28th November 2015

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

NO 1,127

SATURDAY, 28 NOVEMBER, 2015

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Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

21 Shi’ite Muslims killed by Boko Haram in Kano blast

N150

pg4

APC splits over Kogi gov ticket pg2 Presidency endorses Yahaya Bello Faleke rejects deputy governorship offer Pick Audu’s son or we’ll impeach your choice —APC lawmakers tell party

Why I have not released October 1 DVD

—Kunle Afolayan pgs3 & 30

Ibadan High Chief’s death unites Ajimobi, Ladoja pg7

Gridlock on Eric Moore bridge, Iganmu, Lagos on Friday. PHOTO: NAN

Ambode backs Lagos police pg8 with N4.7bn equipment

Buhari approves appointment of pg4 30 judges

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news

28 November, 2015

APC splits over Kogi gov ticket

Saturday Tribune

•Presidency endorses Yahaya Bello, party gives him nomination form • Faleke rejects deputy governorship offer •Pick Audu’s son or we’ll impeach your choice —APC lawmakers tell party Lanre Adewole - Lagos, Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja, Kolawole Daniel - Abuja and Biola Azeez - Ilorin

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major division surfaced on Friday in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the presidency is reported to have endorsed the candidature of Alhaji Yahaya Bello who came second in the primary that produced the late Alhaji Abubakar Audu as the party’s governorship candidate.

Audu’s running mate, James Abiodun Faleke, who is said to have been asked to be running mate to Bello reportedly turned down the offer on Friday. “He will be in court on Monday to challenge the illegality,” one of his key backers told Saturday Tribune on Friday on condition of anonymity.

The development has put paid to the planned primary by the national leadership of the party to pick a replacement for the late Audu who led in the poll, before his death early Sunday morning while the result was being collated.

Controversies had since dogged the move by the party to replace him.

Bello was said to have received wholesale endorsement from the presidency.

On Friday, Saturday Tribune’s check revealed that Bello had been issued the nomination form as the party’s new candidate.

The nomination form is likely for submission on Monday.

His announcement as the party’s flag-bearer is also due any moment from now.

While a source said he could be announced today (Saturday), another disclosed it would be Monday.

Audu’s running mate and claimant to the contentious mandate, Faleke, was picked by the party as Bello’s running mate.

The planned fresh ticket of Bello and Faleke has, however, run into a hitch, with Faleke reportedly rejecting the deputy slot, according to Saturday Tribune findings.

Faleke reportedly told the party leadership that he already had a mandate as governor-elect and agreeing to run with Bello would amount to surrendering his mandate.

Saturday Tribune also learnt that Faleke is almost certain to go to court on Monday through his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun

(SAN).

Legal analyses of the conundrum thrown up by the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the election inconclusive are said to be seen by Faleke’s backers to be in his favour Faleke, a development which has reportedly put the party leadership in a quandary.

Checks with the top echelon of the party revealed that the presidency’s decision to back Bello was more political than legal which many party leaders feared could jeopardize APC’s chances at the poll and in court.

All legal pieces of advice reportedly sought by the party are said to be in favour of Faleke being promoted on the ticket, but the party leadership was said to have succumbed to higher pressure.

With Faleke reportedly rejecting running with Bello, the national leadership of the party is said to have almost run out of ideas on how to arrest the burgeoning crisis.

One of the legal analyses pointed out that the idea of over 49,000 votes being outstanding in the election as declared by INEC would not fly, because places where the electorate refused to use Card Readers and subsequently refused to vote, cannot be covered by the provision of the Electoral Act on repeat poll.

The Electoral Act, according to the analyses, only prescribes repeat poll where there are over-voting.

Violence-related cancellations are also said not to be covered by the repeat provisions.

According to the legal position, “INEC can’t cancel elections like it did in Kogi.

Does it mean that if the same people that refused to vote because they were mandated to use Card Readers, still refuse to use the machines on Saturday, the election would be postponed again? All that is needed is for the court to declare that INEC has no such power to cancel the elections the way it did and the original winner would be declared, which in this case, is the APC and whoever remains on its ticket,” a party leader who believes in Faleke’s cause told Saturday Tribune on Friday.

Pick Audu’s son or we’ll impeach your choice in two minutes,

APC lawmakers warn party The crisis deepened at another level as the House of Assembly members elected on the platform of the APC in the state declared that the party should replace late Prince Audu with his son, Mohammad Audu, threatening to impeach whoever the party picked aside from Mohammad.

A group of protesters equally stormed the APC national secretariat, demanding that Faleke should automatically step in as the flagbearer of the party in the supplementary election.

But lawmakers from the APC who briefed newsmen at the party’s national secretariat on Friday vowed to support Audu’s son or nobody, even as they threatened to impeach whoever the party presents apart from the late Audu’s son.

Addressing newsmen after meeting with the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, leader of the delegation, Honourable Momoh Rabiu, said: “Based on our discussion, we have taken a decision and taken our resolution to the national chairman. We are overwhelmed by the response from them, but we are still waiting for a safe landing so that Kogi will not be doomed.

“We told the national chairman that on no account should anybody be smuggled in to occupy that position which we worked for in conjunction with the late Audu without whom, there will be no APC in Kogi State.

“We present to the national leadership, Prince Mohammed Audu to replace his late father. It is not because he is the first son, but try him, he is very intelligent and equal to the task. With him, we will have the Kogi State of our dream.

“We also resolved and we will appreciate if the leadership will understand that we came to complain to them with pains and tell them our position because of the commitment of our leader and we don’t want Kogi to be left in the hands of the PDP any longer.

“We are the legislators and have told the national chairman our position that in any case anybody is smuggled in contrary to what we presented to them, we know the best way to remove him. It is not a threat, but we told them that we have no intention of washing our dirty linen in public.

Removing somebody is just a two-minute job for us as

lawmakers in the state. We want the change we worked for and we want Kogi to be part of the moving train.

“We are the electorate and we know why we are here.

There will be no solution to this problem without giving us a listening ear. Prince Audu was the man who went through a primary before nominating Faleke as his deputy. We are not asking Faleke to stay away from the ticket. We equally worked with him during the campaigns. What we are saying is that it should be Mohammed Audu/Faleke ticket. The two of them must work together,” he stated.

Gladiators shift base to Abuja UNEASY calm, however, pervaded the camps of APC gladiators in Kogi State on Friday as the battle for the party’s governorship ticket shifted to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

This is just as the stakeholders have maintained their positions on the issue with none of the camps appearing set to shift ground.

Also, students across the state have asked INEC to rescind its decision to hold a supplementary election in the state next Saturday.

Checks by Saturday Tribune on Friday showed that top members of the party in the state have shifted their base to Abuja as NWC of the party met to take a decision on the issue.

Loyalists of the late Audu, appeared opposed to the conduct of a fresh primary to choose a new candidate for the party.

The group, on Thursday, argued that the son of the deceased, Mohammed, should be given the ticket with James Faleke retained as the deputy governorship candidate.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune, on Friday, the chairman of the APC in Kogi East zone, Isa Daniel, said the group had not changed its stand on the issue.

He said the party should unanimously adopt the junior Audu to replace his father and conclude the governorship election.

Daniel, who also served as the Director General of the Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation, however, said they were awaiting the decision of the national leadership of the party on the issue.

Also speaking, the state secretary of the party, Salaam Adejo, said nothing could be done unless the

national secretariat of the party gave a direction.

He said members and leaders of the party in the state were waiting for the outcome of the meeting of the NWC of the party to know the next line of action.

Findings showed that four camps have emerged in the state in the party’s imbroglio with one of the camps pushing for the replacement of Audu with his son through a consensus arrangement while vanother is backing Bello.

Another group is pushing for an automatic choice of Faleke to complete the election, while the last group is advocating a fresh primary.

However, youths and student unions in the state have called on INEC to refrain from its stand on the election and announce a winner immediately.

The groups, which frowned at the decision of the electoral body to declare the election inconclusive, criticised the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, over the call for Audu’s substitution.

Spokesperson for the groups, Obanibi Michael, said in Lokoja that the failure of INEC and the APC to retrace their steps could lead to anarchy in the state.

“While we appreciate the transparency in the conduct of the just-concluded election, we, express our dissatisfaction on INEC declaring the election inconclusive.

The election was an already established victory for the joint ticket of Audu/Faleke of the All Progressives Congress, which we the youth voted for overwhelmingly.

“We, therefore, call on INEC to forget about its proposed supplementary election and declare the APC as winner and in turn make Faleke the governorelect,” Michael said.

Okun people want Faleke as Kogi APC candidate Also, the Okun people of Kogi state, under the aegis of Okun Peoples Front (OPF) have demanded that Faleke, should replace Audu as the party’s governorship flag bearer.

The people, in statement given to the media in Ilorin, Kwara State, said that Faleke should be made the governorship candidate of the APC and consequently continue with the mandate jointly given to him and Audu.

The OPF, in the statement signed by its president, Ben Ayo Abereoran and secre-

tary, Anthony Odana while noting that there had been divergent legal opinions on the matter, argued that “the nearest solution will be for the running mate, Faleke to continue with the mandate and become the candidate of the party.”

The group noted that Audu and Faleke together invested huge resources and energy to canvass for votes and submitted that it would be unjust for someone else to reap the fruit of their labour.

The Okun people objected to a fresh primary of the APC that may produce another candidate and also faulted the agitation that Audu’s son be made to take over as the party’s governorship candidate.

It stated: “In fact, the reason why the Kogi West Senatorial District voted en masse for APC is because of charismatic nature of Hon. Faleke. The steam, the drive and the enormous resources he deployed during the election were great. How come the suggestion in some quarters that Audu’s son should be made to step into the mandate of his father? Is it hereditary?

“Even the suggestion of the APC to conduct another primary is faulty. Is it fair for somebody to reap where he has not sowed?”

The OPF enjoined the APC not to support what it alleged was the agenda of the Igala people to perpetually dominate the governance of the state, cautioning that it would be sad if the party allowed or collaborated with “some reactionary elements to plot against the Okun to become the governor of Kogi State.”

The group declared: “Okun people will never accept to continue to be in servitude and to be subjugated under any tribe. Enough is enough!

Okun people will resist any move that will deny Hon. Faleke this God-given opportunity to be the next governor of Kogi State.”

It explained that the issue involved was beyond Faleke as an individual and that it was that “Okun nation must rule as the other tribes have the right to rule.”

It said that Igala people had been ruling since the inception of the state without considering shifting of power to the Okun, Ebira and other ethnic groups in the state.

The group called for the support of all stakeholders to the cause to ensure that Faleke was not deprived the opportunity of emerging the next governor of the state.

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entertainment

When one thinks epic movies in Nollywood, award-winning actor and filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan,readily comes to mind. In this interview with JOAN OMIONAWELE, the filmmaker talks about the tenets of filmmaking, life as an actor,among other issues.

H

ow far have you gone in your battle against piracy?

Well, l have left it to the authorities hoping that they will do something serious about it, after the peaceful demonstration we had sometime ago, a new set of industry people also had another meeting at the Lagos State House of Assembly, led by Desmond Elliot, who is now representing on both sides. I think they had a meeting with the distributors and also had with some of the filmmakers. However, we are just waiting on the government to do something.

Have you recovered the debt incurred from your last movie, ‘October 1’?

Well, because it’s a long time venture, we haven’t, but once the distribution platform and market get better, then we can release the original DVD and other necessary materials on the film but without that, I don’t think anybody can make money from the DVD market Why did it take you so long to release the DVD?.

Well, it didn’t take long because it’s barely a year that we released it in the cinema that the film was officially released in October and the way distribution is structured, we go to cinemas, we do VODs, we do online platforms, but DVD is usually the penultimate and we are about getting to that stage and it is not also about replicating DVD and chunking it out, we

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Why my movies mostly depict African culture —Kunle Afolayan

need to strategise and put the marketing model in place. These are all the things we were doing and also trying to fix a date for the release before the film got pirated.

Don’t they have gatekeepers at the cinemas because the belief is that the film was pirated from the cinema, or where else do you think it got pirated?

Well, that question will have to be put to the cinemas because if there is any evidence that it was pirated from the cinema, then the cinema can be held liable, but there are so many other media through which films can

be pirated. For instance, the process of sending the films to some of the awards or festivals the copy can be leaked. There are several ways to piracy, it’s just left for one to do all that he can to protect his content.

Last year you said you were relocating your family to Ghana, are you still bent on that or was it just a joke?

It was not a joke, you know if you do a lot of work, it is a necessity for you to benefit from the work you do, while you should enjoy some level of comfort, but here it’s like the reverse is usually the case, you don’t get to enjoy what you labour for because a lot

of things are not properly put in place, so for me, it’s about comfort. But now that we have a change in government the hope is very high and I believe change is definitely at hand, maybe it’s the beginning of revolution.

Looking at your last movie written by Tunde Babablola, how do you come about interpreting the story in terms of make-up, cast and all other materials for the movie?

Well, that’s what makes you a film maker and a director, I visualise and Continues on pg30

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news

21 killed in Boko Haram attack on Shi’ite procession in Kano

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T least 21 people were killed, on Friday, when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the crowds at a Shia Muslim procession near the city of Kano.

The attack happened in the village of Dakasoye, some 20 kilometres south of the city, during a march by followers of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.

“Our procession came under a suicide attack,” Muhammad Turi, who was leading thousands of people from Kano to Zaria, in the neighbouring state of Kaduna, told Agence France Presse (AFP) at the scene.

“We lost 21 people and several others have been injured. We are not surprised that we’ve been attacked because this is the situation all over the country.

“This will not deter us from our religious observance. Even if all of us were bombed, the last person will carry on with this duty.”

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Muhammad Katsina, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano, said the incident happened around 2.00 p.m.

Although he declined to state the number of casualties, Katsina said the police were still trying to defuse another bomb planted ahead of the procession.

“We are at the moment trying to defuse another bomb which was planted ahead of the procession along the road,” he said.

An AFP reporter in Dakasoye said the road was splattered with bloodstains but the followers had continued their march.

Most were wearing black and carrying flags or portraits of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Hussein, and were flanked by security guards.

One organiser, who asked to remain anonymous, told AFP the bomber ran into

the crowd before he could be spotted and detonated his explosives.

“He was dressed in black like everyone else. His accomplice was initially arrested and confessed they were sent by Boko Haram,” he added.

“They were part of the young men abducted by Boko Haram in (the Borno State town of) Mubi last year and taken to Sambisa Forest where they were given some military training.

“They were sent to Kano 11 days ago and kept in a house specifically for this attack.”

The bomber detonated his explosives after realising his accomplice had been arrested, the organiser added.

Boko Haram, the radical Sunni jihadists who want

FG approves appointment of 30 new judges PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, approved the appointment of 30 new judges for the Federal High Court.

The president’s approval for the appointment of the judges followed a recommendation to that effect by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The newly-appointed judges, according to a statement by the acting Director (Information) of the NJC, Mr Soji Oye, are Justice Yellin S. Bogoro from Bauchi State, Rosemary O. Dugbo Oghoghorie (Delta), Taiwo Obayomi Taiwo (Ogun), Ibrahim Watila (Borno) and

Labour, IPMAN picket petrol stations in Ekiti Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti THE organised labour and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Ekiti State, on Friday, stormed some petrol stations accused of selling petrol products at outrageous prices even as much as N180 per litre.

The task force, which visited over 30 petrol stations in Ado Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti, compelled operators selling above N135 per litre agreed by stakeholders during a meeting held on Thursday to comply with the new arrangement.

The picketing team was led by the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ade Adesanmi; his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Odunayo Adesoye; chairman of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Comrade Oluwole Jegede and IPMAN secretary in the state, Alhaji Subair Jimoh.

In most of the petrol stations visited by the team, petrol was selling for be-

to create a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria, has previously been blamed for attacks on Shia Muslims in the region.

Last November at least 15 people were killed and some 50 others injured in a suicide bombing targeting the Shia Muslim festival of Ashura in the city of Potiskum in Yobe State.

In April, a suicide bomber targeted a group of Shiite Muslims outside an openair mosque, also in Potiskum. He killed himself and wounded three worshippers.

The followers were on a “symbolic trek” to Zaria, where the Islamic Movement of Nigeria’s leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky is based, to mark the 40th day of Ashura.

tween N150 and N180 per litre, which they described as not only outrageous but causing serious hardship for the people.

In some stations where managers had lied that they were selling at N87 per litre, the team took time and monitored the sales of the product to motorists and other buyers.

The NLC and TUC chairmen posited that as much as they would not want the marketers to run at a loss, they would not also fold their arms and allow the people to be cheated.

They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put mechanism in place to halt the perennial fuel scarcity in the country, describing the situation as burdensome.

The union leaders urged the presidency and the National Assembly to resolve the discrepancy in the oil subsidy funds with the marketers and find means of resuscitating the moribund refineries to ease the burden of fuel supply in the country.

Adesanmi said, “We had a meeting with all the critical

stakeholders on Thursday and we agreed that petrol should not be above N135 per litre. The marketers made representation at the meeting and it was agreed and it was on this basis that we are carrying out this action.

“We are not unaware that it would be difficult for them to sell at N87 per litre because of the paucity of the product. We are not also going to allow them to cheat the people. The hardship is much on the people and as representatives of the people, we have to do something.

“But this is a mere tentative measure put in place to cushion the effects on the people. As the products are becoming available, we will ensure that they all revert to N87 per litre regulation price,” he assured.

His counterpart in the TUC, Comrade Adesoye, pleaded with members of the public and the security agencies to support their actions for it to be successful till the time the scarcity problem will be resolved by the Federal Government.

Mallong Peter Hoommuk from Plateau State.

Others are Isa Hamma Adama Dashen (Adamawa), Hassan Dikko (Kebbi), Jude Kanyioh Dagat (Kaduna), Olayinka Olusegun Tokode (Osun), Simon Akpah Amobeda (Kogi), Jane Egienanwan Inyang (Cross River), Daniel Emeka Osiagor (Rivers), Professor Chuka Austine Obiozor (Anambra) and Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweib (Bayelsa).

Also on the list are Hassan Muslim Sule (Zamfara), Hadiza Rabiu Shagari (Sokoto), Saleh Kogo Idrissa (Yobe), Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik (Edo), Hillary Ide Osho Oshomah (Edo), Fadima Murtala Aminu (Adamawa), Toyin Bolaji Adegoke (Kwara), James Kolawole Omotosho (Ogun), Nehizena Idemudia Ekunwe (Edo), Stephen Daylop Pam (Plateau), Akintayo Aluko (Ekiti), Dr Nnamdi O. Dimgba (Abia), Emeka Nwite (Ebonyi), Abdulazeez M.Z. Anka (Zamfara), Abdu Dogo (FCT) and Adamu Turaki Muhammed (Jigawa).

28 November, 2015

Teachers’ welfare: You have done well, NLC, NUT tell Fayose THE zonal leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Edo, Delta, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Oyo and Ekiti states has commended Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, for giving priority to the welfare of teachers and boosting their morale through the provision of incentives.

This is just as the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ade Adesanmi, lauded the governor for promising not to retrench workers or slash their salaries in spite of the financial challenges confronting the state.

The teachers, in a letter dated November 11, 2015 to Governor Fayose and signed by Comrade M.O.Fanimokun, Group Chairman and Elder Joe Iyalekhue, Group Secretary, thanked the governor for the successful celebration of this year’s Teachers’ Day. “We write on behalf of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) EDOLOOKOE Group of State Wings (Edo, Delta, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Oyo and Ekiti states) to appreciate and congratulate you on the successful celebration of the 2015 World Teachers’ Day in Ekiti State.

“We are grateful and encouraged by your full participation, presence, love, gifts and rewards given to identified hardworking teachers to boost their morale and add value to the teaching profession.

“The union will continue to partner with you so as to bring in the much-needed improvement in the living and working conditions of the teachers which are synonymous with the learning conditions of the child.

“We are proud of you, sir. The union will continue to identify with you in the overall interest of the educational development of the state and the nation at large,” the teachers said.

The Ekiti NLC boss, Adesanmi, who spoke in Otun-Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area of the state during the governor’s sensitisation tour, said the gesture by the governor showed that he truly loves workers in the state.

He also commended the governor for the provision of N20 million to buy instructional materials for primary schools in the state.

On the resolve of the governor not to ban the activities of commercial motorcycle operators in the state, Adesanmi also praised the governor, saying ‘okada’ operators were also part of the workforce in the state.

He gave the assurance that workers in the state would continue to support the Fayose administration and prayed that nothing would affect the smooth and cordial relationship between the two sides.

Saraki’s wife bemoans ordeal of Chibok girls WIFE of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki, has bemoaned the continued ordeal of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Borno State over 590 days ago.

Mrs Saraki, who is the founder of the Well-being Foundation Africa, stated this when she represented the wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari, as the special guest of honour at the premiere of “Searching,” a film that depicts the realities and struggles of the girl-child in Nigeria.

She stated that while securing the release of the girls by security agencies is the most important step for now, schools must be protected to provide safe and quality education for all Nigerian children.

She also called for increased access to education and the protection of the rights of the girl-child through the removal of social and structural barriers in girl’s education in the country.

While urging relevant authorities to make schools a safe haven for learning a priority, Mrs Saraki recounted the ordeal of the 200 girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Borno State.

“Their kidnap and the continued assault against the

Naira depreciates at parallel market THE Naira, on Friday, depreciated at the parallel market barely 48 hours after it strengthened against the dollar.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Naira lost N2 to exchange at N242 to the dollar, as against its previous value of N240.

Meanwhile, the official inter-bank rate remained at N197 to the dollar.

Saturday Tribune

Traders at the market said that in spite of the biweekly sale of forex to Bureaux de Change (BDC’s), the currency of the biggest economy in Africa continued to slide.

They attributed the development to the difficulty encountered by some BDC operators in disposing their forex due to the apex banks regulation on forex sales.

rights of young children to an education by Boko Haram is part of a wider conversation that we must continue to have in Nigeria and all over the world.

“Securing the release of every girl kidnapped by Boko Haram is the expected step, but we must return the focus to securing our schools and protecting the right to a safe, quality education for all of our children. This will ensure that the horrors of Chibok never happen again,” she said.

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news

28 November, 2015

Plateau by-election: LG boss cautions security personnel against overzealous conduct

From left, Mrs Adenike Cynthia David; the awardee, Pastor Segun Adekola, member representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives; his wife, Olanike and Honourable Michael Ogundare, during Adekola’s investiture as a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Educational Management and Administration, United States of America, in Ibadan, Oyo State, recently.

Lagos community rejoices as police arrest killer cultists •They’ll be charged for murder —CP

By Oluwatoyin Malik

R

ESIDENTS of New Mebamu community in Iba Local Council Development Authority in Lagos State erupted in joy on Friday when a suspected cultist, Dele Ajibade, a.k.a. Super and two others were arrested in the early hours of the day, about an hour after the murder of one Sina (surname unknown) by the suspects.

Other suspected cultists reported to have participated in the murder are said to be currently on the run.

They include one Ahmed, who was said to be his gang’s armourer, Power, Junior and others whose names were unknown.

All of them are said to be members of Black Axe Confraternity who always clashed with their rivals in Eiye Confraternity.

The residents have also appealed to the state government to ensure the prosecution of the arrested cultists and keep them away from the community.

It was gathered that Super, one Kelly and an unnamed third suspect in company with others attacked an okada rider known simply as Sina between 10.00 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. on Thursday when he was drinking at a beer joint.

Super and his group were said to have gone to the drink joint in search of a particular target who they could not find.

Though no one could say

Saturday Tribune

precisely why Sina was killed, a reliable source in the community said it was Ahmed who shot Sina on the order of Super, after which Super himself inflicted machete cuts on the deceased until he was cut into pieces.

But the community members defended Sina, saying he did not belong to any cult group.

Saturday Tribune further gathered that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Isashi Division, acting on information, stormed the hideout of the suspects in Super’s father’s house and arrested him where he hid under a tree. He was said to have attempted to scale a fence in a bid to escape arrest.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune on the condition of anonymity, a member of the community who spoke on behalf of others praised the boldness and determination of the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Isashi Division in arresting Super and his gang members.

“Before his arrest, Super had fear for nobody; not even the police. He was so bold that he and his gang members used to go about in the community with guns in broad daylight. The police and the government should help us arrest the remaining deadly cult members so that we can have peace in our community,” the resident said.

Confirming the story, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai

Owoseni, said he had directed that the suspects be transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, for further investigations, after which they would be taken to the Homicide section for mur-

der charges.

He said the number of arrested suspects had increased to four.

He also assured that his men would go after other suspected members of the cult group.

MR Andrew Venkwo, the Qua’an Pan Local Government chairman in Plateau State, on Friday, cautioned security personnel against overzealous conduct during Saturday’s by-election in the area.

The people of Qua’an Pan North Constituency will be going to the poll to elect a replacement for their dead representative at the state House of Assembly.

The chairman gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Qua’an Pan. He advised them not to be overzealous in handling security matters during the election.

Venkwo said: “The way and manner security operatives will react to the behaviours of the electorate or politicians matter a lot in the successful conduct of the election.

“At times, it is not the

electorate that spoil elections, but the reactions of security operatives to any slightest misbehaviour from the electorate.

“Rather than control the situation, the operatives sometimes aggravate it with their manner of approach, ” he said.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oni Iyabo now FAGBILE IYABO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ibe-sam Joy Chinenye now MRS JOY CHINENYE ANAYO EGEONU. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Shofolahan Bukola Deborah now MRS OLADELE BUKOLA DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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news

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Boko Haram: NEMA assists displaced police officers in Yobe James Bwala- Maiduguri DISPLACED police officers of Mopol 41 Base in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, have received assistance from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to cushion their suffering.

The base, which came under attack in December 2014

by Boko Haram militants, had left officers and men of the command homeless.

The state coordinator of NEM, Bashir Garga, while presenting materials to the Yobe State police command, decried neglect of security formations in the wake of the chain of attacks on them by Boko Haram, stressing the importance of security forces in the protection of lives and property of the people.

During the 2014 attack on the North East state, the mobile police base was a major target as structures of the base, security and personal vehicles were destroyed by the insurgents.

From left, wife of the Chief Executive Officer, Rave FM 91.7, Dr Bimbola Adefila; Chief Executive Officer, Rave FM 91.7, Mr Femi Adefila; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and the chairman on the occasion, Dr Yemi Farounbi, during the inauguration of Rave F.M 91 .7 at Agunbelewo, Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday.

Agitation for creation of Biafra, a futile exercise —APC chieftain Anthony Ubong - Calabar

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ICE-CHAIRMAN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River Central Senatorial District, Mr Cletus Obun, has described the ongoing agitation for the revalidation of the defunct Republic of Biafra as a futile exercise which has no foundation in law.

