23rd July 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 1,161

SATURDAY, 23 JULY, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

Angry Tompolo writes Buhari Says ‘My father’s leg amputated, kinsmen pg4 brutalised, this is my last letter to you’

Soldiers missing after Boko Haram attack

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Cash crunch hits banks

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Interbank lending rate jumps from 18% to 40% Nigerians groan as prices spiral out of control Anxiety mounts over likely petrol price increase

Why I motivate youths against rape, domestic violence

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—Foluke Daramola

Lagos monarch’s kidnappers demand pg8 N500m ransom

Judge attacks SSS over detained pg4 probe panel member Weekend Lagos

In Lagos markets, it costs a token to enhance lips, sex organs pgs19,20&21

A truck that crashed into the Ode-Omu Central Mosque, Osun State, on Friday, killing six persons. PHOTO: LAOLU AFOLABI

Pupil, 5 others killed as truck crashes into Jumat mosque

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EFCC releases Omisore after 19 days in detention

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

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Saturday Tribune

Why I motivate youths against rape,

domestic violence —Foluke Daramola Salako Star actress, Foluke Daramola, turns heads wherever she steps into. In this interview by JOAN OMIONAWELE, she talks about her passion for youth mentorship, marriage and career. Excerpts

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hy have you taken up the responsibility of advising young women against issues like rape and domestic violence in recent times?

I have decided to be a motivator to the youths, especially the female gender, reason being that I believe that Nigeria is a country that is vast and rooted and we are getting our priorities wrong.

How do you mean?

We are the ones causing these problems we are facing by ourselves. If you trace the causes of domestic violence, you will find out that it is that woman who does not understand her own value, that allows herself to be abused by a man. If you see it coming, check it. Nowadays, women are so dependent on their husbands and apart from the fact that they are not themselves, most of them all live a lie.

And because we live a lie, we cannot sustain that lie, so to sustain it, you depend on a man and that man will take her for granted and take advantage of her, although not all men do this.

Apart from the fact that I have been abused and raped when I was younger, I have been through a marriage and what is fundamental and what I preach to the younger

generation is that at the end of the day, one will go into marriage as a partner and if the partnership isn’t strong, there will be retrogression, so I’m most passionate about my country and about the youths.

It’s commonplace these days to see celebrity marriages hitting the rocks, why do you think this is becoming rampant?

First and foremost, I don’t think it’s only celebrity marriages that do not last these days, it’s very general, but I

I have always said this, although people think I can’t do it. If I have a case of infidelity. I will deal with it. It won’t break my home, it will come as a phase and it will pass.

think we are fast losing the hold and be able to tolerate each other. It’s not about celebrities, it’s just because we are in the limelight, so the tendency of it getting out there when it happens is very high.

Secondly, the pressure of the economy can affect the male gender as well. Here in Nigeria, there are a lot of sentimental attachments, so the pressure will be put on the partners, if it’s a beautiful woman, there would be a lot of pressure on her, from the money bags who will promise her so much. I am not talking from the celebrity point of view here but the general sense . We have a lot of people who have set the pace, for instance, Joke Silva, Omotola Jalade and Toyin Adewale, but because we are in the limelight, it will certainly raise a lot of buzz, and if one is not prayerful and possess a right mindset, one will get swayed. Inasmuch as I like to be seen as a celebrity, I also like to be seen as a rooted person and a realist, who is passing a vital message to the younger generation.

This is Nollywood and not Hollywood, do not start living a life that you cannot sustain, if your husband earns N300,000 a month, don’t go and buy a weavon of N150,000. If you do, you will then have to add other things which end up bringing undue pressure on your home and before you know it, the home will break, so it’s important to place less emphasis on the physical and more emphasis on what you cannot see.

I read your husband’s message to you on Facebook a while ago and he really extolled your values and praised you...with all that, what length are you willing to go to make this marriage work?

I have always said this, although people think I can’t do it. If I have a case of infidelity, I will deal with it. It won’t break my home, it will come as a phase and it will pass.

The only thing which I know can break my home and I pray against, is domestic violence or abuse of any kind, because that will kill me psychologically and bring out the worst in me, but my mum has made me to understand that every man is a child, and once you understand that, ko si bi ori se mari ti kofi ni mi(nobody is infallible), once you understand that, you are mothering that man and you will be able to sustain the home.

I learnt from my first marriage that not all that glitters is gold and the grass is always green on the other side, a woman is in a marriage as a wife and a child. She is not there to compete with her man because of ego.

Behind the cameras, who is Foluke Daramola?

I’m blunt and straightforward, I’m a mother who loves to cook. I enjoy quiet moments with my children and I’m not a fanatic, but I’m a very prayerful person.

We’ve seen a lot of your colleagues fizzle out, what has kept you going?

God has kept me going and also it’s a matter of one daring to be different and thinking outside the box, so far we haven’t spoken about my life as an actress in this interview, that’s to show you that at each point in time, one has to be able to think outside the box, because as an actor, when the ovation is loudest, you have to take a bow and if you do not plan for your back stage, you will fall and frustration will set in. Showbiz has never taken me away from the reality of being myself, I still see my friends as my friends, if I still feel like taking boli [roast plantain]I take boli, if I still feel like riding bikes, I ride bikes. So stardom has not gotten into my head.

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23 July, 2016

Cash crunch hits banks

•Interbank rates jump to 40% •Nigerians groan as prices spiral out of control •Anxiety mounts over likely petrol price increase Chukwuma Okparaocha –Lagos with Agency Report

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serious cash crunch has hit the Nigerian banking system as interbank overnight lending rate jumped to as high as 40 percent on Friday, well up from 18 percent last week.

As the banks face cash crunch, businesses also

groan as traders lament low sales caused by increase in prices of goods.

There were also concerns in the petroleum sector on Friday that the free fall in the value of the naira may make an increase in the price of petrol inevitable.

The current N145-per-litre fuel price was predicated on an official exchange rate of N298/$.

On Thursday, the naira fell to N330/$. It was still well above N300 on Friday.

The cash crunch followed the central bank’s draining of naira liquidity from the market to support the currency after it hit a record low, traders said.

Commercial banks were also paying for purchases of foreign currency and treasury bills, thereby further

reducing the amount of naira in the banking system.

According to Reuters, the naira hit an all-time low of 331 on Friday, prompting the central bank to intervene. By midafternoon, it was trading back at about 300. The currency had slipped to more than 300 to the dollar on Thursday, a month after the central bank lifted its controls on the currency.

Angry Tompolo writes Buhari • ‘My father’s leg amputated, kinsmen brutalised’ •Says “this is my last letter to you (Buhari)” Taiwo Adisa - Abuja FORMER militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, otherwise known as Tompolo, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop harassment of his family members and relations allegedly by the military and other security agencies.

Tompolo, in a letter addressed to the president and made available to Saturday Tribune, on Friday, in Abuja, said that he had endured attacks on his immediate family, associates and aides following the decision of the army and other security agencies to launch a manhunt for him.

The ‘retired’ militant said that he was alarmed recently when the military raided Kurutie town in the Niger Delta in search of his 84-year-old father who, he said, had his leg amputated after being brutalised.

He equally narrated how other persons, including students writing their final examinations, were brutalised in the course of the search for him.

“We managed to rescue him, took him to Warri and hospitalised him. Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks ago. From the doctors’ report, it will be a miracle if he survives this incident. Is this 84 years old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers that he was brutalised to the point of death?

Will Your Excellency accept it in good faith if this was done to your father or someone of this age in your family?

“I have not heard of anyone that was treated like this even in the volatile north-eastern part of the country,” Tompolo wrote.

He insisted that his case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not drag him into violence, as according to him, he has a good case against the anti-graft commission.

“I have said it on many occasions that the issue I am

having with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will not lead me into violence or make me resort to destruction of pipelines and other oil facilities, because I have a good case,” he said.

He also accused the government of using some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate his family members and aides, adding that he was in a better position to help the country realise its objectives in the Niger Delta than many of those allegedly being used to “persecute” him.

“The latest victims of this unwarranted, misdirected and wicked act are Hon. Simeon Bebenimibo, a member of the Delta State Waterways and Land Security

Committee and a driver of one of my aides, Mr Ebipade Kari, who was on an errand with a little baby. The baby was thrown away from the vehicle, as the driver was beaten to pulp by your men, as he was asked the whereabouts of his boss.

“That was not all. The military men stormed the house of one of my younger brothers and harassed his pregnant wife with guns pointed at her. This has led to complications because of the closeness to her full time of delivery. The duo who were arrested are presently in the custody of the Nigerian Army, Effurun.

“Before this incident, the navy went to the apartment of another of my aides and

picked up his heavily pregnant wife as he was out of town and kept her for 24 hours in the navy base before releasing her. The mode of operation is that the military command usually decorates associates of Ayiri Emami and Michael Johnny with military uniforms and they go from door to door with a long list of names and addresses of my family members and associates with the intention of arresting them.”

In the letter titled: “The Continuous Harassment of My Family Members and Close Associates by Security Agents and Overzealous APC Members is Worrisome,” Tompolo said this might be his last open letter to Buhari on this matter.

Traders said the more liquid banks were demanding higher interbank rates to lend funds to rivals in the market. Total banking system credit tumbled to minus 700 million naira on Friday from N26 billion in credit on Thursday, they said.

The central bank raised N207.9 billion in treasury bills on Thursday, more than it had planned to issue, and at a higher yield to soak up naira liquidity and attract foreign investors back to the country.

The Open secured BuyBack (OBB), the rate at which banks can borrow from themselves with collateral, rose to 30 to 35 percent, one trader said.

Last week, the central bank governor flew to Britain and the United States to try to lure back investors. However, some investors said the naira’s 30 percent one-day fall in June was still not big enough to wipe out the need for the black market, where those who still have dollars to sell go.

Businesses groan The declining value of the naira is taking its toll on many businesses in the country, including sale of imported fairly used cars and real estate.

Hours after naira reached an unprecedented low of N331/ dollar in the official market,

Judge berates DSS for flouting court’s order JUSTICE Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday berated the Department of State Security (DSS) for flaunting an order of the court to remand a defendant in prison.

Dimgba had ordered that retired Air Commodore Umar Mohammed, a member of the Presidential Panel on Arms Purchase who was arraigned before him on Thursday, be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the hearing of his bail application.

But the DSS failed to produce him in court on Friday while his counsel argued his bail application.

Dimgba said that he took strong exception to the service’s disregard of the court’s order by keeping a defendant in its custody, describing it as an embarrassment to democracy.

“I take a strong exception to this type of behaviour; when the court orders that someone be kept in prison custody, the person ought to be kept in prison and not in the office.

“If the people at the DSS want to become judge and do their job as well, I am ready to vacate my office for them, but as long as I am still here, I take an exception to them flaunting the orders of the court.

“Once processes have been filed in court, it is no longer in their hands and the order of the court must be obeyed,” Dimgba said.

He asked the prosecuting counsel, E.A Orji, to convey

the grievances of the court to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

The judge adjourned ruling on the bail application until 2 p.m.

Counsel to Mohammed, Mr Hassan Liman (SAN), had told the court that the DSS whisked Mohammed away immediately after the court proceedings ended on Thursday.

But the prosecuting counsel explained that the defen-

dant was taken to the DSS office for some documentation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed is charged with money laundering, possession of fire arms and violation of provision of Official Secret Act. The defendant is a retired Air Force officer and is a member of the presidential team investigating the arms deal in the country.

INEC issued certificate of return for inconclusive election —Abia PDP Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia THE Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the certificate of return in possession of Dr Uche Ogah as having been issued to him in error by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC had predicated its decision to present Ogar with the certificate on the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja sacking Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of the state.

But speaking to journalists on Friday in Umuahia, the

state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Don Ubani, said the party observed discrepancies in the copy of the certificate of return issued to Ogah by INEC. “You will recall that two elections took place in April 2015 in Abia State. The first was the election of April 11 and, of course, the PDP candidate, who was Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, had a very large margin to his advantage but for reasons known to INEC, they started being mischievous right from the word

‘go’ in declaring that election inconclusive.

“Today, we have two certificates of return. One is said to have been given to Uche Ogah that we believe was issued in error because there was no basis for it. The other one is that which was rightly given to the occupant of the governorship seat in Abia State and that is Dr Okezie Ikpeazu,” Ubani said.

He said further that Governor Ikpeazu was declared winner in the rerun election that was held on 25 April

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune gatherer that dealers in used imported cars, popularly known as tokunbo, predicted a marginal rise in the prices of vehicles, which will be inevitably followed by a drop in sales.

Dealers in various parts of Lagos told Saturday Tribune that business took a free fall, especially since the commencement of the payment of 35 percent levy on such vehicles.

The costs of used vehicles and clearing them at the seaports have risen in the past months.

While the current state of the naira would mean that dealers would spend more to import their vehicles, they are still being cautious as to how much they add on those cars at the point of sale, because of poor patronage.

A car seller who has a garage full of tokunbo vehicles of various brands at the Ijaiye-Agbado area off the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Mr Aderibigbe Samson, lamented poor sales in the last few months.

“Aside from the customs duty and other levies that have shot costs to about 70 percent from 35 percent, the fall in naira against the dollar is affecting our business.

I have reduced my prices considerably, which means I make just a little profit. The economy is bad so business is slow,” he said.

Another vehicle seller, owner of Taofik Motors, Agege, Alhaji Taofik Quadri, could not reconcile the already dull market and the need to jack up the prices of cars.

He said that with the latest fall of the naira, a lot of auto dealers, especially the lowmedium sized ones would be left with no choice but to hold back on tokunbo vehicle importation and leave it to the ‘big players’ who are able to come up with more money.

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which prompted INEC to issue the governor a certificate of return.

He then wondered which election date INEC considered in issuing Ogah the certificate.

According to him, “the one issued to Dr Ogah has on it the 11th April 2015 date, whereas that of Governor Ikpeazu has on it the 11th and 25th April dates in which INEC considered the results obtained before declaring Governor Ikpeazu winner of that governorship election.”

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Nigerian soldiers missing after Boko Haram ambush

From left, Administrative Secretary, Mr Oguntade Idris; Prince Olakunle Oloyede, Barrister Nike Oluwole, Chairman, Planning Committee, Prince Kola Amoo Adelakun; Mr Mutiu Taiwo Olayiwola and another member at the 50th birthday celebration of Mrs Rashidat Olayinka Ladoja, held at the Unity Forum’s Co-operative office, Orogun, Ibadan, recently. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

Navy parades 2 suspected Avengers with 11 batteries, cables in Warri

•Dem say make I take them go Tompolo Guest House —Suspect •Avengers deny peace talks with FG ity of oil companies and law Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

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PERATIVES of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA), Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, paraded two suspected allies of the rampaging Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

The two suspects were paraded alongside eight others who were arrested while engaging in economic sabotage such as operation of illegal refineries and oil bunkering.

Commander, NNS DELTA, Commodore Joseph Dzunve, said the two suspected members of the NDA were arrested recently with materials suspected to be used for the bombing of oil and gas pipelines in the creeks.

The two suspects who gave their names as Felix Ibiador and Prince David were arrested on July 10 with 11 new motor batteries and electric cables.

“They are suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers.

“Ibiador was the supplier of the equipment used for the bombing of oil pipelines.

David was the mechanic who repaired their boats which they use in conveying these materials whenever they run into a problem,” Commodore Dzunve said.

According to him, “further investigations will be handled by the appropriate quarters to determine the extent to which they partook in criminal activities in the region.”

Meanwhile, one of the suspected Avengers, Ibiador, while speaking with Saturday Tribune, claimed that certain Akpos and Godbless asked him to convey the batteries to a guesthouse belonging Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo, at Oporoza.

He said he was not aware of what the batteries were meant for.

“Na fuel, naim I dey sell for waterside. I no know where Avengers dey,” he said.

But when asked by a naval officer what he was doing with batteries and cables, the suspect recanted, saying: “Akpos and Godbless, they were the ones bringing the batteries to me and whenever they came, they chatter my boat.

“They no tell me the full details of wetin dey won use am for. But dem say make I take am go Tompolo guesthouse for Oporoza. Na for Waterside dem take pick me on July 10,” the suspect mused.

David, on his part, denied any ties with the Avengers when asked to defend himself.

However, Commodore Dzunve has said the Nigerian Navy is poised to rid the waterways and creeks of criminalities, admonishing youths in the region to embrace hard work and peace.

He also disclosed that four out of the 10 suspects were caught engaging refining of crude oil in one of the camps in Delta creeks.

Some of the suspects, he said, also engaged in trading of products from the illegal refineries.

He vowed to go also after buyers of the products, saying profits accruable from the trade was the reason the illicit trade had continued to thrive in spite of efforts to stop it.

Former militant, Tompolo, has consistently been linked with the Avengers who have claimed responsibility for blowing up several oil and gas pipelines in the creeks since February this year.

Tompolo, on his part, has

consistently denied being a member or sponsor of the Avengers.

Meanwhile, spokesperson of NDA, Brig. Gen. Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement earlier on Wednesday, claimed that the militant group was already winning the war against the Nigerian state.

He said it was appalling that every criminal arrested by security operatives in the Niger Delta was being tagged a member of the Avengers.

He described the development, particularly on the part of the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Army, as unprofessional and a means to continue to fleece the Federal Government of taxpayers’ money.

Agbinibo, in the statement, averred that: “Local news that Nigeria Navy has arrested Niger Delta Avengers’ logistics supplier is the biggest joke of the 21st century.

“As of now, any Tom, Dick or Harry is a suspected Niger Delta Avenger. Nigerian Navy has lost the sense of professionalism.

“The Nigerian military arrested students in Oporoza and called them Niger Delta Avengers. Any criminal caught is NDA.” Avengers deny peace talks with FG In a related development, the NDA has denied being in any peace talks with the Federal Government.

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, stated that his administration was in peace talks with the militants while speaking at a ceremony organised for the outgoing ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, Mr Michael Azinner, at the State House, Abuja.

The president said his administration was doing this through the instrumental-

enforcement agents and that the amnesty programme was being critically studied to further implement other commitments enshrined in it.

But in a statement posted on its website late Thursday and signed by its spokesperson, self-styled Brid. Gen. Mudoch Agbinibo, the group said it was not aware of any peace talks with President Buhari.

According to the group, it is possible the Federal Government is in talks with its (government’s) mercenaries tagged members of the Avengres.

It accused the president of being insincere to Nigerians and the country’s allies.

The group advised Buhari to “stop deceiving” Nigerians, multinational oil companies and the international community, noting that its demands had been clearly stated.

“Our attention has been drawn to media report that the president is in touch with Niger Delta agitators, including the Niger Delta Avengers, but the truth is that we are not aware of any peace talk.

“If there is any such peace talk, it means the president is talking to their mercenaries set to disturb the genuine struggle of the agitators.

“The President Buhari-led government is not sincere to the Nigerian people and their foreign allies.

“If we are to engage in any peace talk, we made it clear that the international community must be part of it. The president knows our demands.

“So, they should stop deceiving the international oil companies, the general public and the international community,” the militant group warned.

AN unknown number of Nigerian soldiers are yet to be accounted for after an ambush by Boko Haram insurgents in a community in Borno State.

Premium Times on Friday quoted the army as saying that it was battling to save the lives of 19 other soldiers injured during the clash on Thursday.

Operatives of the Civilian-JTF, embedded with the military squad, were also badly injured in the deadly encounter in a village called Nguro Gongon.

The spokesman for the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, said the injured soldiers have been evacuated to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, while a rescue team was deployed to go searching for the missing soldiers.

He did not say how many soldiers were missing.

“Today morning, troops on clearance patrol at Guro Gongon village and environs to rout out remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating therein, destroyed the terrorists’ makeshift camps and recovered quite a number of weapons, equipment and foodstuff in the process,” Mr. Usman, a colonel and acting director of army public relations, said.

“The recovered items include 1 Gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, a MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 1 Light Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles and motorcycles.

“However, the gallant soldiers basking on the recorded success, returning to their defensive locations, ran into an ambush by a group of Boko Haram terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades. The troops fought back gallantly killing several of the insurgents.

“Sadly, however, 19 soldiers and 3 civilian JTF members were wounded in action while a few others were missing in action.

“The wounded have been evacuated and are responding to treatment, while a search and rescue party comprising Special Forces personnel has since been dispatched to establish contact with the missing in action troops, some of whom, as at the time of filing this report, have started returning to their defensive location.

“It is pertinent to state that, no stone would be left unturned until every person involved in the operation has been accounted for,” he said.

EFCC releases Omisore from detention

FORMER deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was on Friday evening released from detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Omisore was arrested on July 3, 2016 and detained by the EFCC over allegations of illegally receiving about N1.3 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), when Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) held sway there.

He was subsequently charged to court and granted bail.

Confirming his release to Saturday Tribune last night, Omisore, in a text message, said, “Thanks for your support and prayers. I also thank my supporters for their steadfastness. I’m back at home in Abuja.”

Alade Market has come to stay, Tinubu-Ojo tells aggrieved traders Bola Badmus - Lagos

THE Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has described the redevelopment of Alade Market into a shopping mall at the cost of N6.9billion and the relocation of the traders temporarily to a new site as a welcome development, urging traders who were still disgruntled about the development to join hands with the government in order to take the market to a new height.

Tinubu-Ojo said this in Lagos while addressing newsmen at the new site where the traders were relocated temporarily, shortly after an inspection, even as she lauded the state government for the redevelopment plan of the market.

The Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, who also urged the traders to join hands with the market concessionaire, Master Reality International Concept Limited, declared that there was no feud among the traders as being bandied about as original allottees were now fully resettled at the new site.

“As far as I am concerned, the original allottees of Old Alade Market are all here, there is no problem,” she said.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the groundwork for the shopping mall is set to commence any time from now, following the successful relocation of the traders to the newly constructed market nearby.

The Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, while noting that it would be the first time a new market was made available before an old one was pulled down, declared that the relocation was in the interest of all the affected traders.

