23rd April 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 1,148

SATURDAY, 23 APRIL, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

N150

Amnesty Int’l indicts Army over killing of 350 Shiites

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APC not business venture —Buhari’s aide Says President respects Tinubu

pg9

Weekend Lagos

I need time to recover —Toyin Aimakhu

pg26

I struggle to feed him and our children, now I want divorce —Wife tells court

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Gunmen abduct Osun perm sec, 2 others pg5

Lagos cemeteries rent out graves, eject corpses

Rented grave: N15,000 Permanent grave: N150,000

pgs19,20,21&22

Psycho epidemic: 300 patients in Yaba psychiatric hospital per day —CMD pgs21&22

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Some people are trying to

hijack Nollywood

—EmekaIke

Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike, has been in the entertainment industry for more than two decades. In this no holds barred interview with JOAN OMIONAWELE, he talks about his career, school, marriage, among other things.

I

t has been reported that you are now the new President of Actors Guild of Nigeria after Ibinabo Fiberesima was stripped of the title.

Yes, but I heard a digital TV channel gave a cartel lot of money to make sure my government does not work.

This cartel feels that they must hijack the industry for the subscription channel. There is no one in this cartel who you can say has made more sacrifice for Nollywood. This digital TV channel is making millions from showing our films and yet they want to make sure they stop whoever is making demands to fight for the right of actors. My demand is that they pay Nigerians anytime they are on air, is that too much to ask?

All over the world, wherever a work of art is being shown, the actors/ musicians get their royalties, but here, actors are ignored because of the sycophants who are willing to pay them.

Are actors and actresses not supposed to come out to vote for a new AGN president?

The thing is, these issues

have to be settled in court and then the executive that’s in power can now conduct elections. Because it wasn’t an organised environment and it was put together in a way that people believed it represented everyone, but it represented a small community, so when you hear Nollywood, it’s just hype.

Now that Ibinabo has been given an option of bail, are you not supposed to wait for her to hand over properly?

You see, Ibinabo has been convicted, a convict cannot play this role. Are we messing up the Nigerian constitution? Are we choosing democracy or continuing with tyranny? There are some things which are haram to democracy and she is not even making noise right now because I think she understands that fact, but I have always said I don’t have a problem with Ibinabo, she is just a pun on chessboard, The bigger people are the people you don’t really know their names, those who are shortchanging actors and still they tell you Nollywood is for Africa right now and dole out money to make sure that my administration does not work.

Continues on pg27

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Saraki, NASS commission at loggerheads •Over appointment of new clerk Taiwo Adisa - Abuja

S

ENATE President Bukola Saraki and the leadership of the National Assem-

bly Service Commission (NASC) are at loggerheads over the appointment of Mr. Sani Omolori as the acting clerk to the National Assembly (CCNA) and head of

the legislative bureaucracy.

The Commission had on Wednesday announced the appointment of Omolori, clerk of the House of Representatives as the clerk to the

National Assembly (CCNA).

But Saraki, in a letter endorsed by his chief of staff, Senator Isa Galaudu, asked the NASC to reverse the appointment and name Mr

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase (left) with the representative of the vice-president, Dr Yomi Dipeolu, launching the police emblem, during the strategic police management conference in Abuja on Friday. PHOTO: NAN

Ondo holds LG election today Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure AT least 18 political parties will participate in the local government council election holding today across the 203 wards of the 18 local government areas of Ondo State.

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODEIC) on Thursday said the commission was set for the election, adding that all sensitive materials would have been moved to all the 18 local government areas of the state by Friday.

The commission, which assured the participating political parties of free, fair and credible election, urged politicians and political parties not to see the election as a do or die affair.

The ODEIC chairman, Professor Gbenga Ige, explained that the commission has trained over seven thousand adhoc staff for the election, while the state police command has also deployed about six thousand officers to prevent a breakdown of law and order at the polling

Rivers polytechnic lecturer killed by gunmen Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt

DR Vinvent Eebe, a senior lecturer with the Rivers State government-owned Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, was killed by yet-tobe identified gunmen, on Thursday.

The deceased was said to had been shot several times by his assailants along Bua-Yeghe in Gokana Local Government.

Eebe who, until his assassination, was the Director of Industrial Training of the institution was shot dead on his way home. It was learnt that he was heading back to his Port Harcourt residence before he was killed at BuaYeghe.

A source in the community said, Eebe was trailed by his killers from his office, adding that the deceased ran out of his car to escape

when he noticed that he was being trailed.

It was gathered that the suspected assassins ran after him, shot him several times and waited to ensure that he was dead before they drove off.

“The man was coming back from the school where he lectures before some unknown gunmen followed him.

“As he noticed that the people behind him were after him, he stopped and ran out of his car. The boys followed him and fired several shots at him,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said the slain lecturer was in company with some people when four armed men trialed and shot him at Bua Yeghe at about 4.20 p.m.

centres.

However, the leadership of some political parties, including the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), had earlier registered their intention not to participate in the first council election in the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in the state.

But no fewer than 18 political parties will participate in today’s election.

The state government had hinged the delay in the conduct of the council election in the state on the pending litigation at the Supreme Court instituted by the 18 local governments sacked by the state government in 2009.

The PDP chairman had challenged their sack by Governor Mimiko but had to withdraw the suit after the governor joined the PDP in October 2014 .

However, some residents of the state have expressed divergent views about the election. Many of the residents who spoke with Saturday Tribune expressed their readiness to participate in the election with a promise that they will come out in their large numbers to vote for the candidates of their choice.

One of the residents, Adamolekun Hosea said, “we have been waiting for this particular election because it has to do with grass-roots administration. Since the

advent of this government, no council election has been held and we are anxious to elect our leaders at the local government level.”

However, the APC in the state has called on the people of the state not to participate in the elections, saying there is no authentic voters register for the conduct of the election.

The party, in a statement issued by its Director of Publicity, Steve Otaloro, said the voters register being contemplated for use has not been reviewed since the last general election as required by the law.

Ben Efeturi, the incumbent deputy clerk to the National Assembly.

The letter stated that due process was not followed in naming Omolori, who is seen as junior to Efeturi in the National Assembly hierarchy.

The letter by Saraki’s chief of staff dated April 21, 2016 and titled “Withdrawal of Letter of Appointment of Acting Clerk of National Assembly,” reads: “We present to you the compliments of the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON. Please recall that during your last meeting with the Senate President on April 20, 2016, the procedure of the appointment of the acting clerk of the National Assembly was discussed.

“The Commission was directed to follow due process and ensure that seniority is adhered to. Of course, Mr Benedict Efeturi, who is deputy clerk of the National Assembly (DCNA) and who has previously acted as the

clerk of the National Assembly should be the first to be considered.

“The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives were informed that Mr. Efeturi was not considered for the appointment because he was not duly appointed as deputy clerk of the National Assembly. On further enquiry, we found he was duly appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission vide extract from minutes of its 403rd meeting held on Friday, 21st November, 2014.

“From the foregoing, you have misled and misinformed the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“Consequently, I am directed by His Excellency, the Senate President, to inform you that the letter appointing Mr Sani Omolori as acting clerk of the National Assembly be withdrawn immediately for further consultations.

“Please accept the assurances of my warmest regards.”

Wike dissolves Rivers LG caretaker committees Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, on Friday dissolved all the 23 local government caretaker committees in the state with immediate effect.

This is as he directed the sacked local council chairmen to hand over to their respective Heads of Personel Management (HPMs).

As contained in a state-

ment issued by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the governor on electronic media, Wike further directed the HPMs to immediately compile a list of the staff being owed salaries.

He directed that the list, including the number of months owed to the workers by the respective councils, be submitted to his office with immediate effect.

APC crisis: ALGON passes

confidence vote in Bello Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

AS the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State continues, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), has passed a vote of confidence on the state governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

The association noted that the governor has since assumption of office taken bold steps aimed at developing the state.

The chairman of Lokoja Local Government, Aliyu Baba Usman, who doubles as the Secretary of ALGON in the state, told the media that the self-induced crisis was uncalled for as such

was capable of distracting the governor.

Usman called on the people and other others concerned in the ongoing crisis not to create distraction for the governor.

The council bosses noted that Bello was determined to reposition various sectors of the state for optimal performance.

He particularly lauded the governor for his all inclusive appointments which he noted cut across every part of the state, saying this had fostered unity among the people of the state.

The ALGON noted that the ongoing screening exercise aimed at sanitising

the civil service for greater productivity would further boost the economic base of the state.

Other achievements of the governor, according to the group include the recent mobilisation of contractors to site, particularly the rehabilitation of the Lokoja township road which was abandoned after the elections and other reforms of his government.

The Secretary of ALGON equally promised that the body would continue to accord unalloyed support to Bello’s administration to succeed in the task of building a better Kogi State that will be the pride of all.

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Gunmen abduct Osun PS, director, driver in Kogi Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

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UN-TOTTING hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers, on Friday, abducted the Permanent Secretary of the Osun

State Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Adebimpe Ogunlumade and a director in the audit department of the ministry, Mr Tajudeen Badejoko.

Saturday Tribune

gathered that the victims were kidnapped alongside their driver, Mr Oladapo Arogundade, at Obajana on the Lokoja-Okene Road in Kogi State.

The incident was said to have occurred around 1.30

p.m. while the officials were returning to Osogbo after an official engagement in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

However, the auditorgeneral of the finance ministry, who boarded the same

Osun workers, pensioners owed balance of July 2015 to January 2016 salaries —NLC Oluwole Ige - Osogbo OSUN State workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Friday, described as untrue claims that the civil servants in the state are not owed outstanding balance of salaries that have been received.

The labour contended that the state government was still owing workers balance of outstanding salaries from July 2015 to January 2016, stressing that the claims that the government had paid the balance of half salaries being paid to workers from Level 8 and above were untrue and unfounded.

Reacting to the claims in a press statement signed by the chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Jacob Adekomi, the labour stated that “it has come to the notice of state council of the NLC that workers and pensioners are not owed any outstanding balance of salaries received.

“This is a distortion of facts

and misrepresentation of the position that is meant to truncate the existing peace and cause disharmony between the state workers who are currently pauperised and suffering and the state government that has promised the entire workforce and pensioners of not only paying the outstanding balance, but also ready to

compensate them for their perseverance, endurance and understanding when the economy of the state improves.

“Therefore, the congress is not unmindful of the resolve of a cliche to unleash outright falsehood on the workforce in order to cause crisis of confidence between the congress leadership and

their members, “It is the belief of the state council of the congress that what workers in Nigeria as a whole and Osun State in particular are passing through would be a thing of the past. The leadership of the state congress would not derail in its responsibility of protecting the welfare of the workers.”

vehicle with Ogunlumade and the director, managed to escape from the scene of the kidnapping.

A source in the state Ministry of Finance, who craved anonymity, told Saturday Tribune that the kidnapped officials were returning to Osogbo from Abuja where they had attended a meeting on the State and Local Government Reforms Project, a World Bank and European Union (EU) programme.

In a release signed by the state Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye and made available to journalists in Osogbo on Friday, the state government described the abduction as unfortunate.

The release reads in part: “Preliminary information

Amnesty International accuses Nigerian Army of mass killing of Shiites in Kaduna Claims 350 people were killed between Dec. 12 and 14 AMNESTY International said on Friday that Nigeria’s army killed hundreds of men, women and children from a minority Shia Muslim sect last December, but the military dismissed the rights group’s report as hasty, onesided and biased.

Amnesty’s report relates to events in Zaria, Kaduna State, where the army has said the Islamic Movement group in Nigeria tried to assassinate its chief of staff, Lieutenant

General Tukur Buratai, when members of the sect blocked his convoy.

The following day the army said it had raided several buildings connected to the sect.

Amnesty said more than 350 people were believed to have been unlawfully killed by the military between December 12 and 14. Its report contains satellite images that it said appeared to show the location of a mass grave.

One witness, Yusuf, said soldiers set fire to a makeshift medical facility in the sect’s compound.

“Those who were badly injured and could not escape were burned alive,” he said, adding that he believed tens of people died in this way.

The report, entitled “Unearthing the truth: Unlawful killings and mass cover-up in Zaria,” contains shocking eyewitness testimony of large-scale unlawful killings

by the Nigerian military and exposes a crude attempt by the authorities to destroy and conceal evidence.

“The true horror of what happened over those two days in Zaria is only now coming to light. Bodies were left littered in the streets and piled outside the mortuary. Some of the injured were burned alive,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for Africa.

Zainab, a 16-year-old

Troops kill 10 terrorists •Recover cache of arms Chris Agbambu - Abuja FOLLOWING the ongoing onslaught on terrorists in the North-East, significant achievements have been made by the Nigerian troops in dislodging the terrorists.

Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, said that the troops killed 10 terrorists, arrested one and recovered many weapons.

According to him, “in continuation of clearance operations of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 7 Division in Operation LAFIYA DOLE have been making tremendous progress in their various areas of operational responsibilities.

“They were able to carry out clearance operations, raids and patrols that resulted in the killing of so many suspected Boko Haram terrorists, arrests and rescue of persons, as well as recovery of arms and ammunition.

“On Thursday, 21st April 2016, troops of 21 Brigade Nigerian Army carried out clear-

available to us indicates that the gunmen accosted them between Obajana and Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, and forced them to stop before the three officials were violently whisked away.

“The officials were returning from Abuja where they attended the briefing on the State and Local Government Reforms Project; a World Bank and European Union Programme.

“The Osun State government has subsequently alerted all necessary security agencies nationwide in general and Kogi State in particular towards safe release of the three abducted officials. We appeal to all Nigerians for information that could lead to their immediate release.”

ance operations at Bulari, Tori 1, 2 and 3 during which they successfully cleared the general area of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.”

He said “during the operation, 10 terrorists were killed and one was captured alive.

Unfortunately, two Civilian JTF accompanying the troops lost their lives, while the troops rescued seven civilians and recovered a Volkswagen Golf car, 15 bicycles and various bags of foodstuffs.”

The Army spokesman disclosed that the troops of 22 Brigade, on the other hand, intercepted 26 persons comprising mostly women and children, coming towards Adah village in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, and on interrogation stated that they were held hostage by Boko Haram terrorists, but escaped as their captors were moving towards Lake Chad general area because of troops presence.

“Similarly, troops of the same Brigade carried out a fighting patrol, cordon and

•Two JTF civilians killed search operation on Thursday 21st April 2016, along DikwaMarte road, Kaje, Selenge, Manekura, Mane Gana and Gawayi villages.

“Although there wasn’t any encounter with the terrorists, the troops recovered five motorcycles, six Boko Haram terrorists flags and four bags of ground corn in Mane Gana village. They also rescued three women and five children at the same village.

The rescued persons told the troops that their husbands were actually Boko Haram terrorists who have run away towards Lake Chad area due to immense pressure from the military clearance operations.

“On their part, troops of 3 Battalion also conducted patrol towards Diema, Sigel and Kala where they had an encounter with Boko Haram terrorists in which the gallant troops killed eight of them and recovered two Dane guns and four assorted batteries.”

Colonel Usman also said that the troops of 7 Division Special Fighting Forces attached to 25 Task Force

Brigade Damboa, at a checkpoint, arrested a suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Abubakar Bello and six other suspects carrying 28 gallons of “Turkey” brand of vegetable oil, eight bags of flour, 130 crates of soft drinks and two bags of sugar. In addition, five mobile telephone handsets, one external hard drive and five flash drives, two national identity cards and the sum of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000) only were recovered from him.

“Preliminary investigation showed that the terrorists now dilute the vegetable oil with other substances to produce diesel to power their generators.

“The troops of 254 Task Force Battalion, in conjunction with vigilantes and Borno Youths Empowerment Scheme (BOYES), also carried out clearance operations at Mufurundi, Kaleri, Masemari, Bego, Bale, Gadzama and Gagantilo villages along Damboa-Bale-Gwoza Road.

“During the operation, the troops encountered and deto-

nated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), buried by the terrorists at Gadzama village. They also encountered Boko Haram terrorists at Bego where they engaged the terrorists, neutralised them and cleared their camps within the general area.

“In the encounter, the troops killed nine Boko Haram terrorists and recovered one AK-47 rifle with registration number TH5712 and 17 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition. They also rescued 157 persons held hostages by the terrorists,” he noted.

Also yesterday in Gwoza, the troops of 26 Task Force Brigade intercepted eight suspected Boko Haram terrorists trying to enter Gwoza town. Though they claimed to be farmers coming from Shiadawey, Takwala and Amdaga Madachi villages respectively, which were known terrorists hideouts, preliminary investigations showed that they were indeed terrorists on a recruitment drive.

schoolgirl, told Amnesty International: “We were in our school uniforms. My friend Nusaiba Abdullahi was shot in her forehead. We took her to a house where they treated the injured but, before reaching the house, she already died.” A 10-year-old boy who was shot in the leg told Amnesty International how his older brother was shot in the head as they tried to leave the compound. “We went out to try to shelter in a nearby house but we got shot.”

Amnesty said it carried out research in February 2016 during which 92 people were interviewed, including alleged victims and their relatives, eyewitnesses, lawyers and medical staff.

“It is clear that the military not only used unlawful and excessive force against men, women and children, unlawfully killing hundreds, but then made considerable efforts to try to cover-up these crimes,” said Netsanet Belay, an Amnesty director. “Our research, based on witness testimonies and analysis of satellite images, has located one possible mass grave,” he said.

Last week Amnesty called for an investigation after a Kaduna State official told an inquiry into the clashes that the military secretly buried 347 people in mass graves.

The inquiry has the power to impose fines and payment of compensation.

Nigerian army spokesman, Sani Usman, said the Amnesty report lacked credibility.

“It is a hasty, one-sided and biased report aimed at arriving at a predetermined objective,” he said. “They must allow the inquiry and all other relevant agencies to complete and submit their reports before jumping to conclusions,” he added.

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Frequent boils in kids, sign of malnutrition —Paediatrician DR Kunle Otuneye, a consultant paediatrician with the National Hospital, Abuja, has said that frequent occurrence of boils in children may be signs of malnutrition.

Otuneye said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that the occurrence of boils in children could also be a sign of poor immunity.

According to him, boils are infections of the skin that affect the hair follicles or sebaceous glands.

“If your child is suffering from the incidence of boils at regular intervals in spite of taking all necessary precautions to stay away from boils, a blood test will be required to know the cause.

“Many children suffer from frequent incidence of boils due to weak immune system.

“The body having a weak immune system fails to resist the attack of the bacteria responsible for boils and as a result, the child gets infected with boils again and again.

“Children with poor immune system have colonies of bacteria in their nasal chamber due to which they are repeatedly affected by boils,’’ Otuneye said.

Former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Ernest Ndukwe (middle), receiving a certificate of conferment of the Doctor of Science Degree (Honoris Causa) from the Vice Chancellor, Abia State University, Professor Uche Ikonne (left) and the Registrar, Dr (Mrs) Evelyn Iheukwumere, at the 24th convocation ceremony of Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, recently.

FG will improve police funding, training —Osinbajo Chris Agbambu - Abuja

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HE Federal Government on Friday promised to address inadequate funding, training and other challenges facing the Nigeria Police Force.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo gave the assurance at the inaugural annual Inspector-General of Police’s strategic police management conference in Abuja.

The vice-president whose message was delivered by his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr Yomi Dipeolu, therefore, urged the police to take advantage of the new provisions in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, to record voluntary confessional statements on video or take them in the presence of a legal counsel of the suspect.

The theme of the conference was “Custodial Violence and Strategic Police Management in Nigeria.”

“In view of the importance of your role in maintaining law and order, we will address the challenges of adequate funding, training and others that you face,” he said.

On custodial violence, the vice-president attributed the delay in the trial of cases to the attitude of police towards confessional statements.

“It is my view that the current way in which the police take confessional statements is the reason or one of the main causes in delay of trial,” he said.

Osinbajo noted that in some cases, confessional statements do more harm than good to the case of the prosecution.

Osinbajo urged the police commanding officers to monitor the behaviour of officers in the field and

at the station as this would determine the cooperation of the public.

Earlier, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had said that the police needed the support of all Nigerians to

discharge their constitutional roles, adding that the police must be rebuilt to inspire confidence in every citizen.

In his remark, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase said that

there was a manpower gap at the strategic policing level in the country. “The future of the Nigeria Police rests not necessarily on the acquisition of weaponry, but on requisite policing knowledge,” he said.

Boko Haram: US assures IDPs of commitment to safe return home THE U.S. Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, has assured Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the NorthEast of U.S. commitment to addressing Boko Haram insurgency for their safe return home.

Power gave the assurance on Friday in Yola, Adamawa State, while addressing IDPs at the Malkohi Camp, Yola.

“I am representing President Obama; he has sent me and a powerful delegation to come and see what we can do to fight Boko Ha-

ram so that you can return home.

“I give you my condolence for all you have lost and our resolve to try and make things better together,” Power said.

Power said that American Government appreciated the difficulties of the IDPs who were forced to stay in camps, and that she was at the camp to identify with them.

Receiving the ambassador, the Adamawa NEMA Coordinator, Mr Sa’ad Bello, said most of the IDPs had returned home because of the recovery of

their territories from the terrorists.

He, however, disclosed that there were over 50, 000 IDPs being expected from the neighbouring Cameroon.

Power and her entourage were taken round to see some of the products produced by women that underwent skills acquisition training at the camp.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Power also visited a nearby IDPs settlement where she interacted with the IDPs.

APC, PDP politicians eschew rivalry at church service Banji Aluko - Benin City THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) set politics aside on Friday as top gladiators of both parties stormed the St Paul’s Catholic Church, Benin City, to honour Most Rev. Dr Augustine Obiora Akubeze, Archbishop of Benin Catholic Archdiocese on his 10th Episcopal ordination anniversary celebration.

The APC was led by the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and had Governor Adams Oshiomhole; deputy governor Pius Odubu, Mr. Anselm Ojezua; Edo State APC chairman, among others in the church while the PDP was led by the party’s former BoT chairman, Chief Tony Anenih and had

the Edo State PDP chairman, Mr Dan Orbih, Chief Tom Ikimi, among others in the church.

The sitting arrangement was mixed as politics was completely set aside. The governor sat next to Chief Anenih, who sat next to Orbih, who sat next to Chief Odigie-Oyegun. The political rivals exchanged pleasantries and cracked jokes.

Edo State governor, who was special guest, called on Catholic bishops and other clerics to continue to pray for Nigerian leaders so that their decisions and actions would reflect the teachings of Christ and induce greater advantage for Nigerians.