The APC chieftain, in an interview with Saturday Tribune in Calabar, said it was unnecessary to demand for a Biafran state since it had been fully integrated into Nigeria.

“While we agree that people have fundamental right under the national law and treaty to which Nigeria is a signatory to ask for self-determination, the causative agent that triggers it is absent in this Biafran agitation.

“I think it is a misplaced priority for anyone to engage in this type of wanton

demand for a Biafran state, knowing very well that they have been integrated into Nigeria.

“If they have to be taken seriously then the national leadership of the Igbo nation both at home and in the Diaspora ought to have withdrawn their participation in the Nigerian state but having entrenched themselves within the landlocked area of the south-eastern region of Nigeria with some ele-

ments in Rivers and Delta states, it is completely a very futile exercise, it is unnecessary and I think it is a gross irritation of the Nigerian political equation which nobody should treat as serious.

“The Biafran agitation is unnecessary. It is uncalled for and has no foundation in fact and in law,” Obun said.

Arguing that the Igbos, since independence, had been accorded equal

Navy arrests 11 suspected oil thieves EbenezerAdurokiya-Warri THE Nigerian Navy has seized a vessel laden with about 4,000 metric tons of substance suspected to be crude oil.

Eleven crew members aboard the vessel were also arrested and are now being investigated at the base of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA), in Warri, Delta State.

The vessel, measuring about 106 metres long, was intercepted for lack of valid papers while also being in possession of crude oil believed to be stolen.

Flag Commanding Officer (FOC), Central Naval Command, Yenagoa, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, Commander, NNS DELTA, Commodore Raimi Mohammed and other officers paraded the suspects on

Stallion Group wins Fish Farmer of the Year award

MULTINATIONAL conglomerate, Stallion Group, won the award of “Fish Farmer of the Year 2015,” at the Nigeria Agriculture Awards, held on the 25th November at Lagos.

Stallion Group was accorded the honour for its investments and extensive activities in Nigeria’s aquaculture industry, aimed at increasing local production of fish and thereby making Nigeria self-sufficient in the sector.

Stallion also operates a nationwide cold chain net-

rights, like every other ethnic group in the country, the APC chieftain added: “The Igbo nation should speak to Nigerians on what they mean by marginalisation. Is it about roads? Is it about appointments? Is it about elections? Are there people in Borno who are commissioners or senators in south-eastern Nigeria? In what area are they being marginalised? They must define that.”

work that assures consumers of the highest quality fish meeting international standards.

While confirming the award, the Central Committee of the Nigeria Agriculture Awards (NAA) noted that Stallion Group’s “massive investments in Nigerian aquaculture, signaling confidence in the nation’s economy, is highly commendable and this award appreciates the said effort.”

The annual Nigeria Agriculture Awards (NAA) honours performing Nige-

rian farmers in the various agricultural sectors.

The award is aimed at recognising and rewarding men, women, businesses and institutions that have contributed to Nigeria’s reemergence as a veritable force in agriculture.

The organisers said they are convinced that such special recognition of individuals and corporate organisations that have distinguished themselves as critical actors in the agricultural sector will serve as motivation to other stakeholders to follow suit.

Friday in Warri.

While speaking to journalists during inspection of the vessel now in custody of NNS DELTA, Warri, Rear Admiral Apochi said the vessel and its crew members were arrested on November 15 during a routine patrol offshore Forcados in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The naval chief reiterated the navy’s earlier warning to crude oil thieves, pipeline vandals, operators of illegal refineries and perpetrators of other forms of illegalities in the Niger Delta to engage in a more legitimate endeavor or face dire consequences.

Commander of NNS DELTA, Commodore Mohammed, stated that the navy had resolved to contain activities of oil thieves.

He said the navy would soon deploy technological equipment in fighting the menace in its territorial waters.

Meanwhile, Captain of the vessel (names withheld) said he had made about three trips conveying crude oil or refined product from Nigeria to Ghana and Cameroon.

Hand of Grace Christian Centre holds maiden December convention HAND of Grace Christian Centre, Ibadan, will hold the maiden edition of its annual December convention from Thursday, December 3 to Sunday, December 6 at Faithjoe Event Centre, beside Alegongo Secondary School, Akobo, Ibadan.

Tagged, “Possessing Your Inheritance”, the four-day programme, which will be presided over by Bishop Mike Afolabi, will commence with a Ministers’ Conference with the theme, “Running an Effective Ministry/Business”.

Hand of Grace Voices and Treasured Life Choir will minister in songs.

The convention will be rounded off with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, December 6, at the church premises.

Bishop Afolabi

NCNE organises workshop for nomadic teachers in S/West

By Kehinde Adio NATIONAL Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), based in Kaduna, has put in place all the necessary machineries to empower nomadic teachers in the South West.

Assembled at the University of Ibadan Conference Centre for a five-day intensive training under experienced resource persons, drawn from tertiary institutions in the country, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Rashid Aderinoye, stated that the workshop became imperative to address the poor quality of teaching in nomadic schools in the country.

According to him, the participants, drawn from Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states will be exposed to curriculum guide, record keeping, guidance and counseling and technique education during the 5- workshop, which started on Tuesday.

Taraba: Group backs Ishaku, faults tribunal judgment Sylvanus Viashima - Jalingo TARABA Youth Assembly for Democratic Governance yesterday threw its weight behind Governor Darius Ishaku, saying the tribunal ruling which nullified his election was unfair and would not stand the test of time.

President of the group, Babangida Umar Musa, who stated this at a media briefing in Jalingo, noted that the ruling had cast shadow of despair on the nation’s democratic journey and must not be allowed to stand as this would set a bad precedence.

“The judgment was to smuggle the victory given to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the people through the legal process to ingratiate the All Progressives Congress (APC). Instead of focusing on pure figures, which put the PDP far ahead, the tribunal went into technicalities to subvert the will of the people,” Musa said.

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Saturday Tribune

Polish ship attacked off Nigeria coast, 5 sailors held, Poland says FIVE Polish sailors are being held by kidnappers after a cargo ship belonging to a Polish company was attacked off the Nigerian coast, an incident Poland says highlights the need to review safety procedures of vessels operating in the area.

Polish Foreign Minister, Witold Waszczykowski, told a news conference on Friday that kidnappers had made no demands so far, and that Poland was liaising with Nigerian authorities, but would not get involved directly unless asked to do so.

“This is a responsibility of the sovereign state of Nigeria,” Waszczykowski said.

No traces of blood were discovered on the ship, which operates under the Cyprus flag, he said. The kidnapped sailors included the captain and officers.

From left, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; son of the late Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Omowale Kuye, Barrister Demola Kuye and Barrister Segun Awolowo, during the eighth day fidau for the deceased Chief at his residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday.

PHOTOS: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

Catholic group demands redeployment of Appeal Court judges in Owerri Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia GROUPS of Catholic network of Nigeria numbering over 4000 from the three senatorial zones of Abia State on Friday carried out a protest, wearing black and black attires in Umuahia, Abia Central Senatorial district, demanding the redeployment of the Appeal Court judges in Owerri.

At Bende Local Government Area of the state, where protesters observed prayers for positive change in Abia State, they demanded that the Chief Justice of the Federation, the National Judicial Council (NJC) and President Muhammadu Buhari should redeploy the appeal court judges at the Owerri judicial division because the people of Abia do not trust in them anymore.

Speaking to newsmen, the protesters said INEC and the tribunal judges were the main problem of Abia people presently, alleging that INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rigged the elections against the people’s mandate and the hope of reclaiming the mandate at the tribunals appeared dim.

From left, Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Dr Lekan Are; Chief Kola Daisi and others, during the eighth day fidau for High Chief Omowale Kuye, in Ikolaba, Ibadan, on Friday.

Kuye’s death unites Ajimobi, Ladoja

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HE eighth day fidau for the late Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Omowale Kuye, on Friday, united the governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the last general election, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

While Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious at the April 11, 2015 governorship election, Ladoja, who came second, challenged the outcome of the election at the tribunal, which eventually affirmed Ajimobi’s victory. Ladoja has since appealed against the tribunal verdict.

However, the political rivalry between the two seems to have thawed as they openly embraced each other on Friday and exchange pleasantries at the Ikolaba, Ibadan residence of the late Federal Director of Budget, to the admiration of eminent personalities and clerics at the occasion.

The ceremony provided Ajimobi another opportunity to tell the people of the

state that he was not at loggerheads with Ladoja whom he referred to as his elder brother, saying that politics apart, the bond between them was still intact.

“Politics is a funny game which pits brothers against brothers, friends against friends and even majority ethnic groups against minority groups. And this is exactly what has happened between me and my brother, Senator Ladoja.

“Even when you don’t

want to quarrel, your supporters will be inciting you to quarrel. Such is the nature of politics. Politics makes siblings to go against one another.

“But honestly, politics apart, there is no personal animosity between us. Senator Ladoja is my brother; I will never fight him,” he said.

The governor advised political leaders to eschew bitterness and not succumb to the antics of their support-

ers to cause disaffection among them.

Extolling the late Chief Kuye, the governor described him as a role model, an extremely brilliant, honest and candid man who had a lot of integrity.

Extending his condolences to the family and widow of the deceased, Chief (Mrs) Priscilla Kuye, Senator Ajimobi encouraged them to take solace in the good legacies left behind by their patriarch.

9 professors shortlisted for LASU VC position NINE out of 14 professors have been shortlisted to contest for the post of the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU).

A competent source at the university’s registrar’s office made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

The source said that 14 professors had applied for the position within six weeks of advertisement.

“Nine were shortlisted after several considerations of their qualifications and pre-requisites for absorption,” the source said.

The source noted that among the five candidates who were not shortlisted was the immediate former Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Obafunwa, whose tenure ended on October 31.

According to the source, the candidates who were not shortlisted do not possess a PhD certificate,

while others had not spent up to 10 years as professors.

“Although, the advertisement had outlined that the professorship of the candidates must have lasted seven years, it was extended to 10 years during the screening as it applies in federal universities,” it added.

The source said that while six of the shortlisted professors are from LASU, the three others are from outside the institution.

Police kill 2 robbery suspects, arrest 2 kidnap suspects in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri TWO armed robbery suspects have met their waterloo during a gun duel with the police in Warri, Delta State.

The suspects, with the aid of a tricycle, attacked one Mr Elogbunama Enyang Edifion and other persons at Effurun roundabout, near Warri.

They were said to have already dispossessed the victims of their belongings such as laptops and assorted handsets before they were intercepted by operatives of the Nigeria Police from Ekpan Division, who were on patrol.

The gun battle that ensued saw two of the four robbery suspects killed, while two others, it was gathered, escaped.

One cut-to-size locally-made pistol, two live cartridges and laptops and different handsets were recovered from them, while the police are on the trail of the fleeing suspects.

In a related development, the police in the state have arrested two kidnap suspects as well as rescued two victims at Udu Road, Aladja, near Warri.

NDLEA arrests journalist, 5 other suspected drug traffickers at Lagos airport THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Friday, said it has arrested a Brazil-based freelance journalist (names withheld) and a patent medicine dealer over alleged drug trafficking.

This is contained in a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Mitchel Ofoyeju, in Lagos.

The 25-year-old lady and the suspected dealers were arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja.

According to the statement, the suspects are currently being interrogated by the NDLEA’s operatives over the drug trafficking.

The six suspects were said to have been arrested at the airport with 13.410 kilogrammes of substances that tested positive for narcotics.

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Saturday Tribune

Lai Mohammed pledges accurate information for media From Christian Okeke - Abuja

From left, Acting Head Public Affairs and Communication, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, Mrs. Sade Morgan, Director NBC, Alhaji Ahmed Mantey; Managing Director, NBC, Ben Langqat; Director NBC, Laolu Akinkugbe and Governor of Kwara State, Dr Abdufatah Ahmed during the courtesy visit to Kwara government house by the NBC delegation during the week.

Buhari lauds Ambode over N4.7bn equipment for police Bola Badmus- Lagos

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has lauded Lagos State government under Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for donating fighting equipment, including three helicopters, two gun boats, among others, to the State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

The President, also restated the Federal government commitment to ensure that the security outfits were given the best in areas of recruitment, training, equipping, logistics and others in line with the best practice across the world. He enjoined other state governments to emulate the gesture of Lagos State government by supporting security agencies to discharge their duties.

The President, who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Lt- General Abdulrahaman Danbazau, said this on Friday, while speaking at the inauguration and handing- over of security equipment to the Nigeria Police Force (Lagos State Command).

The equipment, which total cost was put at N4.765billion, also included 55 Ford Ranger pickups, 100 4- door salon cars,

10 Toyota land Cruiser pick- ups, Isuzu trucks, 100 power bikes and 15 BMW Power Bikes.

Others are 15 armoured personnel carriers, revolving lights, siren and Public Address System, Vehicular Radio Communicators, security gadgets including bullet proof vests, helmets, handcuffs, etc, uniforms, kits and improved Insurance and Death Benefit Schemes for officers.

Governor Ambode, while speaking at the ceremony, said with the new development, the Lagos State Police Command had been repositioned to compare to similar outfits in other modern City States, expressing optimism that the equipment would go a long

way to aid security agencies to respond faster to crime.

“Our Police Command will have its operations significantly driven by the right technology and equipment that will match the emerging sophistication of crime in our contemporary time.

“Given the encouraging partnership and support of well-meaning citizens and corporate organisations, we are on course to making our state a safe haven only for law abiding citizens,” Ambode said.

The governor, while urging the officers of the State Police Command to ensure that the purpose for which the equipment was acquired was not defeated, said, “We say to whom

Police arrest couple, 3 others for kidnap in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri A couple, Emeka Okolie and his wife, Loveth Emeka Okolie, are among five suspects arrested by the Nigeria Police for abducting one Chief Ijeh Christopher last week in Delta State.

Names of the three other suspects were given as Onyeka Anyanwu, Okoh Kaogwashie and one Ifeanyi.

The victim, Chief Christopher, as gathered, was abducted at Ogwashi-Uku on November 18, kept in a hideout at Orifitie in Anambra State and later released after part of the N2 million ransom demanded was paid.

Saturday Tribune, however, gathered that on Friday, detectives attached to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS), Asaba,

Lagosians groan under heavy traffic MOTORISTS and commuters on Friday urged the Lagos State and the Federal Governments to find a lasting solution to the perennial gridlock that often locks down the metropolis.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos metropolis was again locked down by traffic jams, apparently caused by tankers and trucks heading to Apapa ports to lift petrol and other goods.

much is given, much is expected.”

Ambode also seized the occasion to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to further strengthen support for the state, noting that the security of the state reflects directly on the economic fortunes of Nigeria.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, who spoke earlier, said with the huge investment in security equipment donated to the police by the state government, Ambode had shown that beyond his widely acknowledged commitment to the security wellbeing and welfare of the people, he was determined to prioritise security.

The development which every time it occurred, left motorists and commuters on the road for long hours, led to loss of man hours and impacted negatively on the economy.

Friday’s gridlock is coming as motorists and commuters were smarting from more than three weeks fuel scarcity that had engulfed the country.

The major roads affected by the situation are

Ikorodu road, Agege Motor road, Funsho Williams Avenue, CMS, Surulere, Mushin, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and IjoraApapa road but the jam spilled over to the adjoining streets.

The gridlock forced some motorists to abandon their vehicles, while commuters alighted from the commercial vehicles they had boarded to trek kilometres to their destinations.

acting on a tip-off, stormed the criminals’ hideout at Orifitie in Anambra State.

The hoodlums, on sighting the police detectives, allegedly engaged the security agents in a gun duel and one of the suspects, Ifeanyi, was shot and arrested.

The suspect eventually died while receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba while the other four suspects are helping the police with further investigation.

Speaking on the operation, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Command, DSP Celestina Kalu, disclosed that the sum of N554,000 believed to be part of the ransom collected for the release of the victim was recovered from the female suspect, Mrs Okolie.

Meanwhile, one Chief Edore Agba and Daniel Fole who were kidnapped at Ughelli by unknown gun men on November 22 have been rescued by the police.

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Friday, met with representatives of media professionals in Abuja and pledged to ensure that the media get timely and accurate information from government.

He urged the media to galvanise support among the populace for the war on terrorism, which he described as a major challenge facing the nation.

Mohammed told them that it was important for the media to report the fact that the military had turned the tide against the insurgents, degrading their ability to carry out spectacular attacks and retaking captured territories.

The minister said there was need for the media not to sit on the fence over the issue of national unity.

According to him, the war against terrorism was not a war for the military alone but for all Nigerians.

He insisted that the media must reflect this in their reporting and galvanise the people to know that it is not just a battle against a few insurgents but a war for the very survival of the country.

He said, “Apart from the challenge of terrorism, there is also the issue of national unity. If anything, we have taken our unity for granted and have not made a conscious and concerted effort to constantly service and strengthen it.”

Court summons clergy over alleged forgery Sunday Ejike - Abuja AN Upper Area Court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory has asked a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev Paul Emeka to appear before it to answer to an allegation bordering on forgery.

Emeka, according to the court summons dated 16 November is expected to be arraigned before the court on 1 December.

The accused person, a former General Superintendent of the church was alleged to have forged his professorial certificate from the University of Derby, Derbyshire, England.

According to the criminal complaint to the court filed on behalf of the church by Barrister Ifeanyichukwu Obasi-Nweze, Rev. Emeka presented himself to the church as a Professor from University of Derby, Derbyshire, England and based on that, he was promoted to become a member of the Board of Trustees of the church.

The church further said that sometimes in January 15, after investigating his professorial certificate found out that it was forged.

According to the document made available to newsmen, the university said there is no record of any Paul Emeka in the University’s Conferment Committee Achieves.

Following the discovery of the church, the clergy was removed as a member of Board of Trustees of the church and the matter was reported to the police for investigation and prosecution.

The police has completed their investigation into the matter and are expected to appear before the court on 1 December with the report when Rev. Emeka is also expected to be arraigned.

Oyo SDP holds LG congress today THE Oyo state’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) holds its local government congress across the state today.

A release signed by the

chairman of 2015 state congress committee of the party, Hon Wasiu Adeleke disclosed that the congress will start at 10 a.m.

Meanwhile there will be electoral officers to monitor the congress across the state by the committee saddled with the responsibilities of supervising the local government congress which will usher in new set of executive for a stipulated period of time according to the constitution of the party.

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Saturday Tribune

No longer better than their neighbours...

Recently, the Federal Government announced the ban on the importation of the small power generating set, popularly called ‘I better pass my neighbour’ due to the air pollution and health challenges it poses to the citizenry, according to Mr Madugu Sanni Jubrin, Controller, Federation Operations Unit, Zone A, Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), when making the announcement in Lagos. OLUWATOBILOBA OYESOLA, RUKAYAT OLUFEMI AND BOLAJI OGUNGBADE went to town to feel the pulse of Nigerians, particularly dealers in the product.

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HAT is your opinion on the ban of ‘I better pass my neighbour as a dealer in the product?

Oladosu Olasunkanmi: Looking at the market, it’s painful, but the government knows better. If anything that could cause problems for our health is banned, I don’t see anything bad in it. It is for the benefit of all of us. Even those of us selling it know that it is not good to inhale carbon monoxide. So, I don’t see anything bad in the ban.

Don’t you think it can affect your returns, the product being one of the best selling of your stock?

If we think about it that way, it’s like telling someone selling weed [marijuana] to continue to sell it because of the money he derives from in it and at the same time asking people to be smoking it and be running mad. We can’t think like that. We would sell other available products. Anything the government has banned, we are not entitled to sell again.

How will you cope without the product since it is the most affordable?

The generator is much affordable to the average Nigerian out there, and all I would like to say in that respect is that the government should live up to expectation in the area of power generation. It is because there is poor electricity supply everywhere and that is why people are using the generator as an alternative means of power generation. If supply was fine, people would stick to the rules.

Mr Sadiq Jeleel Adekunle: As a dealer in generating sets, what is your take on the ban on ‘I better pass my neighbour’?

With the report that the importation of the portable generation has been banned by the Federal Government, one way or the other, people are still smuggling it into Nigeria, but everybody knows that it has been banned because of the carbon monoxide the generator emits, due to the mixture of oil with petrol and it kills.

Don’t you think it can affect sales?

Basically, sales have been affected already, because when something is not illegal, we don’t have to smuggle it in. Most Nigerians prefer it to any other product, because of the high bills electricity distribution companies are bringing. It doesn’t consume fuel so much and there is now an alternative in the market - the medium size - one that doesn’t need the mixture of oil, so there is already an alternative and it looks like that little one, but it is bigger. Preferably, people would migrate.

Alawode Waheed: We don’t know why the government decided to do that because it’s long we had been selling it, but what they are saying is that it should be banned and should not be imported into the country again. Maybe the government thought of the carbon monoxide it emits and how it has been affecting the health of citizens, but we always explain to people buying them not to use it indoors, but outside so that ventilation can take care of it, but government knows why it has banned its importation.

Don’t you think it will affect your proceeds?

It may affect and it may not, because we had had an inkling about the ban for some time now, and there is an alternative people are now going for, maybe that is what everybody

would return to now.

Olanrewaju Oladosu: Well, the portable generator discharges smoke and the carbon is dangerous to the health of people and it’s also a product that moves easily and saves more fuel than the bigger ones, but at the same time, it has a limited load it can carry, so I prefer the bigger one to the portable type, because the bigger one can easily accommodate freezers, and all other big gadgets, anybody that returns home at about 8.00 p.m. and has just one litre of fuel in his generator can enjoy it for one hour or so, but if it is a bigger one, i t can’t last that time with the little fuel, but if that is the decision of the government, there is no problem, we would switch to the next product available.

What do you think are the implications for the common man?

We are now in a civilised world. Even barbers now use air conditioner powered by bigger generator. So, barbers have upgraded themselves to the modern age. As a generator dealer, my company sells to those who are not financially buoyant. They now buy the bigger one by paying half the amount and come to balance up after some months. We are doing this to assist the citizenry.

Engineer Ayoola Sakiru: Anything the government sees that can harm citizens should be banned. We were even prepared for the ban because carbon monoxide kills people due to the combination of oil and fuel. We would be very happy if it is banned because it’s like a poison to the citizenry. Since it’s the only one they have banned, they have not said we should stop selling all generator products.

Don’t you think it will affect your sales?

It can’t because people are not even buying it again. We don’t have that type in our stores because only a few people demand for it and my company no longer demands for it again. Besides, we always find some with factory problems after taking delivery of the consignment, which means that we even run at a loss at times. So, they should ban it, but government should look into the reduction of the prices of the bigger ones for them to be affordable to the common man.

Prince Adesola Kuti: The ban is commendable and at the same time condemnable. It is commendable in the sense that if there is adequate supply of power, there won’t

the need to use any generator again. The havoc that carbon monoxide causes is not minute, but I think before the government can say we should stop using the ‘I pass my neighbour’ type of generator, there should be adequate supply of power. If there is constant supply of power. In fact, there will be no noise everywhere. But the role that small generator plays in the commercial lives of Nigerians like shoemakers and other artisans is phenomenal because it is not everybody that can afford the bigger generators. The portable one is more affordable.

So, the ban is a welcome development if power supply is regular.

But don’t you think the crazy bill from the electricity distribution company scares Nigerians stiff?

Well, it’s not that encouraging, some people prefer power from the distribution company to the use of generator while some prefer fuelling their generating sets with N300 to giving it to the distribution company, but we should be frank with one another, there is nothing like using electricity. First, the notice is out of it, secondly, it’s rare to find an area where people can put on their generating sets overnight people lives and you on gen overnight; neighbours will surely complain. Once it is 11.00 p.m. or 12 midnight, you must surely put off the set, crazy bill or no crazy bill. If is constant supply of power and they bring normal bill, people won’t complain. For instance, the Federal Government said that prepaid metres should be given out to people free, but now if you don’t have N50,000 or more, you can’t get one. If we everybody is able to get the prepaid metre for free, people will adjust.

Mr Eugene Nwachi: I think they have to find a solution to power problem in this country. Power supply just has to be regular. Definitely, I know that it is not everybody that can afford to buy a big generator, especially small scale businessmen, that is what they can afford for now. With the way things are in this country, you should know that not all of us can afford the big generator. It is not easy.

With crazy bill, don’t you think people are scared of using power from the distribution company?

I think that is a very big problem, but the only thing I think is since they have already banned it, they should find an alternate to common man in Nigerians, to charge .etc. there are lots of people that cannot afford bigger gen.

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of coming to my office, looking at me, touching me and I even carried their baby as dirty as she was in my hands.

They said they never dreamt of having such an experience in their whole life. I was so touched that day that tears started flowing down my face. That made me realise that the less privileged need love and not money alone. Since then, they have been bringing food and different things to me. People now call me ‘Mama Fulani.’

EING a southerner married to a northerner, how have you been coping?

When you are married to a man, you become a part of him. Now, I can say I am from Bauchi State, I am more used to the place and the people. I do not think there is any difference. Moreover, my mother-in-law loved me so much.

Where and how did you meet your husband?

We met in 1986 when my office and his moved to Abuja. You see, when God says somebody is your husband, you will surely meet and somehow the relationship will start. I don’t really want to go too much into that. We were destined to get married and we got married in 1988.

What lessons did you learn during those years?

I learnt that you should always believe in God and yourself because most people who you feel are your friends are actually not.

When you are no more in power, many behave as if they have never known you.

Any regrets while in office?

No regrets at all, only that as a governor’s wife, people thought I had a lot of money, so I did not get assistance as I should with regards to my pet project, Challenge Your Disability Initiative (CYDI). When I sought collaboration, they would tell me “government has money.” That slowed down a lot of things.

Did you meet in the bank, shopping mall, fuel station or where exactly?

We met in my office. He came to my office when I was the personal assistant to a minister and that was how we met and one thing led to the other.

When you accepted his proposal, did you have any inkling you were going to be the wife of a governor in the nearest future?

You wouldn’t know that...(laughs). I never thought about that. It was just destiny being fulfilled.

How would you describe your spouse?

He is really a loving husband and father, very kind and God-fearing.

He is down-to-earth and he can sacrifice the whole world for you. He sacrifices a lot that others may be happy.

Are you saying all these because he is your husband?

If I did not see these traits in him, I would not have married him in the first place especially being a Fulani man. Nobody believed I could marry from the North because I was a Christian except that there was a good reason for it.

You became a grandmother not quite long, how do you feel?

I feel so happy, I cannot thank God enough. It is the mercy and grace of God. Many parents these days fail to give their children the necessary attention, what do you have to say?

