31st January 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 2,031

SUNDAY, 31 JANUARY, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

N200

2019: S/West leaders

plan new party

pg9

•Begin inter-party coalition •As OBJ’s men re-group

Budget 2016: NASS

moves against Aso Rock pg5

Set to remove ‘bogus’ allocations

Acid war in Ibadan

•Couples engage in deadly attacks s6&7 •Victim narrates: ‘My husband wanted to force acid down my throat’

pg

It is painful we no longer have

evergreen songs

—9ice

I won’t quit Senate, Uba vows pg9

7 die in Lagos boat accident

pg4

•20 rescued, as govt plans clamp down on substandard boats •Traders groan, as Lagos govt demolishes Oshodi again

Boko Haram razes village few kilometres to Maiduguri pg9 • Sect members now disguise as madmen, military warns

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

life&living Ikorodu Oriwu: The power and glory of a historic landscape Ikorodu, one of the key Remo kingdoms domiciled in Lagos State, is the only Yoruba town openly flaunting the absence of alaaru (porters who convey luggage on their heads for a living). Twenty-one years after exiting the town, ABIODUN AWOLAJA returns to feel the twists and turns in the land.

Garage, Ikorodu. Photos: Abiodun Awolaja

I

KORODU, one of the prominent Remo kingdoms in Lagos State, is a huge centre of commerce. Its economic status may perhaps be explained by the traditional Yoruba industry of the people and their attitude to strangers, whom they welcome as if by compulsion. The town, a song prophesied decades ago, would soon become the headquarters of Lagos, a dream fast assuming a life of its own, as Ikorodu is no longer a straight, brief turning between Garage, Ita-Elewa, Irese, Ota Ona and back to Garage. Ikorodu nowadays frequently means not just the ancient town itself, but the collection of satellite villages and towns which are widely considered to be extensions of the kingdom. Thus, residents of Gberigbe, Ewu Owa, Ijede, Ewu Elepe, Imota, Agbowa, Ibese, Oreta, Baiyeku and Ofin, among others, are all proudly living in “Ikorodu” ; and if you are visiting a relation who told you he or she lives in Ikorodu, you may get to Ikorodu Garage, only to discover that you must still endure a half hour’s driving or another struggle for a bus, as the case may be.

This may not be fortuitous: it is extremely difficult getting a land in the town proper. Ikorodu, for many years a virtual part of “Lagos proper,” has been referred to as “Lagos” by non-indigenes for decades. If anything, the sight of a bus conductor (at Ikorodu Garage or Sabo) blaring “Ketu Ojota Mile 12! Yaba Oyingbo Eko!” in a croaky, perhaps crooked voice—gives the impression that Ikorodu is just an area in Lagos (mega) city, never mind that Lagos city itself is a collection of towns (Agege, Ikeja, Badagry, etc), each with its own traditional head, nowadays often a monarch.

The return to civil rule in 1999 has given Ikorodu some facelift, although the people are still grumbling loudly, accusing the Lagos State government of abandonment. Now in 2016, there is a new Ikorodu-Mile 12 road

built just like the road from Ojota to Fadeyi, with modern road architecture, although the space used to carve out a flower garden in the middle of the road is needlessly as large as the space earmarked for driving, a phenomenon that Dr Bisi Ademakinwa, a lecturer in the Creative Arts department of the University of Lagos described as a hallmark of flawed thinking.

On another plane, there is a fine road from Ebute to Ogolonto, and anyone familiar with Ikorodu before democracy came calling again in 1999 cannot but admit the reality of change, however muted. In any case, there is the allure of a large number of Nollywood artistes (Oga Bello, Yinka Quadri, Saidi Balogun, Fathia Balogun, Baba Suwe, etc) and other members of the comfortable class living in Ikorodu, temporarily escaping the madness of inner Lagos (Oshodi, Ojuelegba, Ajegunle, etc).

Markets Commerce in Ikorodu has never stopped flourishing, and many pepper sellers live in their own houses, doing their thing in the many markets in Ikorodu, both modern and traditional. Of the traditional markets, two are central. There is Ejina (literally, market of the dawn/ morning market) and Obun ale (evening market). As the name implies, Ejina market is virtually empty during the evening, and visitors to Obun ale market during the day cannot appreciate its glory. Both markets deal in foodstuffs, particularly fish and pepper. However, Ejina is set apart by its poultry market.

In the case of fish, there is a variety of fresh (as opposed to cold room) fish in either market, known locally as Eja osa, because Ikorodu is bounded by Osa river (particularly from Ebute axis). Thus, while the only fresh/non-cold room fish you can get in Ibadan is Eja

aro, in Ikorodu you can get different varieties of freshly caught fish. As related by a fish seller, the variety includes, among others, owere, wesafu, epiya, apo, igbakere, ikekere, kunkun and omolamujo. Apart from Ejina and Obun ale, there are weekly markets like Iworo, staged at Ejina market grounds but extending to adjoining streets, and boasting a wider variety of goods; Ebute market outside the town proper, and so on. The main modern markets can be found in Garage and Sabo, but there are also street markets everywhere. Garage is, however, the centre of commerce.

The Ikorodu life Speaking on Ikorodu culture, Chief Muftau Osikoya, a 70-year-old community leader in Ewu Owa, said: “We are people who detest cheating. We place premium on unity and understanding one another. In our Ikorodu, we have no alaaru (porter/people who carry loads on their heads for a living). It is not arrogance; it just has to do with our origin. We have no load-carriers; we rather employ them. We love strangers and anyone can do any job they like.”

Asked if Ikorodu people believed in monogamy, the old man delved straight into Ikorodu oriki: “We are asalejeje (one who treats a concubine delicately). One wife is not sufficient for us. We marry many wives because we like women.”

On food choices, he said “We like gari. Feselu (eba made with cold water) is no longer popular; it has been overtaken by modernity. It is only those who reside in villages that still eat that. We also love ikokore and pounded yam.”

Continues pg14

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life&living

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Menace of cultism, land grabbing Continued from pg 2 Osikoya’s opinion was shared by Mrs Fehintola Odunnaike, a shop owner who deals in provisions and other household needs. Fehintola told Sunday Tribune: “The food we like to eat in Ikorodu is ikokore with sawa fish, particularly if we find yesterday’s cold eba to go with it. At other times, we like egusi soup cooked with ogiri seasoning, to go with eba. We can eat eba two times in a day, for breakfast and dinner, while we take gari and fried fish for lunch.”

Also speaking on festivals, Osikoya said: “We love celebrating Eluku festival, in its time; we have Magbo yearly, and so do we have Liwe. There is only a month’s difference between Magbo and Liwe: if Magbo is celebrated in May, Liwe will come in June. After that, we have Agemo festival or Eyibi. Again, we love Ileya (Eid-el-Kabir) and Christmas, another great festival.”

The octogenarian explained that, in Ikorodu, everybody celebrates every festival, and there is no discrimination on the basis of religious faith. The thinking, he said, is that whoever witnesses a festive period just ought to rejoice.”

Indeed, in the late 80s, Sunday Tribune was familiar with a member of the Celestial Church of Christ at Ijomu, Ikorodu, who used to eat her eran oniyo all year long, eran oniyo being the leftover meat from Sallah ram preserved with salt and continually dried in the sun, and sometimes remaining from one Sallah to another.

Mrs Fehintola Odunnaike, an indigene of Igbogbo, Ikorodu, told Sunday Tribune of an encounter between Igunnuko masquerade faithful and some members of a white garment church who ran into one another during separate processions. While, in other climes, that could have precipitated some conflict, the Igunnuko worshippers simply improvised a song right there on the spot, and the Christians danced to it. The song: “Elijanja elija (2ce)/igunnuko pade Jesu, elijan ja elija.” (Oh Elijah (2ce)/ igunnuko meets Jesus/Oh Elijah).

Booming trades...and dangers Osikoya also noted that Ikorodu indigenes love selling fish, rice and beans and also fruits that could fetch quick profit. On the businesses currently making waves in the town, Rotimi Olanrewaju, a car wash operator, however introduced a novel dimension when he noted that hotels, bars and filling stations were springing up with renewed intensity in the kingdom. “People drink at the bars all night, entertained by musicians, and prostitutes (omo oloso) are readily available. In recent times, no fewer than seven major cases of omo oloso deaths have occurred. Vital parts of their bodies were removed and their corpses were dumped at Anibaba. Onyabo eventually arrested some of the occultists,” he said.

Language matters Ikorodu, at least in the late 80s and early 90s, was a closely-knit community, even with the willing influx of foreigners popularly called ara ilu oke who were marked off by linguistic peculiarities. Indeed, dialectal peculiarities may be remarked on for a moment. For instance, while a typical Ikorodu person uses the Yoruba phrase “f’ona’ or” (titi is a general

What does one expect when people refer to themselves as Dog 1 and Dog 2?

Ayanburen road, Ikorodu

Street loyalty Despite the ethnic vitality and cultural togetherness in the town, sub-geographical preferences still obtain. Thus, there are authentic Aga citizens as opposed to Ijomu citizens, and those of Ota Ona are well aware of what separates them, however superficially, from denizens of Itunwolo. This reality was expressed in song by an Ikorodu Apala music legend, Nasiru Atunwon, as follows: “Omo Itunmoja l’omo itunmoja (2ce), k ii s’omo Itunpate l’omo Itunmoja,” meaning, literally, that an Itunwaye native is not an Itunmoja native. In such a situation, Itunpate people would not even feature in the equation, not minding that the distance between one emotionally segregated area may at times be no longer than a candle.

Ita Elewa, Ikorodu

Prince Adesina Olussanya, deputy commander, Onyabo

Pastor Badmus Abayomi

Yorubanisation of the word street) to describe crossing from one side of the road to another, a person who says “soda titi” would be immediately pinpointed as a foreigner. Again, where Yoruba people from other places would say “Anti Sade” (Sister Sade) with the “anti” honorific morpheme realised with a do-do-mi (low-low-high tone)sound, Ikorodu people would utter a do-do-re sound (low-low-mid tone), giving the wrong impression (to a nonIkorodu person) that they are saying “Sade’s sister” when in reality they mean “Sister Sade.”

Although an Ijebu-speaking domain, Ikorodu has been noted for “Yoruba Eko’’ (the variety of Yoruba spoken in Lagos) for decades. In addition to this sophisticated Yoruba, the Ikorodu variety of Ijebu (some would say Remo) is spoken widely by the indigenes, but it is said to be lighter than other varieties of Ijebu. However, as in every other community, there is the language of what the late American rap artiste, Tupac Amaru Shakur, once described as the “thug life.” Thus, while ordinary people would say N5, N10 and N20, lowlifes or hard-willed youngsters in Ikorodu have their own language influenced largely from the Lagos mainland.

Thus, N5 is kala, N10 is fibre, while N20 is shandy. Thus, a conductor who does not want other passengers to know how much a passenger is paying for an “extra load’’ put in the vehicle might tell his boss, the driver: “Oga mi, 10 fibre pere l’anamu yi fe san sa!” (My master, this moron wants to pay only 10 fibre!). Only the driver and any other “wake up” person(s) on the bus would realise that the conductor was referring to N100. A wristwatch is called kajo; N50 is white, while N500 is figo. N1,000 is opakan.

In 2016, the guys would use slang such as “aja n sare (the dog is running), aja one, gbera! (Dog 1, move!)” and such other anti-language (apologies to MAK Halliday), and an okada rider on hearing “gbera!” would speed like a man pursued by a masquerade. Accidents are routine.

Music Ikorodu people are lovers of music.

Percussion instruments are multifarious, but opepe, made from bamboo, is notable. The opepe is placed on the left shoulder and beaten with the right hand, and when Ikorodu people have enjoyed a performance, they would shout: “Gbere!

Gbere!” The opepe is widely used during Magbo and Liwe festivals, celebrated between May and June. In recent years, K1 De Ultimate, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, and Sule Adio (Atawewe), not to mention the ever present Sunny Ade, have been extremely popular.

Yet, traditional music has never waned, and it is a blade with two different edges.

Enjoy this one: “Olowo oko se i me fuwa ododi o (2ce), bo ba gbo hanmu hanmu, a tun gbo jinwon jinwon, olowo oko sei me fuwa ododi o.” The song addresses a crude and arrogant local moneybag (legend recalls the story of an Ikorodu money bag who, in a show of power, once had money fried in palm oil), who does not cease to behave oddly, barking like a dog, thus implying that arrogance may be informed by lack of exposure.

A land of crimes...

However, for all its beauty, Ikorodu is in many ways now a groaning kingdom.

While, in the 1990s, marijuana addiction, as acknowledged by the late Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi, was the major vice, the kingdom is now a festering site of cultism, land grabbing and pipeline vandalism.

On the menace of land grabbers (omo onile), Chief Muftau Osikoya, himself a family head, said it had to do with a variety of factors. First, he said, if a person buys a piece of land and is given a specific time frame within which to develop it, problems might arise if such a person fails to stick to the deal.

“If nothing is done on the land after a long period, well after the deadline, a new government may assume office and tamper with the land in a bid to assert their authority. In case a land has been left a virgin land for too long and the owners of the land threaten to re-sell the land, the buyer may placate them with money.

That happens a lot of times. But some omo oniles may just invade the land and start violating it. That is a bad practice,” he said.

Cultism and the intervention of Continues pg12

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news

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

2019: S/West leaders plan grand inter-party coalition

By Dare Adekanmbi

A

grand coalition of prominent political leaders aimed at galvanising the South-West geopolitical zone to vote en bloc for a single party in 2019 elections is coming soon.

The alliance, Sunday Tribune reliably gathered, is being spearheaded by aggrieved leaders of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), in conjunction with leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as topnotchers from other parties.

The nature of the coalition, it was learnt, will be similar to the popularity enjoyed by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) which was massively voted for in the South-West in 1999.

It was gathered that the ongoing re-alignment in the South-West is part of the larger across-the-Niger coalition being built across the country ahead of the 2019 elections.

Promoters of the coalition are said to be toying with collapsing their existing individual structures into a new political party which they aim to float before the end of the year.

At the core of the new political arrangement in the South-West zone is the Yoruba nation agenda and the place of the Yoruba people in national political power configuration.

Some prominent APC national leaders are said to be in constant conversation with Governor Fayose of Ekiti State and Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State.

Sunday Tribune learnt that the buy in of the PDP governors, who had consistently clamoured for a pan-Yoruba agenda in the current administration, has been secured.

A source in the know of the internal workings of the coalition told Sunday Tribune that Governor Ayo Fayose is already playing the role of a spokesperson for the coalition.

The visit of Governor Fayose to his counterpart in Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, last week, was said to be more than a reconciliatory meeting of two governors who were once torn apart by politics.

It was reliably learnt that reconciliation of hitherto feuding political leaders across parties in the SouthWest had been concluded in the latter part of 2015, with consensus reached on the need to protect and defend the interest of the Yoruba nation.

The coalition, it was gathered, is so grand that its promoters target to bring most of the prominent politicians in the zone, irrespective of party affiliation, under a common roof.

Some former governors in the South-West, who lost out in the power play in the build up to the 2015

elections, for example, a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, were said to have keyed into the plan.

It was gathered that a series of meetings had been held on the arrangement within and outside the country in the last five months. Some of the meet-

ings were held in Lagos and Ibadan.

A similar coalition is said to be building up in other zones of the country, particularly in the North, where calculations are on how to ensure the North retains power for 12 unbroken years.

The reckoning of the

northern leaders, the source said, was that if President Muhammadu Buhari is persuaded to do only one term, then another northerner can have two straight terms of eight years.

The Presidency, it was gathered, is aware of the moves by some leaders to

From left, Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa; Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo and Technical Advisor to the CEO, Ms Maureen Ideozu, after a meeting with US Secretary of Commerce, in Abuja, recently.

forge a grand alliance with the opposition elements.

One of the APC governors in the South-West was said to have been left out of the plan because of his closeness to Abuja.

Meanwhile, loyalists to former President Olusegun Obasanjo have re-grouped across the six states of the South-West.

Sunday Tribune was informed that the group has begun what a source said is a “highly confidential meeting,” where discussions have centred on the need for a new party and the 2019 elections.

The meeting was attended by two people per senatorial district, while there were no representatives from some senatorial districts in the South-West for want of “reliable and secretive” politicians.

At the meeting held on Tuesday, January 26, in one of the states, Obasanjo, who spoke through the leader of the group from the state and former prominent government official, reiterated his earlier position that he had long ceased to be a member of the PDP and never at any time joined the APC.

7 die, 10 rescued as boat capsizes in Lagos •Emergency meeting with boat operators for Tuesday Olalekan Olabulo-Lagos

SEVEN people lost their lives early Saturday when a 17-passenger boat capsized around Obadore area of Ikorodu in Lagos State.

The boat accident was blamed on the activities of sand dredgers, who allegedly filled a portion of the river with sand, without the knowledge of the boat operators.

Sunday Tribune gathered that the boat, which was heading towards Obadore from Ijede crashed into a heap of sand in the middle of the water .

Seven people were initial-

ly rescued by a combined team of rescue workers from the National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos Inland Waterways and National Inland Waterways.

Four bodies of three men and a woman were also recovered by the rescue workers, who rushed the victims to two different hospitals.

Three out of the seven injured victims later died at the Ikorodu General Hospital in Ijede and Aromedics Hospital, also in Ikorodu.

The South West coordina-

tor of the National Emergency Management Agency, Dr Bamidele Onimode, confirmed the boat accident to Sunday Tribune.

The NEMA coordinator stated that the incident occurred around 10:20a.m. and that the agency mobilised other rescue workers to the scene.

NEMA South-West spokesperson, Ibrahim Farinloye also confirmed the incident to Sunday Tribune and added that the rescue operation had been concluded.

“One of the rescued victims gave up the ghost at Ikorodu General Hospi-

Our army did not kill any civilian in Nigeria, says Cameroon govt THE Cameroonian government has denied reports that its soldiers killed dozens of civilians in crossborder raids while pursuing Boko Haram extremists into Nigeria — the third such report from Nigerian villagers in two months.

The Nigerian-based extremist group frequently stage attacks in Cameroon, which is contributing to a regional force to wipe them out.

Last Monday, four suicide bombers killed 35

people in the border town of Bodo. In response, Cameroon said its soldiers crossed into Nigeria and killed 17 insurgents.

On Tuesday, The Associated Press reported that at least 40 civilians were killed in cross-border operations, quoting the deputy commander of a Nigerian civilian defence group who said he spoke to villagers in the Gwadale border community in North-East Nigeria.

The deputy commander, Muhammad Abba, said Cameroonians arriving on Monday “began to shoot sporadically.” Abba said his information came from relatives still trapped along the border.

Abba also quoted villagers who said Cameroonian troops on January 18 fired rocket-propelled grenades indiscriminately that killed a family of four in Nigeria, then shot and killed two elderly men.

tal, where some of the them were rushed to,” he said, adding that two others also died at Aromedics Hospital, Ikorodu where another batch of victims were rushed.

Meanwhile, following the boat incident, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has summoned an emergency meeting of all commercial boat operators in the state for Tuesday, February 2, just as it vowed to clamp down on boat operators who continue to contravene the rules and regulations guiding their operations.

In a statement signed by the Managing Director of LASWA, Mrs. Abisola Kamson, the meeting which would focus on the compliance of safety standards of vessels operating on the state waterways would hold at the LASWA office in Falomo Ikoyi by 9:30am.

“Despite efforts by the state government to enforce the safety standards on the waterways, some boat operators still flout the rules and regulations, thereby putting the lives of innocent citizens at risk.

“The Lagos State Government will not tolerate the operation of substan-

dard vessels on the waterways. Any individual or corporate entity found to be operating vessels not deemed water worthy will be prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the law,” she said.

Kamson who confirmed the boat mishap at Ibeshe, Ikorodu said the incident occurred at approximately 10:20am on a boat, Amen Limited, of Aki Marine Company belonging to one Mr. Akeem Balogun, which was travelling from Ijede to Badore East.

She said although all passengers on the boat were wearing their life jackets, the covered design of the boat made rescue efforts challenging.

Kamson said that survivors rescued were immediately taken to the Ijede General Hospital for treatment, while investigations were ongoing in collaboration with the Marine Police.

The LASWA boss who was at the scene of the incident reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring all operators plying the Lagos waterways comply with safety standards to prevent future loss of life and property.

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news

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Villa in 2016.

The Committee on Inter-

Governmental Affairs was already mandated to x-ray the Service Wide Votes and exclude any extraneous figures in the budget.

“Whereas the highest figure for the Villa under the previous governments stood at N33 billion, the current government in an austerity measure proposed a budget of N39.124 billion for the Presidential Villa,” a lawmaker noted, adding that the ingenuous development in the current administration is that various sums to be spent are located in departments outside the Presidency itself.

A source said that in view of the overt attention on the budget of the National Assembly, the lawmakers have decided to thoroughly examine the National Budget and remove any extraneous figures adding that any overhead that is seen as bogus would be reassigned or removed totally.

The media last week revealed the contents of a letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the National Assembly in which he alleged lack of transparency in the budgetary process of the legislature.

He also accused the lawmakers of corruption, adding that their insistence on buying vehicles worth N4.7 billion was insensitive at this time.

However, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki replied the former President, insisting that the National Assembly has imbibed a culture of transparency.

2016 budget: NASS moves against Aso Rock Set to remove ‘bogus’ allocations Taiwo Adisa - Abuja

L

AWMAKERS in the National Assembly are said to be preparing a huge shock for the presidency as far as the final copy of the 2016 budget is concerned.

The lawmakers in the two chambers committed the budget to committee assignments last week after passing the document through the second reading.

Investigations at the National Assembly, however, confirmed that lawmakers are unhappy that they have been made to bear the brunt of all the ills that go with budgetary allocations year after year.

For instance, some of the lawmakers argued that whereas every sector of the budget in the 2016 estimates recorded between 10 and 30 percent increase, the budget of the National Assembly took a downward plunge from N130 billion in 2015 to N115 billion.

The lawmakers are also angry that while the National Assembly has been granted zero capital allocations in 2016, that of the Presidency rose from N8.3 billion and N8.9 billion in 2014 and 2015 to N19.1 billion in 2016.

Some of the lawmakers had also argued that the original budget that can be compared with that of 2016 is actually the 2014 Budget which was implemented in full by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

They also argued that since the 2015 budget was signed into law in April, nothing concrete was spent from the budget by the previous administration, while the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari also largely sidelined the budget.

“Although some of the votes meant as expenses in the Villa are spread in different subheads, including in the Service Wide votes, the lawmakers have decided to fish out all the expenses and straighten them as appropriate,” a lawmaker said last week.

For instance, the president, in the corrected version of the budget, moved the N3.7 billion meant for purchase of cars and spread same in the votes for the office of Chief of Staff and the Chief Security Officer to the President. A lawmaker said that the finances are being scrutinised to ensure that nothing untoward is al-

lowed in the budget.

Other subheads already

contained in the budget but which are seen as curi-

ous include the vote of N3.9 billion for renovation of the

Demolition of another section of Oshodi market by official of Lagos State government, on Saturday, in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA. Inset is the passenger boat that capsized in Lagos on Saturday.

Members of Agege Patriots (a non-governmental organisation) cleaning up the Iyana Orile-Agege Area of Lagos state, during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state on Saturday. Photo: Wale Olopade

Judiciary must liberate itself from EFCC intimidation —Adegboruwa Media trial of alleged looters wrong —Akeredolu

By Yejide GbengaOgundare A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Rotimi Akeredolu and a Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Ebun-OluAdegboruwa, have tasked the court and the Federal Government on the method being adopted in the prosecution of the war against graft.

In a statement on Saturday, Adegboruwa urged the court to free itself from “acts of timidity and intimidation” from government agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing the development as a setback for democracy.

He reminded the judicial actors that the courts were

saddled with the responsibilities of enforcing the rights and liberty of the citizens and should not therefore come under the influence of the executive arm of government.

The legal practitioner condemned the arrest of a former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), shortly after a he was granted bail by the court.

He also faulted the non-release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the pro-Biafra group, who was granted unconditional release, as well as the ‘special’ bail conditions for Chief Olisah Metuh and other suspects, stressing that bail should be given without pecuniary consideration.

Akeredolu, in his own re-

marks, condemned the trial of alleged looters in the media, describing such as convicting suspects without giving them fair hearing.

Speaking in Ibadan, at a valedictory court session by the Oyo State judiciary for Justice Misitura Agbaje-Oladeinde, who retired from the bench, Akeredolu stressed the need to strengthen the plea bargain system as a way of saving time and recovering stolen resources.

“Those that are going to try them are they equipped for these trials. When Father Kukah said some things, some of us condemned him. We must sit down and reconsider some things. When people make away with money, can we get them to do a plea bargain? This might save the

prosecutor a lot of embarrassment because from what I can see, both the EFCC and the ICPC are not equipped for trial of the nature we are facing today.

“I want to call on government to look at it again.

What we want back is our money, what we want is not 500 charges that none will be proved. What we need is two or three charges, do a plea bargain; if you are going to put them behind bars, let there be agreement on the number of years they will serve and give us back the money,” he stated.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan branch, Mr. Kazeem Gbadamosi, stated that the third tier of government does not exist in some states

in Nigeria, adding that it is illegal not to conduct elections in any state.

He stated that the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended sets up a three tier form of government; Federal, state and local as provided in Section 7(1) (4), adding that there is no provision for a caretaker chairman in the Nigerian constitution.

“I am not aware that there has been a third tier of government in some of the states in this country (including Oyo state). The failure to conduct elections for the third tier of government is not only unconstitutional, it is illegal. We have gone through the constitution; we have not seen where there is provision for caretaker chairman/person to be appointed by the governor.

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31 January, 2016

crimereports

Sunday Tribune

edited by Oluwatoyin Malik 0807 889 1950, 0811 695 4633 praiseboy01@gmail.com

Acid war in Ibadan Woman who attacked husband says, ‘I didn’t want him to leave me ’cos of my barrenness’ Stories by Oluwatoyin Malik

“T

HE woman who gave me a substance told me that it was a charm meant to endear my husband to me.

I never knew that what she gave me was acid. All I was trying to do was to keep my husband’s love so that he would not think of leaving me, because I know that my marriage with any other man would not endure because of my barrenness.”

These were that words of Remi Agunbiade (38), a resident of Ita Barika, Foko area of Ibadan, Oyo State, after she was arrested by the policemen from Iyaganku Division over an alleged attempt to kill her husband, one Olawale Shola, by pouring acid on him on January 27, 2016.

The incident occurred less than 24 hours after a similar happening at Oje area of Ibadan where a man allegedly poured a bottle of acid on the mother of his two kids for reasons best known to him.

But the difference is that while the Oje suspect ran away after committing the act, the Foko victim, Shola prevented his assailant from escaping as he ran after her and held her until neighbours came to assist him in preventing the lady from running away.

Crime Reports learnt that the Foko incident happened at about 9a.m while Shola was lying down in a room he stayed with his partner, Remi.

In an interview with Remi after her arrest, the lady, who also got some of the acid on her skin, claimed ignorance of the substance she poured on her partner, saying that she thought it was a love charm.

According to her, “I met Shola in 2003 and we have been together since then.

He was the one who forced

Olawale Shola on hospital bed me to abort for him twice, and since then, I have not been able to get pregnant

The suspect, Remi Agunbiade again. Then, he had a wife with two kids.

“When I had my first

pregnancy, he said that his wife was also pregnant with their third child,

asking me to abort mine, which I did. He used to schedule his stay between

the two of us. We used to quarrel often and this got me worried because I knew that if he left me, I would not be able to have another steady relationship since no man would be willing to live with a barren woman.

“I met a lady called Iya Azeez at a provision stall at Agbeni market, Ibadan.

During our discussion, I intimated her of my challenges and said that I didn’t want to leave my husband.

She replied that I would have to resolve the issue through self-help. I asked for assistance to stop further quarrels between me and my husband and she said she would help me get water that had been prayed into from an Alfa, stating that all I would need to do Continues pg 7

My partner wants to kill me because of jealousy, mother of 2 tells her story FOR 21-year-old Abimbola Akinola, when she started receiving threat messages from the father of her two children that he was going to kill her, she never believed that it could happen. To her, this was a man she lived with for four years in a relationship that produced two children and a miscarriage.

But reality dawned on her on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, when her ‘husband’, one Adeyemi Adelaja (28), visited her in her parents’ home at Labiran, Oje area of Ibadan and bathed her with acid. But for providence, Abimbola would have been in the morgue by now, if the plan of the kids’ father had succeeded. According to the young lady, the man purposed to pour the acid down her throat, save for the little resistance she was able to put up.

Abimbola is now lying in pains at the Burns Unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, where

Abimbola Akinola with acid burns on her arm she is currently receiving treatment, with the doctors waiting for the right time to take her through treatment

that would save her skin from total destruction.

According to information gathered by Crime Re-

ports, the relationship between Adeyemi and Abimbola got strained when the former repeatedly abused the mother of his children.

This made the young lady to move in with her mother in 2015 to save her life.

But this was said to have angered Adeyemi, who, after trying to bring her back to his house in Lagos State, started issuing threat messages to Abimbola through her phone.

In her narration to Crime Reports, Abimbola said: “I got pregnant for Adeyemi when I was in school.

We had a misunderstanding since last year. He is too jealous; as a result of this, he would beat me, tear clothes off me and render me naked. My mother decided to bring me and my two kids to Ibadan in 2015 after I suffered a miscarriage.

“Since then, he had been sending threat messages to my phone, saying that he was going to destroy my

beauty and kill me. But I never thought he would carry out the threat.

“On Monday, January 25, he called me that he wanted to come to Ibadan to visit his children. He came on Tuesday afternoon and there was no one at home with me. I asked if I should prepare a meal for him, but he said he didn’t want to eat. At a point, he said he wanted to go and buy credit card for his phone; I offered to do it for him but he said he would go and buy it himself.

“He went down the stairs and came back with a bottle. I didn’t know what was inside. He asked me to give him my phone which I did.

Suddenly, he held my neck and tried to force my mouth open in order to pour the content of the bottle into my mouth.

“I gave him a hard bite, which made the bottle to fall from his hand. I quickContinues pg 7

7

crimereports

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

NCS Area Controller harps on zero tolerance for smuggling

Showcases seizure of 1165 bags of smuggled rice, vehicles

By Oluwatoyin Malik

T

HE new Area Controller of Oyo/Osun Area command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Tolulope Ogunkua has reiterated his determination to build on the past successes recorded in revenue generation and antismuggling activities by the Oyo/Osun Area command of the Nigeria Customs Services.

This was just as he disclosed the seizure of 1,165 50kg bags of rice by the crack squad of his area command. In addition, the Area Controller said that six fairly-used vehicles including three Volkswagen Golf cars, two Mazda E2000 buses and one Mazda 323 car were also intercepted by the antismuggling squad.

Speaking during a pressing briefing at the area command headquarters in Ibadan during the week, Mr Ogunkua, who resumed duties on January 11, 2016, said that out of the seizure, 900 bags of rice loaded into two trucks were intercepted along Saki-Oyo road axis at about 4a.m through the utilization of intelligence.

He stated further that one suspect was arrested along with the trucks.

The Area Controller also said that five of the six vehicles intercepted were also found to be loaded with 265 bags of rice, giving the estimated duty paid value of the 1,165 bags of rice at N10.5 million.

The Area Controller, who stated that the Nigeria Customs Service was strategic in the sustenance of the nation’s economy at this critical stage of economic downturn, remarked that maximum revenue generation was paramount to the Controller-General of Customs, Colonel Hammed Ibrahim Ali.

The Area Controller, Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Tolulope Ogunkua, showing journalists one of the intercepted trucks loaded with bags of rice.

He used the medium to reiterate that the current administration has zero tolerance for corruption and revenue leakages in all its ramifications, say-

ing that his command was committed to enforcing same.

Mr Ogunkua appealed to the media to assist in the area of sensitizing and

enlightening stakeholders and the society in general so that there would be full compliance on duty payment on all imports.

He assured all genuine

importers of rice that duty payment on rice importation through the border has the approval of the NCS, adding that the Oyo/Osun Area command

‘I didn’t want him to leave me ’cos of my barrenness’ Continued from pg 6 is to sprinkle it on my husband, after which he would love me without holding anything back. She gave me a bottle containing the liquid substance on Tuesday, January 26.

“On Wednesday morning, my partner, Shola, was lying down when I took the bottle and poured the content on his head. He cried in agony from sleep and I also shouted and ran out.

But he followed me and caught up with me beside the house next to ours.

“He asked people to help him hold me so that I would not run away. By then, a huge crowd had gathered and it was then they started saying that it was acid that I poured him. Some of the liquid got rubbed on my body when he held me, giving me some burns.”

The suspect claimed

that she did not know the residence of the friend who gave her the purported bottle of liquid, saying that she only met the lady about two months ago. She confirmed that she quarrelled with her husband concerning accommodation, since she already told him that she was tired of living with him in a room she rented herself.

“I decided to pack everything out of the room to another place, leaving it bare. His friends intervened and he came to sleep in the room with me on Tuesday. My action was because I didn’t want to have another husband.”

She also disclosed that her husband started dating another lady in her neighbourhood about three years ago, and that the lady used to scorn her childlessness. Remi added that her husband rented a room for the lady.

Crime Reports was also at the Burns Unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan where the victim was on admission. He narrated his experience thus: “Remi and I have been together for over 11 years. My relationship with her caused a friction between her and my first wife who has four children for me.

“I used to defend Remi anytime she had a quarrel with my first wife, especially because she had yet to have a child. At a time, I abandoned my first wife to be with Remi when the first wife cursed Remi and said she would never have any child till she would quit relationship with me.

“Also about three years ago, I started dating a lady.

This caused Remi to be threatening her. She even went as far as quarrelling with the lady. Last year, I discovered that my first

wife was already dating another man because of the neglect she suffered from me. As a result, I called Remi in October 2015 and told her that I would have to share days of the week between her and my first wife. Initially, she was angry at my suggestion but later said I should start in January 2016.

“I went to my first wife twice in January and by the I returned to Remi’s place, she had changed the lock and had packed all her belongings and mine. She also collected my phone from me under the pretext that she wanted to use it.

After my friend’s intervention, she returned on Monday, January 25. But I went to sleep in the third lady’s house. On Tuesday, I went to Remi’s place and stayed there with her in the bare room.

“On Wednesday, I was lying down, waiting for

…As man bathes kids’ mum with acid over jealousy Continued from pg 6 ly stood up and raised the alarm, at the same time raced down the stairs. In the process, I fell down. My partner came to where I fell and emptied the content of the bottle on my arms and

would be ready to facilitate this at any time.

“Before this period, one thought that the importation of rice during the yuletide period was with the spirit that it would sell, but coming with this large number in January, it means some people are still not working in line with the regulation of paying import duties. I want to say that smugglers would try to maximize profit.

Even if the border is at their doorstep, they would still want to go through unapproved routes.

“Our own is to find them out, fish them out and make this kind of seizure as long as we can. We are ready to assist those who want to pay duty; but for those who intend to smuggle, we will continue to battle them,” The Area Controller said.

back, down to my buttocks.

Thereafter, he ran away.”

