Peoples Daily Newspaper, Saturday 06, April, 2013

www.peoplesdaily-online.com weekend.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

Edo: Benin-Ore accident, 60 burnt to death VOL. 3 NO. 34

SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

JIMADAL ULA 26 -27, 1434 AH

N150

KANNYWOOD

Behold, Bauchi's Salamatu Mai >>Page 24 Gurmi

NEWS Nasarawa scraps own newspaper, sacks 86 staff

>>Page 3

>>Page 2

COVER

Those who will matter in 2015 >>Pages 9,10,11,12,&13

NMS: ‘My lawyer has petitioned Nigerian Army and Ihejirika’ >>Page 45

INTERVIEW: Money bags and politics: Ex CBN Deputy Gov, Obadiah Mailafia >> Pages 12,13 WEEKEND.PEOPLESDAILYNG.COM

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

News

Edo road tragedy: 60 burnt to death From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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v e r 60 persons were reportedly burnt to death yesterday in a multiple accident involving a trailer, tanker and a luxury bus.

The trailer and the motor boy were among the dead.

The accident occurred when a fully loaded trailer conveying cement from Lagos to Benin had

a burst tyre during which it rammed into a petrol tanker and a luxury bus at about 1pm in Ugbogui Community, in Ovia South-west local government area of Edo State.

Eyewitness account said, three persons were however rescued from the bus belonging to the Young Shall Grow Motors, a transport company.

Confirming the story, an

official of Federal Road Safety Corps [FRSC], who refused to be named, disclosed that the trailer was coming from Lagos while the tanker and luxury bus were said to be travelling in the opposite direction.

1.

According to the FRSC official, rescue operation commenced, while fire fighters were yet to get to the scene of the accident the time of filing this

report.

2 . Nigerian roads have been described as "slaughter slabs" because of the incessant automobile accidents recorded in which thousands of lives were often lost.

3.

Hardly any day passes without reports of a road carnage in one part of the country or the other. In some cases stories of the deaths and

their causes are simply unbelievable, and instead of the trend dropping, many more Nigerians go to their untimely graves.

Severally, accidents involving petrol tankers in different parts of the country have resulted in loss of lives. These deaths are avoidable and the authorities and every motorist in the land should be worried.

FCT Muslim board establishes centres for intending pilgrims

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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he FCT Muslim Pilgrims' Welfare Board, has established three centers for the registration of its intending pilgrims for this year's hajj.

A statement from the Public Relations Officer of the board, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu, said the creation of the centers followed the introduction of Unified Pilgrims' Electronic Registration System by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the 2013 hajj exercise.

According to the statement, the board has mapped out strategies to use biometric system in the registration of its intending pilgrims for the 2013 hajj operation.

"Staff of the board to perform the operation are undergoing computer training at the headquarters of the board to enhance their knowledge on the usage of electronic system in the operation, for the success of the exercise".

The statement added that under the new arrangement, Abuja Municipal (AMAC) and Bwari Area Councils have been merged as one registration centre, Abaji and Kwali area councils as another registration centre while

Gwagwalada and Kuje area councils are to be registered as one centre, The headquarters is to take care of the officials for the exercise.

The statement advised intending pilgrims for this year's hajj exercise through the board to immediately obtain their international passport (e-passport) from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as it would be demanded for during registration which is expected to commence soon.

It also disclosed that, intending pilgrims would be required to indicate their preferred airline for the journey as those who deliberately miss their flights, would be sanctioned by the board.

Similarly, the board insisted that female intending pilgrims must present their muharam (male guardian) from the registration point before they would be registered at any of the centres.

Sequel to the new biometric registration system, the board emphasized that it would not entertain payment or registration by proxy as computers would be used to capture the photograph and thumbprint of each of the intending pilgrim for the exercise.

L-R: Acting U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jeffery Hawking; member, National Board of Trustees, Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed and Secretary-General, Col. Musa Shehu (Rtd), during Hawking’s courtesy visit to Arewa Consultative Forum secretariat in Kaduna on Thursday.

Insecurity: U.S diplomat meets with Northern youth in Kaduna From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

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nited States of America's Diplomat in Nigeria, Jeffery Hawkins, met with Northern youth, particularly Arewa Youth Forum, (AYF) in Kaduna State on possible ways the two can partner for the return of lasting peace to the region.

It was gathered that the American met with the group and other stakeholders in Kaduna on Thursday when he visited the state.

A statement signed by AYF National President, Gambo Gunjubu and made available to newsmen in Kaduna, said the group discussions centered on the insecurity situation in the region and it's wider implication on social and economic life and how it effects

NSE confers fellowship on 69 engineers

By Miriam Humbe

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he Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, conferred fellowship on 69 engineers at a dinner yesterday.

Speaking at the award ceremony in Abuja, the NSE president, Engr. Mustapha Shehu, said the honours were was

part of measures to encourage professionalism.

He also said that the conferment of fellowship by the NSE was the highest honour bestowed on its members, who have been found worthy, as a result of their contributions to infrastructure development.

Engr. Shehu who also called on the national assembly to make budgetary provisions in the 2014 budget for the hosting of the World Engineering Conference, set to be hosted in Abuja in November 2014, said that the NSE was poised to improve engineering practice.

He said that the NSE was involved in capacity building training for its members, so as to meet the world's best practice in engineering standards.

Those conferred with the fellowship are drawn from the various engineering sectors, including the public and private sectors.

the youths who are the engine room of development.

He said they also discussed ways of getting the youths in the region gainfully engaged as part of the larger strategy towards addressing restiveness. " We, the youths also insisted that Amnesty is key to not only curtailing the menace but disabusing the minds of the youths from indulging in activities inimical to the growth and development of the country," he said.

The National President further highlighted the traditional relationship between Nigeria and U.S in the areas of Agriculture, economic development and how the move could be improved in spite of the precarious situation in the north.

The also used the opportunity to thank the American envoy for the visit and their interest in getting firsthand information on the situation in the region.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

News Nasarawa scraps own newspaper, sacks 86 staff From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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he Nasarawa state government has shut down the state owned Nasarawa Publishing Company, publishers of the Nasarawa Newsday, with the over 86 staff of the organisation to be disengaged.

This was contained in a letter dated April 3, 2013, addressed to the general manager of the company by the secretary to the state government, Zainab Abdulmumin.

In the letter copied to the state commissioners of Information, Finance and Economic Planning and the state Auditor-General, government gave the reason for scrapping the publishing outfit as part of the restructuring exercise embarked upon by the administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura .

The letter reads in part: “accordingly Iam to convey to you the approval of the Governor in this regard and direct you to commence the processes of winding up the operations of the company, as well as the disengagement of its staff.”

Meanwhile, workers of the now defunct Nasarawa Newsday, have described the shutting down of the organisation as shocking, adding that government has took them by surprise.

One of the affected staff, Iliya Mohammed, lamented the closure of the company, saying they least expected that from a government proclaiming to be people oriented.

Kebbi approves N690m for 105 community projects From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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e n e r a l Manager of the Kebbi State Community and Social Development Project (KBCSDP) Alhaji Usman Abubakar has approved 105 community Development Projects comprising 287 Micro projects at the cost of N690 million.

Disclosing this yesterday at a ceremony which took place at the Presidential Banquet Hall in Birnin Kebbi, attended by communities and other stakeholders in community

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h e emergence of President of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Garba Mohammed as the new President of Federation of African Journalists, in a keenly contested election at the third congress of the organization, in Casablanca, Morocco, has been hailed by the Young Journalists Forum (YJF) as an unprecedented victory “for the tested and trusted ambassador of journalism”.

In a congratulatory message signed by the coordinator of YJF, the youth wing of the NUJ, Mr. Chukwuma Nzeh, in Abuja, the group said the victory goes further to buttress his achievements as president of NUJ and West Africa Journalists Association, attesting to his transformational leadership qualities. it read: “We join Africans and journalists the world over,

development projects, he said that six communities, two local governments and one desk officer were honored with trophies, certificates and other prizes by the agency for their excellent performances.

He said, Ruttuwan Dikkon Mayala in Koko Besse Local Government emerged as the best community under the education sector, Zagne in Zuru Local Government came first for Health sector,Unguwar Tuji Community in Kalgo emerged the best in Water Supply.

Abubakar added that under the environment sector, Rafin Mudi in Aleiro Local Government came first while for road construction, Dahaushi community in Augie Local Government were adjudged the best. Babban Dutsi in Birnin Kebbi Local Government emerged the overall winner in community development project.

The GM said that Sakaba Local Government was rewarded for being the best in most functional Local Government Review Committee category while Birnin

Kebbi Local Government emerged best in providing counterpart funding to their local Government Review Committee.

The agency also identified Engr. Atiku Sahabi as the best performing Desk officer at state level while also giving out postmoutous award to two late community members-Wadata Hassan from Zuru and Alh. Umaru from Augie local Government for their outstanding support in project execution in their communities before their death .

Insecurity: Islamic scholar tasks Nigerians on prayers From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

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L-R: Vice Chairman National Planning Committee and Minister of National Planning Dr. Shamsudeen Usman in Handshake with Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo during the inauguration ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Development of National Framework for the application of Climate Services held at the State House Abuja on Friday. Photo Joe Oroye.

YJF hails new FAJ president

By Stanley Onyekwere

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especially those in the continent of Africa, West Africa and indeed Nigeria to congratulate a multifaceted leader, for making journalists in Nigeria proud to have identified with a man whom the world has reckoned to be a leader of impeccable leadership virtues, which has made him the beautiful bride in every election he contests.

“We have no doubts that a great transformation is set to happen to journalism in Africa, with the emergence of our own tested and trusted ambassador of journalism, Comrade Garba Mohammed, as FAJ’s President, journalism in Africa, will truly attest to his efficacies in growing the pen profession, intellectually and otherwise.”

The group, also called on journalists to take advantage of the insurance programme initiated by the NUJ leadership under Mohammed Garba .

2,000 defect to PDP in Suleja, says chairman

By Usman Shuaibu h e chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger state, Dr. Abdulrahaman Mahmud Enagi, has claimed that about 2000 people from different political parties have decamped to PDP in Suleja local government area.

Disclosing this in an interview with newsmen during the grand reception of the party decampees in Suleja, he said that the leadership of the PDP would carry the new entrants along in the scheme of things.

He charged them to co-operate with the party’s executives in Suleja to achieve tremendous successes in the party.

Enagi appealed to the PDP executives and the members across the state to shun anti-party activities.

Speaking at the occasion, the Banagan Zazzau Suleja, Alhaji Adamu Usman expressed joy over

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the caliber of the people that defected to PDP in the area.

He urged the decampees to join hands with the PDP executives to move the party to the next level.

He also called on the elected politicians to focus on the developmental needs of the people that voted them in power.

Responding on behalf of the decampees, Hon. Shuaibu Liman Iya, who was a former chairman of Suleja local government, said that he decamped to PDP to contribute his quota towards the progress of Suleja.

He said that he would not relent in his effort to offer useful advice to the elected politicians as well as the party’s executives to achieve their laudable aims in the area.

He called on the entire people of Suleja to always gear towards peace in the area, as according to him, Suleja was a peaceful community worthy of living.

r i n c i p a l of the Agombas Islamic English Foundation of Nigeria, Ustaz Mohammad Sanusi has strongly urged Nigerians to pray fervently for an end to the insecurity problem in Nigeria, particularly the north.

Speaking during the Quranic Recitation Walimah and N5 million appeal fund held in Kaduna, he said that the current situation suggests that nothing could get the country out of the present predicament except prayers.

According to him, parents must also ensure that their wards acquire both western and Islamic knowledge so that they become good ambassadors in future. “ We have to know that nothing will get us out of these problems except prayers. No matter our intelligence, no matter our strength or education, prayers is the only answer. We hope God will give us peace in the state and country in general,” “ Religious knowledge is another way out of the problem we found ourselves and it is what we are lacking right now. It is very important for all of us to go back to Allah”, he said.

According to him, good parents should support the teachers in child development as they “ are the first teachers to their children, so if parents are good in morals, definitely the children too will be good and teachers will find it easy teaching the children”.

Amir Mohammad further explained that the school which was established in 1981, has so far graduated about 1000 students.

He called on the public to assist in building another hall in the school premises along Malunfashi road, Tudun Nufawa.

24 male and female students graduated with recitation from the glorious Quran and were issued certificates.

Two of the graduated students Mohammad Jami’u Abdulkarim and Zainab who spoke with Peoples Daily at the venue expressed happiness as they witnessed this important day of their lives.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 30 — SUNDAY 31, MARCH, 2013

Photo News

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) with some future leaders of Bayelsa state after a breakfast meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Friday

Blue House students of the Nigeria Society for the Blind Vocational Training Centre, Lagos, marching during their 18th Annual Inter-House Sports Competition in Lagos on Thursday.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Cross section of teachers during the inauguration of Nigeria Women in Education Network (NIWEN) in Enugu on Friday.

L-R: Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili and Vice President of Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Issa Aremu, at the symposium to mark Governor Oshiomhole's 60th birthday, yesterday in Benin City.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

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News No change in NECO exams schedules

FG to complete eastern rail line this year—Minister

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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he National Examinations Council (NECO) yesteday said that it had not changed its examination schedules and timetables for the year. A statement issued in Minna by NECO’s Assistant Chief Information Officer, Mr. Lamara Garba, said the National Common Entrance Examination would still hold on April 13 while the Basic Education Certificate Examination would commence on May 9 and end on May 23.

The Senior School Certificate Examination would begin on June 1 and end on July 12, it added.

NECO urged the public, candidates and schools, who registered for the examinations to stick to the earlier schedules and timetables of the council.

It would be recalled that as part of recommendations of the Presidential committee led by Steven Oronsaye, set up to steam line agencies of government and reduce the cost of governance, the examination body was recommended to be scrapped and its functions be taken by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

Ashaka cement trains 70 youths From David Hassan, Gombe

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s part of its corporate social responsibility to its host community, Ashaka Cement Plc, a subsidiary of Lafarge International, has trained 70 youths from Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe state and equipped them with tools to begin work as self-employed artisans.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of the apprenticeship project of the company, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ashaka Cem Plc, Mr. Neeraj Akhoury said he decided at inception of his tenure two years ago to do something for the youths of the community since the company takes pride in the development of the youths. He gave the assurance that with what the youths have learnt, they would add value to the society.

He promised that the number would be increased to 200 in the next batch of the programme scheduled to begin by May 2013.

The District Head of Bajoga, Alhaji Garba Mohammed who was full of joy over the programme, commended Ashaka Cem for the initiative saying it was noteworthy that the company had to go round the entire Local Government Area to get the number of youths engaged in the programme.

The youths learnt trades in plumbing, masonry, electrical installation, irrigation, poultry, welding and carpentry for six months were awarded grade II and III certificates by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

T L-R: Director, Millennium Development Goals (MDG's), Mr. Lateef Babalola, Senior Special Adviser to President on MDG's, Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbeneol and Representative of the Minister of Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodoh, during the press conference to mark the 1000 days to the end of the MDGs Framework, in Abuja on Friday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Group slams Fayemi over Ekiti killings A

political pressure group, the SouthWest Defenders (SWD) has berated the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi over his insensitivity to the plight of the families of those whose relations were murdered and injured last Saturday, in Erijiyan-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government area of the State.

The group said, it was inhuman for the governor not to have visited Erijiyan-Ekiti, Ayo Murphy Jeje was killed and several others injured since last Saturday.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lere Olayinka, SWD said; "it is painful that instead of sympathising with the families of Ayo Jeje, who was brutally

murdered and others that were wounded, Governor Fayemi has been concerned about the arrest and detention of his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) State Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, who was arrested for alleged complicity in the murder.

Jeje was among the aggrieved members of the ACN that were billed to decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, March 31, 2013.

SWD said; "It is even more worrisome that six days after the incident, Fayemi, who is the Chief Security Officer of Ekiti State has not uttered a word to condemn the ignoble act.

Instead, all we have heard from his party is the condemnation of the arrest of Jide Awe. "We then wonder which is

more important, loss of lives or arrest and detention of an individual in furtherance of police investigation?

"We are further worried that with the murder in cold blood of Ayo Jeje, the number of people killed by suspected agents of the ruling ACN is now three.

"Chief Adeleye Awolumate, PDP Chairman for Osun Ward in Moba Local Government was killed in broad daylight on November 18, 2010 while Teslim Abiola, a 400 level Accounting student of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti was killed on September 26, 2012."

While calling for thorough investigation of Ayo Jeje's murder, the group said; "If we must put a stop to these killings, murderers of Ayo Jeje must be brought to justice.

he Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to complete the rehabilitation of the Eastern railway corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, within the year, a statement said yesterday.

The statement said the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar, gave the information when he received the governors of Kogi and Anambra States, Idris Wada and Peter Obi. The statement was issued in Abuja by Mrs. Yetunde Sonaike, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry added that the governors were at the ministry to solicit the inclusion of Onitsha and Ayangba in the 25years railway development master plan, aimed at transforming the transport sector .

The statement said that the master plan was not sacrosanct in principle and as such technical experts in the ministry would look into the request of the governors as soon as possible.

The governors commended the ministry on the successful rehabilitation of the Western rail line from Lagos to Kano and looked forward to the completion of other lines.

Wada commended the Federal Government for the completion of the dredging of the Lower River Niger from Lokoja to Onitsha and the development of an inland Jetty at Idah, Kogi.

Wada also informed the minister that the state had set up a committee to look into safety steps to ensure smooth inland water transportation of passengers, especially between Kogi and Nasarawa states. (NAN)

Kwara ACN crisis: Group fingers PDP decampee From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Youth Vanguard of Kwara State Action Congress of Nigeria has fingered former members of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) who decamped to the opposition party late last year of being behind division and crisis rocking the party.

The State Coordinator of the Vanguard, Emmanuel Adeoye Oluwole during a press conference disclosed that one Engr. Jide Usman who was a PDP member, Dr. Sa'ad

Omoiya, the Director of Dele Belgore(SAN) campaign and Toyin Ayinla were the arrowheads of a faction rooting for the return of Belgore as sole gubernatorial candidate of the party.

Oluwole said, Mr. Kayode Olawepo, still remained the authentic state Chairman of the party and was the only one representing the state at the NEC due to his status in the state. " Our position is that Mr. Kayode Olawepo is the only recognised Chairman of the

party in the state.

He is the only NEC member at the national level because he is qualified to be there as the Chairman of the party in the state. " We also support the party’s decision that the party does not have any candidate for elective position in the state, that only the Caretaker Committee inaugurated by NEC are mandated to manage the affairs of the party".

The Coordinator of the youth stressed that Olawepo's track records in the last

general election, using 25 percent party members to achieve over 150 percent election outcome despite 75 percent aggrieved members of the party had left, showed that he is capable of running the affairs of the party.

Identifying Engr Usman and Ayinla, former member of PDP as prime suspects, Oluwole noted that their actions were meant to hijack the party and impose Mr Dele Belgore as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2015 general election.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

(Send your crime stories to pmlcrimecycle@gmail.com) 08138559513 (SMS only)

Crime Cycle Man charged for allegedly pouring pepper on policeman

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35-year-old car washer, James Agbo, on Wednesday appeared before a Surulere Magistrates' Court, Lagos, for allegedly pouring pepper on the face of a police officer.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it was in the process of being arrested for an alleged offence that the accused allegedly assaulted the officer.

Agbo of no fixed address, who is facing a two-count charge of damage and assault, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Corporal Gbenga Salami, told the court that the accused had on March 30 assaulted a policeman, Corporal Monday Omonghegbe, by pouring pepper on his face.

Salami said that Omonghegbe was trying to arrest Agbo, who was accused of breaking six crates of eggs belonging to one Silifat Lawal.

He said the accused, who had gone to Lawal's shop to buy beverages, later came back to ask for his mobile phone, which he claimed got missing on his earlier visit.

Salami said that when Lawal told the defendant that she didn't know where his phone, the accused grabbed six crates of eggs, valued N6, 000 and threw them on the road; and the egg crates fell in front of the police officer as he walked on the road.

He said the offences committed contravene Sections 172 and 348 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The Magistrate, Mrs F.B. Lawal, however, granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with a surety in like sum, before adjourning the case till April 8, for mention. (NAN)

NDLEA arrests 2, seizes 1,254.4kg of "Indian hemp" in Kogi

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he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kogi Command, said it arrested two suspects and seized 1,254.4 kilogrammes of substance suspected to be Indian hemp in the state, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The state NDLEA Commander, Alhaji Idris Bello, who made the disclosure when he presented the suspects to newsmen in Lokoja, yesterday, explained that the suspects concealed 145 bags of the substance under firewood in a Labour Mass Transit truck with the registration number Abuja XY 976 ABC. According to him, the suspects and the vehicle were arrested on Lokoja-Abuja highway where the truck was intercepted by the NDLEA operatives after the driver refused to stop when he flagged him down, adding that the

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h e Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has paraded three suspected vandals arrested while vandalizing electricity transformers and scooping mercury oil from the facility, in Jiwa community of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Also the corps said it recovered a Volvo truck with Kogi state registration no: XC 182 LKJ laden with about twenty gallons of the product during the operation that led to arrest of the suspects.

have loaded India Hemp until the patrol team of NDLEA officials stopped to search the vehicle when we got to Lokoja," the suspect

maintained.

Bello assured that the suspects would be prosecuted as soon as investigations were completed.

NDLEA Boss, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade

Two bricklayers docked over alleged sand, gravel theft

Two docked over alleged theft of tricycle

wo bricklayers, Aiyeku Orimisan and Abdulahi Durolu have appeared before an Ojo Magistrates Court, Lagos, charged with the theft of truckloads of gravel and sharp sand valued at N80,000.

Orimisan, 60 and Durolu 45, residents of No. 6, Temidire St., Iyana-Ishashi, Lagos, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, trespass and willfull damage to property, contrary to Sections 52, 332, and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos state.

The prosecutor, ASP Godwin Eze, told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 20, at about 10 p.m. at No 8,

wo middle-aged men, Sunday David and Adeleke Fatai, were on Wednesday arraigned for allegedly stealing a tricycle worth N390, 000.

The duo, David, 52, and Fatai, 40, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before an Apapa Senior Magistrates Court in Lagos.

Both accused persons who are resident at No. 12, Alahun Ozumba St., Ajegunle, Lagos, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, ASP Austine Onwuemene, told the court that the accused stole a tricycle belonging to Mr Mohammed Obu from where it was parked at No.

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NSCDC-FCT parades 3 suspected vandals of electricity transformers

By Stanley Onyekwere

development prompted them to give him a chase.

The commandant further revealed that the driver was eventually forced to stop and a search was conducts on the truck during which the substance was discovered.

However, the truck driver (name not given) who denied having knowledge of Indian hemp said that he carried large quantity of Tiles from Abuja to Lokoja, shortly before being arrested by NDLEA officials.

According to the suspect, in the course of returning to Abuja, one Andy accosted him to convey some fire woods to Abuja with a promise to pay him N50, 000 for the trip, but instead Andy took him and his co-suspect to Edo where the firewood was loaded while they were sleeping.

"We are not aware that they

Parading the three suspects before newsmen, the Corps commandant, in charge of the FCT command, Aminu Abdulahi Kofarsoro, disclosed that it was in collaboration with the informal security intelligence that the corps was able to arrest them.

One of the suspects, Bala Abdullahi, who admitted guilt, said they supply the product to Tipper drivers.

Kofarsoro, however, said the corps would ensure that the three suspects are made to face the law after thorough investigations into the alleged crime.

Seriki St., Isashi, Lagos.

He said that the bricklayers broke into the premises of Watchman Catholic Charismatic Church at Isashi and carted away the sand and gravel belonging to the church.

Eze said that the accused were arrested by the police, following a tip-off by a resident of the area.

Orimisan and Durolu, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mr Taslimi Shomade, granted the accused bail in the sum of N80, 000 each, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till May 13 for mention. (NAN).

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45, Ojo Rd., Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos on March 2, at about 5:30 a.m.

Onwuemene said that the accused persons were apprehended by Obu's neighbours and handed them to the police.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravene Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr M. K. Fadeyi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

The case was adjourned till April 26, for hearing.

(NAN)

Gwagwalada court remands man, 21, for stabbing fellow

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Gwagwalada Upper Area Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday ordered that Na'fiu Mu'azu of Anwan Dodo, Gwagwalada be remanded in prison for allegedly stabbing a man with a knife.

The Judge, Alhaji Babangida Hassan, gave the order after listening to the not guilty plea of the accused person.

Ma'azu, 21, is standing trial on a four-count charge of joint act, criminal trespass, causing grievous hurt and theft.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Martha Paul, told the court that the case was reported by one Simon Stephen at the Gwagwalada Police Station on March 30.