He congratulated the Archbishop of Benin Catholic Archdiocese on the 10th anniversary of his Episcopal ordination, say-

ing, “I want to give thanks to God for sending you to us to bring us closer to Him. I can testify, as someone who has had the rare privilege of meeting, associating and having conversations with you on a variety of issues, I am humbled by your uncommon humility, calmness and warmth.

The ceremony was attended by people from all walks of life, including John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Bishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese; national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Edo State chairman of APC, Mr. Anslem Ojezua; the state deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu; former BoT chairman of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; PDP chairman, Edo State and Mr Dan Orbih.

Bishop faults FG’s perceived indifference to Taraba killings Sylvanus Viashima - Jalingo THE Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, Most Reverend Charles Hammawa, has expressed worry over what he called the Federal Government’s conspicuous indifference to the continuous killings of innocent citizens by Fulani terrorists in parts of Taraba State.

This is contained in a communiqué issued in Jalingo at the end of the 17th general assembly of the Catholic diocese of Jalingo held at the Catholic Pastoral centre, Mile Six. According to the cleric, the efforts of the Federal Government at tackling the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeastern states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno were quite commendable but the seeming silence of the government to the plight of suffering masses in parts of Taraba who are constantly under attack by Fulani terrorists is most worrisome and sends dreadful signals.

“There is no doubt that government’s efforts at ending insurgency are yielding fruits, but the absence of federal interventions in Taraba is limiting progress. Attacks are recorded daily, people are being killed and communities destroyed.

“Attempts by the displaced people to return home have been frustrated and made impossible as they are attacked and killed each time they try it. Their houses and farmlands are currently being occupied by armed Fulani men who are not ready to leave.”

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Dexa Medica introduces new immune booster Newton-Ray Ukwuoma -Lagos INDONESIAN pharmaceutical company, Dexa Medica, the makers of painkiller, Boska, has launched a new immune booster drug known as Stimuno into the Nigerian market.

The launch took place during the solo Indonesian exhibition organised by Dexa Medica, in collaboration with Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia during the week in Lagos and witnessed the first exhibition of Stimuno syrup for adult and children.

Speaking during the exhibition, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia for Nigeria, Mr. Harry Purwanto, who commended Dexa Medica for improving the lives of its consumers with its flagship brand, Stimuno, also charged manufacturers in the health sector on the need to produce more qualitative products as the health system depends on them.

Lexcel board appoints Dekunle

Chief (Dr) Alhaji Yekini Ayoade Adeojo (Seriki Musulumi of Yorubaland) and husband of the deceased (middle); Ambassador (Chief) Yomi Akintola (left) and Mr. Lateef Busari, during the eighth day Fidau prayer for late (Mrs) Modupe Rafiat Bamidele Adeojo, held at Alhaji Adeojo’s residence, GRA, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Friday. PHOTO: D’TOYIN.

I defied World Bank in 1984 to save naira —Buhari Leon Usigbe -Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said that the naira was strong against major foreign currencies when he was military head of state as he resisted pressure to devalue it.

Speaking at a meeting with members of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries led by Otunba Christopher Tugbobo at the Presidential Villa on Friday, he observed that the naira was eventually devalued when he was toppled in 1984 after 20 months in office.

He insisted that he was yet to be convinced that the vast majority of ordinary Nigerians will derive any tangible benefit from a devaluation of the naira.

A statement issued by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, after the meeting said Buhari explained that he still held the conviction which motivated his principled resistance to devaluation in his first tenure as Head of State.

He said: “When I was mili-

tary head of state, the IMF and the World Bank wanted us to devalue the naira and remove petrol subsidy but I stood my grounds for the good of Nigeria.

“The naira remained strong against the dollar and other foreign currencies until I was removed from office in August 1985 and it was devalued.

“But how many factories were built and how many jobs were created by the

devaluation?

“That is why I’m still asking to be convinced today on the benefits of devaluation.”

Buhari welcomed the Council’s pledge of support for the successful implementation of his administration’s Change Agenda, especially in the priority areas of improving security, curbing corruption and revitalising the national economy.

He added: “I am glad you have rightly identified the

DSS parades suspected 5-man certificate forgery syndicate Biola Azeez -Ilorin THE Kwara State Directorate of the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a suspected five-man certificate forgery syndicate that specialised in forging certificates of government institutions.

Speaking with journalists while parading the suspects that were arrested in a twoday operation in Ilorin on Friday, the director of the DSS, Abdullahi Shinkafi, said the prime suspect, Ab-

dulmajeed Olaide, who led the syndicate, jumped bail and is currently at large.

Thus, the wife of the prime suspect, Muslimat, was arrested and paraded.

The DSS boss said the arrest followed a tip-off that fake indegeneship certificates of local government areas in the state were being produced for interested persons by the suspected fraudsters.

He said the suspects operated in their homes in connivance with some cyber

LAUTECH 13th convocation: 22-yr-old emerges best student with 4.88 CGPA

By Tunde Ogunesan TWENTY-TWO-year-old Saidat Abidemi Sanni of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Department of Statistics on Friday emerged best graduating student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Oyo State, in the 2014/2015 academic session, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.88 while Ige Olufemi Elijah who finished in the 2013/2014 academic session had 4.85 CGPA. The vice-chancellor, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin,

key issues we campaigned on.

“We need a dynamic bureaucracy which will not mislead us into taking wrong decisions.”

The statement recalled that the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries was established in 2004 to serve as a platform for retired permanent secretaries to offer constructive advice to government on key policy issues.

revealed this in his welcome address at the combined convocation ceremonies of the institution’s 2013/14 and 2014/2015 academic sessions held at the 1,200-seater theatre hall of the institution on Friday.

In her valedictorian speech, Saidat, who said she had an ambition to study Medicine but was admitted for Statistics, thanked God for the feat.

Her words, “The challenges we faced have made us stronger, more refined and more intelligent than ever before. Today, as we celebrate the hard work and dedication that we have put

in over the last few years, we should know that more challenges will come our ways. However, with God, endurance, perseverance, commitment and hard work as this great institution has taught and built in us, we shall overcome.”

Professor Gbadegesin assured the academic community that LAUTECH will “sustain the good reputation of our institution as well as maintain best standard of integrity and excellence in all that we do.”

A total of 10,317 graduates bagged various degrees at the ceremony.

cafe operators, adding that the service’s investigation led to the arrest of the suspects “in whose residences search warrant were executed.”

Shinkafi said items such as a stamp pad of Kwara State High Court, llorin; hundreds of Kwara State indigeneship certificates of Oke Ero, Ekiti, Ilorin South, Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Edu and Irepodun local government areas; several first school leaving certificates; over 100 copies of Kwara State Polytechnic certificates; College of Education, Ilorin certificates, hundreds of University of Calabar certificates; Lagos State University certificates; hundreds of NECO certificates; hundreds of WAEC certificates, several passport photographs and stamp pads and seals of several institutions.

“The stamp pads and the fake certificates/documents look very genuine that unsuspecting persons will find it difficult to substantiate.

Further investigation revealed that many unscrupulous persons, particularly in Kwara State, have patronised the fraudsters to get unmerited certificates to gain employment into government agencies/institutions,” he said.

Rosiji, elevates Odesile

THE Chairman and Board of Directors of Lexcel Management/Nigeria Distilleries Limited has appointed Mr. Adekunle Rosiji as the Group Executive Director and Head, Drinks Business (with responsibility for Nigeria Distilleries Ltd, Grand Oak Ltd., Supreme Distilleries Ltd. and Grand Oak International Brands).

Similarly, the Chairman and Board of Directors of Lexcel Management/Nigeria Distilleries has appointed Aare Fatai Odesile as Acting Managing Director, Grand Oak Limited, effective March 28 2016.

Since 2005, Adekunle Rosiji has had a successful international career in Finance and Marketing. He began his career as an Investment Banker in Corporate Finance (M&A and Restructuring) on Wall Street and in the City of London. He has worked at Goldman Sachs, KBC and Houlihan Lokey.

After founding and selling two online, financial retail businesses, Adekunle established Grainger West’s Debt Finance practice and built their HR Consultancy and Executive Search desk franchises in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.

50th anniversary celebration MOKOLA Baptist Church (House of Victory and Blessings) is set to hold its 50th anniversary celebration service tagged “Celebration of God’s Glory, Nehemiah 12:43” at the church auditorium, Jembewon Road, opposite Letmauck Barracks, Mokola, Ibadan.

The programme of events will take place between Sunday, 1st May and Sunday, 8th May, featuring salvation messages, prayer sessions, deliverance, healing, praise, music and testimonies galore.

Guest ministers expected are the President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, (Revd.) Dr. Supo Ayokunle; President, Ibadan Baptist Conference, Revd. (Dr.) Stephen Adekunle; Chairman, Ibadan Baptist Conference, Revd. J.A Babalola, Revd. Olu Ola Olajide, Praise and Joy Ministry, Pastor and Mrs. Philip Lola Adika, Revd.

(Evang) Timothy Oyekunle and mass choir, Mokola Baptist Church, Ibadan.

The royal father of the day will be Oba Stephen Oluwafemi Oparinde 2, Ilufemiloye 1 Akibio of Ilora. The host is Revd. Isaac Adewale Okekunle.

10th anniversary/thanksgiving service The Fountain of Truth and Life Ministry (Kingdom Life Church) is set to hold her 10th anniversary and thanksgiving service tagged “The Unchangeable God”at the church auditorium, Kingdom Life Church, Plot 35, Ibrahim Inaolaji Estate, Apata, Ibadan.

The programme of events will take place between Friday, 29th April and Sunday, 1st of May, 2016.

On Friday, there will be a Night Special tagged “Worship The King’’ which will take place at 9:00p.m and it will feature Pastor Yomi Ajayi, Gbenga Adenuga, IBK, Ife Odogiyan, Feran James, Naomi Klassic, Michael Fakoya, Cherechi, Kleb Shout, Arole, Remote, Teecei, WTK Team while the anniversary and thanksgiving service will hold on Sunday, May 1st at 12:00 noon.

Guest ministers expected are Reverend Emiko Amotsuka, Reverend Tolu Okusanya, while Pastor and Pastor Mrs. Akin Adedipe are the hosts.

8

news

23 April, 2016

Kogi team visits Ondo to understudy Mimiko’s initiatives

A

study team from the Kogi State government, during the week completed a study tour of what the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, described as the “impressive feats of development in infrastructure, health education, new ventures - job creation and prudent fiscal management” of the Ondo State government.

The Kogi State governor, had, in a letter to the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, notified him of his intention to understudy his administration’s programmes and replicate same in Kogi.

“With your approval, we should be glad to send the small team of experts currently designing our blueprint for development in Kogi State to look at what best practices and innovative solutions your administration has deployed to succeed,” Bello wrote.

Submitting that “most intriguing” is “how Ondo State managed to achieve so much in the face of dwindling resources,” the governor mentioned that his government intends to “customize applicable takeaways from this visit to the Kogi situation” even as the leader of the visiting team described the “landmark achievements of the Mimiko-led administration as unparalleled.”

Speaking at the courtesy call to Governor Mimiko on arrival in the state, the leader of the visiting team, who is also the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade, urged other states in the country to emulate the achievements of the Ondo State government.

She reiterated that they had “come to study some of the tactics and strategies of Governor Mimiko in achieving much for the people of Ondo State as it

had attained a particular level worthy of emulation”.

The SSG, whose team was in Ondo for a week, commended the leadership traits of Governor Mimiko.

According to her, “In Kogi

State, we are developing a blueprint for the growth of the State and for general development. We’ve seen what you have done in Ondo State, especially in the area of health and in the area of

THE Nigerian Army has stated that the curfew imposed on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., is still in force.

This was contained in a statement in Maiduguri by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Mustpaha Anka.

The statement, which warned that drastic action would be taken against individuals found violating the curfew, stated that “it has come to the notice of Headquarters, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Operation Lafiya Dole, that some members of the pub-

lic violate orders on curfew imposed on Maiduguri and environs. Violations of curfew threaten the relative peace being enjoyed in Maiduguri town, please be reminded that a legitimate curfew in Maiduguri imposed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. is still in force.

It read further, “the Division wishes to inform the general public that despite the successes recorded against Boko Haram insurgents across the state, the fight against insurgency is not yet over.’’

It said that the curfew might be reviewed in future when the security situation

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in all areas of developmental strides.

He said it is a good practice to learn from any state, irrespective of political affiliation, particularly the global best practices.

Maiduguri curfew still in force —Army

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24 APRIL, 2016

harnessing your IGR. Responding to the team, Governor Mimiko described the development as heartwarming and assured of the state government’s partnership with Kogi State

Saturday Tribune

glamour feature

Autism, a disorder that knows no race, gender glitz

the orders will be arrested and prosecuted.

“All law-abiding citizens and peace-loving people of Borno State are hereby advised to report any suspicious persons to the nearest military post, security agencies or Civilian Joint Task Force,” it said.

Indiscipline, bane of Nigeria’s economic woes —Cleric Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Archbishop of Lagos and the Primate of the African Church, Most Reverend Emmanuel Udofia, has identified indiscipline and disobedience as the causes of the present economic realities confronting the country.

He said this on Friday, at the funeral service for the wife of the Deputy Director General, World Health Organisation (WHO), late Professor Adeoye Lambo, Chief (Mrs) Dinah Lambo, held at the Cafetaria Hall of the Neuropyschiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The cleric, who spoke on the theme “Piligrims with a Heavenly Mission,” said Nigeria would have been a better place if the leaders had imbibed the spirit of truthfulness in administering the country.

“Today, Nigeria is crying because of high level of corruption as a result of indiscipline. Nigeria would have been a better place to stay if all of us obey God’s commandments,” the cleric

added He described all mortals as pilgrims who must always be ready to return home and give accounts of their deeds while on earth.

The Primate said, “ Every human being on the earth planet is a pilgrim. What all of us are witnessing today is what everyone of us should prepare for. This earth is not our final abode. One day, we shall live this stage for home.

“Our Mama has played her part and she is being celebrated for being a supportive wife to her husband, a wonderful mother to her children and her family members. She has fought a good fight.”

In attendance were eminent Nigerians, including Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Professor Olu Akinkugbe, Justice Mabogunje (retd), Professor Ope Adekunle, Dr. Kunle Hassan, former Provost/Chief Medical Director, Dr (Mrs) Taiwo Adamson, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, represented by Chief Akinremi.

Naira weakens slightly against Why I can’t dollar at parallel market

marry an actor

—Folakemi Bello

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in the state improves.

“The Borno State government and Headquarters of the Theatre Command will, at the appropriate time, review the curfew in line with prevailing security situation across the state. We wish to reiterate that anyone found flouting

THE naira weakened slightly against the dollar at the parallel market, as it was exchanged at N321 to the dollar, on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Nigerian currency lost N1 to the dollar from N320 rate on Wednesday.

The naira also fell against the pound sterling and the Euro on Friday to N452 and N362, respectively

from their previous rates of N450 and N360.

But the naira still maintained N197 to the dollar at the official CBN segment of the market.

Traders said that activities in the market were still low due to late implementation of the 2016 budget, they also said that the budget would indicate the direction of the economy in 2016.

9

politics&policy

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune With Saheed Salawu

0811 695 4643

yinkadejavu@yahoo.com

APC is not a business venture, Tinubu, Buhari get on fine —Adesina In this interview, LEON USIGBE takes on presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, over the China trip by President Muhammadu Buhari last week and other topical issues, including the president’s relationship with Senator Bola Tinubu and his administration’s perceived dwindling popularity. Excerpts:

T

O what extent will the China trip undertaken

by President Muhammadu Buhari help the Nigerian economy?

If investments in excess of $6 million are coming into an economy, the answer is clear already. It’s going to be like a shot in the arm for that economy. So, it’s good for us.

Can you go into the specifics of the investments?

It’s in the public domain already. We have investments coming in the housing sector, you have [investments] coming in the transport sector, you have [investments] coming in agric, you have [investments] coming in solid minerals. So, there are many sectors we have investments coming.

Are there no strings attached?

No. No. No. It’s investment. It’s not dash. It’s not dole. And in investments, there are often clauses. For instance, some of them will have counterpart funding. In other words, Nigeria will bring a certain amount and China will bring the rest. So, it’s investment. It’s not dash. It’s not dole.

Nigerians were told that the president would be signing a $2 billion loan but you have rejected the report.

Where did the report come from?

It came from the blue. Unfortunately, one of our colleagues created it. He created the story which has no basis in reality.

He just wrote a story and I don’t know where he got that figure from.

If the Code of Conduct Tribunal were to return a guilty verdict on the trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, what consequences do you think it might have on the presidency or government?

One thing you can say about this government is that this government never crosses its bridge until it gets there.

You are keeping your fingers crossed?

We will cross that bridge when we get there.

There are issues about the president and the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu. Some people believe that they are just managing each other. Having formed the party together, they worked together to get the presidency but things seem to be falling apart...

These are speculations.

Are you aware of such speculations?

Well, I shouldn’t be reacting to speculations.

Adesina

He has not told anybody that he is doing business with APC. I have not heard him. I have not read him anywhere that he did business through the funding and he wanted returns.

How would you describe their relationship?

Mutually respecting. The president respects Asiwaju Tinubu and Asiwaju Tinubu respects the president.

Is Tinubu getting the patronage he deserves from the presidency?

Did he tell you that he was looking for patronage? You have never heard him say he wanted patronage.

As one who was regarded as the major financier of the APC, some people tend to think that he is not getting his dues.

When you are a major financier, are you doing business?

He has not told anybody that he is doing business with APC. I have not heard him. I have not read him anywhere that he did business through the funding and he wanted returns.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Tinubu were in the same caucus but there are also observations that not many people have been appointed into government from the Tinubu caucus of the APC. How do you react to this?

Tinubu has a spokesman, Sunday Dare. He is his chief of staff. He speaks for him. He is in a better position to answer this question.

You were President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

Looking at what you left behind, do you think the media has done enough to survive under the current harsh economic environment?

I would just say that the media is survivalist. It had always Continues pg35

10

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

style Add an instant dose of chic to your everyday look in

Saturday Tribune With Kate Ani 08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

Bantu Braids

Tinuola Ayanniyi tayanniyi@yahoo.com 08055069379

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ANTU knots are said to have originated centuries ago with the Zulu tribes in southern Africa. If you follow fashion and beauty news, you would know that old school trends are back, and so are the Bantu knots.

If you’re looking for a cute way to keep your hair extensions away from your face or just want to change your look, try Bantu knots. This is the perfect hairstyle to show everyone that you’re bold, different and ready to have some fun. With the right outfit and accessories, Bantu knots

Florence Manny can be worn to work, party or even out on a date.

Amerincan songstress, Rihanna is known for her unique style, so STYLE wasn’t surprised when she rocked the Bantu knot look at the iHeart Radio Music Awards.

To achieve this look with your natural hair, you need to twist the hair loosely. Use pins to secure the knots and keep them lasting longer. If you are on braids, you can also get creative and put your own twist on this style – make the knots bigger or smaller, twist them or braid them.

Beverly Naya

A healthy smile is an essential part of my year round beauty routine —Gabrielle Union Gabrielle Union has always been a style star to watch. The actress, who regularly kills it on the red carpet, is a master at the laid-back look and always nails it in the beauty department. In an interview with Elle Magazine, the 43-year-old A-list movie star shares the secret to her flawless skin.

Rihanna

31

WHAT is your daily beauty routine? it was an amazing two months of time manIt’s genetic. It’s a blessing and a curse to have agement. oily skin. I also thought you shouldn’t treat oil What part of your body are you obwith oil, so I started using this moisturising oil. sessed with?

You did braids recently and everyMy smile, a healthy smile is an essential part body died for them. Do you have a fa- of my year round beauty routine. It’s a great accessory to any outfit and helps make a lastvorite style?

I kind of fell in love with the braids at that ing first impression. time. That was my first time of doing it and I loved the fact that I always got ready in 20 How do you keep your skin looking minutes! I’m missing it now, I would recom- younger?

I drink a gallon of water a day. The downmend braids to anyone, especially if you have kids, or a demanding job, or it just takes you a side is frequent trips to the bathroom but on little bit longer in the morning to pull your life the other hand, your skin, nails and hair will together. My hair takes the bulk of my time, so look super healthy.

11 commentary

23 April, 2016

Saturday With

ayinla mukaiba

Time to allow mad people rule our world

O

NE of the major failings of the Nigerian society that this writer detests is mediocrity.

It is responsible for many of the problems that afflict Nigeria as a nation. It is another name for our haphazard culture. We do things in such a deplorable manner that cannot meet the standards of excellence in any way, as done by people in other civilisations. It is perhaps why virtually everything we lay our hands upon as a people often results in abysmal failure.

Take for instance our work ethics. Nigerians are too laid back, too engrossed with the mundane, so much that they leave out the substantial elements that make societies run. Indolence in work places, abetted by a culture that gives too much leeway to laziness and absenteeism, through relaxation, serially illogical holidays, as against rigid adherence to work hours and a work culture that gives one’s all to where one gets one’s daily bread are the daily manifestations in Nigerian work places. That is why, while deliberating on the inherent dangers of absorbing the Chinese into the Nigerian economy, my University of Lagos schoolmate, Simon Kolawole, in his piece in the Thisday newspaper of last Sunday, warned Nigerians on the danger of importing Chinese labour ethics into the Nigerian labour market which he submitted is akin to slavery.

Kolawole forgot to add that the converse is what applies in Nigeria because we are too liberal, too laid back in what we give back as labour to the place that gives us our daily bread. The Chinese works like a jackal to earn his daily bread while the Nigerian gives mere tokenism to his work place.

Sorry, I digressed. My beef today is actually with the Nigerian work place and how we treat those who stand out in ideologies, in weltaachung, (pardon this philosophical importation) worldview, for short; and how the Nigerian system treats them as pariahs. Our society has such disdain for those who run against the mill that it seeks to throw them out of the window as irritants. We are so used to those who run off the mill, those who conform to the same routine of how we

Saturday Tribune

ayinlamukaiba@yahoo.com

used to do things since the creation of the world that we do not have space for those who dare to be different.

To be sincere, Nigerian society is not alone in this category.

The history of the world is replete with those who ran against the mill, who were against the methods of doing things and whose inventions, strange and unorthodox as they might be, were the theorists who moved the world to where we are at the moment. Galileo, Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician spent the rest of his life in detention for his views that later revolutionised geography and physics. He was tried and found “vehemently suspect of heresy” and forced to recant.