On what reason could be adduced for her partner’s action, Abimbola said: “He is too jealous. He didn’t want me to work. After I had the first child, I told him I wanted to go back to

school, but he did not allow me. After the second child, I expressed the desire again, but still, he refused.

“Because of this, I went to learn how to be a makeup artiste and bead making.

But anytime I got job to do, he would not allow me to go.

Instead, he would beat me and expose my nakedness to everyone. Adeyemi trained as a welder but he does not have his own business; he works as a join-man with a welder like him.”

When contacted on the story, the state police im-

age maker, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu described the incident as unfortunate, while he said that the state police Commissioner, Leye Oyebade, had put detectives on their toes to fish out the suspect so that he could be brought to book.

a friend. Suddenly, I felt a warm liquid on me. As I opened my eyes, I saw as she was about to run out and I went after her. I raised the alarm and people came. I told them that she had already threatened that she would do an unforgettable thing to me.

That was how I was rushed to the hospital.”

Shola admitted asking Remi to have an abortion in the past, but said it was only once.

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the story, said that the suspect was still undergoing investigation, adding that she would be arraigned to court at the conclusion of investigation.

Ajisebutu warned members of the public against adopting acid as a weapon of revenge, saying that the act was criminal.

Speaking on Shola and the second patient, Abimbola, the Public Relations Officer of the UCH, Mr Deji Bobade assured that they would get the best of treatments. According to Bobade, “it is good that they have passed the critical stage. We hope that in a matter of days or weeks, depending on how fast the healing process is. they should be discharged home.”

8

newsfeatures

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Ooni takes Yoruba unity gospel to Awujale

By Olayinka Olukoya

I

T was indeed a historic royal visit by the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, to the palace of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, last Friday, in continuation of his unity tour to foremost traditional rulers in Yorubaland.

Oba Ogunwusi, since ascension to the throne as the 51st Ooni of Ile-Ife, had been making frantic efforts to ensure that the house of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race, remains one indivisible family, devoid of rancour and tribalism.

The Arole Odua had, earlier, paid similar visits to Modakeke town, during the 2015 “Akoraye Day” and a surprise visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, when the latter celebrated his 45th anniversary on the throne.

The palace of Awujale, last Friday,was agog ahead of the visit of Oba Ogunwusi to Ijebu-Ode, the capital of Ijebuland, as traditional rulers from all Ijebuland thronged the palace to welcome the monarch.

Apart from members of the Ijebu Traditional Council, the Council of Chiefs and Otunbas were also on ground to welcome Ooni Ogunwusi to Ijebuland.

Among the notable Ijebu sons at the event were the Olori Omooba of Ijebuland and the founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Otunba Olasubomi Balogun, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, Otunba Toyin and Otunba Abimbola Ashiru and Otunba Bode Osinusi, among others.

At exactly 12.55 p.m., Ooni Ogunwusi and his retinue of chiefs, high chiefs and palace officials arrived at the Awujale’s palace and were received on behalf of the Awujale by the Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Yinusa Adekoya, the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Abdulrazaq Adenugba and the Olowu of Owu-Ijebu, Oba Olusegun Adesina.

The rich cultural heritage of Ife people were on display, as praise-singers chanted the panegyric of the Ooni to the admiration of dignitaries and guests at the event.

The Ooni, clad in an all-white attire, was led into the palace hall where other distinguished people were waiting to re-

The Awujale of Ijebuland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Adetona and the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, during the latter’s visit to Ijebuland, on Friday.

ceive him. The moment the Ooni stepped into the hall, the atmosphere changed and everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the young monarch.

Oba Adekoya welcomed the Ooni to Ijebu nation, which comprises six council areas, submitting that the journey of Oba Ogunwusi to Ijebuland was traditionally historic.

He maintained that the visit was a positive thought on the part of the Ooni and prayed for a stronger ties within the Yoruba nation. The Dagburewe of Idowa recalled that the last time an Ooni officially visited Ijebuland was during the convergence of the House of Obas in the Old Western Region in 1941, saying that the Ooni’s decision to visit the Awujale was a right step in the right direction and urged him not to engage himself in any battle of supremacy.

The Dagburewe also acknowledged the effort of the Ooni in alleviating the suffering of his people through his wealth creation programme, admitting that royal

A cross section of traditional rulers at the palace of the Awujale of Ijebuland, during the visit of the Ooni of Ife, on Friday.

fathers are expected to play similar roles for their subjects.

In his remarks, Oba Ogunwusi, first acknowledged that only God Almighty is the “King of Kings,” insisting that there is a Supreme Being higher than all traditional rulers. He vowed to worship and rever this Supreme Being all his life.

He noted that only this God preserved the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland to reign for 56 years, having ascended the throne at a younger age of 26.

Oba Ogunwusi said he was in Ijebuland to establish a solid relationship with the Awujale whom he said was a traditional ruler with good name and reputation.

Oba Ogunwusi harped on unity and cooperation amongst traditional rulers and people of Yorubaland, calling for a replication of the kind of unity and cooperation that existed among traditional rulers in Yorubaland up till 1941, when the Obas in the area last held a joint meeting.

He said only through unity and cooperation among the traditional rulers in Yorubaland could they achieve the best for their people, adding that he was in Ijebuland to learn from the Awujale, who God has preserved for 56 years on the throne.

He, therefore, expressed his readiness to move closer to the Ijebu monarch so as to foster better cooperation and unity among Yoruba traditional rulers.

Speaking further, the Ooni said,: “The position God has put me today is not because of my power or might. It pleased God to make me the Ooni in my youth.

Therefore, I have resolved to come closer to the Awujale, because since 1941 when Yoruba traditional rulers last met, we have not had any other joint meeting. This should not be so.

“It is our culture to respect the elders and there is nothing better than that before God. God loves the Yoruba people so much that He gave us everything. But

if we are not united, we won’t know our worth. God has blessed all of us in Yorubaland, but it is through cooperation we can achieve this,” he added.

In his response, Oba Adetona appreciated Oba Ogunwusi for the historic visit, saying “Yoruba Obas over the years had once come together as a people, doing things together.”

He urged him to be wary of sycophants and different cultural organisations calling for unity of the land, saying “those ones are not genuine ones who have the interest of Yorubaland at heart.”

Awujale also noted he was impressed by a statement made by Oba Ogunwusi during his coronation, calling for peace, describing it as a worthy one.

Oba Adetona said: “I am impressed by the statement you made on your coronation, calling for peace. It was a worthy and unique one. It was, indeed, a call for peace.

When there is peace in all our lands, there will be peace in Nigeria.

“If we cooperate,we can achieve a lot for our people. Yoruba traditional rulers must be able to speak with one voice; we must do things that will be for the good of our people. It is our duty to protect the interest of our people.”

On the Ooni of Ife’s entourage were all royal fathers and leaders from Ifeland, including the Jaaran of Ife, HRH Adekola Adeyeye; the Lowa Ate of Ife, Chief Ade Olafare; the Erebese of Ife, Chief Segun Arasanmi; the Obalesu of Ife, Chief O.O.O. Dada; the Obadio of Ife, Chief Rotimi Faloba; the Asiwaju of Ife, Chief Alex Duduyemi; the Obasewa of Ife, Chief John Odeyemi; the Balogun of Ife, Chief Bisi Omidiora and Mr Akeeb Ajilesoro, among other distinguished Nigerians.

As a mark of the new dawn between the two kingdoms, gifts were exchanged by the royal fathers.

9

news

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Lam-Adesina congratulates Olubadan-designate, extols Odugade’s virtues

By Moses Alao

From left, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; couple, Eniye Olatoyosi and Umaso Ekete, with the Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, during the wedding ceremony of the daughter of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, at the Archbishop Vining Cathedral Church, Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday.

Boko Haram attacks village near Maiduguri

Bombers now disguise as mad people, military warns From Chris Agbambu and James Bwala

M

embers of the insurgent group, Boko Haram, on Saturday, attacked a village at Dalori near University of Maiduguri, razing the entire village. The village is a few kilometres to Maiduguri, the state capital.

Although spokesman of the 7 Division of the Theatre Command, Colonel Mustapha Anka, said that the military was on top of the situation, Sunday Tribune gathered that the insurgents burnt down the village before they were repelled by the military.

It was also gathered that residents of Dalori fled the village before the insurgents arrived.

Also the internally Displaced Persons in Bama camp along the Konduga road also fled, but they were prevented from coming into Maiduguri by soldiers in order not to cause panic in the city.

The military has alerted Nigerians of a new plan by Boko Haram terrorists to cause havoc by disguising as mad people.

According to a statement

by Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, acting Director of Defence Information, the insurgents usually dress like mad persons in order to gain access to public areas to detonate improvised explosive devices.

“It has come to the notice of the Defence Headquarters that Boko Haram members, in their desperation to cause colossal havoc, have now devised a new method where they dress like mad persons to gain access to public areas to detonate bombs.

“The two male suicide bombers, who dressed like mad women and carried out suicide bomb attack in Gom-

bi, Adamawa State, is instructive in this direction. Five people lost their lives and several others were wounded in the heinous attack by these ungodly people.

“The Defence Headquarters, therefore, urges our fellow good citizens across the country to be wary of mad persons approaching markets, public places or crowded areas so as to nip this ugly trend in the bud,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) has sustained aerial bombardment of Sambisda Forest with over 286 operational sorties conducted against terrorist target in the

Buhari tasks universities on research As ABU produces 98 First Class graduates PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday tasked universities on research breakthrough to accelerate national growth and development.

Buhari gave the task in a message to the 38th convocation ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

Represented by Professor Akanerem Essien of the National Universities’ Commission (NUC), the president also said Nigeria would not achieve greatness until “education is highly funded.”

He disclosed that the Federal Government, through TEDFUND, had established

S/Court ruling: I won’t quit Senate —Andy Uba Taiwo Adisa - Abuja THE Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District in the Red Chamber, Senator Andy Uba said on Saturday that he remained a member of the chamber, despite the verdict of the Supreme Court, which ousted his faction of the Anambra Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) from the National Assembly.

Senator Uba, in a statement, said that he was not

area in the last one month.

The Deputy Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, who stated this at a media briefing in Maiduguri, Borno State, said that the air strikes and bombardments were conducted by the air component of the Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East.

AVM Amao said the ongoing air operations and surveillance within the theater of operation in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states were intensified between December 2015 and January 2016 towards ending the Boko Haram menace.

party to the suit before the Supreme Court, charging his constituents to remain calm and disregard “insinuations that the verdict of the Supreme Court delivered today (on Friday) in the case of Ejike Oguebego and other Versus People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other, affected his seat in the National Assembly.”

Senator Uba said his name and his seat were also not mentioned at any stage of the suit which he said commenced in 2014 at the Federal High Court.

He added that the issue in contention in the case decided by the Supreme Court was on the chairmanship of the Anambra State chapter of the PDP and the constitution of its State Executive Committee.

According to him, the “wrong and false interpretation being given to the verdict of the apex court was a calculated mischief planned by certain politicians in Anambra State who are simply interested in confusing issues.”

“institution based research and national research fund” to resuscitate research activities in Nigerian universities.

He, however, lamented that much of the funds were yet to be accessed by the nation’s public universities.

The president called on the universities to put in place tangible proposals for the purposes of research breakthrough that would make remarkable impact on national development.

He noted that ABU had in the past made remarkable progress in research on agriculture, extension services and livestock improvement through breeding.

Meanwhile, Professor Ibrahim Garba, the institution’s vice chancellor, said the institution produced 305 Ph.D. holders and 98 First Class degree holders for 2013/2014 academic session.

He stated this in an address at the convocation ceremony.

THE member representing Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency, Honourable Dapo Lam-Adesina, has paid homage to the Olubadan-designate, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, praying that his reign engender progress and peace in Ibadanland.

This is just as he described the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, as a man who would be remembered for his worthy service and invaluable contributions to the peaceful sustenance of the cultural heritage of Ibadanland.

Lam-Adesina, who was at the Monatan home of the late royal father, at the weekend, was received by Olori Moriyike Lana while High Chief Olufemi Olaifa, speaking on behalf of the Olubadan-in council, encouraged the legislator not to relent in his commitment as a true servant and representative of his people.

Similarly, the lawmaker was at Popo Yemoja home of High Chief Adetunji, where he said: “As a true son of Ibadan, I have come to congratulate you on behalf of the good people of Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency whom I represent in the Green Chamber on your expected elevation to the highly revered stool of the Olubadan. Baba, may your time bring more remarkable development to Ibadanland.”

Blood of those killed in Rivers will cry for justice —Peterside Uduakabasi Patrick - Port Harcourt RIVERS State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in April 2015 elections, Mr Dakuku Peterside has said that though the Supreme Court affirmed Mr Nyesom Wike as the winner of the election, the blood of the persons killed in the elections will keep crying for justice.

Dakuku disclosed this on Saturday during a reception organised for him at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

According to him, God is the final judge after man’s judgment and that the APC in the state should not be discouraged but hope that one day they would be vindicated.

Lawmaker dies in Kwara Biola Azeez - Ilorin A member representing Oke Ero state constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly. Honourable Moses Musa Afolayan, is dead.

Sunday Tribune gathered that Afolayan died in the early hours of Saturday in his house along the NNPC Pipeline Road, Ilorin, aged 59.

Survived by wife, Mrs Victoria Oluwabunmi,children, the deceased, born in Idofin Igbana in Oke Ero Local Government in August 1956, was elected into the House of Assembly in the April 2015 general elections on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

A statement by the Director of Information in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Sunday Adeleke, said burial arrangements would be announced later.

Eulogies as governor’s mum is buried Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia THE quiet community of Umuobiakwa in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State came alive on Friday as the remains of the mother of the state governor, Deaconess Bessie Ikpeazu, were laid to rest, with dignitaries from all walks of life turning out to pay their last respects.

Five governors, deputy governors, wives of governors, former governors and members of the National Assembly, among other dignitaries, were in attendance at the event.

The governors of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade; Imo, Rochas Okorocha; Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel; and Ebonyi, Dave Umahi; Ekiti, Ayo Fayose; the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; former Governor T. A. Orji, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Mr Arthur Eze, were among dignitaries at the funeral.

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

11

voxpop I will not call off the wedding rather, I will show her love and care.

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

What if your partner is confirmed HIV positive 3 months to your wedding?

Love is usually measured by its ability to bear all things unconditionally. However, when certain situations arise, one may wonder just how much love exists between a couple.

HANNAH SASODJE and TEMITAYO ILIASU asked individuals just how much further they would be willing to go, if they found out a partner was confirmed HIV positive, three months to the wedding.

SOKUNBI OLAMILEKAN I won’t marry her. If I later marry her, then it will be on the condition that we will adopt children and that I won’t have sexual intercourse with her.

BAMEKE FUNTO I will not call off the wedding rather, I will show her love and care.

I will procure medications for her and make sure she takes her drugs as prescribed. Giving birth will not be an issue because, there are available modern ways of having children.

OWABUMIWA VICTOR IF I discover that I don’t have the virus and I also get to know that she got it through an infected razor blade or nail cutter, then I will be there for her and she will still be my wife. I will marry another woman after her just to have chil-

ADULOJU NIFEMI I will have to cancel the wedding because, after the wedding there is no way I won’t be infected with HIV too.

I’m not ready for that kind of problem; visits to the doctors and the like will be too stressful. Nigeria’s problems are enough; adding that to it is a bigger problem.

NWACHUKWU GRACE I will still go ahead with the wedding because, I love him so much. After that, I will make sure he uses his medications often and give him the care, love and support he needs.

MRANOH VERONICA FOR me, I will leave him because, I won’t be able to cope with the fact that we can’t have our own children.

It will be really painful but I will just have to.

JUNAID OMOBOLAJI I won’t dump him, I will encourage him to stay on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and support him. I will also use protection for sexual intercourse and also prevent other sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Lastly, I will make sure he sees the doctor regularly for proper check up.

OKWUELUM MARY I will break up with him and search for love elsewhere. If he truly loves me, he should have told me earlier in the relationship. That simply means he doesn’t trust me and we can’t start our lives together without trusting each other.

DARAMOLA KOREDE I will call off the wedding, because that shows that she is promiscuous.

If not, can she honestly tell me where she got it from because I’m very sure she was not positive when we started dating.

TOMILOLA OJO THAT wedding will be put on hold, even if I got to know that he is HIV positive two days to the wedding. I will definitely call it off.

REBECCA OJEKUNLE FRANKLY speaking, I am not sure I can handle it. We will just have to go our separate ways. Nowadays, that is the reason you and your partner must do overall blood test during your courtship days. One must not set a wedding date unless all these things are cleared because there are lots of diseases out there.

SAMSON ADEKOYA IMMEDIATELY I am aware, I will forget about anything called wedding.

I won’t even think it through because it is very risky. On the other hand, if I am also affected with the virus, I don’t have any choice but for both of us to go through with the wedding

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life&living

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

The tyranny of uniformed ‘oppressors’ Continued from

pg 3

Onyabo Street gangs now define Ikorodu insecurity. Killings, mutilations and severe beatings are routine. Baale of Igbe Igboken, Ikorodu, Alhaji Adebayo Akindele, told Sunday Tribune that the menace of cultism was sparked by two factors: the activities of land developers who brought the miscreants into the kingdom, and the activities of the police, whom he alleged were collaborating with the developers in their land-grabbing activities.

In the last 15 years, Sunday Tribune was told, Ikorodu had been under the siege of cultists and miscreants. Rotimi Olanrewaju, a car wash operator who lives in the Eyinta area of Ikorodu, told Sunday Tribune:“In recent times, the cultists have been at war with one another, particularly in areas like Ita Elewa, Ladega, Itunmoja, Itamuto, Garage and Benson, even Odogunyan and Igbogbo. They are just too many, most of them teenagers.

They have particular markings on their bodies through which they recognise rival factions and deal decisively with them.”

To tackle the menace, Ikorodu elders held a summit and came up with the idea of a paramilitary outfit. The idea was Onyabo (Literally, ‘he is coming like a flood’), an outfit dedicated to wiping out robbery in Igbogbo, Baiyeku, Oreta, Ofin, Ibese, Baiyeku and allied settlements.

However, while Onyabo was accused of high-handedness by some sections of the populace, many residents told Sunday Tribune that Ikorodu is literally secured

by Onyabo. Last Friday, Prince Adesina Olusanya, second-in-command of Onyabo organisation, told Sunday Tribune that the organisation works closely with the police. Once arrests have been made, the suspects are handed over to the police for prosecution.

“Onyabo means many people are on the way to tackle crimes. Because we are major stakeholders in Ikorodu and we know the nooks and crannies of the town, we try to check cultism and other violent crimes.

If there is a riot anywhere, we arrest the perpetrators and hand them over to the police. We have a good working relationship with the police, even though, sometimes, uncooperative DPOs cause problems. Whenever cultism occurs, we are the first to get to the scene and arrest the perpetrators with evidence of their crime.”

On the causes of rampant cultism in the kingdom, Olusanya said the menace was traceable to ineffective parenting and broken homes. “Most of the cult guys we arrest identify their parents as the source of their problems. Some would say their mother was the problem while some would mention their father. We have seen cases of suspects saying they were pushed out of their homes due to their parents’ marijuana habits. In one case, we had to encourage the father to give up marijuana.

In some other cases, some youngsters have been spoilt right from their youth. They would harass a man of their father’s age, shooting him in the leg. Nowadays, you will see 13-year-old cult members calling themselves C-cross, Asa, Alora, Ayee, Eye, White Cross (for ladies) and so on.

Some parents don’t complain when their children go to clubs.”

Recalling a serious shooting incident by teenage boys over the issue of girlfriends on the previous Wednesday, Olusanya appealed to the Lagos State government to

A market at Ewu Elepe

Alhaji Adebayo Akindele, Baale of Igbe provide at least six patrol vehicles and motorbikes, to facilitate the work of the organisation, adding that most robbers in the town, particularly Fulani criminals, use okada to perpetrate their crimes.

Police lawlessness Last Sunday, Sunday Tribune was told by traders at Garage area of the town, some policemen pursued an okada rider so hotly that he was hit by a vehicle. The policemen working on the BRT lane, who pursued the okada man from Benson to Ogolonto, beat a retreat once they saw the damage they had done. The okada rider died, leaving a pregnant wife behind.

Pastor Badmus Abayomi, a unit chairman of Awobo Phase II, Igbogbo, and graduate of Business Education, said since government came up with a law banning okada riders from operating after 10p.m, the police had been exploiting the okada riders. Now, he said, okada riders using Sinoki motorbike, the approved model during the Babatunde Fashola regime, are being hounded by the police.

“They seize okada indiscriminately and collect between N5,000 and N6,000 before releasing them; the police would seize an okada at, say, 8p.m and allege that it was seized at 11p.m. Overseas, I understand, there are government-approved roads for this means of transport,” he said.

Saying that he was tired of being pestered by illiterate uniformed personnel, he noted. “I have a degree in Business Education, I taught for some time, then I went to

Chief Mufutau Osikoya a theological school. To meet the expenses of the home, I decided to supplement to join the okada business so that I can sustain my family. The police are making life extremely difficult for us. Many times, police just stop the okada rider and demand for money, surprisingly in mufti. They also have this practice of suddenly grabbing an okada from behind, causing accidents. If government asks the police to go a mile, they are prepared to go 10 miles. The situation is compounded by members of LASTMA and council task force.”

Also speaking on police oppression of Okada riders, Olanrewaju noted that the police were cashing in on the law made by former Governor Babatunde Fashola outlawing okada on major roads and BRT lanes, to extort money from the okada riders. He said: “They seize their machines and throw them into despair; most times they have to pay huge sums before they can retrieve them, if at all. Although Fashola later surrendered to the demands of the motorbike riders during election, the police are not relenting in their onslaught,” a position supported by the Baale of Agbe, Alhaji Adebayo Akindele.

KAI of crime But okada riders are not the only uniformed menace in Ikorodu. Last Thursday, Mrs Jumoke Ibrahim, a trader, told Sunday Tribune that members of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) brigade had become a law unto themselves in Ikorodu kingdom, towing traders’ wares away from

their stalls and sharing the booty at their office. “They pack traders’ wares at will.

They sit in their office, realise that they are hungry, then go out on raids. This evening at 5pm, four of them, two males and two females, came to raid traders’ wares and they shared the booty at their office.

“They carted away turkey, pepper and different goods. The suffering is too much for us. My daughter’s wares were taken away. They seized two bunches of plantain and a bag of Irish potato from me, as well as yams and tomatoes,’’ she lamented to Sunday Tribune. Indeed, a KAI operative was reported to have told befuddled traders at Garage area of the town when he boasted: “I am a KAI official. How can I be buying pepper and palm oil with my own money?”

A KAI operative, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that he was unhappy with the nefarious activities of his colleagues, but was too powerless to do anything about it. “Taking women’s goods away on a wheel barrow and later sharing them is not right,” he said.

Still many things lacking Apart from crimes, Ikorodu also suffers from inadequate social infrastructure.

Chief Muftau Osikoya, speaking with Sunday Tribune in Ewu Owa, bemoaned the primitive status of life in the area.

“We need a hospital particularly here in Ewu Owa/Gberigbe Owa. We need public schools both primary and secondary.

Then we have no water.”

When Sunday Tribune recalled that tap water used to flow in the 80s and early 90s early in the morning and late in the evening, adding that in extreme cases people went to the water corporation office in Ota Ona to fetch water, the octogenarian remarked that the facility had become abandoned and decrepit. “Those facilities have not been repaired. They are bad and we have seen no progress on it.”

Indeed, a visit to Methodist Primary School, Gberigbe, showed the pitiable sight of pupils sitting on the bare floor.

In the school, pupils are not admitted unless their parents bring plastic chairs for them to sit on, with teachers complaining to Sunday Tribune of complete neglect. On another plane, Oluwo-Amoju area of Igbogbo has a terrible road. It is an abandoned community. The road, merely surviving by community effort, painted a picture of neglect.

Yet, life continues because the people are no quitters. The people are waiting on Mr Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos State governor, to keep his word and develop Ikorodu and environs.

13 Continued from

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31 January, 2016 last week

HE other real reason is that, after about two decades of exclusion from power they no longer want to be in opposition. And the way to power, in their calculation, is inter-ethnic alliance in which leadership is conceded to a particular ethnic group.

Over the years, and in spite of their protestations to the contrary, they have lost all sense of ideological direction and faith in the noble cause dedicated to the equality of all ethnic groups – large and small - in the affairs and governance of Nigeria. In addition, they have cultivated what a political commentator has quite aptly termed a “second fiddle mentality”. They know that this attitude of mind is in direct conflict with my thinking and avowed political norms, and can only be exhibited in circles where I have no direct influence, and in which they exercise leadership.

They are perfectly entitled to their respective aspirations which are undoubtedly legitimate, as well as to their political standpoints. But it is utterly unchivalrous for them to veil the real reasons for their action, by falsely accusing me of tribalism, reaction, and dictatorship. It is indeed most unkind and perfidious for them to use their erstwhile close associations with me as bases for disseminating these false accusations among other people who, because they do not know me at all or have only smattering acquaintance with me, are apt to believe them.

However, in my own defence, I declare quite categorically that I am not a tribalist, and have never been one.

I am not an ethnocentric either. In Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution (p. 90) I define tribalism as: a morbid adherence or loyalty to one’s tribe to the exclusion, prejudice, and detriment of other tribes.

Ethnocentricity can be similarly defined. In this connection, I state, emphatically, that I have no morbid adherence to any group in Nigeria.

Nevertheless, I do conscientiously hold the view that a person can only be a worthy member of a multi-ethnic state like Nigeria if he is first of all a good member of his ethnic or national group. He is expected to love his ethnic group. But he must not do so to the prejudice and detriment of the other national or ethnic groups in Nigeria. Indeed, he is enjoined to love Nigeria as he loves his ethnic group. And it is because we love our tribes and our ethnic groups that we demand that our tribes and ethnic groups should be created into constituent states within the Nigerian Federation, and also claim quite rightly, equal treatment for them in the Nigerian scheme of things.

Awo’s thoughts PATH TO NIGERIAN GREATNESS

Perspective of free education policy at all levels I, therefore, do not belong to that breed of people who claim to be good Nigerians to the exclusion of their being good members of their ethnic or tribal groups. This class of people make patently false and hypocritical claims.

And my under-dealing colleagues have never, throughout our long association, been left in any doubt as to my standpoint on these issues.

Furthermore, I asseverate that no tribalist could have managed the affairs of the old Western Region with such even-handedness as I did for eight years, nor the finance of the Federation with such equity as I did in four years during and after the civil war.

Since then did my accusers discover that I am a tribalist? One of them had been my political associate since 1951, and the rest since 1957. The three of them are nonYorubas whom I regarded throughout our political association as close friends and confidants. They knew I trusted them as much as I trusted any Yoruba or ijebu man, and that I fostered their political fortunes more sedulously than I ever did those of my Yoruba or Ijebu man. Indeed, it was through my instrumentality that providence made them what they are today in Nigerian public life.

With regard to the second accusation, I assert without fear of honesty or sane contradiction that, judged by any rational standards, I am not a reactionary. It is true that,

Sunday Tribune

as a practical politician and economist, I am sometimes electric, making use of the best in all the rival ideological systems for the solution of specific social problems. But on the whole, I know, and I have been so acclaimed even by my worst foes, that I am a relentless progressive and innovator, and an avowed democrat-socialist. When my newly-emergent traducers were with me, and in spite of their professed radicalism or, in one case at least, vaunted Marxism, I maintained my pragmatic approach to problems. It was deliberate stigmatisation of me, therefore, for any of them to suggest that I am reactionary.

The third charge of dictatorship is ridiculous and false.

At governmental and party levels, I always love to argue my case to the best of my ability. I regard no issue which is to come up for discussion as trifling,. Consequently, I always prepare my argument, for what others consider as small matters, with the same industry and thoroughness as I do for major issues. In the result, I often win against the rest, invariably by consensus. But there have been times when I failed to carry the day. On such occasions, I have accepted defeat like a good sportsman. I had never been known to complain or sulk over dialectical defeats.

On the contrary, my critics are well aware that once a decision is taken by the party or government, even against my most strenuous opposition, I have always been the most eloquent advocate of such a decision.

In this connection, three instances come readily to mind. Originally, the Action Group and the government of the Western Region decided to introduce Free and Compulsory Primary Education. I strongly opposed the compulsory part of it, but I was defeated. This was in 1953. Then in 1954, after more than one year of advocacy by me of Free Primary Education only the party as well as the government reversed its former decision, and agreed to make Primary Education free but not compulsory. The Education Bill was accordingly amended.

Since the Action Group’s accession to office in 1952, I had repeatedly urged the creation of a Midwest State.

But on each occasion I had been defeated, and had had to toe the party line in public. Two of my present denigrators were among those who insisted that it was impolitic to create the Midwest State, when it was clear that at a subsequent election the NCNC would control the government of the new State. That would be handing to them, on a platter, the control of a second Regional Government.

To be continued

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14

interview

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Reasons cultism thrives in Ikorodu —Pa Akindele

Alhaji Adebayo Akindele, Baale of Igbe, Ikorodu, is a repository of Ikorodu traditional lore. The 85-year-old musician, fashion designer and culture exponent, speaks with ABIODUN AWOLAJA on germane issues in Ikorodu kingdom, including its culture and festivals. Excerpts:

W

HERE did Ikorodu people first settle?

The first settlers in Ikorodu came in through Oguonojalu on the way to Onisigida, before you get to Sabo. There is still an esu there till this moment. That is the esu of the whole town. Once you enter what is now Sabo market, you would see an akoko tree on the left. That is the place we call Imusendo, the place they first dwelt in. In the olden days when people were about to settle in a place and had consulted Ifa, and Ifa had told them where to settle, they would plant an akoko tree at that spot.

The place is also called Ogunojalu because of the Ikorodu-Egba war which Ikorodu won. It was after then that they carved the way from Burial Ground to Ojude Oba. In Ikorodu, Itunmoja is owned by worshippers of agemo. Itundomuganran, my grandfather’s area, also used to have an esu, but it was stolen at night.

junction with the police. The developers’ boys shoot people at will.

The police are oppressive?

Yes. The suffering they subject the okada riders to, for instance, is too extreme.

They are not after the convenience of Nigerians. Recently as I drove here from Igbe to Igbogbo, I saw policemen, about six, openly collecting bribes on a bad road.

They did not stop my car. If they did, I would have offered them anything I had, because I know that they are hooligans and they can kill anytime.

Why is there so much fresh fish in Ikorodu?

All our fish come from osa (Lagoon).

This is because if rain falls and a flood ensues, it will head to Igbo Ira, from where it will empty into osa. Osa is from Ebute to Ejirin, Ijede, Epe and beyond. I am a hunter; I hunt between igbo okun and osa.

What is this esu?

It is a male stone god worshipped by elders with palm oil, a stone that has manna or that has a brain; a stone that accepts worship. It is the elders that worship it.

Why do people say Ikorodu Oriwu?

That’s when they want to pronounce the name of the town in full. Oriwu refers to the first people to settle here. It is the same way they refer to Magbo masquerade as Magbo Igbore. It came from Abeokuta; the Igbore people are the custodians of Magbo that we celebrate here.

In Ikorodu, there is no itinerant porter (alaaru). Is this due to arrogance?

It is because the people are highly exposed and sophisticated, not that they are arrogant. Ikorodu has no alaaru. It is not a taboo; it was not Ifa that so commanded.

This does not mean that if an Ikorodu person carries luggage for people on his or her head, he or she would not be paid. There was a man we used to call Obanigbogbo; he used to ride bicycles about in Ikorodu, but he was the one carrying women’s luggage for a living at Kota, Lagos. He would convey them from one shop to another.

But in Ikorodu, he was high class: he even built a six-room house.

Which famous musicians in the town can you recall?

Eruja was a famous musician, and so was Agbaku and Bombata. Eruja used to sing about general issues using gangan drum but Bombata and Agbaku sang about oro festival, both Magbo and Liwe.

Why does the Ikorodu oriki mention cutting people’s limbs for fun (omo asamo ni poriki poriki ese; o gapa musere, o gese muyewo) and, on another level, having mercy on the wounded (o saanu elegbo)?

That cannot be explained to just everybody. Let’s just say that the oriki is a form of honour. To say “o gápa musere, o gese muyewo, o sanu elegbo” and so on is just to salute the Ikorodu indigene. But that cannot be explained to just anybody. The oriki is recited in honour of even those who do not watch eluku (the main god

worshipped in Ikorodu).

So, what are the qualifications for watching this eluku?

You must be a son of the source; someone who is not the son of a slave. It’s just that things have become rather rough now. For instance, in former years, we used to see Eyo Adimu easily in Lagos.

Today, to see it, you have to prepare hard.

You will be severely beaten. Judges and lawyers are now the people inside the masquerade.

Really, festivals differ from one another. For instance, during agemo festival, the Ayangburen (king) sits resplendent at Ejina market, beside an eru or akoko tree. Ejina also has its own esu, right in front of the place where you have fish sellers now.

Ikorodu has no alaaru. It is not a taboo; it was not Ifa that so commanded.

This does not mean that if an Ikorodu person carries luggage for people on his or her head, he or she would not be paid.

Nowadays, almost every teenager is a parent in Ikorodu. Was the situation like this in your growing up years?

In the olden days, a young man who wanted to get married should be at least 25 years old. But now, we see 15-year-olds already becoming fathers. The bodily immaturity of young pregnant women is responsible for the high rate of pregnancyrelated deaths. I would repeat this even before a Chief Medical Director. When the birth canal is not yet mature, how can a baby come out of it? Automatically, a Caesarean section is called for.

Cultism is everywhere, but it is now so rampant in Ikorodu...

The causes are two-fold. One, we must note the activities of land developers who brought miscreants into the town. They were always ready to give the omo onile whatever they desired, in order to be allowed to complete their building projects.

That allowed crime to fester. In the past, you moved about freely. In Lagos, we would leave Ita Faji to go and sleep on the pavement at Kingsway, with nobody harassing us.

It is impossible to see a building site these days without these thugs going there to claim their entitlements. What kind of entitlement is that? They have become ajagungbale (land-grabbing warriors).

Developers, ajagungbale gangs and the police are the people causing havoc in Ikorodu. Mention my name anywhere that I said so. There is a notorious fellow, a developer who is allegedly running his own parallel government in Ikorodu, in con-

In terms of development, how would you compare Ikorodu to places like Lagos Island?

Nothing has been done in Ikorodu.

When we were young, we used to trek to the Bar Beach, after Onikan. It was a wooden bridge called Onigbengben that was there, if you were going to Mekuen, Bar Beach. We used to go and play music there. Now, look at the development that has taken place in those places, and compare it with what we have in Ikorodu. It is nothing to write home about.

At that time I was telling you about, people like Sikiru Ayinde Barrister were not even on the scene. It was much later that they came to be part of our music.

We used to play four times in a month, every Sunday. If any performer fumbled, he would pay a fine of one shilling.

Did performers of Were music during Eid-el-Filtri season exist then?

Yes. Were music was not started by Fuji musicians. It was in our time that it started. The earliest performers were not as good as we were, so we took the shine off them. It was during our time that Layigbade came. When Fuji started, it was people like Saka Layigbade, Kilani, that started it.

