including romance roles?

Well, I have never acted nude and it has been a no-no for me,

even before marriage. I’ve never acted nude and I’ve never been in support of acting nude. Of course one can take off some clothes, but not totally nude. It is not in our culture to go nude, if I try it, my mother in the village, will say the people in the village have followed me to the town.

I always thought this humour part of you was just for the camera.

(Laughs) This is me. Oh, I have

I hear about my colleagues who go on set and don’t get paid, and so they have to do some other things to get going, which is not fair, those are the areas I think should be checked.

What do you think can be done about this biting issue called piracy This issue is tiring, it is something that should be dealt with every year, but sadly, I don’t think it can go away because there is piracy even in Hollywood, but it is just more prominent here.

But it may seem taking movies to the cinemas is a way of shielding them from pirates, once it gets to the cinemas, it takes a while to get them back on DVDs, so you must have made a bit of more money.

Piracy is just like stealing and it takes the grace of God to help the person except they get caught. So if these pirates get caught, maybe that will be the end, but its really affecting us because it is making these movies slow and because of that we can’t really put it out properly, so we have to be selling it in bits, but it’s not like before, except you shoot your movie and proceed to making it into DVD’s and then they will pirate it of course.

What are the things that you want the government to do for Nigerians?

They should hasten up with all the promises they have made to the people, its as if things are not moving. I know the government is doing their best, but they should do something at least for the masses, so if we are feeling it, that means those ones below are getting it really hot.

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Manslaughter: Nollywood acts

plead for Ibinabo

It’s beyond us —Family

EMBATLED Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima has landed a 5year jail term pronouncement for a case of an accident which involved a doctor of the Lagos State Government hospital, Dr Giwa Suraj.

To this effect, a few Nollywood acts and friends of the AGN President including Grace Amah, Charles Novia and mercy Aigbe have taken to social media to plead for mercy for the actress.

According to Grace Amah “our darling of the Nollywood is convicted of manslaughter and to serve a 5 year jail term. It is a lesson in many ways. She offered herself for judgment and opted not to leave the country to find safety in another country which some other people would have easily done.

I join millions of fans, colleagues

and friends of my Colleague, Mentor and friend to share my sympathy for what happened and to urge her continue to believe in her God and be assured of God’s protection. Let her see this moment as part of her debt to humanity, justice and service.

God will surely see her true. May God give us the grace to learn the lessons of today for a better tomorrow. I stand with you in this ordeal sweet mama as I call u, heart of Gold Ibinabo Fiberesima. I love and wish you well.

In the same vein, Nollywood filmmaker, Charles Novia also said “I am not going to say anyone was wrong nor would I say anyone was right. We must all realise that there are powerful emotional interests in this case on both sides and each would have merit when analysed. A family breadwinner gone. Another family breadwinner sent to do the time as recompense. We all must learn from this; the Law is sacrosanct. The Law is real.

On a personal level, Ibinabo is

my friend. She’s been a wonderful friend to me for over fifteen years and I suppose she has touched the lives too of some who know her personally. I can only express angst that she’s in jail and stand with her during her ordeal as a show of motivation and encouragement. She needs that outstretched hand to survive the ordeal. And that’s what a friend should do. A friend shares in your pains and stands by you.

And there are many in the entertainment industry who are doing same for Ibinabo.

However late Suraj Giwa‘s sister, Biola Giwa Adeyemi has written to shed more light on the case between Ibinabo Fiberesima and Lagos State over the death of the doctor about 10years ago.

Her statement which was released online wrote ”First of all, the case was between Lagos state Government Vs Ibinabo Febresima but not Giwa Vs Ibinabo Febresima(sic). On this faithful day of February 26, 2006 along the Lekki Epe Express way, my late brother Dr Giwa was driving with his brother and another family friend in his car coming from a

meeting in Ajah, they were held up in a traffic around the evening time, when this tragic accident happened.

Ibinabo was driving towards Lekki while the late Dr Giwa was coming from the other direction facing towards Island, just by shop-rite, when Ibinabo’s jeep flipped and lost control from her lane jumped over the culvert or pavement that demarcate the road from the on coming vehicle.

After the accident, Ibinabo left the scene of the accident without

checking for any survivors, she took the license plate and registration out of the car and fled from the scene, that was considered “HIT AND RUN”. The people at the scene of the accident recognized her as Ibinabo Fibresima, and stated she was drunk.”Driving Under Influence” of whatever she had.

The State Department of Transportation has to use the VIN number to locate the Owner of the jeep, in which the owner was Daniel Wilson. That was my very first time of hearing the name of Ibinabo Fiberesima. The Doctor died at the scene of the accident because the jeep was on top of the Honda accord driven by him and they couldn’t save him on time because of the seat belt and the weight of the jeep, the brother and the other family friend in that car had survived. Did she know the state of mind and the emotional instability of the people involved in that accident up till now, Ibinabo has never been in a Comma.

The DPP office took over and charged her to court and she hired Festus Keyamo in which after reviewing the case he withdrew by saying he cannot represent her because it’s a bad case.

Doctor Giwa has a living mother for goodness sake, wife with 3 children, Ibinabo deprived him from seeing his children graduate from university and getting married, also from being the one to bury his mother at her old age, ‘Whereas no one ever prayed that on the day of their children’s success and happiness they should replaced them with someone else’.

Ibinabo was never remorseful, they brought her to meet with me shortly after my brother’s death in GRA Ikeja before my return back to the USA, but her only concern then was to drop the charges against her. I told her that it’s not my family Vs her but the State Vs her, that where I come from in USA that we do not interfere with the justice system, that they should do their job and advise her to apologize publicly to the masses and to the family and throw herself to the mercy of the court. she said and l quote “I can’t do that, because is going to damage my career” what an ego, she cannot apologize publicly, i feel like kicking her ass. she’s worried about her stupid career, what happened to the career of the doctor, who happened to be a ‘medical director and the head of the department of physical rehabilitation medicine at general hospital Lagos.

People say there is no justice in Nigeria, but it does once in awhile” her statement read .

34

19 March, 2016

The South-West Editor Wole Efunnuga | 08111813056

Saturday Tribune CREW sari n Tu de B9u3530 081275 ndare nga - Ogu Yejide G8b1e16706853 0 unesan Tunde O9g54634 08116

t: r us; contac Got news fo bune@yahoo. ttri es hw ne ut so bu @ uthwesttri co.uk or so ail.com gm

Oluwo:

Okada operators deserve to live If there is anything agitating the mind of the Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, it is the future of youths in his domain. TUNDE BUSARI reports the Oba’s efforts at ensuring that Iwo youths live a decent and fulfilling life.

O

NE after the other, the pupils of DC Elementary School, Iwo, Osun State filed into the palace of the Oluwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi.

Clad in green vest and accompanied by their teachers, the students, drawn from Telu House, were meeting the monarch for the first time since he ascended the throne in November 2015.

The head of the team, Mr Adigun Aderibigbe maintained orderliness among the pupils, evidence of which was seen in their complete comportment on the seats with their eyes fixed on Oba Akanbi who was attending to some guests.

When the Oluwo signaled to the teachers, all the pupils rose in unison and paid homage on the floor. They chorused the praise of Oba Akanbi in display of gratitude for his support for the Telu House named after the founder of Iwo. The Oluwo listened to their song with rapt attention and was temporarily ferried back to his days as a primary school pupil.

Oba Akanbi asked the pupils questions which they answered to the admiration of the Oba. Mr Aderibigbe, while speaking on behalf of the team, thanked the traditional ruler for his fatherly role and support for schools in the ancient town.

The principal officer of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) stated that the coming of Oba Akanbi has signaled progress in education with his determination to banish ignorance from Iwoland, adding that the way Kabiyesi is approaching his vision is raising people’s hope that Iwo youths would not have any reason not to go to school and get proper education.

“For Kabiyesi to have shown this kind of interest means a lot to those of us in the teaching profession. Motivation and conducive atmosphere are important elements that aid teaching. I can see that Kabiyesi’s exposure is coming to bear.

That is why we are here to show our appreciation to him, he said.

Before the visit of the DC Elementary

School, Oba Akanbi had also paid unscheduled visit to some secondary schools as part of his plan to reorientate the youth to realise the result of seriousness and hard work. Students and teachers of schools which the monarch visited were full of excitement listening to his inspirational speech.

Borrowing from the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela who likened education to a weapon powerful to change the world, Oba Akanbi said the future of the youth is more important to him because, according to him, they are the leaders of tomorrow to whom the future belongs.

The traditional ruler impressed it upon them how he was once like them before he rose through the struggle of life from school to become a successful personality and ultimately the Oluwo of Iwo. Oba Akanbi, who declared in unambiguous language his aversion for thuggery and other social vices, challenged the youth to explore the world and return home with resounding success.

Education, he emphasised, is both the legacy and inheritance they can gain from their parents, stressing that with education they can achieve anything they desire.

“I believe they need such inspirational talk from me to complement what their teachers taught them. I am happy with the attention they gave me at each school I visited. It gave me an assurance that they are motivated.

“I am not going to relent in this exercise.

I am not going to leave the government alone with this responsibility. Government goes, government comes but the Oluwo

remains. As the father of all, I must ensure our youths are properly guided to become our pride tomorrow,” he said.

To further demonstrate his thirst for improved standard of education in his domain, Oba Akanbi is currently drawing the attention of the National Open University of Nigeria to his town with a view to opening a study centre.

Many adults have, over the years, taken the advantage of the Open University system introduced by the administration of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to acquire higher education. Iwo people, however, have no such grace. They have to travel to either Ibadan or Osogbo.

Although the town already has Bowen University owned and funded by the Baptist Church, Oba Akanbi believes Iwo, with its demographical size, is ripe for a federal government owned university, hence his effort in transforming the former party secretariat located at Kara axis, opposite OSADEP to an open university study centre.

The place is already wearing a new look with every office and lecture room, including office of the director of the centre all in good shape.