The attitude of always being comfortable only with those who act along established path of doing things has contributed to the stagnancy of our nation today. New ideas are smothered as alien, repugnant and obtuse. How can we do things the way we used to do them and expect answers that are contrary to what we used to have? How can we use the same economic module that we have been using all this while when the economy was buoyant, for an abstruse economy whose current manifestatios none of us has ever witnessed since we were given birth to? Apart from the Biafrans in the Civil War period who witnessed naked and pervasive privation at its horrid point, no Nigerian can claim to have witnessed an economic doom that has walzed round our collective lives as this. So methinks what is required isn’t what we used to do but what we haven’t done before. This is thus the time to allow against-method people, the people we refer to as crazy people, the mad scientists, the Fredrich Nietsches who looked at the face of a religious world and proclaimed that God was dead and long lived the Superman, to take over the economic life of Nigeria.

It is the same mechanics that is at work in our evaluation of the Muhammadu Buhari government. From all indications and indices, Buhari is against method in all intents and purposes. If you pardon the word, he is anti-age long processes and ideas; he shares a lot with Galileo, Feyerabend, Wole Soyinka et al. Even though you would argue that Nigeria is not a laboratory and the lives of 170 million people should not be used for guinea pig experimentation, it is only when we get it wrong that we can get it right.

Let me bring my proffer home. As a caveat, hagiography

is a writing pattern that this writer abhors but he is of the opinion that absence of underscore of their heroic deeds in society duds the credentials and desires of potential heroes in the land. For so long have we hung on to the belief that Nigeria is wholly bastardised, that no good thing can come out of this clime. This writer is sufficiently close to the academia and especially, the University of Ibadan. For about twenty years now, I have observed a scholar by the name Dr. Doyin Adebowale, right from his days as a master’s student at the university. Those who know him will agree that, as Christians lay the classification, he is in the Nigerian world but not of the Nigerian world. His thoughts, acts and reasoning are diametrically opposed to the way of an average person and the way our society is run; he sees disorder in every perceived order.

Nicknamed High Priest because of his belief that traditional African religion and worship are of greater essence than the current received religious practices, Adebowale is hyper-brilliant and interrogates every received ‘norm’ and order. The result is that his views are weird and abstruse. Clandestinely, this writer has sneaked into his Classics lectures at the Faculty of Arts and listened to his unapologetic views on the disorder of our order and his summation of how society should be run. They are seminal.

Some months ago, this writer listened to him on an Ibadan radio programme and his no holds barred views about the running of ‘the city as a universe’ called University. Grapevines say High Priest is in the soup for his straightforward, clinical and unbiased views and establishment is seeking to show him the gates. It is strange that the kingpins of this destructive move are those who, in academic papers upon papers, seek the good of society. The truth is that, in a university where decay is replacing decadence, where plagiarism is rife, where collapse is replacing infrastructure, where what is taught and worshipped is Mammon – as is done in the world out there – the High Priests who hold different, strange and weird views should be encouraged for a balance of society.

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23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

with aunty yemi 08056834515 ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

ay hd rt Bi

The way to the top

T

Nothing works unless you do. The best scheme elaborate plans and the highest of intention are of no value until you make them real. Motivation will do nothing for you until you do something with what you have heard.

So, how do you go about it? Applying the power of will!

It’s not how much power you have but how you use it.

When we consider the power of the mind, in our personalities, talents or all of us have more power than we can ever use. But what separates those who succeed from those who fail is the right application of natural endowment. Power is useless until it is applied. Once you act, that power takes you forward, towards your destination.

So, don’t just stand there do something! The next obvious question: what should I do? Only you can tell what your goals are.

It’s important to couple motivation with mobilisation or you will, like many others, end up in the pit of frustration.

By Akanmu Qudri, Sharon Rose College, Saki, Oyo State.

Bi rt hd ay

Isaac Mofeoluwa Olagunju

cloked 1 recently.

Many happy returns of the day

Meaning of English language

E —Everyone is free to use me N — Never use me wrongly G — Go and learn how to use me well.

L — Learn how to pronounce me well.

I — I need those who can use me well.

S — Study me from your dictionary to pronounce me well.

H — Handle me with soft hand L — Learn how to use me everywhere.

A — All careers cannot do without me.

N — Never use me the way you like G — Grammar is a part of my body U — Use me and be proof of me A — All those who use me are proud of me G — Get to know how to use me now E — Everyone is my friend

cloked

10

recently.

A boy who just started learning to spell words one day followed his mum out to buy fuel. After they left the filling station, the boy exclaimed: “Mummy, they sell disease here?” His mum, confused, asked “disease?”

The boy in his innocence replied affairmatively “Yes. It is sold for 83.00 naira.” Then his mother smiled and told him “it is diesel.”

Once, there lived a blind man in a small town. He always carried a lighted lamp in his hand whenever he went out at night.

On one dark night, he was going with his lighted lamp in his hand. A group of men were passing that way.

They saw the blind man and made fun of him. They said, “O! Blind man why do you carry the lighted lamp?

You are blind and cannot see anything?”

The blind man politely said, “This lamp is not for me, but for you people who have eyes. You may not see a blind man coming and push him. They felt ashamed and apologised.”

Moral: Think twice before you speak.

Bad posture

Good posture

Determination

correct the habit.

However, if your friend is in the habit, correct him or her now Bad posture before it is too late.

Children, every time you have a cause to stand on your feet, whether you are a girl or boy, form the habit of standing straight. If care is not taken, you would be used to and grow with the bad habit of standing and bending your legs to the back. Then you will not be able to

Maintain a good posture while you stand

By Aderounmu Michael Oluwaseun Sharon Rose College, Saki, Oyo State.

Oluwajomiloju Alaba-Olufemi

ke

Story The blind man

E tiquette class

Champions are made, not born

he way to the top is narrow, it is full of horrors.

It demands strength and determination.

Coupled with courage and attention It is often full of ups and downs.

Since it is not always a smooth ride Even the best driver often finds it challenging.

The expert motorcyclist finds it demanding while the “legged” finds it tiring. It is sometimes full of thorns and thong.

Untidy and unkempt, yet so full of sweat When you get to the top, you forget the trials that you Had gone through to get there But greater still is the challenge to remain there.

By Olateju Wemimo Sharon Rose College, Saki, Oyo State.

J

Cartoon

Determination is the key to success.

Nothing stops a determined mind.

Don’t be distracted by side attraction.

Determine to achieve a set goal.

Determine to be the best in life.

Don’t give up, no matter the situation.

Determination and focus are vehicles They will take you to your destination.

(Your dream place).

No determination, no success.

Dream big and determine to make it.

The GRACE is ever available.

Cheer Up!

By Oyewole Kehinde B. Sharon Rose College, Saki, Oyo State

get inspired

13

23 April, 2016

food&drink

wara Take

to mouth-watering levels

By Blessing Ekum

O

ne of the common street snacks enjoyed in this part of the world is wara (fresh cheese curds). With a taste that gradually grows on you, this treat is indigenous of the Fulani in northern Nigeria but has spread to other parts of the country. Though it is usually enjoyed as a snack, as with everything culinary, there’s room to be creative. You can deep fry wara and add it to soups, stews or other meals as a delicious and rich source of protein. It can also be grilled and added to salads. When eaten alone, the rather bland taste can be improved by infusing any spice of choice (such as black pepper, ground pepper, chopped green chillies) and when prepared with stews and soups, it easily ab-

sorbs the flavours.

There are basically two varieties of wara: those made from soya beans and those made from cow milk. The cow milk variety usually tastes more delicious and can also be fried. But vegetarians would surely have a kick from the soya beans variety. Wara is best enjoyed fresh and should not have a fermented/sour taste. Coagulants are added to give it the curds. The coagulant mainly used is extract from the leaves of the giant milkweed or Sodom apple plant known as bomu-bomu in Yoruba or tumifafiya in Hausa. Alternatively, white vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, potash (in very small quantities) can be used.

Soya beans: Wash and soak soy overnight or for up to eight hours to soften it. Blend to get a

smooth paste. Mix with hot water and strain using muslin/cheesecloth. Pour milk in pot and allow to boil. Add coagulant of choice bit by bit until cheese curds begin to separate from whey. Strain using muslin/cheesecloth, leave to cool and then mould. Wara is quite pliable and would take the shape of whatever container you mould it in. Serve.

Cow milk: Boil cow milk. When it starts to boil, reduce heat and add coagulant till curds start to form. Remember to stir so it doesn’t stick or burn. Once curds are formed, strain through a muslin or cheesecloth to separate from whey. Leave it for about half an hour to cool and drip then squeeze the excess liquid out. mould in Container of choice. Serve.

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

Prepare wara at home

14

23 April, 2016

intimacy

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Why sex becomes boring in marriage

S

EX in marriage is usually available, but not always necessarily enjoyable. Generally, sex in marriage is a duty-bound venture. A couple has to sleep together sexually because they are duty-bound to service their union. But, great sex which has to do with sexual fulfilment requires more than sleeping together.

I wonder how many couples are really enjoying great sex. That we have to talk about it always at home, among friends, clubhouses and other joints may not be unconnected with the fact that quite a lot of married folks don’t enjoy great sex often.

For sex to be great, certain things must be in place. When they are not in place, great sex in marriage becomes an illusion. I term those things as hindrances to great sex, and they include the following.

Financial stress Financial stress puts a lot of strain on couples. When bills are not met, one will have to do a lot of thinking as to how to secure fund. As a result, one, especially the wife, is not tuned up for great sex. She is the one who has to manage the meagre resources available for the home front.

And these days, when the wives are also involved in providing for the home, it be-

comes double burden - to provide and to manage. When energy has been so much dissipated on funding the marriage, the last thing usually on the wives’ mind is sex. So, couples should plan their finances in such a way to make it less stressful.

Also, skills must be developed to tune their mind up for sex under such stressful financial situation.

Emotional stress Sex is a thing of the mind, especially for the wife. When a person is not happy in

the marriage, sex cannot be great. Couples should ensure they avoid things that will make them unhappy in marriage. These are things that make us feel we are not loved, appreciated, or we are wrongly married. Like a wife put it the other day, “how can I have sex when I am not happy in the marriage?’’ Sex is also called ‘lovemaking,’ and when one does not feel loved, he/she cannot enjoy great sex in marriage.

Physical stress When a person is physically exhausted,

conversewithyemisi What is the difference between relationship, courtship and…?

Dear Yemisi, am one of your readers. Please, I want to know the difference between ‘relationship’, ‘courtship’ and ‘marriage?’

I

For Her

Shade, 27, from Kwara State, needs a serious guy aged 30 or above for a relationship. Call 08133812843.

Joke, 27, Muslim, single, dark-complexioned, needs a loving, caring, honest, hardworking, fair-complexioned Nigerian or foreigner man aged 28 to 38, for a relationship.

Contact 08186156799.

Jumoke, 29, from Ondo State, honest, romantic, needs a caring, loving, honest man aged between 35 and 48 for a relationship. Call 08149598213.

Esther, 28, postgraduate student, humble, gentle, reliable, seeks a God-fearing, mature man aged 35 to 52 for marriage. Call 08063914050.

Abidemi, 30, from Lagos State, honest, romantic, needs a caring, loving, honest man aged between 36 and 50 for a relationship. Contact 08103237227.

Kayode, 08*********.

Dear Kayode, I hope you are not trying to play

For Him

a fast game by asking me the difference between relationship, courtship and marriage. It is also believed that you are not planning to

Lanre, 42, Lagos-based engineer, needs a God-fearing, responsible lady aged between 35 and 40 for a relationship. Call 07052708441.

Iretomide, 36, tall, AA, from Osun State, salesman, needs a busty, working class lady aged between 22 and 40 for a relationship. Call 07037792116.

Ifeoluwa, 36, freelance marketing consultant, Ibadan-based, needs a mature, beautiful , fat, Muslim lady aged between 25 and 30 for a relationship. Call 08036669747.

James Pattons, 31, needs a lady aged 20 or above for a relationship. Call 08058862576.

Engineer Olokun, based in Ibadan, Oyo State, needs a fat, educated, beautiful, working class lady aged 30 to 35 as wife.

Call 08055913789.

Bayo, 46, five feet tall, needs a mature lady for a relationship. Call 08133681201.

Oluwasegun, 30, needs a responsible lady aged 21 or above to marry. Call 07064314354.

Gbenga, 41, sales man, from Kogi State, based in Abeokuta, Ogun State, needs a godly woman aged 34 to 47 from any tribe as wife. Call 08096963444.

Adamson, 47, widower, from Osogbo, Osun State, needs a loving, caring, honest lady aged between 30 and 40 for a relationship. Call 08060296607.

Iliyas, 25, from Kwara State, needs a humble, caring, working class, open-minded lady aged 21 or above for an affair. Call 07063291662.

sex is not usually enjoyable. The struggle for survival puts a lot of drain on the energy. Couples should learn how to free some energy for sexual enjoyment. Nothing stops the husbands from helping out on the home front to help their wives reserve energy for bed activity. It is needful these days when both partners are engaged in providing for the home. If we share financial responsibility, should it not cut across board? An exhausted partner cannot be available for great sex.

Couples should also ensure they stay healthy if they are going to be physically fit for great sex. Practice of good healthy living life must be embraced by couples.

Also, couples must learn to manage their schedule in order to have time for sexual activity together. Sex is a major aspect of a marriage, which if not fulfilled, portends great danger for the marriage. Conscious effort and sacrifice must be made to ensure that great sex is made available in the marriage, if marriage will survive.

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

08055001741 (sms only) yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

call it quits with a lady you have promised in courtship to marry after making some discoveries.

In trying to answer you I want to say that the three words have a common goal which is simply intended to have a member of the opposite sex as your partner. The three are interwoven, the first leg of having a spouse starts with a relationship that metamorphoses into courtship which results in marriage.

Encanta Dictionary defines relationship as an emotionally close friendship involving sexual activity While courtship is seen as a period of a romantic relationship before marriage and also seen as the time for the intending couple to get to know more of each other and not necessarily through sexual activities.

And if in the end your aspirations and vision tally, then you begin to make plans to seal the relationship legally by asking for your parents’ blessings. Marriage is seen as a legal relationship between spouses that is established by a civil or religious ceremony between two people who intend to live together as sexual and domestic partners.

I hope I have cleared the grey areas.

15

23 April, 2016

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

Saltless food: How healthy, how tasty?

sodium in different forms, some of which have been proven to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) such as monosodium glutamate found in some seasonings.”

Does this mean one should completely cut off salt from every meal? “It is almost impossible to completely cut out salt because even if you don’t add it to your home-cooked meals, you would still eat it in other foods as mentioned earlier. The key, however, is in reducing intake. Normally excessive salt intake is excreted in the urine. But in a large number of individuals, the kidneys are not able to handle this excess of sodium. And this is where health problems arise. Some individuals, for health reasons, may be advised to increase their salt intake, for instance those who suffer from low blood pressure. However, except as advised by your doctor, you should generally reduce salt intake and this should start with reducing the intake of processed foods. Besides high sodium content, these processed foods contribute to weight gain and obesity.

Misperceptions about salt reduction: According to the World Health Organization, the following misperceptions exist about salt intake and need to be corrected.

• “On a hot and humid day when you sweat, you need more salt in the diet:” There is little salt lost through sweat so there is no need for extra salt even on a hot and humid day, although it is important to drink a lot of water.

• “Salt added during cooking is not the main source of salt intake.” In many countries, about 80 per cent of salt in the diet comes from processed foods.

By Blessing Ekum

W

HEN it comes to seasoning food, salt is usually the number one go-to condiment. Besides improving the flavour of food, it serves other purposes such as maintaining osmotic balance, supporting the function of the adrenal glands and others. Because the body cannot produce sodium and chloride (major components in salt), these need to be sourced externally. It’s therefore no wonder that salt is a food ingredient found in every home and in almost all foods.

In spite of the seeming benefits derivable from salt use and consumption, it is estimated that 2.5 million deaths could be prevented each year if global salt consumption were reduced to the recommended level. This recommendation by the World Health Organisation comes to light based on the discovery that most people consume too much salt—on average nine to 12 grams per day, or around twice the recommended maximum level of intake.

“What we take as table salt is actually refined salt containing sodium and chloride and excessive consumption has been implicated in the cause of several diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. It has been discovered through numerous researches that high salt consumption highly increases the risk of stroke and coronary heart attack. It also contributes to the development of high blood pressure. The sad thing is high blood pressure does not have symptoms. By the time one begins to notice symptoms such as sleeplessness and headache, complications have already occurred and this could be fatal.

The human body needs sodium and also chloride; and these can be naturally found in organic foods such as milk, meat and some seafood. Where there is a concern is in the excessive use of refined salt, which as earlier mentioned, is typically known as table salt.”

Beyond cardiovascular diseases, excess salt consumption has also been discovered to be damaging to other organs in the body. In a recent review article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers concluded that “even in the absence of an increase in blood pressure, excess dietary sodium can adversely affect target organs, including the

Also, there are all sorts of seasonings in the marketplace now and many of them contain sodium in different forms, some of which have been proven to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) such as monosodium glutamate found in some seasonings. blood vessels, heart, kidneys and brain.”

Although it is not expected that one eats an over-salted food, and many may argue that the salt content in their foods is at a generally acceptable and tolerable level, the concern about high salt consumption births from the fact that many present-day food sources contain high sodium content.

“The fact is that nobody would just take a handful of salt and start licking, but most of our foods today, especially processed foods, contain lots of sodium. Owing to urbanisation and the fast-paced lifestyle where fast foods are easily available, many people now have quick access to these processed and canned foods. Some of these include instant noodles, processed meat, tomato ketchup, mayonnaise and other sauces, pizza, salty snacks, sugary drinks, and the likes. Also, there are all sorts of seasonings in the marketplace now and many of them contain

•“Sea salt is not ‘better’ than manufactured salt simply because it is ‘natural.” Regardless of the source of salt, it is the sodium in salt that causes bad health outcomes.

•“Food does not need salt to have appealing flavour.”

It takes some time for a person’s taste buds to adjust, but once they get used to less salt, one is more likely to enjoy food and notice a broader range of flavours.

•“Food has no flavour without salt.”

Whilst this may be true at first, taste buds soon become accustomed to less salt and you are more likely to enjoy food with less salt, and more flavour.

• “Foods high in salt taste salty.”

Some foods that are high in salt don’t taste very salty because sometimes they are mixed with other things like sugars that mask the taste. It is important to read food labels to find out sodium levels.

•“Only old people need to worry about how much salt they eat:” Eating too much salt can raise blood pressure at any age.

• “Reducing salt could be bad for my health:” It’s very difficult to eat too little salt since there are so many everyday foods containing salt.

16 healthandfitness

23 April, 2016

I want to stop masturbating I have been masturbating since I was a teenager in order to avoid having sex. Now I am 25 years old and I am trying to stop the habit but can’t do so despite all my efforts. Please help me before masturbation ruins my life.

Adebayo (by SMS) Like all long term habits, masturbation can sometimes be difficult to stop. Since your reason for masturbating in the first instance was to avoid having sex, you are now old enough to get married and have a regular and satisfactory sexual life with your wife. All efforts should be geared towards this achievement in the shortest time possible.

My sleeping problems I am a 60-year-old retired civil servant. I have been finding it difficult to sleep for the past four months since my retirement. Although I sleep well in the afternoon, I have not been able to sleep well at night. I will appreciate your kind assistance.

Thanks.

Silas (by SMS) It is likely that your recent retirement has caused a change in your sleeping pattern and as such, your lack of sleep at night. Before your retirement much of your sleeping was done at night

unlike now that much of the sleeping is during the day. In view of this, you may need to get yourself occupied again during

the day time so that you can go back to your previous nocturnal sleeping as against your current habit of sleeping during the day.

Dr. Wale Okediran 08055069356 (sms only)

Yes, stroke is very much preventable. As you may well know, stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is either interrupted or reduced.

When this happens, the brain does not get enough oxygen

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

Is this STD?

KINDLY help me. Something white has been coming out of my private part. I want to know if this is a form of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).

Wosilat (by SMS) It is difficult to know if what you have is sexually transmitted since you did not mention anything about your sexual history. Nevertheless, the best way out of the problem is for you to send a sample of the white discharge to the laboratory for an analysis that will confirm the nature of the infection and the appropriate drug to use.

My bloody urine EACH time I urinate, I always notice blood at the end of the urination. Please help me. I am a 20-yearold student.

Is stroke preventable?

I want to know if stroke is preventable. If yes, what are the measures of preventing it, including the relevant drugs and other medications?

Steven (by SMS)

Saturday Tribune

and dies. The commonest causes of stroke are the blockage of the blood vessels to the brain by fatty deposits as well as the bursting of blood vessels supplying the brain due to high blood pressure. Since people prone to stroke are those who are overweight, have a family history of stroke, do not exercise regularly, drink heavily, smoke or use illicit drugs, it is possible to prevent stroke by avoiding some of these pitfalls.

Hammed (by SMS) What you have is called ‘Terminal Haematuria’ in medical parlance. This oc-

curs in a condition called schistosomiasis which is caused by an infection usually contracted by wading or swimming in contaminated pools of water.

To confirm what you have, a sample of your urine should be examined in a laboratory where the offending eggs of the causative organisms would be found. Once this is done, you will be given the appropriate medication which is easily available and affordable. In order to avoid other people getting infected, the offending pool of water where you contracted the infection should be fumigated.

Fresh fruit associated with lower risk of heart attack and stroke

P

EOPLE who eat fresh fruit on most days are at lower risk of heart attack and stroke than people who rarely eat fresh fruit, according to new research published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings come from a seven-year study of half a million adults in China, where fresh fruit consumption is much lower than in countries like the UK or US. Researchers from the University of Oxford and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences conducted a large, nationwide study of 500,000 adults from 10 urban and rural localities across China, tracking health for seven years through death records and electronic hospital records of illness. The present study was among people who did not have a history of cardiovascular diseases or anti-hypertensive treatments when first joined the study.

Fruit is a rich source of potassium, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and various other potentially active compounds, and contains little sodium or fat and relatively few calories.

The study found that fruit consumption (which was mainly apples or oranges) was strongly associated with many other factors, such as education, lower blood pressure, lower blood glucose, and not smoking. But, after allowing for what was known of these and other factors, a 100g portion of fruit per day was associated with about one-third less cardiovascular mortality and the association was similar across different study areas and in both men and women.

Study author Dr Huaidong Du, University of Oxford, UK, said “The association between fruit consumption and cardiovascular risk seems to be stronger in China, where many still eat little fruit, than in high-income countries where daily consumption of fruit is more common.” Also, fruit in China is almost exclusively consumed raw, whereas much of the fruit in high-income countries is processed, and many previous studies combined fresh and processed fruit.

