29th October 2016

nigeria’s most informative newspaper no 1,175

Saturday, 29 october, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

N8.6bn recruitment funds probe rocks pg7 police

Most men can’t afford to restrict their wives to the kitchen

—Yebovi, CEO, Simpleinterior

@nigeriantribune

n150

Nigerian Tribune

SPECIAL TREAT

Recession drives more Lagosians to family planning clinics pg22

Protests ground Ondo, fireworks at Appeal Court

pg4

pg9

Court reserves ruling on motion Mimiko at Aso Rock, expresses shock Jimoh Ibrahim says protest a ruse, blames Mimiko

pg6

Scenes of protests in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Friday, over INEC’s decision picking Mr Jimoh Ibrahim as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for the November 2016 governorship election.

Those talking of new Gunmen kill village Govs, senators storm parties are the losers head, 6 others in pg5 Daura for Buhari’s pg5 —Oni, APC Dep. National Chairman

3

2&3

pgs3

Kaduna

daughter’s wedding

2

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

People see kannywoodactresses as wayward girls —Funky Mallam After his role as Musa in foremost TV series Paradise Park in 2000, Saeed Muhammed, popularly known as Funky Mallam won over the hearts of many. Touted for his fine interpretation of a half-educated Hausa kiosk owner or gatekeeper, the Edo State born, but Kano State indigene has continued to gain prominence in the movie industry as a comic actor. In this interview with NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA, Funky Mallam who is currently in the cast Glo sponsored, TV series, Professor Johnbull, bares it all, delving into the present issues in Kannywood. Excerpts:

L

ET us into your background My real name is Saeed Mohammed. People call me Funky Mallam. But I call myself Saeed Funky Mallam. I come from an extended family. I am a real Nigerian because I have been in almost every part of the country. I was born in Auchi, Edo State, started primary education in Agbor and finished in Umuahia, Abia State. My father was a cattle dealer. Unfortunately I lost him and my mother in 2000. I inherited his character and values. These have helped me become who I am today.I am half Hausa, half Fulani. My dad and mum were from Kano and Adamawa States respectively. That makes me a complete Hausa-Fulani.

But I also have some Eastern background at the same time by virtue of growing up with them. You know, the first people you grow up with will definitely influence you.

What brought about your entrance into the movie industry?

I have always had passion for the entertainment industry.

I started writing movie scripts as a teenager. As a kid in Agbor, Edo State, I used to go to the cinema houses to watch Chinese movies, and then practise some of the martial arts moves after the movies. Because of my skills in martial arts, kids called me the Shaolin man. The expression, talent and passion were there, but there was no one to help. When Nollywood started growing at a commercial rate, I saw an avenue to hone my skills. I went to Port Harcourt and then Lagos after my graduation from Bayero University, Kano. I wanted to sell my scripts to filmmakers but I couldn’t find them. I would use movie covers to trace their offices at Iddo/ Oyingbo area before they were moved to Alaba International market. But no one accepted to buy my scripts until I met one of my old friends in 1004 where I was squatting. He led me to Mr. Femi Lasode, the producer of Sango. Though he didn’t accept my script, he believed in me and through him I got my first acting role as Musa in Paradise Park, a sitcom.

That was in 2000.

Movie Language Musa in Paradise Park, was a retired Hausa sergeant in the Nigerian Army. He was portrayed as an illiterate person, who uses “I” instead of “you”. I was able to interpret that role by changing the language to a proper Hausa pidgin. It is not the way I talk, but when I took the role I had learnt the language, I had to get close to the Hausa people that run kiosks. I learnt to talk the way I do in movies by staying around them.

Nowadays, people don’t know that I speak proper English.

Most people don’t believe that I actually studied Mass Communication in the university. Some times when I go to places, people are like, “You’re this young? And you speak English?”

Fame The first time Paradise Park was featured in 2000, people loved it and I became popular – popular without money.

Some times when I wanted to go to Victoria Island from Ikoyi,

I would pretend I wanted to jog. You know, when people see me jogging, they’d be like, “Well done, Musa!” With my track suit and a bag containing my corporate wear, I will jog from Ikoyi to VI. When I get to VI, I will find a tap, to wash my face, then I’d head to a bank to cool off in the air conditioner while pretending to want to make transaction. When the AC cools me, my hustle will continue.

What are the merits and demerits of playing Musa The advantage is that I have a monopoly on that role. I am not in competition with anybody as long as Musa role is concerned. I think when you interpret a role well you are likely to escape competition. In Nigeria, producers are prone to type-casting. And they often want someone who can almost always deliver a role well. It has carved a niche for me because even if you don’t know me, when a role like that is being mentioned somebody who knows me might likely recommend me. However, the disadvantage is that you are likely to be stereotyped. And that will not give you the opportunity to explore other roles. You become confined to one role. But with time I have been able to break the jinx and to get other roles.

What other roles have you played?

I started when I played a yopiyopi guy in Family Ties; in October One, where I played a Hausa man, an emotional part; then in The Department, where I played the role of the son of a multimillionaire who returned to Nigeria after living abroad; and in North East with OC Ukeje, where I played the role of an educated fellow. There is a comedy I was featured in with Klint D Drunk, where I played a Warri guy. The movie

is not out yet. I have done quite a number of movies with different characters.

What has been your favourite role so far?

I am looking forward to playing an action comedy or action movie, a detective fighting criminals.

What other things have you achieved for yourself?

My progress in the industry was very slow. It didn’t come at once like for some people. But I thank God because I get better every year; I get more connections; I get more people accepting me. That has been good. I have gotten to a level that I have to thank God. Now, I am a Glo Ambassador. I am an ambassador of Madugu Hotels. I have my own TV talk show. I have lands in Abuja that I have not developed. I can say I am comfortable.

How did you feel playing Mai Doya in Professor JohnBull?

It was not difficult playing Mai Doya in Professor Johnbull.

It is something I love doing. I have even improved my skills in that particularly character. Sometimes I don’t have to follow the script entirely. If what is written in the script is not funny I try to make it funny.

What do you think about Kanayo O Kanayo and Mercy Johnson’s roles in the series ‘Professor Johnbull’?

I wasn’t taken by surprise by Kanayo because he is an icon and a godfather in the game. This is what he has done for Continued on pg15

3

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

4

news

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Ondo 2016: Protests ground Ondo over PDP’s candidate

•INEC explains role in removal of Jegede’s name as PDP candidate •Mimiko in Aso Rock, expresses shock at INEC’s decision FromDapoFalade,Hakeem GbadamosiwithAgencyReport

E

CONOMIC and social activities were paralysed in major towns in Ondo State, including Akure, the state capital on Friday as protests erupted over the removal and substitution of the name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Jegede with Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim’s name by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The protesters trooped to the streets and major roads in Akure, as early as 6:30am blocking all roads leading

into the state capital. Similar protests were reported in Ondo town, Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area, Ilara, Idanre, Owo, Okitipupa and in Ilaje Local Government Area, Isua Akoko, Ikare Akoko and Ipele.

The protesters who were seen chanting “All we are saying, restore Jegede’s Mandate” turned back students from schools and workers from going to their various offices. They called on INEC to reverse its decision by removing Ibrahim’s name saying he was not a member of the PDP in the state.

The protesters, mainly youths restricted vehicular movement across the state,

made bonfires on all the major roads in the state capital and defiled all attempts by security agents to disperse them.

Despite sporadic gunshots by a combined team of security agents who fired several canisters of teargas, the protesting youths remained unperturbed and continued with their protests.

All commercial banks and shops hurriedly shut their doors over the protest for fear that the protest might be hijacked by hoodlums.

The leaders of the security team had to appeal to the youth not to take the law into their hands and to avoid destruction of properties but

all pleas for them to vacate the roads were not heeded.

Speaking to our correspondent, one of the leaders of the protesters, Akiwunmi Ilori , fingered the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal government as the brain behind the crisis in the party.

Ilori said “the APC is using Jimoh Ibrahim to cause crisis within the PDP. It is an open secret in Ondo State that Jimoh is no longer a member of the party. They are only using him to clear the ground for their candidate and this will not work.

“This is Ondo State and it is a very volatile state when

Ondo PDP crisis: Appeal Court reserves ruling as lawyers clash Makarfi faction rejects Ibrahim as candidate SundayEjike-Abuja ,JacobSegun Olatunji - Abuja

LEGAL fireworks ensued at the Court of Appeal on Friday as the court commenced hearing on two of the three cases before it which touched on the leadership tussle rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial ticket in Ondo State.

The chairman of the Caretaker committee of the party and its secretary, Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ben Obi had filed a motion against Senator Ali ModuSherif, a factional chairman of the party before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

Makarfi and his co applicants are seeking to be allowed to appeal the June 29, 2016 judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The duo of Makarfi and Obi, who are Chairman and Secretary respectively of the Caretaker committee of the PDP are, in their motion praying the court for leave to appeal the judgment as interested parties.

Other prayers by the applicant’s include extension of time within which to appeal as well as extension of time within which to file notice of appeal.

When the matter came up on Friday, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), representing the factional Acting chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff and eight other respondents in the matter urged the court to reject the application for being incompetent, adding that for the applicant to be given the leave of court to appeal as an interested party, there has to be a prayer, seeking the leave of court to file a notice and grounds of appeal.

He said,”The application

is incompetent because the first prayer to get the legal backing to the trinity prayer is missing. The inability of the applicant to make such prayer before the trinity prayers renders the application incompetent”, and urged the court to ignore it.

The three-member panel of justices of the appellate court headed by Justice Hannatu Sankey, after listening to submissions reserved ruling to a date that would be communicated to parties in the matter.

There was a clash between Robert Emukpero and Olagoke Fakunle in the appeal filed by the PDP and Prince Biyi Poroye against 1 to 9 Respondents over who to represent the party in the appeal.

The court adjourned till today for the counsel to regularise their appearance in the matter and to continue in the hearing of the appeal to stay action on the execution of the judgment of Justice Abang delivered on June 29.

Meanwhile, hearing in another appeal No:. CA/ A/551c/2016, which Eyitayo Jegede filed has been slated for Tuesday November 2, 2016.

Justice Abang, in the judgment delivered on June 29, 2016 upheld Sen. Ali-Modu Sheriff as the authentic National Chairman of the PDP, having nullified the appointment of Ahmed Makarfi as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party.

Abang said the purported convention held in PortHarcourt on May 21 by the Makarfi caretaker committee was a total violation of court orders.

Makarfi faction rejects Ibrahim as candidate

The Senator Ahmed Makarif-led national caretaker

of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),on Friday, rejected the list of candidates for the Ondo State governorship election which has Mr Jimoh Ibrahim and Alabi Omotayo as its candidate and running mate as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a statement made available to news men in Abuja by its national publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, it declared, “In announcing its list, INEC completely disregarded the order of Justice Olamide of the Ondo State High Court restraining INEC from substituting the name of our candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), choosing instead to pay heed to the order given by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court.

The party regretted that “these actions have resulted in massive protests in many parts of Ondo State as the people have taken to the streets to show displeasure at the schemes to deny them of the candidate of their choice for the gubernatorial elections.”

It however pointed out that it had filed “the requisite appeals at the Court of Appeal and we believe that within the shortest possible time, these illegal actions will be reversed,” add that it has “faith in the judiciary that the illegality will be reversed.”

The party assured its members and supporters in the state that “even if the reversal of these unconstitutional actions take place only a few days to the elections, our victory is certain.”

“It is most unfortunate that INEC and external forces are seeking to make Jimoh Ibrahim, who is not a member of our party and who did not participate in our primaries which INEC itself has ad-

mitted, the candidate of our party through the back door.

“It is worrisome that INEC and Justice Abang have insisted on toeing a path of illegality by ignoring our validly convened primaries and the candidate produced thereafter in favour of a candidate who emerged from an illegal primary election exercise.”

“We are aware that INEC is acting under tremendous pressure from powerful external forces to cause confusion within our party as a means of reducing our chances to win the Ondo State gubernatorial elections.

“They are aware that our candidate – Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) – is very popular within the state and stands the best chance to win the elections. The current events are part of a ploy by these forces, on behalf of the ruling party, to deprive him and our party of that chance.

“It is regrettable that many people have forgotten the events of 1983 when massive rigging of the gubernatorial election in Ondo State and the insistence on depriving the people of leaders of their choice led to several days of protests and anarchy and eventually laid the foundation for the destruction of that democracy.

“We urge the ruling party to desist from these schemes designed to deprive the Ondo people of the right to choose leaders of their choice.

“We wish to call the attention of all Nigerians to these schemes as they are likely to lead to confusion, chaos and a breakdown of law and order as we are already witnessing now “External forces must not set Ondo State ablaze.

Who will be the governor of Ondo State must be a decision to be made by the Ondo people themselves.

it comes to politics. We want them to remember the 1983 saga, we don’t pray for a repeat of such but if our right and the mandate of our candidate is trampled upon, this election might be another war.”

He however said the turn out of people of the state protesting against the emergence of Jimoh Ibrahim signified that he was not a popular candidate in the state.

Some of the protesters who were at the office of the INEC were addressed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) Olusegun Agbaje, who explained the reason behind the removal of Jegede’s name as the PDP candidate.

He said “We received a court order from the High Court in Akure on Wednesday but there was a subsisting ruling by Justice Abang on Thursday and we had to comply with the order.”

Agbaje, however said that another court order could upturn the situation saying”the situation will continue that way until the matter is decided by the Supreme Court if the parties choose to proceed to the apex court. We do not have any candidate but we will always abide by the laws guiding the process.”

The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Clement Faboyede, while reacting to the substitution of Jegede’s name with Ibrahim’s described it as a mockery of democracy and an indication that the nation’s democracy was dying in the hands of the APC-led federal government.

He said INEC had attained the reputation of being fair to all before the coming on board of the APC-led government, noting that no free and fair election had been held under President Buhari’s administration.

He stated that Jegede was duly nominated through the party’s primary as stipulated by the Electoral Act which was witnessed by INEC, but the same INEC had succumbed to the pressure from some moles within the PDP. But appealing to the protesters, Mr Edward Ajogun, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in the Ondo State Command, said that the protest must not degenerate into breakdown of law and order.

Ajogun noted that the issue on ground could only be addressed by the courts, adding that the INEC office was a high security area which needed to be protected.

He urged the protesters not to allow hoodlums to take advantage of the development to disrupt the peace and security of the state.

Mimiko in Aso Rock, expresses shock at INEC’s decision Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State was at the Pres-

idential Villa, Abuja where he said he was shocked by the INEC’s decision to drop Mr Eyitayo Jegede for Ibrahim.

Emerging from a meeting with the president, Governor Mimiko, according to an online medium, Premium Times, said, “I am shocked. In logic, in law, in politics, there is no basis for it whatsoever.”

He questioned the order by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, saying the suit was about zonal and state executives of the PDP, arguing that neither Ibrahim nor Jegede was a party to the suit.

“There is nothing about 2016 election in that judgement.

So, on the basis of this, INEC refused and discountenanced the name of Jimoh Ibrahim as a candidate.

“Then they went ahead and filed form 48 and from the blues, the same Justice Abang mandated INEC to replace the name of Eyitayo Jegede who emerged through a primary process that was supervised by INEC, security agencies on live television with all delegates that were supposed to participate. Then, Abang ordered that Jimoh Ibrahim should replace Eyitayo Jegede”, he said.

Noting that his own faction of the PDP had appealed the judgment and filed all necessary papers which should serve as a stay of execution, Mimiko said, “We didn’t want to take chances because somebody in INEC told us that they obey the last order in the commission.

“So we went to court and obtained two different orders mandating INEC not to substitute Eyitayo Jegede. We served one on INEC around 10 a.m. yesterday (Thursday), and we served INEC with the other one at the close of business around 3 p.m.

“Only around 7pm or 8 pm, we got to know that INEC, for no justifiable reason, had substituted the name of Jegede and replaced it with that of Ibrahim.”

The governor also argued that the commission had no basis for accepting Ibrahim given the circumstances under which he emerged and in the face of two retraining orders, adding that the time for substitution of candidates had elapsed, going by the electoral time table.

He said INEC’s action could potentially cause a breach of peace, adding, “In Ondo State in the last seven and half years, we have done everything possible to put good governance on the table. We see this action as potentially dangerous.

“It can cause conflagration in the state and that is why as the chief security officer of the state, I have come to alert Mr President of the potential danger of this injustice so that we can nip it in the bud.”

5

news

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Police rescue 11 children used for begging in Lagos Church Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos

From left, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kolapo Olusola; the speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly, Honourable Kola Oluwawole; the Ekiti State governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose and The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, during the visit of the Ooni to the governor at Government House in Ado Ekiti, on Friday.

Cold war in police over N8.6billion recruitment funds Chris Agbambu - Abuja

A

cold war appears on between the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim and his immediate predecessor, Solomon Arase, over sundry issues including the management of funds released by the presidency for the recruitment and training of 10,000 policemen.

Saturday Tribune authoritatively gathered that the Presidency released a sum of N8.6 billion as intervention fund for the recruitment exercise.

A police source disclosed that out of the sum, N179 million was for the renovation of the five police colleges to train those to be recruited.

Allowance and salaries of the recruits were to take N2.8 billion and feeding N3.4 billion.

Saturday Tribune also gathered that, among others, accoutrement and uniform for those to be recruited were to take N1.013 billion, teaching aids N118 million while arms and ammunition for shooting range got an allocation of N450 million.

However, Saturday Tribune gathered authoritatively that a discreet investigation is going on on the stewardship of Arase while in office with investigators said to have started gathering information and data as regards the tenure of the former IGP. An area of interest for the investigators, it was learnt, is the N8.6billion recruitment funds and, in particular, the renovation of the police colleges which are to house the 10,000 police recruits when they start their training. The high powered team of investigators set up by IGP Idris is said to be ascertaining the quality of work done on the colleges.

All attempts to get the former IGP Arase to get his own side proved abortive as he was said to be out of

town. A source close to him however told Saturday Tribune that the funds for the recruitment exercise are intact in police bank accounts and that all documents relating to the funds are with the police authorities. The source added that “the facts are contained in the handover note of Arase to his successor” and wondered why there should be any controversy on the issues in the first place.

The source told Saturday Tribune that all jobs done on the colleges were duly documented and supervised and that the press should stop brewing a crisis in the police force as the former IGP and his successor are maintaining a very good relationship.

IGP Idris fired the first

salvo on assumption of office when he announced that 24 vehicles were missing in the police pool while the former IGP replied that nothing of such happened.

Again, a few days ago, a report quoted the police as saying that 19 vehicles were recovered from the former IGP’s house, which again he has debunked challenging those behind the report to publish the registration numbers of the recovered vehicles if they were sure of their facts.

President Muhammadu Buhari had early this year during the police security summit in Abuja announced that the police would recruit 10, 000 policemen and women this year as they had not done any recruitment in the past five years, while

the manpower continued to depreciate owing to retirements and deaths.

Investigations revealed that in the last five years of non-recruitment, the police had lost over 5,000 policemen and women due to retirements and deaths.

Meanwhile, the recruitment exercise has been put on hold to iron out some allegations leveled against the police service commission by the House of Representative on the exercise.

Saturday Tribune gathered that following the approval of the president for the recruitment, the intervention fund was subsequently approved to cater for the training, allowances, salaries, feedings and accouterments and uniforms.

Gunmen kill village head, 6 others in Kaduna Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna GUNMEN suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have killed the village head of Misisi,John Zogo and six others in Kaninkon District of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

This was disclosed by the acting chairman of Jema’a LGA council,Mr Humble Katuka, in an interview with newsmen on Friday.

It was gathered that security has been beefed up in Kafanchan and its environs.

Katuka, who relaxed a curfew imposed over Jema’a LGA yesterday, said: “I was briefed that soldiers have been drafted to help secure this area because some youths were parading some locally made fire arms publicly.

According to him, a meeting was summoned to discuss the security in the area, however,as soon as they went into the talks, there were gunshots in the village, causing everyone including the soldiers to scamper for safety.

It was gathered that the shooting lasted for less than 15 minutes resulting in the death of six people including

the village head.

However, the Kaninkon Development Association, KADA, in a press statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Friday condemned the recent attack in the village.

The stament signed by its National Chairman, Mr Waje Goska Williams, gave the names of the victims as: John Zogo, 85, (the Village Head); Yakubu Abuja, 80; Adamu Bulus, 30 and Majhe Audu, 50. The rest were: Karu Amos, 42; Confidence Kibadu, 29 and Kurma Amo, 44.

“Kaninkon Chiefdom is one of the ethnic groups in Southern Kaduna in northern Nigeria that was not conquered by the Fulani Jihad of the early Nineteenth century. These attacks are clearly an attempt at achieving what they did not achieve by the Jihad.