In addition, necessary equipment, especially computer systems are in sufficient supply for immediate take off of academic work.

Oba Akanbi said the town needs to convince the government that it is set for the centre, adding that the era of waiting endlessly for the government is in the past.

“I should not be talking of how much I have personally sunk into it. I have done what a leader should do to encourage his

I am not going to leave the government alone with this responsibility. Government goes, government comes but the Oluwo remains.

subjects to also do. And I believe with what we have already put in place there, it is time for government to come for inspection and give it approval. I know what Open University means and I know my people will be better off at the end of the day,” he said.

Also, on March 12, Oba Akanbi hosted the youth who are into intra-city commercial motorcycle operation in his palace.

Concerned by the plight of okada operators most of whom defied the road safety wear-your-helmet rule, the Oluwo felt obliged to share some helmets with the operators as his contribution to their welfare.

The well coordinated distribution exercise saw over 200 operators leaving the palace with new helmets. It was a happy mood in the palace and a day to remember for the palace security guards who had to make appeal to the palace visitors to prevent chaos.

“I felt okada operators also deserve to live.

Accident is not what anybody prays for but when it is prevented, its severity is minimised. Helmets prevent head from contacting hard surface. This, therefore, saves life.

This is the reason behind the distribution.

And I am happy it started well and ended well. I want my subjects to be in healthy condition to witness all the transformation coming to the town,” he said.

Finally, Oba Akanbi advised the federal government to borrow a leaf from China which in the 80s also suffered devaluation of its currency, but rose to become world economic power today.

He advised the government to make policies that would attract more foreign industries to Nigeria where he said, cost of labour is lower. In no time, he added, many made-in-Nigeria goods would flood international market, like what China is enjoying now.

“And our youths too would tap technology know-how and become producers of variety of products. I am assuring the youth that we shall do our best to engage them productively,” he said.

35

19 March, 2016

achievers

With Ronke Sanya (Winner, NMMA Innovative Reporter of the Year 2015) 07036050161 | sanyaaderonke@gmail.com

& Oyeyemi Okunlade | 08056834515 | ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

The secret behind my hyper-realism paintings — Olumide Oresegun

RONKE SANYA , after an interview with Olumide Oresegun, writes on the exploits of the Lagosborn artist, whose paintings have attracted so much attention on the social media, which made the Cable News Network (CNN) to identify with his story of unique creativity.

T

HE name Olumide Oresegun by now is no more strange to individuals who are conversant with the social media. Recently, the artist splashed his unbelievable pictures on Facebook and Twitter and overnight, his story was on the lips of everyone.

According to CNN, “The hyperrealism created in the oil paintings makes Oresegun’s work seem so life-like that it is hard to believe they aren’t. Water is a recurring theme in his art because according to a popular adage in his native Yoruba language, “water has no enemy.” In the report, Oresegun stated that the use of water gives a translucent effect to his paintings, “This is why it’s difficult for many people to do.”

Realism paintings are known to be paintings that take several efforts and years before being perfected. The paintings of pop-

It takes thousands of layers of paint strokes to achieve this result after which I try to achieve the translucent look of water then work on the water droplets.

ular artists like Michelangelo Simon, which Oresegun looks up to takes rigorous effort and months of painting oil on canvass. According to wikipedia, the popular ‘Monalisa’ painting by Leonardo da Vinci was painted in 15031507 spanning duration of four years while Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling according to Italian Renaissance took four years, between 1508-1512.

Oresegun’s works also take months and sometimes years before they reach the perfect stage. Explaining the rigours in the process of achieving his alluring paintings, he said: “It takes a long time to get a finished

Saturday Tribune

work out of the studio.

Oresegun At times while painting I get bored so I leave it and move on to something else.

There are layers upon layers of colours that I use on this piece. It takes thousands of layers of paint strokes to achieve this result after which I try to achieve the translucent look of water, then work on the water droplets. Each droplet takes five minutes of painting to be achieved and some take longer, depending on how big the droplets are.

“As a realist artist, at times, some works take a month plus and at times two months de-

pending on the intricacies involved. I don’t work on a piece just to sell, my name will be engraved on it and that is more important to me than the money I will be paid. So I put my soul and heart into it.”

Oresegun, who is being referred to by his fans on social media, as Nigerian Leonardo da Vinci was born 35 years ago to Mr Ayoola Ganiu Oresegun and Mrs Sidikat Oresegun. He attended Ijebu Tedo Primary School, Palm Groove, Lagos and had his secondary school at Immaculate Heart Comprehensive High School. He studied Fine Arts at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

Explaining how it all started to Achievers, he said: “I started taking interest in painting while in secondary school. I can remember that I used to draw musical artistes like Michael Jackson, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and others, while I was younger.” He later pursued the art of painting professionally. “I have been painting for nine years professionally.”

Oresegun looks up to his lecturers, great artists like Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo Simoni and other world great artists. “That desire to be like them also drives me to work harder. I always think if they could achieve more in their era when things were not digitalised, then I can achieve more, this digital age.”

Oresegun’s environment, humble background, childhood memories and dreams of being a great artist inspired him. “I grew up in a family compound with many children around me and that helps me work with children,” he said.

On the secret behind his breath-taking and almost unbelievable paintings, he attributes them to God. “I don’t have any secret behind my paintings. It has just been God Almighty. I was able to achieve by God’s grace and I feel happy and honoured and I also appreciate people’s comments via the social media.”

When told by Achievers that some people do not believe his paintings are not achieved without special computer effects, he was quick to say, “It would be better if they can come for my exhibition which is coming up soon, and see for themselves.”

36

19 March, 2016

weekend cartoons

Saturday Tribune

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

Just a Laffing Mata

D e v i l in t h e c h u r c h

Satan appeared before a small town congregation and everyone started screaming, running and trampling on one another in a frantic effort to get away.

Soon, everyone was gone except for an elderly gentleman who sat calmly.

Satan walked up to him and said, “Don’t you know who I am?”

The man replied, “Sure, I do.”

Satan asked, “Are you not going to run?”

“Never. I won’t run,” said the man.

Satan asked, “Why are you not afraid of me?”

The man replied, “Been married to your sister for over 48 years.”

POLITICO

Rai sed in a c hri s ti an home

After the christening of his baby brother in church, Segeluulu sobbed all the way home in the backseat of the car.

His father asked him three times what was wrong.

Finally, he replied, “That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys.”

The dinner prayer

FUNOLOGY

A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their son Segeluulu and said, “Would you like to say the blessing?”

“I wouldn’t know what to say,” Segeluulu replied.

“Just say what you hear Mommy say,” one of the visitors answered.

The boy bowed his head and said, “Lord, why on earth did I invite all these hungry people to dinner?”

The v ir gin Ma ry

A Sunday school teacher asked her class, “What was Jesus’ mother’s name?”

One child answered, “Mary.”

The teacher then asked, “Who knows what Jesus’ father’s name was?”

L ittle Segeluulu said, “Virgin.”

Confused, the teacher asked, “Where did you get that?”

The kid said, “Well, you know people always call her

Jailed Nollywood actress begs Nigerians to pray for her after her 5-year jail term was upheld

37 interview

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Those claiming I own houses in Manchester, Denmark, Lekki are well-wishers —Gani Adams

National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams, in this interview by KATE ANI, speaks on his travails and triumphs in the pursuit of his cause and efforts to projects Yoruba culture and tradition.

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t the last Yoruba summit in Akure, Ondo State, you offered to fund the printing of the resolution of the 2014 national conference in a book form for free distribution, what was the motivation?

My motivation was to sensitise the Yoruba people about the outcome of the conference. (Dr Goodluck) Jonathan was determined to restructure the country, even though he knew that he might not retain his presidential seat. I was one of the delegates to the conference at which there were lots of disagreements. But we eventually agreed to 98 percent of the recommendations through a consensus. The confab report is 630 pages and I felt that Nigerians should have the opportunity to read it and know its importance and benefits so that the struggle for its implementation would not rest solely on our shoulders as delegates.

Do you think that Nigerians will want to read a voluminous book?

We will make it concise otherwise Nigerians won’t have time for it.

Why does the OPC appear violent in its approach to issues, as its members usually carry arms?

Maybe you are not a student of history. If you are, you would have known my background. I started activism in the days of the beginning of the civil society group called Campaign for Democracy. I was also a sympathiser of the Civil Liberty Organisation when Olisa Agbakoba was the chairman. But in 1994, we decided that even though we were running civil society organisations, we should have a socio-cultural organisation. That idea gave birth to the Oodua Youth Movement six months later. Dr Fredrick Fasehun, seven others and I founded the Oodua People’s Congress on August 25, 1994.

The aim was to fight for the restructuring of Nigeria, promote and sustain the Yoruba identity, foster unity among the Yoruba and help rediscover the potential for the greatness of Yorubaland. We held peaceful meetings until 1998, when General Buba Marwa was the military governor of Lagos State and the then president, General Sani Abacha, ordered that any meeting of the OPC be disrupted. The OPC used to be very civil until that announcement. It got to a stage where at every meeting, we had three of our members killed by the then Operation Sweep in Lagos.

Maybe the government viewed the group’s members as hoodlums hiding under the cloak of a sociocultural group and constituting a threat to security…

Did you say ‘maybe’? You don’t say ‘maybe.’ You should ask me if there are hoodlums or criminals in OPC, and the answer is no.

I was wondering why the government ordered a clampdown on your group if it did not pose a security threat…

Look, when you are chased to the wall, you will fight back.

A government should not provoke its citizens. Most of the unrests you hear about around the world are because of provocation. When you attempt to silence your citizens, they would fight back. Even the biggest coward, if there is too much provocation, he will fight back. Why would you call those at the grass roots hoodlums? Who will be your shoemaker, carpenter, hairdresser, roadside mechanic, etc?