Does it mean that Barrister did not start Fuji music, like Kollington Ayinla said?

No! Not at all. He did not start it. We were the people that taught Barrister music. At that time, Kollington was not even one of them. We used to tutor them at Cathedral Church area.

Was it the kind of food you ate then that gave you so much energy?

Thank you. What is killing all of us now is what we are eating, particularly anything produced through the grinding machine, and the fertiliser we consume. You see, the grinding machine leaves particles in the pepper we eat, as it wears away, and you know that iron will not melt in our stomachs. I will tell you that if one has reached 85, he or she is already beyond the official death age, spending a long extra time. Government ought to be paying such a person stipends.

15

31 January, 2016

homes&interior s r

Sunday Tribune

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W

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harmful contaminants including viruses, allergens and bacteria.

The new air purifier which could be described as a new face of technology is a bold departure from the conventional round form that people are familiar with. Additionally, it also features an LED smart indicator that makes it possible for users to check pollution levels

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It is smart and effective as well as gives air quality solution that automatically adjusts fan speed to ensure optimal performance. It is also equipped with the One Touch Colour filter system – a convenient colour-coded setup that makes each filter easier to identify and remove (for cleaning purposes).

16

31 January, 2016

ON THE

Sunday Tribune

With Bolanle Bolawole turnpot@gmail.com 07052631058

lord’sday MTN’s belated penitence

I

have an MTN line (0803 251 0193); therefore, I appreciate MTN’s contributions to the development of the telecoms sector. I, however, take serious exceptions to MTN raising its heels against Nigerian authorities, acting arrogantly, and treating our people contemptuously.

I speak in respect of the fine imposed on MTN by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for infractions which border on the country’s national security, with particular reference to the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency, and the safety and well-being of Nigerians as a whole.

The facts of the case are these: MTN is a company licensed by Nigerian laws to transact telecoms business in the country.

The relevant laws require the company to be law-abiding. One such laws, enacted in the wake of the Boko Haram insurgency, is that all SIM cards be registered by telecoms operators, failing which appropriate sanctions were stipulated. The reason for the law was basically security, and this is the standard procedure all over the world, more so in countries grappling with the scourge of terrorism. For reasons best known to it, MTN failed to register a whopping 5.2 million SIM cards. The penalty for failure to register a SIM was US $1.008 (N200,000 equivalent); bringing the total fine payable by MTN to US $5.2 billion.

By curious, even suspicious circumstances, NCC gave a “discount” to the offender, asking it to pay only US $3.9billion; meaning that a “dash” of US $1.3billion (by current official exchange rates, well over N250 billion) was offered to MTN. Rather than show appreciation and pay up, MTN chose to act smart and play hard. It eventually approached the courts, claiming NCC lacked the powers to penalise it for infractions as clear as daylight and which it could not, anyway, deny. Mid-way into that misadventure, however, it retraced its steps, claiming it now wanted out-of-court settlement.

It should be offered none! Since it resorted to court action in its own wisdom, MTN should pursue its cause there to its logical conclusion and get all the reliefs it can possibly get. Like William Shakespeare’s Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice”, no more, no less. And the illegal discount hitherto offered it must be withdrawn. MTN must now pay the full penalty of US$5.2billion, not a kobo less. I offer my reasons.

One, it is the law, and it should be applied. After all, South Africa, the home country of MTN, had itself shoved its laws down the throats of our country and people several time in the past. Two, MTN has the ability to pay and should pay. The telecoms company has repatriated billions of dollars out of the country. Three, times are hard for Nigeria and Nigerians. This, therefore, is not the right time to allow money duly earned by the scrupulous and meticulous application of the law to slip through our hands. Four, treating MTN with kid gloves will set a very bad precedent not only in the telecoms sector but industry-wide. Five, the discount or dash offered MTN smells of corruption. This is Nigeria and we are well too aware of how government officials

negotiate to undermine what goes into the Treasury, while helping themselves to the bargain.

Six, the Minister of Justice and Federal Attorney General has said this government will not tolerate plea bargain which allows common felons to get away with a slap on the wrist. In like manner, no out-ofcourt settlement, plea bargain or IBB-style “settlement” must be tolerated in this case, especially by a change-peddling administration, which is also assiduously pursuing an anti-graft crusade. Seven, no known Nigerian law empowers any government official, not even the president or parliament, to wilfully give out the country’s common patrimony whimsically as a dash or discount. Once the penalty was declared and inflicted on MTN, the money (US$ 5.2billion) was as good as earned by Nigeria and must go wholesale, according to law, into the Federation Account. It cannot therefore be spent, discounted or dashed away without appropriation by the National Assembly.

Eight, NCC already had demonstrated weakness by extending the original twoweek deadline to pay the fine from November 15 to December 31, 2015. That grace, together with the dash or discount, sent the signal that NCC was weak and or that, in the typical Nigerian fashion, the system could be exploited to truncate the penalty altogether. Nine, MTN was not the only operator caught napping by the law. Others accepted their guilt and paid the penalty without fuss. Pampering a recalcitrant offender would, thus, be aiding and abetting indiscipline. If this becomes wild fire and spreads, the economy as a whole will be the worse for it.

Come to think of it, if not for corruption, impunity and profligacy, the blind arrogance, crass selfishness, and monumental fickle-mindedness of our leaders, what is the justification for frittering our common patrimony like some may have done or may be planning to do with the MTN largesse, if we may call it that? Was that not how we frittered the US$2.8biilion Gulf War oil windfall? And is that not how we have, again and again, frittered the resources of this country to the point that we are now in a quandary? Ask Sena-

tor Oluremi Tinubu, the discount or dash offered MTN (over N250billion), which it spurned, is 62.5 times more that the N4billion allocated to the Ministry of Women Affairs in the 2016 budget. Tell me, what kind of a country is this and what specie of human beings are we? What mindless Father Christmas are these, people with no mind for rational thought, that even in these austere times, when every Naira and Kobo should count, that hundreds of billions of Naira will be thrown away without batting an eyelid? It is reasonable to suspect foul play.

It would have been a different kettle of fish if MTN were a Nigerian company.

But it is not. Worse still, its home country has been anything but friendly to Nigeria and Nigerians. Yet, the fulcrum of diplomacy is reciprocity. Nigeria’s contribution to South Africa is awesome. This is a clear instance of Nigeria working like an elephant (for the emancipation of South Africa from the stranglehold of Apartheid colonialism) but eating like an ant in the reward that has come our way.

A brief recap of history will do: The Sharpeville massacre took place in South Africa in March 1960; 69 black people were killed. Nigeria got its independence from 160 years of British colonialism on October 1, 1960. Six months after, the Nigerian government of Tafawa Balewa assumed the driver’s seat in the battle to free South Africa. In a letter dated April 4, 1961 to the African National Congress, Balewa said, “the battle against apartheid has just begun.” Same year, Balewa lobbied for the South African racist regime to be expelled from the Commonwealth. Balewa was also the first leader to provide direct financial assistance to the African National Congress (ANC). In the 1970s, Nigeria provided US$5million subvention annually to the two South African freedom fighters, ANC and the Pan-African Congress (PAC).

In 1976, Nigeria set up the South African Relief Fund; Government and people of Nigeria made generous contributions.

The Federal Military Government of General Olusegun Obasanjo, $3.7million; Obasanjo personally contributed $3,000; each member of his Cabinet, $1, 500; civil servants and public officers made 2 per

cent donation from their salaries monthly; students skipped lunch to make donations etc. As an undergraduate and later as a reporter, I made several financial contributions to the South African cause; not to talk of the countless demonstrations we participated in to support as well as draw attention to the plight of blacks in South Africa. As a reporter, I interviewed ANC President, Oliver Thambo; ANC spokesperson, Alfred Nzo; among many others.

Through the Fund, hundreds of South African students and leaders received education and safe haven in Nigeria, with Thabo Mbeki, South Africa’s second black president, being one of such, enjoying our hospitality between 1977 and 1984.

We also offered our international passport to South Africans to enable them travel abroad. Between 1973 and 1978, Nigeria contributed $39.040million to the UN Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa; we placed an embargo on the racist South African regime, refusing to sell our crude oil to it and losing revenue of over $41 billion in the process.

We were the only country to set up the National Committee against Apartheid (NACAP) as early as 1960. During this period, the West was firmly in support of apartheid, but we refused to be intimidated or blackmailed by them to abandon our robust support for South Africa. Although we were far away geographically from the theatre, we nonetheless regarded ourselves as one of the “frontline states” confronting apartheid head-on, with all the negative repercussions.

Then, we must never forget the 1976 letter of the late Head of State, Gen. Muritala Muhammed to the US president warning him to steer clear of dictating to African leaders on their principled stand on South Africa. “Africa has come of age”, Murtala declared and proceeded to galvanise the support of African leaders at the Addis Ababa OAU meeting for the fight against apartheid. According to the South African Institute of International Affairs, Nigeria between 1960 and 1995 spent over $61 million in support of the anti-apartheid struggle, the highest by any other country. In addition, we boycotted the Commonwealth and Olympic Games to which the racists were invited and the Obasanjo military regime nationalised British Petroleum in 1979.

For our efforts: In 2013 during the funeral of Nelson Mandela, Nigeria’s late president, Umaru Yar’Adua, was shabbily treated while the friends of Apartheid, the US and Britain, had their leaders given the spotlight. Nigerians need visa to travel to South Africa and are also shabbily treated.

But it is not so for the citizens of Western countries that supported Apartheid and prolonged the suffering of blacks. In our fight against insurgency, ex-president Jonathan Goodluck was thoroughly embarrassed by South Africa; his efforts to buy arms from that country ended up a fiasco. Have they returned our money that they seized? I hate to preach hate but some fellows should spare us a re-living of bad memories.

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Sunday Tribune

Let your brain and beauty speak for you —Titi Oseni

It is painful we no longer have

evergreensongs

—9ice

Wizkid yet to confirm baby report

—Management

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Tade Makinde tademt2@yahoo.com 08055001753

Superstory, Purple out with ‘The Other Side’ YEAR 2016 is off to a good start as Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP) has commenced the new season of its Superstory TV drama series entitled “The Other Side,” on Thursday.

According to its producer, WAP, the new season of Superstory is a collaboration with Purple, a lifestyle brand that is executing the 50/50 campaign which addresses existing stereotypes that encourage negative behaviour towards each other.

The Other Side is about a couple’s relationship where the wife’s professional accomplishments overshadow her husband’s. This prompts resentful and misconstrued responses that lead to dismal consequences.

The situation is made worse by poor counsel from his peers largely informed by societal misconceptions about man-woman relationships, stereotypes of each partner’s demeanour.

These episode of Superstory features Rahama Sadau,

Sani Danja, Liz Deegha, Saheed Mohammed, Tamara Eteimo, Norbert Young, Henrietta Kosoko, Jide Alabi, Hakeem Rahman, Scarlet Shotade, Dayo Davies, Victor Edogun, Nurudeen Ibrahim Sokoto, Tunde Alabi, Akunna Nworgu, Kola Olaiya, Moc Madu and others.

“The drama gives its audience an opportunity to take a thoughtful look at these stereotypes again and re-evaluate the information and its limiting consequences-verbal and physical abuse, discrimination and restricted access to opportunities,” Adenuga said.

Its partner, Purple Brand, says it believes in the partnership of men and women to make for a successful society and also sees the importance of teaching boys and girls about the benefits of collaboration, positive partnerships and mutual respect for all very early in life. “We have done detailed research to ensure that The Other Side effectively educates our audiences through entertainment.”

Nollywood actresses fight dirty Over Omoni Oboli’s twitter picture

By Segun Adebayo

A

new chapter of twitter war among some notable Nollywood actresses has surfaced.

What appeared like a new set of TV drama was unfolded on Thursday when Chioma Akpotha stirred up the hornest’s net with her comment on a picture that was earlier posted by actress and producer, Omoni Oboli.

There had been unconfirmed reports that a caucus has been formed among some female filmmakers in the English speaking movie industry, but some of the practitioners who spoke to R insisted there was no iota of truth in the insinuation, insisting that nobody is under the compulsion to join any caucus in the industry.

Akpotha is said to be interested in joining the caucus which comprise Emem Isong, Omoni Oboli, Ufuoma McDermott, Uche Jumbo-Rodriguez and Blessing Egbe.

Oboli was said to have posted a picture of a group of female filmmakers which had herself, Emem Isong, Uche Jumbo-Rodriguez, Ufuoma McDermott and Blessing Egbe in it with a caption that read: “#WCW 5 super filmmakers and a baby bump! @uchejombo @ufuomamcdermott @ememisong @ blessingegbe1.

Lets go ladies!!! 2016 is already FANTASTIC! #BossLadies #FemaleFilmMakersRock #WednesdayMeetings #ExcitedDotCom.” Akpotha replied to the picture with “Sometimes…sisters aren’t REALLY sisters! #2016MindingMyOwnBusiness #StayingOnMyLane #MovingOn”. The actresses in the photo didn’t take her com-

ment lightly and instantly replied her. Uche Jumbo’s replies first, warning Akpotha not to allow the devil to use her “@Omakphota You have my number, don’t let the devil use you. Uche continued “Shaking my head to all these rubbish I’m seeing.”

Uche’s comment was followed by Omoni Oboli’s, who said she has a lot going on for her in 2016 and would not want to be dragged into the drama. “I have a lot going on for me in 2016 than to be involved in pettiness,” she said.

Ufuoma McDermott whose name was also dragged into the fight said it was wrong for Akpotha to have posted such a comment on a picture

that was not suggestive of any fight. According to her “ If this is the way Akpotha wanted announce her interest to be in the group, she has got it wrong. If this is the way of announcing your interest, you don fail be that.”

Akpotha, however, denied throwing shades at her colleagues. Reacting on twitter on Friday, she said “If I want to throw jabs at my sisters, I know best not to do it here. With what’s going on everywhere now, it’s quite easy to be misquoted. Sisters don’t have to be related by blood.”

Mr Latin urges Nigerians to remain focused in 2016

By Seyi Sokoya ACE comic actor, Bolaji Amusan, popularly known as Mr Latin, has charged Nigerians on the need to remain focused and prayerful in 2016.

Mr Latin, who is known for his sense of humour, urged everyone not to lose hope or be discouraged about the goals they could not have achieved in the outgone year, saying that they would re-

cover and achieve more in 2016.

Speaking on what his fans should expect in 2016, he told R that “I urge Nigerians and my fans across the globe to stay focused and remain positive in the new year. 2016 is our year. It is going to be a wonderful year and remain blessed.”

Mr Latin, who has been busy since the beginning of the year, also hinted that he would be shooting more movies this year

as against previous years when he had a lot of engagements that took him away from locations.

He said he’s currently working on new flicks— “Aye Alaye”, “Obalola” and “Abila” which will star popular actors and Fuji artistes such as, Shefiu Alao, Obesere, She Baby, Muyiwa Ademola, Fathia Balogun, Femi Branch and Kola Odunlade, among others.

KC Pozzy’s ‘Who Gave You That’ single out KC Pozzy is set to release a new single entitled ‘Who Gave You That’. The song was produced

by Ayo Beatz.

Speaking on his plans for 2016, KC Pozzy told R that he just wanted to contribute to the African music landscape, as music makes a fundamental part of who he. “I want to be able to share that with you.”

Born and raised in Lagos, KC Pozzy says he has a very different story to tell with the song, compared to many of his peers in the African music landscape. Abandoned at the age of 10, Pozzy was forced to fend for himself in Lagos, where he learned how to live life the hardest way, with perseverance and passion for music enabling him to sing his way out of the projects.

His tenacity and passion for music eventually landed him in the United Kingdom where he continued to hone his craft and further establish his artistry.

“Europe provided me with a diverse cultural landscape, which fuelled my creativity and love for diversity in music,” added the young man who released his debut single ‘Mi Girlo’ last year.

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31 January, 2016

Psalm Ebube quits bachelorhood

By Seyi Sokoya

GOSPEL artiste, Psalm Ebube, has finally found his missing rib and has formally taken her to the altar for marital blessings.

The traditional wedding ceremony and the church solemnisation held at The Truth Teaching Church of God in Morogbo Badagry was well attended by colleagues, families, fans, friends and well wishers .

The ‘Kabi Osi’ crooner and his wife, Funmi, later treated the guests in a unique and classy atmosphere with an open bar cocktail reception at the popular and cool Badagry beach.

Meanwhile, the award-winning singer who released a peace song on International Peace Day in 2015, is currently making plans to release more songs and an album in 2016.

Tilla preaches peace

Rackwell features Harrysong in Shaselo

THE Oyo State Youth Ambassador, Prince Adetona Adeyemi, popularly known as Tilla, has called for peaceful co-existence among musical artistes.

He made this statement in an interview after the video unveiling party for label-mate Que Peller’s new video “Eleniyan” at Club Quilox.

According to Tilla the Mawobe crooner, musical artistes and other public figures are role models to the youth and therefore owe a responsibility to the society to set good examples by always being of good conduct.

“All our younger ones want to grow up to be like the people they see on TV. Their role models are the Davidos, the Tiwa Savages, the Olamides, the Wizkids and so on. Apart from this very important reason, our industry is about the fastest growing in the world as a result of the love and harmony laid down by our predecessors so we must fight hard to retain and sustain this legacy, so the younger generation can inherit something positive from us as well.”

On his view of the music industry, Tilla said “I’m super-excited by the growth in our industry and it’s pretty obvious to everyone that the best is yet to come. This will only encourage us artistes to work harder and generally improve our content and craft.

RACKWELL has released the visual for ‘Shaselo’ featuring Harrysong off his new EP - ‘Sorry for the Wait.’ Rackwell broke into the scene featuring on Terry G’s debut album ‘Free Me’ then went on to join the TerryG’s House of Ginja band where he released tracks like ‘I No Go Lie’ and the ‘8th mainland bridge’ album. He did seem he got it next until he took a hiatus.

The rapper and all-round entertainer returns with an EP entitled: ‘Sorry for the Wait.’ The five track EP features production from the likes of Del B with the single feature from Harrysong. Tracks off the EP include: ‘Everywhere we go,’ ‘Studio Love,’ ‘Feeling,’ ‘The Bomb’ and ‘Shashelo’ which features Harrysong.

Sunday Tribune

KORA awards: Tiwa Savage seeks fans’ support MAVIN diva, Tiwa Savage is seeking support from her fans for this year’s KORA awards after she was nominated in the Best Female Artiste, West Africa category.

Speaking on the importance of the award, the mother of one said through her Instagram page that “By the special grace of God. Award season begins with the prestigious KORA awards. Let’s bring it home people.”

Savage and her family have been counting their blessings since the beginning of the year.

The singer and her son, Jamil became Pampers ambassadors recently just as her husband, Teebillz announced the signing of CDQ to his managing outfit, 323 Entertainment.

AFRIFF trainee wins film challenge

By Abiola Oyedeji AN alumnus of the just concluded AFRIFF Scriptwriting Class 2015, Xavier Ogheneovo IGHORODJE, has won the 48hour Film Challenge in Nigeria. It is a contest in which teams of filmmakers are required to make a movie - write, shoot, and edit - in just 48 hours.

Xavier a chemical engineer turned writer, directed and wrote the winning movie titled ‘The truth about B.A.E’, a psychological drama about a girl who had a unique way of projecting her grief on her closest companions in order to deal with them, becomes

key to understanding her condition. “I had heard about the 48hr film challenge in Lagos but I didn’t think it was authentic until I got into the AFRIFF trainee program and during one of their sessions on documentary, the conveyor of the project (Mr. Ike Nnaebue) came to talk to us.

Asides the fact that this validated the authenticity of the competition, a huge chunk of the talents featured on the project were AFRIFF 2015 trainee actresses I had met one way or the other during the duration of the just concluded festival. Needless to say, without the safe haven created by AFRIFF

for upcoming community of creatives to meet and interact and consequently collaborate, this project wouldn’t have been possible,” Ighorodje said.

The 48 Hour Film Challenge, which would be screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, France, inspired by Mark Ruppert and Liz Langston, was brought to Nigeria by Ike Nnaebue during The Africa International Film Festival.

Winners from various countries qualify for the international challenge to screen their films at Filmapalooza- a filmmaking Olympic village as they compete for the international title of Best Film.

Wizkid yet to confirm baby report —Management

By Segun Adebayo

WIZKID’S management agency has reacted to reports that their act has fathered a second baby.

His manager, Sunday Are, told R on Friday that “Wiz still hasn’t confirmed any news about him having another child to us. We know he’s single and he’ll be releasing his EP next month.

This denial is coming even as reports that Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, the musician’s real names, has fathered a second child outside wedlock with his US-based lover has continued to rage.

A Nigerian blogger also claimed that the American lady had since named the boy Ayodeji Ibrahim

Balogun Jr. Checks made on the alleged mother’s Instagram page, though set as private, still has several photos of Wizkid and the lady since news of the baby surfaced in the Nigeria.

The lady, who is fond of hanging out with Nigerian male celebrities, is reported to be a close friend of US reality TV star, Natalie Nunn, whose recent comments, her “friend just had baby that is half American and half Nigerian,” gives credence to the report despite attempts to deny it.

Natalie also said she is coming to Lagos to party with her friend.

It will be recalled that Wizkid welcomed his first child in 2011.

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune With Segun Adebayo &Seyi Sokoya tegbollistic@yahoo.com seyi_sky@yahoo.com 08116954644 08132577840

Today’s songs can’t stand test of time —9ice Abolore Adegbola Adigun, a.k.a 9ice, recently clocked 36. In this interview with TADE MAKINDE AND SEYI SOKOYA, the artiste-turned politician speaks about his reconciliation with his ex-wife and friend, Ruggedman, politics, among other issues.

How did you feel when your three million twitter and facebook followers, whom you had bragged would vote for you at the last election, did not do so, resulting in your losing the House of Representatives ticket in Oyo State?

Why this question now and how do I respond to it? Well, I want to use this medium to advise the youth to make sure they collect their voter card and exercise their civic duties whenever it is expected. It is very essential. That I did not win their support does not mean that they don’t love me. They must have reasons to have done that. It also does not mean that I won’t approach them for votes in future. But then, I do appreciate everyone that supported me during the election.

Are you saying you have not quit politics despite that defeat?

Never say never! No. I have not quit politics, neither have I quit APC because I still have a lot to offer my people.

Despite your loss, you remained in the party. Could this be the reason the Oyo State governor compensated you with a youth portfolio?

I don’t see it as a reward, but rather an opportunity to serve the people, especially the youth as the Special Assistant to the governor on Youth Matters. It won’t be out of place to say that I was able to make an impact too. It was also a platform for me to get closer to the youth and also let the governor to be aware of their yearnings. We came up with a lot of ideas and policies in creating more opportunities for the youth. We recently organised a political platform

I have not quit politics, nor the party because I still have a lot to deliver to my people.

for youths in the state at Agodi garden. The turnout was massive despite the fact that it is not a show. The youth’s participation showed that they have begun to see that we own this generation. I pray we sustain this development. Many states have annual carnivals. It is time Oyo launched its own. Carnivals bring youths together to network and share ideas, as well as promote tourism and culture. I hope that there will be fund to execute some of these plans.

There are claims that the governor is not involving youths in governance. How have you been able to address this?

That is not true, the governor is really trying to make life better for all and sundry in the state. He even has the youth at heart more than the older ones. On a wider perspective, it is not as if all the governors that came into power under the APC platform don’t know what to do.

They are all committed and focused, but there is nothing they could do when there is no funds. This is the circumstances the governments of the day find themselves. They need to use what they have to circumvent the situation we find ourselves in the country. So, I urge people and Nigerians at large to exercise patient with them.

You recently turned 36. How do you feel about your new age?

I thank God for the gift of life and sound health. However, the fact is that this age shows that we are no longer the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today.

I think I am more matured now. What Nigeria will become tomorrow is in our hands and politically, you won’t be given anything until you fight for it. You won’t be called from home to come and occupy a position; you have to be there and fight for it.

Are you satisfied with the acceptance of your new single, ‘Abefe’?

It’s been awesome. I never even thought it would be this accepted. The release was even a rough mix of the whole song due to popular demand. Initially, I was concentrating on shooting all the videos that had been released earlier before now as usual, but the change came suddenly which Continues on pg21

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Continued from pg20

brought about Abefe. I am impressed with the response so far. That is why I decided to unveil the new song on my birthday.

Can it be said that you are gradually getting tired of music as you are being overshadowed by the present young artistes?

I am not tired of music at all. The truth is that I have never been challenged by anyone. There has never been a time I felt threatened by any artiste, especially the young ones. No one has put me in a race or make me feel that I have not done enough. What we have in the industry now is not challenging. It is painful that we no longer have evergreens. Today’s songs can’t stand the test of time. What we have today are seasonal songs that would fade in no time. That is why you see that artistes more often than not, head for the studios, because once they release a single, they hit the studio two or three months after to mix another one. Gone are the days when artistes had songs that lasted for three or four years. So, I had never been challenged, no. I just got tired.

It is no more news that you and your ex-wife have eventually settled. What next with her?

We all need to understand that the tongue and the mouth can fight. We are from different background. We need to fight to even understand each other better. I am happy about it-her forgiving me. I have forgiven her as well. I am so sorry for whatever has happened between us. We both have a child to raise. That is the most important thing.

Is there anything that you feel people didn’t really know about what transpired between you and Payne?

I think the public and the media have dwelt more than enough on this matter; I wouldn’t want a flashback to what is in the past. What really matters now is that we have forgiven one another and we are both moving on.

Is she occupying her space now as your real wife?

I won’t want to talk about that now, but at present, we have forgiven each other.

We have a son to raise and we are moving on.

Do you also plan to settle with your friend, Ruggedman, who was fingered as the primary suspect after the fans heard your song?

I did not accuse Ruggedman as being responsible for anything. Go and listen to the song very well. Fans just concluded that it must have been a friend, even when no name was mentioned.

Artistes rarely mention names in such instances.

Well, yes. But in this case, I think what happened was that in a song from my Traditional album, entitled “Once Beaten Twice Shy”, people picked some things out of the song and twisted it. Don’t forget that it was about the time I quarrelled with my wife. They concluded that it must be Ruggedman as he was the closest person to me. Though the song was real, I was not talking about myself. I was talking about another person’s experience. I even entitled the song “Tony Payne” back then when I was writing it, not “Once Beaten...” She was right behind me when I was writing it. So, I couldn’t have been talking about my wife. Also, we didn’t have any quarrel then, just as there was no problem between me and Ruggedman, but before I could say ‘Jesus is Lord’, the whole issue had gone from frying pan for fire. Ruggedman never had an affair

‘At 36, I’m more mature’ with my wife. The issue eventually went out of hand. I don’t blame Ruggedman.

He also had his name to protect. My conversation with him was off record.

Anyway, the whole issue is now history.

We are now friends. Ruggedman and I are good friends. I wore one of his wears from his fashion outfit; September Wear.

Whatever we had before was in the past and I have no grudge against him. We are back as friends and life goes on.

Why do you think artistes are always at loggerheads?

It is normal for people to fight or express their grievances, but it should not be allowed to fester as it could turn to something else entirely. I am happy about the apology and reconciliation between Don Jazzy and Olamide; Wizkid and Dammy Krane, because that is the way forward. Don’t forget that the industry is more challenging now in terms of the competition we have today. We now have about 10 artistes sharing the same brand of music and fans. Interestingly, I want people to watch out for Don Jazzy and Olamide’s collaboration coming out soon. That is the spirit. Argue and make up.

to usher people into the New Year in a unique way. This development has really changed the face of entertainment in the state. That should show that the governor is interested in the industry.

There are more innovative ideas. APC is all about innovation and getting close to people, making them happy and creating opportunities. That is the essence of governance. The British doesn’t have anything, but they control almost half of the world. So, why must we suffer when we have everything at our disposal? We don’t need to have everything before we can make things happen in this country.

I believe in the government in power and I am sure that things will begin to take shape before the end of the year.

Back to politics. Do you think the new government of the day is interested in the entertainment industry unlike the past government?

Definitely. The APC government has the entertainment industry at heart.

This has been part of them even before they came into power. I am sure that the Federal Government has a bigger plan for the industry.

So far, how would you assess the President Buhari-led government for the past nine months?

Something is about to give way in this country. We all know that corruption has destroyed the country, but with the anti-corruption stand of the president, we are in for a good end. Future I mean.

Nigeria was bad and its treasury almost empty when the party came to power. You can see why ATM was blocked and many could not deposit dollars or withdraw money abroad for some time. This was a tactical move. This was done because a lot of dollars was in circulation, especially in the hands of those who used it before, during and after the last general elections.

This is to show that this government knows what it is doing. Those who cannot defend how they came about questionable

We are not getting that vibe from Buhari He has started by hosting our athletes and footballers. Just wait and watch.

The state governments are also doing great too, especially Lagos. The last Lagos Fiesta was held in various parts of the state. The fiesta was set aside

money in the bank were caught napping as many could not be duly registered with the banks. Now they cannot afford to link all their accounts together. A lot of rich men with stolen money are now afraid of the EFCC and ICPC. What is your take about the crisis in the economy?

This is just another Noah’s boat that everyone has to enter. It is just for a while. It will be over soon and Nigeria will be a better place to live in. Many people condemned Obasanjo when he was in power, but what he left was better than what Buhari met. I think we would have been better than this if it was Buhari that got to power after Obasanjo. But it seems we are stating from the beginning now. Honestly, I believe in this government and I urge Nigerians to give the president and his team more time and we will have every reason to commend them at the end of four years.

Don’t you think this is strange, commending the party, its personalities, despite what you faced at the general election in Oyo State?

It shows true patriotism. It is not a do or die affair. If you don’t win today, you can win tomorrow. Buhari himself tried the presidency several times, but when you start changing parties, your focus and ambition change. APC is different from others. Despite all odds, I am still part of the party.

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entartainment

with Segun Adebayo tegbollistic@yahoo.com 08116954644

Toke Makinwa hints at falling in love again

Awawu hits market tomorrow THE much-talked about star-studded movie, Awawu, will hit the Nigerian market on Monday, the producer of the movie, Shade Olona, has revealed.

The movie, which was directed by Adebayo Tijani, featured prominent movie stars such as Antar Laniyan, Fathia Balogun, Muyiwa Ademola, Iyabo Ojo, Afeez Eniola, Mercy Ebosele, among others.

Speaking on her new flick, Olona said she feels so happy to have completed the job as she looks forward to good proceeds when it is released on Monday.

“I am very happy that the job is finally coming out on Monday. A lot of efforts went into this and I can’t deny the fact that everybody played their roles very well for the success of the movie.

I want to urge my fans to buy the original copies and not patronise the pirates who may want to reap where they did not sow,” she said.

Sunday Tribune

Harrysong unveiled as Gala ambassador As Soso Soberekon returns to Five Star music

F

IVE Star music appears to be putting its house in shape in the new year as it has reportedly welcomed back its suspended manager, Soso Soberekon.

Soso’s suspension from the label was announced last year by Kcee, who is the younger brother of the CEO of the record label, E-Money after the alleged death hoax of Skiibii Mayana, another artiste on the label.

Soso who has been with record label for more than five years until he was suspended last year is now

back to take over from where he stopped. Though, no official statement has been released to that effect

by Five Star, but the presence of Soso at the unveiling of Harrysong as the brand ambassador of Gala snack on Thursday lend credence to the rumours that Soso is back for good.

The Five Star Music artist’s hit song ‘Reggae Blues’ which featured the line “Share the gala, share the booze” got the attention of UAC foods.

At the unveiling which held at UAC office, in Ojotta,Harrysong whose popular song Reggaeblues was instrumental to the new deal said he

didn’t sing the song with the mindset of signing a deal with Gala.

“I feel proud about this new deal, no doubt. This is one of the things we all pray for and I am ready to use my popularity to influence more people, both old and young to eat Gala more. I didn’t sing the song because I knew I could be signed as an ambassador. The inspiration for the song came like every other song I have written and released. I am proud to be associating with Gala and this is the begining of what will turn out to become a beautiful and rewarding partnership.”

Why I bought brand new Toyota Matrix for my daughter—Pasuma FUJI star, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, has explained why he surprised his daughter, Wasilat Odetola, with a brand new Toyota Matrix on her 25th birthday, saying that he could not have wished for another wonderful daughter.

Pasuma said he remains grateful to God for giving him a beautiful daughter.

Wasilat who is Pasuma’s first daughter was full of joy when her father presented her the brand new car in the presence of her friends and family members who came out to celebrate with her.

In a special birthday message to her on Instagram, Pasuma wrote, “Having you as my daughter is my greatest accomplishment and I didn’t even do a thing. You did it all, just by being you. I don’t know what I did in a previous life to deserve you as my daughter in this lifetime.Whatever it was, it must have been incredible.

“It had to be to end up with an incredible daughter like you.

I’m not just grateful that you’re my daughter. I’m grateful for your love, kindness, hope, smarts, friendship, support and more than anything else, the privilege to give it all back to you.

Happy birthday sweetheart.”

Responding to her father’s message, Wasilat said she didn’t know what she has done to God in her previous life to deserve Pasuma as his father. “ I don’t know exactly what it is that I’ve done to God in my previous life to deserve you as my father in this lifetime, but I know whatever it was, it must be incredible...

I’m not just grateful that you are my father, I’m grateful for your love, kindness and support all the time... Your kindness and support to people around you blows my mind. You shall never embark on a journey of no return and your life shall not be cut short. I pray you eat the fruits of your labour. I love you today, tomorrow and forever. Bless You Papa Lee.”

MEDIA personality, Toke Makinwa, may be contemplating falling in love again.

After her marriage break up to her former husband, Maje Ayida, not much has been heard about Toke’s love life with some people even suggesting that she might not be thinking about love for a long time.

Despite Maje’s public apology to Toke, the television host insisted that she was through with the union and has shifted her focus to her career which has brought her fame and fortune in the last few years. According to her, all she thinks and wants to talk about right now is her career.

Toke might have left a poser for her fans to worry about during the week when she came on her twitter handle with a post that suggested that she might be thinking about falling in love again. The post read: “When I fall in love, It’ll be forever....”.

Shortly after the post, her fans asked for the identity of the new man in her life, but Toke refrained from commenting further.

23

31 January, 2016

sundayzest

Sunday Tribune

With Victory Oyeleke victoryoyeleke@yahoo.com

All about the

Zika Virus

W

ITH new cases emerging everyday, the mosquito-borne virus with links to alarming birth defects and neurological syndromes is causing worldwide concern due to the rapid spread of the virus across the world.

The Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can also transmit Dengue Fever, yellow fever, and Chikungunya. Zika has now spread to at least 24 countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates three million to four million people across the Americas will be infected with the virus in the next year.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to Zika with many health agencies warming them against travelling to areas where the virus is known to exist because of the disease’s link to a birth defect known as microcephaly, which reduces the brain of babies, as well as give them neurological syndrome that can cause paralysis.

The WHO has called an emergency meeting to address the spread of the virus, with Director-General, Margaret Chan, saying, “ The level of alarm is extremely high, which is why they are considering declaring a public health emergency.”

What exactly is Zika virus?