I want every parent to be responsible for his or her child’s upbringing. Many of the problems we are facing today is as a result of parents failure to nurture their children and inculcate in them good morals or values. Parents should endeavour to build a relationship with their children--discuss with them, monitor them, know their friends and even the parents of their children’s friends.

When you create an atmosphere where your children are free with you, then they can tell you anything and everything and you will be their friend.

You played the role of governor’s wife for eight years, how will you describe life out of government?

With me, there is no much difference because even when my husband was governor, I always did many things in ways that I could easily adjust to even when he is no more there. Apart from official duties which I had to carry out in the official way, my private life has always been the same. I never changed my friends or my way of life. The

‘The positive traits in my Fulani-hubby drew him to me’ Hajia Hauwa Abiodun Yuguda is one of the wives of former governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda. A Yoruba woman married to a Fulani, she speaks with the Deputy Editor, SALIU GBADAMOSI, on her marriage, reminiscences on life as governor’s wife and also sheds light on the activities of her nongovernmental organisation (NGO), Challenge Your Disability Initiative (CYDI), among others. Excerpt: only difference is that I no longer have access to assisting those with disability like I did when my husband was a governor.

As a governor’s wife, you had security details and moved in a convoy, don’t you miss those attention given you then?

Like I just told you, I’m coping well because l didn’t move with convoys unless l was on a tour. I made sure I didn’t get used to those things because I knew they would not last forever. Even when I travelled, I didn’t travel with many convoys. I used my car, my back-up car and the pilot vehicle and when I was in town, I moved without convoy.

If you have the opportunity of being a governor’s wife again, what would you do better?

Really, there was nothing that I wanted to do that I didn’t do. My life has always been that of a humanitarian and that I have been doing since I was young. If I have another opportunity, I will want to do

more because it was a learning period for me, I actually have no regrets. I thank God that I was always there for the less privileged who needed me the most.

What experience did you have that you will not forget in your lifetime?

My experiences have always been with the less privileged, especially the disabled. One experience that I will never forget is one that I had with the Fulanis.

They wrote a letter that they wanted to see me and then they came in 20 buses and I was in their midst. They were looking at me and talking to me, I was scared.

Then I carried one of their babies and then they started weeping, all of them.

I asked them what the matter was and they told me it was because they never had the opportunity of coming close to a governor’s wife before. They even told me that even when a chairman or anyone in power was coming, they were always driven away like animals. And here they were with me. They had the opportunity

CYDI built a hospital, school and financed health programmes among other things.

Were the funds solely from your purse?

Before my husband was elected as governor, somebody I helped in the past but who I no more remembered came to me and gave me some amount of money which was quite meaningful. I refused the money but he insisted and pleaded that I should collect it. I later did.

Then someone encouraged me to invest the money in shares which I did. l forgot all about it and by the time I remembered, It had yielded much and that was what I used in running the projects although some thought I was using the state government’s fund. We only collaborated with the state government in some areas. We partnered with BAYWORD which was taking care of the disabled. l prefer to support the needy with my resources, but at a stage, everybody thought l had so much money and started coming to me with their problems. To those I could give immediate assistance I did while some had to wait awhile till there was enough fund to meet their needs.

Didn’t you receive assistance from international organisations?

I did. Most of the time, when international organisations need to give out things to people with disabilities, they refer them to me and we have been able to get assistance from some of them and also from local NGOs too. People came to assist and partner with us without our going to them because of the positive effect the NGO was making in the society. There was a time the government empowered people with disabilities whom we trained.

Now that you are no more in government, do you still hope to continue?

I don’t think anything will stop me from serving humanity. Before my husband left office, I made sure we had an agency for people with disability. I wrote to the state House of Assembly and we were able to fight for their rights and then the bill was passed and approved into law. By God’s grace, this has made it possible for this group of people to be part of the government and have its attention.

11

28 November, 2015

food&drink

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

Y

OU are a graduate of Mass Communication, why did you choose to go into the cake making business?

I went into cake making business because I wanted to be independent. Again, I also realised that you generate more income when you empower yourself with a skill like this. It’s actually more lucrative than the so-called white-collar job. My parents actually wanted the certificate, so I gave it to them and went in pursuit of my own dreams.

How long have you been baking?

Let’s say since 1990, that’s over 20 years. I have been baking since I was in the secondary school.

I grew great passion for it since I was little, but I started baking professionally in the year 2007.

Do you have a formal training in cake making?

Yes, I went to a catering school after graduating from the university.

Do you also cook in addition to baking?

Yes, I do. We call it outdoor catering.

How easy is it combining both skills?

I find it easy because outdoor catering service comes mostly during the weekends and I bake most of my cakes during the week. For example, if I want to bake a cake for a birthday party on Saturday, I will bake it on Wednesday, preserve it and do the covering on Thursday. So it’s quite easy carrying out both activities without a clash. All you need is proper planning. .

What, to you, is the attribute of a good cake maker?

A good cake maker must be neat, patient and have rapport with customers. Again, he or she must be very creative.

Red velvet cake: ‘Made of little sugar with salt’ Skilled in cake baking, an art which she combines with outdoor catering, Mrs Princess Idowu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Genesis Cakes and Beauty Palace, in this interview with OMODASOLA SMITH, speaks about her passion for cake making, the different cakes and flavours and her favourite cake.

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

Five hours. It was actually an eight-tier wedding cake.

Do you have a favorite cake?

Yes, I do. It’s red-velvet cake.

Why do you like it?

I like it because it is not sugary like other cakes, salt is included in the recipe.

Are there cakes for different occasions?

Yes, but it actually depends on what the cake owner wants.

As a cake maker, what challenges do you face?

Some customers do not appreciate what goes into making the different cakes, so they price them anyhow. I don’t really blame them because there are so many unqualified cake makers in the industry who do not know the rudiments of cake making, so they charge their customers less. Some customers do fail to realise that anything good is expensive, as aYoruba adage says, ‘Obe to dun, owo lo pa.’

What kind of cake flavour do you think is the best for a wedding cake?

Vanilla. It gives the cake an ice cream taste and smell.

Can you recall a mistake you made while baking a particular cake?

I remember a particular time I was baking a birthday cake at home, I was very tired, I sat down in the sitting room to rest. I slept off and the cake got burnt, it was the burning odour that woke me up. I had no choice but bake another cake.

12

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

13

28 November, 2015

intimacy

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Benefits of early morning sex

I

T has been discovered that men are capable of having sex and enjoying it at any opportune time and place. It is so easy for men to do so because of their physiological make up. Men have been said to be like a helicopter when it comes to sex. They are easily aroused, and can taxi, and take off like a helicopter, without a runway. Therefore, for men, sex can be said to be an anytime affair without prior intent.

However, men still have a time that makes sex most suitable for them. Experts in this field have said that males’ best sex time is in the morning. According to sex therapist, Dr. Arlene Goldman, co-author of Psychology Today Here to Help: Secrets of Sexual Ecstasy, “Many men are on their horniest first thing in the morning.” Though you may not feel like it, doing it in the morning can be amazingly hot for you as well, even as a woman.

Your man’s best time for sex is in the morning due to a biological reason that is known as testosterone.

After a night’s sleep, the level of testosterone peaks. And testosterone is a leading contributor to sexual feelings in men. Testosterone is a steroid hormone that stimulates the development of male secondary sexual characteristics.

Apart from this, most men wake up with fully aroused body because blood circulation to the penis increases overnight.

But men don’t look down at the rod in the morning, thinking “Oh! That’s just my junk doing its thing.” Rather, he sees an erection, and wants to put it to use, instead of letting it “be at peace” or deflate. What is on his mind is to strike the iron while it is hot. So you’ve got to understand why he is everready the more in the morning for sex.

And you don’t have to spoil the fun for him by closing up.

Rather, you should take time to learn a few tricks on how you can make the day a memorable one for him, while you also take a bit of the action. You will be surprised about how much fun will get out of such an early morning exercise, especially when you do not have the luxury of jogging around.

So, spare him the fun of that good morning sex. It will help him to maintain sanity in the face of temptations (especially from the secretary or the tea lady) as he goes about his job in the office or around in the town.

Morning sex is not all about him, you can also derive great fun from it.

In most cases, especially when you’ve not learnt the techniques of enjoying the morning sex, sex in the morning is the farthest thing on your mind. Thus, your man may be highly criticised for feeling like it in the morning, especially for the religious mind that wants to wake up doing the first

thing with her God, that is, prayer and praying. To such a one, sex in the morning becomes a sin or a taboo. But when you have learnt how to enjoy the “good morning” sex, you stand to derive great fun from it as well. According to a therapist, “When a man has higher testosterone, and he’s well rested, he has more energy during sex and that energy will make him last longer for the pleasure of his woman” Furthermore, it is also a great way of keeping him thinking about you all day long instead of flirting around in the office.

So, find out ways of banishing those unsexy “I just woke up” feelings so that you can enjoy the good morning sex. One way to help you play along is to fresh up a bit. It makes you feel like it, stay alert and ready to get in the mood. According to Goldman, you can tell him before the action starts you give him 30seconds to get ready for some mind-blowing sex. You can then enter the bathroom to get refreshed and take care of whatever may be making you feel “unsexy.”

Position that make morning sex enjoyable for women Since women may not have lots of energy for sex in the morning just because their partners have, couples should adopt positions that are easy, but still make hitting the right spots in her a topmost priority. For example, spooning is an ideal morning position according to sex counsellor, Trina Read, author of “Till Sex Do Us Part”. Many people sleep in the spooning position, and thus make it easy for him to fondle the breasts, and also touch her clitoris.

An early morning sex attack on him is one coup for which you will not face the firing squad. Rather, it will earn you extra credit for being a worthy friend and lover of your spouse.

Another position you can try is “man on his side, woman on her back, “with her legs over his hips to have him enter you”. In this position, your bodies will form a “t” shape. This position is helpful if you have not brushed your teeth yet, because you are not facing each other, according to Read. It also puts him in at the perfect angle to hit her G spot with ease.

Other positions that also make the woman to relax while the man is doing the energy sapping workout will definitely assist the woman to respond to the morning sex the more, without the feeling of tiredness. The previous write-up on sex positions in this column will provide you with guides on positions you can experiment with, till you discover which one will serve the best interest of both of you — pleasure. It is a good way of saying ‘good morning’ to each other, especially where you have been picking quarrel over who should first say ‘good morning’. It’s amazing what couples quarrel about at times. So, don’t think it’s funny.

There is a magic in an early morning sneak attack on him An early morning sex attack on your husband could be highly rewarding, and a special surprise package for him, once in a while, or on special occasions such as wedding anniversary, his birthday, Valentine’s Day, or to end a quarrel. It will drive him to the peak of appreciation you may better imagine.

Surprise him by waiting for him till he enters the shower, then position yourself naked on the edge of the sink, or the door, or on the bed. When he pulls back the shower curtain, or opens the bathroom or bedroom door, he will be thanking God for you for understanding how to be creative in giving him sexual pleasure. Sure bet: an all day thought about you that will drive him to his wits end of nice acts, including a gift of a lifetime. I can assure you he will definitely reciprocate as soon as possible.

An early morning sex attack on him is one coup for which you will not face the firing squad. Rather, it will earn you extra credit for being a worthy friend and lover of your spouse. A trial will bring you great reward both in kind and cash. I’m sure you will feed me back without sharing your reward with me.

Meanwhile, I’m sorry I have to go for now, it‘s almost morning time as I write, and I don’t want to be left out of the morning action today, due to tiredness. I love to reward my husband with that early morning attack for being there for me always. See you next week, and remember our secret: it’s only for your married partner.

14

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

With Aunty Yemi 08056834515 ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

, e r o m r a e f u o y ol or in Who do ho c s n i c h e rs

? e u q s o m / h c chur t ea

IDOWU MOHAMMED, 6 YEARS OLD, BASIC 2 My school teacher beats me a lot so I fear him.

OLORUNNISOMO HARRISON, 9 YRS OLD, BASIC 5 My school teacher is the one I fear more. He is very kind, disciplined and thorough, but he is not somebody I can call wicked. Whenever he takes a disciplinary action, he makes the person affected realise the reason behind his action. I realise he does not want us to be spoilt.

OMOLARA AWODETAIWO, 8 YRS OLD, BASIC 4 I fear my school teachers more because they discipline me whenever I fail to do my assignments.

EMMANUEL ALAYANDE, 11 YRS OLD, BASIC 5 I fear my school teacher more. He does not like us being lazy and he always wants us to perform very well in our class work, tests and examinations. He beats any student who fails to do his class work well.

In church, there is nothing that warrants us being beaten, so there is no need to be afraid of people that teach us there.

Respondents are pupils and students of Royal Covenant Group of Schools, Koyejo Street, Anfani and D’ Right Path Model School, Wofun, both in Ibaban, Oyo State.

ADEYEMI WAREEZ, 10 YEARS OLD, BASIC 4 I fear my teachers in the mosque because he beats so much. Though I like going to mosque, my teacher in the mosque makes it fearful for me.

Whenever I sight him, I hide because I can’t predict his action or reaction.

AJAYI AYOADE, 9 YRS OLD, BASIC 4 The teachers in my church are the ones I fear more because they correct me by punishing me each time I misbehave or fail to do my assignment.

Compiled by Dasola Smith

MICHAEL ADEBAYO, 10YRS OLD, BASIC 5 I fear my school teacher more because he is someone who doesn’t take nonsense.

He is a strict man, but I like him because he only beats me occasionally.

IDOWU IDRIS FOLARIN, 10 YRS OLD, BASIC 9 I fear my teacher in the mosque more because he handles us with an iron hand.

He beats children who misbehave. My teachers in school have ways of dealing with me and I don’t get afraid when I see them or hear their voice.

CHIBUIKE OLISAH, 8YRS OLD, BASIC 4 I fear my teachers in school more because they teach me well.

Whenever I get home, I remember the teachers and this helps me to behave well. In the course of doing my assignments also, I remember some of my teachers, therefore I take my time to do them well in order to avoid being beaten the next day.

Beating me does not mean he hates me.

ADENIJI TAWA, 11 YRS OLD, BASIC 5 I fear my school teacher more because he does not tolerate laziness.

He does not pardon us whenever we do anything wrong.

REARRANGE THESE JUMBLED WORDS

Riach Letba Hklac Ecan Droab Arkmer Lippu Csasl

— — — — — — — —

Answer: 16 Animals

OLABAMIJI AISHAT, 8 YRS OLD, BASIC 3 I fear my teacher in school more because he corrects with strokes of the cane.

But my teachers in mosque do not beat me; they are gentle when teaching us. They don’t beat students at all.

ABDUL-SALAM ROFIAT, 11 YRS OLD, BASIC 7 My teacher in school is kind but my teacher in mosque will always come to mosque with cane. I wish he doesn’t hold the cane because it creates fear in me anytime I see him.

SULAIMON AMINAT, 12 YRS OLD, JSS 3 I fear my teacher in the mosque because he usually beats me, he is not kind to me and he does not teach me well unlike my school teacher who does not shout at me and she usually explains things to me well.

In fact my school teacher is the best among all teachers.

OKUNLOLA OYINLOLA, 8 YRS OLD, BASIC 4 I fear my teachers in church more because they discipline children a lot.

Each time I fail to recite my memory verse or read my bible, they punish me.

ADEDIGBA HAMIDAT, 5 YRS OLD, BASIC 2 Each time I see the cane in the hand of my teacher in the mosque, my heart beats fast. I fear him.

Question from last week

15

28 November, 2015

health&fitness

Saturday Tribune BLESSING EKUM

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

My advice to those bleaching is to stop; the earlier they stop the better.

If they have not used it for too long, the skin can still regenerate and look better if they stop. If not, they are likely to be candidates of the complications that come with the use of steroids used for skin bleaching. is no difference between toning and bleaching.

How bleaching affects the skin and other organs in the body Most of these chemicals reduce the amount of melanin on the skin. This destroys the skin, affects enzymes, affects the initial agent from which melanin is formed which is thyroxin (amino acid in the body). Most of these substances are rubbed on the skin as available in creams, so when rubbed there is a particular amount absorbed into the body and when they do, they have certain effects, especially when used for a long period of time. Over time, when absorbed into the body, there would be an accumulation of steroids which can cause diabetes mellitus, impaired wound healing, benign intracranial hypertension. Steroids can have a variety of systemic effects, especially when used persistently; it could also cause kidney and liver disease as most of these substances have to be metabolised and so damage the liver or kidney.

It also causes skin atrophy, i.e. thinning of the skin (when the vessels are visible and appear greenish), skin discolouration as a result of damage to the skin and scaring. There is also the risk of contracting dermatitis as a result of some ingredients in the cream. There is also the risk of cancer. Some countries have banned some of these substances, for example in France, the use of hydroquinone has been banned and also Mercury, in the United States of America and France.

The same goes for skin lightening soaps, most of which contain chemical substances such as mercury, Kogic acid which is not safe.

In Nigeria today, it’s increasingly becoming rare to see both men and women in their natural complexion as bleaching has taken the front seat in the cosmetic industry.

ALIMI TABAT speaks with Dr. Hamidah Bello, a consultant dermatologist at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, who sheds light on this growing sociomedical issue.

‘It’s OK to bleach your skin if...’

H

OW bleaching works Bleaching is the change of colour of the skin by the use of chemical substances. These substances can be topical (which means substances that are rubbed on the skin), oral or through any other route. Bleaching the skin is not natural as it is better to remain with one’s natural colour which is well suited to our environment.

Bleaching reduces the amount of melanin in the body. Melanin is found on the surface of the skin and protects it from ultra-violet rays from the sun. By the time it is reduced, you are exposing your skin to variety of problems and this is why there is a high risk of cancer when you bleach your skin.

Usually, dark-skinned people have more melanin than those who are light-skinned. There are other factors that make the skin dark, for instance, sun exposure, genetic makeup, some skin diseases, etc.

Bleaching substances commonly used There are varieties of chemical substances being used.

The most well-known is mercury, others are hydroquinone, glucocorticoid (commonly used in Nigeria as it is affordable and easily accessible) and the other substances that are quoted to be bleaching substances are Vitamin C, Kogic Acid and Glutathione. There are others like Abuttine and some other chemicals that have not been well studied.

Toning versus bleaching?

Skin bleaching is also known by other names like lightening, whitening, toning and fading. All these other terms are more fanciful as they appear less harsh. If one uses the word ‘bleaching’ you are being judgmental. Terms such as ‘skin light’, ‘skin white’, ‘skin fade’ and ‘skin tone’ are inscribed on products as no producer would use ‘skin bleach,’ but they all contain the same toning agent. There

The use of bleaching injections as new fad Glutathione is a substance which is present in the body and what it does is that it acts as antioxidant and mops up free radicals in the body. It is found in meats, fruits, vegetables, etc. Glutathione is also one of the agents used in bleaching taken through different routes which are orally, intravenously (IV) and as a nasal spray. But for skin lightening, it is better taken through the IV route (whereby you get a vein and you push the agent. Its use as a skin lightening agent is a recent discovery.

One cannot categorically say that it is safe or unsafe to use glutathione, but one should take a word of caution in using chemical substances that have not been fully studied. However, there are warnings from the Food and Drug Organisation of the US that glutathione may cause liver and kidney problems as well as cancer. Most of the practitioners and people who recommend glutathione claim that there is no side effect, but one still has to study it, especially when taken through IV route and the skin colour changes its causes. It is something one needs to be afraid of using when you don’t know the side effect. Some other agents such a mercury and hydroquinone were discouraged because of the risk of cancer but all these banned substances are still available and selling here in Nigeria.

Is it at any point safe to use bleaching creams?

Black skin is beautiful, though most Nigerian men and women use creams to change the colours of their skins. Occasionally, there are conditions when a dermatologist can prescribe skin bleaching. Examples are people who have a discolouration. This is to make the skin colour uniform.

It is not advisable to use bleaching cream without it being prescribed by a physician.

My advice to those bleaching is to stop; the earlier they stop the better. If they have not used it for too long, the skin can still regenerate and look better if they stop. If not, they are likely to be candidates of the complications that come with the use of steroids used for skin bleaching.

16

healthandfitness

28 November, 2015

Still bleeding after D and C

Saturday Tribune

Dr. Wale Okediran

advise.

Lilian (by SMS) Bleeding after a D and C could be due to retained products in your womb.

It could also be due to an infection. An Ultrasound examination of your womb will show if there are any remnants of the pregnancy in your womb or some other abnormalities that may be causing the bleeding.

An offensive odour from your vagina may indicate an infection in which case your doctor will prescribe antibiotics for you.

I had a D and C for a two-month pregnancy two weeks ago. However,

I have been bleeding since last week. It is not painful but I am worried. Kindly

Can I sterilise myself?

My baby’s nappy rash

I am a father of three sets of twins, now my wife is pregnant again because her body rejects most of the contraceptive devices available. In order to avoid our having more children, my doctor suggested I should go for a permanent sterilisation. My fear is whether or not the procedure can affect my sexual performance or health.

Khalid (by SMS) Male sterilisation is perfectly safe when handled by a competent doctor. It will not affect your sexual ability or health in any way.

C

MY three month old baby developed a nappy rash a few weeks ago. Luckily, the rashes were treated with dusting powder.

Unfortunately, just a few days later, the rashes were back again. Kindly let me know what to do in order to stop the rashes from coming back again.

Chioma (by SMS) Nappy rash occurs when the skin around the baby’s nappy area becomes irritated. This is often caused by prolonged exposure to urine or stools, but can sometimes be the result of a fungal infection or rare skin condition.You can usually reduce nappy rash by taking simple

OUNTING from one now is eleven remain one month to go in the year 2015. What a wonderful year indeed! We give God all the glory. As we prepare for the festive month of December, let us do all to ensure that we are healthy. As the merry stares us in the face, it is advisable to be cautious in the way we celebrate the holiday. This is because occurrence of heart attacks has been shown to increase during the festive holiday and the earlier we prevent this unpalatable story during the celebration, the better for the society. We shall not experience any evil report during this season of joy (amen).

Harmattan has commenced in some parts of the country and cold weather is hard on the heart. Blood vessels constrict, which raises blood pressure. Blood also clots more readily. Frigid temperatures increase strain on the heart, and too much physical exertion can worsen the burden and trigger a heart attack. With the climate change, it is becoming extremely difficult to predict the weather, with some parts of the country experiencing cold and windy climate. Be careful as you celebrate during the harmattan period. Another reason is that during the festive period, people tend to abandon their medication for merry and possibly ignore symptoms in order not to disrupt Christmas and New Year festivities. This action should be discouraged. As you celebrate take your medications and avoid unhealthy lifestyles.

As the celebration approaches, remember to check your blood pressure. Blood pressure measurement should be done once a year if normal. If you have family history of hypertension, the blood pressure should be more regular.

Other examinations necessary are as below: Body mass index (BMI): Screening for obesity should be done with periodic measurements of height and weight.

Normal BMI=18.4-24.9kg/m2. Excess weight leads to increase in the incidence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis of the knees. If you are obese, change your lifestyles.

Blood cholesterol: With the advent of Westernized diets that we have all imbibed, blood cholesterol check should be often, especially from above 40years. Ensure it is a full cholesterol check that will show, total cholesterol, triglyceride,

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

08055069356 (sms only)

Knock-knees at 40 MY elder brother has always had knock-knees without much problems.

However, as he grew older, the knees started giving him some problems. Now at 40, the condition is very bad and he can hardly walk. Please let me know if he can still have an operation to correct the problem.

Ibrahim (by SMS)

Adults with uncorrected knock knees (genu valgum), whether in one leg or both are prone to falls, injuries and leg joint problems (arthritis). In people with complications or where knock-knees worsen later in life, surgery may be required. And contrary to common belief, the use of herbs or bodybuilding exercise will not straighten knock knees in adults.

Adults with your brother’s

kind of problem are prone to the above mentioned problems. If he is yet to have serious complaints, he should learn to live with the knock-knees.

However, if his condition gets worse, he may have to consult a doctor who specialises in bone treatment. In addition, if he is obese, he will need to lose some weight. His doctor can advise him about the type of exercises and diet to undertake.

A swelling on my scrotum

steps to keep your baby’s skin clean and dry, and using a barrier cream if needed. Babies need frequent nappy changes, but how often they need changing depends on how sensitive their skin is. Some babies have very delicate skin and need changing as soon as they wet themselves, otherwise their skin becomes sore and red. Other babies can wait to be changed

until before or after every feed. All babies need changing as soon as possible when they’ve done a poo (stool) to prevent nappy rash.Young babies need changing as many as 10 or 12 times a day; older babies at least six to eight times.

Antifungal cream may be necessary if the rash is caused by a fungal infection.

PLEASE doctor, I have a swelling around one of my testicles. What do I do?

Sadiq (by SMS) Although you did not indicate your age, any testicular swelling in an adult needs to be investigated.

In view of this, I will suggest that you see a doctor for a proper examination.

In addition, the doctor may want to remove the swelling for a laboratory examination in order to know if you will need further treatment.

Dr. Abiodun Adeoye adeoyemoshood@yahoo.com

08056564360, 08072000017 (sms only)

Don’t think you are healthy, be sure you are!

LDL (bad cholesterol), and HDL (good cholesterol). Your doctor will be able to explain the implication of each component to you. If you are yet to do any this year, time to check is now!

Breast Examination: For both men and women, breast self-examination should be done once a month, clinical breast examination done by your family doctor, ultrasound of the breast if you are below 40 years, and X-ray of the breast (X-ray mammography) if you are above 40 years. Men rarely have breast cancer but it occurs, so breast examination should not be left for women alone.

Colon examination: The colon is the lower part of your intestine, and it is checked from 40 years and above. This includes digital rectal examination by your doctor, proctoscopy (a procedure where device like telescope is used to look inside the intestine), and checking the stool for occult blood. Early stages of cancer can be detected which can be cured if detected early.

Dental care: Brush your teeth twice a day and change your toothbrush often. See the dentist regularly. To some people it is funny but there is disease connection between poor oral hygiene and cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease that can lead to heart attack if not treated early.

Diet: Take moderate portions of food at all times. Increase fruits and vegetables to 3-5 helpings per day. Reduce fat and decrease refined sugar (table sugar). Reduce your salt — no more “Pass the salt, dear”. If you love your family, you will not pass the salt! Reduce carbohydrates. Only 2-3 eggs are allowed per week for adults. Take more fish than red meat.

Exercise: Brisk walks 30 minutes a day, about 3-4 days in the week. Aerobics, dancing and swimming are also good forms of exercise.