Most of the people that vote for politicians are the ‘hoodlums’ you are talking about. Although there are people with shady characters among them, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) are not hoodlums. Even in big organisations, you cannot deny the fact that there are people with shady characters. I always tell my members that if they break the rules of the organisation, the law will catch up with them. You journalists have put the public under the impression that OPC members, especially at the grass roots, are hoodlums. That is a very bad impression.

But do you deny that the OPC has been infiltrated by hoodlums?

It is very difficult for criminals to infiltrate our group because we have internal security. Even when Operation Sweep personnel clamped down on us and killed our members, we were not protesting but only having a meeting but you have to defend yourself. It was provocation that led to any ugly side you might have seen about OPC. The Yoruba are not a violent people. If you don’t provoke us, we don’t fight. And we don’t destroy lives. The administration of (the late President Continues pg39

It was provocation that led to any ugly side you might have seen about OPC. The Yoruba are not a violent people.

38

feature

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

‘These killings are not healthy for Ekiti’

Sibling of one of the victims of recent murders being consoled.

Body of one of the victims in the room where he was murdered.

Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

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EPORTS of killings among young people in parts of Ekiti State gained a worrying level of ascendancy in recent times. Reports had been heard from some communities in the state which created the impression that the development is commonplace.

However, most of the killings reported in Ekiti State, and which could be described as the gang-related, have been mostly in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Recently, it was reported that a tailor was murdered in Odo community, a suburb of Ado Ekiti. The Odo incident occurred in the community which hosts the only private polytechnic in the state, Crown Polytechnic.

The Odo incident took the life of a 29-year old tailor who was identified as Sunday Abudioke. He was said to have been attacked and killed by suspected cultists on Odo - Ado Ekiti road. The gang that carried out the attack could not be identified.

The man, who ran a patent medicine shop near the institution, had his head smashed, allegedly with an axe and machete. Abudioke, whose wife was said to have put to bed about three weeks to the incident, was said to have been visited by an unknown friend in his home. Yetunde, wife of the late Abudioke, sources claimed, could not identify the said friend. The sources also contended that the unidentified ‘friend’ had persuaded Abudioke to Odo to open his shop for business on the fateful day. The deceased was said to have reluctantly agreed to the friend’s request and had travelled on a commercial motorcycle popularly called Okada, alongside the friend to Odo. Another source in the area, however, claimed that the deceased closed his shop for business at dusk and was waiting to get transportation home when he disappeared.

The source alleged that a sports utility vehicle believed to have emerged from within the campus of Crown Polytechnic had allegedly conveyed Abudioke from the community.

However, Abudioke, said to be the only son in the family, could not complete his five kilometers journey to meet his wife and three-week-old baby he left at home as he was found to have been butchered and dumped somewhere between Odo and Ado Ekiti. A ‘good Samaritan’, who was passing by was said to have found him and took his body to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital

(EKSUTH) in Ado Ekiti where he was said to have died a few hours later.

The sources also claimed his assailants “did not take the proceeds from his sales which was around N15,000 said to be in his possession, but they took away his mobile phone handset.”

Another victim of gang violence also named Sunday, this one with Afolabi as his surname, was also on a Sunday killed at the Igbole area of Irona in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. According to findings, Afolabi, who was said to be in his late thirties, sources at his home said, was murdered in his room while his heavily pregnant wife was away at a nearby church’s ‘vigil’.

The body of the deceased, soaked wet in blood, was still lying in the room around 10am when the sympathisers, including Saturday Tribune, visited the scene.

A deep, gaping hole, made possibly by the killer shot was very visible just around his sternum. Sympathisers, family members and friends of the slain man had thronged the Irona residence, wailing and swearing and lamenting a death they said “Sunday did not at all deserve.”

The sources had stated that Afolabi had retired indoors about 9 pm in his mother’s house after he had mingled with some friends and residents around the area. One of the numerous sympathisers who had thronged the deceased’s home was vehement in her denial that Afolabi was a member of any cult group or gang. The source, who craved anonymity explained that unlike being generally believed, “he was a pleasant person, amiable and could not hurt even a fly.”

However, findings revealed that while Afolabi was not

According to findings, Afolabi, who was said to be in his late thirties, sources at his home said, was murdered in his room while his heavily pregnant wife was away at a nearby church’s ‘vigil’

Sympathisers at the residence of one of the victims. a member of any of the three rival cult gangs people said they believed were currently ravaging the state capital, he was allegedly sympathetic to the Eiye Confraternity. The belief among the sources was that this situation allegedly made him a target for other gangs, who equally desired and wanted him to join them. They claimed that overtures the said cult gangs allegedly made to lure him into their fold were allegedly rebuffed.

The spokesman for the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, who confirmed the death if Afolabi, said “Sunday Afolabi, 38 years, was said to have been killed around Irona area.” Alberto, however, introduced an angle completely denied by those who spoke about the deceased.

The Ekiti police spokesperson said: “He was a notorious person who we have been looking for. His family had picked his corpse up for burial as they claimed they could not afford the cost of either autopsy or mortuary. We are, however, doing investigations into the killing.”

While the cause of the attack by the alleged cultists could not be ascertained and no arrest announced by the security agencies in connection with the murder of either Sunday Abudioke or Sunday Afolabi, the Ado Ekiti community is gradually getting tensed with the reports of the killings. While the remains of the murdered persons have been buried, the people are waiting for the security agencies to come up with a clue as to how to arrest the ugly development.

“The police should find a way to unravel these killings,” a resident of Ado Ekiti told Saturday Tribune. He claimed that “Sunday’s killing by a gang believed to be cultists brought the number of such killings to five. And this is not healthy for any form of communal growth and development.”

39 interview

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

There is nothing I ask from God that he doesn’t do for me with about six obas to Europe to launch the OPU? They know that I have a good relationship with the royal fathers. They just want to cause a disharmony. If I didn’t respect the Ooni, would he have graced the last Oodua festival, where he spent about three and a half hours? Tell me who has projected Yoruba culture and tradition more than Otunba Gani Adams in the past 20 years? Name anybody in Nigeria that does it more than me. I spend my resources and property to promote Yoruba culture and tradition without any assistance from any corporate organisation. The good image that God has built for me, no man can destroy it. They are just giving me popularity by mentioning my name here and there. A recent newspaper report said that I had houses in Manchester [England], Denmark and Lekki, Nigeria. It is all lies but I believe they are praying for me to own houses in those countries.

Continued from pg37

Umaru) Yar’Adua brokered peace between us and the government and when Dr Jonathan came to power, he followed suit.

You rose to nationwide popularity after a former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, declared you wanted in 2000 and put a bounty of N100, 000 on your head for your group’s involvement in violent clashes in Lagos. But today, you don’t seem to be haunted by your past as you have relaxed your activism and now rub shoulders with the rich and the powers that be…

If there is no event, there is no history. Many of our great leaders have, at one point or another, been declared wanted.

However, not everyone that is declared wanted by the police is guilty of an offence for which he has been so declared. In fact, at that time, I surrendered myself and went to court. I was freed by the Federal High Court in Lagos and the state High court in Abeokuta [Ogun State] because I was not involved in any violence. I was not there when the crisis happened but because I was the leader, they wanted to clip my wings. By arresting me, they thought that the group would be disorganised. I spent three months in Kirikiri Maximum Prison and later got bail at the Federal High Court. They rearrested me and took me to Eleweran Police Headquarters in Abeokuta, where I spent a week. At the end of the day, all the charges against me were dropped. Again, in 2005, former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s government arrested me in connection to an NURTW crisis. I wasn’t a member of that union but he arrested me for openly criticizing him on his third term bid. Dr Fasehun, with whom I was arrested, spent five months in detention, while I spent 14 months. Upon our release from the maximum prison, detectives from Abuja rearrested us and took us to Alagbon Prison, where I spent a week. We were later transferred to Suleja Prison, Abuja. You can see the background of the provocation. As regards your comment on my relaxed activism because I am now rich and rub shoulders with the rich, what gave you the impression that I am rich? Don’t make a mistake about me, I am not rich but I am not poor either.

Some OPC state coordinators have been clamoring for your removal as the national coordinator because, according to them, you are no longer fit to lead the group due to the amount of wealth you have acquired over the years…

Some riff-raff whom we have already expelled from OPC are the ones being used by external forces to tarnish my image in the media. Their sponsors paid them to issue a press statement alleging that former Libya president, Muammar Gaddafi, gave me $22 million. What account did that money go into? I have written a petition to the director of the SSS in respect of that allegation but they have refused to investigate the issue. I have never set my foot on a North African country.

Before he was killed, when he was celebrating the 40th anniversary of his country, some civil society organisations said we should go but I refused because the Western world had already accused him of sponsoring terrorist organisations.

The aim of those expelled impersonators is to assassinate my character so that people will have the impression that I am now too rich and not ready for the struggle. They also said that I collected N9 billion from former President Jonathan.

I am not a politician, I supported Dr Jonathan based on ideological reason. I thought if he was re-elected, he would implement the outcome of the national conference, to which I was a delegate. The conference has been our (Yoruba race’s) agitation since 1994, when we formed the OPC. But since OPC is a non-partisan socio-cultural group, for you to openly support Jonathan gave people room to think that money might have changed hands…

If people had asked you then about whom you wanted to vote for as president, would you not have answered them? Don’t you have the right to tell them whom you wanted to vote for?

That was exactly what happened to me. I was going to Cyprus to launch the student wing of the OPU and an airport correspondent accosted me and asked me whom I would vote for.

I told him that I would vote for Jonathan and our members felt they would do same. Before I got to Istanbul, the news had already gone viral on the internet and when I came back, exclusive interviews followed and when they asked me, I told them that, that was our position. As a citizen of Nigeria, I am entitled to vote for any candidate of my choice. Was it a sin to support Jonathan? The opposition party then saw it as a sin.

They felt that anybody who wanted to vote for Jonathan was a betrayer. And despite the fact that he didn’t eventually win, no matter the intimidation, I will not speak ill of Jonathan.

You seem to love the colour white. Your house, wristwatches, shoes and even mobile phones are all white, does this have any spiritual significance?