Co-author Professor Liming Li, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said “A recent Global Burden of Disease report put low fruit consumption as one of the leading causes of premature death in China. However, this was based on little evidence from China itself.”

The senior author, Professor Zhengming Chen of University of Oxford, UK, said “It’s difficult to know whether the

lower risk in people who eat more fresh fruit is because of a real protective effect. If it is, then widespread consumption of fresh fruit in China could prevent about half a million cardiovascular deaths a year, including 200,000 before age 70, and even larger numbers of non-fatal strokes and heart attacks.”

Courtesy:sciencedaily.com

17

23 April, 2016

Divorce

Saturday Tribune

Court & Crime

He blames the devil for his every sin —Mother of 8 I can’t explain why I beat her —Husband

A trader, Mrs. Awoyemi Funke has pleaded with a Grade ‘C’ customary court, Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo State to dissolve her 30-yearold marriage, citing her husband’s consistent beatings.

She told the court that her husband, Awoyemi Mutiu, had been beating her with no genuine reason. “ I have been coping with him in the marriage against all odds, yet he accused me of being wayward, as old as I am.

“Sometimes when he beat me, he scared the children from intervening, he beat me to the extent of breaking my hand. He commited lot of atrocities and blamed it on devil.

“Later, I noticed my money started missing so I packed out and rented another apartment and he came there to beat me up, accusing me of keeping lovers.

“I came to court to report him but he apologised and I accepted his apology. He called me days later to talk with me and on getting to his place, he started beating me for unknown reasons and when my children intervened, he beat them and tore my clothes.

I had to hide in a friend’s place on that day. I have had enough, hence this court action,” she said.

The mother of eight children, therefore, urged the court to dissolve the 30-year-old marriage, saying: “I don’t love her anymore.”

In his testimony, Mutiu, who is a professional driver, did not contradict Funke’s claims.

“We have been married for 35 years and I cannot divorce her because I do not want to destroy the children’s lives.

“The fact that I beat her is the devil’s work because I just got the urge to beat her from nowhere and I promise the court never to beat her again,” he said.

President of the court, Alhaji Amusa Makinde, adjourned the case till May 2 for both parties to have a rethink before judgement will be passed.

inside

I got paralysed from her beatings He claims our children are bastards

I cheated to pay my wife’s dowry See pages 18 & 23

I struggle to feed him and the children —Wife She invited her boyfriend to a family funeral —Husband

M

Stories By Taibat Alimi

RS Comfort Livinus, a mother of three has filed a suit at the Grade ‘C’ Customary Court, Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve her 16-year-old marriage to her husband, Amos Idagu, alleging irresponsibility.

“Since I have been with him, he has not taken care of me. When he collects his salary he gets drunk with it and ends up losing the money at times without giving me a dime.

“I struggle to feed him and the children. He cannot pay the children’s school fees since they have been in school and he gave N5,000 in five months.

“I was bleeding when I gave birth to one of the children and he did not take care of me at all. When another problem came up, he sent for my family members to come and take me.

“When I returned to him, he removed N10,000 from meeting contributions I had with me without my consent and promised to pay back and I agreed. He paid back 6,000 of

the money and promised to pay the rest which I added.

“I collected my contribution and he got angry because I did not present the money to him.

He then called my family members to come for me saying if I did not leave him I would be responsible for whatever happened to him.

“I endured him yet he accused me of being promiscuous when I rented an apartment, calling me names. He also came to the market where he broke bottles of groundnut. I reported him to the police before I was advised to come to the court.

“I do not want this marriage anymore because of his irresponsibility,” she said.

The defendant, Amos Idagu did not agree to the dissolution of the marriage because, according to him, he still loves her.

“I returned part of the money and she added the rest to it which I promised to refund to her when I get the money.

“Last year, while she was hosting the burial of her uncle, I saw her with her boyfriend and

she confirmed it. I see it as nothing since it is no big issue in our side of the country.

“Her boyfriend called her, asking her when she would be leaving the house and I informed her mother about this but the woman asked us all to keep calm.

“The next day, she packed her things and I knelt down for her three times, begging her not to pack out of the house but she turned deaf hears.

“The day she lost her phone, her mother asked me to go to her shop to give her my own phone but unfortunately she started a fight with me and I missed a step and mistakenly broke two bottles of groundnut which I promised to pay for.”

The father of three say he takes care of the children and had begged her when she filed for divorce. “I do not want to divorce her because I still love her so much and will never beat her,” he said.

Alhaji Amusa Makinde, president of the court adjourned the case till May 2 for fur-

18

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

courtandcrime

He once beat me into a 6-day coma yet I still love him —Wife

She is adulterous, chases me with knife, cutlass during scuffles —Husband

By Taibat Alimi with Agency Reports

A

55-year-old trader, Ajoke Fagbohun, has told an Igando customary court, Lagos, that she was unconscious at the hospital for six days because of her husband’s

beating.

Ajoke told the court that “my husband beat me three months after I delivered a baby and I was unconscious at the hospital for six days’’.

She told the court while testifying in a divorce petition by her husband, Kehinde, that her husband was a wife-beater.

“My husband beat me and I fainted, I was revived after six days, I could not breast-feed my new born baby for those days.

“He derived pleasure in beating me, all the scars on my body are as a result of his constant beatings.

“It was because of his frequent beatings that made all the four women he married before me to run away for their dear lives but I refused to run because of my children,’’ she said.

The mother of three accused Kehinde of always threatening her life, adding that “he once came into my room and was strangling my neck in my sleep.

“But for the quick intervention of our son who entered at that point in time I would have been a dead person,’’ Ajoke said.

The respondent said that her husband always damaged her reputation by telling people that she was a prostitute.

“My husband always tells our tenants, friends and people who care to listen that some men in their street are sleeping with me,’’ she said.

Ajoke urged the court not to grant her husband’s request because she was still in love with him.

Kehinde, 57, a businessman, had begged the court to end his 19-year-old marriage to Ajoke, over threat to his life, and infidelity.

He said that his wife was always chasing him with cutlass and knife whenever they were fighting.

Kehinde describes his wife as a fighter who always fights with their tenants, friends and even their children’s school teachers.

“My wife went to our children’s school to have a physical fight with one of their teachers, she also fought with one of our tenants that landed her in cell,’’ he said.

The petitioner accused his wife of infidelity and she would always leave home without his knowledge and spend three days or more before returning home.

“I believe my wife is seeing another man as she always leaves her matrimonial home and comes back after some days and she also receives different calls at odd hours.

“Even I have refused to eat her food for three years now because I don’t trust her anymore,’’ Kehinde said.

He begged the court to divorce the union that he was no longer interested and in love with her.

The court president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, after listening to the couple, urged them to maintain the peace and adjourned the case till May 31 for further hearing.

A 24-year-old man, Tosin Michael, on Wednesday begged a Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja for mercy after admitting that he cheated one of his customers of his N170,000 to pay his wife’s dowry.

Michael told the court shortly before his conviction, that he “mistakenly’’ used the said sum, meant for his customer’s aluminum windows, to pay his wife’s dowry.

He, however, told the court that he was currently handling a job for another of his customers and intended to refund the money to the former after he would have been paid.

“My lord, please temper justice with mercy so that I can go and work to repay the N170,000 to the owner,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the presiding judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, in his judgment, sentenced Michael to four weeks imprisonment with an option of N5,000 fine.

Kagarko said that he based his sentence on Section 112 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. The convict, a resident of Gauraka in Niger State, was sentenced after he had pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating.

He was also ordered to pay N170, 000 as compensation to the plaintiff.

The prosecutor, Urom Otu, had told the court that Okonkwo Christopher of Development Control site, Wuye, Abuja, reported the matter at the Wuye Police Station on April 15.

Saturday Tribune

I cheated to pay my wife’s dowry —Suspect He said that the plaintiff awarded a N170,000 contract to the convict on March 17 to fabricate aluminium windows for him.

Otu said that the convict absconded with the sum without doing the plaintiff’s job.

She wants me dead so that she can take over my wealth —Ex-military man ‘He is being fooled by his girlfriend’

A 56-year-old retired military man, Durojaiye Rodoye has told an Igando customary court, Lagos that his wife, Adenike was after his life.

“My wife is after my life so that she can inherit my wealth,’’ he said, adding that “she is threatening my life by poisoning my food.

“My wife prepared a vegetable soup for me to eat, the soup was black, I refused to eat because that is not my first time of eating vegetable. It should be green in colour.

“I told her I didn’t feel like eating the soup that she should prepare custard, she brought the custard and it was also black in colour, I didn’t take it.

“I gave her to drink but she refused, I gave one of our children to drink, she snatched it from him and poured it away.

“She always beats me up whenever I query her for wrongdoing, she once beat me in the public and tore my clothes,’’ he said.

The petitioner said that he left his flat for the respondent because of fre-

quent beatings, adding that she always instigates the children against him.

“Around 12 a.m. when I came back from work, I saw strange guys about 15 of them with my two children smoking hemp heavily in my sitting room.

“Immediately they sighted me they picked their cutlasses and other dangerous weapons to attack me but I escaped and all that was in the presence of my wife.

He begged the court to dissolve the 20-year-old marriage to Adenike because he is no longer in love and his life is in danger.

Adenike, 44, a trader, denied all the allegations, adding that she never poisoned her husband’s food.

“I did not poison my husband’s food. He once told me that his girlfriend told him that I had poisoned his food that was why anytime he chased me out of his house he will come beg-

ging me back.”

The mother of five said her husband was fetish and once came home with a horn from a witch doctor for her to go a junction at 10 p.m. to swear over alleged missing N19,000.

“I complied because I was innocent of the accusation. He followed me that night and I did as he instructed but nothing happened to me.

“After some days, he said that I had laced my body with charm that was why nothing happened to me and he asked me to travel with him to one “Ifa” oracle shrine, I refused’’.

The respondent begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish that she was still interested in the marriage.

The court president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, urged the couple to maintain the peace, and adjourned the case till June 7 for judgment.

The prosecutor told the court that when the convict was arrested, he admitted that he collected the money, but used it to pay his wife’s dowry.

Otu told the court that the offences contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

I got paralysed from her frequent beatings, retiree tells court UNABLE to withstand further beatings from his wife of 33 years, Emmanuel Osuya, 58, has secured a divorce from the battering woman, Abigail.

“My wife wants to kill me, she beats me almost every day with dangerous weapons. On three occasions, she broke my leg, preventing me from going out for days.

“Due to her frequent beatings, I got paralysed in 2012 and that made the beating unabated,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Osuya as pleading.

An Igando customary court in Lagos dissolved the marriage, as its president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola said he was convinced that the couple could no longer live together as the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions.

“The court has no choice but to dissolve the union in spite

‘He claims all our 3 children are bastards’ A labourer, Seyi Adegoke has pleaded with a Grade ‘C’ customary court sitting at Agodi, Ibadan, to dissolve her 11-year-old marriage, accusing her husband of irresponsibility.

“The three children I bore for him are with me. When I gave birth to my first child he did not show up and paid no hospital bill but his brother paid instead.

“We lived for seven years before I conceived the second child which caused me an embarrassment because he denied ownership of the pregnancy.

“Thereafter he left for Bayelsa, where he now resides. He does not come home, but occasionally he sends N500 recharge card for us to sell and feed.

23

“During the period of my pregnancy, his mother came and forced me out of the house, alleging that my husband is not responsible for the pregnancy. I tried all I could to convince his relatives but they all turned me down.

“I gave birth without any support from him and little or no assistance from his relatives. We settled again and the third pregnancy was worse than the first two as he told everyone in our neighbourhood that I engaged in illicit sex and the children are bastards.

“The mistake was consistent because he pretended to have changed after the first child and thereafter we lived together for seven years with no problem until when I conceived and he started to misbehave.

“There is no hope for reconciliation because he is not caring and responsible for me and the children hence, this court action,” she remarked.

The defendant, Alaba Adegoke was absent at the court. The president of the court, Chief Amusa Makinde in his ruling adjourned the case till May 4 in order to allow the defendant speak for further hearing.

of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.

“The couple can no longer stay together because the marriage has broken down totally: both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways,” Omilola ruled.

Osuya, a retired civil servant, had approached the court to dissolve his 33-year-old marriage over alleged battering by his wife.

Osuya said that Abigail, with whom he had five children, was always threatening his life through battering, and that he was afraid she might kill him one day.

Osuya also accused his wife of turning his children against him, thereby making them to hate him.

“Abigail succeeded in creating enmity between me and my children, she tells them false and damaging stories about me in order for them to hate me.

“So, my children only care for her by sending her money and other items every month, without extending their love to me. They always ignore me as if I do not exist,’’ the battered husband said.

The petitioner also described his wife as a thief that was always stealing his money, rendering him financially broke.

He said it became so bad that he could no more keep money at home because of his wife’s penchant for stealing.

“She is not always satisfied with the money I give her, in spite of the fact that my children always send her money every month,’’ the petitioner said.

Osuya added that Abigail also starved him of food and sex.

He appealed to the court to dissolve the marriage, saying that “I am no longer interested in the marriage, I don’t want to die now, more so that I am out of love’’.

The respondent also said that she had never stolen her husband’s money.

The mother of five added that she used to cook for her husband whenever he gave her money for food.

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s prayer that she was still in love with him.

He forced me to drink car radiator water to ascertain if I slept with his brother —Woman AN Ikole Ekiti customary court has dissolved a 15-year-old marriage between Afusat Azeez and her husband, Azeez over wrong accusation of adultery.

The president of the court, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, in her judgment held that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

Ojo said pieces of evidence before the court proved that the union could not stand again and ordered parties to go their separate ways.

She awarded the custody of the two children to Afusat and directed Azeez to pay a monthly allowance of N5,000 to the woman for the upkeep of the children.

Afusat had on February 8 cited drunkenness, con-

stant fighting, no respect for her family, lack of care and non-payment of her bride price as other grounds for seeking the dissolution.

She told the court that Azeez, who was the father of her two children, was in the habit of drinking alcohol and under the influence always accused her of committing adultery and threatening her to swear.

“He forced me to drink car radiator water to prove that I never had affairs with his blood brother who lives with us or any other man.

“My Lord, I can no longer continue with the union to avoid untimely death due to his habitual wrong accusations and threats,’’ Afusat said.

19

23 April, 2016

Lagos Weekly Fact File:

Saturday Tribune

Armed robbery (21), Cultism (13), Death of armed robbers (2), Recovered arms (7), Recovered ammunition (15) Source: Police

Weekend Lagos

Editor

Lanre Adewole

m: 0811 695 4637 e: lanreadewole@tribuneonlineng.com

inside

Psycho epidemic: 300 patients per day in Yaba psychiatric hospital 21

Eko Akete

The chimney lawmaker 22

Here, the dead pay rent... and get evicted Temporary grave N15,000

Permanent grave N150,000

When people die, they supposedly rest. This may not be completely true for the dead in Lagos. Even when permanently asleep, they get charged for the sleeping space. And when the rent isn’t forthcoming, they get evicted. WEEKEND LAGOS team of TOLA ADENUBI, TUNDE DODONDAWA, SYLVESTER OKORUWA and LANRE ADEWOLE went in search of these special tenants and their uncompromising landlords.

Court of ‘injustice’

A

22

S a mega-city, the greatest challenge for residents of Lagos is shelter. A combination of factors ensures that.

If government fat cats are not cornering the available land space, especially in areas that catch their fancy, and mopping up lowcost houses meant for the commoners, Shylock landlords are killing with crazy rent.

If miscreants, popularly known as Omo

onile (sons of the soil), will allow you build after parting with mind-boggling non-receipted sums, the genuineness of the space you got is another headache to contend with. The everyday streaming of migrants into a waterlogged state with barely enough land is enough to trigger migraine for both the government and the governed. In a land considered to be of immense economic opportunities if you manage

to remain on the ground, including the tramps sleeping under the numerous bridges who pay to more domineering miscreants, paying “rent” for shelter seems a burden for all living souls.

But it isn’t only the living that are grappling with paying rent in Lagos. Even the dead pay.

And as the living get thrown out when in default, the dead also get sacked when in arrears Continues on pgs20 & 21

20

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos

Rented grave N15,000, permanent grave N150,000 Continued from pg19

and the quit notice is even almost always incredibly shorter than what the living get. Welcome to the astonishing world of Lagos public cemeteries, where grave diggers are the landlords and the dead, their unique tenants.

Ishola Olabisi (not real name) once managed a major cemetery in Lagos East senatorial district. His story is intriguing.

If you think he is sour-graping because a political arrangement sacked him from the “juicy” job of providing “grave” accommodation, his story was corroborated in all the cemeteries visited by Saturday Tribune.

Hear his story: “Yes, the rent system is practised in all the cemeteries in Lagos but it is a private arrangement among those who are in charge of such places.

Though we are under various local governments, no one mandated us to charge rent from the relatives of those we bury.

If anyone says he has been asked to collect any fee in that regard , it is a big lie.”

Ishola, who listed active cemeteries to include Matori in Mushin, Muslim-only cemetery in Agege, another in Ipaja, the popular Atan cemetery and Ikorodu cemetery, disclosed that renting grave portions out is a very flourishing business, though while it lasted for him, there were also occasional awkward situations.

He rolled out rent figures. For normal burial, it is between N15,000 and N12,000, depending on the calibre and the size of the mourners. According to him, it is big business for cemetery handlers when mourners come in their numbers to bury a loved one. Such lowrent space is hardly renewed “because mourners that request for such low-cost space hardly come back to renew their rent even when they promise to. After weeks, since dead bodies decompose fast on laterite ground, the body will be removed and packed in one week, with the same space being rented out to another dead person,” he volunteered.

However, there are rich dead that pay huge rent. A full compliment of vault goes for between N120,000 and N150,000, while a cemented grave with the four corners laid out with cement block cost about N75,000. These are near permanent arrangements which can only change if the relations of the occupier stop coming around.

Ishola provided further insight. “Even on the low-cost, relatives who love their own still renew the rent for a while before they stop coming. Business is always good at the cemetery, especially... (name withheld). You have a minimum of eight bodies a day and about 10 at midnight, waiting to be buried in the morning. It is also a tasking job. No holiday. Our busiest time is between December 1 and January 1. We can’t explain it but that has been the trend.”

The prices are as varied as the vaults. For the single vault, the price range is between N367,500 and N700,000. This differentiation is determined by the level of the density of the area you are paying for. that is why the authorities hardly disturb us,” Ishola explained.

A grave containing multiple corpses When asked about the receipt for the rent, he confessed that it is always forged from one cemetery to another. “We give local government ‘something’ weekly at our own cemetery but it is not fixed.

Maybe N10,000 after we could have made N100,000. We print fake receipt.

To make our rent deal more believable, we tell the relatives that there is also Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), especially when we target huge money by looking at the crowd and worth of their appearance.”

But our source didn’t have it all rosy

with rent and C of O. “There was a day a military man demanded immediate release of the C of O and the registration for which we charged him heavily. I became afraid. When he started threatening me, I even offered to return his money which he refused. It was a bad day for me.”

When further pressed on the inside abuse, he queried if Saturday Tribune expected a new space in a cemetery that predated Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

“At our own cemetery (name withheld), more than 10 million people must have

been buried on that same portion of land. So, we remove bones for new bodies. We have a corner we pack such skeletons at the cemetery. When a road construction was done around the area, how many bones did they pack for us to keep in the bones’ corner? The practice will continue, no doubt, but now that you people (Saturday Tribune) are putting eyes into the money which “boys” keep, you may get the authorities to take more interest and turn the cemeteries to IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) targets for local and even state governments. They give the cemeteries to us to manage as political compensation and

‘Older tenants must make way for new ones’ Apart from Ishola’s telling stories, Saturday Tribune took trips to various vaults and cemeteries scattered across the state, with the visits revealing contrasting fees and modus operandi.

One major issue is the lack of new public cemeteries, obviously making the existing ones overpatronised and in the process, providing quick and flourishing business for the smart Alecs in charge of providing rest for the dead.

“It is a case of demand and supply,” another insider in the “shady” rent business for the dead, revealed. “No land, yet people die everyday. They must be buried. Government has not provided a virgin space. Then the older tenants in cemeteries will definitely have to move for the new ones, except the relatives of the older tenants are ready to secure permanent homes for them.”

When asked if a better arrangement could not be worked that won’t cost much and the dead would be left in peace, he explained, “we tell relatives to rent space permanently. When members of their families die, they will be buried in that same space, the fresh body will be buried on top of the decomposing one. But at least all the bodies will be in one place.”

ATAN CEMETARY When Saturday Tribune visited the Yaba vault, popularly called Atan cemetery, located along the University of Lagos Road, the fees associated with the type of burial separate the haves from the have-nots.

At the Atan cemetery where Saturday Tribune spoke with the Enquiry Manager, Mr Patrick, he revealed that there are temporary vault and permanent vault. The temporary has

only one single phase and it’s N37,000 only.

For the permanent vault, it has a double phase, Single-Permanent and Double-Permanent. For the Single-Permanent, it will cost the dead N180,000 to secure a space while the Double-Permanent (which can contain up to three corpses), will cost the dead N230,000.

On how the money goes into government coffers, the Atan Enquiry Manager stated that “for the permanent vaults, N100,000 goes into the coffers of the Yaba Local Government while the rest is for the cemetery and the contractor in charge of digging and burying.

“After payment is made for the permanent vault, the family of the dead gets a C of O and receipts from the local government. This is proof that they have secured the space for ever.

“The owners will henceforth pay N10,000 annually as fees for maintenance of the vault by the Atan cemetery.

“For the temporary, there is no need for the issuance of C of O by the local government because it is not secured by the family of the dead. After five years, another family can use the same burial space since it is a temporary burial space.

“That is the difference between the permanent and temporary burial spaces. The temporary spaces are open to other families for use after every five years of burial while the permanent space is owned by the family of the dead for life.”

IKORODU VAULT At the Ikorodu vault, a worker who identified himself as Mr Lateef Akinode explained that he charges N25,000 for ordinary tomb and N50,000 for the marbled tomb. He, however, directed Saturday Tribune to the office of the Executive Secretary, Ikorodu Local Government Area for payment purposes.

At the office of the Executive Secretary, the Head of Department, Environment, stated that they charge N100,000 for permanent vault.

He, however, said they don’t charge for rent at Ikorodu again due to complaints of irregularities by families of the deceased. He said irregularities ranging from exhuming of corpses have forced the local government to stop temporary vaulting.

“Since January 2016, interment here has been permanent vaults. The family of the dead pay

N100,000 for the ground and they own the space forever,” he stated.