The Zika virus is a flavivirus, closely related to the West Nile virus, Dengue virus, and yellow fever. But unlike most of these viruses, Zika cannot be prevented or treated.

Although it was discovered in the Zika forest in Victoria, Uganda in 1947, it has since spread across Africa hitting Nigeria in the 60s, and more recently, to Asia, Pacific Polynesia and began spreading in the Western Hemisphere last May, when an outbreak occurred in Brazil.

The virus followed the spread of the Chikungunya virus and is transmitted by the same Aedes group of mosquitoes, although it is not yet known whether other mosquitoes can carry it.

How is Zika spread?

The virus is spread by mosquitoes of the aedes species, which typically breeds in and around standing or stagnant water.

They are aggressive daytime biters and spread the virus after biting anyone with an active infection and then biting others.

These people become carriers of the virus during the time they have symptoms.

Although mosquitoes are the typical spreader, there has been one report of possible spread through blood transfusion and one of possible spread through sex. The virus was found on one occasion in semen.

Why is it dangerous?

Until recently, Zika was not considered dangerous to anyone other than pregnant women. In most people, symptoms of the virus are mild and not life threatening.

Symptoms can include fever, rash, joint pain and red eye. Many people might not realise they were infected and recover after two to seven days of being infected.

However, there is growing evidence of a causal link between Zika virus infection in pregnancy and births of a congenital disorder called microcephaly, where the brain of the developing foetus fails to grow normally and babies are born seriously deformed.

There is no widely available test for Zika infection. Because it is closely related to dengue and yellow fever, it may cross-react with antibody tests for those viruses.

To detect Zika, a blood or tissue sample from the first week in the infection must be sent to an advanced laboratory so the virus can be detected through sophisticated molecular testing.

The virus does not appear to linger in the body and people who recover from the infection are immune. The ability for the body to build antibodies against the virus might explain why the virus has been in Africa for so long without any dire effects.

Is it treatable?

There is presently no treatment or vaccine available for Zika. If you have the virus, you can keep it from spreading by avoiding mosquito bites during the first week of illness. The United States Center of Disease Control is advising those with symptoms to rest, get proper nourishment and get supportive care.

Since Zika has always been in Africa and has been isolated in Nigeria, chances are, most Nigerians have developed immunity against it as they might have been infected without knowing and their body’s immune system fought it off.

The virus is spread by mosquitoes of the aedes species, which typically breeds in and around standing or stagnant water. They are aggressive daytime biters and spread the virus after biting anyone with an active infection and then biting others.

These people become carriers of the virus during the time they have symptoms.

24

31 January, 2016

makeover

By Yetunde Tijani These days, ladies tie scarves not just because they are needed but because they make them more beautiful and presentable. There are many ways you can transform your look with scarves. Below are the different ways to tie your scarves: Up in knots Fold a skinny scarf in half, centre the scarf at the end nape of your neck, tie a double knot and let the hand hang like a ponytail, then twist the sides and wrap around the knot once or twice,then tuck in the ends.

Twisted turban Place your scarf at the back of the neck with the ends in front, cross the two ends over each other then twist them one more time with the end that you started with and tug tightly.

Sunday Tribune

Rita Okonoboh 08053789087 rosarumese@gmail.com

How to tie a

Classic scarf Fold your scarf into a triangle and wrap over your head with the long edge of the triangle just above the hairline or fringe. Cross the end of the scarf under your chin, then take it around to the back of your neck and tie them in a knot.

scarf

Bow scarf Fold your scarf around your hairline and tie into a bow in front. It is good for everyday style.

Hat wrap Fold your scarf and lay it across the hat, with the long edge of the scarf lying over the front of the hat’s crown. Take the two ends of the long edge of the scarf and pull them gently back around the sides of the hat, then tie it to a knot at the back.

Hair band Fold your scarf on the bias, then wrap across your forehead across behind your ears and tie in a square knot at the nape of your neck. Let the ends hang free or tuck them into the band for a beautiful look.

Photo: www.google.com

Ponytail Wrap a scarf around your ponytail, with the ends facing up and tie ends once or two times.

The head wrap Fold your scarf in a triangle and drape it in your head with the long edge of the triangle across your forehead, take the two ends back across the side of your head.

The bib Start by putting your scarf around your neck, making both sides in equal length crossing the ends. Push one side up and under the other and pull it tight but it must not be too tight.

Turban

Wrap and tuck Put the scarf behind your head lowering one side twice as long as the other, wrap the longer side around the head and tuck one side into the space between your neck and the scarf to secure it.

Embrace texture Wrap your scarf in a triangle way with the penciled end in the back, twist the end as you wrap them around your head crossing them over in the back and pulled over in the front to tie a knot then leave some hair texture in the front.

Additional reports from:www.babble.com/beauty and www.gq.com/ story

Knot

25

31 January, 2016

relationships

. . . issues, family, sex

Photo: google.com

How to build a stronger relationship:

10 tips to deepen trust

T

RUST is the bedrock for building a strong relationship. However, lack of trust is one of the most common themes to surface in most relationships. If you are struggling with the issue of trust in your relationships sbelow are some tips to help you develop greater trust with your partner.

Trust means that you have placed your confidence and faith in your partner, and that you expect honesty, integrity, loyalty, and respect to be at the centre of your relationship. You also expect your partner to keep promises and confidences, and to stay with you when the going gets tough.

Your trust should always be earned; you should not give it to another lightly. When you first met your partner, you probably shared information that helped you to figure out whether or not he or she was “worthy” of your trust and of your heart.

As you got to know your partner better, you most likely shared more vulnerable information about yourself, expecting that he or she would hold this most precious part of you in a place of safety and love. At some point, however, your wonderful partner may have either said or done something that triggered you and your trust was broken.

We are all inherently complex beings who bring our past experiences, hurts, fears and expectations into every new relationship we enter. Sometimes our woundedness spills over into our relationship and we lose our ability to feel safe in our relationship – regardless of whether or not our partner actually “deserved” our lack of trust.

If you would like to deepen the trust between you and your partner, please try

Keep what your partner tells you within the confines of your relationship.

Telling others what your partner has shared with you in confidence destroys trust

these 10 tips: • Keep what your partner tells you within the confines of your relationship. Telling others what your partner has shared with you in confidence destroys trust.

• Don’t rely on email, phone calls and texts to communicate with your partner.

Spend time communicating face-to-face.

Communicating in person will help each of you to build a greater sense of security as you become more open and vulnerable

Sunday Tribune

Rita Okonoboh 08053789087 rosarumese@gmail.com

with one another.

• Consider your partner’s interests. The more you do for him or her, the more he or she will know that they can count on you and that you have their best interests at heart. If your partner feels like they can count on you, it will make it much easier for them to share the more vulnerable parts of themselves with you.

• Follow through with the little promises that you make. For example, if you say that you will call or be some place at a certain time, be sure that you do these things.

Small actions matter toward helping you to build a strong foundation of trust.

• Learn to apologize when you make a mistake or disappoint your partner. An authentic apology should be sincere and from the heart. To be truly meaningful, take responsibility for your actions and reassure your partner that you understand how your action impacted him or her.

• As you learn more about your partner, allow yourself to share more personal information and history with him or her.

Aim for balance between how much each of you shares, since trust is not built if only one person shares.

• Spend time together doing things that make each of you happy. Since you are two different people, you will naturally like some different things. Being open to a new experience that your partner brings to you will build the bond between you and trust will follow.

• Practice forgiveness when you are upset with your partner, and let go of a hurt after the two of you have talked it through.

Receiving a sincere apology builds trust in an important way.

• Take some time away from your partner to check in with yourself, and get some feedback from your trusted friends or relatives. By taking space and speaking with a trusted friend or relative, you may gain a new perspective about your relationship. For example, you may discover that you have been pushing aside information about your partner that tells you this person cannot be trusted. On the other hand, you may discover that your partner is ultimately worthy of your trust.

• Trust can fluctuate over time as each of you experiences the bumps of life. Reassure each other that your love and safety are still intact. This will further strengthen the foundation of trust between the two of you. www.catherine-morris.com

Win a gift this Valentine’s Day

DEAR Readers, In celebration of 2016 Valentine’s Day, Sunday Tribune will reward the best love notes.

To qualify, simply write a note to your loved one (maximum of 50 words), followed by your full name, address and phone number and email to tribunelovenotes@gmail.com or by text to 08053789087.

Deadline: 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, 10th February, 2016.

Gifts to be won include:

• Hotel Gateway for a couple.

• Swarovski heart necklace + earrings by Comely Hands.

• Dinner tickets for a couple.

• Movie tickets from Filmhouse Cinemas.

• Makeover Session by House of Nsoleke.

• Photoshoot session by Illusionz Photography.

• Valentine’s Day Cake by Macrobake.

• Dress by TOSANNE Vogue.

• Facials by Dove Spa & Wellness Resort.

26

31 January, 2016

With Akintayo Abodunrin akinjaa03@yahoo.co.uk 08111813058

Artists’ Village: When destruction came at dawn The demolition of the artists’ commune opens a new chapter in the struggle for the soul of the National Theatre

ment of the Theatre for the artists’ opposition to its planned concession.

Coordinator of the Artists’ Village, Aremo Tope Babayemi, agreed with him. He alleged that Yusuf was “settling old scores” and that the Theatre is in its present state because the Manager lacked “cultural programming skills” to make the complex viable. He further alleged that Yusuf runs the theatre like a fiefdom, undermining other parastatals with structures there.

Poet Odia Ofeimun also lamented the demolition of the Artists’ Village, noting that it came into existence because most of the other venues in Lagos made productions unviable with their huge rental cost. “The Artists’ Village became a kind of refuge for artists and it was a kind of haven that was necessary. It was the place where we all synergised and it made Lagos the proper workshop for creativity in Africa. We still need a community like that; that place needs to be saved.”

G

OING by what transpired at the interaction between the arts community and journalists, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, convened on Tuesday, January 26, issues arising from the demolition of structures at the Artists’ Village, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos will not disappear anytime soon The session, in fact, could well be the beginning of the end for all the controversies that have raged around the national monument and its expansive piece of real estate if government heeds its resolutions.

Reportedly acting on the orders of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that shanties around the National Theatre should be pulled down, the complex’s General Manager, Kabiru Yusuf, who has been engaged in a war of attrition with the artists since his appointment some seven years ago, led a demolition team to the Artists’ Village at dawn on Saturday, January 23.

Protected by over 40 armed policemen, the demolition team not only destroyed the creative spaces of the artists; it did not spare artworks worth several millions of naira. An artist, Smart Owvie, was equally allegedly shot in the leg by one of the policemen. He attended the forum on crutches.

But like the Nobel Laureate rightly observed at the interaction held at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, the demolition was the detonation of a struggle with a complicated background.

He said: “We’ve got to get down to the nitty gritty, especially as the matter goes back a long time; it goes back to the very struggle for the ‘soul’ of the National Theatre. And by National Theatre, we are not talking merely about that General’s cap which sits on top of a piece of sinking real estate; we are talking about the entire environ. In other words, very valuable real estate for which developers have been struggling...It’s a very complicated background to what finally detonated on Saturday. And I think it’s important that we get to the bottom of it.”

The beginning The struggle started during the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo who decided to sell the theatre because government could no longer afford the cost of managing it. The artistic community, of course, rose stoutly in opposition with series of protests.

It was the same story during the tenure of Obasanjo’s successor, the late Umaru Yar’Adua when the tune was changed from outright sale to private-public-partnership.

Naturally, the culture community still resisted.

The song and dance continued during the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. But unlike his predecessors, progress was made during Jonathan’s tenure with road shows held in Lagos, London, Dubai and Johannesburg in

The remains of art works after the demolition of Artists Village, National Theatre Premises, Iganmu, Lagos. PHOTOS: NAN

Some artist ponder over their fate as their stalls were demolished and art works destroyed at the Artists Village, National Theatre Premises, Iganmu, Lagos.

2014 to attract investors.

Towards the tail end of the Jonathan administration, the management of the National Theatre told culture journalists that preferred and reserved bidders have emerged for the fallow land of the theatre that government wants to concession. They had earlier disclosed that the main theatre complex was not part of the arrangement.

However, a major plank of the opposition to either outright sale or concession was the artists, inhabitants of a part of the Theatre managed by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), another parastatal under the Ministry of Culture.

Payback Despite Soyinka having earlier said that the purpose of the interaction was not to apportion blames but to get to the root of tragic incident, most of the artists that spoke alleged that Yusuf capitalised on the Minister’s use of the word ‘shanties’ to exact his pound of flesh from them.

Mufu Onifade who worked overnight in his studio at the Artists’ Village said that

when he approached Yusuf to find out what the issue was, the GM said he was there to dismantle illegal structures on the orders of Mohammed. Onifade wondered how the GM and his team knew the illegal structures from the legal ones given that it is the NCAC that manages the place. He disclosed that Yusuf gave him and other artists only a grace of 15 minutes to move priceless sculptures from one of the demolished studios.

Onifade, who also touched on how Owvie (he also attended the session) was shot, said the Minister confirmed that he indeed ordered the demolition of shanties, and not studios, when he visited the artists later that evening. Mohammed, he said, disclosed that government was looking for N800 million to give the Theatre a facelift and that he promised that victims would be compensated. The worry for Onifade, however, is that the demolition is a tip of the iceberg. “The bulldozers will return soon to level the remaining studios,” the artist warned.

Filmmaker Mahmood Ali Balogun, one of those who spoke alongside Kongi, described the demolition as payback by the manage-

The prayers The artists later presented four requests they want the Minister to address at the Freedom Park meeting. They are: “That the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture makes good on his promise regarding injuries to affected Residents and damages to property.

“That temporary accommodation be provided for artists whose structures have been demolished pending compensation and rebuilding of such structures. The offices of the National Film Corporation (NFC) and the Centre for Black Arts and Africa Civilization (CBAAC) at the National Theatre are vacant. We implore the Honourable Minister to use his good offices to relocate the displaced Artists and their materials and works to these offices.

“That the Honourable Minister takes active steps to stop Kabiru Yusuf Yar Adua from further preventing the National Council for Arts and Culture from carrying out her statutory obligations to Artists and the Arts Community.

“That the Honourable Minister should as a matter of urgency, remove Kabiru Yusuf Yar Adua from office as he has become an embarrassment to the current Administration. The Nigerian Culture Sector is already in deep crisis as a result of a lack of leadership and direction from the Public Sector.

Kabiru must be prevented from further demonstrating vestiges of misrule which characterized the last Administration.”

Open inquest Curiously, the management of the Theatre has chosen not to defend itself. When asked for its side of the story, spokesperson of the Theatre, Toyin Mohammed, who accompanied the demolition team alongside other principal officers, declined to respond. He neither replied to the text messages sent to him since Tuesday nor picked calls from this writer.

For Soyinka however, it was time the controversies around the National Theatre, including the demolition, were put to rest with an open enquiry.

Continues p27

27 arts&culture

31 January, 2016

Chocolate City, EbonyLife TV announce new music talent hunt show

L

EADING indigenous entertainment organizations, Chocolate City and EbonyLife TV have announced a new pan-African music talent hunt show called ‘Chocolate City Unsigned’ For people aged 18 to 34, the home grown reality show’s objective is to discover, develop and support fresh artistes. Not only will they be given a platform to showcase their skills, their professional careers will also be boosted with careful grooming by professionals from both organisations involved in the strategic partnership.

Announcing the new show to journalists in Lagos on Thursday, the chief executive officer of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu; president of Chocolate City Group, Audu Makori and chief executive of Chocolate City, Jude Abaga (M.I), unanimously said Nigeria, and indeed Africa, has never seen their kind of talent hunt show before.

“This is Nigeria’s first ever home grown talent hunt show by two leading indigenous but globally recognised brands, EbonyLife TV and Chocolate City” began Abudu. “It’s about finding local talents that we are going to develop and sign annually. It is a truly indigenous platform that guarantees youths jobs for life from a record label that understands the African music scene more than anyone else; one that knows how to create stars and make them relevant to the African market. We are greatly excited about this

From left, Victoria Kimani, Audu Maikori, Jude Abaga (MI), Mo Abudu and Lanre Olusola at the event platform, not only for the African youth, but also for brands that appreciate the power of an amazing music property to connect with the drivers of arguably the most vital segment of the economy.”

She added that the show, billed to commence in April in Lagos, will be televised on EbonyLife TV and other select TV channels.

The media mogul further disclosed that sponsors for the show will be unveiled by the end of March while registration for interested participants across Africa will open

on March 21.

Abudu also said that apart from developing the career of the winner, he/she will also get other prizes while there will be “nice takeaway consolation prizes.”

Speaking, Makori said that in its 10 years of existence, Chocolate City has been identifying and grooming talents. He disclosed that the idea started two years ago and that he is happy to have found a worthy partner in EbonyLife TV with its skills and production platform.

“‘Chocolate City Unsigned’” is set to bring in something that no music reality TV has ever had - artist discovery, developments and support from a team that has done so with some of Nigeria’s biggest artistes. The competition is the first indigenous music reality Television show in Nigeria to discover new talents across the African landscape,” he said.

For M.I., the show is one of Chocolate City’s ways of giving back to the society by developing new talents. He said: “Chocolate City Unsigned is about creating stars. I’m a living proof of this exciting reality and I and the team are now ready to take others on this amazing journey to stardom. Chocolate City has the recipe for making music stars and EbonyLife TV has the recipe for making TV stars. It’s a partnership like none other. We both create stars because we understand the local nuances of making stars; we find raw talent from nowhere and take them right to the top. Chocolate City Unsigned will do nothing less.”

Artists’ Village: When destruction came at dawn

Soyinka unveils theme of 2016 VOTC competition Sisi Eko@50: Ageing Gracefully or Na So-So Pancake? is the topic for this year PARTICIPANTS aiming to win the available prizes on offer for the 2016 edition of the Vision of the Child (VOTC) painting and literary arts competition have it all to do with the announcement of the theme.

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, announced the interesting but challenging theme at a well attended news briefing held at the head office of Diamond Bank Plc, Victoria Island, Lagos, last week.

Explaining the choice of ‘Sisi Eko@50: Ageing Gracefully or Na So-So Pancake? as the theme, Professor Soyinka said it is to herald the 50th anniversary of Lagos’ creation as a state next year.

He said: “Childhood is idyllic; it is an invaluable time in an individual’s life which should be filled with sweetness and light.

However, the past few editions of the competition have revolved around gloomy themes as we realize that life also has its ugliness and pain, and it is in acknowledging these that we can all share in the collective responsibility for good.

“This year, we have decided on something cheerful to anticipate the 50th anniversary of Lagos State next year. We encourage the VOTC participants to research into the history and character of Eko, which will be reflected in their works.”

Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Ranti Adebule, commended both the organisers and Diamond Bank, sponsors of the contest since its inception five years ago.

Adebule, who also oversees the Ministry of Education, said the goals of the organisers aligned with that of the state and that areas of collaboration will be well explored.

She said: “The Vision of the Child is an ini-

Smart Owvie who was shot in the leg during the demolition continued from pg26

Prof Soyinka unveiling the theme tiative geared towards promoting education through creative thinking, literary arts and painting skills. This vision is in tune with our educational policy in Lagos State and that is why government has participated actively in it since inception.

“We will continue to do so as long as it provides children the platform to express their understanding of the world they live in, their vision of what it should be, as well as their fantasies and dreams.”

In appreciating the sponsors, Adebule said: “We commend Diamond Bank and we are delighted to note that the VOTC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has reached out to over 3,000 schools in Lagos till date. The themes may appear deep and challenging but as we have seen from the exhibitions and literary presentations of the children, Nigeria still has a great future. We also hope to have a good journey in 2016.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie, reiterated his commitment to laudable projects involving the education of children and the growth of art in the country. “At Diamond Bank, we try to go beyond banking and supporting the

VOTC is one of our ways of ensuring that we contribute to the growth, development and nurturing of children”.

He noted that the growing innovations in technology points to a future where machines will play leading roles in business, thereby leaving only creative individuals as drivers of the future.

“We believe that the VOTC is at the forefront of that future by creating this platform for children to create pictures from information around them thereby grooming them to take over the affairs of the business world and the nation as a whole,” Uzoma added.

But it wasn’t all speeches at the unveiling. Some past winners of the competition presented their winning entries to guests including artists Tola Wewe and Nike Okundaiye, actor Victor Olaitan, representatives of the German and French embassies and students from selected schools across Lagos.

VOTC is open to children aged 8 to 12 in Lagos’ public and private schools. To qualify, applicants must submit a poem, essay or short story of between 300-500 words on the theme. Registration has since opened and will close on March 4.

“There are too many lies, too many proposals; some of them totally fake being bandied around. There is supposed to be a master plan for the whole of that National Theatre area but nobody seems to have seen that plan so we don’t even know what the vision; either official or the potential public partners, we don’t even know what the vision is.

“I think it’s about time all the controversies concerning this structure and its environment is laid to rest in the open, not in caucuses, not in chambers but where we can see, not guess what is the master plan. I know that inevitably because of the amount of damage that has taken place there, it’s going to end in a kind of public-private partnership. That’s ok. But whatever the decision is; let it be taken in the open after all of us have had the chance to put forth propositions about the space.”

Soyinka also held that government must compensate all affected artists and that punishment for those who led the demolition and shot Owvie is equally important to prevent a recurrence.

“We must talk about issues of compensation and if that is not forthcoming the artists must go to court to request for compensation for the destruction of their artistic work.

It is about time we stopped the mentality of arbitrary destruction of people’s livelihood however parlous their history may be. That should become unacceptable.”

28

Sunday Tribune

Sunday Tribune

31 January, 2016

glamour

29

With Tayo Gesinde temiligali03@yahoo.com 08054727801

Let your brain and

beauty speak

for you

—Oseni, former Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly Honourable Titi Oseni is a politician and the first woman to be elected Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly in 2003. The pretty woman, who is now the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LAYSLA Nigeria Limited, speaks with TAYO GESINDE on life outside politics, the need to have women at the helm of affairs in states and her fashion preferences. Excerpts:

Why I have not been active in politics think that has a lot to do with the political party.

Sometimes, one will have plans but it won’t work out.

I am somebody that believed in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at that time so I put all my eggs in one basket. Also, I didn’t see any reason or point in moving from one party to the other because of the belief I had in the political party. But unfortunately, when PDP lost the governorship bid in Ogun State, that affected the structure and every other person vying for political office. Again, in 2015, PDP didn’t do well in my senatorial district and that affected everybody not just me. But I am still a politician, still very active in politics. What God holds for me next is what I have to decide. It is not that I have left politics for private business. As they say, politics is not a full-time job.

You should be in politics and have a second address. Of course my second address has taken a toll on me now more than politics because we are not in government now. When the time comes again, we will of course put in our time and efforts to make sure that we deliver Ogun State.

I

Life as a businesswoman Life has been good to the glory of God. It is less stressful, politics is a lot stressful. In politics you deal with a lot of people and all sort. But as a business person, you get to choose your friends and people you associate with. I am in the financial sector because that is what I feel comfortable

doing, maybe if I have more money, I will diversify into something else. I was into buying and selling when I was younger. Then I used to travel to Singapore, Hong Kong, United States regularly to buy goods but it will get to a stage when you will want to define your life and what you want to do. I have paid my dues, this is what God says I should be doing now.

Challenges faced as a businesswoman Well, once you know what you are doing and you have the capacity and wherewithal to do it, I don’t think it comes with that much stress. The main thing is to have the capacity and the ability and you are okay especially if you have once been in a management position.

My typical day I wake up between 5.00 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. I attend morning service from 6.00-7.00 a.m. in my church; The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Sometimes, I will go back to sleep, at other times I will do my daily meditation, do a little bit of exercise on the treadmill for about 30 minutes. Then, I’ll have my bath and either come to the office or if I have errands to run, I do that before coming to the office.

How I have been combining my business with the home front

To the glory of God my children are all grown up. Two of them have graduated, served and are waiting for the right man or woman to marry, while the last one is schooling abroad. So, the home front is not stressful at all.

I shower twice a day, morning and evening. Once a month, I go for facials, every two weeks I go for massage, do my hair every two weeks, moisturise my body and face with a good lotion. I exercise three days a week.

Advise for young career women Well, all I can say is that it will get better. All the challenges you faced at the beginning of the year, if you put your mind in God and work at them, they will get better by the year. The children will grow older every year and some of the things you do for them this year, you won’t have to do them next year. And focus your mind on your job and children. Have a little bit of social life. Concentrate a lot more on the home because your children are your future. Bring them up in a manner that they will give you rest whether they are with you at home or abroad. So if you invest your time and energy in your home now, at the end of the day, you will have peace.

Definition of style I believe style is carving a niche for yourself. You look at yourself in the mirror and know what looks good on you, what suits you. Look at your complexion and know the colour that brings you out. I normally don’t follow the trend, I create my own style. I wear whatever I feel comfortable wearing because comfort is the ultimate. Lately, I realised that I get uncomfortable wearing some outfits like ankara skirt and blouse, I am more comfortable in boubou now, and I guess as one grows older, comfort counts a lot.

Secret of beauty I try to look after myself. What you see outside is what you get inside. I go to spa, go for facial, and go for massage, anything that will make one look good. I don’t want to be in my fifties and look like I am in my eighties. I encourage people to do whatever will make them radiate and shine.

Beauty regimen

Favourite designers I don’t do designers, I just buy whatever looks good. I have a particular store where I buy my skirt suit in New York, United States. I don’t go anywhere else. For casuals, I pick here and there. As for perfumes, I like Arabian perfumes.

Fashion fetish I am not obsessed with anything. I wear everything. I wear dresses, skirt and trouser suits as well as native attires.

My take on cosmetic surgery

I wish I can do that but I am too scared. My children are still young, I want to do wedding for them. We have heard all sort. Some people do it and get away with it, they do it and look good. I have a couple of friends who have done boobs job, stomach jobs, butt, eye liner, name it, they have done it but I can’t go through it. I am too scared to do it.

What I will like to change about myself My stomach. I had children and it became big because I was not doing exercise then but I will rather work on it by exercising, I can’t do surgery.

Take on provocative dressing The first impression counts a lot. When people see you for the first time they tend to judge by what they see. They tend to judge you by your colour, dressing, physique, everything.

Once they see you dressed as if you are going for a ‘gogo dance’ a lot of people won’t give you the chance. They don’t want to associate with you. I can’t imagine my daughter coming home with a friend who is half dressed.

Next thing I will do is to step aside and ask her to tell her friend to cover up or take a lead. Thank God the way I brought up my children, they can’t even wear half sleeve or sleeveless. You don’t have to reveal too much for men to get attracted to you. Your demeanor and the way you speak matter a lot. People can judge you from there. If you reveal too much, you are sending a wrong message and it is the

way they perceive you that they will deal with you. Cover up as much as possible and let your brain and beauty speak for you not your body.

On moral decline in the society I believe moral education should be brought back to our schools. I feel that it should be taught from when the children are young to the highest level so that our children will be brought up because they are our future. Also, a lot of mothers need to spend time at home and teach their children moral education. What we had in the past is not what we have now. All parents are guilty, we are so much into overseas trips and our careers and so we don’t spend much time with our children. It is very pitiable that morals are going down the drain.

Special treat I travel abroad to relax. I make it a point of duty to travel every year.

Favourite holiday spot I think it is Monaco. I enjoyed the place. I also took a cruise about two years ago which I enjoyed very much and that is why I want to repeat it this year. Then it was Mediterranean Cruise in the US, this time round, it will be European Cruise from London to Spain, to France. Cruise is very nice, very relaxing. It is the best.

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aspire

31 January, 2016

BY OLAIDE SOKOYA 0807 449 7425 (sms only)

ollydesanmi@yahoo.com

Government needs to be real

—Phillips

Omolaja Kolawole Phillips is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Flint Cephas International Company Limited.

He is also a graduate of Geology from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. In this interview with OLAIDE SOKOYA, he speaks on the challenges and how he became successful through construction works. Excerpt:

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DUCATIONAL background I went to Bola Immaculate Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan. I proceeded to Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo and later got a degree at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye where I studied Geology and graduated in 2008.

As a graduate, what circumstances led you to this type of work?

Initially, I had been aspiring to flourish in the business world since my school days. Being a geologist, I felt I still needed more things to put in place. Back in the school, I sometimes used my school fees to engage in trading and get profits before I paid it into the school account. I eventually faced the reality of life when I graduated; I was jobless, but I did not allow this to bother me, but rather spurred me into fruits production I started selling fruits salad. With time, I got patronages from bankers, companies and firms. One day, a friend of mine met me and said: you are not a farmer but a geologist. I think you can find something better to do with your life in your line of profession. I later saw the piece of advice as an eye opener and that was how I ventured into borehole business. I later registered my company with N4,000 then and that was how I started.

What are the things you put in place to make your business popular?

The first thing is commitment, followed by trust and pro-activeness. I also made sure I put in place the requirements. I even went extra miles to build trust for myself.

How has it been since you started?

It has been very easy. I gathered funds from friends, families and clients to start this business. What we do mostly is to link the consumer with the producer, while we are the intermediary. We look for products and also look for buyers. In most cases, there is an upfront payment which is based on trust and integrity.

How profitable is this job?

The business is profitable. It is said that every labour has its own profit. I don’t work for money.

What gives you an edge over your competitors?

I like to work for free. I don’t charge my clients in almost all my projects, but the money will come definitely.

What you only need is to get your mind right.

What is the greatest lesson you have learnt in this job?

I have learnt not to make enemies. Your enemies might be your friend tomorrow and even connect you with huge contracts. Another lesson I have learnt is that you must

not be stagnant; keep moving and learn new things often.

What is your advice for youths who are still waiting for white collar jobs?

Our youths should keep moving and get more information of the thing happenings around them. If you get information about your environment, you will know what is going on, especially around you. Then, know yourself, know your worth and ability, because that will showcase the strength on any business one ventures into. It is also essential to think of what to develop and promote one’s environment and community.

What do you want the government to do to make youths more efficient in the country?

Our government needs to be real; they should be realistic. Youths are no more fools; we have intellectuals and educated young people in the country. They should stop playing pranks with us. They should help youths to grow and excel in their different fields, because we are leaders of tomorrow. They need to channel the nation’s resources in building youths from education sector to employment infrastructure that would develop the nation. The government should also assist the youth in businesses; they should invest more on the youth.

What is your philosophy of life?

Do unto others what you would what them to do unto you.

How do you unwind?

I love to be alone at a resort.

Your Life Counts

Sunday Tribune

by Tunde Jaiyebo 0803 406 2013

The Paradox (Part 1) A critical look at our society will clearly reveal that there is no shortage of resources. We are unusually endowed with human and material resources. We are a blessed people. We are blessed with abundant and untapped mineral resources apart from crude oil which has been taking a serious knock down in recent times. We have a population of men and women who have unusual aptitude - skills and talents are not in short supply. With what we have been blessed with one then wonders why we are in the kind of mess we are in. Life just seems not to be working.

We are blessed but we are in poverty. We have abundant resources yet we live in lack. We have answers but we seem not to be able to resolve crisis.

We have an abundant array of brilliant minds but we are led by mediocre minds. We have great potential but we seem clueless in making life a better place.

We are suffering in the midst of plenty. We claim to be the giant of Africa but we operate like midgets.

It is amazing how we have found ourselves in this paradox.

There are many reasons we can proffer for where we have found ourselves but one clear reason is we have had a failure of leadership. We have experienced leadership failure in every strata of society. Where we are is a reflection of the quality of leadership we have had. The truth of the matter is that the destiny of any family, group, society, organisation or nation is tied to the effectiveness of its leaders. Weak leaders will produce a weak society. Incompetent leaders will make the society a pathetic place to operate and live in. Strong and effective leaders will produce a strong and vibrant society where resources are utilised for the common good and people are released to maximise their potentials.

If leaders do not harness the resources available, then, the society will languish in poverty, suffering and failure. The purpose of leadership is to show the way, lead the way and help the followers to reach the destination – the destination where the individual and collective dream of the group can be realised.

The truth of the matter is that all is not lost as long as we do the right things.

“Aversion is a form of bondage. We are tied to what we hate or fear. That is why, in our lives, the same problem, the same danger or difficulty, will present itself over and over again in various prospects, as long as we continue to resist or run away from it instead of examining it and solving it.” Patañjali If we keep brooding over our spilt milk we will get deeper and deeper into trouble.

“Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them.

The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.” Voltaire We must learn lessons from our failure.

“Failure is one of life’s greatest enablers. Think about it. If you never failed at anything, you would never be forced to take action to course-correct or try new ways to seize opportunities previously unseen.

In the end, it’s what you do with failure that defines your character as a leader. For example, do you admit defeat – or do you find a creative way to mask reality? Do you ask yourself what you learned during the process of failing – or do you hold someone else accountable and / or blame the circumstances you were faced with to deflect criticism of the failed outcome?” Glenn Llopis To be continued For enquiries/comments please send email to urlifecounts@yahoo.com

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

thepolity Now that Wike has won...

As Chief Nyesom Wike retains his seat as the Rivers State governor, following the Supreme Court pronouncement last Thursday which re-affirmed his election in April, 2015, Deputy Editor, DAPO FALADE, examines the task of development ahead and the people’s expectations.

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FTER a long period of waiting and apprehension, the news filtered in, Wednesday evening, that the Supreme Court had laid to rest the issues surrounding the legality or otherwise of the election on April 11, 2015, of Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as the governor of Rivers State.

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Mr Dakuku Adol Peterside, had dragged Wike and his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before the third arm of government, claiming that there was no election in the state and that where the election was held, it was not in compliance with the provisions of the electoral law as it was allegedly marred by violence and thuggery.

Prior to the judgment, and on the surface, everything appeared normal as the people and residents of the state, especially within Port Harcourt, the state capital, had been going about, performing their duties and responsibilities without any seeming fear or hindrance.

Undoubtedly, beneath the surface was what could be regarded and described as peace of the graveyard as people were not sure of what could be the fallout of the then pending outcome of the legal tussle over the governorship election in the state. Particularly, there was this apprehension that the state may, once again, be thrown into another round of violent crisis, should there be a need for rerun election.

However, all the tension and apprehension came to a halt on Wednesday as the judiciary, through the apex court in the land, once again, came to the rescue by affirming and upholding the election of Wike. The seven-man members of the Supreme Court, sitting in Abuja and led

by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, unanimously accepted the 11 grounds of appeal of the governor against the decisions of both the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal which had, last October and December, nullified and called for a fresh election in the state.

An elated Governor Wike, immediately after returning from Abuja, went on a victory dance round some parts of the state capital. In his broadcast to the people of the state after the fanfare, he dedicated his re-affirmation as the state governor first to God and, secondly to the cause of justice, “recognising the hard work, commitment and dedication of millions of Nigerians who are working towards a better and fairer society. The Supreme Court of Nigeria has sealed the justness of our cause.

“Justice Learned Hand, once rightly observed that if we are to keep democracy, there must be a commandment: thou shall not ration justice. Today, we, the people of Rivers State are beneficiaries of justice in its true measure. We salute the courage

Governor Nyesom Wike, Rivers State and determination of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to always uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the rule of law in our democracy.