That is what my guardian angel wants. Everybody has a guardian angel, including you, but you may not have noticed.

It is the spiritual part of your life. The Yoruba call it Eleda.

Aside from that, there are certain foods that I am only allowed to it, but I won’t tell you. It is not as if when I eat things I must not eat, they would kill me or something, but they will only affect my progress in life. You can’t be a human being without knowing yourself. I practise the traditional religion, Christianity and Islam. Anything white is my destiny. I wear white to sleep, my blanket is also white, including all my undergarments. At first, it was very difficult to adjust to that kind of lifestyle. When I was told to start wearing only white clothes and accessories, it took me four years before I agreed to. It was so difficult at first, but I eventually got used to it. I started wearing white around 2004. I changed my wardrobe and gave all my former clothes to my people.

About six state coordinators of the OPC converged on Ilorin, Kwara State, recently and called on President Buhari and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate you. Why are OPC members suddenly turning against you?

You said six state coordinators, which is wrong. They were only three, Kwara, Ondo and Oyo state coordinators. What happened was that those three people maliciously added three names of state coordinators who were not on seat at that press conference. When I got a copy of the press release, the bogus three coordinators didn’t put their signatures. Those three state coordinators from Kwara, Oyo and Ondo have already been dismissed and replaced but they still go around parading themselves as state coordinators. Jesus Christ’s disciples turned against him, so what are we talking about?

There is no leader in the world that won’t be betrayed by his close allies. Do you know how many people that have gone against me since I became a leader? If you ask EFCC to arrest someone, they will definitely have their facts and investigate the accusations before inviting you for questioning. They should investigate which bank the money was deposited in.

Why would Jonathan give me N9 billion? Am I a [Peoples Democratic Party] PDP member?

You were also accused of not prostrating for the Ooni of Ife but rather bowed and shook hands with him, when you went to the traditional ruler’s palace to pay him homage. Some people regarded your conduct as a mark of disrespect. Is the accusation true?

That is another lie. I will show you a video where I prostrated for the Ooni three times. How could you be in front of the Ooni or the Alaafin and not prostrate? No matter the position you are in, you must prostrate for the imperial majesty. If I don’t respect royal fathers, will I be travelling

I will show you a video where I prostrated for the Ooni three times. How could you be in front of the Ooni or the Alaafin and not prostrate? No matter the position you are in, you must prostrate for the imperial majesty.

But it seems fetish. Do you belong to any occult group?

No, forget it. It is not about being fetish. By the way, what do you mean by me being fetish?

Do you worship traditional gods?

Yes, of course. I have a deity that I worship.

Do you make sacrifices to your deity?

Yes. With what?

With goats, rams, etc. In Yoruba tradition, deity is an intermediary between human beings and gods. It is our tradition, you may not believe in your own tradition. The fact that I am a Christian or a Muslim does not mean I should forget my tradition. I am a Yoruba man. I am not a foolish person that will say I will never practise the traditional religion. I am not a fanatic; I am moderate about religion. Your mindset is critical to your relationship with God. There is nothing I ask God that He doesn’t do for me. If you go to my room, I have the Bible, a prayer mat and the Qur’an. I am moderate in my religion.

I practise Christianity, Islam and the traditional religion.

Are you happy about how President Buhari is running the country?

I don’t think President Buhari knew what the problem of Nigeria was when he was campaigning to be president. He doesn’t understand the complexity of Nigeria. He is still comparing the Nigeria of 1985, when he left power to the Nigeria that we have now. Fighting corruption is not something you can do within a period of four years. President Buhari can’t probe five percent of people who are corrupt in Nigeria in four years. Also, the issue of the budget was a serious disgrace to the president. It had never happened in the history of the country that the president would submit a budget and not know the content of the document. During campaign, he promised to reduce fuel price to N50 per liter, but look at what is happening today. Nigerians said they wanted change but they didn’t pray about the kind of change they wanted. The only thing that has changed is government. As the problem of Boko Haram is abating, inter-ethnic clashes are coming up. The issue of people being arrested without the rule of law being allowed to prevail is giving us a mentality of military.

Even the condition of bail is too strident. Accused people should be tried with patience. The issue of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, should be looked into. When someone is granted bail, he should be allowed temporary freedom. The issue of Nnamdi Kanu is another thing. He was granted bail twice yet, he was not allowed to go. There is a limit to the extent you can go to cow a human being with power. No matter the situation, Buhari should fight corruption within the ambit of the law. I support his anti-corruption fight but it should be on the basis of law, not sentiment.

40 feature

19 March, 2016

Go back home, government tells Boko Haram victims

Humanitarian news agency, IRIN, in this report interrogates the appropriateness of government’s alleged directive to displaced people in the north east to go back to their homes.

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HE Nigerian government is encouraging people in the northeast who have fled Boko Haram attacks to return to their homes, despite concerns over the safety of some of the more remote rural areas.

The army has proclaimed the jihadist insurgency “technically defeated”. Late last month it announced the re-opening of major roads in Borno State – closed for three years – linking the capital, Maiduguri, with Damboa to the southwest, Bama and Mafa in the southeast, and the eastern town of Gamboru Ngala.

“The roads are safe and those who left can return,” army chief-of-staff, General Buratai Tukur, was quoted as saying.

At least 1.9 million Nigerians have been displaced by the six years of violence. As the military tide turns in the government’s favour, people are already returning to their communities, especially in more secure Adamawa State, to the south of Borno.

But three quarters of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in Maiduguri, having fled an insurgency that at one stage held most of the districts, known as LGAs (Local Government Areas), in the state.

More than 90 percent of the IDPs live with relatives and friends, a real strain on already poor households. The rest are in “camps”. These range from open-air sites of ad hoc tents, to repurposed public buildings like schools, or short-term “transitional centres”. The conditions, however, are uniformly grim.

“People will go back to their villages if the government can provide some security guarantees,” said Suleiman Aliyu, the headmaster of a private school that takes in children

from families on both sides of the conflict – Boko Haram and the security forces. “The number of Boko Haram has been reduced. They are few, but they are still in the bush.”

Sarah Ndikumana, country director of the International Rescue Committee, is worried the government’s eagerness to get the displaced back to their homes will override sensible security precautions.

“From a protection standpoint, I’m really concerned about possible coerced relocation out of Maiduguri into the rest of Borno,” she told IRIN. Ndikumana said services in the camps, poor at the best of times, are getting worse. “I saw people trying to salvage spoilt rations of rice and beans – I couldn’t even recognise what it was – drying it out in the sun to make it marginally more edible, as the only food source they have.”

Noting that a deterioration would do the government’s attempts at persuasion no harm, Aliyu added: “Things

They’ll be heading back to their homes that have been destroyed, but the humanitarian community will not be able to go with them and provide assistance because we can’t consider it safe enough.

Saturday Tribune

are so difficult for (the displaced). Compared with a few months back, the quality and quantity of food (rations) is falling.”

Camps being closed Ndikumana said some of the school-based camps are already being closed, with people being moved to larger camps in Maiduguri like Dolori – perhaps a first step in the planned return exercise.

But not even camps like Dolori are secure. Last month an attempted suicide bomber – a seven-year-old boy – was caught before he could detonate his device.

“To me, it’s still not clear when and which LGAs will be pronounced safe enough to send people back,” said Ndikumana. “It feels like any moment it could start.”

She pointed out that the military has been telling people in the countryside to go to their LGA capitals so “mopping up” operations can begin. It has warned that “anyone still in those rural areas after a certain date will be considered Boko Haram or Boko Haram sympathisers.”

Part of the government’s urgency in getting people to their villages is that the planting season starts around May, in a region where food production and the livestock trade has been hit hard by the conflict.

Virtually the whole of Borno is classified by the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network as in “crisis”, and therefore in need of food aid.

“They’re pushing hard to get people into the LGAs before the planting season, but they are also telling the farmers to go into displacement in the LGA capitals,” said Ndikumana.

And, because of the security concerns, the returnees will be on their own.

“They’ll be heading back to their homes that have been destroyed, but the humanitarian community will not be able to go with them and provide assistance because we can’t consider it safe enough,” Ndikumana said.

Source: irinnews.org.

41

interview

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

I am qualified to be next Ondo governor —Ajulo

Former National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Olukayode Ajulo, in this interview by YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE, speaks about his ambition, resignation as LP scribe, the economic situation of the country and other issues.

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s there any truth to the rumour that Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has anointed you as his successor?

I have said several times that Governor Mimiko has not called me to discuss the issue of me becoming his successor. This has never happened. Politicians make spurious permutations in the name of strategising. It is just a conjecture of some people. But in truth, I am qualified to be the next governor of my state, Ondo, but there is time for everything. Governor Mimiko is conscious of his place in our history and would not do anything to subvert the general wish of his people by unilaterally handpicking someone and force them on the people. There will be primaries where a winner will emerge as the standard-bearer of the party.

Do you share the opinion in some quarters that Nigeria would have fared better if former President Goodluck Jonathan had succeeded in his second term bid?

I am yet to see any government in Nigeria that has been so attacked and criticised as President Jonathan’s. We all did a good job in keeping past governments on their toes and this helped them to think and come out with some good policies for the country because all their steps were scrutinised. However, President (Muhammadu) Buhari got it wrong from day one with his zero tolerance for the opposition and critics. His economic team has yet to take off. Some international financial institutions have abandoned Nigeria and the effects can be felt in the way the naira is depreciating. Honestly, we need not play politics with our economy; President Buhari needs tested hands, irrespective of their political affiliations, to put our economy on the right path.

Is it true that you resigned as the National Secretary of the LP in order to unite with your political benefactor in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?

I appreciate the reason so much importance is attached to my resignation as the National Secretary of the Labour Party. Resigning from such an exalted office is uncommon in our clime, but my decision was borne out of my ideal, principle and belief. Life is not a do-or-die affair. I found myself uncomfortable with certain things and when such things would not change, given the circumstance, the honourable thing for me to do was to relinquish the post, hoping that my selfless efforts would serve as an eyeopener to reposition the party. Now, I say, with all sense of responsibility, that there was no time that I was estranged from Governor Mimiko. I have had no cause to part ways with him. He is the governor of my state and he is performing within the limit of available resources.