“On this day, 27th October, 2016 a group of men in army uniform came to Ungwar Misisi Village and called the village head, Mr John Zogo and the elders of the village for what they claimed to be security briefing on the situation in the area. As soon as the soldiers came and started discussing

with the village head and the elders, our people heard gun shots in the outskirts of the village.”

Kaduna State Police Spokesman, ASP Aliyu Usman, confirmed the tragedy, but said he was given a casualty figure of four persons.

“I was informed that four people were killed. We are working at getting the criminals,” he said.

ELEVEN children ,who were allegedly being used for begging by an Ikorodu ,Lagos State based church have been rescued by the police.

One person ,who was identified as a member of the church has also been arrested and is undergoing interrogation with the police .

The state police boss, Fatai Owoseni ,who confirmed the arrest of the suspect and the rescue of the children to newsmen ,said that the police would get to the root of the incident .

The arrested suspect Lois Artinso told newsmen that the church runs an orphanage and a home for the aged people .

The Lagos police chief stated that the police had initially rescued two underaged children,who were seen moving around Ikorodu,begging for alms.

CP Owoseni also added that preliminary investigations by the police led to the rescue of nine other under aged children at the church premises in Elejaro area of Ikorodu .

The police boss also stated that efforts were on to ascertain the involvement of the church in the crime .

The suspect said “I was shocked when the Bishop of the church came to the police to deny me. We go out three times a month to beg for assistance.”

She also added that “It is not as if I leave the children to go on their own. I am saying that the children are too small to speak. They were interrogated by the police and they started talking as if I allow them to go alone.”

The suspect also stated that “ The day I was arrested, I was taking two of the children, to the bank to teach them how to use ATM. It was not as if I took them out for begging.”

Nnoso,one of the rescued children said”We were begging when the Police picked us. We used to go for begging three times a week .People used to give us alms,food items,clothes,shoes and money. We used to hand over the things to Aunty. Aunty loves us.”

He added that “I came to Lagos in company with one of my aunties. She took me to the church and handed me over to the aunty in the church.”

The boy also said that “ My aunty in the church warned that whenever my mother called from the village,I should tell her that I was alright and that I must not tell her that I am in the church. Each time my mummy called,I used to tell her that I was staying in my aunty’s house.”

IwasnotinvitedbyEFCC,Akintola criesout AyomideOwonibi-Odekanyin-Lagos CHIEF Niyi Akintola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has refuted reports in some online media that he had a case to answer with the EFCC over alleged bribery of a judge.

In a statement on Friday, he denied receiving any invitation from the anti-corruption agency for questioning.

Fuming at the reports which he said were riddled with a lot of misrepresentation, he said “It is not true that I was in Abuja yesterday (Thursday) to defend an indicted judge before the NJC. I was with the AGF, the first visit since he came into office and we had a fruitful discussion on certain issues in line with what I had said publicly at different fora.

I left his office at past 2pm.”

It would be recalled that the Commission had invited some judges including Uwani Abba-Aji, James Agbadu-Fishim, Mohammed Yunusa, Nganjiwa Hyledzira, and Musa Kurya.

The invitations are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in the Nigerian judiciary.

Govs, senators in Daura as Buhari marries off daughter, Fatima PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, formally married off his daughter, Fatima, to Malam Yau Gimba Kumo in Daura, his home town in Katsina State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the wedding took place at the president’s residence on Mai’adua road, Duura at about 2.40 p.m.

The groom, who was a former Managing Director of a Mortgage Bank, paid N100,000 as dowry to the bride.

The marriage was contracted in accordance with Islamic injunctions and was attended

by top federal and state government functionaries.

They included Governors of Gombe, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo and his counterpart from Bauchi, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Abubakar.

The Ministers of Interior, Mr Abdurrahman Dambazau, Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, ControllerGeneral of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, and Director-General, Department of State Service, Mr Lawal Musa Daura, also graced the occasion.

Others are Senators Mustapha Bukar, (Katsina North), Ahmed Sani, from Zamfara and Danjuma Goje from Gombe, among others.

NAN reported further that in spite of the heavy presence of security personnel; guests had unhindered access to the president’s residence, venue of the marriage.

However, only few prominent personnel had access to the sitting room where the wedding took place.

NAN also reported that praise singers and drummers were not left out of the ceremony as they added glamour to the event.

6

news

29 October, 2016

Electoral disputes: Wike suggests alternative dispute resolution

From right, Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Mrs Ayotunde Adesugba and former deputy governor of Delta State, Chief Benjamin Elue, during the 46th meeting of the National Council on Information(NCI), in Asaba, on Friday.

Judges’ arrest: Court refuses application seeking to stop Buhari, DSS, AGF, others Sunday Ejike - Abuja

A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Friday, refused to grant an application brought before it by a Lagosbased legal practitioner, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, praying for an order restraining President Muhammadu Buhari, the Department of State Service (DSS) and other respondents from rearresting or taking any “untoward action” against five of the eight judges’ whose houses were raided by the operatives of the DSS, recently.

In a bench ruling delivered after Ogungbeje’s counsel, Mr Ayo Ogundele, moved the ex parte application, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that he needed to resolve a number of issues including the legal right of the plaintiff in an inter-party hearing, before he could say anything on the prayer.

The plaintiff had sought, “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, servants, privies, men, officers or anybody deriving authority from them by

whatever name called from further arresting, intimidating, arresting, inviting, seizing or taking any untoward action against the arrested and affected honourable judges and judicial officers pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The plaintiff had filed the ex parte application following his apprehension that the judges arrested in various parts of the country between October 7 and 8, 2016 could

be charged and arraigned in court any time soon.

Rather than grant the prayer sought by Ogungbeje, Justice Kolawole directed that the motion on notice seeking similar prayer be served on the respondents and also ordered that five of the six respondents, President Buhari, Director-General of DSS, Lawal Daura; DSS; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; and the Inspector-General of Police,

THE Police in Ogun State on Friday paraded a coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC), (names withheld), for being in possession of a micro -barreta pistol.

The suspect, according to the state commissioner of police, Ahmed IIiyasu, while parading the suspects and 22 others, said the OPC coordinator was arrested at Ita Oluwo area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.

The CP added that a pump action rifle with nine cartridges were also found on him, when the men of the Federal Special Anti - Rob-

Ibrahim Idris, to appear in court on November 15, 2016 to show cause why the interim restraining order against further arrest of the judges should not be granted.

Joined as the sixth respondent to the suit is the National Judicial Council (NJC), even as the judge ordered that the plaintiff’s motion on notice be served on the respondents and they shall be entitled to respond within seven days of being served.

Ondo PDP: Protest, a ruse to create air of insecurity —Jimoh Ibrahim

MR Jimoh Ibrahim has described the protest against his emergence as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ondo State governorship election as a ruse to create an air of insecurity in the state, ahead the election.

He made this known in a statement he personally signed and made available to Saturday Tribune in reaction to the protest staged in various part of the state, on Friday, following his an-

nouncement by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the PDP governorship candidate.

Pointing fingers at Governor Olusegun Mimiko as the mastermind of the protest, he said the protest and burning of tyres for sympathy would not work, noting that the state was peaceful.

“While the tyres were burning, school children were attending their classes, banks were opened, market women and traders were

Police parade OPC leader, 22 others Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

Saturday Tribune

bery Squad(F - SARS) stormed his hideout.

Iliyasu said the arrest of the OPC leader followed a tip - off based on frequent robbery attacks on residentsu of Ogijo area of Sagamu.

Iliyasu said, “We receive information, a team of F - SARS swung into action and arrested one of the suspected robbers and recovered from him, one barreta pistol, one pump action gun and nine live cartridges.”

However, the OPC coordinator, while speaking with newsmen, said the baretta pistol was recovered from a thief who was allegedly shot dead by the Police over 10 years ago during a joint

operation between the vigilance group and the police.

He also claimed that the pump action gun was given to him by the community for service.

The suspect further said that he regretted not handing the pistol over to the police.

The duo of Muhammed Ojonla and Adamu Saliu, were also paraded for alleged kidnapping.

They were alleged to have kidnapped a 22 year -old , Isa Usman, who was rearing cows in a bush at Sanka village, Imeko.

No fewer than 24 arms including 14 pump action gun and live cartridges were recovered.

carrying on their economic activities, courts were sitting and more tyres were burning by the side of the road.

“Regrettably, Mimiko’s orthodoxy has played out to be fake, empty and unbecoming of a person that occupies the position of the governor of a state.

“I am happy to note that Mimiko eventually met with President Mohammed Buhari, a president that Governor Mimiko had described, in a meeting with the former President Goodluck Jonathan, as unfit to govern Nigeria and according to Governor Mimiko, the president does not have a school certificate.

“Mimiko’s trajectory of movement lately includes visit to Senator Buruji Kashamu and his offer of title to choice properties in Abuja but the senator declined.

“Mimiko filed action at the state High Court Akure, Federal High Court Abuja and secured a Saturday opening of door for hearing at the Court of Appeal, Abuja all simultaneously, burning billions of naira which ought to have been used to pay salaries of workers in Ondo State,” he said.

RIVERS State governor, Nyesom Wike, has suggested the introduction of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the settlement of political conflicts after major elections.

The governor noted that ADR would help reduce the level of bickering, time and resources expended on cases at the election tribunals, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, on Friday, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said, “We, as politicians, have been discussing on how we can introduce Alternative Dispute Resolution in settlement of election matters without going to the tribunals.

“The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators can play a role in the introduction of ADR to election dispute. It will reduce bickering; it will reduce cost and time spent at the tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. In other words, there will be more time for governance.”

The governor added: “It is a major issue that we should put our heads together to see how it will be possible to introduce election matters as issues to be resolved through ADR.”

Ambassadorial appointment: Iyin-Ekiti lauds President Buhari over Lawrence Ayodele Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti THE people of Iyin-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for naming an indigene of the community, Ayodeji Lawrence Ayodele, as an ambassadorial nominee.

The community said in a statement that it was gratifying that the president considered “our son worthy for the appointment.”

A statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the community, Mr. Olusola Oladele, described Ayodele as “a worthy son of Iyin-Ekiti who has contributed his quota to the progress and uplift of the community.”

Kwara LG poll: No plan to levy aspirants-PDP chairman Biola Azeez - Ilorin CHAIRMANSHIP and councillorship aspirants under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have been urged to disregard calls for the payment of N25,000 each to the coffers of the party.

The state’s chairman of the party, Prince Sunday Fagbemi said such directive did not emanate from the party’s secretariat, advising party members to shun an unauthorised meeting of the party slated for next Monday by a chieftain of the party in the state, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo.

“We want to clarify that we, members of the state executive council of the party are not a party to the meeting which Oyedepo has fixed for November 1,2016. We, therefore, urge members of our great party to disregard invitation to the illegal meeting.

“The chairmanship and councillorship aspirants under the platform of the PDP should also discountenance Oyedepo’s call for the payment of N25, 000 each to the coffers of the party.

Ajaja belongs to APC, not our party —Accord

By Dare Adekanmbi THE Oyo State chapter of Accord Party has denounced a former House of Representatives member, Dr Bukola Ajaja, who is laying claim to the leadership of the party, warning her against making provocative statements.

In a statement signed by its state publicity secretary, Mr Akeem Olatunji, Accord explained that Ajaja ceased to be a member of the party when she lost a return ticket to Honourable Gbenga Adewusi in the build up to the 2015 elections.

Olatunji said Ajaja is currently serving in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government as one of the Special Assistants to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

The party accused her and members of her group of deliberately attempting to cause confusion in Accord with a view to decimating the party so that her real party could have an easy ride in next year’s council elections.

29 October, 2016 7 news God sent Buhari to save Nigeria from collapse, says Oyegun

N

ATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr John Odigie-Oyegun, has said God sent President Muhammadu Buhari to save Nigeria from collapse.

Oyegun spoke in Sokoto on Friday, when he declared open a three-day retreat organised by the Kano State chapter of the party for its officials and stakeholders on political party management.

“God sent at the most crucial time in Nigeria’s history to fix the country and lift it from the brink. The President inherited a comatose economy and he has been strenuously working to deliver on his campaign promises centred around the economy, security and fighting corruption.

“Insurgency has been tamed, while the issues of militancy and other related security challenges are being diligently attended to by our party and the President,” the National Chairman added.

Oyegun also said that, the president was being frugal with every kobo that accrues to the nation, saying that, the economy would soon

bounce back.

He further noted that no sane and patriotic Nigerian was pessimistic about the way Buhari was uniquely tackling corruption.

“Buhari is working tirelessly to make Nigeria a better place for all Nigerians,’’ he

ments and problems confronting the party in the state, and to chart the way forward.

He said despite insinuations in some quarters, APC in Kano State is still united and indivisible.

In his remarks, Sokoto

governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said gatherings like that would help keep the party on the right track.

Tambuwal said “This is to ensure that government is properly adjusted in the interest of the common people.’’

From right, Head of Small Scale Funds, Germany Consulate in Nigeria, Daniela Ruff; Mrs Funmi Aigbomian, representative of former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Olajumoke Akinjide; Mr Soleye Adeoye; Headmaster, St James Primary School, Akanran, Ibadan, Mr Ahmed Aderemi and representative of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Remi Adelabu, during the inauguration of a block of six classroom constructed by Chief Olajumoke Akinjide. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

Kashimbila multipurpose Dam’ll provide protection, electricity, others —Fashola MINISTER of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on Thursday visited the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam Project in Taraba State assuring that when completed, the Dam would serve the multiple purpose of protecting parts of the country from a predicted ecological disaster, provide electricity and support agricultural ventures in surrounding states of the Northeast.

Fielding questions from newsmen after the inspection, Fashola, who said the project was conceived about 2007, pointed out that the purpose was a proactive step by Nigeria to prevent an ecological disaster that science predicted would happen in future when the structurally weak volcanic Lake Nyos inevitably collapses, which would likely affect six states in the country.

The Minister, who named the states to include Taraba, Benue, Cross River, Delta and Kogi on the route of the tributaries of the Katsina-Ala River, added that the project was also conceived to provide electricity and support agricultural ventures in the surrounding communities.

He told the newsmen, “Nigeria has decided since 2007 or thereabouts to intervene and prevent the disaster by building a dam and from the dam you have water which is a force of

averred.

Oyegun stressed the need for internal democracy, as well as ensuring the supremacy of the party.

Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, said the retreat was organised for stocktaking on the achieve-

energy, we decided to build a 40 MW plant to generate electricity to feed communities like Doga, Wukari, Takum, Kashimbila and many other communities in the Northeast and Yandev in Benue State who are not yet connected to the Grid”.

According to him, what the communities have presently is a 33KV line that transmits energy across 80, 90 to 100 and above kilometres adding that by the time the energy ultimately gets to the communities, it is not effective resulting in what is often referred to as “low current.”

Assuring that the project would solve all of the problems, Fashola, however, regretted that the contracting firm has not been paid for about two or three years adding that the project had just been put into the budget. He added, “We have approved payment for the contractor and I have now come to see what we are paying for to ensure that the project is delivered”.

“This project has three phases and three objectives to accomplish. First to prevent an ecological disaster that science predicts will happen and secondly from there provide electricity and support agriculture.

This is the Kashimbila 40MW Multipurpose Dam for electricity and irrigation. But as I’ve said it was an ecological necessity”, the Minister said.

Saturday Tribune

LAUTECH crisis: Visitation panel promises benchmark resolution

By Tunde Ogunesan CHAIRMAN, Visitation Panel, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has assured the institution’s stakeholders, owner states, staff and students that the panel would work hard to provide a benchmark result that would resolve the crisis once and for all.

Olanipekun made this remark while speaking with journalists after the inauguration of the panel held at the Senate building, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, on Friday.

It is recalled that LAUTECH has been engrossed in ownership crisis which led to the closure of the institution’s since June.

Olanipekun, a Pro-Chancellor at Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo who, had also served in the same capacity at the University of Ibadan, said the panel would give its best at resolving the ownership disagreement and funding.

voxpop

Can you ask for expulsion as a form of restitution?

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

30 OCTOBER, 2016

www.tribune.com.ng

N200

feature

thepolity

POWER: Return of the Kaduna Mafia?

Mysterious cross of Nasarawa How Assakio theatre of communal war became a site for religious tourism

The making of powerful interest that controls Nigeria’s soul glitz

I’m now a

prophet but’ll still sing at clubs

—Teriba

tribunechurch

Declare 3-day fasting and prayers for Nigeria, Primate Ayodele tells presidency

Plus news, sports, fashion... and more!

Book your copy

8

news

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Glo signs on Timaya as ambassador

Daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Fatima, with her friends during her wedding Fatiha to Alhaji Yau Gimba Kumo in Daura, Katsina State, on Friday. PHOTO: NAN.

Pharmaceutical Council seals 15 illegal pharmacies, 358 patent medicine stores Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

T

HE Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 15 illegal pharmacies and 358 patent medicine stores in Kaduna State as part of its effort to curtail the sales of fake drugs.

This was made known by the Director and Head of Inspection and Monitoring, Pharmacist Anthonia Aruya, at a press conference in Kaduna on Friday.

She said the council, which is charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the practice of pharmacy in the country, has been going round to sensitise, as well as sanitise, the way practitioners have been conducting themselves in the country.

During the visit to Kaduna, she stated that it was discovered that several pharmacies and patent

medicine stores do not follow proper procedures.

“What we observed in Kaduna State is that so many premises commenced operations without fulfilling minimum requirements.

Some of these premises store products in environment where the quality, safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products cannot be guaranteed.

“This exposes the public to serious danger. Others do not have the requisite knowledge or know-how

to handle the highly ethical drugs in their facilities.

“This exercise is part of efforts by the PCN to reverse this trend and improve on the level of pharmaceutical service delivery to the good people of Kaduna State.

“At the end of the enforcement exercise, a total of 435 premises comprising 44 pharmacies and 391 patent medicine stores were visited,” she said.

According to her, 15 illegal pharmacies and 358 patent medicine stores

Edo women demand apology from monarch WOMEN in Edo State on Friday demanded apology from a suspended traditional ruler (name withheld), for an alleged attack on one of their own, Mrs. Betty Okoebor.

The women leader of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Aisosa Amada-

sun, who called on her male counterparts, all civil society organisations and all Edo women regardless of party affiliations to speak out said, “we need to extract apology from the monarch.”

Dr. Amadasun said, “we have issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the suspended traditional ruler to apolo-

$2.6bn Badagry deep sea port, a turning point for economic growth —Ambode

By Dapo Falade GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has expressed optimism that the $2.6bn Badagry Deep Sea Port project would be a major turning point in bringing about global growth to Nigerian waters and, by extension, the nation’s economy.

The governor, who spoke shortly after another successful meeting with the executive management of APM Terminals (Maersk Group), represented by Mr Morten Engelstoft, CEO designate of APM Terminals in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the advancement of the Badagry Deep Sea

were sealed for various offences, some of which are operating without registration with Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, poor sanitary conditions among others.

Pharmacist Aruya also said five persons were were arrested for offences ranging from obstruction of inspectors and breaking of seal which is a criminal offence.

Port, said the project would also complement the emergence of Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa.

The meeting, according to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Habib Aruna, on Friday, held alongside chairman, APM Terminal, Apapa, Chief Ernest Shonekan, was the culmination of a process which started in 2012 and which had been taken on with renewed vigour by the Ambode administration, resulting in this significant foreign investment estimated at over US $2.6billion into Lagos.

“This port and free zone, situated on over 1000 hect-

ares, is expected to be the largest deep sea port in Africa upon its completion.

The project will include a container terminal, oil and gas services and a liquid bulk terminal, with general cargo and Ro-Ro facilities”, the governor said.

The governor, while lauding the investors for staying on course with the project expected to generate 500,000 direct and indirect jobs upon completion, pledged his government’s commitment to ensuring the interests of the host communities alongside a sustainable regeneration and urban renewal of the area.

gise to all Edo women or face court action.”

Amadasun hailed the Edo State Executive Council for the prompt and punitive measure saying, “it would serve as deterrence to those who think the weak has no place in their midst.”

According to a statement

by Dr. Amadasun, “I want to specially thank the State Executive Council for the timely intervention and attempt to right the wrong perpetrated against one of our own — the weak in the society.

“This measure will act as deterrence to a lot of persons who engage in perpetrating violence against women and the decision to defend the weak must be commended by everyone because an injury to one woman is injury to all,” she said.

However, Amadasun threatened that Edo women would go to court if the said traditional ruler does not apologise to Mrs Okoebor adding that, “the suspended traditional ruler should be made to pick all the financial expenses incurred by the victim.”