According to Tinubu-Ojo, “Traders in Old Alade Market are lucky because they are the first set that will be provided with alternative before the commencement of the redevelopment.

In previous cases, the redevelopment would have started before provision is made for the occupants.”

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Reconstitution of NDDC board is illegal — Adegboruwa

By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (third right), being supported by the Iyaloja-General, Chief (Mrs.) Folashade Tinubu-Ojo (third left); South West APC Women Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson (second right), cutting the tape to commission the newly built Alade Market, Ikeja, on Friday.

With them are the Iyaloja, Ikeja Market, Alhaja Adiat Apena (right); Sole Administrator, Ikeja Local Government, Mr. Taiwo Abiodun; Iyaloja, Alade Market, Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Aina Adenuga (left) and others.

We’re not detaining Dasuki indefinitely —Presidential aide

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HIEF Okoi ObonoObla, the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution has said that the Federal Government is not detaining Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) indefinitely.

Obono-Obla, who said this while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, explained that a media propaganda was being staged to “give the impression that the Federal Government has refused to release him on bail.”

“I can assure you that nobody is detaining Dasuki indefinitely.

“There has been a lot of manipulation, media propaganda giving the impression that the Federal Government has refused to release him on bail.

“It is not true; what happened was that he has several charges against him.

“The first charge was unlawful possession of firearms which he was arrested and arraigned in the Federal High Court.

“He was granted bail and

he met the bail conditions, but before he was released, the SSS arrested him for an offence that is unrelated to that one of unlawful possession.”

Speaking on the alleged detention of suspects without trial, Obono-Obla said detaining suspects for more than 48 hours without trial amounted to a breach of

the provisions of the Constitution.

“People who are arrested know their rights, they do not know their left from right, they know what to do, they do not go to lawyers to help them out.

“In civilised countries, people go to lawyers when they are arrested immediately they would tell you

I can’t stop talking on issues —Fayose

By Tunde Ogunesan EKITI State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has declared that no intimidation from the ruling party can stop him from expressing his view about the government of the day as long as he lives.

Fayose, who was a guest on a personality programme hosted by Fresh 105.9 FM in Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday, informed that he is being persecuted because he is criticising the Federal Government.

He said: “I am being persecuted because I am vocal.

Why some of us are talking today is because if we betray the masses, God will not for-

give us. That is why people like us have to exhibit courage to speak the truth. And if you notice, they are leaving no stone unturned to cage me from commenting, but that is not be possible. They cannot win this war.

“I can’t keep quiet, they can’t shut my mouth. I am being persecuted because of 2018, but unfortunately I am becoming more popular.

“To this government, anybody in the All Progressives Congress (APC) is considered as saint, but the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) people are rogues. That’s why you see some of our people crossing to their side and immediately they become

Women groups praise Mimiko over free food distribution THE Ondo state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has been commended by women groups in the state over the ongoing palliative (Eto Igbe-Ayo) programme where foodstuffs are being given to resident women in the state for free.

The palliative programme train rounded off distribution of foodstuffs in the four local government areas of the North senatorial district on Friday following the flag-off on Tuesday in Ikare, Akoko North East Local Government area where the

they want to talk to their lawyers.

“Basically, that is the law and that is the constitutional provision which is superior to any other law.”

The presidential aide said counsels for defendants always used frivolous motions to delay trials because the judges were not firm.

proggramme recorded over 5,000 beneficiaries.

Designed for the 18 local government areas and targeted at 100,000 women resident in the state, irrespective of party affiliation, government said the programme was necessitated by the sudden increase in the prices of foodstuffs in relation to the dwindling economic situation in the country.

Thanking the governor for the initiative, The Association of Women Plank Merchants in Akoko, through

their secretary, Mrs Janet Ijaduade at the distribution of palliative in Oke Agbe Akoko, said with the gesture, Mimiko has demonstrated that he is a caring governor and full of compassion for women too.

According to her, “Mimiko has demonstrated his love and respect for women since he assumed office. When he insisted he was going to give us befitting markets to trade we thought it was a fluke until Mother and Child came and now the palliative.”

saints.

“The current way is against anyone that is speaking the truth. I am the last man standing, they have caged all others. The next target is to kill PDP so that our party won’t be attractive to the people again in subsequent elections.”

The governor likened the corruption cases being levelled against some people in the country, especially members of his party, the PDP, to a biblical scene where Jesus told the people who came to report an adulterous woman to Him, to cast the first stone if they themselves were clean.

According to Fayose, “What I want Nigerians to ask the Federal Government which is currently prosecuting some people over alleged fraudulent campaign money is that, who financed their own election or where did they get their own funding for the election?”

On the money in his account, the governor said the money credited to being in his account is N300 million, which is in fixed deposit and N82 million cash.

“The money in my account is N300 million which I declared in my asset declaration form. That is why the court, which is the last hope of the common man freed my friend who was in their net and the court even awarded damages of N5 million against the government.

We can’t continue like this.”

LAGOS-based human rights lawyer and activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has stated that the recent reconstitution of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board is illegal, adding that Olatokunbo Ayotunde Ajasin cannot represent Ondo State on the board.

Adegboruwa, in a statement on Friday, stated that it is shocking that President Muhammadu Buhari will constitute a board when there is a case pending before the court of law on the issue of the NDDC. “I read with great shock the news that President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of new members of the Board of NDDC to the Senate for confirmation.

“First, there is a case, suit No. NICN/ABJ/269/2015, between Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw & 9 Ors. v. Hon Attorney-General of the Federation & 4 Ors, pending before the National Industrial Court, Abuja, challenging the illegal dissolution of the 4th Governing Board of the NDDC. The President is a party to the said suit, wherein he is being represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

“Very recently, the President lambasted the entire judiciary in Nigeria for allegedly frustrating the nebulous and selective anti-corruption war. When convenient for the president, he will violate all tenets of democracy and the rule of law and turn around to intimidate the judiciary,” he said.

Obasanjo, don canvass overhaul of education system Bola Badmus - Lagos FORMER president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has canvassed for total overhaul of the nation’s education system, contending that unless the system was totally overhauled, the education system in the country would continue to dwindle.

Obasanjo gave the suggestion at the 18th valedictory service and prize-giving day of Good Shepherd Schools held at Atan, Ota area of Ogun St2ate.

This is just as a university lecturer, Professor ’Supo Jegede, in his paper titled, “Changing the Nation: An Individual at a Time,” said there was need for every student PROBATE PUBLIC NOTICE to embrace change, stressing that positive change I, Ogunjinmi Grace Titilayo c/o of my solicitor, A. A. Awoseemo could be brought about by of Block 77, Mokuro Road, Ile-Ife deliberate, consistent and has applied to the Probate Regisfocused action through try of Customary Court of Appeal for LETTERS OF ADMINISTRAproper articulation and viTION to administer the estate of sualisation.

LATE OGUNJINMI FOLORUNObasanjo, who was repreSO AREMU of 20, Oke Ogbo Road, Ile-Ife who died intestate on sented by his Chief of Staff the 2nd day of May, 2016.

(CoS), Deacon Victor DuAny objection to this application rodola, said there was need is to be forwarded to the Probate Registry of the Customary Court for total change in the counof Appeal, Osogbo within 14 days try’s systems, including the of this notice. education system.

news Appeal Court upholds David Mark’s election victory 7

From Johnson Babajide and Ayodele Adesanmi

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HE Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, on Friday upheld the judgment of the National Assembly election Tribunal which gave victory to former Senate President,

23 July, 2016

Senator David Mark in the rerun of February 20 senatorial election.

The senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Daniel Onjeh had proceeded to the appellate court after the lower tribunal on June 30th, dismissed his case on the grounds that

Ataoja stays on the throne as Appeal court orders retrial of suit Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure

THE Appeal Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital on Friday ordered the retrial by the Osun state High Court of the suit challenging the enthronement of the Ataoja of Osogbo.

Oba Jimoh Olanipekun as the traditional ruler of the town.

The presiding Judge, Justice Ambi- Usi Danjuma, faulted the order made by the high court setting aside the action of the kingmakers on the basis that it failed to hear the motion challenging the suits before him.

The presiding judge however ordered that Oba Olanipekun should remain as the monarch of the town pending the determination of the suit.

The Osogbo High court presided over by Justice Yinka Aderibigbe in 2011 had sacked the traditional ruler, after faulting his nomination, selection, appointment and installation processes. The kingmakers of the town then headed for appeal court to challenge the judgment.

Justice Ambi-Usi Danjuma on Friday, ordered that

IMF’s Lagarde to face trial over payout —Court THE head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, will stand trial over a state payout to the French tycoon Bernard Tapie, an appeals court has ruled.

She is charged with negligence over the award to Mr Tapie of €404m ($445m; £339m) in 2008 when she was France’s economy minister.

Ms Lagarde had appealed against a lower court ruling from December.

She is now expected to appear before a special court for government ministers.

The case stems from Mr Tapie’s sale of his majority stake in the sports equipment company, Adidas, which was handled by the state-owned bank, Credit Lyonnais.

The businessman sued for compensation after claiming he was defrauded by the bank and received too little from the sale in 1993.

Oba Olanipekun should continue to be in office as Ataoja of Osogbo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit at the high court.

Reacting to the judgement, the lead counsel of the first and second respondents, Mr. Adewale Adegoke said his team would have to study the judgment before approaching the higher court or go back to the High court for retrial.

“We have not got copies of the judgment, we have not studied them, after we read and study them, we will now decide whether we should explore the right of appeal to the Supreme Court or apply that the case file should be transferred to the high court for continuation of hearing at the high court.”

Counsel to the appellant, Mr. Gbadebo Adesina expressed delight over the judgment, saying it was in the interest of justice adding that there was no winner or loser but the verdict was for the people of Osogbo.

it was filed out of time.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Obande Ogbuinya, the appellate court held that the provisions of the Interpretation Act did not apply in the computation of time in an election petition .

In his reaction, counsel for Senator Mark, Mr. Ken Ikonne who lauded the ruling said, “today, the law has

been settled, what we espoused in our various briefs was the law and the matter has been laid to rest.”

On his part, counsel for Daniel Onjeh, Jacob Emmanuel said, “we are not happy with this judgment but there is nothing anybody can do because this is the end of our legal quest.”

Meanwhile, Senator Mark on Friday said that he has

forgiven Onjeh and all those who conspired against him during the February 20 rerun election for Benue South senatorial district of the state.

Speaking in Abuja, on Friday, that the journey was tortuous but was glad that all avenues were exhausted to affirm his victory.

Mark, in a statement said “I’m glad that the final verdict of the Appeal court vindi-

Saturday Tribune

cates me and truly reaffirms my victory freely given to me by the people of Benue South senatorial zone. I’m happy that the judiciary stood on the side of justice and respected the wishes of Benue South people.

“For me, I have forgiven all, especially some of my close friends who conspired against me. For to err is human, to forgive is divine.’’

Guber election: Ondo North/South PDP threatens boycott of primaries Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure

LEADERS and stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the northern and southern senatorial districts of Ondo state on Friday vowed not to participate in the August 22 governorship primaries of the party.

This is the decision of the stakeholders after an emergency meeting of the leaders across the 18 local government areas of the state where they resolved not to participate in any primary election where aspirants from the central senatorial district will be involved.

This was contained in a communique issued and signed by the Ondo state PDP stakeholders forum chairman, secretary and public relations officer, Senator Omololu Meroyi, Hon Ebenezer Alabi and Dr Yemi Mahmoud respectively.

“The next governorship

Glo uses TV satire, Professor Johnbull, to fight impersonation THE war against immorality through Nigeria has been heightened with a new television drama series aptly tagged Professor Johnbull, sponsored by data grandmasters, Globacom and aired last Tuesday via the network of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), NTA International and Startimes.

In the maiden episode titled “Claimant”, Professor Johnbull threw

sardonic barbs at impersonation of successful celebrities, one of the rampant vices in the country which falls under the broad rubric of “419” practised by misguided individuals who name-drop and are desirous of getting rich quick without hardwork.

One of the characters in the series, Makuachukwu Ilodibe impersonated the Koko master, D’banj by dressing like the megastar and interspersing his speech with the refrain “I’m D’banj!” to scam unsuspecting members of the public including the lead character, Professor Johnbull acted by the inimitable Kanayo Kanayo who met the fake

D’banj at a restaurant owned by Olaniyi starred

by Yomi Fash Lanso.

The drama series, Professor Johnbull, ignited a sense of déjà vu in select viewers who thanked Globacom for giving them a taste of sublime comedy that they used to savour in the past and enriching their television experience.

Professor Johnbull is a star studded television drama series exclusively produced by Globacom.

Other iconic stars featuring in the series include Mercy Johnson-Okogie, Ime Bishop Okon, Queen Nwokoye, Bovi, Chiwetalu Agu, O.C. Ukeje, Mama G and Helen Paul.

seat should not be retained in the central after an unprecedented eight years of Governor Olusegun Mimiko who hails from the central senatorial district.

The leaders who called on the governor to give room for internal democracy noted that the ultimate goal of the party in the forthcoming November 26 governorship election in the state is to win and not to destabilise the party with the issue of party candidate.

They therefore urged the governor to allow a level playing ground for all aspirants from the northern and southern senatorial districts of the state.

The two senatorial districts have been unanimous in their decision to reject a successor coming from the central area of the state.

The state governor, Dr Mimiko is alleged to have the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justicei n his cabinet, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) to succeed him.

Though the choice of the governor is yet to be publicly announced by the governor, Jegede has been rejected from both senatorial districts.

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news

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Pupil, 5 others killed as truck runs into Jumat mosque

GRADUATING STUDENTS OF THE YEAR 2016 IN GLORY OF IBIKUNLE LAWAL EDUCATION AND ISLAMIC FOUNDATION, ILE-IFE, OSUN STATE.

By Laolu Afolabi and Oluwatoyin Malik

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IX people, including a pupil coming from school to Ode-Omu Central Mosque, Osun State, reportedly lost their lives on Friday.

The incident, involving a single truck with Abuja registration number Abuja BWR 867 XC, happened around 1.45 p.m. as some worshippers were set for Jum’at.

The first casualty said to be around eight years was said to have left school for the mosque when she met her death on the spot.

Others were said to have been rushed to a hospital where they were confirmed dead.

Those injured in the accident were also rushed to various hospitals in the town. According to eyewitnesses, the driver ran away as soon as the incident happened.

The truck was said to have lost its brake and while maneuvering he ran into some people going to the mosque for 2.00 p.m. prayer.

Most of those who died were crushed by the truck before it eventually rammed into the fence of the mosque which was near Ode Omu police station.

The eyewitness, a vulcaniser who witnessed the event, said he carried the pupil from the drainage where she fell after she was hit by the truck, but lamented that she died immediately.

It was confirmed that the Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola came to the mosque after the incident.

Saturday Tribune was told that he actually came after the incident, commiserated with the community and went into the mosque for prayers.

When contacted, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Osun State, Mr Umar Ibrahim confirmed the death of five male adults while he put the number of the injured at six, comprising three male adults and three male children.

He added that the injured victims were taken to the

State Hospital, Osogbo for medical attention.

Describing the accident as unfortunate, the sector commander said that the cause was unknown, stating that his command would carry out investigations into the cause.

Saturday Tribune learnt that FRSC, police officers and men as well as officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were part of the rescue operations and the evacuation of injured victims to the hospital.

Abduction: Lagos monarch’s kidnappers demand N500m ransom THE family of the abducted monarch of Iba town, Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos, Yushau Oseni, has said that the kidnappers have contacted them demanding N500 million as ransom for his release.

One of the king’s daughters and former chairperson, Iba Local Government Council, Mrs Ramota Oseni, said the abductors had contacted the family since July 20.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 74-year-old traditional ruler was abducted in his Palace at Iba on July 16 at about 8 p.m.

He had celebrated his 40 years on the throne on Nov. 22, 2015.

Mrs Oseni said the family decided not to make the ransom public since then for security reasons as they thought they could resolve it internally.

She said the family had negotiated with the abductors to pay N40million, which was not available but had contacted the state government to augment so

that he would be released.

According to her, it was to the family’s dismay that the state government, through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters had not responded since then.

“I immediately called the commissioner to inform him of the development and to get across to the state government “But subsequent calls to his phone since then were unanswered and he did not get back to us either,” she said.

She said the family also called on the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni but to no avail.

Owoseni, in a telephone interview with newsmen, said it was not advisable to make the ransom public.

Owoseni said such issues when discussed in the public domain would encourage the kidnappers.

He added that investigation was ongoing to rescue the monarch and disclosing the strategy of the police toward this would jeopardise their effort.

Ijebu Diocese honours Adebanjo, Balogun, Kalejaiye, others Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Ijebu Diocese, on Friday honoured a chieftain of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the chairman, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Chief Subomi Balogun, Chief Kunle Kalejaiye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), among others, for their immeasurable contributions to the promotion of Christianity in Ijebuland in general and the diocese in particular.

The award ceremony tagged “Laity Award” was one of the programmes lined-up in commemoration of the 40th anniversa-

A cross section of the graduating students of the school

ry of the diocese, with the theme “Christ in you, the Hope of Glory,” held at the Church of the Epiphany, Eruwon-Ijebu, Ogun State.

Other awardees include the Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, Oba Adesesan Oguntayo; the Olowu of Owu-Ikija, Ijebu, Oba Olusegun Adesina, Chief (Dr) Chris Ogunbanjo, Professor Akin Mabogunje, Sir Babafemi Osoba, while posthumous awards were given to four other members of the diocese.

In his short exhortation at the ceremony, the Diocesan, Right Reverend (Dr) Ayodele Awosoga, said the award ceremony became imperative in view of the

awardees’ sacrifice to the diocese since its creation.

He admonished Christians to use their God-given resources to propagate their faith, while submitting that the biblical Abel, Esther, David were honoured for their different roles at a point in time.

The cleric said those honoured numbering 73 were selected by their different archdeaconries based on their zeal and dedication to the diocese.

“I want to appeal to you not to rest on your oars in building this diocese, we still have many works to be done and with your support, those works will come to reality.

2 A cross section of the graduating students of the school

3 A cross section of the graduating students of the school

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A cross section of the graduating students of the school

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Nigeria needs prayers, Yoruba must be vigilant —Ifayemi Elebuibon

Ifayemi Elebuibon is a foremost Ifa priest who has exported African traditional religion to international fora.

He tells OLUWABUNMI AJAYI of his recent engagements and more especially what the Ifa oracle predicted on the state of the nation and what to do to avert ‘destruction’.

Chief Elebuibon making a point during the interview.

PHOTO: OLUWABUNMI AJAYI.

IDP children at Malkohi camp in Adamawa. PHOTO: IRIN.

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OU have been silent for some time now, we would like to know what you have been doing lately?

I returned to Nigeria from the United States in November 2015, after which I travelled to Brazil. After returning from Brazil, I went back to the US in April from where I just came back two weeks ago. Now I am fully into my annual commitment to spiritual lectures and talks. I was in New York, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Florida, Oakland and San Francisco. Now, I am back.

You are the president of International Congress of Orisa Tradition and Culture in Nigeria, what intervention is the body doing on behalf of the country, considering the tough economic situation?

Last month, all the African traditional religion worshippers were at Oke Itase during the annual new year festival as every month of June is a new year in Yoruba land. Although, I was in the US then, all the traditional worshippers were at Ile-Ife, saying prayers, offering sacrifices to all our ancestors and divinities for the progress and unity of our nation. This, I believe, is exactly what can change our present situation, we need intervention of the gods.

Do you think things are this hard because of our past misdeeds?

A lot of people are suffering and the suffering is not as a result of the trespasses or sins of our ancestors; it is caused by the recklessness of the past administrators who misdirected and misguided us and have put us in this difficult situation.

It’s more than one year since the Buhari administration came into office, what can you say about his performance so far?

Well, I would say he is doing his best to put things in shape. As a human being, we are not expecting a leader who came into office just one year ago to put everything in order, he can’t fix issues that have been destroyed for over 10 to 15 years, it’s not easy. I would advise all and sundry to be patient with the Buhari administration because he is just starting.

Just before he was sworn in last year, you predicted that on assumption of office, he (Buhari) would be vindictive, would you say this prediction is already coming to pass and what are the implications?

It wasn’t me that predicted that, it was a revelation from Ifa and Ifa is always right.

That is why our ancestors respect and regard Ifa as the most accurate among all the gods we have in Yoruba land. All we just have to do is to pray against the side effect of the revelation so that the impact of Buhari’s actions will not destroy the atmosphere. It will be more terrible if he continues with this act.

What can you say about the incessant invasion of the South West by

All we just have to do is to pray against the sideeffect of the revelation, so that the impact of Buhari’s actions will not destroy the atmosphere. It will be more terrible if he continues with this act.

herdsmen and militants from the Niger Delta?

Well, militancy from the Niger Delta is an endless problem, it has been in existence for a long time and wherever we have oil, it is always as volatile as that. Any nation without oil is usually calm because the people there will lack all the greed associated with oil. The only solution that the government can render is just to make sure they give the people their due share of the oil windfall. As far as the case of the herdsmen is concerned, it is a different ball game entirely. My advice about this is that all of us should be vigilant, citizens in the South West must not sleep, we must be at alert and not just rely on our country’s security apparatus alone, we should as well make use of our traditional protection as used by our ancestors in the olden days, otherwise this would continue.

will all emulate him.

If the court eventually allows students to wear uniforms reflecting their religion, will you encourage traditional religion adherents to dress their wards in appropriate attire to schools?

If that is going to be the case, then the traditional worshippers can as well wear their traditional attire to school. I don’t know why the government wants to get single uniform for all the schools and yet give room for people to politicise it.

However, if the court insists on the recent pronouncement, then each religion has the right to ask students to dress in such a way that they can be identified and recognised as belonging to a particular faith.

Do you think the Odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has the wherewithal to stop the menace of these attackers coming to South West states?

Is the OPC not aware of what is going on? What have they been doing? Does someone have to tell them what is going on? My advice to all Nigerians is to be patient; our economy is going to improve.