His projects are benchmarks for others and if you must judge his stewardship in the state, I urge you to first take a trip to Osun State, then, visit Ekiti, Oyo and Ogun states, although many will be quick to say these are non-oil producing states. Then, go to Edo State and compare. Do an objective comparative analysis on Ondo State with these states in the background and you will have no choice but to salute the political acumen of Dr Mimiko. I stand by him as I have been doing. It is, therefore, no use to talk of any reunification.

Given the present situation in the cuntry, would you say the All Progressives Congress (APC) government is giving Nigerians the change they promised them?

The APC as a party had a lone objective and that was to sweep Jonathan’s government out of office. The broom as their emblem is instructive, although they hoodwinked

the populace with the change mantra. Unfortunately, nine months after getting rid of Jonathan’s administration, the APC is yet to know what next to do. This is quite unfortunate. It is worrisome that for such a parochial goal, they hoodwinked the populace with promises only to turn around and say that they can’t perform miracles. To them, good governance is a miracle in Nigeria. That statement is uncharitable and I am sure Nigerians will respond through their votes in the next general election.

As a human rights activist, why were you silent during the Ese Oruru abduction debacle?

It wasn’t that I had nothing to say but there were many emotions at war within me. I wanted to play the blame game but I realised that blaming either Ese or the parents was not the way to go. I couldn’t blame Ese because after

Everyone who touched this case compromised it. I owe no one any apology, from the government of Bayelsa State, the police in the state, Abuja and Kano State; from Governor Seriake Dickson to the Emir of Kano and the Inspector-General of Police.

They all bungled it.

all, what could a 13-year-old girl know and the parents, vicissitudes of life may compel one to act in a manner that is against one’s best judgement.

Then who is to blame?

Everyone who touched this case compromised it. I owe no one any apology, from the government of Bayelsa State, the police in the state, Abuja and Kano State; from Governor Seriake Dickson to the Emir of Kano and the InspectorGeneral of Police. They all bungled it. They put no value on the life of the poor child. They turned a blind eye to her travails. They could not empathise with her parents. They adjudged her worthless. Where were her representatives in the Houses of Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate? The governor of her state looked out only for his electoral concerns while the police in Bayelsa, Abuja and Kano were sufficiently intimidated by the stature of the Emir of Kano to turn a blind eye to such a crime. All the above made me bitter. I was very angry and my anger did not have anything to do with the fact that I am a lawyer but with the fact that I am a father. My anger erupted when I read that the government of Bayelsa State issued a press statement thanking the governor of Kano State and applauded security agencies for the “swiftness and professionalism” with which the matter was handled. What manner of insipid political correctness motivated that statement? What purpose was it designed to achieve? Can you fathom the damage that has been done, not only to the body, but also the psyche of this poor child? Can you even begin to contemplate the depth of her grief? Can you imagine the extent of the stigmatisation she will have to endure? Now she is said to be five months pregnant. Can any of these people imagine their own daughters being this dehumanised?

42

feature

19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Nigerians languishing in Saudi jail cry out to Nigerian authorities

By Bode Adewumi, Christian Okeke And Kolawole Daniel

L

IKE all Nigerians who are jostling to travel out of the country thinking their lot would become better abroad, some fourteen Nigerians decided to move to Saudi Arabia to try their luck in the middle east country. This was in 2002. It wasn’t that the fourteen Nigerians travelled together, to the country as they all came in at different times, but fate brought them together albeit in a difficult way.

Abass Azeez, Nafiu Obadina, Muhammed Abdullahi Yusuf, Amod Abass Alabi, Salau Amod Suberu, Sulaiman Olufemi, Nurudeen Owolade, Waheed Elebute, Amin Gbenga Shobayo, Abass Mojeed Akanni, Murtala Amao Oladele and Kazeem Afolabi, all found themselves in Saudi Arabia in 2002. Some of them only came into the country less than two weeks, some just a little over a month and some had only spent few months before they found themselves in big trouble in this Islamic country with strict laws.

The story is that a policeman was allegedly murdered by unknown men during a row between the police authorities and some nationals from other countries at a car wash station in a Saudi neighbourhood. According to the story, the police moved in and arrested people indiscrimately and in fact, they went as far as raiding homes of foreigners, particularly the black people. That was how these young men got into trouble without knowing anything about the matter.

In a chat with Saturday Tribune, one of the men said he was less than two weeks old in the country when the incident happened and he was still trying to settle down when the police picked him up where he was staying, in a massive raid.

He said the same was the case of all of them, stating that they were victims of police anger at the death of one of them. He said he couldn’t even think of killing anybody in Nigeria not to talk about doing that in a country known for her strictness.

They were all hauled into detention as those arrested were over a hundred people but only fourteen were Nigerians among them. After serious torture among other molestation, they were allegedly tried and jailed seven years each in 2005 in a court where they conducted the trial speaking Arabic and without representation from Nigeria’s embassy in the country. One of them, Suleimon Olufemi, was said to have bagged a death sentence. According to the men, the death sentence would be carried out when the first son of the murdered policeman turns 17 years. The boys, at the time, pleaded their innocence but it fell on deaf ears.

They were to serve out their jail terms in 2008, but to their surprise, they were taken to court, while serving the initial jail terms, and given additional three years. Again, this was to terminate in 2010 but the term was increased to fifteen years.

In the process, one of them took ill and died. These Nigerians have been appealing to subsequent Nigerian governments

since then to come to their aid without success.

They express their frustration and suffering as nobody is ready to assist them, just as they lament that other African nationals that were arrested and jailed along with them had regained freedom following interventions from their various governments. They wonder why successive Nigerian governments have turned deaf ears to their pleas of innocence as other countries had done for their citizens.

About two organisations made desperate efforts to bring the plight of these Nigerians to the front burner but all to no avail. An organisation, The Legal Defence and Assistant Project (LEDAP) was the first to campaign for the freedom of these Nigerians in 2006 before the Centre for Human Rights and Ethics in Development (CHRED) also took several steps to secure freedom for them, again, to no avail.

Unfortunately, the case of these Nigerians best highlight what many other Nigerians are going through as many Nigerians believe that all Nigerians in various jails abroad are truly guilty of all the offences levelled against them without always giving them the benefit of the doubt.

In 2013, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Foaud Abdulaziz Rajeh, disclosed that a total of 189 Nigerians were, by then, serving jail terms in Saudi Arabia. The ambassador who spoke when he paid a courtesy call on the then Vice President Namadi Sambo said the Saudi Arabian government was looking forward towards information sharing, training and exchange of prisoners. It is not known what efforts has been put in place to carry this out.

CHRED did a lot to bring the travails of these men into the limelight. Following persistent reminders, in 2009, the Nigerian Embassy acknowledged the receipt of letters from the organisation and promised to do something but nothing was obviously done as the men remain behind bars in Saudi.

They are desperately calling on well-meaning Nigerians to

However, let me believe that all of those things are going to be history soon. Mr. President is registering a strong presence in international arena, which critics who don’t understand kick against. But I know that the totality of all the efforts will yield Nigeria the desired result.

rescue them expressing the fear that they may end up being killed if nothing is done to free them.

Saturday Tribune visited the Abuja office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intimate the ministry of the development and an official, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said that the ministry was aware of such allegations of not providing prompt legal services to Nigerians in trouble abroad, and noted that the issue was not peculiar to Nigerians in Saudi Arabia.

The source said that it was obvious, in many instances reviewed, that Nigerian missions abroad failed to make prompt interventions to save such citizens, even when official complaints were made.

According to the source, the hands of officials at the missions were, however, tied in most cases, and attributed the situation to a number of factors including logistics challenge, lack of funds and uncompromising procedures in host countries.

The source gave an instance with the situation in Indonesia where there were protests against death sentences passed on Nigerians and where pleas by the Federal Government for leniency to those on death row were rebuffed.

Another example given by the source is what constantly happens to Nigerians in South Africa in terms of obvious maltreatment and the inability of the Federal Government to halt it through relevant diplomatic channels.

The source said, “I think that in those cases where Nigerians have been harshly treated and constantly too, the option is to use other instruments like invoking international conventions against the countries in question “We have received reports of non intervention by some of our missions abroad in some of those cases. Victims and their relatives have also reached us independently. I can tell you that the situation gives us great concern and let me remind you that that was why a former minister, now the late Olugbenga Ashiru had to threaten same reciprocal treatments to citizens of countries that maltreated our own citizens “However, let me believe that all of those things are going to be history soon. Mr. President is registering a strong presence in international arena, which critics who don’t understand kick against. But I know that the totality of all the efforts will yield Nigeria the desired result.

“I sympathise with the victims and their families. Hon estly, I pray things really get better.”

Also commenting on the issue, the chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon Rita Orji, in a telephone chat, said that the committee is already working on a motion that deals with Nigerians’ plight in foreign countries.

The lawmaker, who represents Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal constituency of Lagos, added that she was deeply concerned about the news of Nigerians languishing in jails across foreign countries.

According to her, “my committee is really concerned about the plight of Nigerians languishing in jail in foreign countries, a motion to that effect will be tabled before the House”.

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Imo varsity awards 419 first-class degrees

The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, welcoming the Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose to his palace while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff ( left) and the Eyesorun, Olori Adejugbe watch, during the visit of the PDP national chairman to the palace of Ewi in Ado Ekiti during the week.

Alleged kidnappers of Ikorodu school girls remanded in prison Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos

S

IX suspects who allegedly kidnapped three pupils of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School, Ikorodu have been remanded in prison.

The six suspected kidnappers are Emmanuel Arigidi, 37; Gift Pius, 30; Omoni Rufus Fred, 32; Owei Omobo Geofrey, 38; Akanji Seun, 38; and James Henry Segun, 29.