According to him, the accused and one other person now at large criminally trespassed into the compound of Stephen of same address with the intention to steal; when the accused person was caught, he used a knife and stabbed the nominal complainant on the left side of Stephen's stomach which led to serious

bleeding.

Paul said that the victim was admitted at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada for 14 days and he spent N200, 000 for medical bills.

He said that the offences contravene Sections 79, 342, 241 and 286 of the Penal Code.

However, following the not guilty plea of the accused, the prosecutor prayed for an adjournment to enable her produce witnesses to prove the case.

Hassan adjourned the case to May 22, for hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 7

Education

NSUBEB: Charting a new course for basic education in Nasarawa It's a new dawn for the Nasarawa state Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB). Malam Abdulkarim Muhammad Abdullahi, is Executive Chairman of the board. He is striving hard to bring a new lease of life to a decaying basic education system in the state, writes Ali Abare Abubakar.

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he importance of education to human beings cannot be over emphasized. Education is a human right that should be accorded to all human beings solely by reason of being human.

Education is an important factor in every individual's life; it is the key to a better future.

However, it is generally believed that the standard of education in Nigeria is falling.

This is because most of the things a primary school leaver in the years gone by can do, cannot be effectively done by secondary school students of today. An example is letter writing. The problems of education could be traced to the neglect which the sector suffered from in the 1980s leading to the gradual decline of the system.

This fall in educational standards occasioned by decades of neglect exacerbated by corruption and rot, is very much visible in Nasarawa state with its dilapidated school structures, absence of a functional basic education system and low morale among an otherwise dejected teachers.

According to a recent statistics from the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Nasarawa state

has the highest number of unqualified teachers in its public schools among states belonging to the North Central geopolitical zone, a situation that has further worsen the already comatose educational system.

This despicable scenario obtainable in Nasarawa state , just like across other states of the country, will however wear a new look soon, thanks to the laudable effort of the indefatigable executive chairman of the state universal basic education board, Malam Abdulkarim Muhammad Abdullahi and his team.

Right from inception, the board, in line with the positive change initiative of the Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura led Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) administration, has laid out a new template aimed at infusing new ideas into a system that has long been subjected to abuse and neglect.

In an address delivered on the occasion of the opening ceremony of a professional development workshop for teachers, which held on the 26th of March, Malam Abdulkarim reiterated Almakura's commitment to uplift the standard of education to a lofty height comparable across the states, adding that so far, the governor has approved the

construction of 231 blocks of classrooms, as well as commenced the distribution of over 6000 tables and chairs to public primary schools and JSS. The executive chairman was however, quick to point out that if all the structures and teaching and learning materials are in place without adequate training of personnel, the students/pupils cannot achieve optimal knowledge.

He stressed that that explains the decision of the board to embark on a series of workshops to equip teachers with the requisite knowledge for effective teaching.

At another of such workshops, "Basic Audio-Visual Aids Development in our Schools"; 1,436 head teachers, 250 principals of GJSS and 250 school supervisors were trained on modern supervision and monitoring of schools; 800 primary school teachers, 668 GJSS teachers and 108 ECCDE teachers also got their training on audio-visual aids development.

At the event, which attracted seasoned educationists, teachers and quality assurance experts from across the country like Sylvester M. Onoja, a former principal of the Kings College

Malam Abdulkarim Muhammad Abdullahi Lagos, Professors Charity Andzayi, Joy R. Nwoji and Emma-Emma as resource persons, Malam Abdulkarim, in a keynote address, posited that participants would expect nothing short of the best needed to bring the required change in the state's educational service delivery.

Lamenting the apparent decay in the educational system, the NSUBEB executive chairman, observed that the fundamental difference in education between the developed countries of the Western world and what is obtainable in Nigeria, is "the quality of teachers and teaching", adding that the board is poised to engineer a change in the output of teachers across the state.

In his address, Professor EmmaEmma, who twice represented the United States in international competitions in the field of media and technology and won gold medals, lauded the organisers of the workshop for choosing developing basic audio-visual aids as its theme, saying it is high time Nigerians develop indigenous learning and instructional materials, the technology required to make teaching and learning easier in schools.

On her part, Professor Charity Andzayi of the Special Education Department at the University of Jos, who was in South Africa to also train their teachers, assured participants that resource persons handling the project are tested professionals who have been teaching from primary schools up to the university.

Andzayi added that by the end

of the training, participants can be able to produce materials from their immediate environment to enhance teaching.

She observed that by the use of adequate instructional materials, teachers are able to make teaching and learning much easier and understandable to both students and pupils.

This was as she stressed that the primary education level is supposed to lay a solid foundation for the educational development of the child, who is expected to be able to read and write by the age of five but for which it is not obtainable now in public schools.

For Sylvester Onoja, who was a principal for a period of over thirty years, the imbalance in educational standard between the south and the north, has remained the motivation behind his foray into the field of education, having resolved to bring his knowledge and experience to bear, in a bid to close the gap in education between the north and the south.

He observed that unlike in the south where private schools are being established as alternatives, in the north, particularly in Nasarawa state, there are not enough of such facilities, making it doubly imperative for the people to improve on the public schools.

Mr. Onoja described the training of teachers as a top most priority, which he said is the only way to uplift educational standards, while commending Governor Al-makura and the executive chairman of NSUBEB for making education a first line of action.

“

Lamenting the apparent decay in the educational system, the NSUBEB executive chairman, observed that the fundamental difference in education between the developed countries of the Western world and what is obtainable in Nigeria, is "the quality of teachers and teaching Newly refurbished classroom block

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

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Peoples Page

Meet accountant turned windmill engineer

By Lawal Sa'idu Funtua, Katsina

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bubakar Danjuma Muhammad, 37 years old, is an accountant by training but has now shifted his focus and energy to solving the Nigeria's electricity crisis.

Muhammad, who hails from Funtua local government in Katsina State graduated from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2005 with a degree in Accountancy.

After leaving school, the ambitious accountant launched himself in search of a government job befitting of his new acquired certificate. Alas! All that Muhammad could find was teaching job in private schools across Katsina metropolis, where the salaries are not forth coming regularly.

Worried by the ups and downs of looking for the 'right job' Muhammad said 'I decided to set up a business centre in Kofar Durbi Katsina. But the major challenge was lack of electricity.

Therefore I started thinking of how to solve the problem and started building the wind mill to power the business centre'. He added 'it was from the first experience that I decided to go full scale, into the production of these wind mills by constructing the turbines'.

He told Peoples Daily weekend that his interest in solving electricity problem started from his school days, adding 'I read accountancy by God's design but I'm more of a creative engineer'.

Going into the basic element of his creativity, Muhammad noted that the issue of generating electricity is a simple exercise as according to him, 'the simple process of providing electricity is the use of coil and magnet to

generate electricity. Now, if you have coil and a magnet, having surface contact with it will automatically generate electricity light'. Muhammad disclosed that the basic ingredients used by him in creating the wind mill are three, which include Hub Light, Magnet and Coil. He noted that the method involves the turbine being propelled by the wind to charge a battery at a regulated point and an inverter to provide electricity light.

According to Muhammad, he is currently working on a project that would provide dual purpose of providing water and generating electricity. He disclosed that 'this project would provide two tanks with hub propeller which would be rolling as it provides water to the lower tank and propel the mill to generate electricity power'. On how he sources for more information on his project, Muhammad said 'I always browse through the internet for ideas on new innovations to enable me improve on my designs'.

Speaking on the merits of the larger wind mill projects run by governments, the creative engineer argued that a proper understanding of these larger wind mills would reveal that they are expensive to maintain. He said 'these wind mills like the Rimi wind mill, they require power from the national grid to operate or in the alternative, power them with generators. Muhammad stated that even the advanced economies of the world are complaining about the expensive nature of the large wind turbines. He therefore, argued that if his brand of wind mill would be introduced they would surely solve the electricity problem of smaller communities.

However, Muhammad lamented that since the beginning

One of the propellers in Abubakar’s workshop

Abubakar working in his workshop of his research and its implementation, he has never received any government assistance nor has anyone even acknowledged his efforts. He said 'all these things I'm doing I have never for once received government support or attention. The person who has kept my dream alive is my sister who is based in Hadeja. She used to send me money to buy some of these materials'. He stated that there was a time he approached the Katsina State Department of Science and Technology but before they could even hear from him, they asked him to go and write a formal letter of introduction.

Muhammad added that with such reception by the department, he felt discouraged and resolved to continue working with what he has.

Propeller in Abubakar’s house

A battery regulator in Abubakar’s workshop

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

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Cover

Nigerians who will pull strings in 2015 race for Aso Rock

Presidential race for 2015, without doubt, promises to be fierce, in this cover report, Ikechukwu Okaforadi, looks at the figures that will shape the hue and tone of the contest.

President Goodluck Jonathan

A

s 2015 draws nearer, Nigerians are becoming tensed up over how the Presidential race will be won and lost, especially considering the various clandestine horse trading and other political schemes already going on.

With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) already entangled in seemingly protracted crisis, which political analysts have attributed to battle for the soul of the party, somewhat sudden twists are beginning to emerge at various interfaces of the crisis.

Fundamentally, the duel for the PDP soul is being fought between former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the PDP state governors, especially those from the north, in one alliance and President Goodluck Jonathan, PDP Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Tony Anenih, in another alliance.

Moreover, the opposition parties are equally not relenting as they are assiduously plotting how to outsmart the ruling party in the race for the Villa.

Determined to leave no stone unturned in their bid to oust the PDP come 2015, these opposition forces recently merged their arsenals and adopted the acronym, All Progressives Congress (APC).

Since APC was conceived, political observers have continued to highlight how formidable the opposition has become, even giving sleepless night to hitherto, unperturbed

Gen. Muhammad Buhari PDP. As the political drama unfolds, expectations are that more gimmicks than are already meeting the eyes will yet exert various degrees of influence over what becomes of 2015, in the ultimate search for who occupies Aso Rock.

Without prejudice, there are some notable figures whom Nigerians are expecting to play some influential role in determining who becomes the President in 2015.

Already, the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan has by his utterances and innuendos, indicated that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock; this is even as some PDP governors are already threatening to tear the party apart.

It was alleged that the President has refused to honour the one term agreement he signed with the governors in the build up to the 2011 general election, and therefore, this has pitched the incumbent President against his fellow PDP governors who have various levels of interest in the seat.

This is even alleged to be behind the recent threats by these governors to tear the party apart.

While former President Obasanjo is acclaimed to be backing these governors, one cannot dismiss in a jiffy, the enormous powers wielded by a serving President.

Though very difficult, observers have pointed out that even if Jonathan finally bows out due to pressure, his impact over who takes

Alh. Atiku Abubakar over from him cannot be ruled out.

The argument is that Nigeria’s constitution makes a serving President so powerful that even if he is not contesting an election, he has the capacity to make anybody become President.

This scenario played out in the case of Late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, who, to the chagrin of political intellectuals, was single handedly picked and anointed by Obasanjo at the death of ‘third term bid’ is still fresh in our memories.

Similar case also played out in Bayelsa, where President Jonathan seemed to have practically thrown out Depriye Silver and installed Seriake Dickson, his alleged errand boy.

Aside the President, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is also a force to reckon with, as long as the 2015 election is concerned.

At the moment, Obasanjo enjoys the loyalty of the PDP governors; infact, these governors are fondly referred to as Obasanjo boys.

The believe is that since these governors are obedient to Obasanjo, whoever he says should go for the Presidency will automatically have the backing of other governors of the party.

Moreover, Obasanjo is said to be enjoying the support of some business moguls, who can support his anointed candidate with funds for the campaign. Some of these moguls, who

have reportedly rendered such assistance in the past, include Femi Otedola, Mike Adenuga, Aliko Dangote , among others.

Hence Nigerian politics is yet to transit away from bread and butter, the assumption is that these business experts can use their deep pockets to influence accordingly, who becomes the President.

Recently, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state was touted to be the consensus candidate for the north in the Presidential election. He undoubtedly has his merits which has endeared him to many Nigerians for the job.

It was alleged that owing to his rising political profile with Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers state, as running mates, the Presidency, desperate to scuttle their ambition, unleashed Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Lamido’s son.

Moreover, the recent visit to Jigawa state

by President Goodluck Jonathan is said to be for political reasons, due to the controversial Lamido/Amechi ticket. It was alleged that the President, who spent a night there, went to personally pressure him to drop the ambition.

In fact, it was rumoured that Lamido and Amaechi are the unity candidate of estranged PDP godfathers, former President Ibrahim Babangida and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. At the moment, he enjoys the Contd on Page 10

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Cover

2015 race for Aso Rock Contd from Page 9 support of both PDP leaders, which is a boost to his political fortunes.

Another important point to mention here is that Amaechi, at the moment, heads the most influential political association in the country, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

This forum has in the past taken decisive steps that put the country on track, when all hope was lost. Currently, it is holding a confiscating grip on the President to abandon 2015.

One does not need to be told what the forum can do to determine who runs as the PDP candidate at primary level. The governors of the states determines to very large extent, the conscience of the party delegates from the states who will vote to elect PDP’s primary candidate for the Presidential race.

Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu of Niger state is another governor eying the Presidency. He was the first vocal person to openly attack President Jonathan for undermining the pact he reached with the governors for single term.

Since then, he has been under attack by the Presidency over his unguarded utterances.

Though it is not clear where Aliyu is banking his political fortunes, but observers have suggested that if he can maneuver smartly, the northern governors forum, which he chairs, majority of the northern governors will back him for the race.

Moreover, if Aliyu decides not to contest, whoever eventually becomes the consensus candidate of the north will have his backing to contest the PDP primaries with President Jonathan.

From the opposition side, before the merger of the opposition parties, Buhari had always been a force to reckon with in the northern politics, due to his unflinching popularity.

When it comes to grassroots politics, especially in the north, no politician can beat him in a truly free and fair election.

Political analysts have submitted that his failure to win successive elections was because of the strangulating hold on the electoral machinery in the country by the PDP rigging experts.

Buhari recently pointed this out when he said that oppositions should merge because the PDP is already in an unholy merger with the state security apparatus and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Major in his political fortunes is integrity and acceptability by the northern commoners.

This is because of his interest in protecting the down trodden, in addition to his uprightness and discipline in transacting government’s business.

Now that opposition parties have finally merged into APC, if Buhari becomes the Presidential candidate of the party, the sky will actually be his starting point.

Bola Tinubu is the co leader in the efforts to have a formidable opposition front in 2015.

He is the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which is already in control of the entire south west.

Tinubu is a rooted and rugged politician, who is renowned for being ruthless in his political pursuit. His sound political sagacity is actually what the merger in general is banking on for 2015.

Moreover, after Obasanjo disappointed south western politicians in 2007, Tinubu has become a Yoruba political leader, whose views is highly respected in the tribe.

Though analysts are still wondering how possible it is that Tinubu would allow Buhari to become the Presidential flag bearer of the merged platform, by which ever dimension, Tinubu will play a major role in deciding who fly the flag of APC in 2015.

Senate President David Mark is undoubtedly one of the key figures that will exert considerable influence in the various political horse trading that will determine

Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo

Gov. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu

Gov. Rotimi Amaechi

Gov. Sule Lamido

where the 2015 pendulum will swing regarding the Presidential race.

Before 2007, Mark had become an influential and ranking senator in the upper legislative arm. He was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, from where he rose to preside over the Senate.

By the end of 2006, when the tenure of the fifth senate winded up, he contested the seat of Senate President and defeated his rival, Senator George Akume, also from Benue state.

Undoubtedly, since 2007, he has remained a force to reckon with as long as the Upper House is concerned.

His role in the subsidy crisis, in addition to budget passage and Abdulrasheed Maina’s cases bears eloquent testimony to the kind of influence he can make on the 2015 race for Aso Rock.

Already, the Senate is dominated by the Peoples

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Democratic Party (PDP) senators, and going by this, considering the enormous influence the President of the Senate can have on the senate decisions on issues, it is becoming clearer that Mark should not be taken for granted.

Before now, there were claims by political observers that if the pressure becomes unbearable on President Jonathan to return power to the north, as already being championed by some northern PDP governors, Jonathan may consider handing over to David Mark.

Though how feasible this will be remains a controversy to trash out, Mark is renowned to be in the good books of some northern leaders, including former President Ibrahim Babangida, Atiku Abubakar, among others. Other contenders whose opinions will make or mar the election are yet, political heavy weights like Atiku Abubakar, Governor Musa Kwankwaso, whose Kwankwassiya movement or ideology is gaining more ground in Kano state.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

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Cover Profile

Moneybags: Who they are

Alhaji Aliko Dangote Alhaji Aliko Dangote, MFR, GCON (born 10 April 1957, Kano, Nigeria) is a Nigerian self-made business magnate, with an estimated net worth of $16.1 billion USD as of March 2013.

Based in Nigeria, he is the owner of the Dangote Group, which has interests in commodities with operations in his homeland and several other countries in Africa, including Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa and Zambia.

Dangote is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 43rd richest person in the world and the richest man in Africa.

Aliko Dangote was born in the northern Nigerian state of Kano on April 10, 1957 into a wealthy Muslim family. His mother Mariya Sanusi Dantata was the granddaughter of legendary Hausa businessman Alhassan Dantata, and his father Mohammed Dangote was Dantata's business associate.

The Dangote Group, originally a small trading firm founded in 1977, is now a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.

Dangote played a prominent role in the funding of Obasanjo's re-election campaign in 2003, to which he contributed over N200 million (US$2M). He gave N50 million (US$0.5M) to the National Mosque under the aegis of "Friends of Obasanjo and Atiku", and contributed N200 million to the Presidential Library.

On 14 November, 2011, Dangote was awarded Nigeria's second highest honour, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mike Adenuga Adenuga ascend to wealth and associated popularity is an interesting story. His resolve to succeed despite all odds started when, while in United states of America, he worked as a taxi cab driver and security guard to support himself at university.

Born on April 29, 1953, Michael Adeniyi Ishola Adenuga got his secondary school education at the Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State, before proceeding to the NorthWestern University in Oklahoma and Pace University, New York, both in the USA where he studied business administration.

At age 26, Adenuga became a

millionaire with connections in high places. With his unique flair for risks and absolute tenacity of purpose, quickly he started making profits in billions of dollars. He is the owner Equitorial Trust Bank and Consolidated Oil, which performs crude oil drilling, refining along with marketing.

His first shot into the consciousness of Nigerians was when his company, Consolidated Oil became the first indigenous company to strike crude in December 1991. He lately ventured into the telecommunications market.

With his Communications Investment Limited, CIL, he was issued a conditional license in 1999 and frequencies to operate the Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM). The license was later revoked.

Once again, when in 2002, the government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), organised new auction for the GSM license, the CIL participated and was one of the four that won the bid. He paid the $20 million mandatory deposit.

However, in the process of effecting the release of the balance payment of $265 million, the corporation was adjudged to have failed to pay within stipulated time. CIL lost both the licence and $20 million deposit. He later went on to bid for the Second National Operator (SNO) license, and deposited another $20 million. This time around, he was lucky.

He won the bid in August 2002 through his Globacom Limited. The SNO has a wider range of operations as Globacom has the right to operate as a national carrier, operate digital mobile lines, serve as international gateway for telecommunications in the country and operate fixed wireless access phones.

Adenuga's estate business and company shares traverse several countries in Western European countries, North America and the Middle-East.

Tony Elumelu Tony O. Elumelu (born March 22, 1963) is a Nigerian economist, banker, investor and philanthropist. Elumelu is Chairman of Heirs Holdings, an African proprietary investment firm.

He is also the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, an Africa-based and African-funded not-for-profit organisation (NPO) that is dedicated to the promotion and celebration of excellence in business leadership and entrepreneurship across Africa.

Elumelu holds the Nigerian national honour, the Commander of the Order of Nigeria (CON). New African magazine recently listed him as one of the 100 most influential people in Africa.

Elumelu was born in Jos, Nigeria, in 1963. He has two degrees in

Economics from Nigerian schools. His Bachelor degree was from the Bendel State University and he has a Master of Science degree, also in Economics, from the University of Lagos. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Programme.

Tony Elumelu married Awele V. Elumelu, a medical doctor, in 1993 and has five daughters. He has four siblings including the Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, a member of the Nigerian Federal House of Representatives.

Elumelu began his professional banking career in 1985. He founded BGL Limited, an asset management company and became the pioneer Chief Executive Officer. In 1997, he led a group of investors and turn-around experts to reposition the then distressed Crystal Bank into the Standard Trust Bank.

In 2005, he led the acquisition and subsequent merger of the smaller Standard Trust Bank with the old United Bank for Africa (UBA). This acquisition by a smaller company was a first in the African sub-region. The integration was also done, remarkably, in record time. He conceived of and executed UBA's 3 tier approach to financial sector dominance in Africa.

He was the mastermind behind UBA's spread to 20 African countries and expansions in the US, the UK and France. With him at the helm, the bank received an "A" rating in the annual rating of banks worldwide, with an estimated brand value of US$322 million and a listing as one of Africa's 40 fastest growing companies (the African Challengers) in 2010 by the Boston Consulting Group. He retired from UBA in August 2010, following a Central Bank of Nigeria limitation on CEO tenure.

Elumelu founded the African proprietary investment company Heirs Holdings after his retirement from United Bank for Africa. The company states its investment policy as being targeted at opportunities that will create economic prosperity and social wealth in Africa. Heirs Holdings is a long-term investor and is characterised by its deployment of patient capital. The company's favoured investment sectors are financial services, health care, infrastructure, real estate and hospitality, agriculture, also oil and gas.

In 2011, Heirs Holdings gained a controlling interest in the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, a conglomerate that operates in the Energy, Agribusiness and Hospitality sectors.

Following his retirement from United Bank for Africa in July 2010, Elumelu founded The Tony Elumelu Foundation. His stated objective was to "prove that the African private sector can itself be the primary generator of economic development."The Foundation sets out to promote and celebrate excellence in business leadership and entrepreneurship across Africa. Its approach is different from traditional grant-making organisations as it does not focus only on grant-giving but advocates the use of market tools to solve previously intractable social problems.

Tony Elumelu was a member of the World Economic Forum's Regional Agenda Council on Africa. His presence on the Bretton Woods Committee, which brings together senior leaders in the global banking industry, is

recognition of his work on African development.

Elumelu, a fellow of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) is involved, through his foundation, with the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) in a partnership to strengthen the private sector's role in the economic transformation of select African countries. This partnership is called the Blair-Elumelu Fellowship Programme.

Elumelu subscribes to Michael Porter's concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV). He studied under Professor Porter at Harvard Business School and Professor Porter is the Founding Patron of The Tony Elumelu Foundation. CSV refers to the idea that "companies must take the lead in bringing business and society back together." It asserts that "businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues societies face In 2003, the Federal Government of Nigeria granted Tony Elumelu the title of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), a national honour. In 2006, Elumelu was voted African Business Leader of The Year by the Africa Investor magazine and was recognised African Banker of the Year in 2008 by the African Banker magazine.

In 2009, the Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'adua asked him to serve on the Presidential Committee on the Global Financial Crisis.

He was awarded an honorary doctorate of science degree from the Benue State University and an honorary doctorate of business administration from the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

Raymond Dokpesi High Chief. Dr. Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi, PhD, FCIT, OFR, serves as the Chairman and Director of Daar Communications Plc. Dr. Dokpesi worked briefly with the Nigerian Ports Authority as a Marine Officer Cadet in 1969 before proceeding to Poland for further studies. He lectured in the University of Gdnask, Poland as Assistant Lecturer in Marine Transport Economics before returning to Nigeria.

While in Poland as a student, he held the following positions: President of Nigeria Students Union Gdnask Poland from 1972 to 1974, President of African Students Union, Poland since 1973, President of Nigeria Students, Eastern Europe since 1974. Before venturing into private business, he worked with both the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Ministry of Transport in different capacities.

Dr. Dokpesi is a seasoned and an accomplished entrepreneur and investor who understands the dynamics of private broadcasting business management. He is a fellow

member of many professional organizations, and a recipient of many prestigious awards including Dr. Kwame Nkurumah Africa Leadership Award and a Gold Medal for Excellence in Business Practice awarded by the Foundation for Excellence in Business Practice, an organ of the United Nations based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Dokpesi is a Marine Transport Engineer and attended Ebenezer African Church School, Ibadan, Loyola College, Ibadan and Immaculate Conception College, Benin city. From 1969 to 1973, he attended Wyzsza Szkota Morska Gdynia where, he obtained a B.sc in Marine Engineering.