We need to endure and bear with the new administration so that they will put us through.

It is said that religious leaders, especially the traditionalists, give politicians mystical power to escape the wrath of the people, is this true?

Is this right?

It‘s not true, if you do evil you cannot escape the repercussion. The reward for evil is evil, unless they are being deceived by those who decide to extort money from them. As for me, I will never deceive people (…bursts into song, Babalowo ko le se k’elese ma jiya, meaning no priest can appease the gods on behalf of the wicked).

You will certainly reap what you sow.

Any advice for Buhari and the governors?

My advice for the president is to take everything easy and fulfill all he promised during his campaigns, he should not let the poor people of the country down in terms of education, agriculture, welfare, roads and transport. He should also ensure transparency. All the money recovered as loot should be handled transparently and used judiciously. He should try and make a difference and I am sure the governors

Any parting words for Nigerians?

I will encourage everyone to pray to Olodumare to help us out of this tough situation but we must remember that Olodumare will not come down Himself to help us, it is those on earth people that will work towards getting divine help.

Therefore, my appeal goes to our policy makers, the government, politicians and civil servants to take the right step that will favour everyone.

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

style

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with Kate Ani

Bottoms up! Flaunt those curves in a catsuit

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HE jumpsuit just got a little hotter and has upgraded to catsuits! The difference between jumpsuit and catsuit is that while the former is sewn as a loose and baggy overall, the latter is sewn with very thin and clingy materials like lycra and they hug the body like a second skin.

If you have enviable body curves and not shy to flaunt them, this jaw-dropping skintight clothing will do you justice.

Made popular by American A-list fashionistas like Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce, this trend is the ‘it’ thing on the fashion scene. Nigeria’s pop diva and

Mavin Records star, Tiwa savage, caused a media uproar when she wore this nude coloured sexy clothing in her music video entitled ‘Wanted’ as it created an illusion of her being totally naked’.

A catsuit is usually worn to clubs or social events. While some ditch their underwears in order to avoid a revealing pant lines, it is advisable to wear a spandex with it, so as to hide any loose flesh at the thighs and the hip area.

Another very important tip in wearing catsuits is to make sure you don’t have a weak bladder before wearing them as they can be a pain to get out of when you need a wee.

11 news

Multiple deaths at Munich mall shooting

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Saturday Tribune

23 July, 2016

UNMEN went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich on Friday, killing and wounding many people, police said.

Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside.

The Bavarian Interior Ministry said three people were dead, NTV television reported. A Munich police spokeswoman said multiple people were killed or wounded.

“We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage,” the spokeswoman said.

More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, she said.

“We believe there was more than one perpetrator. The first reports came at 6 p.m., the shooting apparently began at a McDonald’s in the shopping center. There are still people in the shopping center. We are trying to get the people out and take care of them.”

Police special forces had arrived at the scene, NTV said.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, which took place a week after an axe-wielding teenager went on a rampage on a German train. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.

Staff in the mall were still in hiding, an employee told Reuters by telephone.

“Many shots were fired, I can’t say how many but it’s been a lot,” the employee, who declined to be identified, said from the mall in Munich.

“All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn’t survive.”

“We have no further information, we’re just stay-

ing in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet.”

Munich transport authorities said they had halted several bus, train and tram lines.

The shopping center is next to the Munich

Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

Friday’s attack took place a week after a 17-year-old

asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage.

Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing.

uwatu, told Saturday Tribune that “since the free fall in the naira began, companies, particularly those who depend largely on favourable foreign exchange to survive, have been facing difficulty making money and paying their staff adequately. This has reduced the power of people to change their accommodation, let alone buy new houses. This partially explains why there is an increase in the number of unoccupied houses in Lagos, especially on the Island.”

This view was echoed by a property agent who also works as a facility manager in Ikoyi, Mrs Funmi Ajero.

She explained that currently, expatriates are leaving the country in droves, a situation which, she said, has worsened the state of investments in properties on the Island.

“More than 70 percent of the properties on the Island are meant for expatriates to rent. But even expatriates are losing their jobs. Some companies are cutting down

on expenses on their expatriates’ accommodation. This has also led to the high vacancy rate of houses in Ikoyi and its environs. All these can be blamed on Nigeria’s current economic and forex woes,” Ajero said.

analysts suggest the shortage of dollars has contributed to the sharp moves seen this week.

A number of factors are driving demand for dollars, according to researchers at Ecobank, including Nigerians taking holidays, but implementation of the central bank’s new policy of a single foreign exchange structure and floating exchange rate is proving difficult.

“Despite the policy change, a parallel market currently still exists, suggesting the NGN is still overvalued,” said Ecobank in a note earlier this week.

Standard Bank said the shift to a free floating regime was in progress “albeit haltingly.” New regulations were introduced last month, but the bank believed market participants were unconvinced the CBN would be indifferent to any exchange rate level.

“While the country has large trade deficits, only an influx of capital flows, perhaps led by portfolio inflows, will lead to a normalisation of the FX market, we believe,” Standard Bank said.

Cash crunch hits banks Continued from pg4

“These are not fun times for us at all. For months, we have been struggling to make sales but somehow, we have been surviving, but with this latest crash in the naira value, I honestly don’t know what will become of a lot of our businesses,” he groaned.

Yet, another car seller at the Agindingbi area of Ikeja, Mr Adetutu Timilehin-Ajayi, noted that “there are no two ways to it; dealers have to also increase the prices of their wares in a way that they will still make profit, even if the profit is just going to be marginal. So, in the next few days, you may see cars recording as much 15 percent increase in prices. This means a car that went for, say, N2 million last month may now go for N2.3 million.

But this is going to be difficult because before now, we were struggling to make reasonable sales.”

The sellers’ views seem to have been earlier echoed by the President of Berger Car Dealers Association, Mr Metche Nnadiekwe.

“Business has been really slow. We don’t get much patronage from buyers again. We have also been forced to reduce our imports because importing cars has become very expensive due to the present value of the naira. There is no point using all you have to import cars if there are no buyers for them.

“When things were rosy, we could get between 10 and 20 buyers in a day at this park alone. With all the other parks put together, the number was more. Now that things are so tight, we get an average of five buyers daily at this park. When you put figures together from other parks, it is about 50 buyers in the entire market,” he had said.

The same situation has been predicted for property sales and rents, as experts have predicted that the continuous fall in the value of the naira will further increase the high vacancy rate already being experienced in parts of the country.

A Lagos-based property developer, Mr Charles Ig-

What gives?

As the naira plunged to a new record low on Friday, as it begins a sudden slide a month after its long-awaited free float, experts have continued to react.

“They said they were going to move to a free float, but then it just stuck — it’s not a free float at all,” says William Jackson, a senior emerging markets economist at Capital Economics.

“Despite the initial 40 percent drop, the naira is still overvalued. There is still a divergence between the official naira rate and the parallel black market rate,” he says, adding that the official rate needs to fall further to bring the two into balance.

Despite the free float, there are still restrictions on foreign currency in place. Some

AFRICAN NEWSPAPERS OF NIGERIA PLC Founders: CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO GCFR, SAN (1909 - 1987)

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

With Aunty Yemi 08056834515 ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

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Get Inspired A happy face

A happy face is a smiling face Peace begins with a smile It is easier to smile than to frown A smile captures an approaching frown Start every day with a smile A smile is not expensive Wear a smile and have friends

By Sanusi-Mariam Shalewa, De Ayo College, Old-Ife Road, Ibadan, SSS 2

a

r t o o n

jumbled words 6. ATHRE

1. ERCI

2. AWTRE 7. EBE 3. IGHLT 8. GENYER 4. CPASE 9. ESED 1. Dunmomi Fatoki, JSS 1 Two weeks ago when we were told our examinations were fast approaching, I informed my parents and they encouraged me to start reading. After reading some notes, my father would collect the notebook and draft questions for me to answer. By the time I answered the questions, he would use the note to mark it and thereafter give me some time to have some rest, watch television and play games.

2. Miracle Oyedokun, JSS 1 Usually, I sleep by 9:00 pm but when I was preparing for the third term examination, I had to adjust and I had to sleep at 11:00 pm. I also set alarm for 12 midnight and I would read for two hours. I also reduced the quantity of food I ate but I drank more water. In a short time, my body system got used to these adjustments.

3. Oladapo Daniel, JSS 2 I’m used to everyday reading after each class from the beginning of the term. So I did not wait until the examination period before preparing for it. The weekly revision helped me to pass tests whenever we were given. My preparation did not stop me from playing a little, but more often than not, I stayed in my room to read and only came out

5. OCLD 10. AMRS

1

Johnny’s teacher paid a visit to his house one day. When little Johnny opened the door, she asked, “Are your father and mother in, Mr. Morton?”

“They was in, but they is out now,” he answered.

The teacher gasped, “Why, Mr. Johnny Mor-

to either help in some chores or eat. Group discussion with my friends also helped me to prepare well for my examinations.

4. Samuel Akinmosin, JSS 1 It wasn’t easy denying myself some pleasures like sleeping throughout the night, but either my mum or dad would stay with me while I read for hours. When examinations started, I read from 7:00 pm till 12 midnight and I read four notes in a day. During every lesson, I listened to every bit of what my teachers explained. When I started writing the papers, I found every question very easy to answer. Reading actually paid off.

5. Tijesunimi Joshua, JSS 3 The school authorities told us before examination that prizes would be given to the best student in each subject so I ensured that my preparations for examinations were sound.

During the period, I stopped watching films at midnights and took time to sleep well, I stopped

2

J

ke

ton, it is ‘They were in, but they are out now.’

Where’s your grammar?”

“She’s upstairs taking her nap.”

Lydia Togunse clocked

recently.

1

How we prepared for examinations

Respondents are students of Fruitful Vines College, Akobo Olorunda Road, Ibadan, Oyo State.

6

playing video games and also stopped visiting my friends. I did all these in order to have maximum concentration on my studies. With prayers, I know the Lord will crown my efforts and I will come out in flying colours.

6. Victor Ogundipe, JSS 2 Weeks before examinations started, after school and after I must have had my lunch everyday, I would settle down to read my books particularly the subject I would write the following day. My mum too was of help. She would wake me up by 2.00 am to revise what I read during the day. In addition to this, I used to get to school early so as to ask

3

7

my teacher about things I did not understand. In the course of doing that, I gained more knowledge.

Another step I took while preparing for my examinations was going over and memorising revisions our teacher did with us in class.

7. Favour Ajayi, JSS 2 In preparation for my ex-

4

5 aminations, I had a timetable for reading from Monday to Saturday. I usually read from 3 o’clock till 4 o’clock in the evening.

I’m addicted to television and cartoons but when my examinations were approaching, I reduced it in order to study hard. Sometimes, I read in the midnight because there was no opportunity to read during the day.

13

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

food&drink

Stuffed

pancake: Perfect way to start your day

With a passion for cooking, Mrs. Abimbola Oduola, who W h a t owns Centaury Cuisine Venture, shares with RUKAYAT inspired you to go ODEWALE the recipe for a delicious vegetable into catering? My mum soup and a tasty way to improve and was a caterer and enjoy pancakes.

I love the way she pre-

A

s a child,what did mealtimes mean to you?

Mealtime was a time we came together as a family to eat. We usually ate breakfast and supper together. Mealtime was also a time to bond with my mum because I loved spending time in the kitchen with her while she cooked.

What’s your fondest memory of your mum’s cooking?

It was the way she prepared food. Her meals were always quite different from the normal way it is prepared. Even food as simple as sandwich was uniquely prepared.

pared food. This sparked off the passion at a young age and it grew in me.

Have you created a recipe of late?

Yes, stuffed pancake. The ingredients needed for pancake are flour, egg, margarine, sugar, milk, water, salt, nutmeg and vegetable oil. Break egg in bowl, add melted margarine and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Add salt, milk and grated nutmeg and stir. Gradually add sifted flour and keep whisking. Add water till you have a smooth and runny batter. Heat little oil in a non-stick pan, spread with a brush to grease the entire surface of the pan.

Using a ladle, scoop pancake batter and fry on both sides till golden brown. The pancake is ready.

After preparing pancake, sauté sliced carrots, cabbage and fish in a little oil for three minutes. Then stuff the mix in the middle of pancake, roll it and use a toothpick to hold it together. It’s a great meal for breakfast.

Can you recall the most challenging situation you have had to deal with as a caterer?

It was during one of my sisters’ husband’s birthday. She gave me the catering job because she trusted me. Having made plans and delegated duties, I had to leave for another engagement. It turned out that my head cook had an accident and couldn’t report to cook for the birthday party. We barely beat the deadline but managed to prepare all the dishes except moin moin. It was challenging having made plans that got disorganised at the last minute.

What are the things you put in mind when catering for clients?

I don’t cook what suits me but what is acceptable by my clients. I usually take into

consideration the peculiar needs of my clients.

Do you feel comfortable eating other people’s food?

I do but it depends on the look of the food and the way it is served.

What food do you prepare when you want to give yourself a treat?

Brazilian soup.

Can you share the recipe?

The ingredients needed are tomato, red bell pepper (tatase), onions, fish, African flute pumpkin (ugwu), salt, seasoning, crayfish and palm oil.

To prepare, blend tomato, tatase and onion together. Clean and boil fish. Heat palm oil and add blended pepper, crayfish, salt and seasoning to taste. Sprinkle the washed and sliced ugwu in it. Stir and allow to cook for 10 minutes.

What is it best served with?

It is good for eating rice. The soup is also good for those suffering from ulcers.

14

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Toluwani Olamitoke 08050498504 toluwaniforever@yahoo.com

wasn’t comfortable because I was married into a polygamous family. I stayed with my in-laws for 10 years but I didn’t know it was going to be so. My husband is the eldest of the children and also his dad’s right hand man.

He had a greater part of my husband’s attention. We travelled out of the country on the second day of our marriage and as our wedding gift, my father-in-law built a house for us right behind his house. We actually thought it was going to be built in some other place.

My mother-in-law was a pillar of support and a prayer warrior, we had a relationship.

All those years, I had three days devoted to prayers. It was really tough.

‘Marriage is blissful when you are married to your friend’ As an educationist, she believes that aside intellectual development, inculcating the right values in a child produces a complete person. Mrs Adeola Bamgbose, Director, Educational Advancement Centre (EAC), Ibadan and a minister of God, in this interview by TOLUWANI OLAMITOKE, speaks on her activities, her home and the role of the church in shaping lives and marriages.

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AN you let us into your background?

I was born into a family of five while I am the only girl and the third child. My eldest brother is late. I attended United Missionary College (UMC) Primary School, Molete, Ibadan and St Anne’s Secondary School, Ibadan. I had my A’Level education at Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro and later proceeded to University of Ibadan where I studied English. I am over 60 years old.

How would you describe yourself as a child?

I was a bit reserved and I loved reading a lot. But then I was a tomboy since I grew up with the boys. My dad was a company secretary and so taught, us how to read and write. He taught us Queen’s English. He was particular about how things were done and said. My mum didn’t spare me when it came to doing the house chores. Being the only girl, I was trained to be out of bed by 4:30 a.m to carry out the chores. Again in school we were taught etiquette and given orientation on how to comport ourselves well. We had what I could call a family togetherness.

We were in the habit of drinking tea and this habit later rubbed off on my husband when we got married. My mum would brew tea in a big flask and we would all keep drinking.

You are an educationist, what attracted you to the profession?

I really wanted to be a broadcaster and actually studied Television Management at South Thames College, London. When I retured to Nigeria, somehow I couldn’t get into the television house. I had enormous task of taking care of the children but what actually happened was not planned but divine. I thought of going into teaching so as to have enough time to care for the children. I did so in 1979 and just fell in love with it. My

principal while at Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan advised me to go for a postgraduate diploma (PGD) course in education which I did. While teaching, I was given a slot by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to air an educational programme,‘English

by Television.’

When did you start thinking of marriage?

By the time I was having my A’Level education, I thought I was ready—I was a bit balanced because I had boys— that is my brothers around me. They counselled and advised and would always come back with stories about guys. I thank God for the Christian up bringing I had. This helped me to be focused and upright.

How did you get to know you spouse?

I was doing a vacation job at the Water Corporation at the Cocoa House in Ibadan. We met in the lift. We started seeing more of each other and also attended the same university.

But I must confess that our coming together was his mum’s making. She took to me from the first time we met.

Can you please introduce him?

He’s Olumuyiwa Bamgbose, my good friend. I call him ‘D’. One thing I love about him is that he’s a homely person. He gives comfort at home. My grandson always says, ’Grandpa is not your husband, he’s your honey.’ We have come a long way through thick and thin and the bond has always been there. As a pastor, he practises what he teaches, that is the word of God. He studied Biochemistry but has been into business. He’s a creative person and very innovative and has also been into research. He’s a born teacher and leader. One of the key trainings he gives our children is not to be rude but bold.

There is the observation that pastors’ children are wayward, why is it so?

Many ministers of God have forgotten that after God it’s their family and that is where many have missed it. Samuel missed it in the area of parenting so also was David. I believe we must learn not to spare the rod. Some also want to buy their children over. We shouldn’t also forget that the ministry of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy. The devil seeks daily to pull down the ministers of God and does this through the children. That’s why it’s important for ministers to put their wives and children under God’s covering always.

It is also observed that when couplesto-be are counselled on marriage by their spiritual leaders, the emotional aspect is avoided, what’s your take on this?

Well for us, spiritually it is assumed that because you are a born-again Christian, the spiritual aspect and import of marriage should be known to you, although we still take the couple-to-be through these again.

Emphasis is also laid on the physical, that is issues that have to do with money and sex, among others. Couples should walk and work together and if you are married to your friend, every aspect of you should matter. Marriage is actually blissful when you are married to your friend. My husband and I run a joint account and have never had a problem with that. Commitment and openness among other things are expected in a relationship. A couple should be able to defer to each other. I believe what is happening today is marriage of convenience.

Can you recall an unpleasant experience in your early marriage?

Our parents were overprotective. My mum

Can you tell us how the idea of EAC was conceived?

We had a challenge with one of our children. She sat for the JAMB examination twice and scored below 200. It was obvious there was a problem. We later enrolled her in Ilorin for the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programme, but the experience was not palatable because a guy in the cult wanted to date her and she refused. My husband, on hearing this, went to her school and brought her back home. In fact she left everything she had, including her books in the school. I was a vice principal then. We started preparing her and two other students for the Cambridge A’Level examination and employed the services of a coordinator. That was how the idea was gradually conceived.

I was then at Ikolaba Grammar School, Ibadan and my husband advised me to resign my job and work with the establishment. I wasn’t comfortable with this. I later discussed it with a colleague of mine who noticed I wasn’t myself. She opened my eyes to some things I didn’t realise and encouraged me to resign. I put in my letter of resignation but my principal rejected it and tore it. I actually had a rapport with my boss and colleagues and so was hard for my principal, especially to let me go and so was the TESCOM chairman.

My attention was called to what I would lose, especially since I had just few years left to retire, but my mind was made up. I resumed in EAC in July 1997 and looking back today, I can say I feel fulfilled.

What do the activities of your establishment look like?

EAC programmes include, among others, Advanced Level GCE, Remedial O’ Level, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and vocational training, among others. We are not only focused on the academic aspect, we also believe in moulding lives. We have students whose parents and the society at large have given up on. We try to identify with such and through the help of God build a total person out of them.

What special attention do you give the female students?

We believe that when you build a female life you build a nation. What we do is to build confidence in the girls, help them stand tall while we also inculcate in them values they require to cope with any challenge that comes their way. Also, we teach the word of God, etiquettes and morals among which is dressing decently, a virtue which is lacking in ladies these days mainly because they are nurtured with the wrong values from home.

How do you relax?

Writing poems, reading and travelling.

How do you spend your weekend?

I spend it most times in church. Sometimes I attend social engagements. But when it’s possible I try to stay back at home.

15

23 July, 2016

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

What your stool type and colour say about your health

What’s normal?

It can be hard to describe your poop, so doctors use a scale to show the different kinds. It’s called the Bristol stool chart, and it gives you an idea of how long a stool spent in your bowel before heading out.

Type 1 They’ve spent a long time in your bowel and are tough to pass. If your stool looks like this, you’re probably constipated. If it lasts longer than a couple of weeks, see your doctor to find out what’s causing it.

Type 2 This stool also can be a sign that you’re constipated. Try to get more fiber in your diet and drink more water to move things along.

Type 3 Doctors think of this kind of poop as normal, because it’s soft and easy to pass. If things are going as they should, it shouldn’t take longer than a minute on the toilet to push out a poop.

Type 5 These are easy to pass, but you may feel a sense of urgency about getting to the bathroom. That can be a sign of mild diarrhea.

Most of the time, it goes away on its own in a couple of days.

Color Concerns The Bristol stool chart doesn’t include color, but you might have questions about that, too. Shades of brown, ranging from tan to deep, are typical -- but other colors don’t mean there’s a problem. Your poop can look green or red if you’ve eaten anything with food coloring, lots of leafy green vegetables, beets, cranberries, or red gelatin. But if it’s black or bright red, see your doctor.

It could be a sign of internal bleeding.

Type 4 Doctors think of this as poop you want to have. Everyone’s bathroom habits are different, but ideally you should have one of these every 1 to 3 days.

Type 6 If you have these more than three times a day, you have diarrhea. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Water is good, but you also need to replace the minerals you’re losing (called electrolytes). Fruit juices and soup can help.

Type 7 This stool moved through your bowel very quickly.

See your doctor if you have more than three of these a day for longer than 2 days.

You should check with your doctor if you also have other signs of dehydration (dry mouth, sleepiness, headache, or dizziness), severe pain in your tummy or rear end, or a fever of 102 degrees or higher.

Source: www.webmd.com

16 healthandfitness

Is this my ovulation?

I finished my menstrual cycle about two days ago.

Today, I noticed some clear sticky discharge from my nipples. Is this ovulation or is it normal or what could be wrong?

Folashade (by SMS) One of your ovaries will release an egg (ovulation) about 12 to 14 days

before your period starts.