The police alleged that the suspected kidnappers had on February 29, 2016, at about 8p.m, while armed with AK 47 rifles and offensive weapons, invaded Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School, Ikorodu, and unlawfully kidnapped and detained three students of the school.

The three students allegedly kidnapped by the suspects are Tofunmi Popo-Olaniyan, 15; Olusa Timileyin, 14 and Deborah Akintayo, 14; all girls.

The police alleged that the suspects took away the students to a creek between Imota and Igbokuta in Ikoro-

du, on February 29, before they were rescued by the police on March 6.

They were also accused of robbing the principal of the school, Venerable Ola Oluwa Adeyemi, of the sum of N5.6m.

Aside that, the first suspect, Emmanuel Arigidi,is alleged to be a member of the armed

gang that robbed FCMB at Admiralty Way, Lekki, of the sum of N24 million on March 12, 2015.

The alleged kidnappers were arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrates’ Court where they all pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime.

The presiding Chief Magis-

Special pay for Customs: ‘No disagreement between Finance Minister and CGS’ Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stated that there is no disagreement between the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Colonel Hameed Ali (retd), on the issue of special salary scale for Customs personnel, saying both are on the same page on the issue.

Both the minister and the Customs boss disagreed on the issue of special salary for Customs while appearing

before the Senate Committee on Finance to defend their budgetary provision in the 2016 budget proposal.

While Colonel Ali made a case for special salary scale for officers and men of the Customs with a view to encouraging them to generate more revenue for government in view of the dwindling resources from oil, Adeosun stated that for that to happen, the Customs had to generate more into government coffers.

Speaking with the Saturday Tribune in Abuja,

AGF seeks media support on war against corruption THE Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris has called on journalists in the country to unite with government in the current fight against corruption by publishing objective and balanced reports that will help in exposing corruption at all levels.

Idris made this call Wednesday in Abuja whilst receiving the Executive council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), led by their president, Comrade Waheed Odusile, who came to pay him a courtesy visit.

He explained that as part of the processes to cleanse the system and bring about more cost effective management

trate I.O Adelaja ordered that they should be remanded in prison after the prosecutor, Mr. Godwin Osuyi brought an application for their remand.

The offences are punishable under sections 409, 269(1), and 295(2) of the Criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

of governance in Nigeria, the treasury is working with relevant institutions to ensure that the public financial management reforms embarked upon by government achieves the desired result.

The Accountant-General described the Nigerian media as being vibrant and supportive of the cause of the Nigerian people.

However, he urged them to continue to clearly and truthfully inform, educate and sensitise Nigerians on the true state of the nation’s economy, adding that the present administration is sincere and will not want to hide anything from Nigerians.

He recalled how the Nige-

rian media had stood on the side of the ordinary people by bringing to the fore their plight, especially at the height of insurgency in country.

Idris called on the media to continue to publish people oriented stories because according to him, the media is the voice of the voiceless and one of the most credible ways of placing the plight of the ordinary people in the public domain.

The high point of the visit was the presentation of President Buhari’s portrait of war against corruption to the National President of the NUJ as Mr Idris called on him to be an agent of the fight against corruption.

Customs’ Public Relations Officer (PRO), Wale Adeniyi, stated that both the minister and Customs boss were echoing the same sentiment with different approach, declaring that there was a unanimity of position expressed by both.

According to Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG), while Colonel Ali (retd) was calling for increase in the funding formula, Mrs Adeosun was saying that if the Customs collect more, it would get more.

He added that both wanted the special salary for Customs personnel with a view to aligning the personnel’s interest with their obligation to the country.

“Both the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Comptroller-General of Customs were echoing the same sentiment. The difference is their approach. One is saying that let us increase or let’s alter the funding formula, the other one is saying if you collect more you are going to get more.

“So there is a unanimity of position expressed by both that the renumeration of Customs should be reviewed so that there will be alignment of interest between the Customs officers who want to do their jobs and the obligation they owe to the country,” Adeniyi said.

THE Imo State University on Friday awarded first-class degrees to 419 graduates at its seventh convocation ceremony in Owerri.

Also, 10,417 second-class upper degrees, 29,220 secondclass lower division, 3,776 third-class degrees and 29 pass degrees were awarded.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Adaobi Obasi, described the convocation as the recognition and celebration of the academic achievements of the graduates.

Obasi expressed the hope that the graduates would be inspired to make greater exploits and valuable contributions to the society.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Gov. Rochas Okorocha urged the graduates to develop their talents and contribute their quota to the society as jobs were not readily available.

Okorocha also urged the lecturers to research widely in order to improve the quality of graduates turned out each year.

He reaffirmed his determination to ensure that the university gained a pride of place among the universities in the country.

I never promised hostel for Odumegwu Ojukwu University —Akpabio THE Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has said that he never promised to build a new hostel for the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State.

Senator Akpabio was reacting to a media report which quoted him as promising, during the institution’s 7th convocation lecture, that he would build hostel for the school.

Reacting through his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio said that he never promised to build a new hostel for the institution as erroneously published.

According to the release, “What I said after the lecture at the 7th convocation ceremony of the school was that “as a member of the National Assembly, I will work with the relevant federal agencies to ensure that another hostel is built for the students, which could also be in the form of constituency projects.”

The correction, the release added “became imperative so that the public, especially the university community would not go away with the erroneous belief that Senator Akpabio promised to personally build for them a hostel.”

Olubadan calls for support for trial census THE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Olasupo Adetunji, has called on all the people of Ibadanland, especially, residents of Ibadan North West Local Government to give maximum support and cooperation to the National Population Commission (NPC) over the ongoing area demarcation exercise.

The monarch made the call on Thursday at the grand finale of the Ibadan Cultural Festival held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

It will be recalled that the local government area was chosen as a pilot area for the trial census in preparation for next year’s national population census.

A press release signed by Adeola Oloko, Director of Media and Public Affairs to the Olubadan and made available to Saturday Tribune said Oba Adetunji urged everybody to make themselves available for the head count and household enumeration exercise, so as to know the true population of Ibadanland when the proper census commences.

Xtians mark Palm Sunday tomorrow CHRISTIANS all over the world will tomorrow mark the feast of the Palm Sunday to celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem..

This is contained in a statement signed by Msgr. Gabriel Osu, the Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week and commemorates the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem days before he was crucified.

Osu said that as the beginning of Holy Week, Palm Sunday heralds the week in which Christians celebrated the mystery of their salvation through Christ’s death and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

“The Holy Week starts from Sunday and will run till Good Friday, March 25,” he said.

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19 March, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

CAF Champions League: Enyimba will win in Burundi —Udoh Enyimba goal merchant, Mfon Udoh is optimistic that his team would complete a double against Vital’O of Burundi when they clash this weekend in a CAF Champions League first round second leg game in Bujumbura.

The reigning Nigeria Premier League champions, had last Sunday in the first leg tie at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Sta-

dium, Port Harcourt hammered Vital’O 5-1, where Udoh netted two of the goals.

“It was a good game and a massive victory for us in the first leg, we are looking forward to another good game and victory in Burundi,” said the all-time top scorer in Nigeria League history.

“We have not relented in our preparation, no complacency, total victory is our target.”

Udoh has set the pace in the top scorers’ race in this year’s competition with four goals.

On paper, ‘The People’s Elephant’ appear to have got their act together in front of goal after they struggled to score goals despite creating countless chances in previous

outings.

Enyimba has been boosted by the release of goalkeeper Femi Thomas and Chima Akas from the Super Eagles training camp for this game.

Enyimba won the CAF Champions League back-to-back in 2003 and 2004, while Vital’O have previously featured in this competition eight times with their best performance in 1999 and 2000, when they reached the second round.

The reward for the overall winners of this match-up will be a date with either Morocco’s Olympique Khourigba or Etoile du Sahel from Tunisia.

The eventual winners in the second round will qualify for the money-spinning group stage of the annual tournament.

...Wolves will surprise Al Merreikh in Sudan —Ajiboye

G

oalkeeper Dele Ajiboye says he is confident that Warri Wolves will turn the tables against Al Merreikh of Sudan, as both sides clash this weekend in the second leg tie of the first round of the CAF Champions

League.

The Seasiders lost the first leg 0-1 before their teeming fans in Warri and must now beat a more experienced Al Merreikh at least by two unreplied goals to advance in the competition.

“We had planned to win the first leg but it was not to be, that is football.

“But we have not lost hope as we are gunning for victory in the game because that’s the only way we can progress.

“We will fight hard to get the victory, we know it’s a huge task which won’t be easy but we are in for it and pray God will crown our efforts,” Ajiboye, a member of the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup Golden Eaglets winning squad said.

Also, Wolves coach, Peter Niketien believes his team has not yet been eliminated from the competition.

“Football is a game you can hardly predict perfectly. We still have the second leg to play, who says we can’t also beat them over there in Sudan? It’s not over until it’s over. We are still in.

“We still have a 50 per cent chance to qualify, we should not be written off,” Niketien said.

This is Wolves first appearance in the CAF Champions League, while Al Merreikh has featured 19 times, reaching the semi-final last year.

However, the Sudanese giants will be without Nigeria forward ,Solomon Jabason after he suffered a knee injury and had to undergone a successful operation which will keep him out for up to six weeks.

Akinwunmi heads LOC for AFCON Beach Soccer

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung will on Thursday, March 24 in Kaduna, inaugurate the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations that Nigeria will host in December this year.

NFF’s first vice president, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, has been named the Chairman of the committee.

The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) also named Honourable Suleiman Yahaya –Kwande, a member of the House of Representatives and member of the NFF board, as the vice chairman.

According to the list made available to thenff.com, another member of the NFF board and chairman of Enyimba FC, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu and the Chairman of the Benue State Football Association, Mrs Margaret Icheen are also members of the committee.

Other members are Mr Adeyinka Adeboye, Mr Bolaji Yusuf, Mr Nansel Nimyel, Mr Sonny Monidafe, Mr Athanasius Okon and former Nigeria junior international, Salisu Nakande.