Nigerian singer and songwriter, Inetimi Alfred Odon, popularly known as Timaya, has been signed on as a brand ambassador by the telecom operator, Globacom.

In a statement in Lagos, Globacom said Timaya, the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa, became its latest Glo brand ambassador last week.

According to Globacom, Timaya’s successful career in the Nigerian Music industry as well as his cult-figure status among millions of Nigerian youths, particularly in the South-South geo-political zone of the country, influenced the decision of the company to sign him.

Timaya, therefore, joins the company’s rich list of brand ambassadors which includes top musicians, comedians and the best of Nollywood and Ghollywood.

They are stand-up comedians Basketmouth and Bovi Ugboma, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello, Hadizah Blell (Di’ja), Patience Ozokwor, popularly called Mama G, Omawumi, Ego, Yvonne Nelson, Nadia Buari and MI, Odunlade, Bovi, Bimbo Oloyede, Jaykolo (Dominic Elujaifor), Ime Bishop, Funke Akindele, amongst others.

A highly successful artiste with many albums such as True Story, Gift and Grace, De Rebirth, LLNP and Upgrade to his credit, Timaya’ s music cuts across hip-hop, raga, afro-beat and dancehall.

Church must participate actively in national affairs —Cleric APOSTLE Kingsley Adegboye has stated that the church has an important role to play to make the current economic situation of the country better.

Apostle Adegboye who is the pastor in charge of Levites Christian Assembly, Ikolaba, Ibadan, Oyo State, stated this at the church’s convention held from 24th to 30th October, 2016, with the theme, “The Extraordinary God.” Citing various examples of how the church helped to reshape various economies, Adegboye, who stated that the church had relegated its position in the economy, especially as it had withdrawn from becoming a participant in the affairs of the nation, stated that Apostle Kingsley Adegboye “it is not just our duty to pray or fast. The church should actually become an active participant in the rebuilding of a failed state. Sometimes, in an ailing economy, divine intervention becomes a necessity; the change will come by divine pronouncement.”

According to the cleric, “sometimes, a depressed economy requires only spiritual attention. The church should pray and tell the government what to do. The church should not act as though they are not concerned. We can’t disconnect ourselves from society. Perhaps, the church is what Nigeria’s economic turnaround is waiting for.”

2016 annual congress

THE Church of Evangelism, Ibeju-Lekki, Awoyaya, Healing Camp, opposite Green Springs School on the Lekki/Epe Expressway, Lagos State, has kicked off its 2016 annual congress, with the theme: “Achieving Greater Things.”

Activities lined up for the week-long event will commence on Tuesday, November 1 and continue on Thursday, Rev’d Edith Okunbanjo November 3, with a revival service. The event will continue on Friday, November 4 with the Thehila Night of Praise with a thanksgiving service climaxing the week-long event on Sunday, November 6.

The thanksgiving service would be mixed with ministration and fun as top gospel artistes such as Praise Machine, The Angels Crew, Bata Jesu and Voice of Blessing Gospel Band and others have been lined for the day.

Former international football star-turned-pastor, Taribo West, Bishop Bayode Adewale, Pastor Oluade Adeniran and others are among guest ministers ministering at this year’s congress.

The congress, according to the General Overseer of the church, Revd. Edith Adefunke Okunbanjo, “is aimed at winning souls and to glorify the name of Jesus through healing of those who are oppressed of the devil.” Revd. Okubanjo is the wife of the late industrialist and Founder/Past Chairman, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Chief Oladotun Okubanjo.

As a woman of God, she shares her vision of liberating mankind from all afflictions of the devil through teachings of prosperity, healing, deliverance and all that pertains to life.

xquisite

9

29 October, 2016

Editor Tayo Gesinde 08054727801 temiligali03@yahoo.com

Most men can’t afford to have their wives in the n e h c t i k g in ad le e th f o e n o , vi o b Ye i fil O y Jo —

Crew

ers in Nigeria female furniture mignak State, is the from Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos

Joy Ofili Yebovi, a graduate of Industrial Des acturing plinteriors and Decor, a leading furniture manuf Sim of r cto Dire e ativ Cre and cer Offi ive cut Exe Chief eurship. terior School of Interior Design and Entrepren plin Sim of s tres prie Pro the and eria Nig in y compan s oration and why she believes she is the world’ dec rior inte for love her on E IND GES O TAY She speaks with See pg29 sexiest interior designer. style —10 & 31 mum&child —12 health —12 Wearing your

What you should know about your teething baby

Can I have a baby at 50?

Saturday Tribune

jacket the ‘Kardashians’ way

Blessing Gbarada Kate Ani Oyeyemi Okunlade

10

xquisite

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

With Kate Ani 08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

style Attention! Attention!! Attention!!!

Do you own a boutique? Are you a fashion designer, jewellery store owner, make-up/hair expert or spa treatment specialist? This notice is for you! You can now reach more prospective clients across the nation by advertising your goods and services on our STYLE page at a very affordable rate.

For more information, call Tayo Gesinde on 08054727801 or Kate Ani on 08071080888.

Behold, the trendy fluffy toes strap heels called ‘the mistress heels’

Kim, Kylie and Khloe Kardashian

Trend alert!

Wearing jacket the ‘Kardashians’ way

Stella Uzo

Bisous Natasha

L

Fisayo Longe

31

OVE or loathe them, there is no doubt that America’s number one reality television show stars, the Kardashians, are a stylish lot. Ladies around the world, most especially in Nigeria, idolise their fashion getups. The Kardashian girls have been creating trends that end up becoming wardrobe must-haves as fashion magazines and blogs seem to be obsessed with their daily fashionable wears.

They are so influential that most ladies stalk their instagram and snapchat handles for trendy hairstyles, wardrobe stables, make-up and even to learn how to pose for selfies!

The latest fashion trend created by these fashion forward family is the ‘kardashian way’ of wearing jackets or blazers.

The ‘kardashian way’ is when a jeans jacket or blazer is half-worn over one or both shoulders like a shawl to reveal the upper arm or arms.

Celebrities like Rihanna, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and so on have caught the ‘Kardashian way’ of wearing jacket bug.

Here in Nigeria, fashionistas like Mochedda, Rukky Sanda, Toke Makinwa and Ruth Kadiri are also savouring the trend.

J Linda

AWS to the floor, A new heel has just dropped and it is called ‘the mistress heels’. This sexy heel has fluffy furs straps adorned around the toe area and can only be worn to parties or social events, as it is not really a good idea to wear it to work because of the dramatic furs.

Socialite Fifi Okwudili Umenyiora wore these killer heels at her lavish 35th birthday celebration held recently in Lagos. Actress and fashionista, Rukky Sanda has also acquired this trendy heels as she flaunted them on her instagram page last week. Fashion influencer and designer, Stella Uzor has not just one, but two of the heels, as seen on the pictures displayed on the page. A girl can never have too many shoes, so why not add this sexy number to your shoe rack collection for a date night with your man?. What dress to wear it with? You might want to ask. You can pair it with a slinky short dress or skirt so that your heels would be the centre of attraction of your whole ensembles.

Essien

Mochedda

Jade Bello

Fifi Echendu

Tinuola Ayanniyi tayanniyi@yahoo.com 08055069379

Do-It-Yourself: Spoon ring

11 healthandfitness

Saturday Tribune

29 October, 2016

Can I have a baby at 50?

Dr. Wale Okediran

I recently remarried after being a widow for four years. Even though I am 50 years old, I still see my menses regularly. Although I had four children for my late husband, I still desire to have one or two for my new husband.

My question is whether I can still do this at my advanced age of 50?

Josephine (by SMS)

waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk

08055069356 (sms only)

My big abdomen I am a 31-year-old lady.

My problem is that my stomach is big. Please, is there anything you can prescribe that won’t adversely affect me as I am not yet married and currently have no child.

Elizabeth (by SMS)

Even though having a baby at your age has its challenges, with good obstetrics support, you can still have a baby at old age. It is however important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of having a baby against that of not having any more since you already have four children who by right are also your new husband’s step children.

An enlarged abdomen can be caused by many factors ranging from excessive weight gain to fibroids among other causes. For this reason, it will be necessary to first

investigate the cause of your big abdomen before arriving at a diagnosis and treatment. Some of these investigations which should be ordered by your doctor include some blood tests and ultrasound. If the cause of your large abdomen is found to be excessive weight gain, you will need to be placed on a diet and exercise regime for you to lose some weight. If due to a big fibroid, surgery which will not adversely affect you will be undertaken.

Itching after bath

I find it difficult to sleep I am a 55-year-old Business man. I have been healthy until two weeks ago when I started finding it difficult to sleep. I have tried all kinds of sleeping tablets with no improvement. Kindly help me.

Chidozie (by SMS) A good night sleep begins with a well aerated bedroom, as well as a comfortable bed made up of good springs and mattress. And while some people may sleep well in a noisy envi-

ronment, others may need a very quiet and dimly lighted environment to sleep. In

addition to this, the state of one’s mind is very important before somebody can sleep well. Therefore, in addition to your comfortable bedroom, you also need to have a stress free mind before you can sleep. It is equally important for you to see your doctor for a proper medical check up in order to establish that you do not have any ailment such as Hypertension, Diabetes and other health issues which may prevent you from having a good night’s sleep.

I itch every time I take my bath whether with cold or hot water. I buy my water from water vendors.

What can I do to stop this problem?

Sanni (by SMS) It is not uncommon to experience a bout of itching after bathing. It may last a short period of time and we often do not give it much thought thereafter.

However, for some people itching after bathing can persist for hours or itching that is constantly present may worsen after bathing.

Your itching may be a reaction to the water, soap or sponge you are using for

your bath. For this reason, it may be necessary for you to change these items as well as the source of your water.

If after changing all these items you still itch, you may

need to see a specialist doctor (Skin Doctor) in order to find out if you also have an underlying skin ailment that may be responsible for the itching.

No teeth at ten months

MY son who was ten months old early this month has no teeth yet. I am worried since his two elders brothers all had their first tooth at six months.

Mrs Akande (by SMS)

Although the expected age for first teething is six months, some babies usually erupt their teeth much later in life. A delay in tooth

eruption of up to 12 months may be of little or no importance in an otherwise healthy child. Delays often result from such local factors as a tooth in the path of eruption, insufficient space in the dental arch, or dental infection. In view of this, you have nothing to worry unless you notice any other underlying ailments in your child.

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

Chief (Dr) H.I.D Awolowo CON (1915 - 2015)

Chairman Rev. (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran Co-Chairman Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Edward Dickson Controller (Business Development) Fola Oke Chief Accountant Oluremi Olufisayo, ACA

Ibadan Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08077227269; 08034135733 Lagos Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08055333067; 08033013177 South South Regional Office: No. 50 Ikwerre Rd., Mile 1, Diobu, P/Harcourt, Rivers State

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

GOT NEWS?

Abuja Office: Suites G2. 05-07, PEB04 Plaza, Plot 2027, Dalaba Street, Beside NAPTIP Headquarters, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja Advert Hot Lines: 08033199716; 08078891797 Kaduna Office: AN 20, Lagos Street, by Keffi Rd., Kaduna.

Ikeja Marketing Office.

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

Contact: saturdaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com or call:07030004233

12

29 October, 2016

BLESSING GBARADA

MUM&CHILD

ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

What you should know about your teething baby

By Blessing Gbarada

T

EETHING is one childhood milestone that brings mixed feelings.

The baby’s parents and caregivers are excited that their little one is growing, but the period is riddled with concern as the baby suffers discomfort and sometimes many other symptoms.

Most times, these long and varied symptoms, ranging from fever, diarrhoea and conjunctivitis to irritability, are generally attributed to the teething process. While parents and the society hold strongly to their various beliefs about teething, experts say most of such beliefs are mere myths and misconceptions.

Myth 1: Teething causes fever One symptom that cuts across several cultures as being prevalent during teething is fever. However, experts say teething is not a direct cause off fever. During the teething period of an infant’s life, passive immunity due to maternal antibodies wanes and exposure to a wide variety of childhood illnesses occurs, some of which are accompanied by fever.

Dr Comfort Adekoya-Sofowora of the Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, said, “At approximately six months of age, when the primary teeth are about to erupt, maternal antibodies upon which young children depend begins to decrease while they build up their own antibodies which are not yet sufficient to defend them against infections.” It’s most of such infections that come with fever.

However, paediatricians say an increase in body temperature is common during teething. However, upon careful inspection, it will be noticed that the temperature increase is actually very small and can be dismissed. They state that symptoms that are associated to teething are not serious and presence of fever (higher than 38.5OC) or other clinically important symptoms are unlikely causes of teething.

Myth 2: Teething causes diarrhoea Ask most mothers why their teething babies have diarrhoea and with incredulous looks, you would be served the answer that the teething is the cause.

However, experts say the teething process does not cause diarrhoea. Dr Olubunmi Bankole of the Department of Child Oral Health, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria said, “it is widely believed that “Igbe-gbuuru” literally meaning loose stool is naturally caused by eruption of children’s teeth. This teething process is believed usually to cause the body temperature to rise causing stomach upset and subsequently leading to diarrhoea.

It is also postulated traditionally that the teething process generates a lot of saliva in the mouth and the increased

Saturday Tribune

contributes to constant drooling. Mothers may misinterpret as a sign of teething.”

Deal with the discomfort of teething Annetta Tsang of the University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Australia, in the journal, International Dentistry, suggests pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. Non-pharmacological strategies against teething pain aim either at cooling the teething site and/ or rubbing the site. Cooling may reduce inflammation by causing constriction of dilated blood vessels and by temporarily numbing the gums.

In contrast, pressure from chewing and massaging the gums may reduce pain by overwhelming the sensory receptors.

Pharmacological strategies for teething generally aim to achieve analgesia, anaesthesia, sedation or a combination of these.

swallowing of the saliva contributes to the child’s ill state by causing frequent passage of stool. This they also believe subsequently causes fever, loss of appetite, persistent crying and restlessness in infants. However, these are all myths. The timing of eruption of the primary incisors (six - 12 months) coincides with the period of reduction of circulating maternal humoral immunity in the infant thus predisposes the child to a variety of infections.

Also, children at this stage are crawling, resulting in placement of contaminated objects in their mouths, making them more prone to having diarrhoea.”

Myth 3: Babies have a fixed age for the start of teething Teething occurs when a tooth nears completion of its journey into the oral cavity, a journey which begins early in foetal development. Typically, teething starts at about six months till about three years.

However, there have been reported cases of natal teeth (those teeth that are present at the time of birth) and neonatal teeth (those teeth that erupt within the first 30 days of life). Because each baby is different, there is no fixed age a child would begin to grow teeth. Experts say the rate at which baby’s teeth come through will depend mostly on its genetic blueprint (hereditary transmission). Other factors include endocrine disturbances, nutrition, environmental factors. But when a baby gets to 13 months and still has not produced his first teeth and you have confirmed that delayed teething doesn’t run in the family, it is time to see his paediatrician.

Myth 4: Teething causes drooling

Drooling (which refers to an unintentional loss of saliva and other oral contents from the mouth) is normal in the first two years of life as infants don’t often develop full control of swallowing and the muscles of the mouth until they are between 18 and 24 months old. However, because this sign coincides with when teething begins, it is usually misconstrued as a cause. Dr Adekoya-Sofowora said, “The normal salivary gland development which occurs at about two to three months of age when the salivary glands of infants begin functioning

Do’s and Dont’s of teething =Do massage sore little gums with your clean finger or a cool cloth. =Do give your teething infant a cool rubber teething ring. Ensure it is kept clean. =Do start cleaning your child’s gums and new teeth in order to protect their teeth from cavities. Before your baby’s first tooth becomes visible in the mouth, you should wipe the mouth every day with a soft, moist washcloth. As soon as teeth become visible in the mouth, brush the teeth with a small, soft bristle toothbrush that contains a pea-sized smear of fluoride-containing toothpaste. =If your baby is a heavy drooler, the constant contact with saliva may cause the skin around the chin and mouth to become irritated.

Gently wipe your baby’s mouth and chin periodically throughout the day to help prevent chapped skin and rashes. =Don’t self-prescribe antibiotics. Dr Bankole pointed out that “among the local populace from the lower social class, tetracycline popularly called “capsule” is given to babies to cure “teething diarrhoea.” Tetracycline is known to be taken up by calcifying tissues which can lead to grayish discolouration of teeth.

Also, the implication of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics among infants is that the child is at risk of developing adverse reactions such as hypersensitivity to the antibiotic and there is the potential for building of resistant bacterial strains.” =Don’t administer local concoctions.

“Many of these are not scientifically tested with undetermined doses and content; it may be of danger to the health of the child. Documentations have revealed that the use of concoctions have sometimes led to some fatalities in children,” Dr Bankole said. =Don’t put your baby to bed with a feeding bottle in his/her mouth (unless it’s filled with water). The sugars in formula and breast milk will sit on his teeth all night and can lead to baby-bottle tooth decay.

13

29 October, 2016

entertainment Society Gist

News

Bez thrills at 42nd edition of Afropolitan vibes

By Joan Omionawele DURING the week, award-winning artiste, Bez shut down the 42nd edition of monthly live music concert, Afropolitan Vibes. The music star who has hinted that his eagerly anticipated sophomore album will be released before the end of the year has promised to deliver another of his exceptionally electrifying performances.

The rockstar’s unique sound has driven him to soaring heights since his first album in 2011.

His ability to diversify from Soul to Jazz and even Rock makes him one of Nigeria’s finest talents and export. In addition to his distinctive sound, Bez has successfully risen to the pinnacle of his career with a multimillion naira endorsement deal and fully booked show schedules each year.

According to Bez “ I always want people to feel the fire from my performances and long for it days after it is over, so, expect great music and an electrifying performance as usual”! Bez has also disclosed that he will be performing for the first time, some of the songs off his soon -tobe released album as well as his other hit. songs.

with in Niger had told him the actress gave birth to him.

An interesting conversation ensued, and Omotola asked about his mental state, as the boy denied being unstable and insisted that they are spiritually related.

Omotola however expressed shock through her instagram page during the

Pasuma, Osupa thrill music lovers at Ota Mokland hotel THE prestigious Mokland hotel, Ota, Ogun State recently played host to the rave-making toasts of Fuji music lovers, Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma and Alhaji Saheed Osupa, in shows packaged by 214 Global Links, the

hotel’s new management team.

In a statement made available by Mr. Mustapha Ajelara, the Managing Director of Global Links Limited, the shows, which took place both penultimate Friday and last Friday were put together for the enjoyment of music lovers who were desirous of having fun in celebration of Global Links’ take-over of the management of the highbrow hotel.

According to Mr.Ajelara, such musical show becomes imperative in view of 214 Global Links’ desire to create an avenue for music lovers to enjoy good music in a cosy environment as the Ota Mokland hotel. “Inasmuch as entertainment and recreation are parts of tourism, we will ensure that music lovers and our guests enjoy the best of music for their relaxation from time to time.

J

with oan

Omionawele

jistwtjoan@yahoo.com Twitter:@joanbajojo 08059793705

Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

newtray2002@yahoo.com 08052271251

Celebrity Interviews

Yemi Alade, Waje, Desmond Elliot, Toolz others team up for #MakeNaijaStronger

By Joan Omionawele

A

S the government prepares to finalise its 2017 budget, top Nigerian celebrities have urged the government to invest in health as stipulated in the National Health Act (2014) and keep its commitment to the 2001 African Union’s Abuja Commitment.

“As a proud and patriotic Nigerian, it is particularly distressing to me that our country is suffering from a silent

Strange boy claims he is Omotola’s spiritual son IT was all fun and excitement on the set of her new movie, Alter ego, until Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde was approached by a little boy who claimed that he is her ‘spiritual son’.

The unnamed stranger, who claimed he came all the way from central Nigeria in search of Omotola after a man he stayed

Saturday Tribune

week, saying that this is the second time such is happening to her. “This is like the second time this has happened to me. Why me?” she wrote as she posted the video of the young boy speaking his dialect.

killer - this health crisis which is completely avoidable,” popular musician, Waje said. “It is time to act Naija! We must come together with a collective voice, and tell our government to do more by investing in the health of our children and families, by doing so, we will make Naija stronger.”

Joining Waje at the launch of a new video by the ONE campaign titled “I AM IN …to make Naija Stronger” was an all-star cast including Yemi Alade, Desmond Elliot, Kate Henshaw, Ali Nuhu, Basketmouth and Toolz.

Kannywood Actor, Ali Nuhu, added his voice to the call: “Enough is enough!

This is the message we are sending to our government. A healthy Nigeria makes a wealthy Nigeria and we need to stand together to Make Naija Stronger.