The first day of your period when you start

bleeding is counted as the first day of your cycle. If you have a 28-day cycle, you will usually ovulate some time between day 12 and day 16 of your cycle that is, at the mid cycle.

What you are having is likely to be part of the menstrual tension that usually occurs about the time of your menses.

My itchy throat THE back of my throat has been itching me for the last three weeks. I have gargled with warm salt water like the doctor suggested without any improvement. I have also taken some worm medicines. What else can I do?

Goriola (by SMS) Your itchy throat could be due to some allergy as usually happens when you have a cold or virus infection. Allergies are

one of the most common causes of an itchy throat.

An allergic reaction occurs when a substance

called an allergen triggers an immune system response in your body. You may need to continue to gargle with some warm salt water or mouth wash for some more days. In addition, honey and lime have been found very useful.

However, if the itching does not stop or you also develop some sore throat or fever in addition to the itching, you may need to see your doctor for another check-up.

Is there a cure for diabetes?

I have been managing my diabetes with drugs and diet for the past four years with good results. However, a friend of mine recently told me to stop taking my drugs since my diabetes should have been cured with the

long treatment I have taken.

I am afraid to do this since my doctor has warned me not to stop taking my drugs.

Who is correct, my doctor or my friend?

Jasper (by SMS)

Your doctor is correct. Diabetes and hypertension are some of the chronic illnesses which must be monitored regularly by doctors especially as one grows older in life. While their medications may be reduced and adjus-

Dr. Wale Okediran waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

08055069356 (sms only)

I don’t want eyeglasses again I have been using eyeglasses for the past 15 years and it has made my eyes to be sunken. In addition, it makes me look older than my age. Kindly advise me as I don’t want to use glasses again.

Salman (by SMS) One alternative to eyeglasses is the use of contact lens. The only draw- back is the high cost as well as the occasional discomfort in wearing them as well as the possibilities of infection when not properly fitted. The other suggestion

is laser surgery to tighten the eye muscles and correct the refractive problem. Although facilities for

contact lens are available in the country, that of laser surgery is not that commonly available.

Afraid of hernia operation I was recently diagnosed with hernia and the doctor said I will need surgery.

ted, it is dangerous to totally stop the medications as this may lead to a further worsening of the cases. It is therefore advisable to continue to see your doctor and continue your medications as the doctor may advise.

However, I don’t want an operation because of the possible side effects such as impotence, among others. Is there any drug I can use to clear the hernia? I am 55 years old.

Okechukwu (by SMS) The best treatment for a hernia is still surgery. I will therefore advise that you heed your doctor’s advice.

When done by competent hands in a well-equipped hospital, a hernia operation is very safe and leaves little or no physical defects.

Dr. Abiodun Adeoye

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EXUAL dysfunction, otherwise called erectile dysfunction(ED) is a major problem in most families in the world. In some it has led to separation or outright divorce. In some religious faith where divorce is not allowed, it makes both spouses to endure the marriage rather than enjoying it. Recently a friend opened up on the hell he has been passing through due to erectile dysfunction. Apart from the low esteem he has been experiencing, the major concern is that the wife may be having extramarital affairs which may eventually lead to divorce. This is just one scenario out of many we encounter in clinical practice. The fact remains that greater proportion of erectile dysfunction can be prevented or treated if we report early for medical care.

What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction means that a man cannot get or keep penile erection or he cannot have erection sufficient for sex. Our esteemed readers, the problem is not limited to your home. It affects more than 30% men between 40 and 70 years of age. I have overheard a woman on phone reminding the husband not to forget the actual complaint which was ED. This man is just in his 50s but the wife says it is too early! On a lighter mood I advise our women to enjoy unrestricted adequate sex with their husband because nobody knows the age at which erectile dysfunction can set in. Apart from social concerns, other issue is that, the mild ED may signal heart problems.

Who is at risk?

Men with the following medical problems are more at risk than others. I advise spouses to reason together and take actions against these seemingly preventable disorders • Diabetes mellitus. Men who have diabetes (excess sugar in the blood and urine) are especially at high risk of erectile dysfunction, heart disease and other problems caused by restricted blood flow.

• Having high cholesterol. A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis. The turkey and chicken that we refuse to remove the skin before eating, plus other fat-laden fast food we freely consume might have contributed to the load of bad cholesterol in our blood.

Saturday Tribune

23 July, 2016

adeoyemoshood@yahoo.com

08056564360, 08072000017 (sms only)

Prevention of erectile dysfunction: A saving grace against marriage conflicts

• • •

•

Being a smoker. Smoking cigarettes raises your risk of developing atherosclerosis. It also directly affects your ability to get an erection.

Having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure damages the lining of your arteries and accelerates the process of atherosclerosis.

Having a family member with heart disease. It’s more likely your erectile dysfunction could be linked to heart disease if you have a first-degree relative such as a sibling or parent who had heart disease at a young age.

Your age. The younger you are, the more likely that erectile dysfunction signals a risk of heart disease. Men younger than age 50 are at high risk. In men older than 70, erectile dysfunction is much less likely to be a sign of heart disease.

•Obesity. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of both heart disease and erectile dysfunction due to atherosclerosis and other reasons.

•Depression. There’s some evidence that depression is associated with an increased chance of having heart problems — and erectile dysfunction.

How do I prevent erectile dysfunction?

For many men, erectile dysfunction is caused or worsened by lifestyle choices. Here are some steps that might help: • If you smoke, quit. If you have trouble quitting, get help.

Try nicotine replacement, such as over-the-counter gum or lozenges, or ask your doctor about a prescription medication that can help you quit.

• Lose excess body weight. Being overweight can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction.

• Increase physical activity. Exercise can help with underlying conditions that play a part in erectile dysfunction in a number of ways, including reducing stress, helping you lose weight and increasing blood flow.

• Reduce or avoid alcohol intake. Drinking too much or taking certain illegal drugs can worsen erectile dysfunction directly or by causing long-term health problems.

• Work through relationship issues. Consider couples or marriage counselling if you’re having trouble improving communication with your partner or working through problems on your own.

• Treat hypertension and diabetes on time. If you have complaint about the drug related erectile dysfunction, consult your doctors.

17

23 July, 2016

Divorce

Court & Crime

He chased me out of the house, told my children I was dead —Wife She’s fond of disobeying my orders —Husband Stories Courtesy Agency Report

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n Igando customary court in Lagos State has dissolved a 15-yearold marriage between Ese Obasare and his wife, Okome Obasare, over constant battery.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the president of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, in his judgement held that the court’s decision to dissolve the marriage between the couple was for their good.

Omilola said: “This is the best decision since it appears that the estranged couple were tired of the marriage and all efforts to reconcile them have failed.

“Since both parties consented to the dissolution of their marriage, this court has no choice but to dissolve the marriage.

“Both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways without any hindrance or molestation,” Omilola ruled.

Earlier, the 41-year-old petitioner, Okome, had sought the dissolution of her 15-year-old marriage over constant beatings by her husband.

“I lost two pregnancies through constant

beatings from my husband, after which, that they would never see me again,” she said. he would give me money for Dilation She pleaded with the court to grant her applicaand Curettage [D and C]. tion for the dissolution of the marriage, saying she “He stopped me from working but locked was no longer interested. me inside the house so as not to go out.

The petitioner, however, prayed the court to or“He was fond of beating me anytime he der her husband to always grant her access to their saw me outside or a visitor came to visit children. me,” she said.

But the 59-year-old husband, Ese, denied all the She alleged that her husband starved allegations levelled against him by his wife. her sexually for three years when he “My wife did not lose any pregnancy; she was always barred her from entering his room. giving birth to a baby any time she was pregnant.”

The mother of three also accused her Ese said that his wife always flouted his orders and husband of infidelity. that he could not take that as head of the family.

She alleged that her husband was dat“My wife was fond of disobeying my orders, she ing their church’s woman leader whom was disrespectful, she was going out at will and he always brought to their matrimonial coming back at will,” he said. home to pass the night.

The respondent said that he did not chase his wife “The woman packed into our matrimonial out of his house but that she left on her own. home as soon as he chased me out in 2013.

Ese consented to his wife’s request for the divorce, say“After ing that he too was no longer interested in the union. evicting me from the house, he told my My friend begged my husband to return He always beat me, attempted to rape my daughter —Wife c h i l d r e n her pants, wife tells court that I was She and her lover arrested me on two I always beg her whenever she provoked me or when I beat her —Husband See pages 18 & 23 dead, and occasions —Husband

inside

Saturday Tribune

I’ve not known peace since I married her —Husband A 36-year-old husband, Philip John, has told a Mararaba Upper Area court in Nasarawa State that it is an abomination for a married woman to sleep outside her matrimonial home in his culture.

John, a civil servant of Anguwan Albarka, Mararaba, had urged the court to dissolve his five-year-old marriage to his wife, Jovita Oseghale for alleged lack of love and peace.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he told the court that since the inception of their marriage, the respondent was in the habit of fighting him in the public without shame.

According to him, the respondent goes out and comes back at will.

The petitioner said that he was seeking for dissolution of their marriage and also for the court to award him the custody of their only child Emmanuel.

“Since l married the respondent in 2011, l have not known peace, although l did not know much about her before the marriage.

“She goes out without my knowledge, spends eight hours outside, when questioned, she will lie that she went to see somebody.

“She later graduated into sleeping outside, any woman that sleeps outside her matrimonial home is an abomination in my culture.

“For us to meet as husband and wife is a big problem.

“We met once in three or six months, anytime I insisted, she would rather refer me to go in search of street ladies,” the petitioner alleged The petitioner said Jovita had packed out of her matrimonial home, and asked the court to dissolve the marriage and grant him custody of the child.

John’s counsel, Mr Uche Okonkwo, had told the court that the respondent was absent and efforts to reach her were unsuccessful.

The presiding officer, Mr Vincent Gwehemba, dissolved the marriage and awarded custody of their only child to the petitioner.

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

23

courtandcrime

My friend begged my husband to return her pants, wife tells court

She and her lover arrested me on two occasions —Husband StoriesbyAyomideOwonibi-Odekanyin,BiolaAzeez,with Agency reports

M

RS Taiwo Oluwanisola, 42, has told an Igando customary court in Lagos State how she stumbled on a message where her friend was begging her husband, Olajide Oluwanisola, to return her pant.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Taiwo said this in an application she filed before the court seeking the dissolution of her 18-year-old marriage to her clearing-agent husband over alleged infidelity.

“My husband is dating my married friend and I discovered this when I was with his cell phone.

“Then, a whatsapp message entered with my friend’s picture appearing on the screen begging my husband to return her pants.

“I showed my husband the message; he confessed that he was having an affair with her that I should forgive him.

“I also went to my friend’s house to confront her for having an affair with my husband.

“She also begged me that I should not let her husband hear about it and promised to end the relationship with my husband,” the petitioner testified.

The petitioner, a mother of four, also alleged that her husband had developed the habit of threatening to kill her with dangerous weapons at the slightest provocation.

“My husband, who used to beat me up using dangerous weapons, also threatened to kill me.

“Anytime I received a call, my husband would demand for my cell phone to know if it was a man that called and if I refused to surrender it to him, he would beat the hell out of me.

“He once attacked me on the bed with a cutlass threatening to machete me into pieces but I escaped by a whisker,” she said.

The petitioner said that her husband had refused to eat food prepared by her in the last three years.

She, therefore, pleaded with the court to grant her application for divorce, saying she was no longer in love with her husband.

Olajide, who denied her wife’s allegation of infidelity, accused Taiwo of having an extramarital affair with another man.

“My wife is having affair with a man, I have caught them severally, and they always meet around 11p.m. in the darkness behind a transformer.

“She and her lover arrested me on two occasions, accusing me of always calling her lover’s cell phone and threatening his life which I know nothing about,” he said.

Olajide also described his wife as “an ingrate”.

He alleged that he bought two cars for her when his business was booming but when it crashed, she started misbehaving.

“In fact, she even arrested me claiming I stole her N1,000 of which I am innocent of,” he said.

According to him, Taiwo always goes out at will without my permission and will always return home between 11:p.m., or 11:30 p.m.

The husband said he stopped eating the food prepared by his wife because she was fond of abusing him before serving him.

Olajide, however, urged the court to grant his wife’s application for divorce, saying he was also fed up with the 18-year-old marriage.

President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the case till August 9.

Omilola, however, ordered each of the couple to come along with three family members at the next adjourned date for possible mediation.

He always beat me, attempted to rape my daughter —Wife

I always beg her whenever she provoked me or when I beat her —Husband A businesswoman, Muinat Jamiu, has begged a Karu Upper Area Court, Abuja, to dissolve her fiveyear-old marriage to her husband, Adesina, for allegedly attempting to rape her first child.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that she told the court that her husband was in the habit of beating her 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship at the slightest provocation.

She said her husband had attempted to rape her daughter on several occasions.

The petitioner also said her husband had neglected his responsibilities on their four-year-old daughter and was in the habit of beating her at the slightest provocation.

“Whenever I ask him for money for the upkeep of our child, he beats me up; he always promises to pay her school fees but ends up not paying.

“My 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship stays with us and he attempted to rape her on several occasions whenever I was not around.

“I had to take my daughter away to stay with a relative.

“Last week because I refused him sex, he gave me the beating of my life to the extent that I sustained grave injuries and I have pictures to prove it.

“We have been married since 2012 and I have endured lots of beatings since then, but now, I am fed up and there is no going back because I don’t want to die,” she said.

Responding, Semiu Adesina expressed surprised that his wife could bring their issue to court.

Adesina also pleaded with the court to give them some time to go and settle their marital differences.

“I am surprised that she brought our issues before the court; we have always settled our issues amicably before now until she left the house with my child unceremoniously three months ago.

“I always beg her whenever she provokes me or when I beat her.

“I have also never attempted to rape her daughter.

“Please, the court should give us some time to see if we can settle,” he said.

After listening to their submissions, the judge, Ibrahim Walliyulahi, adjourned the matter till July 26 for both parties to return and update the court.

“You have a week to see if you can settle before then, please come on the next adjourned date to tell the court if

He lied to me about his religion to marry me —Wife RELIGIOUS differences cited by a middle-aged housewife in Ilorin, Kwara State, may soon end the marriage between her and her husband.

The housewife, Mary Olukotun, has dragged her husband, Tunde Aminu before Ibrahim Abdulkadri of the customary court, Centre Igboro, Ilorin, for the dissolution of her marriage.

Stating her reason for seeking dissolution of her marriage, Mary said she was deceived into marrying Tunde because he claimed that he answered three names - Biodun, Sunday and Tunde - before they got married.

However, Mary said that her husband told her that he had

I honestly and desperately ask this court to dissolve this marriage —Husband

Help me beg him, I will always do as he wishes —Wife A 35-year-old businesswoman, Mrs Lami Nuhu has tearfully begged her husband for settlement as he insisted that the court should dissolve their marriage.

Lami Nuhu, the respondent, made the plea at the Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

“I am still much interested in this marriage; I do not want a divorce.

“I sincerely apologise to my dear husband, if there are ways I have wronged him, I want the court to help me ask for his forgiveness.

“We have been together for more than seven years and we have two children.

“I have nowhere to go; the court should help resolve our differences please,” she pleaded.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that while sobbing, the mother of two also told the court that she still loved

her husband and would subsequently do as he wished in order for peace to reign.

Earlier, the petitioner, Mr Ahmed Nuhu, had told the court that he could no longer stay married to Lami as he could not cope with her questionable character.

“She has no respect for me and my family and she does not take to corrections.

“She insults me, my parents, especially my late mother at will, without thinking of the consequences.

“I cannot live with such a woman again.

“Therefore, I honestly and desperately ask that this humble court dissolve this union, I am tired,” he said.

Nuhu, who described his wife tears as `crocodile tears’, said that she was only pretending before the court.

According to him, she will do worse once she is outside the court.

The judge, Owana Musa, adjourned the case till July 22 for ruling.

converted and had become a Muslim when she was heavy with pregnancy.

According to the housewife, Tunde then added the name ‘Aminu’ to his names.

The plaintiff is also asking that the court award her a monthly allowance of N10,000.00 by her husband to take care of her baby while requesting that the marriage be dissolved.

The magistrate, Ibrahim Abdulkadri, adjourned the matter till August 10, 2016 to allow the husband make his defence.

Tunde had told the court that Mary knew he was a Muslim before accepting to marry him.

‘She’s always threatening to kill herself if I refused to give her money’

I only begged him to help me pay my debts —Wife A 54-year-old cleric, Saliu Oshioyemi, has urged an Igando customary court, Lagos State, to dissolve his 13-year-old marriage to his wife, Esther, for her alleged attempt to kill herself.

“My wife is always threatening to kill herself whenever I don’t have money to give her.

“There was a day she called her son and was telling him that she wanted to die so that he should take care of himself. I rushed out and saw her when she was about to drink insecticide.

“I later gave her the money she requested because I don’t just want to be tagged a murderer,” Oshioyemi alleged.

Oshioyemi said that his wife, Esther, was always in debt, saying he ended up being the one to settle the debt.

“She used to secure loan for her business and always asked me to pay. She once brought a bank manager to me asking

He brought another wife into our home —Wife No, she’s looking for an excuse to leave —Husband A 53-year-old woman,Titilayo Onipede, has pleaded with an Igando customary court in Lagos State to dissolve her 15-year-old marriage to her husband, Akintade, over allegations of infidelity on the part of her husband.

Titilayo told the court that she got married to her husband traditionally in Osun State.

She further narrated that they had been living in peace for years until her husband converted into Islam and decided to marry another wife.

“I met my husband as a Christian, in fact, he was on the building committee of our church in Ejigbo, Osun State. I was endeared to him because of his kindness and patience even when I did not take in after several years of marriage.

“We finally started having children after some years.

His attitude changed a few years ago when he started keeping late nights and also associating with some landlords in our area. When I confronted him about it, he told me that they were only helping him secure a contract from the local government.

“He also stopped going to church and finally declared that he has become a Muslim and that my children and I must do ‘wonka.’ When I refused, he beat me and said that they had told him in a place that he visited that I was against his success.”

you have been able to settle amicably,” the court president said.

The court said that nothing could be done on the issue of child custody until the determination and conclusion of this divorce petition.

The mother of three girls further added that it was one of her neighbours that told her that her husband had impregnated another woman and that he had even rented a house for her.

“He beat me and my children when I confronted him. He threatened to pack my things out of the house. When I could not bear it anymore, I told his family members but they were solidly behind him as he had gone there to paint me black.

“I would have continued in the marriage but he decided to bring his new wife into our home and she is very diabolic. All my business and finances have gone down. She is troublesome and does not mince words about dealing with me and my children. Please end this marriage as I am very tired and I want my peace of mind,”she said.

Her husband, however, told the court not to end the marriage. He said that Titilayo was a troublesome woman who believed in rumours. “Everything she has said here is not true. No woman is pregnant for me. I don’t have a second wife. She is just looking for an excuse for us to leave the family house. I have told her to be patient. I cannot rent a house when I am almost done with roofing my own house.”

He also pleaded with the court to intervene in the matter as he still loves his wife. “I am still a Christian, I only have numerous business partners who are Muslims,” he said.

President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola adjourned the matter till September 13.

me to sign a loan document.

“She also went to LAPO Micro Finance Bank to borrow money without my consent. I was the one that paid for the money I did not spend.

“Of late, she went to my landlord to borrow N27,000, claiming that I was the one who sent her because I was in distress.

“My landlord later asked me for the money after some months and I told him I knew nothing about it but I still paid,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that he said that his wife used to accuse him of having affairs with his female clients.

“I am a cleric and these women come for spiritual help but my wife chases them away, claiming that I am having affairs with them.

“I don’t have money again because they have stopped patronising me,” Oshioyemi said.

He said that Esther was troublesome and each time they had misunderstanding, she was always the first to hit him, fight and tear his clothes.

“My wife does not allow me to have peace. That led to my present bad health condition and currently experiencing high blood pressure.

“I left the house to lodge in a hotel when my doctor advised me to rest and keep away from her trouble,” he alleged.

Oshioyemi urged the court to end the marriage because he was no longer interested.

Esther admitted that she used to borrow money, but she would only ask her husband to pay whenever she could not pay back.

“Whenever I could not pay for the loan I obtained, I used to beg my husband to pay on my behalf,” Esther said.

The mother of one, said that she never accused her husband of infidelity but she used to ask him what was the relationship between him and one of his clients.

“I only queried him on a particular client who comes regularly and stays with my husband from morning till night,” she said.

Esther, however, denied attempting to take her life just as she said that she never fought nor tore her husband’s clothes.

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

President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, ordered the couple to attend Alternative Dispute Resolution with three family members for reconciliation.

Omilola adjourned the case till August 2 for further hearing.

19

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos Editor Lanre Adewole m: 0811 695 4637

e: olanreade@yahoo.com

At Apapa Wharf, safety is still an issue TOLA ADENUBI examines the hazards involved in dock–working

Working inside the ports and terminals located in Apapa, Lagos State requires guts and prayers due to the level of safety concerns amongst the different port operators that run and manage the ports facilities on behalf of government.

In the months of October 2015, two dockworkers paid the ultimate price when they lost their lives while on duty inside the Five Star Logistics Terminal, Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos. The two dockworkers, Samson Oheha and Paul Ifah died within a spate of two weeks inside the same terminal following neglect of safety issues by port operators at the seaports.

The death of these two dockworkers opened up a gale of shock as to how some operators neglect safety precaution during their port operations. Investigations later revealed that while some operators buy inferior safety tools for dockworkers in their terminals, others abandon safety apparatus outright like boots and allow their workers to wear slippers while working at the ports.

inside

Continues on pg21

In Lagos markets,

it costs a token to enhance lips, sex organs CHUKWUMA OKPARAOCHA, AYOMIDE OWONIBI and ADEMOLA ADENIYI went inside Lagos markets for a purchase like no other.