Eye examination: Check your eye pressure regularly. The normal eye pressure is 10-20mmHg. Is there any family history of Glaucoma? Check your eye pressure regularly.

Check with real eye doctors (ophthalmologist). Please do not risk blindness.

Genotype/Blood group: Know your genotype, for example AA, AS, SS… Your blood group is also important. Examples O, A, AB…Are you Rhesus positive or negative? This will help young people on the choice of partners. When you are pregnant as Rhesus negative individual and you know complication can be prevented. There is a special injection that your doctor will give to preserve all your babies.

Pap smear: The pap smear is a simple procedure done by a health worker to assess the cervix (the neck of the womb). It should be done by every woman, once sexually active. This examination is done every 3 years if normal, or yearly if there is a need to be monitored by your doctor.

Prostate examination: This is for men from their late 40s and above. A digital rectal examination is done by the family doctor. Prostate specific antigen test is a blood test which should also be requested for.

This list is not exhaustive. Time management, especially for recreation and relaxation is also part of the healthy lifestyle for the family. Make sure you get enough sleep.

In conclusion, do not think you are healthy, ensure you are! Compliments of the season!

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28 November, 2015

mediascope In this interview, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Compact Communications, Mr. Chuddy Oduenyi, shares some industry insights with AKIN ADEWAKUN, noting that practitioners should brace up and retool to be able to survive in an industry that is likely to throw up more challenges in the coming year.

But a lot of people believe that the nation’s IMC industry witnessed a bazaar during this period?

No, I’m talking about the economy generally. For the IMC industry, yes, it was a boom period for the industry at large, especially for the key players who got involved in political advertising, political public relations or political marketing, But don’t forget that we have a lot of agencies, and it is not all of them that got a share of the largesse. So those agencies that were involved actually benefitted, but those that did not benefit, of course must be talking about challenging times. So it’s not all the agencies that benefitted. We are talking about a fraction here, but by and large, there was a boom in the industry, but the real beneficiaries were the agencies that got part of that business. A large chunk of it actually went into advertising and a lesser chunk into PR. Of late, government agencies seem to have suddenly woken up from a deep slumber and the consequences had been the introduction of heavy fines, against some notable brands for infractions, would this have any implication for the industry?

Let’s look at it generally, if the regulatory agencies have woken up from that slumber, that is good for the industry.

What it means is that the rules are going to be applied and when the rules are applied, then everybody would sit up.

There is a company that has as its pay offline. Power is nothing without control. I believe management is about planning, monitoring and controlling. If you can’t monitor and you can’t control, you lose the authority that should go with your position. Regulatory agencies are living up to expectations and because in this clime, we are not used to people being sanctioned for things they do. That is why I laugh when I hear people talk about impunity. I laugh because those people who mouth impunity are even more guilty of impunity than

WITH AKIN ADEWAKUN

akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk 08054683584

the big stick, you still have to explain because if people don’t get the communications from you, the rumour will thrive. As bad as it may seem, people can start appreciating the circumstance, in which you operated and that made it possible for you to have behaved the way you behaved. So that is what I think they should do. They shouldn’t use it as an excuse to shrink their IMC budget, if anything, it is time to really have a robust budget and deploy it effectively.

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OW would you assess the first two quarters of the year as far as the nation’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry is concerned?

Very challenging and the reasons are obvious. The first quarter was the quarter people were getting set for the general election, and like most things in the country, a lot of people expected that there was going to be fluidity, which actually was experienced. Those who worked genuinely for their money withheld the money. Those who were politicians, of course, spent the money, but the money went through certain channels. So the first quarter was challenging for people who are not into mainstream politics. The second quarter of course was the quarter of the election proper, when we had a new government come on board. There were also a lot of uncertainties and unfortunately Nigerians don’t know how to manage uncertainties. Many of them feel the best way to manage uncertainty is to withhold what they have. But if everybody does this, that means there will be a lot of scarce commodities outside there. I mean resources, not commodities in terms of rice and beans. So when I hear people say there is no money in the system, it is just because of the anxiety and the fact that there are lots of people who believe that the best way to react to these uncertainties is to introduce sentiments into the whole thing. That explains largely why we have that. In terms of performance of the economy, you know that productivity nosedives when there is a bit of uncertainty because you are not sure of what will happen next. We had an election that was characterised by tension.

For the first time, we had an opposition that was standing up to the ruling party and there was a lot of tension and the opposition eventually ousted the ruling party. People were uncertain of the reaction of that ruling party, but to his eternal credit, the former president conceded defeat graciously and we have a semblance of peace. But we have not really come of the woods. First and second quarters have not really been good, but in the third quarter, we are still not out of the woods.

For me I expect that we will begin to breathe fresh air as from the second quarter of next year. There is going to be a lot of anxieties, a lot of uncertainties, a lot of things that are not very palatable in the first quarter of next year, but as from the second quarter of next year, we will begin to breathe fresh air.

Saturday Tribune

Practitioners in the IMC industry must retool to survive in 2016 — Chuddy Oduenyi, MD/CEO Compact Communications

any other person. The average Nigerian has it engraved in his psyche that he can always do anything here and go away with it. He would not pay the appropriate tax as and when due, and meanwhile, they would expect the government to perform. So until we start having agencies of government live up to expectations, we will continue to have a problem. But coming to the IMC industry, what it has done is that now the signal is clear. It started first with Nigerian Communications Company (NCC) and MTN. MTN is a big spender, but NCC sanctioned it. I don’t think it will affect the IMC industry, except if there is a misunderstanding somewhere. The good thing is that the parties involved, MTN, is actually a worldclass company, it understands the importance of IMC, so no matter what, it would not affect their IMC budget, because what I expect is that they should know that when you are going through difficult times, that is when you should buoy up your IMC budget and use it to communicate with the people, so that your message will be resonating well with them at that time, and they would empathise with you. So if you are going through a bad patch and you are saying let me reduce ad spending, people will not appreciate what you are saying and they will not empathise with you. So they need the empathy of the public and the best way to go through it is through the IMC. So I expect that they do this and similarly other companies. This is the time to communicate and explain their position under this circumstance. Even if you are holding the wrong side of the stick, or somebody is wielding

Regulatory agencies are living up to expectations and because in this clime, we are not used to people being sanctioned for things they do. That is why I laugh when I hear people talk about impunity.

A lot of people believe there is a proliferation of agencies in the nation’s IMC industry today, a development they argue, is not healthy for the industry, are you in tune with this argument?

My simple reaction is that the more merrier. The more agencies we have, the better for the industry. Why do I say so?

The economy needs to be opened up. We have a lot of people practising, who are not registered. And some of them are carrying their so-called briefcases and running the agencies from the comfort of their homes or briefcases. So when they decide to set up agencies or people decide to set up agencies, what it means is that you have more entrants who now run companies the way they should be run by employing people and paying the statutory taxes. Government would make more income and the economy will grow. However, in as much as I’m happy that new agencies are coming on board, I still want the regulatory agencies to do their job and the agencies coming on board should also ensure that they abide by the rules, which is that if you are in a certain profession and there are certain rules that you have to abide by to be a bonafide member of the profession, you have to abide by those rules. It is for the regulators to ensure that people who are players in the industry conform with the rules, to ensure that they meet up with requirements for membership of that group. When they come in, we are going to have keener competition, and it will bring out the best in the people, while also ensuring that the clients out there get value for their money.

That is what will happen. I don’t see it as proliferation, what I want is for people to conform. Once they do, let them come in so that the competition will be very intense and the client will get value for money Before the ministers were appointed by the incumbent government, agitations were rife in the nation’s IMC industry on the need to put a professional in charge of information ministry. With the appointment of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, would you say the government has heeded the prayers of stakeholders?

My reaction is that it is a round peg in a round hole. The new information minister is a very experienced practitioner, a PR practitioner per excellence. He has come out in the public sector where he worked excellently well, because if you look at his career record, where he worked he is almost a PR man before anything. And when he was the spokesman for the APC, he also did a good job. But because it was in a political setting people claimed that some of the things he said were propaganda. Yes, there could be some elements of propaganda in them, but overall, he acquitted himself creditably well, and I’m confident that he will do a good job in that office.

But if you were to advise him on how to go about his duties in that ministry, what would be the shape of the advice?

I would tell him to wear one cap. He shouldn’t try to joggle two caps at the same time, that is the hat of politician and that of a professional. He should see himself as a professional in government and not as a politician in government. There could be issues of politics coming up from time to time, but he should have the temperament, the comportment of a practitioner and a professional and look at issues and deal with issues the way it should be done from the professional point of view. I know that there would be temptation to behave like the typical Nigerian politician, but I’m sure he has practised politics long enough to actually come to the conclusion that the air is saturated with politics, let us now deal with issues.

What likely shape would the IMC industry take next year?

I expect that the IMC industry is going to be more interesting. There will be greater challenges. Clients are going to demand a lot more from agencies. And agencies will need to retool to be able to serve the clients better and the society would be best for it. What would happen is that there are going to be new entrants, new kids on the block are going to make a lot of waves and the old reliables will still be there to try to up their game and the industry overall is going to be very interesting, very challenging, very fascinating, very competitive, but at the end of the day, rewarding for practitioners who still know how best to serve the clients, and by extension, the customers.

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28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

crimeandcourt

I’m always the subject of his sermons in the church —Wife She feels everyone is talking about her —Husband Stories by Oluwole Ige, Ayomide Owonibi, Ebenezer Adurokiya, Taibat Alimi and Rukayat Olufemi with Agency Reports

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39-year-old woman, Omonike Adigun, has dragged her husband, Olayiwola before an Oshodi customary court in Lagos State over allegation of emotional torture.

Omonike accused her husband, who is a pastor, of using her as a subject matter in his sermons in their church every sunday.

“Whenever he starts preaching, it will be obvious that I am the subject of his message.

“He even goes as far as calling me a dirty woman. I did my best for him but he is so self-righteous that he only sees other people’s sins.

“He always uses our disputes to preach against me in the church. “ Though, he takes care of our children, he is just too strict.

He beats them at the slightest provocation, I am afraid he would severely injure them,” she said.

Responding, her husband, Olayiwola denied the allegations.

“I am against this divorce. I love my wife and I have never raised my hand against her.

“She is so insecure and feels everyone is talking about her.

I only cite examples about her during sermons and they are always positive things.

“On the issue of our children, I discipline them because you don’t want them to become spoilt. I will change,” he said.

President of the court, Mrs. A Adeleke adjourned the matter till January 21.

I caught her with our landlord, husband tells court

He took our daughter to an unknown destination 10 years ago —Wife Take my case to another court —Husband A Ketu/ Abgoyi customary court in Lagos State has dissolved the 17-year-old marriage between Mrs Amaka Mbadihe and Mr Jonathan Mbadihe over the husband’s alleged abduction of their daughter six years ago.

The said daughter is 16 years old now and the mother has neither heard of her nor seen her.

Jonathan deliberately disobeyed court order to produce the child in court.

President of the court, Mr O.T Williams then handed him over to the Alapeere divisional police station where he was given a mandate to produce the child in court.

However, Mr Mbadihe neither appeared in court or produced the child. “ The police were meant to make sure that Mr Mbadihe produces the child and right now, I am surprised that this was not done”, the President said. “ Apart from the dissolution of the marriage, the court is very worried on the state of the child. Whether she has been forced into prostitution or child labour or whether she is even still alive, we need to know, unfortunately our hands are tied if the police cannot enforce Mr Mbadihe to produce the girl”.

The President of the court thereby appealed to the police to work towards making sure that Mr Mbadihe produces the child on the next adjourned date which is on 9 December 2015.

The wife, Mrs Amaka Mbadihe broke down in tears when she discovered that Mr Mbadihe did not appear or come with the daughter.

Earlier at the previous court proceedings, the President of the court slammed the respondent with contempt of court.

Mbadihe was brought to the customary court by his wife, Mrs Amaka Mbadihe seeking the dissolution of

A taxi driver, Mr Kazeem Quadri has filed a suit at a Grade C Customary Court, Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo state seeking a dissolution to a 16- year old marriage for what he called his wife’s irresponsibility.

Quadri accused his wife who is a mother of four of troublesomeness and gross irresponsibility to family affairs. Meanwhile, the wife was not in court to defend herself.

“She curses me a lot during misunderstanding. This is

‘Day she saw me with my former classmate, she starved me’ He deserted me and our children —Wife She always demands huge amount of money —Husband AN Ile-Ife customary court in Osun State has dissolved the 11-year-old marriage between Olatoyosi Adeniji and her husband, Adewumi, over threats to life.

President of the Court, Alhaji Ganiyu Awoyera, in his judgement, dissolved the marriage and ordered that there

She poured hot water on me —Husband Frustration made me do it —Wife

A Grade ‘C’ customary court Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo state has dissolved the 22-year-old- marriage between Gbenga Afolabi and his wife Foluke Afolabi The plaintiff, Gbenga filed a suit on grounds that his wife is troublesome and insubmissive.

He also reported that she poured hot water on him while asleep, presenting the picture as an exhibit to the court “I am not interested in this marriage anymore,” he said.

Responding to the plaintiff’s accusation, Foluke Afolabi said that her husband is not caring at all.

“He does not take care of me and the children. He takes away the appliances at home without returning them , ” she remarked.

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their 17-year-old marriage.

The petitioner, Mrs Amaka Mbadihe is seeking dissolution on the grounds that the respondent, Mbadihe does not care for the family, financially and physically, threats to her life, for always stealing her money and for taking their 16-year-old daughter to an unknown destination for the past six years. “ I have not seen my daughter since she was 10 years old, she is my only daughter, I don’t know what’s happening to her, I don’t know where he kept her, I don’t know what she looks like now. She is a girl who needs me,” Mrs Mbadihe said while weeping.

The respondent was asked by the court to produce the child after the last court session.

However, the respondent failed to produce the child but brought in his lawyer to challenge the court on issue of bias.

The lawyer told the court to transfer the matter to another court as his client, Mbadihe said that he believes that the court is bias and won’t give him justice.

The President of the court told the respondent to tell the court why he thinks that the court is bias. And also told the lawyer that a matter can only be taken to a higher court after judgement and not the same customary court.

He reminded him that at the previous sitting, he never raised any objections on the issues decided in the court but rather pledged to follow the court’s bidding especially on the issue of producing the daughter of the family he took away from home for the past six years.

The court later slammed the respondent with contempt of court and remanded him at the Alapeere police station until he produces the 16 year old daughter.

The matter was adjourned till January 16.

She was nowhere when fire almost burnt my kids, taxi driver accuses wife

He does not take care of me —Wife

A customary court sitting at Agric Road Effurun, Delta State, has resumed hearing in a case involving a 35-yearold businessman, Mr Ejiro Wilson on issues bordering on adultery, laziness, and rudeness levelled against his wife, Mrs Oke Wilson.

Mr Wilson is urging the court to dissolve their eight-year old marriage.

According to the petitioner, his wife is so lazy and troublesome so much that he can no longer endure the situation.

“She is so lazy; when I talk to her about it, she would pick a fight with me. I caught her with my landlord and she said she went to pay the house rent in his house.

“She sometimes shouts at me in front of my friends and in most cases, she slaps me in front of my friends. I have reported her to her parents and they said that I should bear with her because she would change. I am fed up sir, please end this marriage,” Wilson pleaded.

In her defence, Mrs Wilson said: “He will not give me money for my up-keep; he will slap me in front of my kids and afterwards, he will still ask me for sex. I am tired I want this divorce.”

The court has therefore ordered the couple to go home and have a rethink and come back on December 10 for the final verdict.

Saturday Tribune

“He beats me all the time and the frustration led me to pouring hot water on him.”

“I am not interested in the marriage anymore. All I am after is how my kids would be in my care.”

President of the court, Chief Amusa Makinde, in his ruling, dissolved the marriage having sensed that there is no love in the marriage anymore dissolved the marriage and granted the husband the custody of the first four children who are old enough to stay with him.

He gave the custody of the two younger children to the wife and ordered the plaintiff to give her the sum of N6000 monthly for the upkeep of the children. He urged both parties to maintain peace.

would be no refund of dowry.

Awoyera awarded custody of two out of the three children the couple had to Olatoyosi as their first born, who is deaf and dumb, was at a welfare home operated by the Osun State government.

He appealed to Olatoyosi to always take the children to government hospitals, whenever they are sick.

Awoyera also ordered that the husband should pay N30, 000 per month for the upkeep of the children and be fully responsible for their education.

He urged both parties to give peace a chance and abstain from all forms of trouble.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Olatoyosi had on November 2 urged the court to dissolve her marriage over lack of care, threats to life and desertion since 2012.

She said that when she could not cope with being abandoned, she then went into another marriage in 2014.

The defendant agreed with the dissolution. He said that his wife always demanded for huge amounts of money which he did not have.

A man, Sodiq Tajudeen has pleaded that a Grade ‘C’ Customary court dissolve his two-years-old-marriage to his wife, Opeyemi Tajudeen , alleging that she is troublesome.

“We have been courting for quite a long time after which I went to Lagos. I impregnated her when I got back from Lagos.”

“I lost my job and we had to stay with my mother in order to get another job. She refused to help my mother with her market despite being aware that she is our bread winner.”

“She then became rude to me because I could not perform my responsibilities and started keeping malice with my mother and siblings.”

“The day she saw me with a lady who was my school mate she starved me of supper. She does not apologise when she is at fault but I apologise to her even when she is at fault,” he remarked.

“She tore the trouser I wore the day we had a fight and took a knife threatening to kill my mother and me. She packed out of the house at her will and left the child behind.”

“Her family is aware of her troublesome attitude. I do not want this marriage anymore. I want a divorce.”

The defendant, Opeyemi Tajudeen agreed to the dissolution of the marriage due to her husband irresponsibility and frequent battering.

“When we got married, his mother was very good to me but after my father’s demise she and my husband changed their attitude towards me.”

“My mother-in-law curses me most time and accused me of the misfortune in her son’s life. She accused me of beating my husband’s grandmother.”

“I helped her at her shop in order to earn money for me and my husband feedings which she gives reluctantly and most times very late.”

“I started to hawk goods for my aunt then she locked me out. My husband embarrasses me a lot because of the girl he goes around with and beats me whenever I tell him to desist from his promiscuous ways.”

“The day we had a fight my mother-in-law called everyone out and accused me that I wanted to kill her son who had battered my face and threatened me with knife. He has threatens to kill me with knife times without number,” she remarked.

“My mother-in-law sent me packing, though I pleaded with her and when I requested for my child they said I should meet them in court. I am not interested in this marriage anymore, all I want is my child.” She pleaded.

Ruling on the case, President of the court, Alhaji Amusa Makinde , counseled both parties and urged them to maintain peace while adjourning the case till December 9.

why I married another wife who she considers a bitter rival. They always fight each other. I asked my mother to wade in so that peace would reign in the house but this has yielded nothing.”

Quadri recalled a case when on April 5, 2013,he returned home late in the night only to find his children sleeping on bare floor and covered in burning flames.

“But for divine intervention, the issue would have resulted in unpalatable consequence because my wife was not around. When I woke my children up, I asked them where their mother was but they responded they had no idea. Few minutes after, she resurfaced and when I asked her where she was coming from, all I got were insults and curses.”

Quadri added that he had to leave the house and married another wife . On August 15, 2015, he recalled, his wife brought the four children to him at the garage where he loads passengers and angrily dropped them with him.

“I later called her number to ask about their wares but it was my mother-in-law who picked the phone and muttered have you seen them (the children)” It was then I knew the scene was a plot by my wife and her mum, so I had to drop the phone.”

Not done with this, Quadri also alleged that his wife came in company with her brother to foment trouble at the same garage after which it was resolved that the children should be spending weekends with their mother and weekdays with him.

“She failed to abide by this as she comes in anytime on the pretext that she was visiting to see the children whereas she came mainly to stir crisis.”

President of the court, Amusa Makinde said since the respondent was not in court, the case would be adjourned till the next two weeks during which a letter would be written to her to make an appearance.

19 business

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Buhari bounce becomes bust as Nigeria’s policies irk investors

By Paul Wallace and Michael Cohen (bloombergBusiness)

When Muhammadu Buhari clinched victory in Nigeria’s presidential elections in March, stocks soared as investors looked to the former military ruler to reverse decades of economic mismanagement and policy inertia.

Now, hopes have fizzled in his ability to turn around Africa’s largest economy and oil producer.

Money that flowed into stocks and bonds in the West African nation, which McKinsey & Co. says could become one of the world’s 20 biggest economies by 2030, is now fleeing as growth prospects diminish along with oil prices. While Buhari, 72, has prioritized stamping out the graft that has plagued Nigeria since independence from Britain in 1960, policy-making appears as uncertain and haphazard as ever.

“After the initial euphoria, people have become disillusioned,” Ayodele Salami, who oversees about $500 million of African equities as chief investment officer of London-based Duet Asset Management Ltd., said by phone. “He would probably say that he’s being deliberative and cautious. But we expected more.” Duet’s Africa fund has cut its investments in the country to about 24 percent of the total from 38 percent in the last year.

Buhari waited five months before naming his cabinet, hasn’t proposed a clear plan to revive growth and backed foreign-exchange controls aimed at defending the naira.

His retention of gasoline subsidies, plans to raise spending in the face of declining revenue and silence about a $5.2 billion fine levied on mobile-phone operator MTN Group Ltd. have added to investor unease.

Nigeria’s benchmark stock index has plunged 22 percent since reaching a yearhigh on April 2, the day after Buhari was declared the winner of the presidential race against incumbent Goodluck Jonathan. That’s the third-worst performance globally in the period, after the bourses in Ukraine and Egypt. The index advanced 12.5 percent in the two days after Jonathan conceded.

To be sure, Buhari inherited depleted government coffers and a bureaucracy that multiple probes have blamed for looting billions of dollars of oil revenue. The president has said he delayed

Not only has he been incredibly slow in taking any action, when he finally has taken action on the economic front it’s been diametrically opposed to sensible policy. That is a major disappointment given expectations prior to his election. appointing ministers because he needed time to vet suitable candidates.

Garba Shehu, a spokesman for Buhari, didn’t immediately respond to written ques-

tions after requesting they be sent that way.

The hiatus has compounded the pain caused by the slide in the price of crude, which accounts for two-thirds of government revenue and 90 percent of export earnings.

Growth, which averaged 6.3 percent annually over the past decade, is set to slow to a 16-year low of 3.3 percent this year, according to the median estimate of 15 economists surveyed

by Bloomberg.

Many filling stations ran dry this month as the government withheld fuel subsidies to suppliers, preventing them from restocking.

Lengthening lines forced Buhari to ask lawmakers for permission to pay 413 billion naira ($2 billion) in overdue payments, an amount that hadn’t been budgeted for.

While next year’s budget has yet to be finalized, Buhari wants to raise spending by 56 percent, according to a person who attended a briefing on the government’s plans and asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the government plans to spend its way out of a slowing economy and that an infrastructure fund will be created with public and private

financing.

The penalty imposed on MTN’s Nigeria unit last month for failing to register about 5 million subscribers may be an attempt to plug the hole in government finances, according to Cobus de Hart, an economist at NKC Independent Economists.

“You cannot deny there might be a fiscal element to the massive fine,” he said by phone from Paarl, near Cape Town.

“It will make investors a little bit more wary of investing in Nigeria.”

An even bigger concern for many investors is the authorities’ naira policy. The Central Bank of Nigeria, with Buhari’s backing, has burned through $4.3 billion of reserves this year and choked off supply of foreign exchange to banks and their customers to defend the naira, even as major oil exporters such as Russia and Colombia have let their currencies slide. The restrictions prompted JPMorgan Chase & Co. to remove Nigeria from its local-currency emerging-market bond indexes, tracked by more than $200 billion of funds, in September, triggering a selloff in the nations’ assets.

While the naira has been all but fixed at about 198 to 199 per dollar since March, forward prices suggest it will drop by almost one-fifth, to 243.5, in a year.

“The number-one issue is the exchange rate,” Andrew Howell, a Citigroup Inc. frontier markets strategist, said from Lagos. ”Access to foreign exchange is becoming a widespread problem.”

Nigerian Breweries Plc, the nation’s biggest brewer that’s controlled by Heineken NV, said it takes two weeks to obtain dollars to pay for its imports, twice as long as it required a few months ago. Nestle SA’s Nigerian unit has had to wait six weeks for dollars, according to Renaissance Capital Ltd. analysts.

“We have had an underweight position in Nigeria since before the election,” Johan Steyn, a fund manager at Prescient Investment Management in Cape Town, said by phone. “Until we see the depreciation of the naira toward a more sustainable level, we are hesitant to add to that position.”

Buhari has won plaudits from leaders including President Barack Obama for his efforts to tackle graft. He replaced the management of the state oil company, which was accused of withholding billions of dollars from the government, and has stepped up the fight against an insurgency being waged

by Islamist group Boko Haram.

“The degree of transparency we’re starting to get with the new administration is hugely positive,” Douglas Rowlings, an analyst at Moody’s Investors Service, said in an interview in Lagos. “It gives investors the perception that operating in Nigeria will now be done following proper procedures.”

Jan Dehn, head of research at Ashmore Group Plc, which oversees almost $60 billion of emerging market assets, remains unconvinced that Buhari is up to the job. The fund manager sold all its Nigerian government debt in the past year.

“So far the Buhari administration has done all the wrong things,” Dehn said by phone from London. “Not only has he been incredibly slow in taking any action, when he finally has taken action on the economic front it’s been diametrically opposed to sensible policy. That is a major disappointment given expectations prior to his election.”

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28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

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NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

29 NOVEMBER, 2015

interview

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Mental problems not caused by demons —Prof Adeyemi, President

Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria

6 1. Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Abubakar Sirika (right) and President, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Dr Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu, at the ICAO 2015 World Aviation Forum, held at ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada, recently.

2. Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Dutse and former Minister of Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, signing the condolence register at the residence of the late Otun Olubadan of Ibadaland, Chief Omowale Kuye, in Ikolaba, Ibadan, during the week.

3. From left, acting chairman of the Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), Areoye Oyeyemi; Commanding Officer, 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Brigadier-General Charles Ofoche; AWDROP National President, Michael Ale; AWDROP Vice President, Mr Dayo Oyeyemi and Mr Soyinka Babatunde during the unveiling of a borehole donated to the army community in Akure, Ondo State.

4. From left, Partner/Head, Tax, Regulatory and People Services, KPMG Nigeria; Victor Onyenkpa; Partner, Tax Division, KPMG Nigeria, Nike James; chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler; Partner/EMA Head of Tax, KPMG United Kingdom, Jane McCormick and Partner, Consumer and Industrial Markets, Tax, KPMG Nigeria, Wole Obayomi, at the KPMG Tax Breakfast Meeting and Tax Risk Management Survey Launch held recently in Lagos.