He also obtained a Post Graduate Masters in Marine Transport Engineering from the same university in 1975. In 1977, Dr. Dokpesi obtained Doctorate Degree from the University of Gdnask Sopot.

He received a first class in first degree (the best in 50 years in Poland) and a distinction in Masters.

In the early 1990s, as a result of the historic National Broadcasting Commission decree, according to Muyiwa Oyinlola (2004) Nigerian media was dominated by the government only. Information was only made possible from government owned broadcasting firms. However, the Head of State then General Babangida, issued another decree which allowed private broadcasting in Nigeria. After this decree came the first private television network in Nigeria, Africa Independent Television (AIT).

AIT was pioneered by High Chief, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, and was also Africa's first satellite T.V. station.

Today Dokpesi is regarded as the media guru of Nigeria. Some also refer to him as the Ted Turner of Nigeria.

Dokpesi not only pioneered the first satellite TV but also the first privately owned radio station in Nigeria.

According to the journalist Kolapo (2006), Raymond claims that AIT set the standard for salary structure in the media industry in which Nigerian Television Authority imitated).

His full name is Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi. Born in 1951 in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Dr. Raymond Dokpesi started as the personal assistant to Alhaji Bamaga Tukur one of the General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority. Dokpesi also served as a civil servant in the Federal Ministry of Transport under Alhaji Umaru Dikko and General Garba Wushishi. The association of Raymond Dokpesi with the likes of the Tukurs and the late Abiola, resulted in the birth of African Ocean Lines (AOL).

However, as High Chief, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi practiced in his field of study; he never forgot his first love, showbiz and entertainment.

This can be traced back to his early days in secondary school when he was the pioneer member of Ozolua Playhouse, dance/drama group. He decided to put his dream to reality when he conceived the idea of starting a radio station during the Ibrahim Babangida regime when the atmosphere was conducive enough due to the deregulation of broadcasting in Nigeria. In 1994 he launched the first Nigerian private FM radio station. Two years later, he launched Africa Independent Television. Thus, according to Contd on Page 13

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Cover Interview

Moneybags: Influences should be curbed within framework of law, social justice, public ethics — Mailafia S ome of the nation's largest and richest individuals and companies like Aliko Dangote, Transcorp etc are investing huge sums of money in promoting politicians' activities, which critics say places corporate interest above interest of ordinary Nigerians; What is your view on the role of Nigeria's business moguls and corporations donating billions to politicians, given the clichÊ that 'Good business makes bad politics and vice-versa'?

Corporate donations for political campaigns are a major issue in the electoral politics of modern democracies. It is not just a Nigerian problem. Barack Obama's secondterm campaign pooled together an estimated US$1 billion, a large chunk of it from corporate donors.

Even in the most advanced industrial democracies, there is increasing concern about the role of big money in the political process.

The classic theory of democracy as the ancient Athenian Greeks understood it is the notion of a community of free men (women and slaves were never considered a part of the Greek political community) sitting together and debating and voting on who gets what, when and how.

During the era of European industrialisation democracy and up to and beyond the French revolution, the electoral franchise was restricted to the landed gentry. So, in a sense, big money has always been a part of the political process for a long time.

Today, in the nations of actually existing capitalism, corporations and vested interests have virtually taken over the political process.

Politics has become an expensive business. It does not matter how talented you are, be it in America or Britain, France or Malaysia and Nigeria, if you do not have financial means, it would be foolhardy to venture into the political terrain. If you do not have your own capital you would have to find backers. This is where the moneybags come in.

But these people are not fools. They write the big cheques in anticipation that the winners will reciprocate either by way of fat contracts or other forms of concessions by way of mining rights, oil blocks or favourable policies that would favour their particular sector of business.

Having said all this, I would not rush to be judgemental about the big moguls among us. I pray that Nigeria can raise 1,000 Aliko Dangotes. We should not envy anyone his or her wealth.

Entrepreneurs create jobs and contribute to wealth-creation. Their exports bring foreign earnings and contribute to the overall gross

Mr Obadiah Mailafia, is ex Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN). In this interview with Aminu Imam, he spoke on the role of the business class in enhancing political interests and what it portends for the Nigerian state.

Mr Obadiah Mailafia national product. These rich people are also our citizens. They are entitled to their political opinions and to protecting their own interests.

What matters is that their influences should be curbed within the framework of law, social justice and public ethics. The moneybags are free to back any party or candidate they wish, but we have a duty to ensure that this does not lead to pernicious policy outcomes. If we strengthen the legal framework for political financing and ensure that our key institutions are robust, we would be in a better position to ensure outcomes that protect the greatest good of the greatest number.

Candidates backed by big money, politicians become more beholden these special interests. Do you support the view that there should be legislation banning corporations and high-networth individuals to spend unlimited amounts of money on aspiring politicians?

Obviously, a scenario where

people can spend any amount in the electoral process is dangerous both for business and for the political system. Any businessman who is prepared to pay any amount for political purposes must be operating a very dodgy business. And his motives would have to be called into question. Most democracies impose restrictions on how much individuals or corporations can contribute to political campaigns.

The aim is to ensure a relatively equable playing field on the political arena. Some people abroad have asked me why a country of such extraordinarily talented people as Nigeria - the land of Achebe and Soyinka -- is only capable of producing mediocre leaders. This is partly attributable to the role that money plays in our political culture.

Restricting the amount of money that people can spend on political campaigns will to a great extent create a more level playing field, ensuring that the system does not favour so many cretins who happened to have squirreled away

mountains of cash from legitimate as well as illegitimate sources.

Having said this, I worry that some of these rules may be difficult to enforce in our particular environment. As you probably know, a lot of the money for political campaigns moves around from midnight in smoke-filled crevices, carted in what we call Ghana-MustGo bags. How is INEC or anyone else going to be able to monitor such money movements?

Section 38 subsections 2 of the Companies and Allied matters Act prohibits corporate bodies from making contributions to political party or political association, or for any political purpose. Why do you think companies like Transcorp etc are not sanctioned for breaching the law?

The law is the law, of course. But we live in the real world. These things do happen, unfortunately. But we have to be careful here. I do not know why you must single out Transcorp.

That company suffered more than most from the stock exchange collapse. The fact that Tony Elumelu has successfully rebuilt the business is something we should give him credit for. Such companies have been giving not only for political purposes but also for good nonpolitical causes. Transcorp certainly cannot be singled out for whatever reason. The oil companies have been quietly donating to all sorts of causes, political, community, security and otherwise. The top players in the stock exchange have also been major donors to the political parties. It is not fair to single out Transcorp or the Dangote Group as the only culprits.

I would also add the caveat to the effect that an unenforceable law is no law. We may have extant laws about how companies and their shareholders should behave. But we have to place these in the context of our overall political culture and environment in which Contd on Page 13

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 13

Cover Interview “Influences should be curbed within framework of law, social justice, public ethics” Contd from Page 12 businesspeople, politicians and voters live, breath and have their being. If there was no market opportunity for moneybags to spend so much, obviously they would not be doing so. Sadly, it has been the case that during the candidate selection process, it is money that calls the final shots. Party representatives would vote for a goat if someone placed enough monetary price on the said goat. It is unfortunate, but this is the nature of the beast. Both the givers and the receivers have to exercise restraint and moral rectitude. We need to open up these issues for greater debate. As our democracy matures, people will ask more serious questions about the role that money plays in our system. Civil society, traditional rulers, the media - and our mosques and churches - have to address these moral challenges. It is our country and our future, and we owe it to our children to bequeath them a land in which they can live in peace, prosperity and hope.

Given the lack of any enabling law in our Constitution to checkmate questionable sources of funding of politicians, should our politicians receive anonymous donations from individuals and corporations?

Mr Obadiah Mailafia Anyone who has a minimum of ethics would not quietly pocket money whose provenance is unknown or doubtful. In a land of so many poor people, this is, of course, easier said than done. My humble experience of life has taught me that there are three categories of people

who are more than eager to grab any money that comes their way, without questioning its source whatsoever: traditional rulers, emergency pastors and Mallams, and politicians. Some of these people are so unscrupulous, you will never believe it. Asking such people to desist

an organization that seeks to promote South-South people of Nigeria.

among others. Momoh is also a recipient of NUJ newscaster of the year, 1991; and NTA newscaster of the year.

from receiving money from anonymous corporations or otherwise is like asking a lion to desist from eating meat.

Money matters for democracy, because much of democratic political activity simply could not occur without it. How should money politics be regulated in our democracy?

You have asked the question, and in a manner of speaking, you have answered it. In modern democracies, we have reached a situation where money, unfortunately, cannot be dispensed with. But the role of money has reached levels that are unacceptable for a civilised political community. A survey was recently conducted in America and the results were rather alarming. It emerged that some of the greatest leaders of the American Republic - men such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and Abraham Lincoln would probably never have made it to the high magistracy of the American republic. They did not have the good looks and some of them would not have had the requisite capital base. One of the richest people to have ruled America was the young John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He had

good looks, a Harvard education and a wealthy father. The Senior Kennedy made much money, some his money was from smuggling liquor, as historians have later discovered. But then he used his money to support political causes, including bankrolling the election of his son to the Presidency in 1960. More recently, the great Italian people endured the embarrassing neo-fascist Silvio Berlusconi as Prime Minister of Italy for a decade. Berlusconi, as everybody knows, is the richest man in Italy.

He also owned the media houses, including television and newspapers. His disastrous rule over Italy underlines the signal lesson that moneybags must never be allowed to dominate, let alone, capture the political process. To avoid these dangers, we need to work together to agree on a common set of rules. And these should be framed in such a manner that they are clear, monitorable and enforceable. The media, civil society and the intelligentsia must also do their part to ensure a climate where men and women of ability and integrity come to the forefront, not charlatans that have the backing of the moneybags.

Vigilance, the old saying goes, is the eternal price of liberty.

internationally for her philanthropic work and political pragmatism. She is said to have the backing of Nigerian women and can mobilize them to vote for her husband in 2015.

When Goodluck Jonathan served as Governor between 2005 and 2007, Patience Jonathan served the state in the capacity of the first Lady of Bayelsa State. During this period, she founded many philanthropic and women empowerment programs, among them are the A-Aruere Reach out Foundation (AARF) which she set up to improve the status and earning capacity of Nigerian women and youths. The foundation already has its focus on supporting and assisting children with heart-related problems.

Barrister Mohammed Bello Adoke, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was appointed Nigerian Attorney General and Minister of Justice on 6 April 2010, when the then acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet.

Adoke was born on 1 September 1963 in Kogi State. He gained a degree in law from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1985, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in October 1986. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in International Tax Law from Robert Kennedy University in Zurich, Switzerland and a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration from Keble College, Oxford.

He held positions with the Kwara State Schools' Management Board, Kano State Ministry of Justice and private law firms before establishing his own practice. He was a member of the Board of Peugeot Automobile from 2006 to 2008 and Chairman of the Board Audit Committee of Unity Bank.

He has acted as an arbitrator in England and Nigeria, handling commercial disputes involving Shell Ultra Deep and the Federal Government of Nigeria, Global Steel Holdings and the Bureau of Public Enterprises Investment and AES Nigeria Barge and Lagos State Government.

His appointment as Minister of Justice and Attorney General on 6 April 2010 was seen as an attempt by Jonathan to introduce a fresh approach in pushing through electoral reforms.

Moneybags: Who they are Contd from Page 11 Oyinlola (2005) he became the pacesetter in the world of Nigeria media for the likes of Galaxy TV, Silverbird TV, MBI television, Rhythm FM and a host of others.

Africa Independent Television has gained much coverage. On September 20, 2003, Africa Independent Television launched its signals in the United States. Presently, AIT is received in America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe-wide on the Hotbird satellite as well as countries within Africa.

Dokpesi also has his hands in politics.

One of his first political assignments was as a political campaign manager for the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, which saw Tukur into the then Gongola state government house. He also assumed the same role during Alhaji Adamu Ciroma presidential campaign and Alharji Bamanga Tukur's presidential campaign in 1993 likewise during Peter Odili's presidential campaign.

Dokpesi was one of the leaders of the South-South People Assembly (SSPA),

John Momoh John Momoh, administrator and broadcaster. Born in Lagos 1, July 54, he was educated at Thomson Foundation/Centre for Journalism Studies and University of Wales, Cardiff, UK and University of Lagos, 1988-1990. Momoh started his career as antiquities assistant, National Museums and Monuments, Lagos, 1975; newsreader/ announcer, Ogun State Radio, 19771979; announcer/presenter, Nigerian Television Authority, NTA; newscaster, Voice of Nigeria, VON, 1979-1982; reporter/newscaster, NTA, news, 1982-1992.

Momoh became the managing director of Channels Incorporated Limited, Lagos, after resigning from NTA in 1992.He is a member of the Nigerian-Britain Association; Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ikoyi Club,

Patience Jonathan Patience Faka Jonathan, born 25 October 1957 is the current First Lady of Nigeria and a permanent secretary in her native Bayelsa state. She is married to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan.

Born in Port Harcourt, she earned her school certificate in 1976, and passed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1980. In 1989, she obtained the National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Mathematics and Biology from the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Port Harcourt. She then proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt and studied Biology and Psychology.

Jonathan started her career as a teacher at the Stella Maris College, Port Harcourt and Sports Institute Isake.

She then moved to the banking sector in 1997, where she established the first community bank in Port Harcourt called the Akpo Community Bank. She served as Marketing Manager of Imiete Community Bank.

She returned to the classroom briefly again as teacher. Eventually she was transferred to the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, where she served until 29 May 1999 when her husband became the Deputy Governor of the state.

Madam Jonathan has been recognized locally, nationally and

Mohammed Bello Adoke

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 14

Politics

2015: Kwara PDP, opposition parties in ding dong game From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

A

h e a d of 2015 general elections and local government poll, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition parties comprising the Congress for Progressive Party (CPC),All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are slugging it out over feelers of implantation of an intruder within the progressives camp to create disunity ahead of elections.

As the opposition parties merge to forge ahead and wrestle power from ruling PDP, the new mega party, All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state are falling into different pits allegedly dug through the plots of the ruling party.

On April 2, 2013, the ACN, Kwara State chapter crisis hit the roof when the long term State chairman, Mr Kayode Olawepo was allegely removed from office by a faction led by a Secretary,Mr Toyin Ayinla.

The newly acclaimed State Chairman, Ayinla in a statement issued in Ilorin said the party committee voted to remove the former chairman Mr Kayode Olawepo.

According to Ayinla, the committee is urging party members to support the new leadership, assuring the public of the party's commitment "to lead the collective yearning for good governance and continuous struggle against tyranny of the few which is militating against the state's human and infrastructural development."

"Kwara State ACN Caretaker Committee, a body charged by the National Secretariat with the dayto-day running of the party, held a special meeting in Ilorin on Tuesday where some decisions were taken to smooth the running of and reposition the party.

"The caretaker committee, among other things, effected leadership change by appointing Mr Toyin Ayinla as chairman in place of Mr Kayode Olawepo.

Ayinla added that "all the decisions, including the suspension of the chairman, have been communicated to all the appropriate authorities, while members across the state are urged to work with d new leadership to move the party forward.

"The party wishes to assure all its members and people of Kwara of renewed commitment to lead the collective yearnings for good governance and continuous struggle against tyranny of the few which is militating against the state's human and infrastructural development."

However, a pro-Olawepo faction of the ACN in Kwara state has also reacted by passing a vote of confidence on its embattled chairman, Kayode Olawepo who was removed from office and replace by Secretary of caretaker

Sen. Bukola Saraki committee, Toyin Ayinla.

The faction led by Ayinla is believed to be loyal to Mr. Dele Belgore, the former gubernatorial candidate of the party while the Olawepo group is believed to be working for Lai Muhammed, the National Publicity Secretary of ACN. The statement from Olawepo's faction urged the public to discard the purported removal of Olawepo as the party's chairman in the state.

The statement signed by Alhaji Raimi Idera and Chief Ayanda Fajenyo said "the purported removal exists only in the imagination of the movers of that motion and a former gubernatorial candidate of the party who is their sole sponsor.

"The desire to remove our party chairman in Kwara state is being nursed by a former gubernatorial candidate of the party and his cronies using the media to achieve what they could not achieve in the real sense of it. For the avoidance of doubt, the same people announced the dissolution of the party structure at a ramshackle rally on March 28, 2013 only to use the same structure to remove a legally appointed official of the party.

"There was no meeting of the state or joint meeting of the local government executive committee where it was decided to arrange for a meeting to remove the chairman.

Therefore, we remain loyal to the leadership of Mr. Kayode Olawepo, JP and stand firmly by his leadership.

We are particularly piqued by one of the signatories to the obnoxious document, Alhaji Amosa Okolo, who claimed to be representing the 16 local government caretaker committee chairmen. " His claim fell flat because the local government caretaker committee chairmen met last sometime in 2012 and since then no meeting has been held to discuss the suspension/removal of our able chairman, Gabriel Kayode Olawepo, JP".

It would be recalled that opposition parties in the state had alleged that PDP in the state is planning to hijack APC from the original members in the state as an alternative platform for PDP in year 2015.

Alh. Kawu Baraje But former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje denied any involvement in hatching the APC takeover plot.

Reacting to an allegation that he and few other chieftains of PDP were the behind disunity of APC, Baraje said he was not in any way connected with the party.

He described the allegation as "baseless, unfounded and a ruse".

He said those behind such allegations misfired and advised them to face the problem confronting them in their party rather than embarking on mere political speculation.

Baraje expressed surprise that some politicians could descend so low to castigate the names of others in the name of politics without embarking on thorough findings of their claims before going to the press.

He added, ''I have served my dear political party, the PDP at the topmost echelon with disparity that is second to none and I have also left the party intact and better than I met it'' 'My team and I honestly and diligently left the PDP that is devoid of rancour and in the highest level of internal democracy, while the PDP I left behind was a party that has passion for integrity, cohesion and teamwork'' .

Similarly, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State also denied any plan to leave the PDP on which platform he became the state governor in 2011 and join APC. Ahmed said while speaking on a monthly public enlightenment programme, 'The governor explains', that he is a loyal and staunch member of the party who would continue to contribute to the growth of the party.

"I am not leaving PDP. PDP is a national party. Other parties are regional. Why should I leave a big party for a small party? I will remain in PDP and work to strengthen it,".

But the State Chairman of CPC in an exclusive interview with

Alh. Sulaiman Buhari, Kwara CPC Chairman Peoples Daily wWekend said the opposition could not trust Governor Ahmed and Baraje's statement stressing that the opposition parties would only keep watching and be vigilant about their moves and actions.

He noted that the development is always welcome in politics stressing that all their tricks and strategies would not dis-integrate APC in the state.

Despite the hidden threat from PDP , APC still maintains that there wouldn't be any automatic gubernatorial ticket for Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN) the former ACN gubernatorial candidate in 2011 election.

Belgore, it was learnt, is a close friend of Dr. Bukola Saraki, a bigwig in PDP and Kwara politics.

In a joint statement issued by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigerians People's Party (ANPP) in reaction to the press briefing made by a faction of the ACN, led by the duo of Dr. Saad Omoiya and Engr. Jide Usman, the state Chairmen of both parties, Alhaji Buhari and Taiwo Eleja said " the abiding principle for our coming together under the APC mega platform is that of mutual camaraderie that does not transcend the thin line of individual party's independence or meddling in our respective internal affairs".

"Therefore, the CPC and the ANPP do not wish to be dragged into the internal squabbles of any of the other two merger parties."

In a hitback attempt to dislodge or woo PDP faithfuls, opposition parties in the state condemned the continued humiliation of Hon Iliasu Ibrahim by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Barrister Abdulrazak Atunwa.

To them, "Our Party has viewed with consternation and a huge sense of disappointment the damning revelations made by Hon Iliasu Ibrahim, a PDP member representing Ipaye/Molete/Olooru constituencies and elsewhere Chief Whip of the Kwara State House of Assembly, in the Thursday, 14th

March, 2013 edition of the National Pilot.

"It bears repeating that sometimes in November 2011, Messrs Iliasu Ibrahim called the public attention to the shameful misappropriation of public funds by a fellow PDP man, Hon Rasak Atunwa, who is incidentally the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly. Armed with sensitive documentary evidence, Iliasu had alleged that the House leadership under Messrs Rasak Atunwa not only inflated contracts but also soiled its hands in other corrupt dealings which made it stink to high heaven.

"But true to prediction, the PDP had then orchestrated a huge cover up, treating the damning allegations as a 'family affair'. Thus, instead of allowing Mr. Rasak Atunwa to properly face the full wrath of the law, the PDP-led state government turned the whole embarrassing scenario to a macabre dance of some sort, where the hunter now became the hunted; where the one that summoned a rare political will among the House members to shame a corrupt House leadership that stinks to high heaven was the one that was ironically severely punished and disrobed of his rank instead of the accused Speaker.

"This shameful political dramatic irony, which could only happen under a PDP umbrella, perhaps led the frustrations that were aptly expressed in the interview in question.

"Ordinarily, our Party would not have reacted to the ignobility playing out in the hallowed Chambers of the Kwara State House of Assembly but for the sacrilege that is being visited upon the innocent constituents of Messrs Iliasu Ibrahim, who are unfortunately being deprived of quality representation, simply because their elected representative is caught in."

How this ding-dong game plays out ahead of 2015 may be determined internally or by the outcome of the dog-eat-dog political storm gaining momentum at the national level.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

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Feature

Jega Psychiatric Center: Neglected by government, salvaged by NGO T

h e Jega psychiatric center in Jega, the administrative capital of Jega local government council, was established by then Governor Adamu Aliero administration in Kebbi state with the aim of treating and counseling mentally affected people.

At the moment, it is especially populated by people from its neighbours of Niger, Zamfara and Sokoto states.

According to the officer in-charge of the center, Mallam Bala Mandiya who spoke to our correspondent recently, the center receives over 100 inmates in a year and discharges more than 50 depending on the degree of the cases.

Established under the Ministry of women Affairs and social development, the Jega centre which is recognized all over the country, has both male and female patients struck by schizophrenia and other illicit drug-related illnesses.

Interestingly, according to Mallam Mandiya, the center has never received any form of donation from any organization but despite that, they were able to manage the little resources given by the state government.

"We need more drugs, feeding and maintenance of the center", he said, as well as more funds and transport.

Besides that, the centre faces the challenge of frequent escapes by inmates from the center who had to chain them.

"We appealed last time that considering the services rendered in this center, we need drugs, need to improve the center as now we have 20 inmates comprising of 17 males and 3 females'', he said.

According to him, the most dangerous cases usually received are sycodentatric reaction which is common with women. Nevertheless, the center has one psychiatric doctor alongside the nurse who examines them for better treatment.

In reaction to the clarion call by the centre, a non-governmental organization [NGO] in Kebbi state, the Youth Peace Initiative(YPI), donated some materials worth thousands of naira to the psychiatric patients as part of their activities for the less privileged and downtrodden in the society.

Presenting the items to the director of the center, the state

Sewing section at the centre

The centre is characteristic of government's lackadaisical attitude to social security administration and the need for community involvement in social work. Our Correspondent Ahmed Idris, visited the center recently and examined the bad condition of the inmates and the lifeline extended by an NGO. coordinator of YPI, Hamza Galadima Zuru said the NGO was established about five years ago with the aim of assisting the less privileged. "We are going to help people that are not fit, we visited the prison last time, hospitals and orphanages in order to reduce their difficulties'' he said.

The donated items included slippers, plastic buckets, antiseptics, soap and bundles of cloths.

The event which was held yesterday at the premises of the Jega psychiatric Center was attended by Alhaji Mohammadu Arzika Jega, Sarkin Kabbin Jega, Alhaji Mohammadu Dan Atto, Kebbi State Accountant General, Councilors, officials of Ministry of Women Affairs and representatives of Jega Local Government.

According to the State Coordinator of the Association, the objective was to assist those in difficult conditions such as ill health or to liberate prisoners incarcerated for minor offences like debts they could not afford to pay.

According to the coordinator, the NGO serves as a bridge between the less privileged and the well-to-do in the society. Over 70 inmates with minor offences have been released following the effort of the NGO to settle their fines, he said.

Speaking to Peoples Daily weekend, shortly after presentation of the items, the Kebbi State Accountant General, Mohammadu Dan Atto, commended the efforts and activities of the association which he said, had gone a long way in assisting the less privileged in the society, calling on the NGO to extend their gesture to patients in other hospitals. He promised a monthly assistance of N50, 000 to the NGO. On his part, the Sarkin Kabbin Jega, Alhaji.Mohammadu Arzika Jega thanked the members of the NGO for bringing succour to the patients and called for the expansion of the NGO membership to include people of integrity and sacrifice.