T

he day Lagos stops being the city of wonders, then wonders are dead. Too many stories about the famed land of opportunities can be stranger than fiction. But there are not only true even in their weirdest forms, they keep changing shapes are forms, gradually moving to the monstrously unrecognisable.

All the grotesque happenings are almost always geared towards a definable

Eko Akete

The hijab joy

end; hurtling. Thus, it would seem the city formed out of the sea of hustling, and fashioned out of the crucible of desperation, a situation that has ensured that throughout its rich history, the historical city has witnessed different grades and shades of businesses that involve hustling, including legal, illegal and possibly semi-legal ones.

As one business enterprise vanishes in the city, another rises in its stead. Per-

haps this explains the disappearance of the once popular ‘bolekajas,’ which were replaced by the dinosaur-like ‘molues,’ which are themselves now a shadow of their old selves. It is also generally believed that selling of wares in traffic, which has become a commonplace in virtually all major cities and towns across the country, also has its origin in Lagos.

Continues on pgs21 & 22

Melaye vs Tinubu:

The bout, the protest, the jest

20

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos

Eko Akete

Continued from pg19

At Apapa Wharf, safety is still an issue Continued from pg19

DANGEROUS PORT OPERATIONS The dockworkers branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has already noted and identified terminal operators living above board, stating that others go for inferior safety apparatus for their workers during work period at the ports.

According to the President of the dockworkers branch of the MWUN, Adewale Adeyanju, “there are terminals and ports that are prone to dangers and mishaps when it comes to safety at the ports. This is because these operators compromise on acquisition of standard safety apparatus and equipment for their workers.

“Again, aside the effort of the operators, the individual dockworker needs proper training to be adequately prepared for life at the ports. Experience in the recent past has shown that some people work in the ports even when they don’t have the required training to do so. How they got into the ports in the first place speaks volume of the porosity of the ports.

“For now, the only terminal that is 100 percent observant of all safety procedures is the APM Terminal in Apapa port. We at MWUN say this because nobody can enter the APM Terminal without being equipped with all necessary and standard gadgets.

“Some other terminals have also improved over the years. Port terminals like Port & Cargo Handling Service (P&CHS), Tincan Island Container Terminal (TICT), ENL Consortium” SAFETY CRITERIA Adeyanju also listed safety criteria for dockworkers intending to go and work inside the ports. In his words, “To enter any terminal or port for duty, there is need for a dockworker to first be given a safety overall. Also, we have what we call safety boots. In terms of the safety boots, many port

operators go for the substandard ones.

“The standard safety boots have iron in the front. The safety boots must be hard in nature. But what we see mostly in the ports are very soft boots with no iron in front of them.

Some terminal operators even allow their dockworkers to wear bathroom slippers inside the ports. It is that pathetic.

“Another criterion for safety compliance aside the overall and safety boots is the nose cover and head helmet. Dockworkers must also wear hand gloves depending on the type of jobs that have been asked of them to do inside the ports.

“For terminals that operate bulk cargo operations like wheat, rice, etc, dockworkers working there must wear nose cover because they inhale so many dangerous chemicals that is injurious to the health.

“For them not to inhale those chemicals, that are why those nose covers are very paramount. However, some operators overlook this and ask dockworkers to go inside their bulk terminals to work. This contravenes safety rules.

“For dockworkers working on containers, they must be well-kitted.

When I say well-kitted, it means their safety boots must be the standard ones. They must also wear overall and helmet because danger can come from anywhere.

“There is what is called twist-lock during the process of discharging container cargoes. It is about 5.2kg in weight. If the twist-lock falls or hits the human head, the victim will die instantly. That is why we insist on helmet on the heads of dockworkers who are on container cargoes at the ports.

“Then for dockworkers inside the frozen vessels, that is the refrigerated compartment of a vessel; all the safety apparatus mentioned earlier overall, helmet, gloves, safety boots must be given to workers before they go inside such vessels because inside, of such vessels, it is very cold.”

All the businesses mentioned above (and many more) have one thing in common: they are largely run by youths who have migrated from different parts of the country, believing that Lagos is a place to make it - anyhow.

But now, another form of business appears to have ‘landed’ in the city. It is the body-transformation business, which ranges from the common pedicure and manicure business to the making of outlandish hairstyles and drawing of tattoos. Expectedly, the youth have been the champions of this business.

In a daring business move, a group of youths has claimed the possession of the technical know-how to turn human lips, particularly males’, pink-like, comparable to an infants’. They also boast the skill to help people, especially ladies, reduce belly fat, make their faces devoid of pimples within hours, reshape their sagging breasts and perform other cosmetic wonders. Any of these ‘corrective measures,’ they claim, could be achieved in a few hours, inside a structure no larger than a regular barbershop. Such business places can be found in Ikeja, Idumota on Lagos Island and many other popular markets in Lagos.

Pink lip specialists As a first-time visitor to Ikeja, one of the first sets of people that welcome you are young men trying to convince you to buy from an assortment of similar products like pink lip balm and flat tummy tea.

Young men in trendy clothes stand in strategic corners beckoning to prospective customers. “Aunty, I can give you pink lips!”

Aunty, I can flatten your tummy!” Aunty, I can firm your breasts!” These are the brazen, loud chants of these young men.

Once your interest is aroused, the boys offer to take you to their ‘office’ where they hand you over to the boss who promptly puts you in a seat and explains the ‘services’ they offer and the ‘procedures’ to you.

As they show you the packages they have, which range from intimate body massage to tattoos, breast enlargement and reduction, to penis enlargement products and body relaxing techniques.

One of the boys who spoke to Saturday Tribune said the most booming parts of their business were breast reduction and penis enlargement.

“We don’t do surgery here; we just sell ointments that help get the job done. We have many clients and they all have good testimonies to share. Our products are not harmful,” he said But of particular interest to Saturday Tribune was the pink lip service which appears to be fast becoming lucrative at the Under Bridge area of Ikeja, a few metres away from the ever-busy Computer Village.

Lagosians are used to seeing weird-looking individuals – some actually lunatics waiting to be picked up by appropriate authorities and others, street urchins – at different locations. At the Under Bridge area usually stands a group of weird-looking young men holding small vials containing some pinkish ointment or balm and reaching out to passersby, asking them to “get pink lips.”

Apparently in line with the general busi-

21

Beggars on the loose

A peep into world of Lagos unusual ‘plastic surgeons’ •Clients include hemp smokers

ness notion that it is good to first sell yourself before trying to sell your ware, the ‘pink lips specialists’ look every inch their trade. Noticeable is their weird hairstyles; while some wear different shades of dreads, others dye theirs in diverse colours. The crazy hairstyles are meant to tell a prospective client that they are hair specialists, while their bodies, smeared with all kinds of tattoo designs, are apparently intended to make it understood that same ‘enhancement’ could be done for you. These ‘specialists’ also flaunt their lips to make people want to buy any of their services. Many of them have their lips so pinkish that a passerby may not help looking at them.

At the Ikeja Under Bridge area, Saturday Tribune visited a spot where the pink lip balm hawkers had taken positions. It was hard to know which of these young men, numbering no fewer than seven, would be ready to volunteer some useful information about their trade.

They all looked too eager to meet clients to talk to an inquisitive journalist on an early Wednesday morning.

Our correspondent had no option but to pose as a prospective client interested in any products or services the young men were selling.

One of them, who identified himself as Pink Lip Swezzy, with a smile, handed a vial to our correspondent and give the assurance that within “three days, your lips will be as fresh and soft as you ever want it to be.” Pointing to his lips, the lower of which had a scar, Swezzy stated that the use of the balm had helped diminish the mark which, he said, was left after a wound he sustained in an accident.

“See my scar? It is the telltale sign of an ac-

cident I had some time ago. It was bigger than this before but since I started using it, this ointment has peeled off much of the dead skin of the scar, leaving me with this manageable scar,” he said while trying to prove the efficacy of the product.

He maintained that the ointment could restore any types of lips to their “glories” even if they have turned black due to long period of smoking. “As a matter of fact, within two days, non-smokers should have their lips totally turn pink, while for smokers, it can take a little longer, say, four or five days,” he said.

He pointed out that with the balm he had successfully “cured” acute Indian hemp smokers who had lost any form of beauty of their lips.

Another seller, identified simply as Simon, said, “Aside from smokers, a lot of regular people, including police officers, patronise us. Policemen smoke a lot. You may not know but we do. They come here from time to time to buy this stuff from us,” he said, apparently trying to discard the notion that most of those who patronise them were mainly hemp smokers.

But a quick look at the body of the vial showed that it contained little or no information about its content. Apart from the price, which ranged from N1500 to N2500 per vial, which is no bigger than the tip of the human thumb, all the items checked by our correspondent from all the ‘guys’ spoken to had almost zero information about them. None of them had a company name, address, contact number or approval number from NAFDAC. What were common to the products were the price and a short statement that read “Have a great day.”

But this lack of necessary information did not

•Tatoo goes for N15,000

stop Simon from still insisting that the item had no side effects otherwise the government would have come after them and they would have lost their customers over the years.

“I have been doing this business for about five years and in all those years, I have sold countless number of the product and there has not been a single case of side effects. I use it too and I have not suffered from any negative effect,” he said.

someone who had come to have a tattoo (this was the only way full access could be gained into the salon), haggled over the right price for a tattoo (later identified as the Tribe style) that would run across the arm. A final price of N7000 was finally agreed on from an initial N15000, but having no intention of bowing to the needles of a tattooist anytime soon, our correspondent had to walk away with a promise to the enthusiastic tattooist to be back.

Inside the make-up ‘parlour’ Meanwhile, to have a good understanding of the way this group of businessmen, whose ages range from 18 to 30s and who attract clients of the same age group, go about their other ‘cosmetic’ businesses, Saturday Tribune reporter visited one of the offices they use as the operating base in Ikeja. The placee is a salon-like room inside a multi-storey building where a group of young men and women eagerly awaited customers who wanted any form of cosmetic routine, chief of which is tattooing. The room was full of all manner of customers, most of whom were having their hairs turned into all sorts of things. A tattooist was seen holding a recently used tattoo machine in his hand. This was judging by the heat the machine was exuding. In a corner sat a pregnant young lady who was going through the contents of a phone. Her mission, it was later gathered, was to select a tattoo design from the samples contained on the phone. She seemed set to have a tattoo on her body. This was to be done by a male tattooist who sat beside her, helping her in her choice.

Our correspondent who had also posed as

An expert’s opinion Although Saturday Tribune couldn’t get the view of a dermatologist in time for this report, a certified cosmetologist and chief executive of Pretty Look Unisex Centre in Lagos, Lola Adekanmbi, warned of the possible side effects of continuous use of pink lip balms and other body enhancement products, because of the ingredients used in making them.

She said that chances were that uncontrolled use of lips balms could lead to addiction, which could ultimately lead to cancer of the lips.

“In fact, the worst side effect is that when you overuse lip balm, it can lead to the chapping (eventual cracking) of the lips. Some of the ingredients used in those products have the tendency to make the user want to continue to use them because of the soothing and pleasantly tingling feelings they give. But these contain chemicals such as phenol, menthol or salicylic acid, which should be avoided,” she said.

Adekanmbi noted that the sensation caused by these chemicals is what ultimately causes the protective layers of the lips to peel off, leaving the skin susceptible to environmental factors that cause chapping.

The Lagos House has become a haven for beggars. Every morning, scores of women and old people, in their numbers throng the assembly complex at Alausa, with copious lists of request.

They often sit around the complex, particularly at the pavilion just opposite the building. Whenever a lawmaker’s car pulls in, a small crowd runs either towards his direction or to his office. Every crowd know the legislator representing their constituency and they quickly run to them.

The situation is just the same at the offices. The reception rooms are almost always full, and they are peopled by constituents who have come to ask for help. And their needs are many: children’s school fees, burial ceremonies, hospital bills, and even weddings.

Eko Akete gathered, while monitoring the situation during the week, that many lawmakers have started taking precaution in order to check this menace.

In fact, one of the office assistants attached to a lawmaker’s office informed Eko Akete that her boss had explicitly informed her to use the CCTV cameras to monitor the visitors and to sieve them accordingly.

“I just tell them he’s very busy at the moment,” she said.

The hijab joy There was jubilation across Lagos on Thursday when it emerged that the Court of Appeal in Lagos has given a nod to the use of hijab by pupils in public primary and secondary schools.

Eko Akete happened to be at the University of Lagos in the afternoon on Thursday (just as the news had begun to make the rounds) where a number of the faithful who were seen around the school mosque shared their thoughts.

“It is a good development,” one of them told Eko Akete. “We are happy.

It means that Nigeria is fast becoming a civilised society, and that we can put aside our differences and consider issues objectively. What you should ask is: why should hijab offend anybody?

Is it indecent dressing? Should we not be more concerned about young girls all over Lagos who wear clothes that reveal their curves and expose their breasts? The funny thing is that it happens even in the same primary and secondary schools. So who are we deceiving?”

“Lagos is the centre of excellence,” said another Muslim student. “So it is good that we are setting the pace for others to follow.”

The mosque at the University of Lagos is sited only a few metres away from the University Chapel. It seemed the perfect picture of religious tolerance.

22

23 July, 2016

Melaye vs Tinubu:

The bout, the protest, the jest Naza Okoli -Lagos

I

t began as a rumour, but it later turned into something of a joke. It all happened during a closed-door session of the Nigerian Senate. This means there were no journalists in the chamber, however, it somehow emerged that a male senator had threatened to “beat up” and “impregnate” a female senator, during a heated argument.

“I didn’t know that is what they do during their socalled closed-door sessions,” Joshua Nenger posted on Facebook on Tuesday.

The senators involved were reportedly Dino Melaye who represents Kogi West and Oluremi Tinubu of Lagos Central – both very prominent members of the National Assembly.

Even though most Lagos residents who spoke to Saturday Tribune during the week condemned what they described mostly as “violence against women”, a good number of them reserved a larger part of their ire for the entire membership of the legislative arm of government.

“As if it hadn’t dawned on us, Nigerians, that we are represented by bickering kids who seem more like the vilest of the populace, this current battle has to come to further highlight it,” said

Mr Olumide Ayodele, an instructor at ICS Language Consult, Ikeja. “The childish bickering of both parties goes to show how we are being ruled and represented by talkative and childish adults who enjoy the monumental privilege of being called our representatives.”

Say no to violence On Monday, scores of women thronged the Lagos State House of Assembly at Alausa to condemn Melaye’s alleged verbal assault on “one of their own”.

Led by Mrs Eunice Ogunleye, the protesters, dressed in blue jeans and white T-shirts, danced and

chanted, as they marched determinedly along the Secretariat Road until they reached the State House of Assembly Complex.

Their placards were many.

Some of them read: “Melaye, Senate is not your father’s house”, “Dino, leave Tinubu alone”, “Say No to Abuse”, “We Say No to Violence Against Women”, “Women Stand up against Dino.”

They described Mr Melaye’s action as “unfortunate, condemnable, disgraceful, disgusting, irritating, shameful and most embarrassing to the collective psyche of the entire nation.” They specifically urged members of Me-

laye’s constituency to initiate a process that would lead to his recall.

The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Honourable Wasiu Eshilokun would later note during Monday’s plenary that the senator’s action was capable of ridiculing the very essence of the legislature at all levels. Other lawmakers present at the occasion were Gbolahan Yishawu, Segun Olulade, Abiodun Tobun, and some principal officers, including the Majority Leader, Honourable Sanai Agunbiade and Deputy Chief Whip, Honourable Omotayo Oduntan, among others.

Some of those who criticised the women’s protest on Monday had faulted the choice of Lagos, since Melaye’s constituency is in Kogi State. But for these women, their visit to the Lagos House was only a part of a larger scheme. For example, they had, in their possession, petitions addressed to the governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and President Muhammadu Buhari.

While submitting a letter to the lawmakers, another leader of the group, Anike Adekanye, said the Kogi senator “had shown that he lacked the poise, panache, fitness and minimum character to occupy a seat among sane, revered and distinguished men and women in the hallowed chamber of the sacrosanct Nigeria Senate.”

Of dogs and thugs Of course, Melaye has since maintained that a large part of the allegations was false.

While addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, he said it was Tinubu who initiated the war of words.

“Biologically, it is even impossible to impregnate Mrs Tinubu because she has arrived menopause. If you also look at the statement for those of you who are intellectually mobile, how can you say you want to beat somebody and at the same time you want to impregnate the person? If you juxtapose the two, is there any correlation? Does it make any logical sense? So when they planted this falsehood, they did not think deeply. I want to say that I will continue to uphold the culture, the tradition, the values of the Kogi West senatorial district, and I will not abuse it. But isn’t it absurd for a woman to look for her colleague and call him a thug and a dog when he has not personally addressed you. Unfortunately, I did not have the anointing to be quiet… I replied accordingly. I repeat, there is no reaction without an action. If she did not call me a dog or a thug, there is no way I would have responded. I responded. I have no regrets for responding and defending my person…”

Saturday Tribune Comic relief For the social media, however, all of this is a huge joke, intended only to serve as a kind of comic relief in the unfolding dark drama that is Nigeria.

It would seem, however, that it was the senator himself who opened the comedy.

After it was reported that people loyal to the Tinubu family had threatened to beat him up should he ever visit Lagos, a picture of the lawmaker along the Lagos street where the Tinubu home is located surfaced online, suggesting that he had flown to Lagos just to dare his challengers.

To illustrate this scenario, a Facebook user, Egbuonu Charles Noble, on Wednesday posted a picture of a male fowl standing in front of a restaurant. The message beneath this picture reads: “Where are the people that dared me to stand in front of KFC?” Another Facebook user, Ademola Okeniyi Timothy, on Tuesday, said the protest by women in Lagos reminded him of Alexander Pope’s “Rape of the Lock”, a satiric poem which compares the cutting of a lady’s lock of hair to the abduction of Helen of Troy.

Gbadura Oluwasola said on Tuesday: “When a woman who went to preach the gospel of God was murdered in Kubwa, Abuja… when a lady was killed by her husband at Egbeda, Lagos State… what did these protesting jokers do? Absolutely nothing.”

It is not certain when this drama will end, and whether any moral lessons will be learnt. A Facebook user and media practitioner, Abiodun Akanmu, thinks it has certainly gone on for too long: “I’m tired of reading people’s comments about the name calling saga between two adults at the National Assembly,” he said.

“For how long will these two continue to disturb public peace with their childish attitudes? There are more pressing national issues that should engage our attention…”

A Reporter’s Diary

Wealthy phonebook, penniless pocket Newton-Ray Ukwuoma People say journalists know too much. The truth is, they know too many people, too many important people. That is probably one of their greatest sins, or, perhaps, one of the greatest injustices. For instance, the phonebook of a journalist is a gold mine.

His telephone conversations are often very classy.

But his pocket almost always leaves a doubt.

The weather couldn’t have been any more pleasant on this particular day. The sky was spotting a sunless hue. It was a press conferences at a prestigious hotel on the Island. Every tool was ready: a writing pad, pen, phone and a wallet. Down the street was a ready bus. And almost immediately the journey began. And no sooner had this journalist settled down

than his phone rang. Caroline Danjuma on the line.

Returning the previous day’s call, perhaps, to fix another date after six months of back and forth.

Her picture appeared on the phone screen. Then a sharp scream joined the ringtone. It was from a young lady sitting beside the journalist.

“Oh My God! Oh My God! Do you know her?”

What is to be done? Pick Caroline’s call or answer this petrified lady. In seconds, the seat space began to tighten. The journalist, sandwiched between two young ladies, soon won the attention of four eagerly attentive ladies from behind his seat.

Phone now on silence. And with a look mingled with pride and self-pity, came the affirmative nod.

This was followed with a battery of other question. The conversation had become steaming when

another call came in. Dr Sid on the line. What did he want? His interview was already published. Perhaps the headline wasn’t good. Just in the middle of the thought process came another spasm from one of his new friends.

“Is that Dr Sid calling you?”

Yet another positive nod. The conversation with Dr Sid was short and little less of the prescience.

The new chatty parties resumed. The topic was about celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was a question and answer session. And after thirty minutes, another call came, it was Caroline Danjuma again.

At this time, the seemingly logical question was asked, “Are you related to her?”

“No, I am a journalist.”

24 feature

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Pipeline Avengers are crippling Africa’s largest economy

By Dulue Mbachu (Bloomberg)

T

HEY sound like superheroes from a Marvel movie, but the Niger Delta Avengers are real and they’re crippling Africa’s largest economy.

The militant group burst onto Nigeria’s political scene near the oil hub of Warri in February, shattering a seven-year peace with a campaign of pipeline sabotage that’s ravaged crude output and starved a government already reeling from depressed prices of even more revenue.

Military checkpoints now clog the main arteries into and out of this sprawling metropolis of a million people, choking commerce just as thousands more arrive from surrounding villages in anticipation of a crackdown like the one in 2009 that left scores dead. With President Muhammadu Buhari’s government ordering a manhunt for the popular former militant leader it blames for the attacks, Government Ekpemupolo, or Tompolo, locals who’ve lived through previous spasms of violence are bracing for a protracted conflict.

“The oil companies have evacuated personnel and suspended all work so we just have to wait for things to get back to normal, which may not be soon,” said Famous Udu, 52, who lost his job overseeing pipelayers at a Chevron Corp. project in April and now drives a cab for a sixth of what he used to make.

Shell, Brexit The Avengers say they want a greater share of the wealth that Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and other companies extract from their native lands to be spent on local schools, hospitals and other essential services. After Britain, Nigeria’s former colonial ruler, voted to leave the European Union last month, the Avengers added a referendum on autonomy to their list of demands, which includes building a new university in Tompolo’s hometown.

They’re not alone.

At least a dozen other militias, some with no declared social agenda, have sprouted up in the mangroves and creeks that stretch to the Gulf of Guinea in the past six months, representing many of the competing minorities that populate the 70,000 square-kilometer region, an area almost as big as Ireland.