5. From left, Chukwuweta Uraih, Rose Makinwa, Mrs Oyetola Oduyemi, all of Corporate Social Responsibility, Etisalat Nigeria, receiving Etisalat’s award as best company in promotion of gender equality from Bibo Gbeworo and Vanessa Ogida at the SERAs Awards 2015, in Lagos, on Friday.

6. Nollywood actor, Kunle Adegbite and his mother, Esther Adegbite, during the launch of a movie in Lagos, recently.

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21 commentary

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

ISIS, Al Qaeda and Boko Haram: Faces of terrorism gate and Bamako. Al Qaeda argues against the “unnecessary” killing of Muslims, and in its operations distinguishes between Muslims (of any sort) who are spared, and non-Muslims who are killed. (This was a characteristic of the al-Qaeda affiliated attacks on Westgate in 2013 and Bamako in 2015.)

By John Campbell

I

N the aftermath of attacks on Nairobi, Beirut, Paris, and Bamako over the last few years it is becoming easier to distinguish between the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS), al-Qaeda, and their affiliates. These groups share a common beliefs system, but ISIS and al-Qaeda are rivals and perhaps enemies.

Neither is monolithic and there are also significant differences between them and their affiliates, especially ISIS and Boko Haram, despite pledges of allegiance.

How ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram are alike First, all three have emerged from the Salafist theological school of Islam. Broadly speaking, Salafism interprets literally the Koran and other seventh century writings associated with Islam’s earliest days. From a secular perspective, Salafism is puritanical in style of living and is characterized by rigid adherence to Islamic law, sharia, and its harsh punishments. It is the dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia, and alQaeda’s founder, Osama Bin Laden, was Saudi.

The shared Salafist belief system can obscure the important differences among the three. Salafist theology can be sophisticated and subtle. Many Muslims deny that the ISIS, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda movements are “Islamic” or “salafist,” but, repellant though they are, they have emerged from a common salafist context.

Second, all three are de-centralized movements, especially outside of their traditional areas of operation. Leadership appears unstable.

Internally, disputes appear to be addressed through violence.

Third, they have emerged in regions that experienced colonialism and are characterized by a history of elite exploitation of the poor, notoriously bad governance, and popular marginalization.

How ISIS and Boko Haram together are different from Al-Qaeda ISIS and Boko Haram have a stronger millenarian religious cast in their ideology and propa-

ganda than al-Qaeda. The former aim to create (or prepare for) the creation of God’s kingdom on earth and the End Times. For ISIS, the focus is on the creation of a genuine Islamic state in preparation for Armageddon. In the case of Boko Haram, which has sworn “allegiance” to ISIS, it is the creation of God’s kingdom through achievement of justice for the poor by the rigid implementation of sharia. That requires the destruction of the Nigerian state, but, thus far, Boko Haram has demonstrated little interest outside Nigeria and certain, adjacent regions that were part of pre-colonial Islamist kingdoms centered in what is now Bornu.

To a greater extent than al-Qaeda, ISIS and Boko Haram exploit for propaganda purposes a pornography of violence: hand-chopping, beheadings, and other 7th century punishments, including a revival of crucifixion and burnings.

Al Qaeda and its affiliates are more “political” than the millenarian ISIS and Boko Haram. Its goal is the expulsion of the West and its influences from the Middle East and North Africa rather than the creation of God’s kingdom, Armageddon, or the End Times. The al-Qaeda affiliates are stridently anti-Western, but in contrast to ISIS their operations are informed by “political” strategy and tactics, rather than millenarian enthusiasm. It is they that claimed responsibility for the attacks on West-

How ISIS and Boko Haram Are Different With its universalist, millenarian message ISIS is remarkably effective in recruiting fighters from around the world. Boko Haram, with its more local focus, has attracted none. Boko Haram and ISIS emphasizes the necessity to destroy “apostate” or “heretical” Muslims. Indeed, most victims of Boko Haram are Muslims that do not subscribe to Salafist structures of belief.

Boko Haram, moreover, murders Muslim school boys and enslaves Muslim school girls attending secular schools because by doing so, the students render themselves “apostates” and under sharia they must die. Boko Haram recently overtook ISIS as “the world’s most deadly terrorist organization.”

The ISIS attacks on Paris may well have been the consequences of what the City of Light symbolizes: rationality, tolerance, and the good life, with formal religion confined to its own sphere. That may have been at least as important as vengeance against the Hollande government for its military operations in Syria. Boko Haram remains focused on the destruction of the Nigerian state.

Movements are more than religion and ideology In Mali and Algeria, al-Qaeda affiliates also have an important criminal dimension, coming out of decades of smuggling and kidnapping.

ISIS is much influenced by former Iraqi Baathists who are focused on the recovery of secular power rather than preparation for Armageddon. Where both movements operate, there is evidence of score-settling over grievances from yesterday or hundreds of years ago. Both are no doubt exploited by political leaders, warlords, and tribal chiefs for their own narrow purposes.

Campbell, a former US Ambassador to Nigeria posted this piece on cfr.org.

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28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

27

newsfeature

An injured woman is comforted following an explosion at the main train station in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, on October 10, 2015. (AFP/Ozcan Yaman)

Malian troops take position outside the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako on November 20, 2015

Is the Third World War here?

Middle-East uprisings, global terror acts thicken fears of World War 3

In the midst of current Middle-East crisis, especially in Syria coupled with the current global terror alert warning on the possibility of Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram militants causing major attacks in different regions of the world, SEYI GESINDE looks at developments which seem to support claims that the globe is bracing for the World War Three.

P

OPE Francis described the recent terror attacks in Paris, France, as “a piece” of the “piecemeal Third World War.” In a telephone interview with the Italian Bishops’ Conference official television network – TV2000 – Pope Francis, according to radio Vatican, said the attacks were “not human.”

“I am close to the people of France, to the families of the victims, and I am praying for all of them,” Pope Francis said. “I am moved and I am saddened. I do not understand, these things hard to understand.” When asked if this is part of the “piecemeal Third World War” the Holy Father has mentioned many times before, Pope Francis said “this is a piece of it,” adding “there is no religious or human justification for it.”

Following the Turkey-Russia crisis, the social media joined the hype as tweets bearing #WorldWar III and #WorldWar3 received significant attention globally. And, in almost all regions of the world, wars are being fought, insecurity is everywhere. So, is the Third World War here?

Terrorism has put the world in a chaotic state. People are panicking with a common thinking that the World War Three (WWIII) is fast approaching. Unlike in the past wars where certain countries were considered safe for habitation, while others battle, today, there is no safe haven, as all continents of the world are troubled.

The Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS), most in particular, threatening the world peace because of

its Islamist agenda, has already declared war against Western nations and the rest of the countries who are opposed to its opaque ideologies. This is why it is believed in some quarters that the WWIII is only waiting for official acknowledgement.

It is suffice to say that the World Super Powers, especially the United States and Russia, who are the leading nations in military might, expected to join forces in ensuring world peace are currently working at cross purposes. Both nations are seen rising against each other’s interest in curtailing terror in the Middle-East, as far as Syrian and Iraqi uprisings are concerned. Today, in the Far East, the morning and night skies are flamed with heavy bombardments of explosives and gun fires affecting hundreds of people who are either killed or injured or displaced on daily basis.

Then, the man at the centre of it all, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who is believed by the United States to be fueling the crisis, to Russia, is not the problem but the Islamic State, threatening his legitimate government.

While the US is staging airstrikes against Assad’s government forces, Russian government claims it is arming Assad’s military against external threats and staging airstrikes against Islamic State forces, whom Russia said are the cause of the crisis in Syria.

With this conflicting stance of the US and Russia in managing the Syrian crisis, it is believed that the WWIII

situation is already developed. But for it to be finally blown beyond proportion, perhaps apart from Syria, Russia is waiting for America to attack any of the governments of Iraq, which US had accused of developing nuclear weapons or Iran, believed to be supporting it, before it fires back, then set the entire world into fiery conflagration.

The speculation is simple, once the US and its allies firmly step into the Middle East, it will be a good reason

World War is established if a military conflict spans more than two of the world’s six continents, and at least 20 major countries participate in an attack against a common enemy. How it is felt globally is in the military exchange by allies of major powers.

for North Korea to attack South Korea, a US ally, before it accommodates American forces in its territory, who are likely to stretch well beyond the limit to reach Iraq. And before this happens, another world power in the region opposed to the US, China, will also want to invade its long time rival, Taiwan, another US friend.

Then, Israel attacks on Palestine are imminent.

If these happen, expectedly, Russia, seen as the coordinating front for all forces loyal to it in the Middle East, will strike US, and this is what is being projected to usher in the start of World War III. In its literary sense, another World War may not necessarily mean that the entire countries of the world are fighting each other.

What is likely to happen is that a World War is established if a military conflict spans more than two of the world’s six continents, and at least 20 major countries participate in an attack against a common enemy. How it is felt globally is in the military exchange by allies of major powers, and apart from the impact of nuclear weapons, the nature of chemical and high explosives used will announce the presence of WWIII. Also, the significant loss of lives to nuclear and biological weapons which has the tendency to kill a great mass of people globally because of its toxicity will evidently draw a major attention of the common man on the street that the Third World War is here, even in areas where the sound of guns is not heard.

This is currently being felt, but not in the magnitude of a World War yet. Just of late, Islamic State struck in a relatively peaceful France and 130 people were killed in a day.

In a response to this, President Francois Hollande dispatched 10 military jets to bomb IS base in Syria, which seems to be the first response from that country to the crisis in Syria, besides the NATO incursion.

Prior to that occurrence, IS downed a Russian plane in Sinai, Egypt, killing everybody on board. And just on Tuesday, Turkey’s army, in F-16 combat aircraft, shot down a Russian Su-24 over an airspace dispute in the Turkish-Syrian border. Responding, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the incident was “a stab in the back by the accomplices of terrorists.” Putin vowed that the tragic events would have significant consequences, including for relations between Russia and Turkey.”

The global response to this, especially from the West,

French soldiers patrol on the Champs-Elysees

expectedly, has been in support of Turkey, since it is a strong ally of the US. British Prime Minister David Cameron, a strong friend of the US, said on Thursday that the UK respected Turkey’s right to protect its airspace, “just as we defend our own.” This strong resentment to Russia can easily be blamed on Russia’s support for Assad’s government.

Turkey is calling for Assad’s ouster, but Russia continues to offer military support, which Turkey said aids Syria’s cross-border shelling of Turkish territory. So, the shooting down of Russia’s jet by Turkey may be seen as a formal protest to register its disregard for Putin’s support for Assad.

Another conflicting issue pointing to rising conflicts is the US government’s policies regarding the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The US is spending almost $250 million to further aggression, in training of Ukrainian forces to fight against the Russians. An American political analyst, Tim King simply puts it thus: “The United States, obviously, is doing everything on its possible course to create a war with Russia and a third world war.”

The Pentagon’s new training programme in Ukraine was just revealed, and under the programme, Pentagon spokesman, Captain Jeff Davis, said the US troops “will be training five battalions of active-duty troops and one battalion of special operations forces personnel. This is part of our ongoing efforts to contribute to Ukraine’s long-term military reform and professionalism and to help them improve Ukraine’s internal defence capabilities and training capacity.”

Davis said as of 2014, the US had spent $265 million in the training and equipping of Ukrainian forces with armored Humvees, body armour, counter-mortar radar, night vision goggles and medical equipment.

King, founder of the Global News Centre, faulting the US involvement, said there is no need for American intervention in the troubled region, because “the people there support their relationship with Russia and do not seek to have this major and complete disconnect with the government run by Putin.”

Since April 2014, eastern Ukraine has witnessed deadly attacks between pro-Russia forces and the Kiev government forces supported by the West and over 8,000 people have perished in the conflict. Further aggression will lead

to more killings and already, the conflicting interests of the world superpowers, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States are heightening tension and raising nerves among their different allies.

The stage is already set and the prelude to all these events leading up to the start of World War Three, is the Islamic State uprising currently going on in Syria and Iraq with the prospect of spreading conflicts to bring the Middle East, (where the Western powers have a lot of economic and military interests) into the flames of war, possibly triggered by Iran or militants in Pakistan using North Korean supplied nuclear arms.

Peter Lemesurier, author of The Armageddon Script, had also forecasted that: “Hair-raising nuclear confrontation that threatens mankind’s existence” should be expected if China invaded Taiwan giving rise to “nuclear eruption the Korean Peninsula.”

He went further to state that the world order will be threatened and “erosion of confidence” in “the system” will set in. It will be so severe that “citizens will be panicked into giving up liberties and Constitutional form of government. The ultimate plan will call for the dissolution of the US Constitution, triggered by a significant enough “terrorists attack,” with the ultimate intent aimed at introducing a global government and one-world religion.

If these are achieved, it brings about the collapse of the US, and other Western economies and morals with significant population reduction using natural and man-made disasters. These motives fit directly into the heinous ideology of the Islamic State. And perhaps to show it is in order, rising above situations, the US, State Department, on Tuesday, issued to its citizens an alert to possible risks of travel due to increased terrorist threats. This Travel Alert expires on February 24, 2016.

The information suggests that Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and other terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests. February 24, is just a couple of months away, so, where do we go from here?

And can we thus conclude as was done by the Pope who reportedly last Sunday called Christmas a ‘charade’ because ‘the whole world is at war?’

23

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

views.com

FG’s N5,000 and unemployed youths

By Chukwuma Nwaonicha

T

HE proposed N5,000 unemployment benefit starting in 2016 by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government may not be a solution to address the national high rate of unemployment. I do believe that the unemployed need decent/productive jobs and not a peanut. It is a saying that one should teach a child how to fish (long-term solution to the child’s problem) but not to give a child a fish (short-term solution to the child’s problem). As observed, handout of N5,000 is a peanut as proposed by the FG, and not a solution to the social and economic problems in the nation. This issue of giving a handout of N5,000 is a political rhetoric and not a sellable/ productive idea to the massive youth unemployment.

On the other hand, the bailout granted by President Muhammadu Buhari to state governments may not be a sustainable solution to the economic challenges facing the states and the nation. Good governance and infrastructural development across the nation need to be sincerely addressed to create a developed and secure society.

My concern is; how much will the unemployed Nigerians get from the N5,000 at the end of the day and how long will they get this benefit because curbing unemployment is a long term effort. What the nation needs is job creation, a notion that jobs are created in response to high level of mass unemployment and poverty, which the nation is currently experiencing.

I believe that job creation in our communities requires good governance and an enabling environment for social and economic developments which are lacking in the nation. In other words, poor governance and poor environment create and promote unemployment, insecurity, retard social and economic developments. Also, the nation needs a shift of the emphasis from oil to non -oil export, in agriculture, manufacturing products (in which infrastructural development is a must) and solid materials, and all the things that will help Nigeria to diversify. Furthermore, FG should note that the critical elements for success in promoting economic diversification are firm commitments, sound macroeconomic/ microeconomic policies, investments in infrastructure/ implementation and strong institutions.

Poverty eradication or reduction, productive employment and decent work for all, social integration and protection are interrelated and mutually reinforcing.

The enabling environment to promote this needs to be created at all levels of government in the nation.

There are widespread deficits of available decent work opportunities and lack of labour market conditions and especially for young women and men in the nation. I urge the Federal Government to address the challenges of youth employment by developing and implementing strategies and policies that provide young people in the

nation decent and productive work, as over the coming decades decent jobs will need to be created to be able to ensure sustainable and inclusive development and reduce poverty. Gender gap in meaningful and sustainable job creation needs to be revisited so as to be in line with the eight internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals, and the Federal Government should endeavour to work towards these goals.

The way forward for FG is to tackle poverty in more professional ways and not through handouts but through sustainable job creation. Meaningful and sustainable job creation can be achieved in the nation through the following; (1) individual efforts (success in entrepreneurship in creating job require funding or capital), (2) capacity building, (3) infrastructural development in which quality education and stable energy supply is a must, (4) infrastructural maintenance programme, (5) provision of quality technical and vocational education, (6) provision of quality information and communication technology (ICT) education, (7) effective use of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), (8) manufacturing based economy in which stable energy supply is a must, (9) promotion of tourism business, (10) adequate funding or capital including microcredit schemes and (11) efficient agricultural development system, among others.

In addition, meaningful and sustainable job creation is affected by political stability, safety and security, good governance as mentioned above, rule of law that is based on universal principles, government incentives, private enterprise, land reform, youth empowerment programmes and quality labour force, among others.

Besides the handout of N5,000 as stated above, Federal Government can tackle poverty through meaningful and sustainable job creation through the value chain in mineral exploitation, small and medium enterprises, by creating local demand and empowering local producers.

Also, as noted, the nation will gain a lot if youths are empowered to acquire modern skills. Quality education is the key to sustainable job creation. The Federal Government must rebuild the moribund educational facilities, engage quality and skillful teachers, equip the schools in the rural and urban areas with comprehensive educational infrastructure, including sporting facilities to catch talented sports persons in their prime. The educational sector has a strategic role to play in creating the necessary skills that would enable the youths to become creators of jobs and not just job seekers. The nation should minimise brain drain to maximise brain gain through the provision of incentives that will attract Nigerian professionals and experts in the diaspora.

The Federal Government should recognise the importance of job creation by investing in and developing sound, effective and efficient economic and social infrastructure and productive capacities for sustainable development and sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth. Also the nation should recognise the importance of job creation by adopting forward-looking macroeconomic policies that promote sustainable development and lead to sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth, increase productive employment opportunities and promote agricultural and industrial development. The nation’s workers should have access to quality education, skills, fundamental rights at work, social and legal protections, including occupational safety and health, and decent work opportunities. Government, trade unions, workers and employers all have a role to play in promoting decent work and good pay for all, and all should help young people to gain access to needed skills and employment opportunities, including in new and emerging sectors. Women and men should have equal access to opportunities to acquire job skills as well as to worker protections. As observed, government exists to cater for the wellbeing of the populace.

Therefore, it is its duties to provide social amenities for the good of all, be it electricity, water, road, among other infrastructure. It is more important when it comes to education, as it is an avenue where the leaders of tomorrow are prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.

These challenges call for a transformational leadership.

I believe that the Federal Government may be doing a good job towards providing the enabling environment for meaningful and sustainable job creation in order to reduce mass unemployment and poverty. However, the handouts as proposed by the Federal Government may not be a solution to the current national social and economic problems.

Nwaonicha sent in this piece from Delta State.

Ensuring basic rights for Boko Haram’s victims

By Mausi Segun LAST week, three consecutive suicide bombs, bearing the hallmarks of the extremist Islamist group Boko Haram, killed 55 people in Yola, Kano, and Maiduguri in Nigeria. The brutal killings drew few condemnations or statements of solidarity with the victims. Coming on the heels of the horrendous November 13 Paris attacks which killed more than 130 people, the silence has been more deafening than usual.

The bombs came as the Global Terrorism Index listed Boko Haram as the deadliest terrorist group in the world.

According to its report, Boko Haram was responsible for at least 6,644 deaths in 2014, an increase of 314 percent from 2013. Boko Haram pledges allegiance to the extremist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS) and uses its emblematic black flag, but operates largely independently.

Nigeria’s victims are all too quickly forgotten by the

authorities. Although the numbers of injured usually exceed those killed – more than 80 people were grievously wounded in the Kano attack – experience from previous attacks suggests that they will receive little or no assistance.

Last month, I met 14-year-old Shehu (not his real name) in Potiskum, Yobe state. He was at his school assembly ground in November 2014 when a suicide bomber, disguised as a student, detonated a bomb.

Twenty-six of Shehu’s fellow students were killed. His legs were shattered, and one was later amputated. He has not returned to school because of his family’s poverty; the authorities have ignored the family’s plea for a wheelchair. His heartbreaking words to me were: “not being in school is why people become Boko Haram. I do not want to become one.”

Neglect of victims of these attacks can only strengthen the insurgents and further alienate beleaguered civilians in northern Nigeria. In July 2015, hundreds of

victims under the banner of Bomb Victims’ Association of Nigeria (BVAN) organised protests in Abuja to draw attention to their continued neglect. So far, they have been ignored.

Whether in Paris, Beirut, Istanbul, or Kano, survivors of terrorist attacks deserve support to rebuild their lives.

The Nigerian authorities need to take responsibility for victims of attacks and hold the perpetrators to account.

The Federal Government should fulfil without delay, the promise presented by its establishment in August 2014 of a Victims Support Fund, which raised more than 54 billion naira (about US$270 million) from both state and private contributors.

A young boy in Potiskum should not have to wait any longer for his wheelchair.

Mausi Segun is a Nigerian researcher for Human Rights Watch. This piece was posted on www.hrw.org.

24

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

style

Glitz, glamour @

Saturday Tribune With Kate Ani 08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

Chief (Dr) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo was laid to rest, after a number of colourful farewell ceremonies, on Wednesday at her Ikenne, Ogun State residence. The final burial ceremony was a convergence of who-is-who in the political/diplomatic/ social circle. Notable women who graced the event include Senator Daisy Danjuma, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and wives of state governors. Here is a glance at some of the notable women in the country who graced the epochal occasion in style.

HID’s burial

25

Photos By: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

26

28 November, 2015

outofthisworld

With femi osinusi

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

Beauty contest among prisoners

A

prison in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has shown the whole world that despite the various crimes committed by inmates, it is not the end of the world for them.

The prison recently organised a beauty contest for the female inmates in the prison. The Talavera Bruce jail held the contest where the lady inmates, despite the crimes they committed, were allowed to show their stuff through their dressings, make-up all in a bid for them to boost their self esteem.

This prison, regarded as the only maximum security prison for women in Rio de Janeiro, according to brazilness.net, usually gets support from many volunteers and church organisations to organise this pageantry which has become an annual event in the prison.

The inmates lining up for the contest Dressing up for the contest

Another set of contestants

One of the inmates celebrating after being declared the winner

Saturday Tribune

Coming out of their cells

Dancing time for one of the contestants

28

28 November, 2015

businessextra

Saturday Tribune

Edited by Sulaimon Olanrewaju

lanresulaimon123@gmail.com 08055001708

More questions after the BVN thrills, frills Akin Adewakun - Lagos

N

O doubt, one of the major highlights of the numerous activities in the nation’s financial ecosystem this year is the introduction of the Bank Verification Number (BVN), by the apex regulatory bank in that sector, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), designed to ensure easier and proper co-ordination of banking activities in the country.

Introduced and launched on February 14 last year, besides ensuring smooth running of banking operations in the country, another of the aims of the initiative, according to the apex bank, is its ability to check cyber crime, ATM frauds and other finance-related frauds within the sector. This, therefore, explains the optimism that greeted the introduction of the initiative among some Nigerians, who had been a bit wary of the surge of crime rate the sector had been recording of late.

But soothing as the reasons for its introductions may sound, in some quarters, the advent of BVN, like every other initiatives that have directly impacted the life of the average Nigerian, especially the teeming bank customers, has continued to elicit its own thrills, frills and more often than not, more questions than answers, among Nigerians.

While many Nigerians are ready to throw their weights behind the initiative, despite its shortcomings, not a few still believe that it is not yet uhuru in that sector, even with the advent of the BVN. For instance, a cross section of bank customers who spoke on the issue to Businessextra are of the belief that the initiative was almost dead on arrival due to the failure of the nation’s banks to effectively communicate the aims of the campaign and educate Nigerians on the need to embrace it, at the initial stage.

This, they argued, was responsible for the reluctance and skepticism of many Nigerians, regarding the workability of the initiative, a development that really slowed down the process.

“Why would anybody force me to get a unique number and threaten to deactivate my account if I didn’t [register]?

Does any bank have a right to do that? What about the other initiatives such as the Know Your Customer programme that we, all bank customers, were compelled to do recently? Why can’t they just collect such data from there?” a bank customer who was obviously arguing from a position of ignorance queried the early days of the registration.

Curiously, the above represents the views of a huge num-

ber of bank customers, oblivious of the real essence of the exercise, and therefore see the process as yet another way of infringing on their rights.

Besides, many are of the view that most of the banks did not help the cause of the initiative; since it was apparent that they were not ready at the initial period of the exercise.

Sharing her experience with Businessextra on the issue, Mrs. Esther Akinwale stated that despite the fact that the initiative was coming from the banks and not the customers, it is the customers that are bearing the brunt at the end of the day.

“For instance, it took me several days before getting through with the process at my bank, when the thing was supposed to be seamless. While the general belief is always that Nigerians wait till the eleventh hour before complying with directives, mine was different. At the initial stage, I had gone to the bank to inquire about this with the aim of enrolling, only to find out that the bank itself was not even ready then. So who do we blame? The bank and not the customer, of course.

“Unfortunately, it is still the customers that suffer in this instance, because it took me a whole effort to get registered later, when I could have avoided that last-minute rush,”she stated.

While Mrs. Akinwale eventually succeeded in preventing her account from being deactivated by meeting the deadline, the same can not be said of Tolu Lawson.

Lawson, a businessman runs three accounts with two different banks. He had thought he had been able to beat the deadline by getting the unique number in one of his banks and linking the other accounts online.

‘To my surprise, I was shocked when I couldn’t transfer money online from one of those accounts that I had linked to

While one of the numbers was carrying my image, the other they said was carrying another person’s image. But besides that all other information were the same.

my customers’ account. At first I didn’t know the account had been deactivated since I felt I had fulfilled all righteousness concerning BVN, only for me to discover that the account was not properly linked, despite following the instructions stipulated by the bank.

“Honestly, it was more than embarrassing because if I had not enjoyed a cordial and old-time relationship with those clients I was supposed to pay various sums of money, it would have smeared my reputation before them because I was definite about the day I was going to make those payments.

Unfortunately, see what BVN has made of the whole thing,” he stated.

Interestingly, many bank customers who had toed Lawson’s path by trying to link their BVN to other accounts online also got their ‘fingers burnt’. They had to come back to the banking hall to physically do this, thereby exerting more pressure on the facilities of those banks.

While it still remains a mirage to bank customers why those banks would recommend, for their customers, a process such banks were not fully prepared for, the BVN issue has continued to become more interesting by the day.

For instance, Mr. Oke’s (real name withheld) story provides such amusement here. He had gone to another branch of his bank to withdraw money only to be told that he would need to register for the BVN before he could access the account.

‘Despite telling them that I had done this in another branch of the bank, they insisted I had to re-register, because they never had such information in their system. I eventually did it only for me to later discover that I could no longer access any of those accounts again,” he stated.

On enquiry with the banks he was told he had registered twice and had been issued with two unique numbers.