Now it’s your turn, if you haven’t added your voice to better our nation’s health system, you need to do so right now.”

Yemi Alade made a call to the grassroots saying: “Make all of una join una voice to tell our government say make dem put correct money for our health matter so that all the pikin and mama wey dey die unnecessarily for Naija go stop.”

The celebrities were speaking at the launch of the ONE campaign’s new public service announcement video, which features the stellar line up calling for urgent action to invest in public health.

Nachilala Nkombo, Deputy Director of ONE Africa said: “While other African countries are improving their health indicators, inconsistent and insufficient health funding in Nigeria over the years has made access to basic life saving health services a luxury for ordinary Nigerians.

14 entertainment

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Turningdownafan’srequestfora kisswillbruiseherego—YomiFabiyi

By Joan Omionawele

F

OLLOWING the uproar that ensued after Nollywood actor and Producer, Yomi Fabiyi posted a very controversial photo of him kissing a fan on instagram, the actor has disclosed the reason why he could not turn down a fan’s request despite being married.

According to Fabiyi who spoke exclusively to Saturday Tribune in a phone conversation, “when you have fans, they come in different modes. There are differ-

2Baba, Peter Okoye, Olamide, Falz, Orezi, others set for Merrybet celebrity fans challenge

By Newton-Ray Ukwuoma A-list entertainment superstars have been scheduled to play at the Merrybet Celebrity Fans Challenge novelty football match.

The 3rd edition of the event will be held on the 3rd of December and will feature stars such as 2Baba, Olamide, Peter of Psquare, BankyW , Timi Dakolo, Burna Boy, Falz , Humble Smith, Mayorkun and Eedris Abdulkareem, comedians on the list include Gbenga Adeyinka , Funny Bone among others.

On the Sports analyst position is Kehinde Bankole, who will host and also play the role of the referee.

Her co-host will be the rib cracking comedian, Seyi Law standing by as the assistant referee.

The event will also feature performances, rib-cracking jokes and football skill exhibition as

Nigeria’s top celebrities will battle each other in support of their favourite football clubs.

The organisers of the event at a press briefing held recently at the Club Rumours, Ikeja, also unveiled new ambassadors for the betting company. Peter of Psquare, Falz and Orezi were unveiled as the newest ambassadors for Merrybet.

Speaking, Peter of Psquare said, “I have been a Chelsea fan for 16 years so expect all the built up passion”.

ent perspectives to whatever you see on social media. My main is to pass a message to my fans saying that I appreciate them and I was stunned that some fans will go the extra mile to appreciate you.” He also added that the fan’s request for a French kiss was a spontaneous reaction. When you find an artiste that has entertained you, touched you and inspired you, it will be difficult to turn them down.

I didn’t want to bruise her ego, because it might affect her self esteem and self respect. I believe she wanted something that will linger on in her

Kate Henshaw shares thoughts on malaria

By Newton-Ray Ukwuoma NOLLYWOOD actress, Kate Henshaw, has revealed her malaria myth growing up as a teenage girl, saying she grew up thinking that “malaria is caused by standing in the sun, eating oily meals, witchcraft, working for too long, bad water and bad air”.

The actress is currently leading a campaign for the 80 per cent elimination of malaria in Nigeria in 2020.

Henshaw related her malaria story in a speech presented at the National Malaria Elimination Programme, organised by Society for Family Health in Lagos on Thursday.

She said ignorance and misinformation were the primary causes of loss of lives due to malaria.

“In those days people spoke about malaria as if it belonged to them – with expressions like ‘I have malaria,’ ‘my malaria’ and

YCEEsignsdealwithSonyEntertainment

By Joan Omionawele AS part of Sony Music Entertainment’s expansion across Africa, the label has announced an exclusive deal with Ycee of Tinny Entertainment,on Friday in South Africa. The unprecedented deal will see the rapper’s first E.P,’ The First Wave’ released under the Sony umbrella. With this move, Ycee joins the likes of Nigerian superstar Davido,as part of the Sony Music family.

Michael Ugwu, General Manager, Sony Music West Africa stated “I’m extremely proud to welcome Tinny Entertainment and the amazing talent that is Ycee to the Sony Music Entertainment West Africa family. I’ve watched this team grow over the past few years and I am amazed at how they have navigated the industry to reach this stage. Ycee is the future of Hip Hop

memory” When Saturday Tribune further asked if his wife was not bothered about the picture he said “I would not do anything to deliberately hurt my home, my wife is British and she is very exposed. She knows the kind of man she married and knows what I can do and what I can’t do. So many people walked up to Michael Jackson and Beyonce and tried to kiss them many years back, even 2face and Dbaj. You have to respect your fans and without them, we celebrities are nothing” he said.

in Africa and will be front and centre of SME West Africa’s strategy as we take Africa to the World.”

According to Arokodare ‘Tinny’ Timilehin, CEO Tinny Entertainment, “We are very excited about the future for both Ycee and Tinny Entertainment. This is a stamp of approval on all the hardwork we have put in through the years and an indication of even greater things to come” he added.

Expressing his excitement at the deal, Ycee posted on Instagram “Great things happening, alongside Tinny Entertainment, I’m so proud to become part of the Sony Music family!!” Last weekend, Ycee was nominated in two categories; ‘Best Hiphop’ and ‘Breakthrough Act’ thrilled the crowd with a charge performance at the MTV Africa Music Awards held at the MAMa’s in Johannseburg.

‘ordinary malaria.’ Surprisingly, after many years, these terms are still common place among family members, colleagues, and friends, irrespective of class or level of education,” she said.

“I have committed myself to support the fight against malaria in Nigeria by letting people know the benefits of sleeping inside the Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets, especially for children under five years and pregnant women. It is also very important to have a Rapid Diagnostic Test done or microscopy done to be sure it is malaria before administering treatment with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy – (ACT).”

“Nigerians should know that not all fevers are malaria; let Nigerians know that people are dying from malaria when malaria is a preventable and treatable illness; let Nigerians know that testing using RDT to confirm malaria before treatment is the way to go.

The best medicine for malaria treatment is Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies – what we know as (ACTs). It is very affordable and accessible.”

Meanwhile, statistical data by The Society for Family Health reveal that malaria accounts for 11 per cent of maternal mortality; that three in ten deaths of children less than five years old are caused by malaria and malaria causes absenteeism in schools, offices and markets with effects on the economy.

15

entertainment

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Juliet Ibrahim wins Hero of the Month Award

By Joan Omionawele

G

HANAIAN actress, Juliet Ibrahim has no doubt had a good year so far. From winning various awards to expanding on the business sphere with her new make up line ‘ shadesbyjulietIbrahim.

This time the Actress’s foundation , Juliet Ibrahim foundation which was launched in honour of cancer and kidney patients earned her the hero of the month by REEL AFRICAN, a South African Body.

An exited Ibrahim wrote on her Twitter handle after receiving the award “ I am

honoured, blessed and humbled to receive the ‘hero of the month’ award for October 2016 by Reel African in South Africa.

The Juliet Ibrahim foundation which works within various communities across the continent and being recognised for these works as well as

being appreciated for my contribution to the film industry is a blessing.

She further wrote “it is great to know that one’s work is followed off screen and I truly cherish this award and hope to continue to be a role model to young women on the continent and beyond.

Nollywood Marketers’ First Investiture and Award holds on Sunday THE first Investiture and Award Ceremony of Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, ( FVPMAN) Lagos Branch will take place on Sunday, 30th October at the Rock View Hotel in Festac town.

This was announced by the Chairman of the association Mr. Emeka Aduah, who said that the association will henceforth continue to reward those who have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the industry. Aduah, said red carpet for days event will commence by 3pm .

The award category includes Nollywood Pacesetter award, Nollywood Legendary award, best upcoming artistes male and female, Nollywood evergreen award and Nollywood Leadership award.

Aduah said the industry is opening new frontiers of recognition, by further raising the stakes to reward

some of the best talents in different categories with its first investiture and award ceremony couple with other programmes lined up by the association to clean up what he considered as the impediments suffered by practitioners and lovers of Nigerian movies over time by bringing in reforms in different areas to suit and please the consumers most especially, lovers of Nigerian movies whom he said have kept the industry alive by patronizing and criticising them.

Speaking on some of these reforms, Aduah said, the association has ensured that consumers buy sequel films and they see the end of those films, most especially films that have four or more parts as the case might be. Aduah said in the past, viewers didn’t get to see the end since they come different titles, but the association has ensured that all the films

must start with a title and end with it and no movie must exceed 52 minutes .

Aduah further declared pirates as the greatest menace of the industry, as they’ve reaped where they did not sow, hence the association is leaving no stone unturned in this regard, as those caught are currently facing the law.

He also pledged that the association will do more in this regard to weed off more pirates. Another major problem Aduah considered as a threat to the growth and development of the industry is the influx of foreign films in the markets.

He said most of the foreign films are not censored, yet they keep flooding the markets and the different organizations responsible in checkmating these activities are not doing anything, yet they sell side by side with Nigerian films that are censored.

‘Kannywood should have given banned actress option to apologise’ Continued from pg2

they told me she had been banned on two or three occasions.

At that point, I couldn’t say much.

years. He sees everything as part of him. I particularly respect him more in “Professor Johnbull” because not everyone would deliver the role the way he does it given the short time we have to rehearse and the peculiarity of his role. Giving somebody a script and he instantly tries to get the whole technical words within a short period of time without too much rehearsal is certainly only what a man who is a professional can do. We get the script on set.

Mercy is natural. She remains a darling in the industry.

Mercy is one of the rare actresses who take any role given to them and do them with so much dexterity. She always kills it with her kind of English. I think she has been consistent.

I think she has been taking that kind of role recently. Nevertheless she enjoins doing it. She is even tired of other roles.

Comments on RahamaSadua’s ban from Kannywood I saw the musical video[I Love You] by ClassiQ last week on Youtube. A lot of those who supported her, don’t see the reason she was banned. Yes, I know that banning her is not the solution in a situation like this. People make mistakes and when you give them an opportunity to talk and apologise they might get better. However, what I want our people to understand is that Kannywood and Nollywood operate with different rules. Though Nollywood is the umbrella body, Kannywood has its own code of conduct. A lot of the things allowed in Nollywood are not allowed in Kannywood because of the culture, tradition and environment. When you say, “Hey, I have to do what I want to do because these people are hypocrites” you are not being fair to yourself. You don’t have to be a hypocrite to expose a hypocrite.

According to the code of conduct of Kannywood, what codes in clear terms did she break?

The hugging. In Kannywood, people don’t kiss; they don’t hug and men and women don’t hold hands or have any body contacts unless they are married. It is an immoral act in Islam to hug the opposite sex. I believe even in Christianity, there are rules. It is because our people are copying America too much that our rules are changing. So, sometimes we forget where we come from, we forget we have spiritual guidelines.

Would you say that she was banned because of the

How do you see Kannywood?

There has been a rapid growth in Kannywood. But recently they had a major setback. Some of the scholars and elders recently pulled their support from Kannywood because they see it as a platform of exhibiting all sorts of immorality and giving bad signals to the younger ones. A lot of people see most of the girls in Kannywood as wayward girls; people who don’t have home training. But that is not the case and that is why the Rahama Sadau’s case has become so worrisome. This is a time when some people are trying to convince the elders and scholars that Kannywood is used to educate people about the society and that it is not used to promote immorality. This is a bad development.

Is this one of the reasons the federal government’s plan to build a film village in kano was rejected?

Yes. The elders had raised similar issue before this happened. Stakeholders have also been trying to persuade scholars to consider the project. This is why this situation is a setback. People should not allow stardom to get into their heads.

hugging and body contact?

Yes, it is the mingling that actually warranted the ban. If she had stayed a little distant from him, I don’t think there would have been any problem – that she sat in-between his legs, that they held hands.The clerics believe this will make their daughters wayward. They don’t believe in copying Western culture. It will sound crazy to some people, but if you look at Korean films, they don’t kiss or hug. It was only recently that Bollywood films started light kissing. Wherever we find ourselves, we should obey their rules.

Are you saying there is a call to revive the plan?

I believe going against the movie industry in Kano is not healthy. Because ideally, the government ought to create jobs for the youth and if you are not doing so, you should not criticise what they do without creating an alternative. In the event that the youth have no alternative source of livelihood, you are creating another development issues as they might channel the same energy to crime. But where you have a mechanism that caters for them, you can also checkmate it.

The film village in Kano is a good idea. I believe that with the right mechanism, abuse can be censored. I am not in support of an outright rejection of the plan.

You earlier said that banning her was not the solution, what, in your opinion, would have been the right punishment?

I think they should have given her an opportunity to apologise and may be a light punishment so that others will learn from it. But when I tried to talk to some of the stakeholders,

Would you want it sited elsewhere other than Kano?

Let it still be in Kano. Kano is like the Lagos of the North.

The chunk of the Kannywood stars live in Kano. Kano is where the movie in the north started. This is in fact why the word Kannywood has its origin from Kano.

16

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

with Tunde Ayanda ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com 08034649018

That Banke Balogun’s 40th Birthday THE London social circle stood still as people, the black and whitefolks alike beheld a grandeur when the Managing Director of First City Monument Bank, Ladi Balogun staged the 40th birthday party for his wife, Banke.

In what many described as captivating, the England’s capital was transformed with guests that trooped in from every corner of the world.

Ladi is the son of banking icon, Chief Subomi Balogun, whose wedding to Banke was celebrated about ten years ago.

It was also a grand ceremony that greeted the arrival of their first baby.

Now, the Baloguns are caught in the midst of another celebration.

With the London party gone with all its echoes, there are words of a second leg of the party in Lagos.

Bankole signposts Ijebu News Xtra Magazine Lecture

F

ORMER Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, is set to deliver the 5th anniversary lecture of Ijebu News Xtra Magazine.

The lecture is one of the activities lined up for the magazine’s anniversary celebrations and as expected, the former Speaker will headline this year’s lecture entitled, Ogun State: Stimulating Youths Entrepreneurship Potential In A Recessive Economy.

The lecture, which will attract eminent Nigerians, will hold on October 30, 2016 at the Banquet Hall of Equity Resort, Ijebu Ode. The theme of the lecture, according to the organisers, was chosen to reflect Nigeria’s economic situation as well as proffer what could be the solution.

Dimeji Bankole will, this year, join the likes of former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Otunba Kunle Kalejaye, Prince Gboyega Isiaka and Otunba Seyi Oduntan who had been previous guest speakers at the annual lecture series.

Where is Bola Shagaya?

HER 57th birthday a few days ago fuelled the question concerning her whereabouts.

Hajia Bola Shagaya surprised many of her friends when she opted for a quiet celebration for her 57th birthday.

Those in the know claimed that the confidant of ex-First Lady, Patience Jonathan, unlike her previous birthday celebrations, had the ceremony amidst a handful of friends and wellwishers within the walls of her Abuja home on October 12.

The woman, for unknown reasons, had dumped her old interests, she now avoids social gatherings and maintains a low profile.

Some of her friends attribute her new lifestyle to her decision to focus more on her business.

Akeem Dickson lands plum job LAGOS socialite, Akeem Dickson has become something of a golden child whose presence at any social function in the urban city now draws attention.

Before now, the businessman was just a regular politician, a former Chairman of Surulere Local Government and cur Ofve cuti Exe ef rently the Chi ficer of Citiwide Construction . and Transport Nigeria Limited ed nam was Recently, Akeem as the new Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commis sion, an appointment that drew a huge approval from people who know how the Citiwide boss can spread his experience in safety practices at work and r construction projects to bea te. on the manda

Segun Oniru prepares ahead

EVER wond ered why P rince of Lagos, Arem o Segun On iru has chosen to stay off th e public glare?

The puzzle is fast fallin g into place with the recent gist that the socialit e is being prepared for somethin g big The man, w . hose 50th day party w b as staged to irthreconcile singing duo D’banj, is pla , Don Jazzy and ying it low.

There are talks that th sition the e poA groomed fo remo is being r is not direc tly politically-rela ted. The gen tleman, a blue-bloo d, is undergo in telage for a position wh g tuich only enjoys the w hispers for n ow.

Party time again for the Alakijas

BUSINESS mogul, Folorunso Alakija is ready to ignite the Lagos party scene again as the news filtered in that one of her children, Folarin is set to sign the dotted lines.

The ballroom of the Oriental Hotel in Lagos will once again wear its usual designs as it sets to hold one of the biggest events of the year.

Come November 19, the Alakijas are set to host their in-law from Iran as they storm Lagos to witness the matrimony between their daughter, Naganin and Folarin Alakija.

From all indications, the wedding ceremony is going to be a big affair and the news on the lips of many in the social circle.

The wedding is the second grand party the rich family will stage in 2016, the 65th birthday party of the rated Africa’s second richest woman four months ago still echoes round the city of Lagos.

17

29 October, 2016

Divorce

Court & Crime

I set a trap for her and she walked into it,man tells court Rumour mongers are responsible for our problem —wife

He beats me, destroys household items whenever he is angry —Wife It’s due to economic recession in the country —Husband

A

ccusing her husband of being violent and irresponsible, a 34-year-old trader, Adebisi Abiodun, has pleaded with an Agege Customary Court in Lagos State, to dissolve her eight-year-old marriage.

“My husband is destructive and he no longer cares for me and the children.

“He destroys household items whenever he is angry and constantly beats me when I try to find out why he comes home late or why he sleeps outside the matrimonial home.

“He would lock the doors so that I won’t escape and to prevent intervention by neighbours.

“He has no interest in my welfare and has not been responsible for the children’s up-

keep,” she told the court.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the petitioner, who described her husband as an irresponsible and a violent man, pleaded with the court to separate them, saying “I am no longer interested in the union; the love I have for him has faded.

“I also want my husband to take full responsibility of the children’s education as my finances

inside

Saturday Tribune

cannot care for all the expenses.”

The respondent did not deny the petitioner’s claims.

Abiodun, who is a fashion designer, attributed his behaviour to the dwindling fortunes in business which, he said, was due to “economic recession”.

“I have been living on the goodwill of friends. I agree totally to the dissolution of marriage.”

Mr Philip Williams, the court’s President, adjourned the case to December 13 for judgment.

I’ve pictures of my wife cuddling her manfriend —Husband He does not understand me at all —Wife

See pages 18 & 23

An Agege Customary Court in Lagos State, has dissolved the 12-year-old marriage between Patrick Idoko and his wife, Udoka, over infidelity, lack of love and trust.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Patrick, 40, described his wife as troublesome and uncaring.

He had approached the court to dissolve the marriage on grounds of infidelity, lack of love and care for him and the four children of the union.

He said their marriage was crisis-free until two years ago when he suspected Udoka was having extra-marital affairs. “l set a trap for her and she fell for it on January 12 and since then, my wife refused to come home.

“Due to her shameful act, she left me and I have been taking care of the children.”

The petitioner said he secretly installed a memory card on the new phone he bought for her to record her conversations.

“The playback of the phone revealed the secret conversations between the respondent and her secret lover.”

In her response, Udoka, denied all the allegations levelled against her and pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage, attributing her travails to rumour mongers in their neighbourhood.

The petitioner had earlier accepted to take the woman back on the condition that she subjected herself to some “spiritual cleansing”.

The respondent agreed to the terms, but refused to follow the husband to the village for the cleansing.

Dissolving the union, the President of the court, Mr Philip Williams, said: “The relationship between the couple has broken down completely and the respondent shows she is no more interested in the marriage.”

He asked both parties to go their separate ways and warned them to desist from blackmailing and harassing each other.

The president warned the respondent not to go to the petitioner’s residence, work place or his church to cause trouble and directed that the marriage dissolution certificate should be sent to Udoka to inform her about the development.

18

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

courtandcrime

I’ve pictures of my wife cuddling her manfriend —Husband

He does not understand me at all —Wife

By Ayomide Owonibi-Odekanye

A

man has approached an Igando Customary Court in Lagos State seeking the dissolution of his six-yearold marriage over allegations of infidelity.

Akintunde Jamilu had approached the court pleading that his marriage be ended, claiming that his wife is promiscuous and arrogant.

“I got married to Fatima traditionally about six years ago. She was humble and peace loving. She suddenly changed when my business started crumbling. I invested in a new shop but I was duped by the estate agent. The shop was locked for a year and by the time it was opened I lost so much money. I depended so much on my wife during this period. “ Though, she didn’t complain at first but I noticed her attitude towards me changed. She started insulting me and my mother who was staying with us at that time. She would leave our three-year-old twins with my aged mother and go for parties, coming back at odd hours and caring less whether the children are fed or not.

“I started hearing rumours that she was dating one landlord in Ikotun. I made investigations and discovered that it was true. I even had one of the man’s neighbours snapped a picture of them when they were cuddling.