The latest insurgency started after Buhari, a Muslim from the north, defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the delta, in last year’s presidential election. Buhari, who ran on an anti-graft platform, ended the 2009 accord that Jonathan helped negotiate with the rebels, under which they were paid to protect pipelines instead of destroying them. Buhari then ordered the arrest of Tompolo, who some consider a folk hero, on corruption charges.

“It’s not a mere coincidence that these attacks started after Tompolo was declared wanted,” said Anyakwee Nsirimovu, who runs the Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in nearby Port Harcourt and has helped the gov-

Broken pipework in Nigeria.

PHOTO: GEORGE OSODI/BLOOMBERG.

ernment negotiate with militants. “It’s a response to the current policy position of the present government. It’s a fight back.”

‘Agitations,’ Recession The conflict is having an impact not only on the domestic economy, but also on the entire energy market. Nigerian crude exports, which account for two-thirds of state revenue, tumbled to a 27-year low in May, helping buoy global prices at a time when other producers declined to curb supplies.

After a blast damaged a key underwater pipeline, forcing Shell to shutter its massive Forcados terminal, national output briefly plunged below 1 million barrels a day, less than half of the 2.2 million barrels a day projected in the federal budget. Gas links, too, have been severed, compounding the economic malaise by idling power stations and preventing Buhari from fulfilling his pledge to end a long history of blackouts.

“The bulk of the problem of low revenue generation came from militant agitations in the Niger delta,” the budget minister, Udoma Udo Udoma, told the parliament’s appropriation committee in the capital Abuja on July 14.

Few places are feeling the financial pain more deeply than Warri, a former base for Dutch and Portugese slave traders now at the heart of an industry that transformed Nigeria into a commercial powerhouse.

While renewed violence and weaker crude prices edge the country toward its first recession in three decades, businesses in the oil patch are already struggling to stay afloat.

Unknown Threat Expatriates are leaving Warri in droves, hotel occupancy rates are at record lows and even non-energy companies are laying off workers, according to Chika Agbanelo, a manager at the once-bustling Kayriott Hotel.

“Every business is standing still,” Agbanelo said.

The number of militant groups is rising because many of their members just want to benefit from any payoff the government may offer to end the violence, making it impossible to strike a deal, said Dan Ekpebide, a community leader who participated in the talks that the oil minister, Emmanuel Kachikwu, held with some rebels last month.

So many factions have emerged that officials aren’t even sure what they’re up against. Buhari told the committee he formed to initiate dialog with militants that its first task is to “try to know how many of them there are.”

“Get in touch with their leadership to try to persuade them to please give Nigeria a chance,” the president said July 9.

Eighty percent of the oil fields are owned by northern Muslims who sit far away, enjoying their profits while we suffer pollution.

Fugitive, Inmate When the oil industry started to displace fishing and farming decades ago, many youths joined gangs that fought turf wars to claim benefits from crude producers. In the mid-2000s, though, unlike now, charismatic leaders like Tompolo and Henry Okah emerged who were able to unite the disparate groups under the umbrella of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

But soon after MEND agreed to the 2009 amnesty, Okah and his followers reneged and resumed their attacks, including a deadly car-bombing in Abuja for which Okah was arrested in South Africa and given a 15-year sentence.

“It will take people like Tompolo or Okah to provide firm leadership to these different groups and hold meaningful negotiations,” said Chijioke Nwaozuzu, a professor of petroleum economics at the University of Port Harcourt. “But Tompolo is on the run and Okah is in jail.”

One former militant who fought under Tompolo and honored the cease-fire, Pere Tariah, predicted the violence will continue until the government starts to take the financial and ecological demands being made by the Avengers and other armed groups seriously. Officials in Abuja, the unemployed diver said, only listen to the people of the delta when the oil stops flowing.

“Eighty percent of the oil fields are owned by northern Muslims who sit far away, enjoying their profits while we suffer pollution,” said Tariah, 32. “That’s why these attacks have started again.

People here don’t want things to continue this way.”

25

23 July, 2016

ntertainment Society Gist

News

What’s the connection between Alex Ekubo and Ruth Kadiri?

Gabriel Afolayan lauds Omoni Oboli over new movie

Movie review Quest for power, position, blood in ‘THE CEO’

Fathia Balogun

warns fans against fraudsters

Saturday Tribune J

with oan

Omionawele

jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08059793705

Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

newtray2002@yahoo.com 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

26 entertainment

23 July, 2016

Review:

Fathia Balogun warns fans against fraudsters

movie

Quest for power, Position, blood, in ‘The CEO’

By Joan Omionawele

P

OPULAR Nollywood actress, Faithia Balogun has alerted her fans to impostors using her brand to extort unsuspecting victims in a recent post on the social media.

The actress who was recently added to the list of 2016 most influential Deltans took to her Instagram page to inform her fans about the complaints she had been receiving from victims and announced her official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

In an attempt to prevent a recurrence, Faithia posted a screenshot of her official Facebook page with the caption below: My dear fans, I’ve received complaints countless times concerning impersonators and scammers using my name and brand to extort unsuspecting individuals on social media platforms. This has been going on for a long time and I’m using this medium to appeal to you; there is only one authentic Facebook account operated by me - the picture is above and that is ‘Faithia Balogun’ (www.facebook.com/OfficialFaithiaBalogun), which I opened recently. I apologise to my fans who have been

Saturday Tribune

duped by these scoundrels. I love you all and don’t want any of you to fall victim anymore. You can also follow my official Instagram, @FaithiaWilliamsBalogun, my Twitter, @FaithiaWBalogun. Love always.

Faithia Balogun was recently been nominated in the Best Actress of the Year (Yoruba) & Personality of the year category at the 2016 City People Awards.

AVID fans and lovers of award-winning television series, ‘Suits’, who have been waiting patiently since the shocking finale of season 5 are in for a surprise as the sixth season has returned on DSTv. The plot starts right where Mike, who is confronting the harsh realities of prison life while still coming to terms with his two-year sentence. The sixth season will also see what remains of Pearson Specter Litt’s attempt to rebuild, but the firm’s troubles are far from over, especially when they’re still in the eye of the storm of Mike’s very public admission of guilt.

A season of top-to-bottom drama awaits, and in usual Suits fashion, there’s plenty of sharp one-liners, slick legal acrobatics and, of course, perfectly attired

attorneys-at-law.

‘Suits’ will welcome new recurring stars, including Erik Palladino (Arrow, 666 Park Avenue), Paul Schulze (Nurse Jackie) and Malcolm Jamal Warner (American Crime: The People vs. OJ Simpson). Neal McDonough returns as Sean Cahill, John Pyper-Ferguson as Jack Soloff, Patrick Fischler as A. Eliot Stemple and Aloma Wright as Gretchen Bodinski.

New characters include Alan Rosenberg (L.A. Law) as William Sutter, a Wall Street big shot; Malcolm Gets (Caroline in the City) as Professor Dunbar, Rachel’s ethics instructor at Columbia Law; David Hewlett (Stargate SG-1) as Nathan Byrnes, a client who Harvey reluctantly takes on and Ian Reed Kessler (Melissa & Joey) as Stu Buzzini, a Wall Street trader who Louis is forced to tolerate.

Suits is created and executive produced by Aaron Korsh (The Deep End), Doug Liman (Covert Affairs, The Bourne Trilogyand Mr. & Mrs. Smith), David Bartis (Covert Affairs and The O.C.) and Gene Klein (Covert Affairs).

Daniel Arkin (90210) and Rick Muirragui (Men of a Certain Age and The Good Guys) also serve as executive producers.

Suits’ returns with season 6

THE setting of the highly anticipated movie, THE CEO, is a serene beach resort in Lagos, where a multinational company, Transwire, brings 5 top officials of the company to choose the CEO. The show starts with the arrival of Dr Zimmaman (Angelique Kidjo), who seems to know the dirty past of each official and then, as the subject matter unfolds, it gets tougher with the death of the first housemate, Jomo (Peter King), while another, Eloise (Auriele Eliam), dies a day after. The filmmaker makes use of sound, a chair dance game and explicit imagery and African content to execute these scences.

There seems to be a death spell cast on the housemates as anyone who loses during the chair dance ends up, dead the next day. Like he did with ‘October 1’, Afolayan sets the audience in awe with many unanswered questions, unlike the typical movie in which one can suggest the finishing line from the beginning!

The movie calls for deep thinking as the audience begins to place bets on who the killer is as they argue in hushed voices. Thus, with the costume, story of ambition, musical theme, dark imagery, Afolayan brings out the dark soul of an unassuming, seemingly harmless lady Lisa (Kemi Lala Akindoju), who turns out to be the antagonist and killer.

The scriptwriter, Tunde Babalola must be given kudos as he always writes stories about “things that people do not want to talk about” by thinking outside the box, as the society we live in is getting complex, a point powerfully made in the movie.

The zenith of the filmmaker’s dream is, however, to project Nollywood to the world, as each character represents various African countries and executes its roles professionally. The movie explores the quest for power, money and position and sex. It is very mind engaging and it is not for the idle mind, although it doesn’t use image tricks or special effects.

Although there is no sealing of the crime scene or family members coming to create a scene at the crime scene, as in a typical Nigerian setting, Afolayan ups the ante by putting up a sophisticated investigation through Hilda Dokubo, to unravel the mystery.

Pundits also argue that the scriptwriter tries to patch the character of Lisa to the movie only 15minutes to the end of the film, but what is there to enjoy in a movie, if all the cues are given to you at the beginning? Kudos to the filmmaker as it is not the typical play-at-home movie. Kunle Afolayan is not here to joke!

Gabriel Afolayan lauds Omoni Oboli on new movie NOLLYWOOD actor and producer, Omoni Oboli, has begun works on her fourth production as a producer and director. The new work ‘Okafor’s Law’ is coming on the heels of the success of ‘Wives on strike’ which became the third most successful Nollywood movie ever in cinema.

‘Okafor’s’ Law is a comedy about a married woman who ran into her past love and has to contend with the legendary Okafor’s Law to save herself and her marriage.

Okafor’s Law is a law which states that if a man sleeps with a woman once, he can always bed the woman again irrespective of new develop-

ments like marriage, new lover or break-up.

With Okafor’s Law, Omoni is raising the bar and stepping up several inches from where she left off with her past movies.

Apart from high quality crew led by notable director of photography, Yinka Edward and set designer, Pat Nebo, the movie also boasts of actors and actresses of note.

The cast of the movie are Richard Mofe Damijo, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ufuoma McDermott, Tina Mba, Toyin Aimakhu, Lala Akindoju, Yvonne Jegede, Halima Abubakar, Mary Lazarus, Uche Nnaji, Betty Irabor, Gabriel Afolayan, Ken Erics, and Omoni herself. With Okafor’s Law, expectations are high as to how far Omoni and her team can go on this.

Gabriel Afolayan, a member of the cast

rates the work as a “high level standard.”

“This is one of those set that you would be on and you are glad that you are working. You get to experience a thorough filmmaking process, the breakdown of scenes and shots and the feel of intense lightening. Those are the very important things that most of the filmmakers don’t even get to do sometimes and having Yinka Edward on set, it couldn’t have been any better, with standard equipment, standard crew in terms of numbers.”

He also rates Omoni’s directing skills as being special. “She is special, very special. She knows everything she’s looking for and that’s one thing some directors don’t know about. She works in line with the vision of what she’s doing. I’m very impressed with her skills and these skills will take her places, trust me.”

27 entertainment

23 July, 2016

The Voice Nigeria: Linda 1Nneka,

Jennifer, others exit show

Chike, Cornel, Brenda, DNA, Viveeya, others survive

By Joan Omionawele and Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

T

HE latest most anticipated TV series, the Voice Nigeria, which is sponsored

by Airtel Nigeria, has continued to spark off surprises, drama and suspense as it fast approaches its grand finale.

During the weekend, just after the coaches, 2baba, Waje, Patoranking and Timi Dakolo got to save one of the four performers from each of their teams during the

second live show, but Nigerians were given the task to save one talented singer from each team.

Following the near eviction of Chike, DNA, Linda 1Nneka, Jennifer, Brenda, Viveeyan, Arese, Patrick, Promise, Cornel, Armstrong and Dewe, Nigerians managed to save DNA, A’rese, Chike, Brenda, Viveeyan, Arese, Patrick, Dewe and Cornel, while Linda 1Nneka, Jennifer, Promise and Arm-

strong were evicted.

The show started with 48 contestants and is now down to 12 contestants rooting for a place in the top eight.

The stakes are higher as the grand prizes for the winner have been revealed — a recording deal with Universal, a brand new SUV valued at

My mum encouraged me to do love songs —Simi SONGSTRESSES, Simisola Ogunleye popularly known as Simi, has revealed how her mother encouraged

Judges of The Voice Nigeria

her to do love songs.

The X3M Music first lady, who started as a gospel singer, told Saturday Tribune in an interview that her mum was played a role in her switch from gospel to love songs.

The ‘Love Don’t Care’ crooner said that though gospel songs drew her to music, she grew professionally as a singer, songwriter and composer when she heeded her mother’s advice to venture into love songs.

She said, “After hearing my songs, she would sometimes say, ‘You know, it wouldn’t be bad if you did a love song once in a while’. And after sometime, I began to give it a thought. I did “Tiff,” that was the first secular song.

After ‘Tiff’ I began to see

What’s the connection between Ruth Kadiri and Alex Ekubo?

IT’S not surprising to see Nollywood acts in love webs especially in movies, but when they are bringing these little connections to real life, this is where the surprises come from.

During the week, Nollywood actress, Ruth Kadiri posted an open letter to her future husband, on Instagram, stating her do’s and don’ts, while specifically stating that he must acknowledge her association of husbands.

The letter read “I’m writing you this letter, from the deepest part of my heart, the part that is reserved for joloff rice & goat meat, so please feel special. You must love our Lord Jesus Christ, with all sincerity, in deeds & in purpose. I’m filled with Simple Complexities & Complex Simplicities, I’m NOT here to pay for your Ex’s mistake, I was not there when you both were “doing” so please don’t

punish me.

Kadiri continues: “Please, forgive me for all I’ll say when I’m angry, my anger really doesn’t last. I love play I don’t take myself too seriously, you shouldn’t too (nobody cares) there are more important things going on in the world.”

“Lastly, you must acknowledge the Ruth Kadiri

seven million naira from Africa Magic, and a four nights all-expense paid trip for the winner and a partner to Abu Dhabi, courtesy of Etihad.

Husband Association Worldwide (R.K.H.A) they’ve been my support structure holding me down all the while you were forming “Baddest guy fever liveth” they were here voting & encouraging my ministry, don’t come & put sand-sand in their garri.

What caught readers attention is that Nollywood

Alex Ekubo and Ruth Kadiri on a movie set.

actor, Alex Ekubo posted the same message online and only edited the part that his future wife must acknowledge the Alex Ekubo Wives Association (AWA) as they have been his support over the years.

We are yet to find out if there is a connection between the duo, but we are watching closely.

music more as an art, not as a ministry.

“As I grew, music became a part of me. I got signed to another record label.

My current label worked me through the dynamics of Nigerian music. I was able to artistically define myself. That was when I started doing good music.

I got better in writing and singing. I even started learning sound engineering”.

Simi, who admitted having a body of unreleased gospel songs she considers artistically inchoate, described her genre of music as chiefly Afro Soul.

Speaking, she said, “I started singing professionally in 2006 as a gospel singer. My first album, ‘Oga Ju’ was produced by Samklef.

But I was really happy I didn’t release that album because those songs were not really good.

After ‘Tiff’ in 2014, I felt like I was more mature in the industry than in time past.”

Saturday Tribune

AFRIMA insists on July 30 deadline for submission THE international committee of All African Music Awards (AFRIMA) has appealed to music professionals aiming to participate in this year’s award event to turn in their art works by July 2016.

The President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada, who made the disclosure during a media briefing during the week said the organisers will maintain the July 30 close of entries in order not to “distort the calendar” of the third edition.

He said: “We would not want to distort the calendar for this year’s edition.

Sticking to the deadline will enable an early screening of the list of entries submitted for the adjudication process and nominees’ announcement.”

Speaking about the modalities of this year’s award nomination and categorisation, Dada disclosed that a 13-person jury selected across the five regions of Africa and the diaspora will be set up between 16 and 23 of August 2016 to screen, categorise, assess and select nominees from the body of works submitted for award consideration, adding that the World Media Announcement of the continental awards would be held on August 22.

Also speaking, the Project Director, Afrima, Kemi Ashefon, expressed satisfaction at the number of entries received across the continent from African music artistes, music professionals and journalists.

She said: “I must say we are impressed by the level of participation by African artistes on the continent and in the diaspora, in the ongoing AFRIMA 3.0 entries submission process so far. This is an encouraging success marker for us considering the fact that we have surpassed the 1500 mark before the close of entries in two weeks’ time.”

“In the spirit of our FACE IT value of Fairness, Accountability, Creativity, Excellence, Integrity and Transparency, we hope the last two weeks to the deadline will give everyone a chance to get involved in AFRIMA.” In partnership with the African Union Commission, (AUC), The All Africa Music Awards, (AFRIMA), is a music and cultural initiative developed to celebrate, reward and showcase the rich musical heritage of Africa.

28

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

Akinsola Akinfemiwa

plans ahead

F Biola Adegoke is ready Biola Adegoke, the owner of defunct Da Nu Grotto, is back.

Sources confirmed that the ex-partner of Quilox boss, Shina Peller, is cooking something new which he is now set to unveil.

Biola relocated his nightclub business to Abuja, which he operated for some years, before he decided to suspend the operations and then moved back to Lagos to reconcile his interest with his clients and patrons.

Biola, who is at the moment a manager at a hangout in Lagos, has finalised plans to unveil his biggest project.

His friends claim that the socialite is only waiting for the perfect season to launch his interest.

ormer Managing Director of Skye Bank and now chairman of Heritage Bank, Akinsola Akinfemiwa, is not hiding the fact that he is one of the few men hoping to become the governor of Ondo State in the coming governorship election in the state.

The banker, who dusted his suit and tie profession to don the garb of a politician, is determined to test the unfamiliar terrain as he has his eyes on the glory.

Those in the know say that the exbanker has put everything in motion and is ready to claim the seat for himself.

Akinfemiwa, who retired from Skye Bank to become a consultant for various financial

institutions first indicated his interest some years ago with the citing of a multimillion naira hotel in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.

His interest in the race is said to have sent a warning signal to other hopefuls who see his background, connection and exposure as an advantage he might explore to actualise his dream.

Yemisi Awe still celebrating

mer IsYemisi, the wife of for Awe, eem Ak land Club chairman, . ing rat eb cel has not stopped who celThe woman of class, ay recentebrated her 55th birthd ce on the ly, has been a major for years. social scene for many ficer of e The Chief Executiv Of best the s joy en Paragon Boutique . ds en fri ht rig of life with the look her At 55, Yemisi doesn’t secret of age as she reveals the e links to her beauty which sh love she peace of mind and the . nd sba enjoys from her hu a quiet s wa ay Her 55th birthd sion ses yer pra a th celebration wi . family with close friends and

Gavaar Olatunbosun’s rising profile ‘Gavpop’ is on top of the ladder as one of the finest disc jockeys of this generation and the man-about-town, whose delicious spins and mastery of the turntables fetched him the 2016 Nigerian Broadcaster Merit Awards as the Best Nigerian DJ, is not resting on his oars. He counts on hard work and years of experience to win the upcoming Nigerian Entertainment Award where he stands as a nominee.

The popular disc jockey, who is the official deejay of Splash FM in Ibadan, Oyo State, is a man of many parts. Aside his work as a Dee Jay, Gavaar runs a disc jockey academy where many talents are discovered every year.

Kola Gbadamosi keeps low profile Kola Gbadamosi,the boss of Oil Bath and who is better known as ‘KG’ has shelved all his public pastime and now enjoys the comfort of his home.

His friends claim he has lost interest in many things and gone are the seasons of high profile parties and customised won-

der-on-wheels as the businessman is said to keep all his businesses private for now.

The businessman, who had the late Islamic scholar, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao as his mentor, is said to have begun the re-strategising for his company to meet with the new challenges in his industry.

29

Interview

23 July, 2016

Govt policies, smugglers killed textile industries in Nigeria —Shokas Chief (Dr) Shakirudeen Olanrewaju Kassim is the chairman of Shokas Textile Industries, the Bobagunwa of Akile-Ijebu in Ogun State and a renowned philanthropist. In this interview, he speaks with TUNDE ADEGBOLA on his 80th birthday anniversary, experiences, state of the nation and sundry issues. Excerpts:

Chief Kassim

H

OW do you feel attaining the age of 80?

I give thanks to Almighty Allah, who spared my life to witness this special day, the 80th of it in my life. Despite the sicknesses I had, God still counted me among the living soul today. I cannot thank Him enough. When I was ill, I was flown abroad, where series of tests were carried out on almost all the parts of my body. the doctors were checking the functionality of those parts which includes liver, lungs, intestine and others.

I thought I was going to die, but God, in His infinite mercies, still spared my life till today.

What was your growing up like?

I am the fifth child of my parents; that period, my mother was categorised as one of the most successful business women in town. She was selling textiles at Gbagi Market, Ibadan. Then, most parents did not believe in giving their children education, but believed in exposing them to different businesses. It was because my mother was rich that gave her the courage to train us up to Standard Six. I was born in 1936, when I finish Standard Six, I moved to Ibadan. Then, I was young, very

hardworking but people always said I was stubborn. When I got to Ibadan, I got a job with Costain as messenger, I spent some years working there and later promoted to head the junior cadre of staff at Costain.

One day, I went to see my auntie at Dugbe Market, she was selling dried meat (Kundi), I developed interest in the business. I make enquiries about the business and I discovered they were making a lot of money in the business. I resigned from my messenger job at Costain to secure a selling space to start my own dry meat business. I later discovered that I

am the only man among lots of women in the business, but I encouraged myself and I was able to make some money through it. In the early 1960s, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was providing potable water for all communities in the Western region, the water project was handled by an Israeli company which employed me as a driver and I was attached to one of the engineers on the site. I worked there for about a year before I left.