Also in his remark, the Commissioner of women Affairs, Hajiya Hafsat Ahmed who was represented by the Deputy Director Planning and statistic, Yakubu Mohammed Yauri commended the NGO for coming to the

Some inmates at the centre

Sarkin Kabbin Jega, Alhaji.Mohammadu Arzika Jega giving some items to inmates aid of the ministry by assisting the less privileged.

He also called on other NGOs and donor agencies to emulate the association adding that government would continue to support and accord priority to the less privileged by giving them a sense of belonging.

Speaking earlier at the occasion, the Deputy Governor of Kebbi state, Alhaji Ibrahim K. Aliyu who was also represented by his special assistant on political affairs, Haliyu Yauri, also commended the effort of the NGO and assured them of his own support to enable them carry on with their humanitarian work.

Receiving the items, the officer in charge of the center, Bala

Mandiya thanked the association but lamented that they are the first NGO to help them adding that the Kebbi state government has never visited the center. He urged him to assist the inmates who desperately need full rehabilitation.

He further explained that the center has only 15 staff including the doctor, one nurse and 3 health personal from Jega local government council.

Mandiya appealed for more structures and change of feeding because, according to him, they have different training centers that can make the inmates self reliant after recovering from the sickness, " we have tailoring, carpentry and other hvocations".

Speaking, a female inmate, Sa'adatu Duka who hails from Sokoto state, said, ''I have spent five years here and now I'm ok. I want to go back home and see my children and husband, they used to visit me hear at the center, I took drugs and promised not to take it again. I'm a 50 years old woman.

Also speaking, a male inmate, Mallam Mohammed Garba who hails from Birnin Kebbi said, "my coming hear is an act of God, I smoke and was attacked. I'm married with two children. I joined politics but now I'm not going back to politics. I want them to get me a job. I had a Diploma from the polytechnic and I'm almost one year old in this center. I want to go back home and see my people".

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Tourism

Y

ankari National Park is a large wildlife park located in the south-central part of Bauchi State. It covers an area of about 2,244 km² (870 mi²) and is home to several natural warm water springs such as the wiki warm spring, and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Its strategic location in the heartland of Nigeria makes it a unique way for tourists and holiday makers to watch wildlife in its natural habitat and isone of the most popular eco-destinations in West Africa.

The open country and villages that surround Yankari National Park are populated by farmers and herders, but there has been no human settlement in the park for over a century.

There is, however, evidence of earlier human habitation in the park, including old iron smelting sites and caves.

Yankari National Park lies in the southern part of the Sudan Savannah.

It is composed of savannah grassland with well-developed patches of woodland. It is also a region of rolling hills, mostly between 200m and 400m.

Kariyo Hill is the highest point at 640m.

Annual rainfall in the park is between 900mm and 1,000mm. The rainy season is from May to September.

Temperatures range between 18C and 35C. During the dry season, the harmattan wind blows from the Sahara, often bringing dusty skies and night temperatures fall as low as 12C. The hottest period falls in March and April, when temperatures can rise above 40C in the day.

In the dry season, larger wildlife in the park depend on the Gaji river and its tributaries for survival. This river is the only watershed and cuts the park in two. Marshall estimated the area of the Gaji River Valley used by elephants in the dry season at about 40 km². This increases the chances of seeing elephants at this time of year.

The Park's main entrance is at Mainamaji village, about 29 km from Dindima. It is located within the Duguri, Pali and Gwana districts of Alkaleri LGA, Bauchi State. This LGA has a population 208,202 people occupying a total land area of 7,457.78 km².

Wiki warm spring: Tourist high point of the Yankari National Park

The whole park lies on the Kerri formation, of Tertiary age, which is composed of sandstone, silt stones, kaolinites and grits.

Underneath this lies the Gombe formation, of Cretaceous age, composed of sandstones, silt stones, and ironstones. The valleys of the Gaji, Yashi and Yuli Rivers are filled with Alluvium of more recent age.

Sandy loans and clayey soils of riverine alluvium occur in the valley of the Gaji Yashi and Yuli Rivers. East of the Gaji valley is a 5-7 km wide band of very poor sandy soils that support a shrub savanna formation Yankari has rich wildlife resources. The park is an important refuge for over 50

species of mammal including African Bush Elephant, Olive Baboon, Patas Monkey, Tantalus Monkey, Roan Antelope, Western Hartebeest, Lion, African Buffalo, Waterbuck, Bushbuck and Hippopotamus. It also has a large and diverse freshwater ecosystem around its freshwater springs and the Raji River.

There are also over 350 species of bird found in the Park.

Of these, 130 are resident, 50 are Palearctic migrants and the rest are intra-African migrants that move locally within Nigeria. These birds include the Saddle-billed Stork, White-rumped Vulture, Guinea fowl, Grey hornbill, and the Cattle Egret.

Yankari is recognized as having one of the largest populations of elephants in West Africa, estimated at more than 300 in 2005. The growth of the elephant population has become a problem for surrounding villages at times as the animals enter local farms during the rainy season.

The elephants have also stripped the park of many of its baobab trees. More than 330 species of birds have been recorded in the park.

Due to underground geothermal activity, Yankari National Park also features four warm water springs. The camp is named after the most well known of these, the Wikki Spring, from the local Duguri language with "Wikki"

meaning "where are you?". The Wikki Warm Spring is the largest spring and is about 13.0 metres wide and 1.9 metres deep. It daily flows 21,000,000 litres of clear, spring water into the Gaji river. The spring has a constant temperature of 31.1°C through the year during both day and night and has been developed for recreation.

The other warm water springs are Dimmil, Gwan, and Nawulgo springs. A fifth spring, Tungan Naliki, is the only cool spring in the park.Yankari is located in Africa Nigeria The "Wikki Camp" is the tourist centre of the Park.

Located about 42 kilometers from the main entrance gate,

the camp is built beside, and named after, the Wikki warm spring, which is open for swimming 24 hours a day.

There are 110 furnished chalets with varying size and quality, ranging from the ''presidential'' suites to the youth hostel, all of which are being upgraded in phases. The camp also provides a restaurant, bar and conference centre. Daily safari trips depart at least twice from the camp.

The museum in the camp is well stocked with a variety of skins, tusks, bones and fully mounted stuffed game from the park. It is educational while also acting as a conservation centre, displaying hunting gear and traps taken from poachers.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 17

Weekend

Cocktail

Behold, Bauchi’s Salamatu Mai Gurmi >>Page 23

BEAUTY TIPS

KIDDIES

CUISINE

Steps for facial massage Page 19

Kids are not left out in the world of accessories

You can’t separate suya from yaji

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 18

Relationship If you have any relationship story you want to share with our readers, please send to the above address.

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Unspoken truth about infidelity (I)

Heart Matterz With A'isha Biola Raji E-mail: rajia39ishabiola@yahoo.com Phone: 08082071393 (Text only)

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R

O

ften, when we discover that a partner has been cheating, the first question is an anguished "Why?" This often-unanswerable question is what drives us to ruminate on what happened, and we may force our partners to talk about the details over and over again, hoping to find the answers we are searching for.

One of the first things you will need to do to heal from an affair is to explore this question of why it happened and to be open to hearing the real, honest truth. Most people want to blame the cheating partner. And the cheating partner does have to take responsibility for pursuing the outside relationship but no affair happens in a vacuum.

Collusion in the Affair Collusion means "secret cooperation." The dictionary says that collusion is "secret cooperation between two people in order to do something underhanded or undesirable."

Many couples, if they are honest with themselves, may find that the partner who was cheated on colluded with the infidelity even if he or she didn't participate directly in the affair. That means that on some level, there was some type of cooperation, even if unconscious, to make the affair happen.

This secret cooperation may mean the betrayed partner is doing something in the relationship to collude with his or her partner's behavior, even if he or she doesn't realize it. To be unconsciously aware, means

that on some level, the betrayed partner had an idea that their spouse was cheating.

In a 1995 study, two groups of practicing therapists described extramarital affairs they treated or were themselves involved in. They reported that 89% of betrayed spouses in the study were consciously aware of the infidelity or, even if they did not acknowledge it, really did know about the affair. The majority of the betrayed spouses behaved as if they were in collusion with their cheating partners, even when they said they were opposed to the affairs.

Maria and Frank had been stuck in conflict over Maria's

with Joe. You saw how he flirted with me, and you even encouraged me to go over there when his wife was out of town.

You used to say that Joe was probably lonely and that maybe I should go over and have a drink with him. Now you are so mad at me! There's some kind of mixed message here."

Frank was furious with Maria for insinuating that he pushed her into the affair: "I never told you to cheat with him.

Did I ever say, 'Go sleep with Joe; he and his wife aren't having any?"

As Frank's feelings calmed down, he tried to see things from Maria's point of view, to find

“

One of the first things you will need to do to heal from an affair is to explore this question of why it happened and to be open to hearing the real, honest truth. affair for over a year. Maria had cheated on Frank with a neighbor, Joe, someone they saw weekly for card games and occasional barbeques. When Frank found out that Maria had cheated with Joe, he became incensed and almost left her.

As time progressed and Maria and Frank discussed the affair, Maria shared her confusion with her husband: "I always felt that you approved of my relationship

some empathy for her experience: "I guess it makes sense that she would move toward Joe. Maybe I was hoping that they would cheat so I would have an excuse to leave."

Maria said, "This is not your fault. I definitely made the move to step over the line." Frank realized he had unconsciously colluded with her about the affair.

– www.naij.com

ashid was his name, he found me and I fell in love, head over heels in love. Being shy naive and a virgin at 20, it felt like heaven on earth being found by my prince charming.

I wanted my first time to be special and pure after probably a wedding, but my love felt that it wouldn't be easy for him to wait and after a long struggle I guess I gave in to his demands, after all he was the love of my life.

One, two months down the line and I missed my periods.Scared and unsure of what was happening I rushed to my love. I was shocked whenI found him in bed with another lady. I was shocked beyond words, I couldn't cry.

For a moment everything felt numb, this was the only love I had ever known, my pillar and the father of my unborn child.

Having an abortion wasn't an option for me, I remember spending most of the eight months crying, the heartache was unbearable, I was depressed and kept to myself the whole time, my heart was bleeding, the embarrassment was too much but despite everything I wanted my baby to live so I made up my mind to give it up for adoption.

February 5th 2001 late in the evening, I was home alone when I felt pain coming and going, I was a bit alarmed

so I went searching for my love, to my surprise, he turned me down and left.

Thank God my Mom who had traveled upcountry arrived in the middle of the night just by luck or sheer coincidence and prepared me for hospital very early in the morning as the pain had gotten worse.

10.00 a.m. in the morning February 6th 2001, I delivered the most beautiful angel in the world. It was love at first sight despite all the embarrassment I caused my family.

My mom was my pillar and my strength,my dad,brothers and sisters made sure we never lacked anything but deep down in my heart,I was scarred for life,mad at myself for falling in love,mad at myself for the pain I have caused my daughter for not giving her a father. I always blame myself for everything…Why would someone I loved so much cause me and my baby so much pain?

Reply Your story is heart wrenching. But don’t worry love will find you.

For now, concentrate on giving your child the best, love, care, eduation, and above all pray earnestly for God to guide you on finding a man who would love you and your child sincerely and be grateful to God for giving you a good mom, who wasthere foryou after Rasheed deserted you.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 19

Beauty Tips Importance of having smooth beautiful face Facial massage helps you to remain beautiful, youthful and have healthy skin. Facial massage can slow down your ageing. Damaged skin looks really bad, like a deflated balloon. Facial massage can rejuvenate your skin and make it look better.

Factors responsible for your skin damage Skin gets damaged and loses elasticity due to: " UV rays " Dehydration " Ageing Also people with oily skin secrete excessive sebum that clogs the pores, making the skin susceptible to acne and rash.

Effects of skin massage Massage is the self-exercise for your skin. It works deeply in to skin, cleans the rooted dirt and it also improves blood circulation and relieves stress.

Results of facial massage Facial massage results in fair and smooth skin. The skin's elasticity also replenishes. It becomes more translucent and it has a healthy glow.

Working of facial massage Dirty particles embedded in the skin are responsible for acne and rash. They cannot be removed by washing. Facial massage and mask increases the, the skin temperature, opening the pores and removing these particles.

Correct method of facial massage By a moderate massage, the skin temperature rises, improving blood circulation and the ingredients contained in the massage formula function effectively on the skin. It also has relaxing effect.

Maintain a Healthy Epidermis and Dermis With age blood circulation becomes bad to worse. When blood circulation is improved with facial massage and mask, sufficient oxygen and nutrients are transported to create a healthy epidermis and dermis.

The Skin's sauna effect is facial mask

By entirely covering the skin and increasing the temperature, blood circulation is improved and ingredients in the mask formula function effectively on the skin.

The do's of facial massage " The frequency of massaging should be appropriate for the skin's condition. Those who fear skin problems may continue a gentle, effective treatment on a daily basis, limiting the time to short periods. For those who do not routinely massage their skin,

massage every 3-4 days with a massage product. " Use your entire palm when massaging a wide area, " Use generous amounts of massage cream, especially for those who have dry skin. " In the direction of facial curves, massaging should be done in a rhythm of inner to outer motions The don'ts of a facial massage " Don't take small amount of cream. If too little massage cream is

applied, the hands will not glide over the skin, creating excessive stimulation. " Don't use just your finger.

When using just your finger, the skin suffers too much stimulation. " Don't massage in irregular directions. If you do not massage in the direction of facial curves, wrinkles can be formed.

Don't go for excessive massage.

Excessive massaging can over stimulate the skin.

Steps for facial massage

Step 1: From the top: Place tips of 3 fingers in the middle of the forehead, slide down toward the temples.

Repeat 3-5 times with slight pressure.

Step 4: Use tips of the index fingers, start from the chin, and move up, end below the cheek bones. Hold 30 seconds.

Repeat 3-5 times.

Step 3: Slide index fingers to the corner of the lips, pull up. Hold for 30 seconds.

Repeat 3-5 times.

Step 2: Place fingers above the beginning of the eyebrows, slide toward the temples.

Repeat 3-5 times with slight pressure.

Step 5: Begin from chin, rub your palms against your cheek bones, and jawlines, toward your temples and ears.

Repeat 3-5 times.

Step 6: Right below the cheek bones.

Lightly press upward, hold for 30 seconds.

Repeat 3-5 times.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 20

Learning

With Emmanuel Eko 08165618872 junioremma419@gmail.com

The White Tiger Author:Aravind Adiga

T

he White Tiger is the story of Balram, the son of a rickshaw puller, who lives in a small Indian village. He finds the destitution of his family repulsive and decides to break away from it.

He is constantly on the lookout of opportunities that could alleviate his poverty. He learns how to drive and manages a driver's job with the landlord of his village.

Lady Luck smiles upon him when Balram is asked to accompany the landlord's son to Delhi as a

driver.

In Delhi, Balram learns the ways of the urban society. A keen observer and a fast learner, Balram realizes very soon that a little dishonesty can bring him enough money for a secure future.

So he robs and murders his employer, runs away to Bangalore with his loot and starts his own business there. Years later, Balram is seen as an influential member of the Bangalore power circle successfully steering his career from one height to another.

Gullivers Travels Author: Jonathan Swift

Hamlet Author: Shakespeare

H

William

amlet is a revenge story that is perhaps like any other- a son's quest for avenging his father's murder. But it has been said that nothing is new under the sun. All stories are old and familiar, and it is the telling that raises it to the level of a masterpiece. Love, lust and hatred, those indispensable elements of every story, are discovered anew in this timeless classic.

The drama pulls the reader into an intimate

engagement and Hamlet's tragedy becomes the tragedy of every individual.

No nation is a stranger to political intrigues and love affairs. Scandals in the court are scintillating without being surprising. With the words "something is rotten in the state of Denmark", Shakespeare underlines the universality of 'rotten'-ness.

The king of Denmark is killed by his brother, who lusts after the crown and the queen. Hamlet, the prince, comes to know about this and vows revenge.

L

emuel Gulliver is an educated and trained surgeon. He speaks to the readers retelling his experiences at sea.

Presented as a simple traveler's narrative, Gulliver's adventures are divided into four parts.

The first part is situated in Lilliput where he finds himself in the company of thousands of miniature people called Lilliputians.

The second is on the peninsula-type land of Brobdingnag, an opposite world from Lilliput where Gulliver becomes the

Lilliputian and everyone is a giant to him.

The third part moves to the island of Laputa, a floating island inhabited by theoreticians and academics which oppresses the land below, called Balnibarbi. Finally in the fourth part he arrives in an unknown land.

This land is populated by Houyhnhnms, the rational-thinking horses who rule, and by Yahoos, the inferior brutish servants to the horses who bear the image of a human.

Get this e-book now at a very low price.

• Two wrongs don't make a right, but two Wrights made an airplane.

• It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop at the end.

• The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

• It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.

• Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun.

• The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in the bathroom.

• If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would have put them on my knees.

• Never knock on Death's door; ring the doorbell and run (he hates that).

• Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself).

• When you're

finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess?

• If you're living on the edge, make sure you're wearing your seat belt.

• The mind is like a parachute; it works much better when it's open.

• Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive, anyway.

• Life is sexually transmitted.

• Kids in the back seat cause accidents; accidents in the back seat cause kids.

• There are two kinds of pedestrians...the quick and the dead.

• An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.

• A closed mouth gathers no feet.

• Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Black Beauty

Author: Anna Sewell

T

he book is an autobiography from the point of view of the titular horse, named Black Beauty. The first part of the book deals with Beauty's birth in a meadow, his time spent as a foal with his mother and the advice she gives him to behave well to be treated well. Then he is sold to the Squire Gordon who is a horse lover and cares very well for his animals. Here he meets the grooms John Manly and James Howard who are

loving, neat and efficient. Beauty spends the better part of three years here and makes friends with the other horses: Ginger, Merrylegs and Sir Oliver. This idyllic life ends with the beginning of the second part where Beauty is sold, along with Ginger to Earlshall Park. The life is harder there and the painful bearing rein is used on the horses.

A riding accident causes his knees to be ruined.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Health I've been hiccupping every two seconds for ten weeks, says 13 year old girl

By Jaymi Mccann

S

choolgirl Emily Marsh's hiccups started on a normal day in January when she was on her way to a mathematics class.

The 13-year-old has not been able to stop since, hiccupping every two seconds, even when she is asleep.

Experts are baffled by her rare condition and haven't yet been able to find a cure.

Emily has undergone a whole series of tests since she went to her doctor after a week, and was referred to St. Helier Hospital, in Epsom, Surrey.

She has had an MRI scan, ultrasound scan, chest X-ray, endoscopy, biopsies, a nasal chute to measure her pH levels, and a gastric emptying study.

Doctors have prescribed a variety of different drugs, which haven't worked and she has tried osteopathy and hypnosis.

The schoolgirl has tried every home-made remedy, from a spoonful of vinegar to holding her breath and is so desperate that she is about to have a go at acupuncture and has appointments to see an audiologist and tic doctor.

She finds it so exhausting she's been given afternoons off school to rest.

"We are willing to try anything," said her mother Cathy Barrett, 45, a charity worker from Wallington, Surrey.

"It's been 10 weeks now, and a very long 10 weeks at that.

Emily is exhausted by it all but she's taking it in her stride.

"It makes her throat very sore but she deals with it very well. The thing that frustrates her is this constant tired feeling.

"Strangers are forever offering her a glass of water but school has been very understanding."

Emily is one of only a handful of young people known to have had sustained chronic hiccups.

She can only manage half a day at Stanley Park High School, Carshalton, Surrey, because the constant movement is not only painful but exhausting.

Emily said, "I have tried everything, even the spoonful of vinegar. It was horrible; I refused to do it again.

"I've tried drinking backwards, holding my breath and people at school have been trying to scare me a lot."

The hiccups, an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm, become minimal when Emily is in a deep sleep but return at full force as soon as she enters a lighter sleep.

She is currently being treated with two drugs, domperidone, an anti-nausea medicine, and omeprazole, used to treat gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Cathy added, "Absolutely nothing has worked. We have tried hypnotherapy and osteopathy but we are now completely running out of ideas.

"She's just got to the stage where she's just fed up and wants them to go. I can understand if you have hiccups for 10-15 minutes it's horrible.

"We believe that someone somewhere must be able to help or come up with a solution." She said Emily had never had health problems.

Dr. Ritu Handa, the paediatric consultant looking after Emily at Queen Mary's Children Hospital at St Helier Hospital, said they had tried a string of tests on Emily including an MRI scan, blood tests and extensive assessments of her stomach.

However, all the tests have proved inconclusive. Other medical problems have been known to cause chronic hiccuping, but doctors have so far been unable to find anything wrong with Emily and have ruled out serious medical conditions.

Dr. Handa said, "This condition is very rare and it is frustrating for Emily and her family. We are doing everything we can, working with our colleagues and closely with the family, to try and find an answer to this young girl's hiccups."

Cathy said the problem was medication known to have worked on adults cannot be used on Emily because it is not suitable for children. One drug she has already tried, Haloperidol, left her ill in hospital for a week.

Cathy said a young American girl had created a 'hiccupop' which she believes will stop hiccups as it worked for her but it had yet to be released for public sale.

She praised St Helier Hospital, Stanley Park High School and the Chiltern Health Centre who are all providing help to the youngster.

Other cases of people to have had chronic hiccupping include an American man, Charles Osborne, who is in the Guinness Book of World Records after having hiccups for 68 years from 1922 to 1990, when they mysteriously stopped.

In 2010 a musician resorted to brain surgery after hiccupping an estimated 20million times over several years.

Chris Sands, 26, from Timberland, Lincolnshire, suffered his first hiccupping attack in September 2006.

It halted after a fortnight, and then returned in February 2007, becoming as frequent as every two seconds, 24 hours a day.

The normal remedies all failed, including hundreds of different ways of drinking water and eating a teaspoon of peanut

butter, medical schemes including an oxygen chamber and alternative therapies such as yoga and hypnotherapy.

Finally he appealed for help on the internet and was flown by a

Japanese TV station to see a Tokyo hiccup specialist who found a tumour the size of a Malteser on his brain stem.

Following an operation to remove it, Mr Sands believed he

was cured but as a result of the dangerous operation suffered numbness down his left side and now has difficulty with coordination which he was warned could last for years.

Long lasting hiccups Hiccups that last more than 48 hours can be categorised into: Persistent or protracted hiccups, a bout of hiccups that lasts for more than 48 hours Intractable hiccups, a bout of hiccups that lasts longer than a month Hiccups are common and most people will get them at some point during their life. They can affect people of any age, including babies. Men and women are equally affected by episodes of short-lived hiccups.

However, for reasons that are unclear, persistent and intractable hiccups are more common in men. Intractable hiccups are more common in adults. These types of hiccups can be tiring and upsetting, and can make eating and drinking difficult.

Persistent and intractable hiccups are

rare and usually caused by another underlying health condition. In 80% of cases of persistent or intractable hiccups, a cause can be identified.

The remaining 20% of cases usually have a psychological cause.

Most hiccups will pass quickly and usually only last a few minutes. Treatment is not usually required.

However, in cases of persistent or intractable hiccups that last longer than 48 hours, further investigations are needed to identify the cause and appropriate treatment.

As well as treatment for underlying conditions, there are also self-help techniques that may help some people to stop common types of hiccups. www.nhs.uk

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 23

rajia39ishabiola@yahoo.com 08082071393.

With Aunty A'isha

AFRICAN TALES

MODEL OF THE WEEK

The missing picnic food

Ikhmat Muhammed Lawal in kitchen

F

inally Mom said, "Well, your drinks are still out here, let's get your sandwiches. You guys go ahead and eat them out here and maybe something will turn up."

Tanya, Kama, and Jare sat down for their picnic and they ate their sandwiches. Of course, while they sat there, they couldn't help but look around for the sneaky nodules and carrot thief.

They were just about finished eating when Jare looked over at the bushes and saw something move. She softly said, "Shshsh!" to Tanya and Kama. "There's something wiggling over there!

See the bushes moving?" So everyone sat very still and a little brown animal came to edge of the bushes and looked at them. It was a rabbit. Quietly it went back into the bushes.

"I have an idea", said Tanya.

"Let's get more nodules and carrots and see if that rabbit is our thief.

We'll put them at the edge of the

bushes and watch from the window."

They quietly went back into the house and got Mom to dish more nodules and carrots. They carefully put them down near the bushes and walked back to the house.

As they watched, the little rabbit came out and grabbed the food in its mouth and carried them back into the bushes. Mom had watched too and she said she had never seen a rabbit in the yard before.