The governor also did not forget the people of the state who had been made to go through lot of emotional and physical stress due to the actions (and inaction) of some individuals in their quest for power and chum political offices. “We thank the residents and people of Rivers State, and indeed, all men and women of goodwill, for standing with us throughout the trying moments of the last seven months. Let me especially appreciate our traditional rulers, chiefs and elders; our spiritual and religious fathers, women, brothers and sisters, and our politically-conscious and economically-vibrant youths. This is your victory. Your goodwill, support and prayers provided the impetus for today’s victory. I can never thank you enough!,” he said.

Loyalists and supporters of Governor Wike, as well as members of the PDP spread across the state are still caught up in the ecstasy of the court victory for their number one political leader and the party in the state. Till Friday morning, many of the pubs and numerous beer parlours in several parts of Port Harcourt metropolis remained open to these party members and loyalists who gave out free drinks to willing individuals.

However, beyond the re-affirmation

Dakuku Peterside of the election of Wike by the Supreme Court lies a more critical question: “Now that Wike has finally won, what next?” Put differently, “how will the triumph of the governor ultimately translate to a victory for the suffering masses and facilitate an all-round socio-economic development of the state?”

This question became pertinent in view of the fact that many things have been put on hold in the state in anticipation of the likely outcome of the ruling of the judiciary on the then disputed governorship election. In the midst of the distraction, many developmental programmes were affected, as nobody was sure of his or her fate before the eventual pronouncement of the apex court.

Without any doubt, the stakes and expectations are high and the burden of leadership is quite weighty. As Wike acknowledged in his inauguration speech on May 29, 2015, the people of the state were fully expectant, after eight years of governance by his immediate predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, whose supporters still regard as the architect of a new Rivers State.

In fairness to the governor, he had, since his assumption of office, been up and doing. Indeed, it could be rightly said of him that he was an active governor who hit the ground running, executing many projects across the state, even when he was not sure of his fate. This was (and

is) quite unlike some of his colleagues in some other states across the country who, having pending cases at the courts, put good governance in abeyance, subject to the outcome of their legal cases.

Wike, within the first seven months of his administration, and even while still pursuing his case in the court, had busied himself with some projects, including road rehabilitation, reconstruction and construction of new ones. Within his first 100 days in office, Wike, who adopted “Living the Talk and Do” as his philosophy, positively touched, through his road rehabilitation programme, the life of the people living in the Port Harcourt metropolis, especially in areas such as Diobu, Borokiri, Iwofe, GRA, Akpajo, Eliopranwo, Tombia Extension, Eagle Island and other key communities.

This was also applicable to some other parts of the state as he initiated critical interventionist projects in places like the Onne Junction of the East-West Road, leading to the Onne Sea Port, the Industry/NPA Road to the Port Harcourt Sea Port. Within the period, he completed work on the Abonnema-Obonoma Link Road in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area and also inaguarated the newly rehabilitated Iloabuchi-Eagle Island Link Road in Port Harcourt.

Talking about the efforts of the govercontinues

pg 34

32

interview

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Why Ogun State must prioritise employment generation —Daniel Chief Gbenga Daniel is the longest serving governor of Ogun State till date, having been in the position between 2003 and 2011.

In this interview commemorating the 40th anniversary of the creation of the state, he speaks on the transformation of the state in the past four decades, his achievements and the projects embarked upon by his administration. He also expressed his views on the current administration and his expectations towards moving the state forward. WOLE EFUNNUGA brings the excerpts:

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HAT readily comes to your mind with the appellation ‘Gateway State’ which Ogun state is often referred to?

To me, most people don’t appreciate that tag ‘Gateway State’. It means gateway to everything: It is the only legal entry point to Nigeria at least, in the South-West. I used to make jest with my friends in Lagos that all the various routes that lead to Lagos are from Ogun State.

The only other border that Lagosians have is the Atlantic Ocean. So, if Ogun State should block all the local government routes, nobody will come out of Lagos either from Ikorodu, Badagry, Epe or wherever. That’s by the way. Ogun State is an international gateway. As a matter of fact, these were the reasons we developed our economy based on what we called the ‘Gateway advantage’ when we were in government.

When we were conceptualising the Agro Cargo Airport for instance, it was based on the fact that this is the gateway. We saw the congestion in Lagos and knew that there should be an alternative airport.

That is why there is Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton. Now, Lagos was not ready to do another airport and the option is for us to seize the opportunity and get a location that is equidistant. The location that we picked for that project is just 30 minutes drive from Lagos, 30 minutes from Ibadan, 45 minutes from Ilaro and 25 from Ijebu Ode. So, with that position, if you know the concept of a dam, what we wanted to do is to dam the ‘river’ so that anybody who wants to go to Lagos does not have any other alternative than to come to this ‘gateway point’ and from there, the state can now develop: agriculture, agricultural industries, warehouses, all sorts of things. The gateway advantage is major. In fact, it is the major economic concept which I am hoping future administrators of the state can take a look at and develop along those concepts.

Ogun State is 40 years and you were young at the time it was created. But, cast your mind back then and now, what do you see?

I think that is for the people of Ogun State to answer. But there is no doubt that a lot has changed. For example in 2003, when our administration came on board fresh, there were few banks operating in the state. Before we left and today we have many banks doing business in Ogun State and that is an indication of what has happened to the economy as banks do not go to where there is no commerce and financial activities. It was uncommon in those days to have the likes of ‘Mr. Biggs’ outside Lagos. Now it’s all over the state. In those days, real estate was not a venture people really wanted to go into in Ogun State because it was not profitable as there were very few industries. For example,

the progress in the last five years as someone who has also been a governor.

I think every governor has his own areas of emphasis. From what I have seen, I think the present governor has concentrated a lot of energy on building flyovers and that can be seen everywhere. In Abeokuta, at the last count, we have about five or six. There is one in Sagamu. I have seen two in Ijebu Ode. They are trying to do another in Ijebu Igbo and in Ota axis too.

Whether we like it or not, those are landmarks that are there permanently and, of course, people will remember him for those constructions.

I have also seen some schools which they call model schools. We are still waiting but I can see them in one or two locations and we are hoping that they will turn out to be what they intended them to be.

I think by and large, one thing we must give to Senator Amosun is the boldness with which he pursued some of the things he wanted to do. I was not strong enough to do those demolitions, I must confess.

When we were to do the Lalubu Road, we just extended the road and there were a lot of protests and after about two, three or four meetings, we had to plead and build their fences. I think he has demonstrated strength of character that is rather too unprecedented.

Chief Gbenga Daniel

in Sagamu there was only WAPCO (Lafarge). Now we have Flowergate Factory (Nestle) and many others springing up and real estate is now thriving in the area.

In those days, land was selling for around N200,000 but has now shot up to as high as N10 million in some places, as if we are in Lagos. It’s neither different from Abeokuta or Ijebu Ode and, of course, Ota. So, I think Ogun State has now come a real long way. In my own opinion, the giant has been awoken. There is now a big scramble for Ogun State and it is worth it. Apart from people just coming to bury their dead over the weekend, we thank God today that things are really thriving now. I think to a large extent, a lot has happened.

What most people do not know was that to open up Ogun State and take the advantage of Lagos explosion, we played a trick.

When you are coming out of Lagos, coming to Ogun State, by the time you leave the border of Lagos then, there’s nothing to write home about. The first thing you could notice then was the old OPIC building. There wasn’t any building that attracted anybody along that expressway and that was why our administration built

what we called ‘Gateway City’ which has now been renamed OPIC building. Once we put those buildings there, everybody now started moving there and it was a welcome development because we have more or less raised the standard and we can now see where we are going. Anytime I had the opportunity to drive along that axis and see the development there, I feel very, very happy. So those are some of the things that have happened. Now, on both sides of the expressway, you see industries springing up left and right. Of course, it has to do with our land policy which was liberal. A lot of people didn’t understand it when we were encouraging people to come and take land. We can now give them land and collect tenements rate and taxes as it is too late for them to take their buildings and industries out of the place.

Those are some of the tricks we deployed during our time to bring Ogun State to where we wanted it.

You left as governor five years ago. Today, we have Senator Ibikunle Amosun in the saddle. In his rebuilding mission, can you talk about

Where would you like to see Ogun State in the next five years?

I will like to see the projects that are well-conceived are re-examined and tackled based on what such projects have to offer Ogun State. Of course, part of the industrialisation process that I started was to create the three Free Trade Zones.

We also ensured that we balanced it. As a matter of fact, many governors were accusing OGD because at that time, Ogun was having three Free Trade Zones that we got the licences for. We are the only state in the country with such. The Olokola Free Trade Zone, the Ogun Guangdong FTZ, which is already functioning and, of course, the Kajola Specialised Transportation Free Trade Zone. Ogun Guangdong FTZ is running in Igbesa already. We have got licences for the one in Olokola as well as Kajola. What we did with the then president was that we have removed the terminus of railway from Ido to Kajola and so the whole essence is now to develop that zone as a free trade zone where transportation business will be going on. We want to see an Ogun State where those FTZs are developed because those are the opportunities beckoning on us to employ our people massively. At the last count, before we left government, there were about 30 major companies running in Ogun Guangdong FTZ and I knew that the master plan provided for about 100. By the time I was leaving government, a shoe manufacturing company there had employed about continues pg 35

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interview

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

I’m tired of watching Edo State being misled —Ize-Iyamu Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Edo State. Before now, he was Secretary to the Edo State Government between 2000 and 2007; former South-South vice chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and also headed the Jonathan/Goodluck 2015 campaign team in Edo State. He speaks with BANJI ALUKO on his governorship ambition, the Adams Oshiomhole administration, the roles he played in the former Governor Lucky Igbinedion’s administration and some other issues.

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NY moment from now, your party will pick its governorship candidate, what are your expectations?

As much as possible, we hope that it will be a family affair devoid of rancour and violence. It will also be an opportunity to show that we practise internal democracy; we follow party guidelines and the rules that INEC will lay. We want to go about it in a manner that will make the public appreciate the reforms and our desire to be the alternative party in our emerging democracy.

You talked about reforms, which means that you agree that certain things have not been put right. What are those things people like you are trying to change in the PDP? The mistakes we made at the party level was lack of internal democracy, trying to please certain persons. In that process, impunity was carried out and prescribed rules were ignored. The party did not also have a serious mechanism in place to monitor and supervise people that were elected on its platform. There should have been well-defined manifestos like the ones we had during the UPN and NPN days.

There should have been a committee in place in every state and area of control.

So, there were gaps and these gaps created problems. When people started leaving the party when they felt they were not well-accommodated, their genuine cries of marginalisation were not addressed.

Nobody made any serious effort to call them back, because they thought there was no opposition.

Those were some of the mistakes the PDP made. Because they say history has a way of repeating itself, even the APC that ought to have learnt from the mistakes of the PDP is also toeing the same path.

They are even doing it in a more brazen manner. I think the Nigerian public is getting more and more enlightened. They are watching the unfolding scenario and every opportunity they have to vote, they will be able to vote with a lot of wisdom and enlightenment. I think it is good for our democracy.

Going by your ambition to become governor, many people have said that the level of your preparedness dates back to a long time ago and that becoming a governor is something you have always wanted. Why are you so keen on becoming Edo State governor?

Sometimes people tend to give the impression that it is a crime to have an ambition and prepare for an office. I think it is desirable that those who aspire for office should not be those who were drafted in; who had no plan and were not prepared for the office. It should not be a situation whereby someone felt he could use them and then conscripts them into the race.

Political offices are very challenging. Anyone aspiring to occupy a political office

have mortgaged the future through reckless borrowing.

In these past seven years, we have a governor who said he never promised industry. Even if you never promised industry, seeing that the finances came, one would have expected that they would have grabbed that opportunity. Indeed, it was an opportunity to create economic legacy and change the perception of Edo State from a civil service state to an industrial state. (Chief Samuel) Ogbemudia laid a solid industrial foundation that was destroyed by the military. The seven years afforded an opportunity to re-enact that legacy, but we only hear of red roofs that the state contributed between 35 and 40 per cent to and the roads, which costs are unknown.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

must show proof that he is prepared for it.

I have lived in this state all my life. What people call (political) structure is what I call goodwill. There is no part of the state, ward or local government that I do not have personal friends. I am talking about people I could stay in their houses and eat based on long term relationships.

So, when people talk about political structure, it does not necessarily mean control of political parties but being able to have credible men and women, who are close to you in all parts of the state. That, to me, is a credit. As for my ambition, I have had the opportunity of serving in government and I know the workings of government more than a lot of people. I also thank God for good education. I cannot see my state being misled and mismanaged and be indifferent. It is natural and patriotic to have an ambition under such circumstance.

When people say that I have held the ambition for a long time, I laugh. In 2007, they said I had the ambition but it will interest you to know that nobody can point to a single poster that I printed. Yes, I was in the forefront of the Grace Group and we were very visible talking about internal democracy. Common sense told me that the outgoing governor then came from my

senatorial district and there was the need for some form of equilibrium in the political arrangement of the state. I too also was in the forefront of ensuring that someone from another senatorial district became governor. I believe I have paid my dues and my ambition now is propelled by the mismanagement of our common wealth and the need to redirect the drift in our state.

What do you mean by mismanagement of the state’s common wealth?

I see the past seven years as years of plenty. In the past seven years, Edo State received unprecedented revenues; this present government has received over N1 trillion. No government ever got that; I served in the Lucky Igbinedion government. For the eight years that he was there, if you add all the money that came from the 18 local governments, it was N196 billion. So, for a government that has received over N1 trillion, you would have expected that their investment will guarantee the future of our state. Rather than do that, they embarked on reckless spending as if the good times will never cease. They finished what was available and started to borrow. Not only have they wasted the resources of the present, they

But there is the impression that Governor Oshiomhole actually met the state in a sorry state?

That, to me, is just propaganda. The state he met, can he compare it to the state Lucky Igbinedion met in 1999 after years of military rule? Lucky came in after the previous administration left behind a selfsustenance policy that made many parastatal-agencies unable to pay salaries for about 28 months. Pensions and gratuities were not paid and the IGR was around N30 million a month. When Oshiomhole came in, there were billions in the bank and salaries were being paid as and when due. So, which sorry state are they talking about? Of course, the state was not perfect and there were lots of things that needed to be done, which was why he was called in to come and do them.

Let us face the facts; if you want to appreciate a government, it has to be holistic; unless you are telling me to assess them in only a sector. Look at it sector by sector. If you look at the housing sector, has this government been able to create new towns and cities? Has it even been able to create estates? Lucky Igbinedion created Andrew Wilson Estate, Iguosa Estate and Iyekogba Estate to name a few. This government cannot point to one. Let’s even forget housing and talk about industry.

He has openly announced that he has no plans for industry. What has happened to the ones he even met in office such as Bendel Brewery, Edo Line, Edo Courier? They have all died.

In what area has the government done well? Is it in education? Have you been to Ambrose Alli University and seen how dilapidated the university is? The best hostel they have there was the one built by Lucky Igbinedion. Is it the College of Education at Ekiadolor, which they said they have turned to university? So, when I hear about red roof, I am amazed that you can applaud yourself for being able to change the colours of roofs. How about teachers?

This government has not employed teachers even when it is obvious that schools, especially those in the rural areas, lack Continues

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‘What we expect from Wike’ continued from

pg 31

nor in ensuring good roads within the state capital and its environs and, indeed, the entire state, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, said the present administration had, within its first seven months in office, completed over 90 kilometres of roads across the state, a feat which he said was unprecedented.

Also within his first 100 days, Wike made concerted efforts to boost and strengthen security in the state. He bought for the police and other security agencies in the state 64 security vans, equipped with high class communication gadgets to track down criminals. He also initiated a compensation scheme to boost the morale of security agents and reduce crime rate by paying the sum of N5 million to the family of each security agent who die in active service, while residents who supply credible information that lead to the arrest of kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists will get N1 million.

He has been able to also positively touch the education sector. For example, while he is rehabilitating public schools, the governor, in fulfillment of his campaign promises, has completed and handed over the Faculty of Law Building of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), which had been neglected for several years.

The above feats notwithstanding, it is not without doubt that Wike would have probably done more within the period, but for the legal tussle. The newly-rejuvenated governor still has so many rivers to cross in his quest to bequeath a lasting legacy to the state. The people and residents are longing for more programmes and projects that would have direct bearing and impacts on their lives; they expect the governor to give them more in accordance with the quest to deliver more dividends of democracy.

Speaking with the Sunday Tribune, a civil servant in the state’s Ministry of Transport, who simply gave her name as Agnes, said public workers in the state are anxiously looking up to the governor, advising that he should not persecute any real or imaginary political enemy. According to her, it is only in theory that a civil servant must be apolitical but, in reality, everybody has his or her own political affiliation.

“Civil servants are always at the mercy of any sitting governor and administration. We are expected to be apolitical, but the truth is that this is not always the case.

Many of us are looking beyond our salaries to be able to survive and these other means mostly come from the politicians.

“Though I am not a card-carrying member of any political party, I am very happy that Governor Nyesom Wike has finally won at the Supreme Court. The judgment, if for nothing at all, will give us a respite from the tension and apprehension that has been with us in the state since after the last general election. While congratulating him, the governor must look into the plight of workers in the state.”

Also speaking, Odiri Mukoro, a worker with one of the oil companies based in Port Harcourt, urged the governor to put in more effort and facilitate developmental programmes that would be beneficial to all the people and residents of the state, irrespective of their political, religious or social beliefs. According to him, Wike should work harder and ensure that the issue of insecurity, which became more heightened in recent times, is permanently tackled.

“Now that the governor is firmly entrenched in the saddle, there is no more any excuse or room for distraction.

He should now remain focused on implementing his development programmes as itemised in his manifesto and campaign promises. The people of the state have been made to endure a long period of suffering by our political gladiators who, from the look of things, are only out to work for their selfish interests. But we should not be made to suffer any more.

“More importantly, Governor Wike should give the security situation across the state priority. In the last few months, lives were no longer safe as there has been an increase in the rate of kidnapping, armed robbery and killings, among other vices. The state is practically under siege and I am not sure if the situation does not have a link with these politicians. The governor should collabo-

Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State rate with the security agencies and keep the criminal elements at bay in order for us to be able to sleep with our eyes closed,” he said.

Many other respondents also spoke with Sunday Tribune. Their responsoes are a long wish-list and, indeed, the expectations are so high and all bordered on the quest for the availability of the basic essentials that can make life worth living. For many, the judicial victory was not only for the governor or his political party, but also for the state and its people. They are looking up to him for job creation and an enhanced quality of life; they want the governor to free the space to allow for the Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to thrive; they want him to make the state safe and secure.

And now that the legal tussle is over, the people are calling on the major political players in the state, as well their parties, to close ranks and join hands with the present administration to foster an environment conducive for peace and development.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Affairs, Mr Chris Itamunola, acknowledged that the task is daunting but not insurmountable. Now that the legal tussle is over, the governor’s aide wants the people of the state, especially the opposition, to stop unnecessary and unhealthy criticisms that would not advance the cause of the state. He, however, advocated a virile opposition that would engender good governance.

Itamunola was of the view that Wike is up to the task, noting that: “He had been tested and he has passed. He has been working since May 29, 2015. He has humbled himself, absorbing criticisms from all flanks without being critical of his critics. Wike has been respecting the rule of law by respecting the constituted authority at the

And now that the legal tussle is over, the people are calling on the major political players in the state, as well their parties, to close ranks and join hands with the present administration to foster an environment conducive for peace and development

highest level; he sees President Muhammadu Buhari as the father of all. The opposition in the state should accord him same respect.

“Now that the legal tussle is over, it is now a done deal; there will not be distraction any longer. But Governor Wike’s first line of action will be to change the mindset of the people. This I know he will do by extending a hand of fellowship to all, including his APC challenger, Dr Dakuku Peterside. The Supreme Court judgment is a victory for all. The governor has been working with his field officers since May 29. So much has been done and there is a lot to be done,” he said on a radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt, on Thursday.

Fortunately enough, Governor Wike was not oblivious of this fact as he noted in his broadcast, after his judicial victory, that; “My beloved people of Rivers State, it has been a long way to today! Although we may have been slowed down by the distractions of the unnecessary litigation, we never lost focus of our vision for a new Rivers State. Indeed, this victory has re-invigorated us towards accelerating our development agenda.”

Picking up the gauntlet, he, however, acknowledged the fact that he cannot do it all alone as he seeks the support of all stakeholders in the state to work with him to actualise the dreams of ‘The New Rivers Vision’ which “seeks a balanced development and enhanced quality of life for the present and future generations through responsive governance guided by the fear of God.” Wike, while assuring that no one would be excluded from the governance process because, by “working together, we will certainly achieve more,” extended an olive branch to his main challenger in the governorship election, Peterside. Speaking after the judgment, the governor praised Peterside for choosing to challenge his election through the courts, rather than taking to violence.

He also implored him to join him in the task of building the state.

“We humbly acknowledge that our quest for inclusive government would be further enhanced when more good hands [are] on deck. We salute Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, my friend and APC governorship candidate, for his courage in fighting his cause to the end. Now that the battle is over, the interest of Rivers State should be primary in all our considerations and actions.

“The development of Rivers State is our primary responsibility as leaders. Accordingly, it is our pleasure to invite Dr Dakuku Peterside and the entire APC followership to join us in the work of actualising the aspirations of our people,” Wike had said.

Peterside also appeared to have taken the gentleman’s path and may have accepted to work with Wike to engender a better Rivers State for the good of the people and residents of the state. The APC governorship candidate, in his official reaction to the Supreme Court judgment, indicated his willingness to work with the governor to move the state forward. This was as he, however, said the judgment was a departure from the earlier findings of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had both declared that the election failed to comply substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act. Toeing the path of peace established by former President Goodluck Jonathan in conceding victory and accepting defeat, Peterside, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, said APC would remain a formidable opposition party in the state, serving as a mirror for the activities of the government.

“Consequently, we shall do our best to work for the peace and development of Rivers State and all who reside in it. We shall creatively offer our help to Governor Nyesom Wike. We will provide a virile opposition, serving as a mirror for the conscience of government, in the interest of Rivers people.”

Now that the dust has finally settled, expectation of the people of the state is that the major political players as well as other stakeholders in the state would see the need to work together. For Wike, there is no more excuse for distraction, though the criticisms would be flowing in from time to time. Now is the time to settle down and face the more critical job of working to ensure the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people. Many are of the opinion that the man, described as a dogged fighter, would be up to the task.

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Only agric, solid minerals can sustain Nigeria’s economy —Former lawmaker Immediate past Special Adviser on Solid Minerals to Governor Abiola Ajimobi and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Mathew Oyedokun, speaks with MOSES ALAO on the need to diversify Nigeria’s economy to agriculture and solid minerals; the second term of Senator Ajimobi and the agitation by Oke Ogun people to produce the next Oyo State governor. Excerpts:

F

OLLOWING the decline in the prices of crude oil at the international market, agriculture and mineral resources have been suggested as viable ways of strengthening the country’s economy. As a geologist and player in the solid minerals sector, what is your take on that proposition?

As an individual, I am indeed, very happy that the prices of oil have made Nigeria to start waking up from its slumber. I started my career in the oil and gas industry, having served in Shell Petroleum Development Company and thereafter worked with a seismic company, United Geophysical. Ever since then, I have been looking at Nigeria and our leaders as unserious people, because the time of peace is the best moment to prepare for war. During the oil boom, that was when Nigeria should have put a lot of money into solid minerals development and agriculture. Unfortunately, much was not done and much was not achieved then. But now that oil prices have gone down and not only oil; the prices of all commodities have gone down, there is the need for any serious government to start looking at agriculture and solid minerals, because if you remember, during the colonial era and in the early 60s, Nigeria’s economy survived on agriculture and solid minerals. You would recall that tin from Jos contributed largely to Nigeria’s GDP to the extent that then, the Director-General of Geological Survey used to sit at the highest organ of government. When they wanted to hold executive meetings at the highest level then, he was always present, because solid minerals contributed a lot.

Same thing with agriculture; in the South-West, it was cocoa. In the North, it was groundnut and other produces. But immediately we discovered oil and began to make money from it, the government abandoned agriculture and solid minerals.

Today, we thank God for the kind of government we now have, which has decided to refocus and go back to agriculture and solid minerals. These are areas that I feel are sustainable; they can sustain the economy of Nigeria.

As we speak, there is no local government that does not have one solid mineral deposit or the other, so the issue of South-South contributing largely to the economy of Nigeria will not even arise. If these sectors are developed, everyone will have a sense of belonging; whether you are from the North or the South, you know that something is coming out from your domain. For example, in Nigeria today, we have gold deposits in the North-Central and in the South-West. There are other minerals that we have, which abound across the country. For instance, you cannot drill oil without having bentonite, berite, which are quite much in the North-Central. We have tantalites in this country but no one is talking about it; we have silimanites, which they use in steel development. And any country that develops its steel industry always becomes a developed country, because steel is used in manufacturing of cars, aircraft, ships and so on.

world. These are the things that investors are looking for.

In terms of agriculture, we know where we can grow cassava; we know where we can grow groundnuts and we know where cocoa can do well. It is just for government to encourage the citizens to start farming. How would it do that? By giving soft loans; by giving assistance for people to get earth-moving and agricultural equipment, so that it would not be subsistence farming. If farming is mechanised, of course, graduates can go into agriculture.

Nothing stops a graduate from working in the mines too.

If government is serious about these things, they will create lots of employments for our youths. Now, many states cannot pay workers’ salaries and these states have resources that can pay salaries and develop infrastructure.

But as I said, we thank God that we now have capable hands in the president and the ministers in charge of the agricultural and mineral resources sectors. Chief Audu Ogbeh is renowned for agriculture, he is now the Minister of Agriculture and I am sure that very soon, we will begin to see changes. Dr Kayode Fayemi who was put in charge of solid minerals has begun to take steps; he has called all stakeholders in the sector and he is ready to move it to where it should be. These are welcome developments.

Honourable Mathew Oyedokun

You talked about the mineral resources that can be explored. In what ways can the solid minerals you mentioned and others bring the kind of money that the country needs for development?

They can contribute greatly to our GDP. First of all, though we have identified these minerals, we don’t have bankable feasibility data for all these minerals. One way to go is for government to push up our solid minerals to a bankable feasibility stage. What do I mean by that? We should be able to say that in Zamfara, we have so and so ounces of gold; we should be able to say that in Niger State, we have these ounces of gold. We should be able to point at Iperindo in Osun State and Oyo State and say the ounces of gold that we have deposited there. If the feasibility study is carried out by experienced people in exploration, the whole world will believe it and from international stock exchange alone, the country will make a lot of money. It is not for government to start mining those materials, with bankable feasibility data, it could attract the biggest players in mining from across the

Recently, people are asking the government to look at the recommendation of the last National Conference, which sought that the Federal Government should remove mining from the exclusive list and recommended a percentage for the communities where the resources are located.

What is your view on this?

We were part of that agitation, but you know that because of oil and gas, they do not want to take mineral resources from the exclusive list. Despite that barrier, states can still participate in mineral exploration. I read what Dr Fayemi said ‘that the sector is open for any state or local government that wants to participate.’ Of course, while it was still on the exclusive list and Oyo State wanted to partake in the exploration of mineral resources in our domain, we floated a company; Pace Setter Mineral Development Company. We got a licence like any other corporate organisation and we went into partnership with international miners that have the capacity, the equipment and the knowledge and we are working together. As I speak now, we are at the stage of geochemical studies and the next stage is for us to say ‘yes, the studies have shown us that there is gold in so and so areas. We took strip sediments, sand sediments and we know there are gold in all these places.’ The next thing would be to say ‘how much gold deposits do we have there?’ ‘Are they enough to be mined for several years?’ And we already have a bankable feasibility data. Mind you, it is very expensive to carry out exploration and this is why I blame past governments. When we had money in abundance, we should have invested heavily on exploration. But hope is not lost; it can still be done. We can still approach some organisations that can fund exploration.

‘How I developed Ogun for 8 years’ continued from pg 32

200 people. So, if you look at about 100 companies employing about 200 people in that FTZ alone, that means about 20,000 jobs. So, we don’t have any reason to talk about unemployment. And, I can tell you, Ogun Guangdong is the smallest of the three FTZs. The Kajola FTZ is bigger, so is the Olokola FTZ. So, the potentialities are enormous. I see Ogun State as the location for the seaport which is supposed to serve the entire West African sub

region. We have finished it. The job was already done. It remains only the implementation. It is just for us to look at it and see it for what it was.

Projects that have capacity to generate employment and to add value to the state and add money to the state coffers must be given priority. What most people don’t know is that in 1999, the IGR of Lagos State was about N5 billion. Today, it stands at about N30 billion. Now, if Lagos State is generating N30 billion, there is no reason why we should not be having like half of that and the potential

is there in some of those things that I have mentioned, from the location of the deep seaport, to the airport and other various companies. If we had the opportunity to develop the airport and seaport, why are we wasting time?

What we have and Lagos doesn’t have is land. If Lagos goes commercial, then we can go industrial. That is really the Ogun State of my dream and that’s actually the title of the book I wrote before I became governor “The Land of My Dream.”

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Kogi: The hurdles before Bello

The new Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was inaugurated on Wednesday. YINKA OLADOYINBO, who witnessed the event writes on the frills and thrill and the expectations after the fanfare.

Alhaji Yahaya Bello (right), signing the oath of office as governor of Kogi State before the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajana, at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium, on Wednesday. Photo: NAN

H

ISTORY was made in Kogi State on Wednesday, January 27, when for the first time in the history of the 25-yearold state, a man from minority group in the Central senatorial district, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was inaugurated as the fourth civilian governor of the state.

The first three executive governors were of the Igala extraction from the Eastern senatorial district and they are the late Prince Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and the immediate past governor, Idris Wada.

Apart from being the first in the area of power shift, the inauguration also scored another first for being the first time in the history of Nigeria that a governor will be inaugurated without a deputy governor.

However, the non-appearance or nonavailability of a deputy governor did not take the shine away from the event that was attended by an unprecedented crowd in the history of political events staged at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium.

The event had been a subject of discussions and legal fireworks with many being pessimistic about it because of the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the governor. Bello was picked by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to replace Audu, who died before the conclusion of the governorship election in the state. The development, never experienced in the country was, however, greeted with reactions principally from the deputy governorship candidate to the deceased, James Faleke, who

said he should have automatically been allowed to inherit the votes already cast for Audu since the two of them were running a joint ticket.

However, Faleke, along with candidates of six other political parties, approached the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to seek redress, praying the three-member panel to declare him the governor. But as the January 27 day approached, two of the political parties that participated in the election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), went to the tribunal to seek orders of the tribunal to stop the inauguration of the governor-elect. In the two motions moved pursuant to that, the applicants argued that it would be wrong for Bello to become the governor of the state without a deputy governor.

But ruling on the motions, the tribunal, headed by Justice Halima Mohammed, dismissed them because they were not contained in the original petitions before her. She said though the tribunal had jurisdiction to entertain the motions, it could, however, not grant them as they were not contained in the original petition but brought as motions on notice. The tribunal held that granting the motions as filed by the two political parties would definitely affect the life of the original case before the court. According to Mohammed, the motions seeking the order of tribunal to stop the inauguration of Bello as the incoming governor of the state were not part case before the tribunal.

The development, therefore, paved way

for the inauguration, which gave legal backing to Bello to perform the functions of a governor of the state. The atmosphere in the state the day preceding the inauguration had given a peep into what would happen of the D-day. Major towns, particularly those in the central senatorial district, were festooned with different sizes of banners of the APC and that of Bello, expressing joy over the history recorded in the state.

An inauguration committee, headed by the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, was put in place to organise the event.

As early as 7:00 a.m. of the day, friends, supporters and well-wishers of the governor started trooping into the stadium to be able to take vantage positions that will enable them have clear view of the event. By 10:00 a.m. slated for the ceremony, the stadium was filled to capacity. The ecstasy was evident on the faces of the people, particularly the Ebiras, who had never thought power could easily shift from the Eastern zone to their side in this dispensation. They, therefore, mobilised heavily for the event to solidarise with their kinsman in particular and their senatorial district in general.

The people came appareled in different attires, some were in groups clad in different types of uniforms ranging from specially chosen ankara, branded T-shirts, indigenous dresses, among others. One group that was, however, conspicuously missing on the day was the Ebira masquerades that are always present in every event held in the central senatorial district. The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr Ado Ibrahim, the

Commissioner of Police in the state, Bensa Gwana, and the organisers of the inauguration have warned several times against bringing masquerades to Lokoja on the day of the inauguration and the people complied. The warning became necessary in order to avoid violence that displaying of such masquerades could cause.

The governor arrived at the stadium at about 11:00 a.m. and was received by the broom-waving crowd, who went wild in jubilation upon sighting the black SUV that brought the 40-year-old Bello into the arena. Clad in a white traditional agbada and a white cap to match, the governor was ushered into the state box of the stadium where the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; governor of Nasarawa state, Tanko al-Makura; members of the National Assembly and other dignitaries were waiting.

Welcoming the people to the programme, Melaye said it was divine design that made Bello the governor of the state.

According to him, a majority of the people of the state wanted and voted for Audu, but God voted for Bello and made him the governor of the Confluence state. Melaye, who intermittently threw jabs at the PDP during his over three minutes address, noted that it was time for the people of the state to come together and salvage it. The chairman of the inauguration committee, however, urged the aggrieved members of the party to come back and close rank with Bello to revamp the state. He said continues

pg 39

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31 January, 2016

T

HERE is nothing out of this world persuading someone you are trying to help. But there is something extraordinary in a consistent good deed being persistently confusing to the supposed beneficiary, especially when such a person should have a desperate need for such benevolent act.

Almost all Nigerians today are products of corruption of different hues but almost all still want corruption killed before it kills us. President Muhammadu Buhari came, promising to kill corruption. Months down the line, the more he moves in the fulfillment of his promise, the more profound questions he raises. Such situation requires a reality check and not some cheeky defence of corruption fighting back. The indices on ground are not reading positives for the crusade and the crusader.

The western world, led by USA arguably singlehandedly bundled Goodluck Jonathan out of office. The allied forces provided a global platform for Buhari as the man for the job. 10 months after, the same platform has been yielded to the villain of yesterday to propel him to a new kind of heroism as the ideal democrat.

I want to believe that there is enough intelligence in Buhari’s kitchen cabinet not to rate John Kerry’s open applause for the anti-corruption war over the unspoken, yet obvious, cleaning-up of Ebele by the same global forces that dismantled his Presidency. For America’s type of diplomacy, it is about what is not said. Those awards and world press coverage are direct packaged response to the vilification back at home. Buhari should be worried that the more his administration revs up the “blame-Jonathan-forall” campaign, the strenuous the white-washing abroad.

The only intelligent question to ask in Buhari’s circle, at this point, is “why are our reliable friends deserting us”?

Where is corruption truly domiciled in Nigeria? Everywhere is the detribalised and non-partisan answer, including Buhari’s bedroom. But someone must lead the charge. But is the applied standard universal? Far from it.

Will suspicion of ethnic and political biases hold? Without any doubt. Let’s get empirical.