I confronted her and she denied it claiming that the man was a customer who supplies her with wood for her business. “ I want this court to end this marriage because my wife is not ready to change. I even called a family meeting hoping that she would somehow feel remorseful and change. But instead she stormed out of the meeting and insulted my family members. I want custody of my children because I have been the one taking care of them,” he said.

The respondent, however, denied the allegations pleading with the court not to end the marriage as she was still in love with her husband.

“My husband does not understand me at all. My kind of business requires that I stay out late a little because I need to build my contacts. I am not a wicked mother. I make sure that the children are comfortable. His parents and some of his family members are so demanding. They besiege our house asking for all sorts of favours. I am tired of his family’s interference. I am ready to change and abide by his rules,” she said.

President of the court,Adegboyega Omilola adjourned the matter to November 8 for report on possible settlement.

I didn’t study him well before I became pregnant —Wife She’s a wayward lady —Husband “My husband is irresponsible; he has turned me into a punching bag, I am no longer interested in the union,” a 30-year-old housewife, Mariam Akeem, has told a Lagos court.

“I want the loveless marriage dissolved,” she pleaded with an Agege Customary Court in Lagos State.

Mariam, a mother of one said she regretted marrying Iyanu Moses, a 36-year-old businessman, for seven years.

She said she had not studied her husband well before she discovered that she was pregnant.

“I want us to go our separate ways and l want him to take full responsibility for our child’s education.

“My husband is troublesome and he constantly beats me over minor issues,” she told the court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the petitioner’s mother, Mrs Doris Akeem, who was present in the court, said the respondent had been very troublesome. “l tried to stop the relationship until my daughter became pregnant for him,” she said.

Moses, however, denied the allegations, accusing the wife of infidelity.

He pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying “I am still in love with my wife.”

President of the court, Mr Philip Williams, advised the estranged couple, especially the petitioner to be submissive and warned the husband not to lift his hand against his wife again.

He adjourned the case to November 24 for a possible mediation and reconciliation.

He deserted us and stopped sending money to us —Wife

We are not really husband and wife —Husband

My wife is first-class prostitute, a drunkard, husband tells court He steals my money and contributes nothing to the family —Wife AN man, Ibrahim Ekeolu, has said that his wife, Taiwo, is a first class prostitute.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ekeolu made the assertion on Friday when he testified in a divorce petition instituted by his wife at Mapo Customary Court, Ibadan, Oyo State against him.

The respondent, who denied the allegations in the petition, accepted the divorce request from his wife.

“Your honour, Taiwo is a first class prostitute, who thinks she can continue to fool me.

“Taiwo goes out and returns home at anytime she feels, staying two or three months with her parents.

“In this state of constant abandonment, I saw Taiwo cooking very early one morning, she told me that one of her relatives was sick and needed food in the hospital.

“She took the food and I carefully trailed her, I saw her entering a hotel with the food.

“Though, I couldn’t get the room she entered, but I waited until she came out with her concubine and both of them sighted me and they took another direction out.

“Taiwo knew what I was going to do, when she got home, she packed out with most of my belongings.

“Taiwo as a woman is a drunkard, when she returns home late, alcohol smells all over her body and sleeps to unconsciousness.

“When I reported the incident to her parents, supported her as they usually did,” Ibrahim explained.

But, Taiwo had urged the court to dissolve her six-year-old marriage to her husband for allegedly stealing her money.

The mother of one told the court that her husband was crippling her life through constant theft of her capital.

“For a number of times, Ekeolu had stolen the money meant for my business despite the fact that he does not make any contribution to it.

“He has stolen thousands of naira from me to cripple my business and if I ask, he turns me into a punching bag.

“Your honour, he battered me one day such that I collapsed into the gutter. Each time he beats me, I end up in the hospital.

“As if those are not enough, he doesn’t want to know how our only child and I sustain our lives. Worst of all, he is jobless and does nothing about it,” Taiwo said.

President of the court, Mr Henric Agbaje, asked the couple to produce evidence to support their claims, and adjourned the case till November 13 for judgement.

AN Ado-Ekiti Customary Court in Ekiti State has dissolved the five-year-old marriage between Okunola Adebola and her husband, Oluwasayo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the marriage was dissolved on grounds of desertion and lack of care for her and the only child.

Adebola told the court that they were both paying the child’s school fees, but he suddenly stopped.

She told the court that she had sought for the husband’s assistance on the school fees on several occasions, but he refused.

The mother of one said that she had been responsible for the welfare of the child in the last three years.

She told the court that her husband was fond of referring to her as a lazy and jobless wife.

According to her, sometimes he will drop N20, 000 for the child school fees, while she is responsible for feeding and payment of the house rent.

She claimed that they had disagreement on sale of clothes that he sent from abroad as he claimed that she did not remit the proceeds to him.

Adebola said ever since then, he came to pack all he bought for her like house equipment, including her sewing machine.

She, therefore, prayed the court to award her the custody of the four-year-old child.

Adebola also prayed the court to direct her husband to be paying N15, 000 monthly as the child’s feeding allowance.

But the respondent described the woman as his ex-girl friend.

He said that their relationship did not last for a month and since then he had been responsible for her pregnancy, including her antenatal treatment.

He told the court that he had invested so much in her.

Oluwasayo said he shipped three containers of wears to her to sell and remit the proceeds to him, but she mismanaged the money.

He said he provided foods, clothes and other house equipment for her to be comfortable, but she was not satisfied.

The respondent said the woman was a lazy woman who was not ready to work, adding that he bought different sewing machines for her, but she refused to make use of them.

He said that his wife usually visited him and whenever she came, he would give her transport fare because he often travelled abroad.

He, therefore, prayed the court to award him the custody of the child so that he could put him in a boarding school for proper care.

President of the Court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, in his judgement, observed that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved the marriage.

Ogunsemi ruled that the custody of the child should be awarded to the petitioner, while the respondent should be responsible for his education.

He ordered that the respondent should be paying the sum of N5, 000 as the child’s monthly feeding allowance and N5, 000 for his medical expenses.

He also ordered that the respondent should pay two years rent of N30, 000 per annum to the petitioner to ensure comfortable accommodation for the child.

Ogunsemi said on the attainment of six years of age by the child, the respondent could apply for a review of the orders on this issue.

He granted access to the respondent to see his child.

I prefer to be single than continue to live with him —Wife

‘I’ll change and be a responsible husband’

WITH tears rolling down her cheek, a housewife, Mrs Grace Olorunfemi, prayed an Akure Customary Court in Ondo State, to dissolve her 11-year-old marriage, which, she claimed, turned her into a slave.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Olorunfemi submitted that continued marriage to Abiodun would be tantamount to endless servitude.

She alleged that her husband had no care for her and their two children, compelling her to engage in manual labour to fend for the family.

“I prefer to be single than continue to live with Abiodun. He thought I am in his house as a slave,” Grace told the court.

She submitted that in spite of her complaints, Abiodun failed to repent.

However, Abiodun told the court that he was not ready for divorce.

He promised to change his attitude and be a responsible husband.

President of the court, Mr Rotimi Olusanya, advised the respondent to turn a new leaf to save his marriage.

Olusanya also urged Olorunfemi to be patient and see if her husband would change his attitude.

He adjourned the case till November 17 for further hearing.

He beats me, abadoned us for another woman —Wife

AN Ado-Ekiti Customary Court in Ekiti State has dissolved the two-year-old marriage of a couple, Kemisola Adeniyi and Saheed, her husband.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the marriage was dissolved on the ground that Saheed was not caring for Kemisola and their only child.

Kemisola, 24, told the court to dissolve the marriage because Saheed had insisted that he was no longer in love.

The mother of one said that Saheed was always beating her and abandoning her to go and stay with another woman.

Kemisola said she was tired of the marriage, pleading with the court to separate them and award her custody of their child.

But Saheed, 30, admitted that he had beaten Kemisola once and that he had moved in with another woman, who had also left him.

He pleaded with Kemisola not to leave him.

President of the court, Mrs Olayinka Akomolede, in her judgement, observed that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and consequently, dissolved the marriage.

She ruled that the custody of the child should be given to Kemisola and that Saheed should be responsible for the upkeep of the child.

She also ordered that Saheed should be paying N5, 000 as the child’s monthly feeding allowance.

He derives pleasure in beating the hell out of me —Wife ‘She has been starving me of sex, hence our constant rift’ A Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday dissolved a 22-year-old marriage between Idayat and her husband, Wasiu Adekunbi, over allegations of threats to life.

President of the court, Mr Henric Agbaje, held that the court decided to put an end to the union between Idayat and Wasiu in the interest of peaceful coexistence.

“Since the relationship between Idayat and Wasiu has now become the relationship of cat and rat, it is the duty of the court to forestall any loss of life.

“Therefore, the union between both of you has ceased to

be henceforth.

“Wasiu shall take custody of the first six children, while Idayat is granted custody of the last child because she is still a minor.

“Wasiu shall pay a monthly feeding allowance of N3,000 for the upkeep of the child and shall produce them in the court anytime Idayat desires seeing them,” he said.

Idayat explained that Wasiu would soon put an end to her life through incessant battery if the court refused to separate them.

He’s planning to use our son for ritual —Wife I only wanted to cure him of his stealing habit —Husband

A Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday dissolved a 12-year-old marriage between Sekinat and her husband, Raufu Abdulakeem.

Sekinat had accused the husband of trying to use their 11-year-old child for ritual.

Mr Ademola Odunade, the President of the court said it was the couple’s decision to part ways.

He awarded custody of the two children produced by the union to Sekinat for proper care.

The arbitrator directed Raufu to pay a monthly feeding allowance of N3,000 for the upkeep of each of their two children, and also take care of their education and welfare.

Earlier, in her petition before the court, Sekinat alleged that the husband has sent her out of their house in order to offer their 11-year-old child for sacrifice.

“My lord, after Raufu had sent me packing from his home more than a

23

year ago, I came across our 11-year-old first child recently and I saw multiple razor mutilations all over his body.

“It was a gory site to behold, and I immediately became apprehensive of what my two children were undergoing in my absence with Raufu.

“Then, the child told me that his father, Raufu took him to a ritualist who compelled him to carry some sacrificial objects at 1am, after designing his body parts with razor mutilations.

“The boy further said that his father, Raufu had alleged that he was trying to prevent him from further stealing and that was the reason for the sacrifice.

“My lord, the fundamental question at this point is that Raufu is an Alfa with strong Islamic background, what is his association

with a herbalist, and making a child at that tender age to undergo such a midnight exercise.

“Before sending me out of his house, Raufu had subjected me to such dehumanising experiences such as regular battery and inadequate care for the two children and I. “I have all along been responsible for the welfare of the children and I want to have custody of all the children because he might use them for ritual,” Sekinat stated.

Raufu, however, denied any attempt to sacrifice the child, saying he took the child to the herbalist to cure him of stealing habits.

“My lord, he is my son, I cannot use him for anything negative, but to take care of his spiritual deficiency,” Raufu said.

“My lord, Adekunbi now derives pleasure in beating the hell out of me not minding any circumstance.

“In fact, he is also sounding it as a note of warning to me that he would soon put an end to my life.

“Aside from that, he doesn’t even take my relatives as anything as he takes them for a pinch of salt.

“I have seven children, and I want to reap the fruits of my labour,” Idayat stated.

However, Adekunbi who happily agreed with the divorce suit categorically stated that he beats her.

“My lord, it is true that Idayat and I have been having running battle since the last ten days over the pregnancy she cannot explain how it came about.

“For over three months now, Idayat has been starving me of sexual intercourse.

“Let me state that Idayat and I are farmers and our farmlands are not within Ibadan.

“Sometimes, she may stay away at the farm venue for two to three months and I will be the one looking after the children.

“So, when Idayat returned home ten days ago, I observed that her tummy was already protruding and she has started showing symptoms she usually exhibit during pregnancy.

“When I asked her, she laughed and I told her to return the pregnancy to whoever owned it.

“I reported the matter to her elder sister and parents, they all fought me.

“For more than three months, Idayat did not allow me access to my conjugal right to her,” Wasiu stated.

19

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos Editor Lanre Adewole m: 0811 695 4637

e: olanreade@yahoo.com

Recession: Residents besiege family planning clinics

pg22

General hospitals: A tale of sorrow,

frustration, avoidable deaths •I was asked to stay in same room with corpses —Patient •Hospitals understaffed but... —Deputy CMD •We are working to improve services —Govt

BOLA BADMUS, SHOLA ADEKOLA, NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA, KEHINDE AKINSEHINDE-JAIYEOBA, NAZA OKOLI and SYLVESTER OKORUWA help Lagosians tell their sordid stories patronising state-owned general hospitals.

P

UBLIC health services are not on the list of things that a sizable number of residents in Lagos State are presently very cheery about. But the government says that it is not unaware of the state of affairs in its hospitals and, therefore, is giving the populace the assurance of something far removed from a raw deal health-wise. It says it is taking drastic steps to make this phase in its health sector pass.

“The government is out to address all issues that pertain to quality of care,” says the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris.

In the meantime, many residents agree that negligence on the part of hospital management, doctors and nurses are some of the factors militating against quality health services in these facilities.

Most of the general hospitals, which once served as the last hope of the masses who tried to avoid the killing charges of pri-

vate hospitals, are found to have become almost inaccessible to this class of people because of systemic problems.

At the general hospitals, the idea of getting quick attention from the personnel, it was gathered, has become a wishful thinking. It has been claimed that a sick person who arrives as early as 8.00 a.m. may be unable to see a doctor before 4.00 p.m. or the following day, for “frivolous reasons.” Against this background, there are said to be a flurry of

complaints about the state hospitals.

Carelessness on the part of the health officials despite the huge funds the state government has sunk into the hospitals has been blamed as the number one cause of sorrow for patients seeking medical succour at these facilities.

Allegations are rife as to how emergency patients are always neglected due to bottlenecks created by health officials for Continues on pg20

20

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

Saturday Tribune

Weekend Lagos were not solely the fault of the doctors but as a result of being overburdened. He said there was still a large gap in the patient-doctor ratio which at times meant the patients were treated by other doctors outside of their specialisation. He said this was one of the causes of preventable deaths in these hospitals.

Continued from pg19

no genuine reasons. “It is either a competent doctor is not on the ground or there is a shortage of doctors or the nurses to prepare the patient who is between life and death for admission or consultant is in one corner attending to other extraneous, non-important issues. Many patients on critical list have died for these obvious facts while others have become frustrated and discouraged by the unpalatable experiences they went through at the hands of the hospital officials,” a respondent who sought anonymity told Saturday Tribune.

The alleged unprofessional attitude of the health officials has reportedly pushed many patients to the hands of exploitative private hospitals while those who do not have the financial muscle to approach private hospitals have remained at the mercy of workers at the general hospitals.

Our stories –Patients, relatives Many have described the state hospitals as places of negligence and frustration with many stories of woe to tell.

Mrs Lolade Olaoye, who once went to a certain general hospital (name withheld) to treat her infected leg, lamented the experience she passed through for the three days she was in the hospital before she finally begged to be discharged to seek treatment elsewhere. The woman, who claimed she got to the hospital around 11.00 p.m., said she was attended to at the emergency ward of the hospital where she was given prescriptions and later admitted to a female ward of the hospital, which was on the first floor.

She recounted her consternation when she was asked to stay in the same ward with what turned out to be two corpses. Upon inquiry from the nurses around as to why corpses were kept in the ward rather than evacuated to the mortuary, she said she was told that was the norm in the hospital to allow corpses of patients that died after 6.00 p.m. to remain in the wards till when mortuary attendants would resume duty, in the morning.

Olaoye, unable to sleep around the dead, said she asked to be returned to the emergency ward, where she stayed till the following morning.

“Out of fear, that night, my wife left for the emergency ward where her condition became worse until morning, when she returned to that ward,” the husband, Mr Olaoye, corroborated her wife’s claim, stating other miseries they faced in the hospital.

“That Thursday morning when I got there to check her at the ward, I was not allowed access until 4.30 p.m., before I could pay for drugs and blood sample test. They said they needed two blood samples but I went to the nurses on duty to tell them my frustration. They informed me that they didn’t take blood samples; that only a doctor could do that and there was no doctor on duty.”

Also to the chagrin of everyone, no doctor was available to attend to his wife as of the time he first visited his wife in the hospital.

“And patients died like fowls within the three days I stayed in the female ward,” Mrs Olaoye interjected.

According to her, at least, 10 deaths were recorded daily for the three days she spent in the hospital before she begged for an immediate discharge to seek better treatment elsewhere.

The distraught woman also narrated the tale of an accident victim who was rushed to the same hospital in the night in a serious condition. She said it took almost an hour before the nurses on duty could be woken up to attend to the man.

According to her, by the time the doctor came around, the victim had given up the ghost.

“My wife was forced to request to be discharged from the hospital because of the ugly incident

and lack of care for life on the part of the hospital management. Even for drugs and prescriptions to be administered on you, you are at their mercy; you have to beg. I was the one that was begging them. But services at the payment points were effective,” Mr Olaoye said.

The story was not different at another general hospital (name withheld), where Saturday Tribune visited. A doctor was said to have recently told a man who brought his father for treatment to look for another health facility if he actually loved his father and wanted to continue to have him around.

Another source, who only spoke on the condition of anonymity, told of how a friend of his, whose son had convulsion, was refused admission at the same hospital. “A friend of mine took his son suffering from convulsion to the general hospital. The son was inside the car twisting and turning for hours. No admission. The doctors were not just there,” he said.

Only a few months ago, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported the story of a woman whose husband’s corpse was “seized” by a general hospital in Lagos (name withheld) after the woman had failed to pay for the blood transfusion given to her husband before he died. However, the woman (identified as Esther Solomon) had alleged that her husband who was admitted to the emergency unit died due to negligence on the part of the hospital management.

“I paid N4,500 before they brought the blood and transfused it in my husband and I was told the money was made for the processing of the blood. Now, my husband is dead and they said I should pay N15,000 for the blood or bring someone who will donate the blood to the hospital because the blood was borrowed,” she said.

Solomon said her husband would have sur-

We are working to make our hospitals better —Commissioner

vived but for a power failure in the hospital which occurred moments after her husband was “placed on oxygen.”

“Immediately the light went off, it was not up to five minutes before I discovered that my husband who had been placed on oxygen had stopped breathing and when I shook him I was convinced that he was dead,” she added.

According to the report, Solomon’s account was corroborated by a witness (identified as Blessing) whose mother was at the hospital at the time.

Relating her own experience, Blessing said: “When we brought my mother to the hospital I rushed to the emergency unit to alert the nurses of our arrival so that my mother would be taken into the ward. But they said we should bring her in by ourselves and there was no way only I and my brother could carry her into the emergency unit.

“We had to look for a wheel chair by ourselves before we could bring in my mother into the ward. Even when the power outage occurred in the health facility, I thought they would switch on the generator immediately but it took about thirty minutes before power was restored in the ward. I had to start fanning my mother who was also placed on oxygen, using a hand fan pending when the light would be restored.”

More bodies, fewer hands At another general hospital in the state, it is always a beehive of activities from as early as 6.00 a.m. to late in the night, especially at the maternity clinic of the centre. A routine ante-natal clinic has been noted to be an all-day affair as the number of patients was obviously more than the number of hands to attend to them.

Saturday Tribune gathered that gynae-

cologists and obstetricians at the hospital were not more than five, thus they could not afford to go on shifts. However, the teeming pregnant women, who are mostly left stranded despite that these doctors work round the clock, undermine the doctors’ efforts.

Kemi, a pregnant patient, during her antenatal check-up, told Saturday Tribune that sometime last year when she came with a friend who had a missed abortion, the same doctor who attended to them in the morning was also the one who carried out the evacuation of the dead foetus late at night.

“We got here around 7.00 a.m. and went through the usual checks but could not see the doctor till 1.00 p.m. The doctor we met on ground checked my friend and asked us to do a pelvic scan. After doing the scan, we got back to the hospital around 4pm, and the same doctor said an evacuation will be done. At about 10.00 p.m., my friend went in for the minor surgery done by this same doctor, which made me wonder how he could attend to patients from morning to midnight.

“Midway through the procedure, the light went off. My friend’s husband had to go in and help hold the touch for the doctor to see. Even when there was light, the theatre lamp was not illuminating enough as the nurse held a torch for the doctor too,” Kemi said.

“I wouldn’t lie to you, we see more than 200 patients a day, both in and out patients. We sometimes get exhausted handling them,” one of the pharmacists confessed to Saturday Tribune. She spoke like someone carrying a weight of silence: “The government should employ more nurses and doctors. There are a lot of them out there looking for jobs. There is no division of labour

here. For instance, I am the only one doing evaluation and assessment for over 200 patients.