She thought that maybe because of the forest fire, it had needed to look for a new home.

"Maybe we can keep feeding this rabbit and it will stay here for a long time," said Mom. That is just what they did;they fed the little rabbit every day.

A few weeks went by,the weather turned cooler and finally winter came and they didn't see the rabbit. Sometimes they would take food out to the edge of the

bushes, and sometimes the food would disappear and other times it just stayed there. All through harmattan season, they worried about the rabbit, was it cold, was it scared, did it move somewhere else?

Finally, rain came,they watched for the rabbit day after day. In early April, the day before Easter, when the trees had just a few leaves, Tanya, Kama and Jare took food out to the bushes and as they watched, the little rabbit came out and grabbed it!

Whatever it had done during the harmattan, it was OK now!

The kids continued to feed it and one day, the little rabbit came out to get its food and it had four little rabbits with it ! Their rabbit was a Mommy rabbit!

So from that time on, the kids fed the rabbits and year after year, there was always a little rabbit family that lived in their untidy old bushes.

The End

ACTIVITIES Using different colours of your choice, paint the picture below. Name and describe it. Show your work to your teacher for correction. Cheers!

CREA TIVITY CREATIVITY

Make stained glass cookies for picnic

M

ake your own tasty stained glass that you can take out for picnic! These Stained Glass Cookies are tasty to eat and they double as beautiful birthday gift.

What you need: " Refrigerated cookie (dough) " Fruit-flavored hard candies " Plastic sandwich bags (one for each color) and a rolling pin " Non-stick spray

" Parchment paper What to do: Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into strips

about 1/4 thick. Use to make outlines on a foil-covered cookie sheet,pinch ends together well. Start with

simple shapes and then try more complex ones.

Sort the hard candies into plastic bags by color. Crush them with a rolling pin. Use to fill openings in the cookies.

Lightly coat parchment paper with non-stick spray,place paper on cookie sheet, arrange the cookies and bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes until it is lightly brown.

Cool cookies completely and then peel off foil.

PAGE 24

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Kannywood

Entertainment

With Stanley Onyekwere sunnixman@gmail.com

The world of Salamatu Mai gurmi From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

It's not actress live flamboyant lives than actors – Queen Nwokoye

N

H

ajiya Salamatu Mai Gurmi is among the famous Hausa language female singers who play the local guiter called Gurmi with the musical genre known as 'Kidan Gurmi' in North East Nigeria's Bauchi state.

She attends different events including political functions, marriages and naming ceremonies. Infact, all forms of functions both traditional and modern, to play her Gurmi music rendering praises on dignitaries as well as entertaining the audience.

Being a woman did not deter her from mingling with majority of the male traditional singers and yet succeeding in her career to carve a niche for herself.

Salamatu who hails from Hadejia in Kano state, is married with four children and resides in Bauchi where she is practicing what she knows best.

She has developed so much passion for Kidan Gurmi which according to her, was inherited from her nephews who used to play Kidan Garaya in the village when they were kids.

Hajiya Salamatu said, she did not acquire western education apart from the Qur'anic school she attended in the village because most of her people felt that western education was for the children of the rich and well-to-do. "Our parents did not even give much attention to western education. All they wanted was for us to do Karatun Allo, Tsangaya Quranic school".

According to her, she has been playing the Gurmi for over 20 years ago while her nephews hardly play at festivities because they are hunters, but always play it when in the bush. "But I play my own to entertain people and as you know, we, the traditional singers give more priority to traditional rulers, politicians and those who love our songs". "if the politicians invite us, we try to honour their invitation and sing for them and we also go to occasions like wedding, political functions, naming ceremony to entertain people, even when we are not invited to an occasion, we do go there to entertain people to earn a living because some of them love my songs but whether politicians invite us or not, our traditional rulers like us, so they can never reject us".

When asked how much she makes in a day, she said, "it depends, at times you can go home with N5,000, N10,000 or N20,000 but I am not doing it because of the money but

PAGE 25

ollywood actress, Queen Nwokoyehas described as untrue the perception that actresses in the acting industry live more flamboyant lives than their male counterparts, who because have families to cater for as the bread winners of their homes.

Nigeriafilms.com reports that the actress while responding to question on why the notion, argued that female forks in the make-believe-world share same status with their male counterparts as they don't make more money than them.

"I do not agree that actresses live more flamboyant lives than actors; it is not true. But it looks like that because the men have families to cater for as the bread winners of their homes. They pay school fees and house rents when a single actress will use all that money to buy a car or so. In that case, she would be seen as living a

more flamboyant live.

"When you check, almost all our actors are married with kids and having home responsibilities to attend to. But a lot of actresses

Wizkid flaunts Rolls Royce keys

are married to guys that can take care of them and whatever they make is an extra income for them to live flamboyant lives. That is how I see it", she expressed.

E

stranged artiste of Nigerian R and B star, Banky W's EME

Music, Wizkid, now the Star Boy Records boss showed off a Rolls Royce car key on Instagram,on Friday, Nigeriafilms.com has gathered.

According to the report, at the Pepsi tour held at UNILAG, Tiwa Savage and Chidinma posed on a Rolls Royce car believed to be Wizkid's.

"If what we are getting is anything to go by, then, estranged artiste of Banky W's EME Music Wizkid is a proud owner of a BMW car may have added a new 'mobile home' to his garage", the report said.

Ruggedman, Queen Ure, Ay, Bovi, others battle in table tennis show of supremacy

R

uggedman, , Blackface, Queen Ure, Ay, Bovi, T i m i D a k o l o l i k e AdewaleAyuba, Alhaji SK Sensation, tops list of some top Nigerian celebrities in for a battle to qualify for the rounds of 16 of the tennis competition put together by the Copyright Society of Nigeria(COSON), in Lagos.

Others are KweenOnokala, TimiDakolo, Mike Effiong, EfeOmorogbe, LanreFalana, Ay, Bovi, GideonOkeke among many others.

The event tagged 'COSON All Stars Table Tennis Blowout, which offers the teeming fans of these artists the opportunity to see some of their favourite stars battle this weekend in Lagos, is part of the programmes lined up to celebrate the COSON week in May.

Nigeriafilms.com gathered that on Sunday, April 7, the prestigious Multi-purpose hall of Rowe Park

Sports Centre, Yaba, will welcome the top stars, who will battle for glory.

Jim Iyke's Impostor Caught In Onitsha

A

n impostor of Nolywood 'bad boy' actor, Jim Iyke, whose identity was not revealed, has been reportedly caught by some officials of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), in Onitsha, Anambra state, reports Nigeriafilms.com.

According to the report, confirming the story was the bank through a series of tweets on Wednesday; the tweets were directed at Jim Iyke informing him of the latest development.

"According to what we gathered, the fraudster allegedly opened an Instagram account with the name 'Jim Iyke Official' defrauding unsuspecting fans of the actor with the account", the online entertainment portal quoted the bank saying.

H o w e v e r , u n n a m e d representative of the actor confirmed to that Jim Iyke does not have an account on Instagram.

Nigeriafilms.com further gathered that the bank stated that it has handed over the fraudster to the police in Onitsha.

Wishing you a happy married life because I have so much passion for what I'm doing. I could remember during the last administration, when the former first lady came to Bauchi, I followed them from one place to another on Okada with my money and played for them but at the end of the day, I did not get anything. So, I was on my way home when the former governor Adamu Muazu sent security men to call me.

"When I met with him, he asked me what I wanted him to do for me saying he has been seeing me around for a long time, then I told him, I needed a car but, then he asked me if I have ever been to Mecca, and I said no. So, he promised me a hajj seat which he granted and that year I was among the pilgrims that went for Hajj. So, you can see that despite not

getting any money on that occasion, I got what was greater than money. Up till now I do not have a car. So, I always go wherever I want to go to play my Gurmi on Okada".

On whether her husband approves of her profession, Salamatu said, "Yes, he knows it because I have been in the business before he married me and since our marriage, my husband has continued to like what I am doing, he is very understanding because he knows what I'm capable of doing, so he does not worry over what I do as I career, he gives me the necessary support".

Asked for how long she wishes to continue with the work, she said "I love playing the music but you know it is not easy moving from one place to

another as a woman, so to be candid to you, if I can get something else to do, I will stop playing gurmi because I do not want any of my children to inherit it because traditional music was being given due recognition and respect in the past but now, it is only the traditional rulers that value us.

When I started it, I did not attach much meaning to it, but only enjoy playing it, now it has become my source of livelihood".

"I am grateful to Almighty Allah for giving me the strength and wisdom to strive in this my career and for making me popular among many of the praise singers in the state. Also, I have always expressed my appreciation to the media for their concern in my profession. I always pray for them to also excel in their own duties", she said.

Malama Ummukulthum was former staff of I.T department of Peoples Media Ltd

Aide to the Senate President, Halid Abubakar with his wife, Ene Halid during their Church wedding ceremony at St. Ann's Chaplaincy, Otukpo Benue state recently.

?

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Hollywood/Bollywood Manoj Kumar drags Shahrukh Khan, Farah Khan to Court

R

etired actor-film maker, Manoj Kumar lodged a criminal case in a local court recently against superstar Shah Rukh Khan and choreographer-director Farah Khan for allegedly defaming in their 2007 movie "Om Shanti Om".

Among other things, the 75-year old actor has demanded registration of a first information report against Shah Rukh and Farah for alleged offences

pertaining to cheating, defamation, criminal breach of trust and conspiracy, in his complaint before the Andheri Metropolitan Court.

A source gathered that the case is related to a scene in the blockbuster movie in which Shah Rukh had mimicked Manoj Kumar in a manner which the veteran actor found objectionable.

Why Pitbull replaced Lopez at IPL 6 replace her.

The 43-year-old had insisted on a opening

I

nformation has revealed how American rapper Pitbull was chosen to replace Hollywood actress-singer, Jennifer Lopez at the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 season opening ceremony after she was originally picked to perform at the event.

J-Lo as she is fondly called reportedly got herself axed from the IPL gig with estimated 60 million viewers when she gave the organisers a long list of unessential demands.

The international celebrity was to perform for the opening ceremony of the IPL but apparently was fired from her job due to her long list of unessential demands, which prompted rapper Pitbull being approached to

private plane and dozens of hotel rooms for her huge entourage, including her stylists, assistants and chef, reported a website.

It was gathered that disgusted officials who wanted to book her for the opening ceremony of the IPL cricket tournament instead signed up rapper Pitbull for the forth-coming event.

"The demands were outrageous.

She effectively priced herself out of the event. It was idiotic because the audience for this event is huge," said the source.

However, the report further quoted an unnamed Lopez's spokesperson, saying: "She had turned down the deal because she was busy recording an album."

Quick spotlight on what Stephenie Meyer's 'The Host' and Bong Joon-ho's 'The Host' share in common

O

n the surface, Stephenie Meyer's The Host (directed by Andrew Niccol) and Korean auteur Bong Joonho's The Host have nothing in common.

But that's just because you didn't look deep enough!

Vidya Balan, Emraan Hashmi to promote 'Ghanchakkar' in local trains

M

umbai local trains play an important role in Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi -starrer "Ghanchakkar", as the makers have decided to promote the film in local trains.

Bollywoodworld.com reports that a source close to the team revealed that the Mumbai local trains play a vital role in the film, so "when promotion strategies were being discussed, promotions on train was considered an important idea".

"Emraan and Vidya are set to promote the film on the local trains in four cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Indore and Lucknow," added the source.

"Ghanchakkar" promos released digitally, garnered positive response from the audience; directed by Rajkumar Gupta, the film is slated for a June 21 release, the report said.

Veena Malik vists Gurdwara Sahib in Punjab

B

ollywood actress Veena Malik is turning into religious, the actress currently is in Punjab shooting for her upcoming Punjabi movie "Eh Dil The Mamla" where she took some time out from her hectic schedule to visit Gurdwara of ninth Sikh guru Shri Teg Bahadur in Patiala.

According to the report, the beautiful actress was seen in Gurdwara in Salwar Suit covering her head by her yellow Chunni, where she offered prayers, to seek a blessing for her upcoming movie.

She is currently busy in promoting her movie "The City That Never Sleeps" which is produced by Satish Reddy and Directed

by Haroon Rashid.

She said: "I feel very happy to visit Gurdwara and get a chance to offer prayer. I seek blessing from Shri Teg Bahadur for me and my movie. I am a very religious person and I do not create any boundaries in believing in God and I respect every religion".

Gurdwara is the place of worship for Sikhs however, people of all faiths are welcomed in the Gurdwara. The Gurdwara has a Darbar Sahib where the Guru Granth Sahib is seen. Also Veena had earlier visited Ajmer Sharif Dargah and was seen reading a Bhagavad Geeta.

Clearly, Meyer's film is a YA extravaganza featuring a love square among a girl whose body has been possessed by an alien soul, the girl herself who still exists inside the darkest recesses of her own brain via incredibly annoying voiceover, and the two perfectly coifed, absolutely indistinguishable CW-ready hunks both girls have fallen in love with.

Bong Joon-ho's The Host is a blistering environmentalist parable working within classic monster movie conventions: a schoolgirl is abducted by a freaky river monster that was only created because of toxic waste dumping.

As a Korean film, it faced the usual stateside hurdle of snagging a large audience when you have subtitles.

Meyer's film, however, was expected to be a decently-performing blockbuster with franchise potential. And yet her Host bombed with an $11 million opening weekend bow, far below expectations, while Bong's film, though

making far less with only $2.2 million for its lifetime gross, exceeded expectations for a foreign-made monster movie. It also walked away with a much higher per-theater average than Meyer's film, due to how it only ever played on 116 screens to the Meyer film's 3,200. And yet, these two films have more in common than one would expect.

Here are seven points of similarity between them: • They're both about a girl (as presented in Korean film as Go Ah-sung and in Meyer's film, Saoirse Ronan) who may still be alive against all Odds • Both movies are also about a failure to communicate.

• They're both about how family sticks together • Both are critical of big government structure • Both feature invasive medical procedures •

Both involve stealing

• Both display a remarkable attraction for hair product

Jane Henson, wife of Jim, Co-Creator of the Muppets dies at 78

C

o-Creator of the Muppets, a googlyeyed, perpetually smiling breed of small screen sensations in children entertainment world, Jane Henson, 78, is reported by Variety to have passed on, Tuesday in Conn., following a struggle with cancer, Hollywood.com has said.

Jane, with husband Jim Henson, helped to create the Muppets, effectively sealing her fate as one of the most influential figures in children's entertainment and a phenomenon that would maintain a stronghold on pop culture forever.

According to the report, Young Jane and Jim met each other as classmate at the University of Maryland in the early 1950s, not only a romance was born the two married in 1959.

Long past her separation from Jim

in '86 and his death four years later, Jane strove to keep the spirit of the Muppets and everything the pair crafted within them alive.

Queens, New York (N.Y) native Jane brought her creative endeavors to Washington D.C.'s WCR-TV (where she and Jim appeared as college freshmen), the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Conn; (where she co-founded the National Puppetry Conference), and all across the nation, earning honors from a slew of organizations recognizing the importance of the art of puppetry.

The Hensons' legacy carries forth through the persistent popularity of the Muppets, who will find form in a new caper film, Muppets again in 2014.

Jane is survived by her and Jim's five children: Lisa, Cheryl, Brian, John and Heather.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 30 — SUNDAY 31, MARCH, 2013

PAGE 27

Homes Accentuate your walls with picture frames N

othing decorates your home like art, especially pictures adorned in beautiful custom picture frames.

However, it isn't as simple as picking out any picture frames and hanging them up. Choosing the right frame and picture

4 tips in maintaining the walls of your home

H

ome maintenance is one of the key tasks to preserve the rectitude of your home. The process includes taking care of all the parts of the home, right from the ceiling to the flooring, walls, windows, doors etc. Maintaining walls can be a major problem, if not cleaned on routine basis. Light and regular cleaning of the walls will keep them looking fresh. Walls can be made up of brick, cement, wood, glass, concrete block etc. Walls easily catch dirt due to fingerprints, crayon marks, cigarette smoke and so on.

Here are few tips to maintain your home walls: •Washing your walls: There are certain techniques to wash your home walls. Wash the walls from bottom to top, to prevent streaks, cover the clean area.

Cleaning depends on the wall paint and the wall texture. Rubbing too much may cause strains or remove the paint. Use water and a clean sponge to wash the wall. Rub gently with the sponge on the stains. You can mix the water with the liquid soap and wipe the soapy residue on the prominent marks.

• Whitewash: One of the key ingredients to keep your wall fresh is whitewashing it. Whitewash is not a paint, it is a very thin plaster made by mixing water, lime and other components. The technique is quite cost-effective and hygienic. It gives the wall a complete clean and fresh look. To apply a thick coat over the walls use large paint brush.

• Remove stains: Stains like crayon marks, cooking grease, cigarette smoke, lipstick and others are created on the wall accidently or by children.

Use a wet sponge, apply some pressure and wipe the area in circular motions. You can fill a bucket with hot water and add ¼ cup of pine based cleaner and wipe the stain off with the sponge. Pine based cleaner such as Pine-Sol is mild and won't damage the paint.

• Glossy paint: Make use of latex polymer paints, as they are easy to clean and maintain. These paints are smooth and shiny which allows creating less marks as well as less dirt to settle on the walls. You can also make use of semi-gloss paints.

framing supplies greatly increases the overall look of the picture itself and works to complement the feel of the entire room.

A framed piece of art is built around of several components.

Obviously, there is the art, the frame, the pre-cut mat board, the external surface placed over the art work to protect it, mount board, and everything that comes in picture framing kits. Of all these, the picture frames are the most important and the most straightforward, being manufactured in either wood or metal and installation is a snap with picture framing kits.

Hanging those pieces of art or even an everyday picture can be a real challenge. The first thing you need to do is know that there are two parts to the picture frame hanging process.

There is the mounting hardware on the frame itself, and then mounting the frame on the wall.

It is advisable to purchase picture framing kits. They make life much easier.

There are a number of different options to choose from.

The one you go with depends upon several variables, such as the size and weight of the picture, the material of the frame, and the surface you wish to hang the picture on.

The pre-cut mat board is used primarily for two reasons.

Firstly, it serves as a support for the picture frames, preventing them from getting damaged through bending and folding. It also creates a layer of separation layer between the picture and the glazing so that nothing is directly in contact with it. The majority of framed art pieces come with a single mat layer and a mount board as part of a picture framing kits.

You can choose to use double, even triple mat layers.

When it comes to picking out a color for the mat, it is recommend that you go with a more neutral color, such as your whites, creams, ivories, sandstones, pearls, grays and blacks. Neutral colors are preferable since they tend to enhance and guide the attention to the picture. Neutral colors can easily fit into any room, as well, with never a worry about them seeming out of place.

Above all, remember to have fun and enjoy yourself when decorating. There is no point in doing if you aren't enjoying it.

Decorating your home with custom picture frames is one of the easiest ways to accentuate and beautify your home environment in a warm and personal manner. yahoovoices.com

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

C uisine You can't separate suya from yaji S

uya with gizzard, kidney, onions and tomato with one bitter lemon is one of the best things that ever happened to grilled beef or lamb or goat or chicken. Suya has been recommended for those going on a strict protein diet.

What makes Suya so unique is the spice used to make it.

Some call it "Suya Pepper."

You could also use this spice for other dishes for a little more flavour. It is called "yaji" in the Hausa language.

Without yaji, suya will lack the distinct flavour that makes it thick.

Ingredients: • 2.5 teaspoons finely grounded roasted peanuts • 1 teaspoon dry pepper or cayenne pepper or chilli pepper flakes (ground) • 1 teaspoon paprika • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Yaji

Pots & Pans

With Hajiya Ramatu Usman Dorayi

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder • 1 teaspoon of salt • 1 cube of Maggi

a fine powder Add grounded pepper (dry pepper), paprika, ground ginger, garlic and onion powder and salt to the bowl of grounded peanuts.

Mix ingredients together and you have your Suya spice called "yaji".

Method: Grind roasted peanuts to

A collection of ingredients for yaji

Pumpkin seed milk Pumpkin seed nutrition umpkin seeds are packed with nutrition, some highlights of which include a significant source of the anti-oxidant Vitamin E, as well as the essential fatty acid Omega 6, and a good bit of protein. It's also a great source of folate (folic acid) and especially good for pregnant mothers.

Fresh pumpkin seed milk recipe • 1 container of raw Pumpkin seeds (no need to soak) • 4 litres of clean water • salt • 1 cup raw honey (or other sweetener to taste sweetener is optional, as you might want the milk for a savory recipe, such as a soup)

P

Method: Blend ingredients till smooth in blender.

Place nut milk in a bowl and pour the milk into the bag.

Carefully (just so you don't splash yourself or the counter) squeeze the pulp down towards the bottom of the bag and the milk out the bottom. Slide and push down as you would a tube of toothpaste. When you get to the bottom, really give it some good squeezes to get all the moisture out.

Note: It will be easier the less powerful your blender is.

The more powerful it is, the finer the pulp will be that you'll have to squeeze to get the milk out.

Use it right away, or by the next morning. Keep leftovers in the fridge. It is normal for separation to occur, but when you stir it up it gets creamy again.

The seeds

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Womanhood True story...How I married the man I didn’t love Continued from last week….

I

was no longer angry with Chris by this time, but I made sure I was never alone with him. He came again to Ghana with me to get my visa package; it was only an 8 hour's drive by road. That morning, he said that he had something to tell me something. What he was saying seemed so outlandish to me that I started to laugh. I said “Chris, you're a Ghanaian, you're not educated, you cannot read or write properly, you are poor as a church rat, you have no job, no prospects, can you really imagine my parents allowing me to marry you?" I said don't worry, when I get to Canada, I will send you some money and you will find a nice girl from Ghana to marry.

He went into the bathroom, then came out and grabbed my wrist. I had already started to scream, but he took a sharp blade and made three quick cuts across my wrist. Then he brought out his wrist which was already bleeding and pressed it with mine which he had. He said "I have put our blood together. Now not only do we have a sexual covenant, we also have a blood covenant. Our bloods have been mixed together."

I was in shock. He said "the only way you can ever break this is to marry me, or else you will never be free. If you try to marry someone else after this, or if you sleep with someone else after this, one of you must die."

I knew nothing about the dynamics of blood covenants; all I had heard was that people usually died from it. I was terrified. I left Chris and returned home to Nigeria by myself. My parents and siblings were baffled by the change that came over me. I just told them that I was really unhappy that I was leaving home. I cried all the time from the sorrow of what Chris had done, and my poor family just thought that I was sad at the prospect of leaving them. I was sad about that of course, but I felt that the blood covenant had cast an evil pall over what should have been at that point the greatest joy of my life.

I left for Canada soon after and arrived on September 19, 1999. I soon started work in Canada, and making plans to return to school. I tried to get into the University of British Columbia UBC, but it was difficult.

I finally enrolled in Trinity Western University to do a BSC in Biology and I

started school. Before very long two things happened; one was that Chris started to call me. He had got my phone number from my aunt and me day and night. I started to suffer anxiety. I called back to explain to him that I could never be your wife, but that only made him mad. I sent him $2,000 thinking like a fool that he would back off. He now started to call, not just to harass me and rain insults on me, but also to demand that I send him more money.

I confide in a Caucasian friend of mine. I didn't tell her the full story because it all sounded crazy to me, an African, and I wasn't sure just how out of the realm of reality it would seem to a Caucasian. Chris said he had applied for a student visa and would soon be here. He didn't get the student visa, and when I asked him about it later, he said he was only joking. I hadn't yet learned that everything that he said was a lie.

The second thing was that I ran into an old boyfriend, Nonso, who had wanted to marry me in the past, but my mom even though she really liked him, had asked him to allow me to finish school. He didn't know that I was in Canada.

He had come to Toronto for business he said, and a friend had brought him to Vancouver. I ran into them completely by accident when I was shopping at the Metrotown mall in Burnaby.

I actually thought I was

dreaming when I saw Nonso.

He and I went to dinner later that night, but with the fear of the blood covenant of Chris told me he had me in, I refused to spend the night with him.

After about two months, he stopped calling. I called my sister Frances, and asked her to please go look for him for me, and make sure he was alright, because it was unlike him not to call me. About a week later, my sister called me from Logos and said "Amaka, you're not going to believe this, but your friend Nonso is dead."

I asked what happened to him, she said he suddenly slumped and died.

I couldn't believe Nonso was dead, just like that. I started not sleeping and couldn't go to school. I became convinced that Chris had truly done something to me and that Nonso had died for kissing and making out with me. I started to have nightmares about dying, I was so traumatized that I started to answer his phone calls again. He asked me to leave school in 2000, and come to Ghana where he now lived and marry him. I was convinced that if I didn't do as he said, I too would soon be dead. I dropped out from school and went to Ghana.