“While one of the numbers was carrying my image, the other they said was carrying another person’s image. But besides that all other information were the same,” lamented a frustrated Oke, who had already gone to court to seek redress. But for now, he no longer has access to any of the accounts because of the alleged double registration.

Absurd as this may sound, many Nigerians are, curiously, in Oke’s shoes, at the crossroads, though may be without the wherewithal to seek justice in the nation’s law courts.

But whether court interventions are sought on these knotty issues or not, what is obvious, to many, is that the BVN controversies will continue to dominate discussions in the nation’s financial space; because of the thrills, the frills and the issues it will continue to raise as the days roll by.

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28 November, 2015

ntertainment Society Gist

News

Saturday Tribune J

with oan

Omionawele

jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08059793705

Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

newtray2002@yahoo.com 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

9ice set to kindle Ibadan for Gaurapad Charities launch Pg32

I couldn’t sing in front of my mother —Dice

Pg30

Jenifer Lopez, Celine Dion, others dazzle at American Music Awards Pg32

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28 November, 2015

Continued from pg3

‘I do not have many friends in Nollywood’

sometimes I give an idea about the kind of story I want to write and after the first wrap has been written, we go through it and have series of discussions with the writers on your vision and for the very first day you start picturing ideas on how the story will be. You can now call other experts to put in their own ideas. But what makes you a director is the fact that you can bring all these people together to your own world and you guys will make it up Talking about your lead role in October 1, Prince Aderopo, you do not always feature popular actors in your movies, why is this so?

First of all, before you give a particular role to a character, you need to see the person’s image, then you consider other characteristics, for example the role of Aderopo depicts someone who is good-looking, educated and the first graduate of his town, and for that you need someone who can do the accent of an educated Nigerian in the 60s and an accent which is close to that of a Briton. So it’s rare to get that kind of people if you look through most of the actors we have today, it is either they have American accent or they blend American, British and Nigerian accents together, so you will not even know what accent they are speaking. The lead role in ‘October 1’, Demola, is someone I’ve known from Adam and I know he has the charisma to carry out the role perfectly because he studied in the UK and his accent was perfect for that role, and also, I am not about using a popular actor, I am more about a character’s talent. Right now in my career I think it’s more about the production company where I work which is Golden Effects and when people realise that the production is coming from Golden Effects, they will rather go for it than me putting a known face on the poster, so we have been able to build a pedigree and it is really working for us.

You are set to produce another movie, The CEO, how is the experience like, especially that you are working with the likes of Angelique Kidjo and other talents from across Africa?

Well, it is part of the intention to project Africa to the world. It has been a whole new experience bringing together people from Ghana, Uganda, Morocco and even from the Caribbean together.

I learnt a lot from my father and I know that if we do not tell our own stories, other people will tell our stories and sell them to us. We are in the post production stage and hopefully, it will be released soon.

Do you have lots of friends in Nollywood?

Yeah, I do I have friends and colleagues but they are not many.

It is being said that there is disparity between you and some of the Nollywood ac-

I am not giving up making films, but maybe giving up making film in Nigeria, But even if I make films that will represent Nigeria.

Saturday Tribune

tors.

Well, not really, I think it’s just a case of interest, because we totally operate in different models, and because of this it is most times likely that our paths will not cross, but it doesn’t remove the fact that when there is a gathering where all of us need to come together, we do come together to play and all that, but when it comes to work you do what you believe in and the others will do what they believe in that is what it is because for me, it’s about my work, so there are no disparities.

Looking at some of your movies you still drive at preserving the African culture, Nigerian culture and the Yoruba culture is this deliberate or you just find yourself in it?

Well, it is deliberate, that is who I am because I can’t sell the British, American, Greek or Italian culture. I can only sell what I know and what I am part of so that when questions are being raised, I will be able to defend and justify my work. It is more of being proud of who you are, and that is what I do and for posterity and the sake of the unborn children. We need to start documenting all of these things because to a large extent the culture is fading; children are not speaking our languages anymore.

What is your relationship with Mr Tunde Kelani?

Well, Uncle TK is someone I grew up knowing.

I met him on my father’s set and while I was a young boy, he was one of those I could reach out to as I started with my career as an actor. I was with him in the movie. Saworoide which was released over fifteen years ago and till date, we are still close. He is a mentor, father, colleague and a friend.

Have you ever felt like giving up on the job at any point in time?

It comes up, but I am not giving up making films, but maybe giving up making film in Nigeria. But even if I make films outside of Nigeria, I will still do films that will represent Nigeria, it is possible that I can be in Ghana but I will create stage and settings that will look like that of Nigeria, invite actors to play the role of Nigerians.

This environment, to a large extent, is frustrating for filmmakers and a lot of entrepreneurs are trying to break boundaries and all of that, but we are still here.

As a filmmaker who is always busy, how do you work with being a husband and a father?

I spend quality time with my family, especially my kids and you can see some of these on the social media, We play basketball, I fly kite with them, we go out, I do things that an average father who stays with their children every day cannot do. And those are the things I believe will give them memories of me even when I am not around. Also, I open their horizons to what I am doing, because they know a lot about films and before I travel I inform them earlier and they are proud because they know it’s not that he just leaves home as he likes and comes back whenever he likes.

Do you want your daughters to be actresses?

If they like the career, I will support whatever they decide.

How frustrated were you to have dumped banking for filmmaking?

Well, I was not frustrated as a banker, because I started banking through administration and I have put that knowledge to use, because to a large extent, it relates to the business aspect of what I do now, so I was not frustrated. I did that beat and when it was time to move, I moved.

In the next few years, what would you like to be said about Kunle Afolayan?

It is all about the work. I will just like to be remembered for my good work and I will like to put a structure in place, so that I can influence lots of young ones out there to be the best that can be.

32 entertainment

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, others dazzle at American Music Awards

T

he 43rd Annual American Music Awards have been held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The star-studded event was hosted by Jennifer Lopez. Powerhouse singer, Taylor Swift was the biggest winner of the night with three awards.

Talented singer, Jennifer Lopez hosted the awards show and used the beginning to remind the world that she’s still got it as she sang a bit of a slowed-down version of her 1999 hit “Waiting for Tonight” before stopping and insisting that it was not all about her. Then she proceeded to make it all about her by dancing to some of the year’s biggest hits.

Someone forgot to tell Jenny from the Block that at the age of 46, folks don’t expect her to out-dance some of these youngsters. Of course, the Internet tried to make it a beef when Nicki Minaj was shown reacting to Lopez’s booty-shaking to Minaj’s hit “Anaconda.”

Another highlight of the show saw the organisers proving that the recent terror attack in Paris was on the minds of AMA attendees as actor Jared Leto introduced singer Celine Dion to the stage with the words “France matters.

Russia matters. Syria matters. Mali matters. The Middle East matters. The United States matters. The entire world matters, and peace is possible.”

Dion launched into an emotional rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne a L’amour” as a string orchestra played and images of Paris flashed in the background.

Also, Justin Bieber made sure he was sprinkled with water on stage and got wet all throughout his performance.

The teenage musician ended the show with a medley of hits from his new album, “Purpose.” He went acoustic for “What Do You Mean” and danced his way through “Where Are Ü Now.” But for “Sorry,” Bieber turned on the waterworks with a rain shower that left him soaked and crooning his apology.

The crowd was disappointed when artistes like Nicki Minaj and Rihanna did not perform at the show, but were exited as other winners including Ed sheeran, One Direction, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, among others, were announced.

•Source: CNN International

Rita Ora

Gwen Stephani

Celine Dion

By Newton Ray-Ukwuoma

Kendal Jenner

Jennifer Lopez Ariana Grande

Popularly known as 9ice Alapomeji (owner of two pockets), Alexander Abolore Adigun has been billed to perform in Ibadan today at Gaurapad Charities launch.

The Gonga Aso crooner will join a host of other Nigerian artistes, comedians as well as the University of Ibadan Theatre Arts dance troupe to kindle the ancient city as Gaurapad Charities, a humanitarian brainchild of former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, (PMAN), Bolaji Rosiji, opens its 40th centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The official launch which was held at the D’Rovans Hotel and Halls on Saturday, November, 21 is part of the innovative efforts of the Gaurapad Charities Foundation to extend humanitarian activities in health care services and products as well as other empowerment programmes to half of the world’s people still living on

9ice set to kindle Ibadan for Gaurapad Charities Launch less than $1 a day.

The former PMAN boss and United Nations Ambassador for Peace who was spurred by the exigency to help the needy in the society has been in the forefront of touching lives in various ways through Gaurapad Foundation, formed over a decade ago.

Gaurapad Charities, over the years, has established centres in most states of the federation as well as in Ghana. It has become a platform where thousands of unemployed youths, widows, students and professional networkers come to establish their own independent source of income through the Gaurapad Wellness Range. Gaurapad initiative has registered over 35,000 members nationwide since its inception in 2011 and it is committed to bringing the scheme to the grassroots where the poorest in the land can be empowered.

33 entertainment

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

I couldn’t sing in front of my mother —Dice Ailes

Shasha Damilola Alesh, stage name Dice Ailes (pronounced Ails), is a talented Nigerian rapper and recording artiste based in Canada. Shasha was signed to Chocolate City Music in 2014 and has kept Nigeria’s flag in the sky with his wonderful blend of afro pop and hip hop sounds. The final year student of the York University, Toronto, Canada, who is planning to relocate to Nigeria, spoke to Newton-Ray Ukwuoma about his journey to the music industry and aspirations, among other things.

H

ow did you begin the journey into the music industry?

I started doing music at an early stage of my life. It may be a cliché, but I have done music all my life. I was about eight or nine years when I started writing my own songs. My uncles used to write. They were song writers. They used to play instruments at home also.

My mum was a member of the church choir and I just always wanted to be a part of what they were doing; so, I would hang around them and write music, while they were either singing or playing instruments. I just grew up being someone that really loved music.

graduate?

I’m actually supposed to finish next month but I’m still busy performing and being on TV.

You are based in Canada, how did you meet MI? In 2013 I travelled to Nigeria from Canada to push a single called ‘Yemisi’. While I was here on this fateful day, I decided to hang out with a veteran singer (Frank de Nero). He said he was going over to M.I’s house to record a song. I told him I wanted to tag along. I wanted to meet M.I. He is like my idol. I went to M.I’s house with him and before they started recording, my brother Tee Tash was there. He introduced me to MI. He told him I was an artiste. I played one of my songs right there. I think MI was really impressed and we had a meeting the following day.

What singles have you released?

Under Chocolate City, the first song I released was ‘Fantasy’. The video is out. It was followed up with ‘Telephone’.

Telephone is enjoying a lot of air play right now. Then from the Choc Boy Nation album, I have a song called ‘Oh No!’ It’s not an official single. We are still working on it.

So, I’ve released two official singles with chocolate city. I am also working on releasing some new ones pretty soon.

Where was your first performance?

My first performance was in Canada. It was at a show called Culture Shock, and I was so shy that I could not even look at the crowd— I was looking at my shoes.

Do you have a body of work, EPs or mixtapes?

No. I don’t have any body of work yet. I just have some singles and videos.

You said you grew up listening to music. Who is your mentor and if you had the opportunity to have a collaboration with an international artiste who would it be and why?

I listen to every type of music. I don’t know who specifically influences my music. If I had an opportunity to work with an international artist, it would be Drake or Chris Brown. I love these artistes. I think they are really talented.

Just like that?

No. It took a couple of months. It took about six to eight months to finalise the contract. We were going back and forth trying to make sure everything was fine, by the time he listened to my music, it happened just like that.

What was the attraction, what do you think M.I saw?

I really don’t know what he saw, but I think that it was my style of delivery. The song he heard was ‘Yemisi’. I think he was attracted to the way I combined Afropop and hip-hop, the way I fused the two genres together. I think that’s pretty much what drew him to me.

When you were going into music, what was your parents’ reaction?

Like I said, my mum was in a choir. She likes music, so it wasn’t a problem for her that I was going into music. At the time I was trying to record my first song and I struggled to convince her that I was passionate about music. Sometimes, she would ask me to sing for her, but then I was so shy I couldn’t. Then she would say, “You are not ready yet.

You can’t sing. Just go and read your books”. That was the only thing, but my dad was cool about it. He likes music.

He listens to Shina Peters, Ebenezer Obey. He supports whatever I do as long as I’m striving towards success.

‘Yemisi’ is a nice song, is there a real Yemisi?

There is actually no real Yemisi. It is about the music and what came into my mind the time I was writing the song.

There is something new about your style, something novel, how would you describe your style?

First, it is very contemporarily Nigerian and it is also global. So you will always find a blend of two genres, two cultures in my music. I speak of the times we are in; who we have become both as artistes and individuals.

How much of your local language do you speak?

I speak Yoruba very well – 100 percent.

What state are you from?

I’m from Lagos State.

What’s your educational background like?

I’m currently a final year student at the York University Toronto, Canada. I am studying Health and Society.

Is it an online degree programme?

No. It’s not an online degree programme, but I was forced to move my courses online when my music got really serious and I had to be in front of the cameras every now and then.

How do you juggle school with music?

It’s a pretty tough thing to do but I am really passionate about education and music at the same time. So, I try my best when I am not in front of the camera, when I am not doing interviews or recordings, I read my books and try to be a good student.

Your fashion style seems to be in the trend.

I have an obsession with fashion while growing up. I always wanted to be the best dressed everywhere I went.

The grill is just a touch of swag.

Do you intend to own a fashion label at some point in life?

There’s a high possibility that that happens because I always like to dress up good, and I think people like to dress up good as well.

Were your parents in support of your grills?

My dad is a Muslim so when he saw the grills and asked, I told him I just got back from Mecca, that I was an Alhaji.

Did he believe that?

My grills look familiar.

You seem to be very shy, even now.

Yeah. I am trying so hard. I used to be an introvert. I was not used to talking much. I just chill and watch.

I listen to every type of music.

I don’t know who specifically influences my music Do you have any tattoo on your body?

No. I actually don’t have any tattoos or piercing on my body.

Are you a fan of tattoos?

I like how they look, but I don’t personally have any tattoo or piercings. I try to be as normal as possible.

For someone that wears grills, why don’t you like tattoos?

Grills are detachable. It’s just gold. The same way you have a gold watch on is the same way I have gold grills on.

Not that I don’t like tattoos, I have nothing against then.

It’s beautiful, it’s art, but I just don’t have tattoos.

Are you permanently in Nigeria or you are shuttling?

Yeah. I still shuttle. I need to go there and pack all my bags down here, because I love Nigeria.

How many more months do you have before you

To ginger you up, do you drink or smoke?

Funny enough, I don’t drink or smoke. But I know how to balance myself.

Since you don’t drink or smoke, do you like girls?

I love girls.

What kind of girls?

I am selective, but I like girls. Good girls, perhaps.

What has been the reaction to “Fantasy” and going forward now what should your fans expect from you?

I think ‘Fantasy’ is a good music. People like it, but it’s not just party. It’s not the typical club record but the reception has been great – not as great as ‘Telephone’. The next record I am putting out will certainly be more club friendly.

How much was your first money in your music career?

My first money from music, I think it was $500. It was from a performance at a government-sponsored show in Toronto.

I bought things, I think. The first thing I bought was a pair of sneakers. (I had to look fly for the babes, you know.) I don’t remember what exactly I did with the rest. But it was around $500 because I was part of a crew called Phase 2 Collected that performed at the show.

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28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

Huvid-Connect berths in Ibadan

A

KEEM Ajao, Olawale Olamide and Ajao Sandra recently wrote their names in the world of e-commerce with the launching of the Huvid-Connect, which is a platform that connects people with all businesses, services and areas of interest in the city of Ibadan.

The launch came with a small celebration by the Huvid team at a high class restaurant in Ibadan where the senior partner, Ajao Sandra explained that the concept was designed to fill the void with opportunity for people to check schedules, menus, time charts and events in Ibadan unlike before.

Sandra stated that the Huvid

US Consulate hosts reception for Future Awards nominees AS a countdown to the 10th anniversary of the Future Awards, the United States Consulate hosted The Future Awards Africa nominees to an invitationonly reception at the ConsularGeneral’s residence in Lagos a few days ago.

It was an evening of wine and light music where the Consular-General, John Bray played the host in a gathering where the likes of Lampe Omoyele, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Chimaobi Nwaokoma, Bovi, Toyin Lawani, VJ Adams, Toni Kan, Uche Nnaji, Lami Philips and many others were all present.

The event was anchored by Sika Osei with performance from Simi who thrilled the guests with her rendition of the hit, ‘Jamb question’.

The nominees’ reception is a lead to the awards event holding on December 6, where 11 winners would be announced in the awards that celebrate 10 years of spotlighting individuals across.

application cuts across the daily needs of every individual which include movies, restaurants, ho-

tels, events and nightlife, business directory, tourist attraction, emergency and all other things

where they allow the users to check schedules, make reservations and also get directions.

Sadiat Akanke is back on the beat SADIAT, wife of Lagos real estate mogul, Alhaji Buhari Oloto, is back on the social scene she left for some time.

The woman, popularly known as ‘Iya Oyo’ was absent from the social scene for what many called a medical leave which took her

Freda Francis’s soaring profile IT will not be out of place to say Freda Francis stands out among top spa owners in Lagos.

She is the Chief Executive Officer of popular beauty spa, Oasis Medpsa in Ikoyi, Lagos which has become the spot for celebrities, the rich and stylish people who enjoy the use of non-surgical solutions to common skin, hair and body complaints, facials, massages and peel, elite skin tightening, fat reduction and laser hair removal.

The spa under Freda has gone places as she understands the desire of every man to look good and stay healthy which explains why she spares no cost in ensuring her spa is world class.

out for many months before she finally made a return recently.

Those in the know claimed the fashionable woman who has dominated the party scene for over a decade was out of the country for a surgery and therapy session.

Her comeback did not only delight her friends, it spurred a celebration among her admirers who sent signals that the textile merchant is hale and hearty.

She was spotted at a recent event in Lagos where the King of Fuji beats, Wasiu Ayinde did not fail to sing her a welcome back song.

Babatunde Onakoya’s secret admiration PROMINENT Ogun politician and socialite, Otunba Babatunde Onakoya has a secret admiration he kept for some time which came into the open recently.

At a recent social event, the politician popularly called Debasco by his admirers spoke glowingly of former governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Raji Fasola who he said he met through the late businessman, Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu who introduced the former governor to him and represented him in a law suit some years before he became a governor.

The politician said he admired Fasola’s honesty and professionalism and he was glad when his appointment as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing was

announced because he knows he has the brain to transform the ministries.

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28 November, 2015

achievers

Saturday Tribune

With Ronke Sanya & Oyeyemi Okunlade 07036050161\ 08056834515 sanyaaderonke@gmail.com ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

Anne-Marie Imafidon:

Eldest child of Britain’s brainiest family, now impacting young girls RONKE SANYA writes on Anne-Marie Imafidon, who was once an academic-prodigy, how she has metamorphosed into a tech-woman, blazing the trail for women in science and technology and encouraging girls to get comfortable creating with technology.

A

nne-Marie, 23, is the eldest child of the Imafidon family, the popular Britain’s brainiest family. The family came into limelight when AnneMarie graduated from college at age 10 and at 13 became the youngest person to pass the U.K. A level computing exam. In 2009, her siblings, Peter and Paula Imafidon , who were twins, made headlines for becoming youngest students to enter secondary school at age 6.

Their older sister, Christina, also made a record when at the age of 11, she was accepted to study at any undergraduate institution in the United Kingdom.

The parents, Dr Chris and Mrs Ann Imafidon are from Edo State. They moved from Nigeria to London over 30 years ago and their children have broken different national records in education.

Anne-Marie, the eldest child of the exceptionally brilliant family, attended John Hopkins University in Baltimore and received her master’s degree from Oxford University, before she turned 20 years old.

According to Black Entertainment Television (BET): “The Imafidons are Britain’s smartest family and have become international models of academic achievement, however, Anne-Marie, their eldest daughter, did not rest on her oars as she is now impacting on young girls with her innovation called Stemettes.

Now 25, Imafidon is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Stemettes, which runs hackathons, panel events and exhibitions to encourage girls to learn to code, to become familiar with technology and to see where it might take them in their careers. Stemette (a noun), according to her website imafidon.com means a female who has the capacity to go into one or more of the STEM fields-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Imafidon was prompted to set up the Stemettes when she discovered that she was one of the only three women in a class of 70 studying Maths and Computer Science at Oxford University and after she attended the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference in 2012 in the United States. When it comes to new challenges, she is all about launching in, giving it a try. “I am the kind of person who just gives things a go,” she said.

Imafidon, who had initially worked with Goldman Sachs and Hewlett-Packard, among others, had always seen herself as a technologist rather than a woman in tech. In a bid to tackle the problem of lack of women in technology, Imafidon launched Stemettes in February 2013, but little did she expect how great the appetite was for it, nor how quickly the initiative would grow.

“I did that first year as a punt, I didn’t imagine it would end up being a social enterprise and have five full-time people,” she says. “By the end of that first year, we had such a big following and we had companies coming to us.

That was after just a year with me working part time on it and with volunteers.”

Explaining how Stemettes works, she said, “Hackathons are a mainstay of Stemettes, and the idea is to get a room full of girls together to learn how to code, build websites and mobile apps, and come up with ‘hacks’ or solutions to challenges. The girls normally range from age five to 22 and there are a lot of laptops and music and the girls are all coding. They are really proud by the end of the weekend, they have built something – maybe they have learned HTML and coded a website, and they now have a link they can give to others, to let them see what they have made.

“A lot of the girls who come to us have never coded before, so it’s quite nice to see them change the perception

I love introducing girls to my technology world. I especially love the expressions on their faces as they create their first app or publish their first game.

of themselves. It becomes a thing for the girls – if you spend 48 hours in a room with 70 other girls coding, no one can say this is a boys’ thing.”

She stresses that the skills acquired through studying STEM are valued by potential employers. “On today’s physics courses, students are taught coding, the hardcore C++. We want girls to have the confidence and selfawareness to know that having that knowledge of C++ puts you in really good stead, in addition to the fact that you studied physics.”

The tech genie, who is multi lingual (speaks six languages), explains her delight at the expression on the faces of the girls she trains. “I love introducing girls to my technology world - I especially love the expressions on their faces as they create their first app or publish their first game. This is made possible by the people at the companies who support my work and the work of Stemettes volunteers. The project and my career have opened up many travel opportunities for me - trips in London, to Glasgow, Brussels and further afield to the States - all physically made possible by engineers and technologists,” she said.

Imafidon’s Stemettes team includes various volunteers and great personalities like Mae Jemison, the first black woman in space; Athene Donald, a senior professor of Physics at Cambridge to Tech and CEOs like Alicia Navarro, founder of Skimlinks.

Recently, Imafidon was honoured with Points of Light Award for encouraging over 900 women to consider a career in the sciences and for her efforts at introducing young girls to successful women in careers relating to Maths, Computing and Science. In her remarks, she says, “I love being a woman in tech and most of all, I love working in technology.”

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28 November, 2015

weekend cartoons

Saturday Tribune

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

Just a Laffing Mata Total

SEGELUULU went to a canteen to eat. When he had finished eating, the steward brought his bill and read it to him. Rice N80.00, beans N15, pure water N5 and TOTAL N100.00. Segeluulu exclaimed: “What!,” when did I eat TOTAL? You must be a cheat! I’m not going to pay for that. I’ll only pay for my food and the pure water. I have no business with Total!”

POLITICO

Copy and paste A popular motivational speaker was entertaining his audience. He said, “The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn’t my wife!” The audience was stunned. The speaker added: “And that woman was my mother!” Laughter and applause.

A week later, a top manager trained by the motivational speaker tried to crack this joke at home to make his wife smile. He was a bit foggy after a drink. He said loudly to his wife who was preparing dinner, “The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife!” The wife went; “Ah” with shock and rage.

Standing there for 30 seconds trying to recall the second half, finally blurted out: “…and I can’t remember who she was!” By the time the manager regained his consciousness, he found himself on a hospital bed nursing burns from boiling water.

FUNOLOGY

Husband and wife

Husband: You always carry my photo in your handbag to the office. Why? Wife: When there is a problem, no matter how impossible, I look at your picture and the problem disappears.

Husband: You see, how miraculous and powerful I can be in your life?

Wife: Yes, I see your picture and say to myself, “What other problem can there be greater than this?”

When ‘trailer’ passes between TWO NOLLYWOOD ‘lovebirds’

37

interview

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Why federal might ’ll mean nothing in 2016 Ondo gov election —Commissioner

The Ondo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Bamiduro Dada, speaks with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI on the achievements of his ministry and the reasons he feels PDP will win the 2016 governorship election in the state.

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OU have been a commissioner under Governor Olusegun Mimiko for quite some time. What has it been like working with him?

I want to thank God and appreciate Dr Mimiko who has given me the opportunity to work closely with him. He reposed confidence in me before he became the Commissioner for Health in the administration of the late former Governor Adebayo Adefarati. He trusts me. He sees me as his brother.

Three days after his inauguration as the state governor, he appointed me as his Senior Special Assistant on Due Process.

After working in that capacity for about a year, I was made his SSA on political matters. This assignment exposed me to many other areas of administration and afforded me the opportunity to relate with people of different classes. I learned a lot from the governor during this period because he is always ready to listen to superior arguments. He is a listening leader.

As the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, how have you been able to settle chieftaincy tussles in the state?

With the experience I garnered while working with Dr Mimiko in the past, I am able to key in into his vision with ease. Immediately he put me in the ministry, I began to apply those lessons I learned from him. You will notice that since Dr Mimiko has been governor, chieftaincy crises have been reduced to almost zero. It is not that we are not having chieftaincy issues, but to the glory of God, we have been able to reduce crises arising from chieftaincy tussles in most communities. I must also appreciate those working with me in this ministry. They have shown a great understanding of the terrain and how to resolve crises. In most cases, we don’t wait for problem to arise before responding to a situation.

When I came on board, I discovered that the chieftaincy tussle in Iro in Ifedore Local Government had been on since 1999, but I made sure I installed the king there. I invited all the stakeholders, pleaded with them and they agreed and produced a candidate for the stool within a month and the king was installed. They have been living peacefully together ever since. There are many instances like that across the state. There were areas people believed that there was no way a king could be installed there, but with the help of God and the wisdom of Dr Mimiko, we overcame problems and achieved successes.

If you have been able to handle such problems as you have said, what is delaying the installation of some kings, especially in towns like Akungba, Imoru, Ibule and Ikota?