The Godsday Orubebe’s Code of Conduct Tribunal trial best speaks to what is wrong. Three times, the government that accused him of stealing N600 million with glee, had not shown up at the tribunal to prosecute the case. No evidence, no witnesses. It is easy to reason that

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The anti-corruption war

Orubebe is being given open disgrace for protesting at INEC collation centre as Jonathan’s principal agent during the presidential poll.

The argument that only the unconventional modes will produce results is contextually-sound. A peculiar mess requires peculiar cleansing. But no argument would make the handcuff good enough only for Olisa Metuh and Nnamdi Kanu. If we have to go that way for results as argued by Lai Mohammed, then share it round, except they are saying that only those two handcuffs are available.

Doubting Thomases of Buhari’s intents can’t really be bothered by sympathy-show embarked on by alleged corruption suspects, whether a cancer-stricken face or leg cast in POP. Incidentally, the administration is guilty of

Sunday Tribune

same sympathy-show, albeit attempting inculcating mob mentality in the citizenry through uncensored propaganda against probe suspects, and using same as a smokescreen to hide overt ethnic and partisan introduction into the crusading.

Is lining behind Buhari the new definition of being clean? Does that explain the refusal of the EFCC to work on the petitions against some members of his cabinet?

Discerning Nigerians and international friends are not oblivious of this charade.

Two dimensions are most worrisome in the unfolding corruption drama. A mob mentality births jungle justice.

Olu Falae almost fell victim. It is a growing danger even for an administration that wants to preserve law and order at all cost, including mowing down protesting “armed” members of a religious sect in their hundreds. When a mob tastes blood once, it may want to eternally feed on it.

Beyond alleged corrupt practices, nearly everyone assumed correctly that military leadership would pay for Buhari’s certificate saga during the poll. That is a minus for a supposed father of the nation. An unforgiving father’s hut is always empty of happy kids. The bloodcurdling desire to punish is said to be responsible for the listing of some senior military officers for “probefor-dismissal” (apologies to Pa Bisi Akande), including those who never had anything to do with contracts and procurement while Buhari’s army head, who headed the procurement unit during the alleged sleaze, is now to sit in judgement over them.

Why are soldiers said to be enjoying a new lease of life under Buhari now demanding a break from Boko Haram warfront, which wasn’t so when they allegedly had no weapons to fight? Buhari may be the C-in-C, but it is unlikely that the military will allow him to run the forces ragged, just like the rebelling judiciary.

It is reflection time for Buhari. This crusade is likely to be the signature policy of his administration, considering the failing economy and should be jealously guided. It should run in a way that future incumbents would want to emulate Jonathan when trounced. If this current style subsists, Buhari, without knowing, may be commencing the beatification process for Jonathan. The completion may be shorter than papacy’s making of a saint. There is and should be, a limit to propaganda in governance.

interview ‘APC already making same mistakes as PDP’ continued from pg 33

teachers. We do not have science teachers in the state.

The Physics teachers we have in the state now are around nine. I’m personally at a loss, when I know the kind of resources at the disposal of this government. In what area do you want me to applaud them?

But Oshiomhole is always quick to reprimand you too for being part of the Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. How does that make you feel?

Who did not serve in Lucky Igbinedion’s administration? About 80 per cent of people in Oshiomhole’s administration served in Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. That is to tell you that he believes that those Lucky appointed were the best. His Attorney-General was a commissioner in Lucky’s administration. The chairman of his party was also a commissioner in the same administration. The present Commissioner for Works, Osarodion Ogie, served in the same government. The deputy governor, my brother, was in the House of Representatives and part of the same platform. So, when you look at the people in Oshiomhole’s government, you will realise that they were people who were active in the Igbinedion days.

For me, I cannot be ashamed at all about the opportunity God gave me to be able to understand the workings of government. If you read the letter the governor sent to me on my 50th birthday, he admitted that the achievements he was able to put in place, at least, in the first 40-something months were attributable to the quality of the counsel I gave to him. That counsel came from my experience in government. I think Oshiomhole’s obsession with me is borne out of fear, knowing the capacity of the person on the other side. Really, it has become an obses-

sion; he cannot make any serious conversation without mentioning my name. It is also good anyway, because for those who are dissatisfied with his policies and actions, his constant reminder will tell them that “this is the alternative.” So, I also want to appreciate him for unwittingly publicising me and making Edo people know that there is someone that can stand up to him.

Despite being in opposition, the PDP won the presidential election in Edo State. How did the PDP manage to do that and is that what you are banking on to win the governorship election?

I mentioned that as long as the present governor was campaigning for Muhammadu Buhari, it was going to be easy for us to win. If he had distanced himself, it could

So, for a government that has received over N1 trillion, you would have expected that their investment will guarantee the future of our state. Rather than do that, they embarked on reckless spending

have been a bit more difficult. When he made the mistake of saying “a vote for me is a vote for Buhari” that was the end of it. The moment Edo people heard that, they said they must vote against Buhari. Honestly, Edo people now look up to the PDP. Edo PDP is not rigid to the extent of taking them for granted. When they felt the PDP did not appreciate their votes, they turned against the PDP at a time the whole country was PDP. That is to tell you that Edo is never afraid of being in opposition. One would have expected that the APC would have a sense of history and respond to the opinion of the people. So, our people are now saying if it is like this, then they need to look at the PDP again, especially now that the PDP has also changed in a positive way. In the governorship election this year, Edo people will turn out enmasse to vote for change, only that this change will not benefit the APC this time around.

How optimistic are you of picking the PDP ticket?

I am not the only aspirant; at the last count, we were five. I think all the aspirants are qualified. I will be willing and ready to support anyone that gets the ticket. I also hope that other aspirants will support me if I get the ticket as well. I have gone round the local government areas to see our party members and I can say that many of them see me as a very serious-minded person, who knows what it takes to win and has an understanding of government.

I want to believe that that confidence and knowledge will help me clinch the party’s ticket. Quite honestly, I’m interested in better governance in our state. If it is not me, then I will support whoever comes in but certainly not the person the present government is proposing, because nothing will change if they are allowed to continue.

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HE Presidency engaged former President Goodluck Jonathan in a war of words of some sorts last week. The exchange had to do with the arms procured by the previous government, which the former president, in an interview in Switzerland, said were still being used to prosecute the war against terror under Buhari.

Jonathan, who has refrained from joining issues with the incumbent government since leaving office in May 2015, saw himself confronted by a reaction to his carefully chosen words. To say the least, the reaction by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu was not only needless, but a carry-over of the campaign season. Looking at the Jonathan statement, it wasn’t difficult to see a statesman, who was only attempting to explain his role in the war against terror.

One would have expected the incumbent presidency to let go on such matters, especially where facts speak for themselves.

Jonathan had said in an interview with France 24:“The new government is working hard and I believe they are still using the equipment we procured. Though the budget is still being debated, no new equipment has been bought; so even those equipment the president is using to prosecute the war against Boko Haram are those equipment we procured.

“When Boko Haram started in Nigeria, we had no terror experience. Yes, we had armed robbery and other common crimes, but terrorism was different, because the people involved were not afraid to die.

“So, you need a different mechanism to confront terrorism, you need superior technology, so that you will be able to stop them even before the attack. We never had the equipment, but when we were confronted, we started acquiring and before I left office, we built reasonable capacity and I believe with what we left behind and also with what the new government will acquire, they will be able to prosecute this terror war to a reasonable conclusion.”

But the Senior Special Assistant to the President told a correspondent of the Nigerian Tribune that current government could not prosecute the war against insurgency with arms bought by the Jonathan-led administration because the previous government according to him bought “junks.”

He had said: “We have it on good authority that the former president did not get the correct briefing on these facts.

POSTERITY will never forgive those thieves who stole and siphoned our money to foreign lands! Why are we blaming the British government? They didn’t force these people to bring the money to their land. I think those to be blamed are the greedy, selfish and criminally minded set of Nigerians who not only looted our money but thought they could hide their loot by taking them to foreign lands for ‘safe keeping’. They are the ones who have put this nation into this shameful and sad situation and they should be blamed and punished for it. It is also because of their greed that all sectors of the economy are in a terrible shape. Forget the general economic depression globally. If the huge amount stolen had been in the coffers of the government and prudently managed, the government would at least have been able to offer some palliatives even in these hard times.

Well, the evil that men do live after them; however, my consolation it that no evil will go unpunished. These people are having a taste of the repercussions of their actions.

—Lekan Oladeji, Ilora 08053049443 ‘The cattle that trespassed on a farm and ate yam tubers would lead to the cattle-rearer being beaten’. The unimagined proportion of corruption that is currently being exposed and the extent to which many well-placed Nigerians were involved both in and out of government, gave Mr. Arkwright the audacity to insist on monitoring our expenditure profile concerning the looted money before releasing our stolen funds to us. We are the ones to set our house in order if we don’t want to be treated the way Arkwright is treating us. One sure way of doing this, is by ensuring that misappropriation of public funds and outright looting as we have just witnessed should henceforth be met with capital punishment. I can’t think of any other way of halting corruption in this nation.

—Lanre Oseni 08022066663 When I heard how Dasuki and his cohorts looted our public funds, I was so devastated that I had to bow my head in shame. It is not as if our country is corruption free, but the enormity of this and the insensitivity of the looters

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Weapons that were bought by his government were mostly junks. From the revelations of the procurement investigation committee now going on, it is clear that his government was misadvised in their procurement processes. Evidence shows that some of his service chiefs used criminally-minded vendors to defraud the country of billions of Naira.

“For instance, bullion vans, the ones used in ferrying cash to and from banks, were procured and presented in military colours as armored personnel carriers. Bullion vans have what the military call ‘soft skin,’ which is easily penetrated by bullet. On good authority, we have equally been informed that ‘floatation jackets’ were brought in as

bullet-proof jackets.

“If the correct procurement procedure had been followed, in a government-to-government order as we now have under the Buhari-led administration, this disservice to the nation would not have happened. This administration found out, upon investigation, that most of those things the soldiers at the front were complaining against were true. The personal weapons they were made to carry were those bought in the 60s, 70s and the 80s. Those defective weapons are now being replaced even as investigations are still going on,” While Jonathan spoke like a Nigerian, talking about his country, expressing the hope that insurgents would be finally defeated, Garba Shehu spoke with derision, unkind cuts and intent to drag his subject down. He did not speak like someone who was talking on behalf of the president about a former Nigerian President.

While it can be granted that there are issues with the procurement of arms in the last administration, many of the reasons already in the public domain, the fact remains that the incumbent government is yet to commit a kobo to the purchase of arms. It means that Jonathan is right in saying that the current government is using arms procured under his administration.

For an experienced image-maker like Shehu, facts should have no coloration, whether they appear in favour of Jonathan or Buhari. We, as a nation, have no record of any allocation to procurement of arms by the Buhari government so far, and we are aware that from its day one in office, the war against terror had raged. It was intense at a stage and even then, the government never applied to the National Assembly for purchase of arms. It means in truth that arms procured by the Jonathan government are still being used.

Rather than engage in needless wars, the Buhari government should count itself lucky that it succeeded a man like Jonathan, who has not shown any intent towards being cantankerous. Unlike what you will get from some other leaders, the man has kept his cool; refusing to obstruct the activities of his successor. Yet, people like Garba Shehu would not give him credit for whatever he achieved, no matter how tokenistic.

Certainly, somebody out there needs to tell agents of the government that they need not ‘dip hands’ into the throat of gentleman Jonathan. It is quite predictable that even an attempt to dip fingers into the mouth of a baby would draw blood.

frontrow

with the British government. Unfortunately, as an adage says, ‘’If the fowl is being abused, the guinea fowl will also feel the pain”. As other countries are abusing our leaders for looting, are the masses also not feeling the pain?

—Taiwo Sangotikun, Iseyin, 08056309372

the lynxeye with Taiwo adisa

08072000046 taiadisbabatj@gmail.com

Jonathan versus Buhari: The needless ‘war’

with Toyin Willoughby Muyi 0805 500 1769 toyeenz@yahoo.com

Re: You see yourself now!

caused me a lot of pain. How can you divert money for arms in the face of millions of Nigerians dying because our military is not well equipped? I now have a clearer that indeed we have two categories of politicians. The first category I would class as politically intelligent. These are the politicians who go into politics to gain political power with the sole aim of building an egalitarian society and ensuring that the dividends of democracy devolve to the masses.

The second category I would class as criminally intelligent.

These are those who see the acquisition of political power as a do or die affair, because their intention is to acquire wealth through the embezzlement of public funds. These are the ones that have gotten us into this shameful state

The white men do not want Africans to become great or excellent nations as they are. One of their strategies is to sponsor a mediocre as a presidential candidate whom they ensure eventually wins in our so-called ‘developing’ continent of Africa. The western world or ‘developed nations’ only have ‘cupboard love’ for us as Africans. The solution to our problem is that we, (both the rulers and the ruled) must sit down and fashion a system or systems that will work for us. I think we should revisit the report of the last CONFAB as well as the contents of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s sponsored constitution review and start fashioning real self-rule from these. This way, ‘neo colonialism’ would be discouraged.

—Segun Olujimi. Saki, Oyo State 08059854764 It is now very clear that President Muhammadu Buhari is ready to enthrone change and actualise the anti-corruption war. What those engaging in corrupt activities fail to realise is that the more they build on false foundations, the bigger the repercussions. Money is not everything. Their massive looting, stealing and money laundering cannot give them or buy them good health or long life. Longevity definitely cannot be bought with money. Surely, they can buy houses all over the world but as we all know, good homes are made not bought. Although these are the things that make life comfortable and meaningful, yet they must be acquired in the right way for one to derive the benefits from them.

When one illegally and fraudulently acquires wealth, the repercussion can be very devastating and awful. Some of the looters of our commonwealth are confined to wheelchairs; some are living with life-threatening ailments while some are permanently confined to their hospital beds. What then is the joy in living for them after all the looting?

—Femi Dada, Abuja. 08183920427

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thepolity

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘Jostle for dep governorship slot’ continued from pg 36

the era of change had come to Kogi State and the entire people should embrace the new government, adding that the governor and the party would not disappoint them.

Odigie-Oyegun, in his remarks, said the state was lucky as Bello is a gift to the state, appealing to the people to make the next four years a time never witnessed before.

“That you can do by giving him your total, committed and undiluted cooperation as he starts the very difficult task of bringing Kogi State back to the place of prominence that it deserves in the comity of states in this nation,” APC national chairman added.

The oath taking was glamorous while the invitation of the governor to the podium was again greeted with chants and songs of different rhythms as he also beamed waving to the people who came to witness his day of glory. The oaths of allegiance and office were administered by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajana, after which the governor was driven round the stadium in a motorcade.

The inaugural address of the governor elicited emotion, as he could not control his feeling, shedding into tears while acknowledging those that played important roles in his early life, most importantly, his late father.

After getting over his emotions, Bello gathered himself together and addressed the people.

He said it would not be business as usual with him at the helms of affairs in the state. Drawing reference from the popular statement of Buhari during his inauguration, “I am for everybody and I belong to nobody”, the new governor promised to be fair and just in his administration.

He promised to face the critical sector of the society which include education, roads, agriculture, solid minerals, security and civil service reform in order to put the state on the path to greatness.

He said, “The entire people of Kogi State irrespective of who you are and where you stood during the election, we are all united today celebrating the outcome. My people you are the big constituency I have and I am responsible to you. Nigeria has a rich diversity of tradition, culture and history, it is instructive that in searching for a new philosophy on new direction, my team and I do not have to go far to locate a perfect response for our time.

“My administration shall exist for the purpose of serving the superseding interest of the people of Kogi State to the very best of our capabilities. We also undertake to never use our capacity to serve the interest of anyone or group whether from Kogi State or elsewhere.

“There is no greater evil than corruption and nothing champions that evil than impunity. Corruption and impunity make sure our people repeatedly arrive at a promised future and found it bereaved of substance. Future generations will not be given reasons to count the incoming administration among those who revel in corruption, we will be different by the grace of God. “We must be that generation of leaders, who will ensure that the entirety of Kogi resources work for the entirety of Kogi people. Accordingly, I hereby declare and affirm that the Yahaya Bello administration will have zero tolerance for corruption and impunity.”

According to him, positive and sensitive actions would be taken to rescue Kogi State with action plan put in place to ensure the achievement of the task, adding that templates would be set for the first one hundred days, first one year, among others.

Beyond the inauguration The inauguration of Bello as the governor has come and gone, but many are still wondering what will become of the governor and the entire state in the weeks to come. To many people, the administration has come to stay, while many others believe Bello and his team are just whiling away time at the Lugard House based on the legal impediments ahead of him in the conventional court and the tribunal.

Reacting to the inauguration of Bello, the aggrieved APC deputy governorship candidate, Faleke, described it as a coup d’état from the leadership of the party. Faleke said the decision of the Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee (NWC) to adopt Bello as the party’s candidate for the December 5, 2015 supplementary election was devoid of equity and justice. He said since the APC had refused to be just in the matter, he would continue to seek redress in the court, saying his decision was to protect the interest of the party as the PDP could oth-

Honourable James Faleke

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

erwise claim the mandate freely given to the late Audu and himself.

He said, “I am not working with PDP. The party is supreme only if its decision is based on equity and justice. You do not slap somebody and take what he has by force. For me, what has happened in Kogi and in our party is civilian coup de’tat. If this kind of situation happens in a military regime, I am sure those behind it will face firing squad.”

In the same vein, the PDP said Bello is just a passenger in the Government House, believing that judgment would come and would be thrown out of the Lugard House. The PDP dismissed as comical, the inauguration, saying the new governor was only on excursion in the Government House.

According to a statement issued by the National Secretary of the PDP, Professor Adewale Oladipo, in Abuja, the party said “the said Yahaya Bello, who cannot claim the overall winning votes in the election, is, therefore, a shadow-chasing passer-by on an excursion in Kogi State Government House, as the so-called swearing-in ceremony, having no bearing from the votes at election, is at best an APC function.”

The party observed that people of Kogi were aware that “the man being paraded by the APC is not the person they exercised confidence in at the election, as he scored a paltry 6,885 vote in the so-called supplementary election, as against the 204,877 votes polled by the PDP candidate, Alhaji Idris Wada, in the overall election.”

Also reacting, the Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Miliki Idris, said the situation in Kogi was unfortunate, likening it to a car without a spare tyre. He said it was not complete. He, however, noted that the legality or otherwise of the situation should be left for the court to determine as there were lots of developments in the state that required constitutional amendments that would later serve as reference in the country.

a joint ticket is dead.

Wada on his own is challenging the choice of Bello as a candidate for the supplementary election. Part of his argument is that Bello, who scored only 6,885 votes at the supplementary election could not be said to have defeated him, having scored a total of 204,877 votes. He also said Bello did not participate in all the processes of the election as prescribed by the laws guiding elections in the country as he only took part in the supplementary poll.

The former governor argued that the constitution and the Electoral Act did not provide that votes cast for somebody can be inherited by another person. He therefore prayed the tribunal to declare him the validly elected governor of the state.

Attention shifts to court Now that Bello has assumed the governorship of the state, attention of stakeholders and the entire world is expected to shift to the courts and the tribunal, which are expected to validate or invalidate the mandate being enjoyed by the Okene-born politician.

Already, there are cases instituted at the Federal High Court, Abuja by Wada and Faleke over the conduct of a supplementary election in the state. The cases were dismissed, which paved way for the December 5 election, but the plaintiffs have gone to the appellant court for redress.

Apart from this, seven political parties that participated in the election and Faleke have filed petitions before the tribunal sitting in Lokoja, seeking to nullify Bello’s victory.

Faleke had approached the tribunal to declare that the supplementary poll was unnecessary as a clear winner had emerged during the first ballot before the death of Audu. He therefore wants the court to declare him the governor-elect, since his principal with whom he enjoyed

The battle for deputy governorship seat One man’s meat, they say, is another man’s poison. Just as Faleke has continued to reject the post of deputy governor, many have been falling over themselves to be nominated to fill the vacant post. From the Kogi West senatorial district to the Eastern senatorial district, politicians and members of the APC have been showing interest with some already gathering “endorsement” from stakeholders.

While many people have indicated interest from the West where the party originally zoned the ticket, some people from the East also came out because of the belief that the governor may not want to do without the zone, which constitutes over 50 per cent of the voting population. The development may have, however, put the governor in a dilemma over which of the districts should produce the deputy governor.

Many saw the situation as one that could be used to bring some of the notable politicians in the party that are presently against Bello into the fold and help stabilise his administration. However, while this was going on, the new governor said his pre-occupation is delivery of good governance to the people of the state without fear or favour. Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Kinsley Fanwo, the governor said with the inauguration, he was ready to settle down for real governance.

He said, “The campaign is over and it is time to deliver good governance to the Kogi people. The New Direction blueprint was scripted in line with the change agenda of our great party and I can assure Kogites that this governor is set for the transformation of our state. He is a governor that will listen to the yearnings of the people and lay emphasis on transparency and accountability.

“The governor is poised for educational renaissance, healthcare turnaround, agricultural revolution and paying due attention to the issues relating to workers’ welfare. He is committed to making Lokoja the epicenter of tourism and commerce. I can assure you that he is wellprepared.

“Bello has the support of stakeholders. The key leaders of the party in the state are behind him. The people of the state believe in the leadership of the governor.”

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31 January, 2016

language&style

by Samson Dare 0805 500 1770 samsonadare@yahoo.co.uk

Stumbling block

S

AMPLE 1: “Political violence and the social stigma that politics is a dirty game is a further stumbling block for women to become actively involved in the politics of this country. These are the major causes for the low representation of women in Nigeria’s political terrain…You remind her that a lot of women’s groups are complaining that the number of women in politics and positions are dwindling and you wake up something in her with this response…Ask her to advice women politicians and she answers: ‘I would tell them to work together as women…’”(Why I Fought to Recover My Mandate in Spite of Physical Threats, The Nation On Sunday, July 19, 2015) I draw readers’ attention to the verb is which occurs in the following context: “Political violence and the social stigma that politics is a dirty game IS a further stumbling block…” That verb (IS) is obviously in its singular form. There must be a nominal item in the structure which is singular and which occurs in a position that is relevant to the verb slot. I can’t find any such. There are in fact two relevant items which together constitute the subject. These are: 1) political violence 2) the social stigma that politics is a dirty game.

In elementary arithmetic and elementary English, would we say two entities are singular or plural? We would say they are plural of course. It would even be contradictory to speak of two items in singular terms. In the light of this, a plural verb-form should replace the singular verb-form (is). The appropriate verb-form is: are.

Next, we note the structure: “a further stumbling block for women to become actively involved in the politics of this country.” The idiom stumbling block, let us note, is usually followed by the particle to, but here it is followed by the particle for. Idioms are idioms, we have had cause to say repeatedly, because of their unique and immutable collocation. Certain words, particularly particles, have to be in certain places for particular verbal stretches to retain their idiomatic character. Yes, the particle to has to replace for in the context under review. For this to happen effectively, the structure has to be adjusted. Consider this: “a further stumbling block to women becoming actively involved in the politics of this country.”

Next we note the relationship between the noun number and the verb-form are which occurs in the following context: “a lot of women’s groups are complaining that the NUMBER of women in politics and positions ARE dwindling.” The verb is supposed to be in concord with the noun number, and the latter should be treated as a singular noun which it is. Actually, there are contexts in which the noun number is to attract a singular verb and there are contexts in which it should attract a plural form of the verb.

This matter has been treated fairly extensively in this place one or two times before. Today, we take advantage of the examples given in an earlier discussion. I urge readers to note the relationship between the noun number and the verb was in the following structure: “the number of people becoming aware of their rights as consumers was on the rise in the sector.” Now compare the relationship between the word number and the verb were in the following structure: “the number of complaints cases were fast rising.”

In the first structure, the reporter has treated the noun (number) as a singular word by choosing the singular verb form (was) in relation to it. In the second structure, he has preferred the plural form of the verb (were) relative to the noun (number).

What is the appropriate way to treat that noun---singular or plural? In the context under review, the word number should be treated as a singular noun.

Read the following sentences: 1) Many people have visited the sacred site, and the number of visitors has been increasing in recent times. 2) The number of products received this year is higher than that of last year. 3) The number of students in the school is quite high. 4) Let’s find out how many people have been attending the programme in the last three years so that we can know whether the number has been increasing or decreasing over the years. 5) The number of participants is not as encouraging as the comment has suggested.

Let’s have more examples drawn from yet another earlier discussion: 1) The number of casual workers is higher than that of regular workers. 2) If the number of those earning monthly salaries is not increasing it should not be decreasing. 3) The number of people involved in crime is not as large as the police have presented it. 4) The number of registered participants has influenced the number of bags we have provided. 5) The number of members that came was responsible for the huge sum of

Sunday Tribune

line

life

with Niyi Osundare

Random Blues money spent. 6) The number of vehicles plying our roads has increased greatly in recent times.

There is a sense, however, in which the word number is used with a plural verb. Consider the following sentences: 1) There are a number of police officers living in our neighbourhood. 2) A large number of protesters were moving from street to street urging the government to change its mind on the issue of removal of oil subsidy. 3) A large number of armed robbers were arrested and summarily executed during the military era. 4) A number of memos have been written on the vexatious issue. 5) A number of cars were purchased recently by the company. 6) A number disciplinary cases are being addressed by the institution.

Finally, we note the use of the word cause in the following context: “These are the major causes for the low representation of women in Nigeria’s political terrain.” Please note that the particle for following the noun cause directly is an inappropriate one. The proper particle is of. Of course there is a sense in which the particle for can collocate with the noun cause. The following sentences illustrate this usage: 1) The police chief has assured us that there is no cause for alarm. 2) The political developments in the country provide no cause for optimism. 3) The man told his troubled wife there was no cause for anxiety. 4) There is no cause for that kind of announcement. 5) There is no cause for rejoicing yet.

In the following sentences, the noun cause takes the particle of except in number 8 in which it does not take any particle at all: 1) Careless driving is one of the major causes of road traffic accidents in Nigeria. 2) One major cause of corruption in Nigeria is poverty. 3) The police in conjunction with the doctors are investigating the cause of his death. 4) Nobody has been able to identify the cause of the fire disaster. 5) Accommodation and food were the main causes of students’ unrest in those days. 6) Medical experts have not been able to establish the cause of cancer. 7) Conflict of egos among Nigerian leaders was the cause of the civil war. 8) There are people who would hate you without cause.

Finally, we note the word advice which occurs in the following context: “Ask her to advice women politicians and she answers…”

It should be obvious that the slot occupied by the word advice belongs to a verb, especially in view of the infinitive marker (to) preceding it. It is equally obvious that the word advice is in its noun form. Let us note the letter c in its spelling. Its verb form is advise.

Here we must also note the letter s in the spelling.

The following sentences illustrate the usage of the noun form (advice): 1) I can assure you that the advice was given with the best of intentions. 2) Your doctor’s advice is as important as your lawyer’s advice. 3) In rejecting that advice, the president was guided by the national interest. 4) I find myself unable to accept his advice because it is always misleading. 5) We owe the success to the invaluable advice given by members of the board. 6) The advice could have been precious if it had not come at a wrong time.

The usage of the verb form is illustrated as follows: 1) I advise you to leave this environment immediately. 2) I have advised him twice on three different matters but he would not listen. 3) The president has been advised not to consider the military option. 4) Wives are expected to advise, support and comfort their husbands. 5) The lawyer advised his client not to go to court of the issue the land dispute.

Don’t ruin my reggae with your blues Keep your san-san* far from my bowl of rice Hear? Don’t ruin my reggae with your blues Keep your san-san far from my bowl of rice Life’s road is snared with thorns and pebbles Wake up, folks, and shine your eyes*

How so loud The colour of Silence Oh, how so loud The colour of Silence The Rainbow sang its song In multiple rhymes and single sense

Give him the power To turn water into wine Say, give him the power To turn water into wine And watch the whole wide world Turn into a pack of drunken swine

Short memories are trailed by lengthy shadows The day is sometimes shorter than the hour Say, short memories are trailed by lengthy shadows The day is sometimes shorter than the hour The sweetest fruit in the garden

The verb is supposed to be in concord with the noun number, and the latter should be treated as a singular noun which it is. Actually, there are contexts in which the noun number is to attract a singular verb and there are contexts in which it should attract a plural form of the verb

Sometimes comes from the bitterest flower

Breathe Life into the Word Let the syllable quake into being Yes, breathe Life into the Word Let the syllable quake into being Sometimes ostensible blindness Is a sound and surer way of seeing

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune With Rita Okonoboh rosarumese@gmail.com 08053789087

tribunechurch

PHOTO:www.nickhagenphotography.com.

Should Christians play lottery?

Against the backdrop of the decision by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) to collaborate with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to make tickets available to Nigerians interested in going on pilgrimage, as well as the increase in lottery stakes, RITA OKONOBOH sought the opinions of clerics on the implications of the participation of Christians in lottery.

F

OR many individuals, the concept of lottery connotes some form of luck which usually results in winnings.

However, this notion can be quite confusing when it comes to aligning religious beliefs to participating in lottery. With regard to this, the Director General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mr Adolphus Joe Ekpe, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune, stated that 18 Bible passages are in support of lottery.

He said: “Lottery is in the Bible. Go to Numbers 26: 55. You see that the use of lots in taking decision is Biblical. When the children of Israel were to share the land of Canaan, it was through the use of lot. When they were to choose an apostle to replace Judas Iscariot, they used lot. When they were to share the garment of Jesus Christ, they used lot. When they were to decide who was troubling the ship when Jonah was inside that ship, they used lot.

“In gambling, it is a win-lose situation but in lottery, it is a win-win situation because even the person who plays lottery but does not win benefits from lottery, that is the part that goes to government. Morocco, a Muslim country with more than 85 per cent

Muslims runs lottery. Israel runs lottery. I can give you up to 18 Bible quotes that talk about the use of lots in taking decision, whether it is in the Old Testament or New testament. If you look at Mark 15: 24 or Luke 23: 34 or John 19: 24 or Acts 1: 26, all these are Bible passages that relate to using lot in taking decision.”

With the recent partnership between the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), whose Executive Secretary, Mr John Kennedy Opara and the NLRC on the introduction of the Christian Lottery Scheme, varying reactions have trailed the development.

Apart from the lottery for pilgrims, it is also no news that Christians openly welcome participation in lottery. From the roadside lottery kiosk to various organisations which now offer lottery benefits to individuals, it becomes pertinent to really understand if there are exceptions.

A cross-section of stakeholders in Christendom spoke with TribuneChurch on the biblical acceptance of participation in lottery.

It should be discouraged –Arch-

bishop Atilade According to the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, South West, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, “One has to look at it from the physical as well as the spiritual aspects. On the physical, people take part in lottery because they are looking for something to augment their income. From a spiritual angle, it is debatable, because that means you’re putting money into something that is speculative, that is not sure and the Bible discourages that. It is almost a form of gambling. If it is reduced to that, spiritually, gambling is discouraged. Christians should not participate in lottery. However, sometimes there is necessity and people cannot help themselves. However, the danger is

Nigeria needs more churches —Prophet Agboola

Pg43

that the little they have, they are putting it into something that is uncertain. People who want cheap money like that may end up losing all they have. So, on the average, after due consideration, I would say that Christians should not be encouraged to participate in lottery.”

It is not biblical –Bishop Omoniyi Bishop T.I. Omoniyi of Methodist Church Nigeria, Oyo Diocese, stated that “The Bible is against it. Although we have Christians among us who are in the lottery business, however, it is not what the Bible encourages. The stand of Methodist Church Nigeria is that we are against it and we try to disContinues on

Beware of jobbers, Kasali warns Fashola

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

With Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 08074497425

churchnews Beware of jobbers, Kasali warns Fashola Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti

P

OWER, Works and Housing Minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has been urged to be wary of the people he engages in transactions in his bid to transform the country’s power situation.

The General Overseer (GO) of Hour of Mercy Prayer Ministry, Prophet Moses Muyideen Kasali, said this was necessary to ensure that the hangers-on bidding to corner all transactions in the sector and consequently compound

the power situation for their selfish gains were not allowed into the system again to dash the high hopes of the citizens.

Kasali, who spoke at the grand finale of the 9th annual convention of the church, with the theme, “But the Fruit of the Spirit is...” at Ori Oke Alaseyori,

Moniya, Ibadan, Oyo State, said: “Fashola should ask for the spirit of wisdom to be successful. With prayers, the vultures will have no place in the ministry again.”

The cleric said the minister needed prayers to be able to replicate the transformation that he brought

about in Lagos in the ministry so that he would continue to be in the good books of Nigerians.

Kasali, who said divine intervention was necessary in the year to seek the face of God and avert calamities, urged Nigerians to pray individually and collectively against partaking in the

cries and pains, especially widespread inferno, which might be the lot of the year.

The cleric, who predicted that “there would be a lot of political storm this year,” also sought prayers to stave off the abduction of a prominent Nigerian leader and political office holder to prevent a situation which

Primate Okoh inaugurates new bishop’s court in Oyo The Archbishop and primate of all Nigeria Anglican communion, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, has urged all Christians to serve God diligently and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The primate made the call recently during the inauguration of a new ultramodern bishops court of the diocese of Oyo. According to him, “No man takes any office by himself unless he is ordained to acquire the position and there can be no greater authority on earth than the authority of the Almighty.

“So I implore you all to allow God’s presence in your gatherings, because wherever God is, there is peace, security and prosperity.”

He, however, commended the effort of the bishop of Oyo diocese on what he has been able to achieve for the diocese within a very short period that he came on board.

In his remarks, the diocesan bishop, Rt. Reverend Williams Aladekugbe, expressed his gratitude to God for His benevolence and mercies to the entire diocese of Oyo. He prayed that the Almighty will continue to bless everyone who has one way or the other contributed to the completion of the bishop’s court.

On behalf of Oyo Anglican family, Chief Emmanuel Olaoye, thanked God for His abiding presence in the church, adding that since the inauguration of the Oyo diocese in 2003, having passed through all odds to reach the present stage, God has never let us down.

would shake the country and create a lot of tension.

Kasali, who advised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to strive against moves capable of breaking the party into factions, sought prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari to be able to achieve his mission for the country.

“President Buhari has good plans for Nigeria. This is shown in his seven-point agenda. But he needs a lot of prayers to deliver. As things are, Nigerians should pray for the manifestation of God’s plan for the country.”

Highpoint of the convention was the investiture of the GO, Prophet Kasali; the Assistant GO, Pastor Jacob Gbolawo Adekanye; six pastors; seven evangelists; six deacons; four deaconesses; and 200 disciples.

DMFI set to hold 20th conference Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, cutting the tape at the inauguration of new Ultra Modern Bishops court of the diocese of Oyo, Oyo State, recently.

From left, Bishop of Central Missionary Diocese, African Church, Right Reverend kin Ajayi, former Nigerian Ambassador to Venezuala, Mrs. Oyesola Yombo, Trustee, Province 2, African Church, Engr. Bolaji Williams and Bishop of Abuja Diocese, African Church, Right Reverend Peter Ogunmuyiwa at the inauguration of African Church Arch Cathedral located at Broad Street, Lagos Island on Saturday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Bakare urges clerics to make word of God priority

By Olaide Sokoya The resident pastor of Cherubim & Seraphim Chapel of Joy, Oluwamayomikun Parish, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State, Pastor (Mrs) Ebunoluwa Oluwaseyi Bakare, has urged all the clerics not to be afraid to preach the word of God. Bakare, who is also the visioner of the Women

of Prayer Mission, stated this during an interview session in her church in Ibadan.