We also have a problem of space. We have not enough rooms to take in patients. A part of the wall was leaking until we were moved. More houses should be built for pharmacy section. We are joined with every unit. That is why everybody comes here, making this place jam-packed.”

Dr Keshinro, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer in one of the hospitals, Ifako Ijaye General Hospital, spoke to Saturday Tribune after attending to many patients himself. “Sometimes we have this upsurge of patients. You know, this place is centrally located. People have easy access to the facility here. For a good number of days, we have been experiencing that. I think the reason is that it is easy for people to have access to the general hospitals than any other hospitals.

Some of our patients come from outside Lagos.

At times, it stresses the doctors, who have had to work harder. Sometimes they have to close for work later than they should,” he explained.

He also responded to inquiries about the hospital structure and staffing. “We try to maintain what we have here. We update and replace our facility from time to time. But as long as any of our facility is still working we continue to use it, except it breaks down or shows sign of it.

“Shortage of staff is not only peculiar to here alone. It is everywhere. However, we are coping with what we have. Building more hospitals or expanding existing ones can never put the government at disadvantage. Hospitals can never be more than enough. Even if they build twice the size of this, they still need to build more blocks to expand it because the population keeps growing.”

Another senior officer who pleaded anonymity explained that most cases of unprofessionalism

Indelible pains An elderly woman (who didn’t want her name in print) tearfully recalled how her husband died in a certain general hospital eight years ago.

“On that fateful day, my children and I rushed him to xxxx General Hospital. At the emergency section, the doctor gave my husband insulin injection even when my husband was not a diabetic patient after I told him not to give him the insulin injection. The insulin injection led to serious complication which led to his death. But my daughter, a journalist, called the then commissioner for health who pleaded with the family not to take legal action,” she said.

A female reporter with a popular television station, recently, at a press conference organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Health with the Commissioner of Health in attendance, recalled, in tears, how she lost her second child due to negligence.

“On that fateful day in December 2014, while feeling like my due date to deliver was close, I went to one of the Lagos State general hospitals. Incidentally, it was a public holiday. There was no doctor to attend to me. I called the commissioner for health who called one of the doctors to attend to me. The doctor came and examined me. After the examination, I felt my baby was no longer moving after three days. I went back to the hospital only to be told that my baby was dead.”

A doctor’s defence The Chief Medical Director, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba, Dr Richard Adebayo, said the case of negligence and unprofessionalism should be viewed in two broad ways; the system and then the professionals themselves.

“Those are the areas we need to look at.

Does the system give room for negligence?

When you have scarcity of staff, when you have infrastructural decay, what do you expect the workers to do? No matter how competent they may be, they will still have problems. When power can go off and on in a hospital theatre during operation and the generator is not functioning well, what will you expect the competent physician to do?

“So, when we have systemic problems like these, we cannot expect patients to be properly treated. We are in a system where the equipment are obsolete, where drugs are substandard. We have to be very sincere; we cannot blame professionals all the time in all cases of negligence. Because these same practitioners, when they leave the shores of this country where there are laws guiding the profession, where the system allows for excellence, it is very rare for them to complain about negligence.

“Our health officials when they travel abroad, they are celebrated, the same people that we condemn here. The problem is not only about infrastructure or number of staff, how about laws? Do we have health bills that have been passed and are being implemented? What of staff remuneration? There are a lot of staff who are being owed salary here and there. This is

This is beyond Lagos State. When you talk about negligence, it permeates the entire country. We hear that doctors are being paid half salary. How can you get the best input from these people? beyond Lagos State. When you talk about negligence, it permeates the entire country. We hear that doctors are being paid half salary. How can you get the best input from these people? The system is one aspect of it.

“The second aspect is the professionals themselves. I agree that some professionals are to blame as regards the issue of medical ethics. We handle lives. And we must handle lives with utmost professionalism, with utmost respect and dignity.

But unfortunately a lot of health workers have abandoned this. It is appalling. It is disgusting. Because you have issues with the government, is that enough reason to abandon the patients? You don’t care about their condition as if they are the ones you are fighting, people we have admitted; people in our care. It is all disheartening.

I think we need to wake up. Both the government and health workers need to wake up. I believe that if lives are lost and people don’t take it as the will of God and they sue hospitals, both the management and government will wake up.”

Government speaks Reacting, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, told Saturday Tribune that the state government would not rest until the situation is put under control.

“We are aware that the hospitals are staff starved. However, that there is a shortage of staff is not enough reason for unprofessionalism. We will not condone that. We are currently addressing the issue of staff shortage. People are feeling it much particularly because of the pressure on our system. The population of Lagos keeps increasing. We have upsurge of people coming from other states to Lagos. And we are also trying to address that as a government. The governor is very keen on addressing this issue. He has been discussing how best to tackle the issue.

“We are also looking to involve the private sector because of the load on our system. Currently there is a plan to renovate most of the general hospitals. It is going to commence in a few weeks. Everything cannot be done in one fell swoop. We have started here and we will get to all the levels of healthcare in the state.

“With respect to staff attitude, I want to believe that in every family, there is the black sheep. One major thing we are trying to address especially as it relates to the quality of care is a campaign on attitudinal change. Our attitude to healthcare must change.

21

“Secondly we also need to retrain people.

We are increasing monitoring activities right from the ministry to every government-owned health care centre. We are involving the private sector.

“We are involving civil society and community members to give us situational reports so that we know how to address things. We are also involving people, we want those who have these experiences to come to us. Let us know. We need mystery shoppers to visit these hospitals and brief us on the quality of service delivery reports. We will address any report we get.

And let me say again that any case we confirm as due to negligence will attract sanction on those involved.

“Now, there is what is called Maternal Death Review. Any mother who dies during delivery will be investigated. If it is caused by negligence, we handle the case and if it is inexperience, we train them.

“I know there are bad eggs but all I am saying is that the government is out to address all issues that pertain to quality of care,” he said.

Eko Akete

‘Homes’ away from homes

THE common belief in Lagos is that it is only the mentally-challenged people and area boys that inhabit uncompleted buildings and abandoned government properties. But sadly, the norm is changing, as checks by Eko Akete revealed that families are now finding solace in uncompleted buildings and other abandoned structures.

Eko Akete stumbled on one of such families which have made their place of abode behind a small kiosk on Agboyi Road, Ojota area. When interrogated, the mother of the family sadly revealed that she took the bold step when her landlord gave her quit notice.

“I am a widow and depend on my petty trading to survive. The business crashed when the recession bit hard.

I had to distribute my belongings among friends. I and my two kids sleep behind this kiosk at night. We relocate to the front of the Redeemed Church when it rains”, she said.

She however pointed out that she had concluded plans to move into an uncompleted building down the road. “The place is still under construction. I have spoken to the foreman and he agreed but told me I would have to leave very soon”, she added.

Eko Akete also observed that some families also stay in front of an abandoned building where they sell odds and ends. “My husband is trying to raise money so that we can go back to the East. People wonder if we actually don’t have any friends or family members. But who will harbour a family of five,” another woman lamented.

22

29 October, 2016

Recession: Lagos residents besiege family planning clinics

By Naza Okoli

T

HE Family Clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) was busy last Wednesday. It was well past 2.00 p.m. Doctors and nurses bustled about the narrow corridor that overlooked the main road. Most of them were busy attending to patients. Two male doctors who sat close to entrance declined to speak.

“We are not permitted to speak with journalists,” one of them said.

However, a resident doctor at the hospital who did not wish to be named said there had been an upsurge in the number of clients visiting the family planning clinic since the onset of recession “The awareness is high but a lot still needs to be done in the rural parts.

That’s where the problem really is.

I am not talking about people living outside Lagos. All the slums in Lagos are parts of the rural communities we are talking about. We need people to take the message to them as well.

Family planning is like a course in the university. Take the issue of contraceptives for example. You need a doctor to give you all the available options and then discuss with you what methods are most suitable for you.”

Planning is prevention At G and T Nursing and Maternity, Ilapo Estate, Alagbado, the family planning section is supervised by Mrs Florence Yusuf. She said the “good side” of the recession is that the campaign for family planning is at last receiving the attention and urgency it deserves.

“I want to confirm that there has been an improvement in the rate at which people come for counselling. People have been coming more and more to the clinic. And when they leave, they tell others.

There are a number of NGOs that have also been collaborating with us and other clinics. With the collaboration, the charges are drastically reduced so that almost everybody can afford it.

“Now with recession, I don’t think we need to continue to emphasise the need to plan. What I mean is that the condition is even helping us to spread the message. Everybody now weighs their pocket. You know that every child has a number of fundamental rights, like the right to education, shelter, clothing and food. And those are the basic ones. With the way things are, we are supposed

to have more clients in the family planning clinics across the country. There is no point bringing a child to this world without having any plans for the child.

“Our emphasis is on prevention.

Abortion is not a part of family planning. And, you know, the law of the land does not support abortion. Planning makes it possible for parents to have enough for their children. I have seen parents who would come to the clinic and their children are sick and they cannot even afford the drugs for their treatment, even the cheapest capsules, they cannot buy,” Yusuf said.

Schools and fees Perhaps it is in the task of keeping children in school that the pang of the crisis is most severe.

On September 20, 2016, a Twitter user, IK Osakioduwa (@ ik_osakioduwa) tweeted: “In this … economy, (people) are pricing their children’s school fees, like: ‘How much, if we remove English? And PE?’” Parents who spoke to Saturday Tribune during the week agreed that the rewards of having fewer children to cater for are many at a

time like this.

Mrs Ukamaka Ugwu, a bead maker at Ikotun, said it would have been difficult for her to afford her children’s school fees if they were not only three.

“My children are three,” she said. “Everything we pay every term, combined, is about N32,000. That is still too much.

I don’t know what I would have done if I had more children.”

A former bank worker and father of three, Mr Maxwell Opia-Enwemuche, said he had learned to “cut down on expenses” at home.

“Cutting down on expenses does not mean starving. This should be systematically done. Running costs in the home will always be there. The family must eat and the children’s need must be taken care of. Also avoid the waste of anything. Measure the quantity of food to be consumed and don’t overcook to lead to spoilage and wastage. Buy the quantity of fuel you need, and curtail the number of hours you run your generators.”

Expansion It would seem that it is in re-

Saturday Tribune

sponse to the rising demand for family planning that the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) recently renovated a number of family clinics in Lagos.

The primary healthcare centres that benefitted from the facelift – sponsored by the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation) – include those in Agege, Oshodi-Isolo, and Alimosho local government areas.

Additional centres were selected from Ejigbo, Isolo, Ikosi-Isheri, Aboyi-Ketu, Agbado-Okeodo, and Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The Lagos State team leader of NURHI, Dr Edun Omasanjuwa, said: “The idea behind this project is to increase quality and access to family planning among women and men of reproductive age in Lagos State and in Nigeria as a whole, so that we can increase our contraceptive prevalence rate from the current national level of 15 per cent to 36 per cent.

“Research has shown that family planning saves lives and reduces maternal deaths by up to 40 per cent. So if 10 women were to die as a result of pregnancy, family planning can save three to four of those women.”

Sex and depression Even as the message of restraint has continued to gain ground, Olatoun Ayoola, a sex therapist and owner of the online counselling outfit, Our Intimate Secrets, told Saturday Tribune that there is a natural tendency for people who are idle or depressed to engage in frequent sexual activity.

“I would definitely agree that the present economic situation in Nigeria will definitely make more people have more sex. Imagine someone who has just been sacked.

He or she now has more time on his or her hands to indulge in sex. And sex is quite relaxing, and it’s a form of succour.

“But this present tide will also increase the rate of abortions and family planning method. Most people would not necessarily go for family planning because awareness is still low here in Nigeria. However, there would be higher rate of protection (condom usage), and in cases where pregnancy occurs, abortion is most definitely the next port of call in these trying times,” Ayoola said.

A Reporter’s Diary Painful prices of patriotism Shola Adekola THE job of a reporter, ordinarily, looks glamorous basically for one thing: having the audacity to walk up to the movers and shakers of this world and demand explanations on sundry issues. In most cases, either the ‘big catch’ likes your face or not, he has no choice but to give you news to write.

As a reporter, always have it at the back of your mind that those who claim to like you on the job are merely pretentious as. Actually, they see you as a ‘necessary evil’ they must tolerate.

The moment you lose your job as a reporter, they quickly ignore you because they suddenly realise that you are no longer ‘harmful’ to them.

Having covered the aviation beat for some time, I have incurred the wrath of some key players, in-

cluding ministers who were not comfortable with my style of reporting and have been made to pay dearly for this – twice.

At a point, in order to defend their negligence, they viewed me as tribalistic, whereas they praised me to high heavens when my reports favoured them.

When they discovered that I could not be cowed, two individuals that once held sway in the aviation ministry at different periods decided to wield their ‘big stick.’ The must have their own pound of flesh for my resilience in national interest.

The payback time for one of the former ministers to register was when some journalists were to be sponsored to an aviation conference in South Africa.

For reporting ‘everything’, I was denied the opportunity. This looked petty. But a similar situa-

tion played out again about three years ago. Another erstwhile minister who did not like my style and that of my medium removed my name from the list of journalists billed to accompany her on an official trip to Ethiopia.

I was informed by one of her aides on the eve of our departure that the minister ordered my name dropped even when they had secured a visa for me.

This was another price to pay for doing my job as a reporter.

As a reporter, one is expected to carry out the job professionally without minding whose ox is gored and, in doing this, you should be ready to make sacrifices. But my consolation has always been that my reward will definitely come when there is sanity in the land. The main motivation is to make the world (or is it sky?) a better place.

24

29 October, 2016

voxpop

Saturday Tribune

With Kate Ani

08071080888 anikate92@yahoo.com

Guys, can you quit your job to take care of your children when your wife earns more?

Tunde and his wife of six years, Sade (not real names) face the dilemma of one of them having to quit his/her job so as to take care of their children who hardly see both of them at home due to their tight work schedules. While Tunde earns a paltry sum of money as a laboratory assistant, Sade earns a sizeable amount of money as an investment analyst in a new generation bank. The question that is begging an answer from them was who between them should quit job to take care of the home front.

OLIVIA AGWULOUN asks some Nigerian men what their decisions would be if they found themselves at such a crossroads.

Their reactions:

Ezinne Okoro tance maybe hire the services of a maid. It is a sign of disrespect to allow the husband quit his job to do his wife’s duty.

Olowo Justine That’s not possible. I will never do such thing even if she is the president of the country. We have to work around how to take care of the children. The responsibility is for both of us. Even if she earns 10 times more than me, I won’t quit my job to babysit. At least I married her while working, and from the money I earn as salary.

Bashiru Mohammed What sort of example am I setting for my children if their father who is supposed to provide for them sits at home all in the name of taking care of them? As for me, that is wrong. As much as I love my children, sitting at home with them isn’t the way to take care of them, rather working and providing for their needs is the best care a father can give. Also, as a father, you need to be financially independent; you can’t ask your wife for all your needs, even if she earns more money .

Agustine Nwaeke RAINING a child is the duty of the mother, not the father. Despite my love for my children, quitting my job to take care of them isn’t the best option for me. Rather, I will employ a maid who will cater for them when my wife and I are at work.

T

Uchenna Okoro No, I can’t quit my job to become a ‘house husband’. Even if my wife’s salary is ten times more than mine, she will have to create time for our children. As long as my meager earning is enough to put food on our table and make my family comfortable, as a man and the head of the family, it is my responsibility to cater for them financially.

Esther Anthony The responsibility of training a child is that of both parents. Although I am not of the opinion that one of them has to quit job to take care of their children, if there is understanding be-

Andrew George Yes, I surely will as long as the reason is right and favours us. I would start up a business, especially in this century that one can work from home and yet be more productive than people doing white collar jobs. tween them, a way around the situation can be found. With the current economic situation in the country, there is no case of ‘too much money’ or ‘insufficient money’ because the children would have needs and their needs have to be met. You can’t tell them ‘I am sorry, we can’t afford this or that because I quit my job to stay at home and take care of you’…

John Oladipo It depends on certain conditions. If she is a professional like a doctor or a lawyer. Yes, I can quit my low paying job to take care of our children. Although that doesn’t mean I would just stay at home and do nothing but take care of the children.

Alex Oamen

Aminu Garba I won’t let my wife work for anyone, to start with; I would set up a business for her so that she would have all the time in the world to take care of the family as that’s her primary assign-

ment as a wife and a mother.

Alex Oamen No, I don’t support either of the parents quitting their job except they already have a business at home. We should not tempt ourselves; remember, an idle man is the devil’s workshop, so what is the man going to be doing when the kids are all off to school? The fact that the wife earns more is not enough reason for the husband to quit his job. In homes where wives earn more, it is still the man that bears the responsibility of taking care of the family because most women save up their money for jewellery and clothing.

Ezinne Cordelia It’s not the duty of the father to train up a child or take care of the home. The mother, despite her schedule, has to create time to take care of her family and if her job isn’t flexible enough, then she could seek assis-

25

29 October, 2016

weekend

FUNOLOGY

POLITICO

cartoons

5 years after, actor still suffers physical, emotional and psychological truama

Saturday Tribune

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

Just a Laffing Mata C ol laps i n g Bu s i ne s s

A young man went to his pastor for prayers over his business that was going down.

Young man: Pastor, my enemies are after me again!

Pastor: Son, what is it?

Young man: My business is going down.

Pastor: Ah! Well, that’s no big deal. Kneel down and let me pray for you. ...Aahhhhh, your business will surely rise again! Our church members will buy from you; My family will buy from you! I promise to patronise you soon!

Young man: Amen ooooooh, pastor! Thank you very much, pastor.

Pastor: You’re welcome my son. By the way, what do you sell? Tell me, so that I can announce it during the service on Sunday.

Young man: Oh Sir! Thanks so much. I make and sell coffins.

Pastor: Fireeeeee! Nobody will buy from you! I shall not know your shop! My family will never see your shop! Our members will never buy from you!!!

I decree and declare your business will collapse in Jesus Christ mighty and most powerful name.......

Amen, Amen and Amen!

Segeluulu’s

L uc k

A man mistakenly transferred N800,000 (out of N810,000 balance in his account) to Segeluulu’s account number via mobile money transfer. After much thought on how to get his money back, he came up with an idea of sending a text message to Segeluulu’s phone number stating: “Hello dark and worthy initiate, I hope you’re okay? I believe you have received the money I sent to you. It is for your initiation into the Eternal Mystical Order of Glorious Deadly Satanism in the Ogboni fraternity scheduled to take place tomorrow at 12 midnight. That money is only for your transport. I’ll send you more for shopping. There are riches awaiting you in this kingdom. Two weeks after the initiation, a family member very close to your heart will die; this will unlock your ticket to wealth and you will have the ability to fly at night to any part of the world. Thanks in advance.

But in case you’re not ready to join, please send the money back immediately to avoid your sudden death.” Five minutes later, the man got an SMS from Segeluulu saying: “Please send another N800,000. My friend is also interested. Nigerian economy has frustrated us too much.”

The man fainted immediately...

CANDID SHOT

ABUJA CITY GATE... PHOTO: ADEREMI DAVIES

26

29 October, 2016

outofthisworld

WITH FEMI OSINUSI

osfem2@yahoo.com 08055069292

Is this a plane? No, it’s a five-star hotel in the air

The Boeing 787 five-star hotel.

A

Boeing 787 plane which ordinarily can carry about 400 passengers has been converted into a luxury hotel that looks like a sprawling penthouse or pricey hotel suite.

According to Daily Express of UK, the plane, which is named the Dream Jet by its owners, has a tastefully furnished interior complete with roomy bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, dining rooms, office areas and even cinemas. The plane is designed to carry just 40 passengers.

According to reports, the luxury project was commissioned to be produced by an Asian businessman and was developed by American luxury aircraft customisers, Kestrel Aviation Management and the project took two and a half years to complete.

One of the bedrooms in the plane.

One of the dining sections.

The aisle seats.

The sitting section.

Saturday Tribune

The bathroom.

27

29 October, 2016

The South-West

d l o s I , e c n i r p a Though s o g a L n o s r e newspap o b g O e l I f o u streets —Ol

Editor Kehinde Oyetimi | 08074626431

Saturday Tribune CREW sari Tunde B9u3530 081275 ndare nga - Ogu Yejide G8b1e16706853 0 unesan Tunde O9g54634 08116

t: r us; contac Got news fo bune@yahoo. ttri es hw ne ut so bu @ uthwesttri co.uk or so ail.com gm

ugh ly called Kadara, went thro ce lar pu po je, ba Ag se ye eto was on beeb Ad The Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Oba Ha he eventually climbed success ladder to the top. He go with e at th for s her hazard the rough plain of life be in the odd hours among ot RI in his palace during ing ov m s, go La in or nd ve r SA TUNDE BU a newspape . Oba Agbaje spoke with newspaper distribution job sting revelations. Excerpts: which he made some intere

D

ID you see yourself as a future king when you were a kid?