IKOYI VAULT At Ikoyi, there are contrasting fees for burying the dead. For the Ikoyi vault, the family of the deceased will surely spend a fortune to get a space for their dead.

The cemetery has various classes of vaults, ranging from single, double and triple vaults. As the names suggest, the single takes only a corpse, double takes two, while the triple takes three. The double and triple vaults are mostly bought by people who have chosen to be buried in the same tomb with their spouses when they die.

The prices are as varied as the vaults. For the single vault, the price range is between N367,500 and N700,000. This differentiation is determined by the level of the density of the area you are paying for. They have New High Density vault, Single High Density vault and Single Medium Density vault. The double and triple vaults are sold for N1 million and N1.5 million respectively.

As of 2015, the least vault to find for a resting place is from N1 million while the most expensive vault, armed with gated gardens, goes from N40 million.

IKOYI CEMETERY A staff of the environment office of Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Mr Adigun, told Saturday Tribune that temporary burial space goes for N50,000. This will only last for six months and the corpse will be evicted for another corpse.

Under this arrangement, the burial spot is devoid of any tomb or gate since its temporary. The space only allows the corpse to decompose.

For the permanent burial arrangement, a burial space for only one corpse is N320,000 while a two layer grave goes for N380,000. For a threelayer burial arrangement, it costs N480,000.

With burial space shrinking by the day in the state, and the demand for it getting higher by the day, the monkey rent business does not look like ending anytime soon, despite the bigger chunk of the “deadly” revenue going into private pockets.

The business will surely remain profitable for those behind it, maybe until the day of an unlikely revolt by the “spirit” tenants.

Psycho epidemic: 300 patients per day in Yaba psychiatric hospital

•We have patients not visited in 34 years —CMD

Dr Richard Ademola Adebayo is the acting Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, a consultant psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist. NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA engaged him on sundry mental issues.

S

IR, are there cases of abandoned patients in this hospital?

Yes. We have patients who have been abandoned for years, and for some, for decades.

We have patients who have been abandoned for over 30 years.

There are patients who have spent their childhood and adult life here. Some are in their 60s and 70s. One of them died recently. The last time his relatives visited was about 34 years ago. That means he was here for more than 34 years. Ever since then, he had remained the responsibility of the hospital in terms of clothing, feeding and treatment until he died and we also organised his burial.

Can you put a figure to this disturbing trend?

We have about 60 patients in that category, both young and old. A young lady was abandoned here for five years.

The police brought her to this

hospital from under one of the bridges in Obalende five years ago. Our psychiatric social workers were able to trace her home town and just last week she was reunited with her parents. But we had spent money maintaining her for five years.

Is there budgetary provision for such cases in psychiatric hospitals?

We treat these patients out of budget. There is no specific budget for such. It is out of our own internally generated revenue (IGR) that we manage them. That is the peculiar situation of public psychiatric hospitals.

Continues on pg22

21

Eko Akete The chimney lawmaker A lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly seems to have turned his office into a smoking centre where all forms of cigarettes are consumed almost anytime he is around.

It is not uncommon for a visitor to the Assembly complex to perceive the smell of burning tobacco and nicotine emerging from the bustling lawmaker’s office.

The lawmaker who in all ramifications can still be described as a youth, is said to always make “brilliant” contributions during plenary sessions.

But it is still baffling to a lot of observers how the lawmaker could turn his office into a chimney in the same place where a bill banning smoking in public places, offices inclusive, was passed into law.

It was even rumoured that the lawmaker often does the smoking thing in company with his ‘friends’ and constituents.

It is not certain how many packets of cigarettes the young ‘Honourable’ smokes in his office, per day, or the brand he savours the most, but one thing is certain, nowadays he tries his best to conceal his nicotine exploits. Gist bearers say this is because his attention has been called to the whole thing, and he is trying to adjust accordingly.

Court of ‘injustice’ IF you are going to one of the magistrates’ courts on the Island, just make sure you do your “thing” from home because the justice abode doesn’t have a place you can do justice to “pressing” matters.

No matter how pressed you are, you have to hold yourself because the fourstorey structure does not boast a functional restroom on any of the floors. The court building is so modern that it has an elevator but no functional toilet.

Gist bearers also say the male toilets downstairs have become disused for more than a year and litigants think twice before using them.

They said over 1,000 males and females now use the female toilets downstairs daily at the same time, noting that, it can result in toilet infections and avoidable sexual misdeeds.

They appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to rehabilitate the structure which is gradually falling into disrepair.

A 75-year-old woman said,“I am appealing to Governor Ambode to extend the good job he is doing in all parts of Lagos State to the magistrates’ court and direct those in charge of the court to open all the toilets on each floor for public use. I almost urinated on my body before I could get downstairs when I was pressed.

“And when I asked why all the toilets in each floor were locked, someone said those in charge of maintenance deliberately locked them for selfish reasons”.

22

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

‘We receive

300 patients per day’ Continued from pg21

We do not have enough funding to take care of our needs. And unfortunately, our IGR is limited. There is a limit to what we can charge patients otherwise our services will become inaccessible to lots of patients, who are in the first instance indigent or dependent on their relatives. And we do not want people shunning treatment because these people can pose a nuisance to their families and the society.

There is, however, no special provision either to subsidise their treatments or to make treatment totally free when abandoned.

But do you receive any form of assistance from corporate bodies or individuals?

Yes. Sometimes we look up to philanthropic organisations or well-meaning individuals to augment our IGR. What are the reasons patients are abandoned?

Most of the patients that are abandoned suffer from major psychiatric disorders.

You will hardly see an individual with mild or moderate mental condition remain in the hospital after treatment. When the patient gets well, they are able to locate their families easily. Patients in stable mental state will agitate to go home in time because they know how to get home. So, most of the patients that are abandoned are chronic patients who have not recovered sufficiently enough to own their cognisance. And the reason they are being abandoned can be rightly construed. When their families are tired of being stigmatised and are frustrated of abhorring them, they make efforts at getting rid of them. Sometimes it is because their treatments have been too exorbitant to continue that they send them to government hospitals.

Initially some of them will visit for a while and later stop when the condition becomes severe.

Do you have a system that checks the identity of patients and those who bring them?

Yes. We have a case file for every patient.

However, some of them come here with wrong information. Those who give genuine addresses change their address once the patient is admitted. We have cases where our social workers tried to locate them through the address recorded in the case file and discovered it was either a wrong address or

the people had moved. We often hit a brick wall when we try to reach the relatives of the abandoned patients. They change telephone contacts, present wrong identity cards and so on just to make sure they permanently get rid of them.

Looking at the peculiar conditions of these patients, how much efforts have been made to get the government involved?

We use every opportunity to pass the message to the government. We went for budget defence a few months ago and we stated clearly to the Senate committee on health as well as the House of Representatives committee on health, the peculiar needs and challenges of government-owned psychiatric hospitals. We tried to emphasise some of these issues. However, we cannot put all the burdens on the government. There are so many needs and yet limited resources.

In better climes, the government does not do everything. Corporate organisations, non -governmental organisations and individuals set up trust funds and to assuage the needs of peculiar situations like this. Companies in Nigeria can begin to take up the bills of treating these patients at least for a number of years knowing that government cannot do everything.

You mentioned earlier that you receive assistance from corporate organisations. How often do you get this help?

We receive pockets of assistance. But it is not yet sufficient to take care of these patients.

How do you respond to requests to clear the streets of psychiatric patients?

They bring them here only to dump them after making initial payments. There is no policy that states that treatment of mentally deranged people is free.

I tell people that we do not have the mandate to pack indigent patients from the streets. We operate like any other hospital.

These treatments are not free. Sometimes, individuals bring patients from their neighbourhood apparently because the patients are disturbing them. They bring them here only to dump them after making initial payments. There is no policy that states that treatment of mentally deranged people is free. For those who are interested in bringing them, they should go the whole hog to ensuring that these patients are well treated and properly rehabilitated. When you think you can no longer bear the burden alone, you can reach out to corporate bodies, who might be interested in assisting. This will help us treat others who are admitted adequately.

On the average, how many patients do you admit on a daily basis?

We have between 25 and 50 new patients per day. Then for those coming to the clinic, we receive on the average about 200 to 300 people on a daily basis.

Do you admit all kinds of conditions?

There is no exception to what who we admit. Once a lay person can identify a disorder in the mental process of another, or that the person is not behaving the way a normal person should, the lay person can refer or bring the suspected case to the hospital. We receive all cases of mental imbalance. It is our duty to determine the mildness or severity of a mental case. Once you discover that your relative, friend, neighbour or anyone at all is not coordinating properly, it is legal to bring them to the hospital. Even if the patient does not need admission, you can still bring him or her. Do not only treat chronic cases alone. No matter the level, anyone that has mental disorder should be treated on time because early treatment will prevent the case from becoming acute or inhibit quick recovery. There are mental disorders that can be managed and the patient can bounce back from. So, if an individual is not stable mentally by the fact that you realise that the way he behaves is a danger to himself or to others around him or her, that is enough to suspect that there might be a mental disorder and the patient should be brought to the psychiatric hospital. We also give advisory services.

What accommodation provisions are there for those who are admitted

A Reporter’s Diary

to this psychiatric hospital?

For accommodation, we run two centres.

One in Yaba and our annex at Oshodi. We have about 15 wards for patients.

What is the average cost of treatment?

Registration for admission is about N2000.

Admission deposit for six months ranges from N50,000 and above, depending on the nature of the case.

You will be making a presentation of mental health in a church on Sunday, do you suppose there is a relationship between the church and psychiatric treatment?

Yes. The church is an integral part of the society. People have so much confidence in the church and this is because it meets the spiritual as well as the social needs of the people.

And there is a healthy interaction between the mental and spiritual make-up of a person. In modern health care, there is a role of spirituality. It is important to state also that the church has a role to play in ensuring the mental wellbeing of its members. In other words, we would like to bring mental health to our churches.

This is because there is now the need to understand the relationship between mental health and spirituality or between the church and psychiatric treatment. Oftentimes, we wrongly link mental and spiritual wellbeing.

For instance, most people believe that the treatment for mental disorder must be spiritual. So, we would like to emphasise the role of psychiatric treatment in maintaining mental wellbeing. We need to understand that some of the symptoms of mental disorder are not spiritual and that mental health can be enhanced when people begin to imbibe practices that promote mental health, not just spiritual growth.

Hardly will you see a congregation without encountering people suffering from some form of emotional and mental turmoil or going through issues that threaten the foundation of their mental health. We want to let people know that psychiatric treatment is not against the existence of church practice.

The church must know that it has a role to play in the medical world. The church must learn to partner with public health service providers in meeting the needs of people who may not necessarily be their members. These are the issues I will be addressing.

Visiting Lagos’ Yaba ‘Left’ NOTHING suggests the institution is over a century old. But by October 31, 2017, Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, will be 109 years old. From the moment you get close enough to the gate, you start seeing why the patients of this peculiar hospital are special. During the visit by Saturday Tribune, it was observed that very close to the gate, a set of patients solicited alms, with a mother and her child being the most striking sight.

They looked tattered. It could not be ascertained if

they are housed in the facility or they are mere “invaders.” Passers-by largely ignored them. At the gate, there were no security officers seen. The thoroughfare was completely through. Visitors went in and out unhindered. But there was a security post right on the premises with uniformed security men, who crowded inside the structure.

Requests to talk to the patients were turned down.

Their relatives could sue was the excuse. But many of such relatives are said to have given the patients

a wide possible berth, for decades. Yet, the patients’ conditions must not be exploited. The authorities won’t also talk about their medical conditions. It would breach doctor/patient confidentiality. But from a distance, their abode could be seen. Strangely, their ward was completely quiet. There wasn’t lunatic display anywhere. You could almost conclude there wasn’t a patient left at the facility. Their ward is also a no-go area for reporters. No antics could break the wall built around these “special people.”

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23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

outofthisworld Unusual places people buried their dead A

With femi osinusi

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

ll over the world, the dead are always given an unusual honour of befitting burial. While some give their dead this honour by burying them in tombs and graves, others engage in cremation.

However, it has been found out that some countries go to the extreme in burying their dead. Or how do you explain a situation where, for example in a state in the United States, some people have decided to bury their dead under the sea?

This unusual burial site and some others are given below as reported by oddee.com.

9-storeyed sucre cemetery in Bolivia

Under water cemetery in Miami, USA

Hanging Coffins cemetery, the Philippines

Catacombs cemetery, Paris, France

City of the Dead in Russia

Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery, Iraq, with over five million corpses

25

23 April, 2016

ntertainment News

Society Gist

Inside

Fans react as Psquare brothers continue solo performances —Pg28

I need time

torecover —Toyin Aimakhu

Keri Hilson to headline Airtel Trace Music Star

—Pg26

Controversy trails Mide Martins’ marriage —Pg28

Saturday Tribune with Joan Omionawele and

jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08059793705 Newton-Ray Ukwuoma 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

26 entertainment

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Kunle Afolayan to premiere THE CEO on plane Stories By Joan Omionawele and Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

A

WARD-winning Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan has finalised plans to premiere his latest

SJL gets rights for 2nd International Jazz Day in Nigeria SATCHMO’S Jazz and Culture Festival, Lagos (SJL) has received mandate from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), holders of the International Jazz Day franchise, to produce the second edition of the International Jazz Day in Nigeria.

The event is set to commence on April 27 with an exciting tapestry of activities including festive threads of jazz (and nu-jazz) music, as well as jazz-inspired visual and literary artists.

Fashion, film show and spoken words have also been incorporated into this year’s menu, which features a lineup of international artistes such as Grammy award-winning Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Carlo Rossi & The Organic Jam and Jon Scott.

Some of Nigeria’s foremost Jazz artistes billed to perform at the arena include Femi Leye, Sax Tee, Imoleayo Balogun, Phebean and Godwin Strings.

Taking place at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Victoria Island and other venues, participating galleries, restaurants, and hotels, the festival is set to reach thousands of live attendees and visitors throughout Lagos.

SJL takes off with two Satchmo’s IJD precountdown events. The first event will be held on April 27 in partnership with Industry Nite at Oriental Hotel, and another the next day, April 28 at The Blowfish where attendees will enjoy live music and poetry.

flick, THE CEO. According to Afolayan who is set to make history as the first filmmaker to achieve such feat, “Come 1st of June 2016, The CEO special premiere will hold with red carpet at check in counter, cocktail party at the boarding gate into the plane., while the movie will be screened onboard Lagos-Paris flight then the after party happens 40,000ft above the sea level”. It’s an experience powered by Air France, which you don’t want to miss.”

The CEO movie features Grammy award-winning songstress, Angelique Kidjo, Wale Ojo, Peter King, Kemi Lala Akindoju, and a host of other thespians across Africa and beyond.

AMAA 2016 to hold in Port Harcourt ORGANISERS of the prestigious pan-African awards for the motion picture practitioners, African Movie Academy Award have announced that the 2016 edition of the awards will hold in garden city, Port Har-

Toyin Aimakhu asks for time to recover NOLLYWOOD actress, Toyin Aimakhu has been the talk of the town for some months.

This is due to her relationship with ex-lover, Seun Egbegbe, a Yoruba film producer.

However, in a new statement which the actress posted on Instagram, she said “Permit me to use this medium to address a particular issue that has always affected me psycologically, for the past months my name has been uttered with different controversial issues, both the truth and lies.”

She continues “some find humour in it while some insult and curse me, I appreciate you all because I believe it’s out of the love you all got for me, but at this point, I would say it has lingered for too long and does not seem funny anymore. I am human, I feel pain, I have not stolen from anyone, I have killed no one, I have not engaged myself in any shady relationship with no one. I was out of a marriage with someone I was so much in love with which left me traumatised. “In the process of getting my life together and

moving on quickly with my life, I made another mistake of getting myself into another mess which only makes me human and I believe every disappointment is a blessing. For the record, I never for once stated that I was kidnapped by Mr Seun Egbegbe or anyone.

I have a life of my own which consists of my father, mother, siblings and extended family.

They also are not happy and it eats me up, please I beseech u all no one should mention my name along with no man anymore please enough is enough”.

The actress also appeals to those she had offended saying, “also, I want to appeal to anyone I might have offended in anyway, my ‘FANmily’, newspaper houses and bloggers to please let her me be, in order to process all I am going through and heal quickly.

Thank you all for the love, God bless you. Lastly to every woman who has been abused psychologically, physically, morally and emotionally, I respect you all, the Lord is your muscle,” Aimakhu wrote.”

Twentieth Century Fox partners FilmOne in West Africa TWENTIETH Century Fox has entered into an agreement to distribute its film slate in a major distribution deal with Nigeria and West Africa’s fastest-growing theatrical film distribution company, FilmOne Distribution.

Under this arrangement, FilmOne will distribute all Fox titles directly to cin-

emas in Nigeria and Ghana. This is the first deal of its kind in West Africa for Twentieth Century Fox. As part of the agreement, FilmOne Distribution will release in 2016, movies such as ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’, ‘Ice Age: Collision Course’, as well as ‘The Birth of a Nation.’

‘Trolls’.

Group Chief Executive Officer and President of Filmhouse Cinemas and FilmOne Distribution Kene Mkparu, said the move is a bold statement from Twentieth Century Fox “Twentieth Century Fox have today made a bold statement in showcasing their interest in the growing African film market, of which the West African region, par-

ticularly Nigeria, has become a major player. We have no doubt in our mind that this partnership will not only surpass previous box office results but with Fox’s diverse film slate, it will deepen and popularise the cinemagoing culture in naturally receptive and entertainment-loving countries like Nigeria and Ghana.’

court, capital of Rivers State following very successful nine consecutive editions in Bayelsa State, Abuja, Lagos and Port Elizabeth, South Africa respectively.

The River State Governor, Nyesom Wike signed the hosting rights with the management of AMAA making the state the second sub-national government in Nigeria to tap into the huge potential of AMAA for destination branding.

In a statement jointly signed by the state Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Tonye Briggs on behalf of Governor Nyesom Wike and the founder of the awards organisation, Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, hosting the award this year will be the beginning of a partnership that will add immense value to the people of the state and the host city in particular as the government is determined to position Port Harcourt as a destination of choice in Nigeria and West Africa.

“We are repositioning Rivers State as a state ready for business to Nigerians and the rest of the world and our partnership with AMAA will become a veritable platform to attract tourists, global and Nigerian icons in business and the entertainment industry. We want to showcase Rivers State as a peaceful place where socio-economic activities thrive and also the hospitality of our people.

There is a huge economy around entertainment and show business in Port Harcourt. While our state is known for her hydrocarbon resources, His Excellency, Governor Wike’s administration, through the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, through initiatives like AMAA, wants the world to know and take advantage of the business opportunities that abound in Rivers State,” Mrs. Briggs said.

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23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

The true story behind my travails — Emeka Ike to keep himself. Instead, we are here pitying ourselves and asking, ‘is there a god that is killing all of them? That is our pension, we are calling on the government to look into the industry and stop being passive about it.

Nothing has been achieved from all the visits to the government and all the government secretariats they have been to; even after their visit to the president, nothing was situated.

Ibinabo has taken our national office as her personal office, but it is all about seeing how to marginalise Emeka and bring him down.

Continued from pg2

What is going on with your own acting career now, is it that you don’t want to act in movies anymore?

I will get back as soon as all these get sorted out. We need to step up our game and show that we are upgrading. We cannot keep doing films and we don’t even know the market we are entering. I don’t want to get jobs and appear in the same old flicks.We need a structure. The government has given us money, let it not be hijacked from us. Here, you see a fashion designer say, ‘I’m making a movie, I was trained in Oxford, I live in the US’ I ask myself, is that how it should be?

Who is distributing movies for these people, where is the structure we fought for Nollywood? But right now, nobody hears all the names that fought for Nollywood, all you hear are new names. Where are Jim Iyke, Emeka Ike? Ramsey Nouah is doing some things for himself, what about Omotola, Genevieve?

You don’t even hear their names anymore.

But it is said that they don’t act anymore because their charges are too high Where is the movie to make? Is it those movies they make and divide into six parts?

In my time, two jackets would sell millions, but while we are trying to lift the industry up, some people are trying to kill the heroes of Nollywood and say they are trying to set up a new Nollywood, so you don’t have a means to demand your rights, where is the N3billion they were given? Did they give some to Kannywood? Did you give some to AGN? Who and who shared this money? Those are the questions these people are running away from because when you give money to market women, it will go to the market women association, then it will be properly appropriated, so that questions can be asked by the members, but when you do not represent all your members, on what or who will you spend that money?

Somebody somewhere who has never made any successful movie is now the one taking the glory. A solid structure is the only thing that can build any institution, just as the Nigerian Institute of Journalism has a structure that reaches out to all journalists.

Now, the court has given a verdict to the former AGN officers telling them they have been dissolved and fired because they lacked focus, and they went back to the High Court to appeal the case and the High Court told them that they couldn’t appeal the judgment

because it is a declarative judgment, because they lacked locus standi because they didn’t have anything to say about a matter, because there is nothing to appeal. The court told them to go back and let this order work, let the new officers move in and organise AGN immediately, but they are being sponsored by multinationals to make sure they cause mayhem in the industry.

They keep telling the ministers, oh, there is a problem with AGN, but now the court has settled this and who doesn’t understand court settlement, having made a declarative judgment. It is now left for the government to uphold the rule of law and I expect the minister and a few of them that understand that as representatives of the people, they uphold the rule of law, and if they do not uphold the rule of law, the world will see how they have failed to uphold it.

We are saying a foreign TV channel on our soil is making millions and if they are making millions from showing our movies, they deserve to pay something back to Nigeria, how can I make movies all my life and they are shown and I cannot get a dime from them; they are using me and all the artistes to get stability, don’t you think we have other rights to claim? They want trouble and I am coming for them, they want to use power to overshadow us in Nigeria, they are violating our rights and now we are telling them they must pay us, if they are paying us, we wouldn’t have incurred the debt we incurred in the past couple of years I saw Ashley Nwosu at the aiport before he died, and he shouted my name and said, please I am sitting in blood, I am not okay. I was crying right there, I searched my pockets and gave him everything I had, I told him I was travelling and told him to call me and before I could return, he was dead. If they were paying him his royalties, even if it was two dollars every time they showed his movies, that man would have had small money

I was not happy that she went to jail, because I know how it will be in that dark room without interaction.

There was a time Ibinabo told journalists that the only reason you wanted to take over AGN was because of the N5,000 you wanted to collect from actors for the sale of forms, what’s your reaction to that?

What was the basis for that?