She said further that “The primary obligation of every cleric is to preach the word of God. We are the book people read. But these days, pastors preach about money, wealth and prosperity; we no longer preach about salvation

of God. Some pastors are afraid to preach the gospel of God in order not to lose their members. Let us preach the right thing and always say the truth, because God will bring all works to judgment.

Thedays, pastors now run under government, they too want to share in national cake. The more we have more churches, the more corruption increases in the

country.’’

She noted that all will be well with Nigeria. “Nigeria will be good to all of us; things can be a bit tough, but I know we will stabilise in 2016. All will be well for Nigerians this year,” she said.

She also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to remain focused and continue with the corruption fight.

IN its effort to reawaken the church and society on the need to return to God’s plan for salvation, a nondenominational Christian ministry, Disciple Makers International Foundation (DMFI) is set to hold its 20th conference from Friday 5th and Saturday 6th, February, 2016.

According to the Mission Director of the ministry, Evangelist Sola Alimi, the two-day programme with the theme, “The cloud, The Rain and The Harvest: Revelation for multiplying true sons”, is aimed at encouraging and preparing believers to pay the price of being a Christian.

“The need to embrace transformational discipleship as the only way they can progressively change to increasing and observable measures of Christ likeness is the only way to salvage the core values of the Christian faith from ultimate collapse,” he added.

Speakers expected at the event are Apostle I.D. Lawon, Reverend Tope Opaleye, Reverend Sola Mene, Dr Sharon Omotosho, Mr Dare Omodudu, Mrs Tayo Alimi and other ministers of God. The event will hold from noon on Friday and 9.00 am on Saturday at the Scripture Union Building, Samonda, Ibadan.

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pastor who is after money is not a true servant of God. It is sad that we have a lot of fake pastors and prophets today, but the Bible says: “by their fruit you shall know them.” God’s work is not what someone can do with an ordinary flesh or personal knowledge. It is through His mandate and divine grace.

What will you say about proliferation of churches in almost all the nooks and crannies of the country?

Is this a welcome development?

I think we should let God himself judge pastors who are polluting the church with every means. The Bible even confirmed it...“Many are call, but few are chosen.”

But I can tell you that we still need more churches in Nigeria, because there aresome places where the propagation of the gospel of Christ has not reached.

How do you think the Federal Government can handle the issue of insecurity in the country?

The issue of insecurity is something that calls for the attention of all and sundry.

The government cannot proffer lasting solution to it alone. We should all join hands together in prayer, because Nigeria is our own Jerusalem and we should all pray for the growth and peace of our country.

Many pastors are called by their bellies —Prophet Agboola

Prophet (Dr.) Mike Agboola is the founder and General Overseer of the Jehovah Power Miracle Terbanacle Church. In this interview with OLAIDE SOKOYA, he speaks on the responsibilities of men of God and the need to collectively pray for the peace and growth of Nigeria. Excerpts:

W

HAT were you doing before you became a minister of God? I never thought I was going to be a full-time minister of God, because I was car dealer before I found myself in God’s vineyard. I was very successful in the business and I had no reason to compromise. At a point, I encountered some problems with my business and I went to inform one of my father’s in the Lord and I was told that the hand of God is heavily upon me and that the Lord needs my full attention. Afterward, I complied and started working for the Lord on part-time basis, because I was still getting money from the car business. But I later discovered that the Lord was not happy with what I was doing and I had no choice but to surrender fully to His call.

What are the challenges like when you eventually started the ministry fully?

I faced a lot of challenges through my full determination and dedication to work for God. I no longer have time for myself and even my family. But God eventually gave me the grace to be able to strike a balance. Also, it not an easy task to be a

true minister of God, because you mentor many people with different characters to the Glory of God, the ministry has grown in leaps and bounds I thank God that it has begun to receive international recognition.

What is your take on some pastors who have turned churches into a commercial place?

Anyone who is into God’s work to make

money is not a true servant of God. We have three different categories of pastors.

First, those who are truly called by God; second, those who are called by people and those who are called by their bellies. I can tell you categorically that many of the pastors we have these days are called by their bellies and not truly doing the will of God. As I said earlier, I was a car dealer before the Lord called me, so, I know what it takes to be a true servant of God. Any

My message to Nigerians is that they should have the fear of God and continue to pray for the peace and growth of Nigeria. Also, our leaders should have the love of the masses at heart. We should all join hands to support the present administration to be successful.

As a minister of God, how did you feel with the level of reported cases of corruption in Nigeria?

Thank God that we now have a president that has zero tolerance for corruption. We are all aware that the fear of Buhari has begun to restrict as well as reduce the high rate of corruption in Nigeria to the barest minimum since he came to power.

The church also has a crucial role to play, because we have a direct access to preach against corruption among other evil acts to people. We should not relent in our prayers for God to strengthen our leaders to lead us with the fear of God. I believe very soon corruption will be eradicated in Nigeria.

Has God told you anything about the country?

The Lord told me that a strong and powerful politician in Nigeria will die in March and I urge Nigerians to pray fervently, because the death of the politician will shake the country. Nigeria is an apple in the eyes of the Lord. With prayers and total dedication to the Lord, all will be well with us in Nigeria. Even when America predicted that Nigeria will break in 2015, God proved them wrong because we conducted a peaceful election. As a result of this, I believe that God loves this country dearly.

Do you think performing signs and wonders is the real essence of the church?

Miracles and wonders are part of the reasons church exists, but we should not allow this aspect to make us forget the laws and commandments of the Lord. Though, the Bible says “my people will not believe unless they see signs and wonders” it is very important that we ministers of God preach about salvation and holiness, because these are the things that will guarantee one’s place in heaven.

What is your message for Nigerians?

My message to Nigerians is that they should have the fear of God and continue to pray for the peace and growth of Nigeria.

Also, our leaders should have the love of the masses at heart. We should all join hands to support the present administration to be successful. With prayers Nigeria will move forward.

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H

ow did your music career start?

My music career started from the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA). I know that a lot of people know the history of my career.

Some people will even tell you how the first day I handled the microphone in the church. So, the story of my music career is not something that is hidden to those who have been following my career since I started. I am the second born but the first daughter of my parents. ECWA happens to be the church my father attends, so by the virtue of that, it automatically became my church and that was where my music career was shaped.

So what took you away from ECWA, because I understand you no longer worship in the church?

It was not that I left ECWA out of my own volition. I have been in the church for quite a while and I had to leave when I got married. I can’t continue to worship in my father’s church when I am married. So, marriage took me away from ECWA but that does not mean I have moved away totally, I still go there to worship, especially when there is a function and I have to minister.

Some gospel singers have decried the poor remuneration they receive from churches when they are invited for ministration, what do you think about this?

The problem has always been there for most of us. It has been an age-long issue and I strongly believe that gospel singers should be well paid when they are invited to events, especially when it is a church programme. Some of these churches don’t pay us well, because they feel we are not supposed to be paid like our colleagues who do secular music.

As gospel singers, we have families, bills and other financial obligations that we need to meet up with. If they don’t pay us well, how do they want us to survive? It is a big problem, and that’s why many gospel singers are going the secular way because they have to survive. Only a few gospel singers have remained truthful to their calling, others have jumped ship and you can’t really blame them.

You were said to have dumped banking for music, how did that happen?

Yes, I quit banking for music after almost 10 years in the banking sector. I left the banking job because it was affecting my calling. It was not an easy decision for me, because at that time when a lot of people were looking to get into the banking system, I was walking out of it. Despite the fact that

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

How Omije Ojumi changed my life

—Oluwabunmi Akinnanu Since she broke into the music industry with her famous track Omije Ojumi, a lot of positive things have been happening to Oluwabunmi Akinnanu Adeoye, otherwise known as Omije Ojumi. She dumped her banking job for gospel music and says she has never regretted taking the decision. In this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO, she opens up on her gospel music career.

I was still single when I was working in the bank, it was not easy coping with music and banking. So, it got to a point when one had to go for the other. I couldn’t have continued to say no to what God has called me to do, so I had to quit banking to focus more on my music. And, I can tell you that the experience has been awesome. It has been wonderful doing what you love to do and being paid for it. I don’t regret dumping banking for music.

You broke into the music industry with your famous song, Omije Ojumi and you have remained on top of your game since then, could you tell us more about the song and how you have been handling the fame that came with it?

I thank God for the fame that came with it like you have rightly said, but I was still a member of the ECWA choir when we did the song. The song became a success and I decided to follow it up with a full album. I was going through some tough moments in my life when I wrote the song. I wrote song and gave it to the ECWA choir. It was ECWA’s project at that time and I am glad to have been part of it. We actually released the song in 2004, but many people got to know about it much later.

How many albums have you released after Omije Ojumi?

I have four albums now. I have been releasing albums

since 2008. I have Dabira, Alatileyin Mi, Ma Sokun Mo and the one I just released, Tujuka. I don’t even know how I have been doing it and I can’t lay claim to one particular thing that I have been doing differently except the fact that God’s grace has been sufficient for me.

With four albums to your credit, how would you describe the journey so far?

It has been a very beautiful journey and I thank God that I have come this far. I really love the music experience a lot. It has taken me to different countries outside Nigeria. I check myself all the time to make sure that I am not losing my head. Fame is good but it could also destroy one’s destiny if care is not taken. I am happy that people have been giving good remarks about my albums and career. That is something that I cherish so much.

Sponsorship should come from a willing heart —Bishop Williams Continued from pg38

courage members from participating in such ventures. We preach against it. Even if it is for tickets, God can provide funds for pilgrimage from another source. A born-again child of God should not be involved in lottery.

Sponsorship should come from a willing heart – Bishop Williams For Presiding Bishop of Christ Vessel of Grace Church, Bishop Kayode Williams, “It is very wrong and I don’t think Christians should participate. The collaboration between NCPC and the NLRC, I would say that it is wrong. Why should a person go on pilgrimage on lottery? It is not biblical. For such projects, sponsorship should be done willingly and from the heart, not a game of gambling, and Christians should be very careful because it is not godly.”

‘I don’t see it as something right’ In the opinion of Venerable S. Enike of Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikenne, Ogun State, “I don’t see it as something right for Christians to participate in lottery. There should not be any exception. There should be other ways of doing it rather than lottery. I feel that we should leave lottery to those who are involved in it and not bring Christianity into it.”

It should be discouraged –Prophet Nwazuo The General Overseer, Revolution Fire Christian Ministry, Ojodu, Lagos, Prophet Emmanuel E. Nwazuo, observes that “Lottery is a medium whereby the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and it may be a means of defrauding people. So many people have been destroyed today. Whatever name it is given, it is still pool betting. Even some churches operate lottery in disguise and it is not the best. Even the Bible is not in support of lottery – see where Jesus dismissed

those who were involved in such activities. If it will be a way of siphoning money from Nigerians in the name of pilgrimage, then it should be discouraged. With the steps taken by President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption, we need to be very careful with this lottery business.”

NCPC/NLRC partnership is a welcome development –Ozigagu According to the secretary, Christian Youth Network for a Better Nigeria, Kaduna, Mr Simon Topa Ozigagu, “the question is quite dicey. However, it is bad to gamble.

Lottery has been modernised to make it seem like only the lucky ones win. Participating in lottery has both advantages and disadvantages. It reduces crime in the sense that those who play lottery have something to occupy their time; it also increases crime because people may become desperate and may resort to stealing to satisfy their passions. The partnership between NCPC and NLRC is a good move because, now, more people can participate in holy pilgrimage. If the process is carried out with all fairness, it will be very good because anybody that wins can go. It is a welcome development.”

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dawnofanewera

firmfaith:rightreason

with Most Revd J.O. Akinfenwa Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese

with Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, fradebadejo@yahoo.com

Unity and commitment (2)

Paul: Preacher and Pastor The extraordinary apostle N the early Church the title of apostle qualified only a few people. They were the twelve whom Jesus chose firsthand to collaborate with him.

However there was a “thirteenth apostle”, Paul of Tarsus. Paul became an apostle not by seeing Jesus face to face but through a very exclusive encounter. It speaks to Paul’s special character that in order to convert him, Jesus Christ, described by Isaiah as one who would not crush the broken reed (Is 42:3), had to knock him off his horse as Paul embarked on the way to Damascus to arrest the Christians of his time. As it turned out, Paul’s encounter with Jesus made him probably the most effective of all the apostles. In recognition of his zeal and status the Church annually celebrates Saint Paul’s feast on 25th January as a great apostle, superseded only by Peter, whom Jesus chose to lead the apostles. (Jn. 21)

I

The ultimate preacher With thirteen letters authored by him and a big chunk of the Acts of the Apostles dedicated to his conversion and evangelical exploits, Paul, by far, deserves the “Golden Pulpit Award” of the entire New Testament. The intricate mixture of his sermons with his own life experiences in many of his writings, where he offered himself as a model for his readers to follow demonstrates that Paul truly strove to practice what he preached. Perhaps the greatest test of a preacher’s authenticity will always be his ability to say “do as I do” rather than just “do as I say”. Paul eminently passed that test as he boldly instructed “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (1Cor.11:1). He was nonetheless, factual about his weaknesses as he cried out: “I know that what is right does not abide in me, I mean in my flesh.

I can want to do what is right, but I am unable to do it. In fact I do not do the good I want but the evil I hate. Therefore, if I do what I do not want to do, I am not the one striving towards evil but Sin which is in me.... Alas for me! Who will free me from this being which is only death? Let us give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7: 18-24). Paul was however a frank preacher, not afraid to scold his audience for deviating from the doctrine

Paul never allowed his pastoral solicitude to displace the truth and doctrinal rectitude. He demonstrated his great love for the Church by going up to Jerusalem “after fourteen years” to submit himself to the disciples who, by then, had not met him.

which he had taught them. “How foolish you are Galatians! How could they bewitch you after Jesus Christ has been presented to you as crucified? (Gal 3:1).

The accomplished pastor Another testing ground of the authenticity of all preachers is in their capacity to address the gospel to the needs of real individuals and their challenges in the everyday circumstances of their lives. Paul would score high marks even here. He told Timothy, one of his closest collaborators: “Let no one reproach you on account of your youth. Be a model to the believers in the way you speak and act, in your love, your faith and purity of life” (1 Tim 4:12). Thus, he pinpointed the challenges which Timothy was personally facing and addressed the gospel to help him through it. He even advised him about his health: “Do not drink only water but take a little wine to help your digestion., because of your frequent illness” (1Tim 5; 23). Paul’s pastoral tenacity showed most when he practically rebuked Peter for choosing political correctness over fidelity to the spirit of the Gospel. Paul opposed him in no mean terms forcing Peter to back down. He wrote: “When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas publicly: if you who are Jewish agreed to live like the non-Jews, setting aside the Jewish customs, why do you now compel the nonJews to live like Jews?” (Gal 2:14) Paul was also in the party that went to Jerusalem and successfully argued against asking the gentiles to first be circumcised before being baptized (Acts 15).

Lover of the Church of Christ Paul never allowed his pastoral solicitude to displace the truth and doctrinal rectitude. He demonstrated his great love for the Church by going up to Jerusalem “after fourteen years” to submit himself to the disciples who, by then, had not met him. They had only heard that “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he tried to uproot” (Gal 1: 23).

On the issue, Paul wrote: “Following a revelation, I went to lay before them the Gospel that I am preaching to the pagans.

I had a private meeting with the leaders lest I should be working or have worked in a wrong way” (Gal 2:2). I agree with John Woolman who said: “The office of a minister of Christ is weighty: and they, who go forth as watchmen, have need to be steadily on their guard, against the snares of prosperity and an outside friendship” Herein lies the exemplary character of the apostle, Paul for today’s ministers. His revelation did not tear him away from the Church in hunger for super stardom, prosperity or position. It might not have make economic or political sense for him, having nurtured the gentile Church for fourteen years, to seek any authenticity from the apostles who hardly knew him. It however made him a saint and an apostle, the truest of his kind. Does Paul’s life not indict so many of our personal ministries and apostolate of today? That, really should make everyone of us think.

COULD it be that God is saying to you today that there remains yet very much land to be possessed? Could God be saying to you that your work is not completed?

Could it be that God is saying to you that you cannot retire from His work yet?

What it then means is that, whatever our age, we need to renew our commitment to the work of God. And when we do, God will use us to do exploits, like he used Nehemiah and his people. Can we imagine that a project which had intimidated a whole generation for many years could be completed in 52 days! That is the kind of strength that committed action brings out of God’s people. When we commit ourselves fully to God’s work: 1. He uses us to do exploits 2. No obstacle can stand in our way 3. Impossibilities become possibilities 4. The name of the Lord is glorified 5. The enemies of the Lord are put to shame We know that the journey from Nehemiah 2:18 to Nehemiah 6:15 was not a smooth one. The leader (Nehemiah) and the people had to put with a great deal of adversity, yet they did not give up. The enemy might slow them down, but they were simply unstoppable. Even when they had to carry arms in self-defense, they did not allow that to stop the work. They worked with one hand and held their weapons with the other (Neh. 4:17 - 18).

This is a great lesson for us. If there are

several things we have set our hearts upon to do for the Lord,those goals demand our total commitment, and refusal to be swayed by any form of adversity or distraction.

We know that we do not labour here for earthly, perishable good, but for eternal profit as enjoined by our Lord in John 6:27.

Therefore, the submission of Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:1 should be our testimony: 2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; People of God, this is no time to faint! This is the time to re-commit ourselves to the work of the Lord. We are well able. The Lord has placed talents in our hands, and He expects us to bring Him profit. He has put us together in this “Gospelteam” because He knows we are capable of complementing one another to multiply our effectiveness and reach our desired goals faster. Scripture says in Leviticus 26:8: Leviticus 26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

In Exodus 36, we read the story of the work of the sanctuary of the Lord. Moses the man of God recruited the best men (whom God had prepared) for the work, while the people of Israel gave of their substance in support of the work. Scripture records that the people showed so much commitment that their giving exceeded the need. Verses 5 - 7 of Exodus 36 say: To be continued next week

livingword

By Bishop David Oyedepo Call 7747546-8; or e-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

Engaging the power of sanctification for fulfilment of destiny! (5) Over the past weeks, we have been unveiling the mystery of sanctification and how it engenders the fulfilment of our glorious destiny in Christ Jesus. In the course of this teaching, we discovered that the Holy Spirit is the person Who empowers us to walk in holiness on earth. This is because sin manifest itself through the Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life, and only the Holy Spirit can guarantee our victory over them. In this concluding edition, we shall explore CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH THE HOLY GHOST SANCTIFIES US, which include: By the Impartation of the Spirit of Holiness: This impartation could come to us directly, as we crave and thirst for Him (Luke 11:13). We can also access impartation of that Spirit through apostolic and prophetic ministries (Romans 1:11).

By the Revelation of the Truth: It is so important for us to know that revelation empowers for sanctification and the Holy Ghost is our access to revelation. That means He enhances our access to sanctification (John 17:17; Psalm 19:7-9; Psalm 119:9-11).

The Holy Ghost Releases the Spirit of Prayer and Supplications; so we can overcome all Temptations: Prayer is a channel for overcoming temptations. In Matthew 26:41, the disciples could not pray because their flesh was weak. Thus, the Holy Ghost empowers us on the prayer altar, so we can overcome temptations always (Matthew 26:41-44; Ephesians 6: 18; Romans 8:26-27).

In addition, please understand that destiny is at a risk without sanctification.

Solomon lost it all on the platform strange women. Samson became a toy in the hands of his enemies: they plucked out his two eyes and asked him to dance for them. Judas, an apostle, lost it on the platform of greed.

Achan lost his entire lineage. Ghazi became leprous. In weakness, they all crashed; but we shall not crash in the name of Jesus!

We shall all fulfil destiny in a grand style, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! You are blessed!

Are you born again? This means, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so by saying this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood.

Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me!

Now I know I am born again!”

For further reading, please get my books: Conquering Controlling Powers, Over Coming the Forces of Wickedness, satan Get Lost, The Force of Freedom, Winning Invisible Battles and Walking in the Newness Of Life.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. respectively.

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31 January, 2016

feature Make-ups

‘Packaging’ for greater effect Every woman wants to look great for social outings. In recent times, make-up professionals have developed skills to transform a woman’s face from the ordinary to that of a screen diva. OLAIDE SOKOYA writes on why women use make-up and the effects on their skin.

Before

Before

Before

A

After

After

After

DEKUNLE Ajayi, a banker in the United States of America, met his wife, Adenike, through his classmate. He fell in love at first sight seeing her spotless, cute and beautiful face on social media. He urged his friend, Ajoke, to link him with her friend for a date which he believed would lead to marriage.

They eventually fell in love.

The relationship became stronger as Adenike sent her pictures to Adekunle, who, going through the pictures, believed he had found a beautiful and chic wife.

In no time, Adekunle and Adenike arranged for an introduction ceremony between their families which Adekunle was unable to attend due to some circumstances beyond him, but pictures of the event were sent to him. In fact, he fell in love more seeing his good looking wife beautifully dressed in her Iro and Buba attaire.

Months later, they started planning for their wedding.

All the materials they needed were ordered from the United States of America.

Plans and arrangements were made, the two families picked aso ebi for families and well wishers and Adenike’s joy knew no bound as she invited her friends from school, church and her place of work. She began to dream on how the day would be.

A week to the wedding, the groom-to-be, arrived home with some of his friends. Though anxious, he finally met his wife-to-be.

On setting his eyes on her, Adekunle didn’t believe his eyes, he was confused. He went to bring out all the pictures sent to him by Adenike since their love affair began.

The lady in the pictures was a sharp contrast to the one standing before Adekunle. The Adenike in the pic- Before After tures is an epitome of beauty due to the applied makeup. She was spotless, cute and clean, like a new born; a chic every man would want as a wife.

Adekunle immediately announced that he could not go from him since inception of the relationship.

All efforts by Adenike to explain and convince Adekunle But the Adenike standing before Adekunle was differ- into marriage with someone he had not known and that ent. She had multiple tribal marks on both sides of her Adenike was not the girl he fell in with. faces.

He claimed Adenike deceived and hid her true identity Continues pg47

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Make-ups: ‘Packaging for the best looks

Before

After

A lady applying make-up on a client According to Mrs Motunrayo Okunade, make-up business is a very lucrative and profitable business both men and women can venture into. This business has become a big one especially in Nigeria as it has a large clientele.

Your customers are mainly individuals, brides and people attending special occasions. Modeling agencies, movies, music videos producers, advertisement agencies, fashion shows organisers are also part of the clientele. This is like a sky where there are so many birds.

“I make money every day, not to mention a weekends.

I make up for students going for classes at Lead City University almost every day and I get my money,” she said.

After

Before

After

Before

a face complete with foundation, powder, blush, eyeliner, eye shadow and several coats of lipstick. The amount of make-up that makes a woman feel confident varies.

Before

After

Continued from pg 46 that she is the one in the picture failed as Adekunle angrily returned to the United States.

Make-up is not a recent invention. Women and men wore make-up in ancient cultures. In the 60s, 70s and 80s, women made use of traditional adornment to beautify themselves such as laali, lead, bebe, tribal marks, papamilolo, adin, including various hairstyles such as suku, ipako-elede, koroba, kojusoko, adimole and so on.

The use of cosmetics has changed over the centuries.

In societies the world over, women are the main buyers and users of make-up. Some women cannot imagine going out without make-up on their faces. In extreme cases, women won’t allow anyone to see them without their faces made for the day.

Fortunately, this isn’t very common, but many women report feeling more confident going to work, school or running errands with at least some make-up on. This can range from a light application of mascara and lip gloss to

Why do women wear make-up?

According to Mrs. Motunrayo Okunade, a beautician, some women use make-up to look younger than their age or to look older than their age. “Teenage girls often wear make-up because they want to appear older with the use of lightweight cosmetics, such as powder, mascara and lip colour. On the flip side, women who are past a certain age rely on cosmetics to make them appear younger.

Some cosmetics claim to soften wrinkles or reduce fine lines. With skillful application, women can erase years from their faces. For women who have complexion issues, make-up can help disguise problem areas, although the main focus should be on a skin care routine to maintain clear skin while some use make-up to cover up their scars and tribal marks. Also, ladies glam up their look, for big night parties or a special date to attract someone special,” she stated.

Another make-up artist, Miss Komolafe Folakemi, described make-up as fun. “Make-up is one area where women can really set themselves apart from men. It’s generally a very girly arena where boys aren’t allowed!

With all of the different colours, textures and tools involved, playing around with make-up can simply be seen as a fun thing to do. If you mess up, all you have to do is wash it off and start all over.”

How profitable is make-up business?

Harmful effects of make-up on skin According to Doctor Anderson Anuforo, of the University College Hospital, (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, most of the make-up substances are toxic in nature and there are some that are good on the skin. “Some contain a chemical called hydro premium that can lead to skin cancer. We also have what is called contact dermatitis; some people are hypertensive in nature, if such people use any substance that contains contact dermatitis, their skin could react to it.”

Dr Samson Oluwasanmi, a dermatologist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, said, “Make-up is the cause of acne or skin problems for over 30 per cent of my female patients.”

Unfortunately, the harmful effects of make-up aren’t just limited to skin-related issues only; there is a variety of health problems that can occur as a result of excessive usage.

Lipsticks, kajal sticks and eye-shadows, for example, are known to contain lead, a carcinogen and neurotoxin that can affect the nervous system adversely, leading to high blood-pressure, allergies, behavioral abnormalities and even decreased rates of fertility!

Ironically, Mrs Damilola Okunade, a civil servant admitted she suffered from severe headaches after wearing make-up for long periods of time.

“At first, I assumed it was just a freak coincidence,” said Awe. “But I soon realised my migraines came only when I applied mascara. After switching to another brand of eye make-up and still getting frequent aches, I gave up using mascara altogether! Many women feel dizziness, exhaustion and even nausea after prolonged exposure to makeup. That feeling of tiredness and dryness on your skin is a sign that it’s high time you removed the product off your face,” Okunade stated.

However, regardless of how much or what kind of make-up you use, it is imperative that you indulge in a proper cleaning regime to remove all traces of chemicals from your skin. There are plenty of face washes, cleansers, toners and scrubs available in the market to choose from. Visiting the salon and treating yourself to a monthly facial or cleaning routine can also help keep your skin healthy, radiant and looking its very best.

Photos sourced from the internet

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31 January, 2016

children’sarena Words from kids What I like most about school I go to school to learn and widen my horizon

—Adeyemi Damilola, 15 yrs, SS2

There is a particular reason for which I like school: to learn and to widen my horizon. I like the fact that schooling makes me enlightened and knowledgable about so many things.

Also, schooling to me is an attitude or way of life; it has developed me in so many ways most especially academically.

The kind of enlightenment schooling gives is so interesting and useful. The more I advance in my class, the more I know more.

Schooling as an act makes me good at doing things, especially in the practical aspect. I also like schooling because it has helped my logical reasoning so much.

School broadens my knowledge —Akpan Victoria, 12 yrs, J.S.S 1

What I like most about school is that it broadens my knowledge. I learn more from school and I also get to know a lot of things about the world. I also get to know how to interact with people around me, both the ones I know and that I do not know. School also prepares someone for the future. It helps you become a better person in the future. I love to go to school because it develops my knowledge and my skills.

It makes a child to be a better person in future

Sunday Tribune

Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 0807 449 7425

famousinvention Brief history of gas cylinder A gas cylinder or tank is a pressure vessel used to store gases at above atmospheric pressure.

High-pressure gas cylinders are also called bottles. In the United States, "bottled gas" typically refers to liquefied petroleum gas.

"Bottled gas" is sometimes used in medical supply, especially for portable oxygen tanks. Packaged industrial gases are frequently called "cylinder gas", though "bottled gas" is sometimes used.

The United Kingdom and other parts of Europe more commonly refer to "bottled gas" when discussing any usage whether industrial, medical or liquefied petroleum. However, in contrast, what the United States calls liquefied petroleum gas is known generically in the United Kingdom as "LPG"; and it may be ordered by using one of several trade names, or specifically as butane or propane depending on the required heat output.

Gas cylinders are often colourcoded, but the codes are not standard across different jurisdictions, and sometimes are not regulated. Cylinder colour can

not safely be used for positive product identification; cylinders have labels to identify the gas they contain and the label alone should be used for positive identification.

—Ezenwata Emmanuel 14 yrs, SS1

School is a place where we learn how to read and write.

Whenever I go to school, I learn new things which make me eager to be in school. Being in the school makes a child to be better in future. I also like school because of sound education that is being imparted in a child. Whenever I go to school, I learn morally, spiritually and academically.

It’s a bedrock of what I want to become in future —Ayooluwa Gbolasire 10yrs J.S.S1

What I like most about school is that it is the bedrock of what I want to become in future. I get to study and also get familiar with subjects that are relevant to my future ambition. So, I am eager to perform well in my school activities, because I am laying the foundation for my career by being in school and participating in school activities.

All students are from The Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Ibadan.

• The word "mosquito" is the Spanish and Portuguese word for "little fly".

• There are over 3,500 known species of mosquitoes worldwide.

• They are carriers of diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever which can be transmitted to humans and animals when the mosquito feeds on blood.

• Females live for two weeks to a month while males usually live for just a week.

• Like other flies, mosquitoes go through four life cycles stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

• Female mosquitoes tend to lay their eggs in stagnant water, even very shallow puddles are suitable.

• Mosquitoes can beat their wings between 450 and 600 times per second!

Proverb

Mosquitoes

Never judge by appearances Meaning – Don’t use looks as the criteria to assess someone.

I saw the CEO of a big blue chip company hanging out with his friends at a local market in casual attire. It’s true that you can’t judge someone by his or her appearance.

Compiled by Temitayo Iliasu

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It’s our turn to become Edo governor —Esan indigenes Banji Aluko-Benin City

From left, the Provincial Pastor in Charge of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Oyo 10, Pastor Abiodun Oyeyemi, (the children), Pastor (Mrs) Olusola Oyeyemi, Mr Olukoya Badejo, his wife, Koya, Mr Adekawonise Badejo, his wife, Toyin and Pastor Olumide Adedoyin, at the burial service of Chief Zacheaus Badejo, held at St James Anglican Church, Atikori, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, on Saturday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

You can’t exonerate yourself from corruption, Kaka tells OBJ Olayinka OlukoyaAbeokuta

T

he last may not have been heard over the corruption accusation levelled against members of the National Assembly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as a former lawmaker, Senator Adeg-

benga Kaka, said Obasanjo should not exonerate himself from corruption.

Kaka, who was a member of the seventh legislature, said this while speaking with newsmen after the handing over of some projects facilitated by him while in office.

He urged Obasanjo to come clean first before

pointing fingers on the senators and House of Representatives members, saying that the former president must come to equity with clean hands.

Kaka called on Nigerians to make the executive arm of government accountable as one of the solutions to the problem of corruption in the country, as the

Arms deal: Stop defaming my sons, Obanikoro tells EFCC, Sahara Reporters •Threatens legal action Bola Badmus-Lagos

Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop defaming his sons over the alleged payment of N4.75 billion by the office of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sabo Dasuki, into their accounts, declaring that his sons received no such payment.

Reports in some national dailies had it that the EFCC had, through a discreet investigation, traced the money to the account of Silva McNamara Limited with links to the family of the former minister.

A source in the commission, according to the report, was said to have confided that the company had Gbolahan and Babajide, two sons of the former minister, on its board.

The former minister, in a reaction on Saturday through a statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Jonathan Eze, challenged the EFCC to publish, for public consumption, names of the directors and signatories to the alleged Silva McNa-

mara Limited account as at when the N4.75bn was paid from the NSA office of the embattled former NSA, Col. Dasuki.

Obanikoro, who was also the immediate Minister of State, Foreign Affairs and a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, also challenged an online platform, Sahara Reporters, to do same, “instead of demonising and deceiving Nigerians with vague, contrived and distorted information.”

Obanikoro, while ex-

pressing disappointment with what he described as “public political persecution” embarked upon by the two bodies, threatened to pursue what he further described as “injustice and infringements,” to a logical end at the court of law.

“I challenge the EFCC to publish in good conscience the signatories and the names of the directors of the said company and to restate that I shall conclusively pursue this injustice and infringements to a logical end,” he said.

executive controls about 90 percent of the nation’s wealth.

“From the president to the national security adviser, the ministers, heads of agencies, executive directors and all of them, what have they been doing with the money?.

“We’ve been having oil jackpot. Crude oil price rising from $9 per barrel in 1999 to $147 per barrel in 2006/2007, and all that should have been done were not done. From electricity to roads, we neglected everything. So, for somebody to come out and be pointing fingers, they should first examine themselves.

“They should come out clean first before attacking others. I’m not saying the National Assembly is not corrupt, but nobody should attempt to exonerate himself. Some people were even corrupt against themselves, against their family, their children and grand children. They should go and examine themselves.”

Traders groan as Lagos demolishes Oshodi again ChukwumaOkparaocha-Lagos

Barely three weeks after the popular Owonifaari market was demolished, other section of the Oshodi market was demolished by the state government on Saturday.

The demolished market is a stone’s throw from the Owonifaari market whose demolition in early January generated a lot of ill-feelings between traders and the Akinwunmi Ambode-led government.

The demolition was carried out at midnight by officials of the state government in company with armed security officers.

Sunday Tribune found rubbles of the demolition on a site that, only a few hours earlier, had been the home of shops, kiosks, canteens and a bank.

Two bulldozers apparently used to carry out the demolition, were also sighted by Sunday Tribune.

One of the traders, who wouldn’t disclose his identity, told Sunday Tri-

bune that they were given less than three weeks as they got a notice to that effect on January 4.

“On January 4, we got a notice from the government mandating us to produce all necessary documents regarding our shops. We were in the process of doing that when the government demolished our shops in the midnight,” he said.

Another trader said many of the affected traders had just renewed their tenancy only days earlier.

Esan indigenes in diaspora have insisted that it is the turn of Edo Central senatorial zone to produce the next governor of the state in this year’s governorship election in Edo State.

They, therefore, advised Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the leadership of All Progressives Congress APC in the state to zone the governorship to the Edo Central zone The Esan Unity and Peace Crusaders, in a statement signed by its President, Evance Ilozobhie, said “Oshiomhole and the APC should jettison the idea of zoning the governorship slot to Edo South, because such a move will only portray the governor as selfish and fighting against Edo central.

“The people of Edo central have been agitating to produce the next governor and most importantly, we also have competent aspirants, who have required experience to effectively and successfully consolidate on the laudable achievements of Oshiomohle. Therefore, denying Edo central the government slot is against the spirit of equity, unity and fair-play.

Ilozobhie warned Esan people who are flirting with Governor Oshiomohle in concerted effort to impose an unpopular Bini man on Edo people, saying history will never forgive them if they allow injustice to happen to the Esan Nation.

Commission announces fare for 2016 Easter pilgrimage The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has announced a package cost of N461, 440 to be paid by intending pilgrims for the 2016 Easter pilgrimage to Israel.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Celestine Ogugua, Head of Media, NCPC, and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

The statement stated that the Easter pilgrimage would run from March to April.