That of Ibule is over. You know, Akungba is in my local government. Some people are playing politics with the kingship tussle there and I believe that God is on our side and the crisis over who becomes the king will be over soon. We will install the traditional ruler of the town soon. I have held a series of meetings with the people and I will have further consultations with them in an attempt to let them realise that only God installs an oba. If everybody in a particular community queues behind you but God does not want you as king, there is no way you can be king. If everybody is against you and God supports you, there is no way you will not be king. I want to appeal to both parties to see reasons and understand why they need to embrace peace.

They are in court over the stool and anywhere there is litigation, we are not supposed to go to such a community to install a king unless the community agrees to solve their problem out of court. Akungba’s case had been in court even before I became the commissioner. I have been talking to them to let them realise that there is the need to make peace. Unless the warring parties come together, there is no way we can install a traditional ruler there. As regards Imoru, the problem will be over soon. We have been talking to them, too. There are two giants there that are competing. We have a journalist and a permanent secretary contesting for the stool. We have been trying to resolve this issue amicably as we also try to not step on toes.

In the light of the current economic realities, how have the local governments been handling developmental challenges?

Governor Mimiko has been managing the affairs of the state effectively and efficiently and the situation is not different at the local government level. Prior to my coming into

What is delaying local government election in the state?

When Governor Mimiko was sworn in, you will remember that former Governor [Olusegun] Agagu conducted the local government election but a competent court gave the order that such an election should not hold. But the then governor went ahead to hold the election. Immediately we came on board, we approached a court of competent jurisdiction and that election was set aside and all the chairmen then were asked to vacate office. Therefore, we set up caretaker committees at the local government level. Thereafter, the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) approached the court. Since then, the case has been in court. We, Labour Party government of Ondo State then, were the respondents, while the PDP that went to court then were the plaintiff. So, with a case still pending in court, there was no way we could go ahead and conduct an election. That is not permissible and we are law abiding. Last year, the then Labour Party and the PDP fused and you will remember that after the fusion, the governor said there would be local government election. The governor was able to say that because of the fact that both the respondents and the plaintiffs are now in the same party. You cannot be a plaintiff and at the same time be the respondent. A house divided against itself cannot stand. The PDP cannot take the PDP to court. The situation is different now. In the past, it was PDP versus Labour Party. Today, it is PDP within PDP. So, there is no way that case will continue and we are hoping that soon, it will be withdrawn and the coast will be clear for the conduct of local government election. So, it is that litigation that has been delaying the process of having elected chairmen at the local government level in the state.

The PDP will never have a problem doing well in an election in the state. I know what the people of this state are after. I know what they want. They will never abandon a government that is doing well and vote for a government we are not even sure of, a government that does not have a manifesto.

this ministry, the governor set up a committee to review the administration of the local government’s affairs with a view to re-energising it. Before he became the governor in Ondo State, that office was under the office of the deputy governor and immediately Dr Mimiko came in, he did a lot to re-engineer the system. All avenues for leakages were blocked and more money was saved. I want to thank Governor Mimiko for taking such a bold step.

Today, we have achieved a lot in the area of project implementation and execution. And the projects executed at the local government level today are ones demanded for by the various communities. Most of these projects are completed and by the grace of God, the governor, too, will do something soon because today there is sanity in the system. The IGR system of the local governments has been enhanced. The era of running the local government administration without a proposal is gone finally in Ondo State. Today, we have our budget proposal that we are following to do anything we want to do. Already, I have asked all local governments to submit their proposal for 2016. The budget proposal must come in before the end of this year so that whatever we will be doing next year, the budget proposal will be followed. The procedure of the local government now is different from what it used to be.

Do you think the PDP-led government in the state has done enough to retain the governor’s seat?

Yes. I want to say that the people of Ondo State are seriousminded people. If you look at this country today, you will discover that the government of Ondo State under the leadership of Dr Mimiko has excelled in all areas – education, agriculture, rural infrastructure, urban renewal, etc. The governor has performed very well. In most of our neighbouring states, we have the [All Progressives C0ngress] APC people in government and if you make comparisons, you will discover that what they do in those other places, they emulate from Ondo State. Ondo State is a pacesetter and I want to believe what the governor is doing in this state is to set the standard for others. I believe that if any election comes up today, people will vote for quality. They will vote for projects. At least, you use projects to determine how the government is fairing. It is one of the yardsticks and today, Ondo is ahead of other states when we talk of project execution.

The governor has done creditably and I believe that under him, the PDP will never have a problem doing well in an election in the state. I know what the people of this state are after. I know what they want. They will never abandon a government that is doing well and vote for a government we are not even sure of, a government that does not have a manifesto. Today, we know what to do in the state. There is confusion at the federal level.

We don’t even know their manifesto. We don’t know what they have in store for this nation. Anybody you want to vote for must be somebody that has a clean bill of health and a manifesto that will serve the interest of the people. That is exactly what we have in Ondo State.

If you are sure of the PDP’s capacity to win election, are you not afraid of federal might?

Federal might in Ondo State? I have said that any government that will fail in this country will start from Ondo State because we know our worth. Look at what happened in 1983. It started in Ondo State, because the election was rigged. Any government that will sustain itself in Nigeria must allow free and fair election to hold in Ondo State. We are educated people. We are enlightened people. The average Ondo State person knows what he wants. So, nobody should have any ideas that federal might will influence anything in Ondo State. If we have any election in Ondo State and it is not free and fair, it may not augur well for the country. So, I don’t think any federal might can have any effect in Ondo State. After all, there was federal might in 2009 when the PDP was in government during the Agagu era, we never had INEC then. In fact, Labour Party then was like an orphan and people rallied round and voted for us. I know that Ondo State will always vote for quality. No federal might can work here because the people of Ondo State will continue to vote according to their conscience.

38

politics&policy

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune With Saheed Salawu

0811 695 4643

yinkadejavu@yahoo.com

Bayelsa gov poll: PDP, APC draw the battle line

AUSTIN EBIPADE looks at the chances of the two main political parties in Bayelsa State — the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) — ahead of next Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Timipre Sylva Seriake Dickson

c

itizens of Bayelsa State will be going to the poll Saturday next week to either renew the mandate of the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson, or replace him, perhaps, with the candidate of the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva.

The state, which was created in 1996, has been ruled solely by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the country returned to civil rule in 1999. The opposition candidate himself, Sylva, used the party’s platform to administer the state for interrupted five years, between 2007 and 2012. The late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was the state’s first civilian governor.

It is pertinent to note that within the 16-year period, the PDP also wielded power at the centre. The Federal Government had been headed by the party’s men, from former President Olusegun Obasanjo to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was defeated in the last general election by APC’s Muhammadu Buhari.

The defeat of Jonathan undoubtedly changed the political dynamics in the country and the situation is expected to play a role in next Saturday’s election in Bayelsa State.

The APC in the state is leveraging on the fact that it is now the ruling party at the centre and has tied the PDP’s dominance in the state to the power it wielded at the centre until March 28, 2015 when it was given the boot.

Both parties have engaged in a war of words and horsetrading in an attempt to secure the people’s mandate at the December 5 election.

Members of the PDP have attributed their party’s popularity in the state to what they called the party’s faithful delivery of dividend of democracy and good governance to the citizenry.

The PDP-led administration of Dickson is said to be doing everything to retain power and the governor is reported to be principally relying on his achievements in all sectors of the state’s economy, particularly in the area of infrastructure, to coast home to victory next Saturday.

But the APC has accused the PDP-led state government

The people of the state are torn between the two major parties and it is currently hard to determine which party the majority of them will be pitching their tent with next Saturday. of deliberately withholding state funds and crippling all ministries in the last one year. The APC has also expressed regrets that the alleged stifling of the state’s economy has resulted in a widespread hunger. The party accused the governor of misplaced priority and poor development initiative.

The PDP has also described the APC and its candidate, Sylva, as unfit to govern the state, attributing its position to what it called the five years spent by Sylva as the state’s governor which, it said, brought the state under a huge debt burden with little or no significant projects to justify funds accruable to the state within the period.

The campaigns have become intense. Of the 20 political parties that are fielding candidates in the election, the PDP, APC and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) are the only parties so far seen to be seriously campaigning.

But political pundits have put the fight for the soul of the state between the PDP and APC. The PDP standard-bearer, Governor Dickson, has continued to visit communities in the eight local government areas of the state. The governor, in the last two months, is said to have increased the oiling of his political machinery, especially through alleged appointment of more political

aides to carry his messages to every nook and cranny of the state. He has assured the people that he would do more for them if he is put back in office.

The two camps are said to be enjoying considerable supports from political bigwigs and captains of industry to help their campaigns.

Sylva has continued to express confidence that he would win the election in all his campaigns even as his party has continued to receive defectors from other parties. The governorship candidate of a political party is said to have declared support for the APC candidate. Sylva assured the people of the state that he would banish hunger from the state and provide infrastructure if he is allowed to lead them a second time.

The governorship candidate of the PDM, Moses Siloko Siasia, is seen as a political greenhorn with analysts holding the view that he has a somewhat long shot at the coveted seat of the governor. They say perhaps he will have a brighter chance by 2019 when he must have garnered more political experience.

The APC will be going into the election with their heads held high as the ruling party at the centre, while the PDP will be leveraging on its scorecard in the past years. Analysts say the PDP campaign would have received a boost had Alamieyeseigha, believed to be popular with the people of the state and known to be a pillar of support for Governor Dickson’s re-election project, not died.

The people of the state are torn between the two major parties and it is currently hard to determine which party the majority of them will be pitching their tent with next Saturday.

The APC is said to be playing the mainstream card by trying to convince the people on the need to ensure a connection between the state and the central government so they can benefit maximally from President Muhammadu Buhari’s plans for the country.

In the meantime, the stage is set for Bayelsans go into the election and entrust their preferred leader with their collective destiny for another four years.

39 politicsandpolicy

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Kogi APC and the fresh struggle for governorship ticket Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

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HE sudden death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Abubakar Audu, in the course of the ongoing governorship election in Kogi State has led to another round of permutations and manoeuvering among politicians, particularly within the APC which originally fielded the deceased as its standard-bearer.

Many Nigerians had expected a political/constitutional crisis in the Confluence State since this was the first time a candidate would die during the process of an election. The situation appears to have been compounded by the inconclusiveness of last Saturday’s election and the fact that Audu was leading in the poll. The 1999 constitution does not have a provision for the latest development in the state.

And on the heels of the pronouncement of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, that the APC would have to replace Audu with a new candidate and the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to go ahead with the supplementary election on December 5, several stakeholders have shown interest in carrying the torch and complete an “imminent” victory for the party next Saturday, given the fact that Audu was leading in last Saturday’s election before it was declared inconclusive by INEC. In the new race for the governorship ticket, there are new entrants and those aspirants that participated in the August 29 primaries which produced Audu.

Yahaya Bello Alhaji Yahaya Bello is from Okene, Okene Local Government Area. He is one of the members who participated in the last primary of the party. Bello had been touted as the aspirant to beat in the build-up to the primary but he eventually lost to Audu. He had polled 703 votes to come behind Audu who polled 1,109 out of the entire 3400 votes. Nurudeen Abatemi had 400 votes while Sanusi Abubakar scored 309.

He has again shown interest in becoming the candidate of the party as his foot soldiers have returned to lobby the stakeholders, particularly the delegates that will be voting in the primary. However, some of the leaders of the party are said to be against his ambition because of the manner in which he handled his defeat in the last exercise. Bello had petitioned the appeal panel set up by the party over the conduct of the primary, citing irregularities. The panel had recommended then that the late Audu be disqualified from contesting the election.

James Faleke Another person said to be interested in the race is James Faleke, Audu’s running mate. To some commentators, Faleke should automatically have been given the nod to become the governorship candidate and complete the inconclusive election but the Electoral Law stipulates that anybody who wants to stand election must go through the primary of his party.

Against this background, Falake is said to have thrown his hat in the ring to participate in the process that will lead to the emergence of a new governorship candidate of the party.

Faleke, who is a member of the House of Representatives from Lagos State, hails from Ekirinade in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

His choice as the deputy governorship candidate of the APC was reported to have come to many as a surprise.

Saliu Atawodi AVM Saliu Atawodi is also believed to be warming up to clinch the governorship ticket of the party. The retired air force chief is from Igalamela/ Odolu Local Government Area in the Eastern Senatorial District of the state.

He is one of the 28 aspirants that participated in the original primary which Audu won.

Tim Ndiche The former caretaker chairman of Bassa Local Government Area is another aspirant in the race for the APC ticket. Ndiche was equally a participant in the original primary, in which he came eleventh. He had earlier contested for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the House of Representatives in 2003 and 2007.

Jubrin Isa (Echocho) Alhaji Jubrin Isa, popularly called Echocho, is also prominent among those angling for the ticket. Echocho defected to the party from the PDP following his failure to clinch the governorship ticket of that party. He had lost the primary to Governor Idris Wada. Although his entry into the APC is fresh, Echocho, who is from Dekina Local Government Area, is believed to be a popular choice for the people in the Eastern Senatorial District.

Mohammed, Audu’s first son There were also reports on Thursday that some leaders of the APC in Kogi East Senatorial District had chosen late Audu’s first son, Mohammed as his replacement.

Whoever eventually gets nominated will most certainly be a compromise candidate of all the contending interests. In particular, the person must be acceptable to President Muhammadu Buhari and, especially, his powerful caucus in the ruling party.

Whoever eventually gets nominated will most certainly be a compromise candidate of all the contending interests.

In particular, the person must be acceptable to President Muhammadu Buhari and, especially, has powerful caucus in the ruling party.

40

feature

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

24-Year-old man attacks magistrate, gets...scholarship

By Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

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RESSED in a white T-shirt, and smiling gently as he waits for the click of the camera, Benjamin Akinyemi is the very picture of humility – much like the kind of people who are said to be incapable of hurting a fly.

But only months earlier, Benjamin was a vicious young man who spent his free time fomenting trouble along the streets of Akure, the Ondo State Capital. He often went as far as beating up innocent passers-by.

However things came to a head on 16 June 2015 when Akinyemi decided to attack a vehicle along Odi-Olowo Street. It turned out that the lady behind the steering was a Chief Magistrate at the Ondo State Judiciary, Mrs Yetunde Ajanaku.

“I was driving along Odi-Olowo on this fateful evening when the young man hit my car with an object,” Ajanaku narrated.

“Initially I thought it was a pothole but when the banging became consistent I had to stop the car and come down only to find out that the boy did it intentionally. When I cautioned him, he threatened to beat me while the residents told me to ignore him but he kept on hitting my car with the object.”

This continued a little longer until Akinyemi was, right there, apprehended by residents and passers-by. Ajanaku promptly reported the matter to the police. The charge read against him said: “…that you Benjamin Akinyemi on the 16th of June at about 06:30 pm at Odi-Olowo street Akure in the Akure Magisterial District did unlawfully assault Chief Magistrate Ajanaku Yetunde and thereby committed an offence contrary to and publishable under section 351 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37 Vol 1, of the Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”

Akinyemi’s story was soon to become the subject of various media reports, most of them insisting that the magistrate was beaten and wounded by the 24-year-old.

“A 24-year-old saw-miller has been jailed in Akure, Ondo State, for purportedly assaulting and injuring a chief magistrate,” reported an online newspaper.

Another online medium stretched the story further: “An Akure Magistrate court has remanded a 24-year-old man, Akinyemi Benjamin, for allegedly beating a Chief Magistrate, Mrs Yetunde Ajanaku, during a misunderstanding between them. As a result of the alleged assault, Mrs Ajanaku was reported to have sustained various injuries.

The accused person was alleged to have punched the magistrate severally (sic) and also used his shoes to beat her, during a misunderstanding between them at Odi-Olowo Street, Akure, on June 16, 2015.”

Destined by God In the middle of all the excitement generated by his arrest, however, the magistrate made a very strange decision: “I travelled the following day (after the arrest),” she said. “…it was reported in the media that I was beaten.

When the boy was arraigned in court, the presiding Judge ordered him to be remanded in the prison. I came back to withdraw the case against him and decided to rehabilitate him because I believed God had destined that I would meet him through this way.

“If I send him to jail as my colleagues suggested, he would spend one year in prison and will be useless to himself and to society. I decided to take him to my church. Since then, he has been regular in the church and well behaved. I want him to be useful to himself, his family, and to society. Since the rehabilitation began, he has been behaving well. He has turned over a new leaf. It is also a way of decongesting the prison and courts. This will not be first time I am taking up responsibility to rehabilitate poor people or to sponsor indigent students. It’s only the circumstances surrounding my meeting with him that is different. I am happy that Benjamin is now a changed person.”

She explained further: “This has been part of my calling and I have been doing this without making any noise about it; I have sponsored a number of people’s education. I am always happy to put a smile on the faces of these children, and bringing them to know God gives me much more joy” The Owo-born Judge also promised to sponsor Akinyemi’s education through university or any level he might desire. She

Akinyemi

said: “I am happy and proud to see this young man changing each day. He is now refined and above all has the fear of God and to me, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”

Street-boy no more The period since June 10 has been a most dramatic one in the life of Akinyemi. An abandoned child, he has lived with his octogenarian grandmother for many years. He was not, at first, aware it was a magistrate he had assaulted, and when it dawned on him, he did not believe he would escape a jail sentence or even a graver punishment.

I certainly believed that I would rot in prison when I realised that I had assaulted a Judge,” Akinyemi told Saturday Tribune. “I had no option than to pretend that I was not normal when the police arrested me, because I knew where my action would lead me to.

“I certainly believed that I will rot in the prison when I realised that I had assaulted a Judge,” Akinyemi told Saturday Tribune. “I had no option than to pretend that I was not normal when the police arrested me, because I knew where my action would lead me to.

“My life has completely changed with a bright future. I am now a new person because the incident had served as an eye opener for me and I’m seriously preparing for my GCE towards the brighter future I dreamt of as a kid. I want to appreciate Mummy Ajanaku for what she has done in my life and for choosing to rehabilitate me instead of pushing for my punishment. I should be in Olokuta Prison now but thank God for her caring heart and I will forever be grateful for this wonderful opportunity. Because she believed in me and changed my life, I want to dedicate my life to God, and I will strive to come out with a good grade at the end of my studies at the university,” he said.

Akinyemi who disclosed that the few days he spent at Olokuta Prison had taught him that there was more to life than being “a street urchin,” said it was his plan to study Psychology at the university after his O’ levels.

His overjoyed grandmother, Mary Akinyemi, who confirmed that her grandson had indeed changed, said even at her old age, she had learned a great lesson from Benjamin’s experience.

“Ben has been a source of pride to this community.

Nobody believed he would ever change and be of good behaviour. Now, I am at rest that my grandson has become a model to other urchins around and they’ve all had a rethink. I bless God and the magistrate for his life,” she said.

41 feature

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune

Boko Haram targets tribal chiefs in northern Cameroon Roams Nigeria’s North East

The village named Nigue, near Fotokol, Cameroon, where the suicide attack took place. PHOTO: FRANCE 24.

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OUR young female suicide bombers blew themselves up last Saturday in a village near Fotokol, in northern Cameroon, leaving five people dead and another 10 injured. Although no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicion has fallen squarely on Boko Haram. A report by France 24 said the deadly blasts were the latest in a series of attacks targeting local tribal chiefs.

According to the report, the suicide attacks took place at about midday in Nigué, a small village located around two kilometres from Fotokol. According to the regional governor, a woman detonated her explosive vest in a tribal chief’s house, killing five members of his family and injuring dozens more people. A few minutes later three other female suicide bombers blew themselves up nearby, but fortunately no one was hurt.

That was the third time an attack of this type has shaken Cameroon’s Far North Region in less than five months.

On July 12, two women were behind the first suicide attack ever to hit Fotokol, killing at least 11 people. Barely four months later, on November 9, three civilians were killed after two more women carried out another suicide bombing near a mosque in the same town.

The terrorist group Boko Haram, which now refers to itself as the Islamic State in Western Africa, had attacked Fotokol last February, killing at least 80 people.

Ali (not his real name) lives in Fotokol. He travelled to Nigué after the attack.

Bana Kachalla Malloum is the traditional chief for the village of Leymarie. But he was living in Nigué for the past year. He wasn’t at home when the blasts took place, so his family bore the brunt of the attack.

He had already fled Leymarie for Nigué after his older brother, the village’s former chief, had his throat slit by

Boko Haram fighters in front of everyone. After this tragic incident, everyone fled Leymarie and Bana replaced his brother as the village chief-in-exile. His older brother was killed because he had been working with the army in the fight against Boko Haram. France 24 hinted that Bana Kachalla Malloum was targeted because the terrorist group must have suspected that he was doing the exact same thing.

This isn’t the first time that village chiefs in communities near Fotokol have been targeted. A year ago, Fagme’s chief was also killed, and the chief of Foueram was kidnapped.

“I think the suicide blasts were carried out in Nigué because it’s becoming more and more complicated to attack Fotokol itself. Security has been tightened over the last few months, which has probably forced Boko Haram to rethink its strategy,” an observer told France 24.

But in spite of everything, people in the region are still scared. Boko Haram fighters are still present right across the border in Nigeria, where they roam freely, since the Nigerian army does not have a permanent presence in that area.

Following February’s attack, soldiers from Chad and Cameroon worked together to tighten security in Fotokol. Although the Chadian soldiers left in October, Cameroon’s soldiers are still very much present. They’re stationed at security posts scattered throughout the town and on the outskirts. Since the February attacks, it has also been forbidden to use motorbikes to drive on the outskirts of Fotokol, because that’s how terrorists tend to get around. Likewise, cars are only allowed on the roads in Fotokol and around the city between 7am and 6pm.

Since July, soldiers and members of the town’s vigilance committee have been carrying out searches at the entrance to mosques every Friday during prayer time. It’s no longer allowed to wear a full veil in the streets. Carts pulled by animals have also been banned, out of fears that they could be used to carry bags filled with explosives.

Worst-case scenarios avoided thanks to vigilance committees The vigilance committees are made up of local residents and are active both in Fotokol and neighbouring villages.

They were set up around two-and-a-half years ago when Boko Haram began threatening the area. Unlike the soldiers, they know the local population well, so they’re able to point out suspicious-looking people. Some of them have even armed themselves with machetes and arrows.

After the first explosion last Saturday, it was members of Nigué’s vigilance committee who spotted the three other suicide bombers, who then blew themselves up without killing anyone.

But in spite of everything, people in the region are still scared. Boko Haram fighters are still present right across the border in Nigeria, where they roam freely, since the Nigerian army does not have a permanent presence in that area.

42

28 November, 2015

motoring

Saturday Tribune With Seyi Gesinde seyigesinde@yahoo.com 08116954632

Zahav auto unveils ‘Drive Beyond Borders’ Tunland Pickup

Z

AHAV Automobile Company Nigeria Limited, local assemblers of Foton Tunland pickup has urged emerging businesses and astute commercial ventures not to wander afar in search for functional and reasonably priced pickup trucks as it unveiled the all new ‘Drive beyond borders’ Foton Tunland pickup.

A part of the Stallion Group, Zahav Automobile is the assemblers and marketers of Foton Tunland pickup trucks and Chinese engineered BAIC, Changan and Stallion badge automobiles.

Addressing motoring journalists at a guided tour of the company’s new showroom in Kofo Abayomi/Akin Adesola Street - Victoria Island Lagos, Zahav Head of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Sanjay Rupani said Foton Tunland pickup was introduced to assuage some of the challenges small businesses and commercial ventures contend with when prospecting for functional and adaptable vehicle to support their businesses.

“The next generation Foton Tunland pickup would compete in the one tone vehicle segment where renowned brands like Toyota Hilux, Nissan NP300, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi L200 have demonstrated utter competence,” Mr. Rupani assured.

He said: “Tunland is Foton’s signature of next generation pickup truck exclusively designed to offer impressive visibility and extraordinary driving experience.”

Also adding that Tunland is a perfect

choice for both work and leisure, Rupani said: “though Tunland could be of Chinese extraction, the vehicle essentially shares the DNA of two renowned automobile manufacturers – Daimler Automotive Company and Cummins Engine Company.

Ergonomically designed, the 1.5 tonne Foton Tunland pickup truck is a perfect mix of style and practicality with attractive truck lines like the American and Japanese styled cars aimed to woo discerning drivers who want exceptionally fashionable kind of truck.

Tunland is currently marketed as the strongest Chinese pickup in its class even

KIA releases details of 2017 Sportage THE Korean automaker has released the full details on its new compact crossover, the 2017 model of KIA Sportage.

The carmaker said the 2017 KIA Sportage represents a ground-up redesign of the model, adopting a more rounded look compared to the crossover it replaces.

The tiger-nose grille makes it instantly recognizable as a KIA. And though it clearly takes a different design approach, its upright quirkiness (to our eyes) makes it a more suitable bridge between (and distinct stablemate to) the unconventional Soul and the larger Sorento.

Now entering its fourth iteration, the Auto Blog said the new Sportage stretches 1.6 inches longer than its predecessor and rides on a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase, but maintains the same width.

That means a more spacious cabin for both occupants and cargo, done up with more upscale materials and with the latest technologies buyers have come to expect.

The increased use of high-strength steel helps optimise rigidity and weight in the latest iteration of KIA’s longest-running nameplate, helping it launch a more concerted assault on the increasingly competitive compact crossover market.

Buyers will be able to choose between three trim levels, labeled LX, EX, and SX Turbo.

The first two derive their power from a 2.4-liter four good for 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, while the latter steps up to a 2.0-liter turbo kicking out a more prodigious 241 hp and 260 lb-ft.

Both promise improved efficiency, and

can be had in front- or all-wheel drive, but either way they transmit their power to the road through a six-speed automatic transmission.

Pricing for each model is set to be announced closer to their arrival in showrooms sometime in the new year.

though it looks less Chinese save for the silver coated fancy radiator grille.

The front bumper is certainly an eye catcher and comes with a fluid design; fitted with a set of circular fog lamps and a big trapezoidal air intake which enhances the aggressive look.

Along the sides, are classical oversized wheel arches, which are now a common trait among pickups and, at the back is a pair of triangular shaped taillights that distinguishes Tunland from competitors.

A peep inside the cockpit reveals upscale styling with winged shaped dashboard and ergonomic three-spoke-steeringwheel with plenty of space on the first row seats, and ample leg and headroom for both the driver and passengers.

The rear bench is pretty spacious and inadvertently compares to the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger pickups.

Every control is placed intuitively without necessarily clustering the centre dash and the instrument gauges are easily read both at night and day time. The materials and plastics are also elegantly equipped

with a no-nonsense instrument panel layout.