Mr Samson Adamu, chief organiser of the annual COPA Lagos Invitational Beach Soccer Tournament, is also member as well as the director of organisation, with NFF’s acting director of competitions, Mr Bola Oyeyode, as Secretary.

Former NFF president, Anthony Kojo Williams will serve as adviser to the committee

Why Eagles won’t take charter flight to Egypt —NFF The Super Eagles, unlike their Egyptian counterparts, will not be travelling for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Pharaohs in a charter flight.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said due to paucity of funds and in a bid to cut costs, they will have to fly the team on a regular flight from Nigeria to Cairo.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, NFF president Amaju Pinnick explained that the step has been taking as a cost cutting measure.

“We looked at various options; we have Arik as our partner but Arik as a company is going through a tough time; tough time in

the sense that everything they are doing is in foreign currency.

“So, even if they say that they are going to take 250, 000 dollars to fly the team there, how much is it in naira? Over N60 million.

“It was initially 290,000 dollars but they came down because they have to pay landing and parking charges in Alexandria and we looked at the other option that Egypt Air has three flights from Nigeria every day.

“They have from Kano, Abuja and Lagos; we are going to be saving a minimum of 35 to N40 million and if you can save that why don’t you do a regular Egypt Air that leaves Abuja 11. 30 and gets to Cairo that Satur-

day.

“Cairo to Alexandria is 20 minutes by air and one hour by road because indeed they (players) might not even train that Saturday, then, on Sunday/Monday they will train and

by Tuesday evening they will play the game.

“So, people should be able to see why we are doing this not because of anything but looking at cost and other operational activation; it’s going to save us at least N30 million.

“So, it’s a 100,000 dollars which of course can pay players some of their bonuses. So we are looking at the economics of scale.“

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19 March, 2016

With

outofplay

Totti (left) and wife

R

oma forward Francesco Totti and his wife Ilary have welcomed

New baby for Totti

their third child, baby daughter Isabel, into the world.

The couple, who married

in 2005, were pictured by The Sun in high spirits after leaving the hospital ‘Matre Dei’ last Monday afternoon.

The iconic Giallorossi captain is currently in the twilight of his career and pondering his future. He is yet to be offered an extension on his contract.

Saturday Tribune

Dipo Ogunsola 081 169 54 641

Peter Crouch in skirt David Walliams certainly isn’t averse to dressing up as a woman.

But football fans got quite a surprise when Peter Crouch joined the 44-year-old comedian as an honorary ‘lady’ in aid of Sports Relief 2016.

The Sun caught the pair stepping out in drag to launch the new drive for the annual charity, recreating David’s iconic Little Britain sketch.

Kitted-out in long, floral skirts, slip-on shoes and delicate blouses, the pair will surely raise plenty of laughs - as well as eyebrows - in their latest looks.

This included lashings of make-up and impressive, curly up ‘dos’, with Peter even brandishing an orange feathered fascinator.

They capped the look with a pair of opaque tights for a truly maternal look.

Crouch (left)

Mayweather, new catch savour high life

Hamilton

Hamilton walks his dogs It’s no secret that dogs are highly regarded as man’s best friend.

Proving that notion to be true, Lewis Hamilton was the picture of happiness as he walked his two pooches in Paris .

Beaming broadly, the F1 champion, 31, looked content as he was joined by Roscoe and Coco as he continued to show off his stylish wardrobe choices in the French capital.

Hamilton made a bold fashion statement in a padded coat with a detachable hem that also featured long leather sleeves.

Lewis teamed his quirky cover-up with a white striped shirt, lightwash jeans as well as a pair of leather zip details brogues.

With his hair styled in a quiff, the sportsman hid his eyes behind a pair of reflective sunglasses in an Instagram posting.

Mayweather (left) and Eliss

Floyd Mayweather continues to enjoy himself in retirement, with the undefeated world champion snapped living the high life with his new love interest from Dudley.

Rmarni Eliss, 19, is still on Mayweather’s arm with the pair taking to social media to share their latest night out on the tiles in one of Miami’s plushest night spots.

The mega-rich Mayweather, renowned for flaunting his ridiculous wealth on Instagram, whisked the£6.50-an-hour New Look sales assistant to America alongside her 21-year-old sister

Relissa Ricketts on his private jet for a holiday, and Rmarni is clearing having the time of her life.

Miss Eliss is believed to have forked out £600 for the VIP ticket to meet the star at the roadshow in February, and a month on from their first meeting it has proved a worthwhile investment.

The pair were publicly seen together attending the LA Clippers versus Golden State Warriors NBA match at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and the teenager was quick to brag about rubbing shoulders with stars courtside.

Pogba wears new look Pogba

Paul Pogba may be known for his extravagant haircuts, but his latest effort definitely tops the pile.

The Juventus star unveiled his new trim in a video on Instagram, the camera rotating around his head to re-

veal the Minion design that is part of his hair.

Pogba had reason to celebrate with a fresh cut - his Juve side last weekend beat Sassuolo 1-0 last weekend to sustain their three point gap at the top of Serie A.

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19 March, 2016

NIGERIA

With Olawale Olaniyan olaniyankay@yahoo.com 08055165128

PREMIER LEAGUE SPECIAL

I won’t celebrate goal at Heartland —Akor

‘Akwa Utd can stun Rangers in Enugu’ Akwa United striker, Ubong Friday has said his side will end six-week old search for three points on the road at Enugu Rangers.

The Promise Keepers will be the guests of the Flying Antelopes in tomorrow’s Nigeria Premier League match day seven clash at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

Friday said Akwa United will accord Enugu Rangers due respect on and off the pitch the same as other opponents, but will duly challenge for the three points at stake.

“We are not worried going to confront Enugu Rangers at their fortress as well as finest hours at the ongoing season.

“Rangers have good reputation in the land we will duly acknowledge that fact when we engage them on Sunday.

“Rangers are good side same as ours, too which we have proved on several occasions in major competitions.

“Our mission at Enugu Rangers is to get at least a point though we will consider the whole three points as plus.

“However, we have earned an away point at Sunshine Stars but yet to garner three points outside our shore so far this season.

“The mood and spirit among my team-mates indicate that we may as well end the search for three points on the road at Enugu Rangers.

“Yes, it’s quite possible though, our previous matches against Rangers have always been tough the Sunday clash is unlikely to be different.

“We are more than ever determined to earn a decent result in the clash that will help us to challenge for the summit,” Friday told supersport.com.

Akwa United has raked in 10 points from possible 18 in the six-week old Nigerian top flight though with a game to spare at ElKanemi Warriors.

Saturday Tribune

M

Akor

We can’t beat 3SC except...

—Okonkwo Rivers United attacker, Chukwunonso Okonkwo says his side will “have no chance of escaping defeat” unless they play the game of their lives against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) today.

The two sides clash in a match day seven fixture of the Nigeria Premier League billed for the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

Okonkwo reckons his side will not avoid defeat unless they play the perfect game against the “Oluyole Warriors”.

“I will be playing against my former coach (3SC head coach), Kadiri Ikhana who is a great tactician.

“He was the first coach to lead a Nigerian club to success in the CAF Champions League.

“We have to play as a team on Saturday and avoid making any mistakes if we want to get any (points) on Saturday,” Okonkwo said.

United’s season has been one of great contrasts following three wins at home and three defeats on the road after their first six matches.

The Port Harcourt club has yet to concede at home though and is the division’s top scorers on the road (four goals from three matches).

Okonkwo believes “a complete change of attitude” is key if rich rewards are to be reaped on Saturday.

“I will say we have no chance of escaping defeat in the hands of 3SC unless we play as a team.

“The players must show a complete change of attitude. We have a good defence but we sometimes concede unnecessary goals.

“We score in all our games and I believe that if we stop conceding, we will win away sooner, rather than later.

“To achieve this, we must work as a team; it’s not just the defenders,” he said.

Meanwhile, 3SC goalkeeper, Emmanuel Fabiyi believes defeating Rivers United will be an uphill task today but says his team is up to the task.

“It is important to win against Rivers United in front of our fans in

Ibadan,” Fabiyi told Goal.

“We lost our last league game against FC Ifeanyi Ubah and had rested for more than 10 days.

“We need to go all out and try to get three maximum points which is already a reality.”

The Benin Republic international also eyes a clean sheet today.

“I want to keep a clean sheet in the game. It is the joy of every goalkeeper not to pick up the ball from the net.”

Okonkwo

ountain of Fire Ministry (MFM) FC striker, Isah Akor Umoru has said he will not celebrate if he scores against his former club, Heartland tomorrow.

The newly-promoted side and current league leaders will be the guests of the Naze Millionaires in a Nigeria Premier League match day seven clash at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.

Umoru said his soft spot for Heartland is undying though as key professional, he will always want the whole three points for the Lagos-based side.

“If I score at Heartland chances are there that I will not go out of my way to celebrate the goal.

“Heartland remain a home and endearing as I will forever appreciate what they did for me as a footballer.

“Heartland are dear in

my heart though right now MFM FC are everything for me and that’s expected in football and as a professional.

“The trend in football is that your present abode is your home so MFM FC are rightly my new home.

“Of course, I will always want MFM FC to win the clash at Owerri against Heartland that will further cement our leadership position on the league log.

“Though we cannot take credit ourselves but allude to the grace of God for what we have achieved so far in the ongoing league.

“It’s not within our power to insist on staying on top of the log we can only do our own work and allow God to perfect the work of our hands,” the former Heartland goal merchant told supersport.com.

MFM FC leads the 20-team top flight on 13 points from possible 18 in the six-week old elite league.