Before I answer your question, I think it is better I state that I was born a prince from Arowookunjoye ruling house. And in Yorubaland, every prince is entitled to the stool. It is not a matter of whether you have interest or you don’t have. It is a matter of right; right to the throne of your forefathers. So, coming back to the question, when I was growing up among my age mates in our community, I used to see myself as one blessed with special quality apart from being a prince. On many occasions, some people I could not recognize would just appear to me in dream and tell me that I would one day wear crown. These people were old, yet they would all show respect to me. What do you think would happen to a little boy seeing that kind of strange thing? I was frightened but I was matured about it. How I did it; how I was able to handle the situation, I cannot even say. I think it was the manifestation of destiny because another person would have been so scared to go to town with it and mess it up. I kept it to myself and moved on.

What other thing can you recollect of your childhood days?

May be it would interest you to know that another important thing that happened to me has to do with the throne I just talked about.

How? Good. I attended DC Primary School, in Ile-Ogbo here. But at one of the end-of-the-year ceremonies, my teachers picked me to play the role of a king. I did not know how they arrived at that but that was what happened.

Did you play the role or reject it?

Could a pupil have said ‘no’ to his teachers’ order? Education during our time was too strict. Our teachers were even more respected than our parents. In fact, our parents themselves respected teachers. So, our teachers were like small gods. I did not have a choice than to play the role.

What do you think really attracted them to you?

I think they saw me as a more matured student, in terms of comportment and presentation. I already had work experience in Lagos before I went to secondary school and NCE. So, I was a bit more matured using that experience.

Which kind of job did you do in Lagos that you later sacrificed for NCE? Immediately after I completed my school, I left IleOgbo for Lagos. My elder brother was already working in Lagos at Ajegunle. I joined him and started a work.

We were into carpentry work and trying to make ends meet until I made up my mind to continue my education.

I felt education was important to the bright future I saw.

Which secondary school did you then attend in Lagos?

I did not attend school in Lagos. I returned home and started at Luther King Secondary School, Ile-Ogbo.

You were once a carpenter and I also learnt you were a newspaper vendor. How true is this?

I was a vendor and a successful one for that matter. It is a chapter of my history which I am very proud to talk about. It is history which can be useful to our youths who are behaving as if a millionaire is made overnight. As I was thinking of my future shortly after I had completed my NCE, the thought on my mind was not to teach but to go into business. The picture of the exact business to do did not appear to me until I returned to Lagos and I found out that I could make a difference in selling newspaper. I thought over it and started out as a vendor on the streets. By the time I spent some weeks on the streets, I began to like the job because it gave me opportunity to meet different people. Ikeja, Osodi were my regular areas.

day, God’s destiny over me would manifest. I must make it clear that I was not desperate. I don’t believe in a do-ordie approach. I know that whatever God has destined will definitely manifest. But when my predecessor joined our forefathers and the stool was declared vacant. My family rallied round me and the rest is history.

Perhaps, only Ibadan of Yoruba towns hardly witness succession struggle. Why is it so?

It is true that Ibadan has a different selection process but the process also witnessed a challenge this year. Despite that it was quickly resolved. I have said earlier that every prince is entitled to the throne. What then happens under such circumstance when only one will be selected. I think, the issue is part of what makes the stool a position of authority. What is good is naturally attractive to many people including those who are not entitled to have it.

When did you come to the throne?

It was in 2012, a year I call my year of fulfillment. It was year my destiny was fulfilled. The year my childhood dream turned to be truth.

How can you describe your interpretation of the role?

I was young then to have a fair assessment of my performance. But I know that people clapped for me during the play and also commended me after. It was that play that gave me the nickname ‘Kadara’ with which many people know me.

Another thing about the play was that it made what I saw in my dream to have more meaning to me.

Didn’t you consider your certificate a waste?

I did not see it that way. In fact, my NCE certificate gave me more confidence to relate with my customers. Education is an asset a parent can leave for his children. Along the line, I applied to Concord for the position of distributor, I was shortlisted and given the appointment. I was trying my best to justify my new position and I became popular among vendors.

Later I became distributor to The Guardian too. At that time, there was no doubt that I was near the success destination I was going. I showed interest in other businesses like distributorship of cement and also oil and gas. That was my journey from nobody to somebody.

What then happened thereafter?

Thank you. That experience taught me a big lesson. It showed me that I had a bright future but I needed to work very hard to achieve it. So, very early in my life, I became very active in whatever I was asked to do or I did for myself.

How then did your childhood dream become a reality?

When I got to a stage in life, I knew it was a matter of time the dream would become a reality. I was already doing well in Lagos and was always in the company with big men. So, I believed one

Can you expatiate on this?

For example, I became a prominent figure among my fellow students of the former Oyo State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, where I had my NCE (National Certificate of Education).I studied Guidance and Counseling and I was involved in campus politics and students union activities. My colleagues always respected my opinions on important issues and decisions. They always surrounded me.

Is the palace a glorified detention as some would say?

I don’t want to see it from that angle. There is no doubt the position takes away from freedom which one enjoyed before becoming the king. But the palace is a place of authority. It is a position of honour and prestige. Seeing older people prostrating and kneeling down before you is a prestige that could not have come even if one is the bread winner of these people.

There is no doubt the position takes away freedom which one enjoyed before becoming the king. But the palace is a place of authority.

What happened during your coronation?

It was a special day in the history of Ile-Ogbo. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi honoured me with his presence.

About four traditional rulers came to represent the Ooni of Ife. We had many other kings in attendance too. I am using this opportunity to thank all those who came to honour me on that day. I felt very happy.

But government has higher power because traditional ruler receive staff of office from government?

It is true but to some extent traditional rulers still maintain their respect. Don’t forget the position is not terminal unlike government officials who are in office only for a certain period of time.

28

xquisite INTIMACY

29 October, 2016

STRICTLY FOR ADULTS

Saturday Tribune

With Bosede Ola-Samuel 08112658560 bosedeola_samuel@yahoo.com

What you, your spouse can learn from the scissors

D

EAR reader, a friend posted the article below on one of my social media handles and I was so blessed by it. So, I decided to share it. Do enjoy it and share your comment with me about it on Whatsapp. This is my number: 08112658560.

I needed to use the scissors this morning and as I finished with it, I looked at it carefully and I saw that the scissors models an ideal couple. Let’s see some lessons every couple should learn from the scissors so that we can become better couples and build enviable homes.

Lesson 1:

The scissors is always in pairs and that’s where its usefulness is. Once you see one part and the other part is not there, it is useless no matter how beautiful it is.

The effectiveness of every marriage is lost when couples are not together. Separation and divorce destroy the effectiveness and usefulness of every marriage. Remember, “united we stand, divided we fall.” Separation is not only when you separate physically and you are no longer living together. There are many couples who are together under the same roof but are spiritually, emotionally, sexually, financially, socially, etc separated. Are you sure you and your spouse are not separated in one of these ways?

Some of the ‘bolts’ are: •The presence of God •Openness and trust •Unity •Healthy and joyful sex life •Family vision •Good family finance •Hot family altar, etc.

I tried separating this scissors this morning, but the pin was so deep into it that it was not easy for me to separate them.

Lesson 3:

The scissors is useless except someone holds it. Couples can’t be effective except they allow God to hold them and use them to achieve their marital destiny. No family is really useless. It is either you are positively useful or negatively useful. To be positively useful occurs when it is God holding the two of you. You will be negatively useful when it is the devil holding the two of you. The devil can hold the two of you and use you to destroy each other and destroy the future of your children and even destroy your eternity.

Ask yourself as a couples: who is holding us and holding our family?

Lesson 4:

Lesson 2:

The togetherness of a pair of scissors is not automatic.

There is a small bolt or pin that fixes the scissors together in the middle. In the same vein, if couples must be bound together like this scissors, there must be ‘bolts’ that must fix and weld them together that will make them inseparable.

Each pair of the scissors has a sharp part and a dull part.

The face is sharp while the back is dull. In the same vein, each couple has his/ her area of strengths and weaknesses.

Your spouse is not empty. Though you might see the ‘dull part’ of your spouse, but if you want your marriage to accomplish its purpose, you must recognise the ‘sharp part’

of your spouse. You also must display your ‘sharp part’ (strengths). Don’t just display your ‘dull part’. That destroys marriage fast!

Lesson 5:

Synergy in working: The pairs must come together before it can cut whatever you want to use it to cut. Each pair will bring its sharpness and join it with the sharpness of the other and cutting will be done easily and smoothly. In like manner, synergy is the energy of any family. All this my money, my car, my own, my thing, me, mine, myself syndromes will sap away the energy of your marriage.

Synergise your resources, money, connection, visions as couples, so as to give energy to your marriage to advance it to the next level. ‘I’ness is the mother of illness in marriage while ‘WE’ness is the mother of wellness of every marriage.

Do you want energy in your marriage? Then go for synergy. Only ‘scissors couples’ are serious couples. Make the joy of your family a priority. God will uphold our homes.

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

CONVERSE WITH YEMISI

08055001741 (sms only) yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com

For Him Her Have I contracted gonorrhea? For Ibukun, 27, fair-skinned, homely, neat, God-fearing, Oladele, 33, Dear Yemisi, I want to know why my urine is yellowish in colour. I noticed this after having sex with my girlfriend. Since then, my urine is always coloured.

When it continued for some days, I consulted a friend who told me it was gonorrhea.

What do you think is wrong with me and what can I do?

Joe. Dear Joe, Your fears can only be allayed by seeking the assistance of a medical practitioner. Consulting a friend is not the best option. Your description of the colour of your urine might at the end of the day be a non-issue.

Though your fears are understandable especially if you had sex with your girlfriend unprotected and maybe you have multiple sex partners. To a lay person like I am, the colour of your urine might be as a result of your intake of water and other fluids. If you are not the type that takes a lot of water, your urine cannot but be coloured.

The habit of not drinking enough water can be a cause. I am not ruling out the contraction of any infection, but the only thing that will give you peace of mind is to come out of your shell by not keeping mum about your experience.

Going to a pharmacy to ask for drugs prescribed by your friends will not help you until the cause of the problem is ascertained.

Joe, if you must have sex with your girlfriend, kindly for the sake of your sanity protect your girlfriend and yourself the anxiety of contracting any of the sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies with the complications associated with it.

needs a God-fearing man aged between 38 and 55 for a relationship. Call 08130711668.

graduate, working class, Muslim, needs a working class Muslim lady for marriage. Call 08061543417.

Beatrice, 43, needs a God-fearing man aged between 48 and 50 for a relationship. Call 09034785124.

Kunle, needs a Christian Yoruba working class lady aged between 30 and 38 for a relationship. Call 08096009025.

Ade, 47, mother of three, dark-complexioned, needs a God-fearing, Christian preferably a widower for a relationship that will result in marriage. Call 09052519377.

Olasunkanmi, 43, HND civil engineer, Christian, needs a lady aged between 30 and 43 for a relationship. Call 08035157435.

Can I continue with the one I love or should I wait?

Dear Yemisi, am 14 years old. I am an SS2 student.

I have many toasters, but I have consented to having two boyfriends as I am writing you.

The others keep telling me that they love me, but I don’t love one of them.

Please ma, how can I break up with the one that keeps pestering me for affection whom I don’t have feelings for.

The other question bothering me is can I continue with the one I love or wait?

Seyi, 0*03******0.

Dear Seyi, What you are passing through is a normal phase in the life of a teenager as you transit to adulthood.

It is a phase when you fall in and out of love with the members of the opposite sex. So it is natural and normal for boys to want to be associated with you as long as you have the features of a young woman.

A teenage girl can be likened to a budding hibiscus flower that attracts all insects. Seyi, at 14, you are too young to be involved in any form of

I

relationship with any boy whether amorous or platonic.

There is no decision you make now on the boys who you are in love with that will stand the test of time. If you ask me, you don’t have the wherewithal to sustain any relationship with a boy without ending up hating and regretting your decision later in life.

What any boy wants from you now is premature sex because that is the language he understands. He will want to test his manhood and who knows just a round might disrupt your studies. Having a boyfriend is nothing but a wrong step to achieving greatness later in life.

Getting out of this confusion is your resolution to remain your good self by not giving in to any form of advance from any guy. They will come, yes, but the decision to have your integrity intact is by telling them without raising your voice to leave you for now for reasons best known to you.

My advice for you Seyi, is to tell whoever cares to listen that you are not available. Your future to me, should be your priority number one.

It is better you wait to stay out of trouble.

x

29 quisite

29 October, 2016

upkeep, then you don’t want to be insulted that your place is in the kitchen tomorrow.

Continued from pg9

How it all started have always been very artistic. I have always loved design, decorating and that was what informed my choice of course at Yaba College of Technology. I did my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and worked in one or two banks before going into interior decoration full time. The furniture company started first.

We manufacture our furniture here in Nigeria and we have showroom in Lekki and Surulere, Lagos State, where we showcase and sell the furniture we have in our stock.

Most of our furniture is 85 per cent made in Nigeria.

I

Challenges Like every other Nigerian entrepreneur, the major challenge is fund. No bank wants to help you out, nobody is ready to help or believe in your dream. However, you can’t blame them because they can’t see your vision or dream. Another challenge is power. I believe if we have electricity, it will help improve the economy of Nigeria. The third challenge is having the right artisans and right service providers, people who can learn this trade and know how to do it well.

People always believe in going out to look for white collar jobs.

Not knowing that they can actually become a furniture designer or manufacturer and still come out looking corporate. The three areas highlighted above have been the biggest challenges for us.

‘Most men can’t afford to have their wives in the kitchen’

The journey so far I have been doing this for close to fourteen years. The journey was rough when we started, because to get the right clients who will believe in us took time and patience. I kept showcasing my work; I didn’t compromise on my standard or the standard of the product I wanted to push out. It hasn’t been easy or a bed of roses but gradually, people started knowing us and started believing in our quality. That has helped. Also, referrals and advertisement also helped. We started the school because people were asking if they could understudy us or asked to be directed to where they could do it. So we felt why don’t we start a training centre for them?

Also, when we employ people to work for us, we discover that they don’t know anything about the job, so, we had to start training them.

My life as a female furniture maker Furniture making is not a dirty job.

There are a lot of machines that are available to do the work for us. Everything has gone digital. Yes, it is true that we don’t have the same strength that men have but there are other things that are working for us; as women we have eyes for beautiful things. They might have the strength but that doesn’t mean they will do it better than us. Also, if you can’t draw, you can go on the computer, there are many applications that can help you design it the way you want. You can tell the artisans how you want it to be done and if you want to learn, we are opening a carpentry place soon. We are working on it. We have a land for it in Ajah already and we are going to teach carpentry there.

Inspiration for my designs I get inspiration from my environment and the people living in it. Also, you need

Saturday Tribune

to have an eye for design that can stand the test of time in design, that is something no one can really train you, it is time that will train you on that.

What distinguishes us from others It is customer service. We train our workers every time on customer service.

We relate well with our customers, if you have complaints, we have ears to listen to you 24/7. That is why my number is on our fliers, website and card. You can get in touch with me easily. We are always available to help you out.

Why made in Nigeria goods are expensive Number one reason for that is that it is customised. It is not something that you see everywhere. It is also expensive because we import some materials from abroad. Also, the cost of running a business is very expensive in Nigeria because you are always on diesel. In a month you will spend up to N70, 000 and above to run generator. The money for that will be spread on what one is selling so it becomes more expensive. However, it is not too expensive because furniture made abroad won’t be sold for 300 dollars. Go to I care, a three seater will be $1,200 or $2,000. Calculate that and you will still have to pay for shipping and custom

duties. A set here is N350, 000, N400, 000. So, it is still a good deal because it is cheaper.

Secret of success as an entrepreneur I am focused and I am driven. The fear of poverty also keeps me going. Another thing is that as a woman, you have a lot to prove. I don’t want to be a failure to my children or myself. I want my daughter to look at me and say if my mother could do this at that year and time, I could do better. I also don’t believe woman’s place is in the kitchen or the other room. Most men will even tell you they cannot even afford to have their women in the kitchen, especially with the exchange rate now.

If the wife is in the kitchen or the other room alone, do you know the kind of high pressure the man will have? If you have three children, school fees are increasing, house rent and even transport fare are on the high side. Most men who thought women should stay in the kitchen are now thinking otherwise because the couple should contribute together to make things work. I don’t believe a woman should just sit down and expect to just be collecting from the husband, it is not going to help him health wise. It is not easy in Nigeria today. You have to wake up, take the children to school, think of when you will pick them up in the evening and still go to work so as to contribute to the family

As a woman, you have a lot to prove. I don’t want to be a failure to my children or myself. I want my daughter to look at me and say if my mother could do this at that year and time, I could do better.

How I have been combining my business with the home front Having an understanding husband is the major thing because you can’t do it alone, especially when you are married. You must have some support. My support system is my husband and family. Sometimes, I have appointments on a Sunday, but he understands.

When I can’t make it home on time, he goes to the kitchen and cooks because he knows I am running around for us. So having an understanding husband has helped a lot and also, carrying the children along. I made them understand what mummy is doing and why I am not always there. Sometimes taking them along with me helps too. I carry them along physically and mentally so that they can understand what I am doing. They have helped me too. Without them I won’t have gotten this far.

Role models I have to be truthful, I never had anyone that I would say was the one that was driving me to do what I am doing. It is just looking at the environment I am living in and the opportunity not given to women that was pushing me. I have learnt not to say this is my role model, because as human beings they have flaws just like I do and have messed up so many times like I did.

When you look up to a fellow human being you may be disappointed, so, I have decided not to look up to any body and when people tell me I am their role model, I tell them to look inward and find something that motivates them. So I look inward and move on.

Why I chose world sexiest interior designer as my motto You have to praise yourself. You have to tell yourself who you are. It doesn’t matter if you are fat, slim, tall short, black or light complexioned. Don’t let that determine what you call sexy. Look at yourself and call yourself sexy. Nobody will tell you that, you have to tell yourself. So, I am the sexiest interior designer.

Favourite pastime I like hanging out with some girlfriends and my sisters. I take my wine in the evening. When I go out to have fun, I have fun. I don’t go to parties and sit down; it annoys me, why am I not sitting down in my own house? I don’t go to parties every Saturday but once I decide I am going to one, I party. I also like being around intellectuals; people that will help lift me up.

Philosophy of life Work hard, play hard.

Advice to young girls Believe in yourself. Don’t wait for a man to marry you and take care of you. You don’t have to make yourself cheap. I wish I had people to tell me this while growing up. Why do you say you want to marry a doctor why not be one yourself? Don’t see marriage as the solution to your problem.

Start building yourself to be who you want to be. Don’t let anybody pull you down because you are a girl. And don’t let your past determine your future. Everyone has a past.

Don’t let your mistake pull you down.

30

x

quisite

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune BLESSING GBARADA ekumblessing@gmail.com 08116954639

FOOD

Relish the aroma, flavour in yam and peppersoup Rev’d (Mrs) Esther Gold is a lover of native dishes prepared the traditional way.

The Head Librarian, Baptist Building, Ibadan, takes BLESSING GBARADA on a journey through the aromatic and rich cuisines of the people of Delta State.

W

HAT are some of the foods common to your place of origin?

I am from Delta State and some of our dishes are peppersoup, ogbolo soup, banga soup, egusi soup, oghwo soup, bitterleaf soup. Most of these soups are also prepared among other ethnic groups but the Delta way is different. For instance oghwo soup and banga soup.

How is oghwo soup prepared in the native Delta way?

To prepare oghwo soup the Delta way, attention needs to be paid to the ingredients used because this would make all the difference. Special palm oil is used in preparing the soup. Potash is also used, but not the common potash. The one to be used is the variety that shines. This variety gives the required thickness to the soup. Starch should also be added to the soup while cooking. These are tips that are not commonly known but bring out the native flavour and taste of oghwo soup.

Which was your favourite while

growing?

I loved banga soup. I still enjoy it especially when it’s prepared the Delta way.

How does the Delta recipe differ from others?

The spices used make a big difference.

We also don’t add onions to the soup.

Onions may be used to season meat but it is not an ingredient for the soup.

Can you share the recipe for this?