I married Chris and not a single member of my family was there. I was in a complete fugue. I knew absolutely no one at the wedding. I think there were about eight people there.

One of the two things I can remember about the registry wedding was that I was signing the marriage certificate, I noticed that the "groom's name" was written, Joshua Agbey. When I asked Chris who Joshua Agbey was, He squeezed my hand tightly and said "just sign" so I did.

When I asked him about it later, he said well he had applied for a Canadian visa with the name "Chris Ehli Joshua," so he had to change the name so that when I filed for him to come to Canada, his name would not be in the computer, because he had to say that he had never before applied for a Canadian visa.

This further compounded my fear and shock. I was dealing with a devil.

The rest of my days in Ghana were a blur. I stayed for about a month, which I spent mostly vomiting from anxiety, and the stress of how I was going to inform my parents about the awful things that had happened to me. I returned to Canada, without going home to Nigeria knowing that my life was over.

Back home in Canada, I got a new job at the then Revenue Canada. I started to eat to mask my misery. I would eat a 325g box of Rice Krispies with over half of a 1.5L bowl of ice cream at once until I was so full, I would start to vomit.

A German friend of mine Udo, who I hadn't seen in years was in Vancouver, he saw me at the convention center and came to talk to me. I must have seemed like a mad woman to Udo I said "Sorry

Udo, I cannot talk to you. I cannot be near you," and just ran from him. He couldn't have imagined that in my complete fear of Chris that I was trying to save his life and/ or my life too. I continued to work and to send money to Chris.

The phone calls were unending. I called my sister Ifeoma, and told her everything. She called me back within a week to say that she had been to a church called Mountain of Fire and Miracles, and that she had been told that a blood covenant was a deadly thing, and that two people involved had to break it in agreement, if at all, and also that it frequently involved death.

My sister and I agreed that I was completely trapped, and that I really had no choice but to put in my sponsorship papers for him.

I put in the sponsorship papers. I stopped talking to him on the phone, there was nothing to say. I would never answer when he called. As Chris' documentation progressed, I would mail any documents that needed signing to him. I hardly called.

He got my email from the forms I'd filled and would have his friend email me all the time. I would delete them unread. Now I wish I hadn't because that would be proof of some of what he had done to me, but each email seemed to taunt me, and I would never read them, just delete. I soon got tired of the pressure of avoiding him. If I ever forgot to turn off the ringer on the phone before I went to bed, he would call.

Chris kept harassing me about returning to Africa.

"How can you be in Canada when your husband is here?"

I would tell him "you are not my husband, I did not choose you. You have not paid my family any dowry; I don't care what paper you have or what you have done.

You are a stranger to me.

My family does not know you and I do not know you."

"You are a thief who has stolen my life. He, of course, soon wore me down, and I applied for a returning resident permit and went to Ghana.

We were not lovers, so there was no going out together, dating or anything, just sex when he felt like it, and I would just lie there and float out of my body in my mind. There was no more joy and laughter in my life. I was a prisoner to a stranger. Many times I thought of why I did not go out with the cult boys instead. At least they were Nigerians. I would have eventually been able to handle a Nigerian man, instead of this Ghanaian.

PAGE 30

Archives

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL , 2013 Do you have old pictures for memories?

Send them to junioremma419@gmail.com

Hotel in the Western Region of Nigeria in the 60s.

Guess, who is this?

Eartha M.M. White and residents of the Jacksonville Old Folks Home

President Goolduck Ebele Jonathan

The German colony of the Cameroons. The Nigeria Regiment and Police

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 31

Leisure WORD SEARCH

Photo of the day

Find the components of the solar system which are listed at the right side of this page in the Solar system Search grid. The words can be forwards, backwards, up, down, or diagonal. Circle each letter separately and keep in mind that the letters in each Solar word may be used in more than one Solar name.

English Word Search

TOE WARF SLUMS DID MERCURY

PACE NEW MOON NOUN UNION BAT

African proverbs

Patience • • • • •

Jokes MUMU QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1.

Someone calls you at 2 a.m in the mid-night and asked you, are you sleeping?

Answer: No, I'm picking beans to cook.

2 . When its raining and someone notices you going out, yet they ask; are you going out in this rain?

Answer: No, in the next one.

3 . You standing right in front of the elevator on the ground floor going to your office, yet they ask; going up?

Answer: No, i'm waiting for my office to come down and get me.

4 . When people see you lying down with your eyes

closed, they still ask; are you sleeping?

Answer:No, I'm practising how to die. Hiss CHINESE PHONES? A Nigerian lady got married to a Chinese man, and gave birth to a son, the baby died five days after. Her aunt started crying saying; “l knew it, I knew it. A relative took Her to a corner and asked her what she meant by “she knew it.” She said “I no say China product no dey last, u no dey see their phones?”

WHO BE MUMU? A Yoruba man and an Igbo man went to an ATM machine to withdraw money.

While the Yoruba man was withdrawing, the Igbo man said, ''hey u be mumu o!....

I don see ur password, your password na four x (****)''.

The Yoruba man laughed at him and said, ''na u be mumu, my password na 5298 no be four x!!!”

Quotable quotes • Moral indignation jealousy with a halo."

– H. G. Wells

is

• Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."

– Napoleon Bonaparte • The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is that the stupid ones are cocksure while the intelligent ones are full of doubt."

– Bertrand Russell • Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake."

– Chessmaster Savielly • Don't be so humble - you

are not that great."

– Golda Meir •

His ignorance is encyclopedic" – Abba Eban

• If a man does his best, what else is there?"

– General George S. Patton • You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."

– Ayn Rand • When one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity; when many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion."

– Robert Pirsig

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Patience is a virtue.

No crowd ever waited at the gates of patience.

Patience is beautiful.

The cure for bad times is patience.

The man with no patience waits for daylight, and when it comes he'll be blind.

If you do not have patience you cannot make beer.

A girl's patience can only be recognised by how long she keeps her virginity.

If you have patience you can take out the holes of an anthill.

Patience over wins a lot of ill.

Time and patience change the mulberry leaf to satin.

Patience is a flower that grows not in everyone's garden.

He who has no patience, has nothing at all.

The salt of patience seasons everything.

The world is for him who has patience.

One minute of patience can result in ten years of peace.

Patience is a plant that does not grow in everyone's garden.

Patience can conquer destiny.

Patience is a plaster for all sores.

For what cannot be cured, patience is best.

Patience cures many an old complaint.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

CARTOON

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

F

Compiled by Miriam Humbe

PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

Banda, president of Malawi H er Excellency, Mrs. Joyce Banda, was sworn in as President of the Republic of Malawi on 7th April, 2012. She was born on 12th April, 1950 in Malemia Village, Traditional Authority Malemia in Zomba. She holds a Bachelor of Social Studies in Gender Studies from the A t l a n t i c International University, USA and a Diploma in Management of NGOs from the International L a b o u r Organization (ILO) Centre in Turch, Italy.

Currently, she is reading for a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership at Royal Roads University in Canada.

She was first elected Member of Parliament in 2004 under the United Democratic Front (UDF). She served as Minister of Gender, Child Welfare and Community Services (2004-2006) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2009); and in 2009 she was elected Vice President of the Republic of Malawi. In 2011 she formed the People's Party (PP) following her expulsion from the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

H.E. Mrs. Banda has strong passion for women, children and the under-privileged. In this regard, she has been involved in development and humanitarian work. She formed the National Association for Business Women (NABW), an organization that lends start-up cash for small scale business people, especially women, in 1990. In 1998 she successfully negotiated with The Hunger Project in New York to establish the Hunger Project in Malawi.

The Hunger Project reaches out to many rural households with sustainable livelihoods activities. In 2000 she, founded the Young Emerging Leaders Network which aims at enhancing leadership skills among young executives, and mentors female students in school. In addition, she also founded the Joyce Banda Foundation, which provides integrated rural development services to over 250,000 resource poor beneficiaries in such areas as Free Secondary School for Orphans, Early Childhood Development and Orphan

Care, Youth Development, Food and Income Security, Safe Motherhood, Water and Sanitation, Women's Leadership and Economic Development for Women.

The first Malawi female President has been a panellist and motivation speaker at a number of international conferences and fora, including the f o l l o w i n g : International Conference on Women-Beijing (1995), State of World ForumSan Francisco, USA (1998), Micro-Credit SummitWashington, U S A (1998), W I D SADC Trade Fair and Investment forum Namibia (2000), World Women Work- Berlin, Germany (2001), Rotary International Conference (2002), Social Economic Forum for Africa-Barcelona, Spain (2003), American & African Business Women's Africa Conference, First Annual Africa & American Business - Gateway for Women in Business, DFID MDG 5 Conference, London (2010), Harvard University (2010, 2011), Women Deliver Conference, Washington (2010) and Clinton Centre, Arkansas, (2011).

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 33 With Sonde Abbah 0803-2159-249 (SMS only) asonde@yahoo.com

I Tiger Woods: From Zero to Hero

magine this scenario: One mome4nt you are the world's numbe4r one golfer. The next moment you crashed from that lofty height to point zero. From hero to zero, that is. From the top to the bottom. From the first to the last.

For the global king of golf, Tiger Woods, that scenario was enacted not so long ago.

Before our very eyes. The then reigning world number one crashed from glory to infamy following a series of sex scandals. As if that wasn't painful enough, Wood's career nose-dived. So much so that he started losing one match after the other. Many of the golfers he used to defeat easily, started outwitting him, leaving him far behind in the global rankings.

True champions, it is said, always rise up, irrespective of how many times they may fall. And so has it been with Tiger

Re: Shh; Amali @ work

Woods. Through a dint of hard work, persistence, and determination he has

reclaimed his lost glory. The last has become the first.

Congratulations!

Dan Akpovva’s pet project @ 9

I

There was a mix-up in the photograph of the Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Prof. S.O. Amali, published on this page last week. Here is the gentleman’s true photograph. The mix-up is regretted.

sneaked back to the highest height once again. Yes; the dethroned king of golf has

t prides itself as the "pulse of the city." The jury is still out on whether 'The Abuja Inquirer' is the Federal Capital Territory's undisputed pulse. But one fact remains indelible: 'Inquirer' has, since March 2004, soldiered on doggedly despite all sorts of odds.

Indeed, but for a brief hiatus some two years ago, the nine-year-old publication holds the distinction of the longest surviving weekly in the nation's capital city. Given the high mortality rate afflicting the print media in the FCT in particular and the nation in general, this is certainly no mean feat.

As he declared during his

birthday celebration a few years ago, "The journey hasn't been easy, but we at 'Inquirer' are determined to forge ahead against all odds, mindful of the fact that nothing good comes easy.

Ours is like a mission that must be accomplished by all means; to be a reference point in the industry; and with persistence, courage and determination we shall get

there."

The weekly may or may not have got there yet, but as Akpovwa steers his pet project into its 10th anniversary, not a few eyes are on him. Will he take the publication to the next level, with a view to enthroning it as the veritable pulse of the capital city? Or will it be content to stroll on as a runof-the-mill stuff? We shall see.

“

As Akpovwa steers his pet project into its 10th anniversary, not a few eyes are on him. Will he take the publication to the next level, with a view to enthroning it as the veritable pulse of the capital city?

100 days of Ojo Ada's imprint at Ogbadibo

H

ow time flies. It was only like yesterday that Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State "inaugurated" the incumbent chairmen of the state's local government areas, including Hon. Ojo Sunday Ada of Ogbadibo LGA. All so soon Odoh and Co. are about to clock their first 100 days in office.

One hundred days may not be enough to assess the performance of any government. But as pointed out by one of the PDP ward leaders in Otukpa (headquarters of Ogbadibo

council), Mr. Michael A. Ogoyi, Odoh has started relatively well.

Hear Ogoyi, a retired official of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC): "Morning, they say, tells the day. And so it is with our new chairman. Even at the dawn of his tenure, Hon. Ojo Ada has shown in sundry ways since he mounted the saddle, that he is the right man for the job. In short his visionary pronouncements and actions so far indicate that this is the Moses who will take Ogbadibo to the Promised Land of progress."

Incidentally, Ogbadibo is the home base of Benue's deputy governor, Chief Steven Lawani; erstwhile PDP national chairman, Audu Ogbeh; former military governor of Bauchi State, Gen. Chris Garba, among other notable personalities. Despite this, the area remains devoid of development, with portable water a rarity throughout the land. With virtually all of Ada’s predecessors having came, saw, but failed to conquer, it remains to be seen if he is truly "the tested and trusted leader you can trust".

CHAIRMAN OF OGBADIBO LGA: Ojo Sunday Ada

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Feature

Kogi flood saga: Victims and government in war of words

By Sam Egwu

S

ince the furious flood from Rivers Niger and Benue came in September 2012, ravaging several communities along the river banks, it has been controversy here and there ranging from lack of proactive attention to the victims and even where there seems to be, it was too little, too late.

From September till date, issues about who gets what as palliative or compensation has dominated the atmosphere in Kogi state, and until the bubble burst, nobody seems to know what is happening between the government and the victims.

What is worrisome, according to some victims, is the government's insensitivity to the plight of the victims despite the believe that all is well while the plans to put the victims in the proper place, has not achieved any meaningful result till date.

Just of recent, the lid over the compensation mystery was blown open when the victims in Ajaokuta local government of Kogi state received just a paltry sum of N3, 000 each.

Abdul Lukman who has a house behind Toby electronics in Gadumo West, Kogi state said it would have been better not to offer anything than for the government to rubbish the efforts of external donors to the flood victims.

According to Lukman, what effect would N3, 000 have to a person who has lost properties worth thousands of naira, stressing, as "we are discussing, my house is already in the middle of water that is already building up".

To Mr. Augustine Uloko, a civil servant who saved some money to get a roof over his head, it was devastating to offer N3000 saying, "for what, why would I collect N3000 compared with the magnitude of damages done to the structures and properties I suffered all my life to acquire".

"The Catholic diocese of Idah, where the leadership under, Rt Rev Bishop Anthony Adaji, put up everything in place to save labouring mothers from the tide of the water in Ibaji and provided shelter in some schools owned by the church for them, the state did not act in a manner that could be termed, meaningful for the citizens".

The places where the victims were kept in Lokoja were as deplorable as a piggery, the Red Cross society were said to have allegedly connived with the government agents to deprive the victims of all the necessary amenities. The mosquito nets meant for the victims were allegedly shared among officials while food items found their ways into the car booth of some

Flood victims at the Bassa camp in Kogi state

overzealous officials and the state government seemed, as it were, to have thrown away its face pretending not to know what is happening. At some points, those collecting relief materials were not the genuine victims while the victims were shut out from everything", he added.

Abubakar Sadiq who rejected the N3000 palliative from the government too, said the government was just fooling the citizens and needed to sit-up for proper administration of palliatives from the international communities and public spirited individuals.

He told Peoples Daily Weekend that it would be a curse on him to collect such money under whatever title.

Sadiq, who spoke at his Kporoko home, in Lokoja, said that the government should set up an investigative panel to ascertain whether those who collected the money were the real victims of the flood disaster.

In a reaction at a press conference in Lokoja, Thursday, the community leaders who disbursed the compensation claimed that they paid out exactly what the government gave to the community.

The leaders, however admitted

that the complaints were genuine but there was nothing they could do and thanked the press for not being bias.

The Chairman of the disbursement committee for Ajaokuta where the palliative problem started, Hon Mohammed Sadiq told journalists that the records were there for perusal.

Meanwhile, the Atakpa women in Bassa local government area who have refused to go back to their homes, said they cannot return "because of the warnings that the water would come again this year".

They told Peoples Daily Weekend that nothing got to them, as the leaders could probably have taken the palliatives but did not deliver them to the real victims.

They alleged that the officials sometimes bring in relatives not directly affected and disburse the materials to them.

Reacting on the matter, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy governor, Mr. Mike Abu stated that the government was coming out with more measures to alleviate the pains from last year's flood disaster, adding that what the people got now were mere palliatives.

Overall, the general mood has shown that people are expectant

of the outcome of the committee's effort in reaching those genuinely affected.

As at press time, fresh water has started building up on the river Niger in Lokoja, Kogi state as some houses are already submerged.

What measure has the government put in place to accommodate those

who would be displaced, or are we returning to the routine poor management cycle again? Soon, Banda area would be submerged and would render the LokojaAbuja expressway impassable. The search for alternative route for motorists on that route has not yet been found by the government.

Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Idris Wada

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

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Re: Sovereign wealth How to go down in fund history President Jonathan style

W

e are living in a fast changing world. New and strange things happen every day. For this reason, before anyone can lead he must learn something about this strange new world.

Any leader who does not master this mercurial context will be mastered by it. A leader must know who he is, what his strengths and weaknesses are, and how to fully deploy his strengths and compensate for his weaknesses.

A leader must also know what he wants, why he wants it, and how to communicate what he wants to others in order to gain their support and cooperation.

Most importantly, a leader must know how to achieve his goals.

History is full of leaders who rewrite history in delivering their nation from oppression. Similarly, we have leaders who end their life in failure and dishonor.

Their great potential with equally great moral collapse mirror the condition of the nation which becomes so corrupt and degraded that even shocking brutality and immorality no longer cause the people to blush.

Time flows like a river, history repeats.

Many years of social, political, and economic upheavals and in particular since Mr. Jonathan assumed the leadership of our nation, has left us with no place to hide.

Most if not all of our nation’s progress and prosperity have become breakdowns instead of breakthroughs. Our freedom and democracy have become a license to practice anarchy.

As a people, we’re no more interested in new ideas but in recipes and slogans.

We have replaced the public good as the supreme object of our republic with few elected rogues and parasites.

The idea of public virtue has been overrun by personal greed and corruption. We have become a permissive culture. And the nation tethers on the brink.

The elected representatives of the all

WRITE TO US Peoples Daily Weekend welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: The Editor, Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.

Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com powerful federal government with overflow of resources have refused to acknowledge what is happening to our people. And the cost of a spectator leadership of President Jonathan can better be imagined than quantified.

A nation without public virtue and a common vision cannot survive. Mr. Jonathan is driving the vehicle of state with no national sense of purpose by looking at the rear view mirror.

Well then, it is fair to say that President Jonathan so far is incapable of taking control of his domain – Nigeria. He has no guiding principle or overarching vision for the country.

One day, a man named Goodluck Ebele Jonathan sat down at his desk, pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote across the top: “Goals for My Presidency.” Then he began to compile the goals of his presidency: To lose all sense of moral values.

To forfeit all executive authority in Nigeria.

To strip and strap the poor to the bones.

To remove the oil subsidy in order to make life more unbearable for the poor.

To create means and ways to further enrich the robber barons.

To squander the nations resources on salaries/perks of legion of ministers and advisers.

To strangle the judiciary of any fairness and justice.

To turn Nigeria into a desert of infrastructures.

To decree corruption into law by

turning blind eyes to treasury looters.

To become tone-deaf to the cries and agitations of Nigerians who elected him.

To become Africa’s newest emperor and Nigeria’s bully.

To exert no influence for good in the community, town, country, and the world.

To lose everyone and everything dear to Nigeria.

And to grant pardon to criminals, and thieves and other saboteurs of our economy.

Ridiculous, strange, you say?

Then consider this: President Jonathan accomplished everything on that list.

His lack of integrity, foresight, will, passion, and incompetence left a leadership vacuum which daily increased the misery of the people.

I have said it times without number in this medium and elsewhere that a leader is not a spectator. That’s not just a glib maxim. Good leaders engage the world. Bad leaders entrap it, or try.

I believe you don’t need to know where you’re going, provided you know whom you’re following. Unfortunately, in our own case it is a double whamming: we don’t know where we’re going; neither do we know whom we’re following.

Greed and violence, distrust and spiritual apathy are eating out the very heart of our nation.

The democratically elected president now turned an autocratic acolyte of Abacha and Babangida is unusually getting the attention of the outside world.

Previous ruthless and clueless despots and now Jonathan have taken Nigerians

for granted and for a long walk. Now, we’re being pushed to the wall. It’s time to fight back.

Deranged by the false belief that Nigerians are timid, lethargic, apathetic, and easily coerced and cowered, the present administration believes it’s going to be business as usual.

Time will tell.

It is one of the great paradoxes of our history that under a democratic system of government the citizens are being treated as sub humans.

It is safe to say that we’re better off in the days of our ex-dictators. After all, they were not elected.

It is also a cutting irony that an eccentric, odd-looking president with comical decisions with all intents and purposes had successfully subverted our democracy. In running the affairs of the nation, we’re now witnessing play by play comedy and tragedy to the point of sublimity.

The president’s twisted morality coupled with his unyielding determination to set example of how to go down in history qualifies him as a failed and dishonorable leader.

We have chosen a president who chained us to his car as captives, bewildered and deceived, we’re moving on in gloomy procession toward the ditch – in which there is no hope of life, toward night to which comes no morning!

Mr. Jonathan’s actions and inaction should serve as the launching pad for us to recapture and reclaim our country and our future. We can’t wait indefinitely, our patience is running low!

Warning: Despots and tyrants do not easily embrace reforms or surrender to the general will of the people. It’s going to be a prolonged battle. So Nigerians, brace for the worst. Be prepared to sacrifice the immediate comfort and convenience.

History is on our side!

Bayo Oluwasanmi is on www.facebook.com/ bayo.oluwasanmi

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 37

Opinion Rail tracks of transformation O

By Abdullahi Garba

ne of the most remarkable achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan is undoubtedly the resuscitation of the nation’s paralysed and relegated railway transport system. After almost 15 years of motion without movement and the blowing of billions of naira, it is only the Goodluck Jonathan Administration that has put trains back on the tracks across the land and finally answered the prayers of the highly itinerant Nigerian masses for an affordable means of mass transportation of people and goods that spans the entire country. This marks a significant evidence of the reality of the Transformation Agenda articulated and under implementation by the Administration and a timely departure from the many expensive false starts of his predecessors to correct the monumental mistake of the previous military Administration that still holds the dubious distinction of contributing

most to the economic adversity of Nigeria.

All over the world and especially in the developing world, the rail system has been an indispensable pillar of the logistics for the mass transportation of people and goods and by extension a major economic dynamo for national development. It is of particular functionality to the millions of common people who need to commute continuously to places and far and near within their country in pursuit of making a living. It was the lifeline of the exploitative agenda of the colonialists who established it that could not be dismantled at the end of the era and became arguably the most valuable legacy of the colonialists. Several generations of Nigerians had benefited tremendously from the essential services of the Nigerian Railway Corporation which continued to thrive and survived the canker-worms of corruption and mismanagement that saw to the demise of several similar government

“

Thousands of kilometres of dilapidated narrow gauge rail tracks linking all zones in the country have since been fixed and strengthened facilitating the reintroduction of the famously bustling Lagos-Kano service.

By Taiwo Lawrence Adeyemi

T

h e r e is this Yoruba idiom that says ‘Akuko Ko; which literally translates that ‘ a cock has crowed’, which means an influential personality has passed away. Can Nigerians really take it and relate it to the current happenings within the PDP hierarchy?

If the current news and events emanating from Wadata Plaza, PDP headquarters is anything to go by then surely ‘cock has indeed crowed’, from chair Bamanga Tukur uneasiness, to PDP NWC impending dissolution, Chief Tony Anenih unpopular posture, factions within PDP governors, president Jonathan’s helplessness, ministers and NASS members at loggerheads, then we are surely witnessing PDP cortege by 2015. The once mighty PDP armada is gradually sinking and caving in to APC invading battleships.

With Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu’s APC impressive and strong followings, PDP armada is gradually sinking and the cock has crowed! The current PDP travails could be traced to it’s long years of failure to adhere to internal democracy, policy of kill and divide, come chop and who will arrest me? APC should learn from these by allowing effective internal democracy and neither imposing unpopular candidates on the electorates nor selling

enterprises. Till this day none can explain or understand the rationale for a supposedly patriotic and responsible military government to bring such a viable national asset to its ruination and for its successors to merely fritter away billions in bogus rail rehabilitation programmes.

But all that is mercifully past and gone. Ever since he assumed full control of the reins of governance, President Goodluck Jonathan has salvaged the soiled reputation of leaders by distancing himself from the tradition of lip service and deceptive expenditure of billions of Naira on white elephants and failed projects. What could not be achieved in more than thirty-five years of rail rehabilitation programmes has finally come to pass in a couple of years of sincere and responsible governance. The trains are rolling again and bringing to life vast stretches of ghost railway towns and villages with blaring horns and hundreds of daily commuters crisscrossing the nation on numerous economic missions at affordable rates.