Then, I decided to join my mother in the business of selling textile. All these while, I still had my savings intact and I borrowed 100 pounds from one of my brothers. I used the money to buy different colours of clothing materials and I started selling and God blessed me through it. Since the business is booming, I decided to start importing textiles from abroad, with the view of having different textiles which were not common in the market and of high grades.

My first ever travel experience outside the country was my trip to Mecca . At Jeddah, I saw many things I could buy to Nigeria to sell. When I returned to Nigeria, I had to quickly travel back to buy those textile materials and I made lots of profits in it.

That was how I started importing from different countries to sell in Nigeria.

At a particular time, I met a friend who introduced me to a white man that asked me to follow him to Austria. The white man told me that in Austria, there were a lot of textiles with high quality and which would not be common in the market. At first, I refused to follow him and he asked why? I told him that whenever I wanted to travel out of the country; I always insured myself and my house in Ibadan, so that if anything happened to me and I did not return, my wife and children would not be dragged out of the house by my debtors. Surprisingly, he agreed to insure me and my house, that was how I followed him to Austria. When we got there, it was as if the whole country was dealing with textiles, I got more than I needed with high qualities and I returned to the country on the fourth day. Due to the trust those partners had in me, they started sending textiles to me on credit basis, which means I would return their money when finished selling. Through that, I was able make so much money that I settled all debts and

Then we had about 500 textile industries in the country functioning, but unfortunately now we cannot find 20 textile industries working effectively. They are all dead and killed by Nigerian government through their bad and selfish policies.

Saturday Tribune

even had enough money to start buying materials from Austria without credit.

How did you establish your own company?

One day, I was planning to travel to Austria as usual and a friend of mine, Alhaji Shote, whom we are in the same business came to me and said he wanted to follow me to Austria and I took him along. On getting to Austria, my partners welcomed us very well, but at night I was invited alone for a meeting.

They told me their plans that they wanted to come and establish a textile company in Nigeria and they wanted me to be their partner. In the long run, we agreed on 50/50 per cent share of the company, since I believed was a good business. That was how I took the textile industry (Sokas Textile Industries) to Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State. And since then, aside from textile business, I never gambled into any other businesses because of the risk associated with running many businesses at a time.

Coming to the limelight in the business, you never mentioned you secure loan from banks, how was that possible?

Yes, I am not the only partner in the business. I told you earlier that I went to Austria with a friend when the deal was struck. Immediately I returned from the meeting with those white men, I told my friend what transpired between us at the meeting and he was so happy with me. But the following morning, my friend called me and asked what I would give him since the good luck came when he accompanied me abroad. Since we love each other so much, I told him, I will give him 10 per cent of my 50 per cent shares. He was so happy. But he said that since we are starting the business together, why can’t we make it 25:25 per cent and I agreed with him. And the business started very well and was growing day by day, and to God be the glory, I never regretted the partnership. But unfortunately he died in 2001.

Who killed the business?

It was the Nigerian government that killed the business. Then we had about 500 textile industries in the country functioning, but unfortunately, now, we cannot find 20 textile industries working effectively. They are all dead and killed by the Nigerian government through their bad and selfish policies. Nigerian government began to destroy this country when they started allowing goods into the country without paying customs duty and forced we (manufacturers) to pay the custom duty. Take it or leave it, if manufacturers continued to pay customs duty and smugglers were allowed to continue to smuggle finished goods into the country without paying Customs duty, the country cannot progress.

When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was president, he made attempt to revive textile industries in the country, but the efforts were jeopardised by some selfish people. Up to N10 billion was released by his government to be shared among the owners of those industries, which they did. Most of the industries started producing again, but government’s inability to stop smuggling killed those businesses again, because we, the manufacturers, cannot compete with market price of textile. The price of our produce is higher than the price of those smugglers because they were not paying Customs duty. And that was how textile industries in Nigeria was killed and buried by their government policies.

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

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23 July, 2016

The South-West Editor Wole Efunnuga | 08111813056

Monica Taiwo and Tunde Busari recently visited Ugbo-land, the only oil-producing community in the Yoruba nation. The duo, in this piece, put down their experience and the splendour of the land.

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Voyage to Ugboland, Yoruba oil-producing community

prawled elegantly over acres of land in a defined majestic splendour is the palace of the Olugbo of Ugbo land, Oba Frederick Enitiolorunda Akinruntan, the paramount ruler and prescribed authority of Ugboland.

The elegance of the edifice does not look out of place in the serene environment where it lays; a place where nature plays out its best with its peaceful and unclouded sky.

As you enter into Ode-Ugbo you cannot miss out the imposing bill board which features no one else but the Olugbo himself, welcoming you to his kingdom.

These combined with the 33-kilometre stretch of asphaltic road which leads visitors to Ugbo land from Igbokoda, giving a great relief from the unpleasant experience we had from Ijebu-Ode junction via the Benin-Ore expressway before turning into Igbotako link road to proceed to Ugboland via Okitipupa and Igbokoda.

This aside, our arrival at the monarch’s palace was soothing because of the warm reception which greeted us; we were being expected, but we had to wait for Kabiyesi.

It couldn’t have been otherwise, anyway.

He took his time to join us, but of course, there was no reason for us to hurry as we had enough time to look around the sprawling splendour and exquisitely laid out grounds of the palace.

His elegant gait and dress sense when he was announced by the beagle depicted one who knows his onions in the art and science of dressing; of course, he is no doubt a man of great taste. After acknowledging our greetings with the royal wave of his staff of office (opa-ase), he pleaded with us to accompany him to his ancestral home. We were stunned on arrival at the new site at how he related with his people both young and old. Obviously, he is a monarch well loved and revered by his people.

He told us he needed to rebuild his source. According to him, though the piece of land is not up to a plot, it was where his ancestors settled down when they first arrived at Ugbo and as far as he is concerned, the place deserves to be elevated. He is not comfortable living in opulence, while his forefathers home remains unattractive.

“My people all know me that I am not a monarch who has lost touch with his history. There is no other place deserving respect than this point where my forefathers first settled when they arrived at this settlement.

“I have given the builders ultimatum which they are working to meet. This place needs to be completed and showcased to the world. That is why I brought you to this place for the interview. I want you to

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growing up. The lyrics of their music were thrilling and in agreement with the environment.

Ugbo town can boast of all the amenities available in other big towns; though small, it is mighty. You find electricity poles that are solar powered, schools even a customary court.

A trip round Ode-Ugbo and Ugbo-Nla revealed a town with a contented and hard working people.

Their aquatic skills coupled with the fact that they adapt well to the environment is a plus for the Ugbo people. Their major occupation is fishing and their fish draws patronage nationally.

Despite its geographical location, which officially classifies it as one of the oil-producing communities, the town is not known for militant agitation against environmental pollution as witnessed in other oil communities.

One of the reasons the people are contented is the positive influence of their traditional ruler. The exploits of Oba Akinruntan in oil and gas, hospitality and construction are an inspiration to his subjects to believe that with hard work and focus, they also can make a success in legitimate enterprises.

There is no other place deserving respect than this point where my forefathers first settled when they arrived at this settlement

see the progress we have made on the construction work,” the Olugbo explained.

After he had inspected the site, despite the splendour of his palace, the Olugbo sat down at the site, surrounded by his people and granted us an interview which lasted over an hour.

During the course of the interview, he cracked jokes and interjected with songs

in his dialect which were joyfully chorused by his people. If you think the Efik and Calabar sing like the nightingale, you will have a rethink when you listen to the Ugbo people following their Kabiyesi and matching him with all the tonic solfa.

His people are natural musicians and he particularly loves to sing and dance, as he said he had a musical group while he was

Aside oil, the community is also blessed with glass, sand, salt, clay, all of which are being tapped by the people to eke out a living.

With history having it that the Ugbos are the aboriginal inhabitants of Ile-Ife, the acclaimed cradle of Yoruba race, Oba Akinruntan, since he mounted the throne has brought more fame to the town and indeed asserted its position.

Currently he is the chairman of Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee, the position he has given a serious attention in ensuring cohesion among Yoruba traditional rulers.

“The legacy a traditional ruler should leave behind is turning his town around and impacting on his subjects positively so that hundreds of years after his exit, he will still be mentioned and praised. I am doing my best for my people and they are appreciative,” he said. Today, Ugbo kingdom will play host to some important personalities as it often does by the courtesy of the monarch.

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23 July, 2016

achievers

With Ronke Sanya (Winner, NMMA Innovative Reporter of the Year 2015) 07036050161 | sanyaaderonke@gmail.com

I sat WASCE 7 times, I’m now an international figure in creative arts

vide opportunities for girls to learn is a disappointment to humanity. We must not be afraid of what girls can become if we give them the right tools and access to learning. I see girls who will contribute to national development and the progress of Africa as artists.

Other competitions which my protégés have participated and won include David Shepherd Wild Life Art Competition and Exhibition, United Kingdom, Nigeria Centenary Painting and Poetry Competition, among others.

You have been involved in numerous art education, art advocacy, charity art exhibitions among others, what inspires you and motivates you to be involved in all these health-related activities?

My dream is become the biggest inspiration to Afri-

—Olakunle Adewale Joel Olakunle Adewale Joel, in this interview by RONKE SANYA, tells his tale of how he rose from the status of a dull and seemingly hopeless Mushin boy to become a mentor, teacher of young children and creative artist of international repute.

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OU are many personalities rolled into one. How do you combine all these responsibilities of being a poet, publisher, writer, public speaker, art analyst, graphics designer, creative writer, and being the creative Director of Tender Arts successfully?

This can be said to be as a result of the fact that I am very passionate about what I do. Everything I do is centered on arts. I discovered my passion for writing, talking, drawing, and designing and I gave it much attention. Being talented calls for a serious responsibility and giving attention to achieving desired results within the time frame.

This involves being serious minded. Focusing on one thing at a time has really helped me in achieving milestone achievements. So through self-discovery and set goals, I have been able to strike a balance and achieve success in what I do.

You seem also passionate about teaching children arts, most especially the girl child.

Oh yes! Heaven knows that I love children.

Maybe it is one of the traits I inherited from my late dad who was so popular for his love for children and youths in the neighbourhood.

I am very passionate about teaching children creative arts because arts and artists are not given much regards to our society. Artists are considered failures and unserious set of persons, this is why I am so involved in helping children to develop their artistic skills to achieve greatness with their God-given talents.

Interestingly, while I was still in full time art teaching, some of my pupils achieved a lot as budding artists. I always inspire them to be the best as young artists. They have participated in local and international art competitions and exhibitions and have won national awards.

One of them is 10-year-old Ayomikun Omoyiola, who was in 2014 invited by the Federal Government of Nigeria to receive

Joel with children at one of the camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Yola.

a Peace Award through an art work she did. It was a great moment for me to see her being given a national award as a young artist.

Ayomikun is one of the young artists I have trained who has excelled at what she does. I felt fulfilled that my efforts were not wasted. For me it was also a validation of advocacy for art education. This gave me the privilege of meeting the former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and also the President of the European Union, Manuel Barroso. There is no limit to what a girl can achieve if she is empowered and given the required back-up to achieve greatness.

I have come to a realise that we have a world that treats girls as second class citizens. We must get rid of behaviours and attitudes that put girls in a tight corner from fulfilling their God-given potential. Any society, organisation or individual that does not pro-

Saturday Tribune

Joel

can children and youths by giving hope and inspiring change in communities. I believe that art is a tool for social transformation. I want to help young people become the very best in life, have hope and reason to live.

That is why in recent times I have been very much involved in ICEHA’s Healing Through Art (art therapy) for survivors of Boko haram insurgency in the North East of Nigeria, Also children and young persons living with the sickle-Cell anemia, children and young persons living with cancer and Down syn-

I have worked as a labourer at construction sites, I have been a bus conductor, newspaper vendor, among many others. I never imagined that I could ever go beyond the secondary school level. drome.

You were nominated for the global teacher prize in 2014, an award-winning programme organised by Varkey GEMS Foundation in United Kingdom and was recently nominated sickle cell international ambassador, what other international recognition has your artistic adventure gained?

In 2015 I had the privilege of meeting the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, through the Mandela Washington Fellowship Award. I also received a special recommendation on my Creative Arts engagement from Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. I was named young Africa ambassador for arts and culture by the Arts Council of New Orleans and also, I am a scholarship recipient of Arts in Medicine, College of Arts University of Florida.

Tell us more about Olakunle Joel?

I am the ninth child in the family of 14 children. I was born and brought up in Mushin, Lagos. I attended Mainland Model Primary School, Mushin; St. Joseph Boys Secondary School, Surulere; Auchi Polythecnic, Auchi, where I studied painting and general arts and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, where I specialised in art history and painting. I also attended Tulane University, New Orleans, USA, where I studied civic leadership. I started serious art during my teenage years working on comics, Bible characters and creative writings. I am a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

I do share this testimony at every given opportunity to challenge and inspire young people that I wrote the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) seven times in seven years before I made it to the university, but now, I have to my credit the Mandela Washington Fellowship Award and have received special recommendations for my creative arts engagements.

My mother was a food vendor by the roadside. I grew up hawking kerosene, sachet water and nylon bags to assist her. Unfortunately, I lost her three months after I graduated from OAU. I have worked as a labourer at construction sites, I have been a bus conductor, newspaper vendor, among many others. I never imagined that I could ever go beyond the secondary school level. I am grateful to God for the privilege of being a better man today. Today, I am happily married to Mopelola.

Words of advice for young Nigerians hoping to make a breakthrough someday.

Take responsibility for your future, if you don’t want to end up as a failure. Stop blaming your past, start blessing you present so that you can be a blessing in the future. You can make it only if you dare!

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interview

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Buhari should institutionalise fight against corruption, not personalise it —Kwara Speaker The Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Honourable Ali Ahmad, a legal practitioner, speaks to BIOLA AZEEZ on some issues affecting the polity. Excerpts:

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HERE is said to be a general decline in professional ethics among lawyers. How do you see the situation?

There is no doubt that there is a decline in the legal profession. It is a noble profession, as we used to know it, but we have seen an erosion of the values and culture in the profession. I believe there is the need to take a step back and fortify the rules. We have so many lawyers now. We have to enforce the rules and everybody will sit up. We have to bring back the glory of the profession.

A common manifestation of the decline has been given as enticement of judges by lawyers. How do you react to this?

That is the root of corruption among lawyers.

Once you step out of court, you have nothing else to do with the judge except to pay respect to him.

But now you see lawyers hobnobbing with judges.

When they say there is corruption in the judiciary, a client doesn’t have access to the judge, lawyers do. Let the truth be told. It is the lawyers that act as middlemen. So, once lawyers don’t do that, clients or a party to a case cannot have access to the judge. Lawyers should stop this practice.

Some say President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption is selective, others say it is in public interest. What do you say?

Fight against corruption should not be personalised. I believe it should be institutionalised otherwise the administration of President Buhari will be for naught; once he leaves the scene, corruption will come back, because, for now, there is nothing institutional about it. Now it is not institutionalised; it is personal. Let us institutionalise it. Unless we do that, we are wasting our time because it means that the day he leaves, it [corruption] will come back. President Buhari should reform the process, empower the institutions, step back and let the institutions fight the fight. If they are not fighting well, call them and ask them why they are not succeeding. Empower them and fund them. That is the way to go. That is why some people are saying it is being done by selection. I don’t want to go into that.

I know they have their reasons and facts. If the fight against corruption is institutionalised, it will be on a steady course.

Now, they look at the body language of whoever is there [in power] and if he wants them to go, they go and they look at the body language of somebody who is close to the president and if he does not want them to go, they get back. So, we are wasting our time.

All this fight against corruption is a waste of time because it is personalised. I urge the president to institutionalise the fight against corruption. Nobody wants corruption but when you personalise the effort to stop it and then the people see you as being selective, it will not succeed.

Everybody must support the fight against corruption - lawyers, judges, institutions, teachers, students...everybody, not Buhari alone. The president cannot fight it alone. Corruption is bigger than him. It is bigger than the EFCC. It is bigger than the ICPC. It is bigger than the CCT. What are we talking about? We are wasting our time. Corruption fight should be institutionalised. Why has the president said despite the enactment of criminal justice law, cases are still being delayed? That is a valid question. Going after one person or one political party is not encouraging.

Some are saying rule of law is also necessary to fight the menace.

Rule of law is necessary in the fight against corruption.

If you throw out rule of law in the fight, we are in great trouble. Every step you take, you must follow the due process. So, when some people say when you arrest someone over allegation of corruption, throw them in jail, as we are seeing, it is not the process.

What do you think the recovered loot should be used for?

They should go to the National Assembly to do something about it and appropriate it. I will suggest we pay salaries with it. Let us pay workers. About 27 states cannot pay salaries. I urge them to take it back to the National Assembly.

Let’s say this is a version of the ‘Excess Crude Account.’

Why are Nigerian lawyers not participating much

Rule of law is necessary in the fight against corruption. If you throw out rule of law in the fight, we are in great trouble. Every step you take, you must follow the due process.

in politics?

I have been passionate about this question for a long time. Why are we in the minority in Nigeria?

Why is Nigeria an exception? The only answer I can come up with, having thought about it is that the United States system, which I know a little about more than any other countries, encourages lawyers. It is lawyers-friendly but the Nigerian system is not. In the US system, when you have the district attorney, it is an elective position. You go out there and campaign. And when you get to court, you start winning public interest cases. You become popular. From there, you become a mayor. From there, you become a state legislator. Then you become a congress man. From there, you become president. So, the US system is lawyers-friendly.

The American system is prescriptive. Lawyers are good in America because the system encourages the participation of lawyers. That is why you see that 70 percent of politicians in America are lawyers. Nigeria has the same system as America, but why are we not getting involved? It is because we believe that politics is dirty on the one hand and on the other hand, you have the issue of the godfather as entry point. America encourages lawyers; it is suitable for lawyers.

In Nigeria, you don’t get in politics because you are a process man, which lawyers are. Lawyers are process people. Politics is a process, just like legislature. You are a fantastic legislator if you are a good lawyer. Our legislature today is suffering because we have a small number of lawyers there. But lawyers cannot get in.

When I contested for the House of Representatives, I lamented; I spent N50 million campaigning. I was lamenting and wondering where I would recover my money from. A friend from Imo State said, ‘Ali!’ I said yes. ‘You say you spent N50 million?’ I said yes. He said, ‘for what?!’ I said for primaries, for election, for post-election, thanksgiving, and for everything. He said, ‘are you kidding?’ He said he spent N250 million on primaries, and that is true. In the East, you cannot get anywhere without spending about half a billion naira. If you spent half a billion naira, how do you get the best people in there? So, these things discourage lawyers from getting in there. Now, how do you confront the issue of godfather? You are a lawyer. That toga of lawyer is a disadvantage because the helmsman in the local government is not a lawyer. He is a fat, pot-bellied politician. And when you say you are a lawyer, he says you?!

You know too much book. You want to come and dislodge people who will be bringing this and that. Am I not telling the truth? He would say you want to go and be discouraging people from bringing returns for me from councillors and this and that. You are a lawyer. You are too wise for me. As you try to come in, he will block you. If you want to see the governor, he would have bribed the people that will get you in. You can’t even gain entry. So that is the challenge.

But what is the solution?

You know what, politics is too important to keep lawyers out perpetually. We have to break it and we have to enter.

Nigerians cannot be an exception. Our system is suffering, haemorrhaging, because those that we have entrusted our public life to cannot manage it. Our public life is too important to leave to those people. So, I say that lawyers, like in other countries, should get involved. Lawyers should come out for our society to move forward.

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interview

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

WithoutthesupportoftheSouthWest,Buhariwouldn’thave emergedaspresident —Ajomale,LagosAPCchairman

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Chief Henry Ajomale, in this interview by KATE ANI, speaks on the issues bordering on the fortune of his party in the state and the country in general.

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Some economists have argued that President Buhari does not have any economic plan.

There is an economic plan but most of it cannot be done without physical backing. You need money to do it but now that we have blocked wastages, imaginary salaries which are being paid to ghost workers and so many ways where money is being stolen, it is now for us to wait and see the result of it. For example, if state governors are able to block ghost workers who collect so much money that affects the budget of a state, that is a plus. That shows that others can get their salaries as at when due. Did you know how many months it took the last budget to be approved? So, you don’t expect the budget to start performing immediately and get the result. You have to plough before you reap.

There is no gain without pain. No magic made Dubai what it is today.

HAT is your view on the spat between Senators Dino Melaye and Oluremi Tinubu?

Senator Dino Melaye is famous for not being a gentleman. You will recall that in his first year in the House of Representatives when the former Speaker, a woman, was there, he behaved the same way towards her. He physically attacked her and another member. I believe he was suspended for the remaining proceedings of the House. If a man attacks a woman, he is either a coward or not a gentleman, no matter the provocation. He should have either ignored or disregarded such a woman. Believe me, if other senators were not there that day or if the altercation had happened in a corner, Senator Melaye would have probably insulted her [Tinubu] physically. It was an open executive meeting and other senators had to get between them to prevent Senator Melaye from physically assaulting her. What we disagree with him on that incident and he must be answerable for his actions. Look, I don’t have to agree with your opinion on a certain issue. There was a discussion on the floor and Melaye countered her position. That was what caused the tantrum. Everybody in the Senate have their own opinion, you don’t have to force your opinion on anybody. You may disagree with someone but not to the level of insulting them, especially a woman.

After one year in office, Nigerians claim they can’t point to a thing the president has been able to accomplish.

Administration is never done overnight. You can’t commit the same mistake twice.

How would you react to the rumoured impeachment plot against President Muhammadu Buhari?

Is it possible to impeach the president? Do they have two-third majority in the Senate? Even if some of our [APC] members defect to the PDP and they vote accordingly, they can’t get a two-third. At least we have more than two-third loyal members to the cause and I believe that before they can get two-third, it is going to be a herculean task.

Who is Chief Henry Ajomale and as a Christian what is the story behind your unique surname?