The seats are similarly comfortable with plenty adjustments to help you find your favourite driving positions in no time. This is in addition to the all around visibility with big lateral mirrors that ensures confidence.

Standard equipment includes two front airbags, ABS, 16 inch steel rim fitted on 245/70/16 tyres; air-conditioning, fabric seats, power exterior mirrors, two-speaker single CD tuner and auxiliary audio input jack.

Tunland is powered by powerful 100Kw Mitsubishi 2.4 gasoline (petrol) engine, the strongest in its class with displacements below 3.0 and maximum output of 200Nm (2500-300) which is appreciably higher compared to similar products. This feature gives the vehicle an edge in harsh road conditions.

The powertrain is based on a modular design concept while its engine is 10% lighter than the ones used in similar pickup trucks to ensure extremely low noise and vibration levels with considerable maintenance cost.

Ford builds first Nigerian made vehicle FORD Motor Company said first Nigerian model has been built in its new Nigerian assembly plant.

The United States-based carmaker said it will produce an initial 10 vehicles a day for the domestic market, adding that in August, it would start the assembly of its best-selling Ford Ranger pickup trucks in Nigeria, as it expands in Africa and the Middle East.

The Reuters in its report said the auto market in Africa’s biggest economy has huge potential but only a small number of new vehicles are sold annually. The sector is dominated by imported used vehicles and the absence of an industrial policy that would encourage suppliers to set up in Nigeria has stunted growth.

“Africa is one of the youngest markets in the world and presents a huge opportunity in terms of consumption,” Jeff Nemeth, Ford’s sub-Sahara chief executive, said in a statement.

The Nigerian assembly plant, set up in partnership with Ford dealer Coscharis Motors Ltd, is the first in Africa outside

South Africa, where Ford produces the Ranger for 148 markets.

“The facility will accommodate one shift and will produce an initial 10 units per day for the Nigerian market, creating approximately 180 direct and indirect jobs,” Nemeth said.

The Ikeja plant near Lagos will assemble

the Ford Ranger using parts and components imported from South Africa. It will have the capacity to assemble up to 5,000 vehicles annually, which will be sold in Nigeria.

Ford produces 85,000 vehicles in South Africa each year, which are sold in 24 African countries.

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Saturday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

270 players battle for honours at FCT badminton tourney

Babayaro’s FFF takes over Kaduna Utd

Saliu Gbadamosi -Abuja ABOUT 270 players from 20 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, are taking part in the ongoing maiden FCT National U-15 and U-19 Open Badminton Championship.

The championship, which began on Tuesday is holding at the Mabilla Barrack in Abuja, and will end today.

The competition, according to organisers, was aimed at grooming the youth and exposing their talents.

Speaking with sports journalists, the chairman of the FCT Badminton Association, Mr Gabriel Gbayan, stated that the championship, the first to be held in Abuja, would serve as a channel for discovering new talents for the national team.

He, therefore, called for more sponsorship to promote badminton in Nigeria, saying that this would encourage the youth to take to the game as well as promote the sport at the grassroots.

According to him, badminton was a game capable of taking the young ones away from the street, adding that as such there was the need for more sponsors to be involved in its sponsorship.

“Badminton is a game that should be encouraged because it helps the youth to keep off from social vices on the streets and at the end of the day, become professionals in the field,” Gbayan said.

3SC to play for new Ooni on coronation day SHOOTING Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan will face Ajiroba Ooni FC of Ile-Ife in a game, to entertain guests during the coronation of the new Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

The match tagged ‘Coronation Match’ will hold at the Obafemi Awolowo University Sports Complex on Saturday December 5, 2015 from 9.am.

“It is better to give football lovers a chance for them to take part in this historical event,” said Otunba Rasaq Mustapha, the Ajiroba Ooni of Ile-Ife. The chairman of Osun State Football Association, chief Taiwo Ogunjobi and erstwhile Super Eagles handler, chief Adegboye Onigbinde are among dignataries expected to grace the friendly match.

The last time the two sides met, the scoreline ended 2-1 in favour of the Oluyole Warriors.

Muhammad Sabiu-Kaduna

I’m not ready to quit Eagles —Martins

N

IGERIAN striker, Obafemi Martins says he is not thinking about calling time on his career at international level.

Martins made his senior debut for Nigeria in 2004 and has since gone on to score 18 goals in 41 appearances for the Super Eagles.

The striker says he is surprised he is still playing at a high level as he never imagined the scenario when he earned his first cap.

“I have been playing professional football for 16 years and to be honest, I never knew I would last this long,” Martin told supersport.com.

The attacker said he has adapted his game over the years and takes care of his body to remain relevant in the game.

“As you get older, you have to realise that there are certain things you do as a young footballer that you can no longer do when you are older.

“When I was at Inter Milan, one of my closest friends, (former Italy international), Christian Vieri advised me on how to stay long in the game and I must say his words have proved wise.

“I was surprised when the coach (Sunday Oliseh) recalled me to the (Nigeria) squad, but I know I

Martins

can still do it because I am playing well for my club, Seattle Sounders.

“Everyday, I wake up, I work hard and to be honest, I am not thinking of quitting just yet,” he said.

Obagol, as he is fondly called by his admirers, has been in great form in the United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS), scoring 15 goals in 24 matches this season.

Martins, it will be recalled, staged a comeback to the Super Eagles after two years of absence when he featured in the twolegged 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Swaziland early this month.

FRIENDS of Football Foundation (FFF) led by ex-Nigerian international, Emmanuel Babayaro, will take over the management of Kaduna United FC for the next three years.

This was disclosed by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth Sports and Culture, Mr Daill Danauta while speaking with sports journalists in Kaduna.

He said the FFF brought a proposal to the state government to take over the club for the next three years with the mandate of funding the club 100 per cent and returning the club to the Glo Premier League, while paying a return on revenue of N10 million at the end of the year to the state government.

Daill added that the state government would constitute a nine-man management board, as stated in the proposal, made up of five members from FFF and four members from government and its parastatals.

He said that the state government would pay all salary and allowances arrears to the players and officials of Kaduna United to allow the new management start on a clean slate.

“Commencement of the new dispensation is without liabilities, without salary, allowances arrears and other charges of club activities.

“The government would honour those ones to allow the new management start on a clean slate. We are going to see that players are paid their salaries as quickly as possible.”

Lagos team wins South west judo championship

By Mojisola Adewunmi LAGOS Team claimed the overall winner of the fourth edition of the South-West Judo Championship Training Camp which ended on Thursday at the indoor sports hall of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

Lagos recorded the highest number of points to top the chart as Ondo State finished second, while Danusa Club claimed the Fair Play trophy.

Other states which participated in the two-day programme were the hosts Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Osun and Kwara, as well as clubs from

the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Police, the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Ibadan and Danusa Club from Kwara State.

Speaking with Tribunesport, the first vice president of the Nigeria Judo Federation, Dr Musa Oshodi expressed satisfaction with the standard of the competition.

Oshodi who is also the sponsor of the tourney stated that he was impressed as every participant put in his best.

“I am impressed with the performance of every participant at this tournament. Judo is my game and

I can’t joke with it. I started it at a tender age and even represented the state in many tournaments.

I am happy today that I’m one of those developing and managing the sport. I believe judo is getting more attention we are aiming at,” Oshodi said.

Also, the team captain of Lagos State, Bukola Adeyanju expressed joy that her team was able to claim the first prize despite short notice.

“We didn’t not have enough preparation but with the good training from the coaching crew, we still came out tops in this championship. We have a good team already but with the little training we had,

I am happy that we won.

“Though, Judo has not been getting enough attention from the Federal Government like other lesser sports, we need their financial support like football and even some sports like athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, they should please see to the help of the Judo Federation too.

“The 2016 Olympics is around the corner and none of the judo players made it to the Olympic which is very bad, we need more open championships so as to discover fresh talents for the state and the country at large,” Adeyanju said.

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28 November, 2015

SWAN decorates Wike as national patron

U-17 N-West volleyball tourney ends Muhammad Sabiu -Kaduna

THE U-17 volleyball competition for boys and girls in the North West part of the country kicked off on Thursday at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, and will end tomorrow.

The zonal coordinator, National Sports Commission (NSC), NorthWest Zone, Alhaji Bode Ali Durotoye told Tribunesport.

He said the three-day tournament being sponsored by the vice president of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation and chairman, Kaduna State Volleyball Association, Engineer Musa Nimrod, is aimed at unearthing talents from the grassroots across the seven states.

“This competition came after the volleyball clinic for youth and trainthe-trainer programme which was organised by the NSC North-west zone, and the final will hold on November 29.

“Our sponsor, Engineer Nimrod is trying to boost volleyball at the grassroots. The competition is aimed at discovering new talents from grassroots and the talents would be taken to the schools under the coaches that have been trained in our programme to further train and develop their talents.

The competition would be organised annually,” Durotoye said.

Durotoye stated that the NSC zonal office has so far undertaken six development programmes in various sports such as soccer, volleyball, cricket and chess, while efforts are being intensified to hold a marathon before the year runs out.

Saturday Tribune

RIVERS State governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike has been decorated as the national patron of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

The honour bestowed on Wike was as a result of his passion and commitment to sports and youth development within the short time of his administration, which he has demonstrated openly to the admiration of the Nigeria sports family.

Speaking at the event held at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the National President of SWAN, Alhaji Saidu Abubakar described Wike as a true sportsman who is desirous of using sports as a tool for national unity and development.

He lauded the governor for his support to the Nigeria

Ik Uche

Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles by hosting virtually all the qualifying matches towards the Africa Nations Cup and the World Cup. Abubakar also commended the governor for hosting the recently-held full council meeting of SWAN as well as his donation of a brand new 18-seater bus to the Rivers State council of SWAN. Responding, an elated Wike appreciated the honour he received from SWAN and said he would continue to support sports and youth development as one of the developmental programmes of his administration.

Ik Uche resumes training in Mexico

N

IGERIA striker, Ikechukwu Uche has resumed training in Mexico after he was sidelined for several weeks by a knee injury.

The former Real Zaragoza forward started a

light work out and will hope to be fully fit soon.

“Good work out today,” Ike Uche tweeted.

The Super Eagles striker, who now plays for Tigres UANL in the Mexico Premier League, has played just a game

for the team, which was a CONCACAF Champions League game against El Salvador’s Isidro Metapan on September 24.

His team won 2-1 with him scoring a goal after a long lay-off due to injury and returned to

treatment table as he got injured on his debut for Tigres.

The player who featured at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), joined them in the summer from La Liga side, Villarreal.

Wike

45 sport

28 November, 2015

Saturday Tribune With Dipo Ogunsola 081 169 54 641

outofplay Happy days here for Firmino LIVERPOOL striker, Roberto Firmino might have fallen out of favour under former manager, Brendan Rodgers, but the 24-year-old is clearly number one in his wife’s books.

Larissa Pereira shared a picture of the pair kissing during a night out on her

Instagram account.

With Rodgers now having left the club and new boss, Jurgen Klopp installed, Firmino will no doubt be wanting to transfer his happy lifestyle off the pitch to performances on it and seal a regular starting spot at Anfield.

Ronaldinho

Firmino (left) with Larissa

No stress for Pirlo He’s at the centre of a tug of war as he considers the next year of his football career.

But Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo showed little sign of work stress as he was snapped by Sport Mail enjoying a beach break with his stunning girlfriend Valentina Baldini in Miami.

The 36-year-old sportsman showed off his impressive physique as he soaked up the sun alongside blonde beauty Valentina, who wowed in a plunging swimsuit.

Valentina meanwhile showed off her curves in a very daring halterneck swimsuit which featured a super low-cut front.

Too much for Ronaldinho

BARCELONA and Brazil hero Ronaldinho is enjoying his time away from the football field by posing with an enormous platter of sweets.

The 35-year-old shared an image on his Instagram account with a huge tray of goods.

He admitted there was too much for him to manage, however, as he wrote the caption ‘anyone want some?”

Ronaldinho is weighing up playing offers across the globe before deciding on the next team of his career.

The two-time winner of the World Player of the Year award left the Brazilian club Fluminense by mutual consent after just nine games in September.

Mayweather poses with titles

Pirlo (left) with girlfriend

Mayweather with his 22 belts

FLOYD Mayweather has said ‘it took 19 years but they’ll talk about it forever’, as he posed with 22 belts won during his career, including WBC, WBA and IBF titles.

The undefeated champion, whose career included 49 wins - 26 by knockout and 23 by decision - posted the photo onto his Facebook page.

The 38-year-old posed with belts including his WBC Super Featherweight, IBF Welterweight and WBA (Super) Welterweight.

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African U-23 Nations Cup:

Can Dream Team deliver Rio 2016 ticket?

Muhammed

By Ganiyu Salman

A

TTENTION of football buffs on the continent would be shifted to Senegal from today as the African U-23 Nations Cup gets underway.

Eight nations including Nigeria will battle for the three Africa’s slots to the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Nigeria’s Dream Team handled by coach Samson Siasia during the week named the final 21-man squad for the tournament which will face Mali, Egypt and Algeria in the group stage.

The Dream Team finished third at the recently-held 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, and Siasia obviously aware that his team didn’t live up to the expectations of Nigerians brought in no fewer than 12 new lads to strengthen team ahead of Senegal 2015.

Siasia had to drop the captain of the team to the Brazzaville 2015, Erhun Obanor alongside Kingsley Sokari, Etor Daniel and Mustapha Abdullahi, among others.

The Siasia boys had a 10-day training programme in The Gambia where they defeated Real De Banjul 3-0 and the Gambian U-20 team 5-0 after a 1-1 draw in the first meeting, to perfect their strategies for Senegal 2015.

Interestingly, 18 home-based players made the squad to the Senegal 2015 with arrow heads in Oghenekaro Etebo, Usman Mohammed and Bature Yaro, among others.

The Dream Team boasts only three foreign-based players in the team starting from captain Azubuike Okechukwu who plays for Yeni Matalatyaspor of Turkey.

The two remaining foreignbased professionals in the team are strikers Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV

Oghenekaro

Awoniyi

Frankfurt of Germany) and Junior Ajayi of CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, as Isaac Success of Granada could not honour the call up.

Awoniyi has been a ruthless finisher ever since his discovery at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He also made a mark during his stint with the Flying Eagles which featured at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup held early this year in New Zealand which earned him a call up to the current U-23 team.

Ajayi, a former player of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, now based in Tunisia has been a part and parcel of the Dream Team from the outset.

His goal scoring prowess also contributed to the qualification of the team as he scored the brace which enabled Nigeria to eliminate Congo Brazzaville during the U-23 qualifiers. He also finished with three goals at the 11th AAG. Perhaps, the late inclusion of the reigning FIFA U-17 World Cup adidas Golden Boot winner, Victor Osimhen excites many Nigerians, as they want to see the lad blossom in his career with higher challenges. Osimhen came in as a replacement for Success of Granada.

The Ultimate Strikers Academy product, Osimhen no doubt is hot at the moment given his aweinspiring performance at the justconcluded FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, where he finished as the highest goal scorer with a record 10 goals. He was instrumental in the success of the Golden Eaglets in Chile, while his sheer brilliance also earned him the adidas Silver Ball. Having spent a few days in the Dream Team camp in The Gambia, he might have received the necessary tutorial that would enable him to cope at this high stage moreso that he featured in

Osimhen

the two friendlies. Given the traits he exhibited at Chile 2015, Nigerians would no doubt want to see him in action in Senegal where he would combine with Oghenekaro, Awoniyi, Ajayi, among others to deliver the goods. Osimhen’s presence even on the bench is a source of respite for Siasia that he has an arsenal in his armoury that could tame any defence on a good day.

From the domestic legion, Oghenekaro holds the ace in the team following his exploits.

The Warri Wolves striker ar-

guably remains the heartbeat of the Dream Team. He creates and scores goals and has already been capped at full international level.

He scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over De Banjul in the team’s first friendly in The Gambia.

In his class is Usman Mohammed who has been capped at the international level as well.

The FC Taraba midfielder could play from the defence or attack and was one of the players the Dream Team missed at Brazzaville 2015 owing to his call up to

the Super Eagles.

While Bature Yaro is another player to follow in the Dream Team. The Nasarawa United midfielder is also a member of the CHAN Eagles. Bature scored in one of the two goals when Nigeria eliminated Burkina Faso to qualify for the 2016 CHAN in Rwanda.

The three goalkeepers in the team are all from the Glo Premier League, Emmanuel Daniel of Enugu Rangers, who remains the team’s first-choice; Yusuf Mohammed of Kano Pillars and Emmanuel Iwu of Heartland.

However, what has been a source of worry to Siasia is the inability of the Dream Team to maximise its scoring chances as the former Super Eagles handler, was even not satisfied despite the team’s 3-0 win over Real De Banjul.

He noted that his team was always wasteful losing a large number of the scoring opportunities that it always created.

“I’m not impressed with what my boys displayed, I expected them to let their dominance count in front of goal and if they can’t convert these chances, then we will be in trouble in Senegal,” he had lamented after the team’s 3-0 victory over De Banjul in a friendly.

Siasia’s bronze finish at Brazzaville 2015 did not elicit criticisms, but perhaps many Nigerians would not want to forgive him this time if he fails to deliver the Rio 2016 ticket.

Already, one of Nigeria’s group opponents, Egypt had sent a warning signal with a 2-1 defeat of Cameroon in a build up game, and the question is, will Nigeria begin to translate the success at the cadet world soccer to the senior level?

The Siasia boys will begin their campaign tomorrow in Mbour against the Eagles of Mali in a group B game and will later confront the Pharaohs of Egypt on December 2 also in Mbour, while they will three days later tackle the Fennecs of Algeria in Dakar.

The competition is scheduled to end on December 12.

The full squad: Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland). Defenders: Sincere Seth (Supreme Court FC), Seun Oduduwa (Nath Boys), Zaharadeen Bello (Kano Pillars), Seun Olubayo (Sunshine Stars), Chizoba Amaefule (Dolphins), Ebuka Iroha (Diamond Football Academy).

Midfielders: Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba), Tiongoli Tobara (Bayelsa United), Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United), Oghenekaro Etebo (Warri Wolves), Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Matalatyaspor/ Turkey), Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars), Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves). Forward: Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien/Tunisia), Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt/Germany), Victor Osimhen (Ultimate Strikers Academy).

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Saturday Tribune

Messi linked with £800,000-a-week City move

L

IONEL Messi is open to a move to Manchester City that could see him paid an astonishing £800,000-a-week.

SunSport revealed last month that the Messi was considering quitting Eng to ch swit k shoc Camp Nou for a land. e And Messi’s representatives hav ing had initial discussions about join old City which could see the 28-yearion mill £40 sign a deal worth around a year. et The Barca superstar would pock rest the with ing play for m around £32 paid in image rights and bonuses. nt City has been given encourageme in time his that Messi is willing to end curhis re whe Spain after 11 years — in rent £500,000-a-week deal ends 2018.

of And despite a buy-out clause are s pion £250m, the Spanish cham e believed to be open to offers at a mor Bal e -tim four the realistic £120m for ner. lon D’Or win of Barca have prioritised the renewal ch whi si Mes over t trac con ’s Neymar the Argentine sees as an insult.

With Neymar and Luis Suarez star si Mes ry, inju nt ring during his rece irefears he may be surplus to requ ments.

And the pursuit of both he and his has father on tax evasion charges the in time also seen Messi review his country.

The City hierarchy can fund the rethe markable package on the back of on seas t nex ns begi that new TV deal per 0m £15 to up th wor be and will season for the champions.

Messi

Guardiola agrees City terms —Report PEP Guardiola has agreed to leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season and take over at Manchester City, according to media reports in Spain.

The former Barcelona manager is in the third and final year of his contract with the German champions but Bayern’s chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, admitted on Thursday that they have yet to enter negotiations over extending his stay.

However, the respected Spanish radio station Cadena COPE is reporting that Guardiola has already decided he would like “a change of scenery” and will succeed Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium.

“Pep Guardiola will leave

Bayern Munich at the end of this season and will train

Mourinho hopeful on Terry fitness for Spurs clash

Manchester City next season,” read the report.

... I’m not worried —Pellegrini MANCHESTER City manager, Manuel Pellegrini says he is not concerned by reports linking Bayern Munich boss, Pep Guardiola with his job.

Guardiola pulled out of a pre-match news conference on Friday amid fresh newspaper claims he will move to City with Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

“It’s a rumour we’ve had the last two-and-ahalf seasons,” said Pellegrini, appointed by City in June 2013, when asked about the speculation.

“I don’t have a problem

with that.”

Reports have claimed that Guardiola, 44, has agreed to leave Bayern at the end of the season to take over at City.

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said that an announcement regarding the former Barcelona boss’ future would be made before the end of the year.

In addition, it has been reported that Messi’s agents have had initial discussions about a deal with City that would see the 28-year-old join on a weekly wage of £800,000.

Flamingoes regroup for FIFA Women’s U-17 W-Cup qualifiers

Guardiola

NIGERIA’S U-17 women’s national soccer team will resume camp tomorrow for the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan next year, an official has told Goal.

The general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said that the Flamingoes will be camped in Abuja for preparation ahead of their first round qualifying tie by early January.

The NFF scribe said coach Bala Nkiyu will lead the Flamingoes for the upcoming

World Cup in Jordan despite the a quater-final finish in Costa Rica last year.

“We will begin preparation as soon as possible, though we are drawn bye,” Sanusi told Goal.

“The team will reopen camp on Sunday (November 29) in Abuja. The previous coaching crew will still remain intact,” he said.

The Flamingoes have been drawn bye in the African qualifying series for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup which commences this weekend with the preliminary stage.

Terry

CHELSEA manager, Jose Mourinho says there is a chance captain John Terry will be fit to face Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow.

The 34-year-old defender injured an ankle during Tuesday’s 4-0 Champions League win at Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Mourinho had initially ruled him out of the game at White Hart lane but said on Friday: “Today he didn’t train, but we have a little hope that it’s possible.

“I don’t want to say that it’s impossible that he plays, because maybe he plays and you’ll say I was hiding.”

The Blues go into tomorrow’s game 10 points and 10 places behind their London rivals in the Premier League.

Spurs have a quick turn around for the 12:00 GMT kick-off, having endured a 2,500-mile return from Thursday night’s 1-0 Europa League away win over Qarabag in Azerbaijan.

English Premiership fixtures

NO 1127

SATURDAY, 28 NOVEMEBER, 2015

N150

Saturday, November 28 Aston Villa vs Watford Bournemouth vs Everton C/Palace vs Newcastle Man City vs Southampton Sunderland vs Stoke City

4:00pm 4:00pm 4:00pm 4:00pm 4:00pm

Leicester Tottenham West Ham Liverpool Norwich

vs Man Utd 6:30pm Sunday, November 29

vs Chelsea 1:00pm

vs West Brom 2:05pm vs Swansea 5:15pm vs Arsenal 5:15pm

World heavyweight showdown:

I’m Klitschko’s nightmare —Tyson Fury UNBEATEN Tyson Fury claimed he is Wladimir Klitschko’s “worst nightmare” ahead of tonight’s heavyweight world title showdown in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Klitschko, 39, is defending his World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) belts against Fury, 27, at the 50,000-capacity Esprit Arena.

At Friday’s weigh-in, in the city of Essen, Fury who scaled 17st 8lb initially refused to shake hands with Klitschko (17st 7lb) but did so after a minute-long stare-down.

“If you asked 10 boxers to build their nightmare opponent, you’d end up with Tyson Fury,” said the unbeaten Englishman.

“I’m everybody’s nightmare opponent - tall, rangy, a counter-puncher, can switch from orthodox to southpaw.

“You can’t achieve more than Wlad’s already achieved. To come back from three knockout defeats and reign for nine years, you’ve got to admire him. But every dog has its day and it’s got to come to an end at some point.”

Ukraine’s Klitschko has won 64 of his 67 professional fights, 53 by knockout, and has not been beaten since 2004.

However, former British, European and Commonwealth champion, Fury said he had not fallen under the champion’s spell or succumbed to any of his mind games.

My Arsenal future is bright— Iwobi NIGERIAN striker, Alex Iwobi has said that he has been assured by manager, Arsene Wenger that he will be given a chance to prove his mettle at Arsenal FC. Iwobi joined the London club while still at primary school, and signed a new long-term contract in October 2015.

He made his competitive debut for the club at senior level on October 27, 2015, starting in a 3–0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the round of 16 of the League Cup. He made his Premier League debut for the Gunners four days later, appearing as a substitute against Swansea City but

has yet to play again ever since.

“Arsene Wenger has spoken to me. He said he wants me in and around the first team as he doesn’t want me to go on loan.

“I believe my future at Arsenal is bright and I just have to be patient and wait for my time,” Iwobi told supersport.com.

Iwobi has been capped twice by Nigeria at senior level and he said he always wanted to play for the Super Eagles despite representing England at U-16, 17 and 18 levels.

“It was always going to be Nigeria for me since I was little.

Dream Team’s Ajayi Junior (left) on the rampage during the African U-23 qualifiers. Nigeria takes on Mali tomorrow in their group B opening game at Senegal 2015.

Rio Olympics ticket is non-negotiable —Pinnick As Senegal 2015 begins today

By Olawale Olaniyan

P Iwobi

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick has expressed optimism that Dream Team VI is strong enough to win the Rio 2016 Olympics ticket ahead of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations which begins today in Senegal.

Pinnick said the team’s focus should be how to finish among the top three at Senegal 2015 saying the 2016 Olympics ticket is non-negotiable.

Nigeria is drawn in group

B alongside Mali, Egypt and Algeria, while Senegal, South Africa, Zambia and Tunisia are in group A. The Dream Team will open its campaign at the Caroline Faye Stadium in Mbour, tomorrow against the Eagles of Mali.

“At present, we are on a roll of good results and we are determined that those must continue. It’s been an exciting past few months during which we have won the FIFA U-17 World Cup, qualified for the U-20 Women’s World Cup and reached the group stage of the African

series for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. “The NFF is backing Samson Siasia because he is always keen to succeed.

He has brought new, exciting faces to the group and there is confidence all around again. The ticket to the 2016 Olympics is non–negotiable,” he told thenff.com.

Pinnick insists that Senegal will again prove to be happy hunting ground for Nigeria football after the U-20 decimated continental opposition to win the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations there eight

months ago.

“We won the U-20 Cup of Nations in Senegal at the beginning of the year; now, we are back there for the Olympics ticket and the trophy. We will achieve both, because Samson Siasia has put together a crack squad and he has the support of the NFF all the way, ” Pinnick said.

Meanwhile, Senegal and South Africa will clash in the opening match of the tournament today, while Zambia faces Tunisia in the second game of the day.

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. 28/11/2015.