The ingredients needed are fresh palm nuts, assorted dried fish, fresh fish, ponmo, crayfish, seasoning, salt, pepper, assorted meat, native spices such as beletete, aidan fruit, ataiko, irugege, oburunbebe.

Place palm nuts in pot, add water and leave to cook. When palm nuts are wellcooked, remove from pot and place in a mortar. Using a pestle, gently pound to separate the outer skin from the nut.

Palm oil would be extracted this way.

Decant to a clean bowl. Place pot on fire and cook meat. Add decanted oil to pot of meat alongside meat stock. Allow to cook. Add spices, salt, ground crayfish, pepper. If you are making use of fresh fish, add this last so it doesn’t break. By now, the unique banga aroma should fill your kitchen. Leave to simmer. Serve.

In the absence of a mortar, how else can palm oil be extracted at home?

Recently, my daughter showed me a method she came up with using a glass bottle and a plastic bowl. First place a napkin beneath the bowl and then gently mash the nuts using the glass bottle.

I tried it and it worked.

How does one choose the best palm nuts?

There are actually different kinds of palm nuts and they have different effects on the outcome of the soup. There is the agric palm nut and the native palm nut.

With the native palm nut, you get palm oil that easily congeals, so you hear people say the oil is ‘sleeping.’ It also doesn’t have distinct layers of oil. However, with agric palm nuts, you notice that the oil has two layers: a thinner level which floats and a thicker sediment that settles.

In my experience, there is no difference in the taste. It’s just in the thickness, so I prefer to mix both varieties.

What is banga soup best served with?

Starch. Other alternatives are eba and pounded yam.

What is the must-add ingredient for dishes from Delta State?

Native spices and these have loads of health benefits. First, it reduces bad cholesterol. Also, it is the best ingredient to add to a new mother’s meal, especially the one called oziza seeds. New mothers are usually served peppersoup and these spices (which are the main ingredients) help with contracting and flushing the uterus. She doesn’t need the hot water presses which is allegedly supposed to do this.

Nowadays, there are lots of changes to the way native dishes are being prepared and in fact, some of

these meals are gradually fading from menus. What’s your perception of this trend?

It is not something that should be encouraged and I hold mothers responsible.

Mothers ought to teach their children, both male and female, the art of proper cooking. I have met young ladies who can’t cook any other dish besides noodles and I think that is a disappointment.

Mothers need to take time out to teach their children how to prepare both native and foreign dishes. This should be done very early in their lives.

What dish trends most in Delta State during the rainy season?

Peppersoup served with yam. The native spices in peppersoup not only provide aroma and flavour but also keep you warm.

32 interview

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

APC crisis: Realignment is mentality of losers —Oni, Deputy National Chairman Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Segun Oni, during the week, spoke with newsmen on sundry issues affecting the polity, especially the ruling political party. KOLAWOLE DANIEL brings excerpts:

<<<

H

OW can you explain the support of Nigerians for the anti-corruption drive of the All Progressives Congress (APC)led government?

I believed that Nigerians know that we are very serious, we are very sincere about fighting corruption and I think people, from the reaction of some people, people are happy that we are taking the fight to the doorstep of corruption. We, therefore, expect attitude to be changing more; we expect Nigerians to become more and more demanding because the moment they know that their voices also can count, they would continue to raise their voices against corruption and Nigeria would be better for it. I am very sure that Nigeria has started on a road that nobody can block. Corruption would receive the fight of this government and of this party wholesale and if anybody is still in the past thinking that ‘after a while, they would stop’, those people were thinking in the past.

Nobody loves corruption; even the people who indulged in it cannot come out to defend it. It is unfortunate that we allow Nigeria to be run by the kind of people who have just left, who didn’t understand or believe that stealing is corruption; people whose mind is so warped that even when they see stealing, when they see corruption, they would look the other way. But we must stand up to it. Corruption is not just at the door step of political appointees or politicians; we have to ensure that everybody, every institution is taken before the scrutiny of everybody-civil servants, the judiciary, of course, the executive and the legislature. As long as you are handling public funds, one

Oncetheytellus,‘MrPresident,you don’thavetodowhatyouaredoing.

Weassureyouwewillfishoutallcorrupt peopleoutofthissystemwithinsix monthsandtheywouldbeout;giveus thistime’,thentherewouldbenoneed foranyextrameasures. way or the other, you must come under scrutiny and I am sure this war would not allow any exemption.

But some Nigerians still believe that your party is not playing the game by the rule; in the sense that there is gross disregard for rule of law in the course of this fight against corruption. What is your reaction to this?

If the rule of law is left to be what it is and nothing is happening, if you leave this war in the hand of people who would not be able to prosecute it, it means we give up and God forbid that we should fail. People who are talking about the rule of law and so on, how much have we achieved by the rule of law? Are they saying there is no corruption? If there is corruption, what has been achieved in stopping it? Or we should now say we cannot stop it then we should institutionalise it. At one stage, there must be a stop. In Ghana (Jerry) Rawlings applied a measure.

God forbid that in Nigeria here. Things cannot continue Continued on pg33

33 interview

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

‘If anyone is working on a new party, good luck to them’ things is the fact that a justice of the Supreme Court has said it does not make it right. We should be able to ask him, why didn’t you do anything?

Continued from pg32

the way it is. Everybody knows corrupt people, but everybody is keeping their voices low. Don’t lawyers know corrupt judges? Don’t judges also know corrupt judges? If the system within the judiciary is unable to deal with this, so nobody should talk?

People would get so frustrated that the people out there would come out in arms against the whole system and God forbid.

So, what we are trying to do now is to prevent the alternative, which is the collapse of the whole system, with the people taking laws into their hands.

If the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been able to deal with the issue of corruption decisively in such a way that people are very confident that it would be done, I am sure this would probably not be necessary. But not much has been done; people are frustrated. The whole system is complaining; people are complaining. I want to see how Nigerian judges or lawyers or practitioners of anything could raise their hands and say there is no corruption.

Nobody has defended the system so far. Even the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) has not defended the system to say there is no corruption. What people are talking about is how we are going about it.

Yes, let them come up with alternative ways of achieving that. Once they tell us, ‘Mr President, you don’t have to do what you are doing. We assure you we will fish out all corrupt people out of this system within six months and they would be out; give us this time’, then there would be no need for any extra measures. But if we don’t have such an assurance from anywhere, we have to continue to do what we believe is a right way to go about it.

This is an extra-ordinary circumstance and people should see it as such.

But the CJN earlier in the week complained that the invasion of judges’ homes is an assault on the judiciary, even as some Nigerians also said the executive has labeled both the legislature and judiciary as corrupt institutions, thereby weakening these arms and frustrating the principle of separation of powers…

You see, the people who had been taken in so far were from the corridors of the executive, whether they are in this government or previous government. Don’t forget, the executive are always the first people namely the politicians. Since we have been prosecuting people for corruption, how many judges have been brought before EFCC over the years? Is it an indication that the judiciary has been clean? How many legislators were brought before EFCC? It has always been the executive.

Yes, you can say it is the executive in the previous administration, but they were still part of the executive. Even when you talk of civil servants, how many civil servants have ever been brought before EFCC? So, this is not a war directed in any particular direction. If you know corrupt people, even in this government; if you have evidence, come up and let us see whether government would keep quite. If you see an act of corruption been perpetrated by people even in this government now, say it and it would be attended to.

The truth is, Nigeria needs to be salvaged from the grip of corruption. How do we go about it? This is one model; let any group or any arm of government come up with a model that would be very effective and would be devoid of what they consider as abnormalities and all Nigerians would fold our hands and watch them do it.

What is your reaction to the complaints that the Federal Government has not seen reason to commence investigation on the damning allegations leveled by two judges against the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi?

I am not in the position to defend Amaechi, but I feel very very sad. I am very sad that a justice of the Supreme Court comes up much later to say somebody attempted to bribe him. If I am a justice of the Supreme Court, that person would not spend another week before he is arrested. It is a crime if you see somebody committing crime and you

A chieftain of your party recently said, considering the way things are going within the party, there may not be APC in 2019. What is your position on this statement?

I am sorry, whoever said that, I don’t see it as a reasonable thing to say. As it is, this is the strongest base that any political system has in Nigeria today. So, it is the wishful thinking of anybody that APC would not last till 2019.

I would say that is wishful thinking and it is not one of the most reasonable things to say.

We can have problems, but we will face our problems as it comes. We are not saying that there won’t be turbulent times but if there are turbulent times, we go through it; turbulent times are normal. Even the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in its own period, had turbulent times and it went through it. But to go to the extreme and to now be thinking that APC may not exist till 2019, we are already in 2016, you shouldn’t take such a person serious.

You are from the South-West and you are the Deputy National Chairman (South), and APC is going into the Ondo State governorship election divided, with some bigwigs from the region apparently unhappy and aggrieved. What confidence do you have that the party would overcome these challenges?

Let me tell you, the situation in Ondo State, fortunately or unfortunately, is not limited to any side. In APC, we have our own trouble. The other side (PDP), because there is only one side before, has even more trouble than us. We are talking about a candidate that needs to reach out and do reconciliation (in APC), but they (PDP) are talking of no candidate right now.

So, the people of Ondo State are not stupid; they are watching everything. So if there is any safe way that we have, it is because the other side is more enmeshed in trouble than we are.

So, we will sort ourselves out, while they may or may not sort themselves out. But I think the situation for us in Ondo State is still very bright.

Butletmesaythatrightfromdayone, thelosersinthisschemehadalways beentalkingofalignment.Don’tforget rightfromwhenwestarted,theydidn’t evenwaitforustospendoneyear beforetheystartedtalkingofalignment.

Thatisalwaysthementalityoflosers. keep quiet and now you are talking about it. Do you want people to take you seriously? It is like somebody saying I saw somebody committed rape last year and I didn’t do anything about it. That, I don’t think, sound wise to me; it doesn’t sound right. I am not exonerating anybody and there can be investigation. What one can make of these

There are also insinuations of political realignment going on in the country and the names of Senator Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar feature very prominently that a new party may emerged from your party and other political blocs. Are you aware of this development?

Well, I am not aware. Let me say this: I have not attended any meeting for any realignment and so, I am not aware. But let me say that right from day one, the losers in this scheme had always been talking of alignment. Don’t forget right from when we started, they didn’t even wait for us to spend one year before they started talking of alignment. That is always the mentality of losers. The losers would always look for a new thing; the winners would always try to promote continuity psychologically. And because, unfortunately, our democracy is always going back to the starting block all the time, it has made Nigerians to think that, ‘yes, we should always go to the starting block again and start another set of political parties, another set of thinking’, but it won’t happen all the time. Where, if we have crisis, we are going to resolve them; we will try as much as possible. If there is political alignment going on, I am not aware of it. But our responsibility is to run APC very well so that whatever problems we have, we can resolve. That is what we are here to do and if there is anybody who has been attending meetings as it is term meeting for realignment, good luck to them.

But I believe in doing what I am here to do to the best of my ability, as much as possible. When it is time for me to leave this seat, I will leave with honour.

34

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

35

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

36

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

37

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

38

29 October, 2016

Saturday Tribune

39

sport

29 October, 2016

Rangers’ Egbuchulam linked with Belgium move

Nigerian striker, Isaac Success (left) engaging West Ham’s James Collins in an English Premier League match. Inset is Success, Nigeria’s head coach Gernot Rohr and Odion Ighalo when the coach checked on Nigerian players at Watford.

Moses unstoppable at top form —Noble W

EST HAM c a p t a i n Mark Noble has praised Victor Moses for finally breaking into Chelsea’s first team, saying he believes the Nigeria international is unstoppable when in his best form.

Moses is enjoying a revival in his career at Chelsea after spending the last three seasons out on loan at Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham respectively following his arrival from Wigan in 2012.

Chelsea coach, Antonio Conte has used Moses as a right wing-back in his new 3-4- 3 formation to much success, although the Italian decided to rest the 25-year-old for the Blues’ EFL Cup fourth-round 2-1 loss to West Ham last Wednesday.

Speaking to the Hammers’ matchday programme, Noble admitted Moses is finally hitting top gear and is becoming a player to be feared.

“We will be coming up against a former teammate in Victor Moses and on his day he is one of the best and you cannot stop him,” Noble said.

“The one thing that has probably gone against

him during his career has been his consistency but he looks like he has that now and is enjoying his football.”

Goals from Cheikhou

Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes helped Slaven Bilic’s side to a 2-1 victory in the EFL Cup, with Gary Cahill scoring Chelsea’s consolation goal.

West Ham will now travel

to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in the next round of the competition after Jose Mourinho’s side overcame rivals Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday.

Oshodi predicts brighter future for judo in Nigeria

By Olawale Olaniyan And Olarogba Abiola As part of activities marking this year’s World Judo day, the zonal representative, Nigeria Judo Federation, South West, Dr Musa Oshodi has predicted a brighter future for judo in Nigeria.

He made the remarks while speaking after a road walk staged in Ibadan, along with the Oyo State Commissioner for Sports, Barrister Abayomi Oke, Zonal Co-ordinator, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Dr Steve Olarinoye and other coaches from the south west states.

Oshodi said efforts wouldbe intensified to move the game forward in Nigeria, more so that judo is an Olympic sport.

“We need the help of all stakeholders to develop the game because we can’t depend only on the administrators, athletes, coaches, umpires and sponsors; all of us have a role to play to make judo grow in the country.

“If all stakeholders see

Saturday Tribune

it as responsibilities, I believe in the next two years, Judo in Nigeria will be one of the best on the continent. I want to assure you that with the plan we have on the ground, we will gain more patronage.

“If you look at the last Paralympic Games in Rio, judo event was featured for the first time and that is telling us we have to

step up preparations to produce judokas who will make the next Paralympics.

“I am happy that starting from my zone, Oyo State is the only state in Nigeria that has a special judo athlete for now, Seyi Arinoye. We want to ensure that the game spreads across the zone,” Oshodi added.

From right, Nigeria Judo Federation, South West representative, Dr Musa Oshodi; the Zonal Co-ordinator, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Dr Steve Olarinoye and other, during the road walk to mark the World Judo day in Ibadan on Friday. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN.

ENUGU Rangers star forward Chisom Egbuchulam is wanted by Belgian club Lokeren and could well seal the move in the January transfer window.

Egbuchulam, 24, was one of the top stars of this past season after his 16 goals in the league helped Rangers clinch a first major trophy in 32 years.

“He is wanted by Lokeren and could well move in January, when the transfer window reopens,” a source close to Rangers disclosed.

The speedy forward, was part of the Eagles World Cup squad to Zambia earlier this month.

He has exploded this past term after he was considered a player not to start games at Rangers for many seasons.

He has given credit to coach Imama Amapakabo for the super season.

Nominees for BBC African Footballer award for unveiling Nov 12

By Wale Emosu A list of five nominees for the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2016 award will be unveiled on November 12.

According to the BBC, the unveiling will be heralded by a live launch show from the BBC’s Radio Theatre in London.

The live show will be anchored by the BBC’s Peter Okwoche, who will be joined by a panel of experts featuring Sunderland player and former South Africa captain, Steven Piennar; Tresor Lualua, former DR Congo international and Nigeria-born Chelsea Ladies FC player and England international, Eniola Aluko.

Following the unveiling, fans will vote for two weeks to decide the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2016. Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure was the winner of the award in 2015.

Among the Nigerian players being touted for this year’s award is Kelechi Iheanacho who plays for English Premiership side Manchester City.

The forward is on the list of 30 players already released for the 2016 GLOCAF African Footballer of the Year award. The initial list which will soon be pruned has two other Nigerians - John Obi Mikel and Ahmed Musa.

Austin Okocha is the last Nigerian player to win the BBC award in 2004. The former Super Eagles player was also the winner of the award in 2003.

Critics are envious of Guardiola —Enrique BARCELONA coach Luis Enrique is confident Pep Guardiola will overcome his recent struggles at Manchester City and believes criticism of his compatriot is caused by envy.

Guardiola won his first 10 competitive games in charge of City, but they are on a six-game winless streak following a 1-0 EFL Cup defeat at Manchester United last Wednesday.

Some have questioned Guardiola's methods in the wake of City's poor run of form, but Luis Enrique has little doubt the former Bayern boss will enjoy success this campaign.

"To the critics of Guardiola: He is going to win.

He will win titles this season, for sure," Luis Enrique said at a media conference.

"The critics are going to appear because it bothers them that there are always the same people who win...’’

1

Saturday, October 29, 2016 Sunday, October 30, 2016 Sunderland vs Arsenal 12:30pm Everton vs West Ham 2:30pm West Brom vs Man City 3:00pm Southampton vs Chelsea 5:00pm Monday, October 31, 2016 Tottenham vs Leicester 3:00pm Watford vs Hull City 3:00pm Stoke City vs Swansea 9:00pm Man Utd vs Burnley 3:00pm Middlesbrough vs Bournemouth 3:00pm C/Palace vs Liverpool 5:30pm

FIXTURES

SATURDAY, 29 OCTOBER, 2016

NO 1,175

N150

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Algeria to storm Uyo in chartered flight

By Wale Emosu

T

HE Algerian Football Federation (Fédération algérienne de football) has got down to work to put the country’s national football team in proper frame of mind for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.

Nigeria host Algeria in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Uyo on November 12 and to ensure a possible victory for the Desert Foxes, the FAF has released its thought-out logistics in relation to the match.

According to a statement on FAF’s website, Algeria’s Federal Bureau, met with Mr Mohamed Raouraoua president of Algerian Football Federation at the federation’s National Technical Centre to discuss a number of issues. The meeting was held on Thursday, October 27.

On the Nigeria-Algeria fixture, it was disclosed that the Algerian delegation will fly into Uyo on Novemebr 10 two days to the match - in a chartered Air Algeria flight. The statement, written in French, added that the Warriors will depart for Algiers immediately after the match.

The statem e n t also

touched on the quality of the hotel the players and officials of the Algerian team will be lodged in, in Uyo, submitting that the standard is satisfactory.

The statement reads: “The hotel selected has all the logistics to ensure a

good stay and a good preparation of the match which will be held November 12, 2016 at 17h 00 local in the city of Uyo.” The statement also put into perspective the profile of Georges Leekens, the country’s new coach who put pen to paper on Thursday.

The Belgian, whose appointment was unanimously approved by the federal office, won five league titles in his native country and a European Cup. He was also named the coach of the year 1990 in Belgium.

Mikel still relevant —Rohr

By Olawale Olaniyan SUPER Eagles’ chief coach, Gernot Rohr, has said Mikel Obi remains part of his plans in spite of his travails at Chelsea.

Rohr, Mikel, Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte and Technical Director Michael Emenalo on Wednesday held talks over the player’s future and came to the conclusion that he was no longer in Chelsea’s future plans.

“He is still a big figure in our plans,” Rohr told The Evenin1g Standard.

“Mikel is Nigeria’s captain and for him to have that status, it is expected he will be a club regular. I thank Mr Conte for being frank with us and the way Mikel took everything suggests big maturity and professionalism. He is always welcome [at the Eagles], he is our captain”.

Rohr added that it happens in the life of a footballer when he would be more useful to his William Troost-Ekong, country than his Nigeria defender club.

Mikel left Chelsea midway into preseason sessions to join Nigeria’s U-23 campaign at the Rio Olympics and got Conte’s blessing as the Italian trainer asked him to bring Olympic gold. In the end Nigeria finished with bronze medal.

Rohr has been on tour of England to discuss with the managements and coaches of Nigerian players in the English Premier League.

The Franco-German also plans to visit Nigeria’s first choice in goal, Carl Ikeme, in the lower League with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The tour is part of preparations towards the November 12 Africa Group 2 of the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Algeria in Uyo.

CAF Confederation Cup final: TP Mazembe not favourites

Rainford Kalaba, TP Mazembe winger

TP Mazembe coach Hubert Velud does not accept that his Democratic Republic of Congo outfit are favourites to beat Algerian club Mouloudia Bejaia in the CAF Confederation Cup final.

The first leg of a classic David v Goliath showdown is set for Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida today with the return match eight days later at Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi.

France-born Velud is adamant that Mazembe winning nine CAF titles and Bejaia competing in Africa for the first time this year will have no impact on the destiny of the trophy.

His belief is based on two tight tussles between the clubs at the group stage with the first end-

ing goalless and Mazembe winning 1-0 at home through a Rainford Kalaba goal.

“The final is a 50-50 affair,” the coach who has previous experience with several topflight Algerian clubs told the Congolese media.

“Mouloudia have proved their worth and I am not surprised that they qualified for the Confederation Cup final.

“Having worked at several Algerian clubs as a coach, I know the mentality of the players extremely well.

“While some Algerian footballers may lack a little in talent, they more than compensate for that with incredible fighting spirit.”

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. 29/10/2016.