Thousands of kilometres of dilapidated narrow gauge rail tracks linking all zones in the country have since been fixed and strengthened facilitating the reintroduction of the famously bustling Lagos-Kano service.

Extensions such as the Kano-NguruMaiduguri rail rehabilitation are on line and the Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri narrow gauge is also part of the rehabilitation works. The much talked about standard gauge for fast trains would soon be added to the laurels of the Jonathan Administration in the transformation of the rail transport sector. While the Lagos-Ibadan fast train line is due for award, the Kaduna-Abuja fast train line that will connect with the Ajaokuta-Warri line is under

construction and is estimated at about 45% completion and soon the laying of the tracks will commence.

To this impressive list we must also add the ultra-modern Abuja Monorail project which will bring the federal capital at par with modern cities all over the world in the provision of safe, fast, convenient and affordable urban mass transit system that will significantly curb the stressful and chaotic automobile options that we have been stuck with decades behind other nations of the developing world.

These major rail projects together underscore the dramatic difference in performance that the Goodluck Jonathan Administration has made by its capacity to attain significant outcomes whether we are talking of the long anticipated rebirth of the nationwide rail mass transportation which Nigerians have since welcomed with high patronage or the international standard gauge tracks now being laid but which have been on the drawing boards for decades.

It is curious to observe that these awesome transformational developments in sectors hitherto consigned to regrettable memories of crashed national assets, have not been accorded the appreciation, nay celebration that they surely deserve, especially in the politically-obsessed media. There is however consolation in the undeniable fact that Nigerians are not politically-biased as can be seen from the enthusiastic embrace of high patronage of the Lagos-Kano and other recently resuscitated rail services. The credit will surely and deservedly go to President Goodluck Jonathan when the chips are down!

Abdullahi Garba can be reached at Abdullahi_garba@yahoo.com

Is PDP Armada sinking? elective posts to the highest bidder.

The reverberation effect of PDP’s ineptitude is been felt across all sectors and segment of Nigeria; unemployment, corruption, insecurity, crude oil thefts and dearth of infrastructures. Things are no longer at ease and the center can no longer hold for PDP.. This is the end of PDP as one see the beginning and emergence of Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu’s APC, some aggrieved PDP members are sure of defecting to APC as situations unfolds.

PDP superfluous projections of ruling Nigeria for fifty years will be by 2015 confined to a dustbin of failed prediction.

The tacit endorsement of Chief Tony Anenih by P resident Goodluck Jonathan over Olusegun Obasanjo [eru o bodo] is indeed an obsequies for PDP.. The entire South West PDP caucus and congresses is still firmly in the hands of Olusegun Obaanjo [eru o bodo] and with the alleged marginalization of the South West by P resident Jonathan administration and Olusegun Obasanjo [eru o bodo] tireless effort [do or die and captured] in his TSUNAMI [s]elections of 2007 to plant late Umaru Musa Yaradua at the helm of Nigeria affairs and with the recent misunderstandings between P resident

Jonathan and OBJ, PDP should forget the entire South West come 2015.

Many who know Olusegun Obasanjo [eru o bodo] can testify to his unforgiven spirit and posture, he once seize d Lagos State allocation for the then governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating additional local government councils in Lagos State. In his self titled book; ‘This Animal Called Man’ is a testimony to these facts. The recent formation of PDP governors forum [to clip Rivers State governor Rotimi Amechi's overbearing influence and possibly nail his vicepresidential ambition] is already crumbling like pack of cards, this is another ominous sign of greater problems for PDP as a party close in for 2015 elections, is this a tell tale sign?

I don ’ t see PDP making inroads in the South West comes 2015, North Central has Niger State governor, Dr Babangida Muazu Aliyu in firm control, North West is ready to align with Muhammadu Buhari, North East can go either way for both PDP or APC, South South undecided, South East; Nigeria political footstool will go for APC/PDP. PDP formed by Nigerians best politicians and progressives, later hijacked by moneybags and later turned

to personal fiefdom, what will the G18 and later G36 founding members of PDP be thinking now, seeing their visions and dreams gradually slipping to extinction?

PDP armada is SINKING! Taiwo Lawrence Adeyemi is on www.facebook.com

“

The reverberation effect of PDP’s ineptitude is been felt across all sectors and segment of Nigeria; unemployment, corruption, insecurity, crude oil thefts and dearth of infrastructures. Things are no longer at ease and the center can no longer hold for PDP.. This is the end of PDP

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 41

Weekend CAF cups campaigns: Pillars, Lobi Stars, Rangers on the prowl T

here will be no dull moment this weekend as Nigerian representatives in the continental campaigns seeking to consolidate on the first results.

Impressive Kano Pillars are guest of AC Leopards whom they devoured 4-1 a fortnight ago at the Sani Abacha Stadium. The Nigerian champions are confident they would sail through with perhaps an away win at the Stade Denis Sassou Stadium, Congo.

Rangers of Enugu, Nigeria's other CAF Champions League representatives, are hosts of Vital 'O who flew in yesterday for Sunday's game. The Coal City team had forced the Burundi team to a scoreless draw and need a victory to guarantee a leap to the next stage.

The CAF Confederation Cup campaigns, Lobi Stars and Heartland FC have crucial games away from home. The Stars were 3-1 winners while Heartlands edged their hosts 2-1 and it seems the latter's chances are somewhat precarious as they could be dislodged with a slim win.

Meanwhile, after about years since continental games were

moved from Libya, action returns this weekend when Al Nasr play Moroccan visitors FAR Rabat this weekend with a Confederation Cup last-16 place at stake.

The security-related ban on Libyan national teams and clubs playing at home was lifted last month after a four-day factfinding mission by a CAFdelegation to the oil-rich north African country.

Al Nasr from eastern city Benghazi are first to benefit from the decision as they seek to overcome a 1-0 first-leg defeat by 2005 Confederation Cup winners FAR Rabat three weeks ago.

Libyan authorities have battled to stamp out postrevolution violence after a 2011 uprising ended the four-decade dictatorship of Gaddafi, who was and killed in his home town of Sirte.

However, CAF officials will watch Libyan developments closely as the country is scheduled to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in capital Tripoli, second city Benghazi and Misrata, scene of bitter fighting during the revolt.

FAR, who received a preliminary bye, defeated Dolphins of Nigeria 3-1 over two legs to lift the 2005 Confederation Cup and reached the final again a year later, losing on the away-goal rule to Etoile Sahel of Tunisia.

Etoile from Mediterranean resort Sousse - the only club to win all five CAF club competitions take a precarious 2-1 lead over African debutants Onze Createurs to Bamako.

The Malians proved a formidable force at home in the previous round, whipping Ivorian visitors Stella Adjame 3-0 through goals from Aime Koffi, Hamidou Sinayoko and Mohamed Cisse.

CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, the only Confederation Cup winners to successfully defend the title, hold a 4-2 advantage over Gamtel ahead of a journey to Gambia capital Banjul.

Clubs well placed to reach the next round include Diables Noirs of Congo Brazzaville, Recreativo Caala of Angola, ENPPI of Egypt, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and Azam of Tanzania.

Fixtures Gor Mahia Supersport Utd Liga Muculmana AS Douanes ASEC Abidjan LB AcadĂŠmic US Bitam Dedebit Panthere Gamtel Terreble C.O. Panters US Bougouni Azam FC AL Nasir

v Enppi v Atletico Petroleos v Lobi Stars v Wydad Casablanca v Rail Club RCK v DC Motema Pembe v Heartland FC v Al Ahly Shandy v USM Alger v CS Sfaxien v Ismaily v Diables Noirs v Recreativo Da Caala v Barrack Y.C.II v ASFAR

Rangers reject N15m demand on Mba, won't apologise to Warri Wolves

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

R

angers have rejected the N15m transfer fee demanded from them for the services of Sunday Mba by Warri Wolves even it say they won't apologise to Wolves over the transfer of Super Eagles midfielder.

Weekend Sports Peoples recalls that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had directed both to settle the transfer fees of the player or risk having that fixed for them.

On the strength of that, Warri Wolves had initially toyed with N12m before finally informing Rangers that it would accept N15m transfer fee from them for the services of Mba. But Rangers are not willing to budge on their claims that such amount is outrageous

and therefore unacceptable.

Delta State Director of Sports, Amaju Pinnick, had claimed that Wolves had been maligned by Rangers over the transfer saga, and consequently had few weeks ago given Rangers conditions for settlement.

Part of the pre-condition was for Rangers to apologise to Wolves in two national newspapers and two television stations.

But the committee investigating the matter had concluded based on records by the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Management Committee that the player belongs to Wolves.

Reacting, Paul Ozor, the General Manager of Rangers, told a news agency that the demand of the Delta outfit would be

difficult to meet. ``We know that we are friends and one family, but for the apology, no,'' he said.

Ozor said that it would be difficult for any Nigerian club to pay the amount being demanded by Wolves as Mba's transfer fee and added that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) now had the final say on that. ``It is not possible to take something in the market and not make payment, but it depends on what the NFF comes out with. ``Nothing has happened yet. We are concentrating on our games in the local league and CAF Champions League, while waiting for NFF to take a decision.

The Rangers general manager pointed out that the club would not want to be distracted from its CAF engagement with Vital O FC of Burundi on Saturday.

He said that even the

indefinite suspension of two of their players Seun Taro and Peter Coly, by the League Management Company (LMC) would not stop them from picking the maximum points against their visitors.

Taro and Coly were suspended indefinitely for allegedly molesting the referee in their Week 3 fixture against Warri Wolves in Enugu, but Ozor said the matter was being addressed. ``It is the NFF that should punish if at all a crime was committed not the NPFL. This is why I said that we don't want to be distracted from the CAF Champions League match this weekend. ``We are having our normal preparation and there is no doubt about whether we will beat Vital O FC. Our players always put in their best in every encounter and this will not be an exception,'' Ozor said.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 6— SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

CAF Champions League

Zamalek, El Merreikh, Douala battle for survival F ormer champions Zamalek of Egypt and the duo of El Merreikh of Sudan and UNion Douala of Cameroon are at the verge of being knocked out from the CAF Champions League early into the race.

Zamalek take a narrow 1-0 win from the first leg in Alexandria to Kinshasa where the AS Vita Club will be the hosts in the return leg and unless the Egyptians encouraged by their last league win over Ismaily buckle up , it could be a bumpy ride in the DR Congo.

On the other hand, El Merreikh visit Angola for a clash with Recreativo Libolo trailing 2-1 from first leg. The Sudanese are at the verge being eased off the pedal by the Angolans who could take full advantage of the fact Omdurman is no longer a fortress to locals who had hitherto practically finished off visitors.

Libolo coach Henrique Calisto admitted that the 2-1 win was not comfortable enough especially after rallying from 1-0 down in the first half to secure the home win.

Meanwhile, both El Merreikh and Libolo stagger into Saturday evening's meeting in Khartoum.

El Merreikh for one, suffered a historic first-ever league defeat away to Al Ahli Shandi on April 2 who beat their former coach Mohamed Kouki's side 1-0 to go top while the visitors dropped from second to third.

Libolo on the other hand are languishing at the bottom of the Girabola table with one point after tumbling to a 3-2 away loss at Atletico do Namibe on March 31, a complete contrast to their form in Africa where they have three-out-ofthree wins.

However, there is a feeling of De ja Vu for El Merreikh heading into this weekend's tie.

In 2011 at the same stage of the competition, Angolan side Interclube lost 2-0 to El

Esperance celebrate after Iheb Msakni a crucial second goal in the first leg

TP Mazembe celebrating with the trophy after emerging champions three seasons ago Merreikh in Khartoum but won by the same margin in the return leg to win 3-2 on postmatch penalties and eject the Sudanese giant.

A repeat of that scenario is

the last thing under-pressure Kouki needs after his sides' humiliation last weekend at the hands of Shandi.

Union Duoala would have a mountain to climb when they

host FUS Rabat looking to overturn their 3-0 loss from the first leg of their last 32 CAF Champions League encounter.

Morocco's Rabat came into the fixture as the underdogs of

Tunisia's Ligue 1, while Primeiro cannot claim the same after succumbing 1-0 away to Girabola rivals Sagrada Esperanca in their last outing.

Esperance coach Maher Kanzari has urged his team not to take the challenge of Primeiro lightly despite the strong position they find themselves in, though he has emphasised his confidence that his charges will book a place in the second round.

The Angolans will need to approach the match cautiously against their fast-starting opponents and look to catch them out with rapier-like attacks. Should Primeiro get an away goal, particularly if is the first of the match, it will throw the tie right back into the balance.

THE WEEKEND FIXTURES

1ST LEG RESULT

AS Vita. Club (DR C) - Zamalek Djoliba (Mli) - Saint George Dynamos (ZIM) - CA Bizerte Al Ahly (Egy) - Tusker Orlando Pirates (Rsa) - Zanaco TP Mazembe (DR C) - Centre Chiefs Enugu Rangers (Nga) - Vital'O El Merreikh (Sodan) - Recreativo Asante Kotoko (Gha) - JSM Bejaia Esperance (Tun) - 1º de Agosto Union Douala (Cmr) - FUS Rabat El Hilal (Sudan) - Séwé Sports Coton Sport (Cmr) - AFAD Djékanou Stade Malien (Mli) - Casa Sports AC Leopards (Cgo) - Kano Pillars Entente Setif (Alg) - ASFA Yennenga

(Egy) (0-1) (Eth) (0-2) (Tun) (0-3) (Ken) (2-1) (Zam) (1-0) (Bot) (1-0) (Bdi) (0-0) (Ang) (1-2) (Alg) (0-0) (Ang) (1-0) (Mar) (0-3) (Civ) (1-4) (Civ) (1-0) (Sen.) (2-1) (Nga) (1-4) (Bfa) (1-2)

Esperance look to wrap up first round tie

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unisian powerhouses Esperance will look to wrap up their CAF Champions League first round tie against Angola's Primeiro de Agosto when they host the second leg in Tunis on Saturday afternoon.

The 'Blood and Gold' defeated Primeiro 1-0 in Luanda in the first leg match played midway through last month, putting them in a hugely favourable position ahead of the return leg.

Iheb Msakni scored the decisive goal for Esperance in the first match and will be keen to add to his tally this weekend when the Southern Africans head north to Tunisia.

The home side comes into the match in good form, having beaten rivals Club Africain 3-1 this past Easter weekend in

the round but left having put one foot in the door for qualification to the round of the last 16.

It was a rather unusual performance by the Cameroon Champions who struggled to contain Rabat from the off, taking just eight minutes for them to score through Brahim El Bahri.

Their lead was then doubled in the early stages of the second half by Marwane Saadane, who converted from the spot, before Mohamed Fouzair wrapped up the result.

It may have been a nightmare for Nassaras Kamakaï in goal that night and he will be urging his men not to fall into such a slump again when they meet on the weekend.

Duoala will need to pull something quite drastic out of the hat should they turn over their deficit, but as it stands it is Rabat's game to lose.

In Zimbabwe, Dynamos would also be fighting for their CAF Champions League life when they host CA Bizertin of Tunisia at Rufaro Stadium in Harare in a first round return leg match this Sunday.

Zimbabwe's most successful club in the competition is on the ropes and wobbling from a 3-0 bashing sustained in the first leg on March 17 in North Africa.

The last time the 1998 Champions League runners-up found themselves in a similar situation was in 2004 at the same stage but in this time in the CAF Confederation Cup. Dynamos lost 1-0 at home against King Faisel Babies in the first leg before they were crushed 4-0 away in Ghana.

Their current league form has been unimpressive since their away win in Tunisia recording 1-1 draws against at home Chicken Inn and away with Black Mamba's in their opening two Zimbabwe Premiership games of the 2013 season.

Djoliba of Malian need to reverse a 2-0 deficit against Ethiopia's Saint George a side that seem to have been boosted by the return of the national team's popularity achieved during the last AFCON finals in South Africa. And with the Malian team currently going through a difficult period, it does not look bright for them as they seek to overturn this score line.

However, defending champions Al Ahly, Orlando Pirates, TP Mazembe, Esperance of Tunis, Coton Sport Garoua and Stade Malien, all winners away from home and CA Bizerte, FUS Rabat and Kano Pillars the latter three with a good margin of three-goal lead, the other eight games in this weekend's Orange CAF Champions League are far from being complete.

Across the continent, sides that take away victories into ties at home will be looking to proceeding to the second round which is the last round before the sides reach the group phase part of the competition.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 43

Manchester City won't ruin United EPL title, says Ferguson

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l e x Ferguson insists there is no chance Manchester United will allow Manchester City the satisfaction of slowing their title charge in Monday's derby at Old Trafford.

Ferguson's team are on course to regain the Premier League crown from their bitter rivals after opening up a massive 15-point lead over champions City.

A victory against Roberto Mancini's second- placed side would move United to within touching distance of the title, but Ferguson knows City would love to at least delay their neighbours' 20th championship celebrations by winning on Monday.

And with the finish line in sight, Ferguson is determined to ensure his players don't rest on their laurels.

United's lacklustre FA Cup quarterfinal replay defeat at Chelsea on Monday, together with the memories of last season's epic 6-1 win at Old Trafford, should give City encouragement that they can give their old enemies a bloody nose.

And while City's inconsistent league form looks to have scuppered their hopes of retaining the title, Captain Vincent Kompany believes a victory over United would at least salvage some pride.

B

Alaba

With the title race all but over, the real battles are being fought over the other two positions in the top four and at the bottom of the table.

Third-placed Tottenham host Everton

today would see them confirmed German Champions for the 23rd time.

If they beat Frankfurt, Bayern will break their own record for the earliest confirmed title win with six games left and are just nine short of Dortmund's record of 81, set last May, for the most points in a campaign.

With a 20-point lead at the top of the table from rivals Dortmund, a win at Frankfurt would make it impossible for Borussia to deny Munich the title having dominated the league from the start by winning of their first eight games.

Having routed Hamburg 9-2 at Munich's Allianz Arena last Saturday, Bayern were only denied the league title by Dortmund's win in Stuttgart, but this weekend Munich have their destiny in their own hands.

With Bayern holding a 2-0 first-leg lead for Tuesday's first leg in Munich, they travel to Turin for the return leg against Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League and Sammer said the side is hungry for silverware.

looking to maintain their two-point advantage over fourth placed Chelsea, who face Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, while fifth placed Arsenal can keep the pressure on with a win at West Bromwich Albion.

Alex, Motta out of PSG match

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e a d e r s Paris St Germain will be without centre back Alex and midfielder Thiago Motta today's game at Stade Rennes, Coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Brazilian Alex picked up a thigh problem during PSG's 2-2 home draw against Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday but he is expected to be fit for next week's return leg at the Nou Camp.

Motta has not played since late January because of various muscle strains.

PSG have a seven-point lead over secondplaced Olympique Marseille with eight games left but Ancelotti ruled out resting his key players ahead of the European clash at Barcelona.

"I won't make too many changes in my team. Today's game may be the turning point in the title race," he said.

Casillas returns to Real Madrid squad

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o a l k e e p e r and club captain Iker Casillas was included in Real Madrid's squad to host Levante in La Liga but will not start the game, assistant coach Aitor Karanka said on Friday.

Spain's 2010 World Cup winning captain was passed fit to return to training after recovering from a broken finger a couple of weeks ago, but has not made the cut for their last two matches against Real Zaragoza and Galatasaray.

Casillas's former understudy, Diego Lopez, who was brought back to the club from Sevilla in January as cover, has performed well in his absence and will retain the No 1 slot.

Spanish media reports of a frosty

Barclays Premier League Reading v Southampton Norwich v Swansea Stoke v Aston Villa West Brom v Arsenal Sunday Liverpool v West Ham Tottenham v Everton Newcastle v Fulham Chelsea v Sunderland QPR v Wigan FIFA Internationals Bolivia v

Bayern out to wrap up title chase a y e r n Munich are hungry to wrap up the Bundesliga title this weekend as victory at Eintracht Frankfurt

WEEKEND FIXTURES

relationship between Casillas and coach Jose Mourinho have heightened the interest in the subject of when or if a player known by fans as 'Saint Iker' will return to the starting 11.

Asked if Lopez felt the interest in knowing when Casillas might return showed a lack of respect to the incumbent, Karanka replied: "He speaks out on the pitch, which is the best place to do it."

After securing a 3-0 advantage over Galatasaray in their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday, Real are expected to rotate players with an eye on next Tuesday's return in Istanbul.

The champions trail leaders Barcelona by 13 points in second place with nine games left to play.

Casillas

French Ligue 1 Rennes AS Nancy Sochaux Montpellier Bastia Toulouse Sunday St Etienne Reims Lille

v v v v v v

PSG Route Troyes AC Ajaccio Valenciennes Brest Nice

v v v

Evian TG Lyon Lorient

German Bundesliga Bo/ Dortmund v B/ M'gladbach v B/ Leverkusen v Werder Bremen v E/ Frankfurt v Hamburg v Sunday Nurnberg v Hannover 96 v Italy Serie A Juventus Bologna Sunday Fiorentina Catania Udinese Sampdoria Siena Napoli Inter Milan

Brazil S/ Cruz

Augsburg Greuther Wolfsburg Schalke 04 Bayern Munich SC Freiburg Mainz VfB Stuttgart

v v

Pescara Torino

v v v v v v v

AC Milan Cagliari Chievo Palermo Parma Genoa Atalanta

Spanish Primera Liga Real Sociedad v Real Madrid v D/ La Coruna v Barcelona v Sunday Celta Vigo v Osasuna v Getafe v Valencia v

Malaga Levante Real Zaragoza Mallorca Rayo Vallecano Espanyol Atletico Madrid Valladolid

Nigeria Professional Football League Wikki Tourists v ABS Kano Pillars v Sunshine Stars Kwara United v Nas. United El-Kanemi v Akwa United

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Oyo hockey team to tour Ghana in May

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he Oyo State Hockey Association (OSHA) on Friday said that it had concluded plans to take its team

Bekele to defend his 10km title in Dublin

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enenisa Bekele, the 2008 double Olympic champion, will return to Dublin's Phoenix Park on Sunday April 14 to defend his title in the SPAR Great Ireland Run 10km, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

Bekele, considered by many as the greatest distance runner of all time, is the current World record-holder at 5000m and 10,000m. He took a break after the 2012 London Olympics, where he finished fourth in the 10,000m, and is now focusing on qualifying in the same event at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow in August.

He won the SPAR Great Ireland Run last year in a stunning course record time of 27:49. This year he will face a stern test as he defends his title against current World 10,000m champion and fellow Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan, who has a PB of 27:02.81 on the track and 28:02 on the roads.

He will also face Australia's Collis Birmingham who finished eighth at the recent IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Morocco's Abderrahim Bouramdane who finished fourth in the Marathon at the 2011 World Championships, and nine-time European cross-country champion Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine.

The home challenge will be led by Ireland's top Marathon runner and 2012 Olympian Mark Kenneally, and Paul Robinson, the country's fastest 1500m runner last year.

on a training tour of Ghana in May. The Chairman of the association, Tunde Odedokun confirmed that the proposed tour

was to give the players some exposure to international competitions and added that the players will play friendly matches with some hockey clubs in Ghana, to enhance their

Amakson, Dara clash in Academy final today

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makson Soccer Academy and Dara Football Academy will lock horns in the final of the All Registered FCT Soccer Academy Competition at the Area 3 sports centre.

Yesterday, Waco Football Academy on Friday in Abuja beat Optimum Performance to finish as third-place winners in the ongoing All Registered FCT Soccer Academy Competition.

The team defeated Optimum Performance after a 9-8 penalty shoot-out, which went into sudden death. The two sides had played a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Optimum Performance opened scoring in the 28th minute of the first half through Ozoloa Wale, while the first half remained 1-0 and the game maintained its tempo upon resumption.

However, Dennis Seough got the surprise equaliser for Waco Football Academy after only three minutes into the second half.

At the end of regulation time, the two sides could not be separated and it was left to penalty shoot-out to decide the winner.

Moses Ekhameye, Head Coach of Waco Football Academy said that he was pleased with the third place finish.

In his remarks, Tony Bulus, Head Coach of Optimum Performance Football Academy, said it was a good game adding, ``I am satisfied with the result and effort of my team in this tournament''.

Waco Football Academy will receive N50,000 as third place winner, while the winners of the competition will get N150,000 and the runners-up will get N100,000.

The tournament was organised by Mr Emmanuel Amakiri, President, Nigeria Youth Movement for Empowerment and Transformation, an Abujabased NGO.

Uche 'surprised' by Nigeria call-up

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alu Uche has expressed his surprise after being named in Nigeria's 30man squad for the summer fixtures.