When people want to register, I tell them to hang on because we are doing data collation, and for the first time, AGN has a website, then you can see ANTP, Kannywood and others under our unbrella and then you know who and who are under you. You cannot keep saying you are a leader and you don’t know those under you., we have a biometric card that’s like an ATM and anytime you are shown on air, an amount must be sent to your bank account, if a million people pay N10,000 each, we already have N1billion but we need to be passionate about the industry.

Also, it was said that you rejoiced that she went back to jail.

Oh, come on, I was not happy that she went to jail, because I know how it will be in that dark room without interaction, but notwithstanding that is her status, and that status cannot handle leadership position in the constitution for instance, you have to be a first degree holder before holding an office in this trade. But Segun Arinze is not a first degree holder forget the voice over he is doing, I’m an engineer.

Oh, so why did you dump engineering for acting?

Excuse me, I am properly read, I did thermodynamics, structural analysism calcus and other things that tasked my brain There was a day I started crying because all the scandals about me were coming from this, I had to cry to God to take these things off my head and after the prayer, the kind of thoughts that will come to me will be bigger than the former ones, if the court can understand that I am making sense, then why are journalists not asking questions? Well, these people in the former AGN don’t know that there are other big artistes involved in this struggle, I am just an arrowhead.

But is it true that you want to lead AGN because your school has closed down?

These people just keep going around spreading rumours to bring me down, they were coming to my house, sending people to my brother’s house…..

Is it that bad?

Yes, gunmen even came to my house to attack us.

But if you were not owing, I don’t think your landlord would have kicked you out, I don’t understand how lies from AGN could make your landlord kick you out Excuse me ma, this is a legal matter, there was a N1.5 million issue in excess and I told my wife to issue that cheque, we signed a contract of N2million for some years and that was it for a long time till there was a N1.5million in excess, and I begged him, but he said he did not want the N1.5 million again and I told him I did not want this case in court again, so I said let’s leave court, let us go to arbitration, and I was in arbitration the same day they were giving judgment.

Can I be in two courts at the same time?

They came to my wife, disturbed her and dislodged her to make sure I could not do anything anymore.

So what’s the issue with your school, are you not running it anymore?

The school matter is still there, I told the man that I have spent so much on this property to think you can just come from nowhere to tell me your son is coming from the United Kingdom. Where was he when I spent over N800million on that property? This property was not plastered. There were no windows, no doors, no fence and I brought that building to what it is today, I had even started making plans to pay N5million to get these shiny metals to cover the front of the building before the landlord struck.

But did you buy the land or you were just doing all these yourself?

No, it was on lease and when a property is on lease to you, you can do everything you want. I paid my rent for many years until the landlord came and said he saw people making noise in the press and that his son was returning from the UK. They thought they could take omo Ibo’s money and kick him out when they are done, and they don’t do that to their fellow Yorubas, but they do that to Ibos and Hausas.

These people use the magistrates’ courts to punish and oppress the tenants and they brought such a letter and evicted a school in the process, students were in class, I have students on scholarship, and people who look up to me, and this is a 96-year-old man, I am saying it today, that man will not see God for being so hard-hearted. I went on my knees to beg this man, ‘Baba, e joo’, he was abusing me in front of my wife, I said ‘yes sir, thank you sir,’ and this man went to carry a court judgement, came with over nine mobile policemen when students and teachers were working, I have teachers who have kids at the university and he shut down people who were like working staff to me. I was not even in town that day. People were crying, I bought a school bus with N15million of the money I used to do a project and this baba came and destroyed it.

Is the matter still in court?

There are still issues, the matter can’t be in arbitration and you want to evict the person, undermining the investment and all the money, a property which this man bought at just N120,000.

I’m not even begging him again, I have my own properties at Ogudu GRA, I was already building my hotel there, he could have just let me do my complete 10 years, but after the first five years, he started giving me trouble.

I was going to America and I told my wife to write a cheque for N3million and another N1.5million and he said no, he did not want it and started saying I didn’t pay my complete money.

At 96, the man does not want to die again, he is always going to India for treatment of his ears and eyes, I am his bank and meal ticket.

What about your wife, is there a chance that you both will give love a chance again?

Why not, I still love my wife, we are not divorced yet. Or do you want us divorced? The Bible is against divorce. we are working on it, it is a private thing and they made it too public, every marriage has its ups and downs and every man has to just keep understanding them, but again, these people blew it up, because they wanted to build up cases on the social media to spoil my name. They tell you to pay to retract stories, is that not blackmail? that’s why I support the Senate when they say the social media should be regulated. I married a woman from a humble background when I had opportunities of marrying a billionaire’s daughter, but these people come on the social media and present me as an opportunist, when I hustle and work hard to take care of my family, how would you feel if someone starts carrying stories that you slept with one big man for an interview? Come on you have just violated me, because I have a different lifestyle.

28 entertainment

23 April, 2016

Fans react as

Psquare brothers continue solo

performances

Stories By Joan Omionawele and Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

F

OR some months, the Okoye brothers, Peter, Paul and Jude Okoye have been at loggerheads as the Psquare brothers got to the verge of splitting.

Although they ended their rift and promised to live together in peace and harmony by putting family first in all that they do, the brothers have resorted to solo performances around the world, as one of the duo (Peter) was spotted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, performing to a large crowd.

This didn’t go down well with their fans as they have kept pleading with them to come back together, One fan wrote: “I love you peter but I love you and Paul together not you being solo, how I wish you guys could come back to the way you were before, I just pray and wish for that every time.”

Another fan, @caesearonuoha who seemed cross over the issue stated; since you have broken up with your broda, remove ‘square’ from your name or don’t you have mathematical knowledge?

However, an angry Peter replied him saying: “@caesearonuoha call the I.G (police).”

On the other hand, the twin brother, Paul who is also working alone in his studio posted a picture of him in his private studio with the caption ‘studio in progress, work mode.”

One of his fans also reacted thus: “I am not seeing your brother with you oh. Pls call for him to join you in the studio. You guys should please put your differences aside and try to make PSQUARE work again, PSQUARE is beyond global, it has gone too far for you two to just throw away. I just saw a video of Angela Simmons jamming and singing ‘chop my money’ and this just made me soo proud of Psquare’s achievement. None of your solo careers can ever get you to this stage where PSQUARE is right now in the world, so my brothers, whatever might be the problem between you 2 should never come before PSQUARE. Another worried fan, @mamensie posted: “Oh God, whatever misunderstanding that wants to seriously separate these admirable brothers, please stop it now. I ask for your intervention my God of peace!”

Keri Hilson to headline Airtel Trace Music Star

ORGANISERS of the Airtel TRACE Music Star talent search have announced that the show is in full swing with over 600 000 calls registered and contestants will be groomed and mentored by US international Pop/R&B superstar, Keri Hilson in Atlanta.

The sensational singer and songwriter, famous for her smash hit “Pretty Girl Rock” is a three time Grammy nominee who has written songs for artistes such as Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Mary J. Blige.

Keri speaking on her role in the Airtel Trace Music Star show, Keri said “It’s truly an honour to help unearth the raw talent out of Africa. I look forward to working with talents and ensuring that they are set on the path to stardom.”

“Respect is essential, for your peers and your supporters. Never lose the passion and keep pushing yourself

to greater heights.” Hilson advised.

The Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Ahmad Mokhles, noted that Airtel is pleased to partner with TRACE to bring excitement, joy and laughter to millions of Nigerians through the TRACE platform and also empower talented Nigerians and African youth with a credible ladder to stardom.

“Indeed, Airtel is passionate about creating platforms that delight, excite, enter-

tain, engage and empower talented youth as well as telecoms consumers across the country. TRACE demonstrates our commitment to our vision of connecting

talented Nigerian youths to their dreams. The sponsorship is yet another eloquent testimony of Airtel’s commitment to empowering young, talented Nigerians.

Saturday Tribune

Romantic comedy ‘ATM’ to hit cinemas in May POPULAR movie producer and director, Lancelot Imasuen, is set to release a new romantic comedy titled ‘Authentic Tentative Marriage” (ATM).

The comedy is Lancelot’s new production after the awardwinning epic ‘Invasion 1897’. ATM has the unlikely combination of cast such as Francis Odega, Yvonne Jegede, Alex Ekubo and Oyinbo Princess and is a hilarious flick that will keep viewers entertained and on the edge of their seats.

ATM is a romantic comedy that tells the story of a greedy young man, played by Alex Ekubo, whose search for greener pastures involves getting himself in a love scam with a white woman in order to travel abroad. The comic plot becomes explosive as the white bride refuses to return to the UK claiming she likes it better in Nigeria.

The movie premieres on Friday, May 13, 2016 and will thereafter be screened at different cinemas on the 20th of May.

US-based Nigerian gospel singer releases sophomore album DALLAS, United States of America-based Nigerian female gospel musician and daughter of the late Taiwo Olaniyi Atoyeje, aka Twin77, Evangelist Funke Olaniyi, aka FunkeTwin77, recently released her second album, entitled “I Have A Celullar”.

Guest artistes at the elaborate dedication held at the auditorium of C.A.C, Oke Iyanu Olorunsogo, Aboru in Agbado/ Oke-Odo LCDA, Lagos include King Tunde Samson (KTS), Esther Igbekele, Michael Adedugbagbe (Say Yes) Dare Alabaro.

Funke disclosed that she returned to Nigeria purposely to record, drop and dedicate the album and its video respectively. Funke, a practicing nurse in America, started as a dancer in her late father’s band and as a chorister at Living Christ Evangelism Ministry (LICEM), Egbe Alayo Parish, Osogbo, in Osun State, is also the choir mistress at CAC, God of Elijah Parish, Dallas.

OluJazz returns with ‘homecoming Jazz concert’

TALENTED Jazz artiste, Oluwole Alabi, better known as OluJazz is set for a massive homecoming concert. Olu Jazz, who has been out of the country since last year on a tour of Europe and the United States of America, is billed for a return to Nigeria this week. On his return, OluJazz will make his first appearance on stage in the first week of May. His homecoming concert tagged ‘OluJazz Homecoming World Tour Concert’, will be held at the popular Freedom Park on Lagos Island on May 6.

The saxophonist will be joined by several other Nigerian Pop, Jazz and AfroPop singers. Alabi Oluwole graduated from the Lagos State University with a B.Sc degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. He studied saxophones and wind instruments at the Peter Kings College of Music, Badagry, Lagos.

Controversy trails Mide Martins’ marriage SOCIAL media went awash last week, when reports that Nollywood actress, Mide-Funmi Martins, daughter of the late Funmi Martins had left her matrimonial home and was no longer with her husband, Afeez Owoh But the actress, responding to the rumour posted on her instagram page; “My husband, why are trying to destroy me?

Why do you want to kill me? What will be your achievement? Why do you wish to destroy my career. This is the career that gives me money to

feed the children that came out from your flesh and blood… Why do I deserve this kind of hatred from you? Is this what I get for having stayed by your side and supported you for good 13yrs? Well, no problem!

All will be well. I leave everything into God’s hands to judge between you and I. I know he will surely fight my battle for me because Oba Elesan ni, Adakedajo, arinurode, Olumoran okan, olugbeja eda”…

She further cried out; “Now I am crying out unto you from

the deepest pain of my heart!Gbogbo Eyin Abiamo Aye”. Pls save me!!

Pls save this poor innocent woman who’s done nothing wrong but has always worked extra hard just to support and keep her family together. Please I beg you all in the name of God to save me from this trauma that am experiencing now. May God be with everyone.”

When Saturday Tribune reached out to the actress, she did not pick up her phone and has remained quiet on social media.

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23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Toluwani Olamitoke 08050498504 toluwaniforever@yahoo.com

Professor Caroline Afolake Afolami is former Director, Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta , where she went on sabbatical leave. She is currently Head, Department of Agricultural Economics, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State. Using examples from her life, she speaks with PAUL OMOROGBE on how family issues like finance and career support can be dealt with, and also sheds light on her role in community development as a member of the Yewa Think Tank Group.

of three children then, I had to move with him to Abeokuta. I also joined Ogun State Polytechnic where I worked till 1990. From there, I had the opportunity of joining the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in 1990 and I have since been working there.

What advice would you give to women who are ambitious in their careers but are restrained by their husbands?

The way many perceive relationship today is very wrong. Relationship means we are there to support one another. In a relationship, you must make your contribution towards the progress of the family. There are many roles a woman can play in the family. Some women go into marriage with the wrong notion that their husband will take up all their responsibilities in life. That is not what it should be. The Bible says we are ‘helpmeet.’ Again, it is wrong for any man to depress his wife. Let your wife rise and shine.

I recall when I went to the US, my in-laws were asking my husband to tell me to come back home. But he kept educating them that I had gone for a purpose and that I would come back home when I was through with my studies. If he had followed his relatives’ advice and prevented me from obtaining the golden fleece I went in pursuit of, where would I be today? So I am really grateful to him for giving me that honour and privilege.

We need to advise men that they need not repress their wives, just as the women should not think that because they are married they should just fold their arms and wait for things to fall on their laps.

Y

OU are an academic, how do you combine the demands of your work with your duties at home?

I got married in 1976, after my first degree.

I was just starting my master’s programme then. With the kind of training I had, it wasn’t a task for me. My mum had trained us to adapt to whatever situation we found ourselves in It was a big deal combining home and academics. But that notwithstanding, I have a very understanding husband who is very helpful and supportive. So it was not a big challenge for me but rather a great pleasure.

How do you address the issue of finance in your home?

The issue of finance is a very sensitive issue in marriage. I think you should sit together as a couple and have a discussion as to how you want to do it. I don’t want to prescribe that this is what you should do or that you should have joint account or separate account. What works for A may not work for B. When my husband and I got married, we discussed the issue of finance. We were both teachers and how much were teachers earning in those days? Pittance! We wanted a roof over our heads. We wanted to train our children. So we agreed to have a joint account. And with the joint account, we were able to do things we would not have been able to if we had stayed separately. But we did it openly. The right hand knew what the left hand was doing.

Nobody was kept in the dark. So we built our home. It worked for us. Later, when we felt we had accomplished our goals, we stopped running joint account. We now run separate accounts. We have trained our children, we have a roof over our head and we have good cars on the road. It worked out for us that way, but I don’t want to make it a prescription for everybody, because there are some people who do not want a kobo of theirs to mix with someone else’s. If that’s the way it works for you, with the understanding between the couple, so let it be.

Can you please let us into your educational background?

I started my education at African Primary School, Ilaro, in 1956. I read Primary 1 to 3 there and later moved to Agege where I read primary 4 to 6. I sat for my primary school leaving certificate examination in 1961. I attended modern school at Ilaro, but in 1964, I was admitted into Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro, where I had my secondary education between 1964 and 1968 and later my Higher School Certificate (HSC) between 1969 and 1970. From there I gained admission into University of Ibadan in 1971 to study Agricultural Economics and graduated in 1974. I had my master’s degree in Agricultural

‘In handling financial issues in marriage, what works for family A may not work for B’ Economics in 1978 from Cornell University, Utica, United States. After that I worked for a while before finishing my education at University of Ibadan with a PhD degree in Agricultural Economics in 1997.

Have you always dreamt of being a teacher?

When I finished my first degree at the University of Ibadan, I went for my Youth Corps Service in Kano and came home for my convocation. One of my friends serving in Jos had to hurriedly go back. She mandated me to stop at the department to ask the HOD if she could come back for postgraduate studies.

Left to me, having obtained my first degree in 1974, (how many graduates did we have in Nigeria in 1974?) I never thought that I wanted to go for postgraduate studies. I met my HOD and passed on the information from my friend. He then asked if I was interested in proceeding further in my studies. I told him if I was offered a sponsorship I would consider it. He then promised to get in touch with me. When I went back to my station, I got a letter from him informing me that I

had been offered scholarship for postgraduate studies and that I would be a member of staff of the University of Ibadan. He added that the scholarship I was given was for staff development.

I finished my Youth Corps Service in 1975 and joined the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan and started my master’s degree. From there, arrangement was made for me to proceed to Cornell University, United States of America to continue with my studies. I completed my master’s degree there and came back in 1978 to join University of Ibadan. Nigeria then was going through a hard time. Things had really degenerated in the university. When I told my HOD that I was back to join the department, I was told that things were so bad that they were not receiving their salaries and at when due. He advised I look for an alternative employment. It was on that note I joined Cocoa Research Institute (CRIN) where I worked between 1978 and 1982.

My husband during this period was transferred to Abeokuta to work for Ogun State Polytechnic. And having a very young family

As a child, what were those things you learnt from your parents that shaped your life?

I learnt a lot of things. My mother was a trader and businesswoman. I am from a family of eight with five other sisters. My mum being a businesswoman was hardworking.

She was diligent. She resolved to train every one of us to the highest level of education.

She taught us that hard work does not kill but shapes your life and makes you a go-getter.

She was a distributor to many companies like UAC, Guinness, Lever Brothers, PZ and we supported her. In those days, it was a privilege working with the private sector unlike today that people desire working in the public sector.

You have not mentioned your father, why?

I am from a polygamous home. My dad too played a great role in my upbringing. In my home, all the children were female except the last born. We had all grown up before the boy came. We needed that protection being in a female dominated home. You know, boys would like to intrude into the home, but we had the protection of our dad and he was there training us and always admonishing us to be focused, study hard and preserve ourselves for our husbands. So the protection of my dad was very paramount in my upbringing.

As Yeye Meko of Ilaro, what do you intend to do for your community?

The name speaks for itself. The honour was done me by His royal majesty, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle as a result of not what I will do but as a result of what I have been doing. I happen to be a member of the Yewa Think Tank; it is a non-political socio-cultural group. And what is paramount in our minds is the development of the town. As a group, we have been assisting the youth by giving scholarships and providing science equipment for secondary schools in Yewa-land. We will continue the good work, God helping us.

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23 April, 2016

weekend cartoons

Saturday Tribune

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

Just a Laffing Mata

Dul l boy

FUNOLOGY

POLITICO

Teacher: Who is the President of Nigeria?

Segeluulu: Yar’Adua!

Teacher: Correct! Who is the Minister of Defence?

Segeluulu: Tompolo!

Teacher: Good! What is the capital city of Nigeria?

Segeluulu: Lagos!

Teacher: Very good! What do you call people from Moscow Segeluulu: Mosquitoes!

Teacher: ...And what do you call people from Hong Kong?

Segeluulu: Hulk Hogan!

Teacher: That is great! You are going to remain stupid like this until the governor pays our salaries.

Madmen

A pilot was transporting a bunch of madmen from Abuja to a psychiatric home in Lagos.

The madmen were making a noise. One of them entered the pilot’s cabin.

Madman: Teach me how to fly a plane!

Pilot: I would, but under one condition.

Madman: What?

Pilot: If you can get your colleagues to keep quiet.

(Five minutes later, the plane was very quiet!)

Pilot: Wow!! How did you get them to keep quiet?

Madman: I opened the door and asked them to go and play outside!

Thief

A man has five children. The first son has a B.Sc, the second son has an MBA, the third son has a Ph.D and the fourth son is a thief.

Neighbour: Why don’t you throw your fourth son out of the house?

Father: He’s the only one earning money. The rest are jobless!

END OF DRAMA: Celebrity blogger and StarBoy CEO end feud after police intervention

32 feature

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Drivers who seek short-cut fall victim of fake licences —Oyo FRSC

By Oluwatoyin Malik

R

ECENTLY, a driver, Mr Quadri Alapata (not real names), was shocked as well as confused after he discovered that the driver’s licence he had had all these while was not genuine, when he was stopped by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps. Shocked because he was told by the person who took money and passport photographs from him that it would be processed by the FRSC; confused by the startling revelation that he had a fake licence.

The controversy that regularly surrounds the issuance of driver’s licence and the claims of some of the drivers had prompted the Oyo State sector of the FRSC to carry our series of sensitisation programmes to enlighten members of the public.

But in order to make sure that its personnel are not also found wanting, it took a step further last weekend when its Driver’s Licence Centre organised a one-day capacity building workshop for operatives working at the centre to further equip them to enhance their performance.

At the workshop held at Eleyele, Ibadan headquarters of the sector on Saturday, April 16, 2016, with the theme: “Setting the Records Straight: Understanding the Roles of All Stakeholders in the Process of Production of NDL”, the Sector Commander, Mr Salami Yusuff, represented by the command’s Head of Operations, Mr Olusegun Matins, said that the essence of the programme was to enlighten FRSC staff and other stakeholders on procedures and processes of obtaining driver’s licence.

“This is not the first one in the making this year but we believe that training and re-training make things to be perfect. We have gone to motor parks, institutions and we have also done mega rally. We now believe that charity should begin at home because information we gather at times do not leave our staff out of the procedures and problems encountered on driver’s licence.”

On the belief of the public that FRSC staff were usually involved in the issuance of fake driver’s licence, Mr Yusuff said “these are allegations, but most of the time, the allegations are unfounded. Howbeit, we don’t want to believe on the premise of its being founded or not. We want to look at it that we should sanitise.

“From every rumour, there is an iota of truth. I don’t want to spare anyone from the problem of procedures and processes; out of every 12 disciples, there is always a Judas.

What we are looking at is that by the time we sanitise our

staff and we sensitise, things will straighten out.

“The stakeholders are also faulty if, after telling them the procedures, they still go to the wrong place. By the time we ask them questions after they are arrested, they will tell you that they never went for physical capture and biometric.

They are always looking for short cuts.”

The sector commander said that any caught in illegal production of driver’s licence knows that his/her appointment would be terminated. “Interestingly, the arrest we have made in relation to illegal production of driver’s licence is of an outsider. He was handed over to the police for prosecution. We have not caught any staff and we have told the public to report any staff found to be engaged in such illegality,” he added.

In his address, the head of Driver’s Licence Centre, Mr Nasir Mohammed, disclosed that the workshop would help to redefine the roles of stakeholders in the line of the production of drivers licence. He also assured members of the public that the days of queueing to obtain driver’s licence had gone, with the 10 centres established across Oyo State.

Explaining the precedure of obtaining a licence, Mr Mohammed said: “For an applicant, you will take a learner’s permit from the licencing office and proceed to an accredited driving school. We have 48 accredited driving schools.

You will take 26 sessions at one hour per day.

“After this, the FRSC will generate a certificate for you, unlike in the past when a driving school will just issue a certificate. This is because as you are going through the driving lessons, the driving school will be updating your data on its DSSP portal.

“After uploading the data for 26 days, the certificate will be generated and sent to the driving school which will sign it and give it to the trainee. The applicant will take the certificate and learner’s permit to FRSC to generate a ‘pay arena’. The three documents are taken to the VIO which will retest. After confirming that you can now drive, you will proceed to the bank to pay N6,350.