My surname which translates to ‘a man who resembles a Muslim’ is the name I was born with. I don’t know how my great-grandfather came about it but I am Christian. My father, mother and grandparents are all Christians. I started my career as a civil servant and then became a diplomat. My foray into politics was circumstantial and that was in 1989. I was a special adviser on political and legislative matters to the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu and later his commissioner for special duties.

You have been the APC chairman in Lagos State since 2006. How has it been so far, Lagos being a hotly contested state between the APC and the PDP? It has been hectic but I have always enjoyed a good relationship with our members. When I was the special adviser on political and legislative matters to Senator Tinubu in 2009, I related with our members in various local governments and legislators in the state House of Assembly and the National Assembly. I was liaison of a sort between the government and our party members.

Why do you dislike PDP so much? You had so many bad things to say about them when they were in power.

It was because I felt they were not doing the right thing. Nigerians were suffering and there was so much corruption going on and I saw that there was so much money in this country. God blessed us and we are not using the blessing for the right thing.

With all the resources that we have, should there be poverty in this country?

But your party is now in power and many Nigerians believe that the pain presently being experienced in the country is even worse than under the last administration.

I will come to that. During PDP’s administration, I felt there should be a change and that Nigeria could be better than what we had and we were justified. Some of us believed then that the PDP wasn’t running the country well; they were not working for the common man but for their pockets. That trend continued for 16 years. As a diplomat, I knew we have virtually the same production with countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.

Malaysia kept the money they made from the oil export apart and were able to block inflation because there was no excess money floating around. They continued to work and use the money to develop their country. Now there are revelations as to how our oil money was shared among these PDP politicians and people are asking why the EFCC is probing only PDP, but

Nigerians should think twice before passing judgements.

That is what that is killing us in this country. To me, the end result is what matters. I don’t care whom he appoints to do jobs. My concern is that everything should work out. if they are the ones that stole our money, why not? If it is only those who served during the PDP era that have been found to have embezzled Nigeria’s money. They should be dealt with and that is what we are seeing today.

Now, on President Buhari, he took over barely one year ago and he could not have corrected already, the rot that was created for 16 years.

The president has been accused of chasing corrupt people and perceived enemies to the neglect of other crucial sectors of the country that need urgent attention.

Look, if you don’t have money or recover stolen money, nobody is going to give you free money anywhere in the world. But if we recover the whole money, we can use it to develop the economy.

How long should Nigerians wait before things start to turn around for the country?

I believe that by the end of this year, things will take a good turn.

Even some international communities have forecasted that there is our economic growth cannot rise until 2017, because when you put policies in place, it must adapt before you can break even. It is not the day we put out policies in place that they take effect.

Why is the president ordering the investigation of the campaign funds of the PDP and not also those of APC and other political parties?

It is because the PDP took government’s money. Our soldiers were dying at the war front and the money that could have been used to buy ammunition for them was siphoned by these people. There was a time it was reported that bullets were being shared by our soldiers and when they [the bullets] were exhausted, trouble started; they ran away from the fight and were arrested and persecuted. Some were sentenced to be killed for being unpatriotic, just because they ran away from the theatre of war because they were not properly equipped.

Many of them got overpowered and were killed by Boko Haram terrorists. It was that blood money that the PDP shared in order to win election which, to them, was the priority.

But if President Buhari doesn’t want to release the name of these looters and the amount recovered, how does the money get accounted for?

Nigerians want to know how much is recovered. That is all.

They don’t want to know from whom. The most important thing is for them to return the money.

How does the recovered money get safeguarded so that it is not stolen again?

There must be a first charge report and that is what we did by telling Nigerians that some of these looters are returning the money they stole from us. The government will be transparent about it. We must give them time so as not to make a mistake, so as not to be accused of the same thing. You know the type of president we have.

What is your take on President Buhari’s lack of adherence to federal character in his recent appointments?

Let us be realistic, we are all human beings. I would rather appoint somebody whose language and culture I understand, who has been with me for years, whom I know, to work with me. I cannot go and bring someone I don’t know because I don’t want to be accused of being one sided and hence, get drawn back. I think Nigerians should give him the opportunity to choose the kind of people he feels confident to work with.

The most important thing is the end result. During [Goodluck] Jonathan’s regime, we knew that some sections of this country were favoured and were the majority in his cabinet and parastatal organisations. Why didn’t you people accuse him of that too? When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was there, because he was a Yoruba man, he balanced everything and didn’t give a damn where anybody came from. He would even probably want to use someone outside of his tribe, believing that they would keep his secret. Is it the people that he [Buhari] is working with that matters or the end result?

Continues pg37

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23 July, 2016

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Ojo Maduekwe: A friend remembers

By Wale Okediran

W

E’VE all heard the maxim: To avoid arguments “don’t discuss politics or religion” But take a closer look at that maxim and ask yourself if it is possible to avoid religion and politics in our contemporary discourse. Apart from the two themes being very central to the life of any nation, public debate is essential in a democracy. Without it, truth doesn’t rise to the top.

This was the debate that went through my mind on that auspicious day many years ago when I received an invitation from Chief Ojo Maduekwe, the then Special Adviser to President Obasanjo on Legal and Constitutional Matters for “an evening of coffee”.

The reason for the invitation from the late ex-Minister of Culture and Tourism, ex-Minister of Transport and ex-bicycle buff, ex-Special Adviser, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs and ex Ambassador to Canada was my piece ABUJA AND OTHER ILLUSIONS (The Guardian, November 25, 2003). In that piece I had, among other things pointed out the difficulties of being a federal legislator in a climate of poverty and ignorance.

I also mentioned the several misconceptions people have about Abuja and those in power, especially as it relates to corruption, which I concluded is not limited to politicians but also firmly entrenched in the civil service system. Also worrisome is the frequent friction between the legislative and executive arms of government, which I considered unhealthy for our democracy I concluded by insisting that some of the excesses and expectations of the electorate have contributed in no small measure to the corruption of the political class. In his response to the article, Chief Maduekwe had agreed with my postulations. As he put it, “What came out of your excellent article was an inspiring and robust vindication of why sensitive, sensible, cerebral members of the elite like you are needed to make a major intervention in the political space through quality participation”.

My interaction with Ojo Madukwe dates back to the time of his tenure as the Minister of Culture and Tourism. In my position as the then General Secretary of the Association Of Nigerian Authors and later National President, we had met at many local and international events from where I had taken a liken to his candid and progressive positions on many issues.

And while his attempt to popularise the use of bicycles during his tenure as the Transport Minister was seen as melodramatic by many, I had admired his innovative skill despite the lack of support from his colleagues in government.

As we later discussed over breakfast in his Abuja, Aso Drive

residence, that January morning, the ex-minister expressed his desire to put his experiences as a politician on paper so that the public can know that it is not everybody that goes into public office went there to steal but to uplift the country.

Maduekwe recounted how his people were disappointed that as a two-term minister, rather than build a mansion, all he could afford was a small bungalow in his village. They were equally angry with him when they discovered that his accommodation in Abuja at that time was a rented apartment. As he put it, “your people will believe that you are either mad or a liar if you tell them that you want to live above board while in government. To them, as a public officer, you are an investment which should bring dividends of office.”

Just like Aldous Huxley, Maduekwe believed that once you decide to play politics by being straight, you must be ready to be a lonely man. He recounted his experiences at one presidential retreat under former President Obasanjo when, to the consternation of his colleagues, he had said that from his experience as a former minister, resistance will come from some senior government officials who may not be happy with the president’s fight for transparency and accountability while in office.

Maduekwe was also very bitter with the church, which he accused of being collaborators in the game of “cash and carry politics.” He observed that as long as you give fat donations to your church you’ll remain in their good books. However if your tithes and offerings don’t measure up to much, the church will complain of having wasted their prayers on you. He believes therefore that if we really want to change the nation we have to begin with the church.

He was also of the opinion that the political parties should play a leading role in educating the public and the electorate on the urgent need for accountability while in office. Unfortunately, according to him, political parties are also part of the problem through the exorbitant levies and dues, which they demand from their members.

When I told the then Special Adviser that many people did not expect him to still remain in public office after two terms as a minister, Maduekwe observed that he too was surprised by the then President Obasanjo’s decision to appoint him as a Special Adviser. “After serving four years in two key ministries, and surviving six cabinet reshuffles, I never expected the President to call me back. I was one of the very few former ministers to move out of government quarters in May 2003 believing that I was gone for good.”

On the then Anambra State’s crisis, the ex-minister was of the opinion that both parties acted dishonourably and should therefore stop apportioning blame but try and forgive each other. He was particularly pained by the way President Obasanjo’s name had been unfairly dragged into the matter. As he put it, “President Obasanjo has repeatedly told the world that his hands are clean and I believe him”. While accepting that government could have made some mistakes by not communicating clearly and effectively enough, he believes that the issue will soon be amicably resolved.

He also reiterated his time-worn belief that it is idiotic for the Igbos to beg the country to give them a chance at the presidency when all they need is to present a good candidate and work towards making that candidate acceptable to all.

As we tackled the egg and bread breakfast in his tastefully furnished residence on that January morning many years ago, the Special Adviser observed that for a Legislator to be successful in the job of lawmaking, he or she will need to work hard since the job is tasking and very important for the success of our fledgeling democracy. He believed that constituents who expect their legislators to source for contracts and jobs for them are unwittingly turning such legislators into contractors who will spend all their time carrying files from one ministry to the other rather than sit and do the work they are paid to do. Maduekwe believed that any self-respecting legislator will in the long run contribute more meaningfully to his people by making laws that will improve their lives instead of extorting money from government officials.

So intense and passionate were the themes of our discourse that the discussion would have gone on and if not for the fact that we both had other matters to attend to. And so with great difficulty, I had to take the leave of someone I had come to regard as an older brother and friend.

As we later posed for photographs at the gate of his imposing residence, the early morning sun brightened the day and the anxieties and weariness of the past few months flew away in the warmth of my host’s reassuring words. Suddenly, I no longer felt lonely.

Now that he has left us, the loneliness has returned and I am back with my old worries of finding a meaning to all the ‘bolekaja’ (come down and fight) politics that is currently going on in the nation.

I pray that the good Lord will rest my friend and comfort the family and friends he has left behind, amen.

Dr Okediran is a former member, House of Representatives.

Why Ogun should reintroduce emission control

By Ademola Orunbon IN November 2012, some stakeholders in Ogun State, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (TORAN), ACOMORAN, AMORAN and others called on the state government to reintroduce emission control to curtail the increasing air pollution in the state.

Emission is the term used to describe the gases and particles which are put into air or emitted by various sources, but the amounts and types of emissions change yearly. These changes are caused by change in the nation’s economy, industrial activity, technology improvements, traffic, and by many other factors.

In order to make improvements in the air quality, the amount of pollutants in the air must be measured. The emissions measurement centre develops standards and evaluates testing methods so that regulations can be developed and enforced.

An emission factor is a relationship between the amount of emissions that are released and the activity of the producer.

Emission factors are used to predict emission levels for different industries.

Though emission inventories are quantities of pollutants measured over time, emission inventories can be compared with air pollutant level in an area to determine if increased emissions decreases the air quality.

Once the measurements are made the information must be collected and stored so that it can be used to evaluate the air quality and effects of the regulations. The Clearing House for Inventories and Emissions Factors (CHIEF) is a centralised resource for emission data.

Then, the former state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Adebayo Fari, might have sounded merely advisory but it’s the core of attaining a healthy Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole to rid the state of pollution, through redesigning of the pro-

gramme and enlightening the stakeholders involved to fight against air pollution as the major source of the pollutions are from vehicular and power generating set emission which in particular accounts for more than 90% of all sources of air pollution.

Most people don’t really know the danger of air pollution and it is the responsibility of government to constantly enlighen the people on the damage to human health caused by air pollution.

However, researches and studies have shown that of all the sources of air pollution, vehicular emission accounts for more than 50% followed by industrial discharges. This is the more reason why the stakeholders in the state agreed to join hands to combat the menace of air pollution in the state.

Emission control is not new to the state. Its abuse and mismanagement led to its cancellation, but there is a need to reintroduce it to save the masses from untimely death. The emission control scheme should not be limited to transporters and industrialists in the state, but should be extended to those who use generators for their day-to-day activities as the use of generators also contributes at least 40% air pollution.

Now, it is imperative for the residents of the state to cooperate with the state government to protect the publics from the hazard of air pollutions in the state, as the government could not shoulder the responsibility in curtailing air pollution in the state.

The breathing in of oxygen alongside with polluted air in the society and releasing of carbon dioxide has a lot to do in human health, as much of the air we breathe in has been polluted with vehicular, gaseous and industrial discharges.

I need to call on the General Manager of Parks and Garages Development Board (PAGADEB), Ayo Ogunsolu to admonish transport unions in the state about the danger of air being polluted by vehicles and to be patient, cooperate with the government and be law-abiding in the state to avoid any altercation and embarrassment when introduced.

Though the programme would not be designed to extort

money from anybody — transporters, industrialists and or others, but to protect the publics from the hazards of air pollution in the state and to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

Moreover, the overhauling of the scheme in the state is necessary for optimum performance and to bring the air pollution in the state to the barest minimum for the inhabitants and the residents, but it must be timely for the general acceptance of the stakeholders in the state and not to be avoided by the transporters and the industrialists in the state.

It is now important for all stakeholders in the state to work hand in glove with the Ogun state government to rid the state of air pollution hazards in line with the United Nations Organisations (UNO) and other relevant international agencies’ efforts to check, control and monitor vehicular emissions in the state.

Though, section 20 of the 1999 Constitution (which is nonjusticeable pursuant to Section 6(6) (C)) stipulates that “The state shall protect and improve the environment and…”

Of course, all efforts can’t be left to the government alone. We have our duties (pursuant to Section 24, 1999 Constitution), one of which is to “make positive and useful contribution to the advancement, progress and well-being of the community where he resides” (S.24 (d)).

Since so many commercial and industrial air pollution activities occur in the state, the limit of environmental, gaseous, industrial and vehicular air pollution might be getting to its crescendo.

It is equally pertinent to emphasise the fact that air pollution in the country has caused a lot of damage to the human health in general and if care is not taken in checkmating the menace of air pollution in the country, it will soon get out of hands.

I hope that with proper state-designed enlightenment programmes, the people will know what to do, and what not to do in preventing air pollution.

Orunbon sent this piece from Federal Housing Estate Olomore, Abeokuta.

interview Edo/Ondo elections: PDP no longer has money to rig

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23 July, 2016

okada and we can’t afford to let this trend continue.

Continued from pg35

Why did your party ban hawking in Lagos? Don’t you think it is anti-people? Are these not the same people that trooped out to vote the governor into office?

Let me tell you something, during the last election, there was so much corruption. All these boys you are talking about, many of them collected money from the opposition, many of them voted for opposition which you know…

Are you referring to the hawkers or you are talking generally?

The hawkers and the poor people. When they see money, they would gladly collect it. I won’t blame them because the situation of this country calls for it. Among the poor, it is only those who give them something that they will vote for and I know that during the last election, there were so many freebies that were given to them. So, if you expect the man who is coming there to elevate you from the poor position to a higher position, you must vote for your conscience. If you have money, you won’t need to sell wares on the street. It is not everybody is that meant to be rich but in so many countries, there is a law…

In the face of the hardship in the country, do you think this is the right time to come out with this kind of policy?

If Ghana could do it, why not Lagos? Lagos State is becoming a megacity and that is part of the condition for a megacity. I don’t know whether we are ripe for it or not but the major problem is that there is a market for them to trade at but these people are risking their lives by being in the middle of the roads, criss-crossing within tanker trucks, buses, cars, Marwa and okada riders. Many of them have been killed down by speeding vehicles and

The law has thrown many in misery and helplessness. What is your party doing to assuage the hardship of these people?

I don’t think it is anti-people. All we are going to do is to establish more markets but even if we build more markets for them, they will still go back to the roads to trade because they believe that by going between cars, they will sell more. To me, I would have added that even those who are buying from them should also be arrested.

If road hawkers don’t see buyers, they won’t be there.

If not for them, perhaps these people will not be on the road. The law is meant to protect their lives.

The local government election in Lagos is coming up very soon with the people fast losing patience in the change mantra. Do you think the APC has the chance to retain all the 57 local government councils?

Why not? Things are not working all over Nigeria, not Lagos alone. Of course, we are going to win. There is no argument about that. Is it because in the last election, PDP won some House of Assembly and House of Representatives seats? Look, the money to rig election is no more there. We are now going on the same level playing ground with them, because where that money is coming from has been blocked and if any of their members even has the money, they won’t release it now. Our chances are also bright in Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections.

What is your view on the stupendous pension for governors, Lagos being a big example?

Honestly, I don’t know how much the governor is taking for retirement so I can’t really comment on that.

There are reports that the powers that be in the APC in the South West are not happy with President Buhari for abandoning them after helping

Saturday Tribune

him to power while romancing his friends from the North? To be precise, is there any bad blood between Senator Bola Tinubu and the president?

I don’t think so. Although there was a misunderstanding between them before, it has been settled. It is true that it was the time the South West decided to work with the president that he won. Without the support of the West, Buhari wouldn’t have emerged as president and who made it possible? Senator Bola Tinubu. But there is no bad blood between them. I am very sure of that.

Are you annoyed that he has been ignoring the South West in his recent appointments?

He has been fair to us in his ministerial appointments.

The rest of the appointments are personal to him. Those are his personal staff. If I want a policy analysis and I have someone I know can deliver, why can’t I have the option of selecting such a person? Nigerians should think twice before passing judgements. That is what that is killing us in this country. To me, the end result is what matters. I don’t care whom he appoints to do jobs. My concern is that everything should work out.

There was controversy over the new management committees concerning the local government councils nominated by Governor Ambode.

Some allegedly assumed office even before their nominations were confirmed by the House of Assembly. Is there any friction between the state government and the lawmakers?

No, the lawmakers made the law and the governor signed it. Nobody resumed work before their appointments were confirmed. It was the executive secretaries that were before the sole administrators took over. So, there was no friction at all. It was the House of Assembly that passed the law and the governor accented to it and it was after that the announcement was made. It is not even possible to work if they don’t have their letters of appointment.

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23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

39 Photonews

23 July, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Adebanjo, others honoured at Ijebu Anglican Diocese’s 40th anniversary laity awards PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Bishop of Ijebu Diocese, Right Reverend (Dr) E. Ayo Awosoga (left) and an awardee, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, at the 40th anniversary laity awards of Ijebu Anglican Diocese, held at the Church of the Epiphany, Erunwon-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Friday.

Chief (Mrs) Anthonia Onasanya presenting Chief Adebanjo with his award. With them, in the (middle), is another awardee, Evangelist (Mrs) Mercy Olufunke Oni.

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From left, Oba Oguntayo, the Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, his wife, Olori Olayinka and Oba M.O Adesina, the Olowu of Owu-Ijebu.

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Mrs Alaba Odunuga presenting an award to Chief Kunle Kalejaiye. With them, in the middle, is another awardee, Chief Rufus Olukayode Odusanya.

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I am not aware of Mikel’s Rio trip —Conte

By Dipo Ogunsola

Mikel

CHELSEA manager, Antonio Conte, says he is still in the dark over John Mikel Obi’s participation at the men’s football event of the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Mikel is part of the 18-man team registered for the Dream Team 6 campaign in Rio and one of the two players on overage quota of Nigeria; the other being goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi.

“Mikel going to Rio? That’s great but puzzling,” Conte reacted to Nigeria’s decision on Thursday night after a pre-season game against Austrian club Atus Ferlach on Thursday.

“Mikel has been here a long time ago, I am new but we are making moves in a professional sense.

I am a national team and club person, where there is a clash of roster, we have to take professional decision, we shall make references,’’ Conte said.

Mikel Obi’s commitment to Chelsea stopped the player from representing Nigeria at the 2008 Olympics in Athens where the country’s Dream Team ended as runners’-up to Argentina.

Conte

Underrate Sudan at your peril Amuneke warns Flying Eagles

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi

H

EAD coach of Nigeria’s U-20 team, Emmanuel Amuneke, has warned his wards they have to be ruthless against Sudan in today’s African Youth Championship qualification game in Lagos.

In the first leg, Nigeria beat the Sudanese at home 2-1 but Amuneke says the result remains testy.

“What happened in the first leg is immaterial. We need to be careful. It is just psychological for them to hope that they can beat us here because we beat them on their own soil. So we need to be organised as a team and realise that any early goal we concede is an extra bonus for them,’’ said the coach in a pre-

match briefing.

Amuneke also revealed that the team was so used to him already.

“I continue to ask for more

from my team. If we are scoring, we need to score more, when we are defending well, we have to defend better, there is always room

to improve in life”.

The aggregate winner of the tie will bag the slot to campaign in the AYC holding in Zambia next year.

Victor Osimhen, Flying Eagles striker.

Okocha, Diouf back Allardyce for England success

By Olawale Olaniyan

Okocha (left) and Allardyce.

FORMER Nigerian captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha believes Sam Allardyce has the personality to succeed as England’s coach.

Allardyce was on Friday confirmed as England’s new manager following his departure from Sunderland.

Okocha played under Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers and told the club’s website that England can expect great things from ‘Big Sam’.

“It’s a great decision to

have ‘Big Sam’ as coach of England, he is a fantastic person and has seen the game at a high level, he is a master of the game and I wish him well.’’

Two-time African Footballer of the Year, El Hadji Diouf Oysennou equally said he had become one of the biggest fans of England after the announcement of Allardyce.

“I could see it coming.

He is not one of those managers who like to go it the easy way by looking for big players. He has a mind of his own, has

played the game and understands it clearly. The English have won me over by this choice.’’

Allardyce becomes England’s 14th full-time boss and replaces Roy Hodgson, who announced he was leaving the role after his side’s embarrassing Euro 2016 defeat by Iceland.

The experienced Premier League boss has signed an initial two-year deal to take up the post ahead of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers which England begin in September.

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. 23/7/2016.