It stated that the first flight would depart on March 22 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The commission advised intending pilgrims and church leaders to access forms for the pilgrimage through the commission’s website.

The statement further said necessary information would be obtained at the commission’s six zonal offices in Yola, Kaduna, Gwagwalada, Lagos, Enugu and Bayelsa.

Akwa Ibom gov calls for closer ties with Abia State Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has called for stronger closer tiers between the state and Abia State in the development of infrastructure.

Governor Emmanuel made the call at the funeral service of late Deaconess Bessie N Ikpeazu at Umuobiakwa, Obingwa Local Government Area.

The governor, who was accompanied by Secretary to the State Government, Sir Ettekamba Umoren, and some members of the State Executive Council, called for greater collaboration between the neighbouring states, stressing that the implementation of issues of common interest would aid in the industrialisation policy of the present administration.

He described late Madam Bessie as a mother who useed her professional calling as a registered nurse to save lives, care for the family and the community.

Governor Emmanuel called on the deceased’s family to be encouraged by the fact that their mother, while alive, contributed to the well-being of the society and urged the family to be consoled by the legacies of service and love for humanity which she has bequeathed them.

Also, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu said the respective states of the Nigerian nation must galvanise resources for development especially in road construction, agriculture and industries, to salvage the country from the prevailing economic recession.

He commiserated with the Ikpeazu’s family on the demise of their mother, saying the moment of grief had brought people of diverse political interest together.

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Kano reopens school shut over sodomy allegation Kola Oyelere - Kano KANO State executive council has approved the immediate re-opening of Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo Boys Secondary School where sodomy was alleged to have taken place.

While reviewing the issue, the council said it considered the persistent call by stakeholders for the reopening of the school, closed down following an alleged case of sodomy.

This was contained in statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba ,a copy of which was made available to the Sunday Tribune.

The council said it also took into consideration the assurance of the security agencies in the state that the action by the state government would not affect the ongoing investigation into the matter.

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, inspecting work at the ongoing bridge on Oro-Igwe Road in Obio\Akpor Local Government Area on Saturday.

Fire razes popular market at Mararaba again Sunday Ejike - Abuja

F

IRE razed the popular orange market in Mararaba on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Saturday.

Eyewitnesses told Sunday Tribune that the fire started in the wee hours of Saturday from the tomato section and quickly spread to the other sections of the market.

When Sunday Tribune visited the market located in Mararaba, along Abuja-Keffi road in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, the whole market was razed down, unlike last year’s incident when some shops were not affected.

Many traders were seen discussing the fire incident which was fast becoming a yearly event, while scavengers had field day packing debris from the market.

An eyewitness, popularly known as Tumbi Giwa, who spoke to Sunday Tribune in Hausa language, said the fire started at the tomoto section of the market at about 2.15 a.m., adding that before the fire service arrived, the market was already up in flames.

“The fire fighters, on discovering that the fire could no longer be quenched, even with the arrival of their second vehicle, retreated and left the scene.”

According to another eyewitness who resides close to the market, hoodlums took advantage of the incident and looted most of the shops.

She said she lost about N400,000 which was snatched from her by hoodlums. She urged the Nasarawa State government to come to the aid of traders in the market as many of the them collected loans to stock their shops.

Coca-Cola buys major stake in CHI for $240m COCA-Cola has bought a 40 per cent stake in the Nigerian juice and dairy company, CHI. The deal was said to be a demonstration of the long-term play multinationals and tech start-ups were making in a country of more than 170 million, which had one of the world’s fastest growing

populations, according to Financial Times.

Companies such as Coke and Google are said to be betting the trends of youth on the continent may mirror those elsewhere, despite the fact that the oil-dependent country is grappling with a deepening economic crisis and a declining currency due to

We will sustain tempo of projects execution —Wike RIVERS State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has assured the people of the state that his administration will sustain the tempo of projects execution that will benefit all communities.

Addressing reporters after the inspection of the ongoing projects in Ikwerre, Obio/ Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government areas on Saturday, Governor Wike said that funding of all projects will go ahead as planned.

He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work at all the project sites visited, noting that the contractors are living up to ex-

Many traders who spoke to Sunday Tribune wondered why fire incident occurred every year in the market.

A yam seller at the market, Juliet Abah, said she just stocked her shop with a trailer load of tubers of yams a day before the fire incident.

Mrs Abah, who said she borrowed money to purchase the tubers of yams, wondered how she would repay the loan.

pectations.

Governor Wike noted that residents of the three local government areas visited were happy that abandoned and new projects were being completed by the administration.

He said: “We are happy with the quality of work being executed by the contractors in the areas we inspected today. In just two weeks after our last inspection, the pace of work has improved.

“I assure the people of the state and the contractors that funding will not be a challenge. We shall drive all

projects to their logical conclusion.”

The governor also assured that work on the new LNG bridge in Port Harcourt will be completed soon.

He was accompanied on the inspection tour by the sole administrator of Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority, Ambassador Desmond Akawor and PDP candidate for the Port Harcourt 1 Federal Constituency, Barrister Ken Chikere.

The visit was the first inspection of the governor after his victory at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

the crude price crash.

Coke is paying about $240 million in cash for a 40 per cent stake in Lagos-based CHI, which is owned by TGI Group.

Cornelis Vink, owner and chairman of TGI, said CHI would continue to invest in new products and production facilities.

“Coca-Cola will put its leading still drinks brands on to the CHI platform and contribute its knowhow in innovation, branding and operational efficiency,” Mr Vink said. “We were approached by many prestigious global companies and we decided to do a deal with the largest of them all.

“We are extremely optimistic about Nigeria’s future prospects and are firmly committed to playing a role in supporting Nigeria’s economic progress and social advancement through our operations and through the sustainability initiatives that we support”, said Nathan Kalumbu, president Coca-Cola Eurasia and Africa.

Ogun at 40: Council of obas, chiefs commend Amosun Obas and chiefs in Ijebu Igbo axis of Ogun State have congratulated Senator Ibikunle Amosun on his recently celebrated birthday and the upcoming celebration of 40th year of the creation of Ogun State.

Rising from a recent meeting, the council lauded Amosun for the road projects he has embarked upon in the three senatorial districts of the state.

The obas and chiefs, in a communiqué signed by the traditional rulers, Oba Mufutau Yusuf; Oba David Odusole; Oba Ibitoye Solaja and Oba H.O Olaoye Abass and representative from Japara community, Mr Bolujo Olayinka, said they were planning to reconstitute the Ijebu Igbo Council of Obas and Chiefs with five representatives each from the towns that constitute Ijebu Igbo.

They also requested Ijebu North Local Government to take over the management of Orimolusi’s palace immediately, pending the time a new Orimolusi will be installed.

CAN condemns continuous kidnap of monarchs in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Delta State chapter, has condemned, the recurrent abduction of royal fathers in the state.

The Christian umbrella group, therefore, called on all security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities and step up their surveillance to save the state from impending breakdown of law and order as a result of increasing criminal activities.

The association made these known in a two-page statement signed by the state chairman, Reverend Gideon Oyibo and secretary, Reverend Professor Oke Akokotu, which was made available to journalists in the state on Saturday.

The body specifically condemned the recent kidnapping and subsequent murder of the traditional ruler of Ubulu-Uku kingdom, Edward Ofulue111 and the abduction of the traditional ruler of Olomoro kingdom, Josiah Aghaza 1 on Friday by gunmen in his palace.

Dangote to build 10 students hostels for ABU —VC Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna THE Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in Kaduna State, Professor Ibrahim Garba, has said the Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has pledged to build 10 student hostels in the university.

Speaking at the 38th convocation ceremony of the university in Zaria on Saturday,he disclosed that the building of the hostels would address the problem of hostel accommodation in the university.

According to him, ‘for the past 35 years, no hostel had been built in the university, adding that the university which had a student population of 40,000 students, could only give accommodation to only 11,000.

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Nigerians should pray to avert more problems —Prophet Bola Badmus-Lagos

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (middle); addressing newsmen shortly after the sanitation inspection at Sari Iganmu LCDA, Ijora-Badia, Lagos, on Saturady. With her are the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe (right) and the Chairman, House Committee on the Environment, Honourable Dayo Saka Fafunmi (left).

Pro-Biafra group files complaint against Buhari at The Hague

T

he pro-Biafran activist group led by the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a complaint against President Muhammadu Buhari in The Hague, accusing the Nigerian president of war crimes.

Thousands of people in South-East Nigeria had, in recent months, demonstrated, demanding independence for Biafra.

Kanu, the leader of one of the most prominent activist groups—the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)— was arrested by Nigerian security forces in October 2015 on charges of ethnic incitement and sedition.

He remains in detention and was refused bail by a federal high court in the capital Abuja on Friday.

Goran Sluiter, a lawyer at a Dutch human rights legal firm, Prakken d’Oliveira, filed the complaint with the International Criminal

Court in The Hague on Friday.

Sluiter told Newsweek that there has been “an intensification of violence and crimes committed against Biafrans since Buhari became the Nigerian president.”

There have been numer-

ous reports of pro-Biafran protesters being killed in clashes with Nigerian security forces during demonstrations, said the report.

“Nigeria is already a long time on the agenda of the [ICC] prosecutor and Nigerian courts are not dealing at all with these crimes.

Your attitude to sanitation can spread Lassa fever, Lagos govt tells residents Bola Badmus-Lagos Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, on Saturday, decried the high level of environmental pollution and degradation in some parts of the state, saying the habit could result in outbreak of epidemic and spread of Lassa fever.

Adebule stated this during the January edition of the monthly environ-

mental sanitation exercise, which she monitored in Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area of the state.

The deputy governor, who was disturbed by the indifference exhibited by some residents to their environment, especially in some areas under ApapaIganmu LCDA, expressed concern over the dirty nature of the environment in the area.

Benue South rerun: Let the will of my people prevail —Mark Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja Immediate past President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, on Saturday, stated that the forthcoming rerun election in Benue South Senatorial District would not be a contest between the Idoma people and their neighbours but solely a decision of the former to decide its destiny.

“Make no mistake about this. The rerun election is purely the affairs of Benue South people. They will ultimately determine who should represent them.

Any outsider showing or attempting to influence the outcome is merely an in-

The time really has come for the ICC to act,” said Sluiter.

Ndubuisi Osuala, the coordinator of IPOB’s branch in the Netherlands, also said “the group wishes to see Kanu released and Buhari prosecuted for overseeing crimes against Biaf-

terloper and intruder and such attempt would ultimately be an exercise in futility,” Senator Mark told Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders, who visited him in Abuja Mark, in a statement by his media aide, Mr Paul Mumeh, said he “has been energised and encouraged by the uncommon show of solidarity and support to go for the rerun election from his constituents, well-meaning Nigerians and the PDP,” stressing that “democracy will be strengthened and serve the purpose if peoples’ wish are held sacrosanct .”

Mark said he was pleased that his constituents saw

good reasons he should return to the Senate, because they have taken pains to verify projects and appointments he has attracted to the constituency as a senator of the Federal Republic.

He, therefore, told his people to remain lawabiding and show good conduct before, during and after the election, no matter the level of provocation.

“With God on our side and the growing support, we will win the election convincingly. What I will not accept is for any outside interest or outsider to determine the outcome of the election,” the former Senate President stated.

She, therefore, enjoined the people to be wary of the dangers of unhygienic environment.

“Quite frankly, I am not very pleased with what I saw, a situation where street sweepers would be the ones sweeping the front of people’s houses. It is unheard of that some of our people just sit back watching us going round; some of them were even sleeping.

“They need to realise that a clean environment is a healthy environment suitable for habitation, so they need to change their attitude and own their environment,” the deputy governor said.

She stressed that the government would stop at nothing to ensure continued sensitisation of the people, pointing out that health and environment officials would soon be deployed to the areas to educate and engage the people in seeing the importance of clean environment.

The residents, in their interaction with the deputy governor, said that they had kick-started efforts to eradicate rats from their surroundings in the wake of the Lassa fever outbreak, disclosing that no fewer than 500 rats had been killed in the area.

Founder of Christ for All Peoples Church, Ojoo, Lagos, Prophet Samuel Oyadara, has urged Nigerians to pray hard to avert more problems for the country, saying that Nigeria’s salvation lay squarely in the hands of God and not in the hands any mortal or group of people.

The cleric particularly charged the citizenry to pray against what he termed “Leadership Slavery,” to enable God to free them as He did with the children of Israel through Prophet Moses, saying: “I predict a man not a political party. A man called Moses was the one God used, not a political party, to liberate the children of Israel.”

Oyadara made this call at the weekend while speaking with Sunday Tribune, saying it was a message from God that Nigerians should pray hard, as there were more problems ahead and, therefore, the need to avert them.

“Nigerians should pray; there are problems coming.

God said we should pray, because as things are now, it is going to be from one problem to the other if we don’t pray very well. So, we should allow God to lead us,” he said.

The problems, he said, would range from economic to socio-political.

The cleric added that government at all levels would only be able to deliver on various electoral promises through God’s support and the prayers of all Nigerians, including pastors and imams.

Wike: South-South ministers hail Supreme Court

By Moses Alao The South-South Ministers’ United Forum has hailed the Supreme Court for being the bastion of hope to the common man and living up to its responsibility in the face of accusations of bias and partisanship against Nigeria’s judiciary.

This is just as the Forum congratulated the Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on his victory at the apex court, urging him to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and to serve the people with the fear of the Lord and respect to humanity.”

The Forum, in a statement signed by its president, Bishop Mike Johncleanton, said the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Rivers governorship election “is a great decision that will stand the test of time, saying the apex court has dissociated itself from the political manipulations and interference witnessed by the lower courts, which caused pain and brought bad image to the judiciary.”

Speaking further, the Forum called on Wike to reconcile all parties, heal the hurt and regard himself as the father of all Rivers’ people, just as it called on all Rivers citizen to unite to build a state where the development of the state and its citizens would be paramount.

Oyo CJ expresses shock at early exit of judge

By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare And John Umoh The Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Muntar Abimbola, on Friday, stated that he was shocked when he saw the letter written by Justice Mistura Agbaje-Oladeinde, intimating that she wanted to voluntarily bow out of service two years earlier than the expected statutory retirement age provided by the rule.

“It was a letter written by My Lord addressed to His Excellency about an early voluntary exit. To say the least, I was shocked. All questions as to why such step is deemed necessary were unanswered till date. After much discussions and persuasions, which were ineffective, I gave up and did as requested,” said Justice Abimbola, during his opening speech at a special valedictory court session held in Court 1 of the State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, in honour of Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde, who took a bow out of service on the occasion of her birthday.

The Chief Judge stated that he looked at the composure, gait and temperance of Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde and realised that she was not tired, adding that, “the question as to why the decision is made will remain a puzzle and in the realm of guess until she gives the answer (maybe today).”

In her reply, Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde stated that her 36 years of service both in the Ministry of Justice and on the High Court bench was due to the help of God and her late father, who was the first Ibadan lawyer, adding that her greatest regret is that her father did not live to see her qualify as a lawyer.

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31 January, 2016

sport

SUNDAY

Sunday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

ODSFA, Akure Utd sign MoU on sports management

Chukwueze (right) at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

Chukwueze rejects Salzburg ‘peanuts’ for Arsenal —Agent I NVESTIGATIONS have revealed that FIFA 2015 U-17 World Cup adidas Bronze Boot winner, Samuel Chukwueze turned down what his handlers described as “peanuts” offered by Austrian club, Red Bull Salzburg so as to join compatriot Kelechi Nwakali at Arsenal.

Earlier this month, Chukwueze, who played alongside Nwakali at last year’s U17 World Cup, was in Austria along with his mother to negotiate a transfer.

Nwakali is likely to have his work permit granted having been voted the Most Valuable Player of Chile 2015, but that may not be the case for attacking midfielder, Chukwueze, who finished as third highest scorer with three goals.

However, sources have revealed that Chukwueze’s representatives were far from impressed with what Red Bull offered after Arsenal offered to splash as much as 2.9 million pounds on him.

“Chukwueze has a better chance of developing at Red Bull, but there was no comparison between what the Austrian club tabled and what Arsenal is willing to cough up,” said a source familiar with this transaction.

Arsenal will splash 3.1 million pounds on the Eaglets skipper, Nwakali.

Both youngsters are now in London to complete their move to The Emirates.

Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger had on Friday indicated that the

signing of Nwakali and Chukwueze was more or less a done deal.

“The deal for the Nigerian youngsters is progressing well.

“I expect it to be done. There are work permit issues and we have to sort medicals. But things are going well,” said the veteran tactician.

THE Ondo State Football Agency has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU), with Akure United FC on sports (football) management.

The event which was the first major assignment carried out by the Prince John Ola Mafo-led ODSFA took place at the Caring Heart Football Village, Oda Road in Akure.

Mafo said the agency will continue to collaborate with relevant bodies, individuals, organisations as well as corporate bodies to take football development to greater heights in the state and beyond.

“It is very important for all us (stakeholders) to come together with the same mindsets of achieving maximum success in the area of football development especially at the grassroots.

“This informed our decision to sign the document with Akure United Football Club, it is our hope that we all achieve the desired results so that the sportsloving people of our sunshine state and Mr Governor will be proud of this decision,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Akure United, Barrister Olusola Oke thanked the ODSFA leadership for believing in their dreams.

I never signed for Enyimba —Akas SUPER Eagles captain to the fourth African Nations Championship, CHAN 2016, Chima Akas has denied claims by the Glo Premier League reigning champions, Enyimba that he has signed for them ahead of the new season.

The left back stated that he is close to finalising a move to Turkey.

Enyimba had announced through the social media that it has secured signature of the former Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) player, a claim Akas said is not true.

“Yes, I discussed on phone with a top Enyimba official, who I then directed to my manager.

But I have not signed any document with Enyimba.

“I was therefore surprised to read that I have signed for Enyimba,” said Akas who last played for Sharks FC, which got relegated at the end of last season to the Nigeria National League (NNL).

Akas also disclosed that he had negotiated personal terms with

Ajagun

Ajagun on loan move to Levadiakos

Akas (right) on duty for Nigeria at CHAN 2016.

another Glo Premier League club, Sunshine Stars, but he has also not formally committed to the Akure club.

“My target is to play in Turkey and I hope to be able to do so shortly,” said the product of Active Academy of Ibadan.

FORMER Flying Eagles captain, Abduljeleel Ajagun has joined APO Levadiakos on a loan from another Greek club, Panathinaikos.

The former Dolphins of Port Harcourt midfielder lost his place in Panathinaikos and was sent out on loan to have more playing time.

The loan will keep him at APO Levadiakos till this summer.

The player joined Panathinaikos in 2013/2014 season from Dolphins and played 24 games last season with four goals to show.

He has played 12 games for Panathinaikos this season.

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31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Kerber (right) with Serena after the epic final at Rod Laver Arena.

Kerber celebrates her victory Inset: Kerber kisses her trophy.

PHOTO: REUTERS.

Australian Open special:

Kerber dethrones Serena

By Ganiyu Salman With Agency Report

W

ORLD number one, Serena Williams came close to winning the US Open last year to complete the golden slam, but she faltered in the semi-final, when she lost to unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in what turned out to be the greatest upset in tennis in recent times.

Having won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon last year, a victory would have earned Serena her 22nd Grand Slam, but her underdog opponent, Vinci on the day refused to be the woman who will earn the American the title to equal Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slams.

The defeat denied Serena also in 2015 of the chance to complete a golden slam of four Grand Slams in a year, last achieved by German Steffi Graf in 1999.

When the younger of Williams sisters also moved to the final of this year’s Australian Open on Thursday, her target was how to grab the 22nd Grand Slam title and to suc-

cessfully defend the title she won last year.

Interestingly, Serena also on Saturday had her hope of winning the 22nd Grand Slam dashed as she lost to Angelique Kerber in the final of Australian Open.

Kerber, seeded seventh, stunned Serena 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at Melbourne Park to claim her first Grand Slam title.

The 28-year-old becomes the first German to win a major singles title since Steffi Graf at the 1999 French Open.

Williams, 34, was beaten for just the fifth time in 26 Grand Slam finals, and the Kerber, who saved a match point in her first-round win over Misaki Doi, will move up to number two in the world rankings.

Kerber had won just one of six previous matches against Williams and was making her Grand Slam final debut, but she was the better player over two hours and eight minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

She led Williams in the ace count until the latter stages, limiting her to just seven overall, while the American racked up 46 errors to just 13 by Kerber.

Men’s singles final:

Williams made 23 mistakes in the first set alone - sparking memories of her desperately nervous display in losing to Roberta Vinci at the US Open last September - and Kerber took full advantage to claim it after 39 minutes.

However, the defending champion cut her error count to just five in the second set and claimed it thanks to a single break in game four.

Kerber twice moved ahead in the decider and a stunning sixth game saw the German produce two fine drop shots and win a breathtaking 19-stroke rally to cling on to her serve and edge closer to victory.

Nerves took hold and she was broken while serving for the match, but she launched into the Williams serve once again and clinched the title when the world number one sent a volley long.

Kerber said afterwards that being able to say she was a Grand Slam champion “sounds crazy”.

“It’s a dream come true. I worked for this my whole life,” said the German.

I’m the underdog, Murray tells Djokovic

ANDY Murray accepts that he will be the underdog when he meets Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final today.

The world number two is in the final of the year’s first Grand Slam for the fifth time, having lost to the 28-yearold Serb in 2011,2013 and 2015.

The Briton, who was also beaten in the 2010 final by Roger Federer, is chasing a third major title.

“I don’t think many people are expecting me to win. I have to just believe in myself,” said Murray, 28.

Djokovic has lost only three sets in six matches at Melbourne Park this year, and could equal Roy Emerson’s

record of winning six Australian Opens.

If the Scot, who has also only gone beyond three sets twice at this year’s tournament, was to beat Djokovic he would become the first man to lose four finals at a Grand Slam before claiming the title.

“It’s one tennis match, it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past really,” added Murray, who has lost 21 of the pair’s 30 meetings.

Victory for Djokovic today would give him his 11th Grand Slam title, moving him level with Sweden’s Bjorn Borg and Australian Rod Laver and one behind Emerson,

whose six Australian Open wins in his homeland were played on grass.

“These are the kind of matches that you work for. These are the kind of occasions that define you as a tennis player,” said the reigning Australian, Wimbledon and US Open champion.

Djokovic defeated Federer 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in Thursday’s semi-final, making just six unforced errors in an impressive opening two sets.

Among the few flaws of his passage to the final were the 100 unforced errors he made in a five-set win over France’s Gilles Simon in the fourth round.

55 sport Agbonlahor opens talks on Turkey move ASTON Villa striker, Gabriel Agbonlahor is poised to join Turkish club Kayserispor.

Both teams have opened talks over the move for the 29-yearold striker.

Meanwhile, Villa manager Remi Grade has stated that he wants the Nigerian-born striker to remain with the team beyond the winter transfer window.

When asked if Agbonlahor will still be with the team next week, Grade said: “I think so. When I arrived Gabby was injured and was not in training for long time.

31 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

The time I spent discovering the team and players was not here.

He has trained in the last week and seems better.

“If he is in the right mood and okay physically, he could give us lift with goals.

“Every player that is not playing is frustrated, you are a professional player, you want to play.”

The forward has spent his entire career at Villa - making his debut win March 2006, scoring in a loss to Everton, but his time now looks to be nearing the end.

FA Cup:

Ighalo

Ighalo sinks Forest A

Agbonlahor opens talks on Turkey move Agbonlahor

late goal by substitute Nigerian striker, Odion Ighalo, proved decisive for Watford as they defeated Nottingham Forest in a fourth round FA Cup tie on Saturday.

The 26-year-old came off the bench with 18 minutes to time to strike past Forest goalkeeper, Dorus de Vries.

Watford manager, Quique Sanchez Flores, opted to hand Ighalo a rest from the rigours of the season by naming him on the bench with Troy Deeney starting upfront with Nordin Amrabat and Ikechi Anya playing off him.

The Hornets fired blanks in the first 45 minutes at the City Ground.

On 72 minutes, Ighalo was sent into the fray by Flores and he took the place of his strike partner Deeney.

The former Udinese player needed only 17 minutes to make an impact in the Cup contest against Forest.

The former Grananda and Udinese man fired in the winner of a tight contest from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner to seal a fifth round place for The Hornets in the 89th minute.

The goal was Ighalo’s first of the

Bundesliga: Aubameyang nets brace for Dortmund PIERRE-EMERICK Aubameyang struck twice in the final 13 minutes to earn Borussia Dortmund a nerve-wracking 2-0 victory over promoted Ingolstadt on Saturday and cut the gap on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to five points.

The 2015 African player of the Year rose high to connect with a Lukasz Piszczek cross and beautifully time his header after Dortmund was frustrated by a tight Ingolstadt defence for much of the game.

The league’s leading scorer added a late second with a diagonal shot to take his league goal tally to 20 and lift Dortmund to 44 points. Bayern, on 49, play Hoffenheim on Sunday.

“On days like this you can be happy with a such a scrappy win,” Dortmund coach, Thomas Tuchel, who brought on 17-yearold American Christian Pulisic for his Bundesliga debut in the second half, told reporters.

“We were the luckier team in some situations today,” Tuchel said after his side’s 14th league win in 19 games.

The hosts had possession and chances galore but struggled against the second-best defence in the Bundesliga.

Despite missing playmaker Ilkay Guendogan and winger Marco Reus who were both out with a virus infection, Dortmund laid siege in the second half, but had to wait until the 77th for Gabon international Aubameyang to come to the rescue.

Minutes earlier, captain Mats Hummels almost scored a spectacular own goal when he sent a high ball into his own net from about 30 metres out only to have it ruled out for a foul by an Ingolstadt player.

Javier Hernandez also struck twice as Bayer Levekusen climbed back to fourth after beating bottom-placed Hanover 96 by three unreplied goals.

Stefan Kiessling gave them the lead on the stroke of halftime before Mexican Hernandez converted a 62nd-minute penalty and he struck again in the 87th with his 12th goal of the season.

Leverkusen is on 31 points, three behind third-placed Hertha Berlin, who squandered a

Aubameyang

two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Werder Bremen.

Schalke 04 bounced back from last week’s loss to Werder to ease past Darmstadt 98 2-0 with goals from Max Meyer and talented Leroy Sane.

The Ruhr valley club are in fifth place on 30 points.

FA Cup. It will be recalled that the Edo State-born player last weekend scored his 14th goal in the premier league this season against Newcastle United, after his goal against Chelsea was ruled an own goal by Gary Cahill.

Chambers, Sanchez fire Arsenal on ARSENAL remains on course for a third consecutive FA Cup success after Alexis Sanchez inspired Arsene Wenger’s side to a 2-1 fourth-round win over second-tier Burnley on Saturday.

Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur also progressed, but West Bromwich Albion were taken to a replay by third-tier Peterborough United and Bournemouth had to come from behind to beat 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth.

Arsenal’s win at the Emirates Stadium preserved its hope of becoming the first team to win three consecutive FA Cups since Blackburn Rovers, who achieved the feat between 1884 and 1886.

Making his first start after two months out with a hamstring injury, Chile star Sanchez teed up Calum Chambers to open the scoring in the 19th minute with a fine shot using the outside of his right foot.

Sam Vokes equalised for Burnley on the half hour with a powerful header, but Arsenal, who made nine changes, claimed victory in the 53rd minute when Sanchez slammed home after a neat team move.

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Authorities in Moscow, Russia, have announced their plan to offer free WiFi services at the nation’s cemeteries. Free internet facility at cemeteries! What a wry sense of humour! Are the authorities trying to connect the living and the dead?

Organising our federation properly Editors Note: We received many calls and text messages after the publication of this article last week, especially from those who missed it. As a result, we have decided to repeat the article.

We thank you for keeping faith with us.

E

VERY country on earth has its own basic, fundamental, problem. For instance, for the country that is now the greatest power in our world, the United States of America, the fundamental problem from inception was how to make one coherent country out of many separate self-governing colonies. Representatives of the separate colonies, coming together with sincerity to tackle this problem, wrote a constitution.

But another constitution was soon needed to rectify the weaknesses of the first. And even after that, Americans are still today grappling with their basic problem. Their seriousness and sincerity are the guarantees for their continued success.

Look also at the United Kingdom. The fundamental problem is a country of different nations agglomerated together over centuries. A series of wars and treaties bound the Irish and Welsh to England.

Then dynastic marriages paved the way for the union of Scotland with England.

It has all worked well, and resulted in a Britain that is one of the greatest stars in the modern world. In more recent times, when small nationalities in the world are agitating for separate countries of their own, Britain found itself confronted with such demands from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. What did the rulers of Britain do?

They rose to the task with sincerity and seriousness. The Republic of Ireland was allowed to go peacefully. Over the decades after that, British rulers came up with the idea of DEVOLUTION – which means granting each of Scotland and Wales a high level of autonomy or internal self-government within the context of the United Kingdom. Even in international sports, Britain is not represented as one country, each of England, Scotland and Wales fields its own team. Result? The Scottish and Welsh nationalist agitations are peaceful, open and respectable, and Britain continues to be prosperous and powerful.

Sincerity and seriousness are the keys.

So, what do I mean by sincerity and seriousness? Sincerity is honest and dutiful recognition and acceptance of facts – of what is – and loyalty in handling those facts. It means that persons who find themselves in the management of the affairs of their country dedicate themselves to the duty of workingwith the facts of their country with a view to making their country successful. Seriousness means that the leaders always keep their attention focused on this duty, and never let themselves be distracted by personal or ethnic-loyalty considerations.

These are the only roads to success in the building of a country. In particular, if the country happens to be a country of many

to knit this Nigeria together as one country, enriching their own country as much as they could in the process. Then they left in less than fifty years. Before leaving, they put in place such arrangements as would also continue to serve their country’s interests.

Hardly any of us ever suggested afterwards that we should take our own look at the details of what they had left us. In fact, we proceeded to degrade and despise our own indigenous nations, the nations which we ourselves had evolved and in which we had lived for millennia before the coming of the British. For us, these nations became “tribes”, and any show of loyalty to them became “tribalism”. We did these, even though some of these “tribes” were not really much

diranapata@yahoo.com

nationalities or ethnic groups, efforts at building it in any other way are invitations to trouble, conflicts and eventual failure.

Building wrongly is the disease of Nigeria. It is also the disease of every country of Black Africa. It is why we are experiencing horrible conflicts in every country of Black Africa, killing millions of our people, displacing many more millions from their homes, and crushing still more millions together in desperately dehumanizing refugee camps. It is why most of our Black African countries may never really make it in the world. It is why the gap between Black Africa and the rest of the world is widening. It is why Black Africa is becoming the last bastion of primitive poverty in the world. It is why some people are now even suggesting that Black Africa might need to be re-subjected to some sort of colonialism in the interest of humanity!

Here is how we have been building wrongly in Nigeria (a pattern mirrored all over Black Africa). Some Britons, serving the interest of their country, came and carved up a large piece of territory in West Africa and called it Nigeria. They did the best they could

smaller than the Britain that had colonized us. And, incredibly, the “tribe” that the British gave dominant power over our country then mindlessly proceeded to crush, dominate and emasculate the other “tribes”.

This is the story of Nigeria. It is a story of tragic refusals of leading men and women to see and deal appropriately with the basic and fundamental reality of their country’s existence. It is not because we have many nationalities or ethnic groups in our country that we are killing one another; it is because we ignore the facts and pigheadedly refuse to handle the situation as the facts demand.

The lack of proper organization of our federation has been a cause of serious troubles for our country even since before independence. The three region structure that the British gave us in the 1950s was politically not the wise thing to have done.

The small nationalities in all three regions wanted regions of their own. The British went as far as to set up a commission to study the issue, with resulting recommendations that the wishes of the small regions should be respected. Unfortunately, out of

FA Cup: Iheanacho grabs hat-trick for City KELECHI Iheanacho scored a first senior career hat-trick for Manchester City as the Citizens cruised to a 4-0 win over Aston Villa in Saturday’s fourth round of the English FA Cup. The Nigerian youngster was off the mark so quickly in the Cup contest at Villa Park.

Barely four minutes into the game, Iheanacho pounced a loose ball from Fernando’s headed effort which was blocked to set City

on the path to round five.

Twenty minutes later, the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup winner and Most Valuable Player (MVP) got his brace of goals and doubled City’s lead from the spot after Raheem Sterling was felled in the Villa box. Iheanacho calm finished from 12 yards to put his team in the driving seat.

Iheanacho’s double was enough to see City go into the break with a two-goal lead against a struggling Villa.

It was not the same sort of fast-off-theblock start in the second half for Iheanacho like in the first, as he found himself with little to do in an attacking sense of the match.

Iheanacho becomes the third City player to score a hat-trick this season after Sergio Aguero and Sterling.

The first real sight of Iheanacho in the second half was when he was flagged off in the 71st minute.

special British calculations and interests, our British rulers rejected the recommendations of the commission. So we went into independence with a federation that was sure to run into trouble. Predictably the federation ran into trouble - principally because the groups that controlled the federal government wanted to control all three regions. The trouble that resulted led us into military coups, an attempt at secession and a bloody civil war. When the civil war ended we chose to learn nothing from it and our federal rulers proceeded to strengthen the federal centre and reduce the federating units into nonentities. As a result today we have two powerful centres of secessionist temper. Ijaw youths of the Niger Delta have for decades been up in arms against our country. Today, youths of the Igbo nation are clamouring for a separate nation of their own called Biafra. Reports coming from the NorthEast are that Kanuri nationalism is a significant factor in the strength of Boko Haram. The youths of the large Yoruba nation of the South West are not wading into the conflicts but we deceive ourselves if we claim not to know that they too reject the excessive power wielded by the federal government over their states.

I repeat that having many nationalities in the same country is something that can be managed successfully. All that is needed is that we recognize the fact that we are different nationalities and organize our country accordingly. We have chosen to ignore this vital fact and thereby are bringing big troubles upon our country. It is time that our leaders must change that posture and lead us along the path of sensible organization of Nigeria as a country of many nationalities. In Switzerland where there are many nationalities the people agreed early that their country is not a nation, but a country of many nationalities. The agreement was that they were to treat their country as a “nation by consent” – the consent of the many nationalities. In the context of that general agreement they have created a far sighted federation that works commendably smoothly. We in Nigeria can do the same and must now embark on that cause. It can be done. The Indians did it, the Swiss did it, the British, the Canadians and the Belgians are doing it. We can do it too. If we refuse to tackle this issue, we doom our country to continued instability.

If we do it we will open the doors to prosperity and greatness for our country.

FA Cup results

Colchester 1 Tottenham Arsenal 2 Burnley A/Villa 0 Man City Bolton 1 Leeds Bury 1 Hull City C/Palace 1 Stoke City N/Forest 0 Watford Oxford Utd 0 Blackburn Portsmouth 1 B/mouth Reading 4 Walsall Shrewsbury 3 Sheff. Wed West Brom 2 P/borough Liverpool 0 West Ham Pools: 11,15, 19, 29, 32, 38, 41, 42.

Today’s Matches: 04, 12, 40.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: sundaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR : SINA OLADEINDE. All Correspondence to P. O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 31/1/2016

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