“You will take the documents and the forms to Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) attached to the centre you have picked. The BIR will endorse it and you take it to DLC you initially picked. You will be captured and a temporary licence will be given to you. After 45 days, you will get a permanent one. You will get an SMS to alert you.”

“If you never got a temporary licence, it means that you have a fake one. If you have gone through a fake procedure, you will have to start afresh by going to a driving school.

Such people should know that they had been driving illegally. If any one claims to have obtained a driver’s licence through an FRSC official but did not go through the above, listed processes, he has only gone through a fake process.

When lawmaker reached out to his Ekiti Central 1 constituents Sam Nwaoko –Ado-Ekiti THE lawmaker for Ado Ekiti/Irepodun Ifelodun Federal Constituency of Ekiti State in the House of Representatives, Honourable Ayodele Oladimeji, recently gathered the top brass of Ekiti politics, the royalty, the elderly, youths, women and children in Igede-Ekiti for the first phase of his “Hon Ayodele Oladimeji Empowerment Scheme.”

The deputy governor of the state, Dr Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola; the Onigede of Igede, Oba James Aladesuru; chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Idowu Faleye and the Chief of Staff to Governor Ayodele Fayose, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, were among the numerous dignitaries at the ceremony.

Oladimeji had distributed 10 tricycles, 50 motorcycles, 60 sewing machines, 12 electricity generating sets and 60 portable electric grinding mills to his constituents to help them start small businesses and fend for themselves. There were also 120 kerosene stoves for the extremely poor just as 240 of them also received cash gifts at the ceremony, held at Ekiti Baptist High School, Igede.

In his speech, the lawmaker noted the downturn in the world: “Some people are

experiencing recession while others are in depression. Unemployment and underemployment are more than ever on the increase.” He said it, therefore, “became extremely necessary to empower our people from time to time, not by way of handouts alone but by providing them with means

(tools) to make ends meet by themselves and for themselves.”

Oladimeji noted that his gesture was in keeping with the PDP’s mantra of “Power to the People” as well as the “Stomach Infrastructure” concept of the Ayo Fayose-led administration in the state.

Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kolapo Olusola, cutting the tape to flag off the Honourable Ayodele Oladimeji’s empowerment scheme at Ekiti Baptist High School, Igede-Ekiti. With him are the Onigede of Igede, Oba James Aladesuru (second right); Honourable Oladimeji and his wife (fifth and sixth right); Chief Dipo Anisulowo and others. PHOTO: SAM NWAOKO.

The deputy governor, Dr Olusola, told the gathering that the PDP was lucky to have a governor like “the fearless Fayose who does things in an unusual manner to achieve unusual results that confound people in an unusual way.” He further explained that the ‘Stomach Infrastructure’ concept was “a package that also includes empowerment of the people to be able to sustain their economy.” He added that “what Oladimeji is doing is a branch of Stomach Infrastructure.

Chief Faleye charged the beneficiaries to keep faith with the party and make the PDP stronger in Ekiti by ensuring that the scheme rubbed off on all around them in their various units and wards.

The Onigede, Oba Aladesuru, expressed delight at the scheme and thanked Oladimeji for thinking about his constituents in the two local government areas. He equally thanked the state government for its support to his community and the PDP for giving a son of Igede the ticket to represent the constituency in the National Assembly.

Oba Aladesuru noted that “we had worked hard for others to represent our constituency in the past and we thank Governor Fayose and his party for giving Igede-Ekiti the opportunity to present a candidate for the constituency.”

33

23 April, 2016

voxpop

Saturday Tribune

With Kate Ani

08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

Can you fight over your boyfriend\girlfriend?

People fight for their rights, some for their love.

KATE ANI here collects the views of Nigerians when asked if they could brawl for the sakes of their darlings.

K

emi Amusan Only childish and insecure girls fight over a man. If you have to fight over a man to keep him then you are just as dumb as he is.

Lolade Adesegun Fighting to keep your man does not necessarily mean that you have to engage another person in a fisticuff. There are so many things to do to keep a man that loves and respects you from snatchers. You can use good food and adequate sex.

Goriola Makanjuola No man is worth fighting over.

If I were a woman and I noticed that another woman is trying to snatch my man from me and my man is giving such woman attention and making it seem like a competition, I would call it quits with him.

Bimbo Owolabi I would not fold my hands and watch what belongs to me slip through my fingers while I sit down and do nothing. Now, I may not resort to getting physical with whoever is trying to steal my man from me, but what I believe is that if you claim to feel the slightest care for someone, you would do everything within the threshold of civility to ensure your utmost possession of that person.

Laide Abodunde Any woman that fights over man is a never-do-well marriage desperado. A woman that knows her worth and status shouldn’t fight just for a man.

really, no guy is worth fighting over. And again, it is unladylike fighting over a guy because even the guy would think the lady is being too possessive. It is one of the earliest traits of showing him that you are a street fighter and not a wife material.

Michael Dada Well, I guess it depends.

If I am in a serious relationship with a girl and someone threatens her or attacks her, then yes. Or if her life or her well-being is in jeopardy and I need to fight to save her, yeah.

But if the girl is a runaround, two-timing me with another

guy, I would never bump heads and fight over her out of jealousy. No way!

Niyi Emmanuel Fighting another guy over “ownership” of a girl is just silly. I will rather leave the girl for the other guy and that goes for even if I am married to her. It sounds silly Kola Anifowoshe Yes, I can physically attack any man or guy that tries to ruin my relationship with my girlfriend.

If you can’t fight for your girl, then you are not a man. It is your duty as a man to keep such people away from distract-

Some disrespectful ones might need one or two lessons; you have to teach them. Two upper cuts to the jaw are okay. ing her. This may involve you calling or meeting such guy to warn him off your relationship.

Some disrespectful ones might need one or two lessons; you have to teach them. Two upper cuts to the jaw are okay. If you can’t fight over your lady, you are weak and unserious.

Tayo Peter Why in the world would I ever think of fighting over a girl all in the name of love?

What if I go into a brawl with someone over a girl, and the fellow knocks me completely out probably. If by the special grace of God, I manage to survive the first blow but become paralysed for the rest of my life, won’t she go for another man?

Ebenezer Ajayi Fighting over a girl is so not right. There are many things I can do over a girl. Fighting is not one of them.

Mercy Oladunjoye I don’t think it makes sense fighting over a guy because

Kemi

Laide

Mercy

Tayo

politics&policy

34

My worry for Ekiti —Ayo Arise Ayo Arise, who represented Ekiti North District in the Senate, recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He spoke with journalists on a number of issues affecting the National Assembly and on Ekiti State politics. SAM NWAOKO brings excerpts. and solicit for money and for stolen funds?

So, I don’t see anything that is unusual. If he were a 40-year old man and they say he is carrying women to such places to go and enjoy himself, we would understand if some people are criticizing that, but this man is doing the business of state. And everywhere he goes, there is something positive following.

Don’t forget that you cannot force yourself on those countries and say I want to visit you.

They must have extended invitation to you before you decide to go. It is because they like what he is doing that there is a door opening to assist this country. So, we should be happy that everybody wants to see the president of Nigeria now.

T

HE presidency/National Assembly faceoff on budget has caused crisis in the economy.

How do you see what is going

on?

The budget crisis is not really a crisis. It is just that there are new ways of doing things and the present executive is starting on a new note; doing things differently which means paying attention to detail of the budget to ensure that they have a budget they can easily implement. But that does not take away the right of the National Assembly to look at the budget and try to move things around in a non-destructive manner. The estimate is normally presented by the president and the National Assembly looks at the details.

Normally, there would be some interests, but such interests should have been addressed while preparing the budget. In the past, there are some things that are really in the domain of the National Assembly named constituency projects. Constituency projects is something the National Assembly members feel they have to show and say while I was in the National Assembly this is what I did. In other climes, all these are packaged as part of executive responsibility.

The major controversy surrounding it borders on the Lagos-Calabar rail line and LagosKano rail line. While the National Assembly feels they need to move some money and pay some companies’ debts so they can probably complete some projects, the executive have their own projects and it might not be their priority for them now to say this is where I want to put the money. That is about the only way to accommodate the teeming population of unemployed people and of course the other ways is looking at agriculture and diversifying

the economy. And all of these would require the support of the National Assembly, and the executive needs to go and sell these ideas to them in very clear terms: that this is the direction this country wants to go in the next three, four years. We want to be able to ensure that there is heavy infrastructure development in the common man’s interest and not in an individual’s interest.

So, the National Assembly and the executive must find a way of working together to ensure that the interest of the average man in the country is taken care of. They need to sit down and discuss so that people would not claim some rights that would invariably hurt the generality of the people. It’s the norm what the National Assembly brings because we used to tinker here and there, especially the constituency projects. So they must find a way to resolve this and see the new direction the country wants to go.

Some people have criticised the frequent foreign trips of the president, saying he should stay at home and face the numerous problems the country is facing. How do you see this?

I think it is [Governor Ayodele] Fayose that is taking such perception. Maybe some people are following suit. But when you look at a functioning government, the head of state is the one that can go and negotiate for foreign money. This economy is comatose. This economy has been abused; it is degraded; people have stolen beyond expression. The oil money is no longer there. We used to sell our crude oil for over $100. Now, it dropped below $30. So, how on earth would somebody sit at home and begin to manage money that is not there. How would he not go out to go

The Senate President is currently on trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Do you support the calls for him to resign?

If the resignation would prevent him from going to jail, I think it will be a good idea.

I say this because it is a negotiation thing; you don’t just resign for nothing. But who is he going to negotiate that with because this president is not going to talk to lawyers, judges or anybody? He will just say if you have committed a crime, go and face the music.

The people of this country voted for Buhari for his pedigree and because they wanted a stop to corruption. If it cannot be stopped, they want it reduced. So, it is not as if for now Buhari has been able to end corruption, and it is not as if removing or putting Saraki in jail would end corruption, but it would send a very strong signal to people that things would now take a different turn. I believe the argument of Saraki is that why should they try him alone? That it is one-sided. Unfortunately, the first rule is, ‘don’t get caught’ in every society that applies the law. If this had happened in the past, this would have been resolved. But Nigerians are saying we want an end to this impunity. It is because he is now occupying a position that requires a high level of integrity that people are now putting a searchlight on him. All this is happening to him because he is now in a Nigeria where the president doesn’t want things to be business as usual.

We are not removing Fayose because he is going, but we just don’t want him to install the person coming. So, I believe that the APC will win the forthcoming election. We are working underground and we are making moves for unity.

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Some Nigerians complained that the trial of some people accused of corruption appeared sectional, like a witch-hunt. They also accuse the Federal Government of shunning court orders. Again Nigerians are expressing disillusionment over fuel scarcity and general hardship in the country. Could they be said to have valid arguments?

People were hailing Buhari the moment he started arresting those that were alleged to have been involved in corruption. If those people arrested had gone abroad, by now, we would have forgotten about their issue and Nigerians would say ‘big men don’t go to jail in Nigeria.’ I suspect that Nnamdi Kanu was charged with treasonable felony. That offence is not a bailable one, just like murder.

Suppose somebody gets up in Yoruba land today and starts arming the people to rise against the government for secession and you start seeing real surge where people are really charging like it happened in some parts of the East, Owerri, Onistha where the Biafra thing was gaining currency? You would ask yourself, are we safe? I was around during the civil war. Even though it didn’t affect us here, it affected some of my friends in the SouthEast. If we are going to secede, we have to sit down and negotiate it and see the need for it.

Most of the traders in my Oye-Ekiti community are the Igbo. If they secede, where would they ply their trade? The elite understand it.

If you look at Abuja, I can tell you without contradiction that the majority of the houses there, the landlords are all from the East. In Lagos, they are about 40 percent or so. So, you see, secession is no longer fanciful. And if nothing was done against it, other groups may also come up.

The disillusionment about the government is not really peculiar to this government. After [Dr Goodluck] Jonathan was voted in to serve his four years, it was as if Nigeria was going to cave in when the labour took him on over the fuel subsidy palaver. And this subsidy we are paying for it, whether we like it or not. We are just giving some people money. We have been buying fuel for N200 per litre in Ekiti.

If there is no subsidy, let everyone go to the market and bring fuel and sell, competition would drag the price down. As a matter of fact, subsidy was so abused that those people participating in subsidy are the ones actually sabotaging the economy. That some people decide not to be a part of illegality does not mean many people don’t do it. A lot of people understand what is going on.

It is true that the economy is bad now.

Things are not doing well. But those of us following what is going on, not necessarily making excuses for the government, we can see the effort to respond to the pains of the people. We can see it from the policies that are coming out, we can see it from the fact that the government has now gone on fullscale diversification of the economy.

There are so many things coming out from this government that would actually revitalise the economy and these things don’t happen overnight. I will just say Nigerians should be patient.

There have been several issues around the last governorship election in Ekiti State. Where do you stand on the allegations of rigging in the election and so on?

I think people should just prepare for the next election.

But the leading lights of your All Progressives Congress (APC) are not on the ground in the state to begin preparations for the 2018 governorship election in the state?

I want to remind you that the incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Peter Ayodele Fayose, Continues pg35

35 politics&policy ‘This govt has zero tolerance for corruption’ Continued from pg9

survived different kinds of eras and epochs and the media will always survive.

Now, they are talking about scarcity of newsprint or high import bills...

It had been worse than this in the life of the media. It had been worse than this in times past. The media survived. The media will still survive. The media is very resilient. It will always survive.

This administration is almost a year old and some observers believe that it has enjoyed a honeymoon but there has recently been an upsurge in criticism against it for its actions or inaction. Is this what you had expected?

Your position is not scientific because there are about 170 million Nigerians and about 15 million Nigerians voted for the president. Now, you have what you call the tyranny of the vocal minority. All those voices you are hearing, it’s possible they are not up to 500,000 or one million and you just have an impression that they are so many. This administration, this presidency enjoys very massive support. Despite what you can call the tyranny of that vocal minority, the support base is still very wide.

But if you look at the social media, for instance, what seemed to be basically pro-Buhari appears now to have a shift of balance...

That shift, if indeed it is not artificial and it is not induced, what is the percentage of the people involved, compared to 170 million Nigerians? That is the question we should ask ourselves.

Are you not worried that you even have that sort of percentage?

There must be opposition in any country, there must be criticism. In fact, woe betide a country that does not have critics. There would not then be a self-correcting mecha-

nism in that kind of country. Criticism is good for any polity. The challenge it gives government is that it must look at those criticisms and take the ones that are well-meaning, the ones that are well founded. But it does not mean that all criticisms are wellmeaning and well founded. Some are just purely out of bile, some are carryover of electoral defeat, some are because they have been induced by money and all that. So, you must be able to discern the criticism that is genuine and well founded and take it and act on it.

What is your assessment of the past 11 months?

I would rather that neutral people do that because I am involved in this administration. So, if you ask me for an assessment, you know, naturally, I will assess the government right because I am part of the government.

You don’t sit in Rome and kick at the Pope.

That’s how the saying goes. But then, since you have asked me, I usually would say you assess a government by its promises. What are the deliverables that the government has promised? There are three basic promises alongside others. The three are, secure the country, revive the economy and create jobs and then three, fight corruption.

Now, if you want to assess that administration alongside those three promises, promise to secure the country: where we are now is not near where we were 10 months ago. By the time this administration came, you weren’t very sure that this country would remain

one. Bombing here today, bombing there tomorrow and a large swathe of the country had been seized by insurgents. And when I mean seized, they were the law and authority in those places - minimum of 14 local governments. Emirs had fled their palaces. Boko Haram was sitting on their stools and was the one administering those areas. Now, 10 months later, there is no single territory being held. It took a gruelling battle between forces of government and the insurgents. But government has won the battle. What we are going through now is a mopping up process. It’s still a very important process. Mopping up is as important as the shooting process. But obviously, the government has won this battle. So, the country is now more secure than it was 10 months ago, 10 going to 11 months.

Of course, the government promised to revive the economy and create jobs. It is work in progress and that will be achieved. You know that a fundamental limitation had been the price of oil in the international market. When this government came, nobody could then predict that oil would drop as low as $30 - $32 per barrel. In fact, a month or two in the life of this administration, 27 states, minimum, couldn’t pay salaries. Nobody could have envisaged that things would get that bad. But then the president has said it is a challenge which, if we handle squarely, would then turn out to be for the good of the country.

He is focusing on agric and solid minerals as sectors which can help us diversify our economy. That is being looked into. But by the time that sector opens up, you have done planting

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

season, maybe two three planting seasons, all that and you have investors coming into your mining sector. One of the MoU signed in China last week was to create a mining plant somewhere in the country. You know how many people will be employed. You know how many people agric will employ. So, jobs will be created while we are also diversifying our economy.

And the third one, he promised to fight corruption. Yes, we know that the battle is ongoing. Evidence is clear that this government has zero tolerance for corruption.

The key thing that the opposition cites against this government is that it is partisan in its fight against corruption because it is just members of the former ruling party that have been seen to have been arrested, detained or prosecuted. When is the fight going to extend to members of the APC who are thought to have also soiled their hands, and be brought to justice?

Unless you show me APC members who have been indicted who are not brought to justice.

Rivers State set up a judicial panel of enquiry which concluded that Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, diverted state funds.

That is a kangaroo panel. We know the politics that went behind.

Lagos Sate government accused former governor Fashola of spending about N78 million to upgrade his personal website but has not been questioned.

Allegations. Allegations.

Are you not going to investigate them?

It is not the executive that investigates. But this government has no friend and no foes in the fight against corruption.

‘Let’s give Buhari time to fix Nigeria’ Continued from pg34

was not in Ekiti when he started planning his comeback and he eventually won by a landslide. It was about a year to the election that he came back fully into the state. So, I don’t see any reason why anybody should be on the ground now when election is 2018, about two full years from now. The governor and I do speak. When [Dr Kayode] Fayemi was in power, we talked, even though I was in the PDP. The only thing is that if you advise the governor against his position, he might not agree. We have discussed his criticism of the Federal Government before and I said because you are in opposition, you are only doing your job. The opposition is not supposed to see anything good in the government so, you aren’t doing anything strange.

So, for me, if our members are not coming, they feel a little bit more secure outside.

Regarding the election, we are not removing Fayose because he is going, but we just don’t want him to install the person coming. So, I believe that the APC will win the forthcoming election. We are working underground and we are making moves for unity.

Close to two years after the governorship election in Ekiti State, controversies surrounding it are yet to cease with some people seeing the issues coming up as threatening the seat of the governor. What is your take on this?

I think people should just be prepared for

the next election.

Who will take the submissions of (Tope) Aluko to any court of law and it will carry any weight with all this drama going on? When you look at the damage that these people have done to themselves, it is beyond repair.

Sometimes, as an Ekiti man, I feel worried. I was in the PDP but I was not privy to all these things Aluko is talking about. I’m sure no one is even going to call me to ask if I knew anything about this or that. I was in the PDP, a senator and the government in power was strong in Ekiti. But I didn’t hear my name in any money being given in Ekiti. That is because I did not collect a kobo from anybody.

All the money I spent for Jonathan came out of my pocket. We should face the fact, some people don’t deserve to be tried; we should face the main culprits. If I give you money, can you be tried because I gave you money?

Some of these people have no question to answer. It does not require government

wasting their money or resources trying those ones who were given money. You know who gave them the money.

Those are the ones you should concentrate on. That’s my honest opinion in the whole matter. When you are running an election, people will be sharing money, it will not end in the PDP and it will not end in the APC. I was in the Alliance for Democracy (AD), then Action Congress (AC) before jumping into the PDP when I was rigged out of the election. So, I know what I’m talking about. There is no party that does not spend money during elections and they will be sending some people to go and give the monies out. But those ones that have now gone to dip their hands into government money, government should hold them.

I heard people shouting about Chief Olu Falae, they are just messing the man up for no reason. Somebody gave him money. So, if they come to his house and give him money, do we expect him to be asking where they got the money from? Is that the question he would ask, when he is a politician? He

won’t. When you look at about 80 percent of the leadership of any party, you will see some monies that are going round but who actually stole the money from government coffers? Once you see that person then you make attempts if you can still recover. I think that is what is happening. I don’t think they are prosecuting those who got N100 million or N200 million. But if you got $100 million, you must cough something up. That’s what I think.

How united would you say the APC is in Ekiti?

You know that politics in any place is all about self-interests and self-preservation.

I believe that in the past, there had been pockets of self-interest in the APC. Perhaps they are seeing some of us as new comers who are coming to take over power. But I don’t think they are saying that much of me, given the fact that I ran for governor under the AD. I think I still have some supporters there. And there are some core APC people.

You know, we have three ex-governors in the APC – Kayode Fayemi, Niyi Adebayo and Segun Oni – and each of them has his loyalists. I think by and large, the three former governors have put their heads together to find a way by which we can all come together. I think that would go a long way in allaying the fear of those who would feel marginalised if any of the groups takes over power.

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23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

views.com For a better Abuja layout

By Akinsola Alonge

I

t was Charles de Gaulle that said, “Men are great only if they are determined to be so”. It is apparent that the Federal Capital Territory has not been so lucky in having ministers determined to be great and reproduce (at least if they cannot surpass) the achievements of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai regarding the administration of the city affairs. The following questions you hear these days are troubling and shameful: Who is the FCT minister? Why is Abuja becoming dirty and disorganised? The level of mediocrity and impunity that has overtaken this beloved city since 2007 is unprecedented and saddening. For architects and allied professionals like I am, reckless distortion of the FCT masterplan, organisation and administration is disheartening.

It is a fact that the best administration or measure that mitigated the spiralling decay in the FCT was the Obasanjo/el-Rufai partnership between 2003 and 2007. The partnership confronted the corruption, impunity and recklessness that they had met entrenched in the system.

They adopted a “no-nonsense” and “no friend-of-thestatus-quo” approach to achieve results. Mallam el-Rufai developed and perfected a system that was on its way to making Abuja a truly modern capital city like Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi.

Since most of us voted for Muhammadu Buhari, we had and still have great hope that it is possible to re-enact the spirit of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai as regards the FCT administration. So let us give the present FCT minister, Mallam Muhammed Bello the benefit of the doubt. Though, I must say that lots of Nigerians are disappointed that no visible plan of action has been seen yet. It is expected that Mr. President would form a powerful partnership with the minister just as former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, did with Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

I have great liking for PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) and utmost confidence in his ability to bring change to the FCT and Nigeria. The FCTA ought to be chaired by Mr. President as governor as provided by law while the minister should serve as the minister of state just as he is doing with the petroleum ministry. Our beloved capital city has degenerated to the extent that Mr. President will need to declare an emergency for the rebirth and renewal of the FCT in its entirety from the septic corruption in the FCDA where officials make it difficult for registered professionals to thrive as evident in the development of non-fancied, non-iconic buildings in the city, to the allocation of visible green areas to mosques/ churches. For instance, it is in the public domain that the former administration allocated a plot of land to a popular church in Apo, which was later discovered not to be

originally designed for a religious institution and has become a contentious issue now.