It has been 16 long months since the forward suited up in green and white despite sterling showings at club level for Kasimpasa in Turkey.

But those displays have not gone unnoticed and Uche has now found himself recalled.

"I'm surprised. I'm happy to hear the news although I wasn't expecting it," he told a wire service.

Kalu, whose brother Ike was at the Nations Cup, has excelled in a forward role at club level but is usually shunted to midfield when playing for Nigeria.

But he says he doesn't mind.

"It is the coach's decision where to play me. I try to give my best as a player in any position I find myself."

skills. ``Arrangements have been made to take the Oyo hockey team on a training tour of Ghana before the end of May. ``We want to go out to other countries and play with notable clubs, to know our weaknesses and strengths, in order to work on them,'' he said.

He added that the training tour would prepare the players ahead of some national competitions.

Odedokun urged private bodies and individuals in the state to continue to support the development of the game.

Hockey is a family of sport in which two teams play against each other by trying to manouevre a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal, using curved hockey sticks.

Former NFF member tasks investors on sports equipment production

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r Ayodeji Bello, a former Board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has canvassed the need for the establishment of a sports equipment manufacturing industry in the country.

Bello said yesterday in Ilorin that such a venture would yield massive profit for any entrepreneur that engages in it and noted that the venture could also propel sports in the country, the way it had done in Europe and the Americas. ``The Sports Equipment Industry needs to be established In Nigeria to support all forms of sports, like it is being done in the developed world,'' he said.

The ex-NFF board member stressed that sports equipment were the most significant item for sports development anywhere in the world. ``I will encourage anybody any day to venture into such a business," he added.

On the recent feat of the Super Eagles at the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in South Africa, Bello urged the Super Eagles to step up their game and not rest on their oars.

Bello stressed that the team must ensure that it qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, to assuage the yearnings of its teeming fans.

He hailed Coach Stephen Keshi for his bold initiative in blending domestic league players and their foreign-based counterparts and for taking AFCON by storm. ``For the very fact that players in our local league were part of that success, it will certainly help to make the league better and attractive this season," Bello added.

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Interview Park and pay: "Military and police are our major problem" —MD Integrated Parking Service

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lot of people are of the opinion that the FCT has not come of age to adopt the 'On Street Parking' system being practiced by cosmopolitan cities in the outside world. Do you agree with this?

On Street Parking, is a form of traffic management system introduced by municipalities all over the world to control traffic in their city streets and it has been in the Abuja Master Plan right from day one, when Abuja was designed. It is long overdue in the FCT so this is the right time to activate the policy. The authority introduced this because Abuja is a modern city and as such, all things that are supposed to go with a modern city were designed in the master plan from day one. If these things had not been done, the kind of chaos we have in Lagos will now be replicated in Abuja because 'on street parking' is a way whereby vehicles that have nothing doing on the street will not be there. That is why there is penalty associated with any of the defaults in the on street parking.

As far as I am concerned Abuja is of age to practice this parking management system because Abuja is one of the bubbling cities in the world right now.

Don't you think the payment of N50 per 30 minutes, by motorists on the marked parking bays in the parking controlled zones in the FCT is exploitative?

Certainly, for any new policy, there is the tendency for people to see it as exploitation but with time, when people start understanding the rationale behind it, they will appreciate it.

Even right now some people appreciate. Like the other day, there was this criticism by Sahara Reporters which alleged that the whole thing by the FCT administration was exploitative but if you had seen the comments that followed from the public, they were positive. 80 per cent of those people who commented on that report were supportive of the policy because this is what is being practiced all over the world and Abuja cannot be an exception. If we want to be a civilised country, we have to behave in a civilised manner. Law and order are part of a decent society and 'on street parking' is law and order. These are basic things for any decent and progressive society. That is why when we go abroad we appreciate how people follow the law but in Nigeria, it is another thing entirely.

So, how would you rate compliance of motorists?

When we started on 27th, January 2011, it was war but we thank God. Now, looking at what we passed through, the bitter days are behind us, the

When the Federal Capital Territory administration (FCTA) introduced the 'On Street Parking' policy, popularly known as 'Park and Pay', it was greeted with skepticism followed by rejection and subsequently, protests that nearly marred the project. Managing Director of one of the firms, Integrated Parking Service, Ilyasu Abdul, in this interview with Josephine Ella Ejeh, said despite the progress made so far, some of the teething problems are yet to be resolved. Excerpts:

Ilyasu Abdul, Managing Director, Integrated Parking Service compliance rate is high as people are beginning to understand the system but the resistance we have is from the military men and the police in the FCT. At times they beat up our staff; they high jack them and assault them. Two weeks ago there was a case where an Air Force man's vehicle was clamped and the man went and organised his boys and they used knife to cut some of our boys. We have the picture, evidence of what happened and the vehicle number. The man took away some of our equipment after injuring our staff so these are some of the challenges we are having.

Military men are majorly our problem. When we started this project, all the military formations were informed. But at times they take the law into their hands. They say they are soldiers; they are fighting Boko Haram so we shouldn't harass them. These are the things we pass through every day but as time goes on, if one of them is used as an example, I think their behavior will change.

Have you lodged any formal complaint with the

military authority over such harassment?

Yes. Like the army headquarters, the other day when a man who claimed to be a captain in the Nigeria Army but was later discovered not to be, assaulted our staff to the extent that a vehicle crushed him because he was spraying him tear gas and the guy was trying to escape and an oncoming vehicle hit him, we called the army headquarters and the provost sent some army officers, that was when it was confirmed that the man was a policeman and not an army officer.

The army headquarters is cooperating with us actually because they told us that if any of their men engages in this, we should inform the provost about it, and he has been responding very well to our complaints.

Is this policy contributing in any way towards the development of the FCT? Exactly, there is a percentage of the revenue accruing from the project which we remit to the government every month;

secondly it helps in bringing sanity on the roads. Thirdly, it at least helps in the aspect of job creation. In all aspects, it is a winwin situation for the FCTA because a city must create employment for its teeming youth, generate revenue to maintain facilities.

You see, another aspect is that a lot of people are trooping into the FCT and there are holdups here and there but with the introduction of on street parking, there are differences now, drivers are more careful.

What is your staff strength?

Right now we have staff strength of about 150 but before, we had up to 300 but there were issues that came up so we had to down size.

There are allegations of some of your staff breaking into cars parked on marked parking bays by motorists to steal their money and other valuables. Have you had any report in this respect?

Yes, these are people that are just trying to tarnish our image and rubbish the whole system and it is indicated on the tickets we issue that cars are parked at owners' risk. We don't secure people's vehicle. We just charge you for using those facilities there.

All these people are just being mischievous and when we try to press the case forward, they came up to withdraw it, saying it was a mistake. One of such that happened recently in Wuse Police Station, we are now pressing charges against him for defamation of character against our company because the man went to the British High Commission, parked and paid the money only to come back and claim that his vehicle had been broken into and that he suspected our staff. They arrested one of our staff and a security man guarding one of the houses in the area. So, when we said they should charge the case to court, the man said he didn't want that so what we are suspecting is that some of those people are dubious people. May be they were given money to deliver and they now cornered it and were trying to devise the means to cover up their deed. None of these allegations have ever been proved. We should be commended instead because our staff have helped in many ways to avert car theft in Abuja, and vandalisation has reduced drastically, these are records that anybody can go and cross check from the comman

“

Two weeks ago there was a case where an Air Force man's vehicle was clamped and the man went and organised his boys and they used knife to cut some of our boys. We have the picture, evidence of what happened and the vehicle number.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

PAGE 47

From the Pulpit Responding to God's correction (I) “

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o the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.'

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?' And He said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.

So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.' And Cain said to the LORD, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.' And the LORD said to him, 'Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.' And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden." (Gen 4:6-16 NKJV) I once had a principal in secondary school who entered our class one day following the report that our Mathematics teacher made about us to him. Mr. Dele Obi, the school's first principal ever (God bless him!) asked all of us to bring out our Mathematics note-books. He went through each of Matthew 5:4

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he Lord Jesus Christ came to lead us into the way of blessedness. The disciples had learned from the Lord’s preaching in the previous chapter but they wanted to learn more of Him. This desire to learn more is the quality of a disciple and the sign of being alive. The disciple that is alive will always want to learn more from his Lord. When the Lord saw the desire to learn in His disciples, He opened His mouth and taught them. When Jesus came, He did not close or seal up the revelation from God. The Lord did not entertain or excite His audience, rather, He taught them. Like Jesus Christ, preachers of the gospel ought to teach and to put instructions, doctrine and teaching into the hearts of the people.

There was neither sorrow nor mourning until sin entered into the world. It was only joy, happiness, health, energy, courage and purpose for living. But when sin came in, sorrow, suffering and death came in and with these came mourning. If there is mourning today, there is the likelihood that someone must have died in the family. Personal sin cuts man away from the life of God; when there is personal sin, there will be mourning.

Also, when there is suffering, it brings along mourning. Physical or spiritual death of loved ones often brings mourning and sorrow in our hearts. But the coming of Christ has brought forgiveness and salvation for sinners, joy and happiness for the sorrowful, hope for the hopeless, encouragement

them one after the other. He was looking out for something. He wasn't particularly interested in the marks scored by each student though many of us were not showing much interest in the subject. He was looking out for who did corrections of problems failed and who didn't.

Some did the corrections and he didn't beat them. Others didn't do corrections; they just left the space for the corrections, and weeks after, those corrections remained undone. Such students were well beaten, and our principal could beat very well! His argument for beating those who didn't do their corrections was that they were not interested in improving themselves which was the reason their parents sent them to school.

If you didn't get correctly a problem in Mathematics or any subject for that matter, you should do the corrections after the problem has been solved by the teacher or the correct explanation given.

Many people are like those students who failed to do their corrections. That means they might make the same mistake next time.

None of us is perfect but God has made provisions for our continuous improvement. He doesn't kill us when we make mistakes but He wants us to make corrections. God wants us to get better; He wants us to mature. 2 Tim 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is inspired

by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.

It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do." (NLT) Cain corrected Cain is an example of a man who failed to respond to correction. Cain's jealousy for his brother degenerated

into hatred and finally murder because he failed to respond to God's correction. God had corrected him that his gift was not accepted because he didn't do what was right. The most sensible thing he should have done was to correct himself; do the right thing and his sacrifice would be accepted like his brother's. But Cain failed to respond to correction. He also failed to heed God's warning that sin was already at the door to take control of him and he should master it. Cain preferred to plot to kill his brother. He eventually executed his evil plan, and when God enquired from him where his brother was, he answered God rudely. "'I don't know!' Cain retorted.

'Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?'" (Gen 4:9 NLT) What an answer!

Job 5:2 says, "Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple" (NLT) Resentment towards his brother destroyed Cain; jealousy killed him.

If Cain had responded correctly to God's correction, he would have been saved. "Correction is the high road to life; neglect reproof and you miss the way." (Prov 10:17 New English Bible) A similar truth is stated in Prov 6:23: "…The correction of discipline is the way to life." (NLT) Cain rejected correction and missed the way to life.

He followed not the way of God but the way that seemed right to him, and this way led to his destruction. (Prov 14:12, 16:25) Job 5:17 says, "But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the chastening of the Almighty when you sin." (NLT) Ps 94:12 says, a similar thing: "Happy are those whom you discipline, LORD, and those whom you teach from your law."(NLT) Respond correctly to God's correction; don't react against

GREEN PASTURES

By Pastor T.O. Banso cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 it. God's correction is for your own good. "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." (Prov 12:1 NLT) God's discipline involves on one hand instruction, teaching and training, and on the other hand correction, punishment, and rebuke for those who fail to heed to the first side of discipline.

Saul and David corrected God sent prophets to correct two kings. One admitted he was wrong but the other started passing the buck.

Samuel confronted Saul with his disobedience of God's instruction to destroy the Amalekites but he started by lying that he had obeyed God but when he was confronted with the bleating of the sheep, he replied, "'It's true that the army spared the best of the sheep and cattle,' Saul admitted. 'But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else.'" (1 Sam 15:15 NLT) That was an unnecessary excuse. He should have gone on his face to admit his error, ask for forgiveness and make corrections. But Saul never admitted that he was wrong. Unfortunately, he eventually lost the throne.

David committed murder yet when he was confronted with his sin

by Nathan, he admitted. He made no excuse. "Then David confessed to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.'" (2 Sam 12:13 NLT) And what was God's response to his admission and confession of sin? "Nathan

replied, 'Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin.'" (2 Sam 12:13 NLT) God forgave him his sin. Though he still suffered the consequences of his sin, God didn't take the throne from him like He did to Saul. The Bible says God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) I'll stop here today and continue next week. Respond to God's correction.

TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, kindly say this prayer now: "0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God" I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you will be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things becoming all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. May the Lord be with you.

Heaven’s comfort for mourners on earth and upliftment for those in despair and comfort for mourners.

1. CAUSES OF HEARTBREAKING MOURNING Matthew 5:4; Isaiah 59:11-14; Exodus 33:1-4; Joel 2:12-14; 1 Corinthians 5:1,2; 2 Corinthians 7:710; Psalm 119:53,136; 1 Samuel 15:1024,35; 16:1.

In the world, mourning is often taken as a sign of weakness. No wonder, there are people that train themselves never to mourn even when they have life’s reverses, calamities or difficulties.

Such people are different from Jesus who endorsed mourning when He said, “Blessed [not hopeless or spineless] are they that mourn”. He did not say that it was because their personalities were not well developed as psychologists would have us believe today. He even wept over Jerusalem when it did not recognize God’s plan for it, He also wept when Lazarus died.

When there is sin and when it multiplies in the midst of God’s people, there must be mourning. God had promised the children of Israel the Canaan land but mid-way into their journey, they disobeyed God. And He decided to withdraw His presence from them. Although He was still to give them the Promised Land, He said He would not go with them but would only send an angel to go with them because of the rebellion of the children of Israel.

Unlike some people with limited understanding who would have been

FAITH DISCOURSE WITH

Pastor W. F. Kumuyi satisfied with having a substitute, the children of Israel understood the message and mourned. We mourn when we see that the presence of God is absent from us even though the provisions are there. When there is sin in the congregation, there is nothing to be excited about; rather, it calls for mourning.

The following are the causes of mourning (i) Personal sin (Psalm 38:36). (ii) The people’s sin (Jeremiah 13:17). (iii) The princes’ or leaders’ sin (1 Samuel 15:24,35). When a leader over God’s people goes into sin and remains therein, it causes mourning. (iv) Perpetual sinning (Hosea 4:1-4). (v) Predicted suffering (1 Kings 21:21,27). (vi) Prolonged, protracted sickness (Psalm 88:9-16). (vii) Painful separation (John 16:5-7).

2. CONFESSION OF HUMBLE MOURNERS Matthew 5:4; Psalms 38:1-8; 51:112; Ezekiel 7:16-19; Jonah 3:4-10;

James 4:8-10; 2 Corinthians 7:6-11; Proverbs 28:13; 2 Chronicles 7:14.

It is wonderful to be among those that humbly mourn for any reason.

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Mourners are low in the dust; they are humble – they are not proud. They feel humiliated in their plight. As a result, they cry to God and are sorrowful. For our confession to be noticed, acceptable and responded to

by God as mourners, especially for sin, it must be sincere, heartfelt, humble and honest. Pharaoh, Saul, Balaam, Achan and Judas Iscariot all confessed albeit insincerely. God did not accept and did not grant them forgiveness and favour because they were not repentant.

When the mourner is sincere, honest and humble, then he will be noticed and accepted in the sight of God. 3. COMFORT FOR HONEST MOURNERS Matthew 5:4; Isaiah 12:1,2; 51:3,11,12; 57:18-21; Jeremiah 31:11,13;

Isaiah 52:9,10; 2 Thessalonians 2:16,17; Luke 16:19-25.

There is comfort for honest mourners. “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

God is always angry with the sinner.

Sinning attracts divine judgement upon the sinner. But when there is a turning around, a sincere sorrow for sin and repentance on the part of the sinner, God turns away His anger. Thus, He comforts mourners. “Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

I, even I, am he that comforteth you” (Isaiah 51:11,12).

God has promised to comfort His children that mourn in this life and in eternity. There is an everlasting comfort awaiting honest mourners in heaven where all sorrows, heartaches, troubles, temptations we experience in this world will be over. When we cross over to the heavenly shore, and the causes of sorrow – sin, sickness and Satan - are all forgotten, and the Almighty God wipes tears from your eyes, what a blissful comfort that will be! Whatever adverse circumstance you may be passing through now as a Christian, you must endure and hold out to the end to enjoy eternal comfort like Lazarus did.

Mourn for personal sins and repent of them in earnest prayer to God so as to be forgiven and comforted today.

BIG PUNCH “"We have been able to bury our personal ambitions and interest for the sake of the party, because it is the only hope for Nigeria. … I want to assure that we shall not fail Nigerians.''

—Jigawa state governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, on PDP crisis.”

SATURDAY 6 — SUNDAY 7, APRIL, 2013

Life is for the free T

u r k e y is perhaps one enduring example of how quickly and most profoundly a nation can be transformed, politically, culturally, economically, industrially and spiritually just by moving from servitude to freedom.

Barely a decade ago Turkey was being despised as 'the sick man of Europe', its laborious and rather humiliating struggle to join the European Union was being derided: poor, cumbersome, backward, servile, weak; all of these the result of the worst form of dictatorship any nation can ever endure. For nearly one hundred years every effort was made by the secular elite in charge of Turkey to obliterate Islam, and superimpose in its stead a totally alien faith, alien culture, alien civilization. Mere mention of Islam in this intensely devout nation was an offense, any expression of Islam culturally or morally, let alone politically, was enough reason to lose all the rights and privileges of a citizen. For example, a prominent citizen was once jailed for reciting a nationalistic poem which the power elite thought distasteful because of its Islamic flavor; at another time the same citizen was charged with crimes which warranted the forfeiture of all his political rights, grave enough to justify the dissolution of the political party he led. One of those crimes was that he made the following statement: 'Turkey as a modern Muslim nation can serve as an example for the harmony of civilizations.' [The Economist [17/7/08] This fact alone exposes the nature of the vagabonds who had held Turkey as hostage for so long.

That citizen, by the grace of God, is the current Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayeb Erdogan. In just one decade, Prime Minister Erdogan has not only saved his country from slow death but has in fact caused its miraculous rebirth. A product of the Quran school who, were he a Northern Nigeria, would have been a cobbler or a nail cutter, Erdogan employed Islam to free his country from bondage and set it on a course to becoming a super power. 'During the past decade Turkey has become the rising power in Europe, arguably the world's most influential Muslim country and a dynamic inspiration for young Arab reformers,' Nicolas Burns writes in The Bulkan Chronicle [3/4/13]. 'Turkey is the only European country that has grown in power since the financial crisis and the start of the Arab uprisings. While European economic fortunes have contracted, Turkey has one of the fastest growing global economies.

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Turkey may even now be more powerful in the Middle East than Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. This is all supremely ironic for a country long excluded from positions of power in NATO and which has had the door to the European Union slammed shut in recent years.'

This transformation, Nicolas Burns says further has been engineered by its 'brilliant, proud, and often prickly prime minister, a devout Muslim [who] has revolutionized Turkish politics by challenging his country's historic commitment to secularism and introducing a greater role for Islam in Turkish politics.' Erdogan began his transformation by first subduing and routing the vestiges of the shameful past, the secular forces which had subjugated Turkey and straightjacketed it into a slave nation, even at a time when slavery had become obsolete. 'But the straitjacket no longer fits the modern country,' The Economist observes. 'Opinion polls suggest that most Turks now identify themselves primarily as Muslims, not as Turks. The AKP [the ruling Justice and Development Party] did not create this mindset: rather, it was born from it.' Erdogan merely gives concrete expression to the genuine, natural and legitimate aspirations of his people, as a democracy must.

Turkish economic and industrial transformation has been breathtaking. The Economist [21/ 10/10] opines that Turkey boasts the fastest-growing economy in the OECD club of rich countries and thanks to its wide ranging and prolific industrial output, it has become the powerhouse of Europe, 'in a sense, it is Europe's BRIC: it might be called the China of Europe.' In the diplomatic sphere Turkey does not take dictation from Europe or America, reflecting a strategic policy shift. 'Backed by its strong economy, Turkey has become highly active in its diplomacy across the Middle East, in the Balkans and as far afield as Africa-and not always to the satisfaction of its allies. In a sense, Turkey has become a local diplomatic giant-the Brazil of the region,'The Economist states further. Equally important Turkey is steadily building its military power, it has the second largest army in NATO, next only to US. The paper laments that instead of rejoicing at the advancement of Turkey, Europeans are trembling over the prospect of being asked to admit such a populous state into the European Union on the pretext that Turkey is drifting towards Muslim fundamentalism. Europe's complete error of judgement may yet prove a

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Turkish PM, Tayeb Erdogan historic mistake.

Freedom, the gift of Islam, is making Turkey to live once again, placing it on a course towards greatness. Turkey now beams with confidence, breaking new grounds in trade, industry, economy and diplomacy, in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caucasus. As a geo-strategic nation straddling three continents, and, according to Patrick Seale [New York Times 4/11/09] as an energy hub linking oil and gas producers in Russia and Central Asia with energyhungry markets in Europe, Turkey feels that it can go its own way.

Furthermore, it feels it has the right, the will and the wherewithal to be a great power, and it is in fact working diligently and cautiously on the global stage in that direction. Abdullah Gul, President of Turkey, himself a product of Quran school, luckily not of Northern Nigerian type which would have denied him the knowledge and expertise on global affairs and statecraft, spells out his country's global strategy in an interview with Jonathan Topperman, [Foreign Affairs, January/February 2013].

Turkey, he says, aims to be a virtuous power, in contrast, presumably, to

the rampaging, rapacious, predatory and corrupt powers of modern era which, out of inordinate greed, have laid much of the world to waste. 'A virtuous power is a power is a power where the priority lies with safeguarding the human rights and interests of all human beings in a manner that also entails the provision of aid to those in need without expecting anything in return,' Abdullah Gul explains. 'That's what I mean by a virtuous power: a power that knows what's wrong and what's right and that is also powerful enough to stand behind what's right.'

Turkey, so the new dictum goes, does not need Europe, it is Europe that needs Turkey. Perhaps both need each other. The Economist once again: 'Turkey is heading in a good direction.

It remains a shining example in the Muslim world of a vibrant democracy with the rule of law and a thriving free-market economy. Much though Western leaders would like to turn the argument into one about Turkey, the real question is for them. Are Americans and Europeans prepared to accept Turkey for what it is: a Muslim democracy, with a different culture and diplomatic posture, but committed to economic and political

liberalism? This newspaper hopes the answer is yes.' But remember that Turkey had no life whatsoever when it was in tutelage, similar, in a way, to Nigeria's painful, slow wastage; its fortunes and status only rose dramatically as soon as it emerged, says Patrick Seale, from its proAmerican straitjacket and asserted itself as a powerful independent actor at the heart of a vast region that extends from the Middle East to the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Here we arrive at the point we are pursuing. Today, it is the countries that have secured their freedom that are enjoying the best fruits of life, they are the ones setting the agenda and pace for the future. Islam set Iran free.

Islam set Turkey free. Islam has set Egypt free and we are now witnessing the difficult and tentative strides of an emerging global power. This, in a sense, is where Northern Nigeria belongs, strategically, emotionally, culturally, economically - in the forefront for freedom and sovereignty.

The veteran journalist, Stephen Kinzer, puts the matter in a global perspective. 'The dramatic rise of Turkey in the councils of world power was one of the main geopolitical developments of 2010. Iran's emergence as a serious regional power was another. They are harbingers of what will be one of the main trends of global power in coming decades: the rise of middle powers.' Kinzer writes in The Guardian. [guardian.co.uk 11/ 1/11 1600GMT]. 'This era is an exciting one for rising countries. Their drive to assert themselves, though, poses an inevitable challenge to powers accustomed to dominating the world, chiefly the United States.'

Stephen Kinzer remarks further that one of the immutable patterns of history is the rise and fall of great powers. Those that are dynamic and nimble might perhaps stem the tide and survive. Those frozen in time, however, will inevitably fall. The rise of Islam is inevitable. The rest of the world must adjust to this new reality.

'Thus far, however, the US shows little sign that it is willing to accommodate the rise of middle powers,' Stephen Kinzer observes with a sense of foreboding. 'American leaders are frozen into denial and caught in a straitjacket of policies shaped for another era. Unless they can become more nimble, the US risks losing both global influence and domestic prosperity.' Those who seek freedom will eventually get it, those that are content with bondage will perish, sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of their masters.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141