NPFL TABLE Pos Team P W D L GF GA 1 MFM FC 6 4 1 1 9 7 2 Rangers 6 3 2 1 9 6 3 Akwa Ud 5 3 1 1 10 5 4 Ifeanyiubah 5 3 1 1 9 5 5 Abia Warriors 6 2 4 0 7 5 6 Kano Pillars 5 3 1 1 7 5 7 Lobi Stars 5 3 0 2 6 3 8 Rivers United 6 3 0 3 8 7 9 Warri Wolves 5 2 2 1 3 2 10 Wikki Tourists 5 2 1 2 5 3 11 Niger Tornadoes 6 2 1 3 8 8 12 Giwa FC 5 2 1 2 5 5 13 Plateau United 6 2 1 3 6 11 14 3SC 4 2 0 2 6 5 15 Heartland 5 1 2 2 2 3 16 Ikorodu United 6 1 2 3 3 9 17 Enyimba 3 1 0 2 1 3 18 El-Kanemi 5 1 0 4 4 9 19 Sunshine Stars 5 0 2 3 4 7 20 Nasarawa United 3 0 0 3 1 5

GD 2 3 5 4 2 2 3 1 1 2 0 0 -5 1 -1 -6 -2 -5 -3 -4

Pts 13 11 10 10 10 10 9 9 8 7 7 7 7 6 5 5 3 3 2 0

47

sport

19 March, 2016

Adamu condemns Oliseh’s invitation by National Assembly

FIFA U-20 Women’s W-Cup:

Falconets fear no foes —Dedevbo

F

alconets head coach, Peter Dedevbo has said his side will not campaign as underdogs at the eighth FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea in November this year.

Thursday’s draw at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich threw the Nigeria U-20 side into group B against known foes, Canada and Japan and relatively unfamiliar side, Spain.

Dedevbo said that Nigeria

is the team to be feared in the group not Canada, Japan or Spain.

“I don’t see why we need to fear any team rather those teams should be the ones to be scared of us. Our pedigree at this level is intimidating.

“However, we will not be underrating any of Spain, Canada or Japan. Our principle as always will be to take it one match at a time and focus on our objective of doing Nigeria proud,” Dedevbo told thenff.com.

Nigeria/Egypt clash: Iheanacho

storms Eagles camp Monday

Manchester City star- ternational debut against let, Kelechi Iheanacho is Swaziland in Lobamba expected to fly into Nige- last November, when he ria for the Africa Cup of came on as a 66th minute Nations (AFCON) dou- substitute for Rabiu Ibble-header against Egypt rahim. on Monday.

Iheanacho is expected to feature for City in tomorrow’s Manchester derby against United in the English Premier League and The Egypt senior men’s the following day catch a national team, the Phaflight to Nigeria, one of raohs will touch down in his representatives disclosed.

“Kelechi has received his flight ticket for the match and he is expected to fly out on Monday from England,” said the representative.

The former U-17 and U-20 star is one of 21 foreign-based stars invited for the AFCON qualifiers against on Egypt March 25 in Kaduna and March 29 in Alexandria.

He made his full in- Iheanacho in an aerial contest

Dedevbo

Dedevbo was in charge when the Falconets cruised to the final of the last competition in Canada losing to Germany only after extra time.

At the inaugural edition in Canada 14 years ago when the tournament was known as U-19 World Cup Nigeria and Japan battled to a 1-1 draw in the group stage and eight years later in Germany, the Falconets defeated the Asians 2-1 in another group stage match.

However, as hosts in 2012 Japan beat the Fal-

conets 2-1 in a third place match in Tokyo.

Hosts, Canada defeated Nigeria 2-0 in a group stage match in 2002, but the Falconets earned a 3-2 win in another group stage match against the North Americans in Russia four years later.

The Falconets reached the quarter-finals in Thailand 2004, Russia 2006 and Chile 2008, finished as runners-up in Germany 2010 and Canada 2014 as well as reached the semifinals in Japan 2012.

...Egypt to land in Kaduna Wednesday Nigeria on Wednesday, aboard a charter Egypt Air flight, fcnaija has gathered.

T h e Pharaohs have been training in Cairo with the homeb a s e d players ahead of the games against Nigeria on the 25th and 29th in Kaduna and Alexandria respectively.

The five o v e r seas-based players invited are expected to join up with the rest of the squad latest on Tuesday, b e f o r e

Saturday Tribune

departing the Cairo International Airport for the almost six-hour flight to Nigeria.

The team will then be sheltered at the Royal Tropicana Hotel on Isa Kaita road, Kaduna. They will have their feel of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium on Thursday evening, before the game on Friday.

The Pharaohs are expected to depart the shores of Nigeria immediately after the match, with the return leg coming up the following Tuesday at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

The Pharaohs currently lead Nigeria in the qualifying group, with Egypt having won both of their matches to date, two points ahead of the second placed Nigeria. The upcoming clashes could well decide who obtains the automatic qualifying spot from the group, with only the group winners going to the 2017 African Cup automatically.

Former Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Amos Adamu has described the National Assembly’s invitation of the former Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh, as unnecessary.

Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Friday that the coach’s resignation was not unusual, especially in view of the fact that all over the world on a daily basis coaches are either sacked or they resign.

NAN recalls that Oliseh resigned his appointment as the handler of the team on Feb. 25.

Following Oliseh’s resignation and the criticisms that followed, Honourable Abdulrahman Abubakar, a member of the House of Representatives’ com-

mittee on Sport, said that Oliseh had been given a new date to appear before the Green chamber of the National Assembly to answer some questions.

Speaking to selected journalists when he visited the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Chairman Technical Committee on Sports said Oliseh deserved a fair hearing as a Nigerian.

“We must remember that he was a former national team captain and has served this country hence we have invited him to hear his side.

“Although he has resigned, we do not believe we should crucify him.

“We are not there to impose any coach on Nigeria. We are ready to do the right thing.”

Nigeria Premier League fixtures Saturday, March 19 Shooting Stars vs Rivers Utd

NO 1,143

n150

Saturday, 19 march, 2016

Sunday, March 20 Ikorodu Utd vs Giwa

El-Kanemi Heartland Plateau Utd Rangers Wikki Tourists

vs vs vs vs vs

Ifeanyiubah MFM Lobi Stars Akwa United Niger Tornadoes

Champions League q/f fixtures

Wolfsburg (GER) Bayern Munich (GER) Barcelona (ESP) PSG (FRA)

vs Real Madrid (ESP) vs Benfica (POR) vs Atletico Madrid (ESP) vs Man City (ENG)

Europa League q/f fixtures Sporting Braga (POR) Villarreal (ESP) Athletic Bilbao (ESP) Dortmund (GER)

vs Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) vs Sparta Prague (CZE) vs Sevilla (ESP) vs Liverpool (ENG)

English Premiership (today’s fixtures) Everton West Brom Watford Crystal Palace Chelsea Swansea City

vs Arsenal vs Norwich vs Stoke City vs Leicester vs West Ham v Aston Villa

1:45pm 4:00pm 4:00pm 4:00pm 4:00pm 6:30pm

Pellegrini happy to avoid Barca

Champions League: Manuel Pellegrini has expressed his relief that Manchester City avoided holders Barcelona in Friday’s Champions League draw.

The Citizens were paired with Paris SaintGermain in the last eight having eased past Dynamo Kiev in the previous round.

Although Pellegrini acknowledged that PSG, led by star forward, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, will be tough opposition, he failed to

Pellegrini

hide his relief that City had not drawn Barca, who knocked Pellegrini’s men out of the competition in the past two seasons.

“In my opinion, Barcelona are the team that can make the difference but all the other teams are the same,” the City manager told a news conference on Friday.

“You never know what represents an easy draw when you’re with the eight best teams on the continent. Maybe one team has less of a name than another but they’re at this stage so they deserve to be there because they beat other teams.”

Pellegrini was also pleased the second leg will be staged at City’s Etihad Stadium.

“It’s better to be away first - I always prefer to finish at home so you know what you must do in your home stadium,” he added.

Omeruo

Omeruo out of Egypt clash

S

uper Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo has been ruled out of the side’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) double header against the Pha-

raohs of Egypt.

Omeruo’s club, Kasimpasa in the Turkish top flight informed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the 2013 AFCON winner is down with

Oshoala completes Arsenal move Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala has completed a switch from Merseyside outfit Liverpool to Arsenal Ladies as confirmed by the North London club.

The 21 year-old striker spent the 2015 season with Liverpool, where she became the first player from Africa to feature in the Women’s Super League.

She scored three goals in 12 league appearances for the Reds.

Confirming the arriv-

al of the former Rivers Angels striker, Arsenal in an official statement on its website wrote: “Arsenal Ladies have completed the signing of Nigeria international Asisat Oshoala. The talented Nigeria international striker has joined Pedro Martinez Losa’s side from Liverpool.”

Reacting to the development, Arsenal Ladies manager Pedro Losa: “Asisat is a fantastic talent and will be a great addition to our

squad. She is quick, with excellent feet and has prove she can score goals so it’s very positive she has decided to join us.” Losa told the Arsenal website.

Oshoala joined Liverpool Ladies in January 2015, but missed two months of the 2015 season with a knee injury, as defending champions Liverpool finished seventh of eight teams.

In January 2016, Liverpool reported that a transfer bid from Arse-

nal Ladies had activated the release clause in Oshoala’s contract and that she was discussing personal terms with the London club which has now materialised.

On the international stage, Asisat has represented Nigeria with distinction at youth and senior level. In 2014, she was player of the tournament at both the Under-20 World Cup and the African Women’s ChampionOshoala ship.

a groin injury that will sideline him for the next two weeks.

Eagles’ team administrator, Dayo Enebi said the development has already been communicated to the

side’s head coach, Samson Siasia and the team medics.

“Omeruo’s injury and subsequent withdrawal from the Egypt games has been communicated to the coaches and the medics.

“The player is disappointed with his injury setback because he has been looking forward to this game with a lot of optimism.

“Expectedly, the coaches were also unhappy but they have wished him a quick recovery,” Enebi told thenff.com.

The Super Eagles will confront Egypt in two crucial games over four days on March 25 and 29.

Nigeria needs at least four points out of a maximum six to go top of the group and enhance her chances of participating at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon.

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. 19/3/2016.