Another impunity is in the allocation of green areas to selected individuals for the development of an event centre and a mosque for Wuye District muslim community. Another gloomy example is the allocation of a corridor between Federal Ministry of Finance and the Yobe State House, along Ralph Shodeinde Street in the Central Business District, to a car dealer where cars are now being sold, thus constituting a security risk to the finance ministry at this time when we should be more security-conscious.

Allocation of plots to influential politicians, military personnel, civil servants, etc., for gardens is now the practice, where permanent structures are erected as event centres, restaurants, car-sales depots, etc. Even the existing spaces allocated for gardens are not properly maintained. For instance, the Ukpabi Asika Gardens in Wuse Zone 5 has degenerated so much that it has become a den of thieves. This garden was commissioned by the then President Obasanjo with el-Rufai as the FCT minister.

One will feel terribly disappointed that it had to take Senator Dino Melaye and his colleagues from the Senate to alert the FCT minister to the abuse of the green areas in Maitama, along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway/IBB Boulevard, opposite the Aguiyi Ironsi Barracks. Recently, a director in the FCT was openly embarrassed on a national TV as being part of the beneficiaries of the lawlessness that has characterised this projected modern city for erecting his personal house in that same green area.

The FCT minister should dismantle all the structures of mediocrity put in place by the immediate past FCT

administration so that he can achieve the expected results. It is worrisome that the Central Business District of Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa, was created in the mid 70s almost the same time as that of the FCT Abuja. Can you compare the status of that beautiful district of Sandton with our beloved Central Area, Maitama or the almighty Asokoro District?

One of my professional suggestions is that the original masterplan and the approved revisions as approved by the president/ministers should be mass-reproduced and made available to the general public. This will curb arbitrariness in the FCT. This will help the public, especially professionals to be on guard against potential abuses and become reflex whistle blowers against the mafia in the system. There is need to also dismantle and reorganise the development control, AGIS and other agencies of the FCT. There should be a seamless system of approval for land and design approvals in the FCT in collaboration with architects, town planners (NIA, NSE, NITP, etc) involving BPP in generating consulting firms to form a body for design approval and development control.

Concerted effort should be made to complete major districts around the precinct of developed areas and zones like Durumi, Wuye, Mpape, Life Camp, Kado and Lugbe district that shame us as a nation. We need to open up the satellite towns by putting in place first-class facilities and using international standard class contractors. There is need to create an Abuja disciplinary or orientation body like KAI in Lagos but must be PPP-driven to prevent it from being moribund within a short period. The body will regularly educate Abuja residents on cleanliness, courtesy on road usage, work against uncivilised behaviour like posting of posters on bridges, trading on the road/ under bridges, etc.

We need to design and construct modern car parks, markets with adequate parking lots and international airport. There is also the need to enforce the design of modern malls by individual developers in the FCT instead of box-like structures currently being labelled as malls or plazas springing up all over the city. The so-called malls within the city must be properly insured. The FCT minister should take a look at the recently-proposed almost $1billion airport to be constructed in Senegal and use it as an inspiration to actualise Mallam el-Rufai’s dream of building a modern state of the art airport, meant to be the best in Africa.

Finally, the FCT minister should convene a conference of stakeholders, professionals in the built environment, officials of the Ministry of Environment, etc., to brainstorm on the best way of actualising a dream of a befitting capital city for us as a nation.

Alonge is a chartered architect.

Ridding Kogi of ghost workers

By Dotun Arowolo It can be safely said that every state in the federation has been battling with the issue of ghost workers for decades.

But because the battle is half-hearted and leaders lack the political will to get to the root of the plague, the illicit project has been thriving in larger proportion that it has become the albatross that devours the finances of every single state in Nigeria.

The Federal Government is not left out of the gambit as the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun told a Senate committee in November that a staggering number of ghost workers had been fished out in the service only for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss, Ibrahim Magu, to corroborate the statement last week by revealing that his commission has so far detected 37,395 ghost workers in the Federal Civil Service costing government almost N1billion.

Governor Yaya Bello of Kogi State, worried about this ugly trend, made it one of his priorities the moment he was sworn in. Determined to reduce this profligacy to its barest minimum if not totally eradicating it, named a tested combatant and feisty disciplinarian to head the

staff verification and screening exercise and gave him wide powers to perform the onerous duty of fishing out ghost workers in the Kogi civil service and plugging the holes.

Brigadier-General Paul Okuntimo (retd), to be sure, is well known in military circles as a no-nonsense officer who could be brutal yet fair. He had served his country on numerous combat missions in the United Nations in Lebanon and Angola and also at ECOMOG in Sierra Leone.

Back home, he was the dreaded Commander of the Rivers State Internal Security Operations in the early 90s.

Yet in spite of his antecedent which included heading the United Nations Verification Mission, Okuntimo was shocked at the large-scale fraud embedded in the underbelly of the Kogi civil service and the brazen nature of it.

General Okuntimo and his team found out that in Kogi State, there are two popular ways of going about the scam. There are the faceless ghost workers whose names are cooked up in their hundreds by pay clerks and their collaborators and whose entitlements are collected and shared at the end of the month. The other method of fleecing the state is through diasporian ghost workers. These are workers who are duly employed but they never go to

work. Many of them have other means of livelihood or they can be students! They collect their salaries and allowances through ATM upon receiving alert at the end of each month.

Okuntimo discovered several non-existent schools, students and teachers all padded into pay books with monthly imprests regularly prepared and these have been going on for years. In the same manner, ghost government clinics and nurses are rampant too.

In Kogi State, Local Government Authority (LGA) and Local Government Education Authority are the bastion of the fraudsters, including the pensions board.

There is no doubt that the fresh vigour brought into the ghost workers syndrome by Governor Yaya Bello has reawakened the people of Kogi State to the change mantra and the proactive approach of the verification and screening team led by General Paul Okuntimo to expose the masterminds and save billions of naira for the state government has truly gone down well with the masses who see an administration that is determined to put an end to the activities of a few lawless citizens who are bent on sucking the state dry.

•Arowolo sent in this article from Ibadan.

37

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23 April, 2016

Can Bayern win record Bundesliga title today?

B

AYERN Munich can clinch a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title today if they beat Hertha Berlin away and secondplaced Borussia Dortmund lose at strugglers VfB Stuttgart.

Bayern, aiming for another league title in coach Pep Guardiola’s final season in Munich, are seven points clear of Dortmund with four matches left.

The desired combination of results for Bayern would open up an unassailable 10-point gap with three matches remaining and secure their 26th German league title.

Guardiola’s team will be brimming with confidence after reaching the German Cup final with a 2-0 win over Werder Bremen on Tuesday despite failing to hit top form.

“I would like to thank my players for giving me another week of working with them,” said the Spaniard, who has made sure of a high-profile farewell on the grand stage of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on May 21 before his move to Manchester City.

If they win the title, Guardiola will have led Bayern to three consecutive league titles in as many seasons in charge.

However, Bayern will be look-

ing to improve on the slightly disappointing form they have shown in recent matches as they also have one eye on next week’s Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

“If we circulate the ball a bit better, if we move a bit better, then the opponent will not be able to attack us,” captain Philipp Lahm said. “We have to change that.

We can play better and we will play better again soon.”

Guardiola could also have cen-

YSFON/CNS championship finals hold today

tral defender Jerome Boateng back in the squad for the first time in months after the Germany international returned to team training this week following an adductor muscle injury in January.

Hertha, who were eliminated from the German Cup by Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, have failed to win any of their last three league matches and are in danger of missing out on Champions League football next season.

I thought Eagles’ appointment was April fool joke —Amapakabo, ENUGU Rangers coach, Imama Amapakabo has said that he thought the joke was on him when he heard he had been appointed to assist Salisu Yusuf for the two Super Eagles friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg.

Imama and Abia Warriors coach, Kennedy Boboye were picked for the Eagles post based on their performance of their clubs in the current league season.

“When I was called, I first thought it was an April Fool joke because we are still

in the month of April,” Imama told AfricanFootball.com “I have always said I will at some point handle the national team, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”

He said it will be great to reunite with Salisu Yusuf, who he assisted at Enyimba.

“Salisu is a great coach, who I respect a lot. He, (Kennedy) Boboye and I will do a great job together.

This is a super combination as we are all attack-minded coaches,” he remarked.

Saturday Tribune

Guardiola

THE final of this year’s Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria-organised Chief of Naval Staff U-14 boys and Naval Officers Wives Association U-17 girl’s football competitions will be decided today at the Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Abuja.

Tournaments’ favourite Enugu State which has lived up to its rating before the championship will face Benue State to decide who lifts the trophy at stake.

Enugu State defeated FCT 2-1 in the first semi-final, while Benue State recorded a 1-0 victory over Edo State to also book a place in today’s final.

In the female category, Delta State which recorded a 2-0 victory over Benue State will confront FCT which defeated Lagos State in a one-sided semi-final match to decide who emerges the women’s champion.

The National President of YSFON, Alhaji Nasiru Gawuna, has expressed joy over the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by all the teams in the competitions, just as he promised that YSFON will continue to organise regular competitions to develop the game at the grassroots.

Meanwhile, vice president, North Central of YSFON, Mustapha Allahdey has commended the outstanding performances of some individual players in the competition saying that, it is an indication that Nigeria is blessed with abundant talents who are yet to be discovered.

38

23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune With

outofplay

Dipo Ogunsola 081 169 54 641

Serena in high spirits S ERENA Williams has shown superhuman powers in remaining at the pinnacle of women’s tennis during a career that has spanned over two decades, and the American may have just revealed her inspiration.

The reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion dressed as He-Man as she partied at the seventh annual Williams Invitational in good spirits alongside actor and model Colton Haynes.

The event has been held for a number of years at the tennis star’s home in Florida, and several of her friends and family

joined her for the 80s-themed celebrations during the course of the weekend.

Williams was denied victory in the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, as Angelique Kerber overcame her in three sets but the star’s tribute to the comic-book character suggests she is ready to fight back.

Williams wore He-Man’s iconic outfit with an orange wig as she took to Instagram to share a photo of her looking mean and ready to defend her realm against evil forces alongside the 27-year-old Haynes, who is best known for his Jackson Whittemore role in MTV’s supernatural drama series, Teen Wolf.

Vardy unruffled by suspension

Serena (right) and Haynes

Mayweather shops for bags

Mayweather

London love for Mourinho THE attention surrounding Jose Mourinho shows no signs of slowing down and he was the centre of attention once again during a recent shopping trip in London.

The Portuguese coach has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea for a second time last December, and has been persistently linked

Vardy

HE’LL definitely miss games but it was business as usual for Jamie Vardy during training.

The Leicester City striker was in a relaxed mood as he left Leicester City’s Belvoir drive training ground after being put through his paces.

The 29-year-old gave a smile as he made his way from the East Midlands base and signed autographs for fans upon leaving in his Bentley Continental GT which was understood to have been bought for £168,000.

Leicester’s No 9 Sport Mail recalls, has played an integral role in their success this season - having scored 22 goals for the Premier League leaders.

Mourinho

HE’S known for his love of money and boxing star Floyd Mayweather has been at it again as he splashed the cash on a trip to Paris.

The American superstar regularly posts pictures to social media demonstrating his fabulous wealth but his latest purchase in the French capital may well have topped the lot.

Mayweather, who has been linked with a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, headed to the city of love with his daughter Iyanna and his latest Instagram video shows the eye-watering amount of cash he’s splashed out.

The 39-year-old spent a remarkable total of $400,000 (£280,000) on bags from designer label Hermes.

He posted a video of him doing exactly that with the caption: ‘Went bag shopping at Hermes in Paris, France today.

I treated myself to one size 55 Hermes Hac crocodile men travel bag and 3 size 50 Hermes Hac crocodile men travel bags and bought @melissiarene a 40 orange crocodile Birkin.

‘Over $400,000 spent in Hermes cause I stay in my lane.’

The expensive shopping trip at one of Paris’ most expensive stores followed a trip to one of the city’s most famous landscapes, The Louvre.

with Manchester United.

And when the 53-yearold tactician took a trip to Knightsbridge, he received plenty of attention from members of the public.

On his way to the designer shops, Mourinho was mobbed by a builder, who ran halfway down the street, and he happily posed for a selfie.

39

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23 April, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Mysterious injury stopped me from 2002 World Cup —Gbenga Okunnowo

FORMER Nigerian international, Gbenga Okunnowo, came to limelight in 1996 when he scored a memorable goal against Zamalek of Egypt, in the return leg final of the then CAF Champions Cup in Cairo, which threw the game open before Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) eventually lost the glamorous Cup via penalties.

Okunnowo, a member of the Golden Eaglets squad to the maiden CAF U-17 Nations Cup in 1995, went on to play for the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1999, the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The former FC Barcelona player in this interview shares his experience with Tribunesport’s OLUWABUNMI AJAYI, and laments that July 22, 2012 remains the day he will never forget.

Excerpts:

Okunnowo in Barcelona’s colours.

C

AN you recall how you started football?

Passion for football runs in my family. My father and other brothers played football. Even my wife also played football. My kids are currently playing for different youth clubs in Europe. I started playing football while in primary school and later, I joined the Liberty Youth Club of Ibadan before I got to the secondary school. From there, I started playing for the team called 7up FC then campaigning in the state league and later, I moved to Exide Sparkers which was playing in the National Division Three League then.

In 1996 season, I was signed by Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) under Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, which marked a turning point in my career.

Can you recall some of your achievements as a footballer?

I was a member of the Golden Eaglets which won the 1997 CAFUEFA Meridien Cup in Lisbon, Portugal. While at Barca, I won the La Liga titles in 1998 and 1999 seasons.

You were a member of the Golden Eaglets to the 1995 U-17 Nations Cup, but was dropped from the World Cup squad, how did you cope with that episode?

I started with the team right from 1994 when the camp commenced. I was a regular player in the team I believed I played well to deserve a place in the team to the World Cup. After we qualified for the World Cup, the chief coach then, Ganiyu Salami was relegated to an assistant coach, while coach Sebastian Brodericks took over. So, along the line, I was among the players he (Brodericks) dropped from the World Cup squad. I felt so bad because of that episode, but I had no other choice but to put it behind and forge ahead in my career. Luckily for me, I was later invited to the Flying Eagles which played at the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but unfortunately, we lost to Mali in the quarter-final in Enugu.

Can you recall your journey to 3SC? I was making waves with Exide Sparkers in 1995 and Chief Ogunjobi, who was the General Manager of 3SC then felt I could be useful to his team and put an offer before me which I could not turn down. I realised I had to prove myself at Shooting Stars because the club was going on continental assignment the following year having

my father in football. Anyday, anytime, he is a good coach and manager, he is technically sound. He knew nothing about me until I met him. We only developed a relationship at Nou Camp, he just liked me and I also see a great attribute in him as an adorable coach.

How did you feel missing the 2002 World Cup having played at the 2000 AFCON and Sydney 2000 Olympics?

I missed the 2002 World Cup because of the injury I had on my heel then. I had a surgeryto treat the injury which kept me away from football for one year. I actually don’t know how I got the injury but I noticed it when I returned from the Sydney 2000 Olympics to Barcelona. I started feeling the pain at the pre-season training. Save for that, I would have been at the 2002 World Cup on merit.

You also played for Benfica of Portugal on loan from Barca, how was your experience?

I started the 1999/2000 season with Benfica on loan and the team was as good as Barcelona. I was able to gain more experience by playing with quality players well known in Europe. But after that season I returned to Barcelona.

Okunowo on duty for Nigeria.

won both t h e league and even the Challenge Cup titles.

However before then, fans of 3SC saw how I played well for Exide during the FA Cup final clash with 3SC as both teams were arch rivals then in Ibadan.

In fact, the late coach Jossy Lad introduced me to Ogunjobi, who asked me to start training with 3SC. After my first training at 3SC, Chief Ogunjobi liked the way I played and my other colleagues also recommended me as a good player to him and that was how I signed for 3SC. H o w was your experience at Nigeria ’99 U-20 World Cup? I felt so bad that we failed to live up to the expectations of Nigerians, fans expected us to win the World Cup moreso as hosts but it was a difficult task. The pressure was so much on us and even on our coaches and we tried our best. I think we failed to prepare well for the competition, we didn’t have the right players and so there was no confidence in the team.

How did you feel on the night 3SC lost the Champions League trophy to Zamalek in Cairo?

In fact, many 3SC fans till date always remember me for the goal I scored in Cairo. There was nothing we could do to avert the defeat.

Why did you return to the Nigerian league with Sunshine Stars in 2013?

I was not pleased with it but I just had to come back home to put things back in order. I had wanted to rejoin my former team, Shooting Stars then but I didn’t like the way the team was being managed and that was why I opted for Sunshine Stars.

Though, we lost the Cup here in Nigeria after we could only manage a 2-1 win. In the return leg in Cairo, Zamalek led by 2-0 until I came in and scored to put the aggregate score 3-3. Unfortunately, we lost via penalties. I felt so bad because we missed all the promises from the governor then and the club management, but when you lose a game you must move on because you have millions of matches ahead of you.

How nervous were you during your first game for FC Barcelona?

Hmm, Barcelona is a good team anyday anytime, when one plays under such a wonderful atmosphere, one will really enjoy football. One needs to first build confidence in oneself as a Barca player, this much I was told before donning the club’s colours. I wasn’t really nervous during my first game against Mallorca, but I must confess that I was shocked by the turnout of spectators. I had never seen such a massive turnout before. I just tried to put myself together and be myself throughout the match.

Have you recovered from the fire incident which gutted your residence?

In fact, July 22, 2012 remains a date I won’t forget in my life. I am still feeling the pain. I was sleeping when I heard a noise, it was a fire outbreak from the PHCN office beside my house. I tried to see what was going on as I got outside I saw a terrible fire outbreak and before I knew what was going on, the fire had ravaged my residence.

I am using this medium to appreciate those who stood by me because the incident was a great loss to me and my family.

I lost many valuable items that I can’t replace. I really appreciate the support from the former Oyo State Commissioner for Sports, Honourable Dapo Lam Adesina and the former governor of Lagos State, Mr Raji Fashola for their support.

Can you recall some of the big names you met at Barca when you joined them?

I can recall that I met Luis Figo, Patrick Kluivert, Xavi Hernandez and Winston Bogarde, among others.

You were once coached by Louis Van Gaal, can you assess him as a manager?

Van Gaal made me to be one of the well known players in the world, he had confidence in me. He brought me from the second team to the first team of Barca and I really appreciated that. I always refer to him as

Okunnowo.

PREMIERSHIP LEAGUE FIXTURES

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Saturday, April 23 Man City vs Stoke City Aston Villa vs Southampton Bournemouth vs Chelsea Liverpool vs Newcastle FA Cup semi-final Everton vs Man U

Sunday, April 24 12:45pm Sunderland vs Arsenal vs Swansea 3:00pm Leicester FA Cup semi-final 3:00pm 3:00pm Crystal Palace vs Watford Monday, April 25 5:15pm Tottenham vs West Brom

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Mikel

Ighalo

Siasia lists Mikel, Ighalo, Musa for Rio Olympics N

IGERIA’S U-23 head coach, Samson Siasia plans to take Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi, Watford striker Odion Ighalo and Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow to the Rio Olympics as the three overage players in the team, AfricanFootball. com can exclusively reveal.

The trio are the only overage players on the 60-man provisional list said to have been submitted by Siasia to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), for the Games scheduled to hold in August this year in Brazil.

This means the dreams of Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi to feature at Rio 2016 might have been dashed.

The quadrennial Games allow for three players who are beyond the eligible age of 23 to feature.

Siasia himself reasoned

Mikel is keen on playing at Rio after he missed out on Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The former Flying Eagles coach has not hidden his admiration for 26-yearold Ighalo, who he made captain for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.

Siasia has also praised the striker’s form in front of goal even though he has struggled to score in recent weeks now for his club in England and country.

Musa though remains a surprise choice on the 60-man list, after he relinquished the Super Eagles captaincy in March, to Mikel before the AFCON qualifier against Egypt in Kaduna.

The CSKA Moscow winger, Musa looks set to quit the Russian club in the summer with the English Premier League a likely destination.

Musa, it will be recalled, played at the 2014 World

Cup in Brazil, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2013 Africa Cup of Nations

(AFCON) as well as the 2011 U-20 World Cup. Nigeria, whose Olympic

team is better known as the Dream Team VI, is drawn in group B along-

side Japan, Colombia and Sweden at Rio 2016 which begins on August 4.

... As Iwobi warns Dream Team ARSENAL star, Alex Iwobi has warned Nigeria’s U-23 team against complacency when it begins its 2016 Olympics campaign in Brazil.

The Dream Team VI is pooled in group B alongside Japan, Sweden and Colombia and Iwobi believes Samson Siasia’s men would triumph in Brazil with hard work and commitment.

“First, I would like to join the nation in commending coach Siasia for securing a ticket to the Rio Olympics Football Tournament,” Iwobi told Goal.

“It took a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice on his part and we should not

let his effort and the efforts of the officials and players to be in vain.

“If I am invited to be part of the Olympic; I assure fellow Nigerians that I will give my best. I am a Nigerian by birth and have made it clear that I will always offer my services to the nation if and when called upon to do so.

“I remain grateful to England for the opportunities given me to play at youth level. However my decision has been made to give my services to Nigeria and there is no going back.”

The lad who made his international debut for Nigeria last October in a

friendly against the Leopards of DR Congo, noted that the hosts remain favourite for the gold medal at stake.

“I have noticed with interest the group draws.

The favourites for the Olympic gold medal are of course Brazil or Argentina.

However Nigeria has shown in the past that they are a nation to be reckoned with in Olympic football.

“We have been drawn into a group alongside Sweden, Colombia and Japan. These are countries with different styles of football.

“A lot of fans would ex-

pect us to qualify easily from the group but I must warn that we should guard against complacency. It has been proved time and time again that there are no easy games especially in international football.

“We would need to concentrate and take the competition one game at a time. I have absolute faith and confidence in the coaching staff and NFF officials.

“With hard work, dedication and the special grace of God we shall surely make the Nation proud. I call upon all the fans to get behind the team and cheer the team to victory,” Iwobi stated.

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. 23/4/2016.